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iPod BEST way to plug ipod to car stereo
- Thread starter The Senator
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The Senator said:
It all depends on what kind of inputs your car stereo has. If it has CD changer input, you can use a device like Monster's iCruze. If it has AUX input, you can hook your headphone jack to that (although I believe some accessory makers have a way to hook through the dock connector and then use the line-out and not have to worry about volume-setting issues). You can also hook an FM modulator into your antenna line. Or you can use an FM transmitter to play through the radio. If you have a cassette deck, you can also get a tape-input-thing-a-ma-jiggy.
The Senator said:
The BEST way is to have a radio head unit with an iPod interface, where you can have your iPod connected via a lead in the glovebox, so that the iPod is being charged as well as providing a data feed, and is controlled via the radio controls on the steering wheel.
Means you probably have to change your radio, but you did ask what the best way was.
I have a Clarion head unit that does all this, and there are others -- Alpine, JVC, Blaupunkt for example.
In my other car I have a lead plugged into the Aux socket on the back of the (Sony) radio. Works OK, but of course does not charge the iPod, and you have to control it from the iPod itself, which can be distracting while driving.
fenixx said:
Depending on where you live, an iTrip might be a suitable option. If you're in an area with not many FM stations, iTrip works rather well. I made a road-trip from Denver to Salt Lake City through Wyoming recently and then from Denver to Telluride a week later and once you're out of the city, the iTrip works real well. Plus, because it's attached to the iPod, it's quite a portable solution also.
eRondeau said:
As I said above, not the ONLY way, because it's available from other manufacturers. In my case I ruled out the Alpine unit because I also wanted to listen to DAB (digital radio in Europe) stations, and Alpine had just taken their DAB module off the market.