Ipod Connection To Boat Radio

[30Tournament]

So I have an iPod Touch and am thinking about putting a radio in the boat. I see iPod compatible radios advertised with what looks like a standard 1/8" mini-stereo plug. How does this connect to the iPod Touch?

[PatrickG]

My Marine Alpine CDA-9886M receiver has a connector that looks like this:

It also has a USB port. I think you can use the USB port to use a different style connection. That Alpine receiver sounds incredible. It is a little bit of a pain using the receiver to search through the IPOD. I also have the optional auxiliary input and I use that. If you connect the IPOD to the receiver using the auxiliary input you can search through the files and set up playlists with the actual IPOD.

[30Tournament]

I was having a stupid moment I guess, thinking I somehow had to adapt the iPod bottom port to a mini 1/8" plug, but after more thought, I guess I just hook the radio 1/8" cable into the iPod headphone port... duh.

[PatrickG]

All the IPOD capable receivers do is enable you to search through the IPOD with the receiver. It is nice if you want to hide an IPOD out of the elements (or out of sight). If you just want to use the IPOD and hear the sound through the stereo you don't have to worry about an IPOD compatible receiver. Many receivers do not have auxiliary inputs. You must have a receiver with an auxiliary input to be able to connect the IPOD through the headphone jack to the receiver.

[165Striper]

Or you could just use an amp and use a 1/8" stereo-to-RCA cable to attach the iPod to the inputs. Wire the + and - to your 12 volt busses and wire the power switching wire to a switch on the dash. Control playback and volume from the iPod (or other audio source).

I discovered that a Radio Shack double female 1/8" connector will just fit into a 1/2" hole (the size of my dash switches) with a small amount of trimming so now I have a jack in the dash to plug my mp3 player into. A couple of companies make dash jacks that would work for less than $20, but they need a 3/4" hole and I already had a 1/2" one. No way is my iPod going on my little boat! I keep a cheapo one for boat music.

I would love to take credit for this idea, but I learned it from GlenE. I'm sure that you could search this great internet to find more directions if you need them, but it is pretty straight forward.

[HOTSPOT]

I used one of the AUX ports on my Poly Planar and got the $12 iPod kit from Jim at BOE Marine. The cable kit has a 1/8" waterproof plugin that you mount on the dash, then use a standard 1/8" male to male jumper from the plug to the iPod or any player with a 1/8" plug.

[halffull]

Just be careful with this. My installer said that these outlets are a major reason for alot of stereo issues. Moisture etc. Watch out!