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elec999

macrumors regular
Original poster
Jan 25, 2007
195
1
Is it worth getting a iPod classic for my car to store my collection? Alpine head unit with iPod integration.
 
i have had an ipod classic in my car for 3 years now. i dont care that its not the latest and the greatest in ipod tech. its the only ipod that has the capacity to hold my entire itunes collection at once. It sits in my center console plugged in and tucked away, always connected. It is in pristine condition because its been in a brenthaven case from day one. The only draw back is that hard drive access is slower than flash memory. SO until apple releases a 160GB iPod touch at $199, my ipod classic will continue to rock my car
 
Is it worth getting a iPod classic for my car to store my collection? Alpine head unit with iPod integration.

Depends if you dislike having to plug your iPhone in. Keeping the classic in the car might ruin it though - which means you'd have to take it in and out of your car (and subsequently keep plugging it as with your iPhone)
 
Depends if you dislike having to plug your iPhone in. Keeping the classic in the car might ruin it though - which means you'd have to take it in and out of your car (and subsequently keep plugging it as with your iPhone)

As much as I hate using CDs -

CDs are the most convenient way to listen to music in the car. Period.
 
As much as I hate using CDs -

CDs are the most convenient way to listen to music in the car. Period.

What?

Not by a long shot. Just take an old iPod, plug it into an Apline deck like mentioned above and you never, ever have to touch it or worry about it. I had one in my BMW, iPod never left the car except to add new music. It even started and stopped automatically when I turned the car on and off, I didn't even have to press play.
 
My Classic lives in my glovebox, hooked to my Pioneer that I use to control all of its functions. I don't see it for weeks but I listen to it daily. Nothing could be easier or more convenient. Zero downsides.
 
What in-dash car stereos provide the best iPod integration?

Three features that are very important to me are:
  • Create Genius Playlist from this song
  • Rewind this podcast 30 sec.
  • Some good way to scroll through many many artists

Does anyone know of any car stereos whose iPod intergration is satisfying and provides some or all of these features? Which brand (Alpine/Kenwood/Sony...) gets it right?

Ideally, I'd like to get one of those in-dash GPS units that also provides iPod integration, any advice on that either?
 
I have a Pioneer DVD player that has iPod integration. It works pretty well for most part and I've owned it for nearly three years now. I rarely take the iPod out of the glove box to load new music though. It also allows for me to use the iPod to scroll the music and find whatever I want and then switch the controls back to the touch screen on the stereo.

I was grabbing a burger on Sunday and parked to eat and remembered I had some music videos on the classic that I hadn't watched yet. Started watching them and cranked up the volume and was instantly reminded of why I bought this stereo in the first place with a smile on my face. :)

On long drives, I select a nice playlist through the deck and I'm set for hours.
 
Hexonxonx: Does your Pioneer have GPS functionality, and if so, how is it? Can you create a Genius Playlist or Rewind 30 seconds on a podcast?

Thanks,
Matt
 
Hexonxonx: Does your Pioneer have GPS functionality, and if so, how is it? Can you create a Genius Playlist or Rewind 30 seconds on a podcast?

Thanks,
Matt

Mine doesn't have the GPS built in and I chose not to get the GPS functionality for two reasons:

1. I already had a few Garmin Nuvi stand alone GPS.
2. The ability to update the maps on these units was at the time and still may be non existent or very rare.

Genius didn't exist at the time my deck was made so it is not a feature. Also there is no 30 second rewind on podcasts.

I haven't looked at current models since I am more than happy with my current deck so I have no idea what iPod features the newer models have.
 
I've had a 160 gig classic sat in my glovebox, connected to my Kenwood head unit for ages. Works brilliantly. I do regret not getting the slightly more expensive Bluetooth model of head unit.
 
As much as I hate using CDs -

CDs are the most convenient way to listen to music in the car. Period.

Yea because ejecting, inserting and then putting CDs in a case is so much easier than plugging in an iPod and leave it in the center console and not have CD's all scratched up. :rolleyes:

I would go for it. I just outgrew my 80GB iPod now and really tempted to get a 160GB and give my 80GB to my sister, but I will wait to see what next month brings us.
 
Does it have to be a Classic?
I have a 160GB classic plugged in my odyssey all the time.
My younger brother has an iPod video plugged in his Nissan 350Z
and my older brother has an oldschool iPod photo, 60GB.
We all have all our music stored in our iPods and its great.

I'd say go for it.
 
Your thread are belong to me!

I was just wondering if anyone has ever tried to "clone" their iPod (hidden folders and all) using a thumb drive. My head unit supports flash drives but navigating it is HORRIBLE! It also supports iPods (with an optional adapter) with much improved navigation/folder structure. However, I prefer just plugging in a flash drive and leaving it tucked under the trim, as I use my iPod every day outside my car. So, if I could trick my head unit into thinking the flash drive was an iPod, navigating it would be significantly better.

I was just wondering if anyone had every tried this. (I understand you'd need to buy a male iPod dock to female USB in order for this to work, but eBay China-man sell very cheap)
 
Your thread are belong to me!

I was just wondering if anyone has ever tried to "clone" their iPod (hidden folders and all) using a thumb drive. My head unit supports flash drives but navigating it is HORRIBLE! It also supports iPods (with an optional adapter) with much improved navigation/folder structure. However, I prefer just plugging in a flash drive and leaving it tucked under the trim, as I use my iPod every day outside my car. So, if I could trick my head unit into thinking the flash drive was an iPod, navigating it would be significantly better.

I was just wondering if anyone had every tried this. (I understand you'd need to buy a male iPod dock to female USB in order for this to work, but eBay China-man sell very cheap)
Mine has the plug for the flash drive as well but never wanted to try it out since the iPod is just so convenient.
 
Your thread are belong to me!

I was just wondering if anyone has ever tried to "clone" their iPod (hidden folders and all) using a thumb drive. My head unit supports flash drives but navigating it is HORRIBLE! It also supports iPods (with an optional adapter) with much improved navigation/folder structure. However, I prefer just plugging in a flash drive and leaving it tucked under the trim, as I use my iPod every day outside my car. So, if I could trick my head unit into thinking the flash drive was an iPod, navigating it would be significantly better.

I was just wondering if anyone had every tried this. (I understand you'd need to buy a male iPod dock to female USB in order for this to work, but eBay China-man sell very cheap)

The problem is that when an iPod is plugged in to a car dock, it isn't just mounting the filesystem. The head unit will have some way of detecting whether it's an iPod, most likely via data sent from the iPod or the USB descriptor (could possibly be faked w/ a flash drive).

Going from USB > 30 pin dock > USB won't help anything unfortunately.
 
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