# How can I get my iPod playing in my car?



## Davidius (Apr 16, 2007)

So I purchased one of those little radio transmitters that you plug into the bottom and then tune your radio in to receive it but the thing is worthless. Even at its best the bad quality of reception is unbearable. Does anyone know about other ways to actually hook up an iPod through the car stereo?


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## Herald (Apr 16, 2007)

Dave - what kind of transponder do you have? They work pretty good. Usually you set them to an open FM frequency and you're off to the races. Sirius and XM radio receivers work the same way. Unless they're hardwired they emit an FM signal that is picked up by your car radio. Make sure you have followed all the instructions on your unit. It's possible you have an inferior or malfunctioning unit.


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## No Longer A Libertine (Apr 16, 2007)

David wants to set the mood when he picks up his new girlfriend.


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## Semper Fidelis (Apr 16, 2007)

Interesting, my transponder works pretty well too. I like the fact that mine charges the iPod at the same time I'm using it. Mine has worked both in the Japanese cars (and the FM band here) as well as in the U.S. both in Northern VA and Fort Worth, TX (both large Metropolitan areas).

This is the model I have:
http://www.griffintechnology.com/products/itripauto/

Note that the quality isn't as good as if I had an MP3 plug for a car stereo. When I return the the States that will be a must but it is pretty good.

Also, I sometimes will just use one ear bud and listen to it on an acceptable volume - same as if I was using an earpiece for a phone call. I usually listen to podcasts anyhow.

A few interesting guides I've found by the way:

http://www.crutchfield.com/S-qCA9eB6QpEE/cgi-bin/SuperProdGroup.asp?g=770&cc=01

http://blog.tmcnet.com/blog/tom-keating/gadgets/how-to-ipod-enable-your-car.asp

http://www.digital501.com/20061021157/ipod-car-stereo-integration/


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## BlackCalvinist (Apr 16, 2007)

CarolinaCalvinist said:


> So I purchased one of those little radio transmitters that you plug into the bottom and then tune your radio in to receive it but the thing is worthless. Even at its best the bad quality of reception is unbearable. Does anyone know about other ways to actually hook up an iPod through the car stereo?



Yeah, the issue is always 'what kind'. If you go for a cheap one, it'll almost NEVER work.

Griffin's iTrip is the best (used to have one).

The Monster FM transmitter (the $79 one) is the next best. That's the one I got (I got it on sale for $39).

Try broadcasting on one of the 'early' stations. If you get the iTrip, broadcast on 87.9. NOBODY has a station there in the US. I also broadcast on 89.5 now, although I sometimes get nearby stations trying to break through after I take the broadcaster out.


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## fredtgreco (Apr 16, 2007)

Try this:

http://www.radio-locator.com/cgi-bin/vacant

You will find the best choices for stations.


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## Davidius (Apr 16, 2007)

This is the transmitter I have: Belkin. I'm not sure whether I'm just doing something wrong or the thing is just bad. It doesn't seem like it should be very difficult but who knows? Maybe it's just my area or I am really doing something wrong. 

Thanks for providing all those links, gentlemen. I'll check them out.


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## Semper Fidelis (Apr 16, 2007)

BlackCalvinist said:


> Yeah, the issue is always 'what kind'. If you go for a cheap one, it'll almost NEVER work.
> 
> Griffin's iTrip is the best (used to have one).
> 
> ...



I didn't realize I had one of the better functioning devices in my itrip. I picked it up at Best Buy because it was among the cheapest choices when I was on leave about a year ago. I'll add one other trick to the great advice by Kerry.

My iTrip allows me to choose "even" frequencies. I choose 88.6. Some car stereos will only allow you to tune into odd freqs (i.e. 88.5 or 88.7). If your stereo allows you to tune into an even one then you've given yourself another 100 kHz separation from any station.

I obviously didn't have the luxury of using the resource Fred provided. I tried to find a range that was complete static and chose that.


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## polemic_turtle (Apr 16, 2007)

A tape adaptor would be most simple, but you probably don't have a tape player, do you?


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## Davidius (Apr 16, 2007)

polemic_turtle said:


> A tape adaptor would be most simple, but you probably don't have a tape player, do you?



Nope. This is 2007, man!


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## Davidius (Apr 16, 2007)

Even when using Fred's website I still get some static. It would probably be drowned out if I were listening to music but usually when I broadcast my iPod in my car it's when I am traveling from where I live while at school back home (about a 45 minute drive) and I use that time to listen to sermons. Since it's only a voice the lower quality is much more evident, plus I lose whatever signal I may have rather quickly since I'm spanning about 40 miles or so during my drive. 

I found some instructions online for actually plugging the iPod into the back of my stereo so I think I'll just do that.


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## Chris (Apr 16, 2007)

polemic_turtle said:


> A tape adaptor would be most simple, but you probably don't have a tape player, do you?



Tape? 

Wow, you guys *are* primitive!


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## BlackCalvinist (Apr 16, 2007)

Chris - would you be upset at me if I said that Belkin's product is GARBAGE ? 

I bought one - sounded TERRIBLE - returned it the same day for the Monster. I only bought the Monster because it was on sale for $39 (they normally charge $69 for it in most of the retail stores). 

Point me to the link to plug into the back of my stereo. I may do that one day.


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## Davidius (Apr 16, 2007)

BlackCalvinist said:


> Chris - would you be upset at me if I said that Belkin's product is GARBAGE ?
> 
> Point me to the link to plug into the back of my stereo. I may do that one day.



I'm David!

And no I wouldn't be upset if you called the Belkin transmitter garbage because I'd feel better about not being able to get it working well.  

Here's a link to the most helpful walk-through I found. It has a list of necessary items, written instructions, and video examples.


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## Staphlobob (Apr 16, 2007)

BlackCalvinist said:


> Chris - would you be upset at me if I said that Belkin's product is GARBAGE ?



I had one once. After trying it for 1 or 2 times, it seemed to disappear. 

Come to think of it, the last I saw it was flying into a landfill.


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## Davidius (Apr 16, 2007)

Staphlobob said:


> I had one once. After trying it for 1 or 2 times, it seemed to disappear.
> 
> Come to think of it, the last I saw it was flying into a landfill.



 

Mine might be joining yours soon.


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## etexas (Apr 16, 2007)

CarolinaCalvinist said:


> So I purchased one of those little radio transmitters that you plug into the bottom and then tune your radio in to receive it but the thing is worthless. Even at its best the bad quality of reception is unbearable. Does anyone know about other ways to actually hook up an iPod through the car stereo?


Those things are sort of a pain. I tried fooling with it on my last car, when I got my new car it had Sirius. So I guess my recommendation.......take it all back and get Sirius!


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## Davidius (Apr 16, 2007)

I follow Jesus said:


> Those things are sort of a pain. I tried fooling with it on my last car, when I got my new car it had Sirius. So I guess my recommendation.......take it all back and get Sirius!



lol well that sounds like a decent solution for music but the main reason why I bring my iPod in my car is to listen to sermons on longer trips.


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## jfschultz (Apr 16, 2007)

CarolinaCalvinist said:


> Nope. This is 2007, man!



Check to see if there is an auxiliary audio input. If there is one, that is the best solution. Just get a suitable patch cable.


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## etexas (Apr 16, 2007)

CarolinaCalvinist said:


> Nope. This is 2007, man!


Brutal!


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## Steve (Apr 16, 2007)

David,

I use this one from iRiver:

[ame="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00067LYFW/103-1434047-9267808"]http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00067LYFW/103-1434047-9267808[/ame]

It allows for a couple of pre-sets. I listen to sermons and lectures and in my commute there are times when I need to switch to a different pre-set. I get some static at times but I have had better success than when I used a Belkin.


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## BlackCalvinist (Apr 16, 2007)

Yeah, the iRiver is decent. My ex has that one in her car and it works great.


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## BlackCalvinist (Apr 16, 2007)

CarolinaCalvinist said:


> I'm David!
> 
> And no I wouldn't be upset if you called the Belkin transmitter garbage because I'd feel better about not being able to get it working well.
> 
> Here's a link to the most helpful walk-through I found. It has a list of necessary items, written instructions, and video examples.



My fault David! 

Thanks for the link.

Oh, and Belkin's transmitters (both the regular one AND the other one they say is specifically for the iPod) are GARBAGE. 

Hope that brightens your day.

Return to the store and buy some books with that money.


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## Davidius (Apr 21, 2007)

So I went out, bought the cord, finally figured out how to remove my stereo, plugged it in, etc. All of that seems to be working fine but for some reason the sound that I'm getting is a little odd. I have a stereo with multiple inputs since I have a CD changer hooked-up to it and I have a "Source" button that allows me to change from Tuner to the single CD player in the stereo itself to the CD changer. I thought that plugging in the iPod would add a fourth source but it doesn't recognize the iPod as an extra source for some reason. What's happening is that the iPod is playing at the same time as whatever source I have the stereo set on. So when I turn the stereo volume down to 0 I can hear the iPod but as soon as I turn the volume up at all the iPod sound disappears and I hear whatever source the stereo is set to. So basically none of the controls (volume, etc) on the stereo itself work with the iPod. It's completely controlled by the iPod itself, which means that the volume isn't very high even when I have it all the way up on the iPod, etc. Does anyone know what might be going on? Do I need to buy one of those special iPod boxes that goes w/car stereos to fix this?


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## jfschultz (Apr 22, 2007)

CarolinaCalvinist said:


> So I went out, bought the cord, finally figured out how to remove my stereo, plugged it in, etc. All of that seems to be working fine but for some reason the sound that I'm getting is a little odd. I have a stereo with multiple inputs since I have a CD changer hooked-up to it and I have a "Source" button that allows me to change from Tuner to the single CD player in the stereo itself to the CD changer. I thought that plugging in the iPod would add a fourth source but it doesn't recognize the iPod as an extra source for some reason. What's happening is that the iPod is playing at the same time as whatever source I have the stereo set on. So when I turn the stereo volume down to 0 I can hear the iPod but as soon as I turn the volume up at all the iPod sound disappears and I hear whatever source the stereo is set to. So basically none of the controls (volume, etc) on the stereo itself work with the iPod. It's completely controlled by the iPod itself, which means that the volume isn't very high even when I have it all the way up on the iPod, etc. Does anyone know what might be going on? Do I need to buy one of those special iPod boxes that goes w/car stereos to fix this?



If you noted the make and model when you had it out, try a google search for information.

Your post did not indicate where you plugged the iPod in. What is happening might indicate that the connection is an output for an external amp to get more power or drive sub-woofers. Try disconnecting the CD changer and hook the iPod into the input it uses and see if it works as you would expect. You might need to rig some sort of an external switch to change between the CD changer and iPod.


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## Davidius (Apr 22, 2007)

jfschultz said:


> If you noted the make and model when you had it out, try a google search for information.
> 
> Your post did not indicate where you plugged the iPod in. What is happening might indicate that the connection is an output for an external amp to get more power or drive sub-woofers. Try disconnecting the CD changer and hook the iPod into the input it uses and see if it works as you would expect. You might need to rig some sort of an external switch to change between the CD changer and iPod.



I bought a 6 ft. RCA-to-mini cord and plugged in the RCA cables to the unused RCA inputs on the back of the stereo. One thing that is weird is that the RCA-to-mini cord I got has black and red audio RCA plugs instead of white and red. The inputs on the back of the stereo are white and red, of course. Is there a reason why my plug would have black and red instead of white and red? Is black the same as white in this case? I just figured it must be when I bought it since I've never heard of a black RCA plug.


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## jfschultz (Apr 23, 2007)

CarolinaCalvinist said:


> I bought a 6 ft. RCA-to-mini cord and plugged in the RCA cables to the unused RCA inputs on the back of the stereo. One thing that is weird is that the RCA-to-mini cord I got has black and red audio RCA plugs instead of white and red. The inputs on the back of the stereo are white and red, of course. Is there a reason why my plug would have black and red instead of white and red? Is black the same as white in this case? I just figured it must be when I bought it since I've never heard of a black RCA plug.



That is probably a safe assumption. Red and right both begin with "R" and is a standard color. Lavender for left might be a problem.


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