Crutchfield includes installation gear

[negolien]

Since I started looking at head units to replace mine I noticed one thing. Crutchfield includes some good stuff. I saw a nice Kenwood with the specs I was looking for on sale at Newegg for about 60 cheaper than Crutchfield. However having to buy the Crutchfield included installation items it turned out to be more expensive lol. Crutchfield seems to be a very goo place for Head Units eh?

[sleepyalero]

yes.

[Cliff8928]

They aren't always the cheapest, but they know their stuff. Also note that the free stuff doesn't include any of the Class 2 data bus adapters for 2001 and newer models. They do discount it pretty good if I remember right.

[negolien]

"Class 2 data bus adapters" sorry but I' am not very literate in Audio things what's this?

[Cliff8928]

Provides a switched ignition power wire and chimes for 2001-2004 models where this was done by the stock radio and serial data.

[Nas Escobar]

"Class 2 data bus adapters" sorry but I' am not very literate in Audio things what's this?

This is a fancy word for what essentially is the Scosche adapter that keeps the chime and the R.A.P.(retained accessory power, iirc) feature. That of course is in a nutshell...

To explain it better, "Class 2 Data" is the way that 2000's era GM cars communicate with systems in the car. The gauges and the radio are one of the many things that communicate with the PCM in a 2000's GM car. This is also how "theftlock" works in the 2000's GM radios. The radio is essentially programmed to the VIN, and if the parameters don't match, then the radio is locked. So it's not really an audio thing, it's a GM thing, although nowadays most companies are very propitiatory of their stuff, making it harder to swap out the radio or do any major electrical mod.

Back on topic, The only reason that you need the adapter is because after 2003 (2000 in some cars), GM made it so the warning chimes would sound through the radio instead of a separate module, and if I recall correctly it was the PCM that controlled the power to the radio itself. It is possible to bypass the whole situation, by simply wiring the "Constant" wire of an aftermarket radio to the ignition switch or another fused source that turns off when the car is in the "off" position, but turns on when in "acc" or "on" position.

The only thing is if you decide to wire an aftermarket radio this way, you'll lose the chimes - which sometimes is a good thing as you can open the door without the annoying ding, and sometimes it's preferred as the Scosche adapter has a more annoying ding than the one from factory. Of course the downside is that you'll lose the chimes for when you left your lights on when your car is off, if you're low on fuel, if you need an oil change (for cars that have the "oil life" feature), and I forget what else the car chimes for. Don't worry about losing the sound for the blinkers, that still stays. My Grand Am doesn't have the chimes, I bought it that way, and when I bought the Cutlass, which doesn't have Class 2, I realized how annoying those chimes are.

http://www.yourcaraudiovideo.com/images/scosche-2000-up-gm-radio-replacement-harness-adapter-3-1.jpg

This is the adapter that keeps the chimes. You connect the car's radio wiring harness to the adapter, then on the other side, the normal wires to hook up the radio are provided.

[Cliff8928]

if I recall correctly it was the PCM that controlled the power to the radio itself.

The BCM is actually the PMM (power mode manager) in the Alero. That is not the case in all GM cars though.

Having the adapter also makes the class 2 network have good state of health. Although there's no light on, there is a (U1000) code set if you don't have something there.

[negolien]

Ahh Think I got ya aren't those the items that they sell ya for half price if you get a head unit?

http://www.crutchfield.com/p_249SOCGM17/CRUX-SOCGM-17-GM-Factory-Integration-Interface.html

[Cliff8928]

Yep, that would be it.