Originally posted on landoblog.com [now deprecated] on July 21st, 2009. Retrieved courtesy of Wayback Machine — Internet Archive.
I got my package today containing my newly purchased Kensington LiquidAUX Bluetooth Car kit. The device works fairly well and is what I needed for my car modification. The goal of the project was to retain a 100% OEM look while adding the wireless functionality to stream music from my iPhone 3Gs to my head unit in my car. Here’s how it went down:
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I (again) removed the main panel in the center console of the car. By pulling up underneath the ash tray, it pops right off. I can tell it’s getting easier since the first time. I disconnected the plugs going to the panel so I could have a better view at the rest.
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I fashioned an auxiliary 12v/lighter jack from an old car battery booster (which was corroded solid inside, glad I didn’t plug it in…). The idea here was to not take apart my new adapter the same day I got it. I also bought a headphone splitter at RadioShack, designed for use with an ipod to split to two headphones. This one has two volume dials to set levels independently. I’m going to use it in an alternate way that what it was designed for.
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I crimped my new jack into the existing lighter outlet power supply, careful to check the polarity using the continuity meter before I reattached the battery (+) to the car. In this I put my new bluetooth adapter.
I wired the adapter to the AUX in jack through the y-splitter, one end to an RCA to 1/8 inch (3.5mm) adapter the other to the included 1/8″ extension line which I ran out under the passenger side dash. Now someone else can still plug in their device, or I can use mine or any other device that supports bluetooth A2DP. No switching needed. (Although using both at the same time would be a bad idea. Depending on the devices, one could get fried.)
- I put it all together and tested it, the video showing it working follows!