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#1
Posted to rec.audio.pro
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want to play MP3 player through car stereo- advice?
For years, I have been using a cassette adapter to play various devices,
like CD players, MP3 players, etc, through the car stereo. On my most recent vehicle however, the radio cassette player has jammed/ stopped working and I can no longer use my cassette adapter. Since I don't want to have to tare the entire dash apart to replace the radio, I am wondering if there are alternatives. I have tried various FM transmitters over the years, but I have never found one that did a good job. Even a most recent one I purchased at Bes* Bu*, which appeared to offer digital selection of frequencies for transmission over the radio, still ended up with low/ poor audio with interference from FM stations. A transmitter may not be out of the question but only if I could find one that really works. Or some other alternative. Suggestions? Thank you, Harry |
#2
Posted to rec.audio.pro
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want to play MP3 player through car stereo- advice?
On 12/13/2010 6:13 AM, Harry Weebawoo wrote:
For years, I have been using a cassette adapter to play various devices, like CD players, MP3 players, etc, through the car stereo. On my most recent vehicle however, the radio cassette player has jammed/ stopped working and I can no longer use my cassette adapter. I have tried various FM transmitters over the years, but I have never found one that did a good job. You won't find one unless you do something really absurd. I'm surprised at how well the cassette adapter that I have works in my car radio. I think it's time for some radical surgery. Depending on the car, you could replace the whole radio. Some (like my car) are built so that an aftermarket radio is very difficult ot install, so you may be better off getting an exact replacement radio from a junk yard. Another alternative is to remove the radio, unjam the cassette transport, clean it, and put it back together, and it probably won't jam again for a long time. These things can be repaired. I suppose what you're really dreaming about is to modify the radio so that you have a line input jack like the radios on most new cards have. I looked into this for my 2003 Lexus ES-300 and found an on-line source for a whole adapter system that cost way too much money (this is one of those cars with pieces of the "radio" all over the chassis) but your car might be more conducive to this sort of modification. I can tell you one thing, though, based on your description of your problems - you aren't going to be able to figure it out yourself. A new radio, or a repair by a competent shop is cheaper than a new car. -- "Today's production equipment is IT based and cannot be operated without a passing knowledge of computing, although it seems that it can be operated without a passing knowledge of audio." - John Watkinson http://mikeriversaudio.wordpress.com - useful and interesting audio stuff |
#3
Posted to rec.audio.pro
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want to play MP3 player through car stereo- advice?
Harry Weebawoo wrote:
For years, I have been using a cassette adapter to play various devices, like CD players, MP3 players, etc, through the car stereo. On my most recent vehicle however, the radio cassette player has jammed/ stopped working and I can no longer use my cassette adapter. Since I don't want to have to tare the entire dash apart to replace the radio, I am wondering if there are alternatives. I have tried various FM transmitters over the years, but I have never found one that did a good job. Even a most recent one I purchased at Bes* Bu*, which appeared to offer digital selection of frequencies for transmission over the radio, still ended up with low/ poor audio with interference from FM stations. A transmitter may not be out of the question but only if I could find one that really works. Or some other alternative. Suggestions? Trade your car stereo head up for one that has an auxiliary input? In fact yours might even have an auxiliary input for an installed CD changer in back. --scott -- "C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis." |
#4
Posted to rec.audio.pro
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want to play MP3 player through car stereo- advice?
*A transmitter may not be out of
the question but only if I could find one that really works. *Or some other alternative. *Suggestions? one reason the FM Tx units work so poorly is that the FCC restricts the power of an unlicensed FM Tx to an absurdly low level. If the companies want to sell them in the US legally, they have to comply... If you can open up the Tx and remove the output attenuation, or connect a small antenna wire to the Tx, you will get a stronger RF signal which may or may not improve the audio. If you don't need stereo, and you can set your radio to mono mode, that may help as well. Mark |
#5
Posted to rec.audio.pro
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want to play MP3 player through car stereo- advice?
On 12/13/2010 9:54 AM, Mark wrote:
\ If you don't need stereo, and you can set your radio to mono mode, that may help as well. The one that I have just has lousy frequency response and poor signal to noise ratio. The signal that my radio receives from it is just fine. One problem with it is that it only has (I think) 5 different frequencies. I've found that when using it on the open road, which is the only time I use it at all, as I get near a town that has an FM station on an adjacent frequency from where I have it tuned, the radio intermittently captures that station and my own music drifts in and out. As far as the low power goes, I was driving in a suburb of Boston listening to jazz on a fairly weak college FM station on my car radio when Rush Limbaugh started drifting in and out on top of it. I finally figured out, after a couple of traffic lights, that the pick-em-up truck that was constantly passing me and then dropping behind when the traffic built up in his lane had a satellite radio in his truck that was rebroadcasting Rush to his radio, and mine, too, which was obviously on the same or an adjacent frequency. -- "Today's production equipment is IT based and cannot be operated without a passing knowledge of computing, although it seems that it can be operated without a passing knowledge of audio." - John Watkinson http://mikeriversaudio.wordpress.com - useful and interesting audio stuff |
#6
Posted to rec.audio.pro
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want to play MP3 player through car stereo- advice?
Mike Rivers wrote:
On 12/13/2010 9:54 AM, Mark wrote: \ If you don't need stereo, and you can set your radio to mono mode, that may help as well. The one that I have just has lousy frequency response and poor signal to noise ratio. The signal that my radio receives from it is just fine. One problem with it is that it only has (I think) 5 different frequencies. I've found that when using it on the open road, which is the only time I use it at all, as I get near a town that has an FM station on an adjacent frequency from where I have it tuned, the radio intermittently captures that station and my own music drifts in and out. As far as the low power goes, I was driving in a suburb of Boston listening to jazz on a fairly weak college FM station on my car radio when Rush Limbaugh started drifting in and out on top of it. I finally figured out, after a couple of traffic lights, that the pick-em-up truck that was constantly passing me and then dropping behind when the traffic built up in his lane had a satellite radio in his truck that was rebroadcasting Rush to his radio, and mine, too, which was obviously on the same or an adjacent frequency. So, you got Rush's great insights, with some good music in the background....:^) |
#7
Posted to rec.audio.pro
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want to play MP3 player through car stereo- advice?
On 12/13/2010 11:03 PM, Marc Wielage wrote:
there's been a lot of head-end units in the last five years that offer full iPod transport control, so you can jump to the next track, fast-forward, pause, etc., with controls right on your dashboard. How does that work? Cars that I've rented for the past couple of years (all newer than mine) have 1/8" line input jacks, but do some have an iPod dock connector? I had a 2010 rental Toyota Camry a few months back that had a USB connector on it. I discovered that I could plug my cheap MP3 player into it, it was recognized as a disk drive, and the same buttons that change tracks on a CD worked to switch between files. Pretty cool! But it'll be at least another couple of years before I buy a new car, unless I can find a good arsonist or someone totals it when it's parked and I'm out of it. g -- "Today's production equipment is IT based and cannot be operated without a passing knowledge of computing, although it seems that it can be operated without a passing knowledge of audio." - John Watkinson http://mikeriversaudio.wordpress.com - useful and interesting audio stuff |
#8
Posted to rec.audio.pro
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want to play MP3 player through car stereo- advice?
Mike Rivers wrote:
On 12/13/2010 11:03 PM, Marc Wielage wrote: there's been a lot of head-end units in the last five years that offer full iPod transport control, so you can jump to the next track, fast-forward, pause, etc., with controls right on your dashboard. How does that work? Cars that I've rented for the past couple of years (all newer than mine) have 1/8" line input jacks, but do some have an iPod dock connector? Yes. And there are also issues when the iPod software gets updated and the controls break; you need to make sure the head unit has the right firmware for the iPod you're using in some cases. I had a 2010 rental Toyota Camry a few months back that had a USB connector on it. I discovered that I could plug my cheap MP3 player into it, it was recognized as a disk drive, and the same buttons that change tracks on a CD worked to switch between files. Pretty cool! But it'll be at least another couple of years before I buy a new car, unless I can find a good arsonist or someone totals it when it's parked and I'm out of it. g I have the Blaupunkt AM radio that came with the car and it still works just fine. --scott -- "C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis." |
#9
Posted to rec.audio.pro
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want to play MP3 player through car stereo- advice?
Thanks for the suggestions, guys. After some careful manipulating, I was
able to free the jammed cassette adapter and replace it with a new one which now allows the system to work once again. My only complaint about using such an adapter is the fact that the tape head on the adapter does not always line up properly with the head in the radio. This sometimes cuts the highs or causes volume loss, unequal speaker output, etc. Is there a rememdy for this? I've thought about a new radio. I have an '01 Mercury Sable that uses the two Ford DIN removal tools that are inserted vertically in two holes on both sides of the radio. Not sure where I'd find a replacement radio that maybe has an input jack. Harry "Harry Weebawoo" wrote in message ... For years, I have been using a cassette adapter to play various devices, like CD players, MP3 players, etc, through the car stereo. On my most recent vehicle however, the radio cassette player has jammed/ stopped working and I can no longer use my cassette adapter. Since I don't want to have to tare the entire dash apart to replace the radio, I am wondering if there are alternatives. I have tried various FM transmitters over the years, but I have never found one that did a good job. Even a most recent one I purchased at Bes* Bu*, which appeared to offer digital selection of frequencies for transmission over the radio, still ended up with low/ poor audio with interference from FM stations. A transmitter may not be out of the question but only if I could find one that really works. Or some other alternative. Suggestions? Thank you, Harry |
#10
Posted to rec.audio.pro
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want to play MP3 player through car stereo- advice?
On 12/16/2010 6:17 AM, Harry Weebawoo wrote:
I was able to free the jammed cassette adapter and replace it with a new one which now allows the system to work once again. My only complaint about using such an adapter is the fact that the tape head on the adapter does not always line up properly with the head in the radio. This sometimes cuts the highs or causes volume loss, unequal speaker output, etc. Is there a rememdy for this? Cassette tape has the same problem I have a Sony cassette adapter (it came with a CD player that no longer works) that has a little thumbwheel on it that moves the head up and down in small increments. I set it to what seemed to work best in my car, though you can't adjust it while it's playing, so I've just left it at the same setting for about 5 years now. I don't expect anything but my own choice of music when listening this way (mostly what I'm playing is 128 kbps MP3 files anyway) so a little loss of high end is no problem for me. I've thought about a new radio. I have an '01 Mercury Sable that uses the two Ford DIN removal tools that are inserted vertically in two holes on both sides of the radio. Not sure where I'd find a replacement radio that maybe has an input jack. See what you can come up with from he http://www.crutchfield.com/App/Car/o...car/MyCar.aspx If something looks promising, I'd give them a phone call and see if they can help you find what you want without buying too much more than you want. I tried it for your car guessing what radio you have and they have some that fit directly. When I tried it for my car, everything they suggested was "Modified fit" which pretty much means jury-rigging it into the dash, bypassing the existing amplifiers, and running new wires to the speakers. That's not worth it to me, particularly since I think the existing radio/CD sounds pretty darn good. -- "Today's production equipment is IT based and cannot be operated without a passing knowledge of computing, although it seems that it can be operated without a passing knowledge of audio." - John Watkinson http://mikeriversaudio.wordpress.com - useful and interesting audio stuff |
#11
Posted to rec.audio.pro
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want to play MP3 player through car stereo- advice?
On 12/17/2010 12:56 AM, Marc Wielage wrote:
Yeah, you gotta get one with a 30-pin iPod dock connector. And as Scott says elsewhere, if Apple does a firmware upgrade, you may (temporarily) get screwed. Yeah, like until you get a new car. g They don't do firmware updates to cars unless it's a safety issue. That hasn't happened too much to me in the last 4-5 years, though. I've been buying a new car every 10-12 years for the last few. Scott's cars are older than mine. Good or bad, iPods have pretty much become the de facto MP3 player, so more and more upscale car stereos will accept the input and allow full transport control. That's good for some, but until I can buy such an iPod for $25 or less, I'll stick with my $15 MP3 player. I still need that, and a set of earphones, to listen to my own program material when I'm flying. Some airplanes now have a USB jack at the seat, but it's only for providing power. -- "Today's production equipment is IT based and cannot be operated without a passing knowledge of computing, although it seems that it can be operated without a passing knowledge of audio." - John Watkinson http://mikeriversaudio.wordpress.com - useful and interesting audio stuff |
#12
Posted to rec.audio.pro
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want to play MP3 player through car stereo- advice?
"Mike Rivers" wrote in message ... On 12/16/2010 6:17 AM, Harry Weebawoo wrote: I was able to free the jammed cassette adapter and replace it with a new one which now allows the system to work once again. My only complaint about using such an adapter is the fact that the tape head on the adapter does not always line up properly with the head in the radio. This sometimes cuts the highs or causes volume loss, unequal speaker output, etc. Is there a rememdy for this? Cassette tape has the same problem I have a Sony cassette adapter (it came with a CD player that no longer works) that has a little thumbwheel on it that moves the head up and down in small increments. I set it to what seemed to work best in my car, though you can't adjust it while it's playing, so I've just left it at the same setting for about 5 years now. I don't expect anything but my own choice of music when listening this way (mostly what I'm playing is 128 kbps MP3 files anyway) so a little loss of high end is no problem for me. I've thought about a new radio. I have an '01 Mercury Sable that uses the two Ford DIN removal tools that are inserted vertically in two holes on both sides of the radio. Not sure where I'd find a replacement radio that maybe has an input jack. See what you can come up with from he http://www.crutchfield.com/App/Car/o...car/MyCar.aspx If something looks promising, I'd give them a phone call and see if they can help you find what you want without buying too much more than you want. I tried it for your car guessing what radio you have and they have some that fit directly. When I tried it for my car, everything they suggested was "Modified fit" which pretty much means jury-rigging it into the dash, bypassing the existing amplifiers, and running new wires to the speakers. That's not worth it to me, particularly since I think the existing radio/CD sounds pretty darn good. After a little googling, I came across this input mod and tried it today: http://www.v8sho.com/SHO/Instruction...20Taurus.htmMy Sable happened to have the same connector, so an actual line-in for theMP3 player became a reality. However, the only drawback is that I have toincrease the MP3's volume to the max to even begin to get a decent volumefrom the radio. Before I just abandon the modification, I am going to tryputting a Fiios 5 headphone amp in line with the MP3 and modified line-in ofthe car stereo. I have never tried one of these amps, but the reviewsappear to be good and it should be here in a few days.Harry -- "Today's production equipment is IT based and cannot be operated without apassing knowledge of computing, although it seems that it can be operatedwithout a passing knowledge of audio." - John Watkinson http://mikeriversaudio.wordpress.com - useful and interesting audio stuff |
#13
Posted to rec.audio.pro
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want to play MP3 player through car stereo- advice?
Sorry, let's try that link again:
http://tiny.cc/9dg2m The instructions use the I-pod as input, but I already know it works ok with MP3 other than the lack of volume I mentioned, and I bet it would work even better with a portable CD player. Harry "Harry Weebawoo" wrote in message ... "Mike Rivers" wrote in message ... On 12/16/2010 6:17 AM, Harry Weebawoo wrote: I was able to free the jammed cassette adapter and replace it with a new one which now allows the system to work once again. My only complaint about using such an adapter is the fact that the tape head on the adapter does not always line up properly with the head in the radio. This sometimes cuts the highs or causes volume loss, unequal speaker output, etc. Is there a rememdy for this? Cassette tape has the same problem I have a Sony cassette adapter (it came with a CD player that no longer works) that has a little thumbwheel on it that moves the head up and down in small increments. I set it to what seemed to work best in my car, though you can't adjust it while it's playing, so I've just left it at the same setting for about 5 years now. I don't expect anything but my own choice of music when listening this way (mostly what I'm playing is 128 kbps MP3 files anyway) so a little loss of high end is no problem for me. I've thought about a new radio. I have an '01 Mercury Sable that uses the two Ford DIN removal tools that are inserted vertically in two holes on both sides of the radio. Not sure where I'd find a replacement radio that maybe has an input jack. See what you can come up with from he http://www.crutchfield.com/App/Car/o...car/MyCar.aspx If something looks promising, I'd give them a phone call and see if they can help you find what you want without buying too much more than you want. I tried it for your car guessing what radio you have and they have some that fit directly. When I tried it for my car, everything they suggested was "Modified fit" which pretty much means jury-rigging it into the dash, bypassing the existing amplifiers, and running new wires to the speakers. That's not worth it to me, particularly since I think the existing radio/CD sounds pretty darn good. After a little googling, I came across this input mod and tried it today: http://www.v8sho.com/SHO/Instruction...20Taurus.htmMy Sable happened to have the same connector, so an actual line-in for theMP3 player became a reality. However, the only drawback is that I have toincrease the MP3's volume to the max to even begin to get a decent volumefrom the radio. Before I just abandon the modification, I am going to tryputting a Fiios 5 headphone amp in line with the MP3 and modified line-in ofthe car stereo. I have never tried one of these amps, but the reviewsappear to be good and it should be here in a few days.Harry -- "Today's production equipment is IT based and cannot be operated without apassing knowledge of computing, although it seems that it can be operatedwithout a passing knowledge of audio." - John Watkinson http://mikeriversaudio.wordpress.com - useful and interesting audio stuff |
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