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[FnordChan]

Howdy, gang. I'm about to do a bit of road-tripping over the Labor Day Weekend and my car cassette deck has decided to keel over on me. I hope to get it replaced before too much longer; in the meantime I'm considering a portable FM transmitter of some sort, so my trusty Sony MZ-R70 can provide tunage for the trip.

Anyone have any suggestions? I'm currently torn between shelling out roughly $40 for the Belkin TuneCast II (which allows any FM station to be used and comes with a lighter adapter for power) or a $20 budget model of some sort (which would only give me four stations). Whatever I buy needs to be available by just walking into a store, rather than online, as I leave early Friday morning.

(A friend and I tested his iPod and iTrip in the car, and it works just dandy; alas, I can't just borrow it for the trip.)

Survey says?

FnordChan

 

[tedtropy]

I bought the basic Belkin FM transmitter (I assume the TuneCast I) for my Nomad Jukebox and brought it back the next day as the audio quality was just unbearable. It sounded considerably worse than going through your basic 10-buck cassette adaptor, and this thing retailed for $30. It was like listening to a bad tape with Dolby noise-reduction off. It had nasty background hiss and I had to crank up the volume on both my Nomad and car radio to really hear it, which only amplified its problems. I also tested it on my in-home stereo and the problems were still very much there. If you don't consider yourself a stickler for decent audio quality, it may work out for you. Hopefully the device has improved dramatically in the newer model you're talking about...

 

[DarienA]

The FM Transmitter on my XM radio worked well while I was in Florida... only problem was out of 9 available station tuning choices friggin 8.5 were already in use...

If you can Fnord check to see if the station options available on the tuner are not in service in the area you are going.

 

[FnordChan]

The FM Transmitter on my XM radio worked well while I was in Florida... only problem was out of 9 available station tuning choices friggin 8.5 were already in use...

I'll be going to Atlanta, so I'm afraid that if I go with a cheap transmitter, the preset stations will be in use. Looks like I'll be shelling out for a transmitter with a full tuner if I go this route.

tedtropy, thanks for the review. Other reviews I've seen online tend to piss all over the original TuneCast, but are often positive (though mixed) for the TuneCast II, so hopefully the second model is an improvement of some sort.

Hrm. I may just buy the thing and take it back if it doesn't perform up to snuff during the trip...

FnordChan

 

[Tommie Hu$tle]

Post some of your anti-government feelings on the net and you can get one implanted in the base of your skull by the CIA.

 

[FnordChan]

Post some of your anti-government feelings on the net and you can get one implanted in the base of your skull by the CIA.

Damn thing's on the fritz and they refuse to replace it. They gave me some bullshit excuse about "diverting resources to Iraq" or something, handed me a regulation tinfoil hat, and threw me out on my ass. Bastards.

FnordChan

 

[Doth Togo]

CCrane has an awesome one. Check this out...

http://www.ccrane.com/fm-transmitter.aspx

This is all digital and covers the entire FM spectrum. It's broadcast radius is approximately 70 feet, which means you can pirate radio in your car and piss off other drivers. Hahahahahahah... Road rage has a new definition.

 

[FnordChan]

It's broadcast radius is approximately 70 feet, which means you can pirate radio in your car and piss off other drivers. Hahahahahahah... Road rage has a new definition.

In a similar vein: How to make your own pirate radio out of an iPod and iTrip.

FnordChan

 

[Doth Togo]

Yea, I didn't think about the gym.

Hot damn, living in DC...this will be fun.

/ownage