audilaw

Does anybody know if there is another way to get the factory radio to recognize the cd changer other than the factory silver box? Is there a Blaupunkt part # thats available through Blaupunkt or somebody else? I heard that this is a possability. Thanks for any input.....

SilverUrS6

you can buy a FM modulated CD changer from Sony or any other major manufacturer... the changer basically transmits to an unused FM frequency that the stock head unit would receive...

you can also buy an iPod and some third party manufacturers sell an FM transceiver/charger unit for about $99...

EvanUrS4

I have one mounted under the dash with just a jack sticking out near the passenger side of the car. People can hook up Mp3 players, Laptops... anything with a headphone out. As long as you wire it to cancel the antenna (or find a frequency with 0 pickup in your area) it sounds fantastic.

audilaw

<center><img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/53235/93_s4_emerald.t.jpg"></center><p>So by the sounds of it, I can only utilize the factory wiring harness by modifying the connectors and installing a Fm modulator? But I can still mount it in the factory box in right side of trunk? (the box and the mounting bracket are still available from dealer)

UrS4boy

The original radio will control the OEM CD changer (for the early cars it was a Sony, the later cars an Alpine) ONLY with the silver transceiver box, as others, e.g. Jim K. have pointed out. This box is "NLA" (no longer available).

The only real advantage of the factory setup was the fact that the CD number and the track were displayed in both the radio and the dash display. The Sony 10 disc CD changer was/is huge (about the size of a thick VCR)and ate the entire right side of the trunk - but it was more or less off the shelf, i.e. non-Audi supplied Sony CD changers (off the same design) would/will work. The later model Alpine was a "special" for Audi, i.e. they messed with the wiring so that it would only work with the transceiver and an Audi-supplied 6 disc Alpine. The real kicker was the outrageous prices that Audi wanted for either the Sony or the Alpine changers (about 2 or 3 times the cost of a good FM modulated CD changer). The other factor now is that the Sony changer was probably designed in 1990 or 1991, i.e. there are newer techologies, e.g. the FM modulator to the MP3 player solution or a portable hard drive system. Having said that, IF some clever electronics person reverse engineered a silver box transceiver and sold them, I would be amongst the first in line to buy one.

Dave (CD less in Vancouver) F.

reg

me, in my case, i bought a sony eith fm modulator, i put it in the conductor side on the trunk, in that way is hidden with the panel, i didn't use the factory harness, the fm modulator is located in the front, so the changer need only a din connector connecting on the fm modulator, and an RCA wire. That's the best thing we could do....

UrS4boy

CDX- 565 MXRF?? Its a ten disc unit that will read CDs, CD-R, CD-RW and MP3, all transparently in the same 10 disc cassette. It is FM modulated and has both a wired remote and a wireless remote and some kind of base boost system. Sounds interesting but I would like to know if somebody has tried it. None of the shops in Vancouver (that I tried) have it in stock yet so I can't even see one (I bumped into it on a Google search of "Sony FM modulators").

Dave F.

rfeagleye

They may have them there...

EvanUrS4

It works nicely, but it's really not crystal clear unless you install a antenna cut off with the modulator so that it doesn't have to fight with the actual static you're picking up on that same station. On our cars this seems to be a real pain with the multiple antenna inputs and such. So I decided to leave that alone. It works though. It's better than a tape, not quite CD. Perhaps a real expensive high power modulator would work better.

Evan