Best FM Trasnmitter for Ipod, etc

Can you guys give me advice on a great Ipod FM transmitter.. to take with me when renting cars or on vacation. Id like to get the best quality sound, but it should be portable for traveling with or bringing to other people's cars.

I will install the JazzyBoard in my subaru at home, for direct connection ... but while traveling.. can you recommend a good FM transmitter?

Thanks

Phillip

does anyone have a specific model that is a good one? a portable unit that is not hard wired?

thanks

phillip

if memory serves, this line is better than others because the transmitter's power comes from the car rather than the iPod

http://us.kensington.com/html/14491.html

they are comparatively pricey, though.

The Kensington LiquidFM doens't work very well in my '05 LGT (OEM headunit, with OEM sub).

I know that a lot of this has to do with the simple fact that I'm in a rather signal-crowded area (Metro-Cleveland, Ohio - to-wit: when I'm in an underground garage, where I have no such interference issues to deal with, the unit provides CD-quality sound), but honestly, my wife's WRX has no problems at all with its old XM receiver, and also much less static with the LiquidFM, too.

Keeping in-mind that the wire-lead itself serves as an antenna for the FM-transmitter, in her WRX ('05, w/factory system), I had it plugged into the cigarette lighter socket, and then the wiring going under center console shifter surround (4EAT), and the USB-power-through adapter (she's got a Sansa player) and plug coming out the side and base of the surround, with the plug terminating by her cupholders.

In my LGT, I've tried stuffing the wiring alongside the headunit (popping off the passenger side center console trim, with the LiquidFM unit plugged into the cigarette lighter (next to the ashtray) - which proved horribly staticky, even though it's on the same station that we use in our cars for the FM-transmitter in our old XM unit.... I currently have it relocated to the 12V accessory port in the armrest cubby, with the wiring trailing out through the cutout in the cubby, then down the side of the seat/center-console, and finally up and again running alongside the headunit underneath the passenger's side center console trim. Reception is usually pretty decent, but still, I can't help but feel that it's sub-par, given that our old XM unit is capable of much better.

If you live out in the countryside, this might be a better option for you...but in a dense-urban setting, I'm expressing reservations.

Also, note that with the Kensington LiquidFM needs to be powered on via its unit-top button every time you power-cycle the vehicle. This is gonna be awkward, when using our armrest cubby placement, and guess what? when you've got it plugged in to our cigarette lighter, there's so little clearance there, between the trim and the unit, that unless you have fingers the size of a toddler's, you'll be cursing every time, too.

Overall, I honestly don't recommend this unit.

I got a bargain on it, so I don't mind keeping it, but had I paid full-price, I'd likely have returned it. My original plan was to have used it with my Slacker.

I've got a first-generation HK Drive+Play (it was like, $20 or so, just a few weeks ago, with the optional FM antenna jack) that I'm going to wire in, which will give me an Aux-In port for my Slacker, and I've got an iPOD touch on the way as a freebie from a vendor.

FM transmitters are awful IMO

Every car I've rented in the past couple of years (quite a few) have an aux jack. Just bring along a 3.5mm to 3.5mm cable - it's what I do

I've got a first-generation HK Drive+Play (it was like, $20 or so, just a few weeks ago, with the optional FM antenna jack) that I'm going to wire in, which will give me an Aux-In port for my Slacker, and I've got an iPOD touch on the way as a freebie from a vendor.

Update.

I got fed-up with my LiquidFM, so I wired-in the 1st-gen Drive+Play.

Took only a half-hour to do.

And.....

OMG, the difference is amazing.

I've got the "brain" sitting atop the center stack, buried in the recesses behind the cubby. No noticeable static at all. It's just as good as my XM reception.

Certainly, I'm no audiophile - but for the casual listener, like me, there's really no complaints.

And this is WITHOUT wiring in the optional in-line FM-transmitter. Given that Metra and Crutchfield both have the necessary adapters for barely $30, I'm definitely going to pursue that, and get it set-up as such.

With the first-generation Drive+Play on such steep discount, this is a no-brainer.

but i need one with an FM trasnmitter... are you recommend the Drive+Play as the solution, with their FM Transmitter? I think its all discontinued?

P

It is both discontinued, IIRC. The first-gen. for-sure, and likely the second, too. Prices for the second-gen is still up there, though, at well over 10x the cost of the 1st-gen.

I was recently, within the last 2 months or so, able to get the 1st gen. on closeout at around $20.

It's a much better FM-transmitter, but there's no way to easily pocket it and transfer it between vehicles. And in-use, there's still some concessions to be made (i.e. with the auxiliary input), unless you're actually using an iPOD.

are there any with FM transmitter included, that you can recommend me?

something portable that can get a strong signal from the cigarette adapter and also battery powered when needed

p

^ I honestly have not tried the other wireless plug-and-play transmitters, but here's an interesting thread for you:

http://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php?t=103341

Look at eqt2010's reply, #3.

----

Also:

But unfortunately, this one is a wired one.....

http://www.legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php?t=103066

FM transmitters are awful IMO

 

Every car I've rented in the past couple of years (quite a few) have an aux jack. Just bring along a 3.5mm to 3.5mm cable - it's what I do

for the most part, i agree. they are not the greatest.

BUT... the cable solution only works IF the car has a jack. My brother in laws car does not have one (company car) only 1 rental car he's had in past 6 months since i sold him my old ipod and FM transmitter has had a jack. he takes both the cable, and the FM transmitter. uses the one he needs.

Mine was a Griffin also, worked good for what it was.

If you travel, like the OP does, it's not a bad idea to drop $20-30 on a backup as well as a cheap cable. if you MUST have an ipod in the car when traveling. My brother in law gets podcasts that go with his company, and products. so he listens to them while he drives to the area to freshen up on stuff. beats headphones, which are illegal to drive while wearing them in most states.