[headshokfatty]

please post back if you hear anything positive from Kenwood. I contacted SOA today after having my dealership and an online one (subaru-parts.com) both hear from SOA that they were "in development" and it could be as much as 6 more months. Hopefully they get back to me with something promising.
Anybody out there actually gotten their hands on one of these kits?

[headshokfatty]

This is what I got back from SOA this morning.
"Subaru will be offering the Bluetooth Microphone as an accessory for the 2008 Impreza vehicles equipped with navigation. The Bluetooth Microphone system offers a number of menu driven features and displays information on the navigation screen for customers including: Bluetooth Connection Status, reception level, battery indicator, phone book, audio muting, call accept/ hold/ decline, call muting, call history, and the ability to register multiple Bluetooth devices. The Bluetooth Microphone is expected to become available in early March."

Guess we'll see in march.

[StiCalgary]

Sorry wrong post.

[kris]

Originally Posted by headshokfatty

please post back if you hear anything positive from Kenwood. I contacted SOA today after having my dealership and an online one (subaru-parts.com) both hear from SOA that they were "in development" and it could be as much as 6 more months. Hopefully they get back to me with something promising.
Anybody out there actually gotten their hands on one of these kits?

I saw my Kenwood dealer today, he made a call to Kenwood and checked out my system and here's what I learned
-the NAV is based on an older 4000 series Kenwood Nav
-the head unit is based on an older 6000 series Kenwood dual din unit

The 6000 unit is bluetooth capable but does not have the ipod capabilities of the 7000 series (which sucks because 7000 series have full on screen ipod playlist etc)

He *believes* that a Kenwood bluetooth kit/mic will work. We are going to test this on Tuesday when the head unit is out for an amp/speaker install.

Kenwood - KCA-BT100

More to follow next week

[StiCalgary]

Only the Video function of the AV inputs is disabled while moving, you can still play music from yoru Ipod while you are driving, just not video. The interesting thing is whenyu stop or ae going very slow (less than 5km/hr) it works even without the handbrake on, so there must be two links, one to the hand brake and one to the vehical speed. But like it was previously posted if you touch the hand brake on it all works.

[denver133]

Here is the link with the step by step I did in my Legacy Spec B to allow video to play while driving. It is just grounding that one grey wire. I get my 08 STi in 3 weeks and will play around with the wires behind the nav at that point in time. Just not sure which on needs to be grounded out.

How to run simple DVD on your NAV! - Subaru Legacy Forums

[serendipity]

Anyone taken the head unit out of the 08 STi yet? What's the easiest way to get to it? I don't want to mess up the interior trying to pry the trim off.

[serendipity]

Originally Posted by serendipity

Anyone taken the head unit out of the 08 STi yet? What's the easiest way to get to it? I don't want to mess up the interior trying to pry the trim off.

I just did the bypass. The trim just pops out - I used my installer plastic tools (these come in really handy - highly recommended for any kind of interior work. Link: eas - 714.369.8524 | General Installer Plastic Tool Kit )

On the back of the head unit, the connector with the smaller pins has a grey wire just like the Legacy, which is the parking brake lead. I tested with my multi-tool to confirm this grounds when the e-brake is pulled.



I made a short ground wire with a ring on one end and a male quick-connect on the other, and crimped a female quick connect onto the grey lead going into the harness. I crimped an extra insulated male quick connect on the other end of the lead in case I needed to reconnect it. The ground wire just sits between the screw and the head unit's frame, which goes into a metal assembly that's part of the car's frame, so it's a good ground point.

With this wire grounded, the nav unit will let your passenger input directions while moving (tested by driving around the block and doing things that are normally locked out). I believe this allows video while moving as well (NOT recommended yadda yadda). The Brake light in the cluster still works normally with this mod - no annoying light like the alternative (grounding the e-brake switch at the e-brake).

Now if only the bluetooth microphone were available

[D0WNxSH1FT]

We need to wait for the microphone to come out so that the bluetooth will function properly

[chmura]

Originally Posted by serendipity

I just did the bypass. The trim just pops out - I used my installer plastic tools (these come in really handy - highly recommended for any kind of interior work. Link: eas - 714.369.8524 | General Installer Plastic Tool Kit )

On the back of the head unit, the connector with the smaller pins has a grey wire just like the Legacy, which is the parking brake lead. I tested with my multi-tool to confirm this grounds when the e-brake is pulled.



I made a short ground wire with a ring on one end and a male quick-connect on the other, and crimped a female quick connect onto the grey lead going into the harness. I crimped an extra insulated male quick connect on the other end of the lead in case I needed to reconnect it. The ground wire just sits between the screw and the head unit's frame, which goes into a metal assembly that's part of the car's frame, so it's a good ground point.

With this wire grounded, the nav unit will let your passenger input directions while moving (tested by driving around the block and doing things that are normally locked out). I believe this allows video while moving as well (NOT recommended yadda yadda). The Brake light in the cluster still works normally with this mod - no annoying light like the alternative (grounding the e-brake switch at the e-brake).

Now if only the bluetooth microphone were available

Thanks for the informative post!

You didn't take any pics of how you grounded the wire?

Also I think its pathetic that Subaru doesnt have a built in mic for the bluetooth when you purchase a NAVI. Come on its 2008, not 2005!! Almost every car this day that is equipped with a NAVI has a built in bluetooth mic.

[serendipity]

Originally Posted by chmura

Thanks for the informative post!

You didn't take any pics of how you grounded the wire?

Also I think its pathetic that Subaru doesnt have a built in mic for the bluetooth when you purchase a NAVI. Come on its 2008, not 2005!! Almost every car this day that is equipped with a NAVI has a built in bluetooth mic.

I took a pic when I tried splicing a ground, but it turns out the e-brake line is a single circuit to the cluster and presumably the DCCD and everything else, so it was keeping the light on the dash on. I didn't take another pic of the ground wire after I fixed the loop. It's pretty simple though. Whenever the bluetooth mic comes in and I have to pull it out anyway, I'll take another pic of the ground wire.

[Dj Hurricane]

Originally Posted by serendipity

I just did the bypass. The trim just pops out - I used my installer plastic tools (these come in really handy - highly recommended for any kind of interior work. Link: eas - 714.369.8524 | General Installer Plastic Tool Kit )

On the back of the head unit, the connector with the smaller pins has a grey wire just like the Legacy, which is the parking brake lead. I tested with my multi-tool to confirm this grounds when the e-brake is pulled.



I made a short ground wire with a ring on one end and a male quick-connect on the other, and crimped a female quick connect onto the grey lead going into the harness. I crimped an extra insulated male quick connect on the other end of the lead in case I needed to reconnect it. The ground wire just sits between the screw and the head unit's frame, which goes into a metal assembly that's part of the car's frame, so it's a good ground point.

With this wire grounded, the nav unit will let your passenger input directions while moving (tested by driving around the block and doing things that are normally locked out). I believe this allows video while moving as well (NOT recommended yadda yadda). The Brake light in the cluster still works normally with this mod - no annoying light like the alternative (grounding the e-brake switch at the e-brake).

Now if only the bluetooth microphone were available

Im going tomorrow to get the sub installed... I want to get the video grounded also... can you confirm that the video is working??
Is this all that has to be done? Grey wire?

[suby555]

Originally Posted by Dj Hurricane

Im going tomorrow to get the sub installed... I want to get the video grounded also... can you confirm that the video is working??
Is this all that has to be done? Grey wire?

Yes it's correct!!

The grey wire of the left connecter, just connect to the ground of the radio.

Can you please update me/us about installing the sub.
Is it the Kenwood?

[HRCboy]

I noticed that you can control the Subwoofer and Center Channel speaker from the NAV Unit. Has any tried connecting the subwoofer to the NAV Unit so you can control the output from the NAV?

[headshokfatty]

The factory subwoofer harness just splices into the rear speakers. As far as I could tell the setting in the Navi audio settings didnt effect the sub at all.

Factory sub is manufactured by panasonic.