[RAMdrd]

I'm currently using an iTrip FM transmitter to play my iPod through the Mach.

But signal strength is minimal, FM is not a good way to import good audio, and the Mach tuner is not particularly sensitive.

So I want to add an adapter that uses the Rear Control Unit to give me three RCA inputs (I only need one, but what the heck) and I found this:

peripheral adapter

Some sites say "If your car uses a Rear Control Unit...". I didn't see reference in the Owner's Manual about the RCU (no real surprise there) so I'm wondering if my '02 SEL has one.

If so, this adapter looks to be what I want.

What and where is the RCU?

 

[silvapain]

I don't know for sure about the G4, but for the G3 it is in the trunk on the drivers side. Pull up the carpet around the dirvers fenderwell and it should be mounted on the rear of the wheelwell. You can look in my garage under "RCU" if you want to see a pic of the G3 RCU and it's mounting.

 

[sdavis1465]

The RCU on a Gen4 is in the same place as yours behind the rear fenderwell on the drivers side.

 

[RAMdrd]

Thanks for the info and the pic, guys.

It looks like plug n play, and routing the cable under the carpet.

 

[sabledale]

I installed a Wired (NOT WIRELESS) FM modulator in my car to add an imput for an mp3 player! It works great and can cut out a fairly strong signal perfectly with not interferance!
This is the unit I got
http://www.pyleaudio.com/itemdetail.asp?model=PLMD2
you may be able to get it cheaper because I got it for $25 from a local shop.
then you need one of these cords to go from rca plugs to a single stereo plug for an MP3 unit.
http://www.cablestogo.com/product.asp?cat%...=2009&sku=03178
you probally have this problem solved by now but this could help others in the same situation.

 

[W96GRN]

I would recommend the PIE Aux in Adapter, sure its more expensive, but it also gives CD quality sound. While proper FM Modulators are ok, the clarity and stuff that comes with the proper plug in stuff is amazing.
(I went from a FM Modulated changer to one from CDchangersonline.com)

 

[sabledale]

I have to say that my FM modulator does better than cd quality sound! was your modulator wired or wireless because that can make all the difference. wireless tend to be much crappier!

 

[submariner]

Originally posted by wozza@Jul 27 2004, 02:49 AM
I would recommend the PIE Aux in Adapter, sure its more expensive, but it also gives CD quality sound. While proper FM Modulators are ok, the clarity and stuff that comes with the proper plug in stuff is amazing.
(I went from a FM Modulated changer to one from CDchangersonline.com)

Hey, noticed you have a Taurus Ghia... have to say I had to take a doubletake when I saw one (dark blue) in Canberra when I vacationed in Sydney in Feb. '02. Do you have any pictures of your car online?

 

[SpeedyGreeny]

Im lovin' the icon, Wozza. B)

 

[W96GRN]

Yes my cd changer fm modulator was hard wired, but a direct comparison showed that the proper Aux-in to me sounded way better.

I don't have good pictures of the car online....but I'll go take some photos and post them today still. The only catch is the car is horribly dirty. I am really lazy when it comes to washing it.

Thanks SpeedyGreeny

Julian

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

I installed an FM modulator (hard wired) in 92 Sable and it has cd quality sound. There is no comparison to the iTrip.

Spiff

 

[sabledale]

I don't have experence with the iTrip but I have to say that my modulator puts out better than cd quality with my Mp3 player plugged in. I would have to see how the iTune works to tell which I would say is better but they both sound like good options to me to add an imput for mp3 players.

 

[silvapain]

How can an mp3 ever be "better" than CD quality? The very nature of the way mp3s are compressed reduces sound quality. It's just not possible.

 

[sabledale]

mp3's are not a compressed wave file. They are a different code system that is able to produce clearer music while taking up less space. Granted, if you encode a cd wave file to mp3 the quality will not improve. If you get a file that was recorded in an mp3 format, it can be clear and better quality than a cd because it did not start its life as a wave. An mp3 is an improved way of recording and not just compression!

 

[silvapain]

http://mp3.radified.com/lossless.htm

High-quality MP3's typically require bit-rates of 175- to 225-kbps. Let's use 200-kbps as a happy median for purposes of making a comparison. Wave files from the original CDs are 1411-kbps. This number is calculated like so: 44.1 KHz * 2 channels * 16 bits = 1411.2-kbps [or nearly 10-MBytes/min].

mp3's are inherently lower quality.

 

[sabledale]

they are a smaller file because they are based on a different coding system. This does not make them lower quality unless you try to convert a file to mp3 that was not originally recorded in mp3 format. You can have a file that is 1/6 off the size with NO quality lost if you record it right from the begining. That link is talking about what happens when you conver files to mp3 format from something such as a wave file.

 

[silvapain]

Did you even read my quote? A bit is a bit, no matter what coding system you use. If you read the link I posted, you will see exactly how mp3's get the smaller file sizes. Coding has nothing to do with it.

 

[shoz123]

Why not tap into the casset inputs?

 

[YAHTEC]

i'm a little late, but I have a good pic of the RCU in my cardomain site!

 

[sabledale]

Originally posted by silvapain@Jul 30 2004, 11:38 AM
A bit is a bit, no matter what coding system you use.

A bit is a bit and i can't argue that, but by using newer and more complexed coding systems were the device has to do mor desifering you can fit more iformation in the same amount of space without taking anything away aa far as quality. You do not lose quality, you just fit more info in the same space by useing a different coding system. The device desifering the info does more of the work instead of the media file being so big.