Controls iPod via Car Tape Deck – Griffin SmartDeck
I, to this day remain the target of ridicule because I sport the following: a Gen 1 iPod (works fine and takes a licking), and I use a cassette deck adapter (you know those things from the 90s) to connect it to my car stereo (you are probably asking yourself what kind of ‘gear head’ am I). I tried those worthless FM frequency modulators and all I got was static and Spanish channels interrupting my boxy, cumbersome and yes, overweight iPod’s 5GBs of music. But now I can move from full ridicule to partial ridicule thanks to Griffin Technologies as they have released a smart tape adapter – known as the SmartDeck – that allows you to control your iPod via the cassette deck. You can skip and reverse songs with the fast forward and rewind buttons respectively, and the pause and stop buttons work the same.
The only problem I now face is that the Griffin’s SmartDeck is not compatible with Gen 1 iPods! But hey, score ‘1’ for me! In your face Gen 2, 3, 4 – I still got the native Firewire connection on my iPod.
Currently available for $29.99 at Griffin Technologies
Notable features:
- Control iPod navigation through the car stereo
- Intelligent level control for optimal input levels
- Features highest-quality tape head for crystal clear quality
- Sets optimal volume on the iPod for best audio quality
- Seamless integration between iPod and car stereo
Christen Costa
