Sony radio installation help

alexlyons · 18-07-2014 9:40am #1

I’m posting this here as it’s a more common forum for dealing with radio installations rather than the marine forum.

I’m installing a new sony radio into a friends boat.

The original radio is a sony XR-CA310 and an image of the wiring is below.

I’ve installed the new type radios into cars before, nothing overly complicated, but I’m familiar with the connections.
I notice that the current radio has one clip type connector, that doesn’t appear to be the same as the connector on the new radio.

I also looked at the manual for the new radio and it has two ISO connectors, one for audio and one for power. The current radio obviously has both going into the one connector.

Is there a simple wiring harness that should fix this? I’m aware of them for cars and have used them, but as it is generally car specific, and I’ve no idea what one to get…

Thanks!

keithsfleet · 18-07-2014 10:18am

You can buy the adaptors in the likes of halfords but price can vary a lot. I've heard of some costing 15euro and I saw one once costing 50 euro.
If you have a wiring diagram for the radio (should be in the box that the radio cane in) and a diagram for the existing radio wiring it's quite simple to rewire it yourself.
If your wiring it yourself make sure you check everything with a voltmeter and don't rely solely on the diagram.

alexlyons · 18-07-2014 5:59pm

Thanks. Ye I've used the adapters a good bit before for different cars. I'm just unsure as to what one to get for this particular set up.

There is limited information on the XR-CA310, if I knew what the connection for that was, I could get an adapter to suit I'd say.

I don't really want to go down the route of rewiring, especially considering it's an unusual set up and the existing radio is so old compared to the new one....

daveohdave · 18-07-2014 8:01pm

Some of the single block connectors are basically the two blocks in one. Have you tried slotting it in?

alexlyons · 18-07-2014 8:47pm

i'm 99% certain that block connector is not the same.
Thing is, even if it is two blocks in one, the radio is expecting power from one and audio from the other so it wouldn't work, ro so I'd expect.

I haven't purchased the stereo yet, I plan to in the next day or two. I'd love to have an answer for fitting before I do though. I don't really want to but my last resort is to just make it someone else's problem who does it every day and get them to fit it.

colm_mcm · 18-07-2014 9:12pm

The sony radio will come with its own harness. If you follow it back there should be an ISO plug pair at the other end.

Otherwise, its pretty obvious from the photo which wires do what - the 4 pairs on the right are audio +/-, and the other 3 on the left are permanent 12v, ignition 12v and earth.

alexlyons · 18-07-2014 9:35pm

think I have it.

The connector on the back of the current stereo is sony's own connector. I understood that this had been don away with in favour of iso connectors direct on the stereo.
Thinking back to previous installations I remember I'm wrong and having looked at images of the back of the new stereo it's confirmed this. I should have looked at these sooner but I wa pretty convinced the back of the new stereo was ISO.

Colm your post jogged me to think about this, the fact that sony supply a connector to iso blocks made me remember.
I looked at the images and sure enough on the back of the new sony stereo is the same connector as on the old one. So all I do is ignore the iso connector harness and I'm sorted.

Now for the next issue, not expecting a huge amount of help for this but any is appreciated. I'll be getting on to sony I'd say.

I want this remote unit installed also.

Sony do a marine stereo which I don't need as I have a waterproof housing, it also comes at a stupid premium, there are loads of boats with standard stereos. However on the manual of connections, it has a remote in port at the back, with a diagram of the old version of this remote.
See here

The radio I want has a remote in (and is also missing some ports I think...?) but lacks that diagram which makes me suspicious....
See here

Any opinions as to whether the remote will work?

colm_mcm · 18-07-2014 9:47pm

http://esupport.sony.com/CA/p/news-item.pl?news_id=201&mdl=RMX11M

Seems rm-x 231 remote sometimes comes with mex n4000bt

alexlyons · 23-07-2014 8:25am

bad news.

Got the radio and the single block connector that's on the boat doesn't fit the new stereo.

They're fairly similar so I think I'd be happy enough swapping the wires (I have a new block that goes to female ISO connectors I don't need) if I could get the two block diagrams.
I haven't looked for the new one, I reckon that would be fairly easy. It's the old one I'm a bit concerned about, after a brief search online nothing major turns up...

alexlyons · 23-07-2014 2:33pm

Hopefully able sort this.

Can anyone shed any light as to what the red, blue, black and yellow wires are?

I’ve searched and searched online but all the diagrams give the pins for the iso connectors and not the block that goes into the radio. This is understandable as normally they come together and you shouldn’t need to know what the block pins are, but I do!

If I find out what they are, I know by way of looking at the pins for the new stereos iso connectors which wires correspond and can then just splice them together.

colm_mcm · 23-07-2014 11:18pm

Yellow, permanent
Black, ground
Red, ignition
Blue, power antenna out

Sony radio installation help

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