Audio suggestions for car

[urklegrue]

I have a 2007 Honda Odyssey with no cassette player and no auxiliary jack in the front. Strangely there is one in the very back row that seems to connect to the DVD system. I live in a big metropolitan area and there are very few FM stations free, so I found the FM transmitter really spotty when I used it with the ipod.

So my question is, if you were me, how would you connect the Droid's audio to the car speakers? A really long cable to the back row input? Or should I just get a bluetooth speakerphone and forget about ever using the car speakers again?

 

[Erron]

I would buy a new car stereo with an aux input or bluetooth streaming. I did this for my f150. It was about $140 and is one of my best purchases of 2009.

I have a 2007 Honda Odyssey with no cassette player and no auxiliary jack in the front. Strangely there is one in the very back row that seems to connect to the DVD system. I live in a big metropolitan area and there are very few FM stations free, so I found the FM transmitter really spotty when I used it with the ipod.

So my question is, if you were me, how would you connect the Droid's audio to the car speakers? A really long cable to the back row input? Or should I just get a bluetooth speakerphone and forget about ever using the car speakers again?

 

[MNTNBKR]

It really depends on how much money you're willing to part with for the functionality that you're looking for. This option will allow you to connect directly to your factory stereo via an RCA cable. It also has a direct connection to control an ipod. I'm not 100% that this will work for your vehicle, but I did the lookup on the USASPEC website and this is what came up.

Amazon.com: USA Spec iPod® Interface Connects your iPod to select Honda/Acura factory radios: Electronics

You won't be able to control the audio from your Droid using the factory stereo like you can with an ipod, but it still plays the music without interference.

I bought one of these for my '02 Volvo S60 because I had the same problem as you. I wanted to hook up my Sirius without using the FM transmitter. I now use it for my Droid (cancelled Sirius) and my ipod nano, and it works flawlessly!

It's a bit pricey though, so if you're looking for a cheap way to do it, this probably isn't it, and I don't know of anything else that would work. Also, unless you're confident working on your car, you'll probably have to pay to have it installed.

 

[640k]

I have a 2007 Honda Odyssey with no cassette player and no auxiliary jack in the front. Strangely there is one in the very back row that seems to connect to the DVD system. I live in a big metropolitan area and there are very few FM stations free, so I found the FM transmitter really spotty when I used it with the ipod.

So my question is, if you were me, how would you connect the Droid's audio to the car speakers? A really long cable to the back row input? Or should I just get a bluetooth speakerphone and forget about ever using the car speakers again?

get a 15ft headphone to RCA cable from monoprice for $4 and call it a day.

run it under your carpet and through your center console. you could drill a hole somewhere discreeet and leave the cable hanging out.

 

[MNTNBKR]

As Erron mentioned you could just as easily opt for a new head unit with bluetooth. I also have one of those in my Bonneville, and it works pretty good.

 

[Erron]

Nice to see another metro detroiter. Im in Canton area.

As Erron mentioned you could just as easily opt for a new head unit with bluetooth. I also have one of those in my Bonneville, and it works pretty good.

 

[Atook]

A third for the blue tooth headunit. I bought a Sony this past year and love it. It's got an aux in the front and the rear, as well as blue tooth, and integrated microphone for phone calls. So I can rock out to Pandora over blue tooth, when an incoming call comes in, the phone rings through the speakers, and Pandora pauses. Hit a button on the unit, and I can take the call on speakerphone. Pandora resumes when the call ends. All for $200. I did install the additional microphone for phone calls, which helped call quality immensely.

 

[urklegrue]

Thanks everyone! The iPod interface device is something to look into, but I'm not too sure about replacing the whole stereo, since so much is integrated into it (XM, DVD, nav system, etc). I really wanted an AUX jack when we bought the car but for some reason Honda was going to charge an arm and a leg for it.

So my best bet is probably the 15 ft cable at this point.

 

[640k]

<--- native Detroiter. was just there for the wing's game over the weekend.

 

[Joshyman]

I'd get a cheap head unit from Walmart with an auxiliary plug in the front. The sound quality is amazing that way. Don't use a transmitter.

 

[bossrogue]

I'd get a cheap head unit from Walmart with an auxiliary plug in the front. The sound quality is amazing that way. Don't use a transmitter.

I don't know if you wanna go the "cheap" way or not. But buying a new head unit is the way to go.

 

[bgrubb7]

You can go with a hard wired FM modulator. Plug directly between your antenna and radio. Even if your frequency is not empty, it supplies a strong enough signal that it overrides the station completely. Great sound quality with no interference like the wireless transmitters. Alot cheaper than a new head unit.

 

[takeshi]

Thanks everyone! The iPod interface device is something to look into, but I'm not too sure about replacing the whole stereo, since so much is integrated into it (XM, DVD, nav system, etc). I really wanted an AUX jack when we bought the car but for some reason Honda was going to charge an arm and a leg for it.

So my best bet is probably the 15 ft cable at this point.

If those were my concerns, I'd go with something like the Blitzsafe HON/AUX DMX V.2X to add an aux input. Their site lists its MSRP as $120 but street price is probably less if you look around.

Though the USA Spec PA15-HON2 looks to be a better deal for the price since you're getting an iPod interface and aux in.

 

[Joshyman]

Or you could just not buy a Honda!

 

[takeshi]

They can pry my S2000 from my cold dead hands. In any case, I went with a new head unit as I really wanted one with a built-in iPod interface.