iPod: Home
How to get the best sound when hooking the player up to your home theater
April 5, 2004
 |
|
 |
|
|
NaviPod IR Remote
Control your iPod from a distance |
|
|
|
|
Connecting the iPod to your home gear is easy. All it really takes is a cable, known as a Y adapter, that has red and white RCA plugs at one end and a stereo mini-plug on the other to connect to the iPod or its dock. If you're in need of a dock and an extra power adapter, Apple's Stereo Connection Kit is a deal — you save $9 on the combination, and the high-quality Monster Y-adapter cable is thrown in for free. Or you can just get a simple connecting cable for $7 at Radio Shack.
To control the tunes, you could use the dial on the iPod itself. There is, however, at least one long-distance option, the NaviPod IR Remote. Consisting of a circular remote control with buttons for basic commands (play/pause, forward/back and volume), as well as an infrared receiver that plugs snugly into the top of the iPod, it gives you the same rudimentary handling you get from the iPod's wired remote. The only difference is, you can use it from yards away, as long as you have an unobstructed line of sight. The NaviPod sells on the Apple Store for $49.95. It's a neat device, but the price-to-benefit ratio isn't ideal. If it sold for half of that, we might recommend it.
A message about sound quality: don't be afraid to plug your iPod into your home theater and crank it up, because the chances are, it will sound good to you. If you buy tracks from the iTunes Music Store, or rip your own MP3s at a bit rate of 128 Kbps or higher (we recommend 160 Kbps), you will most likely have an experience that is similar to (or exactly the same as) listening to a CD. Audiophiles tend to disagree on this topic — the only way you'll know for sure is to give it a try.
|
