|
|
|
|
|
Coming Next Issue
|
| • |
Chip Foose |
| • |
BMW 760Li |
| • |
VW Phaeton W12 |
| • |
Prepare for Winter |
|
|
|
|
iPod FM Transmitter Comparison:
Music on the Go |
|
By Steve Litscher
Editor-in-Chief
(October 15, 2004) |
|
One of the major benefits of the Apple iPod is that it's highly portable. Barely larger than a deck of cards, the iPod can easily store thousands of songs or audio books, and thanks to its relatively stout rechargeable battery, it'll play for hours and hours. But the portability can present a dilemma - now that you've become addicted to the iPod's convenience, how do you take your tunes along when you're, say, driving in your car?
Well, if you have a BMW, you can "iPod your BMW," thanks to a joint-effort between BMW and Apple. But for those of us not fortunate enough to own a late-model BMW, our options are somewhat limited. There's the "cassette converter" option, but it's rather messy, as it requires a wired connection between the iPod and the cassette deck. And, if you're an aftermarket audio guru, you may not have a cassette deck in your car.
For those who don't want to go with the cassette converter option, there's always the aftermarket, integrated iPod controller, but they are often pricey, invasive and not exactly "portable." When it comes time to sell your car, you'll probably sell the iPod controller with it.
So what's left? FM transmitters! But, how do they work? Are they big and clunky? Is the sound quality acceptable? Are they easy to use? How portable are they? We'll take a look at a few of the more popular options and share our opinions and experiences with three of the most popular FM Transmitters for the iPod: The Belkin TuneCast II FM Mobile Transmitter, the Exonic EXF2030 FM Transmitter, and the Griffin Technology iTrip.
Belkin TuneCast II FM Transmitter
Suggested Retail Price: $39.99
We believe the Belkin TuneCast II FM Transmitter is the most versatile of the bunch because it utilizes a standard headphone plug to communicate with your iPod. When not in use, the compact cord wraps around the unit to store neatly out of the way. And the beauty of this system is that if you have multi-generation iPods (say a 2nd Generation iPod and a 4th Generation iPod), or if you have portable CD- or DVD-Players, the TuneCast II will accommodate them all. In our opinion, this is a major benefit, one that's exclusive to the Belkin TuneCast II.
Another benefit of the Belkin TuneCast II is that it operates from its own power source. The TuneCast II ships with a pair of AAA batteries, which should provide many hours of use before requiring replacement. If you don't want to use the batteries, you can purchase an optional 12-volt adapter cord.
Once plugged-in and powered-up, the Belkin TuneCast II is a breeze to use. It doesn't require any software, and operation is simple and straight forward. There are three buttons on the device - one for shuffling through memory slots, and two for selecting the broadcast frequency. Press and hold both tuning buttons and you'll power-on or -off the unit (the unit will automatically shut off after detecting 60-seconds of "dead air").
The Belkin transmits on FM channels from 88.1 to 107.9MHz and can memorize up to four FM frequencies. This feature allows for simple frequency changes - handy if you travel through areas where certain frequencies grow weaker or stronger. Simply press the "MEM" button and you can shuffle through your any of your four presets.
Now for the bad news. Sound quality is acceptable at best, but we found the quality to be similar to most other FM transmitters. With a frequency range of 50Hz to 15KHz, certain key musical details are often lacking. Bass drums and low bass notes are often weak and or muddy sounding. Cymbals and screaming guitar riffs can sound muffled. Signal strength was good, but in busy metropolitan areas we did have to change frequencies to avoid fade-out (interference) from competing FM stations. Traveling through Washington DC rendered the TuneCast II useless as there simply weren't enough empty frequencies for us to receive our iPod signal on. In rural areas, the TuneCast II was great as we rarely had to change stations to correct interference.
Hardcore audiophiles won't appreciate the sound quality, but for the majority of us, the Belkin TuneCast II FM Transmitter should fit the bill for portability, convenience and sound quality.
Browse: 1 2 3 Next -->
|
|
© 1997 -
2013
Jump Internet Inc. All rights reserved.