Adding aux input to Bose 6 disc, suggestions?

[Playsinsnow]

Wondering what others have used and if there is a preferred unit/make to use when adding an auxiliary input to my 6 disc Bose?

I want the headphone style (3.5mm?) plugin. I do not want to lose my xm as some chose to do. Big box retailer will install one for $199.99. That's not a problem but is it necessary? I'm looking for quality here. This will be used on roadtrips 90% of the time. Are the cheap radio units that bad? Feedback sucks on ANY level for us. Also on the interstates a lot during some trips, are the 18wheelers going to give it interference? Thought I read that. I'll try to find a pic of the input I almost purchased. It's the only feature she wishes it had. I made the mistake of getting her a car with a factory input.

 

[Grimor]

just get a cig lighter FM transmitter with an aux in. For the same price you can get one with a built in MP3 player and microsd slot. If you can't find any I'll do a search and post some up.

Otherwise I found this
AXXESS® AX-FM01 - FM Modulator With iPod Cable

 

[Playsinsnow]

Thanks for the link, any issues with static/feedback with the cheap cig lighter transmitters? I've read so many complaints. I definitely don't want to hear anything like that.

 

[Denali n DOO]

I'll start off by saying I really know nothing about car electronics/stereos. But I was just thinking, I have a Bose 6 disc and the DVD player in the roof, the DVD has rca audio L+R and video inputs, that plays sound through the Bose, so wouldn't there be some input pins on the Bose plug that could be tapped into? Maybe someone with experience can explain if this could or couldn't work? Just a way out there thought.....

 

[Playsinsnow]

I'll start off by saying I really know nothing about car electronics/stereos. But I was just thinking, I have a Bose 6 disc and the DVD player in the roof, the DVD has rca audio L+R and video inputs, that plays sound through the Bose, so wouldn't there be some input pins on the Bose plug that could be tapped into? Maybe someone with experience can explain if this could or couldn't work? Just a way out there thought.....

I don't have the DVD player but the Bose face has an "aux" button and I was hoping there might be a clean way to have it installed. I won't be doing it myself. Hoping to know if someone else has kept all features, xm etc, and added the mp3 aux input.

Or if a cheap plugin for the outlet will work just as well...

 

[Grimor]

Thanks for the link, any issues with static/feedback with the cheap cig lighter transmitters? I've read so many complaints. I definitely don't want to hear anything like that.

I've used em before without much issue. The key is to make sure the channel it uses is fairly clear in your area (most have multiple channel options). Or you can get one that goes inline with your antenna wire, obviously that will work better than the cig lighter one.

People seem fairly happy with this option
Amazon.com: Scosche FM-MOD02 Universal Audio Input FM Modulator for iPod, Satellite Radio or Portable Music Player: MP3 Players & Accessories

people seem mostly happy with this guy
Mini 3 5mm LCD CAR FM Transmitter Hands Free FOR Iphone Ipod MP4 MP3 Player | eBay
which may or may not fit what you wanted to do. I like that it's portable so I can take it on boats, etc.

I have used this one.
1.0" LCD Car MP3 Player FM Transmitter with IR Remote Controller - Black (2.5mm Audio/SD/USB/DC12V) - Free Shipping - DealExtreme

lots of options
Cheap Car Stereo Fm Radio Transmitter MP3 Players For Sale - DX

 

[Playsinsnow]

To be honest it will mostly be used out of state when I'm heading west. Why I am curious about any interferences from traffic or whatever. I80/70/90 etc. And its gotta work when she wants it to. I will rarely use it. I'm first class or no class and I want something great.

I've seen a few of those and others. The price points created an obsessive curiosity with this.

 

[Denali n DOO]

Those fm transmitter's might be okay staying in an area where reception to an available station is clear. My friend has one of those and I took my XM and played it through one of those on a 6 hour trip north. What a great big PITA that was. I had to keep changing available fm stations as the signal would fade as we got further away from the ones that were available. Then the static n shit sound as reception fades away and then looking for a new stronger available fm station. So in other words an available fm station in Kitchener here may become a used fm station in Toronto, then as we get to Barrie same thing my available station becomes a used station then gotta search for a new available station....and so on. I hated it, put up with static until it would get real bad and then search again. It almost wasn't worth bringing on the trip, cd's would have been a better choice.

 

[MDBT]

I'll start off by saying I really know nothing about car electronics/stereos. But I was just thinking, I have a Bose 6 disc and the DVD player in the roof, the DVD has rca audio L+R and video inputs, that plays sound through the Bose, so wouldn't there be some input pins on the Bose plug that could be tapped into? Maybe someone with experience can explain if this could or couldn't work? Just a way out there thought.....

I have often thought the same, but I believe the tie in is through the harness not a straight pair of RCA Jacks. I also have the DVD so I just plug one of these into the aux-in on the dvd player and the other end into the mp3/smartphone.

View attachment 28297

There was a write up on the OS IIRC that dealt with tying into the XM radio input. Was relatively inexpensive but did require some cut and splice.

Edit: Here's a link to the thread in question

http://forums.trailvoy.com/showthread.php?t=75617

 

[Playsinsnow]

DnD: that is what I am afraid of! How was it around town? Any interference when the station/tuning is open?

 

[Denali n DOO]

DnD: that is what I am afraid of! How was it around town? Any interference when the station/tuning is open?

From what I can tell it works well if you were to stay in an area, but not as clear as hard wired. But when your heading long distance somewhere it not's so much fun anymore to keep searching for a clear stations. Maybe there are good ones n not so good ones. Maybe someone who uses one daily can chime in with what they use and how well it works.

 

[MDBT]

I tried the FM modulator with my previous GMT330 and on long road trips I'd often pass by truckers and the occasional passenger vehicle who had the same idea and whichever of us had the stronger signal would override the other's station. This would not be terribly frequent but it wasn't unexpected. Also once you've passed the other it's not a big deal. There are more expensive devices that will let you pick any station you want while cheaper options are often tied to a half dozen stations at the low or top end of the FM dial. Thus with a cheaper one you're more likely to come across another user on the highway or packed city streets while with a more expensive unit you can pick any channel you like but will experience more issues with local radio stations broadcasting on that signal as you move from one broadcast area to another.

Problem that I had was clarity, even with a clear unused channel the audio quality was always noticeably scratchy which worsened when turning up the volume on the device. I'm sure this could have been resolved with a more expensive, more powerful unit but all that I had tried were devices around 20-30 dollars. I eventually just switched to a cassette tape output which was clearer but would heat up and eject on long road trips.