Brandon M. Leibowitz asked:




When it comes to playing your iPod through your car’s speakers you often run into some common problems. Typically, there is not a dock installed on your stereo that will accept your iPod or MP3 player. Fortunately, you do have a few options to solve this problem, and each has its own limitations. Solutions include FM transmitters, cassette adapters, wired FM modulators, stereos with an inline ports, or RCA ports. Some will have much better quality sound, while others will sound static and choppy. It is this author’s intention to discuss the benefits and limitations of all these possible options.

Your simplest and cheapest choice is using an FM transmitter. There are two types of FM transmitters: wired and wireless. Basically, a wired one connects to your car, while a wireless uses radio frequency to play through the car stereo. The basic function of these devices is that you run plug from your iPod and pick up a signal from your car’s radio stations. The frequency allotted is very low and will only work for stations between 88.1 FM – 107.9FM. Any other station will not pick up the sound coming through the FM transmitter.

It is possible to increase the stations available, but the FCC rules and regulations for radio will not allow it. The FCC will not allow FM transmitters to broadcast over 18.75 nanowatts, ensuring that they will not work well. Essentially, you are creating your own low-wattage radio station. Unfortunately you are competing with major radio stations that are pushing out 6,000 + watts of music. This can cause the MP3 player and radio station to mix together into a distorted mess. One of the most popular types of FM Transmitters is the Belkin TuneCast II.

It is strong, versatile, and can pick up many radio frequencies clearly. FM Transmitters, although providing clean, listenable sound, may not approach that standard hailed by music purists. As such, it may not be the ideal solution for audiophiles. FM radio stations will never sound the same as a CD or your MP3 player does. Luckily, these go for around $30 a piece making this a popular choice.

When shopping for your FM transmitter you want to look to see if it is battery operated or plugs into your car’s cigarette adapter. Both work well, but plugging it into your car’s cigarette adapter allows for your iPod charging while playing music. Cigarette lighter adapters will sometimes come with a cradle. A cradle is a nice way to hold your MP3 player and charge it simultaneously. Accessory Genie makes a Flex Pod FM transmitter that has a cradle with a flexible neck allowing for more customization.

Newer transmitters have PSL technology; positive station delivers quality sound and reduces drift as you travel from city to city. Most, if not all the newer versions have LCD screens showing what station you should tune into. Others like the Road Master Corp include a remote control for the ultimate ease and control.

Another option is to purchase an audio cassette adapter for your iPod. Basically, there is a cord that plugs into your MP3 players headphone jack and leads to a cassette. You insert the cassette into your car’s cassette player (if it has one) and off you go. The downside is not many cars have cassette players anymore. The sound quality is much better than that of a wired FM transmitter because there is no interference from the other radio stations. Sony cassette adapters are very cheap as well, costing as little as $10 from Philips or another major brand.

A wired FM modulator eliminates passing through the cluttered radio airwaves when playing your iPod’s music. They intercept the radio waves from your antenna and radio. It only requires minimal installation, replacing a wire in back of your car stereo’s antenna. Then you can run the wire into your MP3 player’s headphone jack. It is much simpler than it sounds and takes about 5 minutes to install.

The modulator is versatile, running on any FM frequency. It is better to choose a station near the beginning or end of the FM station frequency range. Crutchfield has a large selection of wired FM modulators. There is much less noise and zero interference from the radio stations using the FM modulator. They are inexpensive, typically costing around $15 for a decent model from Crutchfield or some other electronics stores.

The simplest and easiest to install would be the car stereo with an inline port included. Most of the newer model cars have this feature. It is a small jack that is on your car radio. Simply insert the wire into the iPods headphone jack and the other end of the wire goes into the stereo’s line-in jack. Set your stereo to Auxiliary and you are ready to hear some quality MP3 sound. If your car does not have the line-in port you can purchase a new stereo with this jack for $100. Buying a new radio simply for the line-in jack is wasteful and not the optimal solution for people on a budget.

New car stereos, primarily those with a CD player, have an RCA port in the back of them. You can run a wire through the MP3 player’s headphone jack straight into the RCA port. You can purchase an RCA-to-headphone jack cord for a few bucks at any electronics store. These cables come in different sizes and lengths, depending on your car’s stereo and how far it is located from you.

Ask your local electronics store what size and length is right for your car’s stereo. To install this you must remove your radio and locate the red and white inputs on the backside. Plug the wires into the RCA port and your car will play perfect sounding music though your iPod or MP3 player. All you need to do now is tune your radio to “CD” or “Auxiliary” and away you go.

Remember there are many options for your iPod or MP3 player and knowing what your budget is and what features your car stereo has can help you make an informed decision. You also must make sure that your MP3 player is compatible with your product the new iPhone 3G are not compatible with older model FM transmitters. There may be more than one optimal choice, which is why it is up to you to go to your electronics shop and make sure you are getting what you need.

Arthur

Rachel Lawrence asked:




The MP3 player has conducted a hostile takeover of the music world, elbowing out the CD to climb its way to the top. It makes personalising your music easier through creating playlists, and some even have the ability to create automatic playlists from your music to a range of themes. Slip it into a pocket, put your earphones in and listen to whatever you want. Even when you’re driving, it’s easy to take your music collection with you.

Car stereos have taken a while to come round to the new technology in music, and many new cars do not have inbuilt MP3 players in their audio systems. However, if your car stereo is broken or you simply feel the need to update it, car MP3 players can be easily found online or in shops.

There are two main types of MP3 compatible player available for cars. The first has to be connected to an iPod or equivalent while the second can store MP3s directly.

The first type of stereo is the cheapest and easiest to get hold of. A simple cable can connect your iPod or MP3 player to the stereo and it’s really as easy as that. So long car journeys can be fun, not riddled with adverts and annoying DJs, or fiddling with CD cases.

The second variety of MP3 car stereos can actually store music directly, although they also provide the option of plugging in your personal player to transfer or play music. How many files the car stereo can store depends on the model; some can store thousands of files, while others are more limited. Naturally, this in-car MP3 player is more expensive than the first type but, if you are willing to spend more, you can eliminate the need for messy cables and make the process even more convenient.

Kenneth

Douglas Taylor asked:




The mp3 player has now become a stable part of many people’s lives. Not only are they small and versatile, but also they provide the user with hours of music listening time without having to keep changing CD’s or tapes. But just how can I use my mp3 player in my car?

In this article we will look at some different ways that you can now use your mp3 player in your car and so no longer will you need to worry about carrying all your favorite CD’s in the car in the future. Plus you have the added benefit of knowing that you can remove your mp3 player from your car and take it with you.

Nearly all mp3 players will have a port in which you connect your headphones. But in order for your to play your mp3 player in your car you will need to find a way of connecting this to the head unit using the headphone port. Below is one method that you may want to try.

Auxiliary In

This method will provide you with the best audio quality possible, in fact it is just about as good as the audio produced by a CD. Numerous head units (radios) in cars today have a front auxiliary input (known as the Aux-In) that allows you to plug directly from your mp3 player into the head unit. You will find that most Sony head units have this feature on all their entry-level units.

However there are other methods that you may want to try if you do not happen to have a head unit that has an auxiliary in feature with it. Below we look at some other ways in which you should be able to play your mp3 player in your car in the future.

Cassette Tape Adapter

This device is available for around $10 and can be found in most electronic stores. It provides you with an easy and straightforward method of hooking up an external device such as an mp3 player to your car stereo system. All you have to do is place the cassette tape in to the car’s tape player and then attach the other end to the headphone or line out jack situated on your mp3 player.

However, there are a number of drawbacks to this method. Firstly you need to have cassette player in your car (which unfortunately is becoming much less common in more modern cars) and secondly you will often the sound quality is reduced.

FM Transmitter

This system will transmit an audio signal of the your mp3 player to a specified FM frequency when it is plugged into the FM transmitter. What happens is your FM stereo in your car is then able to pick up the sounds as if it was actually receiving a regular FM broadcast from a radio station.

So as you can see there are plenty of ways to answer the question how can I use my mp3 player in my car. All you need to decide is which one you feel best suits your particular needs.

Laurie

Victor Epand asked:




Cassettes and tapes have become outdated. Newer audio devices offer better listening experience to the listener. The newer products are innovative and produce appealing sound quality within technological limits. The case in point is car mp3 players. Those are an absolute necessity for cars. The player increases the visual aesthetics of a car along with enhancing the user experience.

We can get these products from indigenous companies as well as from sound moguls like Sony, Panasonic, LG, and Samsung who are from countries outside of the United States of America.

Mp3 is the compressed form of music. For a 256 kbps bit rate music mp3 CD, the data which is required to fit in for a 5 minutes song, is 8 to 12 MB. This, when compared to the corresponding feature an audio CD, is simply amazing. Audio CD is usually track based, so a minute is around 10 MB in size. The same five-minutes would eat up almost 50 MB of storage space. Essentially, one is getting a lot of music in a single CD when creating the CD with his or her favorite mp3s. Nevertheless, the CD clutter is reduced from the dashboard.

Car mp3 players generally come in a wide range to satisfy the buyer. Not all the products boast of similar features. Some offer more features and peculiarities whereas others boast of cheaper, throwaway prices.

Although many mp3 players are on market display for a prospective buyer, still car mp3 players are unique for their durability, longevity, and price. The alternatives are ipods, portable play stations, car mobile mp3 players, etc.

All the models are different although the features are the same for similarly priced products. Qualities which most of the players support are track name and song ID display facility, motorized detachable panels, and heatproof quality. The player’s play menu would contain program, repeat, shuffle, and intro play options.

The ability to play FM and AM stations is an added benefit of car mp3 players. A number of signals and stations are supported. Electronic volume controls along with a user-friendly mute button, EQ preset, clock and auto-memory store form the special features of a player. Some players also have the capability of ISO mounting chassis. USB memories and equalizer designs feature in expensive branded devices.

Some car mp3 players are provided with the capacity to be connected to external speakers. With the help of transmitters and modulators, the player can be connected with USB disk to read audio files stored in those external data drives. The FM transmitter would help in transferring the signal to the car tuner, and outputting from car mp3 player speakers.

The look of a car can greatly be augmented by the help of a sleek looking car mp3 player. If the selection of the player is made in accordance with the interior design of the car then it would help in complementing the overall design.

Kathleen

Devika Rajpali asked:




Groove with Music

Here it is! A good car MP3 player, every car audio system deserves a good head unit, but a really ambitious system needs a perfect one. If you are looking a master blaster in music player for your newly purchased car then go get this Digital car USB MMC and MP3 Player. This is a ultimate choice to purchase as given the price tag of this device, it is surprising at how low-end it looks.

Structural Appearance

This USB MMC and MP3 player comes with clear LCD display. The entire quality of display is ok and the fully equipped all-in-one-unit offers the latest technology in terms of capability, connectivity and navigation. Needless to say, it provides the full set of functionality to operate and there are less efforts to switch and play your favourite music on MP3 as button operation is easy to understand. Finally, it offers a clever user interface and can optionally be operated with the steering wheel controls.

Main Features

This MP3 player has a great playback. Windows Media Audio playback is working good and sound clarity of audio is also more than average.It has a excellent music compatibility now this is really worth saying. You can also enjoy FM by tuning to listen variety of songs and music at same time.You have good connectivity option with its USB MMC memory is SD memory inside. Very powerful with 1000 watt capacity.There is a remote control to access music as per your choice, moreover the night illumination is available as well for buttons and round wheel button controls. There is a folder up/down function as well which can ease your playing.

Performance

Excellent performance in delivering sound and clarity! This MP3 player sounds really very well. You will be able to experience uncompromised audio quality when playing back lossless audio. All in all, this is the first-ever self-contained head unit that is truly high-end. And this is where the speaker performance is king. Created specifically, the XTreme Impact of this speaker really does live up to its name, overwhelming the competition with absolutely outrageous sound pressure levels. The night illumination is superb catching the overall excitement that you can get while traveling on a long drive. Doesn’t matter what kind of head unit you have, this one a bit can receive high or low level signals, even when pre-equalized, or digital inputs.

Verdict

A worth to purchase that will fit in your budget. You can get 6 months sellers warranty with this Digital car USB MMC and MP3 Player. Thus enjoy and groove with music of your choice in your car any time any where!

Valerie

Marie Coles asked:




The king of the music scene, the MP3 player, is a gadget that can be used anywhere, including the car. There are a number of ways you can connect your iPod, through a car MP3 stereo, an FM transmitter or a tape deck. All of these work, but like any technology have a number of disadvantages and advantages.

Car Mp3 Player:

Car MP3 audio systems are an easy way to connect your iPod to your stereo. With their built in connection ports, it’s very quick and easy to access your music. Moreover, integrated Bluetooth makes connecting to your iPhone virtually effortless – streaming music and answering the phone in the car has never been this easy!

Car MP3 players are the most appropriate for those wanting to replace their stereo, however, MP3 stereos are still relatively expensive and can cost up to £500. So, if you are interested in purchasing an MP3 player, I recommend you add extra security options into your car as well as take out insurance.

FM Transmitter:

This is a very cheap and simple way of attaching your MP3 player to your stereo – all you need is a compatible MP3 player and an FM stereo. There are, however, a few problems with this method as sound quality is often poor as the quality relies on where you are and any interference caused by the weather. The sound quality is particularly bad in urban areas due to the large amount of radio station signals; hence, this device is better suited to rural areas where there will be less radio station interference.

Car Tape Deck:

If you don’t want to replace your old stereo or simply want to continue listening to your tapes, as well as your MP3′s, hooking up your music player to your tape deck is ideal and cost effective way to do this. Simply connect the MP3 cassette to the headphones port in the MP3 player (a connection wire is supplied with the MP3 cassette). The main disadvantage is the poor sound quality, as like normal tapes; the MP3 cassette is prone to sound distortion. However, if you are not fussy over sound quality, this is one of the cheapest ways to listen to your MP3′s.

All of these ways enable you to listen to your MP3′s in the car. If you need a cost effective way to listen to your MP3′s, the last two options may be best for you. However, investing in an in-car MP3 player is still relatively inexpensive and there are many on the market for those on a budget. And if your stereo looks like it is soon to be out of order, then it is probably best to replace it with a much newer model.

David

Rachel Lawrence asked:




If you are thinking of updating to the latest car CD/MP3 player, you are probably wondering what is available for your money. The important thing to know is what you want from your car audio system. If you are more interested in hooking up your MP3 player to your car stereo more easily then you can expect to pay less than if you are looking for a more sophisticated car stereo that stores your MP3 files for you.

Prices range from under