Please help with basic iPod question

[Debi]

I am a new owner of an iPod (the 30GB one - I broke down and paid the extra money for the more memory). Anyhow, I also bought the iCarKit that comes with FM Audio Transmitter, car charger, dual imput cigarette adapter and cassette adapter. I figured out how to connect it in my car, but for the life of me, I can't figure out how to plug it in to my stereo at home. I plug in the FM Adapter in to my iPod, but I can't figure out how to plug in the iPod in to my stereo. I have an Audiowox CD player/cassette player/stereo combo. Please help!

Or, should I take this kit back and buy another accessory to play the iPod at home? I know I saw the cassette adapter sold seperately, so I can buy that seperately, but what do I need to play the iPod at home? Thanks!

 

[Ronda93]

You may have two choices. If your stereo has input jacks on the back you can hook it in there. You'd need a mini-to-RCA cable for this. Less than $5. If you don't have the jack on the backs, but do have AM/FM radio, use the FM transmitter. One other option is to try the cassette adapter, but the door may fit too closely for the wire to pass through.

 

[Debi]

Ronda, my question is how do I use the FM adapter? I'm totally clueless as to how to set that up.

 

[elgerber]

If you are using the FM transmitter, try turning it on and tuning your stereo in your car to 88.5 or 88.7 and see if you can then hear your ipod music on your car speakers.

 

[pjpoohbear]

The FM transmitter, is sort of like bring at the drive-in. chose a station on the transmitter, connect to ipod, change stero to same station and turn transmitter on, and ipod to on, and it should come through. Chose a station that has little background noise.

Penny

 

[Debi]

Thanks, gang. Before I do anything, I have to upload (download?) my iTunes list to the iPod. I think the iPod's battery is charging. I have a 'do not disconnect' message on the iPod screen, with a flasing red circle with a line through it (like the do not smoke signs, only without the cigarette). Plus, there is a lightning bolt through the battery. Anyone know what that means?

 

[Cindy B]

If you are in the PHilly area, we found that we could not get decent reception for the FM reciever in our town. We ended up returning it for something else.

 

[Debi]

Cindy, I live on the NJ shore, about an hour from Philly. Once I get my iTunes loaded on to my iPod, I'll check in to the FM transmitter. What did you finally exchange the transmitter for?

 

[Cindy B]

We're closer to Philly-- near the river.

Anyway, we decided to set up both Ipods in two different cars this way. I got a white Belkin charger at either Best Buy or the Apple store. This is a largish (not huge though) adapter that has a flat rectangular white end adaptor that goes into the Ipod. The power source is the cig lighter. One the bottom of the white adaptor i have a small radio shack cable going from the white adapter to my Ipod external jack on my car radio. Its two small cables that go externally and I bundled them up so they aren't obtrusive.

DH's newer car didn't have the external I pod jack (I bought the radio cheap at Crutchfield for 100 bucks when I sold my old stereo off my car). He uses the tape deck with an older tape deck adapter I had in my house. The tape deck adaptor was from a very old discman style CD player that was broken and the cassette adaptor was for playing that in your car (pre cd players in cars!)

He does use the white belkin cord whose power source is the cigarette light.

Hope that helps.

 

[Shutterbug]

I have a 'do not disconnect' message on the iPod screen, with a flasing red circle with a line through it (like the do not smoke signs, only without the cigarette). Plus, there is a lightning bolt through the battery. Anyone know what that means?

Are you using windows?

To safely remove your Ipod from the computer do this one these:

1) Close Itunes
2) Open Itunes back up
3) In the left panel of Itunes your Ipod should be listed.
4) To the RIGHT of it is a grey arrow pointing up
5) Click on it, this will "eject" your Ipod and the message should go away and then you can safely remove the Ipod from the computer

OR

In the task bar located in the bottom right corner of the screen find the icon that says "Safely Remove Hardware" when you move your cursor over it. Click on the option that has your Ipod listed.

 

[Debi]

I followed your advice and closed iTunes. Now, I can't get it to reopen. Help! I tried double clicking on the iTunes icon on my desktop, and also tried using the iTunes in my startup menu. Any other suggestions?

Cindy, thanks for the advice. I'll see how well the transmitter works, and take it from there.

 

[Shutterbug]

hmmmm...must admit I'm stumped that Itunes will not open...Okay in the mean time try option number two to safey disconnect your Ipod.

In the system tray located in the bottom right corner of the screen find the icon that says "Safely Remove Hardware" when you move your cursor over it. Click on the option that has your Ipod listed.

 

[Debi]

I got it figured out. Next (and hopefully last!) question - how do I delete songs from my playlist? Thanks!

 

[MaryJ]

I use an Apple computer, but I would think it would work the same in Windows. To delete songs from your playlist on the computer, highlight them and hit the delete key. To keep the songs on your computer but remove them only from your iPod (I did this with Christmas songs....no need to leave them on the iPod all year, but I'll want them again in December) just uncheck the box next to that song on the computer. The next time you plug in your iPod, it should remove those songs fromt the iPod.

 

[pjpoohbear]

Mary J has it right, but don't forget to change your ipod options, right click on your ipod when attached in the left had menu, Chose options, one tab will have the following box, check the box that says something about update checked songs only.

Penny

 

[Debi]

Thanks, gang! I really appreciate the help.

Now, lets talk iPod accessories. I got the cassette adapter and the FM transmitter, but I do have to admit that there has to be something a little more convenient than the FM transmitter. Is there such a thing as a iPod player/FM radio combo? Help! I'd love to play my iPod at home as well as on the road, but I can't figure it out.

 

[disney1990]

Thanks, gang. Before I do anything, I have to upload (download?) my iTunes list to the iPod. I think the iPod's battery is charging. I have a 'do not disconnect' message on the iPod screen, with a flasing red circle with a line through it (like the do not smoke signs, only without the cigarette). Plus, there is a lightning bolt through the battery. Anyone know what that means?

I feel your pain.

The lighting rod means that you IPOD is charging. The do not disconnect means that you have to use your computer software to disconnect it. You just can't pull the plug out -- I don't know why -- but that's what the manual said. I learned all this by finally going to the IPOD site and reading until I found the answers that I needed.

Our 2 DDs got my husband and I an IPOD to share for Christmas. I finally took it out of the box this evening. I have been trying to make it work since 6:00 pm. I finally managed to put some music on it -- 2 entire CDS. I was really fearing that one of my daughters would ask how we like it -- and it would still be in the box.

Now, I have to fine tune puting individual songs on it -- but, I'll leave that for another day. Mission Accomplished for today.

 

[RitaZ.]

For home use, I have an Altec Lansing system, it's actually pretty good. It folds flat and takes up little room, so it's easy to take with you on vacation.

It looks something like this one, but I bought mine early last year. http://www.circuitcity.com/ssm/Alte...27885/catOid/-12927/rpem/ccd/productDetail.do

 

[Tinijocaro]

Please utilize the www.apple.com website- Click on"support", then "discussions", then click on the type of iPod you have- lots of really ehlpful people there,just be sure to check first that your exact same question hasn't just been answered, maybe do a search first. All your iPod questions can be answered there.

Here's the iPod page:

http://discussions.apple.com/category.jspa?categoryID=146

Jackie