n73 music through car audio?

C

Canik

New member
I've recently lost my iPod, and seeing as I just purchased the n73, I figured I should find a way to connect the phone to my car's audio system. I realize the best way would be an aux connection to the headphone jack of the phone, but my car's headunit can't do aux connections.

How are FM transmitters now? I haven't used one in years (when I had one, they sucked)
Would one work with the n73?
 
Is it a stock headunit? Cause alot of those (like the one in my GMC Sierra) you can get an adapter off ebay. It plugs into the back of the unit where a disc changer would have gone. It's worth checking into. Mine cost me like, $50 (I think) and it gives you a set of RCA inputs and adds an "AUX" source on your head unit. I.e. when you're pressing the source button you go CD, FM1, FM2, AM, AUX.

That and an RCA to 3.5 cord from Walmart and I plug my iPod in on my truck with the stock unit. None of the controls work but who cares. I've been intending to get the AD-15 adapter so I can plug my N73 in and watch movies on the road but haven't gotten around to it.
 
FM transmitters have gotten better since when they started with the ipod, but you will NEVER get the quality you can get using a 3.5 jack.
 
IMO, Fm transmitters just dont cut it. If you have nothing, then its >okay< at best. I bought a FM Transmitter once with a USB slot for a thumb drive (like this one here) and it was a cool concept, but the audio sucked.

Recently, my carputer died so I was without audio for awhile but I have an aftermarket amp. So what I had going was a rca to a 3.5 mini headphone jack cable, just like Rcadden said, and hooked it up to my phone. Phone>Cable>Amp>Speakers. And it wasnt too bad....

What kind of setup do you have? and what kind of car do you have?
 
My car is a Nissan 350z, with the stock headunit. There's no way to setup an aux connection. If the Bose package is installed, then there is an adapter. But stock - nope.
 
I'd add that if you are going to keep the car for a while, just pony up and get an aftermarket deck ... it'll be worth it in the long run. Just put a pioneer deck in my Pathfinder for about 200.00 bucks (plus another 20 for an ipod hookup). Well worth it -- my wife can plug her ipod in the glove box and control it all from the head-unit (song titles and all)... plus has a Line-in on the front for just about any other source of Audio you'd want. This morning on the way to work, I was listening to Smoothbeats.com, run from the N800 I'm testing streaming over EDGE from my E61, into the Line-in jack. Also works well with my e61 itself plus the AD-15.

Worth investing in, seriously.

-olly
 
My problem is that I never know who to go to for aftermarket audio install. I've been told numerous times never to go to a place like Best Buy or Circuit City. And I don't know of any audio specialty shops around my area (Santa Barbara).
 
I agree, depending on the model of car and your handyness with tools, it's not to difficult. I actually DIDN'T do the install on the Pathfinder myself, the main reason being that it had a stock Bose system in it before, and I didn't want to deal with installing the bose-to-regular adapter (since Bose uses proprietary amp technology, you have to adapt the Pioneer deck to the Bose speakers).

At any rate, do some shopping around, see what people charge, and what kind of guarantee they have on their work. Best Buy isn't as bad as people make it out to be -- I have a buddy who's an installer there, and he and his crew do good work. When he installed mine, the iPod hookup wouldn't work for some reason -- took it back in, he swapped out the connector with a new one for free (not just because he's my buddy, but that's Best Buy's policy), and it worked fine.

As for aftermarket decks, the best price to performance ratio, in my opinion, is Pioneer. There are better decks for sure, but you pay the premium on them.

Also, get a quote on the total cost with install (a lot of places offer free installation over a certain $ amount) and take that quote somewhere else to see if they can match it.

-olly
 
A few months ago I got a JVC KD-G720, mainly because it had a USB port in the on the head unit itself, I tried connecting the N73 is USB mass storage mode, but the head unit couldn't recognize it for some odd reason, I tried also switching it to music player, and pc suite(lol), and couldn't get it to work. For now I just connect my psp to it.
 
if you are willing to spend alittle bit of money, go to best buy. buy a new headunit, poineer or alpine, have them install it and ask them to wire up a 3.5 mm jack so you can run your phone/ipod/laptop/whater to it.

sure its going to cost you 150/200 maybe BUT in the long run, your stock speakers will sound way better than before, and you will have the 3.5 jack to hook up everything. chances are you will even get better reception from radio stations.

if you want to install yourself i suggest www.crutchfield.com they are the best IMO, they include EVERYTHING needed for your install and even very easy to follow instrucions.
 
I'll definitely second crutchfield for the DIY route, they are a great company. Also, if you are going to go that route, I've always loved Blaupunkt decks, which you can't find in most stores, but are available online.

-olly
 
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