In-car playing solution for 2G iPod shuffle...

[psmith2.0]

I'm using my little shuffle so much more than I ever did my full-size iPod (wearing it now, in fact). I'd love to use it in my car.

Anyone have a line on a reasonably-priced, somewhat elegant (and easy-to-use) product that would allow me to use this in my car, through my car speakers?

I've searched Dr. Bott, MacAlly and others and don't see much related to this 2G shuffle specifically. I found one thing at Griffin, an iTrip Universal Car FM Transmitter (http://www.griffintechnology.com/products/itripautouniversal/), that looks like my best bet, from what I can see. Also Belkin's Tunecast II (http://catalog.belkin.com/IWCatProductPage.process?Product_Id=166893) seems to fit the bill. These two things both cost $39.

But I was curious if anyone here had some other suggestions or companies to check out before I made a purchase? Or, better yet, does anyone have the Griffin or Belkin products above and can say something about them?

Thanks.

[chucker]

I take it your car radio doesn't just have a line-in port?

[psmith2.0]

No, I'm pretty sure it doesn't. Just a stock, basic factory-installed AM/FM/CD player (it's a 2001 car, pre-dating all the iPod-related accommodations of more recent models).

I'm not a hardcore audiophile so those FM transmitter are fine for my needs (I used an FM dock/cradle transmitter thing with my big iPod, but it connected to that bottom dock slot, which the shuffle doesn't have).

[kretara]

I have used a few FM transmitters with my mini/iPod's and have found all to be lacking.
To be fair, the 2 places that I have lived in the past 6 years were saturated with radio stations so finding clean 'air' was almost impossible. This led to lots of music interruptions. I experienced the same types of music interruptions with 5 different cars, so the signal issues don't appear to be auto related.

If you live in a place where you are not smothered by local 'crap' stations (littering the lower frequencies), a FM transmitter would work well. All the transmitters that I have used required the use of a fairly narrow band of frequencies. Usually in the 80-95 range which is where most of the 'crap' stations reside.

You might try to rig up something so that the FM transmitter is right next to your stereo or antenna. Doing this was the only way I could/can use my FM transmitter in either Boston or Little Rock.

[torifile]

Like kretara, all the FM transmitter I've used have been more frustrating than anything else. Luckily my car has both a tape player and CD player so I just use one of those chintzy tape adapters. The sound quality is balls, but listening to a podcast isn't exactly an audiophile experience. (If I were in your situation, I'd consider getting a new deck than buying one of those FM things.)

[alcimedes]

I'll be the third to say that the FM transmitters suck. They're awful. The FCC regulates how much power they can output, and it's really low. So low as to be worthless in any major city.

My parents live in the deserted areas of New Mexico and down there it works OK.

I ended up getting a new head unit that has an input for my iPod. Really at the end of the day I couldn't stand anything else. They all made listening to music a chore rather than fun.

This way the head unit displays all the iPod info, as well as controlling all the iPod functions.

http://web.mac.com/alcimedes/iWeb/Site/RX8%20Audio_files/IMG_0634.jpg

And the iPod gets to be tucked away, out of site. It sits in the center console, in the far back compartment. Charges from the cable attached to the head unit. I honestly don't think I've had it out of my car in months.

http://web.mac.com/alcimedes/iWeb/Site/RX8%20Audio_files/IMG_0633.jpg

[Wyatt]

Nice setup, alci.

I use a little more generic version of his setup which is nice for shuffles. My head unit (Sony) has an aux input on the front, and I just run a 1/8" stereo cable from the headphone jack on my iPod (shuffle or nano). It's not the most elegant setup, since there's a wire dangling off the front of my stereo, but it gets the job done.

I'm getting a new car soon, but the CD player in it doesn't have an aux input. I'm going to have to figure out what to do about my stereo now, though (I'll probably just swap head units so I can use my iPod in the new car).

For your setup, Paul, I'd do a hybrid of alci's setup and mine. Find a stereo with an auxillary input on the back and run a cable into your console. Plug your iPod into the cable, close your console, and nobody will know. If you're worried about it not looking right because the radio won't mount flush, you can have a local shop create a custom mount for you. If you're not as worried about that, you can find kits to install it yourself online. Stereo installs are really very simple. I know absolutely nothing about cars, but I've installed a handful of head units myself.

[psmith2.0]

Thanks for the feedback, fellas. Lots of good ideas and suggestions, but probably more than I'm really needing. :(

Three things:

1. I'm not in a "big city", with stations at every digit on the dial...lots of open/free space for me to choose from.
2. The Griffin Roadtrip thing I had for my full-size iPod was one of those FM transmitter things and I was totally happy with it (see #1). I'm just not excessively picky about every nuance of music while driving, I just wanna hear my songs to and from work and while out and about on weekends. Besides, I don't live in my car or spend excessive amounts of time in it on a consistent basis, so there's no sense in me going overboard and getting nutty about it. :)
3. As I said above, my car is six years old and I'm not one to fart around with stereos and sound gear, so "getting a new deck" is about #783 on my list of things I really want to do with my time and money (right behind tattooing my wang with a Disney character and taking an accounting/statistics class six nights a week). :p

Sounds like the Belkin or Griffin things from above are okay for me and my needs. I was just wanting to know if any more brands or companies might've been out there that I wasn't aware of. Probably not. Those are two good brands.

Alcimedes, I like your gear shift and floor pedals!

Also, any future car purchase I make will have an aux/line-in or dedicated iPod connectivity of some sort. That's definitely "on my list"...I got my current car before "iPod mania" swept the world.

:)

[Wyatt]

Also, any future car purchase I make will have an aux/line-in or dedicated iPod connectivity of some sort. That's definitely "on my list"...I got my current car before "iPod mania" swept the world.
Shit, my current car is a 1988 (and a half!) Ford Escort. Mine's older than the CD craze. :D

[chris e boy]

im waiting for this one to come out in the uk:

http://www.caraudiodirect.co.uk/... (http://www.caraudiodirect.co.uk/alpine-idax001-digital-media-receiver-p-5671.html?cadid=719d483e9115bdfaedeb0cce6f0a2bf7)

At the moment, ive got an iTrip and a Kensington thingy (cant remember the name). The kensington is good because it charges the 'pod while your listening, but I find I get a much better signal from the iTrip.

[NosferaDrew]

I think alci and I have the same Alpine.
http://homepage.mac.com/drew1/.Pictures/Alpine9856.jpg