iTunes, iPod vs. CD Burning for travel?
 

I've been using iTunes to download some podcasts I listen to regularly, NPR CarTalk for example. And some other travel related PodCasts. I don't download any music, all the podcasts I select are free.

I burn the podcasts to a CD and later listen when driving. Listening on a long drive breaks the boredom.

Is using an iPod a better means to do this, than burning all the CDs? I'd need a way to get the signal from the iPod into the CD player or radio in my vehicle.

Since I use rentals occasionally, would need some generic way to do this. Can an iPod transmit an FM signal to your car radio, is there some other way to do this?

Portions of the post that previously appeared in this space have been deleted. I would provide you with a reason why, but doing so would likely be against the TOS.

The technology isn't built into the ipod, but there's plenty of third-party accessories that will let you listen to your ipod through the car. The best way is a direct ipod or aux hookup to the car radio. Other options include a cassette tape adapter (if your car still has one) or the most universal, fm transmitters. The only problem with FM transmitters is they are considered to have the worst sound quality of the options, though it's still more than satisfactory and just like any other radio station.

Thanks for the replies.

I have one more iPod question. A standard CD that I play in my vehicle will hold up to 80 minutes of a radio talk show, (or music as the case may be).

I presume various iPods models can hold more than 80 mins?

Portions of the post that previously appeared in this space have been deleted. I would provide you with a reason why, but doing so would likely be against the TOS.

to the OP and anyone who is having trouble with an FM transmitter, an easy way to find a good band to broadcast over, is to use sirius.com, they hav e a thing where you plug in your zipcode, and they tell you which station to work

Yes, even the smallest iPod can hold many hours of content, especially at the relatively low bandwidth you need for talk shows.

For instance, along with about 1000 songs I have 160 hours of Car Talk and Wait Wait Don't Tell Me from NPR loaded on my 16gb iPhone.

Bob

Another good FM transmitter tip in the US is to see if you can set your car stereo and FM Transmitter to use a non-US frequency. For example, I've set my car stereo to think its in South America, and that allows my FM Transmitter (an iTrip) to broadcast on a frequency that isn't used in the US, eliminating interference.

Bob

Thanks, good to know.

I now realize how little I know about this. I suppose any iPod can store and play any Podcast you can download from iTunes. The iPod Tech Specs lists formats (the Audio Support row) that I'm not familiar with.

yup, any ipod will work
 

Any iPod will work with with any podcasts from iTunes, correct. If you go into the Podcasts section under your Library in iTunes, the status bar at the bottom will list how many podcasts you currently have, how much space they consume, and how much total playing time they add up to.

For instance, I currently have 197 podcasts, or 6.6 days of audio, which take up 4.31 GB of space.

bob

80 minutes??? Are you using wav format??? Do you live under a rock??? (Sorry, couldn't resist...:D) I'm hoping you're using CD-RWs, as burning and then trashing CDs would be exceedingly wasteful.

My iPod currently is loaded with 14,000 songs, which takes up about 75 or so gigs of my 160. I believe that's something like 47 days, although I haven't looked as of late.

I always carry an RF transmitter and an AUX cable on the road for rental cars, while both of my personal cars have adaptors that work with the factory stereos.

If you have a recent car, last couple years, most likely you can get an ipod connector hard wired. An added benefit is that you can usually control the ipod with the steering wheel controls and the song titles can be displayed on your radio, dashboard, or nav screen. They usually run around $100-$200 though some cost a lot more.

I would assume the OP is burning them as CD audio. CDs are 74 minutes or 80 minutes regardless of source. That format should play in 99% of CD players. Using CD-RW could limit the players that can read it if the session isn't closed. Using MP3 CDs could also limit the CD players that can play the CD if the player can't read MP3 files. Many cars have MP3 Cd players now, but not all do.

I haven't burned a CD in years! My Ipod has 22 gb of music (billboard top 100 from 1980-2006) and several Pimsleur language programs, and usually a movie or 2 to top of my 30 GB. I carry an AUX cable in my purse so I always have it.

I know someone who takes his antenna off his car when he uses an FM transmitter so there is no chance of interference.

I'm using whatever format they default download to. In checking, that is .mp3. I tried CD-RWs, and the CD player in my 10 year old SUV won't play them.

But at Sam's Club, 100 CD-Rs for $14.00, vs. ~ $200 for a mid range iPod. I'm on maybe my third pack of 100 CDs in three years doing this. So cost-wise it's OK, but the hassle factor of burning 5 or 10 CDs every month is high. So I'll start looking at iPods and FM x-mitters.