FM Transmitter

Rew

Anyone recomend a FM Transmitter for the car that would work with an iPod and a Zen.

Yes I know you cannt use them here.

fenris

The arkon ones are rubbish (I have had the Soundfeeder 121 and the digital version), there is a Belkin Tunecast II that works well, it gives you the full range of frequencies - you need this in Dublin as every gob****e and their dog thinks that they are the best thing to hit pirate radio since radio luxemburg.
I got mine from 5tech.co.uk - under ipod accessories.

Do not expect perfect quality, think in terms of an almost properly tuned in station.

Rew

fenris wrote:

Do not expect perfect quality, think in terms of an almost properly tuned in station.

Ill have a look thanks. I thought I could wire it directly to me car stereo but no such luck.

demac

These FM transmitters are banned in most EU countries but not in the US. However, you can still find them fairly easily online in the EU.

www.everythingipod.co.uk

These guys currently have the Belkin Tunecast II.

I've used a few of these transmitters in the past and overall found them just ok but it is a bit hit n' miss with them. If your ratio antennae is close to the front of the car, then these should work ok. However, if the antennae is at the back of the car as in my case, I found the transmitter power quite poor. Audio quality was very bad, lots of interferance, if I moved my Jukebox 3 and transmitter towards the read of the car then the quality got better but still wasn't great.

The best way to get audio to you car radio is via a direct cable. Check you car stereo manual as it may have a line in at the rear.

Boro

I had the Belkin Tunecast II. Found it very good quality, except when the batteries started to run out. Luckily enough it comes with a car ac adaptor thingymabob. Got mine over in the states.

ElNino

The Itrip is the bee's knees for the Ipod. Do a search on this forum for more info.

BioHazRd

I use a belkin tunecast II, and I have no complaints. One way of increasing the reception quality is to add a headphone extension cable between the transmitter and the mp3 player (this cable doubles as the antenna, you aee )

Bio

Rew

ElNino wrote:

The Itrip is the bee's knees for the Ipod. Do a search on this forum for more info.

Wont fit my Zen though... Tunecast sounds good but I didnt realise how expensive they are.

Inspector Gadget

I got mine (a Tunecast II) for about $35 during the summer (a friend was in California) - the range isn't fantastic on batteries (which it's pretty hard on), though. Effective range is about 30ft in free air, a wall or other similar obstruction will drop that number significantly.

Will have to try the headphone extension cable trick - I had assumed it was an internal antenna (ta BioHazRd)

Unfortunately, my sister found mine and nicked it - it's in her 206 along with my discman yoke (the car doesn't have a CD player in the dash), and a raft of my batteries At least she says it works like a treat

Gadget

Pataman

What about thr griffin roadtrip. Looks pretty good, anybody any experiences?

Rew

Pataman wrote:

What about thr griffin roadtrip. Looks pretty good, anybody any experiences?

Its not on sale yet some FCC hold up as far as I know

ElNino

Rew wrote:

Its not on sale yet some FCC hold up as far as I know

The Griffin site says that it is on sale internationally but it is only on pre-order on this UK site.

http://shop.ipodworld.co.uk/iPodWorldSite/product/iPod_FM%20Transmitters/GR07.htm

It received a very mixed review on IPODLounge.

http://www.ipodlounge.com/reviews_more.php?id=P4733_0_6_0_C

Rew

ElNino wrote:

The Griffin site says that it is on sale internationally but it is only on pre-order on this UK site.

http://shop.ipodworld.co.uk/iPodWorldSite/product/iPod_FM%20Transmitters/GR07.htm

http://www.gizmodo.com/archives/griffin-roadtrip-us-sale-delayed-021362.php

Hrm, it looks like Griffin Technology might have run into a few snags with the FCC, as the order page for their new RoadTrip iPod dock is now saying the product is only on sale outside of the US. They've gotten one FM transmitter out the door before, though, so I would imagine this is just a - and I'm so sorry for this, truly - a bump in the road.

Or perhaps there was some confusing with the other RoadTrip FM transmitter that was coming to market at the same time? (Thanks, Matt!)

Pataman

Thanks for the replies lads. Is the cassette connector good quality. I dont want the ipod cd quality being ruined by the cassette quality connector.

Rew

Pataman wrote:

Thanks for the replies lads. Is the cassette connector good quality. I dont want the ipod cd quality being ruined by the cassette quality connector.

As far as i know there fine, the reality is most car stero/speakers arent good enough for you to hear much of a diferance anyway. Tape is bad becasue it gets degraded every time you play it the tape unit that will hook in to the ipod dosnt have that problem. You can pick them up any where very cheaply as well.

Pataman

Just bought a monster ipod wire thingy(thats the technical name). Any good?

Rew

Pataman wrote:

Just bought a monster ipod wire thingy(thats the technical name). Any good?

Not sure what you mean post a link up and ill have a look.

Pataman

Thanks Rew


http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=73836&item=5721917509&rd=1

Rew

Pataman wrote:

Thanks Rew
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=73836&item=5721917509&rd=1

Looks good but I would say that the quality of a tape adapter is better then an FM transmiter and alot cheaper. You do have the added advantage of it charging the iPod though.

Pataman

Got the monster link today. Its great quality, well impressed, better than cassette IMHO.

Mutant_Fruit

Tape is bad becasue it gets degraded every time you play it the tape unit that will hook in to the ipod dosnt have that problem.

I have a tape adapter. It plugs into the earphone socket with a standard connector at one end, and then the other end looks like a tape.

Its as high quality as the mp3 file itself, and you get no degradation of quality no matter how much you use the tape, as it has no moving parts. Thats definately what i'd recommend. You can pick em up for under 10eur i believe.