Griffin iTrip Auto FM Transmitter and Auto Charger for iPod (Black)
by Griffin Technologies
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List Price: Our Price: $44.31 You Save: $25.68 (37%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Category: Network Media Player See more product details |
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Customers in the UK,
Buy this product at amazon.co.uk
for British Pounds
Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of Griffin iTrip Auto FM Transmitter and Auto Charger for iPod (Black)
Customer Review: *** Update *** how to get the BEST results with this!
Summary: 5 Stars
I just got this a in Nov 2008. I will tell you the three secrets to getting the best results. First, over the years I have purchased a HUGE number of these type devices and they all sucked. Only the iTrip (both the version with the iPod connector and the one with the standard headphone jack) have this secret that makes them the BEST. Secret #1) because these devices are limited in power, make sure the transmitter part is close to the radio. Secret #2) Unless you need stereo, use the LX mode. Secret #3 ... and this is the biggie ... switch to International Mode. Here's how.
Before you buy, go to your car and make sure you can set your radio to 87.9 frequency or lower. If you can, they you can use this UNused setting. No US radio station is allowed to transmit on this frequency. If you can set your car radio to this, then BUY either the product on this page or the other Griffin iTrip (with the standard headphone connector). I have both, and they BOTH use the SAME instructions.
First, plug in the iTrip. You Have two buttons - a larger +/- button and a smaller button that will either have "Select" or "Preset" written on it.
Hold down the smaller button for 10-15 sec. At first the display will flash "2" or some other number. Ignore that. Just keep waiting. Then the display will flash "DX" or "LX". Use the +/- to change to LX (non stereo mode). Press the smaller button and the selection is saved.
Now for International Mode (to get the stations below 88.1).
Hold down the smaller button for 10-15 sec. At first the display will flash "2" or some other number. Ignore that. Just keep waiting. Then the display will flash "DX" or "LX". IGNORE THIS ALSO, JUST KEEP HOLDING DOWN THE SMALL BUTTON. The display will change to "US" Use the +/- to change to INTL mode. Press the smaller button and the selection is saved.
With my iTrip set to LX and INTL I now set both the car and the iTrip to 87.9. I use the iTrip instructions to save this as a preset. I also set one of the buttons on my car radio to the same.
When I use my iPod, the sound is crystal clear, I do NOT need to adjust the car radio to super-high volume. It is perfect. However, iTrip no longer comes with instructions to set to INTL mode, nor could I find these instructions on their website or on the web. So ... print this, get this and you will have a five star experience!
Customer Review: Imperfect, but good compared to others.
Summary: 4 Stars
I researched numerous iPod FM transmitter options and grew frustrated with what seemed to be a consistent stream of complaints from users of every product out there -- from ten bucks to a hundred bucks. They all seemed to perform well for a small subset of consumers and poorly for the majority.
I believe the limitation is due not so much to poor craftsmanship or engineering, but in FCC laws that restrict the transmission capacity of these devices. The limitations of this item, then, seem likely to be experienced across the board.
- Signal/Transmission strength: Probably on-par with everything else and the limits of the law, which means that it better be less than a foot away from your car stereo if you want to hear anything. This is fine if you have some way to set it or connect it directly to your console, but in our case, we had to clip it to the passenger sun visor and then turn the iPod just a bit so the cord didn't come out. At this point, it was actually perhaps 18 inches from the stereo and as long as interference was low, it broadcast well.
- Audio quality: It has four preset channels, but you are not stuck to using just these. You can choose any frequency on the FM band if you like. Then tune your stereo to that same frequency. As long as there isn't another station broadcasting on or near that frequency, you should be fine. This means that in busy metro areas, you may not find any usable frequency. However, on the interstate, you should have high quality clear listening most of the way.
- Cord length: We used the power adapter in the bunk between the seats instead of the dashboard and the distance from the plug to the control box on the device was not enough to easily control it without contorting ourselves to reach inside the box while driving. Then, the distance from the control box to the point where it connects to the iPod was too short to clip the ipod to the sun visor on the passenger side without having a big wire just dangling taut in the middle of the car's cabin. If this cable had been six inches longer, it'd have been perfect.
I would recommend this product to anyone looking to travel long distances on the interstate. I would not advise this product for anyone looking for a device for their daily commute in the city.
Customer Review: This product has one irritating flaw
Summary: 3 Stars
This is my second purchase of a Griffin product, and in general, it does get me what I wanted, but it does have one irritating issue. After much frustration, I finally got all 4 channels programmed to use the international radio frequency my automobile radio supports. However, when I start the car, the unit almost always seems to pick some random new radio frequency, on whichever of the 4 channels it happens to use. That is, even though I have programmed all 4 channels to 87.9, the act of car ignition results in a different number appearing on the unit, (with the iPod turned on). What is really peculiar is if I then flip through the 4 channels, all will say, and act properly, at 87.9. So, for example, start the car, turn on the iPod, you get static, look at the iTrip, and it might say 101.5. You hit the big round button and it shows you all four channels are at 87.9, and the one that was showing 101.5 now shows 87.9. Of course, all 4 channels now play your selected music just fine.
So three stars because the iTrip loses the initial channel upon start up. Oh, and sometimes it will lose it in the same way if you turn off your car and go to the setting on your car that allows your radio to work while the car is not running. Interestingly, if you flip the ignition key really fast, it will sometimes stay on the same station.
As for general performance, it's not too bad. I do use it in stereo mode, and most of the time the music plays without interruption. Sometimes, when pulling into a parking lot, next to a running car, you get static, even though the iTrip is within 3 inches of the radio. Parking close to some buildings seems to do the same thing (static). (I'm guessing electrical interference in the walls?)
All in all, I am satisfied with this product, and probably would have bought it anyway, even if I knew of the start up problem. At least it gives me the music I wanted, as my radio does not support plugging in an iPod directly.
P.S. I should also note that it works with the iPod nano - 5th generation, but will NOT charge that version of the iPod!!! It however DOES charge the original classic iPod, and as I have both, that works for me. That way I can leave the iPod classic in the car, and if somebody steals it, no big deal!
Customer Review: Truckin' w/the iTrip
Summary: 3 Stars
This is a really smart little transmitter set-up with several nice features. I have to admit that the RoadTrip model to which I've grown accustomed spoiled me. It's a hands free cradle style transmitter that, if you have the extra $50, the RoadTrip is worth considering. However, after I reluctantly switched out my RoadTrip for the iTrip test period, I found that the iTrip has one ENORMOUS advantage over the RoadTrip, when you grab the iPhone to use it for anything, phone, text, GPS, calendar, etc., it STAYS CONNECTED and that means, so does your music. There isn't a break in the speaker throughput disrupting whatever you happened to be listening to at the time. This may sound trivial or a rare occurrence but if you use your GPS as much as I do, it's huge. I'm new to my area and I find myself GPS'ing for just about everything from dinner invitation addresses to the local DMV. So in and out of the RoadTrip cradle my iPhone goes. Hey, with the iTrip, I can boogie on down the road totally uninterrupted in my aria to my beagles! And I am sure that they appreciate it very much.
There are a couple of other features I like, the easy push on and off button; certainly the SmartScan technology is wonderfully convenient. The SmartScan automatically finds the clearest frequencies and stores them in the iTrip. So after the initial set up, it's really just push-button-simple when you are on the road; there are four pre-sets you can set to your FM channel (I recommend setting up your FM2 options to your transmitter channels) with 4 coordinated preset buttons and you are good to go.
The iTrip, although it has wires, ugh, they are long enough to allow you to pass the iphone to a co-pilot or backseat driver to do the phoning, searching, or music selecting without the strain of taunt wires.
iTrip Auto brings with it all the innovations of its iTrip lineage, including a easy-to-read backlit LCD screen, selectable stereo and mono modes for great quality audio under real-world conditions; read that as bumpy roads and limited car stereo speakers.
Although a bit pricey, and comes with a string, uh, wire attached, it's a good choice.
Customer Review: I waited so you don't have to
Summary: 5 Stars
I've been skeptical about getting one of these devices because of the reviews people have been giving them but I finally took a chance and it was well worth it.
It just arrived today and I immediately ran some errands to test it out. Right out of the box, the unit plugs right in to your car cigarette adapter and right into the iPod. The default setting for the frequency is 87.9 which is perfect. Tuned the radio to that station and that was it. Simple and only took a few minutes to open the package.
Now, I know many people talk about static with these devices but think about it. I have AM, FM and XM satellite radio in my car. You know how AM stations are so I won't go there. FM has static periodically and XM cuts out in dead zones. I would say this has the performance of any FM station. After all, it's an FM transmitter!
The best thing about this device is that it saves you from having to juggle tens or hundreds of CDs in your car. I've been burning a lot of CDs lately but only have a 6 disc CD changer in my car. It's a real pain having to keep swapping CDs out which is why this device is soooo handy.
Comparing this to other models, such as Belkin (which my gf has), this is definitely the best. Most other brands have too many wires that you have to plug in, they don't support 87.9 and/or they have really poor performance.
Pros:
*Supports the 87.9 frequency unlike many other models. This is important as this is the best frequency to use with little or no static or disruption.
*Charges your iPod
*Very compact
*For the price, here at Amazon, it's a steal
*Saves you from having to juggle all those CDs. Hooray for consolidation!
Cons:
*The only Con is that the signal isn't that great and, as expected with any type of wireless device, there is going to be static. This is not a limitation of the device but a limitation of the FCC requirements.
I definitely recommend getting one of these. If you've been in the market and have been waiting for the technology to get better, it's here...