Handsfree/Bluetooth call phone device AND an FM transmitter that can handle any MP3 player, SD.MMC cards, and USB thumbdrives? PLUS 2 remotes- a ‘normal’ one and one for the steering wheel? All this and cool blue LED lights, too? The Merconnet Bluetooth Car Kit certainly aims high, and with Julie’s great review of the Merconnet Bluetooth FM Transmitter Speakerphone. I had high hopes!

The nicely packaged unit includes:

• FM29B Transmitter
• Wireless Remote (with preinstalled battery)
• Steering Wheel-mounted Remote (with preinstalled battery)
• Stereo patch cord- 3.5mm male to male about 8″ long
• Manuals for transmitter and steering wheel remote (also available on-line)

The FM transmitter part works beautifully. It is pre-set to 95.5FM and can be adjusted anywhere between 87.5 and 108FM. The frequency is adjusted in small steps with buttons on the main unit or either of two included remotes. Clarity is excellent, and I say that as someone who has been unsatisfied with every other FM transmitter I have tried. Searching for a new frequency is just a matter of finding some clear air on the radio, and then holding any of 8 buttons (4 on the steering wheel remote, 2 on the other remote, 2 on the transmitter) up or down until the frequencies match.

The Bluetooth hands-free phone part is not bad. Paring it up is pretty straightforward even though the instructions are in mangled English (basically- get your phone looking for a Bluetooth device, then press and hold the pairing button on the transmitter while keying in the code- it would be easier if you had a spare hand, but is not bad.  The sound is good on my side (with factory speakers), but the callers report that the sound on their end is poor- not too surprising considering the small mic in the transmitter. It can even transmit music from your phone if it is ‘a2dp’ compatible, which the Centro sadly is not..

Music? The good news is that when it finds the music, it plays nicely. You are basically playing it over an FM radio, so you are not going to get CD quality out of it, but it is pretty clean sounding. The unit is even smart enough that it found my music tucked away on the SD card- not in any special folder. The bad news is in two parts- finding music is limited to skipping ahead or back (a la the ‘iPod Shuffle’), which is annoying if you have many songs loaded. The bigger bad news is that I was never able to get my iPod or any music on a flash drive to play. Don’t look to the instructions to help- the mangled English is not very helpful. I have no idea of the problems were something I was doing wrong, or a flaw in the unit- but nothing I tried, and no other USB or MP3 player I tried worked. Arrgh.

Let’s look at the components for a moment as I calm down.

Merconnet FM Transmitter playing an SD card

The main transmitter is well-built- solid, simple. There are several blue LEDs that make it attractive as well. The gooseneck is reasonably strong and it holds position well. It is not strong enough to hold it in position as you press the buttons, but not bad. The styling is good- although I could wish that the LEDs on the face were the actual buttons, but that is not a big deal.

Merconnet Handheld Remote

It comes with two remotes, a typical 20 button remote that does pretty much everything, including directly selecting a new frequency or song to go to, and a ‘steering wheel remote’. The normal remote is OK- it does not look like it was designed by the same people who made the transmitter, and there is not much documentation for it, but these are fairly minor nags. Supposedly, you can use the keypad to dial your phone- but that has not worked for me yet, and speed dialing is more convenient.

Merconnet Steering Wheel Remote

The steering wheel remote is, to me, a pain. It starts with the awkward documentation (sample: Thank you very much for using our products, it is a nevol and Portable infrared steering wheel remote contro.) and is followed by the annoying installation. I found it was always in the way, tended to move as I tried to push buttons, I could not remember what button did what without looking, and some buttons are small and close together. You do not need this remote, but if it worked properly, it would be safer than the other remote. I mean- come on! One of the keys is labeled as “undefined keys” and does not seem to do anything!

The steering wheel remote also looks like it was designed by someone else, and there is supposed to be a quick-release feature to allow you to remove the remote when you don’t need it in the way. On mine, the release was distorted or mis-cast and did not release the remote until I shaved it down a bit.

Merconnet and iPod

OK- one of the BIG SELLING POINTS of this thing is its music abilities, so here I am with the iPod plugged in (using the included 7 inch cord- so short I need to balance my iPod in the cupholder thingy). The iPod is on and playing- it is plugged into the only hole in the transmitter, and there is absolutely nothing happening. Pushing the button that tells it to take a call (if it does not do it automatically, which it always did for me) and interrupt the music does nothing, and the instructions and website have no helpful advice. The troubleshooting guide does not even mention the jack, but does offer the helpful advice to make sure the volume is not at 0.

Hate the steering wheel remote, hate the instructions, hate the fact that I cannot hook my iPod into it. Other than that, I actually like this unit, and the fact that it retails for only $69.99- which would not be bad, even with the remote and directions, if the music part worked.

Filed in categories: Audio, Video, TV Gear, Car Gear

Tagged: Bluetooth Gear, Car, FM Transmitter, MP3

Merconnet Bluetooth Car Kit Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on May 4, 2009 at 2:00 am.

Unless your car has an integrated iPod / iPhone dock, pretty much the only other ways to listen to tunes through your vehicle’s speakers is with a line-in connector or an FM transmitter. Line-in connectors mean cables. FM transmitters are wireless. Most people probably won’t argue with me when I say that anything wireless is more convenient than something wired. The RoadTrip from Griffin happens to be one of the most convenient FM transmitters that I’ve had the opportunity to review. If you have an iPhone or iPod, you’ll want to take a look. 

Grumble mode ON

The first thing that I’m going to do is complain about the packaging. This product is contained inside a plastic box, with another plastic box inside it. It was a real pain in the you know what to open it and retrieve the items.

Grumble mode OFF

Specifications

Antenna: Built-in
Power: Provided by your cigarette lighter or 12 volt power outlet (no batteries required)
RF Output Range, US: 88.1 MHz -107.9 MHz
Radio Frequency Increments, US: 0.2 MHz per step
Input Voltage Range: 12 – 16 volts DC
Maximum Current: 2 amps
Output Voltage: 5 volts DC at 1 amp
Fuse Type: 2 amp blade-type automotive fuse

Package Contents

RoadTrip FM Transmitter
7 Dock adapters
User Guide

The RoadTrip comes with dock adapters that allow you to connect the iPhone 3G, iPhone, iPod Touch (2nd gen), iPod Nano (4th Gen), iPod Classic (80GB, 120GB), iPod Touch (1st Gen), iPod Nano (3rd Gen) and iPod Nano (2nd Gen).

Alas, there isn’t an adapter for the iPod Classic (160GB). Oh well, I decided to review this FM transmitter with my iPhone…

The RoadTrip is really designed well. It has a 12V plug on one end that fit perfectly in my 2006 Mazda 3′s cigarette lighter port. Not pictured, is the 3.5mm line-out connector built into the 12V connector. You can use this with a 3.5mm stereo patch cable (not included) to connect to a line-in jack on your stereo, if you prefer to use the RoadTrip just as a charger.

The 12V plug is connected to the dock connector module by a 3.75 inch flexible neck.

The dock part of the transmitter has a White on Black backlit display, three buttons and a snap in base for the included adapters.

Side view of dock adapter.

Here’s the RoadTrip installed in my car. I really like the flexible neck and how you can orient the display of your iPod or iPhone so that you can easily see it.

The dock can even rotate, which is pretty cool. This is a great feature that can allow passengers to watch videos while driving.

The 12V connector has an LED built into it that shows you the charging status of your device. It glows Red when the FM transmitter is plugged in and powered on, but there isn’t a device connected to the dock. It will glow Amber while a docked device is connected and charging. The LED will be Green when charging is completed.

When the RoadTrip is powered up, it will show FM, Play/Pause and Next track icons on its display. The buttons below the icons will perform the function designated by  the icon.

In the function mode, you can see the current broadcast frequency and the three options for the mapped buttons.

If you press the Scan button, the RoadTrip will use its SmartScan feature to show you the three best FM frequencies in your area to broadcast through and set them to the three presets. This action is instantaneous. All you have to do at this point is tune your car stereo to the first frequency, start the tunes and enjoy.

You can also manually set frequencies and save them in the three presets.

The RoadTrip also uses a feature called SmartSound to optimize the transmission strength and sound. You can toggle between Stereo and Mono. You might wonder why you’d want to use mono in the first place. If you live in an area with a crowed FM spectrum, changing to mono will result in a stronger signal than stereo. This works great for podcasts and audiobooks, where you normally don’t care if the audio is in stereo anyway.

The RoadTrip worked remarkably well with my iPhone. Sound quality through my car’s speakers was very good. If you have had good luck with FM transmitters in the past, you should not have any issues with the RoadTrip.

If you use this transmitter with your iPhone and someone calls you while you’re listening to music, the music will fade out and you will hear the ringtone through your car’s speakers. When you end the call, the music will fade back in. The only issue here is that if you wish to take the call, you’ll either have to disconnect the iPhone from the dock, or use a Bluetooth headphone. It would be really cool if the RoadTrip had an integrated microphone built into it. Maybe that’s a feature that Griffin will consider for their next version

I really do like this transmitter quite a bit. It is easy to use, charges my iPhone or iPod while I’m using it, and allows me to easily see the display and skip tracks. The only gripes that I have with it are that there isn’t an adapter for my 160GB iPod Classic and the price. $99.99 seems like a lot of money to pay for an FM transmitter. Even if it is a really nice one. If it had a built-in microphone like I mentioned above, a price of $99.99 would seem more worthy. As is, I’m not so sure… If the price is not a problem for you, go for it, otherwise wait for it to go on sale.

Filed in categories: Car Gear

Tagged: FM Transmitter, iPhone, iPod

Griffin RoadTrip FM Transmitter Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on February 12, 2009 at 5:00 am.

Griffin has a large selection of FM transmitters for iPods and iPhones, but today I want to tell you about their latest iTrip model. It’s the iTrip Universal. In addition to iPods / iPhones, this FM transmitter will also work with any audio device that has a standard sized earphone jack.

FM transmitters allow you to broadcast the audio from a device such as an MP3 player, to an FM radio. Typically people use them in their cars, when they don’t have an auxiliary audio jack. I fall into that category of car owner… My 2006 Mazda 3 lacked that feature until I installed an AuxMod module on the back of my head unit. I use the AuxMod with a SendStation PocketDock so that I can listen to the music on my iPod through my car’s speaker system. This combination sounds great, but for those of you that don’t have any other option than to use an FM transmitter, this review is for you.

Hardware Specifications

Power: Internal rechargeable lithium-ion battery rated at 180 mAh
Modulation: FM Stereo
Available output RF range: U.S.: 88.1 MHz – 107.9 MHz
Radio Frequency Adjustment Increments: U.S.: 0.2 MHz per step
Operating Range: 10-30 feet

Package Contents

iTrip FM transmitter
3.5mm cable
User guide

My experience reviewing this type of product has brought me to the conclusion that FM transmitters either work great, or don’t work worth a hooey. Several factors will combine to determine which experience you will have, including how crowded the FM stations are in your area and how strong their signal is. The location of your car’s radio antenna is another piece of the puzzle. When I used to test FM transmitters in my old 1991 GMC Sonoma pickup truck, almost all of them worked great. Now when I test in my Mazda, very few work well. I’ve found that the ones that plug into a power port / cigarette lighter socket tend to work the best.

The iTrip runs on batteries. But not AAA’s… Instead, it uses a Lithium-ion battery that can be charged via a USB port. Just pull off one end, to reveal the connector.

The iTrip Universal is made of Black plastic and is approximately the size of a lighter.

There’s a small LCD that has a backlight (it only stays on for a couple of seconds though), that shows the current channel, battery status and stereo / mono sound setting. Below the LCD are three buttons. There is a – and + button that allow you to cycle up and down through FM channels. Pressing both buttons at once will toggle between stereo and mono modes. At the bottom is the Presets button. Double clicking this button will toggle power. Pressing and holding for 2 seconds, will save the current channel as a preset. You can have up to 3 presets.

On the bottom of the iTrip is a 3.5mm jack that you plug the included cable.

The other end goes into the earphone jack of the audio device you wish to broadcast from. I tested the iTrip with my iPod classic. To use the iTrip, you first have to find a channel on your FM radio that just has static. Depending on your location, that might be very difficult. I live in a small town, but it’s still hard to find more than 2 or 3 channels that are clear. Once you find a channel, plug the iTrip into your audio device and press play. This will automatically power on the iTrip. Then you can use the – and + buttons to tune to the same station that you have on your FM radio. When the channels match, you should hear the tunes from your audio device coming out of the FM radio speakers.

Using the iTrip is a snap. I find no fault with operating it. But, at least in my area and in my car, I didn’t find the quality of the broadcasted signal to be very good at all. First of all, I had to crank up the volume on both my iPod and car stereo in order to even hear the music. I really don’t like doing this, because I often forget that I’ve done so and when I stop using the FM transmitter and tune to another radio channel, music will blast out of my speakers, scaring the crap out of me ;o) But, if it was just the volume issue, I could deal with it… Unfortunately, for the different channels that I tried, they all had white noise behind the music, making it sound significantly worse than even FM quality. I always use the same channels with the various FM transmitters that I review, so I know that some transmitters are better than others.

I really like Griffin’s iTrip Universal for its small size, ease of use and battery recharging feature. But I find it lacks the ability to transmit music clear enough for my liking. Sorry Griffin, but I’m going to pass on this particular transmitter…

Filed in categories: Audio, Video, TV Gear

Tagged: FM Transmitter

Griffin iTrip Universal FM Transmitter Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on September 11, 2008 at 9:15 pm.

If you’re ever in the market for an FM transmitter, Merconnet is definitely the place to shop for one. We’ve reviewed quite a few of their products over the years and I have another one for you today that has some extra goodies built into it…

It’s the Bluetooth FM Transmitter. What’s the Bluetooth part all about? In addition to be a regular FM transmitter that can transmit tunes through your car’s stereo, it can also pair with your Bluetooth enabled mobile phone and serve as a handsfree speaker / microphone.

Package Contents

Bluetooth FM transmitter
IR Remote
Auxiliary input cable
User manual

The transmitter has a small Blue backlit LCD on the front along with 6 buttons. The LCD shows some status information while it’s in FM transmit mode and the incoming phone number when it’s detected an incoming call. The screen and letters are quite small though, so depending on the location of the power socket in your vehicle, you’ll probably not be able to read it. The display does not show the name of the currently playing song as I thought it might…

The buttons allow you to set the the FM transmit frequency (87.5-108MHz), move backwards and forwards through music tracks, play and pause music playback and toggle audio control back and forth from your paired mobile phone to the transmitter.

The FM transmitter is powered by plugging it into a 12V cigarette lighter socket in your car. It instantly powers up and remembers the frequency that was last programmed into it.

On the Right side of the transmitter is an auxiliary input jack so that you can use it to play tunes through any audio device that has a 3.5mm headset jack.

Even more convenient is the fact that this transmitter has both an SD and a USB slot built into it. You can load up an SD card or USB flash drive with .MP3 or .WMA files and play the tunes through the transmitter. The audio quality is surprisingly good. This actually might be the best sounding FM transmitter that I’ve reviewed so far. What I really like is the fact that it boots up so quickly. As soon as I start my car and flip on the radio, tunes are already playing. This transmitter will remember the last track that was playing and will restart that track with the next power up. The only annoyance is the fact that you can’t seem to use both the USB and SD slots at the same time. By that, I mean that you can not switch between them and you can not play all the songs from the the SD card and have it then go to the USB flash drive. The USB flash drive seems to take precedence over the SD slot.

A 20 button IR remote is included with the transmitter. Does anyone out there ever use these little remotes in their car? I don’t…

Pairing this device with your Bluetooth enabled phone is no different than pairing it with a headset. It’s easy and quick. After pairing, it will intercept calls that come in from your mobile phone and route the audio through your car’s stereo. When a call comes in, the currently playing track will stop and a little tune will play to let you know that you are receiving a call. You can then press the answer button on your phone or the bottom Left button on the front of the transmitter to answer the call. Once the call is complete, the track that was playing, will restart from the beginning.

Ok, time for some sound tests! Below are two audio clips of the speakerphone feature in action. This will give you an idea of what it sounds like to receive a call from someone using this device. I used the free voicemail / fax service from K7.net for these tests. I signed up for a free account, got a phone number and called it using a Palm Centro while using the Bluetooth FM Transmitter. The resulting voicemails are then emailed to you. Pretty nifty! At test time, the phone had full signal strength. Click to listen.

Driving test stopped at light (300k .WAV file)
Driving test driving (376k .WAV file)

I was pretty disappointed with the call audio quality for both sides of the conversation. I had to crank up the volume on my car stereo sometimes to hear the person on the other end of the phone. People that I called would complain that my voice was choppy and hard to understand. I will say that some people might have better results with the speakerphone depending on the location of the power port that the transmitter is plugged into. In my car, the power port is on the lower Right edge of the center console, making the speaker approximately 29 inches from my face.

As an FM transmitter with a built in SD and USB slot for music, this product is easy to use and sounds great. As a Bluetooth speaker / mic for your mobile phone, it didn’t impress me…

Filed in categories: Audio, Video, TV Gear

Tagged: Bluetooth Gear, FM Transmitter

Merconnet Bluetooth FM Transmitter Speaker Phone Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on August 13, 2008 at 6:00 pm.

The Digiana AudiaX DGT-301 FM transmitter from Merconnet is one of the better audio transmitters on the market these days. It has the ability to scan for the best available clear frequencies in your area, so you’ll get the best audio possible.

Hardware Specifications

Modulation:FM stereo modulation
Frequency:88.1~ 107.9MHz
Signal distortion: THD+N less than 0.5%
Test condition:1KHz, -20dB input, battery power 12V
Frequency response:100Hz ~ 15KHz
Channel separation : 420dB
Operating Range:10-30 feet {Depending on the quality of the FM radio receiver (limited by FCC regulations)}

Package Contents

DGT-301 FM transmitter
12V charger adapter
User’s guide
1 AAA battery

I like the AudiaX because it’s nice and small. At about 4 inches long, it won’t take up much space at all in your car or gear bag. It’s made of plastic, with a stretchy 3.5mm cable on one end and a small mono LCD on the face.

There is a skinny button bar on the top of the transmitter that gives you power, tuning and scanning features.

On the bottom side, there’s the slide open battery compartment door and the power connector for the included 12V adapter cable.

You can either power the AudiaX with a AAA battery, or a 12V power port (cigarette lighter jack) in your car.

Pressing the power button on the transmitter will cause the backlight to come on for a few seconds, displaying the battery charge status and the currently tuned frequency. I’m sure you probably already know what an FM transmitter does, but if not, here we go… FM transmitters transmit audio from an audio device like an iPod via FM radio frequencies to another radio tuned to the same exact frequency. It’s a solution for those of you that do not have iPod compatible vehicles or auxiliary audio inputs built into their car stereos.

To use an FM transmitter, you just turn on your car’s FM stereo and find a station that is all static. This can sometimes take a few minutes… But the AudiaX relieves you of this task as it has a built in scanning feature that will find the best clear stations for you. If you press and hold the Scan/Memory button for a few seconds, it will scan all the frequencies from 88.1 to 107.9MHz and will save the best four channels. You can then press the S/M button to toggle between these four channels. If you prefer to tune to a channel manually, you can use the up / down arrow buttons to tune to a specific channel. Once you have the channel set on the transmitter and the radio, you can plug the 3.5mm jack into the earphone jack on your audio device and start enjoying your music.

The DGT-301 worked wonderfully with my iPod classic, but unfortunately, the 3.5mm jack doesn’t fit an iPhone without an adapter. That’s not the fault of this product though, gripe to Apple for their design…

I found the audio quality to be very good. But it should be mentioned that like all FM transmitters, this will vary upon your location. If you live in a area that is saturated with many strong radio stations, you might not have good results using this type of product…

I can happily recommend the Digiana AudiaX DGT-301 FM transmitter. I like that you have a choice of using battery or a 12V adapter and of course, I really like the best frequency scanner feature.

Filed in categories: Audio, Video, TV Gear

Tagged: FM Transmitter

Digiana Audiax DGT-301 FM Transmitter Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on May 28, 2008 at 5:22 pm.

Is your car missing an auxiliary input for audio? Yeah, mine too. If you tire of listening to the same tunes on the radio, you have two choices for playing your audio player’s tunes through your car speakers. If you have a cassette player in your car stereo, you can use a cassette adapter. These are easy to use and very inexpensive. The only issue with them is the face that the spindles spin while music it is being used, causing extra noise. Yuck. The other alternative is to use an FM transmitter. If you have an iPod or iPhone, the Incharge Auto FM transmitter from XtremeMac is one such solution.

This product looks very similar to their standalone Incharge Auto Charger, which I reviewed last summer. Of course, the obvious difference is the inclusion of an FM transmitter.

Package Contents

Incharge FM
User’s Guide

Like the Incharge standalone charger, what you get here is a bullet shaped adapter that plugs into your vehicle’s 12V power adapter (cigarette lighter) and a 46″ inch long detachable USB cable that has an iPod universal connector on one end.

The 12V adapter should be compatible with most vehicles. It fit just fine in my 2006 Mazda 3. When your car is running or the ignition is on, the adapter will glow Blue.

The FM transmitter part of this product is an in-line three inch long controller with a built in LCD display and several function buttons.

On the face of the controller, there are 2 large tuning buttons that you use to adjust the transmit frequency. In between the buttons is a LCD display that will show the currently tuned frequency.

On one side, you’ll find two preset buttons. Pressing these will toggle between two stored frequencies. You can save frequencies by just holding down either button to replace the currently saved frequency. These presets are retained even after you turn off the car or unplug from the power port.

On the opposite side, there is a Mono / Stereo slider switch and a Play / Pause button. According to the user guide, using the Mono mode will ensure a clearer signal and is great for audio book listening. I tried both modes and really was not able to discern any difference.

The Play / Pause button works as you would expect it to. Pressing it will toggle between play and pause mode for your iPod / iPhone. No surprises there )

To use the Incharge, you need to first turn the radio on in your vehicle and find a station that is either entirely static, or has very weak voices. Then plug the Incharge into an available 12V socket, connect the docking connector to your iPhone or iPod and press the two tuning buttons to match the frequency that you just found on your radio. The FM transmitter can be set to use frequencies from 87.9 to 108.1. You can then start enjoying music transmitted from your audio device to your radio.

The first issue that I noticed was a bit confusing to me… As soon as I connected the docking connector to my iPhone, it gave me the “This accessory is not made to work with iPhone” message. I found that odd considering the packaging for the Incharge specifically mentioned the iPhone. Regardless, it works fine and I had no problems with it.

The only other issue that I have with this product is that one of the round tuning buttons has no tactile feedback and barely moves when I press it. Although it works, it feels dead. The other button clicks and seems fine.

Audio quality using this FM transmitter seemed to be on par with other transmitters that I’ve used in the past. It really has a lot to do with the area you are using it in. If there are lots of very strong stations, you’ll probably hear a bit of static in the background or station bleed through. Where I tested, I was able to find one frequency that worked quite well and was happy with the audio quality. Using the docking connector instead of the earphone jack makes a significant difference in audio quality and allows you to more easily adjust the volume using your car’s volume knob. Other FM transmitters that plug in through the earphone jack, sometimes require that you crank up the volume on the audio device. This one doesn’t have that problem.

$69.95 is somewhat pricey, but considering that you’re getting both an FM transmitter and a charger for your iPod / iPhone, I suppose it is acceptable. The only improvement I would suggest would be to fix the iPhone compatibility message. Otherwise, it’s a thumbs up from me.

Filed in categories: Audio, Video, TV Gear, iPhone, iPad, iPod related

Tagged: FM Transmitter, iPod

XtremeMac Incharge Auto FM Transmitter Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on May 28, 2008 at 4:25 pm.

A couple of years ago, Julie did a review on the Anydrive Car MP3 and FM Modulator from Merconnet. In case you don’t remember, or never read the review, the device allowed you to plug in your USB flash memory storage apparatus and wirelessly broadcast the output to a FM radio.

Well, all good gadgets must evolve to keep up with the ever changing mind of consumers and the Anydrive 3, like its predecessor, is a relatively inexpensive solution that extends your digital listening options to play through a FM radio, but actually the device does a little more.

Hardware Specs

LCD display
7-color backlight
Capacity to hold 7 FM frequencies
Optional (body) color
Equalizer mode: jazz, rock, bass, normal and classic
Play options mode: repeat 1, repeat all, random, normal
Operating Distance (horizontal distance of transmitter): Up to 30 meters (98 feet)
Channel Isolation Ratio: greater or equal to 72db
Audio frequency response: 20-1500Hz
Working Current: 100MA
Preset frequency station: FM 87.7-88.9 MHZ
USB connection capability
SD/MMC card reader capability
3.5mm headphone jack

Package Contents

MP3/FM Modulator device (white in color)
12 volt car adapter
USB cable with retractable cord manager
3.5mm (dual-end) audio connection

The device is nicely sized, measuring 2-3/4″ (length) x 1-3/4″ (height) x 1″ (deep). It fits nicely in the palm of your hand. When looking at the player from the front, the body appears to have horns or ears on the sides, at the top. The mold is nice in that you can grip the device and your fingers actually wrap-around and fit inside the horns. The right horn/ear has a hole for a strap. Sorry, strap not included.

The body of the Anydrive 3 is constructed of plastic and feels a little cheap. Not sure how much of a beating the device could withstand, so handle with care.

The five buttons that control the player are located on the top. The buttons are appropriately sized, slightly raised and nicely spaced, making access relatively simple. After using the device a few times, I was able to utilize the controls without looking, which is nice, especially if you are driving. Safety first.

From the top-view perspective, the buttons in order (left to right) with functions:
‘A’ button: Switch play modes, circle (repeat 1, repeat all, random, normal) modes, equalizer (jazz, rock, bass, normal, classic) modes & FM frequency modes.
Next button: Access the next song; pressing for more than 3 seconds turns the volume up on the player.

Play/Stop button: Play & stop the music; pressing for more than 2 seconds will turn the device on or off.

Previous button: Access the previous song; pressing for more than 3 seconds turns the volume down on the player.

‘B’ button: Switch from accessing music on the SD/MMC card to music on the USB device and vice-versa.

Making my way around the outside of the device, the SD/MMC card slot is on the left-side, while the full-sized USB connection, headphone jack and DC power port are located on the bottom. The right-side of the device has a slide-mechanism to hold or lock the controls.

The USB connector is where you can plug in things like thumb drives and other such USB storage gadgets used to store your library of music. If you don’t have a portable USB storage device, you can find many different styles and storage capacities at reasonable prices. Pick one up for yourself.

I did notice a potential flaw in the design of the player, specifically with the plug-in connections on the bottom. The USB connector and headphone jack are separated only by a 1/4″, which could make it difficult to make a USB connection and utilize the headphone jack, especially if you have a USB device with a wide body. I am not sure how many portable USB storage devices would cause a problem, but I can see the potential and I think the designers could have better exploited the real estate on the body’s bottom by spacing the connectors evenly.

In Julie’s review of a prior model, she noted a design issue when trying to plug-in a USB card reader in the USB connector. The Anydrive 3 eliminates that flaw by incorporating a SD/MMC card reader in the body. Always nice to see manufacturers make a change to improve a product’s design.

The Anydrive’s built-in SD/MMC card reader allows you to listen to music files from a memory card via headphones or through the FM radio and just like a standard card reader it also permits the transfer of files to the card via the USB connection. So if you have some music on your PC, you can insert a SD/MMC card into the Anydrive, connect it to the computer via the USB connector and just drag and drop files. Very simple. During the transfer of files, the backlights of the LCD monitor flickers, creating a little light-show to indicate something is happening.

When you turn the MP3 player on, the LCD screen displays the radio frequency, volume level indicator, equalizer setting, play mode setting and active disk. The disk designator is Disk 1 for the SD/MMC memory card, while Disk 2 is the USB connector.

Here you can see all the options displayed through the LCD when you initially turn the device on.

The Anydrive 3 gives you the ability to have a memory card and a portable USB storage device simultaneously plugged-in and you can easily switch between the two storage tools by simply pressing the ‘B’ button. So you could have your 80′s hair-band rock files on your memory card and your country music on your thumb drive and easily switch between the two with a touch of a button.

I found the Anydrive 3′s performance to be good, depending on the environment. In my Toyota Camry, the sound quality was poor with a lot of static, regardless of the station, while I found the reception quality to be considerably better in my Toyota Corolla. Even with the device resting on the backseat of my Corolla, I only noticed some slight background noise, which I found acceptable. Keep in mind, this is still FM radio.

To be honest, my other FM transmitter does not work well in my Toyota Camry either. Not sure why but the Camry seems to provide some resistance to the transmitters that results in noticeable static. I talked to some people who use such devices and they too confirmed that the vehicle plays a huge role in the sound quality. So keep this in mind, if you purchase the Anydrive 3 and are disappointed in the sound quality it might not be the player but the environment you are trying to use it in.

While testing the Anydrive 3 in my vehicles, I again noticed the cool options of the LCD backlight. The device has 7 different colors that you can select or rotate through to change it up a bit. All the colors look really cool in a car, especially at night. I was surprised by the brightness of the LCD backlight. It really packs a punch.

Of course, some will find the multiple backlight options annoying and unnecessary, but I thought they looked cool. Probably could get annoying after some time.

I also tested the MP3 player out using an old FM clock radio I had in the house. It worked great. The reception was impressive and it brought my old clock radio up a few decades in technology by allowing it to play MP3 files. Making the old, new again by mixing technology, extending the life of the old, always cool.

The built-in headphones give the Anydrive 3 added mobility. Just put in a memory card full of your favorite music and you can take your music with you. I played the device approximately 7-hours off the 2 AAA batteries that power it when not plugged-in and the batteries were still going strong.

Another cool way to utilize the device is by plugging in a portable DVD player into the Anydrive 3 and playing the sound of the DVD through the vehicles speaker system. That way everyone can hear the movie without relying on the built-in speaker system of the DVD player.

Using the Anydrive 3 with a portable DVD player brings to light a good point. Throughout this review, I have been discussing the use of the device with MP3 files, but you could use the Anydrive 3 with a portable CD player, DVD player or any other device that has sound and an audio connector to broadcast through a FM radio.

Overall, the Anydrive 3 is a nice tool with many uses. The ability to play your MP3 files through any FM radio is great, plus the added mobility through headphones and don’t forget the ability to use the Anydrive 3 as a SD/MMC card reader. Reception performance is a potential drawback but I think that is due more on the FM radio then the Anydrive 3′s FM transmitter.

The versatility of the Anydrive 3 makes it a device that I would recommend. So pick one up and extend your listening options so that you are never without your music.

Filed in categories: Audio, Video, TV Gear, Car Gear

Tagged: A/V, Audio, FM Transmitter, MP3

Anydrive 3 Wireless Transmitter and Card Reader with LCD originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on December 12, 2006 at 1:53 pm.

I recently opened my mailbox to find a package from a company named ABT
(Advanced Bridging Technologies). Opening the box revealed 3 iPod accessories. One specifically for the Apple Nano and two for any iPod with a docking connector. I’ve had a chance to put each of these products through some good old gadgeteer testing and will share my experiences with you.

iJet for the Apple iPod Nano

This device is an FM transmitter for the iPod Nano. That in itself doesn’t sound very exciting does it? Well, the iJet has a bit more going for it than your typical FM transmitter.

Designed like a sled, the Nano attaches via the bottom docking connector. Then a hinged clear plastic cover snaps down to
protect the entire DAP sans the touch wheel, which is exposed for easy access. There is also a small cutout at the top of
the cover to allow access to the Hold switch. However, I found that the plastic is too thick and the opening too small,
to allow you to actually manipulate the switch.

There is also access to the earphone jack, while the Nano is attached.

You can also see that there is a pass-through dock connector on the bottom of the iJet. This is a great feature, as it
allows you to plug in an iPod car charger (see the PowerJet review below) when needed. I used this FM transmitter in
conjunction with the PowerJet and found the combo to be a good one. You can also use the pass-through connector to sync with your PC or Mac.

The iJet does not use any batteries. It is powered by the Nano. Setup is not required. It’s basically plug and play.
As soon as you plug the Nano into the sled, it will power on the Nano, display the current FM frequency that it will
broadcast on and then start playing the last song it had last been playing. If you need to change to a different FM frequency,
you just press the little Grey rubber button on the left side of the sled. Continuous pressing of this button will allow you to
cycle through the 5 preset frequency settings. Preset 5 is the on/off toggle for the FM transmitter. Holding the Grey button down, will
increase the frequency setting by 2 points. Frequency settings from 87.9 to 107.9 are available.

I found this device to be easy to use and the sound quality of this product to be quite good. It was rare for me to hear any static while using the
FM transmitter. Granted, I don’t live in a bustling metropolis of radio stations, but even the station I chose to test with, was
not completely silent before I would start the broadcast. The only feature I wish was available, would be to use the touch wheel
to adjust the transmit frequency. Pressing the Grey button continuously does get monotonous.

There’s one more nugget of iPod goodness packed into this product. Flip it over and you’ll see a small removable remote control.
Just pop it out and press the membrane buttons to adjust the volume, change tracks, cycle through playlists, frequency channels,
store frequency channels, and toggle repeat mode. The best part about this little remote, is the fact that it doesn’t use IR to
transmit. It uses RF. That means you can put the Nano / iJet combo in a glove box or other location in your car, and still
control it. Range for this control is 150ft. Of course, this depends on what you are transmitting through. Transmitting through
several walls will decrease your range significantly.

I’m not a big fan of the membrane style buttons and did find that I would sometimes need to double press my desired
command in order for it to ‘go through’. But all in all, the remote is a nice feature. I especially like that it snaps into the
back of the device.

The sled is made of shiny Black plastic. When the Nano is inserted, it does add some extra bulk. That said, the Nano is
so small, that the additional girth will probably not be that noticeable.

Right now, the iJet is my favorite FM transmitter for the Nano. I like that I can just leave it plugged in and still charge / sync
when necessary.

Available for $69.99 at stores like Target, Best Buy, etc.

PowerJet

The PowerJet is a car charger (for +12V accessory – cigarette lighter outlets) for any iPod that has a dock connector (3rd generation and forward). It has a 3 foot 30-pin connector cable that extends from the hinge area.

The main body of the charger can swivel to move out of the way of your gear shift.

Here you see the PowerJet being used with my Nano and the iJet FM transmitter.

The really unique feature of this charger is the addition of a 9-pin iPod accessory port. With this port, you can plug in accessories such as the iTrip or an RF/IR remote. The kicker is that the newer iPods (Nano and iPod Video) no longer have the 9-pin port. But with this
device, you can use these accessories with your newer iPods. There is also a volume control wheel built into the PowerJet. When used with an accessory such as an FM transmitter, the volume wheel will control sound output.

I tested the 9-pin accessory port with the iBlue module and it worked great!

Available for $59.99 at stores like Target, Best Buy, etc.

iJet Wireless Remote

Package Contents

iJet module
Remote
Plastic holster
2 Belt clips
RCA cable for connection to external speakers

Available in black and white, this product is an RF remote that can control your iPod from as far away as 150ft. Of course the range will depend on what type of material the signal has to travel through… walls, etc.

The main module plugs into the iPod’s bottom dock connector and is powered by the iPod. No batteries needed, yay!

A small handheld remote control (this part does require batteries – 2 CR2025 3V) with REAL buttons, not membrane buttons, is also included along with a plastic holder and 2 different types of clips. The remote has commands to adjust volume, Forward/Rewind track, Play/Pause and Stop playback.

The bottom of the iJet module has a pass-through dock connector built into it, so you can connect to a charger or speaker systems. In the image above you can see that I have the iPod and iJet remote connected to a cradle, which is in turn connected to a pair of Audioengine 5 speakers. I was able to walk around the entire house changing tracks with ease. FYI: the iPod and speakers were in my basement.

I can see how this product would be useful for all sorts of iPod activities. I put it to use by clipping the remote on my treadmill, so I could control my music while I walked. )

Available for $39.99 at stores like Target, Best Buy, etc.

All of the iJet products are well made, and have unique features that make them more desirable than similar products of their genre.

Filed in categories: Audio, Video, TV Gear, Car Gear

Tagged: FM Transmitter, iPod

ABT iJet iPod Accessories originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on August 31, 2006 at 7:57 am.

Have you ever noticed that a lot of FM transmitters on the
market these days, don’t blend in very well with the interior of
most vehicles. Their design tends to be too flashy or wacky for my
personal taste. I don’t know about you, but I tend to prefer that
my vehicle accessories look more like OEM parts than something that
came from the bargain bin of AutoZone. That’s why I was pretty
amazed when I came home the other day to find a package from
Speck Products. Inside
was the MobileTune FM Transmitter for the Apple iPod.

The first thing that caught my eye was the shiny chrome cap at
the end of its light bulb shaped body. No, it’s not made of metal,
it’s plastic. This cap is actually the tuning mechanism and display
for this FM transmitter. The outside ring is spring loaded and can
pivot left or right to easily adjust the frequency. Each click that
you give the ring, will move the transmitter 1 frequency up or down
the dial. Tuning is continuous from 88.1 to 107.9Mhz.

Most of the body of this device is encased in Black leather
which is stitched on with Black thread. This tight covering can not
be removed and truly gives the MobileTune a premium auto accessory
look and feel.

It actually blends in great with the leather covered shifter in
my Mazda3 5-door.

A 27 inch cable protrudes out the middle of the transmitter. At
the other end of this cable is a 30 pin iPod dock connector. To use
the transmitter, you plug it into a free 12V power socket in your
vehicle, tune your FM radio to a channel that has no station, and
then use the ring on the MobileTune to tune to that same
frequency.

As soon as you power up your vehicle, the MobileTune’s Blue on
Black display will glow. I sort of wish the display was Red to
match the other LEDs in my car. Oh well… The picture above makes
the display look like it is majorly bright. Don’t worry, it’s not
blinding or anything. Also, it’s smart enough to turn off when your
car is powered off.

After the car radio and MobileTune transmitter have been set to
have matching frequencies, you’re ready to connect your iPod and
start playing your tunes. For this review, I used my "http://www.the-gadgeteer.com/review/apple_ipod_nano">iPod
nano. Let’s start with the good news first… The best features
that this FM transmitter has, is its ability to charge your iPod’s
batteries while you’re listening to music. It’s also easy to tune.
Although I do wish that you could hold the ring in one position to
have it continue to cycle up/down the frequency list. As is, you
have to turn it, let it spring back to the center, turn it, let it
spring back, etc., etc.

The only bad news here is that I’ve been spoiled by my current
method of listening to my iPod through my car stereo. I use an
auxilliary input. Once you listen to your iPod connected through
the docking connector directly into your car stereo, you’ll never
want to use an FM transmitter again. That said, if your vehicle’s
head unit doesn’t have an AUX input, the MobileTune will sound
pretty nice. During my testing, I did notice some light buzzing
sounds during the silent sections between songs. I also noticed
that I needed to turn the volume up on the stereo 2-3 notches
louder than when I use the AUX input. By the way, adjusting the
volume on the iPod itself when it is connected to the MobileTune,
will have no effect on the volume levels. All volume adjustments
must be done through the car stereo’s controls.

Sound quality with the MobileTune is good, but no where near as
good as when using an AUX input. FM transmitters on the whole leave
music sounding a bit flat. Again, if you’ve never heard the
difference, you’re not going to know what you’re missing… If you
don’t mind the sound of FM radio stations through your car stereo,
then you will probably find the MobileTune to be just fine for you.
This is definitely the best looking FM transmitter that I’ve had
the chance to review, but at $60, I think the sound quality could
stand some improvement.

Filed in categories: Audio, Video, TV Gear, Car Gear

Tagged: FM Transmitter, iPod

Speck Products MobileTune iPod FM Transmitter originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on July 25, 2006 at 7:18 pm.

FM Transmitters for digital music players are nothing new, but today I am
going to take a look at one of the smallest and least obtrusive models I
have seen thus far – the XtremeMac
AirPlay².

Available in black or white, the AirPlay² was created to fit on all 4th
generation and later Dock connector enabled iPods. Not counting the small
protruding connector on its top, the AirPlay² measures just 1.6′ tall x 1.6"
wide x 0.3" thick, and it weighs only 0.4 ounces. This makes for one itty-bitty
FM transmitter that will look good, even with the near skeletal iPod nano.

Features:
High quality, wireless FM transmission
Brilliant blue LCD with easy-to-read white characters
Three programmable station presets for convenient recall of clearest frequencies

iPod powered, uses minimal amount of energy
Pass-through Dock Connector functionality
Compatible with all 30-pin car chargers
Stereo/mono control
Includes Dash mount
Tuning range: 88.1 – 107.9

As one might have guessed, the AirPlay² does not rely on cables to connect to
the iPod; instead it plugs directly into the iPod’s sync / charge port.

And here it is – a self sufficient FM transmitting package. All the needed
power for transmission is drawn directly from the iPod’s battery reserve.

My first concern when I saw this doo-dad was that it was a great idea,
but I like being able to charge my iPod while it is transmitting. Well, that’s
no problem due the addition of a female port on the bottom of the AirPlay² which
enables the attachment of a power cable when using the device. Clever!

The AirPlay² has an easy to read blue and white LCD which glows for six
seconds any time it is plugged in and one of the four areas on its faced is
pressed.

To manually tune the device, the AirPlay² printed section at the bottom front
should be pressed. This will call up the "Tune" icon and allow stations to be
chosen by pressing the 1 or 3 portions of the device’s front.

The numbers one, two and three represent the three available preset stations.
Setting them is accomplished by pressing and holding the appropriate button for
a couple of seconds once the desired station has been chosen and it is showing
on the LCD.

According to the AirPlay² site, the device "also has a mono mode for better
reception in crowded radio markets."

I tested the AirPlay² both in my vehicle and over a home stereo. Over our
home stereo, the device transmitted reliably within 10 feet. More than that
produced static and breaks in the transmission.

In the vehicle, I noticed a small bit of static interference when the iPod
was held in my hand, but I also found that inserting the iPod upside down in a
cup holder – with the AirPlay² pointing out – provided near perfect transmission
and a convenient way to hold the device.

When transmitting in the vehicle, I found the resulting music’s quality to be
similar to that from other quality FM transmitters I have tested in the past.
There is no doubt that there is a bit of sound degradation and loss of volume,
but it is no more noticeable with this device than it has been with others I
have favorable reviewed.

Also included in the package is a red adhesive pad and a plastic dash mount.
This mounting system may be used one of two ways; either to hold an iPod nano in
place as it is being used, or to store the AirPlay² when it is not in use. This
dash mount will not support a full size iPod.

Here is a picture of the AirPlay² housed inside the dash  mount.

Overall I am very impressed with the AirPlay². For such a tiny device, it
offers the user a surprising number of options for a quality iPod broadcast,
whether in the vehicle or in the home.

Filed in categories: Audio, Video, TV Gear

Tagged: FM Transmitter, iPod

XtremeMac AirPlay² originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on July 14, 2006 at 9:16 am.

I am going to sound like a broken record when I say (yet again) that the
thing I enjoy most about iPod ownership is that so many accessories are custom
made to fit this digital music player. Granted, I bought my 4th generation model
right before the latest incarnation, the iPod Video was introduced, but there
are still plenty of accessory manufacturers making goodies that will fit my
particular iPod.

Today I am going to tell you about an iPod accessory that has quickly become
a personal favorite, the Macally
FM Cup. Sure, there
are plenty of other FM transmitters available for all of the various iPod
incarnations, but this is the one that meets all of my wants and does
what I need it to do flawlessly.

Available in black or white plastic to match all iPods, the Macally FM Cup measures approximately 3" tall x
3.25" deep. The FM Cup is made to
sit in a vehicle’s cup holder as it charges the iPod and transmits the iPod’s
audio over any FM setting between 88.1 and 107.9. The FM Cup is a true
all-in-one solution.

(Cue Introduction
from Richard Strauss’ Thus Spoke Zarathustra)

Included in the package are the FM Cup, the cigar lighter charging cable,
three docking inserts for various sized iPods, a 3.5mm Line-In cable and
instructions.

The FM Cup came with the 4G dock in place, so getting set up was virtually
painless. In front of the dock are (from left to right) the On / Off switch, an
LCD which displays the transmitting frequency, Channel – and + buttons for
selecting a free FM channel, and a QS button which when pressed will change the
radio frequency from 88.1 to 94.1 to 100.1 and to 106.1.

The back of the FM cup has the Audio -In jack for using the included 3.5mm
Line-In jack with non-iPod audio devices, a sliding release for the
interchangeable docks and the plug for the power cord.

These are the other two included docks, which will accommodate other
generation and smaller sized iPods. 

So that the FM Cup will fit in virtually any cup holder, there are four
spring loaded grippy-sides.

The sides will contract or expand as needed.

Even with its GelaSkin installed, my iPod Photo fits in the dock perfectly.
The FM Cup is designed to accept the dock shipped with the iPod Video and the
iPod nano.

When plugged into a power source and turned On, the FM cup will charge the
connected iPod and transmit to whichever FM frequency is specified in the LCD.

Here is a shot of the Macally FM Cup in my ranch truck. It fits perfectly in
the cup holder, and the power port is conveniently located directly behind. The
green LED on the charging cable indicates that the truck’s power is on. The
removable charging cable is 17" long without stretching its coiled midsection.
The cable should reach from even the most oddly placed power point to a nearby
cup holder.

I really like the fact that the FM Cup provides a place to keep the iPod in
view, as well as a method for charging and transmitting. There really are no
caveats to this product – unless you don’t have a vehicle with a cup holder…

The Macally cup is reasonably priced, easy to operate, and it charges the
iPod while keeping it in a convenient and out-of-the-way place. It’s my favorite
iPod accessory so far. :0)

Filed in categories: Audio, Video, TV Gear

Tagged: FM Transmitter, iPod

Macally FM Cup originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on May 26, 2006 at 12:39 pm.

Over the years I have reviewed quite a few FM transmitters that
were compatible with just about any portable music player. But
today I am going to take a look at my first FM transmitter made to
complement all versions of the Apple iPod specifically.
Conveniently enough, this transmitter will also work with any audio
device with a line-out jack.

The Digital Lifestyle
Outfitters "http://www.dlo.com/products/tdmicro_Prod.tpl?command=showpage&cart=11466021351988412">
TransDock micro charges and broadcasts music from every iPod,
but it has a few other surprises in its bag of tricks. Included in
its package is the TransDock micro and a removable 51″ USB charging
cable. The TransDock micro measures approximately 4.75″ long x 2″
wide at its display end; it is composed primarily of black plastic
with white and gray plastic accents. The device feels well built,
not flimsy or cheap at all.

The top of the dock has a USB port which can accept either the
included USB cable or the end of an "http://www.apple.com/ipodshuffle/specs.html">iPod Shuffle. It
will also accept USB based charging cables, such as the "http://www.pocketpctechs.com/main~unit~HTC_Universal-439~area~accessories-retractable+sync~action~updateunit.htm">
Lil’ Sync Pro or the "http://www.boxwave.com/products/minisync/index.htm">BoxWave
miniSync, to provide power through the cigar lighter for
non-audio devices.

Behind the dock’s 2″ wide x 1.25″ tall x 1.25″ deep display end,
there is an adjustable ratcheting neck. This neck can be positioned
and locked in any of 13 positions, allowing up to a full
180º angle for the best fit and
display angle when the dock is plugged in a vehicle’s cigar
lighter.

On either side of the display head are grey plastic buttons
which are used to either advance to or retreat from FM radio dial
settings from 87.9 to 107.9. Short presses of the buttons will
cause selections to advance by single digits, and holding either
button will cause the selections to rapidly pass.

Here’s the right side of the device…

…and there is the left.

The bottom of the dock’s head has jacks for line-out and
line-in. What this means is if the user has a cassette adapter they
would prefer using, a mini-plug cable, or a set of speakers other
than the car’s, then they can plug that cable into the line-out
jack. The line-in jack is for directly wiring to any other audio
device, including but not limited to MiniDisc players, CD players,
portable game players, portable DVD players and laptop
computers.

When using an iPod, the included USB to iPod cable is all that’s
necessary to both charge and transmit the player’s contents.

I really like the fact that the TransDock micro charges the iPod
while it is in use, because not only will I have my tunes while in
transit, the iPod will be ready for use once I’m at my
destination.

The DLO site touts that the removable dock cable is handy for
home or travel use, and that it is a $20 value on its own. I
assumed then that it would power my iPod from any USB port,
but I did not find that to be the case. When the cable was plugged
into my desktop’s USB port the iPod’s screen’s backlight came on
without a charging notification, I got a popup on my computer
screen showing that an unrecognized device was in the USB port, and
no charging power was provided.

When the TransDock micro is plugged into a powered cigar
lighter, its 1.5″ screen will glow with a strong blue backlight.
This glow might seem a bit distracting to some drivers, but
depending on where the vehicle’s power port is located it may be
possible to turn the dock to a less distracting position.

When the iPod (or other rechargeable device) is charging via the
USB connection a lightning bolt symbol will flash on the right side
of the screen.

Once the iPod (or other rechargeable device) has charged, a full
battery symbol will display on the screen.

Pressing and holding both buttons on either side of the dock at
the same time will cause the chosen radio dial to be set as a
channel; up to four channels may be preset. Activating a preset
channel is done by quickly pressing both buttons together.

Using the DLO TransDock micro in a vehicle is simply a matter of
figuring out at what angle dock will best fit, choosing an empty FM
station on the radio’s dial, and then turning to the same station
on the dock. Placement of the iPod itself will just depend on the
vehicle’s interior.

iPod Shuffle users will find that they get their the best sound
when the Shuffle’s volume is set to max; they can then control the
overall speaker volume through the vehicle’s radio controls. The
long cable makes it convenient for the driver or passenger to
change songs while driving…not that I am recommending that the
driver ever take their eyes from the road.

As would happen when using any FM transmitter, there was a small
loss of volume and sound quality when audio was transmitted via the
dock. Simple adjustments on the iPod’s built-in equalizer and the
volume of both the iPod and the vehicle’s stereo easily compensated
for the loss, and I felt that the resulting audio was quite
good.

Overall, I am pleased with the multiple uses that the DLO
TransDock micro provides, but I feel let down by the cable not
working as expected. Others may or may not feel the same.

Filed in categories: Audio, Video, TV Gear, Car Gear

Tagged: FM Transmitter, iPod

DLO | TransDock micro All In One Car Solution for iPods originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on May 2, 2006 at 1:37 pm.

Remember my review of Bluetake’s i-PHONO mini BT450Rx Bluetooth stereo headphones? No? Ok, go read it here first and then come back to read this review of the BT450Tx. The BT450Tx is an accessory to the BT450Rx. Those of you with a mild level of geekiness should be clued in that this is a transmitter that goes with the headphones, which are the receivers. If that’s what you guessed, then you get a gold star. For those of you that didn’t catch the clue, “Rx” is another way of saying “receiver”, and conversely, “Tx” means “transmitter”. Now on with the review…

The BT450Rx headphones allow you to listen to music wirelessly through an A2DP enabled device. The BT450Tx extends the use of the headphones by giving non-Bluetooth enabled audio devices the ability to wirelessly stream their audio to the headphones too.

The main device that the BT450Tx is focused on is the iPod. Older model iPods with the remote connector next to the earphone jack, to be more precise.

Don’t have an older iPod, or no iPod at all? Not to worry, Bluetake was nice enough to include a small adapter that converts the dual remote / earphone jack to a regular 3.5mm stereo plug. With this adapter, the BT450Tx can be used with any audio device (CD player, Sony PSP, PDAs, etc.).

The BT450Tx is a very simple device about the size of a matchbox. It has an LED on the face, with a small button next to it. On the left side of the device, there is a connector for the USB charging cable. To use it, you first charge the internal batteries by using the USB cable. While the batteries are charging, the LED on the face of the BT450Tx, will glow Red. Once charging is complete, the LED will change to Blue. At this point, you have to pair it with the BT450Rx headphones. This is accomplished by holding down the button on the transmitter until the LED cycles between Red and Blue. Then you turn on the headphones and put it in pairing mode too. Once the two devices discover each other, music will start to flow through the headphones. And we all lived happily ever after… right? Ummmmm, not so fast. Keep reading.

My first test was with my Video iPod. Since it’s a newer model, it doesn’t have the remote / earphone jack combo. So, I had to employ the included adapter. Not exactly elegant since now the iPod has a dangling appendage, but I could forgive that.

What I couldn’t forgive was crappy sound quality. The first thing I noticed before I even selected a song to test, was static. Just to double check, I unplugged the BT450Tx and plugged in a pair of regular old earbuds. Yup, no static there. I plugged the BT450Tx’s back in, and the static was back. Grrrrrr… Ok, let’s try a song. Yikes, crappy just escalated to horrendous. The volume level on the iPod had to be turned much higher than I normally do, to hear the music. If that wasn’t bad enough, it sounded like the band was playing at one end of a huge room, and I was only hearing their voices, and not all of the music. At this point, I started checking connections. Yes, the adapter was tightly connected. Nope, wiggling had no effect.

Test #2: I tried the BT450Tx with my iPod nano. Same result. Blah!

Test #3: Next, I tried the transmitter with the JNC SSF-8100. Same result. Static and tin can audio.

Test #4: I dug out my old 3rd gen iPod out of the drawer. For this test, I was able to remove the remote / earphone adapter cable and plug the BT450Tx directly into the top of the iPod.

I queued up a song and the sound quality was the difference of night and day. Yes, the static in the background was still evident (when no music was playing), but the music was much louder and fuller. It wasn’t as full and loud as through regular old headphones / earphones, but it was way closer than when using the adapter.

The only test I had left to do was to try out the iPod remote control features. These features allow you to use the buttons on the BT450Rx headphones to Play, Pause and change tracks (Prev, Next) when connected to an iPod. The transmitter uses the AVRCP (Audio Video Remote Control Profile), and as I found out, it will only work when used without the little remote / earphone jack adapter.

When all said and done, I ended up disappointed in the BT450Tx. I’m a little confused that Bluetake decided to support older iPod models and left the newer models out in the cold. I’m hoping Bluetake will be able to create a dock adapter so that newer models will actually be usable with this transmitter. In the mean time, if you don’t have an iPod with the remote / earphone jack, don’t buy the BT450Tx.

Filed in categories: Audio, Video, TV Gear

Tagged: Bluetooth Gear, FM Transmitter, iPod

Bluetake i-PHONO mini BT450Tx Bluetooth Stereo Transmitter originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on February 2, 2006 at 7:42 am.

Finding the most convenient way to listen to the tunes on your Apple iPod, while in your vehicle can sometimes be a daunting task. Do you lay it beside you on the seat and route the audio through your car stereo using a cassette adapter? Or maybe you use a separate FM transmitter like the iTrip? While both of these methods will work, neither will charge your iPod while it plays music, and neither will securely cradle your iPod in a comfortable viewing angle like DLO’s TransPod. Available in Black, White and Silver, this cradle / charger / FM transmitter is compatible with 3rd gen, 4th gen, mini and nano models.

Hardware Specs

Modulation: FM Stereo
RF Output Frequency Range: 88.1 – 107.9 MHz
Default Preset Frequencies (MHz): 87.9, 94.9, 100.9, and 107.9
Frequency Adjustment: 0.1 MHz per step
Frequency Response: 5Hz ~ 20KHz
Transmitter Power: 1.5 Watts
Transmitter Range: Up to 30 feet (9M)
Input Voltage: 12 – 16 VDC
Input Current: <300mA @ DC12V~16V
Direct Output: 3.5mm Stereo Mini jack
Direct Input: 3.5mm Stereo Mini jack
Storage Temperature: -20° to 120° F (-29° to 45° C)
Operating Temperature: -4° to 113° F (-20° to 45° C)

Package Contents

TransPod Cradle
Charger Arm
Extension Arm
iPod mini Insert
iPod nano Insert
Fit Pads (x2)
User Guide

The TransPod is about as plug and play easy as you can get. Depending on the location of your cigarette lighter adapter, you will either plug the charger arm into the pod, or also use the extension arm. Lucky for me, my adapter is located right beside my radio. Both arms are adjustable so that you can customize the viewing angle of your iPod while it is connected to the TransPod.

The pod itself is made of plastic and is available in White, Black and Silver. In case you can’t tell from the photos, I was sent the Silver version. The front of the Pod has an Indigo Blue backlit LCD display with two arrow buttons on either side. The sole purpose of this display is to show the current FM transmitter frequency. The buttons allow you to adjust that frequency up and down by 1MHz increments. You can access and save up to 4 channel presets by pressing the P button on the right side of the TransPod. Pressing the button quickly will cycle through the saved presets (by default these are: 88.1, 94.9, 100.9, 107.9MHz). Pressing the P button for a few seconds will overwrite the current preset with the currently tuned frequency.

The right side of the TransPod also has a line-out jack (designated with a cassette icon). If for some reason you prefer not to use the built-in FM transmitter in the TransPod to broadcast your tunes through your car stereo, you can connect either to a cassette adapter or to the line-in / auxiliary input jack of your car stereo.

The left side of the TransPod has a backlight toggle button for the LCD display. Pressing the button while the LCD is already lit, will turn the backlight off. Pressing the button when the backlight is off, will toggle it on until you press it again to turn it off. By default, the backlight will stay lit for 2 minutes when you power up the TransPod or whenever you change frequencies.

This side of the TransPod also has a line-in jack so that you can use it with other MP3 players, portable DVD players, game devices etc. You’ll need a male-to-male 3.5mm mini cable, which not included, to connect the devices.

TransPod with fit pad

The great thing about the TransPod is that it is able to accommodate 3rd gen, 4th gen, mini and nano models by using the slide in plastic inserts. Included with the device is an insert for the iPod mini and nano. Without the insert, you can directly plug in 3rd and 4th generation players. With my 40gb 4th gen player, I did have to use the included fit pad. This is a soft padded spacer that keeps the back of the player from rattling against the TransPod when you’re driving down a bumpy road. This pad can be permanently attached to the back plate of the TransPod by removing the self adhesive backing. Since I have both a regular sized iPod and a nano, I opted not to attach it.

Interacting with the iPod while it is in the TransPod is pretty much no different than any other time. All of the click wheel functions operate as normal. The only difference that you should be aware of has to do with adjusting the volume levels. This is not accomplished by using the click wheel. Instead you use your car stereo to adjust the volume as it is getting the levels through the line-out audio from the bottom of the iPod. You can even turn the volume on the iPod completely off and it will have no effect on the volume that you’ll hear through your car stereo’s speakers.

TransPod with nano insert

For my nano, I just slid the plastic nano insert into the Pod and then plugged the nano right in. The plastic insert has a snug fit, so that you don’t have to hold on to it when you want to remove the nano from the Pod.

I’ve never been a real big fan of FM transmitters, because they always seem to either sound flat, or static filled. I was pleasantly surprised by the TransPod. Even using the higher frequencies above 100MHz, the sound was very clear. This beats using a cassette adapter any day. In addition to transmitting your tunes through your car stereo, this product will also charge your iPod’s batteries. So, no need to worry about running out of juice for those long car rides.

The TransPod has intelligent power control. This means that it will not drain your car’s battery if you leave it plugged into your cigarette lighter while the car is not running. It automatically shuts off the power after 2 minutes of inactivity. Plugging in an iPod automatically powers it back on. If you want to manually power down the TransPod, you can hold down the backlight button on the left side for a few seconds.

I really have enjoyed using the DLO TransPod. $100 may be somewhat pricey, but it seems worth it for wireless plug and play convenience. I’m leaving mine plugged in 24/7.

Filed in categories: Audio, Video, TV Gear

Tagged: FM Transmitter, iPod

DLO TransPod originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on October 20, 2005 at 9:48 am.

Product Requirements:
An FM Radio and an audio source with a
3.5mm headphone jack, one AA battery (included)

It’s the age old dilemma – how to best listen to one’s music in the car, when
said music is all contained on a player that is not hard-wired to the auto’s
sound system. One of the easiest and most effective ways that I have found to
solve this problem is with the use of an FM transmitter. Today, I’ll take a look
at the Air-Wave FM
Transmitter, available from Brando.

The Air-Wave measures 2.54" tall x 2.33" wide x 0.73" thick and weighs 1.5
ounces. It is composed of glistening matte silver plastic and features an LCD
screen on the front as well as two buttons for advancing or reversing the
broadcast band number. The Air-Wave’s compact design is quite clever in that it
has a six inch cable which wraps around its own diameter then plugs into a
receptacle for efficient storage. The device itself is quite solid as I was not
able to detect any creaks when I purposely tried to torque and squeeze it.

The back holds the battery compartment…

To use the Air-Wave, the 3.5mm plug must be released and then inserted into
the music players head-phone jack.

The Air-Wave is turned on by pressing the +
button, and a pretty blue side-light will illuminate the LCD screen.

You’ll note that the Air-Wave that I received has a slight defect in that the
two vertical bars on the far right LCD’s digit do not show up at all. While this
was a bit inconvenient for use and testing, it did not affect the Air-Waves
performance.

Because the Air-Wave will allow the user to select any FM station from 98.0
to 108.0, there will hopefully be a clear channel available for even those that
live in the largest cities.

I tested the Air-Wave in my auto and found that its range was very short. If
I moved it more than a foot from my radio I got a poor reception and lots of
static. While this is unacceptable for my own personal use, I understand that
there are users out there that live in areas where a far reaching signal could
get them in trouble with the law. While I am not suggesting that anyone
necessarily do anything illegal, I am just going to say that it would
probably be easier to get away with using this particular transmitter.

One of the things I like about the Air-Wave is its compact size and the fact
that the one cable on it stores away so neatly. However, I do wish that instead
of being battery powered it had either included a 12v cigar lighter adapter or
an internal rechargeable battery. I suppose that some may think that I have
become spoiled, but I really hate having to buy AA batteries anymore. The good
news is that I tested the Air-Wave while it was hooked up to my player and
broadcasting, and found that I was able to get approximately ten hours of use
from a single battery.

Well, obviously I had some issues with the Air-Wave. Mine has a messed up LCD
which is probably a quality control issue from the manufacturer, and I felt that
its signal was inadequate for my use. However, I was quite satisfied with the
Air-Wave’s battery life and design. I like that it is small enough to keep in
the glove box of an auto or a gear bag pocket. The addition of a 12v power cable
would be nice, but for this price I can’t complain. If you are in the market for
an FM transmitter that doesn’t broadly transmit, then you might want to
take a look at the
Air-Wave FM Transmitter, available from
Brando.

Price: $22

Pros:
Compact design with efficient cable storage
Can choose from any FM dial increment between 98.0 and 108.0

Cons:
Mine has a messed up LCD
Extremely finicky and weak FM signal

Filed in categories: Audio, Video, TV Gear, Car Gear

Tagged: FM Transmitter

Brando Air-Wave FM Transmitter Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on February 10, 2005 at 12:00 am.

Product Requirements:
An audio device with a headphone jack
and a stereo with an FM receiver, one AAA battery

Last year I favorably reviewed the
Digiana Wireless Audio Portable
FM Linker, a FM transmitter that could play content from audio devices
through an FM station of the user’s choosing. This year,
Merconnet is offering a newer version
that has an even more streamlined shape plus the welcome addition of a car
cigarette lighter adapter.

The
Audia-x FM Transmitter Version 2 is a 3" long with 1" diameter device that
plugs into any audio device with a headphone jack and airs the content over an
empty FM station of the user’s choosing.

The body is comprised of matte silver and black plastic with a shiny silver
plastic loop at the top, suitable for attaching to a lanyard. The body is light,
but feels solidly built, with no creaking or moving. As I mentioned, there is an
attached jack for linking to the audio device and there is a removable car
charger cord for unlimited power.

For times when you don’t want to use car power, like when broadcasting
through a home stereo or portable player, a single AAA battery can be used.

Specifications:

• Tx Frequency Range 88.0 MHz ~ 108.0 MHz
• Channel Spacing 100 KHz
• Channel Capacity 201 Channels
• Bandwidth 170 KHz
• Modulation Type F3E
• RF Output Power 10 µW
• Frequency Stability 25 ppm
• Frequency Deviation ± 100 KHz
• Transmitter Spurious Emission 25 dBµV/m @ 3m
• Stereo Separation 40 dB
• Effective Range 2 m

What I particularly like about this transmitter, other than the fact that it
nicely matches my Sony NW-HD1, is
that I don’t have to worry about the battery dying on me during long usage
periods in the car. There is a power port in my armrest, so I am able to tuck
everything inside and keep it hidden.

Operating the Audia-x is simple. There is an up/down toggle switch on the
face that when pressed in the center powers on the unit. If battery power is
being used, then the car charger must not be attached, otherwise the charger
over-rides the battery. When turned on, a green backlight will glow and black
LCD numbers will display the selected station.

A non-broadcasting station can be selected on either the vehicle’s radio or
home stereo, and by moving the toggle switch up and down on the Audia-x to match
the frequency, audio content will then be broadcasted to the FM stereo and
through its speakers.

The range of the Audia-x is billed as being approximately 6.5 feet (2 meters)
from the FM receiver. This figure would allow plenty of options for where to place
the unit without worrying about the signal polluting other people’s FM
receivers. During testing however, I found that the Audia-x actually transmitted
through my car and up to 40 feet away before the signal really got fuzzy. This
meant that Steve was able to get into our ranch truck, parked on the street 30
feet away, and get the same signal I was transmitting on 88.1. I don’t know if
this will be a problem for anyone, but I thought I should mention it.

The
Audia-x FM Transmitter Version 2 is a handy way to enjoy your personal audio
content in a more public manner. It is available from
Merconnet.

Price: $38.99

Pros:
Can choose from any FM dial increment
Compact and sturdy design
Can use either a battery or included car cigarette lighter adapter

Cons:
None

Filed in categories: Audio, Video, TV Gear, Car Gear

Tagged: FM Transmitter

Audia-x FM Transmitter Version 2 Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on October 29, 2004 at 12:00 am.

We’ve reviewed quite a few FM transmitters here on The Gadgeteer. But none as
simple as the ZUKZ FM Transmitter from
Crayton Electronics.

This product uses the cigarette lighter socket in your vehicle for power, so
you don’t have to worry about batteries. It has one LED,  but no switches or
buttons.

To use it, you tune your FM car radio to 107.7 +/- 0.5 MHz. Plug the ZUKZ
into the cigarette lighter socket. Plug the 30" standard sized phono connector
into the earphone jack any audio device such as an iPod, CD player etc. That’s
all there is to it.

I am lucky that channel 107.7 is clear in my area. So, I didn’t have any
problems using this device to transmit music from my iPod through my car stereo.
Depending on where you live, this may or may not be the case for you.

As far as audio quality, the ZUKZ suffers from the same problem that most FM
transmitters do. Music sounds dull / flat using this device. I prefer to use a
cassette adapter for the most part. I would only recommend this for people that
listen to audio books through their audio devices. I don’t think dull / flat
audio would really matter while listening to the spoken word.

Price: $19.99

Pros:
Simple to use

Cons:
Only one frequency available
Music sounds dull / flat

Filed in categories: Audio, Video, TV Gear, Car Gear

Tagged: FM Transmitter

ZUKZ FM Transmitter Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on September 10, 2004 at 12:00 am.

Ok gadgeteers, pack your bags and get ready to call shotgun, because we’re
going on a road trip! Well… ok, we’re not really going anywhere… But if we
were, you’d want to be prepared for endless hours driving, wouldn’t you? I don’t
know about all of you, but as soon as I start up my truck, I also turn on the
iPod.
It’s very rare when I don’t have music playing while I’m driving.

This review is going to introduce you to two products that may or may not
earn a permanent spot in your vehicle. We’ve reviewed PDA products from
Seidio
in the past, but now we’re going to take a look at two of their iPod accessories.

iMount

Product Requirements:
Device:
iPod with dock connector
 

For the past year, I’ve been carrying my iPod along with me where ever I go.
When I’m listening to it while driving, it lays on the seat beside me with the
cord from the cassette adapter connected to it. The only real problem with this
setup is that I can’t see the display and can’t easily adjust settings without
feeling around for it on the seat and then sneaking quick glances at the menu
while also trying to keep my eyes on the road.

The iMount from Seidio solves this problem in an elegant way while adding 2
additional features.

The iMount is a cradle that utilizes your vehicle’s cigarette lighter as both
a mount point and a power conduit for your iPod. Made of shiny iPod White
plastic, the cradle is sturdy yet light weight.

Hardware Specs

Input Voltage: 10V – +16V
Current: 2A max
Audio Output: 3.5mm earphone socket

On the back of the mount is an attachment point for the cigarette lighter
plug. An extension arm is included to allow for customized mounting (if the
cigarette lighter in your vehicle is too low, too close to gear shift, etc…).
There are three separate adjustments that you can make to the arm in order to
put it in the best viewing angle. There is also a small adapter that you can use
if your cigarette lighter socket is too big for the plug.

Once you plug the iMount into the cigarette lighter, the LED on the front
will glow green to let you know that you have a good connection. From there, you
can insert the iPod into the cradle and the docking connector. Upon connection,
the LED will change to Red to signify that it is charging the iPod’s battery.
Once the battery is fully charged, the LED changes back to green.

Besides charging the iPod’s battery and allowing you to orient the music
player to a better location than a car seat, the iMount also includes an audio
out jack on the left side. Using a cassette adapter with this jack will provide
much better audio quality than using the same cassette adapter with the earphone
jack on the top of the iPod. I’m guessing that the audio out jack on the iMount
is amplified because the audio through the radio is significantly louder when
using it. You actually have to be careful not to have your radio volume turned
up too far when you plug it in because it is so loud. Adjusting the volume level
on the iPod itself will have no effect at all (even if you turn it to the
absolute minimum) on the volume coming through your vehicle’s radio.

The iMount also comes with several stick on pads that you can attach to the
back of the cradle to allow for cushioning of the connected iPod. Without the
pad, my 4th generation 40gb player would rattle against the back wall of the
cradle when I would drive down my gravel road or other bumpy pavement.

I really have no complaints about this product. But if I had to find one
thing to change, I would ask for the addition of a power switch. As it is, you
have to unplug the iMount when you’re not using it. This is at least true for my
old 1991 GMC Sonoma S-10 pickup. Regardless as to whether the truck is running
or not, the iMount will draw power when it is plugged in. I find it somewhat
annoying to have to unplug it whenever I arrive at my destination, and would
love it if there was a way to switch off the power to the cradle.

That said, I think that the iMount would make a great accessory for any iPod
(with docking connector) owner.

Price: $39.95

Pros:
Adjustable mount
Charges iPod battery
Audio out jack

Cons:
Powered even when vehicle is not running (may depend on vehicle)

iSound FM Transmitter

Product Requirements:
Device:
iPod (any model) or any other audio device with a
3.5mm earphone jack
 

We’ve reviewed several FM transmitters in the past, and admit that they are
nifty little gadgets. If you don’t happen to know what they are, they let you
transmit/broadcast the audio from a device like an iPod, through an FM radio
station. This allows you to wirelessly listen to your tunes. Well, sort of
wirelessly. Read on…

The iSound from Seidio is a typical FM transmitter with some not so typical
features. The transmitter module portion of this product does not require
batteries because it plugs into a cradle that has a cigarette lighter plug
attached to it. When plugged in, an LED on the cradle will glow Red to signify a
connection.

The iSound has 4 buttons on its face. The large round button on the right, is
the power button. Pressing and holding it for more than 1 second will toggle
power. When you first turn it on, the backlit monochrome display will show the
word LINK. A few seconds later, the display will switch to the tuned frequency.
The arrow buttons allow you to move up and down .1MHz at a time through FM
frequencies from 88.1MHz to 107.9MHz. The oval button is a quick skip button
that allows you to switch between 88.1, 94.1, 100.1, and 106.1MHz.

If you have never used an FM transmitter, the idea is to tune to a ‘quiet’
station on your radio. One that doesn’t have a strong station playing. Then tune
to that exact same frequency on the FM transmitter. Once you have completed this
step, you can then plug your audio device into the audio jack on the iSound
using the included adjustable audio cable. Music from the audio device will then
play through the tuned FM radio station.

In use, I’ve found most FM transmitters to produce duller, muddier audio when
compared to using a cassette adapter. The iSound is no different in this
respect. However, if you have a good equalizer on your radio, you might be able
to adjust the quality somewhat.

It’s nice that you don’t have to worry about batteries, and can just plug the
iSound into the cigarette lighter. But, having to use a cable to plug into the
audio device defeats the purpose of this wireless solution and really doesn’t
make this product any more convenient than using a cassette adapter. I actually
prefer the sound quality of a cassette adapter anyway…

But wait, the iSound does have one more thing going for it that might perk
your interest. In addition to using it with your vehicle, you can also use it in
your home. If you unplug the actual FM transmitter module from the cradle,
you’ll see that it has a female USB connector in it. By purchasing an optional
USB cable, you can plug the iSound into your computer and power it via USB. This
will allow you to transmit music from your audio devices, to your home stereo. 
Too bad Siedio didn’t just include this cable with the purchase of the iSound.

While the iSound is easy to use and has features some FM transmitters lack,
it is bulky and doesn’t provide exceptional audio quality. If you are looking
for a transmitter for your iPod, I would suggest looking at the
iTrip instead. For
other audio devices, you can save some money by just purchasing a cassette
adapter.

Price: $39.95

Pros:
Can tune to any FM station
USB and cigarette lighter powered for home and vehicle
Backlit display

Cons:

Sound quality is a little muddy
To use with USB, an optional cable must be purchased
Bulky

Filed in categories: Audio, Video, TV Gear, Car Gear

Tagged: FM Transmitter, iPod

Seidio iPod Accessories (iMount & iSound) Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on August 26, 2004 at 12:00 am.

Not counting talk show broadcasts, how many of you still enjoy listening to
your tunes via FM radio? Since I purchased my
iPod, I
rarely listen to the radio anymore. Besides the fact that they play commercials
and the same lame songs over and over again, FM radio is just blah when you
compare it to an MP3 player. Problem is, not everyone can afford an iPod. And
even if you can, you’ll still need to burn even more cash for a cassette adapter
or an FM transmitter in order to play music through your car stereo. It’s
madness!

Good news though… There is a relatively inexpensive solution to this
problem. It’s actually a pretty cool solution really. It is the Anydrive Car MP3
+ FM Transmitter from Merconnet. This
device allows you to plug in any USB flash memory storage device into it and
wirelessly broadcast the output to an FM radio. Not sure what I mean? Ok,
picture this: You have an

Intelligent Stick USB Drive like the one Judie reviewed, full of MP3 files.
You plug it into the Anydrive, and it starts playing the music stored on it
through your FM radio. Or, you have a 5,6,7-in-1 USB card reader with media
cards full of MP3 files in every slot. You plug it into the Anydrive and music
plays sequentially through your radio. Cool huh?

The Anydrive is a small plastic device. It is powered by an adapter that
plugs into the cigarette lighter in your car. Near the power adapter plug-in are
input and output jacks. With the input jack, you can connect an audio source
like a CD or cassette player, and have the sound play through the FM
transmitter. The output jack allows you to plug in a cassette adapter if you
would rather use that to play music through your car stereo, instead of the
wireless method.

On the opposite side of the device is a full-sized female USB connector.
Compatible with 1.1 or 2.0 devices, this is where you plug in such things as
thumb drives, card readers, etc. There is a problem with the design of the
Anydrive. In their infinite wisdom, they placed the connector in a kind of 1
sided trough. As you can see in the picture below, the problem is that if you
have a small USB card reader or USB drive, that is strangely shaped, it might
not to be able to slide into the slot. I don’t know why they didn’t just orient
the connector straight out the side of the device. There is a way around this
problem though… remember the FlexUSB adapter?
It should pretty much allow any type of USB device to connect to the Anydrive.

On the top of the device are 4 buttons. A large Play/Pause button, a Rewind
and Fast forward button, and an up/down Volume rocker button. All of the buttons
have good tactile feedback, and as an added bonus, they light up Red in the
dark. This is a great feature for those of you (like myself) who either go to
work or come home when it’s dark outside.

Selection of the FM station that you wish transmit on is accomplished through
4 dip switches that are located on the side of the Anydrive. The available
stations are:

87.7 MHz
87.9 MHz
88.1 MHz
88.3 MHz
88.5 MHz
88.7 MHz
88.9 MHz
106.7 MHz
106.9 MHz
107.1 MHz
107.3 MHz
107.5 MHz
107.7 MHz
107.9 MHz

Not quite as many stations as other FM transmitters, so some people may have
problems depending on the saturation of radio stations in your area. I was able
to use 87.7 MHz without any problems. I was actually pretty surprised at the
sound quality. The Anydrive is easily the best sounding FM transmitter that I’ve
used so far.

The Anydrive is an easy way to bring MP3 playing capability to your car for
little money. This is especially true if you already have a USB drive or a card
reader with a bunch of spare media cards lying around. Of course, the Anydrive
doesn’t have a way to shuffle the songs or see the name of the song that is
currently playing, but hey, what do you expect for $60?

Having your tunes in the car with you can make all the
difference between an enjoyable drive or a mediocre one. While other people are
rolling their eyes at yet another stupid song parody from local morning DJ’s, you will be looking around at the
people in the cars idling beside you when you stop at a traffic light to make
sure they didn’t notice you playing the drums on the steering wheel and singing
off key to the song Seven Nation Army by The White Stripes. Oh wait, maybe
that’s just me

Price: $59.00

Pros:
All in one FM transmitter and USB input device
Compact
Easy to use

Cons:
Oddly shaped USB memory devices might not fit in the connector area

Filed in categories: Audio, Video, TV Gear, Car Gear

Tagged: A/V, Audio, FM Transmitter, MP3

Anydrive Car MP3 + FM Transmitter Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on March 23, 2004 at 12:00 am.

Product Requirements:
Device:
Versions available for original and current iPod
models

Oh iPod, how do I love thee, let me count the ways… I listen to you in the
morning, and I listen to you at night. I listen to you at my desk while working,
the treadmill while exercising, and on an airplane while flying. But of all the
places that I listen to you most, it’s in my car that I wish I had a better
method. Listening through headphones will give you the best iPod audio
experience, but of course, a person shouldn’t use headphones while driving. So,
in order to listen to your tunes in a car, there are two popular methods. One
way is
with a cassette tape adapter, and the other method is with an FM transmitter. I’ve personally
been using a ratty old cassette adapter since purchasing my
30gb iPod months ago. Although it
works fine, it seems like I’m always getting the cord tangled up, which is
annoying.

Enter the iTrip FM transmitter from
Griffin Technology, which allows
you to wirelessly transmit your music through your car stereo. The iTrip is
small, light weight and looks more like a lipstick tube, then a product similar
in functionality to the
iRock! or

Digiana. Using the earphone jack, it plugs securely into the top of the
iPod. The iTrip has no buttons or switches, but does have a small red LED on the
front. It also does not require a battery as it draws power directly from the
iPod.

Hardware Specs

Size: 2.4" x .84"
Weight: 0.5oz
Built-in antenna
Power Requirement: None (it’s powered by the iPod)
Modulation: FM Stereo
Frequencies: 87.7 – 107.9 MHz (other frequencies available through website)
High stability crystal oscillator, phase-lock loop control
Stereo separation: greater than 45 dB
Signal distortion: less than .5%
Frequency response: 50 Hz to 15 kHz
Operating range: 10-30 feet, depending on the quality of the FM radio receiver
(limited by FCC regulations)
FCC compliant
International frequencies software selectable
 

Included in the packaging is the iTrip module, instruction manual, and a CD.
Since the iTrip has no moving parts or a way to manually change the frequency
that you want to transmit on, you have to electronically set it up. To do this,
you pop the CD into your desktop, and run the setup program. For Mac users, it will copy the
necessary frequency files (they are MP3′s) into iTunes. For Windows users, it
will copy them to MusicMatch. Right off the bat, this represented a problem for me, because
although I’m a Windows user, I do not use MusicMatch. Instead, I am using the
new iTunes for Windows. So, I had to manually create a folder and copy the files
into it. Griffin assures me that a new Windows version of their setup software will be
available in a couple of weeks.

Most other FM transmitters on the market only give you a few frequencies to
select from. Having any station as a choice, is one great advantage to this
product. You can also
download additional frequency sets from Griffin’s website.

After syncing the files to my iPod, I had a long list of FM frequencies (87.9
- 107.9MHz) that I could choose from.

[partial listing]

Now comes the part where you have to figure out which frequency to actually
use… Depending on your location, it may take some experimentation before you
can find the best channel in your area. The iTrip does not have enough power to
override strong radio stations, so you have to search up and down the dial until
you find a station that is pretty much only static. Once you find it, you note
the station, and then plug the iTrip into the iPod. Then you navigate to the
Griffin Technology folder and find the ‘song’ that matches the frequency that
you want to transmit on. Play that ‘song’, and the LED on the front of the iTrip
will start blinking rapidly. You can then press play again and it should start
blinking slowly. This means that the frequency has been successfully set.

At this point, you are free to play music as you normally would. Doing so
will cause the audio to start playing through your car’s stereo. No more wires!
Cool huh?

It’s important to also note that the iTrip’s transmitting range is pretty impressive. I
was able to play music through my vehicle’s stereo, while the iPod/iTrip were
over 20-25 feet away! Wow! The iTrip also draws so little power from the iPod,
that you won’t notice your batteries draining any quicker while using it. It
powers down after 60 seconds of inactivity, just like the iPod does.

Of course there are a couple of gotchas with this product… The biggest one is
that the audio quality is a bit flat when compared to using a cassette adapter.
For most, this
is not a huge deal breaker, as any true audiophile will scoff at playing MP3s at
all, let alone through an FM radio! Although audio quality is very important to
me, convenience is also important. The iTrip gives me the ability to get in my
vehicle, turn on the radio, pull the iPod out of my bag, press play, and start
enjoying my music right away. Cassette adapters are bulkier, require a cassette
tape player
to use them, and let’s face it, they just aren’t as cool )

Another problem that I ran into was accidentally playing a frequency ‘song’
file when I didn’t mean to. I tend to randomly play songs from my entire 3500+ collection. One day
while I was driving home, I happened to hear a beep-boop-beep tone where I
thought a new song would be playing, and all of a sudden static started coming
out of the car stereo. Oops! If you don’t travel very often, a work around to
this problem would be to just delete all the frequency files from the iPod once
the correct frequency has been set. That said, I realize that this isn’t the
best option. Another work around for those of you that like to randomly play
songs from your library, is to make a playlist that includes all the songs
except the iTrip files.

Despite these two issues, the iTrip makes an excellent iPod accessory, that
is easy to use, takes up little space in a gear bag, and requires no batteries
to power it. This is a product that almost every iPod owner will appreciate and
have fun using.

Price: $35.00

Pros:
Easy to use
Doesn’t require a battery
Can use all frequencies

Cons:
Sound is a bit flat
Can’t use remote while using iTrip
Hard to see LED in full sunlight

Filed in categories: Audio, Video, TV Gear

Tagged: FM Transmitter, iPod

iTrip iPod FM Transmitter Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on November 10, 2003 at 12:00 am.

Product Requirements:
Device:
An audio device with a 3.5mm stereo headset jack

I have a satellite radio receiver installed in my vehicle, but there are
still times when I want to listen to the MP3s I have stored on my PDA. My new
truck (I just got a 2003 Harley Davidson edition F-150) does not have a built in
cassette player, so using a traditional cassette adapter is not even an option
for me – not that I would if I could. There is something that speaks to my inner
geek when I am able to wirelessly transmit my tunes through my vehicle’s sound
system. Obviously, what is need to accomplish this is a gadget that uses an FM
frequency to broadcast my audio device’s output.

I recently had the opportunity to put such a gadget, the
Aerielle
AudioBUG,
through its paces.

As I looked at the AudioBUG for the first time, I thought that it might have
been more appropriate for the makers to name it the "audioMOUSE", as that is
what its shape made me think of. But I suppose someone else would look at it and
be reminded of the ladybug in the Aerielle site pictures. Whatever it is
that this little gem reminds you of, the important thing is how easy it is to
use and how well it performs its duties.

Using the AudioBUG is certainly easy enough. There are four slots on the side
to which you can slide the plastic lever – each indicating a different setting
on the lower end of the FM dial (88.1, 88.3, 88.5, and 88.7 MHz). Remember that
I live in a smaller city, so only having four presets is not much of an issue
for me. Well…I actually only have three, because my satellite uses 88.5 to
broadcast over, but I digress.

If you live in a larger city, one that has lots of stations on the lower end
of the FM dial, then only having four choices may be a major issue for you.

Once you have chosen a frequency, you then tune the FM receiver you will be
broadcasting over to the same setting. The 3.5mm plug is then inserted into the
jack on your portable  PDA, MP3, CD or DVD player, you press the power
button (or left "eye") of the bug, and then voilà! you are in
business.

I tested the AudioBUG’s signal in my truck, and was pleased to find that I
could get good clear playback from anywhere in the super-crew’s cab. This means
that if my daughter is watching a DVD in the backseat that I would like to play
over the truck’s sound system for her, I can with no problem.

The literature that I received with the AudioBUG says that the CR2 Lithium
battery that it comes with will last 40+ hours. I find that exceptional! The
only problem that I can foresee is that when we are on long road trips, if the
battery were to die, it would not be a simple matter of running into any mom or
pop’s convenience store to replace.

Additionally, the literature says that if "after more than 80 seconds there
is no detection of audio, the AudioBUG will turn off." This is an excellent
feature, one that the other FM transmitters I have reviewed did not have. The
only problem is that without any kind of LCD light to tell me that the bug is
off, I really don’t know that it is…which kind of annoys me in a way I
can’t quite explain.

One thing that I found surprising, as I was testing out the sound quality of
the AudioBUG, was that it seemed as if it transmitted cleaner and louder than the
other RF devices I have previously reviewed. While as with all devices of this
nature a little bit of sound quality was lost in the broadcasting, it didn’t
seem to be as much. I also didn’t have to crank my volume knob up as high to
compensate.

Overall, I am very impressed with the performance of the AudioBUG. It is
cute, does what it says it will do, and is easy to operate.

Price: $39.95

Pros:
Auto off after 80 seconds of no signal or when audio source is turned off
Uses a CR2 Lithium battery – offers longer battery life in smaller form factor
Very small and "cute"
Excellent range with little distortion

Cons:
Expensive
No LED light to indicate power on/off status
Uses CR2 Lithium battery – will be hard to find at convenience stores while on a
trip
Choice of only four FM frequencies

Filed in categories: Audio, Video, TV Gear, Car Gear

Tagged: FM Transmitter

Aerielle AudioBUG RF Transmitter Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on June 16, 2003 at 12:00 am.

Product Requirements:
Device:
Almost any portable music device with a headphone
jack and an FM radio

It is an inevitable thing that you may have the "world’s greatest" stereo
system in your car or house; but the music that you want to hear at some point
and time will happen to be in a format that you can’t listen to over that
particular system.

In the past, listening to music from an alternative source might have
involved buying a cassette adapter that plugged into your device – with a cable
hanging from your device to the cassette player of your stereo. But what if you
didn’t have a cassette player?

Enter the irock!,
a clever little device that can assist you in listening to music from virtually
any portable player that has a headphone jack, by porting it to any player that
has a built in FM radio.

Photo courtesy of

myirock.com

The irock! consists of a small (2.0" x 3.0" x 1.0") plastic transmitter that
includes a flexible 7" antenna. The end of the antenna is actually a 1/8" stereo
audio input connector. Two AAA batteries will power the device for up to 20
hours, according to the website.

Although it isn’t necessarily made to be held in your hand while being used,
I found the irock! to be pleasant to hold, and the rubber trim made it feel
rather cool.

The large black button on the front allows you turn the transmitter on and
off, and a bright red light will glow while the transmitter is turned on.

Once the irock! is plugged into your electronic device, you simply tune your
FM radio to any of the following stations: 88.1, 88.3, 88.5, or 88.7 MHz. You
will also need to select the frequency from the slider on the right side of the
irock!, and then you can enjoy your music – that’s all you have to do!

The first obvious application for the irock! would be for listening to MP3s from your PDA in the car. Here you can see my E-200 being used, but if you are an iPAQ owner that happens to have a PCMCIA sleeve and a 5GB Datapak…well, you can see the possibilities. How many hours of music does 5 GB translate to? ;0) I tested the irock! by placing it all over my fiancé’s car – including the backseat – and true to the manufacturers claim of 10-30 feet, I had no problem getting a clear signal over the car’s stereo. Obviously you aren’t limited to just PDAs, though. You can also use the irock! with CD, cassette and mini disc players, as well as any other player with a headphone jack. A less obvious application might be playing music directly from your laptop through a stereo system. It might be cool to use the irock! with a voice GPS system, too…

Here you can see the irock! being used with our home theater system. If you are the adventurous type that would like to DJ a party from your PDA, this would be the easy way to do it. The irock! sent a strong signal from 10 feet away, but I did find that the quality seemed better the closer the irock! was to the tuner.

The irock! is a clever way to effortlessly listen to alternative music
sources over your stereo system – either in your home or car. When you aren’t
using it, it is small enough to stow in the glove box or door pocket, and it
seems rugged enough to withstand reasonable daily abuse.

With it’s recently lowered price, the irock! is affordable and convenient.

Price: $29.99

Pros:

Ability to listen to music over your stereo system without using wires or
adapters
Inexpensive
Portable

Cons:

None

Filed in categories: Audio, Video, TV Gear

Tagged: A/V, Audio, Device, FM Transmitter, Video

iRock! Wireless Music Adapter Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on May 23, 2002 at 12:00 am.