Belkin TuneBase FM Transmitter for iPod with Dock Connector (Black)
by Belkin
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List Price: Our Price: $37.99 You Save: $42.00 (53%) Availability: Usually ships in 2-3 business days Buy Used: from $5.99 (click here) Category: Network Media Player See more product details |
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Customers in the UK,
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for British Pounds
Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of Belkin TuneBase FM Transmitter for iPod with Dock Connector (Black)
Customer Review: Falls Apart
Summary: 1 Stars
First, in fairness, I must say our daughter has one of these she bought a few years ago and loves it. Now, let me say, the times they are a changin. This came to me from Amazon and it was obvious it had already been returned (opened) by another customer since it was taped up. You know, sometimes you see these kinds of packages in Walmart where it is obviously not in original packaging condition. At least there, on the spot, you can root through and get a new one and not have to fiddle with shipping it back.
Yet, it looked in good condition so I took it out and gave it a try. Plugged into my lighter and it sounded sweet. Here it comes, the downfall. I pulled it out of the lighter socket and it fell apart inside the cavern. To make matters worse, a small metal pin fell into the dashboard when I tried to extract it. I saw stars but settled down and had to take the dash apart to find a three cent pin I know would have rattled around in there for the next decade had I just let it go. You bet I am returning it and resent having been shipped something that had already been dickered with. Lesson learned.
The reason it fell apart may have had nothing to do with being opened before. It is a design flaw in that the end piece has a large rubber gasket to make it fit snug in the receptacle BUT it is threaded into very narrow, weak plastic threads. Thus, it pulled apart when I pulled it in the opposite direction for removal. For seventy dollars, one expects better construction.
Customer Review: Nicely Done; if you have to go FM, this is a good choice.
Summary: 4 Stars
The FM Transmitter solution is definitely inferior to having a direct connection between the iPod and the stereo (even a tape adapter, if your stereo has a cassette player, gives much better sound quality), but if you have to go this way, then the Belkin TuneBase is a good choice.
The best feature on this unit is the flexible neck. This is a very clever idea, and well-executed. It's relatively easy to position the iPod wherever you want it (nice for getting around odd console layouts and inconveniently placed power outlets), and it's very stable once positioned. I also like the way it uses the iPod screen to display the radio frequency and other settings. This is much more convenient (and safer!) than reading a tiny LCD screen.
I do have one complaint, however. It has an annoying habit of starting/resuming playback when I don't really want it to. When I dock my iPod, it starts playing. When I change the transmit frequency, it starts playing. When I change *any* setting, it starts playing when I want it to remain paused. This is annoying, especially when I'm trying to change the frequency while listening to a podcast. I would prefer that the TuneBase just stick to charging the iPod and transmitting and controlling the FM signal, and let me decide when to pause or play.
Still, it's a good product and I'm happy with it (at least, until I can find a way to get direct auxiliary audio input into my stereo).
Customer Review: Music on the Go
Summary: 5 Stars
This is the best product I have found for integrating your iPod with your car stereo short of direct connect kit (considerably more expensive). The iPod connects solidly to the dock (I have a 60GB) and the gooseneck holds the iPod securely in position which makes it easy to see and adjust on the fly. (yeah - we shouldn't do this while we are driving......). I often take long road trips and this connector is easy to carry and use in the rental car.
I have used several other iPod integration products and like this one the best as the iPod does not slide around on the seat and both the front passenger and I can easily DJ the iPod. Changing stations is a little quirky, but once you understand the controls it is a snap.
Note - sound quality is not optimal as there are a variety of factors that affect transmission quality (recording level of the song, clarity of the FM station selected, etc.), but if you look at this product and related ones you are making tradeoffs between cost, flexibility, transportability, etc. If you are interested in the highest sound quality you should look into a system that integrates directly into the car stereo.
Note - These devices should be secured from view inside your vehicle as they are a invitation to having your car broken into. I have had one window smashed by someone who saw an iPod connector kit on the floor.
Customer Review: It's OK.
Summary: 3 Stars
I would rate this product as OK. I bought one a month and a half ago and used it everyday. The quality of the piece was very good and had no problems operating it. The holder stayed in place and didn't flop around at all. It kept my iPod charged up and ready to go. Using it was very simple and being able to choose the radio station that you tune to I believe was a big plus.
The downside was even with the TuneBase in the lighter and right next to my radio I still got static. It wasn't a lot and wasn't all the time but it was enough for me to decide that this was not the product that I wanted to use in my car for my iPod. I haven't tried any of the other transmitters so I cannot compare them but I bought this one because it had a better rating by users compared to the others. But if this is the best as it gets for FM Transmitters then I decided I want to connect my iPod into the CD changer outlet of my stereo. So I returned the product and got a full refund and am now searching for something better. Unfortunately from what I have read in the reviews of other products it doesn't seem like there is one item that works flawlessly yet. I hope this helps.
Customer Review: As good as it gets
Summary: 4 Stars
This is an excellent FM tuner solution. Unlike other FM tuners I have used, the frequencies you can use are not preset and can be reset on the fly. In addition, the Tunebase charges your battery while the iPod is in use.
There are drawbacks to keep in mind: like all FM tuners, you will hear static if you are getting signal interference. This is going to be an issue if you tend to drive in areas with heavy airwaves. This was a problem I had with previous solutions but is less of an issue since the frequencies are not hardcoded into the device and can be reset manually. It can be a little work to find a clean frequency, but that's just the nature of FM tuners.
I had originally considered finding some direct input solution for my iPod but found that it would be impractical for my car as far as the investment of dollars and work went. Seeing as how my car is about three years old, most solutions involve either replacing the stereo or actually going in and messing with the wiring in my car. I got the Tunebase as an interim solution but I am so satisfied with it I think I'm just going to use it for as long as I have this car.