Hi all,

speaking to the dealer on the weekend he told me that in order to get mp3 playback id have to add a changer in the boot and the cost including fitting would be 500 quid ! Now im not about to pay 500 quid for a changeover that should cost about 200!!

My question is what is the exact model of the standard MCS head unit and is it compatible by buying the appropiate MP3 compatible cd changer and plugging it in myself to make it mp3 ???

Thanks

Phil

You'll need the Sony CDXT70MX 6 disc MP3 changer @ £315.00 and unless you have the a compatible Sony head unit you'll also need a Connects2 interface to connect it to MINI CD prep. What's your setup as it stands, standard head unit with CD prep?

As far as fitting goes, it's quite straightforward if you are even remotely technically minded. I fitted mine in about half an hour. It's a lovely setup in my car and I am really pleased with it.

See my gallery for a picture of the changer in my car. Camera icon bottom left of this post.

Feel free to ask if you need to know any more. :)

Hi steve,

yer the car isnt even ordered yet :) im just getting it together for my options .. so its standard mini head unit with the preperation for cd changer (as im told its free). So ill need an interface to connect it to the head unit ? i was hoping the head unit was a sony and therefore a easy plug and play !?!

Fitting wont be a problem like they say i know a guy :)


oh 1 more thing i assume then u retain the mini steering wheel audio controls ?


thanks
Phil

pps. changers 225 from my fave car audio suppliers
http://www.caraudiodirect.co.uk/product_info.php?products_id=195&tab=1&osCsid=0cb1b46ede29dbf0b788d96628bdc244

:)

CD Prep is now £30 but whatever you do spec it as it'll cost a fortune if you want it installed afterwards.
Not sure what audio spec you want, but don't go for Wave as it's poo - go for BOOST or Harmon Kardon (I have HK and it's great!).

Basically the CD prep would plug straight into a MINI changer, but with a Sony changer the wires are totally different. The Connects2 interface is a little silver box and the CD Prep goes into one side of the interface and the Sony leads go into the other. Then the head unit sees it as a normal MINI changer and controls it in the normal fashion via the head unit and steering wheel controls on the (optional) multi-function steering wheel.

StevePSB: I am looking for cd/mps options in the back. Your setup looks nice. In the picture though it looks like it may be difficult to get the magazine out of the changer as it would appear to bump into the interior overhang. That must not be the case. Please confirm. Is the mounting hardware special or can I buy it here int he US? Thanks for any help.

Not sure of it's availability in the US, but the cradle is on a pivot and it pivots out to the left and there's a spring mounted locking pin (the silver knob looking thing on the picture) that locates into a hole on the cradle to hold it in place whilst you eject the CD cassette and also hold it in position in the 'up' position.

Ahhh, nice, very nice. So it is not a custom built bracket or anything? So their is potential I could find it somewhere. Very slick setup.

Oh, one other thing. I have the HK upgrade and I have looked in the cubby hole for the CD changer wiring, but it is not obvious where it is and I am hesitant to be yanking on unknown wires. Is it part of the bundle of wires wedged under the amp? Any tips on how to locate it and get it out of there would be much appreciated. Thanks

David

My CD prep was masking taped to the main bundle. I was looking for quite large connectors but the CD prep connectors are actually quite small. The actual connectors were hidden behind the main wiring so that could be the reason you can't see them.

pps. changers 225 from my fave car audio suppliers
http://www.caraudiodirect.co.uk/product_info.php?products_id=195&tab=1&osCsid=0cb1b46ede29dbf0b788d96628bdc244

:)

I'm considering one of these too : It's only £215.00 including the adaptor from http://www.mcs-direct.co.uk/acatalog/MCS_DIRECT_MP3_Compatible_adaptors_142.html

How's that for a bargain ???

Tell me guys - I didn't spec the MFSW (D'uh!), so to skip through a lot of mp3 tracks I'd be repeatedly pressing the < & > buttons on my factory head unit? What happens if the tracks are saved in a bunch of folders on the mp3 disc?

thanks in advance,

Juno

I meant to mention - the cradle in my picture is totally custom MINI. You don't get it if you buy the changer on it's own - you get those generic plastic mounting legs IIRC which come with most CD changers. You have to screw into something to mount them, which I've never wanted to do...

If you don't have MFSW, you will need to use the head unit controls.

The changer scans into folders and it will play tracks in either alphabetical or numerical order depending on what you've called your files.

I made a disc up the other day with two folders in the root of the CD - one called 'Electronic' and the other 'NewOrder'. The 'Electronic' folder contained three more folders each with the tracks of their three albums in. The same went for 'NewOrder' - it had 7 further folders containing thee tracks of their 7 studio albums.

I named the album folders in order of release, so the first album folder was named '1.albumname' the second '2.albumname' etc...

Basically the playing order therefore was that the changer first looks at the root, so it plays 'Electronic' albums first (alphabetical) and because of the name of the albums being prefixed with a number, it then plays in numerical order.

The 'NewOrder' folder is looked into once it has finished with the 'Electronic' folder and again, as I prefixed numbers to the album folders within it, it plays in numerical order.

You get instructions with the changer as to the exact science behind it, but if you number your album folders and number the name of the MP3 files within the album folder it will always play in an alphabetical and numerical order.

Hope you understood that! :D

custom or MINI. Is it a MINI part or did you have it fabricated or what exactly? How can I get one is my point.

Never mind, saw the other thread.

The cradle would have come with the MINI purchased changer. I'll post in the other thread if I have any more news on availablilty. Hopefully should find out today.

Oh, one other thing. I have the HK upgrade and I have looked in the cubby hole for the CD changer wiring, but it is not obvious where it is and I am hesitant to be yanking on unknown wires. Is it part of the bundle of wires wedged under the amp? Any tips on how to locate it and get it out of there would be much appreciated. Thanks

David
I can't find my CD changer wiring cable either..... With the HK amp in the rear panel, there really isn't much room left. I tried looking around everywhere and the plug is nowhere to be found..... Anyone got any pics?

I think I found it this afternoon. Is it two small plugs. I found two small plugs attached to the car under the HK amp with masking tape. They were out of view behind the other cables there, but I got bold and started yanking on somehwat lose cables and there it was, two small plugs with masking tape attached. Hopefully I didn't create any problems yanking around in there. No pics though, sorry, maybe some other day if you can't find it. Can anyone confirm that what I found is the right plugs?

Yep, as per my post, you've found them. :)

Thanks Steve, yes your post is what gave me the confidence to dig around to find them. Thanks again.

I am waiting on my MP3 changer/player from www.ssiamercia.com to arrive. I order the adapter to connect it to the HK system. It uses the display on the stereo but only for the song number. I want to install the 4" x 2" LCD display below the toggle switches.

Does anyone know what is involved in running the cable from the boot up to the dash ? I'm pretty sure I have to remove the rear seats. Then what ?

Hi all,

speaking to the dealer on the weekend he told me that in order to get mp3 playback id have to add a changer in the boot and the cost including fitting would be 500 quid ! Now im not about to pay 500 quid for a changeover that should cost about 200!!

My question is what is the exact model of the standard MCS head unit and is it compatible by buying the appropiate MP3 compatible cd changer and plugging it in myself to make it mp3 ???

Thanks

Phil

Don't get a changer, just get an MP3 head unit. Easy to install, and saves you wasting money on BOOST (everything other than the HU is the same as WAVE). Get a MFSW (if you have one) adapter from mikeythemini and all the buttons on the steering wheel will work - otherwise get a standard adapter. If you don't want to change the HU yourself, your dealer will do it for about £30. There's a how-to somewhere on MINI2 if you want to have a go yourself (v. easy).

If you then want to add a changer, CD changer prep cables won't work with an aftermarket HU, so you'd have to route a new cable anyway - this is apparently very easy, and only takes 10-15mins. Having a good changer with WAVE or BOOST is pointless as the system is held back by the HU performance. Your money would be better spent on a decent HU.

So, IMHO, save yourself some money, get an MP3 HU (you can get 14 albums on one CD). Spec WAVE, not BOOST, but still spec CD changer prep (in case you sell your MINI).

BTW, I have a Sony MP40 HU which is great and only around £130. See my gallery for pics. With the MFSW cable, it works out at ~£200 inc. fitting (if you shop around).