J&M integration cable $280! Alternative?

[BobS]

Hi guys- I have a J&M 2300 with my Gamin 2730 linked to it with the stock J&M cable. I also have a Beltronics x65 on the brake res but i have that transmitting to my helmet via blue tooth and and old Scala rider. J&M sells a cable that will allow me to link both the Garmin and the radar into the J&M unit but they want $280 for the cable! Holy shit...thats about $20 less then I paid for the CB. Got any thoughts on how to get everything thru the J&M without forking out the bucks for the cable?

 

[Bounce]

Yeah. Quit buying from J&M and get a different unit from some place like Air Rider, Autocom, etc.

 

[Aasland]

I added a cell phone to my JMCB2003 and Zumo with this: https://www.cyclegadgets.com/Products/KT/de...amp;4=MOT-HF820

But no radar detector interface.

If all you need is to pipe the radar detector inputs into the J&M inputs ... it sounds like you need a "mixer" or a way to hook up two audio inputs to the JMCB2003 audio input.

I'm not 'lectrical engineer .. but wouldn't a simple 'Y' adapter work? (assuming you're OK if the Garmin isn't muted when the RD goes off).

 

[Bounce]

Y's aren't good for outputs like this. There's no "one-way gate" on them so that output of one device can feed voltage to the output of another. A MixIt sounds like a good idea and it sure is an excellent product.

 

[angus]

Hi guys- I have a J&M 2300 with my Gamin 2730 linked to it with the stock J&M cable. I also have a Beltronics x65 on the brake res but i have that transmitting to my helmet via blue tooth and and old Scala rider. J&M sells a cable that will allow me to link both the Garmin and the radar into the J&M unit but they want $280 for the cable! Holy shit...thats about $20 less then I paid for the CB. Got any thoughts on how to get everything thru the J&M without forking out the bucks for the cable?

you can get better price from sierra electronics.

 

[HaulinAshe]

As mentioned above, be very VERY careful about piping the audio of your RD to another system. I know Escort sells a isolated output cable for their units. Starcom also makes isolated cables for their comm units.

You typically cannot use a Y-adapter or even a 12v powered mixer on many of the RDs, without also using an isolated audio cable between the two. Frying a RD gets very expensive and makes the $280 for the right cables seem cheap(er).

 

[v65]

Have you checked with google? I needed a proprietary cable a while back for my Autocom. Sure enough some smart EE type had figured out how to do it using an oscilloscope, fabbed up his own, and left a wiring diagram out there for all to see.

 

[BobS]

[you can get better price from sierra electronics.

I love the folks at Sierra and boght the J7m from them but that's where the $280 price comes from. No response to my emails so I'm going to give them a call on suggestions.

 

[BobS]

Y's aren't good for outputs like this. There's no "one-way gate" on them so that output of one device can feed voltage to the output of another. A MixIt sounds like a good idea and it sure is an excellent product.

hey good thought on the Mixit and i have one out in the garage somewhere.

 

[Kieth]

The Mix it 2 is the way to go on this one, cost about 165.00 it has 2 stereo inputs into in that are non isolated, it also has 2 mono inputs that are isolated, I use the gated one for my gps, the non gated for the radar detector. costs less plus gives you volume control over your music. If you are using a battery operated mp3 player you will not need a isolation cord for it. If it is bike powered you may need a isolation cord. Kieth in Tulsa :clapping:

Hi guys- I have a J&M 2300 with my Gamin 2730 linked to it with the stock J&M cable. I also have a Beltronics x65 on the brake res but i have that transmitting to my helmet via blue tooth and and old Scala rider. J&M sells a cable that will allow me to link both the Garmin and the radar into the J&M unit but they want $280 for the cable! Holy shit...thats about $20 less then I paid for the CB. Got any thoughts on how to get everything thru the J&M without forking out the bucks for the cable?

 

[Colin24]

Go get yourself a MixIt2. Bought mine (as well as some other stuff over the years) from Cycle Gadgets. Here's a specific link to the MixIt2 At Cycle Gadgets.

I have mine wired into the bike and use only two of the four inputs. One for the RD (Belltronics STi Driver using a simple mono patch cable). The other for my MP3 player using a stereo patch cable. I wired the Mixit2 directly into the 12v on the bike so it comes on with the key (like the other electronics). Has been in the bike and running flawlessly for 2 seasons now.

Eventually when I get a GPS with audio (been eyeing the zumo for some time now) I will just use a simple patch cord to get me from the audio out on the zumo into the remaining input on the Mixit.

You will note some reference on the Mixit page at cycle gadgets about an "isolator" cable. That was only needed for the older MixIt model. Its been replaced by the MixIt2 (which is the only one you can get now it seems) which has the ground loop isolation built into the unit.

The _only_ downside to the Mixit2 is that it only supports audio in one direction. If you have a zumo and want to use its bluetooth to talk through a cell phone you need to wire in a mic line. In that case you will need a J&M specific patch cable.

But if all you are doing is mixing audio inputs the Mixit2 works great!

 

[Aasland]

The Mix it 2 is the way to go on this one, cost about 165.00

So why does something that mixes two inputs have to cost $165? I gotta believe it's pretty easy to build something with parts from RadioShack. It can't be that tough. Any electrical engineers here?

 

[Geezer]

A less expensive alternative to the MixIt is AmpliRider. I got an Amplirider, with a bunch of cables, remote volume control, and a box with two ground isolation circuits in it all for well under $100. The MixIt has additional features, like separate volume controls for inputs and override which stops sound from other inputs when your radar detector goes off. It's up to you if you want those features.

The reason you don't want to use a simple Y connector is that the output from one unit will feed back into the output side of the other unit and could damage that other unit. A mixer isolates those signals so you don't feed from one into the other.

I tried to build a circuit that uses resistors to prevent the feedback, but the result did not allow enough volume to get through. You really need to isolate then amplify the inputs, and that's why the mixers cost what they cost.

I am not an electronics expert, just did some research and played around trying to do things as inexpensively as possible. :dntknw:

 

[Kieth]

The mixit 2 is not only a mixer,it has prioritization of signals as well as protection for your devices. The isolated inputs will save you money in the long run. The amplirider is a good product but by the time you buy the isolation cables for it you will have spent almost as much as the mixit and not have the prioritization that you need for you gps. In this case cheaper is not cheaper..... another company made a manual box that was about 45.00 but there website no longer exists.... I do have one of there boxes and I would sell it for 45.00 it allows three mono sources in and one mono out. If that would help Kieth

918-446-2245 [email protected]

The Mix it 2 is the way to go on this one, cost about 165.00

So why does something that mixes two inputs have to cost $165? I gotta believe it's pretty easy to build something with parts from RadioShack. It can't be that tough. Any electrical engineers here?

 

[motorcycle-ed]

I tried to get the image to come up directly, but couldn't. Here is a link to a diagram I made up for what I have used for years to isolate and mix stuff together. It works with Garmin and J&M and other stuff as well with no electronics. Email me if you need some assistance with it or if you have questions. You can isolate anything from anything but might lose your stereo depending on how much you are mixing. My experience is that you cannot tell the diff between stereo and mono on your bike anyway.

I forgot to include the fact that this Radio Shack Audio transformer only costs 2.99 at RS. #273-1380

https://rides.webshots.com/photo/2137699250074429610vniDtn

 

[Bounce]

So why does something that mixes two inputs have to cost $165?

it does a lot more than that and does it for 4 inputs. there's ground loop isolation, there's a prioritized input, an amp, volume control and the dc adapter (as well as a starter 9v battery). he doesn't skimp and make you a la carte everything at additional expense.

if you've ever tried to chase down a ground loop hum and spend money on different bits trying to get it to work, you'd probably understand. hell J(a)M(it up you sideways) sells a simple CABLE splitter for 2 inputs for $100 more than the price of the MixIt2.

 

[Joe2Lmaker]

I tried to get the image to come up directly, but couldn't. Here is a link to a diagram I made up for what I have used for years to isolate and mix stuff together. It works with Garmin and J&M and other stuff as well with no electronics. Email me if you need some assistance with it or if you have questions. You can isolate anything from anything but might lose your stereo depending on how much you are mixing. My experience is that you cannot tell the diff between stereo and mono on your bike anyway.
I forgot to include the fact that this Radio Shack Audio transformer only costs 2.99 at RS. #273-1380

https://rides.webshots.com/photo/2137699250074429610vniDtn

What is the advantage of that over jekirby's:

Is there any loss in volume using the transformers?

 

[Geezer]

I built a mixer similar to the one above with resistors in lnine. The volume loss was too much and I couldn't hear anything through my ear phones. I then went with a setup like the one above with the Radio Shack transformers, but I also added an AmpliRider mixer, which has a volume control, so I don't know if the transformer style isolators reduce the volume. As you can see in the diagrams, the transformers are true isolators while the resistors are not.

 

[Joe2Lmaker]

As you can see in the diagrams, ...

You are talking to the guy who in fifth grade inserted a folded paper clip into the electrical outlet, while the class was learning their lines for the class play.

..A very loud POW. Followed by silence and wide eyes looks from everyone.

I probably shouldn't be allowed around electricity... on the other hand, if I wasn't "a villager" in the class play, maybe I would have felt the need to pay attention.

I went to Radio Shack today and they don't stock those transformers. I need to figure something out before Thursday.

edit: I remembered more details from the paper clip incident.

I have a long, lustrous acting career. If you need a "villager", "high priest", "sailor", or "gambler" in need of redemption... I'm your man.