Freelander Radio Aux-In modification

[RJF]

Hi,

I've managed to add an aux in on my C43 radio cassette player as fitted to my '01 Freelander. Why do this rather than just buy a £50 new radio with iPod controls? I quite like the steering wheel controls, I like having a CD changer (a bit 90s I know), and probably more importantly - I was bored yesterday lunchtime.

I don't use the tape function anyway, (I don't even think I own any tapes anymore) so I was looking for a possible way to re-use this input. I removed the top cover, removed the tape mechanism and had a nose at the board.

The tape preamplifier is a Phillips TEA0676. I isolated the outputs of this and attached my Aux cable to the PCB pads. There are some zero ohm links nearby that make this really easy.

I then had to fool the control electronics into thinking that a tape was inserted. Fortunately all the logic is on the board and the mechanism is just motors, coils and switches. After a bit of poking around at the mechanism I found the switches that would signal that a tape was inserted (to enable tape selection when pressing the mode button) and that the heads were in contact (this is needed to unmute the audio path) I attached some links on the connector to emulate the switches and tried it. It works!

I've now tidied it up by adding a pair of phono connectors on the back rather than the odd bits of wire and thought I'd share it here.

I'll try and add a bit more information later.

I thought I'd taken some more pictures as well, but these are the only ones I can find.

Rob

[RJF]

Details of the tape mechanism connector...

Molex 5294 series SPOX connector 2.5mm pitch

PinNo - WireColour - Function

1 - Black

2 - White - 1&2 are the tape type switch (Chrome or Ferric)

3 - Grey

4 - Purple - 3&4 are the small hold coil that is part of the auto-reverse

5 - Blue - 5&9Head loaded switch. Closed when head is in the correct position (unmutes audio)

6 - Green - drive motor

7 - Yellow

8 - Orange - 7&8 Tape loaded switch Closed = Tape In (enables selection in menu)

9 - Brown

10 - Red - 9&10 Tape Side switch (Closed = Side 1, Open = Side 2)

11 - nc

I shorted pins 7 to 8, 5 to 9 and 10 to 9 and this worked (Tape in and loaded correctly, playing side 1)

Rob.

[M&S]

I like your thinking, good effort!

Do you fancy doing this for the CD player in my Disco2? I am like you, don't want to change the head unit but would like an aux input for my ipod.

[RJF]

Here is a close up of the preamp.

The red lines show where the zero ohm links were originally. The blue lines are where I moved them to, although you could just remove them. I kept them as I wasn't sure this mod would work.

The cable is screened and the screen is attached to the ground plane under the cable in the pic.

I'm not sure about adding things to a Disco2 CD Player. It might be possible. This mod was quite easy as I was replacing one signal source (the tape) with another. I would have gone with one of those Connects2 Aux in boxes that pretend to be a CD changer, but I like the changer as well.

Rob.

[LRadu]

Good job!

I did this on my Mondeo, adding an aux in, and i am very satisfied with it! It's a cd player, and the method of fooling the cd player is by actually playing a cd.. that is 80mins of silence

The thing is, i am not that good wit electronics to do it with ought any help So if you could provide some guidance i will be eternally grateful!. I have an 2004 Freelander with a cd player.

[LenTil]

This is quite an old post but thanks for this guide. I followed the instructions but installed a Bluetooth board instead, using the green and white wires (motor power) to power the BT board.