''Integrated'' stereos?

83ste

I'm hoping to buy my first car in the next few months and I want to able to replace the head unit with one I can plug my MP3 player into. I have one of the FM transmitter gadgets, but it's not very good, very hissy and frequent interference.

A lot of more recent cars seem to have 'integrated' CD stereo systems built into the dash, for example the SEAT Ibiza...



What (if any) are my options here? Will I have to limit myself to cars with 'slot-in' units? Unfortunately, my budget will not stretch to a new iPod-ready Toyota Aygo or BMW 1-series!

4-age

Nothing you can do if you get an ibiza like that.but most intergrated units do come out

83ste

Leaving a big ugly gaping hole and loose wires?

4-age

Nothing you can do if you get an ibiza like that.but most intergrated units do come out.you can get an ipod adapter for any make of car.

4-age

Nothing you can do if you get an ibiza like that.but most intergrated units do come out.you can get an ipod adapter for any make of car.

83ste

Do you mean an FM transmitter? As I said, have one of them and it's pretty poor.

colm_mcm

FM transmittors or I-trips don't work very well, especially if the aerial is at the back of the car. An FM modulator that actually plugs into the aerial socket on the back of the stereo gives a better signal with less interferance

byte

Unfortunately, a lot of new cars nowadays have these integrated systems that take over have the centre column. Don't know of many cars that have a standard stereo, though Kia comes to mind

Ro-76

colm_mcm wrote:

FM transmittors or I-trips don't work very well, especially if the aerial is at the back of the car.

I have a tunecast, which had similar problems with poor power until I did this mod. It now works fantastically well. I use it in my apartment to play music in different rooms.

There's a similar mod for the itrip.

Ro

smarty

You can get a cable to plug into the back of the stereo for about 15 euro. This will allow you to play the stereo as an AUX input.

fletch

Even aux-in ain't the best to tell the truth....my radio has both a direct connection to my iPod and an aux-in and the sound quality from the aux-in is quite poor and crackly.....

John R

fletch wrote:

Even aux-in ain't the best to tell the truth....my radio has both a direct connection to my iPod and an aux-in and the sound quality from the aux-in is quite poor and crackly.....

Then there is something wrong with the head unit or cable. Or the volume on the output is too high or too low.

A lot of stereos, particularly budget ones don't have aux-in though.

For most makes a faceplate adapter can be got to cover the big gap removing the integrated stereo leaves.


If you only want CD and mp3 player another option is to use a wire-in FM modulator and disconnect the lead from the car aerial so there is no interference from broadcast stations.

colm_mcm

mots intergrated stereos don't have an Aux in, that's the whole point

Garth

I have a €100 stereo from Argos that connects perfectly to my iPod (it is iPod specific) and I control the iPod through the stereo headunit.

It seemed silly to really splash out on a car worth less than 5k and in the end I'm really chuffed with the system.

Stephen

my good old €80 aldi mp3 cd head unit is still serving me well. Beats the crap tape deck that came installed in the car anyways. Handy that the car takes standard iso head units rather than any integrated stuff.

mik_da_man

serrity wrote:

I'm hoping to buy my first car in the next few months and I want to able to replace the head unit with one I can plug my MP3 player into. I have one of the FM transmitter gadgets, but it's not very good, very hissy and frequent interference.

A lot of more recent cars seem to have 'integrated' CD stereo systems built into the dash, for example the SEAT Ibiza...



What (if any) are my options here? Will I have to limit myself to cars with 'slot-in' units? Unfortunately, my budget will not stretch to a new iPod-ready Toyota Aygo or BMW 1-series!

What type of car are ya getting?

I'm getting a new focus in a few weeks and it comes with a Aux line in

83ste

Don't know yet, probably won't be buying until July/August at the earliest.

My budget is €6,000 so most likely a secondhand Polo, Punto, Ibiza, etc...

smarty

colm_mcm wrote:

mots intergrated stereos don't have an Aux in, that's the whole point

Most integrated head units don't have a direct Aux in, but you can get a cable fitted that create an Aux in. Have a look at http://www.evilution.co.uk/lead.htm and you see that they make a cable for the standard grundig head unit in a smart car.

fletch

John R wrote:

Then there is something wrong with the head unit or cable. Or the volume on the output is too high or too low.

Bought a higher quality cable and the interference seems to be gone now...

colm_mcm

smarty wrote:

Most integrated head units don't have a direct Aux in, but you can get a cable fitted that create an Aux in. Have a look at http://www.evilution.co.uk/lead.htm and you see that they make a cable for the standard grundig head unit in a smart car.

The standard Grundig unit in the Smart has an input for a CD changer. it uses this input.

chicken_food

friend of mine has a hyundai accent 01. Had integrated tapedeck,and id looked crap. It covered the center console from top to bottom. He went to hyundai who supplied him with a new facia plate for the center console. Which was the same console but with the din stereo hole instead of the tapedeck. cost 50odd euro. So there is life after integrated stereos.

ninty9er

While integrated units can be a pain, they came about mainly for security so ur leavin urself mor open to the thing being robbed if u put in a non standard stereo. There's a thing u can get for iPods, can't remember what it's called but u tune the radio to a frequency that picks it up(which you set yourself) try one of them, A friend has one and it's great