Guidance required for a compatible CD Head unit

[ValveAmp]

Hi folks,

Have just joined to seek some guidance on selecting and installing a head unit in my 2001 Freelander 1. I'm new to your forum so please be patient if I end up asking questions you are all sick of hearing.

I have removed this Head Unit which incorporates controls for an underseat CD player which I believe is Alpine. I don't have a pic of the underseat module. It takes a 6 CD carrier tray.

I can't go to the car to get model number or more pictures at present I'm afraid but will add some when I can.

I require a new head unit that will operate the underseat CD module and also have bluetooth, DAB radio, a USB drive option, conventional FM/AM radio if possible and a 3.5mm aux in socket. It would be absolutely super if I could just put it into this space and connect it to these leads. It doesn't have to incorporate GPS or be used as a phone microphone and speaker (I have a headset on a separate bluetooth channel for that)

If it can't be made to connect to these leads then something that I can get an adaptor lead for would be good, as although I am capable of soldering things up, I am a bit pushed for time at present.

I don't really want to spend a fortune, there seems to be plenty on eBay that is a suitable spec' but knowing whether it would interface with existing kit is beyond my experience. Last time I did much with car stereo, it involved wiring an amplifier in to drive a domestic stereo speaker from a radiomobile cassette player. (Had great radio reception using an antennae from a Clansman PRC349 as an aerial. Picked up a Portugeuese FM station whilst in Central England which was quite impressive!)

Modern stuff though - out of my league so your help is appreciated.

Cheers, VA.

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[1aespinoza 10+ year member]

help is appreciated.

Almost everything you require is available on many radios. Only thing not easily obtainable would be the CD player control. Maybe an Alpine unit will have that but I imagine it will be an older model sans BT.
I think your best bet is to convert your CDs to thumb drive.
As far as adapter harnesses go, you will be fine as long as you use the correct vehicle information. You just splice that harness onto your new radio's harness. After that it is plug & play.
IMPORTANT- Make sure you know if your vehicle has an OEM amplifier. If it does, the harness will likely be one that has a built in Line Output Converter. Pricier than a regular harness.

 

[ValveAmp]

Almost everything you require is available on many radios. Only thing not easily obtainable would be the CD player control. Maybe an Alpine unit will have that but I imagine it will be an older model sans BT.
I think your best bet is to convert your CDs to thumb drive.
As far as adapter harnesses go, you will be fine as long as you use the correct vehicle information. You just splice that harness onto your new radio's harness. After that it is plug & play.
IMPORTANT- Make sure you know if your vehicle has an OEM amplifier. If it does, the harness will likely be one that has a built in Line Output Converter. Pricier than a regular harness.

Thanks for the reply. I'm not a CD fetishist but as the unit is there it seemed sensible to make some use of it. That was my line of thinking. The under seat module is enormous considering it only has a little rack for six discs so maybe it has an amplifier built in. No manuals with the car, it is over twenty years old so hard to find easy answers - hence joining on here!

 

[ValveAmp]

Almost everything you require is available on many radios. Only thing not easily obtainable would be the CD player control. Maybe an Alpine unit will have that but I imagine it will be an older model sans BT.
I think your best bet is to convert your CDs to thumb drive.
As far as adapter harnesses go, you will be fine as long as you use the correct vehicle information. You just splice that harness onto your new radio's harness. After that it is plug & play.
IMPORTANT- Make sure you know if your vehicle has an OEM amplifier. If it does, the harness will likely be one that has a built in Line Output Converter. Pricier than a regular harness.

Thanks for the reply. I'm not a CD fetishist but as the unit is there it seemed sensible to make some use of it. That was my line of thinking. The under seat module is enormous considering it only has a little rack for six discs so maybe it has an amplifier built in. No manuals with the car, it is over twenty years old so hard to find easy answers - hence joining on here!

 

[ValveAmp]

Almost everything you require is available on many radios. Only thing not easily obtainable would be the CD player control. Maybe an Alpine unit will have that but I imagine it will be an older model sans BT.
I think your best bet is to convert your CDs to thumb drive.
As far as adapter harnesses go, you will be fine as long as you use the correct vehicle information. You just splice that harness onto your new radio's harness. After that it is plug & play.
IMPORTANT- Make sure you know if your vehicle has an OEM amplifier. If it does, the harness will likely be one that has a built in Line Output Converter. Pricier than a regular harness.

Thanks for the reply. I'm not a CD fetishist but as the unit is there it seemed sensible to make some use of it. That was my line of thinking. The under seat module is enormous considering it only has a little rack for six discs so maybe it has an amplifier built in. No manuals with the car, it is over twenty years old so hard to find easy answers - hence joining on here!

 

[1aespinoza 10+ year member]

under seat module is enormous considering it only has a little rack for six discs so maybe it has an amplifier built in.

I have never seen or heard of that type of combo, so I doubt it.
On another note, I Googled 2002 Freelander amplifiers and found several; no amps for 2001 Freelander.
I can only find regular harnesses, so there may be no OEM amp.

 

[ValveAmp]

Sorry about multiple replies. Forum software throws an error message saying server is down and to retry. I then find it posted three times!

 

[1aespinoza 10+ year member]

Sorry about multiple replies. Forum software throws an error message saying server is down and to retry. I then find it posted three times!

No worries.

 

[HardofWhoring]

Almost everything you require is available on many radios. Only thing not easily obtainable would be the CD player control. Maybe an Alpine unit will have that but I imagine it will be an older model sans BT.
I think your best bet is to convert your CDs to thumb drive.
As far as adapter harnesses go, you will be fine as long as you use the correct vehicle information. You just splice that harness onto your new radio's harness. After that it is plug & play.
IMPORTANT- Make sure you know if your vehicle has an OEM amplifier. If it does, the harness will likely be one that has a built in Line Output Converter. Pricier than a regular harness.

Yeah this. Copy your CDs to digital and copy to a thumb drive. You will keep the discs in perfect shape, in case you need to recopy them. No fumbling with CDs. You can add thousands of songs on one flash drive for $10-$15. Can control your entire library right there if you want to, and when was the last time you actually wanted to listen to an entire CD all the way through? (Pink Floyd maybe?) You can get front and rear mounted USB (if you wnat to hide it). You can get a single disc head unit if you really want.

If it was me and the cd player is working, I would just try to sell it to someone who hasn't gotten the memo about how much better a USB flash drive is, and have them pay for some of your new head unit.

It can be a PITA to copy everything over if you never have, but it's something you can do with a spare few seconds and in the background. Then only keep what you really want. It's a bit of initial work, but you're going to appreciate it when driving.

 

[ValveAmp]

Yeah this. Copy your CDs to digital and copy to a thumb drive. You will keep the discs in perfect shape, in case you need to recopy them. No fumbling with CDs. You can add thousands of songs on one flash drive for $10-$15. Can control your entire library right there if you want to, and when was the last time you actually wanted to listen to an entire CD all the way through? (Pink Floyd maybe?) You can get front and rear mounted USB (if you wnat to hide it). You can get a single disc head unit if you really want.

If it was me and the cd player is working, I would just try to sell it to someone who hasn't gotten the memo about how much better a USB flash drive is, and have them pay for some of your new head unit.

It can be a PITA to copy everything over if you never have, but it's something you can do with a spare few seconds and in the background. Then only keep what you really want. It's a bit of initial work, but you're going to appreciate it when driving.

Thanks. I suppose along with the original head unit it would be of interest to somebody with an original 2000 car.

Am I likely to be able to get a new head unit that fits that lead set up?

 

[HardofWhoring]

Thanks. I suppose along with the original head unit it would be of interest to somebody with an original 2000 car.

Am I likely to be able to get a new head unit that fits that lead set up?

I think what you're asking is the head unit's physical size as in will a new one fit where the old one is mounted. - If so, head units are universally sized and it's called Din. A single Din is 3". A double din is 6". There are 1 1/2 that are some older factory size. Yours is a single Din.

If you're referring to the wires, (because that's an uncommon looking way of wiring), or that's at least not how it's done in the US. You will want to see if you can find an adapter harness to fit into your vehicle's harness. One end plugs into your vehicle, and the other is a universal/generic style plug.
Your new head unit will come with an adapter harness. One end plugs into the head unit, the other is all the loose wires. Those loose wires will need to get pins attached, then plug them in the appropriate adapter harness plug's, pin locations. (Not sure if that clears it up, find the adapter harness for your vehicle, and expect to add pins). If you can't find it, you would just find a universal adapter, cut off your vehicles end, and add pins.

I would expect your antenna cable might need an adapter to make that fit onto the head unit too. You might need to run a new antenna cable from the head unit to the base of the antenna. It kind of looks like that is a 90 degree plug adapter on the end that can just be pulled off.

I would try to use the head unit for bluetooth calling. Only because after it's setup, and get a call, the head unit SHOULD automatically mute the radio, and will give you an easier and safer way to take the call.