19.09.2011 | by Dracovina | Tips, Music | Comments (3)

MP3 in car - without player

Everyone surely knows one or more people with this problem or is even affected by that: you would like to hear your own MP3 songs in the car and have no suitable device for playback. Either the radio, which is located in the car, has got only a CD or tape drive, the radio can not be expanded because it is tightly integrated in the car or you have none of that.

Anyone who thinks that there is no solution and that he has to scrabbles about in his old CDs to listen music in car, you can still learn something:

A good alternative is called FM transmitter (or radio transmitter). Simply connect it with the cigarette lighter in the car, put a USB flash drive or SD card in the front, adjust frequencies and the radio transmitter and you can hear your own MP3 songs.

How does it work?

The data from the transmitter will be send via funk to the radio. Prior the frequencies of the radio and the transmitter have to accord, that is, both must be set to the same free frequency. You can also say that this little device simulates to the radio that it is an own radio station. So you can hear your own radio station with own music from the USB flash drive.

You should pay attention to regional radio stations, because the frequencies of these vary by region. For long trips you have to change the frequency a few times very probably. A free frequency in Schleswig-Holstein can be reserved in Nordrhein Westfalen by a local radio station.

In addition a regular FM transmitter is available for only 15 Euro including shipping, that is very cheap compared to a new radio.

Approach

Buy FM transmitter (eg at Amazon )
if it is not available, buy USB flash drive or SD card
connect USB flash drive or SD card with the PC (via USB port or a card reader) and with save your own MP3 songs on it (just copy)
put the USB flash drive or SD card in the FM transmitter
put the FM transmitter into the cigarette lighter in the car
look for a free frequency with your car radio (detect it by hearing a strong noise, no background noises should be hearable)
adjust the same frequency in the FM transmitter
listen music :)

The frequencies in the neighbourhood

To find free frequencies in your area easily, you can get help by the website www.fmscan.org.
Have a look to the left column "Scans" and click on "Frequencies For Any Location." Then enter your place, click on "Search" and then you have to search your exact location from the table. By clicking on the place name far left you get to the next step. Click only on "Generate" and you get a list of radio stations in your area.

Now click on "change parameters" and check "find free frequencies.

If you scroll further down, you will find the biggest radio stations in a sorted order. The stronger the green, the higher the frequency (noise-free radio listening). At the bottom you get the list of available frequencies. Now you can pick one and set it to the FM transmitter.

PS: Of course you can also set the language in German previously. (Germany flag at the top right)

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