Comments on: Griffin iTrip Universal FM Transmitter Review http://the-gadgeteer.com/2008/09/11/griffin_itrip_universal_fm_transmitter_review/ Gadget reviews and news by Julie Strietelmeier and friends since 1997 Sun, 08 Nov 2009 06:27:19 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=abc hourly 1 By: bz http://the-gadgeteer.com/2008/09/11/griffin_itrip_universal_fm_transmitter_review/comment-page-1/#comment-40649 bz Wed, 12 Aug 2009 00:44:23 +0000 #comment-40649 All i have to say is buy accurian instead. All i have to say is buy accurian instead.

]]> By: kusiki http://the-gadgeteer.com/2008/09/11/griffin_itrip_universal_fm_transmitter_review/comment-page-1/#comment-35060 kusiki Mon, 11 May 2009 09:33:17 +0000 #comment-35060 I agree with Tom Bailey. I was very disappointed after receiving this as a gift and being very excited about it as our last FM transmitter which worked great (belkin) was stolen. I charged it, but didn't use it straight away and when I went to, it was dead. Then I tried to use it on a road trip in my friend's car and it wasn't powerful enough to transmit. We tried two other transmitters and they were both crap, so it's not just this one. I think I will look for another belkin, it was so simple, two AAA's and minimal fuss. I agree with Tom Bailey. I was very disappointed after receiving this as a gift and being very excited about it as our last FM transmitter which worked great (belkin) was stolen. I charged it, but didn’t use it straight away and when I went to, it was dead. Then I tried to use it on a road trip in my friend’s car and it wasn’t powerful enough to transmit. We tried two other transmitters and they were both crap, so it’s not just this one. I think I will look for another belkin, it was so simple, two AAA’s and minimal fuss.

]]> By: Tom Bailey http://the-gadgeteer.com/2008/09/11/griffin_itrip_universal_fm_transmitter_review/comment-page-1/#comment-32443 Tom Bailey Sat, 28 Mar 2009 22:08:43 +0000 #comment-32443 I've owned and used this product for close to a year now. Bought it as soon as it came out. That was a mistake. It is cute and is good in theory, but not in practice. Here's a quick summary after using it many times in many situations: * Short shelf life for battery. To charge battery you must connect it to a USB port of computer. Good in theory. But after a charge, if you don't use it soon afterward, when you go to use it, the battery is dead and you need several hours to charge it up again. Who is going to keep it constantly attached to a USB port? * Signal strength is weak. From back seat of minivan or sedan, static is present while music is playing unless you hold the iTrip just right. Have had several other transmitters that have much greater range. In a house, maximum unobstructed range is 15-20 feet. * Cord to connect to headphone jack of music player is ridiculously short. Like 4 inches long. Why so short??!! * Display is monochrome and very tiny. No backlighting. Battery strength indicator is too small. They need to do a version 2 on this thing. The concept is good. I like how you can tune it to any FM frequency to broadcast, and how it turns on by itself when it detects a device, but it falls way short of the basic functionality of a good FM transmitter. I’ve owned and used this product for close to a year now. Bought it as soon as it came out. That was a mistake. It is cute and is good in theory, but not in practice. Here’s a quick summary after using it many times in many situations:

* Short shelf life for battery. To charge battery you must connect it to a USB port of computer. Good in theory. But after a charge, if you don’t use it soon afterward, when you go to use it, the battery is dead and you need several hours to charge it up again. Who is going to keep it constantly attached to a USB port?

* Signal strength is weak. From back seat of minivan or sedan, static is present while music is playing unless you hold the iTrip just right. Have had several other transmitters that have much greater range. In a house, maximum unobstructed range is 15-20 feet.

* Cord to connect to headphone jack of music player is ridiculously short. Like 4 inches long. Why so short??!!

* Display is monochrome and very tiny. No backlighting. Battery strength indicator is too small.

They need to do a version 2 on this thing. The concept is good. I like how you can tune it to any FM frequency to broadcast, and how it turns on by itself when it detects a device, but it falls way short of the basic functionality of a good FM transmitter.

]]> By: Robert L Grenader http://the-gadgeteer.com/2008/09/11/griffin_itrip_universal_fm_transmitter_review/comment-page-1/#comment-25241 Robert L Grenader Tue, 16 Sep 2008 02:33:06 +0000 #comment-25241 <p>It's been my experience that underneath the hood, all these iPod FM transmitters must use the same electronics, just new and "sexy" packaging. In a crowded radio market like Los Angeles, where there is almost no dead band between FM stations, these transmitters are next to useless. However, on those rare occasions when I am in the middle of nowhere, radio speaking, they are just OK. </p> It’s been my experience that underneath the hood, all these iPod FM transmitters must use the same electronics, just new and “sexy” packaging. In a crowded radio market like Los Angeles, where there is almost no dead band between FM stations, these transmitters are next to useless. However, on those rare occasions when I am in the middle of nowhere, radio speaking, they are just OK.

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