10-29-2004, 09:40 PM

Hey, I'm swamped. I can't figure out if it's worth it to get the FM transmitter (say, iTrip, or irock) for the ipod. Is it better to just go the tapedeck route? I keep hearing negative things about all the fm transmitters. I'm not certain, is it worth it? Any advice?

mike.

10-29-2004, 10:55 PM

Tapedecks sound better than FM transmitters, but tapedecks are being phased out in vehicles and they're rare in CD players because they're so obselete.

So if you want good sound for a short while, or if you're willing to shell out the cash for a tape deck in your next vehicle, the tapedeck route would probably be the best. If you want OK sound (I've heard that if it isn't a few feet away from the antenna you do notice a difference from the iPod's normal sound, although it isn't a lot) that will last you for a while, go for the iTrip or iRock or whatever.

Good luck!

10-29-2004, 11:05 PM

the iTrip is hit or miss..Sometimes mine rocks, sometimes it sucks. Depends on your local stations as well. You have to find one that isn't being used, or super weak.

If your deck can handle Video in, you can use regular RCA cables to hook it up as well. Thats probably the optimal set up.

10-29-2004, 11:18 PM

I just recently got an itrip, i was originally a bit hesitant cuz i had heard some bad things, but it works really well for me. Though down here in Australia we don't have heaps and heaps of radio stations so its quite easy to find a spare frequency.

10-30-2004, 06:37 PM

iTrip was the best I found, I tried 3-4 different ones. iTrip was good but not perfect so I hard wired an iPod input into my car, it is nice. I just use the iTrip when I am in my truck.

10-31-2004, 01:51 AM

Yeah I like the iTrip the best so far, direct 3.5 to 3.5 is the best

11-11-2004, 05:20 PM

i bought the belkin one and sometimes its okay and sometimes it's horrible, i think i might have used it twice. just a pain. my friend has the iTrip and that seems to do the job better than the belkin, so... it's really a toss up.

11-18-2004, 09:53 AM

My iTrip works fine in the middle of nowhere - driving through West Texas!- but in any urban areas there is just too much static. It's better if you have a really powerful receiver/antenna but standard car radios IMO don't hack it.
I am getting a cassette version because i have one in my truck still.

Desert Rose/Tucson AZ

11-18-2004, 10:41 AM

From what I've read online and heard from friends that have purchased them, FM transmitters are too spotty to invest in. If I were you, I'd just take the time to find the aux in on your stereo and then figure out the best way to allow you to plug your iPod into that. Usually this would consist of sliding out your deck and taking a look at the "free" plugs that it has. There will usually be either a set of RCA cables, or a 1/8 in. that are meant for things like external input (i.e. CD changers). How you make it so that your iPod can plug into this is simply up to you, but that's the best way to get your iPod through your stereo, in my opinion.

11-26-2004, 04:42 PM

Depends on where you live. I bought an iTrip for a cross country trip in a car without a cassette player. It was no good in Southern California and New York but seem to be fine in most of the rest of the country.

11-29-2004, 01:41 PM

My iTrip works fine except when I head into the city. I also have one of those belkin ones wich seems to have a more powerful signal and you can adjust it to any station but its not attatched like the iTrip and it eats batteries so i don't use it.

11-29-2004, 06:20 PM

I have both a cassette adapter and an iTrip for my mini. The iTrip works without any problems but the cassette adapter seems to have a stronger input. The nice thing about the iTrip is that you can route your music through any FM receiver. I set my mini in its dock and send the music to my DVD/tuner system 2 floors above.

11-30-2004, 03:13 PM

Well, in my Suv *Ford Explorer Xl 04'*, i have spare Rca jacks. i bought a "fakie" of the itrip and tried it, bad music is one of my petpeevs... so now i am looking for another way to hook my ipod into my suv, so how would you go about hooking it in? no 3.5 jack

Cheers
Justin

12-13-2004, 12:57 PM

the only way is to buy an alpine head unit and an alpine ipod interface (like i did) and it sounds like its supposed to. you control the pod from the head unit. i bought this back in october and its worked like a charm!!!

12-13-2004, 04:59 PM

Originally Posted by code777

the only way is to buy an alpine head unit and an alpine ipod interface (like i did) and it sounds like its supposed to. you control the pod from the head unit. i bought this back in october and its worked like a charm!!!

I would have to 100% agree with Code i am doing the same thing an alpine head unit with ai net and the connection dealie that looks like an amp and the ipod stays out of sight, very cool just wished it was pioneer, alpine makes ugly decks...