How to Add an FM Transmitter or External Speaker to GE Lights and Sounds of Christmas
Purchase a headphone jack at Radio Shack, about $4., Cut two lengths of speaker wire, long enough to reach from the internal speaker contacts to the contacts on the headphone jack., Purchase an FM transmitter from WalMart, in the automotive section...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Purchase a headphone jack at Radio Shack
 One that will accept a stereo mini plug. Remove cover of the unit to expose the internal speaker. Drill hole in side of the cover of the unit, in close proximity to the internal speaker. Hole should be just big enough to allow the threaded end of the Headphone jack to slide in. Secure it with the washer nut. , Using an electronic soldering iron, solder the ends of the speaker wires to the internal speaker and then to the headphone jack. Do not remove the existing wires to the internal speaker from their contacts. Replace the cover of the unit and secure all screws. The headphone jack will now accept mini plugs from either an FM transmitter, or an external speaker. If you want to allow both to work at the same time, you need to put in another headphone jack, and repeat the process., The one that has the 6" patch cord and mini plug attached. This comes with 20 pre set channel selections. Use your vehicle as a test by turning your radio on and tuning to the channel you have set on the transmitter. Experiment with all the channels on the transmitter to see which one gives you the best sound quality. I chose
90.1 and can pick up the sound from my unit up to about 200' in any direction of the house. This transmitter is run with 2 triple A batteries. You will need to turn it off and unplug it every night and bring it in the house or the batteries won't last long. If you live in warmer climates, just turn it off each night., If it does not you will need to solder one to the end of the wires. Get one at Radio Shack for next to nothing. Use a stereo plug even though the jack is wired from one speaker, it carries the full range of stereo sound. Radio Shack also carries extension patch cords to allow the external speaker to be at some distance from the unit. I have my unit in an enclosed area, out of the weather, and, I also built a wooden housing for the entire unit to keep it dry and snow free. You can add as many patch cords as you need to acquire the length you need. Use cords that have the stereo plugs at the ends and use stereo connectors to plug them together. No sound quality will be lost whatever the length you chose. I have 40' of patch cords plugged together and the sound is perfect. The patch cords are not cheap however, and this was the most expensive part of the project. All in all about $30 for the entire project, including the transmitter., This may require an extension cord as well for the speaker, for the amplified sound. You can use a speaker without amplified sound if you prefer, but it will require a higher volume from your sounds machine., As it turned out it was one of the easiest projects I've done, and not at all as complicated as some would make you believe. All it requires is a phillips screwdriver and a soldering iron for tools. The supplies may put a dent in your debit card account, but it wasn't nearly as expensive as I thought, and the results are well worth the $30 it cost., Now all passersby, either on foot or in their vehicles can enjoy the music. Fantastic addition to a really nice unit., Purchase a remote timer. Stein's garden center or Walgreen's has them. The remote will allow you to turn them on from the warmth of the inside of your house and turn them off when you want. It also allows you to leave the power switch on the machine on. It does not draw current to the machine when the timer is off, only to the remote timer itself. My machine is outside, though somewhat protected, in the cold winter of Wisconsin, and have not had a problem at all. However, I have found that these machines are power sensitive. Dedicate one outlet for this machine and nothing else. If you have more than one outside socket available, at different areas of the house, use one that has nothing else plugged into it. I had to run an 80' extension cord, with this machine plugged into it, to the back of the house, to an empty socket, otherwise the songs would skip badly. Now it works perfectly, every day, regardless of weather. , I hope all of you have the same great results that I've gotten. Good luck, enjoy your efforts. You will be pleased with the end result. -
Step 2: about $4.
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Step 3: Cut two lengths of speaker wire
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Step 4: long enough to reach from the internal speaker contacts to the contacts on the headphone jack.
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Step 5: Purchase an FM transmitter from WalMart
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Step 6: in the automotive section
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Step 7: around $12.
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Step 8: The headphone jack will accept an external speaker providing it has a stereo mini plug at the end.
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Step 9: If you use an external speaker with your new set up
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Step 10: use one that has a volume control on it.
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Step 11: When I first thought of doing this I thought it was beyond my pay grade
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Step 12: but as I thought more about it I decided to give it a shot.
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Step 13: With the transmitter plugged in I can now receive the music on a boom box in the house
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Step 14: or any radio within range
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Step 15: and I have that boom box hooked up to two outside speakers under the eaves on the front of my house
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Step 16: and broadcast the music on those at the same time as through the transmitter.
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Step 17: For those who have a similar unit but have trouble with it working properly on a timer
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Step 18: I have this tip.
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Step 19: This was an easy project and I'm glad I didn't give up on it.
Detailed Guide
 One that will accept a stereo mini plug. Remove cover of the unit to expose the internal speaker. Drill hole in side of the cover of the unit, in close proximity to the internal speaker. Hole should be just big enough to allow the threaded end of the Headphone jack to slide in. Secure it with the washer nut. , Using an electronic soldering iron, solder the ends of the speaker wires to the internal speaker and then to the headphone jack. Do not remove the existing wires to the internal speaker from their contacts. Replace the cover of the unit and secure all screws. The headphone jack will now accept mini plugs from either an FM transmitter, or an external speaker. If you want to allow both to work at the same time, you need to put in another headphone jack, and repeat the process., The one that has the 6" patch cord and mini plug attached. This comes with 20 pre set channel selections. Use your vehicle as a test by turning your radio on and tuning to the channel you have set on the transmitter. Experiment with all the channels on the transmitter to see which one gives you the best sound quality. I chose
90.1 and can pick up the sound from my unit up to about 200' in any direction of the house. This transmitter is run with 2 triple A batteries. You will need to turn it off and unplug it every night and bring it in the house or the batteries won't last long. If you live in warmer climates, just turn it off each night., If it does not you will need to solder one to the end of the wires. Get one at Radio Shack for next to nothing. Use a stereo plug even though the jack is wired from one speaker, it carries the full range of stereo sound. Radio Shack also carries extension patch cords to allow the external speaker to be at some distance from the unit. I have my unit in an enclosed area, out of the weather, and, I also built a wooden housing for the entire unit to keep it dry and snow free. You can add as many patch cords as you need to acquire the length you need. Use cords that have the stereo plugs at the ends and use stereo connectors to plug them together. No sound quality will be lost whatever the length you chose. I have 40' of patch cords plugged together and the sound is perfect. The patch cords are not cheap however, and this was the most expensive part of the project. All in all about $30 for the entire project, including the transmitter., This may require an extension cord as well for the speaker, for the amplified sound. You can use a speaker without amplified sound if you prefer, but it will require a higher volume from your sounds machine., As it turned out it was one of the easiest projects I've done, and not at all as complicated as some would make you believe. All it requires is a phillips screwdriver and a soldering iron for tools. The supplies may put a dent in your debit card account, but it wasn't nearly as expensive as I thought, and the results are well worth the $30 it cost., Now all passersby, either on foot or in their vehicles can enjoy the music. Fantastic addition to a really nice unit., Purchase a remote timer. Stein's garden center or Walgreen's has them. The remote will allow you to turn them on from the warmth of the inside of your house and turn them off when you want. It also allows you to leave the power switch on the machine on. It does not draw current to the machine when the timer is off, only to the remote timer itself. My machine is outside, though somewhat protected, in the cold winter of Wisconsin, and have not had a problem at all. However, I have found that these machines are power sensitive. Dedicate one outlet for this machine and nothing else. If you have more than one outside socket available, at different areas of the house, use one that has nothing else plugged into it. I had to run an 80' extension cord, with this machine plugged into it, to the back of the house, to an empty socket, otherwise the songs would skip badly. Now it works perfectly, every day, regardless of weather. , I hope all of you have the same great results that I've gotten. Good luck, enjoy your efforts. You will be pleased with the end result.
About the Author
Anna James
A passionate writer with expertise in practical skills topics. Loves sharing practical knowledge.
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