QuestionI want to hook up a cable to my stereo so I can plug/play my Sirius or my IPod directly though the radio. How do I do it? Kim
AnswerHi Kim,
There are three options available to you.
1.) Purchase an FM transmitter, such as the Belkin Tunecast II, and use it to connect wirelessly.
2.) Purchase a cassette adaptor, available from several vendors. These devices convert audio signals from your iPod or other source to magnetic signals that can be read by the playback head on your cassette deck. Obviously, this option only works if you have a cassette deck!
3.) This is the best, most reliable, highest-quality option, but requires the most expertise, and may void your car's warranty. It is possible to remove the radio from the dashboard (it's a different proceedure from car-to-car, year-to-year, etc -- read the service manual). From there, you or someone with electronics knowledge should be able to take apart the radio, solder a mini audio connector on to the circuit board immediately before it connects to the amplification circuit, and then cut a hole in the faceplate to allow the connector to pass through.
4.) Now that I think about it some more, there's actually a fourth option -- visit a car stereo specialty shop and purchase one of several radios that are pre-built with an audio jack installed. As iPods, Sirus receivers, and the like get more and more popular, it is becoming easier and easier to find pre-made solutions that don't require soldering and cutting holes in things.
