What is aux in. What is the AUX input for?

Many audio devices, from radios to full-fledged music centers, are equipped with a line input, which is also known as an AUX connector. This port also found in cars. But what is AUX for and what is it? You will receive answers to your questions after reading the article.

The linear input is capable of receiving signals with an amplitude from 0.5 to 1.8 V. A signal of a similar magnitude can be supported by sound-reproducing devices such as an MP3 player, smartphone, etc. That is, using AUX, you can connect an external device to a TV or any other audio system and listen to music already from it.

The name AUX comes from the English word Auxilary. This lexeme can be translated as “secondary”, “additional”. On audio devices, the socket is marked AUX OUT. In addition, the name CD OUT is found. What is it? This is an outdated name for the same AUX OUT.

Over the past ten years, smartphones and other portable gadgets have become an integral part of our lives. Appearance smart phones influenced all spheres of human activity. And the auto industry was no exception. Experts have begun to focus on the interaction between a smartphone and a car. The appearance of AUX in the car was the first step towards the integration of mobile devices.

The AUX jack on your car's audio system looks like a small round hole with a metal surround. Usually it is located on the body of the radio. If the connector is not there, then perhaps it is located in a specialized niche for ports. If you are the owner of an expensive imported car, the socket can be covered with a lid that protects the contacts from dirt and moisture.

How to connect

Appears logical question: how to connect a third-party device to the radio via a linear input? It's actually quite simple. There are several ways to do this:

The most preferable option is the second one. The Bluetooth adapter connects to any 3.5 mm jack (including AUX). This means that with the help of this device You can wirelessly transmit audio signals. If we talk about the advantages this option, then it is worth highlighting:

• No wires. The cables in the cabin are very annoying. Thankfully, bluetooth adapter there is no such problem.
• Good codec. With its help, the quality of played audio tracks can increase significantly.
• Simplicity. To turn on the device you just need to press a button. There is no need to perform any additional manipulations. The adapter will do everything itself.
• Work with multiple devices. Via Bluetooth, you can connect several devices to the adapter at once.
• Control. You can control the adapter using your voice, remote control or through the buttons on the device body.

However, there was a fly in the ointment. Among the disadvantages of the option under consideration, it is worth highlighting:

• Price. The cost of a Bluetooth adapter is about 500 rubles.
• Autonomy. The device requires recharging.

If you are interested in radio engineering or just want to save money, you can solder the adapter yourself. All you need are two plugs (a headphone cord is ideal) and a soldering iron. You just need to strip the cable of insulation and connect the wires to the plugs. After this, everything needs to be insulated.

Conclusion

In this article we talked about what AUX is in a car radio, TV and other devices that are capable of reproducing audio information. This is a special connector that allows you to connect to an audio system third party devices. For example, you can connect via AUX mobile phone, laptop, tablet, music player etc. Connected devices can be used as an audio catalog. This is very convenient, for example, in a car.

A radio tape recorder is a sound reproducing device of the second half and end of the twentieth century. Only a few decades have passed and the magnetic cassette can only be seen in the cinema or in a museum. Time passes, the tapes are gone, but the tape recorders are still there.

A distinctive feature of those tape recorders was good acoustics and fairly decent amplifiers. And if we apply a signal to them from another source, we can get high-quality loud sound.

What could be such a source, tablet, phone, MP3 player. But the whole problem is that in old radio tape recorders there is no input that would be qualitatively interfaced with the linear output of the above devices. And AUX is precisely the linear input for such a radio.

How to organize it?

If you disassemble the radio, and this is done quite easily, you can see inside the tape mechanism, which we do not need, and the amplifier board, which is the main device of the radio. What do we need for this operation? The main tool we need is a Phillips screwdriver and a soldering iron with supplies of tin and rosin.

Having disassembled the radio, you can remove the tape drive mechanism, or you can leave it for decoration. In addition, you need to find a volume control, which usually has two paired variable resistances.

Each of these resistances has three terminals.

We will also need two shielded wires about thirty centimeters long. The screens are usually connected to each other and soldered to the end that is connected to the body. The central cores of the shielded wire are connected to contacts opposite the shield.

This wire can be routed through any hole in the housing. At the end of this wire we solder the minijack and the linear input to the radio is ready. And the radio is ready to become your new amplifier with a speaker system.

Modern cars are fully adapted to the modern consumer - from autopilot to digital outputs for connecting a navigator or smartphone. But what can be done from a radio if there is no linear output - an AUX connector? The answer is simple - do it yourself.

What is it for? AUX output What is needed to upgrade the radio How to solder AUX to the radio Dismantling the radio and disassembling it Diagnostics of the board Soldering process Is it possible to connect a flash drive via AUX Why do you need an AUX output

An AUX output is needed to connect a smartphone or tablet to the system so that you can listen to music through the car speakers. The input receives a signal with an amplitude of 0.5 - 1 V, which is transmitted to the speakers under the influence of an amplifier speaker system and starts to sound louder.

Many car owners still don’t know what aux in a radio is or whether they have it at all. This thing is very convenient, since you can use it not only to listen to music. Some cars are equipped with such systems; by connecting your phone to them, you can calmly talk with your interlocutor without using your hands. It is very convenient, and most importantly - safe!

What you need to upgrade your radio

Before you make an AUX output on the radio, you need to purchase everything you need, namely a wire and a plug. If you have old headphones, you can use those too. The most important thing is that there should be no damage to the wire. You can check the integrity by “ringing” a multimeter.

The plug of any headphones has stripes that divide it into 3 parts. The part that is located at the base is the widest and belongs to the common wire, which differs from the channel conductors (the left channel has a green conductor, the right one has a red one). The remaining two parts of the plug belong to these same channels. You will also need a soldering iron, solders, a multimeter and several hours of free time.

Did you know? The French company Parrot invented the first car radio based on Android OS - Asteroid. This is a car radio only in its format. The device can be considered a portable computer with a three-inch screen, with which you can play games or track your route by opening the navigator. Also on this device you can open a directory of gas stations, you can track the location of speed cameras and much more.

How to solder AUX to radio

Having received all the parts and tools, you can proceed to soldering. The installation process is discussed using the example of Toyota Avensis.

Removing the radio and disassembling it

Before you remove the aux on the radio, it needs to be removed and disassembled. The sequence of actions is as follows:

Pry up the decorative strip from the right end, and then remove it. Gently pick it up and pull it along its entire length so that it comes out along with the pistons. Often this strip goes directly to the ignition switch. Remove the connector from the heated rear window button. The standard radio is secured with two bolts. They need to be unscrewed with a screwdriver with a magnet so that they do not fall behind the panel. To ensure free access, raise the handbrake. Move the selector to the center position. The ignition must be turned off. Click on Shift button Lock. In the corner, pry the selector panel and unclip it and the pistons. Disconnect the connector from the ashtray and remove the panel. At the bottom you will see a couple more mounting bolts. They also need to be unscrewed as carefully as possible and not lost. Remove the radio so that the connectors on the rear panel are accessible to you. Remove all connectors (the lower ones are from the climate control unit, the upper ones are from the radio, and also the antenna).

This completes the dismantling.

Important! You need to disassemble the device on a clean work surface, and not on your knees. Otherwise, dust and dirt may get inside, as a result of which the radio may stop working.

The breakdown is like this:

Remove the pair of brackets (the left one will say L and the right one will have an R). When removing them, you may need a wrench to size the bolts. Use a slotted screwdriver to pry up all the plastic locks around the perimeter of the front panel of the radio, and then remove the panel itself. There will be an insulation gasket under the panel; it needs to be removed. Remove the bolts that secure the front panel to the side walls and CD player. Remove the side walls. Remove back cover radio and the top cover of the player. Carefully lift the player, after which you will see two cables that need to be removed from the connectors, and then remove the player. This completes the dismantling and disassembly process.

Board diagnostics

When you disassemble the radio, you will get full access to the board. It needs to be examined carefully. Check the print path for signs of charring. If there are traces, then you also need to check the fuses. Restoring a printed track is a process of medium complexity; there is a lot of information about it on the Internet.

Important! Be sure to check the plan for serviceability. Especially if you have been using the radio for a long time. You can carry out diagnostics using a computer, but it is better to entrust this matter to professionals.

Soldering process

How to solder aux to the radio? It's easy! After disassembling the radio, you need to find two points on its board with marks RCH and LCH. These points are the stereo output channels from the player on head unit. Then proceed like this:

Take 3 wires different colors with a small cross-section and a length of 40-50 cm ( ideal option- coaxial wire with a pair of shielded cores). The first wire needs to be soldered to GND (ground). Solder the second and third wires to the above channels (use a low power soldering iron, approximately 25-30 W, since the parts are quite small, the soldering iron tip should be sharp, a magnifying glass will also come in handy). After soldering, write down which wire is connected to which channel. Apply heat shrink to the wires. If you are thinking about how to make aux on a cassette player, then everything is just as simple, but the soldering process is a little different. On the front of the cassette player there is a volume control, which has 3 outputs arranged in a row. To the extreme ones you need to solder a wire 20-25 cm long. Also, ideally, there will be a shielded wire that will not cause interference, but you can also take a regular stranded wire (diameter 0.2 - 0.8 mm).

After soldering, the radio needs to be assembled. In the case of a cassette device, the wires simply need to be brought out. Or you can make a hole in the side wall that will not be blocked by the bracket and from which the wires will come out. In principle, you can make several holes in the bracket, which then need to be secured with ties. Then find the 3-pin audio jack.

After connecting, you need to secure the socket in a convenient place. After installation, it is tedious to check the operation of the device - turn on the radio and check if all the speakers are working. To play music from a phone or tablet, you need to turn on the CD to activate the player channels, then connect the tablet or smartphone. The player's signal will be muted by the system, and the signal from the player will be output external device.

Is it possible to connect a flash drive via AUX? It is impossible to connect a flash drive directly via AUX. There are many different adapters on sale with which you can listen to music from this digital media.

Did you know? If you have a Google Nexus 7 tablet, then you can make both an on-board computer and a car radio for your car. There is a video on the Internet of installing this tablet in Dodge RAM. With the help of such a tablet, you can play music, navigate using a navigator, and even connect to the Internet, but only if you have a smartphone to distribute. If you turn on the Bluetooth adapter, the tablet will act as an on-board computer.

Enjoy the benefits of modern electronics. You don't have to give up these little privileges.

A car radio in a modern car has long ceased to be a luxury. The monitors of modern devices display speed, air conditioning readings, external head lights, and this list is constantly growing. But the developers usually do not provide for connecting something of their own, such as an mp3 player. But if you want, you can make the AUX connector available!

What is AUX input and where is it used?

Line input, or as it is now called “AUX,” has long appeared in household audio equipment. Home amplifier, depending on the model, has from one to several of these.

4 line inputs (AUX) are clearly visible in the lower left corner

Home audio equipment is still used according to the same principle, connecting it to a computer. To use this feature in your car, you will have to slightly modify the standard radio.

Connecting a smartphone to the radio can lead to an accident if someone suddenly calls it.

How to connect an aux to a radio with your own hands

Materials

• flat screwdriver (for removing the radio);
• soldering iron with accompanying materials;
• wire with 3.5 jack (can be used from old non-working headphones). ;
• multimeter (for checking).

Set of tools for work

Preparing the car radio

Soldering input

The input must be connected to the preamplifier chip.

To be able to control the sound using the radio, the signal must be fed to the inputs of the amplifier. If you want to control only from your phone, you can use the outputs. In the instructions for the radio (or on the network), find its wiring and solder the wires.

• red - right channel;
• green left;
• the remaining common wire and braid, if there is one, are soldered to the board body.

If there is no diagram, inspect the board. Sometimes it may have designations like “L-CH” - left channel, “R-CH” - right channel.

This is what it looks like typical diagram amplifier Highlighted in yellow necessary contacts. 1,2 - inputs, 18–21 - outputs, 15 pin (below 18) - ground. Thus, by sending a signal to pins 1–2, using an amplifier, you can distribute the sound to four speakers. He also deals with bass settings, adding frequencies, etc.

Several photos of how wiring is done in a standard jack (3.5)

If you took the wire and plug separately, a regular 3.5 jack is assembled at the free end. Red is right, green is left, and connect the remaining ones to the plug body.

Examination

The assembled circuit needs to be checked.

1. To do this, reduce the volume on the radio as much as possible (external sources tend to “roar”).
2. Then plug the plug into the smartphone or player.
3. Select any audio recording on it.

A correctly connected input will output sound from your device to the car speakers.

Assembly

• Place the cassette player in place and assemble the radio.
• The wire is brought out to a convenient place on the dashboard (an ashtray is often used if there are no smokers).

By assembling this option, they also solve the problem of the connecting wire, which arises when you want to use the “AUX” built into the radio.

Video

The video shows the installation of the “AUX” jack in a Ssang Yong car.

Using external adapters and cables

The review would be incomplete without adding that in today’s market a driver can find many devices whose functionality is capable of not only providing a linear input. There are models with USB support AUX and Bluetooth. Installing such a model is no more difficult than described above. In the video below, the owner connects such a device without disabling support for factory devices.

If your radio does not support connection external sources sound, every car enthusiast can add such an opportunity.

Knowing what AUX is in a car radio, drivers will be able to expand functionality systems. The symbol is located on the player or on the dashboard. The abbreviation AUX is a designation for a connector in the radio that allows you to connect other sound sources.

What is this exit for?

The Aux line output in the radio is necessary to connect a smartphone, tablet or mp3 player to the player. In this case, the sound will be transmitted through the car speakers.

In some cars they are combined, and the car owner can connect the phone when answering a call. To do this, you can connect a microphone to the radio via AUX. Therefore, on the panel on top of the Aux connector it is written “AUX IN”.

In operating condition, a signal with an amplitude in the range of 0.5-1 V is supplied to the output.

There is also an amplifier that transmits sound to the speakers.

Some drivers do not know what the input in the radio with the inscription AUX means. In this case, you can mix up 2 identical connectors. Below the output with the prefix “IN”, there is a plug labeled “OUT”.

AUX OUT - a connector designed for audio output. Therefore, a wire is inserted into it to output music. Speakers are suitable for this. Unknowing motorists are faced with problems with sound output in the radio and have no idea what Aux is. Therefore, if problems arise with the volume or the player does not work, they change it, but the problem may be that the device is not connected correctly.

How to use

When the Aux connector is detected on the car radio, the driver tries to determine what it is and how to use this function. The system can be found in many devices that reproduce sound. However, older cassette players or older versions of CD radios do not have a line-out. But this does not mean that a car enthusiast will not be able to connect a player or smartphone to play his music on the speakers.

To start listening to music in the car, you will need to determine how the playback device is connected via Aux and start listening to music from other sources. If the radio has an AUX plug, then to start using it you need a wire, where the jack size should be 3.5 mm. On the other side of the adapter there are several connectors for connecting an external device. If the corresponding output is not found on the player, then the car owner is able to make it himself. After connecting the playback device, you can listen to music.

How to enable AUX

If AUX was originally built into the car radio, then the system will need to unlock it. To enable Aux on the radio as a device that sends a signal to the speakers, you need to put the player in standby mode. To do this, press the SRC button, then enter the menu using MENU. You will need to hold the button until activation will occur systems. In the menu, scroll the right control knob to toggle Aux. The car radio display may show AUX ON/OFF, which indicates whether the input is on or off.

After the radio display says that Aux is on, you should press MENU button. This will help you log out and save your settings. Then you can connect the AUX wire to the radio.

Bluetooth adapter

If for some reason it is impossible to use standard adapters, then you can purchase a Bluetooth adapter. The device connects to any 3.5 mm jack connector. In the car radio, the Bluetooth adapter is connected to the AUX input. Using the device, the wireless transmission sound signal. The advantages of connecting AUX with a Bluetooth adapter include:

An adapter connected via AUX to a player in a car costs around 500 rubles. Minor disadvantages include the fact that the device requires recharging.

Cable

In addition to the adapter, there is a special AUX cable for the car radio, which is sold in a car equipment store. It can be found in the accessories section. Sometimes the adapter is already included at the factory.

In this case, the connector should be on one side, as for 3.5 mm jack headphones, and on the other, intended for a smartphone or other external device with music. To connect the cable to the radio, you will need to connect the Aux in the menu, and then you should not confuse the 2 outputs and insert the plug into the Aux labeled “IN”.

How to make AUX

If the player in your car does not have a line input, then it is useful to know how to output music from devices. To do this, you will need to make a plug in the radio with your own hands. Car owners are starting to think about how to make an AUX input if there is none, and are starting to purchase necessary tools. First you need to purchase a wire and plug. You don’t have to buy them in the store, because... The connector can be removed from old headphones. To avoid problems after connection, the wire must be taken without damage.

The jack connector in the headphones is divided into 3 parts. In this case, the largest colored wiring at the base relates to the overall sound. To solder the parts you will need to use a soldering iron. Additionally, you need to take solder and a multimeter.

CD on the radio

The disc player is equipped with an AUX input. Some manufacturers do not display it on dashboard and don’t know how to listen to music from an MP3 player. Therefore, the car owner must do this himself. To solder the Aux into the player, you will need to stock up on the following tools and consumables, How:

• medium Phillips screwdriver;
• a set of standard keys to remove the radio;
• jumper from HDD drive computer;
• headphone wire;
• jack 3.5 mm;
• insulating tape;
• USB cable.

To make AUX in the radio, you will need to remove the decorative plates - to do this, you can use a knife and carefully pry them off. Then take a medium Phillips screwdriver and unscrew the 2 screws holding the grille. Once this is done, the mesh will come away and can be easily removed. The procedure helps to open access to the radio with a CD drive; You can make an AUX input using standard keys. This is necessary to remove the player from its niche.

After removing the car radio, you should examine the back wall of the case and find the white connector.

Instead of this output there will be an Aux input. After finding the connector, you should connect the USB cable and jumper from the HDD drive to it. Then you need to close the contacts. To install the jumper correctly, you will need to separate top part to even contacts, and the bottom one to odd ones. To create an Aux input, jumper the bottom pins 11 and 13, counting from the left side.

Then a USB cable consisting of the following elements is connected to the input:

• left channel cable;
• right channel wire;
• shielding.

Pin 5 is used for the right channel, and pin 3 is used for the left. Both wires are connected to a two-core cable and the connection is insulated with electrical tape. The cable and jumper are inserted into the connector of the player in the car. The creation procedure is completed, and AUX is removed not from the radio, but into the ashtray. A cable with a USB connector can be connected to the player or other devices. Soldering in the connector yourself makes it possible to use not only a USB cable; instead, you can use other adapters to connect external devices.

On the standard radio

Soldering an AUX adapter for a standard radio is not an easy process. In this case, the player is removed due to the fact that there is not always an input on the panel. In addition to the basic tools, to make the connector, you will need to prepare 3 insulated cables. The cross-section of each of them should be 0.5 cm, and the length should be 30 cm. Additionally, heat shrinkage will be required.

To connect Aux to the standard radio, you need to remove the decorative strips with a knife. A similar procedure is done with the panel near the gear shift lever. Then it is removed manually, after which access to 2 screws opens. To do this, use a Phillips screwdriver. Installation of AUX in standard radios is carried out by removing the device from the niche.

To avoid damaging anything, when removing the player, you must disconnect all the wires at the back.

Then you need to take a Phillips screwdriver and unscrew all the bolts that hold the car radio cover. The device can now be removed from the case. To install AUX in the standard radio, you need to find the following 3 points on the board:

• LCH. Indicates left stereo channel.
• RCH. Right stereo channel.
• GND. "Earth".

It is necessary to solder 3 wires to the designated contact points. After this, all cables are assembled and heat shrinked to ensure the structure is safe. The procedure for soldering the AUX is completed, and all that remains is to assemble the player.

All parts are installed in reverse order. The resulting three-core wire is connected to standard radio and lead into the glove compartment or car interior, after which all that remains is to connect the 3.5 mm jack. A soldering iron is used for this. After completing the procedure, you can connect other devices to listen to music on the car speakers.

On a cassette player

If the car has an outdated player, and the owner wants to connect an AUX input to listen to music from an external device, then he will need to make a socket with his own hands. The set of tools is no different from other installation methods. The process begins with unscrewing the bolts holding the player in the niche. Then the player is removed and the screws are unscrewed from the car radio cover. After this, the tape mechanism of the cassette recorder becomes accessible.

The device is attached to special metal finish latches. Connecting the AUX input to an old radio is done either by removing the mechanism or leaving the structure in place. This depends on whether the device will interfere with getting to the volume control. Then the three-pin volume control is removed from the player. You need to solder 3 wires to it:

• general;
• for the left channel;
• for the right stereo channel.

To insulate these areas, you need to heat-shrink the wires. Then the tape recorder is assembled and installed in a niche. Now you should connect the AUX to the cassette player and output it to the glove compartment. To do this, a 3.5 mm jack is soldered. After this, it will no longer be possible to insert cassette tapes into the cassette player for listening, because... it will be used for the AUX input wire.

Problems and how to solve them

After soldering or on a standard radio, car owners have problems with sound transmission.

At the same time, they note that the volume is low, or the player does not work at all.

Plays quietly

If the sound coming through the Aux into the device is weak, this may be due to damage to the wire. To fix the problem, you need to check the connection cable. To do this, use a multimeter.

If the device does not show any problems, then you should increase the volume on the connected device.

Doesn't work

Car owners note that the player does not make sound. If AUX does not work, this may be due to the fact that the connector in the radio is turned off. Otherwise the wire would be connected to Aux OUT.

To solve these problems, you should go to the device menu and check whether the input is unlocked or not. Sometimes the problem occurs in the socket - to do this you will need to remove the radio and check the connection of the contacts.