Laptop to Explorer Speakers

[wwbiii]

Howdy All,

I recently purchased a Dell Inspiron 8500. I wanted to do a mod to where I can listen to mp3's, and hear the DVD sound through my car speakers. I have a 2001 Explorer Sport with the Premium Factory Sound System (6 disc changer). I was wanting to know if there was a way I could just take the sound going out of a regular headphone ******** of my laptop and somehow connect it to my 6 disc factory changer and have the sound that would originally come out of the laptop speakers now come out of my car speakers. Basically since I have the laptop I'd use it instead of buying an mp3 radio, and a TV and DVD player since my laptop can play DVD's. Any insight or help will be greatly appriciated!

Thanks in Advance,
William

P.S. Does anyone know where I can get laptop mounting hardware to mount my laptop in my truck. Kind of like how the police or large distribution companies do that have a lot of mobile people. Thanks!

 

[Crankcase]

You need one of those carkits for discmans that put the sound in to your car speakers via a radio station. They have a regular headphone jack on them...

 

[ERIK2173]

But what if like most of use there is no tape deck to plug that into.

I ask since, I was looking to do the same thing.
I don't have a tape deck.
I thought about trying to hook up to my pre amp inputs but the headphone output is amped.


Oops, just saw you said through the radio station.

anyway, anyone done it thru the deck using wire instead of radio station

 

[Daps]

You could try something like the FM Wireless transmitter
Ratshack and Circuit City has them for like $30 or so

http://www.radioshack.com/product.a..._name=CTLG_007_002_004_000&product_id=12-2052

 

[wired_af]

My HU has a stereo input on the front face

 

[JMT1SOMR]

So does mine. I use a mini-jack on the front of my HU. As for you stock guys, an RF Transmitter would be your easiest route and would probabaly work the best. The only other way I can think of is to get a mini-jack to 2 male RCA's, get a high-level to low-level converter (Speaker wire -> RCA -- Available at any car sterio place), and use a switch to hook up the converter to the output wires (to speakers) comming out of the amp. Without the switch, it wouldn't work. I'd stick to an RF transmittor b/c the rear controls would still continue to work (for the kids, etc..). BUT, if you must do it the other way, it certainly can be done. Best of luck!

-Justin

 

[X~FACTOR]

A stereo input is definitely the way to go. You won't be happy with anything that uses the FM to transmit your aux music. It gives too much static.

 

[wwbiii]

Thanks for everyone's input. I don't have a tape deck in my Ex, being that it is the 6 disc premium sound HU. I know the older model Ex's that have the premium sound system have a amp on the rear passenger side. Does my 2001 Ex, have it like the older models? How would I go about tapping my laptop headphone jack into the HU or is it even possible? I'm willing to try anything that works and doesn't fry my 6 disc in dash changer, and keeps my rear audio controls! I thought about the RF modulation but I don't want to go that route. Does the HU send audio to the factory amp with more than just the typical RCA's like aftermarket HU's? I'm thinking if it is just wires like RCA's I can wire in a switch with a connector so i can flip the switch and it will activate my connectors then I can plug a wire into my headphone jack in the laptop and into the connectors which are hooked to a switch. Any more light that can be shed on this, I sure do welcome it. Thanks once again ya'll

William

 

[Daps]

Aftermarket HU or AMP :- )
Does your laptop have 2 outputs or just one. Seems like you would only get 2 channels of sound...too early let me get back when i wake up

The transmitter would be the easiest, ive used one and depending were you're at it can be staticy I extended the antenna on it mounted and it wasnt too bad, i had no problems on the interstate with my dvd player playing..

go to www.mp3car.com and do a search there, computers in cars...cant remember thelink off hand forthe mount you were looking for...its a called a mobiledesk or something like that

 

[bentley]

don't know about the wiring stuff but here is a laptop mount for your X:

http://www.mobileofficesolutions.com/explorer.htm

 

[wwbiii]

Alrighty, I think I'll go the RF modulated route. That is definately the easiest way. I'll try it out for a while and see how it works. If I find any info on taping into my factory HU I'll let everyone know. As far as the laptop mount goes, that sounds cool.

Thanks,
William

 

[mountaineerman]

This might be what you're looking for.

http://www.rcainput.com/Merchant2/m...&Product_Code=FORD/AUX-V.1C.3&Category_Code=F

 

[jeff96]

I have also considered this. If you use a fm transmitter though the best quality you will have is radio! You can get an lcd screen and a remote for your laptop. You install the lcd screen somewhere upfront where you can see it (it will probably only be big enough for you to read the track number and track name) Then splice into the speaker wires (don't cut into the factory wires, buy an adaptor like you would if you were installing an after market cd player) run those wires either to your amp or to the laptop if you don't have one. Either way the input either to the speakers or the amp will come from the laptop, for this you need a headphone jack you just plug it into the pc and you have to splice the headphone jack into regular wire. And tada thats your computer hooked up. There are more details if you want to go more complex such as automatic startup ect ect.

 

[JMT1SOMR]

Theroetically, I figured it out, but it may be exactly what Jeff just said. You know the adapter that lets you hook up amps to factory head units? The speaker wire to RCA jack? Buy one of those and hook it up to the speaker wires. Then run a miniplug to rca from the laptop to the hook ups. Now run a wire on a switch from the amp remote turn on lead to a constant power source (ciggarette lighter...). Then when you want to listen to the laptop, plug it in, and turn off the stereo. Then just flip the switch to the remote turn on and tada... perfect laptop sound w/o FM modulation. It should only cost around 20 bucks and only take about 45 mins to install. Best of luck!

-Justin

 

[wwbiii]

Thanks for the input. I bought an FM modulator. It works fine for now..., but I'll end up splicing wires and good stuff like that before it's over and done with. Thanks for everyone's input. Have a good one.

William