Adding aux input to car stereo via tape deck

[Andy1845c]

I'm brainstorming tonight.

I have a 1995 Pontiac Grand Prix that I would like to be able to connect my Ipod to.

I don't really want to install an aftermarket stereo because the steering wheel controls for the stereo won't work anymore.

I bought one of those cheesey Ipod FM trasnmitters, and it hardly works and sounds like crap.

Barring issues with opening the factory stereo and the factory theft protection, is it reasonably possible that I could open the unit up and add an AUX input in place of the tape deck? Would the audio levels from an Ipod and a tape deck be similar? I realize I would have to also modify the mechanical switch in the deck that tells it when there is a tape in it, but i'm pretty sure I can figure that out if I make it past the audio hook up.

Or am I just dreaming here and is the reality much more complex then this?

 

[Mikebits]

I have the same problem with my 95 Trans Am (Steering controls) Since you have a tape deck, you can purchase a cassette tape to ipod adaptor. It is like a cassette tape with a jack for your ipod and just plugs into the cassette tape slot.
I am not so lucky as I only have a CD player built into my stock stereo.

 

[Andy1845c]

Since you have a tape deck, you can purchase a cassette tape to ipod adaptor.

Thanks for the reply. I did think about that option. A couple things make me hesitent to go that route though.

A. Is the sound quality going to be any good?

B. Cost. I already wasted almost 40 bucks on the FM transmitter and I am kinda mad at myself. I hate to keep dumping money on the problem.

C. It puts me at the mercy of a tape deck that 13 years old. If it fails I am out of luck. Its been so long since I have used it I can't honestly say it even still works.

 

[Mikebits]

The Ipod to tape deck interfaces are as low as 10 bucks. The things that usually fail on a tape deck are the tape drive mechanisms. Since you don't care about that all you need is the electronics to work, which I would guess they do. I bought one of those POS transmitters also, they are useless.
Two Ways to Take iPod on the Road

 

[audioguru]

There are good modern FM stereo transmitters and there are old horrible ones. They cost the same, about $15.00.
My son bought a horrible one. It was mono, not stereo and its frequency drifted all over the place. It was very distorted.

Tape?? Are you still are using cassette tapes?? Hee, hee.
My '75 car had a cassette tape player and it also recorded. I souped it up.
Now my car plays MP3s instead.

 

[Mikebits]

The problem with the FM rigs is the freq drift is so bad. I took mine apart and it did not even use a xtal, just LC.

 

[audioguru]

The horrible FM transmitters use the old obsolete Rohm BA1404 IC that does not use a crystal.
The good ones use the Rohm newer (5 years now) BH141x series of crystal controlled ICs.

 

[Mikebits]

I kinda remember those old 1404 chips. A lot of pirate radio peeps used them and had mods and such for that device. I wonder if they ever got it to be stable?

 

[audioguru]

Rohm had so many complaints about their lousy old BA1404 FM transmitter that they stopped making it and replaced it with the much better new ones that use a crystal controlled frequency synthesizer with phase-locked-loop and many other refinements.

Silicon chip magazine (Australia) made a project with one of the new ones called The Micromitter. Many good quality FM stereo transmitters use the same circuit.

 

[Andy1845c]

Well, I guess I will give the tape converter a try then.

But.... to satisfy my curiousity, would my idea to add the line in, in place of the tape deck even work?

 

[audioguru]

You would need the service manual to find the output of the tape preamp and where it is switched from. The level from the tape deck might be similar to the level from an ipod.

 

[Mikebits]

Have you priced a replacement stereo? Do you really want to chance it?

 

[DamoRC]

My old car stereo had only a tape deck and my new one only a CD player. I had a tape adaptor for the old car and I bought an FM transmitter for the new one. The tape adaptor sound quality is excellent - the FM transmitter doesn't come close.

 

[Andy1845c]

Just posting a follow-up. I did buy a tape deck interface. Just as Mike said it was about 10 bucks. Sounds great. I really feel dumb for spending over 30 bucks on the FM transmitter that bearly works.

I guess unless you live on the moon or on a desert island with no radio stations for a thousand miles, I wouldn't even try a lousy FM transmitter. Word of warning for anyone thinking of buying one.

 

[davidbball13]

you could just get a stereo deck with ipod/usb connector and if you or the person does it right the wheel controlls will still work.