Ipod In Car?

[wilber]

Ive Just bought an ipod and would like to use it throgh the cars (2002 v6 ghia) stereo system (with 6cd changer in rear). Ive started to gather info regards this and found quite a few options out there and conflicting views on whats suitable. Can get quite confusing with lots of pros and cons to consider before taking the plunge.Wondered if anyone been through this process or got any interesting tips/views.

[wilber]

Ive Just bought an ipod and would like to use it throgh the cars (2002 v6 ghia) stereo system (with 6cd changer in rear). Ive started to gather info regards this and found quite a few options out there and conflicting views on whats suitable. Can get quite confusing with lots of pros and cons to consider before taking the plunge.Wondered if anyone been through this process or got any interesting tips/views.

whoops just read the bit about which section this should have been posted in. sorry masked marauder

 

It's fine here, it is not a techie issue! So no problem. MM.

[sanjsanj]

Ive Just bought an ipod and would like to use it throgh the cars (2002 v6 ghia) stereo system (with 6cd changer in rear). Ive started to gather info regards this and found quite a few options out there and conflicting views on whats suitable. Can get quite confusing with lots of pros and cons to consider before taking the plunge.Wondered if anyone been through this process or got any interesting tips/views.

 

you can get a cassette which has a wire coming out of one corner( a 3.5mm jack, the same connection at the end of you're headphones) you simply insert this in the headphones socket on your ipod and pop the cassette in, but i have to admit you can tell that there's something funny about the sound quality.....you can tell that the connection isn't good.

 

(thats the easy way out)^^^^^

 

heres how i've done it in my car: (i've got a sony with 6 disc mutichanger)

 

Go to a good ICE shop, or, my favorite: maplin!! :blink: here you can get non-standard wires. buy a Twin Phono to 3.5mm Stereo Jack Lead (see picture below)

 

that stereo jack obviously fits in the ipod and the other end can either fit in the back of your stereo (see 2nd picture) - in place of where the cd changer's connectors go. Here, i guess the snag is that you'll have to keep on pulling the head unit out, switch the cables around for when you want the ipod and switch it again for the cd player.

 

or it can fit next to your CD changer. for this you need the Twin Phono Coupler (see picture) (because you can't join two male ends of the wires together...you'll understand when you see it)

 

I think you're cd changer will have two connections as well...one is for power and changing the disc ect. the other, is the other end of the phono leads that start from your head unit and end at your cd changer (to carry the sound)

now if you unplug this connection, plug in the Twin Phono Coupler and then plug in your Twin Phono to 3.5mm Stereo Jack Lead.

 

in both these cases, have you cd player running on any cd but make sure that you have a cd in it...if you only have on then set it on repeat.

of course, you'll have to switch the connection around when you want to listen to the cd again (surely your cd's are already on you ipod!)

 

there is a way out to having to keep on changing the connections around....if you want to how to do this then just say so.

 

 

the thing with this is that unless the cd player is close to the driver's seat, you'll have a wire hanging from the cd player to wherever the ipod is. if you're happy with that then fine, otherwise again, just say so...

 

any other questions...yep you've guessed it! just say so! :rolleyes:

[Masked Marauder]

I would go for an I-Trip or similar. Hard-wire it into the power supply with a in-car lead and keep it in the glovebox.

[sanjsanj]

yep MM's right....its the most hassle free method of doing it....of course the itrip only works with ipods whereas my methods works with almost all walkmans i guess.

 

MM: what do you mean by hard wiring it? it doesn't need a power supply. its power source is the ipod and it emits FM radiowaves....

[Masked Marauder]

I was referring to the "or similar" option chap! You can buy little RF transmitters for everything now!

 

For example the Belkin Tunecast II

 

http://ec1.images-amazon.com/images/P/B0001F22PA.01._AA280_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg

[sanjsanj]

right...now it makes sense!

[Masked Marauder]

I have one for my PDA, it works really well.

[Davetheref]

I've just bought an Itrip Auto. Great piece of kit.

[Masked Marauder]

Mac are going to be realising a range of I-Pods with it built in from the Autumn, as yet it is still not legal to use a very short range FM transmitter in the UK though!

[sanjsanj]

so will built in FM transmitters be legal?

[Masked Marauder]

Not yet, but the law is being relaxed soon.

[wilber]

the option of using a cassette adapter is i think a non starter due to poor sound quality(ive heard). Itrip or similar radio frequncy gadjet sounds good but it worries me that yuo are reliant on a good signal. For example if listening to radio on a long journey signal becomes weak as you travel through different counties consequently you have to search for stronger signal. would you have to retune ipod to headset in similar way ? Does itrip provide continuos good sound quality davetheref? I believe there only about

[sanjsanj]

just to clarify sanjsanj.

 

- remove head unit

- unplug multicanger lead from back of head unit

-purchase twin phono to 3.5 mm lead

- connect lead to back of stereo

- route lead through to dasboard area

- fix headunit back

- purcase ipod cradle

- sit ipod in cradle on dashboard near to steering wheel connect lead into headphone socket on ipod and use ipod controls to play music when on the move

- oh and make sure a cd is in multi changer (dont quite get that bit)

 

is that it?

 

presume sound quality would be as good as it gets using ths method?

 

 

- remove head unit..............................................yep

- unplug multicanger lead from back of head unit....yep, you should end up with sockets like in the pic above

-purchase twin phono to 3.5 mm lead.....................yep i think the five metre should be sufficient, but look at the wiring route to see if you need a longer cable

- connect lead to back of stereo............................yep

- route lead through to dasboard area ...................yep

- fix headunit back...............................................yep

- purcase ipod cradle............................................your choice

- sit ipod in cradle on dashboard near to steering wheel connect lead into headphone socket on ipod and use ipod controls to play music when on the move.........yep

 

""- oh and make sure a cd is in multi changer (dont quite get that bit)""

 

here's the story behind the above^^.....

If you select radio on you stereo, the stereo will start processing the information received from the aerial and from that convert it into sound. So basically the sound enters via the aeiral and is sent directly though to the speakers via the speaker cable.

 

If you select tape, it starts to rotate the tape and the differences in magnetic strength received from the tape is converted into sound in the head unit and that sound is sent to the speakers via the speaker cable.

 

If you select CD, the CD multichanger does all the hard work. During this process, power is sent to the multichanger so it can spin the CD. The multichanger then converts the laser's information into sound and sends it back to the head unit and all the head unit does is amplify sound coming from the cd multichanger and sends it to the speakers. Now the sound the multichanger sends, enters the head unit in those sockets shown in the picture above. (is is here that you are intercepting the source of the sound and changing it to your ipod)

 

Now that i've told you all that, you know that the only time the head unit will send sound to the speakers from those red and white sockets is, when you have selected "CD" on the head unit....when its on radio it will send sound from the aerial, when its on tape, it will send sound from the tape and when its off, it will not send sound from anywhere...all you have to do is pump sound to those sockets from your ipod.

 

The reason why I say make sure you steal you're mother in law's best CD and put it in the multichanger is that if you select "CD" on the head unit and there is no magazine in the multichanger, the head unit just turns off (well, mine does) and if it does turn off, it stops sending sound to the speakers.

If you do have a magazine in it but there are no CD's in it, again, it just turns off so therefore all you have to do is put any old CD in it and if you've only got one, put it on repeat because, if you dont, it will reach the end of the CD and switch off (i think)

 

"By the bold bits, I'm emphasizing that when using radio and tape, the sound is made in the head unit whereas in the CD, the sound is made in the multichanger."

 

With regards to the sound quality, you might need to adjust the equilizer on the ipod and the bass/ treble settings on the head unit, also, you will need to find the best volume to keep the ipod at, and then keep it there and use the radio volume as the main adjuster.

 

by the way you can also connect your laptop by doing the same as above

how come in three years you've only posted 17 times?

about charging: just get a ciggy lighter charger

It'd be nice to know make/model of your car and also which stereo you have fitted to it....

 

Notice To Other Readers: Some of the above information may not be true but this is a fool proof explaination so there :D

[wilber]

My attempt to wire in ipod to car as per sanjsanj method!

 

Been up to halfords bought the 3.5mm lead with red and white jack leads on other end and some metal clips to pull headunit out. Unfortunately the back of my stereo doesnt look like yours (sanjsanj) . Mine has lots of cables going in but there arent any red and white "jack" type connections. My car is a gal v6 ghia 2002. The stereo is a factory fit 5000 model with original cd multichanger in rear side compartment.

 

Question is is there a way round this? . I could provide pictures of stereo if that would help.

 

Why have i only made 3 posts in 3 years? Probably because ive not had any problems with car (touch wood)

I do frequently view what other people have posted and search old posts if i want views on tyres for example , as I bought two tyres the other week. Also im quite busy with 3 young kids to run around so dont have much time

[sanjsanj]

My attempt to wire in ipod to car as per sanjsanj method!

 

Been up to halfords bought the 3.5mm lead with red and white jack leads on other end and some metal clips to pull headunit out. Unfortunately the back of my stereo doesnt look like yours (sanjsanj) . Mine has lots of cables going in but there arent any red and white "jack" type connections. My car is a gal v6 ghia 2002. The stereo is a factory fit 5000 model with original cd multichanger in rear side compartment.

 

Question is is there a way round this? . I could provide pictures of stereo if that would help.

 

Why have i only made 3 posts in 3 years? Probably because ive not had any problems with car (touch wood)

I do frequently view what other people have posted and search old posts if i want views on tyres for example , as I bought two tyres the other week. Also im quite busy with 3 young kids to run around so dont have much time

 

 

please can you get me pictures of the front and rear of your stereo and, the cables which leave your cd multchanger (you'll probably find it right next to the actual unit it self or if you open the side compartment to gain access to the tyre changing tools, you might find the wires there...

[mjkrs2k]

check out connects two rf ipod kit it brilliant. you disconnect your ariel plug it into the box the ariel cable from from the box plus it into stereo connect the red wire on it to switched live. and you can get a cradle or if not it comes with a basic lead. the rf kit cost me off ebay

[sanjsanj]

check out connects two rf ipod kit it brilliant. you disconnect your ariel plug it into the box the ariel cable from from the box plus it into stereo connect the red wire on it to switched live. and you can get a cradle or if not it comes with a basic lead. the rf kit cost me off ebay

[Davetheref]

Wilber

 

Only just seen your post about the Itrip. Yes it does keep the signal all the time and on long trips as well.

In fact I dont think I have ever had to change the frequency at all once I found an 'empty' one (around 88.1).

 

It also only cost me

[greg_68]

I too have the MM Belkin type transmitter (about 10 quid off Ebay).

 

Make sure you get the one where you choose the frequency.

 

At first I had the cigar lighter version with three set frequencies which were all around 88.0 Mhz

 

Being in Brum where there are more pirate stations than legal ones the drive to work past blocks of flats transmitting returned an interesting remix of my tunes. Coldplay with a drum and base interlude doesn't go well.

 

Get a variable one like the one MM posted so you can choose the frequency.

[mjkrs2k]

i on the road all day every and had a itrip and found as you move through areas the frequancy of radio stations changes and you get interference where as the new kit link above i posted once the ipod is connected to it cuts of the external ariel and enables you to get perfect sound all time with no interference. trust me it 1 million times better.

[sanjsanj]

with the itrip all you need to do to avoid interference is tune to the extreme frequencies i.e the lowest or the highest....no one usually transmits at around those frequencies so therefore everything's ok....the sound quality of an itrip is just like an FM radio station...crystal clear!

[Davetheref]

Agreed

[sanjsanj]

also, you can easily take the itrip into any car and start listening staight away...come to think of it, you could also tune your home stereo system to it and enjoy your parties!!! the advantages outweigh the disadvantages of which i can't think of any! (well small, tiny ones)