substitute for jvc hd tuner

JVC has discontinued the KT-HD300. I noticed that many of JVC and Kenwood products have been manufactured by the same company. Kenwood has a KTC-HR300. Other than the logo, the tuner boxes are identical. My question is, since they share the same connector, and the radios of either brand that are "HD-Ready" seem to be built on the same platform, does anyone else think that it might work? The availability of the JVC one has been bugging me for awhile now, and JVC keeps advertising "HD-Ready" on their boxes, even though the part has been discontinued. I just lost the auction on eBay and don't expect to find one anywhere. Any opinions?

I don't understand what you are trying to do?Support the12volt.com

Just add the HD tuner to my radio. It is "ready" not built-in.

OK. What is your head unit?Support the12volt.com

Sorry I was away for a few days. JVC KW-R900BT My question really is since JVC and Kenwood have been using the same manufacturing facilities, and the Kenwood and JVC HD tuner add-on's both use the same "J-bus" connector,what is the likelihood that JVC's KT-HD300 could be substituted for Kenwood's KTC-HR300? Unless you know of anywhere to buy the JVC one. But I believe the "J-bus" architecture is mostly universal, as there are 3rd party manufacturers that make AUX2 adapters that work on either.

I don't know if JVC and Kenwood are interchangeable. If you can find a local dealer who carries both they should be able to tell you.Support the12volt.com

Well the funny part is.. I work at the local dealer... in fact, I am the Installation Shop Supervisor. I've called the dealership tech-support for both companies and they both confirmed that the hardware was mostly identical. However neither was able to confirm if the firmware on them was the same. And obviously being a "trade secret" and the fact that the internal tuners are owned by Ibiquity and not manufactured by either JVC or Kenwood also adds another layer of uncertainty. I've plugged a Kenwood CD changer into a JVC radio before and it worked. I only asked because $100-$150 is a lot to spend on a part that "might" work. I was hoping someone might have some experience with the actual hardware. The Kenwood radios that come with the Bluetooth adapters are actually JVC's, and the harnesses for the radio's have been the same for 3 generations of radios, just with the speaker pin-outs switch front and rear. The "J-Bus" is present on both, and the model numbers of many units of both brands are mostly parallel throughout all the different series of model features. I guess I'll have to try it?

If you can not find the tuner, there are options out there with built in HD starting at around 140 dollars at retail.

Not in a double din, or 4v preouts. I have the KW-R900BT. This is the best JVC radio available before you move into media receivers and navigation models. Unfortunately, JVC has false advertised that it is HD-ready. It would be if they still manufactured or sold a tuner that makes it HD. The radio I have is the radio I want. I just want to add the HD that it is missing. No big deal...I just thought I'd ask.

Talk to your general manager and convince him to let you try it with a couple of in-store demo units. Then if it works, he'll have another combo he can sell in the store. :)Support the12volt.com