What's the easiest way to get some of your music (mp3 files etc, iTunes library) to play through your car audio system?

 

I don't want to burn CDs (does anyone still do this?) or buy any expensive gadgets for the car. I just want an easy transfer of music files into a device that will be compatible with the car. What about USB drives, flash drives ?  Must admit I don't know too much about them, so I'm hoping some BMs will know the deal here.

I have an 2004 truck with combo CD/Cassette player so I just use this with my Ipod

 

 

 

U have an ipod?  If you do, you can buy small radio transmitters, that cost bugger all, that fit into the charging slot of your ipod....  Just set the transmitter to a radio frequency and your car radio to the same, and off you go....

Do you already have a mp3 player or a phone that can store music?   Years ago,I had what was basically a flash drive with rudimentary controls and a headphone jack.  It was very cheap.  If your car has an aux input like this:

you can connect your player with a male to male cable.

I have an 2004 truck with combo CD/Cassette player so I just use this with my Ipod

 

 

 

 

 

U have an ipod?  If you do, you can buy small radio transmitters, that cost bugger all, that fit into the charging slot of your ipod....  Just set the transmitter to a radio frequency and your car radio to the same, and off you go....

 

I use the cassette thing -- not great, but it gets the job done.

 

I tried the radio transmitter option, but there are too damn many radio stations on the LA area for it to find a clear enough frequency to work.

I use the cassette thing -- not great, but it gets the job done.

 

I tried the radio transmitter option, but there are too damn many radio stations on the LA area for it to find a clear enough frequency to work.

Yeah finding a freq can be a problem.... it works great when you are away from big cities....   Lots of cars these days don't have cassette players anymore tho 555.

Yeah finding a freq can be a problem.... it works great when you are away from big cities....   Lots of cars these days don't have cassette players anymore tho 555.

http://www.amazon.com/iSimple-IS31-Antenna-Modulator-Aftermarket/dp/B002U5XPBE

Your car's antenna plugs into this and it plugs into the back of the radio.  When you turn this on to listen to your download music, it blocks your radio from getting any signal.  I have a similar device connecting my Sirius radio to the main radio.  It works perfectly.  

Don't have a cassette player so I might try the FM transmitter method. Just wondering whether its worth trying a USB. If all else fails, I can use the direct method. I have an iPod touch and the car has a USB port, so I could just set up playlists and play it direct from the iPod.

http://www.amazon.com/iSimple-IS31-Antenna-Modulator-Aftermarket/dp/B002U5XPBE

Your car's antenna plugs into this and it plugs into the back of the radio.  When you turn this on to listen to your download music, it blocks your radio from getting any signal.  I have a similar device connecting my Sirius radio to the main radio.  It works perfectly.  

 

Wow - brilliant! I've been looking for something like this for a while now. 

Do you already have a mp3 player or a phone that can store music?   Years ago,I had what was basically a flash drive with rudimentary controls and a headphone jack.  It was very cheap.  If your car has an aux input like this:

you can connect your player with a male to male cabl

 

I use the cassette thing -- not great, but it gets the job done.

 

I tried the radio transmitter option, but there are too damn many radio stations on the LA area for it to find a clear enough frequency to wor

 

Yeah finding a freq can be a problem.... it works great when you are away from big cities....   Lots of cars these days don't have cassette players anymore tho 555.

Lol, I don't have any cassette's anymore. Just  the player in my truck.

 

I do a lot of camping & fishing in Sierra Nevada mountains of No.Cal where radio reception is spotty at best. So that cassette adapter comes in handy.

 

My next vehicle will have a factory installed upgrade for music.

I have had rental cars that do this via bluetooth that were awesome, no need to plug the phone into anything...  played my music and was awesome hands free device I could operate with buttons on the steering wheel...

Research your car and stereo system online.  Some have hidden features that you wouldn't realize. For instance, my 10 year old BMW's factory stereo had a optional AUX input in the head unit.  It isn't visible without actually pulling the head unit out.  I simply bought a $10. cable from Amazon.com, spent an afternoon figuring out how to pull out the head unit from the dash (was a bit scary,I'll admit), plugged in the molex side of the cable, and instantly added an AUX 1/8" input to my stereo.  It even came with a mounting plate, so I drilled a hole into my ashtray and epoxied it. It looks like it came from the factory with the input now. Apparently, it was an option at purchase. Probably added $500. for that $10. cable. They factory route it into the glove compartment, which doesn't seem very useful.There were even perforated holes to the glove if I wanted to go that route. 

 

The tell tale clue that this might be an option is if you have an AUX button of setting on your stereo, but no actual AUX signal source. 

Edited January 31, 201412 yr by Little Evil