6 in 1 Car Kit for Ipod (Black) Car Charger / Fm Transmitter / Holder Full Range Frequency / USB port / Remote Control for iPod, Touch 1G/2G
by Satechi
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Category: CE 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 6 in 1 Car Kit for Ipod (Black) Car Charger / Fm Transmitter / Holder Full Range Frequency / USB port / Remote Control for iPod, Touch 1G/2G
Customer Review: Does what it's supposed to, but has some room for improvements.
Summary: 4 Stars
I have previously owned a Satechi FM transmitter for the Sansa Fuze, and I want to first say that Satechi was very accommodating in exchanging that FM transmitter for this transmitter. I had bought an iPhone 3G and wanted to use one of these, and so I simply contacted them, told them I no longer own a Sansa Fuze, and that I'd like to swap it out for this one. No questions asked - they replaced it with ease.
I use this FM transmitter solely for my iPhone 3G to play music and make the occasional hands-free phone call. I want to first talk about the design of the transmitter.
How does the unit fit in my car?
I own a Mazda6 (AT 6cyl), and the shifter knocks against the unit. To solve this, I had to buy a cigarette lighter swivel arm to extend the transmitter upward, and it's now standing upward, with some support resting against the stereo console. I think it would have been best if Satechi included a swivel arm, taking into consideration that not all cars are created equally. I found this odd, because the Sansa Fuze FM transmitter included a swivel arm, and yet this one did not.
How does the unit power on?
I thought that this was a big improvement over the other Satechi Sansa Fuze transmitter. Simply pressing the button (without holding it down) turns on the unit. This is great because I want the transmitter to turn on FAST. I don't want to have to hold down the power button just to turn it on. I wasn't expecting this with an FM transmitter, as most usually have you press and hold. But on this unit, you don't have to press and hold.
iPhone use:
I have an iPhone 3G, and it charges my phone while playing music simultaneously. However, you cannot use the charging port as a hands-free device, because the charging port was never meant to be used that way. In order to use an iPhone as a hands-free on this unit, you have to use the audio output (on the top of the iPhone) to the side input on the transmitter. While it is able to be used as a hands-free device, there is much background noise, and the person on the other end has often told me that they can hear their voice echo.
The remote control also works with the iPhone, as the iPhone and iPod have the same music controls. However, since the iPhone is larger than the iPod, it has a tendency to block the IR sensor for the remote (which is located on the top left of the transmitter). I personally don't care for using the remote, but if you intend on using the remote often, just know that you will have to position your iPhone lower on the unit, and that it may knock against the gear shifter depending on how your car is designed.
This unit is also useful if you plan on using GPS quite a bit in your car - make sure to download the Microsoft Bing app, because you can use voice search rather than typing in addresses or destinations!
Sound quality:
Excellent sound quality... for an FM transmitter. I try to find a channel that is bordered by empty channels. It's definitely not totally without static in the city, but between cities, in rural areas, or on the interstates, you will have much clearer reception. Expect some static, no matter what FM transmitter you get.
All-in-all, it is a good product with some minor inconveniences.
Customer Review: Thorough Review -- All in all Great Product!
Summary: 5 Stars
I was primarily looking for a product that would offer me a decent FM Transmitter and didn't want to spend a lot of money. I recently took my JVC radio out of my 2005 Scion XB and replaced it with the factory OEM. The JVC wasn't getting any AM radio reception which was really annoying and the best news and weather are on KYW1060. Anyway, I put the OEM back in, but, it doesn't have an AUX input like my JVC did, so hooking up my IPOD was a bit of a problem. The only other option, besides a FM Transmitter, was to purchase an AUX adapter for $60.00 and take my radio apart again, which I didn't really feel like doing. Since I am planning on trading the car back in next year, an FM Transmitter seemed like a good idea. I found the Satechi 6 in 1 on Amazon and it seemed to get decent reviews. I was skeptical because well it was only $40.00 and other products seemed to almost be doubled in price. But, I figured why not. I ordered it on a 6/9/09 and they shipped it Priority Mail via USPS out of California. It arrived on Thursday afternoon. Pretty darn fast if you ask me. I found it in a nice package complete with additional connectors and instructions. The unit is made of a durable plastic. The power arm on the unit is fairly long and worked well in my Scion. My boyfriend tried it in his 2005 Camry and the cigarette adapter was set too far back to work well. I tried a few different stations and the received the best signal on 107.3. I inserted by IPod Touch 2G and it connected perfectly. I did receive a message on the screen that said "Attaching Accessory" but, after a second or so it went away. I went to my music, set a song, and it came through perfectly with very little interference. The Satechi also comes with a remote and alleges it will charge your device. We tested it on a 1.5 hour drive from Philly to the Jersey Shore and it worked great. Charged my IPod 100% as advertised. The remote is really nifty too! It will change the track or the whole album itself, plus turn the Satechi unit on and off. There are arms on each side with cushions that will hold your IPOD Touch 2G in place and they work awesome. My Scion is really really bumpy and it didn't even budge. All in All, I am really impressed and hope my review helps those who are on the fence. Remember, it may take a bit to find the right station to use, but, with the full FM frequency to pick from you should be able to find one. It took me around 15 to 20 minutes to find the perfect one.Customer Review: This is the one to get, if your FM receiver will tune to 87.7
Summary: 5 Stars
I've had this thing for about a month now, and it's great. Originally I had purchased a look-alike unit that was a lot cheaper (around $15 or so), and that one was a piece of junk. (The remote didn't work, it wouldn't charge my I-pod Gen4, and it crapped out completely after a week's use.) This unit is obviously what the cheaper clones were copying.
The key to getting good sound out of any of these FM transmitters is to find one that will tune down very low in the FM Band. In the US at least, you will not find any radio stations at 87.7 on the dial, so if your car radio will tune that low, then you're all set.
This unit is one of the ones that will transmit on 87.7 MHz. And that means you only have to set the frequency once. Then you can leave it there and you'll never have any interference. (Well, high voltage power lines can sometimes cause momentary interference, but that's to be expected on any frequency.) Note that you don't *have* to set it at 87.7 if you don't want to. It can also tune to any other frequency in the FM band. But chances are good that you'll end up with interference from a radio station at some point if you select another frequency. (Especially if you travel a lot.)
The remote works quite well. The charger is rather bulky, and it sticks out from the dash a good bit, so if your 12 volt outlet is close to your shift column, it might cause problems. (No sweat in a Grand Cherokee, though!) If you have an I-pod Nano, you'll want to get a silicone rubber sleeve for it so it will be gripped more tightly. The bare metal finish on the small Nano unit is smooth enough that it can slide around a bit in the rubber jaws of this thing. But with a sleeve, it's fine.
Sound quality is pretty good. Not great, but then again, none of these FM transmitters give "great" sound. You want great sound? Buy a head unit that has an Aux-in jack! But if you're stuck with a receiver that doesn't have such a jack, then this unit works pretty well.
Best news is that it charges while it plays, and when you're not playing, it still charges! Overall, I'm very pleased with it. For best results, remember to check your head unit to be sure it will tune down to 87.7 first, and if it will, then set this thing to 87.7 and you're golden.
Customer Review: Questionable design - not phone friendly
Summary: 2 Stars
I just got this product as a gift. The description states that it is compatible with the iPhone 3G, but it isn't really. "Compatible" to Satechi must mean that it fits, the plugs work, and it makes noise.
As soon as you plug an iPhone 3G into the device, your iPhone informs you that "This accessory is not made to work with iPhone" (their grammar, not mine). And prompts you to turn on "airplane mode" so that you don't get audio interference from your phone. (You know, that funky noise the GSM cell phones make in unshielded speakers when transmitting data.) But if you do turn on airplane mode, you won't get any emails, texts, or phone calls! That pretty much turns your iPhone into an iPod touch. Thanks Satechi, I always wanted a downgrade!
When I pulled this unit out of the packaging, I immediately noticed that it had a wired plug for the bottom of the iphone (not a hard mounted socket like on most fixed devices), and that it has a 1/8" headphone jack and cable. This means that in order to use this device, you have to adjust the side grippers, plug in the bottom connector, plug in the phono jack. Sounds like a pain in the rear to me. It is definitely not something that I'll be doing every time I get in and out of my car. So what does that mean? This device isn't going to be used except maybe on long trips. Wow, that makes it oh-so useful.
EDIT: I take it back out the headphone plug. The headphone plug does NOT need to be plugged in. (Thankfully!) I just discovered that this afternoon. So I would change this from 2 stars to 3 stars if I could.
Sideline rant: why is it that manufacturers can't seem to make a fixed unit that doesn't force airplane mode, that doesn't require plugging and unplugging a bunch of connectors & pressing buttons, adjusting and readjusting the side clamps every time you want to use it? Can't anyone make it easy to live with? Seriously, do manufacturers think that you're just going to leave your ipod or iphone in the car all of the time?
Customer Review: Good Design, Good Looks, OK Sound, Worth the Price
Summary: 4 Stars
I've been using this Satechi unit for about a month now. The one I had previously (a Belken I think) had the station controls on the plug post and a long cord I had to bundle up and I had a buy a separate holder for the Ipod that cliped to an AC duct.
The design of this Satechi unit is excellent; both holder and station selector in a compact, functional, and easy-to-use design. The long plug post fits tightly in my slightly receased dash outlet with plenty of clearance. It holds both my large 2nd generation Ipod as well as my daughter's little Nano Ipod equally perfectly and the one-touch release mechanism is very cool and easy to use; just set the Ipod in, squeeze the ratcheted side holders together, plug in the cord and push play; and to remove: just pull the plug, push the release button and you're on your way. Note, at first the unit rattled a bit. I think it is the little fuse inside the post. But I adjusted the holder pad to tilt about 20 degrees back toward the dash and this shifted the weight distribution and elimated the rattle, as well as provided better visibility of the Ipod display screen. Given that my dash trimmngs are black, the sleek modern black design matches my dash and it looks great. Basically, I leave it in the outlet all the time and simply remove the Ipod when in parking lots, etc.
Now for the down side. The sound quality is not excellent; only adequate. The treble is tinny and some songs which were transfered from old albums actually have some static, especially at high volume. To be fair, the sound quality is no better or worse than my previous unit. However, the signal to my FM receiver seems to be stronger in this unit than my old one.
The remote works well and is handy for the kids to use from the back seat when their Ipod is in.
All in all, I'm pretty pleased with this product and would recommend it. I think it is a very good value for the price.