Play mp3 player through dvd player

I have a dvd player in my vehicle that has auxiliary input jacks for a
video and an audio source.

I would like to take the Line Out (left and right audio) from my mp3
player, connect it to the audio input (left and right) at the auxiliary
input on the dvd console and hear the audio through the vehicle's
speakers.

If I make this connection, no sound is heard when I play my mp3 player.

If I add just the video cable connection from my camcorder to the video
input on the dvd console auxiliary input and play my camcorder then the
mp3, sound from my mp3 player plays through the vehicle's speakers and
sounds great.

I would like for this to work without having to play my camcorder video
in order to listen to my mp3 player sound through the vehicle's
speakers.

What is a simple video input that I can use that will allow this?

Thanks for any suggestions.

Don

 

I would contact the manufacturer, or the installer of the DVD player,
and ask why this feature does not work.
You have read all the manuals?

 

have you tried just sticking an unconnected video cable in there? That
might trigger the external input.

 

Thanks for your replies.
It is a factory-installed dvd player in my 2004 Chevrolet Venture
mini-van. It will not play mp3 cd's directly.
There is no helpful information in the Owner's or Service Manuals nor
from GM Customer Support.
I have tried just connecting and unconnected video cable with the same
negative result.
GM will not tell me who the manufacturer is, saying it is,
"proprietary", nor can I find any manufacturer information on the
visible part of the unit's console or overhead display unit.
It's pretty clear that the auxiliary video input has to have some sort
of input before the unit will switch to the auxiliary audio input mode.
Thanks again for taking your time to respond.
Any more suggestions would be gratefully appreciated.
Don

 

Some thoughts...

You might ask a local aftermarket car stereo and video shop if they
have anything that will do this. You might also ask in the newsgroup
rec.audio.car , or maybe one of the rec.video groups. Basically you
want a little box with a button or switch on top and a video output
cable, powered either by an internal battery or by the vehicle 12 V DC.

You might look around for the cheapest web cam, security camera, or
single board camera you can find, that has a composite video output and
runs on batteries or 12 V DC or less. Hide the camera someplace, put
a switch in the 12 V line, and run the video output to the aux input.
If you buy new you might pay US$50 plus or minus; if you find an old
webcam it might be nearly free.

TV technicians have a box called a "pattern generator" that creates
video signals with various patterns for adjusting a TV set. You can
get some that will run on a battery or DC and are small enough that you
might hide them in the car someplace. The drawback is that they cost
US$100 or more which might be prohibitive. Maybe you can get a used one
cheaper on Ebay, but if you're not sure what you're buying, it's
relatively easy to buy the wrong thing or a broken item.

If you're into experimentation, you might try this. Some VCRs and DVD
players will display a blue screen or a menu screen when nothing else is
happening (tape/disc not playing, no tuner input). You might verify
that a particular model of VCR or DVD player does this, then buy one
cheap at a second-hand store and see how small you can make it and still
have it work. You might be able to discard the tape or disc mechanism,
for instance, and reduce the machine to a relatively small circuit board
that still puts out a video signal. Then you have to figure out how to
power it from 12 V.

Matt Roberds

 

youl probably find it just looks for line or field sync pulses,
in wich case a 555 circuit might do the job

Colin =^.^=

 

Hey guys, thanks very much for your ideas!
Colin, would you please tell me where to find a 555 circuit?
Regards,
Don