Adding a second switchable USB port to my head, is it possible?

[theangrytomato]

I own a Kenwood KDC-MP342U head and wanted to wire in a second USB port in back so I could keep an iPod with my library on it in the glove compartment, but still be able to switch to the front port if someone else wants to plug their iPod in. I have a female USB port that I desoldered out of a PCI usb hub from an old computer. I was planning on opening the head and soldering a wire from the data in, out, and ground of the second port to their respective places on the circuit board where the main USB connects, and then desoldering the original USB power connector and running a cable from the circuit board power to an SPDT switch where I can switch it between the front and back ports. In theory it should work, I'm just unfamiliar with head modifications and was wondering if this was safe to do. On second thought, if you know, should I use a DPDT and switch the data in/out instead? I don't want the head send or receive any data to/from the device that it isn't switched too, and I figured the power would do that but on second thought you don't have to send power to a device for it to work. Any advice is greatly appreciated. Thanks!

[crispy_chick3n]

why bother with all that mess. you would void out any warrenty, and it could go wrong realy fast. i say just leave it alone and when someone asks if they can plug theirs in just pull yours off. thats just my .02

[P4killer_]

Ummm idk what would happen. but they make usb splitters yes...

http://www.amazon.com/GWC-HU2024-USB-2-0-2-Port/dp/B000ZEUQ3M/ref=sr_1_5?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1299379653&sr=1-5

you could modify that and hide the wires etc, much better than hacking ur HU

I dont think having two things plugged in at once will be a problem, provided on of them is off, ie:. not accessible.

You could wire switch into the line running to your ipod to close the connections if someone else wants to plug something else in.

but as someone said above whats the point.. just unplug ur ish if someone else wants to plug in

[theangrytomato]

I was doing it more as an organizational thing, so there aren't cables hanging out of my head that don't need to be there and I don't have to hassle with anything once I get in the car. Just turn it on and it automatically shuffles through my library. I'm not concerned about voiding the warranty, I've had it for two years now, I don't even think it qualifies anymore. I guess I'm just looking to see if anyone knows if there's anything to watch out for in the head if I open it. I don't see why there would be, but I'd rather not take the chance if I don't have to. I'd appreciate any information about opening the head, as I've already decided that if it won't damage the head, I'm going to do it. Thanks.

[jack]

just use the mount clip that comes with the kenwoood for the usb wire. and flush it in somewhere on the dash

[JaM Customs aka mprete]

what would be cool would be to get a usb cord and strip the wires back, unsolder the one on the radio from the inside and solder the new one with the wire to the back of the radio and drill a hole in the back of the radio and put the cord threw it so it comes out the back instead of the front. does that makes since? or so you dont have an empty slot, keep it there and try to make both work or make the front one not work at all and just be a dummy.

[P4killer_]

ohhh. hiding the wires would be easy. you really wouldnt need to even de-soldier just strip a usb cord and soldier the 4 wires to the existing pads on the front usb and your done. poth ports would be connected. and you could just plug ur ipod in the glove box after running the cord there. however if you forget about ur ipod and plug something else as well into the front jack nothing will prolly happen. but i mean the devices might pull too much current on the 5v rail, and cause an issue. on the data side usually one device will be dominant over the other meaning the HU will interpret one signal and one signal only. so you might have to turn ur ipod off when u decide to use the front port. i dont think it would fry anything in the HU.

Ive never split input on a car before, but i do it all the time on computers and home audio/video and it works just like i said above no damage just sometimes input confusion where you have to turn one signal off. but h/u power supplies are different. I mean my pc can handle several amps of draw on the 5v rail rail obviously and the receiver has no issues either but idk HUs

edit you could just put a 2way switch on the ground wire that runs to the ipod. and you could switch it on/off no prob