# Really stupid aftermarket car stereo question **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 4, 2008, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-stupid-aftermarket-car-stereo-question/436169 "2008-02-04T04:31:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2008, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-stupid-aftermarket-car-stereo-question/436169/1 "2008-02-04T04:31:19Z")
I’m tired of that FM crap with my iPod - I want a car stereo that I can plug it into. I’ve never put in an aftermarket stereo in any car, so I really don’t know what I’m looking at necessarily. My question, and it is VERY stupid, is - um, do these fancy ugly blue stereo things have a clock? A nice big clock ? In the pictures they’re all just saying the input. I don’t give a crap about the input, I need to know what time it is! Also, are there any red ones? Red lights, I mean. My car has red interior light stuff and I think it’s very soothing. ---
**Author:** ![Satellite\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Satellite\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Satellite_Guy)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2008, 5:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-stupid-aftermarket-car-stereo-question/436169/2 "2008-02-04T05:06:20Z")
[QUOTE=Zsofia] I’m tired of that FM crap with my iPod - I want a car stereo that I can plug it into. I’ve never put in an aftermarket stereo in any car, so I really don’t know what I’m looking at necessarily. My question, and it is VERY stupid, is - um, do these fancy ugly blue stereo things have a clock? A nice big clock ? In the pictures they’re all just saying the input. I don’t give a crap about the input, I need to know what time it is! Also, are there any red ones? Red lights, I mean. My car has red interior light stuff and I think it’s very soothing. [/QUOTE] Many car stereos have selectable displays (can display track number, track name, time… as you choose) Also, some have red displays. Some even have user-defined color. (set it to red, green, blue, purple… whatever flips your switch) I haven’t been looking into specific ones in a while, so I can’t really recommend any model at the moment, but I’m sure someone will come along who can. S^G ---
**Author:** ![Satellite\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Satellite\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Satellite_Guy)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2008, 5:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-stupid-aftermarket-car-stereo-question/436169/3 "2008-02-04T05:14:27Z")
I was just checking out Best Buy’s site, and here’s one that, if I had the same wish list as you do, could be a good choice: > **[Best Buy: Alpine Apple® iPod™/Satellite Radio/HD-Radio-Ready CD Deck CDA-9883](https://www.bestbuy.com/site/alpine-apple-ipod-satellite-radio-hd-radio-ready-cd-deck/8222568.p?skuId=8222568)** > > Shop Alpine Apple® iPod™/Satellite Radio/HD-Radio-Ready CD Deck at Best Buy. Find low everyday prices and buy online for delivery or in-store pick-up. Price Match Guarantee. It’s iPod-ready, too. S^G ---
**Author:** ![Balthisar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/balthisar/32/2825_2.png) [@Balthisar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balthisar)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2008, 5:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-stupid-aftermarket-car-stereo-question/436169/4 "2008-02-04T05:14:44Z")
It’s easier just to buy a new car with a mini-jack input. I say that from the perspective of someone that doesn’t like all the bling associated with after market stereos. I mean, don’t any of them care about integration??? Me myself, I didn’t see that it was worth $30,000 to buy a new car, so I replaced my CD changer functionality with a flawless ipod2car adapter. It was only $200, and it works with my steering wheel controls, it’s hidden, and there’s no hideous bling anywhere inside my car. ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2008, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-stupid-aftermarket-car-stereo-question/436169/5 "2008-02-04T14:36:13Z")
[QUOTE=Balthisar] It’s easier just to buy a new car with a mini-jack input. I say that from the perspective of someone that doesn’t like all the bling associated with after market stereos. I mean, don’t any of them care about integration??? Me myself, I didn’t see that it was worth $30,000 to buy a new car, so I replaced my CD changer functionality with a flawless ipod2car adapter. It was only $200, and it works with my steering wheel controls, it’s hidden, and there’s no hideous bling anywhere inside my car. [/QUOTE] How does that work? Do you have a link? (I also need any radio to be XM-capable. How does that work? Can they just swap 'em out? Will I have to have XM resend my signal?) ---
**Author:** ![Balthisar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/balthisar/32/2825_2.png) [@Balthisar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balthisar)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2008, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/really-stupid-aftermarket-car-stereo-question/436169/6 "2008-02-04T16:25:38Z")
[QUOTE=Zsofia] How does that work? Do you have a link? (I also need any radio to be XM-capable. How does that work? Can they just swap 'em out? Will I have to have XM resend my signal?) [/QUOTE] [This](http://www.icarkits.com/product_info.php?products_id=50) is the one I have. But… it’s for iPods only – it won’t integrate with your XM receiver. The one I have also replaces the useless CD changer (actually, just disconnects it), but it works with all of the native stereo controls. Because I have an older, unsophisticated stereo, though, I don’t get track information on the stereo display. Some of the models for other cars do put the iPod information on your stereo display, however.