Filed under: Accessories, iPod Family
ezGear ezTrip TransCharger
I've had bad luck with both of the FM-transmitter iPod add-ons I've tried, for playing music from your iPod on your car radio. It's almost certainly because I live in a metropolitan area and the radio waves are just too crowded for the relatively weak signal from the FM iPod transmitter to come in clearly on my car radio.ezGear has released the ezTrip FM TransCharger which combines both a car charger and an FM transmitter into one product. If the added power source means a stronger FM transmission, I'd consider buying one. Otherwise, I'll keep using the Griffin SmartDeck. I'd be interested in hearing any feedback on this product from readers who've tried it.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
James Hare said 2:18PM on 11-22-2005
I have a similar charger/fm transmitter type deal. I don't think it makes the signal any stronger-I still have to change stations quite a bit because another station comes on and ruins the reception. It is nice because I can charge my ipod while driving; however, there is no greater functionality. Strangely enough, should you be interested in a low-cost alternative, Wal-Mart now has a $30 charger/fm modulator combination for the ipod. It has no screen for showing what station it's on, but it connects to the ipod's dock and I'm sure it works just as well as any other product in this sphere. The signal strength on these things is FCC-mandated, so there's an upper limit (very low power) that they can use. Just a hint.
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Syldaras said 11:09PM on 11-22-2005
I work at an Apple reseller (thus, I am not bound by Apple's prohibitions against its own employees to post as such :), and of course, we carry iPods and their myriad accessories. From a few years of customer feed-back and my own limited experience with FM transmitters, _NO_ FM transmitter will match the playback quality of a good cassette adapter. The only FM transmission technology that comes close is an FM modulator (versus transmitter) which connects to the FM jack in the back of your car's radio. They're not too expensive (~$40 @ best buy, where they can install it too) and the quality is comparable to a big name radio station - if you were parked NEXT to the antenna tower :). but stick with your SmartDeck if you don't mind the wire hangin out. Oh, and one other thing - cars with antennas mounted in the rear tend to fare better than cars with antennas in the hood, because to get the antenna in the rear, the antenna cable runs through the cabin, where, conveniently, it picks up the signals of an FM transmitter far better than if it were in the engine compartment :)
Hope that helps!
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Jeff said 2:55PM on 11-23-2005
_NO_ FM transmitter will match the playback quality of a good cassette adapter.
I guess the operative word must be "good." I started out with a cassette adapter and it was really REALLY bad. I'd like to know the brand name of a "good" cassette adapter?
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