Car Stereo Help

Since we do so much low-speed offroading in the hot desert, I'm not sure I want to chance it. On the other hand, you don't have to run the 2-way all the time.
 
Aarmin said:
I purchased a new model Pioneer head unit with a iPod controller; all I will say is do not bother going for the "iPod controller" feature, because it is much to comberson to try and navigate your iPod with the receiver; it is much easier to simply use your iPod wheel to navigate through your music files. Plus, you dont have to hear the constant "beap.. beep...beep" sound (every time you push a button, or wheel) that Pioneer doesn't allow you to turn off.

What I am getting at is some receiver allow you to connect your iPod, but will not control your iPod directly. This is fine in my opinion, since nothing can beet Apple's wheel control.
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Blind_Io said:
Thanks for the info, Aarmin. All I really want it to do is have a hard-line so she doesn't have to use an FM Transmitter. It would be nice if it charges too, but really, that's all I want.
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"Oh, hey, I want to listen to something else... Since my headunit won't let me control the iPod from my remote or the panel so I can change the music without looking away from the road, I'm going to look down at my iPod, unlock it, press the center button, turn the scrollwheel and"-CRASH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yeah.... who thinks that is a good idea?

I didn't think so.

Anyone who thinks its a good idea to have something in the car that you HAVE to look away from the road to be able to use it when you have another option needs to have their license taken away and be confined to a Big Wheels tricycle for three years until they understand WHY that's a bad idea.



tigger said:
Hey Spectre (or whoever), is heat soak really a problem when stacking a head unit and a CB radio? I could understand a little interference (and maybe that could be solved with a bit of plastic and a mess of kapton tape.) I was thinking of running that arrangement in my car just to complete the whole redneck package.
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It's a good way to shorten the life of your CB rig. You need airspace around the unit for it to cool.
 
Spectre,

I have a unit in my Honda that plugs into the CD changer controls of the stereo. I select my playlist before I pull out and set it to "Random" (or I just go to "Songs" and play the whole library). The iPod sits in a little tray behind the gear lever and I can just tap the "next" button with my finger without looking down. I don't lock the iPod because there's no need to (anyway, it's an iPod classic, not a Touch, so the lock is a switch).

It's perfectly safe.
 
Which is still less than optimal when you know this is available:

h130CDSR100-fp.jpg


http://www.crutchfield.com/p_130CDSR100/Pioneer-CD-SR100.html?tp=2833

You don't even have to take your hands off the wheel. And all Premier units know how to talk to it.

Also, all the Direct USB Control Premier head units will charge the iPod over the cable. :D
 
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Spectre said:
"Oh, hey, I want to listen to something else... Since my headunit won't let me control the iPod from my remote or the panel so I can change the music without looking away from the road, I'm going to look down at my iPod, unlock it, press the center button, turn the scrollwheel and"-CRASH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yeah.... who thinks that is a good idea?

I didn't think so.

Anyone who thinks its a good idea to have something in the car that you HAVE to look away from the road to be able to use it when you have another option needs to have their license taken away and be confined to a Big Wheels tricycle for three years until they understand WHY that's a bad idea.
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In honesty, how is navigating with the receiver any different? You wish to listen to something else, you have to push a button, sroll through the menu, push again...and this is actually more taskful than using my iPod Classic.

I actually use this:
swi-ps.jpg

It allows me to use my factory steering wheel controls. Still though, neither way solves the issue of when you want to change music groups.
 
On my Pioneer, I can change playlists without having to look at the head unit. :D

In iPod mode, hit up or down on the rocker or remote to change playlists, left or right to change tracks, Band button to change modes. Easy, no looking required.
 
Spectre, that steering wheel controller is hideous - and I would worry about it getting in the way when I'm in a tight spot, such as trying to go up or down our steep hill in the snow or when offroading.

I don't see what's so hard about tapping one button. How do you adjust your A/C?
 
That's an optional remote, not the standard one that comes with the unit.

On the Jag S3, the AC is controlled by two twist knobs. :D It's a slider and buttons that I can operate without looking at them on the Pathfinder. Thing is, how do you change playlists on the iPod without looking at it?
 
Eh, I'm with Spectre on this one. I keep my iPod hidden and control everything through the head unit. The text is much bigger and brighter, plus I don't have to take my eyes completely off the road to switch a song. For me this type of integration is totally worth it plus much safer for the rest of the world.
 
Aarmin said:
I actually use this:
swi-ps.jpg

It allows me to use my factory steering wheel controls. Still though, neither way solves the issue of when you want to change music groups.
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I need something like this in my life. I'm currently doing the FM transmitter thing to get my MP3 player to work on the car radio, and well, it sucks. Plus it doesn't charge my player.

I have one of those old VDO Dayton systems in my car, it would have been gone since forever, but I have the nice buttons on the wheel that are SOOOO nice to use, so it's still in there. If there was a way to connect my MP3 player directly to it, i'd be such a happy camper

FYI I do know my stereo is prepared for a cellphone carkit, so maybe I can use that thing as an AUX audio in?

ATM Im too scared to rip out the radio for fear of breaking anything, and the guys at my local garage can do it, but they will charge me hundreds of ?s for something that should be quite simple, and fast to fix...
 
Why do you even bother with iPods? I recently got myself a radio with bluetooth handsfree and USB (Blaupunkt Hamburg) and a 8GB SDHC card with USB adaptor and just leave it in the car all the time. I have the radio set to shuffle and it's great, just like a radio station that only plays the tracks you like, just without the stupid ads and DJs. I'll have to get a 16GB soon, though.
 
H0nzik said:
Why do you even bother with iPods? I recently got myself a radio with bluetooth handsfree and USB (Blaupunkt Hamburg) and a 8GB SDHC card with USB adaptor and just leave it in the car all the time. I have the radio set to shuffle and it's great, just like a radio station that only plays the tracks you like, just without the stupid ads and DJs. I'll have to get a 16GB soon, though.
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Why do I bother with iPods? Maybe because my music collection is larger than an 8GB or 16GB SD card.
 
^ I'd have to agree, while 16gb is enough for driving music, regular music takes a lot too. i use much more than 16gb from my Zune in the car.
 
I just pick up my ipod and hold it up so I can see the road past it and only glance at it, never look at it for more than 2 seconds.
 
All right I was never too interested in iPods and I didn't realize that the iPod classic had so much more storage space than the other ones, which are really in the same region as the SDHC cards.
 
NooDle said:
yup me too, although my list is more like 17,000 files & 95ish GB...
then again, who needs ALL of their music with them ALL of the time?
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Because then you don't have to constantly spend time going through your collection "updating" the music on your player.

I've got a 4gb card in my phone/mp3 player, and I'm itchin' for an 8.

However, I've got about 23,000 (over 100gb). I don't have an ipod, because I hate having to keep 2 things charged all the time, and carry 2 things like that. I don't carry a purse... My mp3 player phone would be perfect if it held way more...
 
I have a temporary solution to my problem (for now atleast)

f8v3080-apl.jpg
+
creative_zen_mosaic_2.jpg
= WIN

yeah, so I can't control all of the music on my screen, so what? I atleast can still use the buttons on the steering wheel for volume and CD controls, etc.

it even has pretty good sound quality aswell......... but i'm still looking for an easy plug and play cable to use with the stereo

It's a VDO CDR 500 (that comes as standard with many Opels of my generation), can anyone help me with this?
 
FM Transmitters are shit. With the new HD radio it's impossible to get a clear signal. The idea is to have a permanent solution by replacing the failing stereo.
 
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