Listening To The iPod In The Car...

[The Golden Boy]

I have officially joined the late 20th century and gotten an IPod. (actually my awesomeful wife got it for me for Christmas).

What would be the best way of hearing this new-fangled contraption of a 3rd Generation Nano through my car stereo system? I'd like to not replace my stereo- and I know there are FM transmitters- what are the suggestions you guys have?

[Matt_W]

Don't get an FM transmitter, the sound quality tends to be dire. My £5 tape deck adapter has beaten every FM I have come across so far.....which is a pain in the ass due to the cable.

[Sonic_Death]

Tape deck adapters are the way to go for the best quality, but if you want one of the wireless transmitters, then the regular FM ones are not what you want. They make special FM Transmitters especially for the iPod, such as the iTrip from Griffin. I would look into those as far as wireless goes.

The Cassette adapters are cheaper and better quality though IME.

[superbassman2000]

another vote for the tape adaptor--last month my dad couldn't figure out his ipod shuffle so he gave it to me, and I got the adaptor for it and now I don't even listen to the radio on long car trips!

[MJ5150]

Do you have an auxiliary input on your stereo? Either in the front, or the back? You can pick up a short cable that goes from the headphone jack of the iPod into the aux input on the stereo. Some of the more elaborate adapters that interface with your existing stereo charge the iPod and even let you use the stereo controls to control the iPod.

What kind of stereo do you have? If you are going to play the iPod through your car stereo, it really is the best way to go.

-Mike

[Phantopeth]

Aux input is definately the way to go, if it's available. I had that setup in my previous two vehicles. However, the stereo was an Alpine head deck that I installed myself, so not only did I know the inputs were there (on the back panel of the head deck), I knew how to get at them. You won't lose any sound quality (I think, and I believe you will through a tape deck), and you retain stereo sound.

If that's not an option, go tape deck. If that's out, I suggest getting the FM transmitter that the iPod sits in and charges while it plays.

[The Golden Boy]

It's really looking like a lot of people are disappointed by FM transmitters...

Originally Posted by MJ5150

Do you have an auxiliary input on your stereo? Either in the front, or the back? You can pick up a short cable that goes from the headphone jack of the iPod into the aux input on the stereo. Some of the more elaborate adapters that interface with your existing stereo charge the iPod and even let you use the stereo controls to control the iPod.

What kind of stereo do you have? If you are going to play the iPod through your car stereo, it really is the best way to go.

-Mike

I've got 2 stereos that I use- I've got an old Alpine in-dash 3 disc changer- it was cool before the turn of the century- but it has a lot of trouble reading burned discs. I dug it out of the box the other day- I saw RCA cables hanging off the back and thought I'd be in luck- but they're RCA out...

The other is the stock deck for my 2003 Subaru Outback. It's been a while since since I've looked at the back- and don't know what it has as far as AUX inputs. I've got no problem with a foot or 2 of cable sticking out from my ashtray or something.

I used to have a Sony 10 disc changer that hooked into the antenna input and played through a radio station preset. Ideally, that's what I'm looking for-

[Ívar Þórólfsson]

I agree with other posters here...

In this order:
1. Aux input
2. Tape deck adapter
3. FM transmitter

Options 1 and 2 are out for me so I've been using a fm transmitter for 2 1/2 years now. I haven't listened to a radio station in the car since I got my ipod.

[Valerus]

What Ivar said. If you have aux input then do that.

I have a cassette deck and use the adapter, it works swell.

[iamlowsound]

I like my FM adapter, I find the only problem with it is finding a station that doesn't get interference while in a big city.

lowsound

[The Golden Boy]

FYI- this is from an email that TGP member TomK sent me- which looks like EXACTLY what I was looking for:

Anyhow - I bought all of my stuff from Fry's in Dallas, TX but here are some similar (better?) items from Crutchfield - you can probably find them locally to you:



FM Modulator:

http://www.crutchfield.com/App/Produ...r&i=142FMMOD01



Here is the iPod cable I used:

http://www.crutchfield.com/App/Produ...e&i=206PDRCAV2



The cable connects to your electrical system and charges the iPod. (I connected it to the radio power.) Plug the RCA plugs on the cable into the RCA inputs on the FM Modulator.



I also used a noise filter as I had some hash from the iPod and the car battery - not sure which - but this filter kicked it:

http://www.crutchfield.com/App/Produ...filter&tp=2653

Buy the noise filter just in case you need it. Return it if you don't!



Basically I tune my radio to 88.3 and my iPod plays through it.



You will need to get at the back of your radio. Depending on your car that could be the toughest part of the install. If you cruise around on the internet you may be able to find some removal instructions for your car. I was able to find my Subaru at a forum on car stereos. (Can't remember which one…..)



This is the same type of FM modulator that most shops install when you buy XM or Sirius so the quality is pretty decent. I set the EQ on my iPod to flat.