What exactly comes with the "MP3 player input"?

[txav8r]

So the new boat comes home on Thursday. 2012 SX 240 if you haven't followed any of the other threads about my saga. My previous SX 230 also had "mp3 input". But that meant the RCA jacks were on the back of the HU, and you had to buy the aux "in" adapter to hook up to the RCA's and mount on the dash. I had that and it worked well. I also see they have a "bluetooth" adapter, but didn't intend to fill my iPhone's GB's with music. I have a 30GB iPod classic that works just fine most times. Do I want to go that route with the new boat, or is it truly mp3 ready with aux in already installed somewhere?

 

[Speedling]

GRATS GRATS GRATS
I'm surprised you had to have a seperate adapter! My ss came with a hookup and special compartment all set up and ready to go. In fact, the kids will watch it on the screen and the sound will go over the whole boat, it's pretty awesome.
I know people were doing some sort of bluetooth adapter aftermarket. Dunno about your boat specifically though. Mainly wanted to add in the "grats"

 

[txav8r]

Thanks Speedling, the SS/X and the 242 both had better stereo stuff along with even a dock for an iPod I think on the 242. The '08 230 did not and had to have the aux plug, a $20 part. I don't want to order one if I don't need it on this boat.

 

[billyb]

I just plugged in my iphone to the USB adapter and music started playing...it was cake.

I tried to get the blue tooth going, but was unable to do so.

 

[Lester]

I could not get my blue tooth working on my 2014 242 LS either when I first got it but my dealer had to come by and install a couple of things a week later. That particular service guy was familiar with this problem and told me that every new Yamaha coming off the line with bluetooth is linked to one bluetooth device of the person who is testing its functionality. He told me that to reset the bluetooth connection that you had to turn the batteries off and unplug the aux 2 rca cables. Then turn the batteries on and replug in the aux 2 rca cables. He said that the system isn't capable of being paired with multiple devices so you would have to go through this method everytime you would want to pair a different mp3 bluetooth device to your radio system.

I have not validated if there are indeed other and easier ways of doing this but I do know that I have performed his method a couple of times and it worked both times. I have a number of vehicles that have bluetooth functionality but none as odd as this IF what this service guys says is true.

Anyone know any different methods than this? I would love an easier way to pair new devices as we usually like to pass around DJ responsibilities.

 

[octavio3311]

Mel - my guess is that it has a 3.5mm jack ready to go.
I had a 12' AR190 before my 212x, and the AR had the jack built into the JBL stereo. I would imagine your 240 must have the same.
That JBL stereo leaves a lot to be desired.

 

[jdonalds]

Mel I know you don't want a blue tooth setup. But for others I have my eye on this one. http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00CUMQU50/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=16K3Q5GJ49671&coliid=I18F999MPOI4WJ it runs off 12V, is water resistant, and is highly rated by buyers.

I'd love to be free of the cord on the boat. My son likes to sit in the back of the boat with a 6' cord plugged into the MP3 adapter. Forget the cord with the blue tooth setup.

 

[Magic]

We got ourselves a few of these....

http://www.amazon.com/SANOXY®-Wireless-transmitter-classic-iphone/dp/B002S4Z2NQ/ref=sr_1_2?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1398731804&sr=1-2&keywords=ipod+fm+transmitter

Remote lets us use it anywhere on the boat, and we can broadcast to our neighbors stereos over FM.....

Bluetooth like range, but works like crazy, and each kid has their separate transmitter and frequency so its just like changing channels, except the channels are all Ipods!

Easy Peasy, Oldschool and Easy!

 

[Evil Sports]

Mel - my guess is that it has a 3.5mm jack ready to go.
I had a 12' AR190 before my 212x, and the AR had the jack built into the JBL stereo. I would imagine your 240 must have the same.
.

What he said

 

[Bruce]

@jdonalds, I have the Fusion MS-BT100 and it works great.

 

[txav8r]

So you guys with the dongle and the ms-bt100, explain to me the way you use these. I get that the thing is an fm transmitter and you transmit your playlist/album/song/etc. bluetooth to the HU thru FM? I read the cord is short and hard to use plugged in and it sounds as though it must be plugged in? Draw me a better picture! It also sounds like the one Kelly has will work with either iPhone or my classic iPod. John, my ignorance about these is probably the only reason I didn't want BT, but if it meets my goal, it might be a great product!

 

[Bruce]

Mel, I have the ms-bt100. Some boats have built in Bluetooth so they do not need the adaptor.

Your iPhone and many other devices have built in Bluetooth. One device can connect to the stereo at a time. The music that device plays via Bluetooth is heard through the speakers. The volume control on the playing device can be used to adjust the output.

 

[jdonalds]

Mel, In addition to what Bruce wrote... The way I read it you plug the ms-bt100 into the RCA jacks on the back of the radio, then find 12V under the dash to power the unit. That's the last time you need to see the ms-bt100. From then on all you have to do is pair a bluetooth enabled device (Samsung Galaxy S3 or iPod Touch in our case) and you're good to go. You hold the smartphone in your hand, select the music, change the volume all from your device.

 

[Magic]

So you guys with the dongle and the ms-bt100, explain to me the way you use these. I get that the thing is an fm transmitter and you transmit your playlist/album/song/etc. bluetooth to the HU thru FM? I read the cord is short and hard to use plugged in and it sounds as though it must be plugged in? Draw me a better picture! It also sounds like the one Kelly has will work with either iPhone or my classic iPod. John, my ignorance about these is probably the only reason I didn't want BT, but if it meets my goal, it might be a great product!

What we like is that everyone can bring their own iPods and set their own frequency, then we just select who gets to choose the music and tune to their frequency! we have like 6 of these things, and they just wont break!


I have a bluetooth watch as well as an iPhone 5s I play through BT4.0 stuff, but for kids (and some adults!) it just doesn't get any easier...Hand them an FM transmitter set to a freq you assign to their name and when they ask to play their stuff just tune to that freq! EZPZ

When we raft up we can play our iPod through the stereos on 3 or 4 boats. And they can play theirs through ours! I know Bluetooth has a one to many standard coming, but for now we dig the old school FM transmitter, and it kind goes with my old name... Fragile Magic-----> FM!

 

[Craig]

We simply plug in our iPhone into the oem USB port which is connected to the stereo, set a playlist and let it play. I put the iPhone in the pocket and cover with something to keep it from getting too hot. You can use the stereo controls to select your music from the iPhone, and the remote on the swim deck works with it as well.
I have a '13 AR240, and my stereo didn't come with BT built in, I never really saw the need for it since I can just plug my phone in, and it keeps my phone charged up.

 

[Glassman]

I just tow these guys behind me and forget about it..

 

[cane.mba]

@txav8r (I keep wanting to type @Mel instead of txav8r). I'm assuming the radio is the same on the SX 240 as it was on the 242LS. If that's true, than the '12 models, the face plate tilts open and a tray/holder slide forward and at the bottom of the holder is an iDevice connector. We rotate two iPod nanos and an iPhone 4 for our music. Once the device is connected and the faceplate flipped closed, you can control the device via the head unit, or the swim deck remote.

However, I just signed up the boat for a Sirius subscription this week. $9.99 for the basic music stations. The stock unit is XM capable, and thanks to the free one year subscription with my Ram, I'm hooked. The first month came to $27 including the "activation", taxes, etc. then $10 a month with no contract.

 

[txav8r]

No Mike, @cane.mba , I know what you mean about the name you type. We know the screen names, but after time chatting, we know real names too! And thank you for including it in your signature. I enjoy knowing a guys real name too.

The 240 doesn't have the same HU as the 242 or the 212X...not sure if the 212SS has the same as the X. But the 240 has the base stereo, a JBL POS. But, I never had an issue with my JBL on the 230, except it played a crappy low power signal with crappy Seaworthy speakers. I assume it isn't any better on the 240, but then I think the 242 and the 212 are under what most would want too. So that said, I will update the stereo system in the 240 at some point, just not today! Right now, I just want to know what I need to get the music going without radio, from my iPod. If the FM signal using my iPhone ends up being a better way, so be it. If using other means via BT is good, so be it. But I want to play my own music and not be subjected to learning new music...I'M AN OLD DAWG!

 

[primedoc]

I could not get my blue tooth working on my 2014 242 LS either when I first got it but my dealer had to come by and install a couple of things a week later. That particular service guy was familiar with this problem and told me that every new Yamaha coming off the line with bluetooth is linked to one bluetooth device of the person who is testing its functionality. He told me that to reset the bluetooth connection that you had to turn the batteries off and unplug the aux 2 rca cables. Then turn the batteries on and replug in the aux 2 rca cables. He said that the system isn't capable of being paired with multiple devices so you would have to go through this method everytime you would want to pair a different mp3 bluetooth device to your radio system.

I have not validated if there are indeed other and easier ways of doing this but I do know that I have performed his method a couple of times and it worked both times. I have a number of vehicles that have bluetooth functionality but none as odd as this IF what this service guys says is true.

Anyone know any different methods than this? I would love an easier way to pair new devices as we usually like to pass around DJ responsibilities.

"unplug the aux 2 rca cables." What are these and where do I unplug them, the back side of the HU? Couldn't you just disconnect everything from the positive terminal of the house battery and have the same effect?

I had a little difficulty connecting my iPhone 4, but finally got it to work and we listened to it on the water for the last few weekends, however on Sunday we (my wife) wanted to listen to her iPhone. I went into my iPhone settings and selected "Forget BT connection" since I knew that 2 devices couldn't be connected to the boat's BT at the same time. On my boat you have to select AUX 2 for the HU input to play from the BT device. I then took my wife's iPhone 4, went to settings and searched for a BT device connection. The phone could NEVER find a conection...at all!! I then went back to my iPhone and tried to re-connect and again it searched and searched, but was never able to find a BT device or reestablish the connection. It was a good day on the water, but when you pay that much for a boat + that much more for a sound system you expect 8-10 year old technology to work a little better than that and you don't expect to have to break out the tool box and start disconnecting batteries on the water just to switch between two wireless / BT connections (wasn't that part of the point of wireless in the first place). Anyway, at this point I have zero BT capability and have to listen to my local FM station that's 50 miles away with so much static it makes my sound system sound like old 45's that have been lying on a sandy beach in the hot sun!! LOL

 

[Lester]

I'm a noobie so I will probably use the wrong terminology but I will try to explain never-the-less.

The RCA "aux 2" wires comes out of the back of the stereo and can be accessed in the Driver's Console area by removing the cover. The male RCA white and red wires that go from the Blue Tooth receiver into the back of the stereo control via a female RCA connector is labelled "AUX 2." While the battery is shut off, unplug those RCA wires from one another. Then turn the battery back on and plug the wires back in. Then put your phone's Bluetooth in "discovery mode" and it should detect the boat's radio's bluetooth and connect. You will have to do this again if you want to switch phone's or devices that would connect to your boat. Once I connected my phone once I was able to reconnect just by turning the stereo input to Aux 2. Once connected I was able to successfully play Pandora, XM Radio from their app, or music stored on my Iphone.

I was like you and could not connect and the service guy showed me this trick. As I said before, it seems a little a convuluted series of steps to accomplish this but it has worked for me. I would assume that there could be an easier way to do this. I assume this as none of my other bluetooth devices are this difficult to connect to. Hope this helps.