does it sound just like the music is coming from a cd or the radio? do you have to switch stations often? i've heard it sounds like you're listening to AM radio
my girlfriends just got one last night, actually, and it sounds really good, no fuzziness, or anything, i still prefer tape adaptors, but she doesn't have a tape player.
I've had one for half a year and it is awesome. You don't get more than FM quality, but if you find a static free station and set the iPod volume right, you can get some great sound. My weakest link are the speakers in my car which cause more distortion than the iTrip.
if you want to listen to your ipod in your car and dont want to spend too much money i think its the best solution. especially as many newer cars dont have tape decks anymore. the only thing is that you have to know how to use it and it takes time to find the best frequency in your area.
I was not happy with mine. It draws power from the iPod battery and thus the signal is fairly weak. I have a pickup truck and I find that even in that limited space, if I move it too far from the radio and it looses it's signal. I am however in a very media dense part of the country. There are many stations competing for the bandwidth and it is really hard to find large empty zones on the dial. It performs better in rural areas for sure.
I believe Belkin has a similar FM modulator that draws from the car battery and has a stronger Fm signal. Probably the better way to go.
Best thing about my iTrip.... I dropped my iPod from 5-6 feet. Killed the iTrip, spared the iPod.
Sound is great locally in car and in stationary applications.
Driving on long trips sucks b/c I almost ran off Maine Turnpike trying to change channels on iPod. If Northern Maine and Vancouver Island are a drag while travelling almost anywhere will be.
We use a cassette adapter in car and still pack iTrip to use on hotel stereo's w/o jacks
I generally dislike tape deck adapters and like how seamless the iTrip is. What I dislike about it is its low signal strength and battery use.
I've had some reception problems, depending on where I am in the Bay Area and where my iPod mini is.
Recently, however, I discovered the perfect place for my mini in my car. Safely resting in a mini dock, it transmits flawlessly. Previously my experiences have been mixed, but now I love this thing.
I would like to experiment in more cars, and determine the sweet spots with respect to various antennas.
I was not happy with mine. It draws power from the iPod battery and thus the signal is fairly weak. I have a pickup truck and I find that even in that limited space, if I move it too far from the radio and it looses it's signal. I am however in a very media dense part of the country. There are many stations competing for the bandwidth and it is really hard to find large empty zones on the dial. It performs better in rural areas for sure.
I believe Belkin has a similar FM modulator that draws from the car battery and has a stronger Fm signal. Probably the better way to go.
Best thing about my iTrip.... I dropped my iPod from 5-6 feet. Killed the iTrip, spared the iPod.
The iTrip power is limited by the FCC, not the iPod. Although the iPod can be made to broadcast with more power (hacks have been done), the operator would need to have a broadcasting license to operate it legally. All home FM transmitters have the same restrictions.
The iTrip power is limited by the FCC, not the iPod. Although the iPod can be made to broadcast with more power (hacks have been done), the operator would need to have a broadcasting license to operate it legally. All home FM transmitters have the same restrictions.
cut open the itrip "tube" and leave the metal wire on the outside of the tube rather than the inside.
will that sort of "fix" work for other transmitters as well?
dunno, and i havent been able to afford a new itrip in case that 'hack' goes bad, so i havent tried it myself. i would assume exposing the antenna would work with any transmitter.
There was another FM transmitter (I forget which one) where all you have to do was bypass a single resister and you could increase the range like 10x.
Then again, someone I know (who will remain autonomous) built a *cough* rather powerful transmitter on his car requiring 3 heavy-duty alternaters. They actually got some cool atmospheric effects when they powered up only for a few seconds.
Basically it depends how many free stations there are in your area, how often you travel and what other options are available to you. iTrip is fine for me, my car has a tape deck that automatically switches over, the tape adaptor does this because it thinks it's reached the end all the time, making it impossible to use! I don't have an auxiliary port on my car either. If you have either of these use them before the iTrip. Even though the iTrip is good it can be a pain changing stations and making sure the iPod is kept in the right position in the car. Some cars have metal shields above the windscreen as well, they make the reception bad.
Comments
I was recently in a five hour car drive with my sister, and she was impressed.
I have japanese car with japanese radio which is freq only below 90
I have many option on freq.
Sound quality poor.
i turn 60-70% volume on ipod, and max vol on my tape, Sound doesnt hear like cd or normal fm radio.
Im thinking to buy cassete adapter.
Originally posted by irene
Not on mine
I have japanese car with japanese radio which is freq only below 90
I have many option on freq.
Sound quality poor.
i turn 60-70% volume on ipod, and max vol on my tape, Sound doesnt hear like cd or normal fm radio.
Im thinking to buy cassete adapter.
The cassette adapter is the better idea. Mine sounds good and I've never had any problems with it.
Use the tape deck or hve an auxilary jack put in.
I believe Belkin has a similar FM modulator that draws from the car battery and has a stronger Fm signal. Probably the better way to go.
Best thing about my iTrip.... I dropped my iPod from 5-6 feet. Killed the iTrip, spared the iPod.
Sound is great locally in car and in stationary applications.
Driving on long trips sucks b/c I almost ran off Maine Turnpike trying to change channels on iPod. If Northern Maine and Vancouver Island are a drag while travelling almost anywhere will be.
We use a cassette adapter in car and still pack iTrip to use on hotel stereo's w/o jacks
I've had some reception problems, depending on where I am in the Bay Area and where my iPod mini is.
Recently, however, I discovered the perfect place for my mini in my car. Safely resting in a mini dock, it transmits flawlessly. Previously my experiences have been mixed, but now I love this thing.
I would like to experiment in more cars, and determine the sweet spots with respect to various antennas.
Originally posted by corbu
I was not happy with mine. It draws power from the iPod battery and thus the signal is fairly weak. I have a pickup truck and I find that even in that limited space, if I move it too far from the radio and it looses it's signal. I am however in a very media dense part of the country. There are many stations competing for the bandwidth and it is really hard to find large empty zones on the dial. It performs better in rural areas for sure.
I believe Belkin has a similar FM modulator that draws from the car battery and has a stronger Fm signal. Probably the better way to go.
Best thing about my iTrip.... I dropped my iPod from 5-6 feet. Killed the iTrip, spared the iPod.
The iTrip power is limited by the FCC, not the iPod. Although the iPod can be made to broadcast with more power (hacks have been done), the operator would need to have a broadcasting license to operate it legally. All home FM transmitters have the same restrictions.
Originally posted by Ebby
The iTrip power is limited by the FCC, not the iPod. Although the iPod can be made to broadcast with more power (hacks have been done), the operator would need to have a broadcasting license to operate it legally. All home FM transmitters have the same restrictions.
cut open the itrip "tube" and leave the metal wire on the outside of the tube rather than the inside.
Originally posted by ipodandimac
cut open the itrip "tube" and leave the metal wire on the outside of the tube rather than the inside.
will that sort of "fix" work for other transmitters as well?
Originally posted by mattjohndrow
will that sort of "fix" work for other transmitters as well?
dunno, and i havent been able to afford a new itrip in case that 'hack' goes bad, so i havent tried it myself. i would assume exposing the antenna would work with any transmitter.
Then again, someone I know (who will remain autonomous) built a *cough* rather powerful transmitter on his car requiring 3 heavy-duty alternaters. They actually got some cool atmospheric effects when they powered up only for a few seconds.
it took me two months to find the right frequenzy, but now I have no problems in a radius of a couple hundret kilometers.
It also makes a great difference where the antenna is located and what radio you have.