Whirlpool

Hi, guys,

the car stero might be a good choice as it connects your ipod "physically" which would stream better quality of sound through the car speakers..

the fm transmitter , however, is suitable for those guys who would like to "share" their music to others. for example, you still can plug in an ipod and anyone who has a radio can listen to the music you are playing.

nice gadgets , both of them.

Rachel

Been listening to my ipod in my car for over a year now. Best options, as far as I'm concerned, in order:

1. Head unit with line in - Gives the best sound.

2. Cassette adapter - Gives reasonable sound, as long as your tape player works well. If you already have a tape player that works, this is the cheapest.

3. FM transmitter - Got 2 of these. Neither as good as my tape adapter. One is a belkin, plugs straight into the headphone port, and requires batteries. which last about 8 hours. The other is an iTrip style. Doesnt sound very good (although I think the iTrip's sound better), doesnt require batteries as it draws power from the ipod, but flattens the ipod battery a lot quicker.

Pioneer and Alpine have ipod compatible car stereos which let you control the ipod from the stereo. Pretty neat.

Or anything with a line level input will work perfectly, and be alot cheaper.

Oh, and dont buy your car audio from a computer store. Cheap chinese crap will generally sound like...cheap chinese crap. If in doubt, go to JB Hifi, listen instore, and pick a reputable brand.

Rachelz writes...

the fm transmitter , however, is suitable for those guys who would like to "share" their music to others. for example, you still can plug in an ipod and anyone who has a radio can listen to the music you are playing.

Nah, the transmitters are normally very weak.

skycamefalling writes...

Pioneer and Alpine have ipod compatible car stereos which let you control the ipod from the stereo. Pretty neat.

As does JVC.

SmokyJoe writes...

2. Cassette adapter - Gives reasonable sound, as long as your tape player works well. If you already have a tape player that works, this is the cheapest.

Picked up my Sony Tape Adapter yesterday from Sony and I can say I was extremely impressed with the sound quality.

Sure it's not the same quality (but pretty damn close) as an aux input but for $31 it was well worth it.

btw this was in a 2003 Toyota Camry Sportivo V6 with the stock standard indash 6disc stacker + cassette deck.

krazex writes...

Nah, the transmitters are normally very weak.

Not the RoadTrip. They couldn't sell the first version in the US as the output power was too high.

My experience with the a Belkin transmitter is one of mixed bags. Overall I am not impressed, and don't use the wireless transmitter that much any more. The main problem is that the quality is not consistent; and that's not because of competing radio signals on the frequency.

I've now reverted back to CDs in the car for quality and safety reasons.

Been using a tape adapter for about a year now. It sometimes stuffs up but around 90% of the time it is fine. The iPod adapters available from Pioneer, Alpine, JVC and other brands is the best as they allow full iPod control from the head unit, but these can be expensive. The Pioneer iPod adapter costs around $140 and then is another $40 to install, this is at most JB's. I am guessing the Alpine and JVC iPod adapters cost around the same.

Otherwise get a new head unit with aux-in. Make sure it has aux-in front, because nowadays a lot of head-units have them at the back, and this is fine for some people, but the easiest is aux-in front, and this is usually available on mid-range head units.

Sohan writes...

The Pioneer iPod adapter costs around $140 and then is another $40 to install

installation isn't that difficult.

some high-range head units (around $350+) have integrated ipod support. simply plug in your cable and your ipod can be controlled through the head unit.

otherwise, as others have suggested, buy an external adapter.

jas0nt writes...

some high-range head units (around $350+) have integrated ipod support. simply plug in your cable and your ipod can be controlled through the head unit.

Since when do high-range units cost $350...You either have this awesome place to buy high-range units for super cheap prices or me and you have different ideas of what a high-range unit is.

Griffin iTrip for $47.

Not a huge outlay is it doesn't meet your standards.

Do the iPod compatible head units charge the iPod when using it for playback?

jas0nt writes...

some high-range head units (around $350+) have integrated ipod support. simply plug in your cable and your ipod can be controlled through the head unit.

Do you mind giving us some examples?

Check out auadio.com.au i just got a Pioneer 6950 and charges and plays the ipod. its great

Vortical writes...

Do you mind giving us some examples?

Alpine CDE-9852i

$350 at JB Hifi

What about something from this site: www.discountcarstereo.com/default.aspx

I ended up buying a little gizmo that plugged into the CD stacker input of my 02 model Corrolla. Ended up being $170 including postage from the US and I fiddled around and installed it myself. Works really well, sounds great and charges at the same time, highly recommended.

jas0nt writes...

Alpine CDE-9852i

$350 at JB Hifi

This is direct from the maual off the alpine website

About iPods™ usable with this unit
The unit can be used with third generation and above iPod™
photo, iPod™ minis or iPod™ nano. iPod™ Shuffle cannot be
used, however.
• Touch wheel or scroll wheel type iPods without the dock
connector cannot be connected to the unit.
• The unit can be used with the following iPod versions.
Correct function of earlier versions cannot be guranteed.
Third generation iPod:Ver. 2.3
Fourth generation iPod:Ver. 3.0.2
iPod photo:Ver.1.0
iPod mini:Ver. 1.3
iPod nano:Ver. 1.0
• The unit cannot be used with the software versions earlier
than 22nd Feb.2005. For details about “iPod Software
Update”, refer to the iPod Instruction Manual.

It's a bit unusal they don't say ipod videos can be used with this!
Is the "ipod photo" text a mistake and should read "ipod video" instead?

Anyone using this deck with any version of ipod video unit and fifth generation ipods?

Harman Kardon - Drive + Play
www.harmankardon.com/drive-1

The unit is only around $300 plus installation. Its probably the best way to connect to your ipod.

Vortical writes...

It's a bit unusal they don't say ipod videos can be used with this!
Is the "ipod photo" text a mistake and should read "ipod video" instead?

I've got this head unit and a 5th-gen (video) iPod - works without any drama's at all.

Vortical writes...

It's a bit unusal they don't say ipod videos can be used with this!Is the "ipod photo" text a mistake and should read "ipod video" instead?

Apple did release an iPod photo

I have an Alpine CDA-9856i which has the iPod full speed connection and has excellent sound quality, and full control of the iPod, the only complaint is that its not quite as good as using the click wheel as there is an ever so slight lag.

So what happens to all the shuffle users. Any ideas for them (namely me)?

calt writes...

Do the iPod compatible head units charge the iPod when using it for playback?

It depends on what you mean by iPod compatible. The compatible units which connect via line-in do not, afaik, charge the iPod; whereas almost all the units which connect via an adapter do charge the iPod.

Bazzel writes...

So what happens to all the shuffle users. Any ideas for them (namely me)?

Nothing, likely.

All iPod HU's work off the dock connector, which the shuffle lacks...

However, shuffle's don't hold so much that you can't fit most of it onto an MP3 CD anyway.

~James~ writes...

whereas almost all the units which connect via an adapter do charge the iPod.

Personally i don't like this i'd much rather an a/v input and mount the ipod.

Also Doesn't frequent charging when the battery isn't near empty severly decrease the life of the battery?

I wish Apple would make a car stereo system with a 6 or 7inch touchscreen/integrated scrollwheel that could easily be detached and hooked up to the computer for syncing.

Vortical writes...

Personally i don't like this i'd much rather an a/v input and mount the ipod.

Each to their own I guess. :-) I love being able to control the iPod with the head unit though. My iPod sits snugly in my glovebox - away from prying eyes!

Doesn't frequent charging when the battery isn't near empty severly decrease the life of the battery?

Probably. But my iPod is almost always either in the glovebox or docked in my IM7 - I rarely, if ever, use it undocked so it's not an issue for me.

when car radios start building usb ports , sales will go thru the roof. Imagine putting your flash drive in car. so handy

~James~ writes...

Probably. But my iPod is almost always either in the glovebox or docked in my IM7 - I rarely, if ever, use it undocked so it's not an issue for me.

An ipod's battery life is supposed to have 450 to 500 charge cycles.

So if your battery is always near full and you plug it into your car unit that charges the ipod or any other dock that charges the ipod and top it up it counts as 1 charge cycle.

So lets say someone who uses their ipod in a car with a charging car connection unit once on the way to work and once on the way home then docks it when they get home on another charging unit with a near full battery say 6 our of every seven days.
That's 3 charge cycles each day, and your ipod battery is probably going to only last for a year at best 6-8 months at worst.

Also if you leave it exposed to heat in a car glovebox your ipod battery won't last as long also.

Vortical writes...

your ipod battery is probably going to only last for a year at best 6-8 months at worst.

Sure, I agree with what you're saying; but as I rarely, if ever, use it on battery - the battery dying on me should ONLY be a problem if a dead battery also means the iPod won't run off another power source... Damn, that would be a problem...

Also if you leave it exposed to heat in a car glovebox your ipod battery won't last as long also.

Tell me about it, our last 40+ day I literally burnt myself on the Ipod after rescuing it from the car...

mr_hawk74 writes...

when car radios start building usb ports , sales will go thru the roof. Imagine putting your flash drive in car. so handy

Try the Clarion DB566USB which has a front accessible USB port to play music directly from USB stick. Only problem is there are limits on the number of tracks and folders you can have, so 8GB keys are probably not going to do the trick.

mr_hawk74 writes...

when car radios start building usb ports , sales will go thru the roof. Imagine putting your flash drive in car. so handy

JVC have been putting USB ports on thier headunits for some time now, my headunit actually has a SD slot.

Really? What cost could I expect for an entry-level head unit of one of those? Or should I hold off until they become more mainstream and lower-priced?

What the USB or the SD card one. The my headunit cost me 800 on ebay, 1200 in most stores. USB compatible headunits can normally be bought for around 300 for entry level and the price just goes up from there.

So the quality of the FM transmitters ....how does that rate? Details if anyone has them, please?

I might go read up at ipodlounge for it :)

The ones you buy are garbage, station sway, weak transmitters. Not worth the investment.

MC Pee Pants writes...

The ones you buy are garbage, station sway, weak transmitters. Not worth the investment.

So you're saying to go buy a new head unit with usb/audio 3.5?

Totally, or a rca connection for input, or even a headunit that supports the stacker function as most brands will have a connection that fits the Ipod and allows full control via the headunit button.

hi i have a honda jazz, and i wanted to know a decent way to for me to hear music through my ipod without installing a new stereo,as my car's stereo isint as easily replaceable as alot of others car as it is a very big part of the dash.

i currently have more than one radio tuner,but they are shockingly back! i was wondering if anyone knew of a holder/charger which connects somehow so that i can hear music without it fuzzing out. thx

I'm onto my second belkin FM transmitter - I'd prefer line-in, but current car doesn't have that option. It is a pain finding a clear frequency in Sydney, but the auto seek on the latest model makes it easier (but $120-140 for the unit).

Sound - FM radio quality, so not too bad.

What is great about it is that when I travel I can just plug it into a rental car and go without any mods.

And for my own car, when I finally do get a head unit with line-in, the latest unit has a line-out from the cradle, so it can be used as a charger alone.

It is having a few glitches though - I'll report back when I work out what's causing it.....

Kent

SmokyJoe writes...

2. Cassette adapter - Gives reasonable sound, as long as your tape player works well. If you already have a tape player that works, this is the cheapest.

been using this since like '02. first got the cassette thing with my old MD. Later i started using it with my ipod. works bloody great if you have a cassette deck in the car.

мigнτyвoy writes...

got the cassette thing

Another vote for this.

Mine is a cheapie, too, from Jaycar and my cassette player is a stock standard Toyota Corolla 1994 stereo (whatever it is- I've never noticed.)

It sounds great, and by the way I am a musician and the quality of the sound is very important to me.

craigymusic writes...

Mine is a cheapie, too, from Jaycar and my cassette player is a stock standard Toyota Corolla 1994 stereo (whatever it is- I've never noticed.)

It sounds great, and by the way I am a musician and the quality of the sound is very important to me.

That's good to hear. Sometimes the casette adapter doesn't work well for some people because of interference. That's probably due to dodgy wiring though.

Conspiracy:Theory writes...

casette adapter

If you have the luxury of still having a casette player, this offers the best compromise between value for money and sound quality.

Otherwise, FM radio transmitters ($50-75) are the next alternative. Have a look at www.ilounge.com for the ones that have the best ratings in terms of sound quality. Note that the sound that comes out of an FM transmitter is inferior to CD quality.

If money is no object ($150+) then an integrated solution installed into your deck's auxillary input (if applicable) such as the Ice-link products would be the way to go.

about to get an ipod classic, and need an fm transmitter (drive multiple cars, only one has a cassette player).

from the ilounge reviews, it seems that one of these would be the best:
XtremeMac InCharge FM
Griffin Technology iTrip Auto with SmartScan
Griffin Technology iTrip

any suggestions?

Conspiracy:Theory writes...

That's good to hear. Sometimes the casette adapter doesn't work well for some people because of interference. That's probably due to dodgy wiring though.

never had any interference with mine at all.

I've used it on a number of different cars built between 1984-2006.

i have a sony one btw. recommended if you have a cassette player in your car.

so does that mean , becuase i can't change my head unit for another.that i am unable to use anything else with my ipod except an fm transmitter?or am i able to get a cord plugged into my car stereo for it?as my stereo that comes with the car is big and takes up to much room and would look pathetic if i changed it with a small box.
im not fussed about money,just sick of the static and constantly having to change the station with my current fm transmitter.

depends whether your car stereo has aux/cd changer input on the back of it.

if not, just get something custom made to fill the rest of the space. whether that is a simple faceplate, or even better, useful things like extra storage space, gps unit, etc.

if your car model is popular, i would think someone might even have created these already for your car.

I bought a cheapo FM Transmitter from eBay not too long ago, but the sound quality wasn't tolerable (to me, anyway), so a few days later I binned it and just bought a new headunit with USB compatibility. Better quality transmitters might be different, but I decided not to go down that path after I bought the cheapo one.

I reckon radio cassette is a good way to go, but I didn't have a cassette unit.

Though I did this to work with my iRiver instead of an iPod, I made sure to get just the USB compatibilty and not just a headunit with iPod connector. This way I can just put a USB flash drive in with mp3s and I'm laughing.

craigymusic writes...

Another vote for this.

Yup, I use this also, works well!

As I understand it, the FM transmitters need to use a frequency that is not occupied with a radio station so they don't compete with each other. The cheap ones have limited frequencies available so they tend to have a 'bad' time doing their thing. The more expensive ones have a greater range of presets built in. They work better with the aerial down, and out side the cities. Cassette adaptors have different issues-usually mechanical noise.

caprimulgus writes...

XtremeMac InCharge FM
Griffin Technology iTrip Auto with SmartScan
Griffin Technology iTrip

any suggestions?

I picked up a Griffin iTrip in Hong Kong a couple of months ago (which looks like the iTrip (2006) shown on their website) and I'm quite happy with it, but the problem with these things is that it may depend on your car and in particular where the aerial cable runs within the vehicle.

The iTrip has a mini-USB connector that you can use to recharge and it should be fairly easy to obtain a cigarette lighter to USB adapter if you don't already have one. I find that the iTrip's performance improves noticably when you connect it to external power this way.

caprimulgus writes...

XtremeMac InCharge FM
Griffin Technology iTrip Auto with SmartScan
Griffin Technology iTrip

any suggestions?

I just got the Griffin Itrip... (without smartscan)...
The price difference between with or without smartscan was like $50 at JB... Plus I didn't want to "have to" plug it in the cig lighter. I prefer the power from my ipod at times.

The cheaper version also had the option to buy a separate lighter adapter anyway, and luckily for me, my phone charger works a treat.

I only used it last night and this morning, and all was pretty dandy.

I kinda rushed finding a frequency though so the sound quality isn't all that great (like it's quite low volume)... but I will fiddle with it this afternoon and see if I can get a better sound.

Hadn't looked at the ilounge reviews, but the Belkin itrip with clear scan is one of the top rated.

Looks nice, works well...

Kent

the itrip is made by Griffin, not Belkin.

cheers guys.

yeah, i'm tossing up between the xtrememac incharge, and the itrip (without auto).

it seems like ilounge thinks the xtrememac performs better (although that could be because of the cable/charging, in which case an itrip with added car charger might be comparable). and it can be used outside of the car with a usb charger/usb port. not as convenient as the itrip, but i wouldn't really need to use it anywhere without access to a powerpoint/usb anyway, so the xtrememac would be fine.

but if the sound quality/strength is not noticeably different, the convenience of the itrip would have to win out.

My bad - Belkin tunebase just seems better than the Griffin and the DLO (which I looked at it against). Certainly a nicer design - have a look at the ilounge review!

Kent

I tried a few out and when I got a brand that was crap - wow up here atually allowed me to return it - cannot say enough about their assistance in this regard.

I am now using the Belkin in car which the ipod nano sits onto and charges at the same time - it even has a holder - bloody awesome - can move from car to car and does not even need the cigerette light plug - so I use st home as well if battery full on ipod

you can choose the station which is great

will look back but what is the go with the tape devices - never thought of it before - thought they would eb rubbish

what is the best in car for a shuffle as they only have the mic adapeter for charging and input etc - esp if you have no casette?

have seen ones with the adapter but they cost $80 for good brands (the griffins and belkins I think) my one cost $80 and it charges and has a holder as well so thought it should be chaeper.....

Inego writes...

My bad - Belkin tunebase just seems better than the Griffin and the DLO (which I looked at it against). Certainly a nicer design - have a look at the ilounge review!

yeah, the tunebase looks looks like the top pick for a fm/charger/mount combination. if i decide to go for a mounted solution, i would probably choose that.

James77 writes...

I am now using the Belkin in car which the ipod nano sits onto and charges at the same time - it even has a holder - bloody awesome - can move from car to car and does not even need the cigerette light plug - so I use st home as well if battery full on ipod

are you referring to the Belkin Tunebase FM (the gooseneck sitting on the cigarette lighter plug)?

the tunebase works without being plugged into power?

hmmm...if so, that might be the way to go then. were either the itrip or xtrememac incharge ones you tried?

caprimulgus writes...

are you referring to the Belkin Tunebase FM (the gooseneck sitting on the cigarette lighter plug)?

the tunebase works without being plugged into power?

yep - I have 2 - the one with the gooseneck sits in the car - the one with the cable I use from car to car and travelling as I hire cars heaps - they seem to be the exact same unit except one has the fixed gooseneck - will check it tonight to triple check before you go and buy it....

I wanted no interference and wanted good sound qulity and the belkin delivers for me

Checking the belkin site, tunebase is the goosneck, tunecast doesn't (and is quite a bit cheaper). I just find the gooseneck easier, although it does rotate in the power socket no matter what I do.

Kent

cheers, james77.

Inego writes...

although it does rotate in the power socket no matter what I do.

hmmm, that's my worry with the gooseneck/cigarette lighter holder type mounts.

how fast does it rotate? are we talking slowly falling down so you have to re-adjust it every 10 minutes, or is it every time you turn?

actually, either way is not very appealing...

Probably every 10 minutes, and I can still control it when it slips down. None of the sleeves get it tight enough but, thinking about it, I'd probably break the car if I had to push or pull any harder on it.

Kent

i bought a el cheapo goose neck fm transmitter one of ebay a couple of years ago.

Its not too bad for what i payed for it ($14). the fm is crap though...so i hard wired from the ipod holer into the radio and works flawlessly.

On the spinning in the cigerette lighter holder. i fixed it up with some electrical tape to hold it in place. works a treat!

edit: sorry, got different models mixed up...too many different reviews!

+1 for Belkin Tunebase. it kicks arse big time.

the gooseneck is nice and solid

and it comes with hard rubber 'sleeves' to make it a tight fit into car lighter, zero slippage.

I've got a nice Eclipse Headunit that has a 3.5mm line in. I have made a small bracket up that holds my ipod touch on a 45 degree angle, directly below the headunit. I have a Belkin Power adapter that plugs in to the cigarette lighter and has a dock connector. The section that plugs into the lighter socket has a 3.5mm audio out.

The setup works beautifully. The ipod touch is really easy to use in coverflow mode when driving. I take the ipod with me when ever I leave the car and find it very simple to plug and unplug using the dock connector.

Sound quality is awesome. I run the ipod touch at around 80% volume.

Heres some pics of the bracket:

users.on.net/craigt/ipod1.jpg
users.on.net/craigt/ipod2.jpg

You can see the Belkin power adapter and dock connector quite well.

Yes it does charge when the ignition is on. Switching the ignition off does pause the ipod, but does not switch off the display

that is a sweet set up. nice one!

I use an XtremeMac Airplay2 and sound is the best out of all FM transmitters I've used

I got a Sony Xplode CDXGT670U for a Toyota camry 1998 model. I just bought an ipod classic and a belkin FM transmitter. To much static was coming through on every radio station i used and taking it back sometime this week. Need to find a replacement for so i can use my ipod in my car.
Are AUX In the best to use?

Johno_1989 writes...

Are AUX In the best to use?

In my opinion

Direct iPod connection > USB connection > Aux In > Bluetooth A2DP > Tape > FM

haha i had one of the fm transmitter ones that plug into the cigarette lighter for power but one time when i was unplugging it the whole cigarette part came out! so ive been using the headphones or listening to triple j...

might snoop around home to see if there is a cassette adapter around. Are they at Jbs?

Wink writes...

In my opinion

Direct iPod connection > USB connection > Aux In > Bluetooth A2DP > Tape > FM

Agreed

I ended up with a direct iPod connection on my Alpine Deck and I have to say it's working very well.

Ended up getting this deck, some new speakers and the direct ipod connection
http://www.alpine.com.au/products/product.asp?modelID=365

Cheers going down Friday to get a direct iPod connection. This fm transmitter is a real waste of money and really annoying while using it

Johno_1989 writes...

Cheers going down Friday to get a direct iPod connection. This fm transmitter is a real waste of money and really annoying while using it

Try and get your money back on the transmitter.

Yeah i'm going down Friday. Pretty sure Myer will take it back and refund my money its been less then a week.

For what it's worth, I am fed up with FM Transmitters. Out on road trips my Tuencast II is perfectly good.
But you trying finding an FM frequency in Sydney that has NO traffic on it. Sure, you can find one, but drive for 10 mins and you'll come into range of something else. I simply cannot drive Chatswood-Parramatta without having to change freqs.
I have a new Mazda 6 – no chance to change the head unit as it's integrated into the dash – but at least it has a 6-stacker that plays MP3 CDs so I get 4GB of MP3s crystal clear which is the same as a Nano I guess.

Doesn't Mazda have a special ipod direct connection cable available for $240.00

http://www.mazda.com.au/Buying/Accessories.aspx

$240 to listen to mp3s? Next question.

SheikYerbouti writes...

$240 to listen to mp3s? Next question.

Well if you could change to a new headunit, one would cost you that same amount anyway.

Anyway integrated headunits are shit and it's a shame almost all car manufacturers are going down this road.

i use this

http://www.dlo.com/Products/TDock_Prod.tpl

very stable.

i got mine off ebay US for around $50 AUD.

looks like they've upgraded their range since i bought mine

http://www.dlo.com/products/index.tpl?command=showpage&cart=12217058742727

Just purchased an xcarlink for my Honda and iPT 2G.

Pros:
- Works great, sounds even better.
- Full control from head unit and steering wheel controls.
- Can still use iPod and coverart still displayed on screen.

Cons:
- Does not charge 2G Touch. Seller was not aware at the time.
- Getting the cover off around the shifter almost broke my fingers

Cost me $120 from "happy2china" on eBay. Hopefully he has a new model that can charge the Touch 2G, he's getting back to me.

All-up, I'm happy with the purchase.

just purchased this badboy for 50. its a HK and i want to install it in my subaru forester with stock headunit. any ideas if its possible?? if not i will use the wireless adapter. bargin either way.

http://www.dealsdirect.com.au/p/harman-kardon-drive-play-ipod-car-kit/

Your headunit needs a line in connector. I am sick of people bringing these things into work and wanting them connected to stock headunits. You need to have a 3.5mm line in connection. The one deals direct is selling looks like the fm optioned kit. You would tune that into your stereo. I hope its a good transmitter. 50 bucks isnt too bad though.