| From rock music to pop to classical, nothing beats the | | | | and all you need to do is venture out and get a new |
| iPod in its functionality. A cute little gadget that has | | | | one installed. |
| turned the music world on its head, the iPod is set to | | | | Now let us look at the options available for those of us |
| storm yet another bastion - your car audio. After all, it | | | | who have already invested their surplus cash in the |
| is natural for you to want to listen to music, as a music | | | | iPod and cannot afford to buy a new, compatible audio |
| lover, anywhere and everywhere and that includes | | | | system. Make use of one of the several options |
| your car. This article is about how to hook on your | | | | enumerated here. Direct connection to a CD or a |
| iPod to your car audio, freeing you from those pesky | | | | cassette player is sure to result in the best quality, |
| earphones that bite into your ears if put on for too | | | | while FM broadcasts, though much more popular, have |
| long, and add the thumping power of your car audio | | | | their limitations as well. |
| speakers to your music. | | | | Making a direct connection between the car audio and |
| Using your iPod thus frees you from the shackles of | | | | the iPod allows you to use the full functions of your |
| conventional CDs and tapes since it allows you to | | | | iPod, and is the recommended solution. Some car |
| download music in unlimited quantity from the internet. | | | | connection kits use a simple cable to connect the iPod |
| You can thus harness the explosive power of music | | | | (either of the dock connector or the earphone out |
| software to enhance your listening experience. The | | | | jack) to the auxiliary input jacks provided. Others may |
| free music software that comes bundled with the iPod | | | | utilize the CD changer port found behind several car |
| would already allow you access to the plethora of | | | | radios. |
| songs/music on your PC, and get a fresh lot when you | | | | Coming to the car radios which include a cassette |
| get bored with the old ones. | | | | player, you need to invest in a cassette adapter. |
| So how do we go about setting up our little project? | | | | Typically, these adapters look like a tape with a cable |
| Let us explore the various possible situations and their | | | | attached, and work by transferring the audio output |
| suggested solutions. | | | | signal from the iPod to the read head of the cassette |
| Some of you may be lucky and only need to pull out a | | | | player. Switching to 'Cassette', and pressing play will |
| cable to attach to the audio system - your car | | | | allow the iPod music to play over your car speakers. |
| manufacturer may have been good to you and | | | | Despite its typical problems, it is the FM connectivity |
| included iPod connectivity to your player. Go through | | | | that is going places. Use an FM transmitter to transmit |
| the instruction booklet that came with the system. If | | | | to your car radio, which further uses an unused FM |
| you don't find the cable in the glove compartment, | | | | frequency to do so. While it enjoys the advantage of |
| chances are you may have been provided with a | | | | being wireless and easily portable, there is a definite |
| dashboard jack. The iPod is controlled through the | | | | loss in music quality. Another problem is finding a free |
| car's in-dash audio system, and even recharges while | | | | FM channel in a busy city environment, though none of |
| it plays! Alternatively, you may use the auxiliary input | | | | these deters this solution from being the most popular |
| jack to hook on. | | | | one as of date. |
| Most new cars already have inbuilt iPod compatibility, | | | | So go ahead and reap the benefits of technology by |
| but it is well worth checking out while looking at the | | | | using any of the methods outlined above. Spread the |
| features of your impending purchase. | | | | good word, and meanwhile, appreciate that melody |
| Already own a car but don't have the connectivity? | | | | when you go out on the next long drive! |
| iPod enabled audio systems are commonly available, | | | | |