NLAlston Posted July 23, 2007 Share #1 Posted July 23, 2007 Initially, I didn't think that music was going to be such a big part of my riding (my previous bike had no such ability), but I now wish to better what I have on my '83 VR. It came with the radio/cassette deck, but the latter doesn't function at all. The radio does play, but only on certain stations. Changing between those few stations means pulling over, somewhere, and using a pin to depress within the well where the buttons used to reside. Even then, it is somewhat of a trying situation because the LED panel is with broken visuals, and also very dimly lit. I do have a 30gig Ipod that I would LOVE to use with it, but my unit is a little before such technological gadgetry , which means that it doesn't have the required connecting port. I have wondered, though, if there were some way to 'rig' a hookup for my Ipod, with what my '83 has. Providing that there is no possibility for the above, the next best thing would be a CD player capable of reading MP3 files. I have heard mention of 'marine grade' devices, and wonder how much more they would hit the pocket, over & above their conventional counterparts. Also, what else might I need to 'securely' install a CD player into the same well as the cassette player? Advanced thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dray Posted July 23, 2007 Share #2 Posted July 23, 2007 not sure but you could check out www.westmarine.com www.overtons.com you should find what your looking for from them as price go's . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boardhead Posted July 23, 2007 Share #3 Posted July 23, 2007 You can hook up your MP3 player easily in 2 ways, either through the radio with an FM broadcaster, or through the tape deck with a tape adapter. I have a tape adapter myself I use for the car, it works OK but the FM adapter may be better because then you don't have a wire and you can place the MP3 player anywhere you want. You should be able to get either type of adapter at any store that sells car stereo accessories. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedRider Posted July 23, 2007 Share #4 Posted July 23, 2007 Get an FM adapter for your Ipod - about $30 at Walmart RR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NLAlston Posted July 23, 2007 Author Share #5 Posted July 23, 2007 not sure but you could check out www.westmarine.com www.overtons.com you should find what your looking for from them as price go's . Dray...thank you. I liked this (http://www.overtons.com/modperl/product/details.cgi?pdesc=DUAL_MXD_55_CD_Receiver&cname=Marine-Stereos&r=view&i=75692&aID=18N) as the price wasn't bad, at all, and I am now just trying to gain some info (before ordering) as to what would be involved in integrating the unit with my bike (any modifications to the chassis and/or wiring harness, etc.) before making an order. It isn't MP3 capable (disk-wise), but it does come with a hookup for an external player, such as my Ipod. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NLAlston Posted July 23, 2007 Author Share #6 Posted July 23, 2007 RedRider & BoardHead...Thanks guys. You just may have saved me some money & time, here. My niece had said that she'd look for her cassette adapter unit that she had misplaced. I didn't think that this would work, because I figured that the cassette player had to be in good working order first - and it is not. I am about to go to Walmart - right now - and get one of those FM transmitters. THANKS A HEAP!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tiny84 Posted July 23, 2007 Share #7 Posted July 23, 2007 ok my question would be would a cd player inserted virticaly in the dash of a venture even play cd's? i thought they need to be fairly level for the cd to read. only thing stopping me from upgradeing my radio to a dvd player Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NLAlston Posted July 23, 2007 Author Share #8 Posted July 23, 2007 Well, I just recently returned from Walmart, with a BelkinII FM Transmitter (they had no dedicated ones for the Ipod), and found that it just wasn't going to work out for me. Not only did there seem to be a problem with the trasmitter, itself, but it so happened that my radio now refuses to allow for an elevating OR lowering of the stations. I was (up until just today) able to stick a toothpick or pin into the increment/decrement wells for station changes - but no more. It is stuck on 104.1, which isn't bad at all. But I would sure love to be able to listen to some Lite Jazz, or other Easy Listening music. I wonder if I should try to find one of those cassette adapters. I know that I can't get a cassette to 'play', but maybe it doesn't have to - in order for the adapter to work. What I know about these type of things could be stored in a thimble , and I am thinking if it is possible that such an adapter would receive power just by sitting in that cradle. ?????? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boardhead Posted July 24, 2007 Share #9 Posted July 24, 2007 It is possible that the cassette adapter would work with a busted tape player depending on how the tape player is broken. For the adapter to work, the electronics of the tape player need to be working, but the motor drive doesn't. The adapter generates a magnetic field that is sensed by the playback head in the tape deck. I don't think it relies on the tape transport mechanism at all, which is the most common failure mode for tape players (I used to repair them for a living, so I know a bit about this). So as long as the playback head and amplifier are good in the tape deck, then I think it should work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NLAlston Posted July 24, 2007 Author Share #10 Posted July 24, 2007 Thanks BH, It turned out that the cassette player does work. I just came back from Walmart with one of those cassette adapter units, and found that it did work - to a degree, anyway. Though the radio's output could be better, I have to say that it was miles ahead of what was offered from the adapter (connected to my Ipod). Not only was the sound greatly decreased, but with a whole lot of static. On top of this was the offensiveness of a very audible 'popping' sound, which could be heard at about 10-12 second intervals. I know that I would not be able to bear these things, so the adapter will be going back. On a whim, I tried the cassette tape again, and - this time - it worked in the deck. I didn't expect the sound output to be any different; I just wanted to see if it would work. Looks like it will have to be 104.1FM for me . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Squidley Posted July 24, 2007 Share #11 Posted July 24, 2007 Nate, If your bike doesn't have a CB on it, then I would scrap the stock radio and buy a CD player aftermarket radio with an auxillary jack in it. This way you can plug your MP3 player in it for the best sound quality and use CD's also should you choose to. Put a different set of speakers in it that match the power output of the radio and your good as gold Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NLAlston Posted July 24, 2007 Author Share #12 Posted July 24, 2007 Nate, If your bike doesn't have a CB on it, then I would scrap the stock radio and buy a CD player aftermarket radio with an auxillary jack in it. This way you can plug your MP3 player in it for the best sound quality and use CD's also should you choose to. Put a different set of speakers in it that match the power output of the radio and your good as gold No...it doesn't have a CB. I would sure love to have a CD/player unit in there, but (as one poster mentioned) there might have to be some consideration, needing to be rendered, to possible problems resulting from a CD playing in the 'vertical' position. It might be worth it, though, to have such a unit installed just for the capability of playing/recharging my Ipod. If I can find one to properly fit the housing - I'll buy it. As it is, right now, I worry that there might be a lot of electrical & physical retrofitting to get a setup working for me. I will definitely look into it, though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeM8560 Posted July 24, 2007 Share #13 Posted July 24, 2007 This thread shows what i did, hit a sony marine unit under the dash and added a sony remote on the dash it also has a XM reciever and ive got a Ipod fm modulater on the dash also http://www.venturerider.org/forum/showthread.php?t=11978&page=2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeM8560 Posted July 24, 2007 Share #14 Posted July 24, 2007 ) there might have to be some consideration, needing to be rendered, to possible problems resulting from a CD playing in the 'vertical' position. I will definitely look into it, though. mine has the cd also verticle no problem though with the XM or Ipod i dont use the cd much Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Animal Posted July 25, 2007 Share #15 Posted July 25, 2007 My portable CD player works just fine in the vertical position. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NLAlston Posted July 25, 2007 Author Share #16 Posted July 25, 2007 This thread shows what i did, hit a sony marine unit under the dash and added a sony remote on the dash it also has a XM reciever and ive got a Ipod fm modulater on the dash also http://www.venturerider.org/forum/showthread.php?t=11978&page=2 Thanks Mike. I really like what you had done, and can see that some retrofitting will indeed be warranted. But I guess that I kinda knew that anyway . Answer this for me, though: What did you have to do for the wiring harness? I mean, is it at all possible that your newly installed player's connector matched up with the receiving connector in your bike? If so, that would be very nice - and the rest of what would be needed shouldn't pose too much of a challenge for me. There is a West Marine outlet not more than five minutes from where I live. After dropping off my bike, tomorrow morning, I think that I will pay them a visit, to see what they might have to offer me. I know that you said you're using your Ipod in conjunction with an FM Modulator, but I would like to get one with an AUX jack. I would not be able to embed the player, just as you have done, because my Ipod would have to be tethered. But I'll see what their prices are looking like. It could very well be that purchasing an FM Modulator for a player without an AUX jack, might be a little cheaper - or just about the same - for buying just the player with that incorporated jack. I don't know...but tomorrow will tell . Thanks much. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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