Ed.Williamson's Full Review: Griffin Technology iTrip FM Transmitter for Apple ...
Whats the best way to play your iPod through your car radio? The best way is a direct wired connection straight into your cars FM radio. But right now that costs a fair amount of bucks. The next best way to go is with a Griffin iTrip.
The first Griffin iTrip was valued as one of the best iPod accessories. I have tried to connect my iPod through a cassette connection and through another kind of generic FM radio transmitter, but this new one from Griffin is the best unit I have found for the FM transmitter route.
People adore their iPods, You can take your whole music collection anywhere any time any place and enjoy it. And one of the places we like music is in cars and trucks.
The original iTrip was a nice product for an FM transmitter. But an FM Transmitter is really a compromise way to go- better than a cassette, and less than a direct wired iPod. Certainly less than a CD when it comes to sound. But many times an FM transmitter is an acceptable compromise if you dont want to spend a lot of money and you dont want wires all over the front seat.
This new unit offers some improvements as compared to the original iTrip
The new iTrip features an LCD, with the ability to change the FM frequency broadcasted to, directly on the iTrip. Previously, you had to work your way around to the iTrip stations on your iPod, select a frequency, and press the pause button at just the right moment. It worked, but it was a hassle and you had little flexibility if you needed to change stations when your car entered an area of radio interference from a competing station. That hassle is gone with the new iTrip with LCD. Simply turn the dial to your desired (non)station, lock it in with a push and you're done.
There are other advantages, too. You have more broadcast modes - you now have the ability to transmit/receive in stereo, or mono. Stereo sound will be often be of the highest quality, in good reception situations. However, if you find lots of static and interference, you can always switch to the mono-sound mode. This permits a stronger signal, which may eliminate the static.
One of the nice things about the iTrip is that it gets its power right off the iPod- with my other FM transmitter you had one more plug-in for the lighter socket and another long wire. The iTrip takes all that away when you simply snap it into the top of the iPod. You also get better battery Life - the new iTrip seems to drain significantly less electricity than the "original" iTrip. Sure, it will still cut your iPod's battery life by a few hours, but it is less dramatic than the original. And I connect the Ipod to a socket charger anyway, so its academic if you do that.
There are two other pluses to the iTrip. If you have or get an FM earphone headset you can listen to your iPod wirelessly as you exercise or do whatever. Nobody knows you have the iPod in your pocket. You can also have the iPod broadcast its signal into any home or office FM Radio, which often has great speakers and hence, superior sound.
Overall, Griffin has really advanced what is in all probability their most popular iPod accessory. The ease to change the frequency you broadcast to is way cool, and the improvements in performance and effect on the iPods battery life are appreciated too. The Griffin iTrip with LCD FM Transmitter will not give you the concert-hall sound of CD audio, but it is a great way to listen to the many albums of songs on your iPod, in your car, your FM radio-earphones, or in your home or office. Its a keeper.
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 ...More at Amazon Marketplace
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