RCA Input Cable help

I noticed two RCA input cables hanging down below the ash tray. So I thought: "I can plug in my ipod through those". However the CD player does not switch to an AUX mode. I tried surfing through the radio channels to see if the iPod would play through those but couldn't get it to work. However, only if the ipod is playing and I shut the truck off and crank it back up, the screen shows "TEL CALL" but no music plays. I guess it thinks theres a telephone call coming in and it won't play cd's or radio. If I unplug the iPod the message goes away and CD's and radio play fine. Can anyone tell me what I'm doing wrong? Are these input cables even meant for that? I can't find anything about the radio or its maker online. It is a Samson AV flip screen Radio, CD/MP3 player. Any kind of help would be appreciated.

 

I'd pull the head unit out and make sure those RCA wires are even attached and that they're attached to inputs on the stereo. If you had the exact model you could google it and find it if it's even compatable with an Ipod. How are you connecting an Ipod to RCA cables, is there some sort of interface device you're using?

 

They could be outputs for a subwoofer.

 

If it was just an aux input it wouldn't have to be "compatible" with the ipod since it would just be playing audio out of the headphone jack probably

This. Just pull the HU out and see where they go and if there's any labeling.

 

That's why I asked my next question if he was using something as an interface between the Ipod and the stereo. If he doesn't have an aux setting on his stereo, you can't just plug in an Ipod and expect it to work, you'd need something like the USA Spec device.

The other guy is right, there's a good chance those are extensions of the pre-amp outputs for a sub.

 

x2

 

Is that a piece of antler I see on your passenger side floorboard?

 

The cables have a tag that says "RCA Input". I was running only a cable that goes from those inputs to the ipod headphone jack. I think i'll pull the HU out and take a look though.

And yes I had antlers laying on the floorboard. 16 point, but extremely non-typical.

 

x 3

 

Ok

I did the same set up on my deck in my old civic. The two RC jacks are for a sub/amp or whatever you really want to use it for (xbox, ps3, wii, dvd......).

You can use those but u need to buy a R/C cable hook up that plugs into the bottom of the ipod. These can be expensive. You can't just use a head phone jack.

If you want to use the headphone jack in the ipod the check to see if the deck has an aux out and that is what you plug into, forget the R/C plugs.

Then your ipod will play through the aux setting on the deck

Hopefuly this helps and I didn't confuse

 

Thank yall for the help but I am kind of confused. Is there a reason you can't use a headphone jack to rca cable? I would think that the signal would be the same that goes to the hu. The HU was made by Samson a while back, and I can't find a manual for any of their products except for guitars.

 

any model number or serial numbers on the head unit?

 

No. I can't find a single serial number on the whole unit! I took it out and looked all over the damn thing. Oh well. But anyways when I took it out I saw the wiring diagram on top and apparently it only has AUX out cables. So either the wires are labeled wrong as "RCA input" or they go to something else, which is next to impossible, because theres nothing else there. But heres a few pictures of the back. I don't see any possibilities of hooking up any type of AUX setup. Thanks for the help.

 

I seem to remember there being a piece of hardware that T's into the antenna and adds an aux port. This was some time ago and they say memory is the first to go but that might be a route to look into. I know nothing about them but if they work hopefully someone else will give their thoughts.

 

Did you install this stereo yourself? It may be RCAs that were running to an amp/sub that is no longer in the vehicle. Normally there should be a place to plug the into the back of the HU to give a subwoofer it's own non fading feed.That HU may have been swapped with another unit that used the RCAs. Sometimes people get lazy and do not pull all the wire out, when I sold my Frontier I left all of the wiring and took the Amp, Sub and HU.

 

Sorry but I agree. That head unit doesn't look right to have aux ports. There should be more connections in the back of the unit. Maybe time to upgrade?

 

x2

Plenty of good deals on new head units. Even the cheap ones have front panel aux input now.

I have one of the antenna adapters that gives an aux input. Cost me 35 bucks I think, not really worth it. It works fine, but too much money when you can get a new deck for 100 bucks. Only reason I went that route is it was for a company vehicle that I'm not allowed to modify. I can hide the adapter, can't hide a new deck.

 

Where did you get the antenna adapter? I don't really need a new HU, as cheap as they are. Im trying to save all the money I can for some Cooper Discoverer STT tires.