Cheap upgrade from cassette player

[jimbo]

For some unknown reason our 2007 berlingo is factory fitted with a tape deck ,No problem for me as I spent my teens listening to and recording John Peel sessions and acdc on to tapes and still have them ,but for Zena this was a major problem I considered replacing the tape deck for a CD but the second hand price is a bit high for a citroen unit and it would need coding to the vin of the car,I did not want to replace the radio with a normal one as I like the controls on the stalks and the built in display,so I thought I would try one of these

[Image: !B-JunN!!mk~$(KGrHqYOKj4EzdTL,)ruBM75P30CY!~~_12.JPG]
Bluetooth Car MP3 Player FM Modulator FOR USB/SD/MMC Card

it cost £9.86 from ebay

you will also need an sd memory card or a usb stick
I tested it with a 4g usb stick and a 2g mem card both where ok
it also works with a bluetooth mobile allowing you to use it as a speakerphone

It transmits to the FM radio so you can use the controls on the stalks
plus the auto volume works it also remembers the last track when turned off so you do not get the same songs over and over
The sound quality is good but not quite up to cd quality it also comes with a lead so you can plug in an ipod and a remote it is very discreet when plugged in so should not attract any thieves
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[Andre]

Lots of people contributing brilliant threads, this is one of them.

For the ipod scenario, this >> http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B001T9N4HC/re...B001T9N4HC is also something, you can plug it into the bottom and it will transmit your music via fm so you can pick it up on your stereo.

Just an alternative, can't see it beating yours for utility value though.

[jimbo]

That ipod thing looks a bit too posh for me :-)

[Mike]

I like the ipod thing that Andre posted - I'm still using a cassette adaptor though, really low tech.

[andy-womble]

Once again, nice one jimbo.

You and me must be of the same vintage, I too can remember the John Peel sessions and used to listen to him most nights from 10.00pm when I wasn't down the pub (also Tommy Vance on Friday's Rock Show).
Me, I'm a late 1956 model (yes a 50+ fat old fart as someone else described us elsewhere on site!!!)

Back to Berlingo speak, I thought cassettes had gone out with the Ark and was most surprised to find mine fitted with a radio cassette player. Oh well I'll have to dig the old tapes out of the loft, never throw nowt away me!

I had bought the dummy cassette with lead to couple more or less anything with a 3.5mm stereo jack plug through the cassette player, a bit messy with dangly leads and all that but this seems a neater idea. Ordinary microSD cards only go to 2gB capacity but the microSDHC are available up to 16 or 32gB but it depends if the player will accept the larger format.

Just edited this post, looks like these units take the full size SD cards, unlike the portable mp3's which use microSD.

Just had a look on e-bay and literally hundreds out there and even cheaper than a tenner if you don't want the Blue Tooth, for the information of others who may be looking in.

The Hi-Fi quality or potential lack of it does not matter too much to me as you cannot listen too critically when driving and there is too much background noise and with advancing years I am going a bit "mutton" anyway. Must be too much loud rock music in the 70's, 80's, 90's and even now occasionally

[lemsworld]

When I got my 2003 multispace it had a tapedeck. Until I fitted the Sony stereo that I have now. I used the Cassette 3.5mm Jack Adapter which i paid less than £2 for http://www.play.com/Electronics/Electron...rd:3515811
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Worked well and had use of the stalk controls. As I have explained in a few other threads you can get stereo's that you can buy an adaptor for that still allows stalk controls to work. You would need PC99-X44 Citroen Berlingo Stalk Adaptor Interface Lead (By Autoleads) and the right patch lead. For sony it is PC99-SON Sony Patch Lead, they do others but you must make sure the stereo allows stalk control not all do.

Lliam

[Andy]

I've used one of these for my iPod for 3 years now. They're only a tenner, need no wiring in - you just stick the pod and trip in your pocket when you get out of the car.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Griffin-iTrip-Tr...44&sr=1-10

(And I've found that I can plug the power lead from my TomTom straight into it to charge the pod too!)

[Mike]

I've used one of these for my iPod for 3 years now. They're only a tenner, need no wiring in - you just stick the pod and trip in your pocket when you get out of the car.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Griffin-iTrip-Tr...44&sr=1-10

(And I've found that I can plug the power lead from my TomTom straight into it to charge the pod too!)

I'm quite intrigued by this as I'm wondering if it may be a good idea to upgrade the tape adaptor (also as they may stop producing them at some point).

Andy - do you ever get problems with interference with the iTrip. I assume it's just a matter of picking a blank transmission area?

[Romahomepete]

I have one of these fitted
http://www.xcarlink.co.uk/product.php?pr...=12&page=1
It works like a CD changer, you create 6 folders on an SD memory card, and each folder can hold 99 files.

Once the Citroen Agent or someone with a Lexia has told the BSI that a Cd changer is connected the device works even down to the display and the steering column controls

[andy-womble]

Think I'm with Andy and Jimbo on this one..... a tenner seems an attractive price to me !!! (Tighter than the proverbial camel's a*se in a sandstorm, that's me)