Valtra T175 radio

[Michael S]

I want to change the radio in my T175 Direct for one with DAB. The tractor currently has the factory radio with volume controls on the arm rest and phone call answering on the touch screen. Having surfed a few websites this morning I see that there are adaptors for Valtra available but I was wondering whether I would need one or whether that is built into the tractor because the I had a demo N175 that had a Pioneer unit that worked that way.

Does anyone have any experience to share?

 

[box]

No replies yet so I'll take a stab at it (even though I know nothing about Valtras).

First of all, I'm amazed that with all their wisdom, they didn't think to fit a DAB capable radio in the first place.

You'll likely need an interface of some kind (either resistive or CAN) depending on the radio you plan to install, I see Sparex do a plug and play kit, you'll just need the ISO to Pioneer/Kenwood/whatever adapter to suit (although some of the later stereos are steering wheel control ready and you don't need an interface). Your best bet would be to talk to your local car stereo installer, they should know what radio will work out of the box.

No mention of touchscreen integration in the above kit though. Is it the screen on the A pillar? Does it show you when a call is coming through and allow you to answer/hang up on the screen? Does it allow you to scroll through and make calls? I doubt you'll ever get that working with an aftermarket radio, but I could be wrong.

The other option is to just buy a USB DAB adapter and connect it to the original radio. Or does the original radio not have USB?

 

[Michael S]

No replies yet so I'll take a stab at it (even though I know nothing about Valtras).

First of all, I'm amazed that with all their wisdom, they didn't think to fit a DAB capable radio in the first place.

You'll likely need an interface of some kind (either resistive or CAN) depending on the radio you plan to install, I see Sparex do a plug and play kit, you'll just need the ISO to Pioneer/Kenwood/whatever adapter to suit (although some of the later stereos are steering wheel control ready and you don't need an interface). Your best bet would be to talk to your local car stereo installer, they should know what radio will work out of the box.

No mention of touchscreen integration in the above kit though. Is it the screen on the A pillar? Does it show you when a call is coming through and allow you to answer/hang up on the screen? Does it allow you to scroll through and make calls? I doubt you'll ever get that working with an aftermarket radio, but I could be wrong.

The other option is to just buy a USB DAB adapter and connect it to the original radio. Or does the original radio not have USB?

Thanks. I am waiting to hear back from the dealer, like you I wonder why a premium radio doesn't have DAB. The interface offered by Sparex turns up under various brand names on car audio sites. I haven't found DAB adaptors that great so I am keen to change the head unit.

 

[T C]

We have a N174 with DAB and arm rest controls.
Will have a look at the model later. I know it has a wire in the blue ISO plug for wireless control.
I changed the factory aerial for a better one which made the DAB work!

 

[Boysground]

I have one of these in a JD and my son has one in his car. Work well and maybe cheaper than a new radio.

DAB Car Radio Adapters | Halfords UK

Shop all the latest DAB Transmitters online and enjoy UK wide home delivery or click and collect from a local Halfords store.

www.halfords.com

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[Finn farmer]

Thanks. I am waiting to hear back from the dealer, like you I wonder why a premium radio doesn't have DAB. The interface offered by Sparex turns up under various brand names on car audio sites. I haven't found DAB adaptors that great so I am keen to change the head unit.

Dab radio is available as a factory order, but they probably won't install it as standard because Dab isn't really a thing here in Finland.

 

[nonemouse]

We have a N174 with DAB and arm rest controls.
Will have a look at the model later. I know it has a wire in the blue ISO plug for wireless control.
I changed the factory aerial for a better one which made the DAB work!

What sort of aerial did you use? Can’t get mine to pick up dab. But signal has been poor on other dab vehicles since the bilsdale mast burnt down

 

[Toby_1]

Dab radio is available as a factory order, but they probably won't install it as standard because Dab isn't really a thing here in Finland.

Plus when a DAB radio is requested from the factory, it comes with a different antenna.

 

[Will7]

I have just got a new 235D and got them to take out the factory radio and this is what they replaced it with. I don’t think you can use the arm rest controls, I am not the driver, but you can get the cricket!!

 

[Boysground]

My go to radio station is 6 music so I use dab a lot but with unlimited data and 4/5g I also steam podcasts quite a bit. I wonder if eventually there will be no need for dab.

The best sound system I have is the integrated one in a Fendt. Good speakers easy to use and perfect dab reception

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[Michael S]

I have one of these in a JD and my son has one in his car. Work well and maybe cheaper than a new radio.

DAB Car Radio Adapters | Halfords UK

Shop all the latest DAB Transmitters online and enjoy UK wide home delivery or click and collect from a local Halfords store.

www.halfords.com

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I have tried the 400 version but it doesn't like the CCTV screen in the cab, even with that turned off it is very disappointing compared to the old Pure unit we have in our 820.

 

[Boysground]

I have tried the 400 version but it doesn't like the CCTV screen in the cab, even with that turned off it is very disappointing compared to the old Pure unit we have in our 820.

I had a pure dab radio/cd which did 3 tractors it was brilliant. Only thing missing was Bluetooth but that wasn’t a thing when I first had it. Shame they don’t make them anymore

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[Qman]

Tractors cost much more than a family car, which come with DAB radios as standard. When you want to change stations there is a list so you can chose what you want. These after market radios, which I've got on 2 tractors and a combine are very difficult to find the station you want. I've read the manuals and they keep on about ensembles, whatever they are. Why the heck can't the manufacturers fit a decent sound system?

 

[box]

Why the heck can't the manufacturers fit a decent sound system?

Money and greed.

 

[T C]

I want to change the radio in my T175 Direct for one with DAB. The tractor currently has the factory radio with volume controls on the arm rest and phone call answering on the touch screen. Having surfed a few websites this morning I see that there are adaptors for Valtra available but I was wondering whether I would need one or whether that is built into the tractor because the I had a demo N175 that had a Pioneer unit that worked that way.

Does anyone have any experience to share?

Ours has a pioneer MVH-X580 DAB. I know the blue wire that is usually for a powered antenna is used to connect to the arm rest. I fitted a powered DAB antenna and it made a massive difference.

 

[T C]

Ours has a pioneer MVH-X580 DAB. I know the blue wire that is usually for a powered antenna is used to connect to the arm rest. I fitted a powered DAB antenna and it made a massive difference.

 

[Spannermonkey94]

Interested to see how you got on with this ? I am currently trying to install a aftermarket radio in a T235D and have the armrest controls and smart touch controls working but no luck as of yet …

 

[Finn farmer]

If a DAB radio is a must, why don't the dealers order the tractors with them already installed? Shouldn't be that hard.

 

[Chae1]

If a DAB radio is a must, why don't the dealers order the tractors with them already installed? Shouldn't be that hard.

Would think most would be stock orders now.

I must be strange in that music, entertainment isn't a high priority! Don't get me wrong I wouldn't want to be without a radio. But a bit of background music is enough.

 

[Qman]

If you buy a cheap car you get a DAB radio with a list of available channels so you can pick the station of your choice, mine is Boom Radio or Greatest Hits.

Buy a tractor for £200K and you get a cheap looking radio like we used to have 20 years ago with fiddly controls which are difficult to use when the tractor is moving. I wish tractor manufacturers would put decent units in, I think a radio is a must when working long repetitive days.