Your Car and Your MP3 Player
It is perhaps not an exaggeration to say that MP3 Players have revolutionized the way people enjoy their music. In ancient times, the only way to enjoy music is to listen to it live. Today, you can listen to the sound of a full orchestra from a device that is only a few inches in size with speakers that fit inside your ear, thanks to MP3 players and the technology miniaturizing voice coils and diaphragms.
MP3 players store, organize, and play audio files. Perhaps one of their best features is their portability. You can listen to your favorite music while walking down the streets, running in the park, working out in the gym, or simply lounging at the beach. Another great quality is their connectivity with various accessories and audio systems. By connecting it to a speaker, you can share your music with your friends. You can also connect it to your car’s audio system using its speakers instead of the player’s earphones.
Connecting with you car stereo can be done three ways depending on its model. One is through an Auxiliary Input, often labeled “Aux” or “Aux In” on the stereo’s front panel. This is the best way to connect your MP3 player as it offers the best audio possible, often comparable to sounds from CDs. Simply plug one end of the connector into the MP3 player and the other into the Aux jack.
Another option is the FM transmitter. It is plugged into the output jack of the MP3 player sending its audio signals to an FM frequency. If you tune your car radio to that frequency, it will play the signals from your MP3 player.
If you drive an older model car whose stereo does not have an Aux In but instead has a cassette player, you will need to purchase a cassette tape adapter. This consists of a cassette tape-like device that has a cord which can be connected to the MP3 player. Inside is a write head that converts audio from the player into a magnetic field. If the adapter is inserted into the cassette player its read head converts the magnetic field back into audio.