I added an aux-in to an aftermarket cd player... brilliant!

[Thieu]

I just had to share.

I have a crappy jvc headunit that's about 5-6 yrs old. It has worked fine for my needs thus far, and has been through 3 cars. I also like the fact that it's old and crappy, and noone will want to steal it. I've been broken into before and it has stayed.

Anywho, I recently got a 5gb mp3 player (creative zen micro, love it so far), and I was really wanting to play it in my car. I have had bad experienced with wireless fm modulators in the past, so I bought a wired fm modulator (now for sale), but it didn't sound perfect.

I did some research as so how to solder in an aux-in to a headunit, but all I found pertained to stock units or units with cd changer output (which mine doesn't have).

So yesterday I took apart my unit (not much to lose), and after quite a while, I found L channel, R channel and GND right next to each other. BINGO!

So I soldered away. I had read on the Mazda3 forums that you can play a blank track and play the mp3 sound over that, so that's what I was hoping for here.

I put everything back together, and low and behold, the cd thing wasn't working... crap... I scratched my head, and pushed in the am radio button. Cake (the band) came out of my speakers with a beautiful, clear, lustrious sound. I had accomplished my goal.

So I don't have radio anymore (fm or am), but I never listen to local radio. I can always steal my xm unit out of my gf's car if I feel the need.

yay...

(I dare you to read all of this...)

[rokmplutonium]

A job well done, someone, get him a free beer

[95Blue240sx]

thats awsome, i just got a ipod 20gb from my bro. i want to do the same thing but i might just be a sell out and get a fx transmitter.

[ThatGuy]

I don't recommend FM Transmitters. You record your music digitally, then degrade it to a FM signal. It's a good cheap fix, sure, but the direct jack will give you a better sound. :D

[95Blue240sx]

I know, but the transmitter isn't eve cheap! $40+ so im going to check if i have an aux in.

[ThatGuy]

I've been thinking of trying to make a convertor with Radio Shack parts that will change a headphone jack into RCA cables. Then even if the head-unit doesn't have Aux in, I could plug it directly into the amp. Just an idea.

[EEdude]

That's pretty weird. I used to install car stereos and alarms a few years ago..but never heard or someone making their own input. But it works, so that's awesome.

[Thieu]

I've been thinking of trying to make a convertor with Radio Shack parts that will change a headphone jack into RCA cables. Then even if the head-unit doesn't have Aux in, I could plug it directly into the amp. Just an idea.

ummm.. they have those already... I think it would just be easier on you if you just buy the Radio Shack headphone jack to RCA instead of making your own.

I used one of those cables to make my aux-in. I just cut off the rca ends and soldered that.

I just went for a ride, and it sounds amazing. Exactly the same as a real aux-in. I'm very happy, and all I spent was the price of a soldering iron ($5), since I already had the cable.

[Rich_S14]

Got any links on the research or how-tos?
And yea, fm transmitter has poor sound quality. I wasted my money on a belkin model, and now the power cord doesn't even work right.

[95Blue240sx]

yeah those transmitters are exspensive! stupid ipod. im going to remove my stereo tomorrow and check out whats back there.

[SilviaDriver]

do not get the transmitter, i hear it has bad quality sound

[shooty]

yea they have rca to headphone but if u dont wanna spend 5 -10 bucks its easy to make
take the a headphone cable and splice it with rca cable
the headphone will have 3 wires but the rca cable will have 4 - the one going to both earpieces will be split between the l and r
if ure concerned with polarity switch the wires around until it sounds 'right'

im using a cable i made on my secondary comp to an amp
sound quality is way better than with the shitty 2.1 comp speakers i had

[Thieu]

Got any links on the research or how-tos?
And yea, fm transmitter has poor sound quality. I wasted my money on a belkin model, and now the power cord doesn't even work right.

Just do a search on google on "solder aux-in" and such, and you'll find what I found.

If anyone is interested I have a cheap wired fm modulator for sale. Almost brand new :)

[Inland180]

imma try that too! nice work. if it work then its all good!

[Thieu]

ha,

Looks as one of my solders points came loose (first time soldering... it's not easy). I will take pictures when I take it apart again.

[Thieu]

I'm retarded... I redid it and completely forgot to take pictures.

Good news is: I hadn't noticed but the radio still works fine, it just cuts off to the aux in when there's something plugged in and on.

:bigok: