glennhl

I have been trying to get some kind of IPOD connection with my base radio in my 2006 Corvette. I tried the Scosche FM hard wire antenna connection and it sounded terrible. Finally I bought the PAL that Mediatronics is modifying the software so that it will mate with the base radio. I cancelled my order when they started having software issues (I know from experience it can take months to fix software issues)

So I started looking at my options for a new Head Unit. At first I was looking at Pioneer, then I realized that the Kenwood decks have Garmin Nav and Parrot Bluetooth. I have experience with both of those systems and they are first class. I also decided I still wanted a manual volume ****. I want to be able to reach over and grab the volume **** without looking for it on the screen.

So I decided on the Kenwood 5120 or 5140. As luck would have it I found a brand new DNX5120 on Ebay for only $319 shipped. Sounded too good to be true, but the seller had an excellent rating. Plus they said it did not come in the original box and did not have the remote. Neither bothered me, so I snatched it up.

One of the reasons I love this forum is the excellent advice. In particular a BIG THANKS goes out to PENTAVOLVO, MARKCZ, and the KOMOMAN. I read all I could and also posted some questions. What I came up with was to use the following parts:
1) Metra 95-3304 Install Kit ($16 Amazon)
2) KCA-BT200 Bluetooth ($90 Salectronics on Ebay)
3) Two Absolute PNF100 Ground Loop Isolators ($14 total Sonic Electronics)
4) Peripheral GMCO Module ($65 from Sonic Electronics)
5) Metra 40-GM10 Antenna Adapter ($11 Amazon)
6) KCA-IP301V IPOD Cable ($29 Ultimate Electronics)

The install is pretty straight forward. I soldered the HU connector to the correct wires on the GMCO module and covered the solder joints with heat shrink. I made one mistake. I put in the 5 volt regulator for the A4 wire on the car side connector to power the FM Composite Antenna. It did NOT work, don't waste your time. The blue/white wire from the HU to the blue wire on the GMCO powers up the amps and the antenna. There is no need for the 5 volt signal on A4, in fact, it caused a terrible helicopter noise in the background on several FM stations. Also IGNORE the GMCO instructions that say to cut off the RCA connectors if you don't have the BOSE radio. DO NOT DO THIS, the base radio also has an amp and you just hook the RCA connectors to the Head Unit through the ground loop isolators (GLI). So the details from another thread states:

yellow GMCO to yellow HU
Black GMCO to Black HU & green parking brake cable (for the bypass)
Red GMCO to Red HU
Blue Power antenna GMCO to Blue/white PControl HU
RCA's on GMC to RCA's on HU with Ground Loop Isolator (GLI)

Forget about the blue antenna wire from the HU, just tape the end so it doesn't short out.

The two orange wires on the gmco are useless for C6, just tape them also.

The other wires from the HU don't NEED to be connected, but can be in other areas of the car if you want to. The HU dimmer wire connects to the gray wire at the TC/AH button

Just one note, the gray wire at the TC/AH actually looked gray with a black stripe to me, but heck I'm pretty blind.

As far as removing the center console to get to the head unit, take off the center console cover (4 screws use star bit). Pry/Pop off the little cover and unscrew the two screws under it (7mm socket). Take out the two screws on the passenger side under and in front of the emergency brake boot (7mm socket). Pull up and back on the radio/ac cover and it pops off. Now the hardest part, getting the center console accessory power adapter connector off. I use a small allen wrench to push in on the hole on top of the connector while pulling on the connector. You don't have much room between the top of the connector and the bottom of the cover, but you can wedge the short end of an allen wrench in there. Then you have to take off the cig lighter connector off the same way, but at least you can get to the hole. Take off the TC/AH connector off by pulling out on the little clip. Then take off the hazard light connector by pinching in on both sides of the connector.

Take off the cover and place it to the side. Now take off the 6 screws (7mm socket) holding on the Head Unit and climate control module.

Installation of the new Head Unit is pretty straight forward

I used servo tape (from RC Aircraft) to fix the bluetooth module to the right of where the head unit goes. There's a flat area on the side right next to the glove box that you can tape it to in order to keep it from rattling. I actually taped it on the right side of the flat area so it's closer to the glove box than the radio.

I servo taped the GMCO module to the right and below the head unit. I put all the wires and GLI's below the head unit and behind the climate control module. I did make a big loop of the Nav antenna wiring and stuck it over in the space to the left of the radio. Also, the GPS antenna is magnetic and there is a cool steel metal piece it mounts to. I had to cut the metal and then I stuck it on top of the left center AC duct (the metal has sticky back). I then put the antenna on top of the metal and it stays there because it's magnetic.

I connected the IPOD cable to the back of the HU and ran it over to the passenger glove box. I used my dremel to put a groove in the left side of the glove box to run the wires. I ran the USB connector from the head unit over into the glove box and connected the USB connector from the IPOD cable to the Head Unit USB connector inside the glove box. This is so I can get to the USB connector in the future for loading on backgrounds. Just a note, do NOT buy the cheap Chinese copies of the IPOD cable off of EBAY. Buy a genuine Kenwood cable from Best Buy or Ultimate. I got the one off of EBAY and it did not work, actually it worked fine with my wife's Nano, but not with my 30 gig Video (connector was loose and intermittent).

The only external wire you have to connect is the dimmer wire to the gray wire on the TC/AH button. I used one of those 3M wire taps for 22 to 16 gage wires.

Put everything back the way it was.

I'm very happy with the install. Only negative I can think of is the Metra install kit is just slightly darker than the mating car parts. Otherwise the radio looks great. It also works great. The IPOD interface is awesome, you have all the same menu items as on the IPOD itself. The bluetooth is perfect. You have to select a 4 number code on the head unit and then pair the phone to it using the same 4 number code. Then the best part, it automatically downloads your contact list. You can also assign 35 numbers a voice recognition. The voice recognition will bring up the number, but you still have to hit the dial button. You can also assign your favorite numbers to 6 preset buttons.

The tuner worked great after I cut the stupid 5 volt wire. Just select the station you want and push the preset button and hold it until it recognizes and stores it. You can have 6 AM and 12 FM presets.

The Nav is Garmin, what more can I say. I already have a Garmin unit for the wife's car and the operation is identical.

The DVD is cute, not sure why I needed one in a car. With the bypass you can play a DVD while you drive, for your passenger, but be careful it's hard not to watch the good parts of a good movie (I have O'Brother Where Art Thou in mine and there are some really great parts in that movie).

I also updated the software on the head unit using these instructions:
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/audi...ead-units.html

Then I uploaded a new Corvette background. You have to load your background (found some on this forum, do a search) onto a thumb drive. Then put the unit in "Stand-by" and follow the instructions in the manual, it's pretty easy.
The DNX5120 is starting to fall in prices quickly because they are a couple of years old. The new ones really don't have any better features other than built in bluetooth, but the $90 module took care of that. I have a total of $545 in the install and now I have three things I really wanted: IPOD, NAV, and Bluetooth.

Have fun and be safe.