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How to play CD's through cassette player???

4K views 20 replies 8 participants last post by  dp102288 
#1 ·
I bought a portable CD player with cassette adapter so I can listen to CD's instead of old cassettes. It played for maybe a half-second, then it ejected the cassette adapter. I tried another adapter (same kind), and it did the same thing. The car is a standard '96 Eldo, no Bose, or at least it doesn't say Bose anywhere on it.

I'm currently trying to decide what to do, since the OEM cassette player is playing a little slow, and my home deck died in a lightning storm. Has anybody used an Audiovox FM modulator, or some other method of running external audio into the factory sound system?

Something like these:

http://www.audiovox.com/webapp/wcs/...001&storeId=10001&productId=1775305&langId=-1

http://www.installer.com/aux/index.html
 
#2 ·
I used to use an fm transmitter to play mp3 through my cd player, but it was a pin to keep everything powered and was kinda staticy. I quickly stopped using it, not worth it.

You should upgrade you headunit. Non-video setups are usually pretty cheap, and you can get install help from this board if you don't want a store to do it (usually around $50 for an install).
 
#3 ·
I had already done a little research on the transmitters, and most people mentioned similar problems with static and bleedover, so I trashed that idea way back. I don't want to drop a wad of cash on a whole new head unit because I may not keep the car for a great length of time, but I thought something less expensive and less permanent might be worth a try.
 
#4 ·
^^ Oh. Well cd player head units can be cheap, but if you might get rid of the car soon, that's money you would lose for the parts and maybe the install (if you don't do it yourself).

I looked again at the links you posted. I don't know anything about them, but they look like more work than a head unit would be. But if the first one does connect to the antenna, then I guess it wouldn't be very staticy.
 
#5 ·
Transmitters are junk. What you need to do is remove the screws on the cassette adaptor and take out all the little gears and shit that they put in these things. What's happening is that the adaptor isn't very good at simulating the same tension that a cassette has so the deck is ejecting it to prevent damage to the 'cassette'.
 
#6 ·
I'd keep searching for a better cassette adapter. What you described has happened to me as well, but I eventually found a good adapter that didn't eject. The sound quality is much better than you would get with a transmitter or an FM modulator.

Good luck.
 
#9 ·
I had the very same setup as you have, mine also ejected the casette adaptor,I read a tip on how to fix this,(it worked for me) buy one of those cleaner casette tapes,use the cleaner fluid,then put it in casette player and hold it in there(what have you got to lose) mine put up a good fight to get
out,even you think it's going to blow up you hold it in there.I dont know why but it worked for me. good luck,let me know if it worked for you.
 
#13 ·
I've spent quite a while investigating adapters, etc., and the general consensus is that there's too much interference from other sources with the in-car FM transmitters. Most of them are only able to transmit on a few set frequencies, and in large cities those very frequencies are often found to carrying powerful FM stations whose signals can overpower the car transmitter's signal, leading to bleedover. Nothing like listening to your favorite song and all of a sudden some loud lame DJ starts bleating out some kind of radio BS all over the car. Or god forbid, an Enzyte Bob commercial. Static was also often mentioned as a big problem.

If I can't find a cassette adapter that works, I'm probably going to try the Audiovox FM modulator. Most of the reviews I've seen are positive, and it's supposed to block external FM signals when you're using the portable player. It's not a simple plug-&-play thing, but it looks like a pretty easy wire-up.
 
#15 ·
Just remove all the tensioner gears in the adaptor and it will work. FM transmitters don't give a good frequency response, or stereo seperation. Remember, cassette sound is better than FM sound. I used to drive an Olds where I worked that liked to spit out the cassette adaptor, after removing the junk inside, the adaptor worked fine.
 
#16 ·
The owners manual explains how to get cassette adapters to work in my 1999 STS. It says to:

1: Turn ignition to ON or ACC.
2. Turn the radio off.
3. Press and hold the SOURCE button for two seconds. The tape symbol on the display will flash three times, indicating the bypass feature is active.
4. Insert the adapter.

This override feature will remain active until the eject button is pressed.
 
#20 ·
Jim, I was at K-Mart shopping with the wife and I remembered your post. They had a cd player on sale with a cassette adapter for $18 so I thought I'd give it a try. Couldn't believe it but it works great. You also get headphones and a wired remote. Just have one wire from the adapter to the cd or you can power it from the lighter. Emerson model HD9116BL It plays thru the car speakers and the steering wheel audio volume still active. It will do until I can figure something else out.Oh yeah, it played a cd I burned on my PC......... Frank
 
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