Classic Look MP3 Player/Radio

[whitevanman]

Why ? most of them sounded horrid....

It sounds pretty good, I've wired the mp3 lead directly to the little amp in it. I only sounds rubbish if you try listening to a tape. This solution is 100 better than one of them fuzzy tape adaptor things.

I did say "most" so how do you hard wire it in then?

[Pillock]

Tesco do an FM transmitter for £8, headphone lead plugs into your ipod/phone/ghettoblaster.... I picked one up just to see what they were like (they'd mis-marked them as two for a tenner, choose from iPod data lead, FM transmitter, one of those tape adaptors and summat else).In all honesty they do the job pretty well. It's a pain to find a free FM band round here but once I did, it just sounds like radio quality - perfectly OK in the car. It'll drown out weak stations but if you tune it to the same as Radio 1 or something it'll struggle to be clear.It needs a fag lighter, but once you've put your frequency into it it remembers it when powered off so I don't think it'd be out of the question to hardwire it to a switched 12v and just have the 3.5mm jack lead in the glovebox or something. That way you can keep your period radio yet still have the sweet sweet sounds of

[Minimad5]

Hey pillock i like that idea !Could you possibly find us the link to the mentioned item you are on about ?

[Tayne]

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[Pillock]

Hey pillock i like that idea !Could you possibly find us the link to the mentioned item you are on about ?

(edit: Just realised it was from Asda, not Tesco!)Erm.... far side of the CD/Games thingie before you get into the store proper, third shelf up near the iPod socks...?(Caution: your store may differ).I can't find it online, I just happened to see it on a shelf. I know PC World do a different, but similarly-specced and similarly-priced one too, definately sub-ten quid. Mine just looks like a phone charger or something, a fag lighter plug with a little digital display on the end and two buttons to set the frequency, and a audio lead coming out.I'm looking into getting a better one now I know the idea is a good one - I was fearful that it wouldn't work with new car aerials or something. There's various ones up to about £80, including ones for about £30 that have RDS signals so your head unit will follow the transmitter as it flicks around between different empty frequencies. There's also Bluetooth to FM Transmitters, so you can bluetooth music from your phone to your car stereo - again, if you've got RDS these will even display tracknames.

[Minimad5]

All i need now is an old school radio, one of these fancy transmitter things and to pick this car up (That i hope i can still collect) and WOOP !

[Richard]

You can get these transmitter things anywhere, with varying quality. Some phones even have them built in.

[Cavcraft]

In all this modern technology they seem to have these days, and especially in light of mobile telephones with voice recognition, why can't they have voice activated stereo changing?If you could shout 'track two' and it changed it'd be ace, but I suppose the flipside is if someone pulled out on you and you shouted WANKER! at the top of your voice the radio would automatically change to Chris Moyles.

[Richard]

http://www.instantrimshot.com/

[Mr_Bo11ox]

The fm transmitter idea falls down if your do any long trips.You have to keep retuning it.

I have one of these, they are magic. I drive all over the shop and have not had to retune mine ever! I must have 'got lucky' on the frequency.

[Guest]

I like the idea of those transmitters but I'm holding out for an LW/MW one (which to date has not been forthcoming).

[AXrescuer]

Another alternative:

 

[AXrescuer]

I like the idea of those transmitters but I'm holding out for an LW/MW one (which to date has not been forthcoming).

You'll be waiting an awfully long time if you hold for one operating on those frequencies.

[Guest]

You'd think the market was there though - all these people with "proper" classics who can't stand the idea of changing the factory fit mono non-FM radio, but still want to listen to panpipe versions of 2 Unlimited hits.

[face]

I found this link http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.25021

$30 and free worldwide shipping

[mk2_craig]

Does it have a 3.5mm headphone cable socket so that I can plug my portable Minidisc into it?

This might do the trick

 

[AXrescuer]

I found this link http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.25021$30 and free worldwide shipping

Did you read my first post? You've just put up the same item.

[Conrad D. Conelrad]

Until someone comes out with a dual knob DAB unit with a Nixie tube display, the best car radio in my mind is the rubber knob ones Ford offered in the late 80s/early 90s.Highly ergonomic, unfussy design, cheap as chips and no face-off gubbins because even the most sticky fingered meth addict wouldn't consider them desirable.

[2Thumbs]

I've got one of these, it's rather awesome!

 

[Minimad5]

This is the classic look mp3 player i've got in my Toledo:

Any chances of showing us what you soldered the Wires from the Male 3.5mm audo jack onto ?

 

Would help for if i can get an old school radio and plug my rather fooked but kind of working iPood into it

[Mat.T]

yes sorry forgot to reply earlier

 

this is what I did:

 

take one 'REALISTIC' tape deck and rip open,

remove the innards out of a cassette

get 3.5mm jack to Jack Audio lead from pound shop and cut the end off, solder 3 wires to the 3 wires from the tape head that go to the circuit board.

cut hole in side of casing for jack lead, fit grommet and refit casing

finished Retro cassette player with mp3 lead, sound quality is much better than those cassette adaptors

circled show the 3 wires coming out of the tape head and rectangled are where they join the circuit board.

And the remains of the jack

3 wires: the middle doesn't have its own insulation this went to the black wire on the circuit board. Then the 2 colored wires go to either the black or the white.

 

got another one to convert now also a push button am radio - still havent figured that one out yet.

[Minimad5]

THANKS !Will give this ago when i get one / if i can find one some wereIf i get stuck i will drop you a PM if its cool

[whitevanman]

yes sorry forgot to reply earlier

 

this is what I did:

 

take one 'REALISTIC' tape deck and rip open,

remove the innards out of a cassette

get 3.5mm jack to Jack Audio lead from pound shop and cut the end off, solder 3 wires to the 3 wires from the tape head that go to the circuit board.

cut hole in side of casing for jack lead, fit grommet and refit casing

finished Retro cassette player with mp3 lead, sound quality is much better than those cassette adaptors

circled show the 3 wires coming out of the tape head and rectangled are where they join the circuit board.

And the remains of the jack

3 wires: the middle doesn't have its own insulation this went to the black wire on the circuit board. Then the 2 colored wires go to either the black or the white.

 

got another one to convert now also a push button am radio - still havent figured that one out yet.

are the wire colours the same? or is there some other way of telling left from right and earth?

[Richard]

The earth is uninsulated so that's easy, but the colours don't match between the cassette deck and cable shown so it would be trial and error.I think I'll do this on the Volvo. I have a DAB/mp3 head unit and I even bought the adapters to fit it but it looked so gash I put the original back in. Would I have to disconnect the cassette deck or would I get away with leaving it active?

[whitevanman]

I was thinking about that...surely the casette part could remain working as you are piggybacking onto the output side, think you might have to leave a bit of play in the cable if its on the moving part though....can the same be done to a radio? piggy back onto the amp, as ther must be connections somewhere ?

[Minimad5]

i think the reason he uses an empty tape is so that it fools the radio into thinking its playing a tape - So you can play your music Via the 3.5mm jack

[whitevanman]

ah....of course I should have clicked....mind that would still allow ordinary tapes to play if required

[whitevanman]

mind you thats a tape only player so that wouldn't apply...must be something to do with the mechanical side though as you say...

[Minimad5]

I'm sure it doesnt turn on untill a tape is insertedCould be wrong but its what me thinks

[whitevanman]

THANKS !Will give this ago when i get one / if i can find one some wereIf i get stuck i will drop you a PM if its cool

I'm sure I have a few spare...