LAC Using an FM Transmitter/MP3 Player: BAD!

[John S. Lagnese]

When I was using one it worked best if the antenna wire from the transmitter 
unit was on the dashboard.
John
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Kenneth Keith" <auditude at gmail.com>
To: <quattro at audifans.com>
Sent: Wednesday, March 08, 2006 1:25 PM
Subject: LAC Using an FM Transmitter/MP3 Player: BAD!


> 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.
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