Home > Electronics > MP3 Accessories > Griffin Technology iTrip Auto Car Kit, Docking Station, Car / Plane Charger, FM Transmitter for Apple iPod (9501-TRIPCBL-2)
Griffin Technology iTrip Auto Car Kit, Docking Station, Car / Plane Charger, FM Transmitter for Apple iPod (9501-TRIPCBL-2)
Pros: Good audio quality in DX (mono) mode
Well designed
Easy to use
Cons: Static in LX (stereo) mode
LCD hard to read at night (no backlight)
No presets
The Bottom Line: Well designed and easy to use, it works great in mono mode, though stereo mode does contain some static.
Despite this, it's still a good product for the price.
mark_ufl's Full Review: Griffin Technology iTrip Auto Car Kit, Docking Sta...
Overview:
Recently, I was looking for an iPod FM transmitter compatible with the iPod 5G (Video), that would also charge my iPod while in the car. A couple options were available, though none are very cheap.
Most range from $50-$100, in the following styles:
- Tuner controls placed onto the bulge sticking out from the cigarette lighter plug
- Tuner plugs into the dock connector, with the controls underneath. These may work as a cradle for the iPod
- Tuner placed in the middle of a cord, halfway between the iPod connector and the cigarette lighter plug
While in the car, I considered having to pick up my iPod to tune, or locate my cigarette adapter inconvenient... so I chose to go with the third option. The iTrip FM from Griffin Technology became my choice. I purchased it for around $40 shipped, a reasonable price considering the list price is $69.
Design:
The transmitter design is fairly simple, consisting of a cord with the cigarette adapter plug-in on one end, the dock connector on the other end, and a rectangular shaped tuner in the middle.
The tuner is designed well, with a medium sized LCD for the station, an up/down button for tuning, and a select button which serves two purposes: choosing the station, and switching between mono/stereo transmission mode.
Usage:
Usage is pretty simple. Plug in the cigarette power plug into your cigarette lighter, connect the dock connector to your iPod, and tune your desired station. Tuning the station is done by using the up/down button to find a station to transmit, and pressing the Select button to confirm the choice.
Finding a clear station wasn't too difficult. Located in South Florida, I was able to choose 87.9 FM which is a station clear of static in the majority of areas. After tuning the station on my car and iTrip FM, time to start listening!
Sound Quality:
Sound quality in the default stereo mode (LX) contained a fair amount of static, which varied depending on the area I was driving in. This appears to be a common problem transmitting in stereo with many FM transmitters. As a result I switched the transmission mode to mono, by holding the select button for 3 seconds, then using the up/down button to choose mono mode (DX) and pressing Select to confirm.
In mono mode, transmission was quite good, with little to no static in most areas. Because it was transmitting in mono mode, music doesn't sound as dynamic as with a regular stereo. However, it is of acceptable quality, and as I'm using primarily for spoken word podcasts I didn't have an issue with this.
There were some areas where the transmission was overridden by some other broadcast in the area, although it typically lasted for a short period of time (1-2 minutes).
Problems:
Other problems I encountered:
- Despite the product materials stating backlit LCD, I found no way to activate such a backlight. Could be a problem at night, although you typically don't need to change the station once you find a clear one.
- No preset capability that I could find. Again, not a huge issue once you find a clear station.
Conclusion:
Overall, I found the iTrip Auto to be a solid purchase for $40. It works as advertised, delivering a clear transmission in mono (DX) mode for the vast majority of areas, while simultaneously charging the iPod when needed. I'd recommend the iTrip Auto at around $40, though the $69 list price is a bit steep for such a device.
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