I recently had to pull out my radio so I made a radio tool using scissors and a grinder instead of buying the keys. (trial and error your on your own with this part or just buy the radio keys.)
PIC 1

Doing so I had an idea to to create an input for my mp3 players and psp.
I tried a modulator and quickly realized that they suck (I have owned a few).
I know that the tape drive adapters work well in the car but hate the unsightly wire sticking out of the headunit so I did this.... (Excuse the cell phone photo quality)

First insert tape without wire making sure tape deck door closes (if you bought one without the detachable wire then pull wire through after popping the top-
PIC 2

No need to remove any screws just pry metal top cover up off tabs with knife-
PIC 3

Exposes this part of the radio-
PIC 4

Wire end that goes into tape (plug in now)-
PIC 5

Work wire around to right hand corner of radio and snap the metal top cover back on as not to sever wire (you will see the place that is seemingly provided for the wire)-
PIC 6

Run the wire back behind radio and replace radio you can run the wire where you choose I chose to go under the shifter then up into the arm rest. If you do it my way you will find the wire too short so you will need to visit radio shack for a 3.5 mm jack extension (They have black or cream colored in both styles of extenders). Good for people who may wanna match them to their interiors).

Get Female to male extender if you want it to plug your tape wire into the mp3 device.

Get female to female if you want to plug mp3 device into the wire via double sided head phone jack (male to male 3.5mm jack) in effect, making your own input like the command systems have. This way you can fabricate an input into the glove compartment or into the dash.

I will go into detail if necessary I hope I explained this clearly enough. now all you have to do is press the tape button to transform your useless tapedeck into a spankin new mp3 input.

 

First pic

 

Second pic

 

Third pic

 

Fourth pic

 

Fifth pic

 

Sixth pic (press down once wire is routed and situated)

 

everytime i see new post of home baked solution, i get my hopes up thinking
that it's something I can use myself. alas, I have Audio 10...which doesn't
have a tape player as part of its features. good cobble though - glad it
worked for you.

 

Yours to do with as you please....

 

great idea there.... i wonder if i can do the same to the W211 i plan on getting...

 

Great idea ClkE20! I wondered about using the useless tape player for this, but never had the rocks to take it all apart - figured I'd screw something up...

 

Messing around with it today it sounds great and looks clean I am thinking of drilling a hole ( ) to make an input jack rather than just having the wire sit in the armrest glove box. Will post more pics if I can get the courage up

 

i would do the same... just drill the hole.... you will never be happier with the results

 

Where did you purchase the tape drive adapter - Radio Shack?

 

Target and walmart both carry that model with the removeable wire.

 

my tape adapter keeps switching sides until it ejects. when it plays on side one, i can hear the music. any idea why that would happen and what i need to do to get it to stop?

 

same thing happpened to me beu, those tape things arnt made to last very long. There only 15 dollars so its probably worth it just to get a new one.

 

crap. thats what i figured that it was just POS. I dont even know why i would bother getting something from radio shack. that place is the worst. ill just spring for a sony or jvc.

 

Pic 1: here's my Ipod setup, might help others who need ideas
Pic 2: night shot
Pic 3: and finally, make sure you don't leave your Ipod in plain sight when leaving the car

 

im sorry to hear about your window. man people these days...