Options for listening to iPod in the car?

[pctwo]

Mom wants to listen to her ipod in the car. I got her one of the cheapie FM transmitters that did not work very well. Lots of statics. The thing was CHEAP, like $8. Are there better ones that work well?

Other than that, what are my options?

thanks

 

[vicjm]

I don't suppose she has a cassette player?

If not, I have an FM transmitter that works great for me.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00067...f=pd_bbs_1/104-7757263-3124727?ie=UTF8

Its a bit more expensive at $37, but you do what you have to do.

 

[ottothecow]

The people at places like the MP3 car forums have always liked FM modulators over transmitters.

It takes a little work but it works by connecting in line with the antenna and then inserting a feed from a cable. You set the radio to the right station and you have perfect signal to whatever device is plugged in.

Also, make sure the car doesnt have an aux input hidden somewhere. Some cars have hookups in the trunk for a CD player that you can wire up to plug into an ipod.

 

[ChAoTiCpInOy]

Maybe the channel that you are using is getting interference from another station. So what you should do is find a station that is not near any broadcasting stations, then tune the FM transmitter to transmit to that station.

 

[bigstrickler]

yeah if she has a cassette player then the mp3 player to cassette tape is the best option

 

[0roo0roo]

cassette>fm. not sure what the quality compromise is with cassette, i guess it depends on the reader head. but fm has frequencies cut off at both ends. and its amazing how few headunits/cars have line ins. so many out of touch with the needs of their customers.

 

[pctwo]

she has a bmw X5. I don't think it has any aux input.

no cassette player either.

the transmitter I got has like 6 set frequencies. none work very well. I'm in L.A. so the spectrum is loaded.

I'll check out the expensive transmitter and, if that doesn't work, the modulator. thanks.

 

[ottothecow]

well...the itrip is a transmitter specifically for the ipod.

you can set it to ANY frequency and there are hacks to increase the broadcast intensity

 

[ChAoTiCpInOy]

what kind of hacks for the itrip?

 

[MDE]

A friend has a cheap FM transmitter (Belkin I think, about $15-20) and he doesn't have problems using it in Chicago.

EDIT: It's a Dynex, he got his cheaper though. link

 

[Lonyo]

Originally posted by: 0roo0roo
cassette>fm. not sure what the quality compromise is with cassette, i guess it depends on the reader head. but fm has frequencies cut off at both ends. and its amazing how few headunits/cars have line ins. so many out of touch with the needs of their customers.

http://www.xbitlabs.com/news/multimedia/display/20060804133027.html

O RLY?

 

[JungleMan1]

Lonyo: it's been way too late for the car makers. It is only in 2007 that cars are going to start getting iPod connectivity. Few cars these days have support.

I got an Alpine CDE-9845 which has a line-in, but it's in the back so you'll have to do some creative cable routing. (It's beyond me why they would put this input in the back) A head unit with a line-in is going to sound way better than cassette or FM transmitter. That was last year's model of course, but there is probably a newer model for this year with the same feature.

If she can afford a BMW X5, she can surely afford a nice Alpine head unit for her iPod.

 

[Baked]

BMW has an option that lets you connect the iPod to the head unit. Tell your mom to real the manual, there's a AUX IN for her car.

 

[halfadder]

You can get adapters that connect to your head unit's "CD CHANGER" connector to your iPod's dock connector. You can then control your iPod thru the head unit's cd changer buttons (or your steering wheel buttons).

Also...

Griffin also makes a slick, but expensive, iTrip Auto, which combines a charger and an iTrip into a single cable.
http://www.griffintechnology.com/products/itripauto/