Car enthusiasts are well aware that standard radios, even in production cars such as the Ford Focus 2 and Chevrolet Lacetti, have always had poor functionality. With the use of all kinds of smartphones, tablets, and MP3 players in the modern world, we are accustomed to listening to music anywhere we are. But what to do in a situation when you want to listen to music in the car, but there is no way to connect the gadget via aux on the CD radio. More precisely, there is simply no factory version of it. And what to do in this situation? Are there instructions on how to make aux on any radio? We'll figure out.
What are aux inputs and outputs?
In Russia and some CIS countries they are called linear outputs. They are small connectors that can be supplied with voltage from 0.4 - 1.9 volts. In Western countries, this connector is labeled aux out or cd out.
If your device has connectors such as aux input or aux output, then in most cases such a player is equipped with an audio signal amplifier and is capable of working with other external devices. By connecting a smartphone or MP3 player through this connector, you can listen to audio files through the car speakers.
But the saddest thing is that not all old-style radios have such outputs. And if you want to listen to your favorite music from your own media, the owner will have to buy a radio with an aux input installed, or make aux on the standard radio, paying a lot of money in the first and second options.
After some thought, the thought often arises that there may be a possibility of making such a connector yourself. Let's consider the options.
Installing an aux input on the CD radio
In fact, most radio tape recorders are equipped with aux connectors, but for some reason the manufacturer did not consider it necessary to display them on the front panel. To solve the problem of outputting an aux output on a CD radio, a car enthusiast will need a certain number of consumables and tools:
- medium Phillips screwdriver;
- insulating tape;
- special keys to get the radio;
- USB cable from a computer controller;
- jumper from a computer hard drive;
- a small piece of cable with a 3.5 mm plug.
Using a knife, carefully remove the decorative plate by prying it by the edge. Using a screwdriver, unscrew the two screws that secure the grille and lift it up. Using special keys, remove the radio.
Having pulled out the radio, we see a white rectangular connector on the back of the case. You need to connect a USB plug with a cable and a jumper to it. The computer controller cable consists of three cores: the left channel, the right channel and the screen. We connect the wires of the left and right channels to a two-core cable with a 3.5 plug and insulate it well using insulating material. We install the car radio in place. We bring the cable with the plug into the car interior.
How to make aux on a stock radio
Unfortunately, not all standard-installed radios have external aux connectors. So, with a greater degree of probability, the radio will have to be disassembled in order to get to the main board of the player. For this we will need the following materials and tools:
- insulated wires with a cross-section of 0.5 cm and a length of 40 - 50 cm;
- 3.5 mm plug;
- heat shrink tubes;
- soldering iron;
- medium Phillips screwdriver;
Using a knife, carefully remove the decorative plate above the radio, prying it by the edge. We also use a knife to pry it up and then remove the decorative panel near the gear lever with our hands. Unscrew the fastening screws securing the radio. We remove the radio and disconnect all the wires on the back wall of the case. Remove the cover of the player by unscrewing the bolts holding it and remove it from the case.
Once you have access to the board, inspect it carefully. You need to find three points labeled LCH, RCH (left and right channels) and GND (“ground”). Using a soldering iron, we attach three wires to the three points found and put them into the heat-shrink channel. We assemble the player in the reverse order, and take the cable we made to a convenient place in the car. Solder a 3.5 mm plug to the end of the cable.
Making aux for a cassette player
Many will say that there are no such car radios left in nature. But this is not true. Of course, such rarities are not comparable to the quality of players from brands such as Bose, however, there are still connoisseurs of such outdated devices. And believe me, they also want to listen to their favorite tunes from their smartphone or MP3 player through an old cassette player in their car. And to be happy they need:
- wires, shielded 40 cm, cross section 0.5 cm;
- heat shrink tubes;
- 3.5 mm plug;
- medium Phillips screwdriver.
We remove the radio from the niche by unscrewing the mounting bolts. Unscrew the bolts holding the device cover. By removing the cover of the radio, we get access to the tape drive mechanism, which is secured with metal latches. By bending the latches, we remove the mechanism, thereby gaining access to the volume control.
We take it out and solder three common wires to it, for the left stereo channel and for the right stereo channel. We put the wires into a heat-shrinkable channel and assemble the car radio. Having installed the player in its place, we bring the wire into the interior or into the glove compartment and attach a 3.5 mm plug to it using soldering.
As we can see, you can install an aux output on any radio. Much, of course, depends on the manufacturer of the product and, of course, on the design components. In modern models from companies such as Bose, there is no need to think about how to connect any mobile device via aux. But unfortunately, there are still a lot of devices on the radio electronics market that require serious improvements.
Many modern manufacturers of musical equipment place inputs labeled “AUX” on it. This input is found on TVs, radios, and stereo systems. Car receivers and media systems are increasingly receiving an “AUX IN” input. This input has a more scientific name - “line input”. The old marking is “CD-IN”.
Some technical details
The linear input receives a signal with an amplitude of 0.5 - 1.8 V. This signal magnitude is supported by sound-reproducing devices with a linear output. The socket is marked “AUX OUT” or “CD OUT”. The signal supplied to the headphones has the same magnitude. Therefore, the headphone output of the headphones connects perfectly to the AUX IN input.
The design of all of the above sound-reproducing devices includes a sound amplifier. It is to this that the signal from the linear input is directly supplied. Using this algorithm, the signal generated by the MP3 player and iPod is amplified. The amplified signal is then played back through loudspeakers.
Using this method, you can listen to music collections collected on a player, tablet or phone through the car speakers. We connect the car receiver or radio via “AUX IN” to the playback device.
The connection of digital devices is controlled through the menu; analog devices have a standard switch. Since the initial volume level is difficult to control, it is recommended to set it to the minimum level before connecting.
The presence of an “AUX” connector will give a second wind to outdated analog equipment. For example, a cassette recorder can be connected to a modern music center or player.
"AUX" in the car
In the modern world, saturated with portable communication devices, the owner of a smartphone cannot imagine life without his buzzing friend. To meet market demands, automakers are increasingly focusing on integrating phones and the car. A huge number of phone functions are enhanced and supported by a powerful information system of a modern car.
The very first and most popular supported function was the playback of audio information. The presence of an “AUX” input in a car, in addition to the above-mentioned ability to play your favorite collections of music and other audio files (educational audio courses, audio books, etc.) on the road, has other advantages.
Relative, but the advantages of having an “AUX” input in the car.
1. No need to spend money on mp-3 discs.
2. The player, if necessary, can fully replace a flash drive.
There are three options for connecting an external device to the AUX input. Two of them involve a waste of money: purchasing a standard adapter with a 3.5 mm mini jack contact or a Bluetooth audio adapter. The third way is for enthusiastic car radio enthusiasts: you can solder the adapter yourself. You will need two plugs, a wire from headphones, a soldering iron and a little patience.
After freeing from external insulation we will see three wires. The same color, closer to the plastic base in the plugs is the base. The other two (green and red) are to the right and left channels. We solder them to the “tulip”, the common one to the metal bases, and from the channels to the connector pins. After the connection is completed, we call and isolate.
The second option seems the most attractive. “AUX”-bluetooth adapter is a hardware dongle that can be connected to any 3.5 mm jack, including. "AUX" stereo system. With its help, wireless transmission of sound flow is carried out.
Among the advantages of this option:
No wires in the cabin.
A good codec supplied with the kit can improve the quality of the played songs.
Pairing devices is done by pressing one button, then the adapter itself will do everything.
You can connect several external devices at the same time.
Among the disadvantages:
You still need to buy an adapter.
It requires recharging.
Thus, through the “AUX” input, you can connect portable devices (phones, laptops, etc.) to the standard media system of your car.
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Knowing what AUX is in a car radio, drivers will be able to expand the functionality of the system. The symbol is located on the player or on the dashboard. The abbreviation AUX is a designation for a connector in the radio that allows you to connect other sound sources.
What is this exit for?
The Aux line output in the radio is necessary to connect a smartphone, tablet or mp3 player to the player. In this case, the sound will be transmitted through the car speakers.
In some cars they are combined, and the car owner can connect the phone when answering a call. To do this, you can connect a microphone to the radio via AUX. Therefore, on the panel on top of the Aux connector it is written “AUX IN”.
In operating condition, a signal with an amplitude in the range of 0.5-1 V is supplied to the output.
There is also an amplifier that transmits sound to the speakers.
Some drivers do not know what the input in the radio with the inscription AUX means. In this case, you can mix up 2 identical connectors. Below the output with the prefix “IN”, there is a plug labeled “OUT”.
AUX OUT - a connector designed for audio output. Therefore, a wire is inserted into it to output music. Speakers are suitable for this. Unknowing motorists are faced with problems with sound output in the radio and have no idea what Aux is. Therefore, if problems arise with the volume or the player does not work, they change it, but the problem may be that the device is not connected correctly.
How to use
When the Aux connector is detected on the car radio, the driver tries to determine what it is and how to use this function. The system can be found in many devices that reproduce sound. However, older cassette players or older versions of CD radios do not have a line-out. But this does not mean that a car enthusiast will not be able to connect a player or smartphone to play his music on the speakers.
To start listening to music in the car, you will need to determine how the playback device is connected via Aux and start listening to music from other sources. If the radio has an AUX plug, then to start using it you need a wire, where the jack size should be 3.5 mm. On the other side of the adapter there are several connectors for connecting an external device. If the corresponding output is not found on the player, then the car owner is able to make it himself. After connecting the playback device, you can listen to music.
How to enable AUX
If AUX was originally built into the car radio, then the system will need to unlock it. To enable Aux on the radio as a device that sends a signal to the speakers, you need to put the player in standby mode. To do this, press the SRC button, then enter the menu using MENU. You will need to hold the button until the system is activated. In the menu, scroll the right control knob to toggle Aux. The car radio display may show AUX ON/OFF, which indicates whether the input is on or off.
Modern audio systems are multifunctional devices that are used not only for playing tracks, but also for playing video and many other functions. Radio tape recorders allow you to play data from different media - CDs, USB drives, as well as mobile devices. From this material you will learn what an AUX output is, how to connect an AUX cable for a car radio, and how to make such a connector yourself.
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What is the AUX output on the radio?
What is AUX in an audio system, does it make sense to make such a connector yourself and how. The purpose of this input is to connect a signal source, for example, a mobile device or MP3 player using the appropriate wire. When connecting any of the above devices to an audio system, the latter will be used as an amplifier.
This connector will receive a signal with an amplitude in the range from 0.5 to 1 V; such a pulse can be supplied by any device for playing tracks. Recently, tuners or transmitters that connect through the cigarette lighter are gaining popularity among our compatriots. In reviews on the Internet, our compatriots note that such a device can be a good alternative to an AUX output. But we hasten to disappoint you - the difference between such devices in terms of the quality of track playback is significant, so the transmitter is a bad option if you want to achieve high-quality sound (the author of the video is the SoftMan channel).
Self Installation Guide
Basic materials and components that will be needed to install and connect the device:
- Plug with wire. You can buy these elements at any radio electronics store.
- Soldering iron with tin and rosin.
- Multimeter for continuity testing of electrical circuits.
Photo gallery “Everything you need”
Stages
So, how to make an AUX input for a car:
- First you need to turn off the ignition and remove all media from the audio system - disks or flash drives. Having done this, the standard audio system is pulled out of its seat; depending on the design features of the car, the dismantling procedure may differ. In some cars, to remove the radio, you need to remove part of the center console.
- When the head unit is removed, you will need to unscrew several bolts that are located on the ventilation panel. Part of this panel then needs to be lifted, this will allow you to get rid of possible interference in the future. Depending on the car, this panel may not be present.
- After this, you will need to disassemble the audio system housing; to do this, unscrew all the bolts that secure it. After completing these steps, you will need to connect all the wires prepared earlier along with the connector to the PCA output on the device, in particular, we are talking about the “tulip”.
- For proper soldering of wires, the order of work must be followed. The common wire will need to be soldered to the steel base of the plug. You will use conductors as channels; they are soldered to the middle contacts.
- Next, when all the elements are soldered to the contacts, you will need to ring the resulting circuits. A multimeter is used to test the functionality of the circuit.
- After you can verify the functionality of the soldered components, all wires with a connector will need to be brought out. That is, you need to make sure that the connector is in the cabin. It can be brought to the torpedo, but for this you will have to make a corresponding hole in it. At this stage, you should think about how connecting the media does not cause problems.
Some car enthusiasts put the connector into the ashtray; of course, this is possible if it is not used for its intended purpose. You should also think in advance that the wire must be long so that the data carrier can be placed on the seat or placed on the dashboard. - When all the elements are connected and output, you should check the functionality of the audio system. First, try connecting your mobile gadget and completely lowering the volume on the car radio and listen to how it works. This is done in order to make sure that there is no noise - as practice shows, often after connecting third-party media, noise begins to be heard from the speakers of the car radio. Connect the gadget to the AUX input and play a track on the media.
Car radios, especially standard ones, have never been rich in functionality. Now the following trend is evident: everyone has smartphones and tablets, but it is not always possible to connect these gadgets to the radio, because it was released a long time ago, but at the same time continues to work properly. So what should a car owner do in such a situation? This is what we will discuss in today’s article.
What is AUX output
This is a small connector to which you can apply voltage in the range from 0.4 to 1.9 volts. We call it a linear output, but in Western machines it is designated as “AUX-OUT” (and a little earlier it was designated as “CD-OUT”). If a device has such an output, it almost certainly means that it is also equipped with an audio amplifier. Therefore, by connecting a tablet or smartphone to this connector, you can listen to music collections directly through the car’s speakers.
The problem is that on old radios there is not always such an output. And if a car owner wants to listen to some file from his smartphone in the car, then he will have 2 options:
- Buy a new radio with an AUX output (which is quite expensive).
- Try installing the AUX output yourself.
In this article we will focus on the second option.
Installing an AUX output on a CD radio
It should be noted right away that the vast majority of such car radios are already equipped with AUX connectors, but for some reason manufacturers do not consider it necessary to display them on the dashboard. The car owner will have to solve this problem on his own.
- Insulating tape.
- A set of standard keys for removing a CD radio.
- Wire from a computer USB controller.
- Jumper from the computer hard drive.
- Headphone cable with 3.5 mm plug.
Sequence of actions when installing an AUX output on a CD radio
- The decorative plate is removed from the radio (it is best to carefully pry it off with a knife). Then, using a Phillips screwdriver, unscrew the 2 screws on which the grille is attached. After unscrewing the screws, it rises up:
- Now access to the radio is open, and it is removed from the niche using standard keys.
- On the back wall of the case there is a white connector on which the AUX output will be installed:
- To do this, connect a USB plug and a jumper from the computer’s hard drive to the connector, which look like this:
- The connector contacts on the radio are closed with a jumper in accordance with the diagram presented below:
- The USB cable connected to the connector consists of three wires: the left channel wire, the right channel wire and shielding. The wires of the left and right channels are connected to a two-core cable with a plug, after which the connection point is insulated:
- The resulting cable and jumper are inserted into the radio connector:
- After that, it is installed in place, and the cable with the AUX plug is routed into the ashtray:
Video: independent connection of the AUX output to the car radio
Installing an AUX output on a standard car radio
The main problem with stock radios is that they are very difficult to remove. There is a second problem: not all standard radios have external AUX connectors, so you will almost certainly have to disassemble the radio itself.
Tools and Supplies
- 3 insulated wires with a cross section of 0.5 cm and a length of 30 cm.
- Headphone plug 3.5 mm.
- Heat shrink.
- Soldering iron.
- Phillips screwdriver (medium size).
Sequence of actions when installing an AUX output on the head unit
- The decorative strip located above the radio is carefully pryed off with a knife and removed.
- Using the same knife, pry up the decorative panel near the gear shift lever, after which the panel is removed manually.
- This gives access to two mounting screws that hold the radio. They are unscrewed with a Phillips screwdriver.
- The radio is removed, all wires and connectors are disconnected from the back:
- Use a Phillips screwdriver to unscrew all the bolts holding the CD player cover. After which it is removed from the radio casing:
- On the player board you need to find three points marked “LCH”, “RCH” and “GND” (these are the left stereo channel, the right channel and the ground).
- 3 wires are soldered to these points, which are then assembled and heat-shrinked for safety.
- The radio is assembled in the reverse order, the resulting three-core cable is routed into the interior (preferably into the glove compartment or ashtray), after which a 3.5 mm plug is soldered to it.
Installing an AUX output on an old cassette car radio
Currently, it is almost impossible to see such a device in a car. Nevertheless, among car enthusiasts there are occasionally those who are sorry to throw away an outdated, but still working radio, and also want to listen to music from a pocket MP3 player. The recipe below is for them.
Tools and Supplies
- 3 shielded wires (length 30 cm, diameter 0.5 cm).
- Heat shrink.
- Headphone plug 3.5 mm.
- Phillips screwdriver (medium size).
Sequence of actions when installing an AUX output on a cassette player
- Using a Phillips screwdriver, the fastening bolts are unscrewed, after which the radio is removed from the niche.
- Use the same screwdriver to unscrew the bolts holding the radio cover. It is removed, allowing access to the tape drive mechanism.
- As a rule, the mechanism is attached to metal latches. They are bent manually, the mechanism is removed (although it may not be removed, it depends on whether it interferes with getting to the volume control or not).
- Next, a 3-pin volume control is removed from the radio, to which 3 additional wires are soldered using a soldering iron. Common, for the left stereo channel and for the right stereo channel. The connection diagram looks like this:
- These 3 wires are placed in heat shrink, after which the radio is assembled and installed in its original place.
- The wire is led out into the glove compartment, and a 3.5 mm plug is soldered to it.
So, is it difficult to connect the AUX output? As practice shows, everything depends on the design of the radio. This solution is easiest to do on relatively modern CD radios, which were purchased separately from the car. In all other cases, the car owner will have to tinker with a soldering iron. Unfortunately, we cannot do without this.
