Thread: Easy way to play MP3's in your 4WD

I have something similar in my Rangie. The only trouble is if the power is interupted (engine off) it starts palying from the beginning again. Bit of a pain when there are heaps of songs to scan through. Great that it won't scratch or skip though.

I got myself an Ipod Nano (2gig baby model) plus an FM transmitter and ciggy plug charger.

It's great for day to day but even better when offroad as it doesn't skip etc.

Naturally the Ipods are more expensive being brand name but as BigJon mentioned some of the cheaper ones are a PITA to navigate.

Best of the FM units I've found is the Monster Cable one. Worst is the Belkin units. I have the Monster Cable unit in my Disco, Defender has an Alpine unit with an iPod interface, very nice.

I have an el-cheapo type mp3 player that works in a simmilar fashion.
Load a heap of mp3s onto a usb drive plug it in and away you go.
I have had it for about 5 years, doesn't miss a beat and you are only limited by the size of the usb drive, upgrade the drive you get more mp3's.

With mine if you turn off the ignition it starts playing from the start of the current track.
It was great on the way up to Koral Bay once you are out of range of the stations.

Work have just bought a load of 4GB drives, I wonder how long it will take to listen to them all

I must have been living under a rock to miss these little gadgets. I was toying for ages how to get MP3's to play in the Rangie, which has an excellent stock standard stereo from factory I must add so i was reluctant to rip it out.

Why not just get a RCA to 3.5mm lead and double up on your CD changer input on the existine stereo, cost is about $20 for two connectors and the lead. That will plug the MP3 player straight into the existing input for your stereo

Originally Posted by dobbo

Why not just get a RCA to 3.5mm lead and double up on your CD changer input on the existine stereo, cost is about $20 for two connectors and the lead. That will plug the MP3 player straight into the existing input for your stereo

I've got an older model Pioneer cassette player with CD stacker which has 3 sets of RCA outputs. You can flick a switch on the back of the unit and one of the outputs becomes an input. Never did get around to utilising the input though.

Originally Posted by BigJon

I have something similar in my Rangie. The only trouble is if the power is interupted (engine off) it starts palying from the beginning again. Bit of a pain when there are heaps of songs to scan through. Great that it won't scratch or skip though.

I bought one from jaycar - it comes with a cable that goes from an ipod - or in my case the navman to the fm transmitter - that way you can use windows media player - or whatever plays your music to play - that way you dont have to scan through the songs to find one once the power is off - little trick with this unit - go to "FM2" on your car radio and pre program the stations to the 7 or 8 broadcast staions that way when one gets interference you just hit the next channel on both the stereo and the radio - works a treat - on and to secure the unit to the dash i have gone for velcro dots in work cars saves me carrying the navman cradle

Mick