Best FM Transmitter

2

Comments

  • Reply 21 of 45
    idigitidigit Posts: 18member
    Has anybody mentioned about the FM transmitter from the C.Crane Co.? I've been using this transmitter with my new iPod for the last 2 weeks with excellent results! I have it plugged into the headphone jack and it works fantastic! The reception range is about 150 feet using 2 AA NiCads rechargeable batteries. The reception range would be even greater if I used the included AC adaptor....but there's none around where I use it at work. It works for at least 10 hours with the NiCads. I use the transmitter connected to the iPod at work in a really big room (maybe 150' x 75') with about 75 people in the room. The transmitter isn't as pretty or convenient as the iTrip, for example, but if you want a big area to transmit without draining your iPod's battery then this is the one! The size of it is about 3 & a half" x 3" x 1". OK, now I must confess something here....I have modified the power transmitting range which only took about three minutes...it was very simple to do! But, can you do this with other FM transmitters???



    The C.Crane Co. is at 1-800-522-8863 and their web site for their FM transmitter is as follows:

    http://www.ccrane.com/fm_transmitter.asp



    The following web site is how to turn up the power of this transmitter: http://www.xmfan.com/viewtopic.php?t=3257
  • Reply 22 of 45
    idigitidigit Posts: 18member
    I forgot to mention that this FM transmitter from the C.Crane Co. does transmit in stereo and the quality of the sound is excellent!
  • Reply 23 of 45
    I had forgotten about C. Crane after Art Bell went off the air. I think I'll still wait for the iTrip, though. I've got an Accord with the antenna built into the rear windshield, so I doubt I'll have a problem with reception, and it's a more elegant solution. It just needs to start shippin' already.
  • Reply 24 of 45
    ast3r3xast3r3x Posts: 5,012member
    I'm either going to get one from www.canakit.com or try to find a small dinky one somewhere I can just plug in. I figure the iTrip will work nicely with my iPod though.



    They seem to be fairly small and have 150m unobstructed range.



    This and This



    Of course you have to purchase a case and power it, but they provide everything you would need on their site. Not as visually pleasing as the iTrip though.



    AudiaX looks pretty awesome...any recommended places to buy?
  • Reply 25 of 45
    Anybody know when the new iTrip will start shipping?
  • Reply 26 of 45
    ebbyebby Posts: 3,110member
    I sent 'em a e-mail a few days ago and they never responded. I've been saying any day now for about a month.



    Oh well. I'll probably still get one but all my hype died and I just finished my vacation. Hear that Griffin, summer vacations are ending = less demand! Bring them out already!



    All cool. 8)
  • Reply 27 of 45
    ast3r3xast3r3x Posts: 5,012member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by son of Gib

    Anybody know when the new iTrip will start shipping?



    After reading that review why would you want to buy an iTrip? I just ordered myself an AudiaX
  • Reply 28 of 45
    emaneman Posts: 7,204member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Slotracer152

    the Belkin one sucks



    Yep. One of the biggest wastes of money ever.
  • Reply 29 of 45
    nofeernofeer Posts: 2,427member
    bought an irock (beamit) from radioshack for 24$ but i have to turn the volume of my car stereo way up, do you find the same problem with the itrip????
  • Reply 30 of 45
    Apple is promoting the iCarPlay wireless FM Transmitter from Monster.



    Anyone tried this one? Monster is a good brand I belive.
  • Reply 31 of 45
    Quote:

    Originally posted by EmAn

    Yep. One of the biggest wastes of money ever.



    I will admit that it lacks frequency selection that I am sure makes it tough in urban areas, but i have one and it works fine around here.

    The only station close to it is 88.1 so that leaves me 88.3,.5,.7 and they all workfine. The range is about 30ft outdoors and it works fine in the automobile.

    I would rather have an itrip for my ipod but they weren't available when I needed one, so until the belkin breaks I'll use it everyday. If your radio station situation is like mine you may have OK results with the belkin.
  • Reply 32 of 45
    cris84cris84 Posts: 34member
    hey guys,

    I was avoiding the FM transmitters because of all the bad reviews and because the apple store people told me they were useless in LA. Two days ago my cousin offered to sell me his old belkin transmitter for $10 bucks and he swore it worked fine for the couple of months he used it. I bought it and to my surprise it works... decently! I can get the 88.7 in most of Los Angeles pretty clearly and with only a bit of static and interruption. In short I would not pay the $40 retail but for the price I am enjoying it.



    edit: it works even better now that i connect it to my belkin car charger audio port
  • Reply 33 of 45
    a bit pricier, but there are quite a few mp3/cd-r capable car stereos with aux. inputs right on the front. - avoid kHz loss and ass-pain of fm transmitters, just plug it right in.
  • Reply 34 of 45
    ebbyebby Posts: 3,110member
    I just got a iTrip at Macworld and it is pretty cool. The so-called loss in quality is nothing compared to the noise of my car. The only disappointment was the color of the LED. Everything I read said there was a Blue LED and mine has a Red one. You may think I am totally anal about this but I think blue works better with the iPod colors. (I do not think the color of the LED enhances performance in any way)



    Still, I am enjoying this like a barrel full of monkeys. 8)
  • Reply 35 of 45
    spykyspyky Posts: 55member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Ebby

    I just got a iTrip at Macworld and it is pretty cool. The so-called loss in quality is nothing compared to the noise of my car. The only disappointment was the color of the LED. Everything I read said there was a Blue LED and mine has a Red one. You may think I am totally anal about this but I think blue works better with the iPod colors. (I do not think the color of the LED enhances performance in any way)



    Still, I am enjoying this like a barrel full of monkeys. 8)




    I got a iTrip for Christmas, and I am not impressed. It is too difficult to change stations while driving, it is tedious even when not driving, it also adds a bunch of songs to my playlist, which annoys me. It seems like a very kludgy interface. The iTrip is also very sensitive to volume, if I have the volume too high, it clips very badly and sounds terrible, it took me a while to realize that this was the problem. There is still a fair amount of random noise even on quiet radio stations.



    I gave my dad a Monster iCarPlayWireless or whatever it is called. I think it works better, it has only 8 radio presets unfortunately, but you can switch between them by a single button on the cable, no need to touch the iPod at all. Also, since it uses the dock connector, the volume control has no effect so no worrying about having the proper volume.



    I may sell my iTrip on ebay and pick up one of these for myself, since I want a car charger anyway. The only bad thing about the iCarPlay is that you can't use it unless it is plugged in, so it is only useful for the car. But that is where I want to use it anyway. For a home stereo, I can plug in a cable.



    Ideally, for best quality, I would like to get a car stereo with an auxiliary input. I've noticed that even relatively cheap car stereos now have aux inputs standard.



    -Spyky
  • Reply 36 of 45
    paulpaul Posts: 5,278member
    the new iTrip has a red LED because that is the color of the LEDs in the names of the buttons on the iPod...



    the old one is blue tho



    but it is a pain in the ass to tune...



    I haven't tried their new software yet tho... I have a feeling it gets rid of the random "songs" in my library too...
  • Reply 37 of 45
    ebbyebby Posts: 3,110member
    Changing stations can be tricky and the manual doesn't cover it very well. You also have to wait for a conformation from the iTrip after changing a station that can be distracting while driving. However, I didn't find the distortion too bad. On a very bassy song, I turned on Soundcheck, used the "Classical" EQ (for my dance/trance believe it or not), and turned the volume down to just where the distortion stops. That seemed to "calibrate" it correctly, if that is at all possible. Then again, my car's antenna is built into the front windshield and a few feet from the iTrip. Oh yea, and there are some metallic window tints that block/reflect the transmission and they don't have to be between the iTrip and antenna to mess it up.



    I have been using it all day, well, until my iPod ran out of battery. Fun!
  • Reply 38 of 45
    nofeernofeer Posts: 2,427member
    i bought a iRock from radio shack, worked great when the engine was off, when engine on too much static and i had to put the volume way way up to hear it.

    i returned it, i'd consider the itrip but am scared to put the money into something i can't return easily( where else but online can you get one any brick and mortar stores??



    i think the real solution is an apple elegant solution or a direct wireing to the headunit of any oem unit. my wifes audi a6, i'm not sure if i can get a real pro-stereo installer to tackle adding this "line in " option too bad thereisn't a site that tells you how to modify oem units for "line in" that way you have a direct high quality sound



    with all the ipods sold you'd think more ways of getting into the car were available



    the best for us so far iS the cassette adapter but I get interference from my nokia 8260 causing a loud buzz. but with dolby it's not too bad, we need to get rid of the wires
  • Reply 39 of 45
    paulpaul Posts: 5,278member
    iTrips are sold at apple retail stores...





    and there IS a site out there that has a BUNCH of mounting/installation kits to hook your iPod directly up to your car's stereo system... but it hijacks the CD player (on most cars)



    ::goes to search macminute::
  • Reply 40 of 45
    paulpaul Posts: 5,278member
    http://www.alpine.com/

    edit: press release here but I was thinking of a different product...

    searching macnn



    got it:



    http://densionusa.com/icelink/



    the alpine is nicer if you want to put in a new system tho..
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