[Toshi]

so i have an ipod, and i have a car with a factory stereo that lacks an auxiliary input. this stereo is integrated into the dashboard such that it is not being replaced. ever.

how can i get my tunes to the speakers? there are at least two products that purport to provide an interface from this car (mazda rx-8, bose stereo, i know, hold the hisses and boos), but they force you to use the head unit itself as the interface. i personally think that's the worst idea ever: navigating through playlists by picking disc 1 for the first one, etc. sounds painful, and it's certainly worth paying $150 for that privilege.

unless i'm missing something -- oh, i'm tired of burning CDs, and not having the play counts updated and my unplayed-songs playlists shrink offends my inner OCDer -- i'm thus left with the horrible standby, the FM transmitter.

i bought the cheapest model at the local best buy on a whim yesterday. today it went back to the store, as it sounded absolutely AWFUL.

do any good FM transmitters exist? if so, what are they, and what reviews back up your claims? ready to do my research? go, go, go!

irate2:

 

[MMike]

My brother's seems to work ok. I'm sure he'll chime in.

 

[Westy]

I got a wired FM transmitter from Crutchfield, mainly to interface my Sirius radio. Sound quality is much better than wireless one but not as good as CD or regular FM. The Sirius unit produces a nice noise loop that I am sure comes from powering both units from the same 12v source, running the i-pod via battery sounds very clean. There is some distortion that I think comes from having to increase the volume level on the i-pod to near maximum. I would hope the larger i-pods have a driver that works better at higher outputs.

Installation is easy as long as you can get to the antennae plug on the back of the head unit.

 

[Toshi]

hmm, say what? wired FM transmitter? does. not. compute.

 

[Da Peach]

I like the Monster Cable one. I tested about 4 different models and the Monster one was the best. Also the most expensive $120 Canadian... but it hisses way less than all the others. Sometimes not at all. My next car will get the hardwire option for sure.

 

[Westy]

hmm, say what? wired FM transmitter? does. not. compute.

Compute this.
http://www.crutchfield.com/S-ONTk9wozTWg/cgi-bin/ProdView.asp?search=fm+modulator&i=142FMMOD01

 

[binary visions]

http://playlistmag.com/features/2006/09/fmtransmitters/index1.php

The hardcore audio forums seem to agree that an FM modulator like Westy has is your best option if you have no line-in. Most of them suggest the cassette adapters above either an FM modulator or a transmitter, though.

 

[Toshi]

cool, thanks for your input, Westy and BV. that modulator looks most excellent, and also doesn't seem as horribly marked up as the products reviewed by playlist magazine.

on the other hand, if i'm going to tear apart my dashboard (or pay someone to do so), there's probably a way to wire in a basic aux input through the cd changer interface or somesuch... hmm.

 

[syadasti]

Cassette adapter is better than FM transmitter if your stereo actually has one (the bose one on the FX35 does) though that modulator is probably just as good.

I did a search last night and there was a RX-8 aftermarket stereo kit for about $500 (I have no idea why it cost that much - maybe that was a local retail stereo shop site). You could get the new Alpine iPod headunit or the new Pioneer AVIC-D3 if you are going to be spending big bucks and significantly upgrading your stereo system...

 

[Toshi]

Cassette adapter is better than FM transmitter if your stereo actually has one (the bose one on the FX35 does) though that modulator is probably just as good.

I did a search last night and there was a RX-8 aftermarket stereo kit for about $500 (I have no idea why it cost that much - maybe that was a local retail stereo shop site). You could get the new Alpine iPod headunit or the new Pioneer AVIC-D3 if you are going to be spending big bucks and significantly upgrading your stereo system...

the RX-8 doesn't have a standard DIN or double-DIN headunit. it's all round, weird, and integrated with the dashboard. thus the head unit options don't make sense.

however, if my stereo's firmware is above 9.55 (who know that stereos had flashable firmware?) then i can add an aux in via the CD changer interface... and i don't have to use the horrible playlist-as-discs/tracks-without-names interface, but instead can use the ipod's interface directly.

http://www.logjamelectronics.com/piemazpcalp.html

 

[syadasti]

the RX-8 doesn't have a standard DIN or double-DIN headunit. it's all round, weird, and integrated with the dashboard. thus the head unit options don't make sense.

however, if my stereo's firmware is above 9.55 (who know that stereos had flashable firmware?) then i can add an aux in via the CD changer interface... and i don't have to use the horrible playlist-as-discs/tracks-without-names interface, but instead can use the ipod's interface directly.

http://www.logjamelectronics.com/piemazpcalp.html

Yes I know. I said there are aftermarket RX8 fit kits you can buy to fix this problem. Here is the first one google found:

The stereo install kit is the best way to install an aftermarket stereo in your RX8 and keep the climate controls without resorting to cutting of wiring and making permanent changes. The kit is complete with the surround, harness and mounting hardware for your aftermarket stereo/DVD unit.

Currently this unit works on all models with automatic climate control. Vehicles with standard climate control are under development.

http://corksport.com/store/category/5l96/rx8-interior.html

 

[Toshi]

so i ended up getting something not even mentioned in this thread: auxmod.

http://www.sylfex.com/products/AuxMod/

at $60 it was cheaper than the other options, and my inner engineering nerd is impressed at the cleanliness of the design. it's an expansion card that was designed by one guy to fit in the underutilized expansion slot present in most every recent mazda OEM radio.

before i crack open the dashboard and install it i have to get the hiss exorcised from my stereo...

http://www.rx8club.com/showthread.php?t=113897

cliffs notes: center channel speaker hisses, dealer replaced the head unit and center speaker but put in the wrong replacement parts. (and it still hisses even with the new/incorrect parts.)

 

[Toshi]

now, 2 and some change weeks later, the auxmod is installed. and it works beautifully. having the ipod is so key for long drives, especially when your taste doesn't quite match any radio station known:

http://www.last.fm/user/shikataganai/

irate2:

 

[SkaredShtles]

We had an FM transmitter on our trip down to Silverton & Wolf Creek and I can say, with very little reservation, that it sucked. Used an older model iPod along with a Nano. Wretched amounts of buzzing that could be somewhat minimized by locating the player strategically, but during quiet passages there was always the incessant buzzing...lthumbsdown: lthumbsdown:

 

[narlus]

i've actually paid money for recordings of drones and buzzes...

 

[SkaredShtles]

i've actually paid money for recordings of drones and buzzes...

Have I got an FM transmitter for you....

 

[blue]

This week the stock Bose deck in my car decided to stop using my tape adapter, so I bought a Belkin FM transmitter kit...holy crapfvckingtastic. Definitely spending the whopping $100 to get a Pioneer with aux in put into my car...

As an aside, does anyone make an item like my Belkin:

That charges but doesn't transmit anything? I ask as I like the mounting system, but can't use the jack on the iPod (for an aux) if it's hooked up to the transmitter.

 

[Toshi]

the belkin auto kit is what you're looking for, blue. gives you a line out on the cigarette lighter bit or lets you use the headphone jack.

oh, it doesn't have that stiff arm thing. for that i use a mount from proclip

www.proclipusa.com

 

[blue]

the belkin auto kit is what you're looking for, blue. gives you a line out on the cigarette lighter bit or lets you use the headphone jack.

oh, it doesn't have that stiff arm thing. for that i use a mount from proclip

www.proclipusa.com

Yeah, that was what I really wanted (the stiff arm). Thanks for the link, looks like they have what I want:
http://www.proclipusa.com/?sectionpath=143&pageid=9052&processor=content&pcategoryid=13759&categoryid=15910&p_origin=143&p_sectionid=143&p_pageid=8900&p_processor=asp&p_asp_processor=product&p_action=proclipcategorysearch&p_ppagecategoryid=&p_pagecategoryid=&p_pcategoryid=13759&p_categoryid=15910&p_sitecategoryid=&p_year=&p_countryid=0&p_leftorright=

 

[SkaredShtles]

Yeah, that was what I really wanted (the stiff arm). Thanks for the link, looks like they have what I want:
http://www.proclipusa.com/?sectionpath=143&pageid=9052&processor=content&pcategoryid=13759&categoryid=15910&p_origin=143&p_sectionid=143&p_pageid=8900&p_processor=asp&p_asp_processor=product&p_action=proclipcategorysearch&p_ppagecategoryid=&p_pagecategoryid=&p_pcategoryid=13759&p_categoryid=15910&p_sitecategoryid=&p_year=&p_countryid=0&p_leftorright=

$60 for a charger?!?

 

[Toshi]

$60 for a charger?!?

$60 for a charger + mount. if you get just a charger (like the belkin car kit that i mentioned) it's more like $30, or $20 if you go through a horribly-slow-to-ship zShop on amazon.com as i did.

 

[syadasti]

$60 for a charger?!?

Instead - $33 shipped (Amazon, not a zShop) dock connector charger with audio out/volume control (or $32 shipped for black from JR.com)

 

[Echo]

Even though this thread is old as dirt, I'll pipe in. FM transmitters for iPods are teh sux0r. I had a Monster one, and it worked occasionally if I happened to be somewhere where there weren't a lot of radio stations. Any major metropolitan area, however, has something broadcasting on EVERY frequency, and I spent more time f*cking around with that stupid transmitter to try to get a clean frequency than I spent listening to music. I did however manage to sell it to some sucker for pretty much what I paid for it.

 

[Toshi]

Even though this thread is old as dirt, I'll pipe in. FM transmitters for iPods are teh sux0r.

i'm glad that i listened to y'all and went the aux input route instead.