What cable for in console aux jack

You may need a ground loop isolator to eliminate the noise. See crutchfield.com or radioshack.com.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(FJRCRAZED @ May 31 2006, 04:16 AM) [snapback]263298[/snapback]</div>

That's weird - if you're getting stereo with the same cable in another car then you should have a stereo cable but you should be able to tell by looking at the tip whether you have a mono or stereo cable.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(FJRCRAZED @ May 31 2006, 04:16 AM) [snapback]263298[/snapback]</div>

Like LarkAzusa said, if you have the Sirius plugged in to a power supply to power the device and have the audio connected to a stereo AUX-IN this can cause a feedback loop and you need a ground loop isolator. These are available from Radio Shack for about $16. As an editorial comment, it would strike me as kind of lame if this is a Sirius device intended for use in a car and they didn't have this built in.

 

That sounds like a mono plug. The jack in the Prius is stereo.

It is not possible that you ever got true stereo anywhere with a mono plug. You may have gotten the same channel sound in both speakers, assuming the jack was wired in a special way, but never stereo.

You just have to get a stereo cable and you'll be all set. And if you try the stereo cable with those other cars, you'll be pleasantly surprised by the improvement.

As for noise or hum, you might still need a ground-loop isolator, but this would only be necessary if you're also powering the portable unit from the car. If it's running on internal batteries, there will be no ground loop to suppress.

Be sure you adjust the output level of the device for minimum noise and to avoid clipping the audio.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(psoul @ May 31 2006, 08:19 AM) [snapback]263387[/snapback]</div>

Hell, it strikes me as EXTRA lame that the Prius (pretty obviously a car) doesn't have the ground-loop filter built in!

 

Well, yes, that would be nice. Especially since a) the car has so much digital electronics, which may couple noise into the power lines, and b) it isn't a big expense.

Or at least Toyota should sell an accessory cable with the transformer built in...

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Rick Auricchio @ May 31 2006, 02:05 PM) [snapback]263487[/snapback]</div>

I just hooked up an IPod Nano to my Prius's Aux input. I used a 12 inch min to min cable that I bought at Radio Shack. As soon as I plugged it in and pressed disc/aux, it went to the disc player - the next press recognized that a device was plugged into the aux input and the IPod started playing. Bright clear sound - no scratching, no noise.

Sy Cohen

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(FJRCRAZED @ May 31 2006, 07:16 AM) [snapback]263298[/snapback]</div>

How is your Sirius Radio powered? I experienced a noise problem running a low cost inverter from the 12V jack to power a small audio device. The low cost inverters do not produce a sine wave output. The noise content of a non-sinusoidal waveform is MUCH higher than one would experience from a true AC source. If the noise if white noise, if might be from the reduced reception strength from being deep in the car rather than using an outside antenna. It also might be from the enormous amount of EMI noise I would expect from all the digital electronics and the hi-power inverters used under the hood.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(syclone @ May 31 2006, 04:21 PM) [snapback]263616[/snapback]</div>

Did you have the Nano plugged into the power plug in the console at the time? This is where you may see the noise.

 

I plug my Sirius Starmate Replay into the 12v DC inside the center armrest console and I plug the audio out into the aux port in the center armrest console. I don't use a ground loop isolator or any other nifty device; I always get perfect stereo sound; I have never had a problem. You can buy a shielded stereo cable for the aux port for $11.99 at Radio Shack; however, I was getting perfect sound using a cheap, unshielded cable; I bought the shielded cable because my kid was bugging me to give him back his cable for his computer speakers.

 

I had the same problem with my XM radio. When played through the aux input (while the power cord was plugged into the 12VDC outlet), I got noise. Of course that doesn't happen when the power cord isn't plugged in, but the idea is that you don't have to worry about running down you r battery. I got the ground loop filter from Crutchfield (which is made to plug into a 1/8" jack) and that eliminated the problem (same thing, playing my iPod while the power cord was plugged in).

Now that is a good idea- just have the noise filter built into the car!

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(larkinmj @ Jun 1 2006, 07:00 PM) [snapback]264402[/snapback]</div>

Soon as my unit gets here, it WILL be built into the car... in the console BEFORE the jack that you see! You know - the way it sould have come from the factory.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(FJRCRAZED @ May 31 2006, 06:16 AM) [snapback]263298[/snapback]</div>

I am having the same problem about the mono sound with my iPod. When my 1/8" cable is plugged into the aux jack in the centre console, the sound only comes from the left speakers, but when i very carefully pull the cable out a hair, i get stereo sound! I've tested this with a number of different cables, and i can confirm that the input is stereo but the aux input must have something strange about its connectors. Could it be that Toyota has designed a proprietary "Toyota AUX Input Cable" that is customized for the Prius?
I've tried looking on eBay for a "Prius aux cable" but only standard 1/8" cables are being sold. Does anyone know of a solution so external audio sources can be played through the car speakers in STEREO?
Thanks!!