An iPod, or any MP3 player, is a great way of carrying around shedloads of music. But why should you only listen to your music collection on the bus or train? We show you how to hook your iPod up to your car.
The in-car CD player is going the way of the dodo. Why carry stacks of discs on the road when you already have all your music stored on your iPod? Why not just connect your iPod to your car? Over the past few years, there have been a growing number of ways to play your iPod when on the road.
Your options
High rollers can just splash out on a new car, such as a BMW, with a dealer-installed iPod dock. For the rest of us, there are a number of cheaper alternatives to get our iPods and our cars connected. For those still clinging to the age of the tape deck, a cassette adapter will do the trick. Equally quick-and-dirty is one of the many FM transmitters that plug into the player and broadcast your tunes over a radio frequency. Neither of these solutions, however, delivers great audio quality, and both require that drivers use the controls on the iPod itself to select tunes from behind the wheel.
If you're looking for a more integrated and better-sounding connection, there are a growing number of aftermarket car stereos and related gadgets that will give you full control and browsing ability over your song library without having to fiddle around with the iPod wheel. From dedicated "made for iPod" stereo head units with full-speed USB connections to slick interface devices like Harmon Kardon's AU$199 Drive + Play, the field for iPod-to-car connectivity is growing all the time. Here we'll show you some of the options for iPod-to-car connectivity, including the basics on how to switch out your car stereo.
Benny
28/08/2007 06:10 PM
I use a Griffin iTrip Auto in my car and it works like a charm. I have no trouble with sound quality or interference since I found a frequency with no radio stations near it. The only time it's an issue is when driving longer distances to where there are different station to interfere, but it's pretty easy to switch frequencies.
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palm
05/09/2007 04:16 PM
I have a Pioneer DEH-P8950BT with IPOD full speed adapter and it is the best purchase I have ever bought in terms of car stereo. Besides being a great stereo in general the IPOD functions are fantastic and easy to use. I have not had a single problem since installing. Would highly recommend this unit to anyone that wants to integrate their IPOD into their car.
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kim
01/11/2007 02:44 PM
I have Toshiba Gigabeat, and recently bought a car that has an Ipod output within the car. Is it possible for me to buy some sort of mechanism to attach my mp3 player to this outpu? Or is that impossible?
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susan
03/12/2007 08:21 PM
do you have iPod adapter?
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canberra_photographer
08/01/2008 01:14 PM
I use a Belkin TuneBase FM in my Aurion. FM transmitter performs excellently, and the included Audio boost functions really improve audio quality. Design is good and the compatibility unbeatable.
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