Thursday, June 15, 2006 - 05:51 pm, by: Ben Socratous(Socrates)
Head units only have 2 settings (as far as I know!). Full brightness and dim. This is operated by a relay inside of the deck that is switched by the illumination wire, much the same way that amps get turned on via the remote wire.
So, if you're question was a round about way of asking if the deck brightness can be variable in tune with the dash, then no, it can't.
(Mark, feel free to jump in here if this is way off the ball)
Saturday, June 17, 2006 - 12:07 am, by: Mark Paddick(Sparks)
Maybe a bit too subtle Pen?
There are some aftermarket units where the lighting can be connected directly to the dash lights and thus will vary in brightness with them, and some others can be modified. This can be difficult with some later model cars like the Soarer as the dash dimming is not done in what to some would be the 'usual' way. The dash, EMV, aircon panel and stereo in non-EMV cars all run at maximum brightness even without the dimmer connected and the control input of these units sits at 5V (high impedance 5v source). The dimmer provides a voltage that varies from 5V for max to 0V for dim and this means that the bulbs are supplied 12v for bright and 7V for dim. The actual bulbs are run from a regulated lower voltage internally in the EMV, aircon and stereo and so are not all 12V bulbs. The other lights are supplied a variable voltage from a separate output of the dimmer (TRAC, TEMS, ECT switches, cig lighter light, Vol/Temp and aircon switches in EMV cars) but they work the same way. The earthy side of the bulb is the one that is varied with the other fed 12V and so brightness increases for a lower dimmer voltage. These lights do not work at all with the dimmer disconnected. There is yet a third output from the dimmer to the scroll buttons but this is only in V8s (dimmers are the same for all so a TT can be modded easily). TT scroll buttons don't dim for some reason known only to Toyota. Since this dimmer voltage varies in the opposite sense to that normally used in nearly all cars a few years ago there are very few aftermarket headunits that can use it unless their internal lighting can be disconnected from earth or a voltage inverter used (a simple single transistor common emitter amplifier stage will do it but the transistor must be rated for the total bulb current to be controlled).
Saturday, June 17, 2006 - 12:29 am, by: Peter Nitschke(Pen)
Mark and I had part of this conversation last night. Quick quiz guys, switch your lights on, vary the dash dimmer, do your A/C and radio lights dim also? This is only for OEM stock headunits.
Ben Socratous TryHard SA Iv'e started to put my interior back together!!!
Monday, June 19, 2006 - 08:27 pm, by: Ben Socratous(Socrates)
Hmmm, my (tt( scroll button are just that, buttons. Complete with painted descriptions under them, ie no illumination for me Then again, when has anyone ever seen 2 soarers with the same options? I discover new options that were available everytime I meet a new soarerite. Seems toyota's option list would have been almost as long as that from maybach!!!
Peter Nitschke wrote on Saturday, June 17, 2006 - 12:29 am:
Mark and I had part of this conversation last night. Quick quiz guys, switch your lights on, vary the dash dimmer, do your A/C and radio lights dim also? This is only for OEM stock headunits
Mine only dims the digi dash, not the buttons, but it could be pov-pack thing
Ben Socratous wrote on Monday, June 19, 2006 - 08:27 pm:
Hmmm, my (tt( scroll button are just that, buttons. Complete with painted descriptions under them, ie no illumination for me
Blown bulb. I doubt Toyota would put something so stupid on an options list.
Tuesday, June 20, 2006 - 12:34 pm, by: Mark Paddick(Sparks)
Toyota do have some weird options but that's not one. Bulb blown for sure. The TT can be modified easily to dim the scroll. Just have a look at the wiring diagrams for the dash (combination meter). the TT's have a wire that bypasses the dimmer, just remove it and fit the one for the V8. this is in the wiring loom.
Ben Socratous TryHard SA Iv'e started to put my interior back together!!!
Tuesday, June 20, 2006 - 10:18 pm, by: Mark Paddick(Sparks)
It's a bit of a bugger to do them as the factory bulb doesn't light them properly and LEDs have less dispersion. I have to put a little LED on each end as well as the one in place of the standard bulb to get them to look good.
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Then again, when has anyone ever seen 2 soarers with the same options? I discover new options that were available everytime I meet a new soarerite. Seems toyota's option list would have been almost as long as that from maybach!!!
