[revrnd]

Does anyone know about the FM "transmitters" you use w/ your MP3 player to listen to your music thru your vehicle's stereo? I tried 1 & the sound quality wasn't very good (sound using earphones is fine).

 

[fat_weasel]

Does anyone know about the FM "transmitters" you use w/ your MP3 player to listen to your music thru your vehicle's stereo? I tried 1 & the sound quality wasn't very good (sound using earphones is fine).

I bought a Monster transmitter for my Ipod last year for 75 bucks. It works pretty good until you get into an area where there are a lot of FM broadcasts, like a city or a big freeway. Plus you have to retune it every hour or so if you're driving long distances, and the display is so small it's dangerous to try to operate it while driving. Mine is supposedly one of the better models out there, but in hindsight I wish I'd just put the money towards having a jack hardwired into the stereo.

 

[nmba guy]

one thing that can help is lowering your antena if thats an option on your vehicle.
mine has 4 presets and I used one of the 3 FM "band" presets to match the presets on the broadcaster so if the signal get to be a problem I just hit a new preset on both the broadcaster and the radio.

 

[Crusty Oldman]

Frequency Modulation is a unique animal. An FM receiver will hear only the strongest signal, blanking out any other signals totally. This is why aircraft do not use FM for voice communications, even though they are smack in the FM frequency bands; better to hear some station interference with AM than to lose touch with an aircraft totally.

But FM is the best choice for analog transmission of high-quality music. You may have an excellent FM transmitter, but if it is overpowered by a local broadcaster it's going to sound crappy. The suggestion of playing with your car's antenna is a good one, but nothing will beat a direct hardwired connection.

 

[vitamin b]

i tried a few different ones and ended up liking the i-river transmitter from "the source" or
"circuit city" or whatever the hell they're calling themselves now.
ya the i-river one came in the clearest for me.
hope it helps.
chu

 

[Nickmast]

Your much better off buying a headunit with an Auxilary IN . You dont lose any music quality at all. FM transmitters are garbage.

 

[ewarnerusa]

I bought a cheap one that runs on 2xAAA batteries. It works fine and sound quality is fine, but if we're in town then there is alot of interference. I think due to the wimpy power source. The XM radio in the work truck works through the FM but it plugs into the cig lighter. I think the stronger power source makes a huge difference because the XM receiver doen't get interference unless it is trying to override a very strong/clear FM station. Bottom line is I think they work fine as long as they plug into the vehicles 12V power.

 

[jrm]

cassette adapter here..

[i use it first before getting out the FM transmitter.

 

[Eric Hoefer]

[i use it first before getting out the FM transmitter.

You need a cassette deck in your car though for that to work.

 

[Unknownrash]

I've got a Monster transmitter and can vouch for its suckiness. Maybe it the particular model but they all get mixed reviews no matter what brand. I ended up getting a cassette adapter like jrm and sounds decent. Not CD quality decent but better than FM transmitter decent. I think the most logical solution is to get a car with a built in MP3 player jack.