iPod Connection
I have a 20 gig 4th generation iPod, and i want to be able to listen to it in my supra.There are a lot of options available, and i have to choose which will be the best solution for me, and which i can afford.
Options:
There are a few things i need to consider when choosing the best solution to getting my iPod hooked up: I want good sound quality. I want my iPod to have power (so charging is a must.) I want my iPod to turn off, or at least stop playing, when my car is turned off. I want to be able to use my iPod easily. I dont want a lot of clutter or wires strung about.
There are a few possibilities. Here are some of them, and their strengths and weaknesses.
FM Transmitters: This solution would work for a lot of people, and it would be nice because i could use it in the house, or in other people’s cars, pretty easily. The problem is that i don’t have and antenna in my car. All of the FM transmitters i’ve tested don’t work enough at all to even consider. …FM transmitters are a no-go. (Even if you HAVE an antenna, i wouldn’t suggest these; the sound quality is too low.)
Tape Adapters: These are pretty standard, but i dont have (nor do i want to have) a tape deck. These wont work.
Interface Adapter: Alpine sells an iPod interface adapter that connects the iPod directly to an alpine face, and treats it like a CD changer. The problem here is that Apple has engineered a wonderful interface for navigating the iPod… why would i want to use someone else’s inferior interface? i’ve used it, and it’s no where near as nice as the interface Apple designed. Nope on this one.
UPDATE: After using my ipod in my car for a long time, i found myself reaching for the “Skip” button on my deck. Having the deck buttons interface with the iPod would be really nice, but navigating menus would still be less than ideal. So the cons that still exist are: Price and Navigation, though if all you do is shuffle, and the only “navigation” you need is “skip this track” then this might be perfect.
Input + Power Adapter: I can buy an adapter for my Alpine deck, that plug into where a CD changer would plug in, that would give me RCA left and right inputs. With a headphone to RCA wire, i could plug my iPod in and use the iPod’s interface to control it. I’d also need an adapter to get power to my iPod (from the cigarette lighter.) If the power being cut turns off (or at least pauses) the iPod, and my cigarette lighter is switched, this might be the best solution. Power adapters usually have an Audio Out jack that is unamplified, so that would be a cleaner signal. The
Belkin Auto Kit for iPod w/ Dock Connector on my Amazon wishlist is probably the one i’ll get. 🙂
Update:
I ended up going with the last listed option… the Adapter, car charger and RCAs. It’s worked great, though it’s not all that pretty. The next thing i’ll do with this project is look for an elegant way to mount or store the iPod… instead of using the passenger seat so much.