Belkin Car Charger with Audio for iPods w/Dock

[contagion]

Is anyone else having a really hard time finding any place that has these in stock?? I tried to place an order at ClubMac.com and they say they are backordered till July!!

WOW.

Must be a popular item.

[tntracy]

I'm not sure they are available yet. I just checked the Apple Store, and they say they are not shipping for 2 - 3 weeks.

Many (if not all) of the accessories for the new iPods are not available yet, including cases, since the new iPods are so, well, new. ;)

Tom

[contagion]

Originally posted by tntracy
I'm not sure they are available yet. I just checked the Apple Store, and they say they are not shipping for 2 - 3 weeks.

Many (if not all) of the accessories for the new iPods are not available yet, including cases, since the new iPods are so, well, new. ;)

Tom

Yeah, I guess that makes sense!

Sad story for me... When I got my 30 GB iPod, I called my "local" Apple Store (in Tampa, FL) and asked if they had the new Belkin car chargers for the new iPods... "Yes we do!" So I drove (about an hour) only to get there and ask "Do you have the new Belkin car chargers for the new iPods?" Guess what my response was? As if you have to! "No, we don't." *sigh*

Oh well, such is life right? or the opposite of death?

I like the audio running from the charger... looks like a good feature to me!

[tntracy]

Originally posted by contagion
Yeah, I guess that makes sense!

Sad story for me... When I got my 30 GB iPod, I called my "local" Apple Store (in Tampa, FL) and asked if they had the new Belkin car chargers for the new iPods... "Yes we do!" So I drove (about an hour) only to get there and ask "Do you have the new Belkin car chargers for the new iPods?" Guess what my response was? As if you have to! "No, we don't." *sigh*
<snip>

Well, that was a bummer! :mad:

Yeah, I am looking forward to the new accessories hitting the streets myself. I need a playthrough case, an extra FW --> Dock cable to leave in my desk at work for charging there, a car charger, and that spare battery pack looks pretty cool, too. :)

BTW, Welcome to iPodlounge!

Tom

[LagunaSol]

This from the Belkin website:

This product is not yet available. Please check back soon for updates on availability of this and other products Belkin has in development. Or become a registered user and you will automatically receive updates on all Belkin product releases.

I would like a product like this that offered some sort of cradle attached to the charger, much like the Transpod, only without the crappy FM transmitter and far less bulky. Heck, take the Apple dock and stick it directly to the cigarette lighter plug, giving it some way to tilt and twist. That's what I need. I don't want a long cable solution like the Belkin offers.

[Magic Randy]

I pre-ordered one from the Apple website. I got an email that mine shipped yesterday (May 9).

Randy

[SamHain]

I also preordered from apple and they siad mine shipped on the 9th, I ordered it around the 4th or 5th. Should be here early this week! :p

[Joe]

Oooh... please post a reviews when you get them. Anyone recommend an in-dash receiver that has a mini-plug input for the line-out? These new belkins do have line-out, right?

[SamHain]

Yes, they have an AMPLIFIED line out, which may add a little punch to things. I'll let you know how it goes

[iamaustin]

Apple is shippping it. They shipped mine on the 9th. The order was for the belkin car charger with audio and came to a total of 0.00. With tax (6% of 0) and shipping (0), a grand total of 0 was charged. :)

Heh anyway, I'll let you know about how it goes. I need to make my one power outlet in the car into 2. Im left in quite a dilemma seing as how I can't live without good music in my car (ipod) and also being able to speed like crazy (radar detector). What is a man to do :-/

BTW I really like my headunit, it is very sexy :)

Kenwood 911DVD Player (7" touchscreen) (plus an av box)

-Austin

[MRQuackers]

I also saw the belkin site and then went to apple which had the less lead time so i thought i was proredering from apple on the 9th becaus eit said shipps in 2-3 weeks. imagine my delight to recieve the email that it was shipping the 10th! picked up at 5:11 pm by airborne with 2 day delivery( $3 more). im hoping it comes monday or tuesday. wont matter to much considering my ipod is supposed to be here monday also. 8 hours to charge and fiddle with, i will not be needing the car charger for a while. ill start working on the audio connection in the back though. :)

[jminio]

i ordered mine yesterday as of today the est ship date is 6/3. Guess i will be waiting awhile :(

[MRQuackers]

Well I got the charger today! IT seems very nice! It was almost here yesterday but the airborne truck didn't make it here in time so it just rode around with the truck all day:(
But today it got some friends like my car holder i got from memory X which i only ordered sunday! All across the country. not bad.
Ah but don't envy me as I have been told my ipod was held up due to all the tornadoes in the midwest and may not get it till friday. :( Plus i have had other order woes like my flashlight that I ordered march 31st is finnally coming this week. they heldthe one due to another item on backoreder but i get free shipping when that comes in.
So today I set up my holder and drove around with my ipod brochure all folded to actual size sitting in the holder. :) what made me feel bad is I stopped at Best Buy and they had 3 30 gb and a bunch of 10's. They even had an old 10 or two. 15's all sold out. Ah well.
Also I ran my stereo connection but dont think my stereo will recoginize a random line in. it can be used as a tv tuner, cd/md changer controller and even had the optional remote possibilitie. However it is from 98 ( a sony 580) so if I want tunes wired in my vehicle i need a new headunit. :(
Ok so now i just need the ipod to come and for iskins to release their case.
Oh so more info on the charger when i get the ipod in.

BTW if anyone wants to host 6 640 x 480 pics and maybe 1 1632 x 1224 let me know and ill send them email. id say out of those, there are three worth showing definitely too. if interested, pm me.

[ipodoug]

Does anyone know if the Belkin Car Charger has to be plugged into the cigarette lighter for the audio-out to work?

[kamj12]

Originally posted by jminio
i ordered mine yesterday as of today the est ship date is 6/3. Guess i will be waiting awhile :(

I ordered mine just now at apple online, it'd take 7-10 days, so end of next week?!

[jminio]

Originally posted by kamj12
I ordered mine just now at apple online, it'd take 7-10 days, so end of next week?!


I hope your estimate is the accurate one! :)

[Wired]

ipodoug,
Yes, the car adapter has to be pluged in for the amplifier to work. I'm not sure why you would want to use the audio out jack on the adapter when it's not plugged in?

[ipodoug]

Originally posted by Wired
ipodoug,
Yes, the car adapter has to be pluged in for the amplifier to work. I'm not sure why you would want to use the audio out jack on the adapter when it's not plugged in?

I want to light a smoke while listening to music, don't want the extra drain on my car battery while parked at the beach listening to music, ipod's already fully charged...

Why do we need another amplifier, my car stereo amp should do just fine? I don't mean to be over-critical, just asking the questions:)

[Wired]

Good point with the smokes...;)
Okay here's how I figure this works: The iPod's volume adjustment is set to 50% and disabled when the dock connector is plugged in. This means that you have to adjust the volume using your car stereo's amp. Now, if you're switching from, say, your car's CD changer to the tape player (i.e. I am using a cassette adapter), chances are that the stereo's volume level is off somewhat- too loud or too low. That's where the amp in the car adapter helps out. I set mine once and haven't needed to adjust it again since then.

[SpacemanSp1ff]

Got my adapter 4 days after I ordered it from Apple. It works great. In fact I have a pretty cool setup in my car. I dismantled the center console in my Honda Accord and wired in my iPod connections. I have a P.I.E. CD-Changer/AUX converter that alows me to use the CD-Changer input on my stereo for line-in. I also wired in a second cigarette/12V socket under the console. So, I have my Belkin adapter plugged into the second socket and the line-out plugged into my stereo via the adapter. Then I ran the dock connector into the console armrest. Everything is hidden from view. So now, I just get in my car, open the armrest and plug in my iPod. It starts chargin and I can play my iPod directly through the stereo. It's wonderful. I also attach the iPod remote and run it out of the armrest so I can skip through tracks. I'll post some pictures if I get around to taking some.

[iamaustin]

Sweet setup spacemanspf1ff. I have a simpler approach. Went down to Radio Shack and picked up a 1 to 3 power adapter for the car. Now I have old blinky (passport radar detector), my cell phone, and my ipod plugged into my car. The Belkin car charger/audio adapter is awesome. The line out sounds much clearer than the ipod?s headphone jack connected to an aux input. (By the way: My ipod is connected to the Belkin charger which is connected directly to my receiver?s aux inputs). Before I had connected it through the Belkin?s line out, I had it connected to the headphone jack. The bass just wasn't there, and also everything sounded muffled. It wasn't powerful or clear enough to get a lot of response from my 2 12" subs. After I plugged in the Belkin product, my subs are much more responsive, and pound hard. Once more can you hear my car rumbling down miles away :)

By the way, the volume adjustment is nice. However, if you turn it all the way up noticeable distortion and background noise occurs. I have mine set around 40%, or so I think (no way to tell).

Oh and the coolest part, the top lights up green under the Belkin logo. At night, it adds to the coolness of my car; combined with the dance effects on my head units 7" touch screen monitor, underbody lights, and every other source of light on my car. I am riding in a UFO.

-Austin

[SamHain]

I got mine Friday, I have to agree with previous posters. It does sound better now and I have a lot less messy cords laying around. I have my pod mounted on the dash with one of those clamp style cell phone holders. Now i just plug the one cable in the bottom and I'm set.

[portersa]

The local Apple store here in Phoenix has them in stock. I was looking at one yesterday, and couldn't figure out why you would need the line out in the adaptor. After reading the posts above it makes more sense. $40 seems a little steep though. What are the best deals people are finding?

[jminio]

I just got an email from apple that they shipped mine on sat 17 , It should be here the middle of this week :)

[iamaustin]

Porteresa: I have to agree with you a bit. Before receiving it, there would have been no way i would have spent 40 bucks on a car charger. (I got mine for free from apple). But after I got it and listened to the difference in sound from the line out on the charger and the headphone jack, i would gladly spend even 60 on this product.

-Austin

[SamHain]

Just to give a fair comparison:
The charger for the classic 'pods was JUST a firewire cable on a lighter plug. No sound stuff on it and it was made by some company I never heard of, and it didn't look cool like this one. :D

It was 39.99, 'nuff said?

[kamj12]

ordered on 5/14 from apple store, shipped on 5/17. not bad!!

[mongoos150]

Originally posted by ipodoug
I want to light a smoke while listening to music, don't want the extra drain on my car battery while parked at the beach listening to music, ipod's already fully charged...

Why do we need another amplifier, my car stereo amp should do just fine? I don't mean to be over-critical, just asking the questions:)

Well... Hows about you stop smoking?!

[atariskidd]

i got my belkin charger at the apple store at the grove. they had quite a few there. i use a sony casseette adapter with it. the only reason why i got the charger was mainly coz of it using the line-out feature of the ipod and knowing that it will produce a better sound than using the headphone out jack.
when i used the cassette adapter, it would produce an awful, staticky sound. however, when i use the belkin charger now, it produces a CD sound that is just awesome. my friends are baffled when they realize the sound is coming from an ipod attached to a tape deck.

there goes my 6-CD changer. and cases upon cases of CDs in my car.

[atariskidd]

Originally posted by ipodoug
Does anyone know if the Belkin Car Charger has to be plugged into the cigarette lighter for the audio-out to work?

yeah it does. i think it needs the power for the amplification.

[MRQuackers]

Ok you lucky people. i have had my charger for about a week now and still no ipod for it! :( #### i hate delays. the student discount doesnt seem to be worht it. basically its just no tax and $5 off. ho- hum oh well. waiting to use my nice charger. doesnt matter anywyas till i get that line input converter box for my cd changer though. let everyone know anopther persons thoughts on it in a little while.

[AndrewS]

Could someone who got a Belkin charger please post the power requirements for it? I'm interested in splitting out my 12VDC with a rat shack splitter and the one I found is rated to 15 amps. I'm going to be plugging in a radar detector and the belkin car charger.....:D

[iamaustin]

I received my belkin charger a while ago, and then i started noticing hops in the sound, as if it were like skipping every 10 seconds, but when i took the audio out of hte charger and plugged it into the headphone jack it stopped. I am getting a replacement from apple (free of charge they are awsome). Hopefully this one wont do it.

Can someone tell me who has one, does the top of yours get real hot after a minute or so?

[SamHain]

Originally posted by iamaustin
...Can someone tell me who has one, does the top of yours get real hot after a minute or so?

I checked mine after about 20 minutes or so and it felt fairly cool. Din't really notice any heat from it. Also, I am not getting any sound issues with it. Sounds like you just got a bad one.

[iamaustin]

I just got the new one, but it does the same thing. Im thinking it might be the car, because i know its not the belkin unit since its happening on 2 different new ones, its not the headunit or the wiring of the rca jacks because they work with the ipods headphone jack and other stuff. Could it be the car?

[SamHain]

Originally posted by iamaustin
I just got the new one, but it does the same thing. Im thinking it might be the car, because i know its not the belkin unit since its happening on 2 different new ones, its not the headunit or the wiring of the rca jacks because they work with the ipods headphone jack and other stuff. Could it be the car?

I'd buy a new car:D
Seriously, plug it into a different car and see what it does. I haven't seen others having this problem as of yet.

[MRQuackers]

ok so i have a bout 45 minutes of broken use ( broken i mean not all in one go) and its working great. the clear sound i get from my radio is LOUD without distortion. very cool. now maybe cause im listening but i swear i hear a background white noise but then i heard it with the cd too. cheap headunit? i dont seem to have a problem wioth radio but that may be because its muddled full of stuff.
Anyways back on topic, its nice and no i ddint notice any extra heat issues. try the differnt car thing as mentioned above.

[jminio]

I just received mine today :) It seems to work great. The sound is much better then plugging into the headphone jack. It defainatly starts to clip if you turn it up to far though. It is hard to tell with the control on there but I think about 60% - 70% seems to be the sweet spot.