IPod Adapter How-To

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Budreau68

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As a cassette adapter won't work in my stock Delco radio, so a while ago I created an own IPod adapter out of some old RCA cables I had lying around. I figured I'd share my findings with you guys.

Truck: 95 GMC Yukon, stock cassette/radio head and stock remote CD Player.

The Idea:
The remote CD Player is connected to the head unit with the remote wiring harness. What I did was cut the audio signal from the CD player to the head unit, splice in RCA M/F connectors onto the wire ends, and run enough wire out from the wire harness so it sticks out from under the dash. In doing so, I can now connect an external device to the head unit via the RCA in I spliced in. And, since I also spliced on RCA connectors to the wires out of the CD player I can also reconnect my CD Player when the IPod isn't around. I use a standard 1/4" to RCA adapter for the IPod plugging into the headphone slot. You can also get a line out signal from your IPod by using a special connector to the bottom (charging) socket to RCA. It's a better signal but you can't use the volume control on the IPod then. For me, the sound degredation due to the 1/4" - RCA connection is far less than the sound degradation from the 13 year old head unit to my stock speakers to my ears. Note, the CD Player must still work and you must continue to play a CD when listening to your IPod. Since the IPod will be plugged in and not the wires from the CD you won't hear the CD at all. It's necessary though for the Head Unit to think it's receiving a signal from the CD Player.

The remote wiring harness has the following wires (from the head unit's perspective):

1. Battery Out - Orange
2. E+C Data - Darker Green
3. Ground Out - Black
4. Audio Common In - Light Brown
5. Left In - Orange with Black Stripe
6. Right In - Lighter Green
7. Voice In - Bare wire clear cover
8. Dimming (?) Out - Gray
9. R14 Out - Blue

How-To:
Ok, I'm interested only in wires 4., 5., and 6.. But, we still need the rest intact. To make this work you'll need to splice the Common In (4.) to the middle post of both the RCA cables. Then splice the Left and Right (5. and 6.) to RCA Left and Right respectively.

The remaining wires should not be cut. The CD Player still needs to play in order for this to work. You'll still need to play a CD to trick the head unit into thinking the CD Player is sending a signal when in fact it's your spliced in device.

I soldered on RCA connectors to the old CD audio outs so I could still listen to my CD Player when I wanted. The wires come out the bottom of my dash and get tucked into the ash tray. Actually fairly clean setup. Just two wires coming out for the IPod to connect to.

Steps:
1. Pull off the instrument panel cover. Drop the shifter into D1 and the steering wheel all the way down to make it easier.

2. Remove the CD Player. There are squeeze fittings on either side then it slides out.

3. Remove the Head unit enough to disconnect the remote wire harness from the back.

4. Carefully pull the remote wire harness out of the dash area, unless you want to solder in place. The wire harness is not that long so be careful.

5. Splice in your connectors. I used female for the wires to the Head Unit and Male from the CD. Most adapters for 1/4" to RCA will give you male RCA connectors.

6. Snake the wire harness back into the dash. Plug the wire into the Head Unit. Snake the wire harness down to the Remote CD Player and your new spliced in wires out under the dash so you can plug into it.

7. Plug in and re-install Remote CD Player.

8. Connect IPod (or other device) into Female connector to Head Unit.

9. Turn on radio, turn to the CD Player, put in a CD, hit play on your IPod, sit back and revel in your ingenuity.

There are kits available for $50 - 150 online that essentially do this in a nicer fashion. Read the fine print and you'll see they still require your CD Player to funtion and a CD to Play.


This is a long rambling post. Let me know if you have any questions.
 

sasquatch094

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holy damn.. haha i didnt read that whole thing, but looks pretty good and in depth.. why didnt the factory cassette thing work?? sometimes for mine it wont work , then i jsut hold the cassette down and it clicks in and i guess works.. lol.. sounds like garabge but whatever.. lol
 
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