MP3 hook up on a '89

[DAVES89]

I went to Radio Shack today and got a 1/8" stereo phone plug. It is 3 conductor shielded Part #274-1547

I have a harness from a Reatta cassette deck that I gutted so I have the factory end that would plug directly into the existing cars harness.

As most know there are 4 leads, white, green, red, and black.

The phone plug has what looks like 3 places to solder, two are short and one is long. Where do the 4 leads go on the 3 places? If one is ground, which one, and how do I handle that lead?

Also will the CRT automatically conform to the MP3 format to allow playing of songs and to move around on the play list?

Will I need an external power source or do I have it all in the existing leads?

Thanks!

[DAVES89]

Went over to my son in laws to have him give me a hand. He has an ossiliscope so he tested and I watched [i know nothing about this stuff!]. We/he tested, noted 2 grounds put them on the long lead and then tested for right side, then left side for the speakers and soldered everthing up.

Tested again on the scope and everthing tests as it should.

He answered my question about the power for the MP3 player. The MP3 player has its own power and runs off a AAA battery.

Also that the cassette deck is a "slave" and has no brain [which I knew] , but that after I play the deck I can disconnect it and plug in my MP3 player.

So tomorrow I will plug it in and see what happens. I will keep you posted...

[D-a-n-i-e-l]

It will look fine. You can even get the other aux plug and not have to unplug your tape deck, or use it for an other input. I use mine for a DVD player, with a 7" screen mounted where the old tape deck went.

[DAVES89]

Daniel I am not sure I know what you mean by get the other aux plug. Are you saying there is an existing plug there already?

Or am I to wire one in?

If I am to wire one in, where do I do this and what is that procedure?

BTW I just unplugged the cassette dec this am and plugged in the adapter lead S-I-L made for me and all is good.

Now believe it or not I also want the cassette to work! Any advice?

Edited March 31, 2010 by DAVES89 (see edit history)

[padgett]

The first is for the cassette, second is for the cell phone. There was some question whether the second is a mono input, was that determined ?

[DAVES89]

Not sure I know where the second lead is. I went out and pulled the cassette deck out to move my MP3 lead around a little bit, didn't see it anywhere.

Maybe it is a "snipe" lead?

[handmedownreatta]

the second input is on the radio module.you will need a plug.

[Ronnie]

I wish someone would write a tutorial on how to do this. Every time someone wants to install the jack for an MP3 player it is like pulling hens teeth to get all the information needed to do it. I have read all the threads about doing it and I still don't have enough solid information to go about doing it with any certainty as to what actually needs to be done.

A lot of questions come to mind:

1. Does the cassette player need to stay in place or can it be removed?
   
2. Where do you install the jack?
   
3. What type of jack is needed?
   
4. What wires are really needed to make the CRT recognize the MP3 player?
   

[D-a-n-i-e-l]

Both are stereo. I will do an other write up. this time including both inputs. I will do it this weekend if the rain breaks.

[BrentS]

Also, I was confused with whether the tape player has to be working (and spinning) in order for the radio to receive (and play) the signal coming from an MP3 player. I remember someone says that it does at first, but they you don't need the tape player?.........but, if you disconnect the car's battery, then you do need the tape player again??

I remember pushing the PLAY button on my CRT when the tape player was disconnected, and absolutely nothing happened (it didn't switch over to the tape player mode on the CRT), it just kept playing the radio.

I would also VERY MUCH LIKE a nice clear write-up. Thanks all.........you guys rule!

[DAVES89]

Thanks Daniel!

Please include what programming needs to be done thru the CRT so that the car recognizes this new lead. [Example would be the extra programming for the Compass addition].

Also if we have an esact description of this additional plug and where it goes on the radio box in th console.

Pictures please if possible...

[padgett]

Isn't any reprogramming for the compass - program is already there, just not used until compass is detected. I think all you need to do is to assert the "tape present" line to the radio, but have never gotten around to do it (use a wireless MP3 player). Schematics are in the DOCS section on reatta.net

[Guest Mc_Reatta]

Until Daniel can get a tutorial together, I will give some answers to the questions as I just put an external amp + sub-woofer upgrade as well as GPS / M3P player into my son's 89 trying to keep everything plug and play so it can be removed and all returned to stock if desired.

Audio connectors are Delphi Micro-Pack. Some like the emulator for the stock radio are readily available most places that handle car audio, The one that mimics the car chassis wiring harness is a little less available but is out there. These two connectors mate together. I used one of each mostly to grab the speaker outputs to route to a processor and then return the speaker outputs from the new amp to plug back into the existing harness back to the car's speakers.

For those just installing a jack to plug in a M3P player or some other audio input device thru a 1/8 inch stereo plug they will not really help other than to supply the pins if you want to retain the existing deck wiring harness end without modification. The jack you really need is the 4 wire one in the rear of the cassette deck. Not sure if there is a low volume source of these available, so not wanting to tear up my deck, I used some of the unused pins off of the connectors I did have to connect to the wiring harness end.

The wiring of the 1/8 jack to the car is simple enough. Three wires in the 4 wire plug from the back of the cassette deck are used, In an 89 they are the common ground black/white stripe wire and the right signal wire (green/white), and the left signal wire is gray. The other wire is a shield chassis ground and is not needed to hook up an external audio source.

In order to get BCM to play through this input, the cassette deck needs to have returned a tape loaded signal back to the BCM via the logic data lines. In my instance the deck does not have to actually have to spin the tape to send this signal, but a tape does have to be in place ready to play, and play pressed. Once this signal has been sent once and the BCM does not lose battery power, the radio will play any signal present on this input when put into tape mode. There is no additional programming necessary for this to happen.

After this has occurred, the second plug can be removed from the cassette deck and the deck removed from the car. This second connector supplies the power to the deck as well as the data lines and can be used to supply power to another device like a GPS or DVD player you want to install in the deck's place.

If the BCM loses battery power, then the cassette deck with a loaded tape will have to be connected back up to just the longer connector with the data lines and the radio switch back into tape play mode. After the BCM is told that the deck is there and ready to use, the deck can again be removed.

There is a telephone input to the radio which is mono, but there is a second stereo input other that the cassette deck also, but I believe this is on the bottom side of the radio which is not easily accessible, and you would have trouble finding the proper connector, so you would have to be willing to reconfigure them yourself.

If you're not into using the cassette deck, and want the easiest approach, using the deck's signal inputs is the way to go.

There are openings from the rear of the cassette deck area on both sides, so the 1/8 stereo jack can exit from the rear the compartment on either side either just enough for you to hookup your device, or can be run along the console to the rear to any other location you prefer to have the connection point. Don't forget you will need a 1/8 male to male stereo extension cord to plug into both you device and the jack if you don't have one already.

[DAVES89]

It looks like I will be going to the u pick yard tomorrow for other parts, so now I will be pulling from a Riv the radio brain box. Then I will pull all the leads so I am ready for DANIEL's tutorial, in addition to the info from MC Reatta.

Thanks

[DAVES89]

OK here is what I got from the u pick.

I pulled the Radio from an '89 Riv. Pulled all the leads to have when I would look in the manual. After about 1 hour of chasing my tail, here is what I think I have.

There is a black multi pin plug that I pulled from the bottom of the radio;

it has 4 leads;

#1 is silver and protected by a plastic tube... is this the ground?

#2 is a black/white lead ...like for the casette deck lead also a ground?

#3 is a green/white lead... speaker lead?

#4 is a brown/white lead... speaker lead?

There is another black plug that has 4 leads as well they are black,pink,yellow,red

The last lead is gray and has 2 leads they are green, and green/lt green

Any advice would be most appreciated.

[padgett]

Is a lead index stamped into the top of the radio module.

Think it was posted at one point.

[Guest Mc_Reatta]

Dave,

The first black plug you mention is C6 from the bottom of the radio. The leads you describe are the inputs from the tape player. Chassis/shield ground, common signal ground, right channel signal, left channel signal. This is the other end of the connector you hooked your m3p jack to behind the tape deck, although for some reason the left signal wire is gray at the tape deck and brown/white at the radio end.

The second black plug is I believe C1 from the top of the radio by the speaker outputs. The wires are: black power ground, pink power antenna signal, yellow is 12 volts switched, and red is 12 volts always.

The last gray plug is C3 also from the bottom of the radio and the green wires are the logic data lines.

Padgett is correct as there was a photo of the metal side (as mounted in the console) which showed the pin out numbers and functions engraved in it. Unfortunately, it is not all that legible. If someone could transcribe what it says and post it would be most helpful. It is also contained in manual 3D for the delco radio, but this isn't posted on reatta.net

[Guest Mc_Reatta]

Searching old posts discovered a listing of pinouts courtesy simplyconnected and Daniel. Added connector numbers, locations and wire colors. Second aux input requires using a C2 connector which is not readily available. Believe you need to find one in a car that had a CD or cell phone installed and utilized this connector. Connector C6 is not even shown in connector diagrams in the FSM but is in wiring diagrams.

RADIO CONNECTIONS.zip

[DAVES89]

I did a quick search myself as I am trying to think this thru as a learning experience as well. One of the ideas I found [by I believe Rawja] back in 2002 was to simply install an AB switch. Is that an idea that would work? Also would that would make the connections easier as one could still work off the existing and easily found cassette lead? Any thoughts?

Also McReatta I tried opening the file and it would not open [at least for me]. Could you put it on the site to make it easier? Thanks

[Ronnie]

Here is the information contained in the .zip file. I have added it to my website for future reference. Reatta Owners Journal - Radio & Cassette Connector Pinouts

[Guest Mc_Reatta]

An AB switch is an option but probably not necessary as most audio devices would exhibit a high impedance on the audio output lines when turned off. You could Y several different jacks together to the same 3 connections your using now from the tape deck input to supply the signal to the radio. The radio will play the active signal from whatever device you have turned on in tape mode, and not even know you have other devices connected as well. If you have more than one turned on at the same time, it will try to mix the inputs and may be usable like a GPS voice coming in over your music player or just be a sonic jumble. Not highly recommended as a way of mixing multiple inputs, but that's not probably what you would be trying to do anyway.

[padgett]

File is in .xlsx format - you need Office 2007 or Open Office 3.x to open.

[Ronnie]

Opened in Office 2000 for me.

[Rawja]

The image posted by Ronnie is the content of the excel file.

[padgett]

Shoulda mentioned that you can download a "compatability pack" that will let earlier versions of Office open .docx, .xlsx, and pptx files.

[wws944]

Or just run OpenOffice.

[DAVES89]

Any updates on the tutorial?

[D-a-n-i-e-l]

I have time this weekend, so expect mine on sunday

[D-a-n-i-e-l]

This weekend did not go as planned. I will try to get my 2 cents in later this week

[Guest Mc_Reatta]

I have found a source for the C2 connector that is needed to connect to the second aux input on the top of the radio which would allow the tape input to remain in place besides getting lucky in a junk yard.

Search in ebay motors for "gm harness male plug". Look for a plug that looks like the one in the attached photo. Vendor is Autoware302.

C2 is the six pin right half of the bottom gray connector in the photo. Some work will have to be done to separate it from the other connector and you will have to transfer some of the pins from one of the other connectors to the proper places on this one but that is not very difficult.

Will wait for Daniel's report on how to use this second input to allow for 2 external audio stereo input sources to be added to the system.

[rjfranken]

MS Office 10 beta is a free download until it is released.

I'm waiting for Daniel's report also.

[DAVES89]

I will offer a working CRT to whomever provides me with a working pig tail, plug and play set up,that still allows me to keep my cassette deck operational.

In other words, according to what we have heard, the cassette deck does not need to be disconnected, there is another place to plug in on the Reatta brain box that would allow me to choose either my cassette deck or the auxillary lead [for me an MP3 player].

It must be plug and play. When I recieve same, I will send out CRT. If whoever can do this would like something instead of a CRT I would consider that as well.

Thanks

[Guest Mc_Reatta]

Dave, that's way too generous an offer.

How long a cable would you want and what has to be on the m3p end?

[DAVES89]

That's how bad I want this done.

The MP3 end is a 3.5 mm stereo pin plug [male]. Cable length 3 feet long. Plug has to be on the other end that would snap in and lock into place, I don't want to solder it, I want it as I said in a prior post, plug and play...

Edited April 22, 2010 by DAVES89 (see edit history)

[Guest Mc_Reatta]

You sure the m3p end isn't 3.5 mm (slightly larger than 1/8")? That's the only size I ever seen as a headphone jack on newer portable devices. A full 1/4" plug is real old school and too large for most modern equipment. Most players like an ipod are hardly even 1/4" thick total.

[Rawja]

There's a a vendor on eBay who'll add the input to your factory radio, on my last inquiry it was 50 or 60 bucks AFAIR.

Here's a link: eBay Seller: factoryradios: Parts Accessories items on eBay Motors

[DAVES89]

I will check. Does that mean you are my supplier?

[Guest Mc_Reatta]

Doesn't look like there is a line forming to help you out. I have the pieces to make up a cable with a connector that will plug into the radio and end in a 3.5 mm stereo plug which is what I think you probably need. I don't have a 1/4" plug but could probably find at Rat Shack, but I don't think that is the size you need anyway.

What if any were the issues with the plug your son in law make for you? I've heard that the 1/8" plug Rat Shack sells is a little loose when plugged into a player and may give connection issues. Was that the case or did it work fine? I thought you had that hookup working. Now you just want to have you cassette deck as well?

[DAVES89]

There never is a line at the payback window, only at the free help window. LOL

Yes you are correct as I went to Radio Shack and it is 3.5mm. [i adjusted my prior post as well].

The pigtail my son in law made works excellant. I had the lead from inside the cassette deck and I got the correct pin at Radio Shack.

I have some cassettes that I had recorded that I would like to listen to occaisionally. However now that I have been using the MP3 player the convienance is so much better as is the sound. But I guess I want it all.

My offer stands, I will send you a working CRT if you can help me out. [i am a "junker" and have 3 back ups]. You are welcome to one.

[handmedownreatta]

i took one of the plugs that came with my 94 regal? radio module that i put in my car and cut it in half to use as the aux input.it fits well in the dead reatta module but since my cassette player is dead im still using the cassette inputs.