Quick MP3-player related question - my car!!

Methylamine

Hey guys -

I just purchased a Creative Zen media player, and think it would be really awesome if I was able to hook it up to my car stereo so I could listen to pretty music while I drive... but have come upon some evil hinderances - I don't have a tape deck, so can't use a tape deck adapter - and I tried that thing that makes it like, control radio waves, but that doesn't seem to work either.

So far, my best bet is to either buy a BETTER radio-wave-controller, or heed the advice of you fine electronically-inclined folk.

Thank you!

yalborap

You are talking about an FM transmitter. These will work very well in places where there are gaps of pure static on the radio, not so much in places where you turn the knob a millimeter and you've got another station.

Replace/upgrade the necessary parts of your car stereo system so there's an aux input somewhere. Purchase cord that has a headphone plug on both ends. ONe end into MP3 player, one end into aux input. Done. Enjoy.

Or just deal with the quality of the FM transmitter.

fforde

yalborap wrote:

Replace/upgrade the necessary parts of your car stereo system so there's an aux input somewhere. Purchase cord that has a headphone plug on both ends. ONe end into MP3 player, one end into aux input. Done. Enjoy.

This is by far the cheapest option. You could get that cable for probably less than $10 and hook it up yourself. The sound quality will be better than an FM transmitter as well. And in the future, if you get a new MP3 player, you can still use the same hook up (cause all it is is a headphone jack).

st0ned messiah

fforde wrote:

yalborap wrote:

Replace/upgrade the necessary parts of your car stereo system so there's an aux input somewhere. Purchase cord that has a headphone plug on both ends. ONe end into MP3 player, one end into aux input. Done. Enjoy.

This is by far the cheapest option. You could get that cable for probably less than $10 and hook it up yourself. The sound quality will be better than an FM transmitter as well. And in the future, if you get a new MP3 player, you can still use the same hook up (cause all it is is a headphone jack).

Assuming he doesn't already have an Aux In then it isn't the cheapest option by far as it requires him to buy a new stereo for his car. It is the most convenient and guaranteed solution though.

Methylamine

st0ned messiah wrote:

fforde wrote:

yalborap wrote:

Replace/upgrade the necessary parts of your car stereo system so there's an aux input somewhere. Purchase cord that has a headphone plug on both ends. ONe end into MP3 player, one end into aux input. Done. Enjoy.

This is by far the cheapest option. You could get that cable for probably less than $10 and hook it up yourself. The sound quality will be better than an FM transmitter as well. And in the future, if you get a new MP3 player, you can still use the same hook up (cause all it is is a headphone jack).

Assuming he doesn't already have an Aux In then it isn't the cheapest option by far as it requires him to buy a new stereo for his car. It is the most convenient and guaranteed solution though.

Yes, precisely. =( The CD player/radio I have in my car at the moment was actually an upgrade itself several years ago (we put it in in place of the tape deck), and it does not have an aux input. =( Thank you for your suggestions so far, though... I'll try to work it out. (Oh, and it's "she," by the way, heh.)

aesir

Theres something called a modulator that one of my friends has... Wires inside of the stereo needed to be played with, but now he can plug his ipod into his stereo. Dont really know more than that. He said go to Fry's and ask for a modulator.

Glaeal

FM Transmitter, such as this one. Make sure it allows you to tune it to any frequency, since you'll need to find a frequency that isn't in use by radio stations in your city.

I use one designed for an Ipod, and I have no problems.