mp3 player setups

[thorvald]

I hear bits and pieces in tech about peoples ipod setups, any mp3 can apply.
Id like to hear about and see the set up people have in their vehicle for these.
mounting (especially any custom jobs), if its hardwired how so (to amp, to stereo.

right now I just have a cheap mp3 player, looking at getting some sort of ipod in the future. anyways, the radio in the 60 doesnt work (after I switched the working one into the 80), and I dont like changing cds much or rotating them in the vehicle, etc. so am looking for options to hardwire it as the fm modulator will not work in a head unit without radio (ive tried).

cheap amp? new head unit? other options for adding rca jacks to exisiting cd player?

thanks

Scott

[Ponce]

I tried the RCA connection but got better sound with the fm transmitter. I use the Belkin brand transmitter. I tried the itrip by griffin but it didn't work for chite in the cruiser. If I were you I would go and buy a cheap deck and use the FM transmitter.
My .02

[thorvald]

ive got the belking transmitter, works pretty good, have heard on here though that hardwiring it has better sound. or through a tape deck, but I cant see buying a tape deck-maybe if it was free. dont really want to give up the cd player just yet.

at some point ill put a new deck in, and when i do, itll either have a rca jack or media card slot or something.

interested in seeing pics of setups too please

[Felix]

I have the iTrip and used that for a while. The problem was that the cheap deck that came with the 40 was shot. The CD player didn't work and the speakers contantly crackled (not because of the FM transmitter, just the crappy stereo).

So I did away with the deck all together. All my CDs are on my iPod anyway, and the music getting radio play sucks. Here's what I have now.

iPod running through a Y adapter (mini plug to RCA) to a 4-channel Alpine amp mounted under the driver's seat. I had the amp left over from a previous vehicle. The speakers are still the crappy 6x9's that I got with the truck, each in a box under the rear bench seat. I haven't decided what to do with the other 2 channels, yet. I'll either throw in the 10" sub I have or get some tweeters and put them up front somewhere. Still, the sound is much better than it was with the old deck and better than in our other two cars using the FM transmitter.

The only issue I had with the installation was that without a deck, I wasn't sure where to connect the remote wire that turns on the amp. That was easily solved by running it to the fuse box, that way the amp shuts off when I turn off the truck. I also installed a switch on that remote wire, so I can turn off the amp when I'm not playing music. I mounted the switch in the cheap plastic consol I have. I have the wire running to the iPod coming up into that consol, too.

I was going to wait till I routed all the wires all nice and purdy, maybe even filled the hole in my dash with a cb, before I took pics, but I can get some as is if you'd like.

Felix

[thorvald]

ya, take some as is and then when your finished too

[Felix]

will do. I'll try to get them tonight.


Felix

[Felix]

Alright, here’s the center console with the wire for the iPod and the on/off switch:




Here’s the amp under the seat. – Sorry it’s the best angle I could get.




And here are the speakers in the rear:

[98LXand99LC]

I've got a dell jukebox 20GB, and a PIE TOY adapter that plugs into the cd changer port on the stock deck. Tap the CD player button on the head, and I can listen to the jukebox. It works great, and I can also play the laptop DVD through it for the kids on long trips.

[Okie_dave]

Bought an Alpine CD/MP3 player for the dash. Put all my CDs on the home computer and burn 10 to 15 of them on one CD in MP3 format. Leave 10 or so of them in the Cruiser and, if they get trashed, I burn them again. I don't have to keep up with an iPod.

[bigbrowndog]

I was reccommended the JVC cd/mp3 player when my pioneer failed This was no comparison to the previous pioneer .You can also plug anything in the front. The dust here does not seem to get in it as much and there is no skipping tracks in rough country was so pleased I bought a second for my Senator.Also as the others say you can put app 8 hours music on one cd disk.Free downloads and swaps with your mates cds will soon recoup the cost.

[Boston Mangler]

I have tried both the Monster and the Belkin FM Transmitter in my 80 and wasnt pleased with either. I made the decision to go with the Alpine head unit and adapter, so i can run the entire ipod from my head unit.

I am replacing the stock head unit with the Alpine 9851:

And the spot underneath the radio will be filled with a Cobra CB and the install will look something like (the unit in this pic is a different model) this:



I am also adding the Alpine adapter (Alpine KCA-420i) for the ipod so that i can plug the ipod in somewhere hidden and forget about it. The adapter allows full ipod control as well as charging!



Should be all installed by next weekend and i will post up the results!

Any questions, feel free!

[Eric Winkworth]

I got an alpine deck almost Identical to that on, maybe a year older though, I love it, I would buy an I pod if I didn't have it. You can fit alot of mp3's onto a CD!

[rgsiii]

My experience and solution is essentially identical to Boston Mangler's and Eric's.

I had better luck with the cassette connectors than the FM transmitter. The Alpine option is superior to either.

[LS1FJ40]

I installed a new Alpine CD/MPs/XM head unit, DVD Player with 10" Monitor and Alpine's AI/Net iPod converter in my '92 FJ80. The Alpine AI/Net iPod converter "allows" you to operate the iPod from the head unit. It sucks. Sure it allows you to operate the iPod like it says it will and it charges the iPod. But the communication is slow. My old setup in my Tacoma was using a similar Alpine head unit with an adapter that plugged in to the AI/Net port on the back of the unit that converted to RCA. You then can connect RCA cables from Monster that plug in to the 2.5mm headphone jack. I instead, purchased a car adapter for my iPod and cut the cigarette lighter plug off of it and hard wired it to the fuse box then plugged it in to a iPod docking port and plugged the RCA cable with 2.55mm jack in to the iPod docking port. It worked extremely well. Just remember to turn up the volume on the iPod. Also, make sure you wire the car adapter to a switched fuse. Also use an in-line fuse. The sound quality was as good as the AI/Net iPod converter and quicker. Cost about the same. AI/Net converter $100 vs. $30 for car adapter, $40 for docking port, $20 for monster cable. You can also get a wireless remote control that plugs in to the top headphone jack on the iPod. In addition, you can plug a laptop or any other 2.55mm in to the head unit this way. This is the same set up I am installing in my FJ40. Never had any problems with skipping or sound quality.

I have used a couple of different FM modulators and FM transmitters. They all suck in my opinion. Too much static and interferance.

[Boston Mangler]

Does the ipod adapter/alpine combo allow for shuffle play?

[alvarorb]

Boston,

I have almost the same setup. My Alpine unit is a 9805 and my iPod is connected to the back to the unit.
When I got my Alpine deck, the iPod interface was being developed. So I settled for a direct conection via RCA plugs to the back of the Alpine.

To get power to the iPod I used the Belkin iPod car kit. Which consists of a cable that plugs in to the bottom of the iPod. And on the other end it plugs to a standard cigarette plug. On that end of the cable there is also a mini plug receptacle and a volume control. I installled a female cigarette lighert plug behind my dash and to it the Belking cable.

The iPod works great. I have to choose the song on the iPod. But long gone are the days of the white noise coming from the cassette or the interference from the FM adapters.

The only problem I have is when I key my microphone while the stereo is on. I've not been able to pin that issue. The CB will play through the stereo when I key the CB mike. Talk about feed back noise.

Have you seen this with your unit?

Regards

Alvaro

[Boston Mangler]

Originally Posted by alvarorb

Have you seen this with your unit?

No, i dont actually have mine yet. It should all be here either today or tomorrow.

How did you install it? Did you use a wiring harness? Is your CB wired to your radio speakers?

[alvarorb]

Boston,


My CD is held in place by the same bracket that held the factory stereo, in fact it holds the CD and the Alpine head unit.
You will need a 90° fitting for your antenna. That way your cable is not twisted behind the CB unit. If you plan to use magnetic mount antenna, you can get a short CB cable. I think they are 3 ft. lenght.

You can run this short cable to your glove box and from there connect your the cable of your mag mount antenna. Remmeber to tune your antenna setup once it's installed. It makes a world of difference.

Regards

Alvaro

[Boston Mangler]

Thanks Alvaro

How did you do the wiring? Harness? Hard wire? Did you hardwire the CB so it can always remain on and the key isnt needed?

Thanks

[alvarorb]

Boston,

Yes, my CB is hardwired so it always has power. To one of the external sides of my battery box, I installed a fuse box. From there, I ran a 12 gauge cable to the CB. The ground cable is connected directly onto the battery.

Regards

Alvaro

[Boston Mangler]

Originally Posted by alvarorb

The ground cable is connected directly onto the battery.

Gotcha! Thanks

Try grounding it to the chassis and see what happens!

[thorvald]

Originally Posted by Boston Mangler

I have tried both the Monster and the Belkin FM Transmitter in my 80 and wasnt pleased with either. I made the decision to go with the Alpine head unit and adapter, so i can run the entire ipod from my head unit.

I am replacing the stock head unit with the Alpine 9851:

And the spot underneath the radio will be filled with a Cobra CB and the install will look something like (the unit in this pic is a different model) this:



I am also adding the Alpine adapter (Alpine KCA-420i) for the ipod so that i can plug the ipod in somewhere hidden and forget about it. The adapter allows full ipod control as well as charging!



Should be all installed by next weekend and i will post up the results!

Any questions, feel free!

what's the radio shack item above your deck? display?

[apcoleman]

I have the alpine with the iPod hookup in the glovebox. I really like the setup but my major dislike is the fact that the the playlists on the head unit only support 255 songs. You can still play all of you other music but the playlist will only allow you to search through 255.

[Boston Mangler]

Originally Posted by thorvald

what's the radio shack item above your deck? display?

No idea, thats not my "Actual" setup, just a pic a found on the net of something similar

[emr88]

I just installed a Kenwood EZ500 receiver in my LX last night. The factory CD changer was busted when I bought the truck. I got a standard 'Y' cable from BestBuy and attached it to the Aux Int connections on the back of the receiver before reinstalling everything. I drilled a small hole in the empty DIN "pocket" I got from Crutchfield to run the Y cable through. So basically I can attach any MP3 player directly underneath the radio using the Y cable. The downside to this is I don't have a power source for the MP3 player. I plan to get a Rio Carbon. I'll probably reroute the cable to the empty cup holder pocket above the radio. Looks like the Carbon will fit in there then install my CB below the radio.
I'll try to post pics later, but it's pretty basic.

[RHINO]

hey throvald, i think thats just an inside/outside temp guage stuck to the dash with dbl side tape.


i havent stepped up to MP3 players yet, prolly wont be Ipod as i dont wanna buy one every 18 mos or so. but i do have sattelite and really like it, its almost as good as having all my favorite CD's, plus news weather comedy entertainment sports (if you into that). i dont have to miss prairie home companion or any of the other radio shows while camping now

[Dogsled]

My set up is like Boston Manglers, but I simply have the plug for the ipod dangling down behind the dash to the hump behind the shifters. It's out of the way, and easy to access. I've got velcro on the back of the ipod, and just plug it i