4 Ways to hook up your iPod to your car

This article will cover four methods of getting your iPod to work in your car. These four methods of iPod/car integration are:

1. FM Transmitter
2. iPod/Casette Adapter
3. Auxiliary Input
4. Third-Party iPod Integration Products

1. FM Transmitter

Cost: Low-Moderate (some of these devices can be moderately expensive)
Difficulty: Easy
Sound Quality: Poor

An iPod FM Transmitter is a device that plugs into your iPod and broadcasts your music over a low-power FM frequency that can be picked up by any radio that’s tuned tuned to the same station as the transmitter, and is within a foot or two. You’ll be listening to music within minutes of opening up your FM Transmitter: plug it into your iPod, tune the transmitter to an unoccupied station (such as one in the high 80’s or 100’s), tune your car stereo to the same station, and press play on your iPod.

An FM Transmitter is a good solution for those who want a quick fix, but as we all know quick fixes are never the best solution. Your music will be FM radio-quality at best, and will suffer from static in dense metropolitan areas that have many powerful, local stations. Secondly, the same culprits that cause interference on traditional FM radio stations — bridges, tunnles and parking garages — will also interfere with your iPod FM Transmitter. Lastly, it’s not unheard of to pass another driver using an iPod FM Transmitter tuned to the same station as yours, and temporarily pick up his music for a few seconds.

Suggested iPod FM Transmitters

• Griffin RoadTrip FM Transmitter & Auto Charger and Cradle
• Griffin iTrip LCD FM Transmitter
• Monster Wireless FM Transmitter

2. iPod/Cassette Adapter

Cost: Low
Difficulty: Easy
Sound Quality: Average

One step up from the FM Transmitter is the iPod/Cassette Adapter. The iPod/Cassette Adapter is a device that plugs into your iPod, and features an adapter that gets inserted into your car’s cassette tape deck. iPod/Cassette Adapters are pretty affordable (unless you spring for one with Monster cables), and are just as easy to use as FM Transmitters. Plug the wire into your iPod, insert the adapter into your car’s tape deck, and press play on your iPod.

iPod/Cassette Adapters are not vulnerable to the environmental interference that afflicts FM Transmitters, but they are not without their sound flaws. These adapters provide cassette tape-quality sound, and many degrade in quality as you increase in volume. Some people have also reported incompatibilities between their car stereo and the cassette adapter - some stereos simply spit out the adapter and refuse to play it.

If an iPod/Cassette Adapter is compatible with your car stereo, it’s a better choice than an FM Transmitter as it gives you better sound quality at an affordable price.

Suggested iPod/Cassette Adapters

• Apple iPod Cassette Tape+Car+Home Charger
• Belkin iPod Mobile Cassette Adapter
• Monster iCarPlay iPod Cassette Adapter

3. Auxiliary Input

Cost: Low to Moderate (depending on what sort of car stereo you have)
Difficulty: Low to Moderate
Sound Quality: Very Good

Auxiliary input is by far the best method of integrating your iPod and car, in terms of sound quality for your buck. The catch is that many car stereos do not have an auxiliary input jack on the front of the stereo — they are typically only found on brand-name stereos and certain aftermarket stereos. If your car does have an accessible auxiliary input, then all you need is an iPod charger with a line-out that plugs into your stereo’s auxiliary jack, and you’ll be cruising in no time flat.

If your car stereo does not have an accessible auxiliary jack, a cable can also be hooked up to the rear of your car stereo. The downside of this method is that if you are not familiar with working on your own car, you’ll need to pay a professional to get inside your dashboard and do the installation for you.

Suggested Auxiliary Connectivity

• Belkin Auto Kit for iPod

4. Third Party iPod Integration Products

Cost: High
Difficulty: Moderate (may require professional installation
Sound Quality: Very Good

Finally, there are a number of third-party products on the market that promise to seamlessly integrate your iPod and your car. Once such product is the Harman Kadron Drive + Play; a product that hooks your iPod directly into your car stereo, and comes with a lcd display and hand-held remote that both mount on your dash/console and mimic the iPod lcd and click wheel.

• Harman Kardon Drive + Play In-Vehicle Interface

[tags]iPod,Cars,Music[/tags]