Fitting an Aux socket to a radio

[Curtisden]

Hi

My Citroen Relay (Boxer by any other name. 2012 vintage.) has the usual radio set up which is sadly missing a Aux input socket.

Is there any way that I can fit one?

Yes I do know that some came fitted, but mine is not which i understand was standard for this mark.

Thanks

 

Curtisden

[lennyhb]

Not unless you have a circuit diagram and have some electronic experience.

 

Have you checked the back of the unit at a lot of them have an aux input on the rear.

[Curtisden]

Thanks.

No I will have a look.

P

[Billggski]

The work involved will cost more than a new radio with an aux. socket.

If you get the same brand the connectors will just plug in.

[Curtisden]

Thanks thought so.

P

[StuartO]

I agree with the suggestion that a new radio is a better idea than trying to modify an existing one. Even if yoy have electronic skills the circuit boards of modern stuff is all surface mounted components and extremely difficult to do anything with.

 

Our radio packed up a few months ago - r rather the young grandsons had probably got at it with something intot eh CD slot - so I decided to look at upgrading to digital.

 

Halfords had some good deals - there is usually one or other digital radio for under £100 and they all come with CD player, USB/aux inputs etc. It took me a while to find one that didn't incude an imitation of Blackpool Iluminations when it was switching on. They will fit it for a bit extra two - and since you will need a special digital aerial, not a bad idea letting them do it. I did mine myself and it took ages - and then it seemed to go wrong and I had to get them to sort it out. All it needed was disconencting th "always live" lne, to alow it to reset.

 

Is digital worth it? Well surprisingly it is. It's noticably clearer and crisper - and of course there are more stations. It works well hanging on to a station as you drive across country too.

[Curtisden]

Thanks

But the radio is a built in type, being part of a high gloss plastic centre dashboard.

It is not a slide in unit of the usual type.

p

[Brian Kirby]

StuartO - 2014-08-15 9:22 PM...............Is digital worth it? Well surprisingly it is. It's noticably clearer and crisper - and of course there are more stations. It works well hanging on to a station as you drive across country too.

But, it is pretty much non-existant in Europe outside the UK. At least, Ive been unable to find digital broadcasts across a large chunk of France, those parts of Germany bordering France, or Spain. If wanted for UK use it is fine but, at present, for use elsewhere, not worth the extra cost and fiddle.

[Robinhood]

Brian Kirby - 2014-08-15 10:45 PM

 

But, it is pretty much non-existant in Europe outside the UK. At least, Ive been unable to find digital broadcasts across a large chunk of France, those parts of Germany bordering France, or Spain. If wanted for UK use it is fine but, at present, for use elsewhere, not worth the extra cost and fiddle.

 

...I'd be interested to know whether you are using a DAB+ capable radio.

 

Whilst the UK has standardised on DAB, the great majority of the continent have gone for DAB+.

 

DAB+ is downward compatible (i.e. a DAB+ radio will receive DAB signals, but not vice versa).

 

I think a large proportion of the radios sold in the UK to date have been only DAB, though it is becoming increasingly possible to buy DAB/DAB+ combined reception.

 

AFAIK, Germany (as an example) is reasonably furnished with digital radio stations, but using the DAB+ system.

[lennyhb]

Curtisden - 2014-08-15 9:57 PM

 

Thanks

But the radio is a built in type, being part of a high gloss plastic centre dashboard.

It is not a slide in unit of the usual type.

p

 

Not problem quite a few companies do replacement fascias, not cheap but it does mean you can fit the radio you want. If its an X250 40 - 60 quid should get you a fascias, not too much considering the price of a decent radio.

[lennyhb]

Brian Kirby - 2014-08-15 10:45 PM

 

StuartO - 2014-08-15 9:22 PM...............Is digital worth it? Well surprisingly it is. It's noticably clearer and crisper - and of course there are more stations. It works well hanging on to a station as you drive across country too.

But, it is pretty much non-existant in Europe outside the UK. At least, Ive been unable to find digital broadcasts across a large chunk of France, those parts of Germany bordering France, or Spain. If wanted for UK use it is fine but, at present, for use elsewhere, not worth the extra cost and fiddle.

 

I tried scanning the L band in France nothing at all.

The French keep delaying the roll out of DAB, Paris was supposed to come on line on 20th June 2014, I cannot find any confirmation that it has.

 

I brought an end of the line radio & they were throwing in the DAB adaptor for free, although it's good I don't think I would have paid the extra £150 for it.

[Frankkia]

What do you need an "Aux" socket for?

 

If it is just to plug in an MP3 player or other such gear it would probably be less hassle and cheaper to use something like the Belkin Tunecast and transmit to the existing radios FM receiver. These are about £30 from Argos or you could find a bargain on "Fleabay"

 

You can also send the sound form the earphone out of a tv to your cab radio - handy for those with thin LED tvs with poor sound.

[lennyhb]

Much better to buy a decent stereo with ipod/MP3 connectivity, then it will bring all the info from the music player up on the screen and is fully controllable from the head unit.

[Curtisden]

Thankyou for that.

Yes i have been down that road of an FM device, in fact 2 and both a Nokia and Belkin both had to be constantly retuned as you travel as you come across various local radio stations using the same or near frequencies.

Its to play Podcasts off my I Pad mini or phone. I have a TV setup also in the rear of the van that uses a separate FM Radio speakers and direct connections from my TV and pad as and when we are stopped. But up front no Aux connection.

Its not the end of the road, but I wondered as this model came with both USBand Aux sockets as an extra in 2012 kit may be a cable only somewhere.

I have a set of Radio Keys somewhere but can not find them right now to pull the whole fascia out.

 

https://www.dropbox.com/s/cipceaisbzpma7m/Radio%2012.jpg

 

Thanks

[Archiesgrandad]

I have a Belkin Tunecast, and like the curate's egg, it is good in parts. Even when it is working well there is quite a lot of wire dangled around the car but the quality of sound is reasonable. We do seem to find areas where there are local radio stations using one or sometimes both of the frequences we use, and they alwayswin. This is particularly true in France.

By comparison we fitted a radio with a USB port to my son' car, along with some modest priced speakers bought inexpensively from Halfords, and it works supurbly, and his Ipod is controlled by the controls on the steering wheel, as is the Bluetooth connection for his cell phone, all for less than £150.

AGD

[Frankkia]

If you can't find the keys for removing the radio to check if there is an "Aux" input on the back - I have removed one in the past by inserting a couple of thin jigsaw blades in the slots. You only need to depress the latches in order to pull the radio forward.

[lennyhb]

Curtisden - 2014-08-16 11:19 AM

 

Thankyou for that.

Yes i have been down that road of an FM device, in fact 2 and both a Nokia and Belkin both had to be constantly retuned as you travel as you come across various local radio stations using the same or near frequencies.

Its to play Podcasts off my I Pad mini or phone. I have a TV setup also in the rear of the van that uses a separate FM Radio speakers and direct connections from my TV and pad as and when we are stopped. But up front no Aux connection.

Its not the end of the road, but I wondered as this model came with both USBand Aux sockets as an extra in 2012 kit may be a cable only somewhere.

I have a set of Radio Keys somewhere but can not find them right now to pull the whole fascia out.

 

https://www.dropbox.com/s/cipceaisbzpma7m/Radio%2012.jpg

 

Thanks

 

Need to get the unit out to find out what it is, as it has the controls probably just a case of sourcing a multi way plug for the back it may well have the capability of Aux/iPod &USB just need the right connector.

 

 

[StuartO]

Brian Kirby - 2014-08-15 10:45 PM

 

StuartO - 2014-08-15 9:22 PM...............Is digital worth it? Well surprisingly it is. It's noticably clearer and crisper - and of course there are more stations. It works well hanging on to a station as you drive across country too.

But, it is pretty much non-existant in Europe outside the UK. At least, Ive been unable to find digital broadcasts across a large chunk of France, those parts of Germany bordering France, or Spain. If wanted for UK use it is fine but, at present, for use elsewhere, not worth the extra cost and fiddle.

 

Maybe so, although I dare say these foreign johnies will catch up with modern technology eventually. ;-)

 

In the meantime these digital radios do of course receive FM (and AM/LW) bands too. I rarely listen to the radio abroad anyway, my French isn't remotely good enough to catch the news or weather so I go on line instead.