LAC Using an FM Transmitter/MP3 Player: BAD!

[Kenneth Keith]

Here's a data counterpoint.  I tried using a 4gb iPod Nano with a
separate Belkin Tunecase (#F8V367, not the Tunecast II) FM
transmitter, both bought from Macmall.com, and was very disappointed. 
With various stereos, it was a very weak signal with lots of static. 
I ended up buying some cables for some of the applications (RCA for
the house and input jack for one of the car stereos).

My FM transmitter might just suck (or the receiver/antennae I'm
using), because it was free after waiting for the rebate and Belkin
had a more expensive version that I haven't tried.  If it hadn't been
"free", I'd be pissed and probably would return it if I could.  (It's
funny, but I wonder if rebates are a way to prevent returns, since you
usually give them the UPC barcode to redeem the rebate.

I plan to try to get some hardwire connectivity in more my cars for the iPod.

Cheers,

Ken

"Alex Kowalski" <hypereutectic1 at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> I thought I'd share this with the List.  Since my '87 still has a functional
> Rothenberg 10-speaker system that I don't intend to replace until this
> summer, I decided to spring for a new MP3 player with a built-in FM
> transmitter for listening through the head unit.   I didn't want to spend a
> fortune, but fumbling around with portable CD players and tape deck adaptors
> was getting old.  Plus, my old MP3 player was feeling a little constrained
> with only 128MB of memory.
>
> I bought a Lexar LDP-600 player with 1GB of extra memory from CompUSA, for a
> total of 1.5GB of storage.  This unit is fairly unique because the FM
> transmitter is built in.  It also functions as a USB drive (PC or Macintosh)
> and charges its internal li-ion battery when attached to a USB port.
> It includes a small antenna (about 6" long, 3" collapsed) that plugs into
> the headphone jack, or you can simply use the headphone cords as an
> antenna.  That supposedly gives you a little boost in signal strength but is
> a little messier.   Oh, and it has 7 backlight colors.
>
> I taped a couple pieces of velcro to the back of this unit and quickly
> mounted it to the dashboard across the unoccupied switch locations.  Turned
> it on and let it autoscan for a station and presto -- Billy Preston is
> playing through my Rothenberg!  [Nothin' from Nothin' Leaves Nothin' -- Can
> you FEEL it!?!?!]  The sound quality is as good or better than any strong,
> clear FM radio station in my area.  Using the headphones as an antenna (I
> just let the wires drape down at first, but I'll find a better way to route
> them) the noise level is very, very low and frankly the stereo sounds better
> than it ever has while I've owned the car.  And now I have my playlists at
> my fingertips.
>
> Just a datapoint, but I like it.  Until I upgrade the stereo on this car,
> this was a big improvement.
>
> Alex Kowalski
> '86 5KCSTQ
> '87 5KCSTQ with Billy Preston coming through loud and clear.