I'd have to ask my husband, but he bought some sort of kits from Crutchfield so that our iPods can just plug in. In my car the plug thingee is in the center console thing that opens up. In the other cars, it's in the glove compartment. These things also charge the iPod while it's playing, so the iPod won't die even on a very long trip.
From what I read at the time, the FM tuners drop some sound, so the quality isn't that great. I'm not sure about a cassette adapter.
"External control boxes — Often, the iPod controls are housed in an outboard box that connects to the stereo and iPod. This creates an extra step in the processing chain, and tends to have some lag time between song selection at the stereo and playback from the iPod. This is the most common option for aftermarket stereos and the usual method of controlling an iPod with a factory stereo."
They also have a little video about the various ways to play your iPod in your car and an installation guide which you can print out if you decided to do it yourself.
My iPod hooks up so that I can control it with the car stereo and even the steering wheel controls (for volume or switching to the next song) work. I find it's easiest to select the playlist and start the song playing before I plug the iPod in, though. Then I can use the stereo controls to skip a song or turn on the shuffle or something like that. Scrolling through all the playlists using the car stereo controls is tedious and time-consuming.
I think if you can buy a new car stereo that's completely iPod ready, that's the best option. :-) Wherever you buy it, hopefully they'll know what you need, if anything, to connect your iPod. (The Crutchfield people are super nice and very helpful if you call them.)
At the time we got our iPods, you could buy stereos that were sort of "iPod ready" and that's what toolman did for my car. He put my old car stereo in MW's car. Toolman still did whatever he had to do to make it so that MW could play his iPod through that stereo as well. (It wasn't a factory stereo, but one we'd bought a few years previously.)
My car has a plug that's similar to the thing I use inside to connect the iPod to the computer, except it's black. I could ask toolman how he got it in the center console thing (or glove compartment in the other cars). All four of our cars are just plug and play.
The part I quoted for you is how you can have a "plug and play" option even for an older car stereo. We have one of the other options in my car. I'd have to ask toolman, but it's one of these:
"Built-in iPod controls — Some stereos have the iPod controls built in and only require an adapter cable to connect to the iPod. These internal controls tend to result in fast communication between the devices, though not quite as fast as USB. The cable pictured here is all you need to control an iPod with most newer Alpine stereos."
or
"USB connection — Stereos that have built-in iPod controls and connect to the iPod via USB input are the fastest at relaying information between the iPod and stereo. You shouldn't see any lag time. This style of interface is currently found on a few aftermarket stereos, like the Kenwood KDC-MP535U. But, shop carefully — many USB inputs are not compatible with iPods. They only work with other USB devices and thumb drives. "
But even with the other option I mentioned, it's still just plug & play, very easy.
I actually think controlling the iPod with the stereo is the best option, however you have to do it. You control the volume and can skip songs easily using the stereo controls, without having to fiddle with your iPod while driving, which would probably be a bit distracting, IMHO. :-)
Whether you use your iPod or the car stereo to switch playlists, you'd probably get into an accident from not paying attention while you scroll through the playlists. lol It's best to do that when you're stopped, if possible.
That's why I said it's easier to select the playlist on the iPod before you plug it in. It's a little easier to scroll through the playlists on the iPod (at least for me), and when you plug it in, it automatically goes that that playlist.
I think that even if you had an FM tuner or something like that, though, you'd still have to choose the playlist before you started driving. *g* I think it would actually be harder to skip songs or shuffle it or whatever. (If I choose "shuffle" on the iPod, the stereo knows that so when I plug it in, it's shuffled. I also have a button on the stereo that I can use to shuffle a playlist, and that can be done easily while driving. *g*)
Also, when your iPod is controlled through the stereo, you can see the song and artist and whatever else your particular stereo will show you, like the time or the number of songs on the playlist or how long each song it.
Yeah, I live in a city of about 1 million people, so we have quite a lot of stations. One of my friends bought one, and the reception was really poor for her. Our cars are about the same age, and we live in the same city, so I'm not sure why... anyway, good luck with it. :)
I have a cassette adaptor, and a charger thing that goes in the cigarette lighter. The reason I bought a cassette adaptor is that the guys at Apple said that in the L.A. area the FM plug in has a hard time because of all the stations and keeps hunting, but it works better out in the middle of nowhere, like on the road to Vegas. Does this make sense? But, I haven't actually tried an FM adaptor. Maybe a new stereo with a USB port would be a good idea, as the stereo that comes with the car is never as good as the ones you can buy. I know I love the one I bought, but that was ages ago. I don't know what they're like anymore, except everyone is always pushing the XM satellite thing! Why am I up so early? I forgot about the clocks going back, and left the house before remembering, so I'm sitting here at home killing time!
It's good to hear about the FM thing. I've been listening to talk radio, which is AM, but the signal sure changes as I drive to work. The cassette is a lot cheaper. And Mom split soda or Starbucks down the front of the radio a couple of weeks ago and the buttons are still sticky, some even stuck. :( I should buy a new stereo....
I liked XM on the trip, but it seems really expensive. Maybe I wasn't reading it right.
I use the radio adapter, but you can hear the static if the channel is bad. Also, if you drive a long distance when you start the channel can be good and then at the end of the drive be bad because you're closer to a place where a station uses that channel.
If you have the money, buy the stereo with the usb port. It's better quality of sound. Me? I'm too cheap at the moment. ;-)
I think you're right about buying a new stereo. I was joking when I put it in the poll but after reading the responses, it's probably a better use of money and get it done right the first time.
Whew! Very relieved to know that only an 8 track condemns us to Luddititude (or is that Ludditude?). I've graduated from the cassette player to a standalone CD player with a cassette tape adapter. I'm too cheap to get an actual car CD player (besides, then where would I play my cassettes?). Besides, the car is nine years old- I'll probably be replacing it in 2-4 years anyway. (Yes, I can procrastinate on this kind of thing pretty much indefinitely. Hell, my first car didn't have a radio. And wouldn't have had if someone hadn't given me one for Christmas.)
My stereo is actually so old it was the last year turntables were standard and cd players were optional. I do have a cd player in my car, but it (and the stereo) only plays *horror* one at a time! It's the one that came with my car, and half the time I still use the cassette tapes anyway.
Eye-pods are sure to be explained on a future episode of Doctor Who and it won't be pretty I'm sure. Probably something very icky will happen to the listener when they hit "shuffle." *g*
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
(no subject)
Date: 2008-11-02 09:34 am (UTC)From what I read at the time, the FM tuners drop some sound, so the quality isn't that great. I'm not sure about a cassette adapter.
I think some sort of hardwiring is best.
This is Crutchfield's info page about all of this.
This page says:
They also have a little video about the various ways to play your iPod in your car and an installation guide which you can print out if you decided to do it yourself.
My iPod hooks up so that I can control it with the car stereo and even the steering wheel controls (for volume or switching to the next song) work. I find it's easiest to select the playlist and start the song playing before I plug the iPod in, though. Then I can use the stereo controls to skip a song or turn on the shuffle or something like that. Scrolling through all the playlists using the car stereo controls is tedious and time-consuming.
(no subject)
Date: 2008-11-03 07:06 pm (UTC)I think I'm gonna get a new stereo either in a week if my impulse control is weak, or in a few months after I've paid off my trip completely.
Is your ipod in some sort of dock?
Thanks!
(no subject)
Date: 2008-11-03 07:37 pm (UTC)At the time we got our iPods, you could buy stereos that were sort of "iPod ready" and that's what toolman did for my car. He put my old car stereo in MW's car. Toolman still did whatever he had to do to make it so that MW could play his iPod through that stereo as well. (It wasn't a factory stereo, but one we'd bought a few years previously.)
My car has a plug that's similar to the thing I use inside to connect the iPod to the computer, except it's black. I could ask toolman how he got it in the center console thing (or glove compartment in the other cars). All four of our cars are just plug and play.
The part I quoted for you is how you can have a "plug and play" option even for an older car stereo. We have one of the other options in my car. I'd have to ask toolman, but it's one of these:
or
But even with the other option I mentioned, it's still just plug & play, very easy.
I actually think controlling the iPod with the stereo is the best option, however you have to do it. You control the volume and can skip songs easily using the stereo controls, without having to fiddle with your iPod while driving, which would probably be a bit distracting, IMHO. :-)
Whether you use your iPod or the car stereo to switch playlists, you'd probably get into an accident from not paying attention while you scroll through the playlists. lol It's best to do that when you're stopped, if possible.
That's why I said it's easier to select the playlist on the iPod before you plug it in. It's a little easier to scroll through the playlists on the iPod (at least for me), and when you plug it in, it automatically goes that that playlist.
I think that even if you had an FM tuner or something like that, though, you'd still have to choose the playlist before you started driving. *g* I think it would actually be harder to skip songs or shuffle it or whatever. (If I choose "shuffle" on the iPod, the stereo knows that so when I plug it in, it's shuffled. I also have a button on the stereo that I can use to shuffle a playlist, and that can be done easily while driving. *g*)
Also, when your iPod is controlled through the stereo, you can see the song and artist and whatever else your particular stereo will show you, like the time or the number of songs on the playlist or how long each song it.
(no subject)
Date: 2008-11-02 12:58 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2008-11-03 07:08 pm (UTC)Belkin is the one that always popped up. They must have a superior advertising campaign. *g*
Love you icon!
(no subject)
Date: 2008-11-06 06:39 am (UTC)Thanks!
(no subject)
Date: 2008-11-02 01:12 pm (UTC)But, I haven't actually tried an FM adaptor. Maybe a new stereo with a USB port would be a good idea, as the stereo that comes with the car is never as good as the ones you can buy. I know I love the one I bought, but that was ages ago. I don't know what they're like anymore, except everyone is always pushing the XM satellite thing!
Why am I up so early? I forgot about the clocks going back, and left the house before remembering, so I'm sitting here at home killing time!
(no subject)
Date: 2008-11-03 07:14 pm (UTC)I liked XM on the trip, but it seems really expensive. Maybe I wasn't reading it right.
Did you work the weekend?
(no subject)
Date: 2008-11-02 04:40 pm (UTC)If you have the money, buy the stereo with the usb port. It's better quality of sound. Me? I'm too cheap at the moment. ;-)
(no subject)
Date: 2008-11-03 07:15 pm (UTC)Thank you for the advice.
(no subject)
Date: 2008-11-07 04:21 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2008-11-02 11:02 pm (UTC);-)
I'll go back to listening to my cassette (hey, it's no 8 track. I'm not a total luddite) before popping in my video to the vcr.
(no subject)
Date: 2008-11-03 06:26 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2008-11-03 06:42 pm (UTC)My stereo is actually so old it was the last year turntables were standard and cd players were optional. I do have a cd player in my car, but it (and the stereo) only plays *horror* one at a time! It's the one that came with my car, and half the time I still use the cassette tapes anyway.
(no subject)
Date: 2008-11-03 07:19 pm (UTC)Eye-pods are sure to be explained on a future episode of Doctor Who and it won't be pretty I'm sure. Probably something very icky will happen to the listener when they hit "shuffle." *g*