How do you guys hook it up to your systems? I was thinking about grabbing a Scosche FM-MOD01 Modulator from crutchfield, it wires inline to the antenna so its suppose to be better than a regular FM modulator. I have a belkin, but its kinda crappy...seems like you have to hold it just right to get a good signal to the antenna. What do you guys think?
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iPod iPod in the car
- Thread starter joecool85
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I don't know how anyone can use an FM modulator...but, I'm in metro NY area so there aren't many available freqs.
The best way is to directly connect your iPod to your head unit via an Auxillary Input adapter. Well worth the money. Great sound and I put the iPod in a cupholder so I can skip songs if I want.
http://www.logjamelectronics.com/auxinpconv.html
There are now iPod specific ones that even allow for full control of the iPod thru your factory head unit:
http://www.logjamelectronics.com/ipodproducts.html
If you are handy you can install yourself. Or you can take it to Circuit City and they can install it for you. They charged me $10 to install one in our Honda minivan. I also have one in my VW Jetta. Couldn't be happier.
The best way is to directly connect your iPod to your head unit via an Auxillary Input adapter. Well worth the money. Great sound and I put the iPod in a cupholder so I can skip songs if I want.
http://www.logjamelectronics.com/auxinpconv.html
There are now iPod specific ones that even allow for full control of the iPod thru your factory head unit:
http://www.logjamelectronics.com/ipodproducts.html
If you are handy you can install yourself. Or you can take it to Circuit City and they can install it for you. They charged me $10 to install one in our Honda minivan. I also have one in my VW Jetta. Couldn't be happier.
Cheapest and BEST option available!!
That is exatly what I did - BEAUTIFUL option - clear as a bell with NO static or backbround noise. WAY cheaper then getting a new deck with an AUX input or even an iPod integration feature.
It too a couple of trips to best buy theough to get it right. First time they failed to groud it properly and hitting bumps/breaks caused an obvious electrical short sound. Can't describe it but it was not static. The second trip was because the first trip the guy switched the frequency from 88.9 to 88.5 and that has a STRONG signal here (Bay Area CA) so with a 5 minute visit to switch it back....to 88.9 and presto. I love it!
There is a power switch to the modulator I got that KILLS the regular FM antenna so even if there is a signal it is killed... if there is really strong signal well that is hard to know until you test it out. So I suggest verifying what the two choices (or more are) for your modulator and just checking those out first. But again even the really strong one was killed 95% so you could only tell during quiet parts of song or between songs....
Now my monster charger and transmitter.... is just a charger with an extra red light!
Good luck.
joecool85 said:
That is exatly what I did - BEAUTIFUL option - clear as a bell with NO static or backbround noise. WAY cheaper then getting a new deck with an AUX input or even an iPod integration feature.
It too a couple of trips to best buy theough to get it right. First time they failed to groud it properly and hitting bumps/breaks caused an obvious electrical short sound. Can't describe it but it was not static. The second trip was because the first trip the guy switched the frequency from 88.9 to 88.5 and that has a STRONG signal here (Bay Area CA) so with a 5 minute visit to switch it back....to 88.9 and presto. I love it!
There is a power switch to the modulator I got that KILLS the regular FM antenna so even if there is a signal it is killed... if there is really strong signal well that is hard to know until you test it out. So I suggest verifying what the two choices (or more are) for your modulator and just checking those out first. But again even the really strong one was killed 95% so you could only tell during quiet parts of song or between songs....
Now my monster charger and transmitter.... is just a charger with an extra red light!
Good luck.
Yeah...well, I'm not worried about having other signals here in Maine. The two channels on the one I'm looking at are 87.9 and 88.3 and 87.9 is nothing but static, and 88.3 has a very weak signal. I think that I'd rather spend $30 and have it be decent than spend $70 to integrate it into my stock radio. Especially since for $100 I could buy a brand new CD deck with audio in on the front...Aiwa no less. Besides, it couldn't be worse than my belkin fm modulator.
joecool85 said:
i have one of those Aiwa cd decks with the aux input on the front, use it every day with my ipod mini or shuffle, its fantastic, and its quality sound to as it directly connects to your system rather than transmitting a signal. I would go this route if you can because it ends up being the best because it is seemless and will work just as well with all other products too
but thats just my .02 cents