iPod in the car stereo

[bertrand]

Currently, I play my iPod in the car through a cassette adapter which I plug into the tape deck. It works fine, except for a tolerable clicking sound (and a somewhat more annoying buzz in my wife's car).

Problem is, I think I want to get a new car soon.

Are some/all automakers making jacks for the car into which you can directly connect the iPod? I remember an article in the Post a few months back claiming most auto-makers are behind the curve on this. Ideally, you want want to be able to control the iPod from the stereo (at least skip songs). My guess is that this will be standard eventually, I'm just trying to get a feel about how long I should wait.

Of course, I could just get a tape deck for the new car, but my guess is that these will be harder and harder to find.

Anyone own a car with an iPod jack already?

Thanks in advance,

Bertrand.

[Dave James]

I don't have a car with a built in jack...I don't think those exist yet, although, much like satellite radio, it won't be long before car makers begin to offer dashboard iPod connections. What I do have is a Monster cable hook-up that runs my iPod though the cigarette lighter. The cable has a selector that allows you to choose from among eight different low end FM settings so you can find the one that works the best for you, i.e. the one with the least interference. I've had pretty good luck with this. There will always be some static at times when you use a rig like this, but, by and large, I've been very, very satisfied. Not sure of the cost. It was a birthday present.

Up over and out.

[Noj]

The best way I've seen so far is to utilize an unused input on your car stereo to create a hard-wire for the ipod's headphones port. My friend did this using what would normally be the disc changer input on the back of his car stereo, then ran the cable to an area where the ipod can rest. I think it took two cables to convert it to the correct size to be compatable with the ipod.

[Kevin Bresnahan]

Most cars today have stereo with multiple I/O paths so that the head unit can accomodate add-ons. You may have to buy an after-market cable, but in the end, you should be able to get a direct line-in.

As for anyone coming up with an interface that can control the iPod from the head unit, I doubt it. The fact that Apple wouldn't even make the iPod plug & play with Windows shows how open they are to doing this kind of thing. I tried everything with my daughter's iPod Mini to get it to work on her PC without iTunes to no avail.

What I think will happen is that car manufacturers will have a front panel USB II jack so that you can plug in a memory stick loaded with mp3 files. Simple & easy. I'm looking forward to that. You can fit a lot of music onto a 1GB memory stick!

Kevin

[kh1958]

As for your cassette adapter, buy one of the Monster brand. The two I've had do not make any annoying clicking sounds. In contrast, the Sony cassette adapter was horrible, making loud clicking sounds that got worse the longer it was used.

I believe that you can plug your ipod into the new BMWs--of course, that is a rather expensive ipod player.

[spinlps]

If I recall correctly, BMW and VW both had promotions for cars with iPod ready head units. The BMW unit offered rudimentary control of the iPod from the head unit: You could choose one of eight playlists (defined by the iPod owner) directly from the head unit... that's it.

There are also third party head units available. Alpine makes a unit that integrates with any dock connector iPod and allows you to control the iPod directly from the head unit and drill down by playlist, artist, album, song, etc... It also charges the iPod when plugged in. Kenwood used to make a unit as well.

I switch between the cassette adapter and Griffin iTrip myself. The iTrip is especially useful in hotel rooms with poor radio reception / selection: just tune into the iTrip frequency and listen to your own broadcast!

[rostasi]

I have an Eclipse unit that has a line out connect direct to the iPod

and it works great! Spinlps is right about the various head units available

for direct iPod control. Also, I think Kenwood is the only one that plays AAC files if that's an issue for you.

Instead of iTrip (of which I"ve heard many complaints), I suggest "Air Talk" if you need one,

and only if you can't use the cassette option (car rental without a cassette deck -

which is what I'm faced with at the moment in Germany).

You have to find the right balance of volumes between the Air Talk and

your car stereo otherwise some sounds - especially piano - come out distorted.

If you are looking at moderately priced cars, I wouldn't expect iPod standards until around the 2009

models at the earliest. Heck, even basic mp3 units are just now starting to creep in rather slowly.

So, you may want to shop accordingly.

[Eric]

I tried everything with my daughter's iPod Mini to get it to work on her PC without iTunes to no avail.

←

I am curious - why not load iTunes on her PC?

What I think will happen is that car manufacturers will have a front panel USB II jack so that you can plug in a memory stick loaded with mp3 files. Simple & easy. I'm looking forward to that. You can fit a lot of music onto a 1GB memory stick!

←

I agree, that sounds very cool. If that were the set-up, you could also just plug in a Shuffle (which is no more than a fancy memory stick) if you had one.

Edited August 17, 2005 by Eric

[Soulstation1]

kenwood has a ipod ready deck for $200

it's in this weeks best buy flyer

it's model # kdc-mp528

it's also sirius ready

Edited August 18, 2005 by Soulstation1

[RDK]

While it's the cheapest way to go, the cassette adapters usually sound the worst. I haven't had any problems with "clicking," but the sound quality is limited by the cassette deck head and I've found the stereo separation to be very weak - at least when compared to CDs played in the car (or even radio). The FM adaptors should be better, but the best way - if available of course - is to use a direct line-in nto your car stereo.

[rostasi]

While it's the cheapest way to go, the cassette adapters usually sound the worst.  I haven't had any problems with "clicking," but the sound quality is limited by the cassette deck head and I've found the stereo separation to be very weak - at least when compared to CDs played in the car (or even radio).  The FM adaptors should be better, but the best way - if available of course - is to use a direct line-in nto your car stereo.

←

Actually, I've found that the best, in order, is:

• Direct Line

• Cassette

• FM Adaptor

The adaptors are the most unreliable, even if you are able to find an "empty" station.

If you are lucky enough to be located outside of a major metropolitan area,

then your reception will, at best, be only good and not great.

After you get what you think is the best reception, try listening to solo piano music -

it often has the sound of ring modulated tones.

Possibly interesting if you're listening to Stockhausen's "Mantra,"

but a real bugger if you're groovin' to Tatum.

Again, if you're, for example, stuck with a rental car without a cassette deck,

then, I'd not recommend the Belkin FM gadget, but rather, "Air Talk."

Also, "Air Talk" has the added advantage of not covering the complete top of your iPod,

so you can have access to the "Hold" button if you need to use this.

The Kenwood that Soulstation mentioned may be a groovy possibility!

just a suggestion...

[Kevin Bresnahan]

I tried everything with my daughter's iPod Mini to get it to work on her PC without iTunes to no avail.

←

I am curious - why not load iTunes on her PC?

←

iTunes takes over the PC's playback and ripping activities. As I understand it, if you use iTunes to rip CDs, the resulting files will only play on the PC they were created or the iPod that they were copied to. No "sharing" allowed, even if it's in your own house. mp3 files have no such limitation. Therefore, I was hoping to use the iPod as a fancy mp3 player and I tried attaching it as such. I even formatted the hard drive for the PC to "see it". I was also able to copy a bunch of mp3 onto it. However, the player wouldn't play the files. It kept saying it was unformatted.

I just think the iPod is too smart for its own good. It's a simple mp3 player with an attitude.

Kevin

[.:.impossible]

Denison is the way to go. They provide a kit that connects into your factory stereo. You are able to use the stereo controls to control the ipod. Charges the ipod too!

Denison IceLink