Another ICE question......

Post by **syncrodoug** » 21 Jan 2008, 18:35

Have been trying to 'plug in' my laptop into the Audi Symphony head unit/ Bose amplifier set up in my van.
I thought I could connect the laptop audio output to the CD charger inputs on the head unit but no luck - does the head unit need to have signal from the CD changer (my laptop) to let it know its connected, if so, how would I do that?
Doug

Post by **DiscoDave** » 21 Jan 2008, 20:07

yes it does, you should be able to get a thing that plugs into the changer port andtells the head unit that it's got a feed! try ebay!

Post by **VWCamperfan** » 21 Jan 2008, 22:14

Also, just a quickie... What version of windows are you running? If its Vista, check that you have audio output from the connector on the laptop. Doesn't always work with Vista on all machines, small programming error on Microsoft's part!

Post by **syncrodoug** » 22 Jan 2008, 20:35

It appears that ICD offer an auxiliary interface (VAGX2) that should do the trick - only trouble it's £60-00.
The illustration shows a bunch of wires and connectors and a box to which the 'auxiliary' device is plugged in - just wonder what's inside the box.
I'm runninng W2k SP4.
Thanks for all the advice..
Doug

Post by **Syncro G** » 24 Jan 2008, 01:57

Being an OEM radio it'll probubly be made by Blaupunkt, they tend to have normal audio input (Left, right, ground) pins inside the CD changer multiplug and another pin that'll need grounding or powering to enable the CD changer mode on the radio to become visable, might also need something fiddleing with on the menu to enable aux in. Its certainly the way the aftermarket Blaupunkts work but they seem to speak a different language to the OEM models so aren't always compatable!

Another option that'd definately work would be to get a CD changer that works with the audi headunit - can probubly get one cheep from a scrappy or eBay - be fussy which changer you get as if it wasn't originally for that headunit it might not work - Blaupunkt seem to like having vereous CD changers, some even with the same model number but different colour, that aren't compatable. If you got a working CD changer you could put a switch in the audio signal pins to divert them to a line in socket, then keep a CD in the changer to keep the control system happy, it plays the disc and thinks your listening to it but the audio being fed into the amp comes in from the line in you've added. That way for less than £60 you should be able to get a CD changer and with some cheep sockets/switches from somewhere like Maplin you'd get a line in AND have a CD changer for less than one of them expencive "aux input" boxes.