In a message dated 8/18/99 11:57:32 PM Eastern Daylight Time, freeze@VISI.COM
writes:

>  My Stock radio (delco) interfaces with my 6 disk
>  cd-changer nicely. I can even control the disk changer from the radio
>  controls, and the LCD display on the radio reads the disk and track (or the
>  elapsed time of the song if I push a button). My goal is to interface my
>  computer with the stock head unit to have the head unit control the
>  songs/playlists/shuffle/etc either through the serial port or with the help
>  of a PIC (...and we're back on topic!).
>
>  Here is the problem: Delco is tight lipped about the signals used to talk
to
>  the cd-changer. They don't even provide me with a pinout.
    You could just get button pushes right off the buttons themselves. I've
used PIC's to add remotes to car CD players a couple of times now. Going
straight to the buttons  has been by far the easiest most reliable way to do
this. Getting the signal this way shouldn't be a problem either, especially
if its not a detachable face player (unlike mine ). Not sure what to do about
displaying the info though. Good luck.
    As far as displays/interfaces go for in car MP3. I think I'm going to use
my trusty HP48GX calculator. It has a nice display, plenty of buttons, easy
to program, cost about $60 now (G), and best of all has a built in IR
xmitter. I could even upgrade software for it while sitting at a red light:)
However it may be a bit hard to see at night (no backlight).
Matt B.