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Let's DIY aux input cable.

873K views 805 replies 319 participants last post by  Auxburgo 
#1 · (Edited)
This is not how to install aux input cable rather how to make it.
Seriously, I don't want to spend about $50 for a stinking cable.
I'm in Canada and usually BMW parts are more expensive than US.

Let's get started.

1. This was male on both end and I just cut one side.


2. Close up


3. Some people might wonder what this is.

This is a cable that I found from my old computer I was about to throw away. This pin connects to motherboard for power switch, reset switch, hdd led, power led, etc.
Do not cut the other end of this cable, just pull the pins out. It will help you to solder it. :)

4. See? It is so much easier to connect them to solder it.


5. 3 small and 1 big heat shrink tube.


6. Ok. It is done.


7. From HU, pin 8,9(left,right or right,left don't care too much. :D ) and pin 4(ground) need to be connected.
You will be surprised how well it fits. :D


8. Finished



Total cost $0. Because I found everthing I need at home and it works great. :D
 
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#2 ·
HAHA thats AWESOME man! I was a sucker and paid for the BMW cable :banghead: But if i knew about this, i would have tried it myself. Thumbsup for the DIY with pictures and all. :thumbsup:

Any other cool things we can DIY? I love doing things myself but i have run out of ideas!

:bow:
 
#6 ·
wow that's awesome..
my monster FM transmitter died on me recently...
so i'm thinking about going the aux input route..
i was going to get an aux input in the beginning but then i decided that i should try out an fm transmitter and see how that goes...
welll.... if monster doesn't replace mine.. i'm definitely getting an aux input.
 
#11 ·
Seriously though, for most people that dont have the knowledge or patience to do that, $39.97 (what I paid at the dealer) is money well spent.

But props for putting that together on your own and knowing how to do that.
 
#14 ·
this is awesome but how do i get the HU out?

Let me just start by saying White, this was awesome. Great call, I cant believe my 2003 330ci didnt come with an AUX input already! I rented a freaking Dodge Neon that had it.

Anywhos, I was just wondering if you could help me get my HU out? I dont want to break anything (my cars still under waranty) and I want it to all fit back afterward.

Thanks! And where did you run your wire down through?
 
#22 ·
You Rock white46!!

Hey thanks so much for this thread! I worked on it all of last sunday and I got my car all setup!!

I feel like an idiot for not realizing my car had this capability earlier. All those long months i spend listening to my single CD player now seem foolish!

In case anyone's wondering what I did was i ran 5 cables from my HU.
- 3 wires like white46 said to run the aux audio input
- 2 wires that carry power for my audio player

I found the plug that carried 12v when the car is turned on, and 0v when its turned off , and tapped into that as well as the ground cable. I needed a 5v for my ARCHOS AV700 player, so I used a total of 1.2MOhms of resistance to drop the voltage sufficiently.

Then I ran all the wires left through all my wood trim pieces, and over the dashboard to the middle of my dash where I am going to mount my player.

I can try to get some pics this weekend of what I have in mind, but I got all the wiring down, I just need to work on a custom housing for this honking player now.

Thanks to white, I have a great little project to work on this weekend!!!!

P.S. this forum rocks
 
#27 ·
Hey thanks so much for this thread! I worked on it all of last sunday and I got my car all setup!!

I feel like an idiot for not realizing my car had this capability earlier. All those long months i spend listening to my single CD player now seem foolish!

In case anyone's wondering what I did was i ran 5 cables from my HU.
- 3 wires like white46 said to run the aux audio input
- 2 wires that carry power for my audio player

I found the plug that carried 12v when the car is turned on, and 0v when its turned off , and tapped into that as well as the ground cable. I needed a 5v for my ARCHOS AV700 player, so I used a total of 1.2MOhms of resistance to drop the voltage sufficiently.

Then I ran all the wires left through all my wood trim pieces, and over the dashboard to the middle of my dash where I am going to mount my player.

I can try to get some pics this weekend of what I have in mind, but I got all the wiring down, I just need to work on a custom housing for this honking player now.

Thanks to white, I have a great little project to work on this weekend!!!!

P.S. this forum rocks
Did you have a chance to take any pictures of this?
 
#25 ·
So, if my car is 2000 I cant do this? I cant unless I have the MODE button. I was going to ask about this but never had the time. Anyway, I went to Circuit City and asked if they had anything like that. The guy came back holding a box with a couple of wires in it and said its $80...he said that I connect my Ipod the same way as the changer. I was too iritated by the price and stoped listening! $80 for a wire....???

A friend of mine instaled his In-dash DVD and they charged him $20 for a piece of wire that costs $2.99 at Radio Shack. I know caz i bought that same wire to use it to connect my I pod to the HT system.

Now I'm gonna go check if my car has the MODE button....

Thanks...
 
#36 ·
Here's how:

1. Turn Radio Off.
2. Turn Radio On.
3. Press and hold the "m" button for about 10 seconds.
4. Press < or > to navigate, you will need to go to the 2nd screen to look for the SW Verison which is in a SV xx-xx xx format.
5. To be Sirius/AUX or XM compatible, the radio must be SW 43 or higher.
6. Turn radio off to exit.

The MODE button is not a good enough of an indicator to check if a radio is AUX or Sirius compatible. It needs to be manufactured 09/02 or later.
 
#41 ·
it is rear of HU, right beside where CD changer connects to.


I was trying to wire it up using a headphone plug and noticed there are only 2 wires coming out from a regular stereo cable. (L + R signal) How do I get the ground wire to connect? What kind of cable did you use? (you have 3 wires coming out from it)
you must have used mono headphones. You can either use stereo headphone or get cable like mine from any local radioshack, etc for less than $5.
i just happended to find it at home. :)
For stereo headphone, if you cut the wire, you will see this.
sorry for the bad picture. :(

Each wire inside is coated with special protectant to prevent interfering each other. You can burn the wires little with lighter to remove the coat. From there it is all the same. Just make sure you connect grounding wire togeter from each side and put it into pin 4.


so now for us that have a 2001 that does not have with the mode botton .... what can we do to get aux in put ??
sell old HU through ebay. you can get easily over $150.
and buy new one.
i bought mine Feb/06 built date HU from fellow fanatic for $230. :D
 
#40 ·
We have an interface that will convert the CD Changer input to an AUX port, this is plugged into the trunk.

We haven't placed the devices on the site yet, but I do have them in stock. Feel free to contact me interested.
 
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