[Closed] 6 music in the car

One of [url= http://www.reghardware.com/2012/01/11/review_pure_highway_300di_in_car_digital_radio_adapter/ ]these[/url] looks good

You have a portable digital radio with a headphone socket ?
Has your radio got an aux input on the front?
If so, you're laughing

If not, there are things that will plug in the back of most makes to allow a mp3 etc to plug in, so could do that plus yr DAB radio - I've done it on 2 fords and a beemer

(that PURE thing is a posh version of what I had (mk1 I suppose) - mine works pretty well, only v occasional dropouts)

I replaced the (cheap)head unit in my car last year with one of [url= http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_10001_catalogId_10151_productId_788133_langId_-1_categoryId_243051 ]these [/url], it's gone up £100 since I bought mine 😯 My car's old though with a standard DIN sized hole for the head unit, if you've got a newer car it might be easier to get a Highway thingy.

You have a portable digital radio with a headphone socket ?
Has your radio got an aux input on the front?
If so, you're laughing

ta

[url= http://www.amazon.co.uk/PURE-Highway-Car-Radio-Transmitter/dp/B0012GLXMU ]This[/url] is a cheaper way.

freddyG's is what I use - is fine

(adaptor I had was "connects2" - about 30 quid)

thanks, looks interesting. only problem with that in my car (octavia) is that the fag socket is on the centre console behind the handbrake. so i have to have a wire training down to it when i use the satnav. so itll be there all the time using this.

dont spose theres any way of using my htc desire hd in any way is there? phones seem to do the lot these days 🙂

Try an internet radio app. Should work but devours data.

I bet* you could hardwire it onto the radio's supply

*WHen it's all burning on the hard-shoulder of the A1, remember I'm just a bloke on your computer

(I don't think any phones have DAB so you'd be on data, as al says)

Hang on.

sadex - my "radio" is in the centre console. Doesn't need to be visible unless you change staions a lot. I only use 5 and 6 and have preset buttons for them. The only visible lead is from the aerial and that's pretty much hidden behind trim etc

Get a double socket adaptor (ansmann ones are good, some seemed to make my radio noisy) and away you go, pretty much same as now

??

There's a JVC DAB head unit in Halfords for £150.
http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductMobileDisplay?catalogId=10151&storeId=10001&productId=819671&categoryId=243051&langId=-1

Tick. I love 6 and BBC Asian on DAB 😀

Tune In radio on my blackberry. Data is not an issue for me. Reception can vary. Worth a try though.

Tunein and Iphone for me, bluetooth to car audio system.

I had the Pure DAB in car radio and it was very hit and miss and messy with the cables.

Whan it came to picking my new comapny car which arrived 2 months ago I chose one that had an DAB radio as standard. So much better than the plug in option

Try an internet radio app. Should work but devours data.

There's a JVC DAB head unit in Halfords for £150.
http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductMobileDisplay?catalogId=10151&storeId=10001&productId=819671&categoryId=243051&langId=-1

sadex - my "radio" is in the centre console. Doesn't need to be visible unless you change staions a lot. I only use 5 and 6 and have preset buttons for them. The only visible lead is from the aerial and that's pretty much hidden behind trim etc

Get a double socket adaptor (ansmann ones are good, some seemed to make my radio noisy) and away you go, pretty much same as now

am i right in thinking any unit will just connect to my original 6-cd changer in the boot?

thanks

Bought a golf with dab fitted, it's the future

just been looking at that jvc head unit again. looks like its got a usb port on front, so am i right in thinking that just by sticking a usb drive into it, holding a few albums (flac or mp3), itll do the same as a cd changer? not that ill be playing many if it plays 6 music tho 😀

on the down side, doesnt look like itll fit my octavia without spending extra on a 'harness adaptor' and an 'antenna adaptor' :-/

http://www.google.co.uk/products/catalog?pq=pure+dab&hl=en&cp=10&gs_id=8&xhr=t&q=pure+dab+highway&client=safari&gs_upl=&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.,cf.osb&biw=768&bih=928&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=shop&cid=10810757939036574892&sa=X&ei=5x0TT8rANozqOeeI0KID&sqi=2&ved=0CE0Q8gIwAg or one of these it'll work with your existing radio

You could chuck a sh1tload of albums on a 16Gb or even a 32Gb flashdrive, which wouldn't cost a lot, or else you just plug the end of your iPods dock lead into it, if you have an iPod. If you have, it'll show track data etc.

watching with interest, radio 6 is in a league of its own

The fact that 6 still isn't broadcast over the airwaves is unquestionably the greatest injustice facing mankind today. I'm not even joking.

Just go to the BBC iPlayer site every evening and burn the previous days entire Radio 6 schedule to CD.

You can then play them in your car.
You get to listen to the music you like AND pretend that you've mastered time travel at the same time.
Don't forget to synchronise the time, or it could get confusing.

Alternatively, buy a cheap 'Rock' complilation from a petrol station, spout complete and utter bollocks between tracks in a horrible mid Atlantic accent and pretend you're listening to Rock FM 106.1.

The fact that 6 still isn't broadcast over the airwaves is unquestionably the greatest injustice facing mankind today. I'm not even joking.

Don't forget to synchronise the time, or it could get confusing.

I listen over the internet from Oz. This gets very confusing...

I tried 6 the other day and it seemed lame. Will give it another go.

ivantate - Member
I tried 6 the other day and it seemed lame. Will give it another go.

Which programmes?

I find the majority of 6Music to be excellent with a couple of shows that 'do my head in'. Saturday morning and most of Sunday I can quite happily ignore - which is a shame is that represents the biggest listening opportunity for me.

most of Sunday I can quite happily ignore -

Horses for courses. I think the Cerys/Huey/Jarvis run is a terrific listen

I kind of agree, but it requires more attention than I can give it. If it's just on in the background as I'm pottering about, I'm not doing it justice - I find it a bit too much hard work.

Cerys does play some great stuff though - interesting 'world music' that I just wouldn't get to hear anywhere else (Andy Kershaw maybe???)

I tried 6 the other day and it seemed lame. Will give it another go.

are you 15 years old? 😀

my default radio station for home.

I used to love the freakzone on a sunday afternoon -
moved it now though...

This is a great little app I use to download bbc radio shows if I cant listen to them live. Automatically converts them to mp3 as well.

[url= http://www.nerdoftheherd.com/tools/radiodld/ ]Radio downloader[/url]

Had one of those pure highway things before and it was ok but reception could be quite hit and miss- even bridges could cause it to cut out. Now have factory fitted DAB radio (ford) and it is loads better- probably due to having loads more antennae dotted around the car- in front and rear bumpers etc. For this reason I think DAB head units as aftermarket fitment may well be disappointing.
If you have a smart phone and don't mind using the data allowance then internet radio app over bluetooth or aux socket seems the way to go.
Areas with poor 3g signal tend to have a poor DAB signal too (eg snake pass- nothing much between ladybower and glossop)

The Parrot [url= http://www.parrot.com/asteroid ]Astroid[/url] looks like the future and is pretty reasonably priced at £220 but sounds like it's a bit underdeveloped at the moment. No DAB either.

Does anyone make a DAB headunit with Bluetooth Streaming and handfree telephony (preferably without a CD player - haven't played a CD in the car in many years)?

As with Simon above, Sunday's line up, all day, is brilliant. I'd go as far as to include Stuart Maconie's Freak Zone as well.

Radcliffe and Maconie from 1pm weekdays keeps me sane when working from home.

Radcliffe and Maconie from 1pm weekdays keeps me sane when working from home.

Yup, not sure how I'd handle home days otherwise

wish I could access iplayer whilst listening on a DAB to listen to shows I've missed

NME radio here.

wish I could access iplayer whilst listening on a DAB to listen to shows I've missed

Squeezebox radio is the answer. Listen live or full access to iPlayer (though think you need to run it with a server and the iPlayer plugin for this).

just got my new car now, so ready to go ahead with this. been looking at all your links, and i think the pure highway is the way i want to go. the 300i is it?
anyway, ive rung 3 halfords now, and at all of them ive been dealt with by some teenage lass who hasnt got a clue about it and is just guessing. nobody more qualified available etc etc. bit crap really.

so......... i assume itd have to be installed professionally (dont think id like to do anything behind the dash) and ill just have to wait until 'somebody more qualified is available' in the stores?

im assuming it plugs into the aux socket. well my aux socket is behind the handbrake in the arm rest between fron seats (mk 2 octavia). will this make things more difficult or is there another behind the dash?
and then does it use my original radios display when its plugged in?

thanks

i have a DAB car audio system and i quite frequently get sick of 6music, if that helps!

Nope, doesn't help at all mate I'm afraid.

righto, not to worry. in all seriousness, it's my station of choice but it does get a bit repetitive. just thinking it might not be worth a significant outlay just for that station.

not just that mate, i quite like the idea of a usb port for a stick with a load of albums on, instead of cds. im sort of trying to head in that direction with music really, ripping all my cds to flac for my squeezebox at home etc.
i commute 40 mins each way, and it seems to be a choice of moyles or evans in the morning, scott mills at teatime. i just really like the eclectic mix on 6 music, and an hour ad a half each day of that rather than chart sh*te would enrich my life somewhat 😀

I've had a Pure Highway (the original one) for several years now I can honestly say it's the best gadget I have ever purchased.
When I had an Octavia the in-car aerial did the job fine with only occasional drop out but when I changed to an A3 the signal was nowhere as good and I had to get an external aerial.

how does the original differ? is it windscreen mounted and newer one smaller and can sit somewhere more practical? any other differences? and how did you connect it? to the aux? and was it between the front seats?

How about campaigning the BBC to ditch bandwith hungry Radio 3?

It's a shame that they don't realise that FM is primarily used in workshops and cars, so should include programming that's great to listen to while working and driving.

sadexpunk - Member
how does the original differ? is it windscreen mounted and newer one smaller and can sit somewhere more practical? any other differences? and how did you connect it? to the aux? and was it between the front seats?

just nipped into halfords to have a look at them. was thinking the original pure highway may be favourite, as tbh, im only really interested in 6 music. i could plug something into aux, set it on 6 music and leave it. but theyve discontinued it now, and looking at the fake display model, it looked far too big.
the 300Di is perfet size, but its gonna be well over £200 to get it fitted with extra cables or adaptors or whatever. mebbes a bit pricey for one radio station.

dont really know which way to go now :-/

just a bit of an update if anyones interested. it may help someone whos after doing same as me. i downloaded 'tune in radio' app for my desire HD. it finds 6 music! 😀 played fine in my house for an hour without cutting out or owt, so i bought a 3.5 jack lead both ends, connected to aux in the car and there it was, 6 music through the speakers 🙂

but........it keeps cutting out in the car. back at home, try again, perfect. back to car, cuts out >-(

need to investigate further to see if i can make this work for me.

any suggestions most welcome 🙂

cheers

.it keeps cutting out in the car. back at home, try again, perfect

Are you using WiFi at home?

I've also used my Sony DAB portable radio in the car to listen to TMS, because the car didn't have LW. Couldn't see the point of PURE car one, when I already had this.

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I've just had an email from Halfords about this! Weird. Is that cause of me not pausing my gmail / browsing thing?

Anyway: DAB retro-integrated to a Ford £149 fitted:
http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_10001_catalogId_10151_productId_875513_langId_-1_categoryId_243051

How about campaigning the BBC to ditch bandwith hungry Radio 3?

Philistine. And I mean that.

Djaustin, are you just listening to it through its own speakers, or connecting to aux and playing through car radio? cws, I like the look of that, but not much different to the pure highway 300di is it? Bit cheaper but it doesn't say anything about free fitting, the link shows another £25 to fit.

Thanks

sadex - I've got a bit lost in the detail there: Their email includes a "Spend and Save" discount for a fitted price of £154.98 although the website lists it as £149 + 25 fitting.

Philistine.

And proud.

Just get a normal DAB radio, fit it in the boot and run a long aux cable into your head unit?

I have a cheapy Technica Tesco special £30 DAB portable, a set of rechargeable batteries and a connector cable. I leave the radio on the passenger seat and it's surprisingly fine. If you haven't got an input, just play the radio through its speaker.

but........it keeps cutting out in the car. back at home, try again, perfect. back to car, cuts out >-(

I tried this too, but it only seems to work reliably on wifi, even on 3g its always buffering, strange when 3g seems adequate for video on youtube.

I have a cheapy Technica Tesco special £30 DAB portable, a set of rechargeable batteries and a connector cable. I leave the radio on the passenger seat and it's surprisingly fine. If you haven't got an input, just play the radio through its speaker.

Just get a normal DAB radio, fit it in the boot and run a long aux cable into your head unit?

cant remember if i mentioned earlier ive got an octavia, with aux socket in the armrest between front seats, so id want something situated either in that armrest or on centre console really.

cant believe its this difficult to get myself sorted!! :-/

o.....kay, heres what im thinking at the moment. bit of a strange one, and nobodys suggested anything like it yet, so im assuming it wont work. but...... could i unscrew my original fm aerial, screw in a dab aerial that i would buy, and then connect [url= http://www.dabonwheels.co.uk/Acoustic_Solutions_DAB-ICS100_DAB_car_radio.html ]this bad boy[/url] to the aux socket under my armrest?
surely it cant be that simple? can it??

bump? :-/

I've you've got the aux in then rather than using your phone for live radio (and eating up data allowance) download the content you like from r6 as podcasts and play those. That way you're not limited to content on that station for those drive time slots. If you're commute is fairly long you just end up hearing the news headlines and weather too many times (and you've usually already heard those before you get in the car anyway)

When I've got jobs on in Glasgow its an hour commute at about 6am, and pretty much all radio is awful at that time in the morning, I want to listen to something a bit more involving, so I have iTunes gathering podcasts of programmes I like and play those from my phone instead.

You could listen to Jon Holmes saturday drive time traffic when you're actually driving, for instance 🙂

aye, thanks mate, it looks like thats a compromise i may have to make. ive been on a few dedicated sites, and theres no easy way of doing this without wires everywhere, aerials stuck to glass or on roof etc.
so...... if i do decide to do this, i need to know a bit more about podcasts 🙂 are they the whole show? just a cut down 'best of' a show? and how large would the downloaded file sizes be?

i think id also prefer to buy a little drive to plug into the aux too, instead of my phone, so i can hold a few cd's and a weeks worth of podcasts maybe. this sound viable?

thanks a lot

i think id also prefer to buy a little drive to plug into the aux too, instead of my phone, so i can hold a few cd's and a weeks worth of podcasts maybe. this sound viable?

buy an ickle iPod shuffle, download iTunes, download podcasts with wild abandon. Plenty of R6 is available in podcast format, if there are particular shows you like you can set for them to download automatically as they become available. Theres lots of good stuff out there too. The nice thing about podcasts is you can stop them then you get to work then pick up where you left off on the way home.

hmmm mebbes im missing something with these here podcasts, but they look crap :-/

just been having a look, and theres a few bits and bobs, some 8 mins, some a bit longer, some 30-odd mins. but no shows? i love mark radcliffe and marc riley and ideally id download some of their shows. doesnt seem as if im able to do that.

am i right, or am i missing something?

thanks

Actually, you're quite right, I'm more used to radio 4 stuff that tends to be the whole programme, but then programmes on there are only 30mins long usually, an R6 show will be several hours long which is a bit unwieldy I guess, especially as you'll news and stuff every half hour, so thats why the podcasts are shorter edits.

Download a few anyway and give them a burl at home. If you're commute is 40 mins you won't be able to listen to a whole show anyway

am i right, or am i missing something?

The key thing is that the podcasts can't include complete songs for rights reasons. So a 6Music podcast misses quite a bit.

I've never found the Tune In Radio app to work reliably in the car. Not sure if it's to do with 3G or being in a moving car. It works fine at home (on wifi).

same here with the tune-in mate. and im not particularly happy about the whole podcast thing now, i was assuming i could play catch up on shows :-/

im now going back to concentrating on getting it live in the car 😀

i thought i was there with the 'unscrew fm aerial, swap with dab aerial' thing, but apparently id need an adaptor, and also connect it to whatever standalone unit i bought THEN plug into aux, rather than the leaving the aerial connected to the actual car radio itself.

im like a dog with a bone tho, i NEED to listen to 6 music in the car!! 😀

thread resurrection, as im still not sorted but still determined 😀 looks like ive got a fair few options on units, but that the unit is only as good as its aerial. as it stands, i set my phones 'tune in radio' app to max buffering, and it worked on a short journey, but im not convinced itll do the job over 40 minute commutes.

im leaning towards portable devices that i can chuck in my armrest rather than integrated, but just wondered if anybody has any further advice or experience of any of these units? just as a reminder, my aux input is in the armrest between front seats and so is the fag lighter, so ideally id be charging something from there and plugging into aux. think the aerials the problem tho.

thanks

update on progress so far. ive now bought a small 'clarity' unit from dabonwheels, with the telescopic kinetic external glass mount aerial. pretty pleased with it so far although as its been chucking it down i havent got round to sticking the external section of aerial on yet.

basically, the unit will play digital radio either through aux, or save clutter by sending signal over fm for my car stereo to pick up. i just need to ensure the aerial will do the job ok, and ill secure the aerial (its gaffa taped at the mo in case it has to go back).

signal drops sometimes at the mo but hopefully thatll be sorted when i fit external aerial. i was hoping to fit it centrally behind rear view mirror but ive got a large section of shaded glass there and apparently you cant fit the aerials on that section of the glass. itll mebbes have to go top corner passenger side but thatll look a bit crap, so not totally sure yet.

thanks to everyone who's given advice. its been a slog, but nearly there now 😀