Enjoy Your MP3 Music on Your Factory Car Stereo – Without Static
Once you get used to the comfort of an iPod, iPhone or other MP3 player, having your whole music collection at your fingertips, the next thing you obviously want is to be able to connect this to your car stereo and enjoy the same flexibility when driving. New car stereos are often equipped with an AUX input or even with an integrated iPod docking station. When you’ve got a more basic or older car stereo, there’s generally no direct means of connecting your MP3 player. In that case you have to revert to the well-known FM transmitters and live with the interference of neighboring FM radio stations – unless you go for the Scosche FMMOD02 FM modulator.
Why It’s Clever
Let’s be honest, rather than connecting an iPod or other MP3 player to your car stereo, it’s better to get a car stereo that supports an USB memory stick. Then you don’t have to worry about battery charging, theft, or damage to your player when leaving it in a boiling hot car. But as this article is for those of you who have to live with a factory car stereo that lacks all the fancy stuff, let’s see what the options are
In an attempt to address the substantial market demand, dozens of manufacturers have launched FM modulators to provide at least some means to connect an MP3 player to a car radio. Most of those can be plugged into the headphone jack of the player, pick up the music and transmit it over the air in the form of an FM radio signal that can be picked up by your car radio. In a sense, you are creating your own FM radio station, continuously broadcasting the music from your MP3 player. Well-known products that do this include the Griffin iTrip and the Belkin Tunecast.
The idea is good – it’s easy and flexible – but there are some disadvantages too. Besides the fact that regulators in some countries don’t like the idea that drivers create mobile radio stations that might jam the existing ones, it also works the other way around. When you’re driving in populated areas with lots of radio stations, those stations can interfere with your music, thereby spoiling your listening experience and forcing you to switch channels constantly in the hope of finding a free one. The second drawback is that the transmitter needs power too, meaning yet another battery to charge or replace, or a transmitter drawing power from the MP3 player and so reducing your listening time.
The Scosche FM modulator is simple but clever. Instead of transmitting the FM-modulated music over the air, its output sits between the aerial and the radio’s antenna input. The radio stations that are received by the aerial simply pass through the device without being affected. But the music coming from the MP3 player is modulated onto a free frequency and directly injected into the radio’s antenna input without being broadcast over the air. That way the signal can be much stronger in comparison with neighboring radio stations that might interfere with your music. And it might be less of an issue in states or countries where creating your own radio broadcast is not allowed.
If you read the user feedback on the Internet, the majority is very positive. If I was in a position in which I had no direct input on my stereo, this would be my preferred option as well.
Summary
- FM modulator connects your MP3 player to your factory car stereo
- Sits between your aerial and your radio
- Less interference than traditional FM modulators
- Requires wiring
- Does not require extra battery
- Does not drain your MP3 player’s battery
- Universal: Works with every radio
- Very affordable
- More powerful iPod car adapter available too (see below).
Tips
The only disadvantage compared to the other FM transmitters is that you’ll have to do some wiring. If you know how to do this, it’s not really an issue, but it’s probably easier to have it done by someone who’s used to installing car stereos or cell phone kits – they know where to guide the wires inside the dashboard, and they’ll probably get it done in around half an hour.
Looking for an iPod docking solution for your home stereo? Here's a comparison of a few high-quality options.
Scosche also has a high-end model FM modulator for iPod only, the IPFMRDS. This iPod car adapter works in combination with any RDS-capable car radio and transmits track information via the RDS signal. The track and artist information is then automatically displayed on your car radio’s display. It’s also easier to install since it doesn’t require an on/off switch, but it’ll set you back about $150 (May 2009).
Another similar FM modulator at a similar cost is the Audiovox FMM100A. For information on other products, here's an interesting site with information on OEM car interfaces.
Where to buy
You can buy the Scosche FM modulator or iPod car adapter from the Amazon.com website
Approx. price: $30 (February 2010)
Other iPod, iPhone and MP3 solutions on Clever & Easy |
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Categories: multimedia,do-it-yourself,portable devices,entertainment solutions,car & garage,
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|2009-08-20 03:47:22 ECA - Use an amp?And what would it cost to add a small AMP with an input and connect to your speakers?
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|2009-08-20 03:49:06 Clever&Easy - Thanks for your s***estion.It's certainly a valid alternative, but I guess that an extra amplifier will be bulkier and more expensive than such a modulator. Certainly if you want quality audio. And you'd need a means to switch between both inputs.
But it's doable.
