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Listening to Your Cassette Collection in a Car

Keep those mixtapes alive in the digital age

By Jeremy Laukkonen Jeremy Laukkonen Writer Shoreline Community College Jeremy Laukkonen is automotive and tech writer for numerous major trade publications. When not researching and testing computers, game consoles or smartphones, he stays up-to-date on the myriad complex systems that power battery electric vehicles . lifewire's editorial guidelines Updated on October 10, 2021 Tweet Share Email Tweet Share Email Connected Car Tech Android Auto Apple CarPlay Navigation Although cassette players are no longer standard equipment in new cars, you can still listen to your cassette tapes in a modern car audio system. Here, we discuss a few effective ways.

Connect a Portable Tape Player

The easiest solution is to connect a portable tape player, such as a Walkman, to your car's built-in auxiliary input with an auxiliary cord.
No auxiliary input in your car? Hook the tape player to an FM modulator or transmitter. Transmitters are easy to use, although they can be a little touchy. For instance, they don't work well in urban areas where the FM dial is full of high-powered stations. In those cases, you'll have trouble finding an open frequency and will hear interference. Modulators are similar to transmitters, but they allow you to install an auxiliary input by tapping into your car radio's antenna. Lifewire / Benjamin Zeman

Digitize Your Cassette Collection

Another option is to digitize your cassette collection and, if necessary, upgrade your head unit to a model that has built-in storage or a USB connection that accepts a thumb drive. This is labor-intensive, but it's cheaper than repurchasing your entire collection in a digital format. To use this method, hook your tape deck to your computer, record your tapes onto the computer's hard drive, and then compress the files into MP3s. Then, transfer the files to a USB thumb drive, which can hold thousands of songs. Digitizing your collection has another benefit, too: You'll preserve your music without the inevitable degradation that affects tapes.

Swap Out Your Head Unit

Although the last vehicle equipped with an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) cassette deck rolled off the line years ago, the format isn't completely obsolete. As long as there are people who want them, the aftermarket for car cassette decks will live on. So, if you're willing to junk your cassette-less head unit, replace it with an aftermarket cassette deck. Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day Subscribe Tell us why! Other Not enough details Hard to understand Submit More from Lifewire How to Listen to an iPod in a Car How to Listen to Pandora in Your Car How to Use an MP3 Player in Your Car 5 Ways to Get the Most out of Your FM Transmitter Using Direct iPod Control in Your Car Can You Use Factory Steering Wheel Controls With Aftermarket Head Units? Turn an Android Phone Into an Infotainment System How to Make Wired Speakers Wireless How to Fix Common Car Amp Problems How to Use an MP3 Player Like an iPod in a Car With No Head Unit How to Listen to Internet Radio in Your Car How to Listen to High-Resolution Audio in a Car How to Identify Aftermarket Car Stereo Wire Colors An iPod Car Stereo Connection Guide The 6 Best iPhone FM Transmitters for Your Car, Tested by Experts How to Fix a Car Radio That Won't Turn Off Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Cookies Settings Accept All Cookies