Linux, GTD, and sweet, sweet music …

Having recently bought an 07 plated Renault Clio, I wanted to install an Aux cable to connect our mp3 players (all non-apple).

The Connects2 USB Interface CTARNUSB003 not only has an Aux input where you can plug in your mp3 player, but it also has an SD card and USB key slot. Using the appropriate structure on the memory cards, you can simulate a 6 CD changer, and control all track selections etc from the steering stalk controls.

This is how I installed it on our Clio.

Step 1 – Remove the Radio.

I accomplished this by using 4 small jewellers screwdrivers (small Allen keys etc will also work) which you push into the 4 holes in the front of the radio. The screwdrivers push retetion clips (which you can’t see) to the side, allowing you to pull out the radio.

Step 2 – Insert the Connects2 cable through the Glovebox hole.

Open the glovebox, and have a look at the top RHS (see Image 2 underneath).  There is a hole which opens into the radio/CD player compartment.

Take the end of the cable with the blue connector and poke this through the hole with one hand, and with your other hand, have a feel behind the radio.  Grab the cable and pull through (see Image 1 below).

Step 3 – Connect the blue connector to the CD changer socket

Take the blue connector at the end of the cable and connect it into the CD changer socket on t he back of the radio.

Make sure it is inserted securely.

Step 4 – Reinsert radio.

Push the radio back into it’s compartment, making sure you don’t snag the cable.

Step 5 – mount the Connects2 unit in the glovebox.

Using double-sided adhesive foam (or velcro pads), mount the unit on the RHS of the glovebox, ensuring that it’s far enough back that you can insert a USB key into the unit without it preventing the glovebox closing.

Connect the aux cable into the unit, and check that you can close the glovebox (see image 5).

Power up your radio unit – you should be able to use the source selector to find the CD changer.

(TO BE UPDATED RE: ADDING AUDIO TO SD CARDS SOON).

Today my HP Pavilion DM3 running Ubuntu 10.10 lost internet connectivity. It soon became clear that the system didn’t even think I had wifi capability as the Network manager had “Enable Wireless” grayed out.

Trying to enable using ifconfig

ifconfig wlan0 up


gave me this:

SIOCSIFFLAGS: Operation not possible due to RF-kill


Seems that something has killed the wifi radio, and the switch on the RHS of the machine made no difference.

Found this post:

https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/gnome-nettool/+question/132854

Let’s see what the system thinks ….

% rfkill list
0: hp-wifi: Wireless LAN
Soft blocked: yes
Hard blocked: yes
1: phy0: Wireless LAN
Soft blocked: yes
Hard blocked: yes
2: hp-bluetooth: Bluetooth
Soft blocked: yes
Hard blocked: yes

Which probably explained the lack of any wifi access!

I tried the recommended command:

rfkill unblock all

which gave me:

0: hp-wifi: Wireless LAN
Soft blocked: yes
Hard blocked: yes
1: phy0: Wireless LAN
Soft blocked: no
Hard blocked: yes
2: hp-bluetooth: Bluetooth
Soft blocked: yes
Hard blocked: yes

Next up – try the help command:

% rfkill -h
Usage: rfkill [options] command
Options:
--version show version (0.4)
Commands:
help
event
list [IDENTIFIER]
block IDENTIFIER
unblock IDENTIFIER
where IDENTIFIER is the index no. of an rfkill switch or one of:
all wifi wlan bluetooth uwb ultrawideband wimax wwan gps fm

So I tried this:

rfkill unblock wifi


which worked:

0: hp-wifi: Wireless LAN
Soft blocked: no
Hard blocked: no
1: phy0: Wireless LAN
Soft blocked: no
Hard blocked: no
2: hp-bluetooth: Bluetooth
Soft blocked: yes
Hard blocked: no


Phew. For a while I thought that my wifi card was knackered and I’d have to ship my 2 month old laptop back to HP.