Itrip autopilot FM transmitter sucks, did I get a bad one?

[Anachronism]

I recently bought an iTrip Autopilot FM transmitter for my iPhone and it performs very poorly. I have a Belkin FM transmitter that blows it away in a side by side comparison. Unfortunately the Belkin will not charge my iPhone. Did I just get a bad one or should I look for another brand? What FM transmitters are iPhone 3G compatible?

[partyd]

They are all that way,you didn't get a bad unit
and also there is no trasmiter that charges any 3g ipod

[The Cos]

I tried the iTrip AutoPilot when I first got my iPhone 3G...and no you didn't get a bad one...mine sucked too. I also tried one of the newer Belkin transmitters, and it was just as bad, if not worse. I have a Kensington Digital FM Transmitter/Car Charger (I forget the model #) that is the best transmitter I've ever used...but it does not charge my iPhone.

So, I found the Kensington 4-in-1 Car Charger in Apple's online store and did a little reading about it. The charger features a pass thru so you can connect a fm transmitter. I was able to shop around and find one online for $20, and decided to give it a try. It works. It is a bit messy (cables going everywhere), but it works. The only thing is that it requires you to have two power outlets in your car (one for the transmitter and one for the charger).

Here's my current setup: iPhone 3G -> Sendstation Dock Extender -> 4-in-1 car charger -> power outlet, fm transmitter -> 4-in-1 car charger, fm transmitter -> power outlet.

This method is really bulky and messy and not nearly as nice as having one product do everything, but it allows me to use a good fm transmitter with my iPhone and charge at the same time.

I hope this helps :)

[Anachronism]

I tried the iTrip AutoPilot when I first got my iPhone 3G...and no you didn't get a bad one...mine sucked too. I also tried one of the newer Belkin transmitters, and it was just as bad, if not worse. I have a Kensington Digital FM Transmitter/Car Charger (I forget the model #) that is the best transmitter I've ever used...but it does not charge my iPhone.

So, I found the Kensington 4-in-1 Car Charger in Apple's online store and did a little reading about it. The charger features a pass thru so you can connect a fm transmitter. I was able to shop around and find one online for $20, and decided to give it a try. It works. It is a bit messy (cables going everywhere), but it works. The only thing is that it requires you to have two power outlets in your car (one for the transmitter and one for the charger).

Here's my current setup: iPhone 3G -> Sendstation Dock Extender -> 4-in-1 car charger -> power outlet, fm transmitter -> 4-in-1 car charger, fm transmitter -> power outlet.

This method is really bulky and messy and not nearly as nice as having one product do everything, but it allows me to use a good fm transmitter with my iPhone and charge at the same time.

I hope this helps :)
Is this the kensington that plugs into the dock connector? I see they make one that plugs into the headphone jack also. Looking messy is not a big concern, this is for my work truck.

It's a company truck and other guys use it so I don't really want to install anything expensive, but I was going through some of my old stereo stuff and I found an auto CD player with an AUX in :D . I am going to see if the company mechanic will install it in my assigned truck for me. I don't always get my truck so maybe I will pick up a universal fm transmitter (goes into the headphone jack) for those days.

Rant 1 :mad: Why can't someone make a halfway decent FM transmitter/ charger for the iPhone 3g

Rant 2 :mad: I have several hundred dollars in accessories that apple has made useless with unecessary changes to the ipod line, they are really leaving things open for other companies if anyone else decides to make a decent product.

[The Cos]

Is this the kensington that plugs into the dock connector?

Yes. It is model 33185. I bought it back when the 5G iPod was released (since Apple changed the iPod design, my top mounting original iTrip no longer worked).

Anyway, to clarify: the 4-in-1 charger I mentioned plugs into the dock connector port of the iPhone, the fm transmitter then plugs into the dock connector port of the charger, then both of them need to be connected to power outlets. Here (http://us.kensington.com/html/11205.html) is a link to the 4-in-1 charger.