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(More customer reviews)Griffin has made a ton of these little FM transmitters for various generations of iPod, and this is the best one to date. It is still not perfect, though.
Using a FM transmitter is the method of last resort. If your car has a tape deck, use a cassette adapter! The very newest car stereos have Bluetooth or even a line-in jack, even better. Save yourself a lot of frustration by using a direct connection, if possible. If you're considering a FM transmitter for home use, perhaps to connect to your stereo, don't. You'll be much happier with a real docking station.
That said, Griffin has made 3 huge improvements over their previous FM transmitters:
1) Plugs into the dock connector! No more volume hassles! The dock connector has a constant line-out volume level, and isn't affected by the volume dial setting of your iPod.
2) Instant on when car started, and auto-pause of iPod when car stopped. Other Griffin adapters had the nasty problem of needing to "warm up" before they would start working, but it seems Griffin has finally solved the problem here. And, as a nice bonus, it automatically pauses your iPod when powered off, so it remembers your place for next time!
3) Charges your iPod while in use! Another advantage of the dock connector is that it can charge your iPod from the unit's cigarette lighter connection. A real disadvantage of earlier FM transmitters is that they drained your iPod's battery like crazy, but this is solved by using your car's power instead.
The flipside of this is that the connector is wired to the LCD unit and then to the cigarette lighter plug. It isn't a standalone wireless unit. If you like to set up your iPod somewhere in your car where wires would get in the way, this could be a problem.
Now, some disadvantages:
1) FM transmitter power is very, very weak. It's a game of inches. Griffin claims they are hamstrung by FCC regulations, but even legal Part 15 devices are allowed to transmit for a few dozen feet or so! Griffin really needs to crank up the power to the maximum allowed by law. Now that they are powered by cigarette lighter power, instead of iPod battery power, there's no excuse anymore to use an underpowered transmitter.
2) Transmitted volume is very, very soft. You have to crank up your car radio up all the way, causing hiss in the background, and blown speakers if you forget to turn it back down before changing the radio channel! Griffin doesn't modulate the FM signal enough. Compared to other stations on the FM dial, the iPod volume is much too low.
This is an especially bad double whammy: not only is the transmitted FM signal too weak, it's also too quiet!
Don't forget about the 87.9 frequency. Contrary to Griffin's belief, this is still a legal frequency in the USA, even though it's right on the edge of the dial. Griffin doesn't allow you to use this frequency, though, unless you put the unit in "International" mode! So, remember to do this first, before you throw away the manual and forget how to do it. 87.9 is clear in many areas that don't have a TV channel 6, so this is usually the best choice for these FM transmitters!
Now, if only Griffin would boost their radio power, they'd have the perfect device....
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Griffin iTrip Auto FM Transmitter and Auto Charger for iPod (Black)The Griffin 9501-TRIPCB iTrip Auto FM Transmitter and Auto Charger for iPod combines Griffin's renowned FM transmitter technology with an integrated charger. Designed specifically for use in the car, the iTrip Auto powerfully transmits clear music from your iPod through your car stereo, while the large, easy-to-read backlit LCD screen affords quick, precise station selection and status at a glance.
The Griffin 9501-TRIPCB is the most versatile iTrip to date, accommodating every dock connector iPod, including the iPod nano and fifth-generation iPod videos. The iTrip Auto uses the audio line out from the iPod's dock connector and optimizes the output volume, allowing speaker volume to be controlled solely from the car stereo controls, without having to adjust the iPod's volume level. This unit features all the innovations of its predecessors, including selectable LX and DX modes for best-quality audio under real-world conditions, best-possible RF technology, and Griffin's world-class industrial design.
The Griffin iTrip Auto is constructed with a built-in FM stereo antenna and a high-stability crystal oscillator with phase-lock loop control. This unit can operate anywhere from the 88.1 to 107.9 MHz frequencies, with a frequency response ranging from 50 Hz to 15 KHz, at a range from 10 to 30 feet. The 9501-TRIPCB is powered by an included 12-volt cigarette lighter power adapter that features an easily replaceable fuse through which it also charges your iPod. This unit comes in black, weighs 0.6 ounces, measures 0.49 x 2.84 inches (W x D) with a total length of 33.47 inches (including the cord), and it's backed by a manufacturer's limited one-year warranty.
iPod Compatibility iPod nano 1G, iPod nano 2G, iPod mini, iPod 3G, iPod 4G (click wheel), iPod color, iPod video 5G/5.5G.
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