Some radio/keyless entry questions

I know, I know - there are a zillion old threads about how swapping out the factory radio in a '97 interferes with keyless entry. Yes, I searched, and no, I didn't find anything that answers all these questions:

1. I understand that you need to get a special wire harness for the new radio, and somehow hide the stock radio somewhere behind the dash. When the battery in your remote dies, or the remote itself breaks, do you guys end up having to take your consoles apart to get to the reset button on the old radio? That seems so retarded, I can't see how that can be the normal course of action.

2. My radio is in the center console, right in the middle of everything. However, my cd player is down by the cup holder (what a pain in the ass). If I get a cd player/radio for the top, I assume I would just chuck the cd player at the bottom and fill the hole with a little accessory tray or whatever. How does that affect the wiring?

3. Can anyone recommend a cd player that is as skip-proof as the factory one? I don't care about MP3 or XM capability, or how loud it can pound out the bass. I just want something that will keep my Led Zep playing as I drive across this pothole minefield that is New York, and I'm tired of having to take my beer out of the cup holder to change cds.

I'm not much for electrical work. I've done little stuff like power mirrors, replaced the antenna, and installed the ashtray/lighter console, but this is a little out of my league. I still want to try, though, before I finally give in and take it to a pro. If I take it to a shop right off the bat, I haven't learned shit.

Please feel free to post if you have info on any of these, even if you can't answer all three. Anything you know about radios is probably more than I do.
Thanks in advance!

i found it best just to go to a shop and pay $80 and have it done with out fucking it up myself.
i like to put my own radio stuff in but this was way above my head
honda screwed up over this time

How is it that 32 people have read this and only one person has any input? Aren't there any DIYers out there, or does everyone agree with exman?

i ahve done this mod and i did a lot of research before i did it.

1. it seems dumb but you will have to get to the radio when ur battery dies even if it means taking out the center console which shouldnt take that long if youve done it once.

2.in my 97 civic the radio is in the upper part so there should be a part that you can get to fill in that bottom area mine is like a cupholder with a slot above it for random junk.

3. as for cd players that dont skip i used to have a pioneer deh-2400?? and that never skipped now i have a sony cdx-m800 and it rarely skips and keep in mind i live in the pothole state (michigan that is)

if you have anymore questions feel free to pm me

Thanks very much! Yeah, I guess it's not that big a deal to take apart the lower console once in a while. Thanks for the tip on the cd player, too - I've heard Pioneer recommendations from a few people, so it looks like I'll probably go that route.

http://www.thezeb.com/detail.aspx?ID=6729

That's the wiring harness you'll need in order to complete the task.

The installation isn't too bad really. Just gotta fit the radio between the two dash supporting brackets just right and push a little and it'll go in there with no problem. (don't forget to replug in the cig lighter when you put the console back in).

I would solder the wires together and they should be color-matching (red goes with red, orange goes with orange, etc. etc.)

I have an Alpine and it hasn't skipped once... not a great amount of potholes in Indiana, but there are some.

http://www.carstereo.com/help/civic_radio.cfm

basicly what they said.

Thanks for all the help, guys. That last link helped it make sense, too - that the radio and the keyless entry run through the same circuit board, not just the same power source. Very interesting.

Boy, those Honda designers are bastards when they want to be! :)