# FM Transmitters & iPods



## kellyj (16 Dec 2005)

Wondering if anyone has any experience of using FM Transmitters in the car with an MP3 player. See plenty of these devices for sale on eBay which when connected up to a MP3 player will broadcast a signal which is then picked up by the car radio. 

Do the work and how well? In addition are they legal to use.


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## ClubMan (16 Dec 2005)

There are a few threads on this issue already which you should be able to locate by searching/browsing this forum.


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## MonsieurBond (19 Dec 2005)

kellyj said:
			
		

> Wondering if anyone has any experience of using FM Transmitters in the car with an MP3 player. See plenty of these devices for sale on eBay which when connected up to a MP3 player will broadcast a signal which is then picked up by the car radio.
> 
> Do the work and how well? In addition are they legal to use.


The short answer is they are not very good - too much interference on the crowded FM band in the city/cities. You are better off with a cassette adaptor like this one which I have and am happy with. Works with all MP3 players not just Sony kit or iPods.

Of course if you have a CD player with an auxiliary input, you're laughing.


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## mts (19 Dec 2005)

I have recently got  griffin iTrip, works brilliant!


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## icantbelieve (19 Dec 2005)

I recently bought a fm transmitter for my mp3 player on ebay, paid roughly €10 including postage and it works great. It works from 2 aaa batteries or from a car plug and allows you to select from 4 frequencies. The one I use is 107.5 and there's no interference at all, working from the batteries allows it to be used other than in the car plus the car plug actually recharges rechargeable batteries as well. Bottom line is that I liked it so much I bought my mother one for her plam zire.


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## Decani (19 Dec 2005)

Was in Power City at the weekend and they had them for €25.


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## JohnnieKippe (19 Dec 2005)

icantbelieve said:
			
		

> I recently bought a fm transmitter for my mp3 player on ebay, paid roughly €10 including postage and it works great. It works from 2 aaa batteries or from a car plug and allows you to select from 4 frequencies. The one I use is 107.5 and there's no interference at all, working from the batteries allows it to be used other than in the car plus the car plug actually recharges rechargeable batteries as well. Bottom line is that I liked it so much I bought my mother one for her plam zire.



What make / model is it ?


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## TarfHead (19 Dec 2005)

Decani said:
			
		

> Was in Power City at the weekend and they had them for €25.


 
Take care. A colleague of mine bought one there and the 4 preset frequencies cluster around the RTE Radio 1 FM transmission which make that one unsuitable for use in Dublin.


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## DaveD (20 Dec 2005)

As far as I recall they aren't legal to use in Ireland, something to do with needing a broadcasting license. Wouldn't imagine its likely anyone would be caught though.


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## soy (20 Dec 2005)

TarfHead said:
			
		

> Take care. A colleague of mine bought one there and the 4 preset frequencies cluster around the RTE Radio 1 FM transmission which make that one unsuitable for use in Dublin.




Which is why you need to get one with variable frequencies. The latest Griffin i-trip lets you select anywhere between 88 and 107 fm, thus ensuring you will be able to find a vacant frequency.


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## icantbelieve (20 Dec 2005)

Here's the one I have

[broken link removed]

this guy has loads of them, delivery time first off was ages but the second one only took a week.


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## JohnnieKippe (20 Dec 2005)

icantbelieve said:
			
		

> Here's the one I have
> 
> [broken link removed]
> 
> this guy has loads of them, delivery time first off was ages but the second one only took a week.



Does that one work around dublin city. It looks kike good value.


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## icantbelieve (20 Dec 2005)

I assume it does as although I'm rarely in the actual city centre I live well within the broadcast zone for all the Dublin stations.


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## ClubMan (22 Dec 2005)

There's a shop on _Bachelor's Walk _(near _Zanzibar _down from the _Bachelor Inn_) which sells such transmitters for about €20. Just saw them behind the counter yesterday.


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## breener (22 Dec 2005)

Bought a Itrip with Digital Display on Ebay yesterday (from a seller with 100% and over 300 items sold) for €23 (12 for Item 11 for Delivery).  Will revert back when I get it with Info and Compatibility/Problems!!!


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## legend99 (22 Dec 2005)

they are not legal in Ireland. The chances of being prosecuted for having one must be well over a million to one I'd guess.


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## JohnnieKippe (22 Dec 2005)

legend99 said:
			
		

> they are not legal in Ireland. The chances of being prosecuted for having one must be well over a million to one I'd guess.



Yes, I can't imagine a copper saying to someone at a checkpoint 'whats that little do dah sticking out of your ipod, i hereby charge you with intervening the broadcasting laws of Ireland'


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## kellyj (22 Dec 2005)

Thanks to all of you for your contributions, especially 'icantbelieve'. I purchased the model as advised for the princley sum of 1p GBP. With packing in the region of £5.50 GBP I ended up paying around €9 for the thing. Now for the MP3 player. I will be back for more advise on that subject.


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## Decani (22 Dec 2005)

There's a 128MB Alba MP3 player in Argos for €30. It can take SD cards too. Shop4Memory.com in Celbridge have a 1GB SD card for €60. However, I don't know what capacity limitation there is on the Alba WRT SD cards (if any).


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## ClubMan (22 Dec 2005)

Many of the cheaper _SD _card _MP3 _players have a 1GB limit. There's a discount store on _Bachelor's Walk _selling _SD _cards and cheap _MP3 _players among other bits and pieces They are selling one very similar to the 7dayshop model with a 256MB card for c. €35 if I recall correctly. They also stock _FM_ transmitters but I didn't check the price today. The other place that I mentioned earlier further down the quays from _O'Connell Bridge _is actually charging €25 for the transmitters.


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## Decani (22 Dec 2005)

I've done a ring and reserve on one of the Alba jobbies in Argos as a stocking filler but I'll be in town over the next week so I'll make an excuse to exit stage left and try that shop out. Always on the lookout for good, decent tech-outlets. I'm a self-confessed technoslut so it helps when it's cheap. Thanks for the tip ClubMan. In the same breath, I'd like to give a recommendation for NoWaffleComputers. Ordered from and recommended them a couple times before but only today I had the opportunity to visit them first-hand today. Them turns out to be a one man show operating from a portacabin. Over the past week he's expanded his operation and doesn't just sell refurb equipment. The refurb department is great value and he's good for sourcing older bits of gadgetry. Helped me breathe life back into an old Dell laptop machine for the sake of a crimbo pressie to someone. Big thumbs up.


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## extopia (23 Dec 2005)

Let me speak from experience. I have a Belkin iPod FM transmitter and although the unit functions perfectly, the sound quality SUCKS. Our radio waves are too saturated, and there is NOWHERE on the spectrum that offers an acceptable standard, in my opinion.

I like good sound however, so I suppose I may be fussier than some people.


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## ClubMan (23 Dec 2005)

extopia said:
			
		

> Let me speak from experience. I have a Belkin iPod FM transmitter and although the unit functions perfectly, the sound quality SUCKS. Our radio waves are too saturated, and there is NOWHERE on the spectrum that offers an acceptable standard, in my opinion.


 Is that really true? If you tune a radio across the _FM _dial there seem to be many frequencies on which there are no radio stations broadcasting. A colleague of mine is a bit of an audiophile and uses one of these transmitters without any complaints.


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## extopia (23 Dec 2005)

Yes it's true, for me at least, which is why my post includes the words "in my opinion."

Others will no doubt disagree.


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## ClubMan (23 Dec 2005)

I wasn't looking for an opinion. I was wondering if it is a fact that our airwaves are largely used up. A quick scan of the dial suggests that this is not the case. However I see that some of these _FM _transmitters only operate on a limited number of frequencies which will obviously be a problem if those frequencies are already used for other broadcasts. In contrast some transmitters can be tuned to arbitrary frequencies in a given range rather than just a fixed set. Perhaps such devices would yield better results and maximise the chances of avoiding already used frequencies? On the other hand perhaps the problem for some people is not finding an unused frequency but the fact that _FM _broadcasts are of much more limited dynamic range than the original source thus causing certain frequencies in the original source to be attenuated?


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## extopia (23 Dec 2005)

My Belkin iTrip can operate at any frequency. None of them are satisfactory in the Dublin area. Perhaps you are right - that it's a limitation of the FM broadcast, I don't know -- all I know is that the sound quality is poor, to my reasonably fussy ears at any rate. Even my kids agree with me!


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## icantbelieve (23 Dec 2005)

It's occurred to me that the transmitters effectiveness may also depend on your car radio. As I said before, I use 107.5 but when I switch off the transmitter another station tunes in on what I'd consider a weak to medium signal. However, my car radio will focus in on the strongest signal which I assume given that the transmitter is within the car itself will always be the mp3 fm transmitter. Perhaps this explains the discrepancy between those who like myself think they work fine and those who think they don't or that they have are better ear.


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## legend99 (23 Dec 2005)

why not use the cassette converter so?


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## icantbelieve (23 Dec 2005)

My car hasn't got a cassette port, do these still come in new cars?


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## etel (23 Dec 2005)

icantbelieve said:
			
		

> It's occurred to me that the transmitters effectiveness may also depend on your car radio. As I said before, I use 107.5


  stay away from me so  thats my end of the dial .  





> Perhaps this explains the discrepancy between those who like myself think they work fine and those who think they don't or that they have are better ear.


     a few tips for the itrip user.        1. Buy a good one like the Griffin or Belkin  , I would never touch Alba.       2. Stay at each end of the FM dial like 107-108 or 87.5-88.0 . The griffin can go surprisingly low with a software hack as can some car radios , I have seen  a setup at 87.1 which worked . Do not hack above 108 , especially in Dublin. You will get into deservedly serious **** if you do. Below 88 is a (largely)  unused vhf 1 band for telly pics.       3. Boost the volume on the car radio not the output from the transmitter for optimal sound quality.    4. All of these transmitters are currently illegal but enforcement relies on the professional dedicated 24/7 elite swat team staff over in Comreg not on the police.


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## ClubMan (23 Dec 2005)

etel said:
			
		

> Do not hack above 108 , especially in Dublin. You will get into deservedly serious **** if you do.


Can you expand on that please?


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## DrMoriarty (23 Dec 2005)

_Garda_ frequencies, I believe..?


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## etel (23 Dec 2005)

*Spectrum above 108Mhz .*



			
				ClubMan said:
			
		

> Can you expand on that please?



either by procuring a cheap alba or  cheap transmitter of that sort which is not exactly locked on the spectrum you set you may end up transmitting on spectrum above 108Mhz. You could also do that deliberately. You should not do this at any stage ever .

The Irish Aviation Authority owns the spectrum above 108Mhz and takes a very  very dim view of interference with Air Nav devices deployed at Dublin Airport. Unlike the generally supine Comreg the  IIA will go after you and will enforce the Air Navigation and Transport Act 1975 to the letter. I would remind you of section 3 of that Act ( following . )



> 3. —(1) For the purpose of giving effect to the Montreal Convention,*a person shall be guilty of an offence if anywhere he unlawfully and intentionally—*
> 
> ( a ) commits on board an aircraft in flight any act of violence which is likely to endanger the safety of the aircraft,
> 
> ...



My advice is therefore simple . Stay away from 108Mhz and if you have a cheap Itrip with a cheap crappy transmitter stay under 107Mhz if you can.

Selling dodgy transmitters which could drift above 108Mhz is an offence. 

NOW for section 4 



> 4. —(1) A member of the Garda Síochána who has reason to believe that a person has committed an offence under this Act may arrest him without warrant.



oh dear   , now for the court case 



> 6. —(1) A person guilty of an offence under section 3 of this Act shall be liable, on conviction on indictment, to *imprisonment for life* or for such other term as the court considers proper.



and in case you try out the dumb blonde defence. 	



> 6. -(2) *A court shall not suspend a sentence* imposed under this section.



now do you believe me when I say "serious **** " Clubman


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## ClubMan (23 Dec 2005)

It wasn't a case of not believing you - I was merely looking for more detailed information.


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## DrMoriarty (23 Dec 2005)

I stand corrected (well, sit, actually!)


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## etel (23 Dec 2005)

If it was only a Garda frequency I'd be inclined to say 'bang away lads sure ye'll be grand '  . The Garda, anyway,  have frequency hopping gear which changes channel on the fly if  'interference' is detected. 

Has nobody noticed that perfectly legal FM stations stay below 107Mhz even though the band goes to 108Mhz (or 107.999 ) .


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## Delboy (29 Dec 2005)

got a Griffen transmitter from the states for xmas. Used it a few times around the 107.5 mark. Quality is good but not perfect....in between songs you hear some crackle, as you would with the old vinyl records. And on some very quiet songs, you can kinda hear it as well....be warned Coldplay fans!!!
Was out around Trim last night and had to find a new frequency as some station was cutting across which I though strange as there was no probs in Dublin.


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## Marie (29 Dec 2005)

Etel - many thanks for your unambiguous confirmation of the status of these transmitters which confirms a discussion I had some months ago with an ex-public broadcasting technician about 'personal' gizmo's.  Life imprisonment sounds appropriate considering the potential risk to the lives of aircraft passengers.   Wonder why these retail outlets with which Dublin appears to be peppered, and which are openly selling 'illegal' and potentially lethal devices, are not immediately raided.


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## dam099 (29 Dec 2005)

Etel, how likely are these transmitters to interfere with aviation though? I always thought these were pretty low power transmissions (to the extent that placement in the car is considered an issue with some car/transmitter combinations). Or is aviation equipment particularly sensitive? Obviously this is an area to err on the side of caution in any event due to the potentially serious consequences.


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## dam099 (29 Dec 2005)

Marie said:
			
		

> Wonder why these retail outlets with which Dublin appears to be peppered, and which are openly selling 'illegal' and potentially lethal devices, are not immediately raided.


 
As most (all?) of these are supposed to be limited to below the 108mhz range though (at least out of the box unless hacked by a techy type) they should not have the potential to be lethal to aviation at least (unless modified).


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## ClubMan (29 Dec 2005)

Notwithstanding the fact that such transmitters may be illegal, the maximum range for these devices is generally about 10 feet as far as I know which means that the possibility of them actually interfering with other systems on the same frequencies must be pretty low.


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## Marie (30 Dec 2005)

Interesting.  Would a number (say several hundred) of transmitters in use simultaneously build a stronger signal which could constitute interference?   Wasn't this the argument against Radio Caroline and other pirate radio in the 1960's?


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## Guest107 (30 Dec 2005)

dam099 said:
			
		

> Etel,


 I retired him 


> how likely are these transmitters to interfere with aviation though? I always thought these were pretty low power transmissions (to the extent that placement in the car is considered an issue with some car/transmitter combinations).


 the IIA uses spectrum near 108Mhz for airnav beacons, some of the flight paths crosses much of Dublin city and yes they are low power compared to the airnav beacons. 


> Or is aviation equipment particularly sensitive?


 are humans in a plane coming in to land 'sensitive' would you think yourself ??


> Obviously this is an area to err on the side of caution in any event due to the potentially serious consequences.


 You are my man, stay below 107Mhz in Dublin or Shannon or Cork where the spectrum is in use between 108Mhz and 118Mhz for aviation safety purposes .


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## bsloe (31 Dec 2005)

2pack
I know someone with a transmitter and it has a choice of 106.7,107.1,107.5 or 107.9.  106.7 has poor sound quality and 107.5 has the best quality. should they stop using it?


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## Guest107 (31 Dec 2005)

if near an airport (10 miles from the runway ) then they should be aware that their micro pirate radio station even though it is tuned to 107.5 , is possibly broadcasting above 108 and in aviation spectrum . 

if in Ballinasloe Co Galway for example I would not worry


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## ClubMan (31 Dec 2005)

Any idea how many plane crashes or other emergencies worldwide have been attributed to interference on aircraft navigation frequencies cause by illegal radio broadcasts?


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## Guest107 (31 Dec 2005)

no idea at all.


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## TarfHead (18 May 2006)

FWIW

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/4993528.stm

In the UK, these are 'outlawed' under 1949 legislation.


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## tallpaul (18 May 2006)

I picked up one of the iRiver version in the US recently (as I have an iRiver player) and was looking forward to using it here. However, it does not fit the cigarette lighter thingy in my car!!! It is slightly too wide. Has anyone any experience of this happening. 

I think cigarette lighters in cars must be wider in the USA. Does anyone know of an adaptor that might work?


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## DoctorEvil (19 May 2006)

tallpaul said:
			
		

> I picked up one of the iRiver version in the US recently (as I have an iRiver player) and was looking forward to using it here. However, it does not fit the cigarette lighter thingy in my car!!! It is slightly too wide. Has anyone any experience of this happening.
> 
> I think cigarette lighters in cars must be wider in the USA. Does anyone know of an adaptor that might work?



I have a Monster version bought in the states and fits the lighter in my car fine.
Have you tried a little brute force to get it in?


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## TarfHead (14 Jul 2006)

TarfHead said:
			
		

> FWIW
> 
> http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/4993528.stm
> 
> In the UK, these are 'outlawed' under 1949 legislation.


 
More of it ..

http://technology.guardian.co.uk/news/story/0,,1820689,00.html


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## euroDilbert (6 Sep 2006)

Looks as if these will now be legalised :

[broken link removed]


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## Decani (6 Sep 2006)

And Lidl are stocking them next week: [broken link removed].


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## MonsieurBond (6 Sep 2006)

Decani said:


> And Lidl are stocking them next week: [broken link removed].



It's very ugly but the price is good. At least when it breaks, you can afford to buy another one. 

However, you might be better saving up your Euros and buying a superior model such as a [broken link removed] or the new Kensington FM Transmitter with RDS which uses RDS to display the song titles on the radio. (Note that this capability is long-rumoured to be coming built-in to future iPods.)


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## DrMoriarty (6 Sep 2006)

€19.99 isn't _that_ good a deal — I bought one on eBay recently for just over €5, delivered.  

Granted, it's nice to have a quibble-free Lidl guarantee on such items.


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## MonsieurBond (6 Sep 2006)

There is a good round-up yesterday of the top rumours of the new or updated  Apple products that are supposed to be announced on Sept 12th along with the iTunes Movie Downloads - see [broken link removed].

The Video Airtunes would be my favourite - it would be excellent if Apple were to introduce this. Although I am sure some Sonos owners would be feeling very hard done by.


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## TarfHead (6 Sep 2006)

euroDilbert said:


> Looks as if these will now be legalised :
> 
> [broken link removed]


 

Similar version of same story

[broken link removed]

I smile at the point that they are illegal to use, but legal to buy or sell  .


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## legend99 (6 Sep 2006)

TarfHead said:


> I smile at the point that they are illegal to use, but legal to buy or sell  .



Aren't the speed trap detectors in the same boat????


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## blacknight (8 Sep 2006)

I got this one:
http://www.techietoys.eu/2006/09/04/istuff-icast-universal-fm-transmitter/

Works really well


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## The Pool Boy (8 Sep 2006)

I bought a very similar one here.....haven't received it as yet though....looks almost identical but under a different name. Also bought it with an in car recharger. And they take credit cards.

[broken link removed]


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## DrMoriarty (8 Sep 2006)

I'm still happy with [broken link removed], for $6.91/€5.78 delivered...


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## tallpaul (11 Sep 2006)

Did anyone pick up the Lidl FM transmitters and have any feedback? If good, I might try to get one if they didn't all fly out of the shops first thing...


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## The Pool Boy (15 Sep 2006)

I didn't go for the Lidl one, but my AudiaX one arrived in the post yesterday and I must say I'm impressed with it so far.

It's quite small, the size of a cigarette lighter and very light. First time I tuned it I got a signal no problem. Sound quality was very good, slight hissing between songs but I had expected that. Works better for faster songs though as it drowns the hiss out better. Sounds just like any radio station during the song. 

Major advantage is that it has a battery option so I can turn it on and leave it in the glovebox so no wires hanging around....it does come with a power lead if needed to be powered without the battery.

See my post above for a link to it. €50 well spent in my opinion.....and it has the CE mark that will be needed once these are legal !!!!


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