# Tell me how you jacked your iPod into your car **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 20, 2006, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-how-you-jacked-your-ipod-into-your-car/349121 "2006-03-20T13:09:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![MeanJoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/meanjoe/32/5693_2.png) [@MeanJoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeanJoe)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2006, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-how-you-jacked-your-ipod-into-your-car/349121/21 "2006-03-25T15:19:41Z")
I’ve used the Monster FM modulator - didn’t work at all. I guess it is b/c in this city there just isn’t a clean enough FM frequency. Just terrible static and God forbid you actually touched anything once it was hooked up - CRACK-SNAP-FIZZ static pop to make your ears bleed. I returned it pronto. I’ve also tried the Belkin tape-to-iPod connector - also very unsatifactory. Connection was fine, no static or ugly noise but I also could NOT hear the iPod at all. Even with the volume jacked up on the stereo and/or iPod the volume would barely get above your typical road/driving noise. If anyone has suggestions on what I may be doing wrong please let me know. Oh, I have an iPod Nano. ---
**Author:** ![MeanJoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/meanjoe/32/5693_2.png) [@MeanJoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeanJoe)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2006, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-how-you-jacked-your-ipod-into-your-car/349121/22 "2006-03-25T15:21:44Z")
> [@mjsmith0469](#): > > . > > I’ve also tried the Belkin tape-to-iPod connector - also very unsatifactory. Connection was fine, no static or ugly noise but I also could NOT hear the iPod at all. Even with the volume jacked up on the stereo and/or iPod the volume would barely get above your typical road/driving noise. If anyone has suggestions on what I may be doing wrong please let me know. > > Oh, I have an iPod Nano. Forgot to add - a friend has a regular iPod with a tape deck connector and we’ve used it on road-trips in my vehicle and did not have the same volume issues. Played great. Not sure if it is the connector I bought vs. his Sony or if it has to do with the relative power of a Nano vs. full-size iPod? ---
**Author:** ![jackelope](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a6a055/32.png) [@jackelope](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackelope)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2006, 8:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-how-you-jacked-your-ipod-into-your-car/349121/23 "2006-03-26T08:22:48Z")
**FlyingDragonFan** , does your stereo have an “auxiliary” plug? A few years ago I installed one of the world’s cheapest CD players ($40) in my truck, and it’s got a plug for “auxiliary” devices. I went to Radio Shack and spent $5 on a 12-inch cable that goes from my mp3 player to the auxiliary plug, and it works like a charm. (I can’t find the exact cable on-line, but it had connectors like [this](http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2131111&cp=2032058.2032228.2032255&parentPage=family) at both ends. Unlike the one in the link, it only cost $5.) The **jillelope** uses a tape-deck converter to her iPod, but you said you don’t have a tape deck, so I guess that’s out. ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2006, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-how-you-jacked-your-ipod-into-your-car/349121/24 "2006-03-26T16:39:59Z")
> [@mjsmith0469](#): > > I’ve also tried the Belkin tape-to-iPod connector - also very unsatifactory. Connection was fine, no static or ugly noise but I also could NOT hear the iPod at all. Even with the volume jacked up on the stereo and/or iPod the volume would barely get above your typical road/driving noise. If anyone has suggestions on what I may be doing wrong please let me know. Just in case you didn’t notice - if you mean [this Belkin adapter](http://catalog.belkin.com/IWCatProductPage.process?Product_Id=149006), there’s another volume control to worry about. It’s on the adapter, near the line out connector. If that doesn’t work, you could try plugging the tape adapter directly to the iPod’s earphone connector. You can still use the Belkin auto kit as a power source. ---
**Author:** ![MeanJoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/meanjoe/32/5693_2.png) [@MeanJoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeanJoe)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2006, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-how-you-jacked-your-ipod-into-your-car/349121/25 "2006-03-27T01:15:51Z")
Actually, I just dug my tape-connector out and it is not a Belkin - it is a Monster. It has the “tape” for in the cassette player and one line out which plugs into the earphone jack of my iPod Nano. Is it possible, that since it also does not have a power cable that the Nano just doesn’t provide enough \umph\ running on the battery? ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2006, 5:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-how-you-jacked-your-ipod-into-your-car/349121/26 "2006-03-27T05:12:37Z")
> [@mjsmith0469](#): > > Actually, I just dug my tape-connector out and it is not a Belkin - it is a Monster. It has the “tape” for in the cassette player and one line out which plugs into the earphone jack of my iPod Nano. OK, sounds like a generic cassette adapter. It should work with the Nano, with or without a power cable connected. I’m not sure why it isn’t working. The only thing I can think of to try is to put it the adapter into the player upside down. And also try hitting the tape reverse button. But not all cassette players work with tape adapters. The one in my 1983 Mercedes doesn’t - the auto reverse keeps kicking in. Fortunately the FM transmitter works extremely well in this car, even though the antenna is in the back. I’m guessing its antenna cable is poorly shielded, and therefore easily picks up transmission from inside the car. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-how-you-jacked-your-ipod-into-your-car/349121.md?page=1)