I had a crazy idea

[themadhacker]

As some of you know, cassettes and 8 track carts are both read magnetically.

I have recently been experimenting with the two formats by feeding some 8 track ribbon over a cassette player's head and found that it can read the 8 track. I have done this the opposite too, by running cassette ribbon over an 8 track player's head.

So then I had a crazy idea. Everybody knows about those adapters for car cassette players that have a jack to plug into ipods and such. Do any of you think that it would work for an 8 track player too? It would be a pretty useless idea for most, but since my car has an 8 track player, it would just be something pretty cool to make.

Actually, I think I have seen something like this before somewhere on some TV show. I think it was pimp my ride (multi-layered show).

any thoughts, advice, or comments?

[kibble]

It should work just fine, but you'd probably need a bigger head than what's in the usual tape adapters. Although, my question is why not just get a new head unit? Some can be found for around, if not less than, $40 with audio input jacks. If you're really wanting to keep your 8-track, then you'll need to sacrifice one cassette. If you can find another 8-track unit to remove the head from, that will help. The way they're wired is really simple; the output from the audio device is fed straight into the head.

[themadhacker]

thanks.

Come to think of it, I have a broken stereo with an 8 track unit in it. I'll just take the head from that.

[bicostp]

In addition to a 3.5" jack, you should build in a cheapo MP3 player so you have a stealthy "8 track" that actually works.

[themadhacker]

tll, bic, I was planning that.

In anycase, most of my 8 tracks work now since I have repaired/refurbished them.

[marshallh]

Just run some wires from the 8track head inside the player to an AUX in jack.

Problem solved

[timmeh87]

Yeah but then he may not be able to play 8 tracks anymore!

If the 8 track is a separate standalone player (like all the CD players in my pre-2000 cars) then you can patch into the audio line that goes from the 8-track to the head unit with one of those interrupting headphone jacks, so that when you plug in your mp3 player it replaces the 8-track player.