Hooking up labtop to car setero?
Hooking up labtop to car setero? I just got a labtop the other day and im gunna put hp tuners on it soon but the real question is i wan to be able to hook the labtop up to the stero so i can play my music off of the labtop to the car what do i need to get to do this and what suplues am i gunna have to buy?
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 11,329
Likes: 346
From: Jacksonville, FL (originally from Toronto Canada)
Assuming it's a factory stereo, you're going to need an auxiliary input adapter and a 3.5mm stereo to RCA cable.
PAC and PIE both make auxiliary input adapters. Your car must either have a cassette head unit or a single-CD head unit that was made after the middle of the 99 model year. The PAC AAI-GM9 adapter will only work if you have a factory external CD changer (in the hatch area). The PIE GM9-AUX will work if you don't have a CD changer (opposite setup from the PAC adapter). On 01 and 02 models the PIE adapter can have both the auxiliary device (laptop, satellite radio, or whatever) and the factory changer attached.
These adapters provide RCA input jacks through the factory radio's CD changer port. All you need to connect them is a cable from your laptop's headphone jack to the adapter's RCA jacks.
PAC and PIE both make auxiliary input adapters. Your car must either have a cassette head unit or a single-CD head unit that was made after the middle of the 99 model year. The PAC AAI-GM9 adapter will only work if you have a factory external CD changer (in the hatch area). The PIE GM9-AUX will work if you don't have a CD changer (opposite setup from the PAC adapter). On 01 and 02 models the PIE adapter can have both the auxiliary device (laptop, satellite radio, or whatever) and the factory changer attached.
These adapters provide RCA input jacks through the factory radio's CD changer port. All you need to connect them is a cable from your laptop's headphone jack to the adapter's RCA jacks.
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 11,329
Likes: 346
From: Jacksonville, FL (originally from Toronto Canada)
You can use a wireless FM modulator but the sound quality will be pretty bad. Or, you can get a wired FM modulator for somewhat better sound quality but more work installing. Overall, the best sound quality will be the direct connection of an auxiliary adapter but they are more expensive than FM modulators.
If you are going for sound quality you are also going to want to look into a PCMIA sound card. Creative makes them. Most onboard audio from laptops sounds like crap, very poor S/N and audio quality. But if you are not too concerned about sound quality then a FM modulator and using the laptop's headphone output will work, it will just not sound good. With a modulator the BEST you can hope for is sound like an average radio station. In reality it ends up being more like a poor to average station
Whitebird gave perfect advice about the PAC auxiliary input adapter.
Whitebird gave perfect advice about the PAC auxiliary input adapter.
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Verdad Gallardo One last ? so i need this http://www.discountcarstereo.com/detail.aspx?ID=347 and a auto video cabel for my comp to the other peice
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 11,329
Likes: 346
From: Jacksonville, FL (originally from Toronto Canada)
Yes, that's the correct adapter (and that's a pretty good price). The cable you need isn't audio/video - it's just audio. It will have a headphone plug (3.5mm stereo) on one end and two RCA plugs on the other (one red and one white). Video cables would have an extra yellow plug that you don't need. You should be able to find the cable at Radio Shack, Best Buy, etc. (possibly even WalMart). It should cost less than $10 depending on length.