Simple, small audio switch

[jonnythan]

Long story short, I'm looking for some type of small, unpowered audio (RCA or 3.5mm) switch for use in a vehicle.

I currently have an iPod wired up to the auxiliary input on the back of my car's receiver. But the iPod end of the cord is actually plugged into a cigarette lighter adapter that does both audio out and charging functions - and this adapter is hidden within the dash.

I now have a phone that doubles as a navigation device/MP3 player/internet radio/streaming TV device, and I want to be able to use it in addition to an iPod in the car. So I need a way to switch the AUX input between the iPod and the phone.

So, all I really need is some sort of pushbutton or switch that can switch between two different 2-channel inputs. Even something as simple as a Radio Shack toggle switch that can handle switching two conductors simultaneously would work fine.

Any ideas?

 

[Haoleb]

What you need is a triple pole, double throw switch (3PDT) This will switch three conductors because I'm not sure how good it would be to combine the ground wires in a car audio situation such as this. You might have a hard time finding a triple pole double throw switch so you could also use a double pole double throw (DPDT) switch and then wire the grounds together for everything inside a little project box instead of having them seperate with the triple. In a home audio situation this would be ok to do but i am not 100% sure how it would work in a portables situation.

Radioshack will have a DPDT and the little case and Panel mount RCA's or stereo mini jacks you would need to asseble a switchbox together

Here's a link to the datasheet for some toggles mouser carries, they have DPDT and 3PDT

http://www.nkkswitches.com/pdf/stogglesmedhighcap.pdf

 

[jonnythan]

Very helpful info, thanks.