Other options for playing MP3s in your car

On 22-03-2005 19:38:23, Frank Malinowski wrote:

>There is a simple but not common way to get great car stereo connections
>for your ipod. I bought a JVC Arsenal KD-AR560 receiver for $200 from
>Crutchfield. I put it in myself which means anyone can do it. It had a
>3.5 AUX plug ON THE FRONT where they should be. I use my iPod Shuffle
>and my wife's iPod mini. I can also connect a Walkman cassette, mini
>disk player, my PowerBook or any other sound source. Sounds like CD
>quality to me, at least it is much better than the FM transmitter and
>better than the cassette connector. I don't know why more stereos with
>this feature are not avialable but they do exist and they solve future
>connection issues if a new sound source is introduced.
>
><http://db.tidbits.com/getbits.acgi?tbart=08027>

JVC is AFAIK the only manufacturer to offer AUX inputs on the front. Their top-of-the line
units even have two AUX inputs: one on the front and one on the back. Most of the other
manufacturers (at least Alpine and Pioneer) offer AUX inputs only via an adapter that
connects to the CD changer input. Some do offer RCA inputs on the back of the unit.

Harro de Jong

On 22-mrt-05, at 19:38, Frank Malinowski wrote:
> I don't know why more stereos with this feature are not avialable but
> they do exist and they solve future connection issues if a new sound
> source is introduced.

If you're on a tight budget you can try to find an old (non
auto-reverse) in-dash cassette player and buy a cassette player
adapter. This is basically just a cassette with a headphone wire
sticking out of it that sends the audio signal to the car stereo
through the cassette player. Belkin makes one especially for the iPod
but I think generic ones can be found much cheaper in most electronics
stores. It's cheap and the sound quality is quite decent, at least to
my not so sophisticated ears.

<http://tinyurl.com/39dht>


[Just including this for completeness - there's nothing new about cassette adapters in the overall discussion. -Adam]

I have also had to resort to using a cassette adaptor in my Toyota Avalon, which thankfully came with a factory unit that included both CD and cassette player combined in one unit. It seems that here in Australia, unless you buy a luxury model car, that you get either CD or cassette - mostly CD these days.

I must say, however, that either I have a more refined ear than some people, or perhaps the Avalon's quietness and sound quality are sufficient to allow me to hear easily the natural hiss that the cassette adaptor adds to the sound - especially on quieter tracks.

My 1990 Mazda MX-5 (Miata to US users) has one of the first Sony CD players that included MP-3 support, but unfortunately no cassette. The Sony MP-3 is annoying though, in that burning playlists in the correct MP3 disc format from iTunes seems to produce unplayable CDs; using Toast produces something that can be played, but the unit is often confused by the directory structure. Also, it seems to take up to 30 seconds to read the directory structure when first powered on.

So, we decided to try the first Belkin FM adaptor - the one that had the switch on the back for four different frequencies around 88.1-88.7.

This unit was annoying at best - it functions barely adequately in the Avalon, and poorly in the MX-5.

I'm currently investigating whether an adaptor for the CD-changer input on the Avalon's system can be found, but no luck so far.

I'm hoping that if I go to the trouble of temporarily pulling out the Sony from the MX-5, I'll find that it has an RCA input that I can use for the iPod.

All in all, I love my iPod (I have had three different models so far), but it seems that standards in vehicle audio are virtually non-existent.

I'm looking forward to a time where there may be some standards to allow external digital audio devices to be connected simply.

I installed an amplifier system, re-wired all speakers through the
amplifier, and then i have wired in a switch to the amplifier inputs
which gives me a 1/8 inch jack coming out of the dash board and a
little switch at the bottom. The little switch lets me choose the
audio of the external or of the car's own stereo. So i can now plug
anything in, its a bit of an extreme way of doing it, but its perfect
quality.

I recently purchased a car stereo unit that plays audio and mp3 CDs, however the real interesting feature was that it has a USB port and a slot that accepts SD cards (about the size of a postage stamp with up to 1 GB of storage). I transferred a collection of my mp3 files from iTunes onto the SD card (within a USB adapter) and simply fed the card into the car stereo slot, and away I went. It feels a bit like putting a coin into a jukebox. It will play mp3 files on a USB flash drive as well, and does a good job of recording radio programs onto the SD card or flash drive.

Cost was NZ$250, currently about US$175. It's a house-brand unit from Dick Smith Electronics here in NZ, so can't suggest outlets or availability of purchase outside of NZ or Australia. This is another alternative to getting an iPod to talk to an existing car stereo.

David Everett Dunedin, New Zealand

I've had an Ipod2Car adaptor from Peripheral Electronics installed in my car and it works great. It's a little box with eight or so dipswitches so you can set it to work with different cars or different stereos, and it works off of the cd-changer port. The cord from the box plugs into the firewire dock port on the ipod so you get maximum sound quality plus charge your ipod while you drive. Finally, you can control fast forward, rewind and track selection from your radio or, in my case, steering column mounted controls, so you can stow the ipod out of sight (and reach) if you wish.

The only drawback so far, at least in my car, is that track names, etc. that display on the ipod screen don't display through the stereo's display. So if you aren't sure of a tune or artist and your curiousity is driving you mad, you still have to look at the ipod.

I understand the Pioneer is now releasing an interface via the cd-changer port to many of their stereos that solves this problem as well, so you get the remote control of the ipod, the display of tracks and the firewire charging and sound interface all at once: the ideal solution.

Rick

The best fidelity will come by using the line out feed from your iPod into an auxiliary input jack on a car stereo. Contrary to a previous post, there are multiple manufacturers who offer an auxiliary input on their car receivers. Some of the inputs are on the front like the very inexpensive receivers from Aiwa.

Finding these car receivers is simple on the Crutchfield web site since they offer many options to search by including Aux Input. A recent search revealed 58 hits!

The Aux input works great for fidelity but you still have to look at the iPod screen for artist/track info. Newer models from Alpine are advertised as 'iPod ready' and these will display artist/track info on the car receiver, albeit at a seemingly high $99.

Another solution if you don't (or can't) replace your car stereo is an interface unit. For about $200 this unit interfaces with your current car stereo through a wire harness specific to your car. Brands include IPOD2CAR and iceLink Plus. Use Google for more info.

On 4/18/05 1:11 PM, "hcain" <hcaincox.net> cleverly wrote:

The best fidelity will come by using the line out feed from your iPod into an auxiliary input jack on a car stereo. Contrary to a previous post, there are multiple manufacturers who offer an auxiliary input on their car receivers. Some of the inputs are on the front like the very inexpensive receivers from Aiwa.  

Finding these car receivers is simple on the Crutchfield web site since they offer many options to search by including Aux Input. A recent search revealed 58 hits!  

The Aux input works great for fidelity but you still have to look at the iPod screen for artist/track info. Newer models from Alpine are advertised as 'iPod ready' and these will display artist/track info on the car receiver, albeit at a seemingly high $99.  

Another solution if you don't (or can't) replace your car stereo is an interface unit. For about $200 this unit interfaces with your current car stereo through a wire harness specific to your car. Brands include IPOD2CAR and iceLink Plus. Use Google for more info.

I have the Alpine option. That $99 cost is about the same of the better FM solutions, and this one is much better. One can use the radio to search the iPod. I like it very much although there is a learning cure for the controls.

Bruce

HELP ME DISBALE MY AUTO REVERSE? Hey guys, I have a Toyota Camry (2004) which I want to listen to an ipod in, and messing around with the stereo (installing something) will void the warranty, but when I try to use a casette player adapter the tape player (which is auto reverse) pops out the casette player adapter because it's reversing and thinks the tape's run out. Anyone know a way to make the tape player stop auto reversing? The annoying thing is that the Toyota people void your warranty if you go and get a professional ipod jack installation done, yet offer no service themselves to do something that people want. Anyone kow how to disable auto reverse or get around this?

> Toyota Camry (2004) ...will void the warranty, ...The
> annoying thing is that the Toyota people void your warranty if you go and get
> a professional ipod jack installation done, yet offer no service themselves to
> do something that people want.

I simply can't believe that -- what has the installation of an iPod jack in
the dashboard or elsewhere in the interior of the car to do with the
warranty on the motor, the gearsbox, the body or any other part of that
car.
OTOH, when you go to your Toyota dealer and tell him to install that iPod
jack of yours in the car -- he refuses to earn money??

If my car dealer would refuse me right away, he'd seen the last of me and
I'd take my business elsewhere....

Udo

I need to disable the auto reverse function.

I am facing a problem in my Toyoto Corolla 2001 when I am using the CD Mp3 player with an cassette adapter. Every 2 minutes the Tape player assumes the cassette is over and goes to the reverse mode and starts playing. I would appreciate if any one knows how to disable the auto reverse function of the Tape Player.

[ Offhand, it sounds like your tape adapter has a higher-than-normal amount of friction, which causes the tape deck to reverse. -Andrew ]

Does your adapter have an adjustable head? The one I have does and the
adjustment determines whether or not the auto-reverse in my tape deck
is going to fire off. Some have a slider mechanism and others you
simply manually adjust the "head" located where your tape players head
would make contact with the tape if it were there. You could also just
try a different model.

How about this one:
http://www.griffintechnology.com/products/smartdeckdock/



On Jan 18, 2006, at 12:52 AM, Satish Kumar wrote:

> I need to disable the auto reverse function.
>
> I am facing a problem in my Toyoto Corolla 2001 when I am using the CD
> Mp3 player with an cassette adapter. Every 2 minutes the Tape player
> assumes the cassette is over and goes to the reverse mode and starts
> playing. I would appreciate if any one knows how to disable the auto
> reverse function of the Tape Player.
>
> [ Offhand, it sounds like your tape adapter has a higher-than-normal
> amount of friction, which causes the tape deck to reverse. -Andrew ]
> -- If you want to unsubscribe or change your address, use this link:
> http://emperor.tidbits.com/webx?unsub.3c3f6899!u=305448f4

On Jan 18, 2006, at 12:52 AM, Satish Kumar wrote:

> I need to disable the auto reverse function.
>
> I am facing a problem in my Toyoto Corolla 2001 when I am using the
> CD Mp3 player with an cassette adapter.

We have a 2000 Corolla and have used a cassette adapter for a couple
of years now, and we have never had this problem. I don't think there
is any easy way to disable the auto-reverse function. You probably
need to buy a new adapter, as Andrew has suggested.

Malcolm

At 10:15 AM -0800 1/18/06, James White wrote:
>How about this one:
>http://www.griffintechnology.com/products/smartdeckdock/

I waited for a long time for this to finally ship. But it doesn't
work well for me. My problem is a bit similar to the auto-reversing
one except that the cassette deck keeps ejecting the adapter. I can
keep plugging it back in and after awhile it usually works. But it
finally just wouldn't stay put. So it's consigned to the gadget
drawer (anyone want a ThunderScan for their ImageWriter?). Several of
the subsequent adapters I tried weren't too great either. Volume
problems mainly, as in none.

My solution is to get a new car with a line-in... If you have a
cheaper solution my wife would like to hear it.

Thanks, John

>
>> I need to disable the auto reverse function.
>>
>> I am facing a problem in my Toyoto Corolla 2001 when I am using the
>> CD Mp3 player with an cassette adapter.

Haveyou tried to wind and rewind the tape one or two times?
Sometimes there is a memory somewhere where it had been stopped and/or
reversed in the past.


Daki

Here's a link that might be helpful. I have one of these in my 2000 Honda Accord which had previously been in my 1997 Honda Civic:

http://shop.store.yahoo.com/logjam/piehonaux.html





[Sweet! I've been looking for something like that for my 2000 Corolla. Google indicates the manufacturer has similar adapters for most cars, although their web site doesn't work at the moment. -Andrew ]

http://www.pie.net/index.cfm

At 11:51 AM -0800 2006/01/18, John Mather wrote:
>My solution is to get a new car with a line-in... If you have a
>cheaper solution my wife would like to hear it.

        I got the XtremeMac kit, which includes a cassette adapter &
5 cables. That adapter works great. I got a couple SmartDecks (one as
a gift), but on second use one kept reversing. I also noticed,
looking at the actual cassette, that you can either advance through
the track *OR* skip to next; there's an A/B switch on the body of the
cassette to switch. In retrospect, I should have just stuck with the
working XtremeMac adapter.


                                                Chris Pepper

PS-Getting a new audio unit (head unit?) with line-in for your car
would definitely be cheaper than replacing the whole car...

--
Chris Pepper: <http://www.reppep.com/~pepper/>
Rockefeller University: <http://www.rockefeller.edu/>

On Jan 19, 2006, at 12:29 PM, jwilson166comcast.net wrote:

> Here's a link that might be helpful. I have one of these in my 2000
> Honda Accord which had previously been in my 1997 Honda Civic:
>
> http://shop.store.yahoo.com/logjam/piehonaux.html
>
> [Sweet! I've been looking for something like that for my 2000
> Corolla. Google indicates the manufacturer has similar adapters
> for most cars, although their web site doesn't work at the moment. -
> Andrew ]
>
> http://www.pie.net/index.cfm

I've had very good luck in my past two cars with with the Blitzsafe
auxiliary interface...

<http://www.blitzsafe.com/blitz_catalog/blitz_aux/blitz_aux.html>

(no connection to Blitzsafe...just a satisfied customer, etc.)


Keith Jackson

> http://shop.store.yahoo.com/logjam/piehonaux.html I can recommend logjam - I ordered some parts to make my Ipod connect to my Acura navigation system via line in and it works great and I received great service. -- "The Marines I have seen around the world have the cleanest bodies, the highest morale, and the lowest morals of any group of animals I have ever seen. Thank God for the United States Marine Corps!" --Eleanor Roosevelt, 1943