General FM Modulator

[Rodders]

Im looking to install a non-fiat cd changer or a mp3 jukebox in my car and was looking to use a FM Modulator to connect it to my head unit. All the fm mod's ive seen so far have to physically connect to the head units arial jack and dont want the hassle of finding a suitable connector.I was wondering if anyone has used or knew of one that transmits wirelessly or uses a seperate small arial hidden in the car?

Black Stilo 3Dr 1.2 Active .Bog standard except for CD player and Fiat Alloys

 

[SHC]

Hi
Is this what you are looking for?
http://www.rimax.net/products.asp?id=9
I think its about £30

52 Plate, Stilo 1.2 Active 5 door Aircon

 

[The Negotiator]

Maplin have a nice MP3 jukebox right now at half price at £149.99 with built in FM modulator, take a look:

http://www.maplin.co.uk/

Search for code: L79AU

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Uno 1.0ie Start. Standard.

 

[Rodders]

yeah thats the one i would like m8 its just i dont fancy having to pull the radio out to plug the fm modulator in . Is is a difficult job to remove a radio from a stilo??


Black Stilo 3Dr 1.2 Active .Bog standard except for CD player and Fiat Alloys

 

[The Negotiator]

Shouldn't FM units have their own inbuilt ariels and you just tune it in on the radio? That's all i do with mine.

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Uno 1.0ie Start. Standard.

 

[StiloBoy]

An FM modulator is just a little FM transmitter, you tune your radio into 88.1 or so and you pickup the transmissions from the FM modulator.

53 plate, Stilo 3-door, Sassy grey, Alloys to follow, 1.2 Active, 5-Disc CD-Changer -- 45mpg!

 

[Rodders]

thats how i thought they worked but most descriptions i read on them all mention connecting them to the arial jack.. read the description on the mstation mp3 jukebox from maplin and it reads as though you plug it in.

Black Stilo 3Dr 1.2 Active .Bog standard except for CD player and Fiat Alloys

 

[The Negotiator]

Tried to post this last night but FF was down for a little bit:
Rodders: I half made a FM transmitter (FM modulator = frequency modulator modulator ) And used it to put my laptop sound to my hifi in my house. It probably means you have an aerial on the transmitter. For example, on mine I had a set length of wire, I think 0.8 metres long, which is the aerial which transmits the FM signal, just like a radio station but only very low power. All you then do is contact that up to power and tune in yoru radio to the preset station frequency, as stilo has said.

The Mstation might have a preset frequency or you might be able to select a few just incase there is a commerical station on that frequency which could interupt with your signal. The wired connections in the Mstation will be something like:

Unit to power
Unit to its own aerial
LCD panel wired into dashboard connected to unit.

The signal of sound is then carried form the boot by radio waves,

I hope the above is true, this is how it should be but you never know with all the different electronics around! It is true to what I have used/know about.

In the morning i will try to read the maplin info through and just see if it says anything more. Whatever happens, you will be fine I am sure - don't miss out on such a good price for it - it won't be around for long I don't think.

Just checking; does your PC have a space 5.25" bay because I think this requires such? (Only from memory, might be USB? I don't know)

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[The Negotiator]

OK, a few things to note when reading through at maplin:

"The FM modulator is positioned in between your car stereo and the jukebox, and is fed directly in to your car stereo’s aerial socket for transmission on one of the 3 preset FM frequencies"

- I think this is just a fancy way of saying "the FM transmitter transmit a signal which is picked up by your car aeriel. It's a bit confusing though.

"Your PC will require a spare 5.25” drive bay for the jukebox to use, and will also require that the jukebox is set to be an IDE master device on your computer - please refer to any documentation supplied with your PC if you are unsure on how to do this."

- I was correct about this and this is VERY important. How much do you know about computers? Setting it up like that isn't too difficult but that's for me, I don't know your experience/computer set up. It means you need to use IDE 2 (assuming you have an IDE 2) with this set as master. I am personally surprised they went for this, I would have thought USB 2.0/firewire would have been the best idea by far but maybe this is a little older than that technology being cheap.

It has a display/control unit you need to stick somewhere easy to access on your dash - obviously another important consideration.

A lot of maplin staff are REALLY good - aslong as you ask for somebody who knows about this product specifically rather than the one who can read the box to you - so you should definately consider going to speak to them in store about it. I know it's on sale in the Nottingham superstore in the "On promotion" section. You can probably then look at it and see how you feel about it looks/feel etc.

They will probably also offer the service of installing the system onto your computer for a fee at a guess which if you still want the system but don't know how to use it, would be good.

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Uno 1.0ie Start. Standard.

 

[Rodders]

Yeah i have a spare drive bay on my pc and a spare channel on the IDE im pretty good with pc's (Build my own rigs & have a spare one knocking around that can be sorted just for the mp3 player if need be). If i can convince the missus that we need a 10 gig Mp3 player in the car ill let you know how the install goes.

Black Stilo 3Dr 1.2 Active .Bog standard except for CD player and Fiat Alloys

 

[The Negotiator]

Excellent. Glad you know about PCs - I feel it would be a little technical to a novice PC user - i didn't mean to offend you

Convince her, you know it's worth it! (blind her with science??) Look forward to pics if it happens.

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Uno 1.0ie Start. Standard.

 

[Rodders]

Well i got the mp3 jukebox mate..(maplin have a branch in derby so i popped in ) You didnt offend me and at the moment im sorting out my spare box and putting Winblows back on it ..(Had linux on but im not sure itll detect the mstation correctly) Ill post some pics as soon as i get it all installed..

Black Stilo 3Dr 1.2 Active .Bog standard except for CD player and Fiat Alloys