Is there a "best" FM transmitter for iPods?

[mugs]

Looking through Amazon.com reviews I'm seeing a lot of mixed results. Seems everything works great for some people and not great for other people. Is there an FM transmitter that is more or less universally recommended?

I'd like to be able to use it with an iPhone, but I can understand if interference is an issue there. I'm thinking about getting an iPod Classic that I can just leave in my car. My work-issued iPhone is only 8 GB, and I'd like to have more space.

It would be nice if it stopped playing when I turn off the car and picked up at the same spot when I turn on my car - it'll mostly be used for podcasts.

And I'd like something iPod-specific preferably, because I want it to charge at the same time (and presumably starting and stopping when the car turns on/off would require using an iPod cable).

 

[MrChad]

Harman Kardon's Drive+Play system is nice, but a bit pricey. You're much better off with a wired FM transmitter; I've yet to hear a decent wireless FM transmitter, especially in urban areas.

 

[mugs]

Originally posted by: MrChad
Harman Kardon's Drive+Play system is nice, but a bit pricey. You're much better off with a wired FM transmitter; I've yet to hear a decent wireless FM transmitter, especially in urban areas.

You mean using the aux input? I've considered that. I helped a friend wire up a 3.5mm plug to the CD changer/aux input in his Accord, but the adapter cost him about $100 and it took us a couple of hours to do (we ran it up into his center under the arm rest). My car stereo doesn't have an aux input on the front. Maybe I should just get a new car...

Urban areas is a good point, because I live right in the middle of NJ between NYC and Philly.

 

[MrChad]

Originally posted by: mugs

Originally posted by: MrChad
Harman Kardon's Drive+Play system is nice, but a bit pricey. You're much better off with a wired FM transmitter; I've yet to hear a decent wireless FM transmitter, especially in urban areas.

You mean using the aux input? I've considered that. I helped a friend wire up a 3.5mm plug to the CD changer/aux input in his Accord, but the adapter cost him about $100 and it took us a couple of hours to do (we ran it up into his center under the arm rest). My car stereo doesn't have an aux input on the front. Maybe I should just get a new car...

Urban areas is a good point, because I live right in the middle of NJ between NYC and Philly.

No, I believe that a wired FM transmitter hooks up between your antenna and your radio, modulating to a particular FM frequency (sort of like the way an RF modulator works for your VCR or video game console, overwriting channel 3 or 4).

An aux input would yield much better sound quality than either a wired or a wireless FM transmitter. What type of car stereo do you have?

 

[mugs]

Originally posted by: MrChad
What type of car stereo do you have?

Whatever was standard in a 2003 Civic EX. CD player... no tape player

 

[manly]

I'd consider a Griffin RoadTrip myself if my iPhone included turn-by-turn navi. Griffin FM transmitters generally get above-average reviews.

Of course YMMV with any of these. I've been using a cheapo $10 Belkin TuneCast for several years now and it works surprisingly well IMO. It only has 4 fixed stations but somehow exceeded my expectations here in L.A. My main complaint is that it connects by headphone mini-plug and I have to nearly max. the volume on the old iPod. I assume dock-connected transmitters don't have this flaw?

(I had an original iTrip that was very marginal, but I wasn't able to crack it apart to mod the antenna.)

 

[secretanchitman]

i have the griffin itrip autopilot, and it works perfectly. i also had the monster (yes, i know) icarplay, but the older model with 8 preset stations. the newer models i think are digital based, but im not sure if they support RDS like the griffin does.

expensive at the time (however, i got my griffin for $40 at walmart last year, so it wasnt too bad), but worth it considering my car doesnt have a tape deck or aux.

 

[HomerSapien]

Are you willing to mod it?

I modded the antenna on an Itrip (essentially took it out of the plastic shell and added to the antenna length) and it worked for~100 yards away with great sound.

I modded a Belkin tunecast 2 and had marginal results, but it was better than without modding. I plan on adding a usb power to it and we may use it more. The thing sucks down batteries like no tomorrow.

YMMV if you do mod it, although they are rather simple.

Look up on instructables.com to see what others have modded if that interests you.

 

[zylander]

I recently switched out the stereo in my car and am now using a USB thumb drive as my audio storage device.

Before that I was using a Monster FM transmitter with my iPod and that was the best one I had ever used. I tried a few griffin transmitters and they were garbage, they never had a clear signal always lots of static. It seemed like they really only working if you were on a long road trip in the middle of no where, in big cities they sucked. The Monster was great, almost always had a clear signal no matter where I was. Plus it charged the ipod while it was plugged in and automatically put the ipod on pause when I turned off the car but you still have to start the ipod back up when you turn the car on.

 

[PricklyPete]

Originally posted by: zylander
I recently switched out the stereo in my car and am now using a USB thumb drive as my audio storage device.

Before that I was using a Monster FM transmitter with my iPod and that was the best one I had ever used. I tried a few griffin transmitters and they were garbage, they never had a clear signal always lots of static. It seemed like they really only working if you were on a long road trip in the middle of no where, in big cities they sucked. The Monster was great, almost always had a clear signal no matter where I was. Plus it charged the ipod while it was plugged in and automatically put the ipod on pause when I turned off the car but you still have to start the ipod back up when you turn the car on.

I had a DLO that wasn't so bad...but I've had two Griffin's that I've been pretty unhappy with. I really dislike FM Transmitters in general...but I'm one of those people who are really irritated by noise in my music/audiobooks...so I may be on the picky side. I really have just given up and will only use my iPod on cars with ipod or aux inputs. I'm planning on adding a new unit to my truck in the upcoming year to remedy this problem...luckly I am not driving much these days to need it. That monster sounds nice...do you happen to remember what model it was? I might have a new recommendation to people who insist on using FM transmitters.

 

[mugs]

I ended up getting a Griffin Tunebase FM or something like that. Works fine for me. I noticed I got some interference when I was at the Wendy's drive-through, and also when I was stopped at an intersection. I picked a station that had nothing on it at my house, then drove to the mall about 6 miles away. When I turned off the transmitter I was surprised to hear a radio station coming through loud and clear. The transmitter had apparently overpowered the radio station. I can live with some occasional static when I'm listening to podcasts.

Only problem is that I'm borrowing my mom's truck right now, and it doesn't shut off the power outlets when you turn off the truck. So I have to unplug the thing every time I park. I'm pretty sure my car shuts off power to the outlet when you turn off the car, so it'll properly pause the iPod then.