[markw10]

I have a 06 Subaru Forester and purchased a iPod a few months ago. Now I have most of my collection on mp3 format so it's hard to go in my car and only have CD's to listen to. I know the 07 Foresters were supposed to have a iPod feature. I think it was something as simply as a plug that you can connect the headphone output to your stereo but unfortunately my car doesn't have anything like this.
What is the best route to go for this? I see a lot of fm transmitters that you plug in so that you can just put your radio to the fm frequency to listen. Is this the best way to do it? There are so many products out there that do this so do any in particular stand out? It seems some even have a feature where you can just put it into a dock which plugs into a car charger.

[RogueSqdn]

I have a Sony deck with an aux input in my 93 Mustang. On my dash I've affixed an iPod dock, with aux cable routed to the stereo, and a FireWire cable from the dock to a cigarette lighter adapter. Both cables are tacked down.

Using the dock lets me use an Apple remote to control it, while to see what's on, I just have to flick my eyes over to the side, rather than taking them off the road and looking down. Of course, if you play a video, you'll need to not look at it very much.

[shifuimam]

I'd avoid FM transmitters if I were you. They don't sound very good and are generally worthless if you live in a large city or town. If you have a tape deck (my boyfriend has an '03 Forester with the CD changer + tape deck), use a tape adapter.

If you have no choice, you can use an FM transmitter and hope for the best. You could always upgrade your stereo to something aftermarket that can play MP3 CDs as well as an auxiliary device. I've got an Alpine head unit that came with my car (I bought the car used) that can do both, and it's really nice.

If you do decide to use an FM transmitter, don't get bilked into thinking you need the iTrip or something else that's overpriced. They seem to all function about the same, in my experience.

[ghporter]

Not all FM transmitters sound bad-the one I have plugs straight into the Dock connector, and the sound is really nice. But the idea about large cities being a pain is spot on. You need a spot in the spectrum with at least three empty channel spaces because (GASP!) a lot of FM stations overmodulate and exceed their allocated channel! (How could the FCC allow this? I'm shocked, shocked I say.) The one I'm using right now was made by some company I can't remember, but I bought it for $40 at Target...It's tiny and includes a car power adapter that plugs into the modulator gadget to charge the iPod.

BUT... The VERY best way to go is a Dock connector adapter for your in-dash unit's AUX input (or unused CD changer, or whatever input). A friend of mine found one of these for about $60 on eBay and installed it in half a hour. It sounds great, and there are NO limitations about where you can get great sound. Plus nobody else in traffic is going to be able to listen to your music just because they're a car length away.

[eyadams]

I bought the DLO FM transmitter that plugs into the cigarette lighter. It worked great, when I was in the parking garage at work, 200 feet underground. The rest of the time I couldn't find a station that didn't have interference, which meant poor sound.

I'm currently using a cassette tape adapter, which works ok. The sound is little muddled compared to the FM transmitter (at least, when at ground level), but fiddling with the EQ settings on the iPod has made it acceptable.

Long term, I'm going to replace the head unit and get a new one with a line-in connector. That's the way to go.

[SSharon]

I have been using an itrip mini (I got it for $20 at an apple store since it was open box) for as long as I have had my 2nd gen ipod mini. It has worked fine everywhere except a few places. It doesn't like the cross bronx expressway (then again neither do I), and there is a few mile stretch in north jersey on the GSP that it doesn't work well in. Other than that, I have used it daily in chicago, maryland, new jersey, and now long island.

Sometimes it isn't the FM transmitter that causes the problems, sometimes it is the car. I was reading on the EZ pass website about some car models with traces of metals in the windows that prevent you from internally mounting the EZ pass, I wonder if they block these devices as well.
I picked the itrip after some reading on the ipodlounge website and I also own a non-ipod specific fm transmitter from belkin.

[peeb]

I have literally no idea why every stereo does not have a 3.5mm jack input.

[ghporter]

Originally Posted by peeb 

I have literally no idea why every stereo does not have a 3.5mm jack input.

Because auto electronics trail consumer electronics by 5-10 years. And a 3.5mm jack is not what I want. I want a Dock connector. The 3.5mm headphone jack on an iPod is headphone audio, its level controlled by the volume level of the iPod. Audio from the Dock connector is "line level," and you can amplify it with the car stereo system better than headphone audio (it's cleaner). Plus, with a Dock connector, I can run the iPod off the car's power and conserve the battery. Ideally, cars should not only have a Dock connector option, but a display that at least shows the text that would be displayed on the iPod's screen, and controls that do what the iPod's controls do. This is asking for maybe $75 worth of electronics beyond the standard cheap factory car deck, so that's not a big deal. But you need to convince the auto makers of this. No, WE need to convince them.

[peeb]

I agree that the dock is the thing of choice for ipods, but I have other mp3 players too - 3.5mm jacks are virtually free, and allow you to plug in anything you like, not just ipods. A dock would be nice, but there is no reason not to put a 3.5 in as well. It's so small no one would notice it, and it adds huge flexibility.

[vmarks]

Originally Posted by ghporter 

Because auto electronics trail consumer electronics by 5-10 years. And a 3.5mm jack is not what I want. I want a Dock connector. The 3.5mm headphone jack on an iPod is headphone audio, its level controlled by the volume level of the iPod. Audio from the Dock connector is "line level," and you can amplify it with the car stereo system better than headphone audio (it's cleaner). Plus, with a Dock connector, I can run the iPod off the car's power and conserve the battery. Ideally, cars should not only have a Dock connector option, but a display that at least shows the text that would be displayed on the iPod's screen, and controls that do what the iPod's controls do. This is asking for maybe $75 worth of electronics beyond the standard cheap factory car deck, so that's not a big deal. But you need to convince the auto makers of this. No, WE need to convince them.

Hey gh, you know you can connect a 3.5 jack to the dock connector and get your line out that way, don't you?

SendStation - Products - PocketDock Line Out USB

But in my car, I use a Harman Kardon Drive+Play. LCD on the dash, showing me what's on the iPod, iPod in the armrest with dock connector, and controller on the console between armrest and gear shift.

[wallinbl]

My car made me choose between the iPod connection and the Sirius connection. I chose Sirius, and I've been dying to get the iPod connected in some way (no tape deck in this car). Never had much luck with the FM transmitters.

[vmarks]

Originally Posted by wallinbl 

My car made me choose between the iPod connection and the Sirius connection. I chose Sirius, and I've been dying to get the iPod connected in some way (no tape deck in this car). Never had much luck with the FM transmitters.

get a switch box and hide it under the dash.

The Sirius has to be using some form of audio input - do the same for the iPod and switch between the two.

[msuper69]

Whatever you get, make sure you test out the interface before buying it. Some user interfaces do not mimic the iPod at all and are useless to try and find anything on the iPod.

It's best to get a direct connection. FM transmitters (as others have testified) are generally no good in major metropolitan areas. Plus, if you are on the road, every city you pass through or near will make you search for another open frequency.

When I bought my last new car, I got a direct connection for the iPod and Sirius satellite radio built-in. The best of both worlds. I tend to do a lot of travelling and never having to search for radio stations to listen to makes satellite radio a real treat (and the iPod is not too shabby either).

[aikiwav]

Hello resident experts...

When you speak about a "dock connector," are you referring to a cable that runs from the car stereo to an iPod dock, or a dock that is built into the car dashboard?

Thanks!

[roller]

I agree with the general opinion in this thread. Avoid FM transmitters. A dock solution would be ideal. I assume your car does not have a cassette deck. Mine does and I use a cassette adapter. The sound is great, and the cable enables you to bring the iPod into a safer field of vision, where you are able to see the iPod without losing sight of the road. It is a good option if the car offers that feature.

[amazing]

Does the car radio have aux-in? If so, run a cable...

Bottomline: If this is a car you're going to be keeping for a few years, get a radio that has iPod-in.

[Darthmaul4114]

i bought one of those Neo ION things for my car about 6 months ago. hardwired from the dock connector into the aux port on my car's stereo. perfect sound quality and it charges the ipod as well. got my ipod hidden away in my center storage box and can switch tracks on it with my steering wheel controls or the stereo controls. it's also got extra RCA inputs on it as well, so i went ahead and wired an RCA to 1/8" minijack too just in case someone wants to plug in and doesn't have an ipod.

Neo Car Audio - We Create What The Market Demands.

i bought it from a different place though, but that site has good info. its kind of expensive, but well worth it IMO.

[tasslehawf]

2007+ Alpine stereo FTW!

I've been running one for a couple years. Can't beat unlimited playlists.