# Nexus 7 and Rockford 360.3



## Thumper33 (Apr 24, 2015)

I'm in the planning stages for a Nexus 7 as a head unit project install. Plans so far are...


Nexus 7 (2013)
Rockford 360.3 Processor
Jaycon Steering Wheel Control Interface

I'm replacing the factory head unit in a 2009 Infinity G37x with the tablet, and planning to run an external DAC into the Rockford 360.3. The 360.3 does have a volume control of it's own, but there is no way to integrate it into the factory steering wheel controls. I REALLY want steering wheel controls to work. I've been researching a bunch, but can't seem to figure out if I should just get a USB to toslink adapter and run digital right into the 360.3, or get a nice external DAC and run into the 360.3 with analog. What determines whether the volume control on the nexus 7 will lower the volume on the digital output so the steering wheel controls will work to control the volume? 

If USB digital output is a "variable" output, then it seems redundant to give the 360 a clean analog signal just to have it convert back to digital again to process it internally. Maybe I don't understand how that works.

For information sake... I'm planning to run Rockford T5 Components, so I'm trying to keep the whole setup as clean as possible.


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## Ultimateherts (Nov 13, 2006)

Thumper33 said:


> I'm in the planning stages for a Nexus 7 as a head unit project install. Plans so far are...
> 
> 
> Nexus 7 (2013)
> ...


Just be aware that there is just about anything made for usb , but that doesn't mean it is compatible with the 360.3! A better choice would be a usb audio interface with digital output to the 360.3!


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## charliekwin (Apr 22, 2012)

Get a DAC or adapter that'll do USB audio to toslink and run straight to the 360.3. The Nexus 7 has digital volume control (I have read, but can't seem to get confirmation, that Lollipop has 32-bit floating point for digital volume) that works with the steering wheel controls. No electrical noise this way, either.

Joycon has good-enough support for the G35/7 steering wheel controls. Volume, track selection (short and long press), back button and the phone button are recognized. Enter and voice command buttons don't work. Check my build log if you need some more info.


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## Thumper33 (Apr 24, 2015)

thanks for the advice charlie. that's great to know. 

I still don't get the difference between running an external dac or running the signal right into the 360.3. I mean.... what's the point of a DAC if it's putting out a digital signal still? Am i misunderstanding?


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## charliekwin (Apr 22, 2012)

Thumper33 said:


> thanks for the advice charlie. that's great to know.
> 
> I still don't get the difference between running an external dac or running the signal right into the 360.3. I mean.... what's the point of a DAC if it's putting out a digital signal still? Am i misunderstanding?


Calling it a DAC is really a misnomer, it's more of an adapter, since all you should be doing is converting USB audio to optical or some other digital format. Unless the 360.3 can directly support USB audio, you'll need _some_ kind of box to get a usable format.


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