Does anyone understand tape deck sound outputs?
Discussion
Not sure this is the best section, but it's probably the closest fit, so I'll try here first.
I have a DAB radio in the car. It currently feeds into the head unit via a tape adapter. The head unit is basically a display unit, with all the sound stuff happening in the radio module in the boot, so this got me thinking that if I can get the DAB playing via a tape adapter plugged into a 3.5mm socket, then I should, in theory, be able to cut the wires carrying the sound from the tape player up front to the radio in the back, and link those directly to the DAB, thus bypassing the actual tape player.
My challenge is that according to the wiring diagram of the loom going into the radio, there are 4 wires for the tape deck - Right + and - and Left + and -. Given that there are only 2 wires coming out of the DAB, how would I multiply this up to take into account the 4 in the loom?
Clearly all the required information is there, as those 2 wires give enough via the tape deck adapter to provide normal stereo transmission, so the question is, how?
I have a DAB radio in the car. It currently feeds into the head unit via a tape adapter. The head unit is basically a display unit, with all the sound stuff happening in the radio module in the boot, so this got me thinking that if I can get the DAB playing via a tape adapter plugged into a 3.5mm socket, then I should, in theory, be able to cut the wires carrying the sound from the tape player up front to the radio in the back, and link those directly to the DAB, thus bypassing the actual tape player.
My challenge is that according to the wiring diagram of the loom going into the radio, there are 4 wires for the tape deck - Right + and - and Left + and -. Given that there are only 2 wires coming out of the DAB, how would I multiply this up to take into account the 4 in the loom?
Clearly all the required information is there, as those 2 wires give enough via the tape deck adapter to provide normal stereo transmission, so the question is, how?
The DAB radio is a Pure Highway. I don't know whether the output is line level or high level, but it is sufficient to drive headphones without any other external device if that helps?
The radio in the boot is a BMW BM24 unit, and the head unit is the MG Rover version of the BMW 4:3 Bordmonitor.
I know there is absolutely no amplification of any sort in the head unit, so what arrives at the radio is what comes into the tape deck. The tape adapter is a Belkin one like this, which I can't imagine does anything to change the output level.
The radio in the boot is a BMW BM24 unit, and the head unit is the MG Rover version of the BMW 4:3 Bordmonitor.
I know there is absolutely no amplification of any sort in the head unit, so what arrives at the radio is what comes into the tape deck. The tape adapter is a Belkin one like this, which I can't imagine does anything to change the output level.
_dobbo_ said:
If you're running a 3.5mm output from the DAB unit then it's likely that it is 4 wires not 2 wires. If it's not then you've got a mono cable not a stereo one!
Hmm... Now I'm rethinking that size. It's not 3.5mm, is it? It's the standard size for Ipod-style headphones, whatever that is?The outer wire certainly looks like it's just two wires inside, but I suppose they could well be two twin-core wires. I suppose the tricky thing is going to be figuring out which of the headphone socket outputs is going to correspond to L/R and +/-
If standard iPod size then it will be a 3.5mm jack and will be stereo - the cables are twin core. As far as I'm aware the inner cable is the negative, the outer positive. As to left and right, no idea but I suppose it doesn't matter too much!
Whack a multi-meter on to confirm I suppose?
Whack a multi-meter on to confirm I suppose?
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