Topic: Installed Bluetooth Hands-Free Today (Crux Beeline BEEBG-25)

[brad_wp]

Here's what came in the box:

The bluetooth module:


The wiring harness:


The wired mic:


It also came with a green "call" sticker, and a red "end-call" sticker.  I don't think I'll be putting these on my steering wheel, but if anyone has an extra set of the the 2009 steering wheel controls with the phone call symbols I'd be interested in buying .

The install was very simple.  I didn't take pictures, but I used this pdf guide for reference, and it was very helpful  I think it was created by lorennerol, or at least he posted it.  The dash wasn't too difficult and I didn't even manage to break anything.  Getting the various wires disconnected without a lot of slack was the most difficult part.

After the dash dis-assembly it was as simple as plugging the factory wires into the splice harness, plugging the connectors on the harness into the back of the stereo, and then plugging the harness and mic into the bluetooth module.  There was just enough room behind the brace panel to stuff the module and excess wiring.


(this is from a Solstice, but the Sky looks the same)

I ran the mic wire out the left side behind the center console and clipped the mic on the plastic trim panel on the transmission tunnel.  It sits about mid-thigh.  It picked up my voice well on the few test calls I made, and worked well for voice recognition.  I figured having it down lower might make it function acceptably with the top down, but haven't tested it yet.

The interface works through the steering wheel controls whether the radio is on or off.  If the radio is on/playing a cd it mutes that audio and switches to the bluetooth audio.  A long press of the mute button still brings up the OnStar call dialog, so I figure you still retain full OnStar functionality.  I'm not subscribing to OnStar so I couldn't do any further testing.

The bonus of this module is it also supports A2DP audio streaming and works with the steering wheel controls as well.  Now the big downside to this is that the audio only plays over the front speakers.  I imagine that it's a power-out issue from the module (not enough juice to safely power all the speakers).  I emailed the company to ask if it would cause issues, but I'm considering splicing the audio out from the module to the low-level rear audio inputs to see if I can get that signal to my amp. I figure since the audio out from the stereo with the Monsoon system is a low power signal to the amp, the module should have enough power to send the low power signal too with out overloading.

I have the wiring diagram for my car, but not the module.  Before I put it in I did some tracing with my multi-meter and it seemed that there was a connection between the low-level inputs and the module, but obviously I was missing something because the rear audio no-worky.

[Critterman]

Most bluetooth functions only use the front speakers, specifically the tweeters if they are isolated.  Better voice quality.

[TomatoSoup]

The way other devices like these work is they divert the connection between the radio and the amp in the harness, disconnecting the radio and sourcing the output themselves when on a call (etc).  It's probably only wired into two channels (the fronts).  You could try joining both fronts and rears as you'd said, but I'd think twice if I were you since you'd have no fader adjustment between front and rear anymore, plus you'd remove fade ability even with the normal radio/CD/MP3.

[brad_wp]

You could try joining both fronts and rears as you'd said, but I'd think twice if I were you since you'd have no fader adjustment between front and rear anymore, plus you'd remove fade ability even with the normal radio/CD/MP3.

I'm still waiting to hear back from Crux support on the harness pin-out/wiring diagram.  I was not planning on splicing the radio wires, I was thinking a splice on the wires from the bluetooth module with an inline diode to keep from getting backfill/feedback of the signal and hopefully preventing the fader adjustment problem.  On the other hand I usually run with the fader favoring the rear a little, but could live with a permanent middle if I had to.

[TomatoSoup]

Diode might not work... the audio signal from the OEM radio is balanced on the two wires/channel.  It 'idles' (no sound) at mid-voltage and swings between 0v and +?V  around that.  Putting in a diode might give you full extension of the speakers and burn stuff out (a technical term).  Be very careful.

Below is from shop manual... Now this is from non-Monsoon, but I'd lay a lot of money on the Monsoon signal mechanism being the same:

[brad_wp]

Diode might not work... the audio signal from the OEM radio is balanced on the two wires/channel.  It 'idles' (no sound) at mid-voltage and swings between 0v and +?V  around that.  Putting in a diode might give you full extension of the speakers and burn stuff out (a technical term).  Be very careful.

That's good info.  Do you think I'd be alright with just a straight splice?  One of the engineers from Crux sent me this info today.  This is the pin-out of the bluetooth module.


HF / A2DP audio amplifier 2 Channel differential output from Crux BT interface.

E24 = GND
E23 = BATT
E4 = ACC IN
E5 = Right + Gray
E6 = Right – Gray/Black
E7 = Left + White
E8 = Left – White/Black

[TomatoSoup]

It might work.  You could try it temporarily and see (probably won't blow anything up if you do it for just a short while).  Still, you'd still have no fader and I'm not sure why you particularly want the rear speakers on anyway - unless it's just for the sub.  I have my rears turned down and prefer it that way, but then not all of us think alike

[brad_wp]

Yea, the music sounds a little tinny and empty to me without the sub. 

I'm still not sure what adding the diode in the splice wire would do negatively.  Shouldn't it just prevent the connection between the front and rear channel when not operation from the bluetooth module?  I would think during normal operation it wouldn't affect the voltage levels out of the stereo.

[TomatoSoup]

Even thought it might not work negatively, it would be no different from connecting a shorting-wire across the F+R signals.  The diodes would have to be placed downstream of ('after') the Bluetooth output and so would effectively be in place all the time, no matter what was sourcing the front signals.

The way other devices like these work is they divert the connection between the radio and the amp in the harness, disconnecting the radio and sourcing the output themselves when on a call (etc).  It's probably only wired into two channels (the fronts).  You could try joining both fronts and rears as you'd said, but I'd think twice if I were you since you'd have no fader adjustment between front and rear anymore, plus you'd remove fade ability even with the normal radio/CD/MP3.

[brad_wp]

I'm not entirely sure that the wiring harness connects to C2, but I'm fairly certain it does.  I'm ordering a spare wiring harness from Crux to do my testing so I don't garbage up the original if it doesn't work correctly.  Also, the colors in the pic are not the actual wire colors.  This is how I'm thinking that I'm going to splice the wires. 


Thoughts?

[brad_wp]

So far so good.

The box unexplainably quit working on Monday (12 Mar). I suspect it may have over-heated, but can't be sure. When I went back to my car several hours after I got home it worked fine, and worked with no problems yesterday and this morning. We're getting up to about 80 degrees here today so I might be able to check the overheating problem.

In call performance is just fine. I've made a few calls with the top down (Yea NW Florida) up to 45mph and had no complaints from the person on the other end.

I'm working on a solution for the no rear audio (See my previous post).

The only other strange thing that I've learned is the audio system generates the click for our turn signals and it comes out of one of the pillar mounted tweeters (I think). I figured this out because when the bluetooth is over-riding my audio you get no click from the turn signal. When this happened I thought my turn signal might be broken, but saw the light flashing. A little further down the road when Google Navigation wasn't talking to me the click was back. I also noticed that if you were streaming audio when you shut the car off (BTW the module doesn't get power under the RAP circuit, only in ACC or IGN). The "Hey dummy you hit the lock button with your door open chime," doesn't work until you cycle the ignition.

[TomatoSoup]

So, presupposing your circuit is correct, the diodes are not a good idea:  First, the forward voltage drop across the diodes could introduce clipping on louder signals (where one side of the signal or the other approaches 0V). Second, with this OR the direct connection, the front signals from both sources (BT & radio) will 'fight' (actually be merged) with the rear signals, meaning no fading. Exception is that with the diodes in place, if you fade all the way to the back the rears might override the fronts.

Bottom line, better to use shorts (direct wires) in place of diodes IMO, if you really want to do this.

The only other strange thing that I've learned is the audio system generates the click for our turn signals and it comes out of one of the pillar mounted tweeters (I think). I figured this out because when the bluetooth is over-riding my audio you get no click from the turn signal.

Yep, that's true.  All chimes come through the radio.  The operation you found reinforces my presumption that the BT box interrupts the radio signal wires, rather than using an electrical mute signal.  I used to have a Parrot BT module that worked this same way (and also only used front speakers, by the way).  I eventually replaced it with an 2009 Onstar BT VCIM.

[shabby]

In call performance is just fine. I've made a few calls with the top down (Yea NW Florida) up to 45mph and had no complaints from the person on the other end.

That is definitely good to hear, im ready to dump my jabra speaker for this kit. I almost bought the oem bluetooth kit but turns out you need onstar for it to function which i don't have.

[brad_wp]

So, presupposing your circuit is correct, the diodes are not a good idea:  First, the forward voltage drop across the diodes could introduce clipping on louder signals (where one side of the signal or the other approaches 0V). Second, with this OR the direct connection, the front signals from both sources (BT & radio) will 'fight' (actually be merged) with the rear signals, meaning no fading. Exception is that with the diodes in place, if you fade all the way to the back the rears might override the fronts

I don't know why, but I was having a complete brain fart.  I read your excerpt from the shop manual, and was thinking to myself, "well it doesn't mean that that's the way the bluetooth sends its audio signal."  LOL, I knew it had been too long since I took Electrical Engineering in College.  As I thought more about the theory part of it I couldn't come up with any other ways the speakers would produce the vibration, and then it dawned on me .  I was also doing some more reading about diodes in audio solutions.  You can get low voltage drop diodes (less than .3V drop), but apparently any diode will change the quality of the sound, usually adding distortion.

Honestly, I want to attempt this now because it's a challenge, haha.  I'm still going to order the 2nd harness so I can play with it.  I can understand why you wouldn't want the module to have to power the speakers on an un-amplified system, but for an amplified system you don't need much power out of the module.  I really don't think it would have taken too much for them to either create a different module, or a different harness for Monsoon and non-Monsoon systems.

[brad_wp]

Yep, that's true.  All chimes come through the radio.

I knew that the door chimes went through the radio, but didn't realize they faked the sound of a turn signal relay with the radio too.  Kind of makes me wonder how much research went into the creation of a synthesized turn signal relay noise  . 

[TomatoSoup]

I knew that the door chimes went through the radio, but didn't realize they faked the sound of a turn signal relay with the radio too.  Kind of makes me wonder how much research went into the creation of a synthesized turn signal relay noise 

Hah!  I wonder about that too, every time I hear them on!  It really does sound like a heavy-duty relay clicking.  I'm guessing they just recorded the sound

Honestly, I want to attempt this now because it's a challenge, haha.  I'm still going to order the 2nd harness so I can play with it.  I can understand why you wouldn't want the module to have to power the speakers on an un-amplified system, but for an amplified system you don't need much power out of the module.  I really don't think it would have taken too much for them to either create a different module, or a different harness for Monsoon and non-Monsoon systems.

It would actually increase the complexity and cost.  First you need to have a harness that connects to 8 wires instead of four.  Then you need buffer amps in the box for all 8 outputs.  Then you need some way of fading between the fronts and rears - it really makes no sense for a Bluetooth phone device. I think the A2DP 'feature' is really more a marketing gimmick when you consider all the pieces that you'd really need to add the full audio functionality correctly.

Understand that the actual cost to the consumer is normally in the range of 6 to 10 times the component cost of any additions to a device (and that doesn't include the amortized development costs).

[shabby]

Any updates on getting sound through the rear speakers?

[brad_wp]

I'm still waiting on the spare wiring harness I ordered to arrive.  It's somewhere between Los Angeles and Pensacola, scheduled for delivery on Wednesday. 

I should be able to mess with the wires on Wednesday evening.  Then my base goes on lock-down on Thursday afternoon, so I should have the modified harness in the car Thursday late afternoon or early evening.  Hopefully I'll have a positive update on Thursday by mid-evening.

[brad_wp]

The spare harness arrived yesterday afternoon and I got it spliced up last night.  I did notice as I was tracing out the wiring, that no front audio passes from the Stereo directly to the amp.  The front audio out + and - from the stereo is routed to the BEEBG Module, and then from the Module to the amp.  The Rear + signal is pased through directly from the stereo to the amp, but there's also a splice from the amp side C1 (male) connector to the Module 24 pin connector.  The Rear - signal is wired exactly like the Front + and -.  I guess this is what allows the module to mute the audio from the Radio, but it's strange as the Rear + signal is always connected to the amp, whereas when the front signal is muted it is completely disconnected.  Since they already have the pass through circuit in the module it shouldn't have been difficult for them to add the streaming audio out to all speakers  .

What I spliced (unfortunately Crux did not color code the wires to the car harness the same as the factory wiring):
Crux #5 (R+ Gray) to C1 #5 (RR+ Purple/Black) (Dark Blue on the factory harness)
Crux #6 (R– Gray/Black) to C1 #4 (RR- Purple) (Tan on the factory harness)
Crux #7 (L+ White)  to C1 #7 (LR+ Green/Black) (Brown/White on the factory harness)
Crux #8 (L– White/Black) to C1 #6 (LR- Green) (Brown on the factory harness)

I should be able to do some testing with my modified harness tonight, so stay tuned for an update.
EDIT
I don't think I'm going to get around to messing with the wiring tonight.  I just finished up changing the spark plugs on my '93 F-150.  After 3.5 hours I'd certainly like to choke the retarded monkey that designed that engine bay.  Between the angle the plugs go into the cylinder head, and all the extra junk in the way, it was a pain in the butt.  I even had to go underneath to get the plug into the 8th cylinder, and even though it's the 4x4 I needed about an extra 1/2 inch of clearance to get under the front on my creaper, so I had to jack the front up .  I will say, however, I am much relieved.  The truck is running much better on spark plugs that aren't 10-15 years old and gapped to .072" 

Good news is that my base is running a massive security drill, so no work tomorrow.  I should be able to get it done in the morning


Hopefully I don't need any spare fuses!

[brad_wp]

Ok, well just came in from the garage and bad news... 

With the spliced wires the stereo audio does not mute completely when streaming or using the phone.  I'm guessing this is because the Rear + lines are directly connect to the amp.  Also, the volume is waaaaay too low, and once you get past about half-way up on the phone controlled volume there is a lot of clipping.  Besides not muting and the fader not working properly from CD/Radio/Aux sources, everything audio wise worked audio came from all 7 speakers and it sounded good, it just doesn't get loud enough. 

The good news is that I didn't break anything (no magic smoke ), and everything functions normally with it back in the original configuration.

So, my final review of the BEEBG-25.
Pro's
-Good call quality
-Descent top-down phone performance
-Integrates with steering wheel controls for phone and streaming
-You keep full OnStar functionality
-Fairly easy install

Con's
-Streaming is more of a marketing gimmick (TomatoSoup's idea, and confirmed) than useful, unless you enjoy your audio from the front speakers only and lacking in the bass department
-External mic that you have to clip somewhere in your car (didn't feel like taking my upper dash apart, so it's clipped on the parking brake trim about mid-thigh)

Verdict:  Even though I couldn't get it to do exactly what I wanted, it's a great product, does its primary function very well, and the price isn't too bad for the features you get.

I think I'm going to try finding one of those 2009 USB radios from the Cobalt as my next project.

[shabby]

Doh kind of a let down that didn't work, thanks for trying though. Does the factory bluetooth go through the front and rear speakers?

[brad_wp]

I'm pretty sure the factory bluetooth is only through the front speakers, but it doesn't do streaming at all, phone only.  However, it does display call information on the radio.

[brad_wp]

UPDATE

Ok, for anyone else that installed this and runs into the module dropping bluetooth, and steering wheel controls not responding, the fix is pretty simple.  It happened to me the other day and I figured it out:

On the in-car fuse panel in the passenger side foot well remove and replace Fuse #23 for the radio.  It doesn't reset your pre-sets, but might reset the clock (I can't remember), but you should hear the BEEBG-25 click, and it will work the next time you turn the ignition on.

This is actually what fixed mine the first time, I just didn't realize it.  I had pulled a bunch of fuses to check to see if I'd blown anything, so that pulled power and reset the box.  You could probably also pull your negative battery cable, but this is much simpler.