In-car wireless gadget for MP3s - Gimmick or not?
 

I saw an ad for a wireless gadget that plugs into an iPod and lets you listen through a car radio.

Are these any good or just a waste of money gimmick? About 30 quid at Currys.

Kids currently use a cassette tape adaptor which is OK but this sounds better. TIA david

I've never had much luck with them in terms of quality. You can get them very cheap on eBay (ie, a fiver). In the end I changed my car radio for one with an auxillary-in and this is the best solution.

Thanks James. I think I had better check the car radio first and see if it has any plug in thingies. I'll also have a look at e-bay. What are they called?

I don't mind too much wasting a fiver but can't afford to throw away £30 :D

A search for FM Transmitters should sort it.

Search for "ipod transmitter" on eBay and you'll get zillions

Ta muchley. 4621 items to choose from :thumb:

david I have one here somewhere, if I can find it your welcome to it, it works fine btw.

james.

A dozen green blobs to that man :lol:

James - that's terrific mate. Thanks. d

David,

I bought a cheapy one (~ £5 IIRC, sorry can't remember who from) to see if it was any good and it works OK. Quality is between MW and FM - when I'm listening in the car this is just ablout OK. I'm not sure if you get more for your money - I've seen some that cost upwards of £40. Maybe a look on AVformums would help?

It was worth a fiver in my book!

Some of them are very good - you get what you pay for!!

A couple of years ago we had a beach party at Del Mar and we used an iPod with a transmitter and had about five cars lined up with all the doors and windows open tuned to the same iPod for the music - excellent :D

I think it all depends on how busy the frequencies are. Obviously if you try and transmit on the radio 1 frequency it'll be a rubbish signal, but usually you can find a pretty empty one...unless you use it in spain in which case I think they have pretty much every station used already!!!

Thanks chaps. Well it won't be for the Brahms Violin Concerto in my old Jag - more likely RHC Peppers in my boy's old 205 TD which rattles even with the engine off :D so top quality is not paramount. I don't think the 205 would make it to Spain :) Cheers, David

David, I think the disadvantage of them was trying to find a frequency. If you're pottering around your local countryside, they can be fine. If you're driving all round major cities, and up and down the country, you have to re-tune it every five minutes. So I hear.

It's just pottering around - we don't get out much :D :D

I have the iTrip and it works well. Top tip is to get one with an "international mode" on it. If you use one that only works within the UK frequency range (I think that starts at 88.x) then you will forever be re-tuning to avoid clashes with real stations. My iTrip in International mode can be tuned to 86.xx and therefore I never need to retune it :)

Copied from Amazon.co.uk

Not that anyone will give a toss.....but hey :)

*Use of short range FM transmitters in the UK without a broadcasting license is currently prohibited, however this product can be used in other European countries without a license. Countries where these can be used include Germany, Iceland, Switzerland, and America.

[QUOTE=SiPie]Copied from Amazon.co.uk

Not that anyone will give a toss.....but hey :)

*Use of short range FM transmitters in the UK without a broadcasting license is currently prohibited, however this product can be used in other European countries without a license. Countries where these can be used include Germany, Iceland, Switzerland, and America.[/QUOTE

That's old info, the law was changed about 10 days ago to allow low powered transmitters to be used.

i bought one. really good, , best quality is (n91 not ipod) if you keep the volume medium on mp3 player, and loud on car stereop :D

also i use it as a hands free phone (KEWL) heheheehehehhehe :D

....a whole 10 days ago, feck I really am out of touch on such matters ;)

Yep I saw the gadget in a Curry's ad and it said something about the law having changed recently.

I guess this will bring a new "waiting at the traffic lights" game where kids will try and tune in to the car next door where the driver is happily listening to Radio 1? Or do they only work in a very confined space?

David, I have an iTrip for a 3G iPod which I don't need anymore as it won't fit my 5G iPod and anyway I upgraded my headunit in the car to accept an iPod. You are welcome to it if it's of use to you.

My friend had one on his ipod to use in his car. He drives quite abit up and down motorways, he finally got a proper wired kit. Each time he passed a new town, he had to reset the transmitter to a different frequency. Problem being, each town has different radio stations at different frquencies which affects the the transmitter if it happens to be set at one of those frequencies or even close to.

Yup, see my post about half page up :)

Has it gone?

ive got 3g pod, :):)


is it a freeby?

Mart

Where did you buy the iTrip and how much was it?

Thanks, Deep:)

Can't remember exactly where, but you can buy them from loads of web sites, I think. Just search for an iTrip, and check it has international mode...

Quick flick on froogle gives a few:

itrip international mode - Froogle

Yes and yes. Sorry Mart.