Pagoda SL Group
W113 Pagoda SL Group => Electrical and Instruments => Topic started by: BABAK on January 21, 2007, 18:03:05
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Do any one know how to connect an ipod to a becker radio ? Or is there a kit ? What i really like is to find out how to do this with out having to buy the expensive plug .Does any 1 know.
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Contact Becker in NJ or see their website:
http://beckerautosound.com/
They offer a DIN plug that attaches into the backside of a 60s Becker stereo.
Douglas Kim
New York
USA
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I've just had this done and hope to get my car back this week after multiple repairs. My plan is to run the ipod cord under the carpet to the console. For what it's worth, the cord Becker provided doesn't do that.
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One thing you need to realize is, when you plug something into the Becker supplied DIN cable, it becomes the (only) source. In other words, if you connect a cable to the DIN and run it under the carpet to say, the ash tray or console box, you will only be able to use the device (such as an iPod) that connects to that cable.
To tune in stations on the radio, you would have to reach up under the dash, find the DIN and disconnect the cable that you've run under the carpet to the console area. Painful for frequent use.
I did this same thing and, as a result, use only the iPod as a music source - which is perfectly fine with me- I prefer it that way - just thought anyone considering this should understand how it works.
Download Attachment: (http://images/icon_paperclip.gif) iPod2.jpg (http://www.sl113.org/forums/uploaded/Ed%20Cave/200712121111_iPod2.jpg)
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Download Attachment: (http://images/icon_paperclip.gif) iPod1.jpg (http://www.sl113.org/forums/uploaded/Ed%20Cave/200712121145_iPod1.jpg)
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Also, the newer iPod Shuffle is much smaller than the one I use and shown in the photo. I removed and stored the original ashtray, bought a new one, covered the lid in the same leather, cut out the snuffer, drilled a hole in the bottom and lined the interior of it in leather. Sounds like a lot of work but not really that difficult. My iPod shuffle lives in the car (ashtray) and is always there when I am ready for some music. The volume is controlled by the Becker volume knob but that is really all I use the Becker for, except to appear period correct. ;)
Ed Cave
Atlanta, GA
1971 280SL
1973 911S
2006 GS430
2007 328i Coupe
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Ed,
Sounds to me like you need a new cable. One end of the cable has the din connector which plugs into the Becker radio. The other end has a mini-stereo female connector. The cable connecting the two ends has 5 or 6 wires if I remember correctly. The din connector can be installed in the back of radio 24/7. When you insert a male mini-stereo plug from your IPod you break the connection between the Becker tuner and amplifier and the Ipod audio is inserted in the Becker just before the amplifier. The extra wires and some little contacts inside the female mini-stereo connector do this for you. I wish I could find a source for the mini-stereo female connector. All you need to do to return to radio audio is unplug the male ipod connector from the Becker supplied cable.
Jeff C.
1970 280SL 4-speed
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Jeff:
Yes, I understand all of that. It's just that to unplug the male iPod connector from the Becker DIN requires getting up behind the dash, not something you switch back and forth like switching between am and fm or that you do at 30 mph and probably not even at a red light unless you have the wires hanging down where you don't want to see them.
I wasn't suggesting that it can't be done, it's just not convenient. When I installed mine I was under the impression that when I connected the iPod it overstepped the radio but in fact it is when you plug a cable into the DIN that this happens and at least in my case, the DIN/mini female 'box' reside up behind the dash. A 4' male mini jack to male mini jack cable runs from there, under the carpet to my ashtray. You see the last 6" of this cable in the photo I attached.
Ed Cave
Atlanta, GA
1971 280SL
1973 911S
2006 GS430
2007 328i Coupe
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Hi, Ed and Jeff,
I have a period-correct Becker Mexico (mono). One of the five band/station buttons on this radio is labeled "Q", and pushing that button selects the external input; otherwise, the radio ignores that input. Thus I never have to disconnect my XM radio or iPod to listen to AM, FM, SW, or LW radio. ;) (I bought this particular radio specifically for this feature.) BTW, this is the radio with the "Wunder-bar" auto-seek button at the top of the radio (to make up for not having any buttons dedicated to station selection).
I ordered my auxiliary connector from Becker USA. It has the 5-pin DIN plug on one end, and a mini-stereo jack on the other. I connect that to a male-to-male cable that plugs directly into an iPod or XM radio. I am very pleased with this setup.
-David Pease
'66 French 230SL
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I have a Europa II stereo radio. I understand the Becker cable is pretty short. I forgot to explain that I cut the cable and wired in an extention so that the female mini connector is in my ashtray. I can't speak to how the other radios operate.
Jeff C.
1970 280SL 4-speed
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Here is what the one I have looks like. Obviously I haven't plugged it in yet...No Ipod! However, my daughter just got an Ipod Nano (little dinky thing) for her Birthday. She's all of 10 and has me out-gadgeted already!. Do you suppose it will work with this?
PS it is aprrox. 34" long
Download Attachment: (http://images/icon_paperclip.gif) ipod.JPG (http://www.sl113.org/forums/uploaded/J.%20Huber/2007121234046_ipod.JPG)
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James
63 230SL
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advertised by becker in the latest UK classic car magazines is a new Becker radio, which has all the functions of a state of the art system, including sat nav, IPOD compatible, MP3 compatible, but it has the retro looks of the old Mexico.
Obviously not one for the purists but maybe a good solution for some.
However I have tried to get onto the website they advertise, but I am routed elsewhere, so cannot find the price of these units.
Rob Walker
1968 280SL papyrus white/green leather
Spain and Turkey
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James,
That's the same cable I have. It works very well on my Europa II stereo radio. The small box with the mini plug has the contacts inside that disconnect tuner audio from the Becker amp when you plug in you Ipod or Cd player.
If the cable is too short for the location you want to put the mini plug you need to cut the cable and splice in an extension. If you try and use a pre-made mini stereo extension cable your radio will not work when you unplug the Ipod. The contacts for disconnecting and connecting the radio are in the Becker cable end plug. I hope I'm making myself clear.
Jeff C.
1970 280SL 4-speed
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The price for that Becker Mexico 7948 http://www.caraudiodiscount.com/acatalog/becker_mexico_7948.html is GBP 1099. In Germany from € 1159 - € 1300.
For more info: Mexico 7984 (http://www.becker.de/beckerCC21/www_root/ar03/templates/xxxxxAr03ProduktdarstellungFlash.jsp?language=En&doFlash=yes&organisation=001&navSeq=915)
Peter
Check out http://bali.esweb.nl for photographs of classic car events and my 1970 280 SL
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Jeff:
Any photos of your ashtray set-up?
Ed Cave
Atlanta, GA
1971 280SL
1973 911S
2006 GS430
2007 328i Coupe
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Hi
Why not use a Itrip or similar.?It plugs in to the bottom of the Ipod
and make a wireless connection to your radio. You just tune in to a free station where Ipod is transmitting its music. Work in all cars and also in my pagoda (Becker Grand Prix). Cost about 16 USD.
Thanks 91lux
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Ed, Jeff
I was puzzled by the i-pod connector as I wanted to be able to switch between i-pod and radio without diving behind the dashboard.
The compromise which I adopted was to bring the i-pod connector into the glovebox which permits reasonably easy switching. In effect copying the auxiliary audio input set up from 21st century M-Bs. The lead from the i-pod connector can stretch out from the glovebox to the centre console to give access to the i-pod when I am not content to put on a playlist and leave the i-pod in the glovebox. I also plan to bury a separate lead between the glovebox and centre console to allow the i-pod to sit in the centre console without a lead dangling across the cabin.
One other worthwhile mod was to fit a 12 volt socket in the glovebox to charge the i-pod although mine is an old i-pod with short battery life and this may be unnecessary with the latest generation.
Regards
Andrew
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fwiw, when I called BeckerNA on this a year or so back, they told me that they source their cables from http://www.koenigs-klassik.de/indexe.html
It's too short to run to your console but a female - male 3.5mm headphone jack extension allows you to run the cable under the carpet and up to the tray. It works very well indeed.
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quote:
Originally posted by 91lux
Hi
Why not use a Itrip or similar.?It plugs in to the bottom of the Ipod
and make a wireless connection to your radio. You just tune in to a free station where Ipod is transmitting its music. Work in all cars and also in my pagoda (Becker Grand Prix). Cost about 16 USD.
Thanks 91lux
It's been my experience that the wireless attachments like the iTrip don't perform well in crowded urban areas where there's lots of potential interference.
Douglas Kim
New York
USA
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Tosh:
All of the Becker supplied cables discussed in this thread that I have seen have a DIN plug on one end that goes into the back of the radio and a small box on the other end with a female plug. Since you plug a male into both the iPod and the Becker cable the cord you suggest below should be 3.5mm male to male.
The photo attached to the original message of this thread tells the story best....http://sl113.org/forums/index.php?topic=5249,DIN,cable
Ed Cave
Atlanta, GA
1971 280SL
1973 911S
2006 GS430
2007 328i Coupe
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Ed, you're right. Thanks for the correction
quote:
Originally posted by Ed Cave
Tosh:
All of the Becker supplied cables discussed in this thread that I have seen have a DIN plug on one end that goes into the back of the radio and a small box on the other end with a female plug. Since you plug a male into both the iPod and the Becker cable the cord you suggest below should be 3.5mm male to male.
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So if I am reading things right, with my 34" Ipod cable I have two choices to make it long enough to reach the ashtray under carpet:
a. splice a section into Ipod cable (what wire would I look for?)
b. 3.5mm headphone jack extension with two males ends (that would plug into Ipod cable and to Ipod.
James
63 230SL
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James,
1) The din connector on the rear of the Becker unit outputs pre-amplified tuner audio.
2) This is how the Becker cable works functionally. With the connector attached to the Becker unit the pre-amplified tuner audio is routed out to the small boxed cable end (where the mini stereo female connector is located) and returned to the Becker unit and amplified before it is then sent to your speakers.
3) When you plug a male mini stereo input into the Becker boxed cable end you functionally disconnect pre-amplified tuner audio from the Becker radio amplifier. It is replaced by audio from the new source, Ipod, cd player etc and sent back over the cable to the Becker unit where it is amplified and sent to your speakers. Disconnecting the tuner audio and replacing it with the new device audio is accomplished inside the small box by a series of small contacts. I have taken the box apart to confirm this operation. You are welcome to do the same. This is the reason why the din connector and Becker cable have 5 contacts or wires. When you remove the mini stereo plug from the Becker box new device input is removed and the contacts inside the box return pre-amp tuner audio to the amp circuit.
3) If you want to return tuner audio to the Becker radio amplifier you must unplug the male connector in the small Becker box end.
If you plug a mini stereo extension cable in the Becker box end you will disconnect the tuner from the amp. If you plug a new audio source in the other end of the cable you will get6 audio from that new source. Unplugging the new source from the extension cable will not return tuner audio to the Becker amp circuit. This can only be accomplished by removing the male mini connector from the Becker boxed cable end.
4) You may extend the functionality of the Becker cable by splicing a 5 conductor cable in between the cable ends. In that way you can located the boxed cable end anywhere you like. When you plug into the boxed end you will have new device audio. When you unplug the male connector in the Becker boxed end tuner audio will be returned to the circuit. Please remember the audio input switching takes place in the boxed end of the Becker radio cable.
I hope this long explanation is helpful.
Jeff C.
1970 280SL 4-speed
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Hey Jeff. Thanks for the explanation. It sounds like splicing (per #4) is the way to go. I may have to bug you offline for the particulars if I attempt this.
Also, I am not sure what goes between the ipod and the black box. What would we call that?
James
63 230SL
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Hi James,
Send me an email off-line and I'll give you my number. All you need to connect your ipod to the Becker box is a cable with male mini stereo connectors on both ends.
It will work like this: Plug the Becker cable into the back of your radio and locate the other end in a place where you can easily plug a mini stereo connector. You may need to splice an extension in the cable to make it long enough to reach your location.
Your heading down the road listening to your radio. Life is good but you're hard to please and you want it even better. You have some great tunes on your ipod. Hummm --- It's very very simple from hear. Plug one end of cable with male mini stereo connectors on each end into your ipod. Plug the other end into the small black box at the end of the Becker cable. Select the song on your ipod push play and turn the volume up on your radio. Life is great!
Jeff C.
1970 280SL 4-speed
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Jeff, sounds simple enough! except you left out one part...
...arm wrestle with 10 year-old daughter to see who gets the Ipod for the day!
James
63 230SL
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Understood. I bought my son a Treo 700 phonefor his birthday. One reason for getting this phone was because he said he wanted to listen to music and have a phone on one device. To myself I said that sounds great and I'll take his ipod. Well things didn't work out the way I planned. After getting him the phone he said he needed the ipod too and took off for college. Kids!
Jeff C.
1970 280SL 4-speed
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quote:
Originally posted by DavidAPease
.... Thus I never have to disconnect my XM radio or iPod to listen to AM, FM, SW, or LW radio. ;) (I bought this particular radio specifically for this feature.) ....
Hi David,
where did you install the XM radio? In the ash tray as shown in this picture? [I copied that from a 230SL on eBay: Item number: 170073981945]. And where is the antenna?
Download Attachment: (http://images/icon_paperclip.gif) XM radio.JPG (http://www.sl113.org/forums/uploaded/66andBlue/2007124222220_XM%20radio.JPG)
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Alfred
1966 blue 230SL automatic
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Hi, Alfred,
In the first photo in this thread: http://www.sl113.com/forums/index.php?topic=3788 you can see the Becker radio in the dash, and the XM radio in the center console. If you look closely, you can see wires coming out from under the ashtray lid to the radio. I ran power, antenna, and the radio connection wiring under the carpet and up through the ashtray, so that when I remove the the XM radio I can push the wires back into the ashtray and there's no sign of anything unusual.
In one of the other photo you can see that I have a rear wind deflector. This wind deflector has a black panel that sits over the parcel shelf and supports the plastic shield. A very small (and unmarked) XM antenna is velcroed to the top of that panel, and is almost unnoticable. (I had folks at Blacklick stand next to the car and ask where the XM antenna was.) If I wanted to remove any sign of the antenna, I could pull it off the panel and drop it below one side of the parcel shelf.
-David Pease
'66 French 230SL
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Thanks David!
The wind deflector support panel looks like a good place for the antenna. Do you notice a loss of signal with the soft or hard top up?
Alfred
1966 blue 230SL automatic
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Hi, Alfred,
Certainly not with the soft top up. I don't believe that I've had the hard top on since I installed the XM radio. Best of luck!
-David Pease
'66 French 230SL
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quote:
Originally posted by jeffc280sl
.... You may need to splice an extension in the cable to make it long enough to reach your location. ....
I assume that James has finished the splicing job but if someone else needs to do this Amazon sells a 3ft (or 6ft) extension cable with DIN plugs (M/F) on both ends: http://www.amazon.com/Molded-Extension-Cable-Male-Female/dp/B000AA2PHQ/
Alfred
1966 blue 230SL automatic
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A buddy of mine has an FM transmitter for his ipod. We tried it on my car and it sounded great!
1969 280sl 5 spd
Gainesville, Fl.
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The fm transmitter is not as good as the ipod connection.
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Has anyone had experience sending their radio back to Becker to have the 3.5mm jack installed in the face of the radio? How much do they charge?
http://www.beckerautosound.com/Classic/classic_aux_instructions.html
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Contact Tom Mitchell at Becker for an exact quote but I think it is around the same as the cable - around $45 if I recall. I know Tom Sargeant had it done on his Tunis Beige because I saw it at Blacklick. I recently had my Europa II refurbished by Becker (including a new faceplate) and have yet to install it in the car. I like the cable option because I did not like the thought of having a hole installed in the faceplate. When I saw Tom's radio, I must admit is not very conspicuous and may be the most practical.
Frank Koronkiewicz
Willowbrook, Illinois
1970 280SL Light Ivory
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quote:
Originally posted by nate
Has anyone had experience sending their radio back to Becker to have the 3.5mm jack installed in the face of the radio? How much do they charge?
Talked to Tom Mitchell and he quoted $100! Furthermore the jack cannot be installed into the older, small face plate radios for the 230SL. :(
For those only the cable version will work.
Alfred
1966 blue 230SL automatic
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I picked up a 1964-correct Becker Grand Prix that was refurbished at Becker with the cable adapter. It works great and I don't have to look at a hole in the faceplate The cable can be snaked under the carpet or pretty much anywhere so that it's not visible. I purchased the radio from Becker with the cable installed so I can't quote a price for adding the cable but I can say that it works great and I didn't have to alter the dash - and that was important to me.
quote:
Originally posted by 66andBlue
quote:
Originally posted by nate
Has anyone had experience sending their radio back to Becker to have the 3.5mm jack installed in the face of the radio? How much do they charge?
Talked to Tom Mitchell and he quoted $100! Furthermore the jack cannot be installed into the older, small face plate radios for the 230SL. :(
For those only the cable version will work.
Alfred
1966 blue 230SL automatic
Steve
Seaside, CA
1964 230sl roadster
White (050)/Black (116)
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Old topic, but renewed interest...
I have noticed on Becker website that the DIN cable connector does not work with the cassette models. They say that Becker Mexico cassette has only a mono jack.
Here's a direct quote:
"The cable is inserted into the external jack on the rear of the radio (note: option is only available for non cassette units. Mexico cassette and Europa cassette units only have a mono jack on the rear also Mercedes model 110, 111, 112, and early 113 Coupe can only use this option)."
Does this mean it will not work at all with the cassette models, or it will not be able to play in stereo mode?
I think 66andBlue has an excellent point regarding the DIN cable, instead of splicing the cable just add an extension to it.
Thanks.
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The Apple Store sells several FM transmitters for the Ipod, so you can have a wirelss connection.