Need a GOOD FM Modulator for my iPod/Direct Audio input for car?

[Death Metal Moe]

OK. I bought some shifty Belkin FM modulator for my iPod for about $30. Thing runs off one AAA battery but I get a lot of static and a lot of degredation in my signal. Way too much bass in it. So I've just scrapped my iPod for now.

I've had a few people look online for me and try to see if there's a way to get my stock Subaru Forester radio to take direct audio somehow, but no luck on that front.

So my question is, does anyone know of a good iPod FM Mod/Charger that doesn't suck even if it's a little more pricy. Or does anyone know of an easy way to get an 1/8 inch audio input into a stock radio?

Thanks.

[Deadbent]

In the same boat moe.

The fm transmitters will always suck audio quality out. I got mad at the same belkin unit, and flung it out the window.
My head unit in the car doesn't have rca inputs, so I'm pretty much stuck until I go to radio shack and find something I can whip up. It's gotta exist.

[Death Metal Moe]

And just to clarify, I know I could get another radio cheap with an audio input in it, but it seems the stock radio is smaller than a regular single slot after market radio, and I don't want to do a lot of remodeling of my dash.

[Deadbent]

They have little 10 dollar kits to fit smaller radios in the slot. (Think they call 'em dinns? Something)
No remodelling or cutting or anything needed for it.
Those kits snap right around the radio. And the radio snaps right in to place.

I'd grab a new radio with rca's if I had the option to. Anything is a small hill of beans in comparison to hearing that awful fm transmitter static bullshit.

[Death Metal Moe]

I appreciate the advice, but my problem is I have a somewhat smaller radio in there now. I need a way to put a larger, regular single dinn radio in there. I could probably find a kit to fill the space that would be left removing the small compartment under the radio, but I just really don't want to fucking Knitter Rig shit together with my car. It's the 1st time in my life I have a nice car and I'm not fucking around with it.

[flyerfan116]

same problems here i bought a griffin one for my nano for like $50 and it sucks...i use the same station as my myfi and get no where near as good quality...i just don't feel like ripping out my stereo (it's a chevy so it's probably much largeer than anything i could buy) to get jacks

[Deadbent]

I appreciate the advice, but my problem is I have a somewhat smaller radio in there now. I need a way to put a larger, regular single dinn radio in there. I could probably find a kit to fill the space that would be left removing the small compartment under the radio, but I just really don't want to fucking Knitter Rig shit together with my car. It's the 1st time in my life I have a nice car and I'm not fucking around with it.


Yeah, I know what you mean.
I dunno, consult a shop, or even a Worst-Buy install area. Circ city, etc.
It'd be 20-30 bucks for an install I think.
Can probably whip up what you're after for less than 100 bucks including radio, installation, and non knitting it up.
Best info I can offer. I know there's other baggers a bit more into car audio than me, I'm waiting for them to post up.

[B54]

I have a Griffin iTrip and it works great in my car. I just got back from the beach and I used it the whole time I was driving, never had a problem with sound quality or anything.

[Digital_Trauma]

I remember a while ago some people posted about an fm modulator from myradiostore.com. I was going to buy one, but instead got an aftermarket unit with an aux input. Here's a link for the fm modulator section:
http://www.myradiostore.us/fmmodulators/

[BeezerBlanks]

I've heard the PAC aux input devices work good.... I really got order me one.

[Puddle O AIDs]

i guess im lucky, i have a tape deck and my $5 dollar tape thingy has been going strong with great quality for a year now, good luck bro

[JonBenetRamsey]

monster makes one that doesn't charge the ipod and it's 40 or 50 and works very well.

[Razor Roman]

What you can install in your car instead of using an FM transmitter is an "FM Modulator" - basically it is a hardwired FM transmitter - it gets plugged in to the antenna input of the back of your radio, and then your antenna gets plugged into it. When you listen to the radio your antenna passes through and you get radio stations, when you tune to a specific frequency (like 88.7 or whatever) it blocks the antenna signal from passing through, so you get no interference from outside stations, and your Ipod, XM, etc, is pumped right into your stereo. You can have it connected to a specific device, or just have an 1/8" connector there.

[Death Metal Moe]

What you can install in your car instead of using an FM transmitter is an "FM Modulator" - basically it is a hardwired FM transmitter - it gets plugged in to the antenna input of the back of your radio, and then your antenna gets plugged into it. When you listen to the radio your antenna passes through and you get radio stations, when you tune to a specific frequency (like 88.7 or whatever) it blocks the antenna signal from passing through, so you get no interference from outside stations, and your Ipod, XM, etc, is pumped right into your stereo. You can have it connected to a specific device, or just have an 1/8" connector there.

OK, now that sounds like something I would want to get. Is that what someone linked to from MyRadioStore.com? If so, I'd really prefer to get that, keep the CD player I have and just hide one or two wires.

[Razor Roman]

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=6852596&type=product&id=1093468786609

Moe,

this is the only thing I could find on best buy's site that was close to what you want - this one only works with a SkyFi2, I guess it somehow gets its power from the docking cradle.

Anyway, that gives you an idea of what it is... I think you could probably walk in to any mobile audio place and tell them what you want to do and they could get you the part you need / install it for you...


I just did a Google search for "wired fm modulator" and got a bunch of results too. Your most flexible one for audio options would be to get one that basically just gives you a 1/8" audio port (I'd venture female would be better so you can use a wire to connect your source to the radio, because if you have a male that you're running in to everything you'd have a harder time replacing the cable if it shorts out on you - easier to just replace the small patch cord) That way you can use it for XM, ipod, other "generic" MP3 players, portable DVD, whatever.