off subject thread-IPOD help needed

[morpheus]

ok all brothers -chime in
need some help with ipods-looking for the BEST and REliable FM transmitter for the car.want to be able to play my tunes on my ipod in the car.have spent the last 3-4 days reading countless reveiws on the web.want to be able just to plug it into the aux outlet-dont want to direct wire into the radio

any and all recommendations welcome

[oblivion_twister]

I use a kenwood excelon deck that has a front usb port, thumb drives, my phone, my ipod, they all work with it.

[morpheus]

I use a kenwood excelon deck that has a front usb port, thumb drives, my phone, my ipod, they all work with it.


dont want to change ANYTHING on the radio/cd player

[anesthesia]

Hate to tell you but everyone I've talked to that has gone the route you're looking at has hated it.

Pretty much everyone said that the FM transmission gets interrupted and they have to keep changing frequencies.

When I bought my Ipod, I got a stereo with a USB port. I can control the Ipod from the stereo and it charges it.

From what I hear there is no 'best' FM transmitter, just buy the cheapest one you can find and learn to deal with the glitches. Who knows, it may work great for you.

[Descending Spirit]

my daughter uses iTrip you can get it at wal mart for around $50 but cheaper on ebay maybe around $7
it work pretty good, for the most part

[usbpphillips]

I have to agree with anesthesia on this one. Those FM Transmitters are fairly unreliable. They work okay as long as you don't have any other FM Transmissions in the area. But most of the country has FM Radio Transmissions with fairly high wattage stations. This tends to create bleedover and interference with the IPOD Transmitter. You really aren't going to get digital quality without a direct line into the head unit. Most of your newer vehicles have an auxiliary line in to the head unit on the dash somewhere. If you have one, it's just a matter of getting the proper patch chord (probably a male connection on both ends) and plugging it into the dash line input and the IPOD Headphone Jack. If not, there are some companies out there that make aftermarket auxilliary inputs for some factory radios. I have a Mazda6 and there is a company that makes a line in to my head unit that connects via an optional 6 Dic CD Changer connection in the back of the unit. You may check around and try to go that route, as the signal will be digital instead of analog and will definitely sound better. Good luck brother and I hope that my ramblings help you out. If not, you can't say I didn't try!!!

[driv3rx]

+1 on kenwood and USB you can even put music on flashdrive and plug it right in hours and hours of music.

[oblivion_twister]

I keep 2 2gb flashdrives in the truck for those unexpected long drives.

Look on www.crutchfield.com if you want to hook an ipod to a factory head unit, they might have an adapter that would work for you. If not email them.

[RescueXJ]

ok all brothers -chime in
need some help with ipods-looking for the BEST and REliable FM transmitter for the car.want to be able to play my tunes on my ipod in the car.have spent the last 3-4 days reading countless reveiws on the web.want to be able just to plug it into the aux outlet-dont want to direct wire into the radio

any and all recommendations welcome

I've read a ton of shit about transmitters, and used about 6 different kinds. NONE of them worked for me, on any station I would tune them to. I dunno if its my area or what, but thye all sound like garbage.

If you want something slightly more permanent, pick up an FM MODULATOR. Its a small box that piggybacks off your FM anetenna, then you plug your ipod into it with a standard 3.5mm jack that goes into a L and R audio input on the box. Once its connected you tune your radio to the station you select on the box, and you have a CD quality input through your antenna. It is directly wired, you don't have to "pick up" the station through your car's antenna like with a transmitter.

Costs about the same as an iTrip, about 30-40 bucks and it takes a little longer to install, but its well worth it in my opinion.

If you want to get more complicated, look for an iPod compatible head unit. I have one in my jeep and its the greatest thing since sliced bread