Possible to wire an aux input into stock radio?

[Techti]

I was wondering if there was a way to wire in an aux input to the stock head unit possibly using the CD changer wiring. I think there's an aux button on the radio too (shared with one of the other buttons) but i can't remember (just got my ti 3 weeks ago so I'm still getting used to it). I basically just want a hard wired connection for my iPod. Any thoughts or suggestions?

[chepas]

I know a friend of mine has this http://store.apple.com/1-800-MY-APPLE/WebObjects/AppleStore?productLearnMore=T7194LL/A on his Ipod and has a great sound, plus is not that expensive. Is a safe way, but if you find out anything on the wire experiment, let me know!

[L84THSKY]

Get rid of the stock head unit, and get a decent Blaupunkt. They have all the inputs you need. Head unit would be under $100.00. I'm assuming you have the head unit with cassette.


I was wondering if there was a way to wire in an aux input to the stock head unit possibly using the CD changer wiring. I think there's an aux button on the radio too (shared with one of the other buttons) but i can't remember (just got my ti 3 weeks ago so I'm still getting used to it). I basically just want a hard wired connection for my iPod. Any thoughts or suggestions?

[Techti]

I already have the iTrip but I live in Atlanta and since all the radio stations broadcast from the city its hard to get the iTrip to come in clearly. It's nice further from the city but that doesn't help me.

I was debating getting the Alpine iPod interface and an Alpine head unit but if there's a cheaper way to do things I'd rather do that for now.

On a side note, have any of you noted improved sound quality with new head units?

[rendoll911]

actaully you can buy something that connects to your cd changer port that allows you to directly connect your ipod. I know about icelink and the new icruze but i never had one in my car.

[prd318ownr]

K check this out... i asked this question a while back..


have a cd player in my car..... where the old factory one was.. where the output for a cd changer is you can by an adapter that changes it to what the end of a pair of head phones looks like...


and boom you have an aux hook up.. however, i made it to where you can plug it in to to the center console.. so it looks professional.. its right under the window button. someone tell me how to post picks and i will show ya. it looks GREAT!!

[Techti]

That sounds great...want to e-mail me the pics?

[ScnStlr]

I've researched this issue quite extensively. If you own a 1996 Ti we are totally out of luck. I'm still looking at a way to connect to the audio outputs of the CD player and still be able to switch between the CD player and the aux input by possibly sensing the audio level of the aux input. Every adapter i've seen, even all the new ones excludes the 1996 BMW 318Ti

[rendoll911]

lets see the pics

[mharrigan]

We just replaced the original head unit in our 318ti with the Blaupunkt Acapulco unit which sounds absolutely fantastic in the car. It will play MP3, CD-R and CR-RW as well as normal CDs and has Radio Text Data and CD Data. It was very easy to replace and would have been even easier had I bought the wiring harnass. As it was I had to trace out the wires that go to the BMW power amp to figure out how to connect to it. We bought an accessory cable that allows you to use the aux input for anything player with a headphone jack and I ran the wire out underneath the climate controls. My daughters iPod sound great.

[L84THSKY]

I pulled my Heidelberg CD50 out of my Scirocco and it works great in the 318ti. It has the Radio Text and CD naming too. I added the Blaupunkt Compact Drive MP3 player, it stores Mp3's on a 1Gb Microdrive. All of the song titles come up on my head unit display.


We just replaced the original head unit in our 318ti with the Blaupunkt Acapulco unit which sounds absolutely fantastic in the car. It will play MP3, CD-R and CR-RW as well as normal CDs and has Radio Text Data and CD Data. It was very easy to replace and would have been even easier had I bought the wiring harnass. As it was I had to trace out the wires that go to the BMW power amp to figure out how to connect to it. We bought an accessory cable that allows you to use the aux input for anything player with a headphone jack and I ran the wire out underneath the climate controls. My daughters iPod sound great.

[prd318ownr]

see someone else uses the ipod too. thats great. who can i send pics to?? or better yet, how can i post em... also, i produce music, and on my long trips to hollywood from vegas, i can plug and play my MAC g-4 and make tunes while my buddy or i drive... well only if someone else is driving but yeah... cool feature..

[aceyx]

once again, i think i have the most ghetto setup on this forum.

when i was dismantling one of my factory radios i decided to "permanently" stick a tape adaptor in there. basically, i just routed the cord through the case rather than out the front. goes around HVAC controls and comes out near the ashtray. i'm kind of waiting for this new griffin smartdeck job for the ipod, but i'll have to lose the MD player and my circa early 90s garb by then.


i also have an aux input on my cd changer adaptor (aftermarket) but since it would require running 8ft of rca, i decided to just let it go. afaik, the adaptors don't let you use your changer anymore, except for the one that costs $200, in which case it may make sense to just get a new head unit.

if you're just itching to use a soldering iron, there's a wiring diagram up on stygar's site. i would go ahead and say that you probably want a bit of EE experience though.