Not_So_Fast_Eddie

Don't know if anyone really cares but I'm trying to design an aux port for my car. Using an aux port cable that I spliced I plugged into the adapter board from cd drive. At first it sounded quite and was glitching out my ipod but I figured out I forgot to connect the grounds. With the grounds in place the audio sounded great.

Only issue I've run into is the radio displays EEE which isn't an issue except for when the radio is changed to FM you cannot switch back to CD. I'm going to map out the wires and see if I can rig a resistor to pretend to be the cd drive.

I'll keep updating if anyones interested.

Pro-Pilot

Interesting, i always figured it could be done this way, i just never had to guts to try it. Please keep us updated, and maybe if you can, some pics would be awesome!!

Not_So_Fast_Eddie

Here's some photos of what I've done.

The little board on the right is the adapter board from inside the cd changer. The big board is the main board from the changer. I can now switch back and forth from the Aux port to FM or tape. Instead of EEE it displays E01. As long as you don't mind it saying that you're good to go.




All you have to do is solder onto the adapter board. It's simply L audio, R audio and the 2 grounds. The audio also sounds great!

Pro-Pilot

Wow awesome! So how do you switch to the aux? Do you have like an external switch or something?

Not_So_Fast_Eddie

All you have to do is press the CD button. It works instantly and sounds incredibly better than a FM transmitter. You can't keep your CD player though.

The only reason why I have the main board connected is it sends some signal to the radio whether it be a simple signal to see it it returns or it's listening for something such as a resistor I don't know yet. I'd like to design it so I don't need to have the large board because then I could fit it right behind my radio and it would be less than 2" x 2".

justnspace

iTrader: (1)

wow! an awesome project!

Pro-Pilot

True. How are you running your aux cables now? From the trunk to the front?

Not_So_Fast_Eddie

I haven't made anything permanent. Basically right now I'm testing by leaving everything in the trunk. If I did run an aux cord from the trunk to the center console would there be a degrade in the sound vs directly behind the radio to center consol?

Pro-Pilot

I wouldn't think so. I installed a hardwire FM aux input on my nav RL and it comes out of the center console in the little compartment. I also ran my sub cables along the sides to the trunk and it sounded decent. Although, In my opinion, if you could fit it behind the radio, that would be optimal. I always say the less cabling, the better.

Not_So_Fast_Eddie

I agree on the less cables the better. My current plan is I'm building a box that is 6" x 3 3/4" x 1". How much space do we have back there? The plug from the CD drive is straight unlike the right angle one behind the radio I hope there isn't clearance issues.

Pro-Pilot

Yea i'm not sure about those dimensions. Might be a little too big. Did you look behind the radio already?

Not_So_Fast_Eddie

I finished the aux port up! The first design didn't fit as it was too wide (1.5inches) so I cut down thickness and moved the little boards location a bit. Final dimensions of the aux port adapter were 7 x 4 x 1.25 inches. I made a video showing it off:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A6Lwy...ature=youtu.be

The entire box fit directly behind the Nav LCD. I had to move the wires back there a little bit but other than that everything fit fine. My next plan is to find the USB and Aux port jacks I need and install them in the center console.

Ryan2000RL

Can I do this to a 2000 3.5RL without nav? It will be cheaper than a aux adapter now that they cost like $80

MyNameIsEarl

Eddie,

Why did you move the CD Changer behind the radio? It kind of makes it hard to access, doesn't it? Besides, what did you use to cover the space up in the trunk for it?

I'm just perplexed at why anyone would do this, unless I am totally missing something.

Not_So_Fast_Eddie

The only reason I gutted my CD player was because it no longer worked. It had been dying due to water damage from a leaky tail light gasket. One day it finally quit reading (after I had tried cleaning the laser which fixed it for a week) so me being frustrated I starting doing some tests on it.

This was only meant to be a temp method, as occasionally the CD player fails to be detected for a second once in a while. During the winter break I'm going to be converting to a better method.

The space in my trunk is currently bare. I was thinking of modding the CD changer casing into some kind of small item holder but haven't bothered yet.

_koRL

is there a simple kit for this? or did you use a basic AUX cable and just soldered it on? (and ground cables)