To be or not to be? Digital DSP or not digital DSP?

TerminatorX5 · #1 05-16-2007, 11:52 AM

It was raining cats and dogs last night (and the night before, and before too, and the night prior to that as well), as it will for the next several months until we hit the dry season again, so I did not pull anything out of the car, as it was water everywhere.

From the looks of my setup and from what the folks are telling me, I have the "analog" DSP (no coax cable and signal is still there). I thought this is an oxymoron - "analog digital" sound processor but I am probably wrong, everything is normal.

So, "analog" DSP will allow me to test my theory about some of the equipment changes with the parts that are on the order.

If it works (I keep my fingers crossed), I will post the parts needed and setup that I had in my car, for you guys to try out for yourselves. It takes longer time for the shipments to arrive here as we are at the mercy of the military mail services...

And I am growing more and more inpatient...

BTW, what is the technical difference between the "digital" and "analog" DSP? If I did not know any better to ask around here, I would probably go - "Gee, I am missing a cable", and would've stuck a coax between the DSP module and the CD changer. Would that break anything? Improve anything? Have no effect? (I was fishing for some wires in the engine compartment for a different project and found one connector disconnected from it's plug. I plugged it in, and did not notice any changes, so I have no idea, what the heck it was)... lol...

I wonder if there are any more loose or disconnected cables in that car...

Tom G. · #2 05-16-2007, 01:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TerminatorX5

BTW, what is the technical difference between the "digital" and "analog" DSP? If I did not know any better to ask around here, I would probably go - "Gee, I am missing a cable", and would've stuck a coax between the DSP module and the CD changer. Would that break anything? Improve anything? Have no effect? (I was fishing for some wires in the engine compartment for a different project and found one connector disconnected from it's plug. I plugged it in, and did not notice any changes, so I have no idea, what the heck it was)...

The coax port is not live, it will not serve a purpose.

jbriedis · #3 09-12-2007, 08:24 PM

Ok, I have been searching and reading and am finding contradictions.

I have a 2004 X5 4.4 with DSP. I am hooking up a CD changer. I found the 6 pin and 3 pin. I do not see a COAX cable back in that area. I hook up the 3 pin and 6 pin and can control the cd changer and switch cds, but I get no sound.

I did happen to find another harness that has a 3-pin and a coax, but I am guessing that is for the NAV that I do not have. The coax plug wont fit the one on the changer anyways.

Do I need the so-called coax jumper cable? 61 12 8 386 402? Or is the coax cable hidden somewhere and I am just not finding it?

Any help is appreciated!

thanks,
Jason

Tom G. · #4 09-12-2007, 09:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jbriedis

Ok, I have been searching and reading and am finding contradictions.

I have a 2004 X5 4.4 with DSP. I am hooking up a CD changer. I found the 6 pin and 3 pin. I do not see a COAX cable back in that area. I hook up the 3 pin and 6 pin and can control the cd changer and switch cds, but I get no sound.

I did happen to find another harness that has a 3-pin and a coax, but I am guessing that is for the NAV that I do not have. The coax plug wont fit the one on the changer anyways.

Do I need the so-called coax jumper cable? 61 12 8 386 402? Or is the coax cable hidden somewhere and I am just not finding it?

Any help is appreciated!

thanks,
Jason

If you are getting no audio with the 3/6 pin adapter, you will need the coax also.

Halston Pitman · #5 09-13-2007, 05:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tom G.

If you are getting no audio with the 3/6 pin adapter, you will need the coax also.

Unfortunately this is just the way it is. Randomly an 05 needs an adapter. Then an 02 doesn't. I don't know exactly what the cut off point or the rhyme or reason for this but it seems you have it down pat what cars need it and what cars don't and then an 05 needs one.

BMW randomly does this on other cars. There is no real rhyme or reason as to what rear speakers a Z3 or M Roadster gets. You just have to look

DouglasABaker · #6 09-15-2007, 12:23 AM

Since no one answered your initial question about "digital" and "analog" DSP, I'll give it a shot.

The short answer is that there is no such thing. DSP, by definition, is all Digital since it stands for Digital Sound Processing. Now, having said that, you still need to have a signal to process in the first place, and this is where the Digital vs Analog debate begins. In vehicles using the co-axial cable, the transmission between the cd changer and the amplifier is digital (ie. nothing but 1's and 0's). In a vehicle that uses the 6 pin connecter the transmission goes from cd changer to radio and then radio to amplifier and it is analog (ie. a variable voltage signal). it does not, however, change in amplitude with the volume knob. In other words, if you turn the volume up or down in the front of the vehicle the signal voltage between the radio and the amplifier does not change. The amplifier performs all volume adjusts using its internal DSP.

Hopefully that helps. If not, feel free to ask questions

d-