M70 & M90 with hardwired bluetooth module mod.

[trippy1313]

Wow, that's unbelievable range! I'm gonna be honest that module looked pretty funky, but wowzas that's impressive, my little one I hook up to the outside of the box starts cutting out at the opposite room of the house (single story, 25ish feet away.)

 

[blu_fuz]

I wonder if it gets better range because of the robust power supply.

 

[caution]

Dang, I need to keep up on my threads more, great hackin' there I need to try this module. I agree with Norm, just isolate the ground node for the input jacks, but don't unsolder the connector tabs since they double as mechanical support, just cut the copper puddle on the board with a knife where it tapers down and find a new location for the wire soldered to it between R721 and C821:

Might have to do some more slicing around the tabs to separate them from each other at the connector too. Maybe I'll post something for this when I get in and do mine.
I used a 7812 voltage regulator to drive my meter board, and even though it usually draws close to an amp when the LEDs are on it never gets too hot to touch. Regulators are cheap and avoids having to tap into the box's circuitry.

 

[blu_fuz]

Cool man.

I guess my simple mind still wonders why bending that tab hurts anything. Is what I did safe? Did it damage anything? Will it effect the radio in a bad way the more it is used?

Seems like it could be done a few ways

 

[caution]

Woops I drew that wrong, I was just trying to show how you could isolate those annoying pins from grounding the center pin when nothing is plugged in by instead cutting the copper on the board without removing any solder. Here's what I meant to show.

This way the pins stay soldered and continue to give mechanical support, and it would be easier to back out of this route, you could just bridge that gap with some solder later and you're back in business.

But yeah, totally more than one way

 

[caution]

If you are thinking of a better iron I picked up this one last year, it comes with a bunch of different sized tips that make it easy to get at small stuff and it gets plenty hot since it's lead-free capable. It was this or the X-TRONIC 4010-XTS but this one looked like it was constructed better. It's worked out well!

 

[blu_fuz]

Thanks for the diagram. I see what you mean now.

 

[blu_fuz]

This company is robbing people. They jacked the price of the BT module to $50 already! Wow what a rip.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/351186481167


I also wanted to share that usually with the rechargeable BT dongles that attach with a cord, just about every one the audio signal volume is LOWER than if you tethered your MP3 player direct with a cord.

This BT module must have an amplifier in it. Audio signal level is HIGHER with this. Not overly loud, but enough to notice that all the audio quality is there and gives you more options to really dial in the sound and volume.

 

[trippy1313]

They must have found this thread. I looked at the price just Saturday and it was still $30.

But that's pretty crazy range. I'm surprised especially since there aren't any specs on it anywhere, even from other sellers. I was hoping price would go down not up.

EDIT: Well I just looked again, and Saturday when I looked around there was four or five sellers with this item. Now I only see it from the one. Wierd.

 

[blu_fuz]

The ebay seller would have no way of knowing about this thread LOL.


I too was hoping the price would come down, way down. I messaged the seller about buying in bulk or at least getting the last 2 they have at a discounted rate from my purchase price.


Like you said, there are no specs anywhere for these so we don't know how it would compare to another maybe cheaper BT module until we actually try it. The inline fuse and RCA wires are not worth the extra cost, I do like having the inline fuse though. I also don't like that the module is fully encased with that black shrink plastic because I want to see what the module is and I don't know if that effects how hot it runs.

I used the BT for about 5 hours straight Saturday with the music cranked pretty high, if there would have been an issue it would have shown then. But everything is all good.

I built this M70 simply to put the BT in and test, then to sell. I already have (4) M70 series boxes and I also bought another one last night. Now I will have 6 of them here. As soon as I can get more BT modules at a decent price, then I will sell this one.

 

[blu_fuz]

Just got an email, they are all out. The listing was wrong. Damn it. I want to BT like 5 more atleast!


Looks like the next one I do will be just the A2DP chip from China. They run about $5 each.

 

[trippy1313]

That's really odd, because there were multiple sellers selling this, some even selling two per listing at a discount, now they're all gone. I wonder if it was the same seller with different user names.

Anyways that's off topic so I'll stop it there.

I think unless that same module drops, I'll probably eventually try the chip like you mention, with maybe an old car phone charger module as my 12v to 5v converter.

 

[blu_fuz]

You are right though, I saw more than a handful for sale a week ago and discounted multiple purchases..... What is going on??? Lol


I just hate that the china modules will take forever to get here, boo.

 

[SLO]

Hey Joe very nice work on that mod! I love how its powered on and off from the rec mute button, very clever . Great job, great description. Good luck on the home renovations too.

 

[blu_fuz]

Thanks man! I appreciate the feedback.

 

[Hurb]

Great topic! Great mod, congrats on that!! You've cleared the way for me somehow... thought about doing this one time myself but didn't have the guts. Now I see it can be done!! Thx all!!

 

[blu_fuz]

Oops I did it again! Another M70 showed up today yippie!!!!



I found a different supplier for the 12v ready bluetooth module like the one that was price jacked on ebay.

I'll install and give full review on this M70 after I bring it back from the dead.

 

[blu_fuz]

 

[blu_fuz]

I can't help myself, already in it!

 

[blu_fuz]

Tons of missing screws, broken front case, and broken tuner knob string shaft from chassis.

Wtf is wrong with people!?

Good thing I have tons of extra parts.....