VXOC Astra-J/GTC

glad you got it sorted out

For anyone interested in DAB stream rates

http://www.wohnort.org/dab/ukloc.html


Various Coverage Maps available here for the areas

http://www.localdigitalradio.co.uk/coverage.php
http://www.utvdab.com/
http://www.ukdigitalradio.com/coverage/

Wonder if DAB+ will become a thing over here, I know there we testing it last year.

I know my aftermarket unit cover DAB & DAB+ so if they are making things compatible for DAB+ it must be coming.

What's getting me tho is a lot of stations are leaving the DAB network.

i believe this will be the standard way they will do it very soon dab plus

What's the difference between DAB & DAB+?

different signal or improved signal i think

(5:th-Nov-2015, 19:57:11)WhelanUK Wrote: [ -> ]What's the difference between DAB & DAB+?

DAB is MP2 (before MP3 so takes more bandwidth etc)

DAB+ audio signal is encoded in aacPlus

aacPlus uses a number of techniques to make it more efficient, so audio sounds better at lower bitrates, which in turns allows more stations etc.

For the retrofit we would need to swap to this part number 13435756 if it even works.

Worth someone having ago when one is available

I think im covered for DAB+..... soon find out

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So guys, I bought my Sports Tourer used and I always tought that it had DAB... Today I found out that it doens't has lol (what a noob)

But I don't understand then why I have the antenas in the glasses:





And the shark thing in the roof lol

I mean, if I have the CD400 radio and for that reason no GPS and no DAB, why the antenas like that??

Should I do the retrofit?

Thanks

the shark fin will be a dummy and has no use at all
are the tabs on the glass if so you need the receivers modules

The tabs are suposed to be on the rear glass or those on the sides like the images that I posted?

Strange that you have a sharkfin. I thought csr with a srandard stereo ame with a normal Ariel mast? I thought sharkfin was only with dab or nav

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as said there is a dummy shark fin also
the tabs will be on the side glass one side for fm and one side for dab
you will have the fm side as you have the dummy sharkfin

(1:st-Feb-2016, 00:22:38)tucpal Wrote: [ -> ]as said there is a dummy shark fin also
the tabs will be on the side glass one side for fm and one side for dab
you will have the fm side as you have the dummy sharkfin

Ok, thanks, will confirm tomorrow.

If I have the tabs, the only thing that I have to add is the module?? Anything else?

(31:st-Jan-2016, 23:56:28)bhalay207 Wrote: [ -> ]Strange that you have a sharkfin. I thought csr with a srandard stereo ame with a normal Ariel mast? I thought sharkfin was only with dab or nav

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy Tab S 10.5

Exactly what I tought every time I read in the internet about this, therefore I tought that I had this lol

So yeah, I've confirmed it and it has the tabs on both glasses...

Do you think this would be an easy retrofit?

Because my steering Wheel is not on the right side (xD) where is the module suposed to be? The same place?

you should already have the 2 fm modules on one side
so the other side should just need the DAB receiver
then cables to the DAB module and then program and VCI codes

it will work out the same as the how to but you just use the side glass
and more cable to get to the module
but do you have someone that can program it and get the VCi codes

Look at what I spotted on my radio this morning whilst looking for a different DAB station




Looks like I do have DAB+

Bit more info
http://radiotoday.co.uk/2015/03/sound-di...multiplex/


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Amazing, good to know it works! was there actually any sound being transmitted?

i will see if i can pick it up but sound is the key

Yeah there were sounds of waves crashing. Quite therapeutic lol. There were two different stations. A standard one and SW+. The standard one was much quieter then the + version.

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Now they need to put the likes of Kisstory in stereo format as opposed to mono

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Hi, would the signal from a good quality roof mount DAB/ FM aerial be as good as the tailgate option? I have a new pure highway 300di and wondered if I would get good reception from it if it had a propper roof aerial rather than the pure window and external aerials they supply.

I will have a look at my J this afternoon to see if we have the cables by the accelerator, I can see the matrix short lines at the top of my tailgate glass but cannot see any dummy tabs on the inside, at least not without taking the lining off. I do have usb with aux factory fit so I am hoping I will at least have the loom for the module by the footwell. If I have the necessary bits in place I will go down the factory fit way but just unsure whether to go from the roof with a good DAB/ FM aerial or with the dab receiver from the tailgate?

The roof aerial will provide better signal than a window aerial. It should be plug and play with the FM going into the cars wiring and the DAB going into your highway unit. You may need to by a new adaptor off ebay but that's just a guess as I don't know what connections the highway uses. I know the DAB aerial is a fakra but can be changed.

If you can't see any tabs on the glass then you will need a new rear window. I have the same as you glass will built in aerials but no tabs. I've contacted Pilkinton who manufacture the glass asking if they can supply the tabs but they said no and referred me to a glazing company. I did have the wiring near the pedal but that's only good for factory DAB, not your highway.

Have a look in the for sale section, I'm selling a roof mounted dab aerial which would be perfect for your needs.

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Link for the aerial below

https://www.vxoc.org.uk/forum/showthread.php?tid=2212

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Cheers for that, I had a look at the inside of the tailgate and there are no connectors to the matrix so at this moment in time I will give the factory fit a miss. My friend has offered me a spare aerial of his which is apparently compatible with the highway, but thanks anyway. I believe I will have to connect it to a live feed somewhere, and like you say just connect the existing FM and run a new fakra to the unit. The only other thing I need is a compatible harness to connect to the pure loom/ cd400 loom, asked vauxhall and they scratched their heads even though they supply an fit the same units, also waiting for a response for an email I sent to caraudiodirect last night. Asked Halfords and they didn't have a clue, quoted me £125 & £60+ for two different harnesses, can't remember the last time I laughed so hard.

That's the problem with Vauxhall. Unless it comes up on their pc screen, they don't have a clue. Let us know how you get on mate

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The pure highway is just a re-branded version on the Alpine DAB kit I had. The connection is a smb.

I got far better reception with the roof aerial than I did with the glass one.

Hi Rusty, do you know the part # for the harness connector needed for the pure/ ezi as a simple google search brings up too many options. It's always better to hear from those who actually have fitted them as they know any problems they uncounted when fitting. 

I sent the kit into our local Vauxhall for fittting on Tuesday and to say it become comical was an understatement. Firstly they said it was a 30min fit, we left the car with them and returned 50 mins later only to be told it was a big job that was going to take another 3hrs. We went home and left them to it only to get a phone call later saying the dash was in bits and the supplied harness did not fit. They said they would wait while I ring around to see if I could find a supplier who could sell me one and I bring it down. 

I rang around and nobody was sure which harness was required so I rang vauxhall back and asked them why they just couldn't ask their supplier of the exact same kit they fit themselves for the harness product code. To cut a long story short the parts dept got involved and it seems that nobody could be  bothered to find out for us. They put the dash back together minus the pure highway and we were back where we started less £48 for fitting. I have now seen the car loom plug to the back of the cd400 and will know forever that the lead that came with my pure 300di will not fit without another harness, so how their guy didn't know before they even started is beyond me.

I fitted to an aftermarket unit so I had no issues with harnesses etc but I know the dab kit has ISO plugs.

I would of thought a parrot harness would do but I'll look into tomorrow for you.


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I thought I was in luck for a minute, checked my footwell and saw a mount for the dab module, a usb module was also fixed to it. Could not for the life of me though find the dab lead and plug... I was all ready to go from dab/fm roof aerial to module. Can the two missing leads be purchased, or is it a job just not worth undertaking?

Yes there just fakra k cables for the aerial

How much are they and where do you get them from, are there any product codes? I would really like to go down the factory route if possible, that way the missus has no idea where the money went... plausible deniability.

Factory DAB can be retrofitted very easily Will require a VCI code (A DEALER WON'T BE ABLE TO DO IT THOU) and yes you can buy the looms there isn't any used DAB modules on Ebay at the moment.

I don't know where your based but I'm Bournemouth and if you came to me for the retrofit I would make the loom up myself.

But if you wanted to stick with the aftermarket route I would say this should work for you but I can't 100% say it will, you can also save money and fit it yourself.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/SOT-963-86173-VA...1550065149

I used to live in Blandford many many moons ago but I'm now near Leicester so it's a tad too far to travel. Isn't this one of those modules...

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/111833306108?_...EBIDX%3AIT

It's from an insignia but the part number is the same I think?

That's the one I have in mind... It will work fine

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Yep that will work fine.

Andy from VXMODS is in Liverpool he can do it.

Blandford use to be a nice place don't know if it still is not been there for many years.

What would the cost be for the loom/ fakra from head unit to module and vci code be assuming I installed the dab/fm roof aerial and ran the fakra cable to the module. My plan would be to put everything in place myself beforehand if possible inc cables from head unit to module and then just turn up for the code.

You wouldn't think it would be that hard to find out for sure what harness I need to connect the 300di to my car... how wrong I were. I emailed a company (Car Communications Ltd) who supply and fit these units and to say they don't want to tell me is an understatement, I asked if the sot-963 was the correct lead and they said no, didn't offer any advice on which one I needed to buy from them, but said I could do it with the right aerial connectors and aux lead??? I emailed them back and said the unit had to be powered and that an aux and aerial wires wouldn't do that, again asking which harness I needed... no reply.. Emailed them prior to that and they just linked me back to their order page which shows no options for harness.

From what I have researched there are only 4 wires from the 300di power loom required, perm live, switched, ground and cabin illumination. So apparently you can remove the connector at the end on the power loom and connect directly with the relevant wires on the car audio loom or straight to the fuse box. The other wires are not required.

Hi all, first time asking anything so here goes, regarding topic I have green connector+black at footwell and same green one at back under roof lining right side(sports tourer Sri) so thinking all needed is dab module, cable, programming etc...

(5:th-Mar-2017, 22:01:34)Collster Wrote: [ -> ]Hi all, first time asking anything so here goes, regarding topic I have green connector+black at footwell and same green one at back under roof lining right side(sports tourer Sri) so thinking all needed is dab module, cable, programming etc...

You may need the aerial parts too for DAB.

Thanks rusty,not really had a good look at Ariel connector but what parts would that be, Cheers

I shall grab some links later

Thanks m8, would be great if you can... Looking to buy everything first then try and do it all in the one week ?...Put post on ambient lighting (which is the most confusing) but will keep checking thread....If can do that then I think there's a mod I might try that's not on here , surprisingly because yous know your stuff, again thanks

Hi All, I already have the DAB retrofit on my CD400. However I'd like to swap out my CD400 with an aftermarket stereo that has DAB built into it. Can I use the existing DAB aerial for this as I realise it has the fakra z but you can get fakra z to SMB adaptors?

No problem, in my case I've used a short 20cm Fakra-Z to SMA cable from the antenna amplifier and crimped an SMC to the end that goes into the DAB receiver.
If you can't find the required adapters and if you want to keep the original cabling, maybe just run such a combo right from the amplifier.

Hi all new here was hoping for a bit of help please I have owned a Astra gtc 2ltr cdtdi 13 plate for over a year now and love it but about a week ago now my dab just stopped working there's no errors or note just seems like there's no signal as the Antenor on my screen is empty with no bars my fm and am work fine which I thought was strange at 1st but after reading ur posts and doing a bit of digging around seems as though my shark fin is fake and my antennas are in my back windows could anyone point me in the right Direction would be really grateful as rang Vauxhall for advice and all they said was bring it in for diagnostics at £100 odd a hr +vat that's before iv solved the issue lol

(11:th-Sep-2017, 21:48:00)Shaney123 Wrote: [ -> ]Hi all new here was hoping for a bit of help please I have owned a Astra gtc 2ltr cdtdi 13 plate for over a year now and love it but about a week ago now my dab just stopped working there's no errors or note just seems like there's no signal as the  Antenor on my screen is empty with no bars my fm and am work fine which I thought was strange at 1st but after reading ur posts and doing a bit of digging around seems as though my shark fin is fake and my antennas are in my back windows could anyone point me in the right  Direction would be really grateful as rang Vauxhall for advice and all they said was bring it in for diagnostics at £100 odd a hr +vat that's before iv solved the issue lol

Welcome to VXOC. I've deleted all your multiple posts as there is a notice at the top telling new members about there posts needing to be approved.


Ok so it could be the DAB module at fault or even the DAB aerial at fault. when you say there are no errors have you had it plugged in and any error codes read.

sorry about multiple post didn't think it was letting me post anything didn't realise it had to be approved lol

And no sorry I meant by fault codes there's no message coming up on the screen as I have read on here about getting dab box error coming up any ideas where I could start with this issue am trying to find out what side is my dab aerial is on passenger side or drivers side iv noticed there's more Element on the drives side back window than the passengers side am thinking of trying to trace the wires back to see if there's any fault there I think some how it could be a aerial fault but not sure as it seems like there's no signal

Don't worry about it.

Right ok. The DAB is on the passenger side the shortest line on the rear window.

Hi thanks for that do u think it could be the dab amplifier as am thinking a wire or something as come lose as the day it stopped working I had to pickup my daughter from a sleepover and was working fine up in till that point but she put her stuff in the boot of the car and when shutting the but it can tend to slam a bit hard iv noticed but after that it didn't work

Check the wire on the window, other than that all the wires are hidden.