[bmwcork]

So for a while now Ive been looking for a way to hook an Aux input to my head unit. I have the business cassette H.U, in a 2001 320D.

Everything Ive read says that, if you have the c.d head unit ,you can buy an after-market loom, plug it in the c.d changer port on the back, thus replacing the changer with an Aux input.
(provided its post 2003 i think).
But alas if you have the tape deck....forget about it.

This is true, it doesn't work, this has been said plenty of times on this forum.

I found this post:

http://forum.e46fanatics.com/showthread.php?t=818371

About a guy who wired a stereo ,3.5mm jack to twin phono lead, directly to the c.d changer loom and by doing so replaced the changer with an Aux input.

Now although he has a C.D head unit I thought I'd give it a go.

The wiring loom to my changer is different to his.
I have two plugs going to the back of my changer, one for the sound and the other for the power supply


Remove the two plugs,
You'll be modifying the sound one.
It has 3 cables: Blue/White, Red/White, Brown/White.

Its the large connector. But the easiest way to figure it out if your confused is to plug them into the changer one at a time, whichever one activates the mechanism is the power one.

• Expose the 3 wires in the sound plug.
• Cut the connectors off your RCA cable.
• Attached to each RCA connector are White/Bare or Red/Bare cables.
• Twist the two bare cables together.
• Attach the bare cables to the Brown/White of the Changer loom.
• Attach the Red RCA to the Red/White of the changer loom.
• Attach the White RCA to the Blue/White of the changer loom.
• Reconnect the power connector ,you haven't modified,
  back in to the changer.
• Plug the 3.5mm Jack in to an IPod,IPhone, M.P.3 player.
• Select the changer using the Mode button on you H.U and away we go

Couple of things:

You loose the function of the changer, but all my music is on my IPhone and I don't really use the changer anyway.
You cant change tracks on the IPod, IPhone with either, the MFSW buttons or the H.U buttons, it has to be done on the device.

you could get something like this: http://www.amazon.com/Auxiliary-Audio-Inline-Remote-Control/dp/B001UGXC8K?tag=5336612389-20

to change tracks with.


So I hope this helps someone. it took me about ten minutes to do and about half an hour tracing the 3.5mm end up to the armrest where my phone holder is, the fun part was getting it under the [email protected]%king carpet

 

[conzy]

This looks promising, Was hoping to get a DICE media bridge for bluetooth / aux and ipod but the main feature I'm after is aux input. Tax is due next week and just bought wheels and tyres so I might try this mod and it will tide me over for a few weeks

Just to confirm a few things, I know the CD changer has to stay to "fool" the headunit into thinking its playing a CD, but in the E46 fanatics thread some people say you need to have a CD in the changer with a silent track on it as there has to be a CD playing for this to work

Is that true? Or is the changer just being there enough?

Thanks!

 

[bmwcork]

Just to confirm a few things, I know the CD changer has to stay to "fool" the headunit into thinking its playing a CD, but in the E46 fanatics thread some people say you need to have a CD in the changer with a silent track on it as there has to be a CD playing for this to work

No. You only need to do that if you plug back in the sound plug. Plug the power cable back into the changer but leave the sound plug (the modified one) out.
What happens is, you select changer with the mode button which powers up the changer, but the sound feed is delivered by whatever you have plugged to your 3.5mm jack.

Hope it works for you.

 

[bmwe34]

i have a cd changer in my bmw e46 and it has a cassette player and the cd changer has no magazine in it so rather than me buying another magazine and having lots of cds i would like to try this. i am just wondering if it would still play the sound from the mp3 player even though there is no magazine in the cd changer?

 

[conzy]

i have a cd changer in my bmw e46 and it has a cassette player and the cd changer has no magazine in it so rather than me buying another magazine and having lots of cds i would like to try this. i am just wondering if it would still play the sound from the mp3 player even though there is no magazine in the cd changer?

I dont think it will work im afraid, did this mod myself today and it works great but there has to be a CD in the changer for it to work.

You can actually still use the CD changer by putting a CD with a silent track on it in the changer, you play this CD while using aux in, and you can still play the other 5 CDs as normal

Also a huge tip that makes this mod a lot easier. There is no need to go near the boot at all, you can splice into the cables under the rear seats and its a lot less hassle You just need to make sure you put a CD with a silent track on it and select this CD while using aux in.

Thanks to bmwcork, saved me from buying a Dice MediaBridge!

 

[ADHD]

If somebody interested I have Adaptor for e46. I order for my one but have round pins and that is for flat pins. U connect that on the back of radio and from other side to any mp3 player.Its brand new. Price 45e

http://www.adverts.ie/ipod-mp3/aux-input-adaptor-for-bmw/1323823

 

[conzy]

Just an update on this, because of the length of the cable you lose a good bit of signal so I find when using the aux in its less than half as loud as the radio. So Im going to get some kind of cheap headphone amp like this to boost the signal and all will be well

 

[MelsBimmer]

Thank you so much! This worked perfect!! I actually pulled the radio out and cut the wires from behind the head unit, then ran the cable behind the climate control and out near the ashtray, so I didn't have to run wire everywhere. So happy to have a working ipod now, thanks again!!!

 

[MelsBimmer]

Awesome!

Thank you so much!!! This worked perfect!!! I actually cut the wires up at the head unit, and then ran the cable down by the ash tray, so I didn't lose much sound quality at all, sounds beautiful!! Thank you again, I looked everywhere for a solution to this!!

 

[rmc]

Just did this , took 20mins and €8 for the lead.

Happy out

 

[j21finnn]

Good leads easy fit . Put one in my e46 m3 yesterday works like a charm