So you've got an iPod and you want to play it in your car.  But the FM transmitters just aren't cutting it for you.  Your best bet is a direct connection to your factory (or after market) stereo.  But what's the best solution to accomplish this you ask?  Crutchfield has the elegant answer for you.

Use their excellent little wizard to find out the perfect fit for your iPod and car.  Start by selecting the iPod you'll be using, then go through the car selection.  It will give you a diagram of the ideal connection and show you the pieces that you need to buy - with links to Crutchfield's checkout of course.  While Crutchfield tends to be a but pricy, they prices I saw on the couple setups I was shown were pretty in line with pricing elsewhere.

Of course a factory option is the best bet, but we can't all have that.  If you've got one of these aftermarket integration systems for your iPod, let us know how it works.

Research and investment firm Piper-Jaffray has joined the Apple-wireless/mobile-prediction fray (pardon the pun).  The company believes that there's a 75% chance that an "iPhone" or cellphone-based product would be announced and/or introduced within the next 12 months.

Speculation that Apple would do so was ignited by an announcement a few weeks ago by iPod chipmaker PortalPlayer, which said it and wireless solutions provider CRS were going to enable Wi-Fi and Bluetooth on its next-gen chip.  PortalPlayer's chips have been part and parcel of each and every single iPod (except the low-tech shuffle) ever since the iPod's inception, and it's not too much of a conceptual jump from a so-called "Wi-Pod" to an "iPhone" - they'd run on the same technology.  

We're expecting Piper-Jaffray's announcement to fan everyone's excitement to a fever pitch.  Which is precisely what Apple would need and want in the run-up to the introduction of something this significant and risky.  Let's see where all this leads.

Hauppage has officially announced a new software suite that will make it possible for PC users to record television shows to transfer and watch on an Apple iPod. Called Wing, the software is available as a download on the company's website, or from selected retailers.

This comes as a worthy app for everyone who is tiring of paying $2 per show on iTunes. Though it remains to be seen how good the quality output is on the program, and its ease-of-use, the product is availble now.

According to Pocket-lint, the $24.95 package aims to complements Hauppauge's PC-based WinTV-PVR and HVR personal video recorders. Wing records in H.264, MPEG-4 and Divx formats, and also will record directly to a recordable DVD disk. The application can also be used to transfer shows and other media onto the Sony Playstation Portable.

[Via, Pocket-lint]

Pacific Rim has introduced an alternative to the official iPod Dock called the iCradle. The iCradle comes with everything you need to set up your iPod to your home stereo system, including the ability to power-up your dying iPod while you listen to your music in your home.

The product will set you back a cool $45, and promises to work with most Apple iPods, including the iPod Mini, the iPod Nano, and charges all except the third- and fourth-generation iPods. The unit features an USB cable, audio connection and, for you Video enthusiasts out there, an S-Video connection. The iCradle also comes with an infrared remote to control all the iPod goodness oozing from your home system.


[Via, Playlist Magazine]

The new iPod AV connection kit allows you to bring your music, photos, and video library into your living room. The kit includes everything you need to connect your iPod to your home stereo or television so you can share your favorite tunes, snapshots and movies with family and friends. Compatible with all iPod models with Dock connector.

Here is what you get for $99.00

iPod AV Cable

On one end, the iPod AV Cable connects to the headphone port of the iPod or the line-out port on the iPod Universal Dock. On the other end, it connects to the left/right stereo input jacks on a stereo, powered speakers or TV and the composite video input on a TV or monitor.

Universal Dock

The iPod Universal Dock serves as a convenient and elegant home base. It features an infrared port for the Apple Remote. And it works with all iPod models that have a dock connector through the use of interchangeable inserts called Dock Adapters.

Dock Adapters

These adapters snap into the Universal Dock to provide a snug fit for any iPod with a Dock connector. This package includes adapters for five iPods: iPod mini; iPod with click wheel (20GB, 40GB/U2 Special Edition); iPod with color display (20GB/30GB/U2 Special Edition, 40GB/60GB). New iPods already include adapters for that model, and other adapters are available separately.

Apple Remote

The Apple Remote combines with the Universal Dock to let you experience your iPod from across the room. When used with the iPod, the Apple Remote offers play/pause, volume control and forward/back buttons. (Note: Menu button is inactive when used to control iPod.)

USB Power Adapter

Use this convenient USB based adapter to charge your iPod. Simply plug the adapter into a wall outlet and connect to your iPod for recharging.

Dock connector to USB cable

This cable connects to the iPod USB Power Adapter to deliver a continuous charge.

[Via, ilounge]

Turn your iPod into a complete Home Media Center with this new TuneCenter from Griffin. The TuneCenter includes a 14 button remote and attaches to your T.V. and home stereo for viewing photos, watching videos, and listening to your music library or internet radio. TuneCenter also gives your the ability to display iPod playlists and song information on your T.V. screen while the remote allows navigation of the entire iPod library , as well as preferences such as shuffle and repeat modes, and EQ. Do almost everything without getting off the couch, plug in your network and choose from thousands of free internet radio channels.

Works With:

• 3rd Generation iPod with touch wheel and buttons
• iPod mini
• 4th Generation iPod with Click Wheel
• iPod photo
• iPod U2 Special Edition
• 4th Generation iPod with Color Screen
• iPod nano
• 5th Generation iPod with Video

Preorder yours now $99.99

The HomeDock Deluxe from Digital Lifestyle Outfitters is like your existing iPod dock on steroids. Any dockable iPod (including the Nano) slots into the HomeDock, which you can connect to either your computer or your television. Hook it up to the TV and you can browse and play your music, videos and slideshows right there on the TV screen. The HomeDock also connects to your hi-fi system, and includes a remote control so that you don't even need to leave the couch. If you decide to hook the Homedock up to your computer instead, it will synchronise and charge via USB.

the HomeDock Deluxe will be available from March at a price of 150 Dollars.

Memeo today announced a version of their AutoBackup software for iPod use. Running on Windows PCs, iExtend for iPod will allow users to synchronise a wide range of data from their PC to their iPod: Music, photos, contacts, notes, calendars, to-do lists, and (most interestingly) RSS newsfeeds.

iExtend will also allow users to store backup copies of their digital content on secure online servers, just in case anything happens to both their PC and their iPod.

iExtend with run on Windows 2000SP4, Windows XP Pro, or Windows XP Home Edition. It will be available via download for 30 Dollars.

[Via iPodNN]

A little ingenuity and an iPod Shuffle can take you a long way. Peter Bone of Denmark bought himself an old Amstrad CPC to feed his retrogaming addiction. He then scoured the internet and downloaded himself a collection of old games for it. There was one problem - the Amstrad had a tape drive (back in the '80s games were stored on audio cassette tapes), and the games he had were compressed digital files on his PC.

The solution? Peter used a freeware app to convert the .cdt and .tzx files into .wav audio files, and filled up his iPod Shuffle with them. He connected a heaphone jack to cassette tape adaptor (like you'd use with your old car stereo), and popped it into the Amstrad's tape deck.

Now when Peter feels like some old-school 8-bit gaming action, he hits play on the Shuffle and gets a surprise game to play each time. As Peter says;

"What will it play next? could it be action, puzzle, adventure, who knows?"

Simple, cheap and (sort of) elegant, like all the best hacks.

[Via Hack a Day]

We all know that you can connect video-capable iPods up to televisions, using expensive connecting cables from Apple or a third-party supplier. Not everybody knows however, that you can do it with a couple of dollars' worth of standard cable from any Radio Shack or similar store.

Erica Sadun at Mac Dev Center posted a nice, clear guide a while back. All you need is an audio/visual cable with the standard three male phono jacks on one end (red, white and yellow) and an a/v minijack on the other (like your headphone jack but with an extra stripe).

Plug the minijack end into your iPod Video. Now plug the phono jacks into your TV,

but in the wrong order

. Put the red plug into the yellow socket on your TV. Put the yellow plug into the white socket on your TV, and the white plug into the red socket.

Now you need to set up some options on your iPod Video. Under the menu option for Videos > Video Settings, you have three settings: TV out, TV signal, and Widescreen. Set the TV out option to 'Ask', so that each time you play a video, your iPod will ask whether you want it to play on the TV or just on the iPod's own screen. Set the TV signal to either NTSC (for the US TV standard) or PAL (for the European TV standard). Set the Widescreen option on or off as appropriate for your TV. You don't need to change these settings in future - they should be fine for every time you hook the iPod and TV up to each other.

Now just switch your TV to the appropriate input channel, pick a video on your iPod and press play! The iPod screen should show your file details and progress bar, and the TV should show the video.

[Via Mac Dev Center]