How to install your wiring, and make it a.) Invisible, or b.) Nice to look at:

Alrightee! So, you’re off to installing all of the big-time components to your stereo system. I know you really really really want to skip the boring parts (like running wires), and go straight to installing the components, and turning on your system. Nnnnnno!

Like I have said countless times before, we’re here to do a QUALITY stereo install. Not some janky, lame-o quickie job. We’re installing a stereo for the life of your vehicle, and as such, we spend a little extra time to do things properly. Sooooo, when it comes to wiring, we need to think about how we want to do things first.

To re-cap. Do you know what components you’ll be installing? Even if you don’t have all of the components now, hopefully you know what your plans are. This allows you to run all of the wires, so when you finally get your components, you can just mount them, and hook up the wires, and you’re ready to rock.

Don’t be stupid like most people, and think of components first, THEN think about how to install them. Think of how to install components, get the install parts, THEN install the components. DUH!!! By the way, you’ll save time and money with this approach.

Was that a long enough introduction? OK, let’s get into what you should know about wiring!

First, buy all of the wiring that you think you’ll need, and some extra just for safety. Don’t worry, your money won’t be wasted!

Next, disassemble your vehicle in the places where the wiring will be run. When I say disassemble, I mean it! Pull out seats, carpet, panels, everything! Trust me, this will make running wires easier and safer.

If you plan to use any sort of sound insulation or damping material, now is the time to lay it. If you don’t plan on using it, why not? This will make your system sound better by lowering noise, and by eliminating vibrations. Just do it!

Now, you get to run wires. Run them everywhere they’ll be needed. Run power wires, RCA wires, speaker wires, interface wires, remote turn on wires. EVERYTHING.

Now that they’re laid out how you want and need them, it’s time to secure them. Vehicle manufacturers use ties everywhere to keep wires organized and out of the way. Now it’s your turn! Many many many people skip this step, and I don’t think it’s too smart.

Why?

Because when wires are subjected to vibrations, stress, weather, and other things that are constantly present in vehicles, they tend to wear away. When wires wear away, you get…

Short circuits! Vehicle fires! Ruined components!

Don’t risk it, just secure your wires!

If you have amp racks or other items that your wiring will go through, it’s time to mount those items, and secure the wiring to them.

OK, OK. Those are the basic steps you’ll go through to run wires. But, how do you actually do it? Let’s break it down:

1.) Measure distances between where components will be mounted, and what they connect to. For example, measure from the battery to where you’ll mount your amp. Also, don’t be stupid. Buy a few extra feet at each end, so you’ll have room for error. Also, you’ll want to make sure none of the wires are stretched. You want to have some slack at each end. This will make your life much easier.

Other distances to measure:

Head unit to amp

Amp to speakers

Head unit to cd/dvd changer, mp3 player, navigation system, etc.

Also, before you buy your wires, be sure you know what will work best with your planned components. If you’re planning to install a 500 watt amp, and you know that amp will be 17′ from the battery, use a chart to figure out what wire guage to use. People like to get all loco in the cabeza with power wire, and spend $5 a foot on 0 guage wire. WHY??? If you don’t need it, don’t buy it!

2.) OK, so you have all of your wiring in hand, and ready to go. Now is the time to take apart parts of your vehicle. First, figure out where your wires will be run. I usually run my power wire on the same side of the vehicle as the battery. I also usually run my RCA cables down the center of the vehicle. Knowing this information will tell you where you need to remove parts from your vehicle. If you’re not going to be running wires in a certain part of your vehicle, then it won’t be necessary to take anything apart. UNLESS!! UNLESS!!! UNLESS!!!! You plan to put some sound damping material down. I always recommend this!

So, here we go. Time for the fun part. First things first. Disconnect the ground (aka negative) wire from the battery.

Pull up panels! I highly recommend some sort of panel removal tool to remove panels. This will help protect your panels from breaking.

3.) Time to run wires!

First, we’ll run the power cable: Find a hole in the firewall of your vehicle. If you can’t find a hole, you might be able to squeeze a power cable through the far corner of your hood, by the windshield and into your vehicle that way. If you can’t do that, then you’ll have to drill. Every car is different, but one piece of advice is always true: Plan ahead, and be careful! Inspect where you plan to drill the hole, and be sure you won’t damage anything in the process. Take it slow, or if you’re feeling really nervous, drive your vehicle to a stereo shop, and have them run your power wire through the firewall. Next, run the cable wherever it will fit nicely, and not be visible once you put the carpet back in place. Run it all the way to your trunk (or wherever you plan to have your amp or distribution blocks mounted). Next, secure the cable. Use zip ties, or glue, or even velcro to make sure your power cable stays where it should. Be sure it is not near any moving parts, or rubbing on anything that will strip the insulation. Also, be sure it will not get in the way of anything once you re-install all of the panels, carpet, etc.

Next, let’s run your RCA cable(s), interface cables and Remote turn on wire. Again, be sure the negative cable is disconnected from the battery. Disassemble any and all of the panels surrounding your head unit. Pull your head unit out. Next, pull up all of the panels, consoles and carpet around where you’ll be running your RCA cable and interface cable. Connect the remote turn-on wire to your head unit’s wiring harness. If you are planning to connect more than one or two devices to your head unit’s remote turn-on, you will want to look into installing a relay. Next, run the RCA cables, interface cable and remote turn-on. All of the stuff I said earlier about power cables is also true of RCA and interface cables. Be sure your cable is not near any moving parts, it is not rubbing against anything that will strip the insulation, and it is mounted in such a way that it will not show once the panels and carpet are put back in place. Connect the RCA cables to the pre-outs on your head unit, and be sure you know which RCA cable goes to which channel on your amp. Many RCA cables use color-coding, so it shouldn’t be too difficult. Plug in your interface cable. Now, re-install your head unit. Make sure everything is all hooked up before you put everything back together!!

OK, last step. Let’s run speaker wire! This is exactly like running all of the other wires above. Pull up the panels. Run the wires. Be mindful of where you plan to run them. Secure them. Make sure you have a few extra feet at each end of the speaker cable. I know this sounds stupid, but trust me. It’s more stupid to spend all of this time running wire only to discover that it’s too short. Then, you have to pull the wire up, throw it away, then run it all over again. DUMB!

4.) Secure wires!

Now that your wires are run, it’s time to secure them. There are many ways to secure wires, and not all of them will work at all times. In fact, you’ll probably need to use a variety of methods to secure your wires throughout your vehicle. Soooooo….

1.) Secure wires with zip ties to other bundles of wires.

2.) Secure wires with zip ties to small holes (or create small holes)

3.) Use glue to secure zip ties to your vehicle, then secure the wires with them.

4.) Run wires behind objects that they can be secured to.

5.) Use velcro to secure wires

5.) Secure wires to mounting locations (amp racks, speaker pods, etc)

If you have any sort of custom enclosure or rack for your stereo components, you’ll want to find a way to secure your wires to the rack or enclosure. If these racks or enclosures are designed to be seen, you might want to take some time making the wires visible, and looking good.

In the example of amp racks, you can drill holes where all of the electrical connections go into the amp. Run the wires through these holes, and to your amp. This trick will make your wires look nice and clean, and keep your wires organized.

For speaker enclosures, there are a variety of things you can do to make the wires look good. For plexiglass subwoofer enclosures, people often choose wire that looks good. In addition, top installers will choose wire hardware (terminals) that are of high quality, and look good. If you want your enclosure to be removable, you can install speaker terminals on the outside of the enclosure, or even install a custom quick-release wiring harness.

Enjoy! -Honest AEB

Alan Bayer is an entrepreneur and car audio enthusiast. He runs an eBay store selling car stereo install supplies:

http://stores.ebay.com/honest-aebs-autosound/

He also has a GREAT website with car audio articles (such as the one from above). Also on the website, learn about car audio equipment, how to find the best equipment, how to install it, and save big bucks in the process!

http://www.honestaebs-caraudio.com/

Subscribe to Honest AEB’s FREE Car Audio Magazine!

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Remember those brutally long road trips? You remember them, it felt like time was standing still, and you and your family had been driving for an eternity. More or less all of us had those experiences when we were children with our family, and if you’re lucky enough you’re getting ready to experience those same things with your own family such as I am. Thankfully thanks to technology a lot of things are easier today then they were when I was a kid. Including entertaining the kids when we head out on summer vacation to visit friends and relatives. No more ?are we there yet? or ?how much longer? all thanks to the car DVD system. To those of you who are skeptical on the idea, it’s understandable, why have a DVD system in your automobile. Of course it’s not for everyday use, but trust me when you need it, it’s a life saver.

Is your car or van equipped with a auto DVD system? This feature is becoming more of a standard option then a luxury these days. People all over are picking up this feature whether they are big travelers or not. Whether it’s an hour out of town or a few days to another state a car DVD system makes the drive easier. Children and teens alike love the option.

Last summer my family and I headed out on the road for a four day extravaganza. Something I would normally dread as my children make a habit of playing with every toy they bring in the first thirty minutes. How ever this year I have a DVD system in our van, so I made sure to stock up on a bunch of move titles, and headed out on the road. Not once did we hear are we there yet, the movies kept them entertained for the entire part of the trip on the road, what a relief.

If you’re considering purchasing a new car or van with a DVD system, or possibly adding on to your current family vehicle there are a few options. The best place to evaluate those options is on the Internet, with a few clicks you can easily compare features, pricing, and available accessories for different models both factory and after market. Don’t you think it’s about time you rid yourself of the dreaded ?are we there yet? and exchanged it for a peaceful trip, when the little ones are entertained by a few movies.

For more information on items like portable DVD systems, and other technology devices please visit our website Technology Saves Time.

Years ago when you had to get somewhere you had to spend all day pulling out the map and checking and double checking where you have to go and where you are at the moment. I will never forget having to look around for an intersection that was large enough to be shown on the map. I got really sick of having to update the maps of the cities that I travel too. The bad thing is that no matter how recent the map is by the time it makes it through the processes and production and hits the shelves to be bought by the general public, there have already been dozens of roads and places developed since the map was planned out.

Technology is amazing because the typical paper map is completely obsolete. Now we have electronic devices that can tell you down to a few feet where in the world you are and where you need to go. Actually these machines can figure out on the spot what your movements have done to the original route planned. These really cool devices have perfectly scaled representations of the land you are on at the given time. Many of them have some voices so that you do not even have to look at the screen. The machine will tell you how far away your next turn is and whether it is a right or left. If you pass the place you have to turn the machine will tell you in a polite voice that you must turn around and go the other way.

Electronics have really come a long way over the recent years. The scary thing is that as perfect as the technology is now it will grow leaps and bound in the upcoming years. I cannot wait to see what the geniuses at the electronic companies come up with next.

For more information about tom tom gps or other ones like garmin gps systems, visit http://www.electronicbrilliance.com.

Car radio installation accessories comprise of harness adapters leads, fascia adapters, stalk/steering wheel control adapters (also known as SMART leads) and aerial adapters.

One or more of the above adaptors may be needed when you are installing an in-dash CD or MP3 player or a complete CD changer package. Car radio installation accessories enable you to install your new radio/head unit seamlessly without the need to cut any wires and so will not invalidate your car warranty.

Harness Lead
Simply connect the harness adapter (by push fit) in between your car radio wiring and your new radio/head unit. This will enable you to connect them together safely and seamlessly. This means that you will not have to cut any of your cars existing wiring, therefore not invalidating the warranty.

Fascia Adaptor
Many factory-fitted radios are now a unique shape, design and are integrated into the dash. Removing your factory-fitted radio in order to fit a standard sized radio (i.e. Alpine, Kenwood, Sony, etc), will alter your dashboard appearance by leaving a large hole. A fascia adapter will reduce this hole enabling your new radio to fit perfectly into the dash reproducing the original look.

Aerial Adapters
You may require an aerial adapter, as some cars use a female socket instead of the conventional male plug. The adaptor simply pushes into your cars female socket and the result is a male plug that fits into the rear of your new radio. Conveniently, one is included with all new radios.

Stalk/ Steering Wheel Control Adapter
Steering control adapters, commonly known as stalk control leads, enable your car’s steering wheel radio controls to remain fully functional when you are adding an aftermarket in-dash radio/head unit on it’s own or as part of a CD changer package.

These connect by push fit to your existing wiring at the rear of your radio that is linked to the steering wheel control.

Stalk control leads are available for all car makes and models and for Sony, Kenwood and Panasonic radios. In order for the stalk control lead to be compatible with each brand of radio there must be a specific socket or lead present on the radio that will accept the stalk control lead connection, linking the two together seamlessly.

Visit car-audio-products-and-accessories.com to read more installation articles or visit caraudioplus.co.uk to get your installation accessories. Chimezirim Odimba writes for CAP.

Car audio systems are one of the most wanted luxury items today. And many of us try to look for the cheapest options available. Any product is marketed through a chain of manufacturers, wholesalers, retailers and customers. You can get wholesale rates if the retailer is skipped. But in most cases, car audio systems are supplied only through retailers. Getting car audio systems at discounted prices is convenient with online shopping, auctions, dealer discounts and used products. But authentic car audio systems on wholesale basis can be tricky to find.

There are online wholesale clubs which provide people with information on wholesale deals but the authenticity of products can be questionable. A lot of effort and research is required to locate wholesale sources for car audio systems. Some wholesalers sell new audio systems, some market secondhand systems and a few also auction for bulk deals.

Some manufacturers with wholesale units also set up their own retail outlets. This way the customer gets a lower price and the manufacturer enjoys higher profits, as everything is done in-house.

Price is certainly a factor to consider, but source is as important. It is better to verify the source from the manufacturer. Unauthorized dealers may not give a full warranty. Many reputable car audio manufacturers do not allow Internet sales. Nonetheless, we find all brands and models, which may just be gray market items. The seller might not even know that serial numbers have been tampered with, which makes the manufacturer?s warranty void. Such problems are hard to deal with and trace back if needed.

Do an Internet search on wholesale car audio systems, and hundreds of sites appear claiming to be wholesalers. But most reviews say that the prices are at par with retail. So if you think that you have found a good wholesale deal, beware and check it out before making your final payment.

Car Audio provides detailed information on Car Audio, Discount Car Audio, Wholesale Car Audio, Car Audio Systems and more. Car Audio is affiliated with Car Stereo Installations.

The first thing that many of us do after getting in our automobile is to switch on the radio. It is a simple way in which many people seek a few moments of relaxation while on move. People at times like to play loud music and feel the energy, play soothing music to soothe frayed nerves, or listen to news, updates or interesting programs to stay connected. Whatever the reason, a car audio system is the most popular car accessory nowadays. Automobiles come with an audio system from manufacturers, or get custom ones later to suit individual preferences.

The history of car audio dates back to the 1930s, when the Galvin brothers introduced the first car radio, named Motorola (?motor? meaning motion and ?ola? meaning sound). Innovations kept happening in many parts of the world. It took another forty years to develop audio amplifiers, in a quest to develop something just more than a radio. Since then, there have been more and more sophisticated devices which can stand the temperatures and vibration of automobiles. Modern speakers are not even visible, but produce good acoustics and sound quality.

Car audio systems come in a wide range of brands, setups and prices. After deciding on a budget, you can look at the possible options. Car audio systems are available in at both regular and discounted prices. Basic things which are difficult to change later should be selected with thought and care. For instance, whether a unit is able to play CDs, cassettes, radio or all of these should be looked at first. Some parts, like speakers, subwoofers, amplifiers, crossovers, equalizers, and mobile video (VCRs, television, DVD and navigation) can be upgraded later. Component compatibility between different brands and options for add-ons should also be looked at.

High-end installations have more functions and are relatively expensive. However, even with a lower budget you can get a decent system. In short, the decision should be based on a system?s ability to play tapes, CDs and the radio. Some people feel satisfied with a radio, plus a tape player and are not tempted by CD players. It should have a decent sound quality. We can imagine the irritation felt when a favorite track or program does not sound clear and sharp.

Car Audio provides detailed information on Car Audio, Discount Car Audio, Wholesale Car Audio, Car Audio Systems and more. Car Audio is affiliated with Car Stereo Installations.

If you?re looking for an in-car Pioneer car audio video system, there are a number of options to choose from. First, you must decide what features you want – just a basic sound system that plays DVD?s, or one that features a navigation system or other additions too? Here are the top three models of Pioneer car audio video they make.

1. AVH-P7500DVD: This car DVD player has a large anti-glare screen, and is compatible with a broad range of Pioneer accessories. It features DVD audio and video, CD and MP3. It has surround sound and AM/FM radio, and is XM radio-ready. It doesn?t have a navigation system, although it?s easy to add on features like navigation or a game box. The price ranges from $1199-$1680.

2. Pioneer AVIC-N2 Car DVD Player: This system also has a great deal of improved features, and in addition to the DVD system has a navigation system. The in-dash player and monitor plays CD?s, MP3?s, DVD?s, and CD-R and CD-RW. The navigation system has very detailed maps and up-to-date traffic information for most major cities, and the very sensitive touch screen ensures accuracy while searching. It has four channels and an optional XM radio tuner, as well as an amplifier. The price is anywhere from $1330 to $2000.

3. Pioneer NAV-SYS620T (includes AVD-W6210 and AVIC-88DVD): This system combines a lot of features to make an impressive system that will enhance any car. There is an 8- channel GPS receiver for excellent navigation, along with five different viewing modes for the touch screen. It has voice recognition software so users can use voice-control or touch screen mode. It also features ?points of interest? on the map discs for the US and Canada. It has CD and DVD, although it doesn?t come with an AM/FM tuner. The price range is $1389 to $1890.

Pioneer Car Audio How To Made Simple

James Southall Jr.

http://www.audio-car-pioneer.com