Entertainment For Lively Minds
Playing music in a car
Posted by Fridge on 10 October 2009 - 4:11pm.
I've just started using a car to commute to work and I want to be able to connect my iPod to the car radio. I'm also getting fed up of the low-ish quality playback, which is rubbish compared to the £50 Sennheiser earbuds I normally use to listen to my iPod.
Having spoken to a couple of entirely useless sales people in my local car accessories emporia, I'm not much closer to deciding what might actually make my car-based listening more pleasurable. Has any member of the Massive found any kit which might help?
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Mini jack connection?
I have a new Ford and they have a mini jack in the glove compartment which is handy you just connect with a 3.5mm jack cable. Sorry if this isn't poss' in your car but i thought I'd mention it just in case.
Listen to CDs?
I have the jack mentioned above in my Ford, but only ever listen to CDs in the car...
Just did this
Basically there are loads of options, from a simple cable from Ipod to jack socket, through to radio based ones where you tune the car radio into the iPOd. I initially had a mount fitted by Halfords wired into the back of the radio which cost about a hunderd quid and worked very well. Then I changed cars and acquired a stereo with an aux in so I got one of these
http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0011UK2HE/ref=ox_ya_oh_product
because I wanted to be able to charge the iPod as well as plug it in. It also comes with a remote which is handy.
So as ever it is a question of features required and budget.
Ta for the responses
My car is five years old, and doesn't have an auxillary jack. I'd like to listen to podcasts and burning everything to CD seems wasteful. So I am tempted by a set-up which allows me to plug my iPod into a jack in the glove compartment: seems to be the best solution.
One sales guy was particularly hopeless on the subject of radio - I asked about digital and he informed me that all the radios he had 'came with that, they've all got FM and AM...'.
Incidentally, I do have a radio tranmitter (a Griffin iTrip), which used to work and then (as many apparently do) started turning itself off after a minute or so. Complete rubbish, as Griffin seem to have worked out: http://www.wordmagazine.co.uk/content/itrip-returns-policy-and-proposed-...
Has anyone added additional speakers/bass to their car? Always seemed a bit boyracer to me, but the more time I spend in the car, the more I'm tempted.
What make?
You don't say what make your car stereo is but if it's a Blaupunkt you should be able to get a cheap (£5 or £6) lead that you plug permanently into the back which has a jack plug on the end that you just plug your ipod into and select Aux on the stereo. I'm sure other make makes have similar leads.
Cassette player
I plug my pod in using one of those cassette player adaptors, but I am aware that very few new motors have a cassette player, so I am no use to you. Sorry, I'll piss off now.
Pure
This stuff is for getting digital radio in your car:
http://www.pure.com/products/product.asp?Product=VL-60905&Category=In-Ca...
..and you can plug your iPod
..and you can plug your iPod into it. I've heard they are pretty good.
I own a Belkin Tunebase which was great for my iPod - it had a pretty good signal that my radio could pick up and it charged the iPod. I only stopped using it when I got a car with a 3.5mm jack.
I got one of these...
http://www.caraudiocentre.co.uk/product_m-kenwood-kdc-w5544u_p-24020.htm
Swap out your old car audio for this Kenwood. Pretty easy to do yourself with the right extraction tool thingy.
Plug in your USB lead and it charges your ipod while playing and your song titles are displayed on the unit.
Also plays mp3 CDs. I have all the new Beatles remasters on one CD playing in the car right now.