Griffin Technology 4026-LCDT iTrip LCD FM Transmitter for iPod
by Griffin
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Digital Photo Product Details
Manufacturer: GriffinBrand: Griffin Technology
Edition: Electronics
Audio: English (Original Language)
Format: CD
Platform: Windows 2000, Windows XP Home Edition, Windows XP Professional
Model: 4026-LCDT
Publisher: Griffin
Studio: Griffin
Music Label: Griffin
Product features:
- Sports a large, easy to read backlit LCD screen to make setting its digital tuner easy and intuitive
- Sleek, attractive housing fits seamlessly on top of your iPod
- Battery-free design receives power from iPod itself
- Tunes to any FM frequency for the best possible performance
- Compatible with iPod Photo, iPod U2 Special Edition, 4th Generation iPod with Click Wheel
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Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of Griffin Technology 4026-LCDT iTrip LCD FM Transmitter for iPod
Customer Review: iTrip does what it can and does it well
Summary: 5 Stars
Review by Ronald Schoedel, written for the Alaskan Apple Users Group
PRO: Nice screen, easy tuning knob, fits unobtrusively on top of iPod, choice of stereo "local" mode or mono "DX" mode, entire FM spectrum supported
CON: Tuning knob is very smooth and can be somewhat hard to grip
Alaskan Apple Users Group "Moose" rating: 5 out of 5
Griffin has done it again. These folks refuse to stop. Every time they introduce a product, it is only a matter of time before they improve upon an already incredible product. I have owned an iTrip since the first one came out in 2003.
For the uninitiated: iTrip is a small FM radio transmitter designed to get the music out of your iPod and into your nearby FM radio. Brilliant, right? Yes! Your iPod no longer has to be content merely entertaining you through earphones. It can now wow a crowd at home, in your car, or anywhere else an FM radio can be found. I think I can safely say that the most common application of an iTrip is in the car.
[First, a disclaimer: do not expect miracles from FM transmitters in general. They are: a) limited by LAW to very minimal power output; b) limited in bandwith like all FM radio stations; and c) not the "very best" way to enjoy your iPod in the car. But: if your car has no cassette player (so you can't use a cassette adapter) and your car radio does not have a "line-in", which would support a DIRECT audio connection to your iPod, then iTrip is the best transmitter. ALSO: if you live in a major city, consider that the FM stations that exist in your town all spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on frequency engineering studies to try to find a clear channel with no interference. It is not easy to find a clear channel in a major city, even if you are a major FM station. ALSO, ALSO: The make and composition of your vehicle can have a tremendous impact on the use of an FM transmitter. Don't blame the transmitter because your car's antenna is located on the rear of the vehicle, and therefore 15 feet away through glass and metal from the transmitter! There's a REASON why antennae are placed on the OUTSIDE of cars: radio signals have a hard time penetrating solid metal! Most of the things I have mentioned in this disclaimer will account for explaining why everyone who gave this product a poor review did so unfairly. Now, on to the review. And no, I don't work for Griffin. But I do have a fundamental knowledge of broadcast engineering and know what to expect from a product like this, and how to avoid the pitfalls associated with using any low power radio device!]
From the beginning, I have loved iTrip for its support of the entire FM spectrum. A multitude of FM transmitters exist on the market. But most have a very critical flaw: they only support two to four FM channels on which you can transmit. Those are usually on the low end of the FM band, around 88-90 MHz or so. It can be a real challenge to find a free spot on the dial when you have only 4 to choose from. Griffin allows its iTrip to be tuned anywhere from 76 MHz (this is below the US FM dial, for users in Japan) clear up to 107.9 MHz. This works great for me, since my favorite channel is 87.5 MHz. This is not an officially licensed FM channel anywhere in the USA, but it can be tuned by most analog radios and on many digital radios. Therefore, no matter where you are, 87.5 MHz is likely to be clear of any stations and interference, and as long as you have a radio that tunes it, your iPod has an opening. No other transmitter I have checked out tunes that low. Most start at 88.1. This is a big plus. (Please note that you will need to switch from US to the INTL mode to gain access to any frequency below 88.1.)
Another thing that sets the iTrip apart from the competition is the bright, crisp and clear LCD. You always know exactly what station your iPod will be broadcasting on! Tuning it is as easy as using the tuning knob on the side. I did find the plastic knob a bit hard to grip sometimes, but this was not a big deal. If it had a notch, it might be easier to turn than it is, just smooth plastic all around. But this is a minor quibble. It doesn't make me love iTrip any less.
Griffin has outfitted this newest version of iTrip with the ability to switch between "LX" (local) and "DX" (distance) modes, useful when you are having a hard time finding a clear channel or getting your iPod close enough to the antenna to get a strong stereo signal. Switching to DX takes your audio signal and makes it monaural, and increases the ability of the signal to penetrate interference and static. It might not make music sound the best, but it is just fine for listening to audiobooks, spoken word, and other similar material. (I don't mind my music in mono, for that matter.) The ability to switch into DX mode might be the little bit of extra "oomph" needed to get a clear signal in crowded metro areas or in vehicles where the antenna is located on the back of the vehicle.
Do I like iTrip? Is it that obvious? I love iTrip. My wife loves it too. She uses this iTrip for her iPod mini, which she enjoys listening to in the car. The easy tuning pleases her much more than the tuning method employed by older versions of iTrip (which, while interesting and technologically creative, was--frankly--a pain in the rear. If you have an older iTrip and are thinking of updating, DO IT!!!!). The LCD adds an incredible amount of user friendliness to the iTrip.
I only offer one caution: with the introduction of the new iPod with video (also called a 5G iPod), the model I reviewed will work only on iPods produced between early 2003 and October 2005: those that have the little rectangular port on top next to the earphone plug. If you are thinking of getting a newer iPod, make sure you get the VERY latest version of iTrip--which this is not (this is the second newest version!). The latest crop of iPods has eliminated that rectangular port and has standardized on the bottom "dock connector port" as the means of attaching accessories. Griffin has already announced and will start shipping any day now a new version of iTrip, largely the same as the one reviewed here, but made to connect on the bottom dock port. The benefit of this is that the newest version of iTrip will work with EVERY iPod that has a dock connector port, which includes all iPods from 2003 and later, as well as iPod mini, and iPod nano (now it seems clear why Apple has standardized on that dock port, eh?)
Description of Griffin Technology 4026-LCDT iTrip LCD FM Transmitter for iPod
The Best iPod Accessory Just GotBetter! Product Information The new iTrip retains the same phenomenal industrial design as its predecessorvisually and functionally complementing the iPod. Keeping true to Griffin'sessential philosophy of balance of design and ease of use the new iTrip buildsupon this foundation with several enhancements superior performance andinnovative features never seDigital Cameras & Photo Categories