Connect to Car Stereo

vashwood · #1 (**permalink**) 11-18-2008, 12:12 AM

I currently have my phone connected to my car stereo using the car's 3.5mm line-in so I can listen to mp3s and last.fm.

I also thought that I'd also be able to use it as a hands-free kit since I'd be able to listen to the audio through the speakers, but I noticed that the phone's mic seems to be turned off when it thinks there are headphones connected?

Is there anyway around this so I can just speak into my phone with it plugged into the stereo's line-in?

vashwood · #2 (**permalink**) 11-18-2008, 12:13 AM

Sorry. Mods, can you please move this to the "touch pro" section?

nttdemented · #3 (**permalink**) 11-18-2008, 12:57 AM

At leat with my Diamond I have noticed that this works randomly. You can test this by going into Voicemail and trying to record your spoken name so you can test the results...

I have managed to use my diamond while hooked up to the car stereo, make a call into voicemail and record my name and it works but my voice sounds a bit to distant. But if during a call I disconnect it and reconnect it you won't be able to hear your voice through the built in mic and if you end that call the mic wont work again until you disonnect and reconnect the adapter without any audio playing or any calls in progress. It works but the quality of the mic isn't so great if you're to far away from the phone. At leat I've noticed this working on some custom ROMs, couldn't be sure if it works on the Stock ROM or any specific ROM, I know I tested it on my own custom ROM using the latest kitchen modules and it sort of worked.

**briggs** · #4 (**permalink**) 11-18-2008, 11:51 AM

I had the same trouble...

Eventully I got annoyed enough to buy this jabra blueooth speaker phone/fm transmitter.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...BRA-_-75999335

The audio is not quite as high quality as a 3.5mm jack but it does the trick, and makes answering a call/playing music quite seamless and safe while driving.

dsibarra72 · #5 (**permalink**) 11-18-2008, 12:07 PM

I have also been trying to make this work and I finally decided I needed a special cable for the mic and no headphones, attatching the headphone side to the aux input of the stereo, I could be wrong and not work at all but if I cant find one I will try making it using the headphones from my mogul. Ill let you guys know how that turns out.

batcatman · #6 (**permalink**) 11-18-2008, 01:39 PM

To the OP: How well does last.fm works for u? I get a usual 10-15 secs buffering time, I am using the wm prgram listed on last.fm, and usually listen to radio, but buffering takes tooo long!

JaxDreamFunding · #7 (**permalink**) 11-18-2008, 03:45 PM

I use the Motorola T505. It has a built in FM transmitter and works with the phone and with Media Player. The sound quality is great on the phone as well as in Media Player. I got mine at Best Buy.

JoeBobOneHalf · #8 (**permalink**) 11-18-2008, 04:24 PM

There is another way. take your OEM headphones (or buy a set online), cut off the earbuds, then go to RadioShack, and if you can solder buy a 274-858 1/8" Stereo plug, if you can't solder buy a 274-869 1/8" Stereo plug and SHAZAM aux cable with mic.

Also, if you prefer to use your own AUX cable (or would rather make a headphone adapter with mic instead of an AUX cable) buy a 274-274 1/8" Stereo Female plug. (solder only.)

Either way, the plug should be under four bucks. There will the three terminals in the plug, the longer one is the ground.

nttdemented · #9 (**permalink**) 11-20-2008, 04:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JoeBobOneHalf

There is another way. take your OEM headphones (or buy a set online), cut off the earbuds, then go to RadioShack, and if you can solder buy a 274-858 1/8" Stereo plug, if you can't solder buy a 274-869 1/8" Stereo plug and SHAZAM aux cable with mic.

Also, if you prefer to use your own AUX cable (or would rather make a headphone adapter with mic instead of an AUX cable) buy a 274-274 1/8" Stereo Female plug. (solder only.)

Either way, the plug should be under four bucks. There will the three terminals in the plug, the longer one is the ground.

That is a GREAT idea and should definitely work without a problem. Just a little patience and some heat shrink tubing and you should be golden.

I also remember seeing somewhere adapters for the smaller headphone type plug (forgot the exact size, 1/16"?) that adapt from that size to the standard 1/8" size and put a mic bud in between. I remember using an adapter like this with a Palm Tungsten C to get audio output from it but I never used the MIC as it wasn't a phone. Just a plain old PDA.

As for permanently installable bluetooth adapters that route A2DP audio or line audio while adding a BT handsfree to the car I think the best out there is the one from Motorola that is sold at Sprint.

http://nextelonline.nextel.com/NASApp/onlinestore/en/Action/OSBrowseAccessoriesDetail?categoryRefName=Car+Kits +%26+Installation+Services&PHONE_ID=MP6950SP&selec tedAccessoryID=KKX8605Q_C&topPageNumber=0&subPageN umber=0

I searched for some reviews in Google for this device and it seems to be very versatile and functional but it works best with aftermarket radios that have AUX inputs in the rear of the headunit. But since most modern cars come with AUX inputs you could probably modify the input and hide it away in your dash while making the connection to this input hidden so that a cable isn't poping out the dash and pluging into that port or however you wanna do it. I'm pretty keen on doing custom audio work on my cars so that doesn't seem to complicated to me but it might be a bit daunting for the not so car audio inclined.

That kit includes a couple things though it isn't just that small control pad that you see in the Sprint Store picture. It has a control module that you plug an included speaker to OR plug it directly to your radio and I think it also does FM transmission, don't remember now. I do know that I did a little research for this type of device and this one seemed to be the best one out there.

vashwood · #10 (**permalink**) 11-18-2008, 06:17 PM

nttdemented: i tried that method. I tried leaving myself a voicemail and it didn't detect it. So I'm guessing the best method would be using another wire w/ a mic and have it connected to the steering wheel?

batcatman: last.fm is 'ok'. I have the buffering issue. But the developer is saying that it should be resolved in the next release, which should be soon.

JoeBobOneHalf: I'll look into what you described. So, for the earbuds...I cut off both and connect one wire to that 1/8" plug. What goes in the other wire? Are you using the headset that comes w/ the phone?