Music in the Car

[Justaddh30]

I'm dying to get my hands on an Android device but haven't been able to yet.

One topic that I haven't been able to find much information on is using an Android device such as the HTC Hero to listen to music in the car.

What experiences have you all had? Do you use the 3.5 jack?

Also, when someone calls or you receive a message does this interrupt the music or is there a way to mute all other audio prompts?

 

[brittas]

I've had my Hero for 2 weeks now. I've purchased an 8GB SD card and put about 40 albums on there.

I plug an FM transmitter into the headphone jack (my stereo doesn't have an AUX in), and play my music through it no problems.

I was worried about missing calls and stuff, but when a call comes in the music mutes, I take the call (on my bluetooth headset), and the music carries on playing when the call ends.

It also briefly pauses to play message tones.

I've just put Co Pilot satnav on there, so I'm going to see if it mutes the music when it calls out directions! I'll give it a go on the way home tonight.

 

[Justaddh30]

good to know, thanks for the info.

although it would defeat the purpose of using the phone as a communication device, i think it would be cool to have an app that lets you mute certain volume levels and alerts easily.

it could have a "music mode" essentially where you could tailor what incoming alerts you want to interrupt playback

 

[rjjr2531]

i too will be using the hero in my car on oct 11...anything speacial i need to know? or is it as simple as plug in and listen?

THANKS

 

[Andronix]

there is also a cool app 'car mode' that automagically turn on speakers when you receive or make calls.

 

[Troglodad]

I just put a windshield arm thingey in my car so I could connect my ADP1 to the car stereo, via an HTC mini-USB to mini stereo adapter. Works great, and all those kids songs I carry for emergencies (ie, when the kids are too rowdy) sound great.

The only problem I'm having is that the HTC adapter seems to disable the phone's internal microphone. I can receive a call, making it come out over the car speakers, but the mike on the phone is dead and the other end of the call can't hear me. I know the pin out on the HTC connector includes a microphone connection, so I'm wondering why there's not an external microphone adapter for the G1... the headphones I have for it include a microphone so you can take calls while listenign to music.

I'd love to put Co-Pilot on my phone, but when I tried it before, I couldn't get the maps to download and ended up getting a refund. Anyone else able to use it on a G1/ADP1?

 

[morg]

I've been searching for a possible solution to this as well and I've come across a pretty creative one (if it all works well).

I have an Alpine head unit with a USB connection to play mp3s and such via thumb drive. I recently came across this online. Its a bit of a pain to always grab my USB thumb drive to upload new music and keep 3 things synced together (Computer, Car, Phone).

So what I am thinking about is using this USB Bluetooth device. Hopefully then my phone will simply provide the files to play over my head unit, and simply act as a storage unit.

Anyone have experience with this?

 

[Steph08]

No I havent had a problem
with my android. The only problem I'm having
is that the HTC adapter seems
to disable the phone's internal microphone
by the way I'm Steph from Atlanta USA.

 

[Jacqueline]

I'm dying to get my hands on an Android device but haven't been able to yet.

One topic that I haven't been able to find much information on is using an Android device such as the HTC Hero to listen to music in the car.

What experiences have you all had? Do you use the 3.5 jack?

Also, when someone calls or you receive a message does this interrupt the music or is there a way to mute all other audio prompts?

I am considering getting either the motorokr or jabra bluetooth speakerphone. They attach to the visor, include a mic, and will play through the car stereo via the fm transmitter. The reviews at amazon are pretty good on both.

Amazon.com: Motorola MOTOROKR T505 Bluetooth Speakerphone: Cell Phones & Service

Amazon.com: Jabra SP700 Bluetooth Speakerphone: Cell Phones & Service

 

[bgoody]

Hi. This works really well and all you have to do when you get in the car is press play on your phone music player.

There's a little remote for skipping songs and answering the phone.

LiquidAUX™ Bluetooth® Car Kit - K33428US - Kensington

Amazon has a good price on it but I got mine here in Canada at Future Shop.

 

[Jacqueline]

Hi. This works really well and all you have to do when you get in the car is press play on your phone music player.

There's a little remote for skipping songs and answering the phone.

LiquidAUX

 

[dvalmont]

My 08 Explorer has an aux input, regular headphone jack. I plug my new HTC Hero into it, fire up Pandora and i'm LOVING it!
Tried playing podcasts today, looks good...
Additionally, my phone rings through the stereo and when I answer I hear the other party through the stereo.

 

[Zappy]

Hi. This works really well and all you have to do when you get in the car is press play on your phone music player.

There's a little remote for skipping songs and answering the phone.

LiquidAUX™ Bluetooth

 

[El Blacksheep]

My Droid connects to my Ford's Sync system via bluetooth and streams whatever I want; mostly Pandora. If I'm using Google Navigation, the music will mute while the nav speaks its directions. If I get a call, the music pauses during the call and starts up again after the call ends. It also automatically starts my music up when I start the car and pauses my music when I turn the car off.

All in all a good system.

 

[bgoody]

I was thinking of buying this for my Milestone. Its excatly what I need. Though Im wondering how the microphone is on it. Is the sound ok? I would prefeer a cabled mic that I could have closer to my face...

Hi. The mic is on the thingie which plugs into the power outlet. On my Ridgeline it was too far away so I bough a cheapo extension and mounted it behind the steering wheel. At highway speeds it's marginal but otherwise it's perfectly adequate. I'm sure it is not as good as having a remote mic attached to the sunvisor but the whole assembly beats the heck out of a Bluetooth earpiece.

 

[bgoody]

My Droid connects to my Ford's Sync system via bluetooth and streams whatever I want; mostly Pandora. If I'm using Google Navigation, the music will mute while the nav speaks its directions. If I get a call, the music pauses during the call and starts up again after the call ends. It also automatically starts my music up when I start the car and pauses my music when I turn the car off.

All in all a good system.

My Ridgeline has an aux in 1/8 jack but I couldn't find an adapter from the mini-usb of my phone so I ended up with the Liquidaux setup.

Otherwise, it behaves exactly as you describe. Great system.

 

[Zappy]

Hi. The mic is on the thingie which plugs into the power outlet. On my Ridgeline it was too far away so I bough a cheapo extension and mounted it behind the steering wheel. At highway speeds it's marginal but otherwise it's perfectly adequate. I'm sure it is not as good as having a remote mic attached to the sunvisor but the whole assembly beats the heck out of a Bluetooth earpiece.

I'll consider it if I can't find any other solution. Though I'd much prefeer a mic if it exists.

I'd buy a new cheap cd-player with bluetooth, but I need an ipod connector as well (when I don't want to connect the phone etc), and then the options go down and the prices go up. Here in norway, I'll probably have to cash out about 400 USD for a simple player that fulfills my needs. And that car kit is 25 USD. Bah.

 

[bgoody]

I'll consider it if I can't find any other solution. Though I'd much prefeer a mic if it exists.

I'd buy a new cheap cd-player with bluetooth, but I need an ipod connector as well (when I don't want to connect the phone etc), and then the options go down and the prices go up. Here in norway, I'll probably have to cash out about 400 USD for a simple player that fulfills my needs. And that car kit is 25 USD. Bah.

If you can find an adapter from mini-usb to stereo 1/8 or whatever your car input is the you can just use the mike of the phone.

 

[Zappy]

If you can find an adapter from mini-usb to stereo 1/8 or whatever your car input is the you can just use the mike of the phone.

Why would I want to connect the mic on the phone to my stereo? And is it even possible to output the mic though the USB? Also, I tried using the mic on the phone while driving (and the stereo connected with phono cable) and it was unusable.