Portable Mp3 Integration

[Skeete]

I have been in a dillema since I bought my MR2. It came with the standard CD/Tape/FM which in itself is great as nobody in their right mind will try and steal it. My thoughts were to integrate an MP3 player into the headunit without any horible wires sticking out. I am going to be receiving a lovely 60gb Creative Zen MP3/WMA player in the next few days and want to integrate it properly, and that includes wiring it into the 12v cigarette socket so it can be powered.

Has anybody else doen something like this and put the player somewhere like the little pocket next to the drivers right knee or in place of the ashtray ?

:hokus-pokus:

[Bibbs]

I play my MP3's on my Xbox .. problem is using the media player via the controller when driving ..

[Stef Derner]

I play my MP3's on my Xbox .. problem is using the media player via the controller when driving ..

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On the news this evening, I heard someone recently got a 12 month ban for having a PS/2 and screen fitted to the dashboard. It seems it's illegal if you can see the screen while driving.

[Bibbs]

I play my MP3's on my Xbox .. problem is using the media player via the controller when driving ..

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On the news this evening, I heard someone recently got a 12 month ban for having a PS/2 and screen fitted to the dashboard. It seems it's illegal if you can see the screen while driving.

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tis true, unless its driving related (sat nav, guages etc) the driver isn't allowed to see the TV ..

I have to put the coursor on the "next" button and then hide the telly and hit A when I want the next tune :)

I know the IPod has a transmitter optional extra (illegal in this country) or you can plug anything into an FM modulator?

[Skeete]

I play my MP3's on my Xbox .. problem is using the media player via the controller when driving ..

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Thats a Crazy setup bibbs !!

What sort of sound quality do you find yuo get running MP3s ? Do you think its going to sound reasonable bearing in mind I am no sound conesieur, listen to radio2 and am running standard Speakers and stereo..

I am going to wire it to the input into the amp inside the headunit and run all of the cables out of the back throught the dash to where I am going to have some sort of mount for the player.

How do you power your Xbox out of interest ? dosnt that need some crazy 230v 13amp power source ?

[Bryn]

I have an ipod in my but i bought i specific head unit and adapter for it.

I definately know of a transmitter for the ipod at least, by now they should have them for then for the zens. It transmitts your music through radio and you can pick it up obviously on the fm reciver. Thing is you would have too controll your music from your portable player mind i cant thinkhow else you would control it.

I have also seen universal adapters for the ipod which can be plug into any head unit but as for the creative ones i dunno.

I am currently workin a full pc into my MR2. That would be a sure way of gettin your mp3( and videos) in your car.

:D

[Bibbs]

MP3's are okay .. I've my entire CD collection WMA'ed up on my xbox (over 3000 songs - all legal mind you). The quality is good.

My head unit does CD/MD and the Xbox deals with the other formats. I've even got a few Kylie/Boogie Pimps vids for the car shows :)

I'd suggest NOT using your ciggy lighter - the alternator will add interferance to the power (so when you rev, the sound will whistle). Run some large cable from your Battery and tap into that direct.

I've got a 230v 300amp inverter in the front of the car .. enough to run an electric buffer at JAE, but not enough for a hair dryer (hairdresser car and all that).

[grajey]

Bryn,

Why do you have an iPod in your but?

Punctuation makes a world of difference.

[Bryn]

Bryn,

Why do you have an iPod in your but?

Punctuation makes a world of difference.

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Sorry dude i am tottaly dislexic (notic spelling) that should be i have an ipod in mine, but ....

Cheers Dude :P :D

[Karma Supra]

I was chatting toa bloke the other day, he has a Jag XJS, and is trying to keep it as stadnard as possible!

He did owever want Mp3 playback.. so he did something very clever that I have never heard of...

Using an old crappy laptop with a large hard drive, he made an interface betwewn the factory CD changer controls and the laptop, He wrote a bit of software so the entire thing can be remotely controlled from up front, and there are NO buttone or anything that was not there on the factory 80s headunit! yet he has a full many gig, Mp3 playback device.

I thought that was quality

[Mr2dude]

MP3's are fine for incar music IMO, provided you encode them 128Kbps+, 192 is better.

I've fitted a 80gig RioCar player in mine, and the sound quality is great.

Soz cant be of use to the main topic on the thread though. Main bonus of the MR2 when fitting custom stereo's with no intergrated amp, is the car's amp is seperate from the head unit, so you just need to link up to the amp wires, not amplify them somehow before getting them to the Speakers.

[Bibbs]

The stock system is pretty pants.

I've stripped out and replaced all of mine.

Now I have components, 10" sub and 12" sub .. and 3 amps ..

[Skeete]

MP3's are fine for incar music IMO, provided you encode them 128Kbps+, 192 is better.

I've fitted a 80gig RioCar player in mine, and the sound quality is great.

Soz cant be of use to the main topic on the thread though. Main bonus of the MR2 when fitting custom stereo's with no intergrated amp, is the car's amp is seperate from the head unit, so you just need to link up to the amp wires, not amplify them somehow before getting them to the speakers.

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Thanks for this, I didnt know the amp was seperate, I can splice the connection into the cables infront of the amp wihtout having to take the stereo apart :D The SNR on the player I am getting is 98db, better than some of the headunits I looked at.

Just thinking about this though, I want to still be able to use "some" of the controls on the headunit such as volume so I will still need to splice the cables infront of the volume control somewhere in the headunit.

Does anybody have a wire diagram for a stock headunit and speaker system they can share with us ?

Cheers.

Skeete.

[naisbest]

I have the neo ion and i got it off www.mp3yourcar.com , sounds nice in my Supra

[Skeete]

I have the neo ion and i got it off www.mp3yourcar.com , sounds nice in my Supra

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I fitted all of this now,.. I am just using an RF modulator that you can plug anything into. The quality of the sound is surprisingly good.

It is a bit of a pain changing songas the screen on the Nomad is a little small for when I am going exactly the speed limit

[EarL]

...just get yourself a headunit that plays MP3's. Bought mine a little while back for £200. Much easier than farting about with lots of cables 'n' crap. ;)

[Skeete]

...just get yourself a headunit that plays MP3's.  Bought mine a little while back for £200.  Much easier than farting about with lots of cables 'n' crap.  ;)

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I chose not to change the headunit as I like the standard look. Plus all of the ~£200 mp3 headunits were like something out of a ghetto pimp wagon.

I think the way I have my nomad hooked up is classy and secure as nobody can nick it, and they wont want to nick a stock mr2 stereo (i hope). After all, Reading isnt the most salubrius of areas.