View Full Version : Anyone know car audio? Trying wire up my ipod...
I just pulled the XBOX out of my car (was using it to play music) now I want to hook up my IPOD instead. I thought this would be really easy... I purchased an adapter to convert the 1/8" mini plug into the RCA inputs on my car receiver. (eventually I want to mount a permanent cradle, but I'm just trying to get it to work first)
OK, so I have it all hooked up, and try playing it, the audio keeps cutting out and coming back in, play 2 seconds, muted for 2 secs, etc. When I turn the volume WAAY down on the ipod it doesn't cut out anymore, but I can't listen to the music this quite. Keep in mind, the XBOX sounded amazing hooked up to these same RCA jacks.
Then I brought the IPOD into the house and hooked it up to the home receivers RCA jacks. Sounds great!
I don't get it. I hate car audio. LOL.
Anyone know what might be causing this problem?
orayoflighto
08-15-2004, 06:12 PM
My guess is that you are overloading the car reciever. Have you tried just using the line out from the dock? (assuming you have a dock)
I have had this same problem with my stereo reciever at home. If I have to loud a signal going into the reciever, it shuts itself off.
Ah, OK. I don't have the dock yet, just wanted to test it first. I'll try it again when I get my dock. Thanks!
Blue_Dawg
08-16-2004, 12:12 AM
or, try turning down the volume on the iPod and turning up the volume of the stereo.
walkabt
08-16-2004, 12:30 AM
Is this the only device you have in the line?
-meaning - do you have two devices you are connecting to the same line in and turned on (even if the other is not playing) at the same time?
Originally posted by walkabt
Is this the only device you have in the line?
-meaning - do you have two devices you are connecting to the same line in and turned on (even if the other is not playing) at the same time?
No, I basically just unplugged the XBOX from the RCA's then plugged the ipod into those. The XBOX sounded great. The iPOD is way too quite. I turned the iPOD up to the maxiumum I could without it cutting out (which is pretty low) then I turned the deck up to MAX volume and it wasn't loud enough to listen to while driving.
I don't know what to do.
Anyway, I went to the apple store and they wanted $39 for a dock ($39 for just about any accessory actually) so, I guess I'm going to have to go to eBay for that. And hopefully it works.
animalchin
08-16-2004, 07:58 PM
Originally posted by Vinz
No, I basically just unplugged the XBOX from the RCA's then plugged the ipod into those. The XBOX sounded great. The iPOD is way too quite. I turned the iPOD up to the maxiumum I could without it cutting out (which is pretty low) then I turned the deck up to MAX volume and it wasn't loud enough to listen to while driving.
I don't know what to do.
Anyway, I went to the apple store and they wanted $39 for a dock ($39 for just about any accessory actually) so, I guess I'm going to have to go to eBay for that. And hopefully it works.
i think it will work. you dont have to get a dock really, get a belkin auto kit or something that connects from the bottom and has a line out...
walkabt
08-17-2004, 12:18 AM
Your Xbox was powered and grounded to the car. How is your ipod connected? You might need to introduce a ground loop isolator or use a power adaptor like the Belkin so your ipod is grounded to the car.
If neither of those work you either have a problem with the headphone jack, which you can test by connecting to your home stereo
OR
You have a problem in your car system.
UK Baz
08-17-2004, 07:20 PM
Sounds like the output could be overloading the RCS connectors on ur car stereo (HU). DO you knwo wot the output voltage is on the ipod?
Does the input on the HU have a gain control?
Im going to get an ipod soon and am planing on buying the iTrip (???) attachment to use it in the car and also in the house. Would this not be a better option?
Baz :)
Originally posted by UK Baz
Sounds like the output could be overloading the RCS connectors on ur car stereo (HU). DO you knwo wot the output voltage is on the ipod?
Does the input on the HU have a gain control?
Im going to get an ipod soon and am planing on buying the iTrip (???) attachment to use it in the car and also in the house. Would this not be a better option?
Baz :)
No gain control on the HU input.
iTrip... Even my wife had something to say about that. "That $250 mp3 player better not sound like ####ty FM radio" lol. One less thing to detach and reattach to the ipod is always a + too so I'll let you all know what happens when I get my dock. I'll make sure the dock is powered too.
Thanks for the suggestions.
Morfious
08-19-2004, 11:09 AM
Originally posted by Vinz
No gain control on the HU input.
iTrip... Even my wife had something to say about that. "That $250 mp3 player better not sound like ####ty FM radio" lol. One less thing to detach and reattach to the ipod is always a + too so I'll let you all know what happens when I get my dock. I'll make sure the dock is powered too.
Thanks for the suggestions.
Turn the ipod up to about 75-90% volume level if you are using the headphone jack. You should then be able to set the volume on your head unit as you normally do. Make sure that you have the RCA jacks hooked up to the INPUT side of things and not the output side. Line out to RCA is always going to sound better than an FM modulator. Depending on your location you could get interference with the radio stations and the itrip may not work well. Also what is the make/model of your HU? May help to better understand your situation.
OK, figured it out, for some reason I had to ground the RCA cables that went to the HU input. First I tried hooking the dock up to power and that didn't help. Then I bought a GLI and had all the cables far from power lines, didn't help.. Then I started screwing around and grounded the RCA's, sounds great.