How to connect external CD player into a California?

[RobertCalifornia]

Anyone succeeded in connecting an external CD player into their California?

I got my California earlier this year and want to be able to play all my old CDs on road trips. I bought a cheap CD player and then got the USB C to USB A adapter to connect it in, but it doesn’t work.

Has anyone found a way to play CDs through the audio system?

 

[Ch1pbutty]

You should be able to do it thru the 3.5m ‘aux’ socket. Ours is hidden in the glove box.

 

[RobertCalifornia]

You should be able to do it thru the 3.5m ‘aux’ socket. Ours is hidden in the glove box.

Thanks @Ch1pbutty. There doesn’t seem to be anything in my glovebox resembling a socket. How well hidden is it? Here’s a photo of it. Wondering if it has been phased out on newer vehicles (mine is a 2021 Coast).

 

[Loz]

Why not rip them to mp3 and put them on an sd card?

 

[DrewVW]

As Loz says, getting your CDs on an SD card would work or onto a smartphone and use Android Auto or the iThing to play them. Would save a lot of space!

 

[Finlay]

Anyone succeeded in connecting an external CD player into their California?

I got my California earlier this year and want to be able to play all my old CDs on road trips. I bought a cheap CD player and then got the USB C to USB A adapter to connect it in, but it doesn’t work.

Has anyone found a way to play CDs through the audio system?

Did you find a solution to playing CDs through the audio system. I’d like to do the same myself. Apple play thingy is fine but I love my CDs!

 

[GrumpyGranddad]

Just wondering whether a bluetooth adapter would work? Would it show up as a selectable source in the van?
Plug it into the CD player and connect to the van with bluetooth? (Or maybe a bluetooth enabled cd player)

 

[Chris_BLG_Ocean]

Just use car play/ Android Auto and Spotify it has all your CD’s and more Noel you will want to use your Tapes or records


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[RobertCalifornia]

Did you find a solution to playing CDs through the audio system. I’d like to do the same myself. Apple play thingy is fine but I love my CDs!

@Finlay I’m afraid I haven’t. I think it is assumed you will have access to Spotify and can play any music you have on CD that way. I do have Spotify so I can do that, which has meant that though I am still on the lookout for a way to play CDs in the California, my search hasn’t been very urgent! The SD card solution is also a possibility. @GrumpyGranddad’s suggestions sound sensible - so might try those out some time. Let me know if you find a better way - would love to play those CDs again!

 

[Finlay]

Just wondering whether a bluetooth adapter would work? Would it show up as a selectable source in the van?
Plug it into the CD player and connect to the van with bluetooth? (Or maybe a bluetooth enabled cd player)



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Thank you. Will take a look at that option.

 

[GrumpyGranddad]

Thank you. Will take a look at that option.

Hi @Finlay, I was just speculating. Not sure it will work so wouldn’t want you to waste your hard earned dosh. Maybe others on here might have experience?

 

[WelshGas]

Hi @Finlay, I was just speculating. Not sure it will work so wouldn’t want you to waste your hard earned dosh. Maybe others on here might have experience?

As the OP cannot find a 3.5mm jack connection I don't see how that would work.
If he can find such a socket he should just be able to plug the CD player in.

My mistake, I see its plugged into the CD player.

 

[Swello]

The setup here would surely be a Bluetooth transmitter - so transmitter 3.5mm plugs into CD output and that is paired with the Discover Media as a bluetooth source. Nothing is plugged into the van from an audio perspective.

I assume the transmitter can be powered off the USB-C in the dash if it's similar to the generic chinese one that Grumpy Grandad linked above (I've been using the same one (with a different name) as a receiver on my TV to allow bluetooth headphones and it's worked well although the internal battery doesn't last very long, so mine is powered off the TV USB).

 

[Gina-B]

I was just about to ask how to play my beloved CDs in my new Cali, when I came across this thread. If anyone has a foolproof way, I'd be eternally grateful. Which player? (don't want to fix it) What connector or cable? How to get it to play thro the Cali speakers? Be gentle - I'm not very techi!!

 

[WelshGas]

I was just about to ask how to play my beloved CDs in my new Cali, when I came across this thread. If anyone has a foolproof way, I'd be eternally grateful. Which player? (don't want to fix it) What connector or cable? How to get it to play thro the Cali speakers? Be gentle - I'm not very techi!!

How to Play CDs In Newer Cars Without CD Player

Experienced and Hands-on Audio Engineer Explains, Step by Step, How to Play CDs In Newer Cars Without CD Player. Check it Out Now!

merelymusic.com

 

[sidepod]

 

[Gina-B]

How to Play CDs In Newer Cars Without CD Player

Experienced and Hands-on Audio Engineer Explains, Step by Step, How to Play CDs In Newer Cars Without CD Player. Check it Out Now!

merelymusic.com

Thanks for that info WelshGas. Will look into those options - what would this club do without you? You seem to have an answer for everything!

 

[WelshGas]

Thanks for that info WelshGas. Will look into those options - what would this club do without you? You seem to have an answer for everything!

Unfortunately No, down to Google.

 

[Gina-B]

Yeah yeah sidepod - I know I'm old fashioned, but I make no apologies for loving my CDs. But I did have a titter at that great video!! Thanks.

 

[flying banana]

FM transmitter. Then you tune into your own radio station

 

[apreading]

Slightly off topic but how do you get media onto the hard drive on the T6.1 Ocean now? I have one for a couple of weeks and there is no SD card slot but I gather there is a hard drive? Just not sure how you load media onto it.

 

[Gina-B]

Unfortunately No, down to Google.

Well I have to say that I read the forums with regularity (as I'm sure many do) and we always seem to get such good advice from you - with or without the great Google machine. So thanks.

 

[westfalia]

Mine has a CD player fitted under the passenger seat ( your drivers seat )
fitted from new, its a vw one.



When Cd's became a bit old, I had an aux cable wired in and the chap
said that if he disconnects the CD player, he can use those cables and
my iPod would work - forward a song on - using the cd buttons.

I left it in and I'm glad I did, I like the Cd's, far better sound than a cabled iPod.

Here's my old wireless though.



Could it be possible to wire one up to the Aux button?

 

[Dingbat]

You should be able to do it thru the 3.5m ‘aux’ socket. Ours is hidden in the glove box.

How do you Power it?

 

[Dingbat]

Why not rip them to mp3 and put them on an sd card?

CD's have been copy proof for a long time now.