In old cars, there are constantly problems with the standard audio system. Some cars on Russian roads are so outdated that the only way out is to change the radio. For newer vehicles equipped with a CD drive, most often there is a universal output - AUX cable.
What is an AUX port?
Even at the dawn of the era of portable media devices and audio systems, global manufacturers agreed to use one single, universal port for all. So the 3.5 mm jack has become a real classic of the genre. Today it is found everywhere. In mobile phones, radio tape recorders, cassette players, MP3 players and even professional equipment.
It is rare to find a car without such a port. However, if it is not there will not be any problems with installing the linear port. Contrary to popular belief, not only headphones or an antenna, but also phones and USB flash drives can be connected to this universal connector. All you need is to purchase an AUX cable. It is not expensive, and you can find it in any store, even in the most ordinary market.
This wire looks extremely recognizable. Most often, there is a standard 3.5 mm mini-jack plug at both ends of the cable. Recently, a universal plug can only be on one side, and on the other there will be either a USB port or lightning. Regardless of appearance, he has one function - to connect a portable playback device to an outdated audio system.
Where can I buy?
AUX cable can literally be found anywhere. However, it should be remembered that the quality of the wire will be different. Of course, it’s hard to convince buyers that you shouldn’t save. But this is the case when it is better to obey the advice of the seller. The fact is that such cables are very cheap. Even the most expensive of them rarely cost more than 300 rubles. A cable for 50 rubles will not only not last long, it will still be short and tactilely unpleasant. If nevertheless there is no desire to purchase a cheap product, which will probably soon break down and there is an opportunity to wait a bit, the famous online store of Chinese goods Aliexpress will be the best choice.
A popular myth is that Chinese goods are of poor quality. However, this is not the case. Almost everything is made in China, especially various cables. By purchasing a product of a Chinese brand, the buyer can be sure of the quality of the goods. At the same time, buying an AUX cable without a brand or with too low a price is clearly not worth it.
The quality of the braid of the wire itself is also not the last value. This is an important element. A good fabric braid makes wiring flexible and durable, while conventional insulation is easily frayed and far from flexible.
Caution Mono!
In the electronic goods market, fraud is not uncommon. Of course, the seller is well aware that the buyer wants to purchase a stereo cable. However, there is a rather big risk of identifying a mono wire in the purchased product.
Detecting such a cable is easy. Here you need to carefully look at the plug itself. If there are 2 circular stripes, then this is stereo, if less - then mono.
Iphone
The apple brand has always stood apart and pushed new standards onto the world market. If earlier the standard connector was in any phone, then starting with Iphone 7, it was replaced by lightning. Of course, in this case, you need an AUX cable for the Iphone.
In fact, it is no better than usual. It’s just impossible to connect a standard one to new iPhones. The original cable will be very expensive. Even in the Chinese online store, such AUX connectors will be more expensive than usual.
Cable for car
In fact, there is no difference which device AUX connects to. Especially there is no difference with the linear port itself. However, in some cars it is not. Surprisingly, these are not necessarily old cars. The 2008 Toyota Camry also has no line-in. In this case, you need an AUX cable for the car. It differs from the usual one only in that it is sold as a set. It includes the cables themselves and the line port, which must be connected to the radio. Most often, installation instructions are not included. Regardless of the radio and the year of manufacture of the car - the connection of the linear port is always done at the rear. You have to be smart in order to beautifully bring the connector itself onto the front panel, into the glove compartment or into the armrest.
USB cable
Connecting to the phone’s audio system is a very common option for listening to music, but not the most convenient. The most practical is to install a USB port in the car. This will make it possible to connect flash drives and listen to music from them. Unfortunately, this method has disadvantages. Although the USB AUX cable does its job, it is far from being as good as a real USB port.
The line input is simply not designed for this. In this regard, the flash drive used should not have anything but music. Having folders and sorting by playlists is also highly undesirable. In addition, switching compositions is difficult. Most often it is impossible to scroll through all the tracks and select the one you need. You have to manually switch each song, which distracts from driving.