Playing iPod thru car system?


Hi Y'all,
How can I play my iPod thru my car stero system? My friend plays his thru a headest connection, I don't have that type of connection. Any ideas? thanks.

Joe in Mobile
magsterone
I just went through that myself.My car unit didn't have inputs and I bought a usa-spec device from Crutchfield.com.It is awesome some installation is required ,nothing complicated though.Check usaspec.com to see which model fits your car.
Best of luck
George
The only options I know of that don't involve replacing or adding auxiliary equipment to your existing system are either an FM transmitter that connects to the iPod and plays through your FM radio or, if you have a cassette deck in your car, a cassette tape adapter that plugs into the iPod's headphone jack.

The FM transmitters do work, at least some of them do, but require you to change FM frequencies if you drive within range of a station using that frequency. Whether or not it's worth the trouble depends a lot on where you live and how crowded the FM band is. I've had good luck with a Kensington unit.
I second Lapierre's suggestion about getting a new head unit, unless you have changer controls in which case you can do the add-on devices which give you an auxiliary input. I've used several FM transmitters and the best I've used is the HK Drive+Play which has a really nice big display that you can mount on your dash which is similar to the Ipod menus. It is still FM-based, however, so an auxiliary input or USB input is going to give you a much higher quality sound.
If you don't have an integrated iPod kit where it is controlled through the LCD touch panel via firewire it just becomes annoying to turn the "pod" on and off.

At first I was okay with this interaction but later as I used it more and more I quit fumbling with it as I exited the car.
I bought a $30 gadget at Bestbuy that connects to the ipod and transmits a tiny FM signal that you receive on your car stereo tuner. You set both at any frequency where you don't have a station transmitting. The ipod must be very close to your antenna or signal is really staticy. For example, with ipod in my center console, sound sucks. When I place the ipod in the overhead eyeglass compartment, signal is fine. Not elegant nor hi fidelity, but worth considering...Cheers,
Spencer