Devices for playing iPhone in the car - Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community

Kiran403 · 04-20-2015, 02:04 PM

I drive a 2004 Toyota 4Runner which does not have an AUX port. Does anyone have any solutions of devices that I can perhaps hookup through the cigarette lighter so that I can play the music from my iPhone?
I had a wireless one a while back for my iPod but I found the sound to be pretty poor. However that was a few years ago and I'm assuming the technology has gotten better.
I also heard that there is a tape coverter similar to those ones back in the day for playing cd's through the tape player. Is this true and has anybody tried it?

Hack&Lube · 04-20-2015, 02:18 PM

1. Cigarette lighter powered radio transmitter. You plug your device into the transmitter and it transmits an FM signal that your car radio can be tuned to. These things are never powerful enough to be any good and you get crosstalk from existing FM broadcasts. Technology improvements don't matter. FCC rules about radio transmissions limit the power these things can have and the narrow band they can use.

2. Oldschool cassette tape adapter. Same as always. Plug the cable into your device, start playing the tape. Technology hasn't changed in 20 years. Bulletproof. I have one from Radioshack from the 90s that would still work.

3. Bluetooth cassette tape adater. A newer thing. Has bluetooth so it's basically a way to turn your cassette deck into a bluetooth device. I have this for my home retro HiFi system. When I got it, it wasn't working for some reason. I had to modify it by taking it apart and mechanically changing it but that may be because of the way my tape deck at home works compared to a car stereo.

http://www.londondrugs.com/Ion-Bluet...efault,pd.html

DownInFlames · 04-20-2015, 02:25 PM

You can get a kit that plugs in to the back of your factory stereo and will give you an auxiliary input, and even bluetooth. Try ebay or amazon.

fredr123 · 04-20-2015, 02:37 PM

Had the same problem as you in my old car, but didn't have a cassette player. Bought one of these and had a pretty good experience with it. As an added bonus, you can talk on your cell handsfree too: http://www.bestbuy.ca/en-CA/product/...f4fe8e880een02

Kiran403 · 04-20-2015, 03:52 PM

Thanks everybody for the tips.

Kiran403 · 04-20-2015, 04:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fredr123

Had the same problem as you in my old car, but didn't have a cassette player. Bought one of these and had a pretty good experience with it. As an added bonus, you can talk on your cell handsfree too: http://www.bestbuy.ca/en-CA/product/...f4fe8e880een02

How was the sound quality on this for music?

KTrain · 04-20-2015, 04:03 PM

Why not just buy a stereo that has AUX in it? You can get one for under a hundred bucks and they'll install it for you.

For $120 or so you can get one with Bluetooth.

photon · 04-20-2015, 04:10 PM

That's what I did, by the time I looked at different FM transmitters or other methods, getting a new head unit was the way to go. Cost more but the sound quality was great and they installed a little mic so I can do handsfree with my phone over bluetooth as well.

DownhillGoat · 04-20-2015, 04:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KTrain

Why not just buy a stereo that has AUX in it? You can get one for under a hundred bucks and they'll install it for you.

For $120 or so you can get one with Bluetooth.

That's what I'd suggest too. Doesn't matter how good the FM transmitter is they're all horrible, especially in the city.

If you really don't want to upgrade the head unit, I'd suggest one of these:
http://www.crutchfield.ca/Scosche_FM...142fmmod02.htm

Still uses the FM, but it hard wires into the antenna connection at the factory head unit and sounds a bit better. Don't have to worry about interference at least

photon · 04-20-2015, 04:25 PM

The only downside to putting in a new head unit is sometimes it's hard to find one at the usual places that's actually nice looking rather than one that looks like it was designed by someone who flunked out of design school and is trying to imagine the future.

DownhillGoat · 04-20-2015, 04:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by photon

it's hard to find one at the usual places that's actually nice looking rather than one that looks like it was designed by someone who flunked out of design school and is trying to imagine the future.

Sony's got a nice understated digital only unit that looks pretty nice. Not OEM looking but nice and plain.

You're right though, some of them are just way too out there.

photon · 04-20-2015, 05:06 PM

That's pretty decent. When I first replaced the head unit in my VW many many years ago I got a Blaupunkt because they had matte finish ones that fit really nice. I like the OEM look I guess.

Wormius · 04-21-2015, 10:26 AM

Have an older Sony Xplod deck as well. Integrates beautifully with iPhone and iPods, etc.

fredr123 · 04-22-2015, 07:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kiran403

How was the sound quality on this for music?

It was definitely passable. Sounded a little crappier than a regular FM radio station, but not much. The tricky part was finding a frequency that wasn't already being used by another radio station in town. Calgary is pretty saturated. The model I had let you scroll through all of the frequencies rather than a handful of presets like some older models.

I had actually purchased the unit so I could talk handsfree in the car. The FM transmitter for my music and podcasts was just an added bonus.

core_upt · 04-22-2015, 08:53 AM

I'd agree with swapping out the entire head unit.
For around $125 you can get a whole new head unit which will sound way better than factory, the iPod integration will be much smoother, and as a bonus, you can get a handsfree kit out of it (mic).
It truly is the best way to go.
Plus the install on your car is super easy, just a simple dash kit and wiring harness.
Crutchfield has everything you need.

rd_aaron · 04-22-2015, 10:41 AM

I installed one of these Xcarlink devices on my Mazda6. Worked awesome. I connected it into the back of the stock head unit and ran the cable underneath the console and the cable came up through the console/armrest thing. Charges your phone and you can buy a Bluetooth optional thing that lets you do handsfree (never tried this).

Here's a link for a 4Runner. You can probably find a North American distributer if you google for a bit.

http://www.xcarlink.co.uk/product.ph...&cat=11&page=1

Stealth22 · 04-22-2015, 10:58 AM

+1 on swapping the head unit.

My car has an AUX port, but the Bluetooth that came with the car is an utter piece of crap. It's a separate unit that doesn't integrate with the car stereo. I'm going to be replacing both units entirely with a new head unit that can do it all.

But until I have the $$$ required to do so, I bought this for a bandaid solution. Works reasonably well. For those that have an AUX in their car, its this guy from Amazon:

http://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B00GJFGE3W