Bill 993

I discovered that it's easy to hook up an Apple iPod or any other MP3 player via the AUX IN inputs on the CDR-220 radio. Becker North America sales a kit for $9.48 that includes wires and a rear plug that connects to the rear of the radio and provides stereo RCA jacks for the AUX IN. They also provide directions on how to enable the AUX IN on the CDR-220 (I would assume that the other Becker radios are similar). I used a RCA to stereo headphone cable from Radio Shack to provide a cable from under the dash to hook-in the iPod. The "S" button on the CDR-220 allows Tuner, CD, or AUX to be selected. It's nice to have 2000+ songs (iPod with 10GB drive) to select from on a long drive!

I have no affiliation with Becker, Radio Shack, or Apple.

dwe8922

That's pretty cool. What exactly does the plug in kit plug into in the back of the radio? I wonder if the same deal could be done via the rca outputs. I've wanted one of the ipods, but haven't gotten one since I mostly listen to music in the car.

David

David in LA

Bill

Do you have the part #? My girlfriend just got me a 20GB one!

FlyYellow

Bill,

I just ripped out my deck because I wanted the ability to play MP3s as well. I will however say that I think the interface will be a bit clumsy by having two control units. One thing that you may consider is whether or not you can get one of the alpine changers (that decode mp3) to interface with the stock deck. That would be an ideal low cost solution.

Cheers,
Boris

David in LA

the perfect solution would be for the makers of phatbox to come up with software to let the phatbox tie into the factory porsche radio - uses the radio's control and display to control/access 5000+ songs (they've already done it for Audi, VW and a few others)

Bill 993

The plug inserts into unused Socket C3 at the rear of the Radio. This socket is used for the AUX Audio IN and for a Telephone connection (if you want your cell phone audio via the car speakers). Instructions supplied by Becker are very easy to understand. The wires supplied with the plug provide L and R RCA "phone" type plugs. Part # from Becker NA is 1319.116-276 and their phone # is 201-327-3434.

I haven't figured out the best place to put the iPod yet. Right now I have the connection by the door pocket so that I can reach down and easily pick up and control the iPod. I considered the glove box (too awkward), ash tray (too small), and center console behind the hand brake (too exposure for theft). I'm thinking of looking for a cell phone like holder that would hold the iPod next to the radio. Any ideas?

Bill 993

The plug inserts into unused Socket C3 at the rear of the Radio. This socket is used for the AUX Audio IN and for a Telephone connection (if you want your cell phone audio via the car speakers). Instructions supplied by Becker are very easy to understand. The wires supplied with the plug provide L and R RCA "phone" type plugs. Part # from Becker NA is 1319.116-276 and their phone # is 201-327-3434.

I haven't figured out the best place to put the iPod yet. Right now I have the connection by the door pocket so that I can reach down and easily pick up and control the iPod. I considered the glove box (too awkward), ash tray (too small), and center console behind the hand brake (too exposure for theft). I'm thinking of looking for a cell phone like holder that would hold the iPod next to the radio. Any ideas?

FlyYellow

David,

what is phatbox?

Cheers,
Boris

David in LA

Boris - it's an MP3 changer with 20-40GB of capacity (4000-8000 songs!) with a removable hard disk and is controlled by the factory or an aftermarket head unit (Kenwood, Sony).

<a href="http://www.phatnoise.com" target="_blank">http://www.phatnoise.com</a>

It uses Linux to emulate a CD changer so the factory head unit thinks it's a CD changer and you can use the controls and display. It's been written up pretty extensively and all teh reviews I've read have been very positive.

The problem is that they have not yet released an [official] emulator for Porsche/Becker radios, although they have for Audi, VW, BMW and I think even Ford. I've read somewhere though that one of their employees has a Boxster and has made it work in his car.

David in LA

Boris

To further add confusion I've just perused the phatnoise forums. From what I gather some of the BMW factory radios are Beckers and a few owners have plugged in Becker Silverstone CD changers (this is the same as the Porsche factory changer and is whatt I have hooked up to my CDR210). These guys have swapped their Becker CD changers for Phatboxes and have made them work. I myself am a bit confused as to what the phatbox is compatable with "unofficially". If BMW radio are truly Beckers then I don't know why the Phatbox is not listed as compatible with factory Porsches.

Here's the link of the guy who made it work with his Boxster (works with the factory radio and also his Palm)...note that the radio in his Boxster is a CDR-220.

<a href="http://boxster.sixpak.org/mp3/" target="_blank">http://boxster.sixpak.org/mp3/</a>

To be honest, the phatbox is something I would do in a hearbeat (since it's essentially a computer it is software driven so is upgradeable when the next generation of MP3 or whatever comew out). But since a new stereo is not one of my immediate projects I've just been waiting to see what other people are doing. If you decide to go this route, please keep us posted <img src="graemlins/bigok.gif" border="0" alt="[thumbsup]" />

E. J. - 993 Alumni

Am I crazy to think the car stereo companies are crazy to not make a product that accepts memory cards with mp3 songs, especially the PCMCIA and CFII hard disk, in addition to a cd? I use an Ipaq as a mp3 player and have two 2 MB PCMCIA harddrives, one with movies decoded in DIVX and the other with mp3s. I watch the movies in my laptop off the card, and listen to the mp3s on my Ipaq when traveling. I recently had a smart brain moment and since narrow minded MB didn't have a CD palyer standard in my wife's C230 in 1999 when we got it, I used the tape adapter for portable cd players to plug into the headphone jack of the Ipaq. Bingo, 2 GB digital tunes. Of course using the tape adapter is not as clear as it could be, but it's better than using the stupid portable cd players.

Why hasn't a car stereo company recognized that there are people out there with music on these cards and wish we could buy a head unit the we could plug in our memory cards to the front and away we go? No different than loading a CD, except that a 5 GB pcmcia hardrive could hold a whole lot more songs that a CD.

Just a short rant in the middle of the night.

E. J.

A.J. - 95 993

EJ, there is a solution. Problem is, it's half-assed. I am in a similar situation as you - I have an iPaq, and have been really wanting a viable yet convenient MP3 solution for my car. I have a Pioneer deck that has aux input capability. So does the Sony in my wife's car. A portable player seems like the way to go, because we take her car on the long trips. I don't want a portable MP3 CD player: too easily damaged and too bulky. I have considered buying a new deck that's MP3 compatible, but they're so expensive, and that would only cover my car, and not hers. Plus, both our decks are only 2 years old. A few months ago, I bought the iPaq, and I have my eyes peeled for cheap storage. I'm looking for the magnitude of what the iPod offers, but am not yet willing to pay big bucks. Right now, with the price of storage, it would cost the same to go out and buy the CD's as it would to buy the storage. Of course, it would be more convenient having them in MP3 format, but cost is a factor.

I was at Best Buy yesterday, and migrated towards the car stereos. They have a Sony model that accepts memory cards. There's a slot just below the CD slot. Problem is, it will only take their Memory Stick. I've been a fairly loyal Sony follower through the years with my electronics, but that's one thing that pisses me off about them - their proprietary memory. Anyways, that's the half-*** solution.

What I'm waiting for is for compact flash (or micro drive) storage to multiply a few times on capacity for less than what 512 MB (or a 1GB micro drive) costs now. A wireless/Bluetooth add-on to the iPaq with the compact flash extension on it would be the perfect solution - you could shoot the music straight from your computer to your car (or iPaq) automatically. And you're not limited to one vehicle, or any vehicle at all.

Yeah, I know - it will be a while...

E. J. - 993 Alumni

AJ,

No way will I buy into Sony's new Betamax format (memorystick) - not enough capacity, too expensive etc... I saw that head unit too.

No reason to wait for memory prices, check <a href="http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-Details.asp?sku=K22-1000%20P" target="_blank">this</a> out. All you need is a PCMCIA backpack for your Ipaq and you're good to go. 2GB for $90 - I got two of 'em.

Once you have the PCMCIA backpack, you need to get the sprint PCS Merlin card, and voila - Blackberry beater. Plus the card can also go in a laptop and you can surf up to 144 Kbps. I have run some tests on my laptop, and I see 120 Kbps sustained.

Don't want to use the PCMCIA solution, check out<a href="http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/Category/category_slc.asp?Id=3601" target="_blank">these</a> prices on CF cards. Amazing. Now you can get a less expensive CF backpack for your Ipaq and still have lots of music options. Best part is you are still using only one device for everything.

Now we just need to figure out a pleasingly sonic way to connect the Ipaq to the head unit. I am sure that in your case, you could go to radio Shack and get a headphone out jack to rca connector adapter and be good to go.

Best part about using the Ipaq as an MP3 player, you only pay for the storage you need. Does anyone really 20 GB worth of memory? Not really, but you pay for it whether you use it or not. With the PC cards, you pay as you go.

E. J.

A.J. - 95 993

Thanks for the info! Hope it's not too late to modify my Wish List...

E. J. - 993 Alumni

AJ, Can't get the damn link to work. Cut and paste the entire url below to get to the Ipaq accessory page. Then find the PC Card expansion slot link in the center of the page. You can also find the CF slot on that site.

Have fun,

E. J.

Edit again. the link just isn't going to work. GD HP. Just go to their home page and click on handhelds, then accessories. You should be able to find it.