Thread: unusual question: hook up cd changer to carputer

Originally Posted by Tufail

Now, I did a search and found a thread but it didn't have all the answers Is it possible to hook up a Kenwood CD changer to a carputer? I want to install a 7,2 " screen in the 2 DIN, and loose the HU. Control everything with the carputer and maybe a remote for winamp in the armrest.

I may be wrong - but I believe most CD changers these days send a digital audio signal from the changer to the head unit - and it changes it to analogue sound. Older changers did send analogue sound, but still most of these were controlled by some proprietary digital protocol.

Originally Posted by Tufail

Isn't there a switch available that you can connect to the parallelport and to the changer? If not, what about a FM modulator and a FM card in the carputer? Poor soundquality? How bad would it be?

There are FM autochangers out there - they are/were made for people who don't have compatible head-units so they transmit a radio signal, but using an FM receiver in your PC is a bit overkill and would almost certainly result in a lot of lost quality.

I think it's a lot of hard work for little result - you might as well just buy yourself an old PC autochanger from ebay or something. Here's a nakamichi five disc changer - On Ebay .

Thanks for the info man. I didn't know they made cd-rom changers.
What would you recommend for a carputer? Laptop or PC?

Originally Posted by Tufail

Thanks for the info man. I didn't know they made cd-rom changers. What would you recommend for a carputer? Laptop or PC?

Laptops are quite a good idea for a quick solution - but personally I'm going for a homebrew solution. The problem with a laptop is if it breaks it can be an expensive job - whereas replacing a £30 mini-itx motherboard isn't going to break the bank. I've tested some GPS/MP3 stuff out on one of my lappies - but they always slide all over the car (well - the way I drive anyway!!).

Oh - BTW: I just got that link off ebay just to demonstrate PC changers - it's a SCSI drive, there are IDE ones out there as well, you might just need to do a more than a 3 second search to find one.

Chris.

The homebrew solution would indeed be the best option and it won't be a pain to hook up a cd-rom changer to it. What will be the case if I use a laptop. Anywayz, I'm still looking at all the options.