Bichon

And another reason is that most people connect from the headphone output of the iPod to the aux input on the car. As posted in earlier threads, bypassing the headphone amp with an adapter that connects the line level output of the iPod (e.g. this one: http://store.sik.com/merchant.mv?Scr...Category_Code= ) will give noticably better sound.

rominl

iTrader: (4)

yup, for sure. the aux connection is a pretty bad one to begin with compared to the real ipod connection

AndrewDC

I prefer not to have iPod integration over the simple aux jack. Although I'm an iPod owner, who says that in a year or two, I won't switch over to another mp3 player? The competition is quicky catching up, and I'm pretty happy with using my AirPlay to safely control my iPod.

Ah yes, and I believe it's worth noting that I've been an iPod user since its 2nd generation.

AndrewDC

I didn't say that Apple was going to lose it's marketshare (although I believe it will eventually). I merely said that not being tied down to having to buy an iPod to play my mp3 player in my car is a good thing. With the competition catching up, as in with technology and design, there is a decent chance my next player will not be an ipod (I'm on my fourth). I could care less if the competition takes marketshare, I don't have any money invested in their stocks nor apple's. This is an observation from a consumer.

TimboIS

Having AUX in is a middle-ground solution, with mediocre results. A proper dock connector would yield better audio quality, and a much better customer experience. Lexus took the low road on this one.

rominl

iTrader: (4)

i think car chat is a better place

personally i think apple is holding gnd very strong and i dont' see any sign of it going away or anyone seriously catching up. seeing the market share of ipod is just sheer enormous.

yes, two or 3 yrs down the road there might be other stuff, but it's almost like couple yrs ago bmw released the bangalized 7 series and he said "this is the future trend in car". who the hell cares about 4 yrs from now if you can't satisfy it now? ipod is super hot now period and it's going to be the case for the next 2 to 3 yrs easy. capture the market now when you can, this is not something you can really plan long term

AsianGirl007

iTrader: (1)

In English Henry, please for us non technical peeps......

(She had one of those narrow mini iPods and she changed the radio station to a specific channel to get connection.)

How well does the nano sound in new IS, btw?

rominl

iTrader: (4)

HAHAHAA, then hers is nothing more than just a freaking FM radio!!!!!!!!!!!! she is using an FM module to broadcast the ipod music. i have heard it before, you have no idea how disgusted my face looked..... that's one very cheesy way to do it imho, even way worse than the aux input on the IS

and english? sure, if the song is not compressed too much before putting into the ipod, you don't lose as much music quality. a lot of the older mp3? they were compressed a lot coz' back then, storage wasn't as cheap as it is now

SDLexus

No one is forcing anyone to buy iPod integration. Apple doesn't hold a monopoly over the personal music player market just a big chunk of market share. There is competition albeit not very good competition. Apple isn't going around buying up competitors or using anti-competitive tactics to gain a stranglehold on the MP3 player market. You are free to buy/use players from Sony, Creative, Phillips, etc. You can also use any number of online music stores such as Napster, Rhapsody and the upcoming Urge. As a Lexus owner, I'd gladly pay to have iPod integration in my vehicle as an option (if not standarde equip.) and I doubt I'm the only one.

BTW, MS has done FAR worse in regards to anti-competitive practices.

O. L. T.

iTrader: (17)

Alpine in dash with Ipod interface = Winner. I love mine. How many hundreds you think Apple get's per unit?

$350 for the CD and the Ipod interface. The Cd changes 4 different selectable colors to match almost any dash.

Works for me. MOST newer factory stereo's are great for sound, but most are not expandable, no software options, have to be hacked to do anything such as a simple amp add on, detachable face?.... no, etc..........

You can easily save $1,500 to $3,000 by getting a basic audio package and slamming a high quality, expandable aftermarket unit in by a GOOD installer that can integrate it in seamlessly.

SDLexus

Your friend was using an FM transmitter to get the music into her car stereo. For an FM transmitter to work successfully you need to have a dead station. One that isn't receiving a signal, and it is IDEAL if the station before and after are unused as well as they tend to bleed into each other. In So. Cal that's pretty much impossible which is why FM transmitters are close to useless in densely populated areas. If she doesn't have a way to connect the iPod to the car stereo directly with a miniplug or AUX in then I'd recommend using a cassette adapter. Sony makes a good one (I've used it and am satisfied with the results).

Also the way the music is compressed on her iPod may degrade the quality. By default iTunes compresses the music as 128 kbps AAC files, which I find acceptable for the music I listen to in the car but so-called audiophiles may disagree. If she downloads her music through something like kazaa then she probably has 128 kbps MP3 files, which don't sound very good.

I personally think the bad sound is because of the FM transmitter since it will sound like a weak radio station.

SDLexus

Yeah, I've been wanting to pick one of those up. I hear that they don't work with ALL car stereos though. I've been waiting to find one locally so that it would be easier to return in case it doesn't work in my car stereo.

O. L. T.

iTrader: (17)

HOWEVER..... no matter what..... it is still analog You can't make a factory car audio tape head produce a digital signal

LexLaw

I kinda like this thing as far as analog cassette connection goes. I'm just curious as to how to charge your ipod while playing and I'm sure we all know iPods lame battery issues. I've spent enough hours at the genius bar.

SilverLady

I've been trying to get one of my mp3 players to work with the stereo in my new GX470, but no luck.

I didn't get a chance to try the IPOD - my daughter's brand new video IPOD was stolen at school the day I picked up the Lexus last week. I did try an old IRIVER one and a CD player, though.

The GX has no audio plug, so that is out unless somebody can tell me how to add one.

The FM radio seems to get some noise on every station, so I doubt that will work - we are in the New York-Philly area in the most densly populated state in the country, so that is not a surprise.

That leaves me with the cassette adaptor. The first one I tried (Monster), just didn't work. The gears made a bunch of noise, but no sound would come out - and I tried it in several cassette players.

The second one, a GE cassette adapter, worked - kind of. The sound was mediocre, which I could live with, but the from the cassette adaptor itself sounded like an old railroad car. It was very loud and annoying, even if I turned up the music. It wasn't the interface - it was the gears inside the thing. They made the same noise with no music device plugged in.

Can anyone recommend a cassette adaptor that is not so noisy? I'm tired of randomly trying brands.