New way to connect IPOD
08-01-2006, 09:49 PM
#1
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Join Date: May 2002
Posts: 39
New way to connect IPOD
I posted this in the other ipod thread also.
I think I might've found a new way to connect an ipod to the factory clarion/bose head unit. This would be done by directly hardwiring audio out wires (either from the ipod or the line-out of an ipod car charger) to the tape deck. I have a Clarion PN-1728D head unit, but this should really work with any head unit that has a tape deck.
I have a 2002 with navi and the 6-CD changer in the trunk. When there's a tape in the tape deck, the "TAPE/CD" button toggles between tape and cd mode. Since I don't use the tape deck, and because you can use a pencil or similar object to push the mechanism in so that the deck thinks there's a tape in it and enters tape mode, I think it's possible to have the tape deck receive the audio signal from the ipod instead of a tape and feed it to the main unit and through the speakers.
I removed the head unit and took off the faceplate as well as the top cover. You can unscrew the tape deck and pull it off the main unit. With the tape deck gone, it looks like this (looking at it upright from the front):
The tape deck connects to this motherboard by the 20 pins sticking up in the back center. The tape deck circuit board itself is below. The pic is upright but shot from behind (sorry it's a little blurry).
The 20 contacts near the bottom (labeled 20 through 1) are what the pins connect to when the pins enter from underneath. The red white and blue wires are just for controlling the motor I think. Here's an upclose pic of the contacts:
Now, I have limited knowledge of electronics so I don't claim to know a whole lot, but I would think that you can solder wires onto those copper circles (each one corresponding to one of those pin contacts), which is what those copper circles are for (right?). The only problem is that I'm not sure exactly what connections to make and what not to make, which is why I thought I'd show these to everyone and see if anyone knows.
I use the belkin auto car kit which has a line-out through a 3.5mm mini-jack. All headphone wires have an audio wire and a ground wire for each side (right and left), so would I just have to solder the right audio wire to R-CH, the left audio wire to L-CH, and the two ground wires to GND? I'm not sure because if I made my own cable using an empty mini-jack and some speaker wire, would I need to have two ground wires coming out of the same jack?
I'm also not sure what the A-G contact is. Is that Audio Ground, and if so, is that where the grounding wires would go instead of GND? I also don't know what most of the other contacts are or if they would even be necessary. I'm just thinking that the only necessary changes would be the audio and ground contacts. As long as there's no tape in the deck to make contact with the audio connections, then no audio signal will be sent from the tape deck. So the stereo will be in tape mode except it'll receive the audio signal from somewhere else (the ipod).
I'd really like to know what everyone thinks about this. Would it work and, if so, what connections to make? Also, what specific type of wires, solder, and flux should be used? I've never done any circuit board soldering before. Thanks a lot
And I know you won't have much control through the steering wheel, or make actual rca inputs to connect different devices. I'm just interested in using just my ipod and not spending much money on any of those adapters.
I think I might've found a new way to connect an ipod to the factory clarion/bose head unit. This would be done by directly hardwiring audio out wires (either from the ipod or the line-out of an ipod car charger) to the tape deck. I have a Clarion PN-1728D head unit, but this should really work with any head unit that has a tape deck.
I have a 2002 with navi and the 6-CD changer in the trunk. When there's a tape in the tape deck, the "TAPE/CD" button toggles between tape and cd mode. Since I don't use the tape deck, and because you can use a pencil or similar object to push the mechanism in so that the deck thinks there's a tape in it and enters tape mode, I think it's possible to have the tape deck receive the audio signal from the ipod instead of a tape and feed it to the main unit and through the speakers.
I removed the head unit and took off the faceplate as well as the top cover. You can unscrew the tape deck and pull it off the main unit. With the tape deck gone, it looks like this (looking at it upright from the front):
The tape deck connects to this motherboard by the 20 pins sticking up in the back center. The tape deck circuit board itself is below. The pic is upright but shot from behind (sorry it's a little blurry).
The 20 contacts near the bottom (labeled 20 through 1) are what the pins connect to when the pins enter from underneath. The red white and blue wires are just for controlling the motor I think. Here's an upclose pic of the contacts:
Now, I have limited knowledge of electronics so I don't claim to know a whole lot, but I would think that you can solder wires onto those copper circles (each one corresponding to one of those pin contacts), which is what those copper circles are for (right?). The only problem is that I'm not sure exactly what connections to make and what not to make, which is why I thought I'd show these to everyone and see if anyone knows.
I use the belkin auto car kit which has a line-out through a 3.5mm mini-jack. All headphone wires have an audio wire and a ground wire for each side (right and left), so would I just have to solder the right audio wire to R-CH, the left audio wire to L-CH, and the two ground wires to GND? I'm not sure because if I made my own cable using an empty mini-jack and some speaker wire, would I need to have two ground wires coming out of the same jack?
I'm also not sure what the A-G contact is. Is that Audio Ground, and if so, is that where the grounding wires would go instead of GND? I also don't know what most of the other contacts are or if they would even be necessary. I'm just thinking that the only necessary changes would be the audio and ground contacts. As long as there's no tape in the deck to make contact with the audio connections, then no audio signal will be sent from the tape deck. So the stereo will be in tape mode except it'll receive the audio signal from somewhere else (the ipod).
I'd really like to know what everyone thinks about this. Would it work and, if so, what connections to make? Also, what specific type of wires, solder, and flux should be used? I've never done any circuit board soldering before. Thanks a lot
And I know you won't have much control through the steering wheel, or make actual rca inputs to connect different devices. I'm just interested in using just my ipod and not spending much money on any of those adapters.
08-02-2006, 04:31 PM
#2
Newbie - Just Registered
Join Date: Jul 2006
Posts: 6
Controll
I want control. I believe I can come up with a way to make it happen.
Still in research mode. One of my employees is more of a geek than myself and he has experience programing PIC microcontrollers. I'm trying to figure out if I can make it work with 6 I/O ports or if I need to go to 16. I also need to find the changer plug. Does anyone know who manufactured the plug?
Still in research mode. One of my employees is more of a geek than myself and he has experience programing PIC microcontrollers. I'm trying to figure out if I can make it work with 6 I/O ports or if I need to go to 16. I also need to find the changer plug. Does anyone know who manufactured the plug?
08-03-2006, 05:10 AM
#3
Only gentoo powered Maxima!
Join Date: Jul 2005
Posts: 363
08-12-2006, 10:30 PM
#4
Newbie - Just Registered
Join Date: Jul 2006
Posts: 2
very interested in this... i just need a simple set up for rca's/miniplug... i did a modulator install and the sound is HORRIBLE... i need hard wired... any additional info on this is MUCH MUCH appreciated.
2002 maxima se- bose- 6 disk in dash
feel free to email me: jamison[at]greyskymedia.com
2002 maxima se- bose- 6 disk in dash
feel free to email me: jamison[at]greyskymedia.com
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