Car Stereo - Is this gonna work?

[uberlad]

I hope someone out there can help me on this, 'cos I'm very keen on it working 8-)

Ok, I've got a Sony XR-C5120R, their middle of the range radio/cassette from last years lineup. On the back it has inputs for external sources (MD /CD changers). I've recently bought an mpman portable CD mp3 player (from www.easybuy2000.com) and I'm trying to wire it into the input in the back of the stereo.

I've tried the easy way - just putting in a tape adapter into the output of the cd player but I@m not happy with that, the line-out sounds terrible and the amplified headphone socket tends to distort as the stereo is amplifying an already amplified signal.

Looking at their installation guide it seems that the external sources not only have an audio lead but also a data lead that carries text information, and allows changing of tracks etc. Just conencting the audio jacks at the back of the unit hasn't worked - it isn't detected as being a selectable input. I presume that it needs some kind of signal on the data line to indicate that there is a source there.

The question is therefore - is there any way that I can fool the stereo into thinking that there is a valid input coming into it? My thinking is a little battery powered box or something that just sends a signal to indicate the presence of an input into the data jack on the stereo.

Does anyone:
A. Have any idea what the heck I'm babbling about?

B. Have any sugegstions as to devices/ websites/ products that might assist me in my endeavours, as a quick look has come up with nothing.

Thanks for any suggestions guys,

Uberlad

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8 out of 10 women say they would feel no qualms about hitting a man.
5 out of 10 referred to me by name.

[MultimediaMan]

I know exactly what you mean.

The inputs are for a CD\MD Changer, and I *Think* one of the pinouts on the changer control cable simply needs to be grounded in order for the inputs to function, but I have no idea which one.

You might want to try
http://www.minidisc.org

They have a bunch of hacking projects for consumer electronics to get MD input on them.

You may also want to talk with a knowledgable car stereo installer...preferably a car stereo repair shop: they MAY be able to tell you what you need to know.

[uberlad]

Thanks for the link, I'll trawl though the site, see if anything can help.

Does look as though I need to talk to someone in a shop, better turn to the Yellow Pages and see if I can find an independant shop (as I doubt a Sony store would give me pinouts, or condone such hacking)

Uberlad

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8 out of 10 women say they would feel no qualms about hitting a man.
5 out of 10 referred to me by name.

[SteveC]

If you work it out, let me know!

Surely you can't just 'ground' a pin. I already have a 6 disc cd changer on that port on the back, but supposedly, I can run up to 50 changers, (or, I assume, AUX devices) so I reckon it's more complicated than just grounding a pin.

Hey - If you use an external Amplifier, then you could simply join into the input of the amp. Then you'd have to use the mp3 player's volume control, however.

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Cheers,
Steve

"Life is what we make of it, yet most of us just fake"

[MultimediaMan]

As I understand it, simply grounding one pin will switch the internal Tape/Radio inputs to the external RCA line level inputs on the source unit and nothing more, the rest of the connections are the control wires for the changers themselves...

I just don't know which one...

[RAB]

Well, the first place to look is supposed to be the Sony web site. But I just went there hoping to find some help for you. Sony.com is the sorriest excuse for a web site I have ever seen. Dead links, no on line manuals, no answers, just "solutions" (Oh, how I hate that word) to questions that nobody cares about that has more than a third grade education.

The Sony web site is marketing run amuck. I hope you find the answer to your question, but for anyone interested, cruise over to Sony.com and see how not to make a helpful web site. Its worse that trying to figure out all the thousands of buttons they put on their car stereos.

Sorry for the rant. Now back to the subject.

RAB

[uberlad]

Yeah, the Sony site is somewhat poor. Their uk car stereo site is worse, with tiny thumnails and products only referenced by product number.

As to the pins, I spose I could just ground them all and see what happens 8-), off to Maplin some lunchtime this week for me I think.

I'll try that, and update you all (unless I can come up with a pinout of the cable before then)


Uberlad

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8 out of 10 women say they would feel no qualms about hitting a man.
5 out of 10 referred to me by name.

[Wishbone]

Try this site, you may have to try the forums there. They should be able to help you out if you still need help.
http://www.3dsoundsurge.com/

[uberlad]

Thanks for the link.

None of the shops I've asked so far have the cable to buy unless I want to get a boot chnager, or line-in device to go with it.

Knowing my luck even if I get the spec no-one will sell the connector / cable for me to hack <sigh>.

I spose if it comes to it I can just connect pins in the back of the unit.

Anyway, the search contimnues, and I may have a lead on a UK distributor who does what I want.

Uberlad

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8 out of 10 women say they would feel no qualms about hitting a man.
5 out of 10 referred to me by name.

[SteveC]

Hey - I've just realised I don't have a Sony car stereo - mine's a Pioneer. (Got confused as I have sony everything else )

Still - I bet the idea's similar.

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Cheers,
Steve

"Life is what we make of it, yet most of us just fake"