Tech 2 Question

[jbeidl]

During the past year information was added to the GM Tech 2 software to include settings in the Personal Audio Link (PAL). A fellow C6 owner has installed a PAL in a car without XM. There is a setting that must be made in the PAL to tell it that an XM receiver is not installed.

The owner has gone to 2 dealers to have the PAL configured and they both tell him that the PAL cannot be configured because there is no "Radio Type" for the "Personal Audio Link".

My question is should the menu option under "Radio Type" for the "Personal Audio Link" appear on the Tech 2 even if there are problems with the PAL or if it is not installed?

I am trying to determine if there is an issue with the PAL or if the Tech 2 has not been update to support the PAL options.

John

[c4c5specialist]

HI there,

I do not agree with this post, as you are working in conjunction with a company that profits from your efforts.

If your dealership contacts cannot do the job correctly, with the updates that are given, that is a problem that you will have to directly address with them.

If this was for your own personal vehicle and NOT for a profit company in which you are working with, I would assist.

However, this site is MEMBER supported, NOT corporate supported.

The rules are non negotiable and cannot be compromised.

This thread is closed.

Allthebest, c4c5

[c4c5specialist]

After receiving a PM from jbeidl, I feel the need to apologize.

I misunderstood what the goal was for this module and assembly.

I will do further research and assist as I can.

Allthebest, c4c5

[jbeidl]

Thank you Paul, your time and assistance are greatly appreciated.

John

[c4c5specialist]

Ok, here is what I have so far.

The ONLY option I have for the PAL system to link up to is the NAVIGATION SYSTEM option.

The regular 6 disc changer has the AUX plug in the radio face that you are supposed to use for that device.

I have dispatched an email for exact functional program updates to GM Accessories to see what I am missing.

But, preliminary conversations is that the system was designed for options such AS NAVIGATION ONLY and not for the 6 disc or single disc radio systems.

This is because of the AUX outlet in the face.

As soon as I hear further, I will update this post.

Your latest Tech 2 update should be 30.005

Allthebest, c4c5

[jbeidl]

Thanks Paul.

Yes, the original release of the PAL was for NAV systems only. The original PAL was found not to work in some 2005 (and maybe 2006) that did not have an XM radio. The manufacturer of the PAL added an internal setting to tell the PAL that the XM receiver was not installed. That setting is what prompted the update of the Tech 2 software to include a "Radio Type" of "Personal Audio Link" to allow that setting to be made.

Are you telling me that you can only see the "Personal Audio Link" option on the Tech 2 when you configure the car to have NAV?

A more recent version of PAL firmware (still in field testing) also allows the PAL to be installed in US9 radio cars and I beleive some of those are in operation. The situation we are working with is a 2005 US9 radio without XM. The PAL in question was tested by the manufacture (on the bench) with a US9 and no XM and functioned as expected.

John

[c4c5specialist]

Yes, the only way I was able to see a PAL option was if I chose NAVIGATION< NOT the UPLEVEL>

But then, it goes to the DIGITAL RADIO RECEIVER option and when I get the NO COMMUNICATION, I can go no further.

Allthebest, c4c5

[jbeidl]

Thanks Paul, maybe another Tech 2 update is required for the US9 Radio.

The way the PAL actually works is that it looks like an XM Receiver to the BCM. That is why the Class 2 signal to the original XM receiver needs to be cut at the splice pack (which is what makes the GM installation procedure such a chore). The PAL has an internal relay to connect the Class 2 signal to the "real" XM Receiver when XM1 is selected and disconnect it when any source other than XM1 is used (XM2 is used to select the PAL). That is why the PAL needs to know if there is a "real" XM receiver or not. The PAL factory configuration expects a "real" XM receiver to be installed and a Tech 2 is not required for this most common case.

Thank you for all of your time and help.

John

[c4c5specialist]

HI there,

Thats interesting, as I can go into the BCM and shut down the XM option.

I wonder if you remove the plug for the XM receiver, which is in the rear compartment, would that do the same thing without all the splice pack modifications.????

Im interested.

Allthebest, c4c5

[jbeidl]

Originally Posted by c4c5specialist

HI there,

Thats interesting, as I can go into the BCM and shut down the XM option.

I wonder if you remove the plug for the XM receiver, which is in the rear compartment, would that do the same thing without all the splice pack modifications.????

Im interested.

Allthebest, c4c5

Paul, if you shut down the XM option in the BCM that would kill both the "real" XM and the PAL. The BCM needs to find the PAL (disguised as an XM Receiver) for the XM1/XM2 symbols to appear on the NAV source screen.

I do not have detail knowledge of the PAL internals, everything thing I know is gleaned from the way things are wired and observations as to how things function.

I believe that the goal of the designers was to design a unit that could be installed in a vehicle without modifications to other devices (radio and/or BCM) and not require a Tech 2 for installation. What they did was to design the PAL to look like an XM Receiver to the BCM. When the car is started or a door/trunk is opened the PAL will be powered on and detected as an XM Receiver. In the case of a NAV car, the XM1 and XM2 options will appear on the source panel. Since the PAL responds like an XM Receiver, there would be a communications clash on the Class 2 bus if they both were connected. The PAL guys solved that by using a relay (internal to the PAL that you can here click) to connect/disconnect the Class 2 signal to the XM Receiver. This allows both the XM Receiver and the PAL to function properly.

When in XM1 mode, the relay closes and the XM Receiver can communicate with the BCM. I believe that the PAL also watches for the XM Receiver to respond when in this mode (since the XM Class 2 signal is flowing through the PAL). If the PAL does not see return XM Receiver traffic in this mode, it will not allow the PAL to function and that was the reason for the configuration setting to tell the PAL that there is no XM Receiver.

Using the GM install method, the Class 2 wire going to the XM receiver is cut at the left splice pack. There is a wire that comes from the PAL connector that has the "switched" Class 2 signal and this wire is connected to the XM Class 2 wire just cut from the splice pack. The splice pack is no joy to access and is the most difficult part of the entire PAL installation.

I did my install by removing the Class 2 terminal pin at the XM Receiver harness and covering it with heat shrink tubing. I then extended the "switched" Class 2 wire coming from the PAL to reach the XM Receiver connector and installed the wire in the position where the original Class 2 signal was. You may remember about a year ago I sent you an Email to find the part number for the required terminal pin. Photos are at 2007 Corvette Coupe Personal Audio Link (PAL) Install

The PAL and iPod were installed in my coupe when you looked at my courtesy light issue in Bowling Green last year.

Since there was room in a coupe to install the PAL close to the XM Receiver, we designed a cable with three connectors. One for the XM body harness, one for the XM Receiver and one for the PAL. That made the PAL installation a 10-15 minute job. The PAL could either go near the XM Receiver or the left rear storage compartment. The only drawback was that the iPod cable was not long enough to reach the glove box. The iPod had to be placed in the center console. I believe since then an iPod extension cable has become available.

In the convertible, the XM Receiver is mounted in the Water Fall and the same cable can be used with the PAL mounted in the Water Fall. This installation takes a little longer due to the Water Fall removal.

Owners of 2005 - 2007 wanted to install the PAL even though GM would only support them in 2008 and newer. This was not because of know compatibility issues, just testing issues. The PAL manufacturer did not have access to cars older than 2008 to test with.

Many owners (including myself) decided to take a chance and see what would work. I had no problem, but owners of 2005's had some problems with text display that is corrected with the NAV radio update for playing MP3's. It was also learned that the PAL would not work in cars without XM. The PAL manufacturer was very accommodating and provided a firmware solution that also required a Tech 2 for installation. That is how the procedure I sent you in the first PM originated.

C6 owners wanting a PAL were left out if they did not have a NAV, GM did not have a solution. The PAL manufacturer made a firmware update to allow the PAL to be installed in older C6's with the US9 radio. Since these cars are not available to the PAL manufacturer to test, the only option is to test with current owners.

That is where we are now. We have an 05 owner with US9 and no XM and we are trying to determine what the problem might be. The first thing that needs to be done is to tell the PAL that there is no XM Receiver, but it appears the current Tech 2 software does not have that option.

The 05 owner went to 2 different dealers. At one, he was not allowed to work with the Technician and does not know what the problem was, only that they could not help him. At the second dealer he worked with a Technician but does not know what software was in the Tech 2.

Thanks again for all of your help.

John