MP3 players

[Sally]

Has any one installed an after market mp3 player ? I'm looking to buy one of the mp3 player that plug in to where the cd player is .I think that JM corp and bikemp3 inc. makes these.There suppost to work though the radio controls like a cd player would.. I was woundering which one to purchase and need to know if it will work with my zumo550 hooked up too ? I know my zumo has one but the problem is it only holds up to 2 gb.These others suppost up to 8gb of music about 900 songs. I guess my question is they both work off the AUX. radio switch ??? Thanks everyone.. SALLY

[WOJCIECH]

suggest JMDM-GL 18, the production of J & M, and when it comes to AUX, in the left box is a cable for connecting MP3, if it is not, remove the glove box, underneath the front of the black rubber connector is white, the 3-wire, Buy a cable and connect, press the AUX switch again and the music plays!

[Steve F]

Go with www.bikemp3.com you won't be sorry, many rave reviews.

[Sally]

Thanks guys I made a call this morning to bike mp3 inc and sierra electronics. Great help they were so nice and answered all my question.( some stupid ) So I place the order when I had them on the line. I went with the bikemp3 player because it uses the CD button on the radio to play and make slection of tracks and this leave me with the AUX. button for use of my zumo 550 still. SALLY

[Mike 545]

Exactly, how are you hooking-up the mp3 player? How do you get the bike's CD controls to operate the mp3 player?

[Steve F]

The unit from www.bikemp3.com is probably only for the GL1800, but maybe they have one for the GL1500 too (?) but anyway, their unit plugs into the connector that the CD changer would use. This unit will REPLACE the CD changer.

[Mike 545]

Just finished watching the web site's video. Wow; now, that is an elegant solution.

[themainviking]

Thanks guys I made a call this morning to bike mp3 inc and sierra electronics. Great help they were so nice and answered all my question.( some stupid ) So I place the order when I had them on the line. I went with the bikemp3 player because it uses the CD button on the radio to play and make slection of tracks and this leave me with the AUX. button for use of my zumo 550 still. SALLY

The J&M unit also works with the CD buttons on the handlebar, BUT, you probably went with the best choice, as the J&M unit has limitations with any GL1800 in the US from 2008 back. These bikes will only accept a 4GB card, and sometimes they get real picky and will only take a 2GB card. Also, the earlier bikes only accept six folders of a maximum of 99 songs per, so less than 600 tunes. I do not know anything about the bikemp3 unit, but it may be different. And a note for Canadian bike owners... This limitation extends all the way to 2010 for us.

[MikeB]

There is an Anomaly with the MP3 players that plug into the CD connector. If you push the A.SEL button when you are playing music from the MP3 player, the OEM radio control will most likely lock up on you. Here's my story...

I pulled off the freeway to get gas 300 miles from home. The MP3player was playing and I wanted to select some local radio stations here in this area. Its had been a long day, I worked an eight hour shift and then ridden 300 miles. I'm tired and had forgotten what I was listening to. I pressed the A.Sel button and nothing happened, and the music continued to play. I was at a stop light so I looked at the display and realized I was still playing my MP3 player. I then made a turn towards the gas station. I pressed the CD button to turn off the MP3 player knowing it needed to be off to scan the radio stations and didn't really notice what happened next but the music stopped and as I was trying to get some music. I'm at the gas station now and I looked up and the Multi Display was illuminated but no radio info was displayed. No AM/FM, no CD, no AUX, no WB and no CB transmit or receive. Intercom did work but volume adjust was fixed and no increase or decrease was possible. The odometer and trip functions worked. The Suspension Adjust worked. I pushed every button on the radio, twice and nothing worked. I turned off the ignition thinking that it would reset things and go back to normal. No such luck. In fact, I see that when I turned off the ignition the radio control back lights remained on. I assumed it was a relay but not sure. At the motel, I disconnected the MP3 player from its connection at the CD input connector, thinking that it may have caused the problem. I checked fuses and as suspected, none were open. Not wanting to drain the battery as I slept here in the motel, I disconnected the battery for the night and put everything back together.

I posted the problem to the GL1800 Riders board and received couple of responses as well as a response from a fellow chapter member back home. What they told me was, do not touch the A.SEL button while the MP3 player is in operation or the microprocessor in the OEM radio will most likely lock up and give cause the problems. When you hit A.SEL, the radio checks to see what is connected to it, sort of a query command. Now the MP3 player is substituting for the CD player. The radio is expecting a certain response back from the CD player, and doesn't get it. So now it hangs up because what it expected is not what it got, and won't get out of that loop till power is pulled, either by lifting the negative battery cable or pulling a fuse to the system.

The next morning when I reconnected the battery, all was well. Everything worked as advertised. So, word to the wise, STAY AWAY from A.SEL if you have an MP3 player.

[Sally]

Mikeb. I believe your right no locking up .I also beleive they have addressed this problem with the new version soft wear.I was reading this was happen but since has been corrected.Any way I just got mine installed this unit seems to be great at this point I love it.Installtion instruction were easy to follow it's a plug and play mp3 unit. My choice was the bikemp3 player. WORKS GREAT HIGHTLY RECOMMEND. Sally

[RC4U]

i have a cord in my side pouch and i just plug my android phone into it that has 2gig sd card on it and lots of music and just make a play list and it works just fine..if you have a phone with the 3.5mm plug you can just use that and not have to buy anything else...jeff

[Steve F]

Just installed my BIKEMP3.com MP3 player last night, and it took all of 20 minutes total. Heck it took longer to rip 6 CD's to the SD memory! Instal was super easy, and worked as advertised...I'm a cappy hamper.

[kerrsys]

I installed this and love it.

The install is through the panel on the rear top box.

Wire comes through to attach your ipod...Operates through your CD controls on your radio (switch tracks, playlists etc.)

Check it out:

http://wingstuff.com/products/29791-gl1 ... -interface

Good Luck,
JK