[Raj Saab]

I have recently been contacted by many Saab owners on how to install a aftermarket radio system by cheating the fibre optic bus system. See the thread posted last year:- http://www.saabcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=44858&highlight=fiberoptic.

So I thought is would be better if I explained on this site so everyone can know. As far as I know this has never been documented before and I have done many digital electronic tests on the cars system to make sure no faults occur. Its been about 9 months since I installed the system and have had no problems at all.

As I done my installion last year and only took few pictures (that are on my web site) I couldn’t take new pictures of the optic cables worked on to show each step of the way as its too much hassle for me to take out my system now.


Your Saab’s original system will still work along side your aftermarket one. Basically, you are just bypassing and taking the CD unit out so you can get a Din size space in your dashboard. As you may know the car does not start if you unplug any part of the Audio system because of the optic bus system. To do this you can either make a optic cable loop-back cable or just modify some existing connectors. Both process are completely reversible as no permanent changes are made. http://www.sevani.com/Projects/SaabSoundInstall/photos/photo_1.html



Before you start make sure the radio system and your ignition is off.

The modifying existing connectors way: -



1-Remove ACC/MCC unit and then the EHU with the CD.

See link- http://members.iinet.net.au/%7Emmo/HeadUnit/headunit.htm



2-With all the cables removed from the EHU and CD unit take the CD out.



3-Look at the Plug that came out from the EHU from the front end and you should see two optic cables on the side. One of the optic cable should randomly pulse a red light. If not open and close the doors. This will re-activate the Bus System. That optic cable is your bus feed in.



4-The one next to that optic cable needs to be taken out from the casing it is in. This is a extrermfully delicate process. A plastic lug is pulled out slightly to release the optic cable plug within the main plug. Then a blue coloured tab is pushed out completely and then another lug is pulled up to release the individual cable. See Pic A

link- http://www.sevani.com/Projects/SaabSoundInstall/photos/photo_2.html



5-The optic cable taken out needs to be free as possible. Carefully undo all the insulation tape around that cable as possable. It should lead to the CD bus connector.



6-On the CD plug there’s the optic cables and a two Power wires. The two wires are in a separate plug that is detached from the main plug leaving the optic cables only. Isolate the CD power cables with tape.



7-The optic cable next to the freed one is taken out like in step 4. This should now give you a completely removed fibre optic cable with the CD plug on the end.

See Pic B

Link- http://www.sevani.com/Projects/SaabSoundInstall/photos/photo_3.html



8-The optic cable freed from the CD unit is then feed back to the EHU plug and inserted in place of the one taken out before. Thus completing the Bus system.



9-Also on the EHU the plug contains the speaker cables, which you may need to wire upon installing your Aftermarket system. Please note that it only covers the back and front two side speakers. The amp under the seat usually powers the rest.

See link- http://www.sevani.com/projects/SaabSoundInstall/index.html



10-As Saab’s audible warning sounds are through the front speakers a trick for keeping this feature is that to rewire the centre speaker from the Amp under the seat to one of the front channels on the EHU socket.



11-Plug the EHU and ACC/MCC units back carefully tiding up the optic cable with insulation tape. Also, be very carefully so no optic cables are stretched or bent.



12-Insert you ignition key and power on the Radio. Select the CD disc as your source and you should get a message “No disc available”. Congratulations, you are now ready to fit you Aftermarket system. The car should start with no problem and all your other sources on the system should work fine. See Pic C

Link- http://www.sevani.com/Projects/SaabSoundInstall/photos/photo_4.html



Hope this has helped you Saab 93ss Owners out there. Keep an eye on my website as I have many crazy things planned for my Saab.:lol:



Raj

 

[MarkJ]

Raj,

Great instructions and pictures, they will come in handy for people. I really like your yellow calipers, do you have any more pics of the outside of your car?

Mark

 

[ScoopSS]

this makes me want to get the new eclipse and install it sooooooooo bad.seems like its some trivial stuff after you do it once

in terms of reinstalling everything, the original parts will all work as long as the wires are in working condition right?

 

[Raj Saab]

Hi Mark,

Glad you like the calipers. I just painted them on. Here are some pictures.

Raj

Raj,

Great instructions and pictures, they will come in handy for people. I really like your yellow calipers, do you have any more pics of the outside of your car?

Mark

 

[Raj Saab]

Every thing will work as it was before. The only differance is your Saab ES system will direct all audio to the center speaker.

this makes me want to get the new eclipse and install it sooooooooo bad.seems like its some trivial stuff after you do it once

in terms of reinstalling everything, the original parts will all work as long as the wires are in working condition right?

 

[ctrlz]

Raj,

That's a beautiful installation! Thank you especially for the bits about rerouting the fiber.

There is one question I have to ask, as I'm sure others are thinking it. How in the world can you live with the stock speakers when the rest of your system is light years beyond what you started with? I mean that as a compliment. If your system sounds great with the stock speakers, I can only imagine how it would sound with new ones

 

[Spawn]

Hi Raj

Nice detailed writeup!

Juz a question, with this bypass r u able to control your Kenwood HU using the controller on the steering wheel

Cheers

 

[Viscouse]

Great write-up, Raj!

Couple quick questions. I too have contemplated yanking out the CD player for various reasons. I was wondering if you had a dealer tell TechII that there is no more CD player, would you have to mess with the FO cables at all?

Also, since I'm assuming all your wonderful sound is getting pumped through Aux-in, do you have any tricks for making aux-in the default source when the car fires up? Or do you still have to hit the SRC button on the steering wheel evertime the car starts?

Present for you: Since you took out the CD player, of you want to make it look stock, here's some info for a blank cover plate for that hole:
www.mrandmrs-g.net/SGFOG/item-g11.htm

 

[ScoopSS]

I think he runs a parellel setup.

 

[Raj Saab]

Hi,
Your right about the stock speakers. I have actually changed and put passive crossovers on some of the speakers. At rear the 6x9's are Pioneers 3-ways(330W) and the small ones next to it have been put through a crossover at 150Hz. The front door speakers are put thought a crossover at 180Hz. The ones at the front windscreen have been added with a micro tweeter and goes up to 39Khz!. All these speakers are now powered through my own amps. Therefore by putting in a frequency cutoff point less distortion is achieved at higher sound levels. To balance the whole frequency band the sub fills the low Hz.

Raj

Raj,

That's a beautiful installation! Thank you especially for the bits about rerouting the fiber.

There is one question I have to ask, as I'm sure others are thinking it. How in the world can you live with the stock speakers when the rest of your system is light years beyond what you started with? I mean that as a compliment. If your system sounds great with the stock speakers, I can only imagine how it would sound with new ones

 

[Raj Saab]

Hi

Cheers!

I am afraid not as the controls are still active with the stock unit. I know it’s a shame but hey at least I can use the Kenwood remote.

Raj
:lol:

Hi Raj

Nice detailed writeup!

Juz a question, with this bypass r u able to control your Kenwood HU using the controller on the steering wheel

Cheers

 

[Raj Saab]

Hi Viscouse,

As far as my dealer goes you can shut the CD down through tech II but disconnecting it will break the FO bus system so the car won’t start. I think you’re mistaken about the aux-in. You aftermarket system runs independently. Saabs unit just uses the center speaker for its own various functions. The unit installed instead of the saabs CD has its own CD/DVD radio etc.

Raj

Great write-up, Raj!

Couple quick questions. I too have contemplated yanking out the CD player for various reasons. I was wondering if you had a dealer tell TechII that there is no more CD player, would you have to mess with the FO cables at all?

Also, since I'm assuming all your wonderful sound is getting pumped through Aux-in, do you have any tricks for making aux-in the default source when the car fires up? Or do you still have to hit the SRC button on the steering wheel evertime the car starts?

Present for you: Since you took out the CD player, of you want to make it look stock, here's some info for a blank cover plate for that hole:
www.mrandmrs-g.net/SGFOG/item-g11.htm

 

[Sibs]

Hi Raj

Love your set up! I too am thinking of replacing the cd with my own set up.

Does taking the cd player and therefore disconecting the fibre optics invalidate the warranty on the car? Did you have to go to Saab to disable the Tech II?

Many thanks.

 

[Valuepac]

been done....

No offense, but this been done a few years ago to my saab

http://www.saabcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=12645&highlight=valuepac

As far as the cd player removal goes, in the 2003 model all you had to do was remove the cd player, go to your saab dealer and have them in the tech 2 settings turn off the cd player... back in 03 my dealer in chicago did it for free...

 

[Spawn]

Yap Raj,

It's a shame that the controls can't be active :roll:
But anyway a nice setup!

Cheers

Hi

Cheers!

I am afraid not as the controls are still active with the stock unit. I know it’s a shame but hey at least I can use the Kenwood remote.

Raj
:lol:

 

[Spawn]

Hi Vauepac,

I followed the link, but can't find any pic
Any pic for your setup

Cheers

No offense, but this been done a few years ago to my saab

http://www.saabcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=12645&highlight=valuepac

As far as the cd player removal goes, in the 2003 model all you had to do was remove the cd player, go to your saab dealer and have them in the tech 2 settings turn off the cd player... back in 03 my dealer in chicago did it for free...

 

[Valuepac]

Yap Raj,

It's a shame that the controls can't be active :roll:
But anyway a nice setup!

Cheers

you can actually tap into the steering wheel control and connect them to the deck, if you deck is remote capable

 

[Raj Saab]

Hi Sibs,
I told my dealer what I was doing and they said theres no problem. My system is on a different power circuit. Tech II was not used.

Raj:lol:

Hi Raj

Love your set up! I too am thinking of replacing the cd with my own set up.

Does taking the cd player and therefore disconecting the fibre optics invalidate the warranty on the car? Did you have to go to Saab to disable the Tech II?

Many thanks.

 

[Raj Saab]

Hi Valuepac,

I actually did try that and it didn't seem to work. May be because its a 2004 (UK). I even contacted some technicians at Saab in Marlow (Headquarters in the UK).
Thanks for your input,
Raj

No offense, but this been done a few years ago to my saab

http://www.saabcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=12645&highlight=valuepac

As far as the cd player removal goes, in the 2003 model all you had to do was remove the cd player, go to your saab dealer and have them in the tech 2 settings turn off the cd player... back in 03 my dealer in chicago did it for free...

 

[victor]

Hi Raj,
First of all congrats for your aftermarket installation, you should have spent lots of hours to do it.

I supose you began with the stock ES1-4 audio system, this is not common in the USA because the stock one is ES1-7. But in Spain I owe a 9-3ss with this joke inside(ES1-4). So I upgraded it by installing an AMP under the driver seat, tapping front speakers line using its crossover to 100Hz for the door speakers, and an aditional AMP in the trunk which "feeds" 2 6x9" spkrs.

It sounds great but I hear distorsion especially in the trunk, so I'm trying to do the opposite process to yours; tap the fiberoptics out wire (to have a good in-signal) and convert it to analogic RCA signal to the trunk AMP which is already installed. I bought it for a few bugs, as well as a fiberoptics wire.

But when I opened the EHU I found of course that the out was being already used. I readed there is a wire which is going to A-Pilar and then another one to the AMP1 under the seat. But I could not find there this orange wire...
do you know if it's installed, and where? If so, how can I connect it to the digital<->analogic converter?

Tips would be welcomed