Aux. Input

This isn't so much for my s12, as it is for my gf's hyundai elantra that we daily drive, but if it works out I may try it in the 200.

We want to get a new cheapo cd head unit for the hyndai so we can listen to cds.

On long drives I sometimes break out the laptop and like to watch dvds, and so far I've been using the little tape adapter thing that allows you to use a portable cd player in a car with a tape deck, and hear the sound through the car's speakers. That way I can hear the sound from the movie through the car's ok speakers instead of through the laptop's less-ok speakers.

If we switch to a cd deck though, I wouldn't be able to use that adapter from the portable cd player anymore, so I was wondering if it would be possible to have some kind of aux input jack wired in so that I could connect the laptop. I was thinking I could mount a switch on the dash, that could switch between the head unit and the aux input.

I know there's some head units with a built in aux. input on the front, but so far the ones I've found have been out of our price range. We don't really wanna break the bank just trying to outfit the hyundai with a cd player. So I was thinking a aux. input jack might be a possible, cheap, homemade solution.

Would this be possible? How would it be wired? I can't seem to get my mind around how something like this would be wired.. I would first have to find some kind of input jack (not sure if this exists), and I guess I'll have to splice that to wires for the car's speakers? But I'll have to wire in a switch between the car's wires for the speakers, the head unit's wires to the speakers, and the aux. jack's wires to the speakers?

As you can see I'm pretty much confused and clueless.. any thoughts?

some cd players come with an aux input in the front that looks JUST like your cd player hookup or speaker hookup for your laptop. It will say AUX on the front and the plug will usually be white. You can hook up all sorts of cool stuff into there. Mp3 players....laptops....cdplayers....midi players....just shop around on ebay or something with a front aux connection.

some cd players come with an aux input in the front that looks JUST like your cd player hookup or speaker hookup for your laptop. It will say AUX on the front and the plug will usually be white. You can hook up all sorts of cool stuff into there. Mp3 players....laptops....cdplayers....midi players....just shop around on ebay or something with a front aux connection.

We were lookin at those, but were hoping we could get away with spending no more than 50-60 bucks for the head unit (like from wal-mart). So far the one's we've found with front aux. inputs were out of that range. We're trying to keep it as cheap as possible to have more money for our other things...like rent and the s12 haha

damn :( arent all the good things too expensive? i have the same problem.

some have rear aux input, like my $200 CDN clarion, and then you can just have whatever always plugged in or whatever. However that's still about 150 american.

Best bet is to go used ... Most of the head units they sell at Walmart are garbage, just so you know (Save the Pioneer HUs and, to a much lesser extent, the Sony and Blaupunkt HUs) ...

All I have to say is save up for a decent one or try to find a decent used one in your price range, you'll be much happier in the end than if you buy a Pyramid, Road Gear, Pyle, Jensen, Aiwa, etc. that will probably need to be replaced within 2 years ...

why not just get a new tape deck and with cd changer capabilities?

they still make those :D

why not just get a new tape deck and with cd changer capabilities?

they still make those :D

then wouldn't i still need to buy a cd changer? :confused:

Damn I had exactly what you needed...about 2 or 3 months ago at least. The best place is an auto wrecker, or like Cash converters for something. It doesn't have to be really new. The older models, and even the one I have now has those exact jacks on the back. The newer ones are L and R RCA style connections (for PS2 and so on) and a lot of the Pioneers and Alpines have those connectors. In fact I saw a older Kenwood (tape deck) with changer inputs, single amp out puts, and RCA inputs for 30 CDN in a buy and sell paper, then I went to a wrecker, and found a Kenwood 5 or 6 disk changer still bolted to a Hyundai excel?? and all the wiring was there too. All you had to do was un bolt it. So if you keep your eyes out for the papers and so on, there is cheap stuff out there. For what you want an early 90's HU (Tape), but high end, is still cheap because everybody wants the MP3 in dash with the MP3 changers, and all the old stuff is going for nothing almost. 8)

Best bet is to go used ... Most of the head units they sell at Walmart are garbage, just so you know (Save the Pioneer HUs and, to a much lesser extent, the Sony and Blaupunkt HUs) ...

All I have to say is save up for a decent one or try to find a decent used one in your price range, you'll be much happier in the end than if you buy a Pyramid, Road Gear, Pyle, Jensen, Aiwa, etc. that will probably need to be replaced within 2 years ...

aiwa is sony, not that sony makes good decks but not terrible. I'd recommend clarion in all honesty, it's great. Alpine would be my next choice, not because they're off lesser quality but because they're more expensive. Get a sony or some shit brand and your bound to melt a cd in there if you leave it for any more than 20 minutes lol

Aiwa is owned by Sony ... That doesn't necessarily mean Sony makes Aiwa's products ... If you use that same logic, Ford makes the X-Type ... Not that I would recommend Aiwa or Sony, anyways ...

In my opinion, the best budget head units are made by Pioneer ... Clarion makes good stuff, though ... Also, higher end Alpine head units can be found CHEAP ... For example, my Alpine CDA-7873 was $250 taxes included (NIB from a local authorized dealer) in October 2002 ... I found my GF's CDA-7893 for $263 taxes included, but it was a refurb (it hasn't had any problems and she bought it in early July 2003) ... All these prices are in Canadian funds, by the way ...
CDA-7873 (2001 model) ... MSRP = $350 US ($585 CDN)
CDA-7893 (2002 model) ... MSRP = $380 US ($630 CDN)

Aiwa is owned by Sony ... That doesn't necessarily mean Sony makes Aiwa's products ... If you use that same logic, Ford makes the X-Type ...

And the french make the skyline and the 350z! :eek: :-P

If you are not too picky about sound quality you can add an auxiliary- RF modular that works off the radio turner. I've seen then in E-bay for less then $10 US. It works like those FM modular for CD changer except it has an aux. input jack for what ever you want to plug in.

http://cgi.ebay.ca/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=14932&item=5707597944&rd=1

http://cgi.ebay.ca/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=14932&item=5707144420&rd=1

Theses have RCA jacks for input but there was one guy from Canada that have the the smaller input jacks.