How to... upgrade your car's stereo - Eye on iPod

An iPod is a great way to carry your music collection with you, but how can you use it in your car?

Some cars come fitted with audio sockets to support your iPod, and these provide the best audio quality. However, if your car doesn't have one of these, you can now legally use wireless FM transmitters. These take your iPod's music and convert it to an FM radio signal.

All you need do then is tune your car's radio to the correct frequency to listen to your tunes. We've put three systems to the test:

Belkin TuneBase FM
Cost £60
A flexible steel 'neck' plugs into your car's cigarette lighter to ensure your iPod is kept fully charged, and a simple cradle supports various iPods. Tuning it into your radio is easy and performance is good, save for the occasional crackle in built-up areas.

Monster iCarPlay Wireless 200
Cost £79
This charges your iPod, although it doesn't provide a mount for your player. However, it offers a clever automatic search facility to find the clearest, best-quality radio signal. You then tune your car's radio to the Monster's suggested frequency.

Harman Kardon Drive+Play
Cost £100
This provides a dash-mounted display and a neat thumbwheel controller to select your tunes. It also allows you to wire your iPod permanently into your car's hi-fi, at extra cost. This removes interference and the need for retuning while on the move.