Forget the fact that you would almost never have to use this, but does anyone know how to interface a MiniDisc changer with their empeg? I have a changer, and some md's but no way to connect it, and i think i'm going to be forced to sell the md changer. :P

-CHiP

Greetings!

What kind of outputs does the MD Changer have?

Paul G.
SN# 090000587 (40GB Green)

the md changer has your standard pair of RCA outs.... but the interface to the player is what i really need. Maybe i was not clear in my first post... I want the empeg to control the md changer. ... :T ...does that help?

-CHiP

Greetings!

Ah... I understand now. Unfortunately, this is out of my league. Sorry. Do you know if the MD changer uses the same control set as their CD changers?

Paul G.
SN# 090000587 (40GB Green)

I'm sure it does, will that make a difference?

-CHiP

Personally I think the empeg can't manage controlling a CD/MD changer.
It has no menu on the one side (to select which CD/MD and what song to play) and on the other side it has no hardware controls to "speak" with the changer.

Well - maybe all of the above is not really true and there is a possibility by hacking the kernel somehow and connecting the CD/MD-changer via serial port and a converter.

But I can't remember anyone told about something like that here in this BBS and I don't know if it's really possible to do this...


TeeMcBee
Got my Mk2! # 080000143

Greetings - I am asuming that it must be a Sony (they are the only MD suporters I know). I think what you need is a Sony RM-X69RF (FM Modulator Package). This will control the MD changer. It can also convert the RCA signal to an FM (which you wont need in the application). I would check with crutchfeild to see if you can still use the RCA to the Empeg while you use this to control the MD...

Good luck


-Doug
(Mk2-12G-Blue or Green)

FYI: Minidisc is not just supported by Sony. Currently, Aiwa, Sharp, Sony, Kenwood, JVC, Sanyo, Fisher, Goldstar, Audiophase, Onkyo, Technics, Yamaha, TEAC, Sansui, Marantz, Memorex, Goodmans, Samsung, Denon, Amstrad, Casio, Tascam, Otari, Vestax, HHB, Nakamichi, Eclipse, Blaupunkt and Becker support MD. Ford Motor Company and GM used to offer in car players.

BUT, Kenwood, Sony, Pioneer and Clarion are the only makers of MD, outboard changers that I know of.

12gig Mk. II BLUE
Detroit, MI USA
www.PfeifferBeer.com

I want the empeg to control the md changer. ... :T ...does that help?

Not going to happen easily. CD/MD changers have proprietary control interfaces. Each one is different, and they all require pretty specialized circuitry. To do what you're talking about doing, you would have to:

1) Reverse-engineer the minidisc changer's interface.
2) Create a circuit that would convert serial-port commands into the proprietary signals for the changer.
3) Write a piece of software to run on the Empeg that would do the controlling for you.

As MorrisDL said, you're better off just getting a remote control interface for the MD changer and controlling it from there. But that's not cheap. Assuming your MD changer is a Sony, the RM-X69RF remote control interface MorrisDL mentioned is 129.95 at Crutchfield.

But now here comes the real question:

You have an empeg! What do you need a minidisc changer for?!?!?!

___________
Tony Fabris

>>You have an empeg! What do you need a minidisc changer for?!?!?!

Yes, I konw, its just that i HAVE all this stuff already, and thought i could utilize it before turning to the options of selling it all.

Thanks Tony.

-CHiP

Whoa -- While the Empeg certainly won't control a headless MD changer, let's not knock minidiscs in general.

MDs are great for many reasons; IMHO they got "right" many of the faults of CDs, incl. track/disc naming, protected read/write surface, reusability, small size. And vs. portable MP3 hardware, they're a much cheaper storage-per-minute (and of a constant length).

I've got a minidisc head unit, with plenty of MDs in my armrest, with all-time favorite albums and mixes. Perfect for when I don't happen to have my Empeg with me. And I never have any awkward CDs floating around the car!

Anyway, I highly recommend an MD+Empeg setup, even if it didn't work out in this particular case.

______________
Empeg Mk. 2 #626, 18Gb blue | Kenwood KMD-X92. 2000 VW Passat wagon.

Anyway, I highly recommend an MD+Empeg setup, even if it didn't work out in this particular case.

So, Lax, your minidisc+empeg situation works because they're both head units, right?

CHiP, do you have the option of installing a second head unit? Perhaps a cheap Sony CD player with changer controls? That would be the best of all worlds because you'd have the CD in the dash, the MD's in the trunk, and the Empeg in the dash, too.

___________
Tony Fabris

Or if, like me, you have a JVC combined CD MD headunit, you have CD, MD and Empeg in the dash... =)
Mind you, most of the time the JVC is little more than a volume control. It only gets used when my mate wants to try a new MD track from his studio on my system...

Jazz
(List 112, Mk2 12 gig #40. Mk1 4 gig #30. Mk3 1.6 16v)

Tony: Yep, they're both head units. My Empeg feeds into the line-in adapter on the Kenwood HU.

Natch, I've traded off the functionality of the parametric EQ... but I prefer being able to leave the Empeg at home/office, and still have a fully-functioning stereo.

______________
Empeg Mk. 2 #626, 18Gb blue | Kenwood KMD-X92. 2000 VW Passat wagon.

I don't really have the option of installing a 2n head unit.

Here's my install page.

I don't think i'm going to keep the MD changer after all. I'll just use my portable one, and a tape adapter in my stock head unit. My install is designed to keep the stock head unit, which controls a CD changer already, and i would run it though the AUX of the empeg and have Tape/CD/Radio/empeg in the same dash board. (except for the changer.) I'm making the custom dash board at this point in time. If you don't know what i'm taking about, just check the link. :)

Anyone want to buy a MD changer? Maybe i'll post it in the "for sale" area.

My MD Changer For Sale.


-CHiP

Well this is something I wanted a time back too...

Have a look at this information:
http://www.eriksen.no/unilink
http://www.cus.org.uk/~cleggy/

Nothing complete yet, but who knows, maybe one of those days.

TommyE