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Homemade In-Car CD-Player

This CD player was based on the enhanced CD-player on http://www.sorgonet.com/

If you have a car that doesn't have a CD-player but you don't want to spend $100 to $200 dollars on a new radio with one in it then this is the perfect solution.  It is very simple to make and all you need to know is how to solder a little and be able to hook up wires and use a screw driver and some kind of cutting tool (ex. dremel tool). 

 

Parts list (most parts can be found at RadioShack):


$12.99 Deluxe Metal Enclosure 270-274 (RadioShack) (Note: If you have a place in your car that a cd-rom drive can fit nicely and has enough space inside to mount a fan then you don't need this part.

 

$1.98 2x TO-220 Heat Sink 276-1363 (RadioShack)

 

$3.18 2x Transistor Mounting Hardware Kit 276-1373 (RadioShack)

 

$1.49 +5v dc Voltage Regulator 1 amp 276-1770 (RadioShack)

 

$1.49 + $2.50 shipping IC AN7912 Voltage Regulator -12V RSU 11513785 (RadioShack)

 

$14.99 12v dc Cooling Fan (RadioShack)

 

$2.99 Automotive Rocker Switch (RadioShack)

 

$2.99 Disk Drive Extension Cable 278-767 (RadioShack) (Note: Some stores may not carry this part anymore.  If not go to any computer store and ask for a molex connector for a computer.

 

$1.99 12v dc Red snap-in Led 272-332 (RadioShack)

 

$4.49 18 gauge red hook-up wire 278-1226 (RadioShack)

 

$2.99 Cable Ties 278-1652 (RadioShack)

 

$0.99 Two-pin male/female connector set 274-222 (RadioShack)

 

Wire Nuts (Lowes or any hardware or electrical store)

 

CD-rom Drive (any computer store) (Note: the CD-rom drive must have a play button on the front of it to work in the car.  If it doesn't have one, you will have no way of telling it to play the cd.)

 

Optional Parts:

 

1/8 female stereo headphone jack (you can use the analog audio output on the back of the CD-rom drive for this or you can use the headphone jack on the front of the drive.)

 

$29.99 Irock Wireless Music Adapter 12-2052 (RadioShack) (Note: If you know a little about car radios you can hook up the Cd-player to the back of the car radio.)

 

1/8 Headphone extention cable (to be used to hookup the wireless music adapter to the cd-player)

 

Diode to protect from any short circuit

 

 

 

 

 

Here is the finished product.

 

 

Here is a look at the insides of it.

 

This is the fan and power cord on the back of the cd-player.

The connector above the power cord is a 1/8 stereo jack to hookup the irock wireless adapter.

 

I had to cut the cover on the front to fit around the cdrom drive.

 

 

Here it is mounted in my car.  

I used a CB radio mounting bracket to mount it (270-011 RadioShack)

 

This is the power connector that connects the cd-player to the car.

 

This is where the power wire (red wire) is connected to the fuse box.  It is labeled batt.

The other wire was connected to a ground on the car.

 

 

This is the wireless music adapter.  It transmits the audio to a fm station I can tune the radio to.

 

When the cd-player is turned on the led lights up indicating that it is getting power.

 

 

Your also probably wondering how I painted the faceplate on the cd-rom drive.  It was very simple.  First, eject the drive door.  Cut the power off and pop the front of the drive door off.  There should be some tabs on the top, bottom, and sides of the cd-rom drive that you can push in to pop the faceplate off.  The buttons can pop off too.  That is how I painted the door gold, the faceplate silver, and the buttons black.

 

When you are cutting the slot out for the cd-rom drive, be very careful.  You could break off the whole front of the project box. 

 

 

If you have any questions or comments, post them in the guestbook on the main page. You can also go to any RadioShack store and ask them to call store# 01-2521 in region 4. Also, if you are in the Mooresville, NC area, just stop in and ask to speak with Jamie. Our store is located on HWY 150 next to the Big K-mart. Also, our store phone number is 704-663-6087. We are open 9:00 to 8:00 Monday thru Saturday and 1:00 to 6:00 on Sunday.