Looking to buy a car mp3 player, need a few suggestions

[Arkitech]

I would like to find a portable mp3 player that I can somehow play through my car's stereo system. Does anything like this exist? I think heard someone talking about a player with that functionality but I'm not sure if its an existing product or just something coming in the near future.

I play a lot of long mp3 files (2-3 hours in length) are there any players that will pause a mp3 file when its turned off and pick up at the same location again when its turned back on?


thanks

 

[nakedfrog]

Some head units have an aux-in jack on the front, otherwise you might have to use one of those FM transmitters. Or just get a head unit that supports mp3s, you'll thank yourself.

 

[rudeguy]

the new pioneer units are Ipod ready

 

[Pepsi90919]

Originally posted by: nakedfrog
Some head units have an aux-in jack on the front, otherwise you might have to use one of those FM transmitters. Or just get a head unit that supports mp3s, you'll thank yourself.

why, so you can have 700 MB of MP3s as opposed to 20 GB? 😕

 

[MrChad]

Some of the new Alpine head units can connect to an iPod using the KCA-420i. It's pretty slick and works well.

 

[Arkitech]

Originally posted by: nakedfrog
Some head units have an aux-in jack on the front, otherwise you might have to use one of those FM transmitters. Or just get a head unit that supports mp3s, you'll thank yourself.

hmm I wonder if I have an auxillary jack

 

[cchen]

you can hook up any mp3 player to a cd receiver that has aux input

 

[Arkitech]

What about the pause factor?

 

[TwiceOver]

Any head unit + RF Modulator. Good enough.

 

[broon]

I use a cassette that plugs into the headphone jack on the player. If you don't have a cassette player, the RF Modulator is the way to go. Most players will pause/resume at the same place.

 

[BlueWeasel]

I've had my Alpine MP3 headunit for over a year now and love it. I've currently have Sirius on the AUX input, but I could easily play any MP3 player through the AUX (just as simple as unplugging Siruis and plugging the MP3 player into the RCA cable).

 

[gscone]

Alpine all the way...Have had many Alpine HU's over the years and they've always been solid.

 

[pclstyle]

FM transmitters are great. along with a car charger, they're like that 250$ stereo system you wanted to install but were afraid to for fear of having your car broken into. minus a bunch of watts of course 🙂

 

[Arkitech]

Originally posted by: broon
I use a cassette that plugs into the headphone jack on the player. If you don't have a cassette player, the RF Modulator is the way to go. Most players will pause/resume at the same place.

How well do those work? Is the sound quality good?

 

[MrBond]

How well do those work? Is the sound quality good?

I have one in my XM radio, it's not too bad. A few complaints though:

It's hard to find one FM frequency it works on for my entire trip. I usually just leave it on 88.1 unless it gets REALLY bad. In areas where 88.1 is strong, the sound is a little staticy. Note that this is for a ~150mile trip (one way).

I could detach my over the air antenna, but doing so would mean I'd either have to pull out the head unit and detach it from the back (very hard) or unscrew it on the car (which I'm not sure would help very much). Both options are not good for me because I like to listen to the radio occasionally anyway for local traffic.

A cassette adapter gives better quality for me, but I think mine is going bad, because I get a lot of "pops" and "hisses" when I use the one that came with my XM radio. I have an old Sony one I used with my Minidisc player and it was fine.