I am really considering getting it for my 3g ipod. My parents car has a cassette adapter, but the wire gets in the way a lot and it doesn't seem practicle. From what I read on the apple store description, it seems you can operate it wirelessly, which is the point... Anybody here have one? Would you recommend it? How is the sound quality?
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Griffin iTrip Any Good?
- Thread starter CubaTBird
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If you live in a city then I would recommend against it becuase of interference from other radio stations. The sound quality is not that great and I would just stick with the cassette adapter.
It's OK...
I have one for my 4G pod, it does a decent job without any wires. You really need to have a spot on the FM band with three open frequencies in a row...so you can use the middle frequency and it doesn't get interference from the signal on either side. And mine gives some heavy feedback when it is near a green light. Luckily I live in a town with only two stoplights, so it isn't a huge deal.
I'll make sure my next car stereo is either iPod ready or has a line in so I can just go directly to it.
Cheers-
~joe
I have one for my 4G pod, it does a decent job without any wires. You really need to have a spot on the FM band with three open frequencies in a row...so you can use the middle frequency and it doesn't get interference from the signal on either side. And mine gives some heavy feedback when it is near a green light. Luckily I live in a town with only two stoplights, so it isn't a huge deal.
I'll make sure my next car stereo is either iPod ready or has a line in so I can just go directly to it.
Cheers-
~joe
Works really well for me
I've used mine nearly every day for the last 6 months, and it works really well. The key is finding a frequency that has little or no signal already on it... and then using that for your iTrip. Most cities have at least one frequency that works.
I've even dropped my iTrip on it's head a few times and it's kept on ticking.
So anyway, thumbs up here. I've recommended iTrip to one of my friends and he also finds it does the job well.
I've used mine nearly every day for the last 6 months, and it works really well. The key is finding a frequency that has little or no signal already on it... and then using that for your iTrip. Most cities have at least one frequency that works.
I've even dropped my iTrip on it's head a few times and it's kept on ticking.
So anyway, thumbs up here. I've recommended iTrip to one of my friends and he also finds it does the job well.
yea its convinience outshines its quality - findng the perfect frequency can take some time but it really is cool - it will never sound as good as a CD but its still my choice for ipod to car solution
but also a traffic hazard haha
anyone else who has one im sure can relate to flipping through songs and such while driving ... its can get dangerous.... haha
but yea chicks are also really impressed with it - "oh my god thats sooo cool ! wheres the wires ?! i love you ! "
oh you all know it....
but also a traffic hazard haha
anyone else who has one im sure can relate to flipping through songs and such while driving ... its can get dangerous.... haha
but yea chicks are also really impressed with it - "oh my god thats sooo cool ! wheres the wires ?! i love you ! "
oh you all know it....
Whotheheck said:
i Use the Monster iCarPlay andhove not looked back since. best FM modulator i have used yet (irock, iTrip, Cassetadapter). Expensive little sucker but at least it works better than advertised.
BTW
I live in NY Metro.
CubaTBird said:
As others have said, if you're going to primarily use the iTrip in a large built-up urban area, you will probably be better off sticking with your interference-free cassette adapter. Yeah, you've got cables dripping everywhere, but you don't need to adjust your car stereo every 5 minutes trying to find an interference-free channel.
That said, I bought an iTrip mainly for use on long road trips between major cities in Australia, and outside heavy urban areas it works brilliantly. You completely forget that you're using an FM transmitter after some country driving, and there's usually little or no need to keep hunting around for a frequency which isn't being used (or interfered with) by a radio station. In my car (Peugeot 206) the sound quality appears to be at least as good as a clear, local strong-signal FM radio station transmitting in stereo. I'm quite happy with the sound quality. I don't know if the body structure and aerial position in each particular car model makes much difference in terms of reception/signal strength etc etc.
Additionally, it's compact, doesn't require any extra batteries, and suits the look of the iPod perfectly. It looks like Apple designed it themselves.
Horrible when driving in London (and any other big city I imagine). Every half mile you need to change frequency, which is too fiddly to do on the move. Not only are there a ton of legal stations there are a huge number of pirates as well.
Works well if you go round to someone's house and you want to inflict your musical tastes on them....
Works well if you go round to someone's house and you want to inflict your musical tastes on them....
When comparing the iTrip to other FM transmitters, I found it to be the worst. The transmission is not a full 360˚, so you get "dead spots" that may or may not be where your antenna is. I love my RoadTrip from NewerTech. OWC has the 107.7mhz version and the 87.7mhz version for $15/$20. Works great for me.
interesting, i have a 3G ipod and the iTrip. works fine. every once in a while cellphone towers causes a zippy buzz sound (very infrequently). i'm guessing that unless you live in LA,London or NY there aren't going to be that many radio stations that are going to cause grief.
it's not like listening to pristine CD quality sound, but it's not noisey or annoying as others would have you believe. it's better than FM quality, which is fine for most MP3/AAC files.
i've found it works fine unless you're an audiofile, then i'd seek another solution.
it's not like listening to pristine CD quality sound, but it's not noisey or annoying as others would have you believe. it's better than FM quality, which is fine for most MP3/AAC files.
i've found it works fine unless you're an audiofile, then i'd seek another solution.
I live in Center City (read:downtown) Philadelphia and I commute to the Northwest suburbs and I use the Belkin Mobile FM transmitter with no real problems. Sure, in some places I get a bit of static, but I also get that with regular FM stations in the same places. So I have no complaints.
That being said, if my car had a cassette player or a line in I would totally use that instead.
That being said, if my car had a cassette player or a line in I would totally use that instead.
I've been debating Griffin's iTrip or their RoadTrip, which is a combination power adapter/charger/FM transmitter that plugs into the dock connector, which means it's using the direct audio line-out instead of going through the headphone jack circuitry. And, as a bonus, it plugs directly into the car's power socket, and charges the iPod while playing.
Only thing is, I'm not sure that will a) sound better than a plain old iTrip, or b) work in the Baltimore/DC Metro area.
Sounds like I should do a survey of the available FM frequencies here before buying either one.
Only thing is, I'm not sure that will a) sound better than a plain old iTrip, or b) work in the Baltimore/DC Metro area.
Sounds like I should do a survey of the available FM frequencies here before buying either one.
CubaTBird said:
My brother has an iTrip. Neither he nor I would recommend it. Our experience is that it sounds muddy - the highs are not as clear as they should be. The iTrip is like a low-pass filter, no matter what the frequency.
As others mentioned, it's great for rental cars which lack cassette players, but outside of that I like hearing clear treble when I have a choice.
See if you can get a local stereo installation place to wire your car with a line-in jack. If you can get this done for $30 that'd be great.
i'd agree with most here about the difficulties encountered in large metropolitan areas where most frequencies are used by local stations. i live in the san francisco area and couldn't find a station that would work consistently through my entire commute to work. as previously mentioned, trying to change stations while driving is pretty difficult and could be hazardous. so, my itrip is going to ebay soon, and i hope to get an icelink or some other direct-connection option to use when one becomes available for my car.
marianne
marianne
Audia X
Try the Audia X fm transmitter: http://www.merconnet.com/product_info.php?products_id=426
Comes with a cigarette lighter adapter so no batteries required. FM transmitters in general will never be as good as a direct connection, so I guess it depends on how much of an audiophile you are.
Here's a review of the audia x:
http://www.the-gadgeteer.com/audiax-fm-transmitter-v2-review.html
Try the Audia X fm transmitter: http://www.merconnet.com/product_info.php?products_id=426
Comes with a cigarette lighter adapter so no batteries required. FM transmitters in general will never be as good as a direct connection, so I guess it depends on how much of an audiophile you are.
Here's a review of the audia x:
http://www.the-gadgeteer.com/audiax-fm-transmitter-v2-review.html
Just got one and I am impressed. I am currently on Long Island (30 min from New York City) and 87.9 FM works very well. No other station does, so I guess I am lucky, but this works for me. In my bedroom I use it to play to my clock/table radio, and it is also useful in the car. Sound quality is good for FM radio. When we take the other car, the one with a tape deck, I use a cassette adaptor which is a much higher audio quality solution. When I get back home to Baltimore, I hope I can find a good station to use. I figure that if it works in NY, it should work in Baltimore.
I have one and it really depends on where I am using it. When I am at home I am near a major city and it is hard to find an open frequency. When I am on the road as long as I am not near any large cities it works well. However, I do find myself changing the frequency every 50-70 miles or so. Really, it depeneds on where you live in my opinion.
Duff-Man says...a friend of mine just got one with a new iPod for Christmas and he's had great results with it so far....only had 1 reception problem inside a particular parking garage....oh yeah!
I'm all for it... partially because I own one, partially because I love good design, and partially because my college is located in a less-than-metropolitan area.
1) You'll never know how much you like it 'till you own one.
2) The iTrip is the most thoughtfully designed, and seamlessly integrated FM transmitter for the iPod. The simplicity and simultaneous versatility of the product is what makes it a winner.
3) The lack of major radio interference in my area 9 months of the year does help with any quality or interference issues, but either way, it lets you choose ANY frequency, so you're bound to find one that's at least moderate in your locale.
I own a 4G and everyone I know is jealous of how beautifully my iTrip integrates and how handy it is (Connected with no cables, no external power, etc). I'd buy mine again all over if given the choice.
1) You'll never know how much you like it 'till you own one.
2) The iTrip is the most thoughtfully designed, and seamlessly integrated FM transmitter for the iPod. The simplicity and simultaneous versatility of the product is what makes it a winner.
3) The lack of major radio interference in my area 9 months of the year does help with any quality or interference issues, but either way, it lets you choose ANY frequency, so you're bound to find one that's at least moderate in your locale.
I own a 4G and everyone I know is jealous of how beautifully my iTrip integrates and how handy it is (Connected with no cables, no external power, etc). I'd buy mine again all over if given the choice.
people seem to forget that the quality of any fm transmitter is going to be inherently less-than-good because the transmitter has to comply to FCC regulations regarding signal strength, etc. (at least here in the USA). the itrip works well, but most importantly, it gives you the ability to select any frequency you want, not just two or three. i think that's the most important thing. plus it looks cool.