Hi, I have a stock stereo in my '91 rs camaro and I'm looking into whether it is possible to get an auxiliary input, either minjack or composite audio, so that I can hook up a portable MP3 player. I know you can get those cassettes with the minijack hanging off of it, but these look incredibly ugly. I was wondering if I were to remove the stereo all together would there be a connector on the back that I could adapt to make it an aux-in?

All of the adapters I've seen online are for '95 and above GM cars.

 

in short, no.

You can either run a cassette adapter, or a RF modulator.

RF modulators come in different flavors and types

the iRock for example uses batteries and plugs in, gives you 4 channel selections.

Then there are RF modulators that you install, runs off car power, generally lets you use many more channels, and are ALOT stronger.

I do not recommend the first style of RF (iRock for example).

OR.....

Get a decent aftermarket radio, I recommend pioneer, just about all of them have at least 1 audio input. My AIWA even had a stereo mini jack port on the front.

Ball is in your court

 

I was thinking of possibly getting a CD player, but I thought that it would be nice to just be able to use the portable MP3 player in my existing setup. 1: I really didn't want to spend the extra money and 2: I am afraid of some idiot ripping it off and damaging my car in the process. I have read about people mounting their players in the glove or even under the seat. So maybe I will go that route. Thanks

I did find a pdf document on modifying the head unit of a different model car, but it requires a lot of analysis to find out where the audio bus lines are.

Here's the link if anyone is interested.

http://www.bagotronix.com/alpine_7164_mod.pdf

 

kakarotto, that's true, you can do that! I am opening the .pdf right now.

I'm an electronics guy myself, that wouldn't be very hard to do at all. Any supporting documentation would help, but a good look over the traces would reveal where to tap in and add an input. I'll do it for free if you want to send your HU and like $5 to get the 3.5mm jack and other misc things.

I just looked over this guys papers, WOW! he went all out! I was thinking of just using a switch, not a chip, but it can be done. all that would probably cost more than $5, but I had something much simpler in mind. I'd do that too though if you wanted to buy all of those parts.

he terminated the signal path with 100 ohm resistors and used the ferrite barrels to impedence match on both ends, that must've worked very well, like it was a part of the unit from the factory. I was thinking of doing the same thing with a DPDT pushbutton switch instead of a DPDT relay, it would require you to push the button, but that would override AM/FM and cassette modes all together. A nice LED button would let you know it was in AUX mode too. I'll do it for nothing but the required parts and shipping, all I ask is a good word for me for a possible job reference. I'm looking to get into audio R&D someday.

I have one of those AUX jacks on the factory radio in my mitsubishi.....ironically, I use it for my Sony discman because I'm too lazy to change the Disc Changer in the trunk. I can hook my electric four string to it too, but I haven't done that yet.

 

Some headunits have a headphone jack input on the face for whatever you might want to plug in... but I think only the cheap ones are like that.

I know I've seen one that plugs into the radio and then the antenna plugs into it, giving you 2 RCA inputs... but I don't remember what it was.

 

he's talking about an FM modulator, it will work just as good.

 

modifying a stock delco deck makes as much sense as modding an iron duke.

anybody with enough intelligence to be able to make the necessary changes should also know how to measure the frequency response of that deck. Once he does, he'll never use one again.
The frequency response of those delco decks is far worse than what's capable with an FM modulator. In other words, the fm modulator will sound just as good (or no worse) as a directly-wired aux input.

I would say that with one of the newer delco decks that actually sound decent, this would be a worthwhile venture, but to go through all that work on such a POS deck doesn't make any sense. You'll probably crack half of the cold solder joints just by opening up the radio.

 

theres everything mentioned, but heres a 5th option.

get a used GM radio.... but one of the newer ones that dont suck.

you get better sound output... you could get the CD player you're looking for..

you could do that mod you read about for adding a input

and it all looks stock to keep people from stealing it.

plus factory radios are cheap.






i think that solves ALL your probs

 

that's the truth.....those are worthless decks.

I've 're-furbished' some factory radios before....but typically, it's a worthless venture because they suck in the first place.

 

If you’re absolutely dead-set on keeping your stock radio, them I would go with an RF modulator. If not but you still want the stock look, I would do what MrD. said, get a newer “stock” radio. I think that’s your best option. But hay, if you just need to keep the stock unit that’s your deal and do what you want, it IS your car.

And junkyarddog, you get to play with any Zobels yet? What equipment are you using to analyze things?

 

No zobels yet, I don't even own more than a craftsmen multimeter at the moment. I would like a nice dual trace at some point, especially the hand-held digital ones. Although I did pick up some free gear the other day, old tube stuff, microwave generator, Rf generator....and and audio tone generator, that should be fun! I won't even touch the other stuff, I might want kids someday! The audio generator will come in handy again and again. The Rf equipment may earn me a visit from the FCC.

I did get that Pioneer HU fixed, all I did was solder the last two wires onto the pins and then pull them through the plug. It works fine and I'm not worried about the solder comming loose.......my solder doesn't come loose!

 

I'd buy an aftermarket radio, and then do some creative cutting to the factory radio to make a "cover plate"- when you leave the car, slide the cover plate over your new radio, and hopefully it'd look kinda like your factory radio was slightly falling out of the dash.

I agree with those that said the frequency response will suck, though. You might as well just dub your MP3's onto a cassette tape!

What about a much easier way to add a set of line inputs? Two 1:1 transformers (I think Radio Shack even carries those!) hooked into the tape playback head inside the delco box. Then solder a 1/8th stereo mini phone plug to the other ends of the 1:1 transformers.

Of course then you couldn't play tapes again...

 

Hey JD, if you’re going for a o-scope I would spring for a good 100MHz one. You won’t be able to see some for the things you going to want see with a 20MHz scope. And thumbs up one the dual trace, that the only way to go. That way you can monitor the input signal and trigger off of channel A, and see the output and channel B. You going to want to be able to monitor the input, most AF gens aren’t the most stable things and will load down real E-Z. The RF gen. and audio gen. should be fun. But if you haven’t had any experience with microwave I would leave that one alone. Some of the old tube RF stuff will put out some sick power, not something to play with without some experience. And good news on the Pioneer HU.

As far as the 1:1 xformer and the tape head, there is way too much gain on the back side of the tape head. I still think the best way to input the signal would be OP-Amps for isolation and fiddle with the gain to get the input signal the right level.