Solved! Need help hacking a Sony CD player

BeeM

Commendable
Jun 19, 2019
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Hi! 1st post here...

I need help hacking a Sony CD player so it can be used to output audio to another system (amplifier) as a stand alone player.

This CD player was given to me as a part of a full stereo system (info in the end) that uses a Sony proprietary blue colored System Control connector between all the modules to communicate between each other, feed power and output audio.

I want to keep the amplifier but I have no need to keep the CD player and I want to give it away to a friend of mine. He does not have a Sony system so I need to hack into the CD player in order to feed it power (and I don't know how many Volts and if AC or already DC) and hijack the audio output to standard RCAs so my friend can connect it to his system. (yes there is a optic output but my friend's system does not have that input, so this route is invalid. OR... Is there any very cheap converter from Optic Out to RCA?)

Info:
  • The main module is a Sony Graphic Equalizer Model No. SEQ-H4800 (Input: 220-230V AC, 50-60Hz, 40W)
  • The CD player (and also radio) is a Model HCD - H4800

What I need:
  • Know where to input power (and how much; AC/DC?)
  • Where to output audio RCA (left, right)

PS - I found the Service Manual here:

https://elektrotanya.com/sony_hcd-h4800.pdf/download.html#dl

and it seems it works with 220-230V AC and there is a button combination to power it up as stand-alone, solving one problem.
But I cannot figure out where to feed the power and extract the audio signal. Hope this manual helps...
Thanks for your help.
 
Solution
Since you have the main unit you should be able to check which contacts in the cable handle power by measuring them there. I suspect the voltage will be DC.
The conductors meant to carry audio from the CD won't have any voltage on them at all without the CD/Tuner connected.
An optical to analog converter isn't expensive. If you can get it powered up then that will simplify things. Might sound better too.
Since you have the main unit you should be able to check which contacts in the cable handle power by measuring them there. I suspect the voltage will be DC.
The conductors meant to carry audio from the CD won't have any voltage on them at all without the CD/Tuner connected.
An optical to analog converter isn't expensive. If you can get it powered up then that will simplify things. Might sound better too.
 
Solution