[Elite Aviator]

Hey, I'm new here and looking for a little bit of advice.

As stated in the title, I have a 2003 Ford Focus SE 2.3L engine and stock everything. I have the original Blaupunkt radio without a built-in cd changer, but a button for one, it looks just like this...

I want to connect my MP3 player to the radio, note this isn't an iPod so I only want an Auxilary input. I have looked online and found different 12 pin adapters, but they run around $90, which I would rather not spend that much on a cable. I also really really like the built in radio and would like to keep it, not purchase a new one. The RDS feature is awsome and I don't know of many other radios that look good with the focus or have that feature.

Basically what I'm asking, can anyone point me to a few different cables that will work with my car? I would like to see how much different ones cost, I would prefer one less than $90. Also a little explanation on how to install it would be very helpful. I'm pretty sure you just take out the radio (I know you need special tools for that), plug in the 12 pin adapter to the CD Changer port on the back, and then just have an RCA to a 3.5 millimeter connection to plug into my player. Thank you very much for your help guys

 

[Elite Aviator]

bump

BUMP!!

Help really would be nice, I would like to order this soon. I'm sure someone did this rather than shelling out the cash for an alpine system that doesn't look as nice and doesn't have RDS

 

[Moydog]

Rookie,
I'm a rookie as well, and have the same radio, and I know you are looking for a cable to add, but I think I know of a less complicated way to do this for you. Much like the XM Radio you show in your picture, you can buy an FM transmitter at target for about $25.00. Go to the car accessories area at Target, (Floor mats etc isle). There are a few choices. Again, like your XM radio, you can tune a preset to 88.3 or whatever, plug in your mp3 player, and let'r buck.
Here's the search at Taget online:
Target FM Transmitter

 

[Elite Aviator]

FM Transmitter

I know about the FM Transmitters. I despise them. Also, that isn't a pic of my car, just one that looks just like it. Except, I don't have XM Radio

Yea, I don't like the FM Transmitters, the quality is crap to me and I have found a couple hard wire kits, but they aren't cheap, about $100 in total. Even the best $100 FM Transmitter won't work as well as a $10 tape deck. And no tape deck will work as well as a hard wire hookup. Therefore, I want the best, the hard wire hookup. Thanks for the info though

 

[Silentheero]

BUMP

I know what you are talking about. I have been searching on how to hook up my PSP to my car since I got it (last Friday [cool] ) These sites will not help much:
http://www.installer.com/aux/
http://peripheralelectronics.com/web/aux_in.asp

Besides being about 100 dollars for the cables, they only work if your head unit is connected to an external cd changer. Other cables only work with certain aftermarket brands, not factory systems.

I also hate fm transmitters and want hard wired aux for whatever I want to plug in. Anyone else solve this problem? We want to keep our factory systems and don't want fm transmitters.

Thanks for any help

 

[Foci_Fosho]

None of those listed on any of those sites will work.

you are looking for AAI-FRDFC.

The PAC AAI-FRDFC Auxiliary Input Converter system allows the user to add up to three auxiliary input sources and have them connected directly between the factory CD changer and the factory audio systems of a 1999 - 2003 Mercury Cougar or a 2000 - 2003 Ford Focus. Now you can connect your MP3 portable player, an XM radio, and an iPod, or any combination of three separate audio sources, all at the same time to your factory radio and NOT have to use an FM modulator.

Additional Add-on Items:
# Add an iPOD interface to this auxiliary input by adding either the Uni-POD or the UII Universal iPOD Interface.
# Convert the RCA inputs on this device to a 3.5mm input by adding the PIE 3.5-RCA6MM Interface.

APPLICATION NOTES:
1. The factory radio must have CD changer control capability.
2. The PAC AAI-FRDFC can be used with OR without a factory CD Changer
3. The PAC AAI-FRDFC will NOT work with 6-disc indash factory radio.
4. The PAC AAI-FRDFC will NOT work with Ford factory navigation.

I'm been looking to get one, But I have no real reason to yet.
Glad to have been some assistance.

 

[Silentheero]

I saw that one and it looked great but I have a 6-disc indash factory radio, so I cannot use it. Any other options?

It would be great if there were a cord that had 3.5mm, USB, and SD inputs. That would cover all the bases.

 

[Elite Aviator]

I don't have the in-dash factory stereo. I was under the influence that the ones listed to me would work. If i don't have the radio, wouldn't they connect to the open port on the back of my stock head unit?

I really don't want to replace the head unit (although I can find one that would be cheaper than this cable haha). I have seen all the alpine head units and they look like crap compared to the stock focus one. This thing tells you what song your listening to on the radio, it has a clear font on it as well, which no other head unit has unless its rediculously expensive and not even worth it any more.

 

[Elite Aviator]

bump

bump

Also, if I were to replace the head unit, would I still be able to see what song is playing on the radio? I love that feature. Would I need an HD head unit or will a normal one do?

BTW, would this work on my car. Again, my car's headunit has the button for a cd changer, but it didn't come with a cd changer, just single cd player. This is much much cheaper than the rest, when i looked for the same product on a different site, it was $99.99, here its less than half the price.

http://www.cardomain.com/item/PERPXFDFC

 

[jranaudo]

been doing alot of research on this and it looks like an FM transmitter or modulator is the only options to go with if you want to keep you head unit without the cd changer.

Options the way I see it.

1) Add CD changer and wiring harness listed from previous user. Got you aux input.

2) FM transitter or modulator

3) New head unit...

This really sucks! I think the FM transmitters really suck and don't want to have to spend more $$ on a new head unit!

damn ford morons!

 

[Elite Aviator]

Aux Input

The FM transmitters suck and I'm not going there.

The thing that I showed you though, why wouldn't that work. It simply plugs into the cd changer port on back of the headunit (the port is open because I don't have a cd player. Then I believe there is another cable that plugs into that giving the red and white aux input cables. This way, when I press the CDC (cd changer button) on the headunit, it will really read the auxillary input that I installed in the same port and should work with my mp3 player. Technically. Is this true?

If not, is there a head unit that will show what song that I'm listening to on the radio as well? I love the RDS feature on the stock head unit, also I loved the fact that there are three seperate lines when listening to an MP3 cd that will tell you the artist, song, and album that your listening to.

If there is another head unit at a reasonable price that will do all that, point me to it and I will gladly buy it. If not, can anyone (im sure that someone has), point me to an input that will plug into the CDC port.

 

[MattZX3]

ok.. you can do a direct wire fm transmitter...

what you do is take out the radio, and connect the direct wire to the back of the radio where the antenna plugs in.. then you plug the antenna into the direct wire...

the direct wire unit has some rca jacks that come out of it... these are aux inputs... all you do is buy thecable that converts from rca to headphone jack, and bingo...

best buy sells the direct wire for 42 bucks... and the other cable is about 20 or so

the direct wire will work in the same manner as the fm transmitter, in the fact that you have to use a radio station to broadcast to still, but since its a wired connection going to the radio, it will emilinate about 99% of the static, and the sound quality will be sooo much better


other options are as listed, an new deck.. thats the best way to do it..

you could get a deck with the aux in on the faceplate, and then you get a male to male headphone jack, and plug in the mp3 player into one end, and the deck into the other.. and bam.. crystal clear connection

 

[Elite Aviator]

Thanks. That post helped alot. I like the idea of the direct connection for an fm transmitter. I might do that, I'll see. The cable price is no problem, my friend works for them and his employee discount on all cables is about 95% percent off, so both cables should cost me no more than $10. That is a possibility.

I was thinking about it, but I see this part for relativly cheap. Can someone tell me if this will work. This will be that crystal clear hardwire aux input.

http://www.cardomain.com/item/PERPXFDFC

again, i have a 2003 focus so it says it should work. I don't have a factor CD changer, but there is a button for it on the head unit. Im guessing in the back of the head unit there will be an empty slot where the cd changer should be. Would I be able to plug this cord into that empty slot by the CD changer? If so, this is a very good deal for the others that I've seen normally cost around $90 and such.

If this were to work, all I would need is that one component? I do have the RCA to male 3.55 mm jack already so that isn't an issue. Thanks alot for helping man.


Also I was wondering, if I were to find a schematic for the blaupunkt radio, would I be able to build my own aux input? I'm very good with electronics and have access to a shop with a huge amount of components if I would need to regulate anything. I heard that I would have to emulate a signal to the blaupunkt HU making it think that my auxilary input is actually a CD changer. Anyone know how I would go about doing that?

If that last paragraph is too confusing, forget about it and please answer my first question. Thanks alot

 

[babyface]

if u dont have the factory changer, than that cable will work.

note that it says it will work with ther 2003 Focus, including and CD changer, but it will not work with the IN-DASH changer.

urs will work.

as for me, i'm adding a Drive+Play unit to my Focus, to control my ipod, i'm also adding Siruis. I'll be hardwiring it to the FM antenna thingy in back of my headunit, and the siruis will run through the Drive+Play thing.

The antenna hardwire kit was $29.99 at Best Buy.

 

[Elite Aviator]

Thanks very much. That was the straight forward answer I was looking for

I was pretty confident it would work, but I was reading tons of other posts on this forum and one said someone bought a $100 cable only for it not to work because the damn HU needs a signal emulating a CD changer.

I figured I'd ask because it said will work for the CD changer, than says it won't. I found it to be contradicting itself making me question its integrity. Thanks alot. I will post back to tell how it is after I purchase it.

Also another question, lets say I were to purchase another HU, would it still what say what song I'm listening to on the radio? You know how the stock blaupunkt HU that comes with the focus has the RDS system, would I need a specialized HU that will accept RDS (i read it was more common in europe than the states, and im in the states), or will just a normal HU work with the RDS system?

Thanks alot again

 

[babyface]

well, most HU's dont have that, cuz most stations dont bother with it, unless ur in a metro area.

ur best bet is to do a sat radio system, but if you have some money to spend, there are other options.

you can get a headunit that will decode Sat radio signals, run ur iPod, display song info with CD's, and sometimes with HD radio. IT'll probaly also play DVD's

and it'll cost a fortune

 

[Elite Aviator]

Ya know, I think I'll stick with that $50 cable

Alot of the station around me have the RDS signal, although alot of the radio stations are broadcasted from new york. Pretty major.

You are a giant help to me. Thanks again

 

[babyface]

no prob.

ur lucky ur stations use RDS. We have only 2 here that do, and theyre both country.

i love my sirius radio. Stiletto 100 bitches, teh hot shizzle.

 

[Black&Tan]

I replaced my 9006 factory HU, and I have to say that while the sound quality of my aftermarket HU is much better (I have more control over the sub output and EQ curves and two aux-ins), I already miss the RDS and the bigger, more user friendly buttons and easy to read text output.

I guess it's a trade-off. The XM sound quality is night and day compared to the FM modulator.

Let me know how the hardwired antenna aux inputs work out for you.

 

[2006BLACKST]

The Cheapest And Most Effective Way I Have Found So Far Is The Wired Fm Mod You Get Slightly Better Then Fm Quality(depending On The Quality Of Your Mp3's) And Is Very Simple To Install. There Are Some Other Products Out There One Made By A Company Called Peripheral Who Make All Kinds Of Oem Integration Parts, But They Cost Over $100. I Have Tried And Installed Several Things But The Wired Fm Mod Gives You The Most Bang For Your Buck. Hope This Helps.