There are a lot of different types of transmitters available for car audio system, each differs in performance and quality.

One is the iPod FM transmitter which uses an empty radio station in your location to play the iPod. Then it transmits the music from the iPod to your car radio in full stereo sound. The actual quality of the audio being played through the transmitter is generally quite good.

Second Most genuine products such as Griffin iTrip FM transmitter offer audio equivalent to a good radio station. Firstly select a signal which is clear of any radio stations, this will reduce the amount of interference heard, secondly if your frequency picks up any in the future simple change frequency. The Griffin iTrip Fm Transmitter for example has 3 pre-set frequencies to change to if you do happen to receive quality issues with the current settings.

A small saying that my granddad used to say to me "you get what you pay for" generally rings true in all walks of life. If you buy a cheap transmitter you should expect the performance to be poorer than other kits, from our experience the griffin tend to offer the best all round performance in the iPod FM Transmitter world.

There are a lot of different types of transmitters available to purchase, each differs in performance and quality. As with everything else in life you get the good and the bad. The problem with transmitters is that the bad are very bad and give the other products a poor reputation on the back of theirs.

FM Transmitters by nature are designed with a slight fault, in that they are prone to interference from other signal frequencies. This can manifest in two ways either the transmitter signal is blocked because the other signal is stronger or interference is received over either audio playback, resulting in echo, buzz or both.

The actual quality of the audio being played through the transmitter is generally quite good. Most genuine products such as Griffin iPod fm transmitters , dexim and or logic3 offer audio equivalent to a good radio station (radio 1 for example) however its generally expected if you use a frequency close to a powerful local or national station you will receive a little interference at some point during connection.

The solution to this problem however is simple. Firstly select a signal which is clear of any radio stations, this will reduce the amount of interference heard, secondly if your frequency picks up any in the future simple change frequency. The Griffin iTrip Fm Transmitter for example has 3 pre-set frequency’s to change to if you do happen to receive quality issues with the current settings.

FM Transmitters are a good solution if you only want a simple iPod input in your car, If for example you don’t need an integrated kit that offers full digital quality, iPod control and text display the Transmitter could be the kit for you.

A small saying that my granddad used to say to me “you get what you pay for” generally rings true in all walks of life. If you buy a cheap transmitter you should expect the performance to be poorer than other kits, from our experience the griffin tend to offer the best all round performance in the iPod Fm Transmitter world.

The Touareg vehicles that VW manufactured before 2008 are not compatible with the new Dension CAN kits (either the gateway 100 & 300 VC1 & V21). The non CAN (non text VW1) kits from Dension are still compatible with the touareg’s of this period however they obviously do not display text, meaning that iPod UI mode will be the only realistic way of controlling the audio played through the stereo.

The Dension Gateway Lite is another solution which operates in iPod mode with forward and back tracks available from the stereo & Steering wheel controls. The benefit of the of the Gateway Lite is it also has USB input for additional media, and a simplified interface, making music choices much easier.

See How it works in the  VW Gateway Lite Video.

More information of the kits mentioned above can be found following the links.

VW Gateway 100

VW Gateway 300

What did we do before the invention of the iPod? Its like Mobile phone, how did we communicate before we had these? Back in the dark ages (10 years ago) we had to play music on tape and had to be at home to make a phone call. Just like most things in these times, we want everything on demand. Instant Music, Instant TV, Instantly contactable. Well the good news is Music is now just that, even in your car.

Digital Media Vs Radio, which do you prefer? Your own choice of music, albums and play-lists available for you to browse through at any point or tuning in to a radio broadcast and listening to the DJ. Not always, but usually making an anecdote about a story that really isn’t worth listening to, and playing a predetermined play-list dependant on weekly budgets rather than playing good music. Most people choose playing music from their iPod. Or at least have the choice to do so.

Your Music is available on your iPod when ever you want it, and presumably you like all the music tracks you have on there? Otherwise they wouldn’t be there right! Well combine the music you love and with the iPod car kit and you have the perfect solution for the long and tedious drives when your usually either reduced to tears or subject to road-rage before the end of the journey. I’m not saying that these are a miracle cure for road-rage but they may help reduce stress a little?

When Wanting Music in your vehicle the most convenient and easiest way of doing so is usually an FM Transmitter. Its a simple process to get music playing, which usually entails taking it out the box, setting a frequency and pressing play on your iPod (The process couldn’t be simpler). Music is played through the stereo via an FM frequency, providing the frequency isn’t used often you’ll receive a good quality audio signal through stereo and subsequently the speakers.

After recent news that Dension are due to release a new product entitled the "Gateway Five" we received our sample models and set about to get testing just how good it is. Dension promised the item to have a much better integration than a Parrot MKi 9200 (Parrots Flagship Bluetooth and iPod car integration kit) and after working with Dension for a few years – we believe them!

The main big advantage that the Dension Gateway Five will have over the Parrot alternative is that the Dension integrates into the stereo’s display and controls (either from the stereo itself, or from the steering controls). This in itself gives it a better selling point compared to the Parrot but pair this with the way that the Dension Gateway Five actually takes control of the iPod and the Phone in comparison to the Parrot MKi 9200 and you really do have something special. Could this be the product that knocks Parrot from its perch?

Lets start off by providing  a comparison chart, showing which kit has which features. After the chart we can move onto discussing each feature or specification, one by one.

From the above chart you can sort of get your head around why this product is so exciting. We will now talk about our findings and go further in depth for each feature listed above.

1. Full CD Quality Audio
Bluetooth as a technology doesnt provide enough bandwidth for the music to be sent to the stereo in perfect audio. Pair this with the fact that the Parrot DOESN’T use the car stereos amplifier (it uses a pretty poor 15 watt internal amplifier) AND the fact that you can only get sound through your front speakers (unless your lucky enough to be in the 2% of people who have a vehicle which can handle a better wiring harness, all be it for another £80!) mean that the Dension simply wipes the floor with the Parrot kit here. The Dension kit fully hard-wires into the car stereo via the CAN-Bus system so the entire connection is optical digital, quality is just perfection. The only time you will hear bad quality with the Gateway Five is if the MP3 file on the iPod is poor quality.
Dension – 1
Parrot – 0

2. Hard Wired Digital Connection
We have touched on this a little above so there isn’t too much need to go into detail but because the Parrot MKi-9200 transmits the iPods music via Bluetooth, the quality isn’t the best. Compare this with the Dension’s CAN-Bus connection and Dension take the spoils again!
Dension – 2
Parrot – 0

3. Works through ALL speakers
Another simple response needed. The Dension works through every speaker and utilises the cars amplification (be it from within the stereo itself or from any upgrade like a Bose system). Because the Parrot MKI kits use older SOT lead technology, only the front two speakers work.
Dension – 3
Parrot – 0

4. Control Bluetooth from the stereo (Including Missed Calls, Received Calls & Phonebook)
Obviously the Parrot comes with an external display which can control the phone functions. Its not a terrible display but its nowhere near as good as using the vehicles display. It looks out of place in most vehicles and just doesnt look "OEM". However, you can search by missed calls and received calls etc. The Dension does exactly the same thing but through the cars display and cars controls (steering wheel controls and stereo controls) instead of fiddling with a little external screen.
Dension – 4
Parrot – 0

5. Control the iPod from the Stereo
Now this is obviously where Dension excell, they have been at the forefront of iPod integration since the iPod was first made. Anyone who wishes to integrate iPod in a car always use Dension systems as the standard but they can never achieve what Dension have achieved because everytime anyone gets close, Dension raise the bar. The Dension Gateway Five can control the iPod fully from the stereo, this includes searching for artists, albums, track, playlists, podcasts, genres – all using the stereo controls and the steering wheel controls (control can also be reverted back to the iPod if needed anyway). The Parrots iPod interface is pretty simple but not impossible to use. Obviously the control has to be done from the external display again.
Dension – 5
Parrot – 0

6. Requires external display
Some like external displays, others think there are numberous issues with using an external display. One of the main concerns is that theifs know that there is an aftermarket Bluetooth kit fitted into the vehicle – making it a target. Other issues are that the displays look fairly ugly (the ones which dont look too bad tend to be too small to use accurately). Instead of using an external display, the Dension Gateway Five uses the vehicles display to tell you everything you need to know.
Dension – 6
Parrot – 0

7. Integrated through the vehicles display
The same as above really, obviously the Parrot needs the display to be operated where-as the Dension uses the vehicles displays. This point isn’t a win or a loss for either Dension or Parrot so the scores stay the same!
Dension – 6
Parrot – 0

8. Integrates though the vehicles display
Again, as above. No conclusion can be drawn from this point other than give the facts.
Dension – 6
Parrot – 0

9. Phonebook displayed on the stereo/cluster
Well another point for Dension here. The Dension Gateway Five allows the phones contacts to be viewed from the cars display.
Dension – 7
Parrot – 0

10. Control iPod Playlists from the stereo
The Dension can, the Parrot cant. Simple.
Dension – 8
Parrot – 0

11. Control iPod Artists from the stereo
As above.
Dension – 9
Parrot – 0

12. Control iPod Albums from the stereo
As above, again.
Dension – 10
Parrot – 0

13. Control iPod Tracks from the stereo
As above, again, again!
Dension – 11
Parrot – 0

14. Control iPod Podcasts/Genres etc from the stereo
And again…
Dension – 12
Parrot – 0

15. Compatible with most mobile phones
Neither a winner or a loser on this one so both get a point. Both kits work with nearly every phone around today. The Dension utilises the new Blue Core Chip which is considedered the new standard in bluetooth technology. The Parrot uses its original chip – which is by no means far behind!

Dension – 13
Parrot – 1

16. Charges the iPod/iPhone, including 5v charging iPods
The Dension certainly does do this. The Parrot’s NEWER models does this.
Dension – 14
Parrot – 2

17. Add-ons (Like Video Output from the iPod into the stereo/nacigation)
Another point for the Dension. Because it utilises the CAN-Bus system, there is a possibility of sending so much more information through the system.
Dension – 15
Parrot – 2

18. USB Input for flash drives and hard drives
Yet another point for Dension… They are really destroying the Parrot kits here!
Dension – 16
Parrot – 2

19. Aux Input
Both get a point here.
Dension – 17
Parrot – 3

20. Pricing
Both are on par. However, its important to remind you that the Parrot kits DO need an additional part to connect it to the vehicle, the Dension doesnt. Another point for Dension.
Dension – 18
Parrot – 3

No Its not a new product from apple, but it is their biggest collective seller. The iPod / iPhone is set to conquer another market, Inadvertently.

There’s an old saying “success comes with success” Unless I have just made it up? (But it makes sense anyway) The success of the iPod has increased the power of apple as a brand, obviously with some careful guidance from the company management too. It seems that every man and his dog have some form of an iPod, whether it be a old school 1st Gen Nano a new 3rd Gen iTouch or the iPhone 3GS. A large portion of the market belongs to apple, with loyal customers willing to upgrade when new products become available.

The Size of the iPod market is HUGE and not just for apple, companies are always developing new products or systems to work with or on the back of it. This only strengthens Apple as a company. A New market that has emerged over the past 5 years is the iPod to Car market. It makes sense when you think about it. A lot of us have an iPod, Nearly all of us have vehicles and I’d say 99.9% of all of us love music, which ever music genre your into. Add them together and you see a new area that apple are inadvertently conquering.

Most people don’t think of their vehicle as an entertainment system, or having an entertainment system installed in it. But its not a new trend. Not so long ago, the only entertainment option in your vehicle was a radio, often receiving a below standard signal, playing music at the discretion of the producers at the station however it was a great option to have at the time. The Next Big thing was the development CD. Albums and singles from various artists can be played at your leisure (and still are) making longer journeys seem much shorter, or at least more enjoyable. Now its the turn of the iPod.

 Ipod car kits are a new wave in vehicle entertainment. We have never had so many options as to how we listen, and what choice of music we listen to in the car. The aftermarket ipod kit market is already strong. Companies like Dension have been producing kits to integrate ipods into the vehicles factory fitted stereos for the last seven years. Growing year on year as the trend becomes more popular. Other aftermarket vehicle entertainment solutions come in the form of stereos such as Alpine, of Sony. Who are now producing iPod / iPhone (and radio) only stereos.

The success of the these companies and the growing trend in general have encouraged vehicle manufacturers to experiment with ipod car kits into their own vehicles, more and more new vehicles are offering these kits as an optional extra on purchase. Specifically used to drive sales for specific vehicle brands. However these kits are usually overpriced and often use the same software / hardware as the Dension equivalent, in fact more often that not it is actually a Dension Kit unbranded.

So being masters of mobile music industry allows Apple to control other areas of business without realising it. So if you never even thought of the idea of playing music in your car from iPod or iPhone or never realised there was a iphone car kit available to do so. You will know all about it soon, in fact I dare say in two or three years time all vehicles will have some form ipod car kit installed for your entertainment.

iPod car accessories are useful for long journeys, car accessories for the iPod and iphone can range from protective cases, to protect against scratches and more serious damage, Through to fully integrated iPhone car kits which provide a digital connection combined with iPod and music control through the stereo / steering wheel adapters and charging facilities.

I was OVERWHELMED! It was a Dension iPod Car kit, really cool. Well, that was the very first one. So, you can understand that I was quite in love with it. To be honest, I was not going to get it. I was expressing my disappointment over having to receive calls every now and then for work, to my sister, and it just **** me off, when I had to use phone while driving. It’s not that I can’t handle a simple phone call when I am driving. But I fall into the category of those people who really enjoy driving and when I get inside my Saab Convertible, it becomes a whole new world for me. No one, just my car and me… well, that’s what I was lamenting to my sister some day and the next day, she bought me this Dension iPod Car piece.

But honestly, I just hated the installation process. I was never good at mathematics, and God, I was a technophobe. I just hate those hi-tech stuffs that have wires coming out from every side of them. I just get so confused on where the red wire is going or the black wire connects. And I am pretty sure I have many friends, readers here who think the same. They are good with affiliate marketing business, they like being the financial analyst but figuring the wires and chips are never their cup of tea.

Here, let me tell you something. My brother helped me a lot when it came to installing the Dension iPod Car kit, but most helpful was that short simple manual guide that we got from the supplier. It was real quality. It told you in step-by-step process, how to dissemble it and then assemble it, all in an simple way a newbie can understand. Well then again, I just love my Dension iPod car kit now. It is sleek and fashionable, and I just boast about it to my friends. It just suits my personality. Style meets style! But apart from that, how can I deny the legal rules that I have to abide by, in US or most countries. You cannot use a mobile phone while driving. No, let me rephrase that. You can use a phone. But you cannot with a phone with your ‘hands’. No, you are not supposed to use them with your legs. Okay that was a bad joke.

But it sure is dangerous. But after getting that cool Dension iPod Car kit, I not only added some character to my style (that’s what I think anyway!), it just made it so easy for me to receive phone calls while driving via the BTA1500 bluetooth module. It has some cool features. I just have to cycle through the options using the vehicle controls and it will load all of my contacts for me.

Recently, I saw there has been some updated products. Perhaps, I will get myself the newest Dension iPod car kit very soon…lol.

iPod car accessories are useful for long journeys, car accessories for the iPod and iphone can range from protective cases, to protect against scratches and more serious damage, Through to fully integrated iPhone car kits which provide a digital connection combined with iPod and music control through the stereo / steering wheel adapters and charging facilities.

The apple iPhone combines a fully functional phone with a top of the range MP3 player and so much more. However when it comes to getting more value from your iPhone, its difficult to know what accessories are best value for money and worth while investing in and which are a waste of time.

Do to the nature of the iPhone, you should be looking for a kit that matches its performance and usability. The iPhone has somewhat revolutionised the mobile phone industry in the past four years. Although touch screen technology was around before, the iPhone’s usability and functionality surpassed all its competitors. The screen was more accurate, the navigation more simple and the music storage and playback included in the package is better than any other phone / MP3 player available today.

So if you want to improve the functions of the iPhone or any other iPod for that matter you need something that will a) allow the iPhone to do something that it wasn’t capable of doing before and b) ensuring the product is the best on the market for what you want it to do, assuming you don’t want to just make do. This is usually where people get confused. What do I want the product to do?

There are various products available for the iPhone that allow integration into most vehicles factory stereo equipment. (Assuming you want a hard wired connection) which provide a variety of different functions and features. Ranging from full music control from steering wheel or stereo to track and image display on screens, through to Bluetooth functionality for an additional phone. After market technology for OE (Original Equipment) hard ward installed in the vehicle is now better than ever and can improve the driving experience for all road users.

Ipod integration into vehicles is now commonplace, a lot of new vehicles are pre installed with them or have the option to upgrade, however this is usually a more expensive option with less functions than most after market solutions. The market leaders in this area Dension offer a wired connection into the back of the CD Changer port that provides a full digital connection and control of the iPod / iPhone when docked.

Other features can include Text display, and advanced track search functions, USB integration and iPod charging, Other kits also provide some of same functions and can be just as reliable however Dension cover the vast majority of vehicles and stereos which most other brands do not.

Unfortunately one of the only draw backs to the iPod car kit when using the iPhone is that the phone functions are restricted and the iPhone’s flight mode is automatically selected. The iPhone becomes an iPod when connected to the system and to date there no way around this, however with continual software updates and improvements in technology a solution may not be too far away? However the quality of audio played is second to none, the full digital connection plays music to the quality of the MP3 or AAC file uploaded to the iPod. Music downloaded from iTunes usually runs at 256bps rather that the 128bps usually written on CD’s meaning the quality achieved is far superior. The continual development of this industry also means that improvements to the systems are common, and additional parts and accessories which offer an improved service are introduced regularly.

The need for an iPod / iPhone car kit is purely a luxury, its not essential but it is a fantastic way of passing the time when driving. Enjoying the music you love to hear rather than what ever happens to be on the radio or trying to dig through 100′s of CD is one of the main reasons for people purchasing these kits. Apple introduced Music on demand, popularised by the iPod. This is extended further now with the introduction of iPod / iPhone car kits. Your music when you want it, where ever your going.

OK, so you’ve seen all the blogs, virals, youtube videos and thousands of adverts advertising what NEW and IMPROVED features various app’s may offer…. It seems that using an iPod as a sprit level and other fairly useless functions is a growing trend, and soon no doubt builders the world over will down tools and purchase a multi-functional iPod which is capable of Sawing, Hammering and Screwing, drilling and any other task builder’s may have to do daily.

Dont Get me Wrong, I think some of the iPod and iPhone features and app’s are absortultly genius and provide an excellent service, made much more convenient and user friendly than ever before. However in general these app’s are few and far between.

Some of you may be wondering at this stage what the "Thing" is that everybody seemed to have forgotten. Its simple, Why aren’t we using the iPod for the task in which it was invented??? Playing Music …. I have seen several adverts recently regarding Apple and the iPhone 3gs and iPod Touch, and at no point in the advertisment did apple mention what the iPod was best used for (an MP3 player BTW). It seems to be all about the extras you get with package nowdays!

So The One thing that everybody should try using an iPod for is to store and play your favourite music

I’m obviously Kidding, the iPod is obviously an inspriational invention so here are some other things you can do with it that you might not of thought of?

Here are some uses for an iPod or iPhone include;

1) App’s can transform your iPhone from a simple phone and mp3 playing device to navigation device, resource finder, account manager or so much more depending on which app you use. Look long and hard, some of the best apps are still to be popularised.

2) Google Maps, Every contact with a physical address (regestered in google) in your contact book can be found on google maps, even better these contacts are automatically found when browsing for directions say to a resturant stored as a contact. Simply search for the contact and you have directions to the location from where your standing. Genius !!

3) Mobile internet, where ever you are you have full access to the internet, emails and all that the internet brings.

4) Videos and TV programmes, The newer iPods are capable of storing more information than ever before. Take advantage of this and load your favourite videos and TV programs to watch at your convenience.

5) The iPod can be transfromed into a truely mobile MP3 Player with the use of an iPod car kit. Plug in to your Car Stereo and you have full access to all of your tracks while you drive

The Apple iPod has done its bit to shape society over the past ten years, Not only is it a desirable gift or accessory. Its changed the way we listen to and purchase music. The most noticeable improvement the iPod / iPhone deliverers over its predecessors, is the ease and simplicity of use and instant satisfaction it delivers.

Music and applications can be downloaded instantly, negating the need to travel to a store to purchase CD singles or albums. Which except for a few people, was seen as a hindrance. No longer do we need to carry stacks of disc’s and filter through them to find an album for what ever mood were in. Put simply the iPod has revolutionised the music industry and carried it into the future, making music more accessible in our daily routines.

Many other companies have joined the music revolution in a bid to further improve the way we control and listen to our favourite albums. It has become big business, with more and more companies offering improved quality and functions for home audio and visual systems as well as car and mobile audio. One of the market leaders in the car audio field, Dension, have been developing new systems which allow full control of the iPod through the stereo and entertainment system in the vehicle.

For many the iPod symbolises mobile music, and more recently mobile entertainment with the release of the iPod touch and iPhone, and the continuing developments Apple are making in the Video and TV area. Dension have adopted this ethos of entertainment on the move and produced iPod car kits that surpass any other kit on the market in terms of quality and integration.

iPod integration is key for quality and ease of use of the kits, if they don’t match Apples exacting standards for the iPod there is no point in developing them. With this in mind Dension set about improving previous versions of iPod kits they already produced. (Which they were already market leaders) and come up with a kit that ensures great quality audio and simple easy controls. The Gateway Lite was born.

The Gateway Lite is the next step up from the Gateway 100 / Gateway 300 ipod car adapters, The lite offers a much improved navigation system which was not available on the 100 / 300 unless text compatibility was available on your vehicle. By making the system easier the Gateway Lite is much more effective when making a track selection, reducing the browsing time and frustration this may have caused.

Combined with USB input the Gateway lite makes your favourite music truly mobile, allowing you to carry you entire music collection in your vehicle, you no longer need the poor quality and probably illegal FM transmitters. Simply choose the Gateway Lite.

Dension are market leaders in iPod car kit integration. Their iPod car adapters provide better quality audio and track navigation and selection over any other kit on the market. Drive, Control, Charge and Play your iPod.