# I want my tunes! **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 18, 2009, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-my-tunes/506810 "2009-08-18T02:55:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Serenata67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/serenata67/32/10646_2.png) [@Serenata67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Serenata67)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2009, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-my-tunes/506810/1 "2009-08-18T02:55:11Z")
I bought a new car (well, new to me… a used car) and it doesn’t have a tape deck. I understand that most people don’t use or want tapes anymore, I have a reason for wanting a tape deck: to listen to my MP3 player. I have one of the cassette adapter things that plugs into the headphone jack. Now, to listen to my MP3 player, I have to buy one of those radio adapter things. I’m thinking I don’t want one that has to be plugged into a cigarette lighter because I’d like to be able to use it with my home stereo, if I could. What should I look for? Any brands that work best? I love my tunes and need my music! (BTW, mods, I’m not sure if this is cafe question, so feel free to move it… but it _is_ about keeping music in my life!) ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2009, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-my-tunes/506810/2 "2009-08-18T02:59:53Z")
> [@Serenata67](#): > > I’m thinking I don’t want one that has to be plugged into a cigarette lighter because I’d like to be able to use it with my home stereo, if I could. Some, like the Griffin Road Trip, can be powered by a cigarette lighter or a USB port. ---
**Author:** ![SeaDragonTattoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@SeaDragonTattoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeaDragonTattoo)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2009, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-my-tunes/506810/3 "2009-08-18T03:17:54Z")
Bluetooth. You can get adapters for car audio, home audio, computer, and headphones. Don’t know much else, except I use it at home and with headphones myself, but I have seen the Bluetooth symbol outside of car stereo installers, and it’s the way I would go if I wanted to outfit another car. ---
**Author:** ![PatriotGrrrl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9dc877/32.png) [@PatriotGrrrl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatriotGrrrl)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2009, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-my-tunes/506810/4 "2009-08-18T03:26:31Z")
> [@Serenata67](#): > > I have a reason for wanting a tape deck: to listen to my MP3 player. I have one of the cassette adapter things that plugs into the headphone jack. > > Now, to listen to my MP3 player, I have to buy one of those radio adapter things. I’m thinking I don’t want one that has to be plugged into a cigarette lighter because I’d like to be able to use it with my home stereo, if I could. > _is_ about keeping music in my life!) Dude. It’s **2009**. All but the absolute cheapest junk car stereos (I think that’s what you old folks used to call them) _come with_ both audio in and USB jacks (for use with either an mp3 player or a flash drive). :rolleyes: . ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2009, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-my-tunes/506810/5 "2009-08-18T20:16:14Z")
Yes, check for an auxilary input for your MP3 player. It will be a little 1/8" hole that you plug a cable into. If so, you just need an $8 (GEEZ!) Male\<—\>Male 1/8" stereo cable from Radio Shark and you’ll have much better sound quality than the cassette adapter or FM transmitter. ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2009, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-my-tunes/506810/6 "2009-08-19T13:17:41Z")
> [@control-z](#): > > Yes, check for an auxilary input for your MP3 player. It will be a little 1/8" hole that you plug a cable into. If so, you just need an $8 (GEEZ!) Male\<—\>Male 1/8" stereo cable from Radio Shark and you’ll have much better sound quality than the cassette adapter or FM transmitter. This was my thinking, but as the car is a used one, it might not even have that. My car is a 2006 model and has no such input (they were being introduced with the next model year) Anything older than that, it’d be a pretty unusual thing unless the stereo was an upgraded model. It _does_ at least have a cassette player (which we use exclusively for the adapter for the iPod), unlike the OP’s car. ---
**Author:** ![Serenata67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/serenata67/32/10646_2.png) [@Serenata67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Serenata67)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2009, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-my-tunes/506810/7 "2009-08-20T01:32:42Z")
> [@PatriotGrrrl](#): > > Dude. It’s **2009**. > > All but the absolute cheapest junk car stereos (I think that’s what you old folks used to call them) _come with_ both audio in and USB jacks (for use with either an mp3 player or a flash drive). :rolleyes: > > . I’m 26… I’m not old. I bought a used car because I’m young and can’t afford one that’s all tripped out. I found the AUX port and will be going to the store tomorrow to get the cable. Thanks all!