Belkin TuneCast II FM Transmitter for MP3 Players (Black)
by Belkin Inc.
List Price:
Our Price: $21.99
You Save: $33.00 (60%)
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Category: CE
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Digital product summary information
Manufacturer: Belkin Inc.Audio: English (Original Language)
Format: CD
Platform: Windows
Model: F8V3080
Product features:
- Universal accessory for all digital audio players compatible with a 3.5-mm mini-jack
- Turns your FM stereo into an MP3 broadcaster
- Program up to four station presets; automatically turns on and off
- Operating range of up to 30 feet; transmits on FM channels 88.1 to 107.9 MHz
- Mobile power cord connects to car's cigarette lighter port for optional battery-free operation
Digital camera reviews of Belkin TuneCast II FM Transmitter for MP3 Players (Black)
Digital camera Review: 3rd FM Transmitter I've Tried - Strong Signal
Summary: 4 Stars
This is the third FM transmitter I've tried using for my 10 MB iPod, and it's by far the best, if somewhat ugly. Here's my FM transmitter odessey:
First I tried the Griffin iTrip, about a year ago (early 2004). The product looked nice, but didn't work due to a very weak signal. It sounded like an AM radio signal transmitting from 50 miles away. Painful. Also you had to download some tones to make the iTrip download on a certain frequency -- very inconvenient -- and you could only change the frequency by going through a complex set of menus -- unsafe when driving.
Second I tried the iRock. Looked ugly and had as weak a signal as the iTrip. Plus it only let you select one of four channels.
The Belkin TuneCast II solves most of the above issues, including the most important: signal strength.
+ Signal is strong enough to transmit over weak FM stations. Important when you live in a city and there are no free sections on the dial. For instance, I set it for FM 89.7 from home in San Francisco, on which you can hear KFJC, broadcasting 40 miles away in Los Altos. The TuneCast broast a clear signal, wiping out any trace of KFJC's signal.
+ Signal is strong enough to work anywhere inside the car. Indeed, it works well with a 25 foot radius of my car's attenae. Hopefully I won't be stomping on someone's listening experience when I'm at a stop light!
- Downsides: plugs into the iPod using a short cable, which isn't as slick as the iTrip. I can't speak for battery life, since I've only used this for several minutes.
Overall, I'd recommend this product. All iPod FM transmitters seem to suffer from some kind of issues. No one has built the right design. Next to such a well-designed product as the iPod, these design flaws are all the more obvious and frustrating. But the TuneCast II does the job well enough.
*** UPDATE ***
If I could, I would rate this one star. (The Amazon user interface doesn't seem to let me do this.) Here's why: when I tried out this product (and wrote the above review), my car was in the garage. It worked great in there, but as soon as I started driving around town, I started getting a lot of interference fading in and out and could not find a frequency that would stay clear if I drove more than a couple of minutes.
I instead use a cassette tape adapter to play my iPod in the car, and it works much better.
Summary of Belkin TuneCast II FM Transmitter for MP3 Players (Black)
Now you can use your iPod PDA MP3 CD cassette player PC or laptop to listen to your favorite tunes through any FM stereo receiver. The Belkin TuneCast II Mobile FM Transmitter connects portable music players to your car or home stereo quickly and easily using FM radio waves. Just plug the TuneCast II into the headphone jack of your iPod PDA MP3 CD or cassette player; or connect it to your PC or laptop computer. Tune your car stereo or receiver to any clear FM frequency and enjoy your iPod music experience with more sound and fewer wires. Belkin adds a great convenience feature with its unique Auto ON/OFF function. It frees you from having to manually toggle your TuneCast II's ON/OFF switch by simply powering on when an audio signal is detected. If no signal is detected for a period of 60 seconds your TuneCast II switches off. This innovation preserves battery life while making your outstanding mobile audio experience simpler to enjoy. TuneCast II also features 4 programable memory slots allowing you to save the clearest station wherever you go. TuneCast II includes a Belkin Mobile Power Cord that connects to your car's cigarette lighter-so you can preserve your batteries as you play your tunes on the road (will not charge the TuneCast II). Primary InformationFeatures Car power adapter AAA battery FM transmitter UNSPSC CodeUNSPSC Code 52161600FM Transmitters
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