Cheapest way to use MP3 player in car?

[BlackTigers]

http://www.installdr.com/InstallDocs/Honda/PDF/466013.pdf

If you can build a PC, you can do this. Bu...t fuck Honda for putting those mounting screws behind all those dash pieces, lol.

Looking at the pictures it should only be about ten-fifteen procedure to tear it all apart, and you can wire the new HU to the harness before you install it, so figure no more than an hour to do this.

(well, if you have keyless entry it looks to be a bit more complicated...but everything is color coded)

 

[effowe]

I did this to my Corolla, you may be able to find similar info for your car..

http://www.instructables.com/id/Corolla-2007-ipod-radio-aux-input-hack/

Super cheap, great quality all using the stock stereo.

 

[chubbyfatazn]

My understanding about the cassette tape adapters was that they picked up the analog signal from the headphone jack and converted it to a magnetic signal, which was then read by the tape head in the HU and converted to a digital signal for the speakers. Someone else can correct this for me.

There's gotta be a Civic forum somewhere, just go there and look for what others have done.

I bought a $45 OEM Pioneer unit off ebay, a $7 ipod line out cable, undid 9 hex nuts, and was rocking and rolling in 20 minutes. Best of all the head unit exactly fit the receptacle in my dash.

 

[OVerLoRDI]

I'm also looking into this sort of thing. I want to keep my setup stock as much as possible. I'm thinking there might be a way to splice into the tape deck input on my stereo. Tearing out the stereo of a jaguar that is not a standard unit seems like a bad idea.

 

[0roo0roo]

the radio may be $100. then you need wire and installation kit

harness and wires not that much unless the place is trying to rip you off

in any case it doesn't total up to be that much, and theres no point getting afancy head unit without speakers..old civics let in a ton of road noise anyways.

 

[The Boston Dangler]

i'd look for a $100 radio with the things you're looking for. built-in ipod control shouldn't cost much more.

cassette adapters - pure crap
fm modulators - pure crap
aux input only - not bad, not great

 

[yhelothar]

The cheapest way is probably an old amp from swap meet or ebay. They all have RCA line-in.

There are a lot of old amps from swap meet for $10-20. Just make sure you have a way to test it there or they allow returns since a lot of them will be broken.

It'll take a lot of work to get it wired up though.

 

[yhelothar]

cassette adapters - good enough for a civic's stock audio system and a helluva lot better than FM modulators.
fm modulators - pure crap

 

[Demo24]

I've actually had good luck with those cassette adapters, but ultimately a direct line in is the best way. For both of our cars I've found ways of hacking the stock stereo to accept aux in. Subaru had to tap into the CD in line, accord conveniently had a port for the XM radio not in use the aux adapter plugged into.

 

[nageov3t]

when they've worked, FM transmitters have been well-enough for me.

but living in NYC, there are basically no free radio stations to broadcast on. I used one when I lived out in the middle of nowhere in PA, though.

 

[m0r1san]

Assuming your FM still works in your CD player.. disassemble the unit, intercept the circuit board trace for the FM line with a switching 3.5mm jack (<$5), drill a hole on the face-plate and mount.

Hey, you asked for the cheapest

 

[Ferzerp]

Hmm.

Insert audio CD - Car rips and stores the music compressed on its HD
Insert CD or DVD with mp3s - Car lets me copy data to harddrive
Insert USB drive with mp3s - Car lets me copy data to harddrive.

Cost: nothing over cost of car

 

[0roo0roo]

Hmm.

Insert audio CD - Car rips and stores the music compressed on its HD
Insert CD or DVD with mp3s - Car lets me copy data to harddrive
Insert USB drive with mp3s - Car lets me copy data to harddrive.

Cost: nothing over cost of car

sounds like a pain, unless the things got a nice screen interface navigation is gonna suck.

its easy to make playlists and such for your phone/ipod, doing it separately for your car, a chore...

 

[vshah]

Assuming your FM still works in your CD player.. disassemble the unit, intercept the circuit board trace for the FM line with a switching 3.5mm jack (<$5), drill a hole on the face-plate and mount.

Hey, you asked for the cheapest

This assumes you already have soldering equipment

 

[thomsbrain]

I would be 99% certain your stock stereo has a rear input for the Honda-brand CD changer, in which case there are simple adapters you can buy that let you plug in RCA connections for AUX-in. Once you install it, you just power cycle the vehicle battery and hit your CD changer button and you have AUX in. I have these on both my Accord and S2000, with some heavy duty 1/8" cables to plug into the headphone output on my phone.