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Step 11Going Crazy!!! ...future projects.
The boombox was an overall success. The only problem I've had is that you eventually have to charge the battery on the MP3 player and the electrical interference is too much to play music while it charges.
I am considering trying to figure out how to set up the MP3 player to run off of power from the box instead of the battery. To accomplish this I would probably use a 5 volt voltage regulator. However if charging causes an electric hummmm then running power from the boombox will probably do the same. So I will have to install a ground loop isolator (two audio transformers) in the audio lines.
I went on to modify another boombox. This time I used a Magnavox D 8443 and an iVO-Sound m1050 personal media player.
Installing the MP3 player displaced 5 buttons and a power switch which I relocated to the old cassette player buttons. All of these buttons being outside of the MP3 player cause a horrible ground loop problem. I tried a ground loop isolator but it cut out some of my sound as well. Frustrated I asked the question on the Instructable question area and figured out the best I could do to resolve this was change the power cord to a three prong cord. I still haven't changed the power cord yet. I am scrounging around for an old computer component that has a three pronged socket to replace the standard two pronged socket of the boombox. The two HOT prongs go to where the old ones were. The third prong the ground wire is connected to where the ground wires from the audio cables connect to the board on the boombox. Of course if you have an older house your power outlets may not be grounded so a three pronged plug wont do you any good. If that's the case then call an electrician and have your house properly grounded before bad things happen to your happy home.
My favorite mod is that I added LED VU meters under the left and right speakers. I got the LED kits ready-made off of ebay http://shop.ebay.com/merchant/hobbykitbg_W0QQ_nkwZQQ_armrsZ1QQ_fromZQQ_mdoZ For one of the speakers I had to resolder all the LEDs to the other side of the board to get the board to fit in such a tight spot. Unlike light bulbs LEDs are Unidirectional so you have to solder them back on so the electricity flows through the LED in the same direction as before.
This whole project has been a ton of fun troubleshooting and problem solving. Every feature you decide to add and every different component you use puts a whole new spin on how the project will turn out.
If there is a next project I will probably attempt install an MP3 player that I make from scratch that mainly plays SD cards and USB flash drives. Sparkfun.com has several kits I could use to do this.
...after having said all that...For anyone who attempts a project like this I wish you the best of luck!!! Have fun!!!!
I am considering trying to figure out how to set up the MP3 player to run off of power from the box instead of the battery. To accomplish this I would probably use a 5 volt voltage regulator. However if charging causes an electric hummmm then running power from the boombox will probably do the same. So I will have to install a ground loop isolator (two audio transformers) in the audio lines.
I went on to modify another boombox. This time I used a Magnavox D 8443 and an iVO-Sound m1050 personal media player.
Installing the MP3 player displaced 5 buttons and a power switch which I relocated to the old cassette player buttons. All of these buttons being outside of the MP3 player cause a horrible ground loop problem. I tried a ground loop isolator but it cut out some of my sound as well. Frustrated I asked the question on the Instructable question area and figured out the best I could do to resolve this was change the power cord to a three prong cord. I still haven't changed the power cord yet. I am scrounging around for an old computer component that has a three pronged socket to replace the standard two pronged socket of the boombox. The two HOT prongs go to where the old ones were. The third prong the ground wire is connected to where the ground wires from the audio cables connect to the board on the boombox. Of course if you have an older house your power outlets may not be grounded so a three pronged plug wont do you any good. If that's the case then call an electrician and have your house properly grounded before bad things happen to your happy home.
My favorite mod is that I added LED VU meters under the left and right speakers. I got the LED kits ready-made off of ebay http://shop.ebay.com/merchant/hobbykitbg_W0QQ_nkwZQQ_armrsZ1QQ_fromZQQ_mdoZ For one of the speakers I had to resolder all the LEDs to the other side of the board to get the board to fit in such a tight spot. Unlike light bulbs LEDs are Unidirectional so you have to solder them back on so the electricity flows through the LED in the same direction as before.
This whole project has been a ton of fun troubleshooting and problem solving. Every feature you decide to add and every different component you use puts a whole new spin on how the project will turn out.
If there is a next project I will probably attempt install an MP3 player that I make from scratch that mainly plays SD cards and USB flash drives. Sparkfun.com has several kits I could use to do this.
...after having said all that...For anyone who attempts a project like this I wish you the best of luck!!! Have fun!!!!
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So wierd... i seriously just figured this out on my D8443. and now i find this even though I commented a few weeks ago... And by the way. Touching a D8443 is murder. You really are a murderer