What’s The Best Way To Connect An iPod To A Car?

Everton | May 24, 2007 | View Comments


What’s the best way to connect an iPod to a car? I’ve been searching the net trying to find the best way to play my iPod through a car stereo. For the last 4 years I’ve been using FM transmitters to play my iPod on my car system, originally with an iTrip and currently with a Kensington FM transmitter.

However, FM transmitters can be frustrating to use when it’s hard to find a clear FM frequency and also sometimes the quality of the iPod playback leaves a lot to be desired. Also, until recently FM transmitters were also illegal in the UK. So, I’ve decided that in my next car I’m going to try and do things properly and look into connecting my iPod directly to the stereo.

Dension Gateway 500I haven’t had much joy and the only products I’ve managed to locate are from Dension, who produce a range of products that allow various MP3 players, including iPods, to be connected directly to a car stereo i.e. with no loss in audio quality. Yes, you may say that MP3s aren’t as good as CDs, but I haven’t played a CD for a very long time, so I’m used to this (I am however reimporting my favourite CDs in a lossless format). The Dension Gateway 500 even displays track and playlist details on the car stereo display and allows the iPod to be controlled from the normal stereo controls.

The Dension Gateway 500 looks perfect, apart from the price, £280, with fitting costing extra. Does anyone know of any alternatives?


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About the Author: Everton is based in London and has worked in the internet and mobile space for over ten years now, and before that worked in corporate strategy and consulting. He has a degree in Economics from Cambridge University.He also writes for Windows 7 News, Windows 8 News and One Tip A Day.

  • @rfctabs

    Yes I got the Dension 500 fitted. It's excellent and works well with my 5G 60GB ipod. Only issue I have and it's not the Dension's fault, is that my car's display doesn't display the song/artist details so I'm restricted to playing playlists only (not too bad to be honest) as I can't navigate by artist/album/genre etc. If I'd known this in advance I probably would have upgraded my car's head unit to the one that supported this.

    Lesson - check compatability before ordering!
  • rfctabs
    Hi Everton,

    Did you get thte Dension 500 fitted? Is / was it good? I'm looking at one for my car to use with a Creative Zen Vision M 60Gb and also a 250Gb portable USB hard drive. I'm struggling to find a local fitter (S/E Birmingham) and am just wondering if it's worth it. I like the idea that all of the music will come up on the iDrive and I REALLY don't like iPods...

    Cheers,

    Peter
  • DEATH TO DRM!
  • Found I have to get my files down to 160kbps otherwise they are too big/many for ipod.

    I routinely use 192kbps (or better) MP3 files on my iPod Mini and my wife uses the same files on her iPod Nano v2, so I'm guessing the issue is capacity rather than capability. If so, I'm with Everton - don't water down your music.

    A bit off-topic but, for those of you who use iTunes to download music, I'd urge you to use MP3s ripped from actual CDs rather than paying for songs from the iTunes store. Click the article linked below to find out why:

    Read about my "Digital Music Conversion Project."
  • Funny, that's the same retailer I'm going to get mine from although I'm getting the Gateway 500 which is the one that is compatible with the car I'm getting. Who did you use to do the fitting?

    Found I have to get my files down to 160kbps otherwise they are too big/many for ipod.

    Do you mean the Dension won't play big files, or you had to make your files smaller to get them to fit on your iPod? My advice if it's the latter, is not to do this and import your files in the best format possible as in the future you will have more storage space, and it saves you having to go back and re-import your files.

  • Hi there, I just dumped Itunes having read your site. I use the Dension kit with a Renault and it works brilliantly. Does not display on the dash, but there a number of good places to get it from. I used but I am sure there are other places. I got the extension cable from the US as the cable in UK was crazy price. Link. Found I have to get my files down to 160kbps otherwise they are too big/many for ipod.

  • My Honda Element has a direct audio port, so I just connect my iPod Mini directly via the headphone jack. Results in much cleaner sound than with an FM transmitter. Quite a few car stereos are coming equipped with auxillary jacks for just this sort of thing now.
  • I’m currently using an iTrip with my iPod Mini and that works great for me on the default channel, mind you I’m not exactly in the middle of London or any other city!

    In London there are so many pirate stations on the freqs that are free it's very hard to find a clear freq, and I prob have to change freqs every couple of miles

    Can I ask, what software are you using to re-import in a lossless format? Is it the usual kind of things, but ripped as a .wav?

    I'm so glad you asked me that question as I just used the Apple format in iTunes without thinking about the compatibility issues. I just tried playing one of my files in WMP and it didn't work, so I guess Apple are up to their old tricks again.

    Got any pointers for how I should import my lossless files for maximum media player compatibility?
  • I'm currently using an iTrip with my iPod Mini and that works great for me on the default channel, mind you I'm not exactly in the middle of London or any other city!

    Can I ask, what software are you using to re-import in a lossless format? Is it the usual kind of things, but ripped as a .wav?
  • Thanks, I'll check out the site and see if any products listed are available in the UK
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