External Audio Connection

[benjamin]

I have the Nav system with 6 disc changer and I was wondering if anyone knows how I could hook an external sound source (like an mp3 player or a DVD or game console) to the audio system in the car (play audio through the car's speakers)? Obviously a tape adapter won't work, getting a new stereo is not an option (need the Nav screen), and I've heard nothing but bad things about FM transmitters. I'd be more than happy unscrewing some stuff and splicing some wires, anyone know which ones? Can I steal the output from the cd changer or do I have to patch into the head unit itself? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

[cibomatto]

in regards the the fm transmitter, I am using something called Irock with my Ipod MP3 player and it works fairly well... just my .02 cents

[johnsoax]

You should be able to "steal" the inputs from the cd changer. You just have to leave it plugged in so the bus communication can happen. You may be able to put some kind of switch box in that would let you have either the audio lines from the cd changer, or the audio lines from an external source. But you need the bus command there so that the radio knows to look at the changer.

[Kari]

I bought an iRock today for my iPod, and thus far it seems to work great. I spent an hour just cruising around town, trying it out. There are stations on two of the frequencies you have to choose from, and they bleed over into the other two...but as it turns out, 88.5 works great, despite being smack between the two stations at 88.3 and 88.7. It works better if you keep the transmitter along the centerline of the car...more in line with the antenna that way, I guess. When I went around corners and it would slide to the other side of the seat and end up pointing at the door, it would get fuzzy. So I put the iPod in the cell phone pocket and the iRock in the cupholder, and it worked great. Now I just need to find a way to mount it...

[Jahntassa]

I say do the direct route...http://forums.genvibe.com/zerothread?id=5446Those are my experiences with the PIE X3 Adapter. It allows three line-level inputs into your headunit. The FM Modulator route is definitely the easiest, and cheapest way to go. But I personally didn't like the sound of it.. The X3 adapter (around $80, I think), was very worth it to me. I have my XM radio in one spot, my MP3 player in another, and I still have a third I can switch to if I add video to the car, or if someone happens to have THEIR MP3 player in the car..http://shop.store.yahoo.com/xmfanstore/ ... ad.htmlYou want the X3GM12 to interface with the Nav system. You DO have to take out the headunit a bit to plug it in, and I put my unit in the glove compartment, though you could probably leave it right behind the AC controls.Just my 2 cents!PS. Cibomatto, I didn't mean to steal the 2 cents comment, didn't even notice yours until after I posted this!

[Kari]

I don't have the changer or the Nav system though...just the base head unit with moon and tunes.

[Jahntassa]

quote:I don't have the changer or the Nav system though...just the base head unit with moon and tunes.I know...I was just replying to Benjamin's first post.. They stated that they had the NAV system..

[Kari]

Ah, okay. If I could do the PIE thing, I would. But by the time I buy a changer, I may as well just buy a new head unit.

[russ257]

what I use is an fm adaptor that is installed inline on the antenna. This is not the kind that transmaits with a little wire. Wehn you turn it on you get no other radio stations but the one it is putting out. It has good sound it's how i got the sound for my playstation into the raido.somehting like this would work nicely http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... tegory=132

[Kari]

How did you go about getting the wire from the top, rear of the car to the front, though, without having a bunch of wires strung everywhere? My ex-bf has one of those setups for his XM radio and he says it works great, but I would be concerned about having to have wire run every which way in the car...how do you have it hooked up?

[johnsoax]

You just plug it into the antenna jack at the back of the radio and then plug the antenna into it. You wouldn't have wires run all over the place. Unfortunately, you loose sound quality when you do it this way.

[Kari]

You lose overall radio sound quality or just the sound quality of the device you're using with the transmitter?

[johnsoax]

You should just loose sound quality on whatever you are plugging into the modulator. Your FM reception shouldn't change much (if any). The loss of sound quality won't be much, and really in a car, you shouldn't be able to tell, but in a nice stereo, you can tell.

[Kari]

So...this is just something that goes between the antenna wire and the connection on the back of the head unit, and it has a wire coming out that I could run out into the dash area, which would then give me the plug to put the iPod into? Interesting.

[johnsoax]

basically yes, but you also have the box of the unit and you need a switch to turn it on and off, but yes, it would give you an input for you ipod. The box has the antenna plug on it that plugs into your radio and your current antenna plugs into the other wire on the box. Then the coil of wire by itself is the jack for what ever audio device you want to plug in, in your case, an ipod. You also have to power the modulator (this is where the switch comes in).

Attached files

[johnsoax]

I just thought about this, but how would one of these work with the phantom powered antenna that we have?

[russ257]

works just fine on mine

[johnsoax]

Good, I wonder if it just passes the voltage threw.

[tinman]

Does this kind of setup require an open FM frequency or does this totally obliterate anything being broadcast on the chosen frequncy? I have an Arkon SF100 (FM modulator that does not connect to the antenna). The Arkon allows me to pick any frequency on the dial, but I cannot find a weak enough spot on the dial to get a clear signal.Thanks,Tim

[johnsoax]

It pretty much obliterates anything on the dial.

[Kari]

I've been pricing these things installed around here...and they'll run you about $90, including the installation fees. Average price for the actual unit is around $50, plus the cost of running the switch and all that jazz and the parts, and labor. It was worth $40 to me to be able to run my iPod in, but not $90.