Ok. Like many of us here at the lounge I have been searching for a way to have my iPod in my car. I was almost dead set on just getting a new HU, as mine seems to be devoid of any way to connect directly. Well, for my birthday, yesterday, I received the iRiver FM transmitter. At first I was skeptical, as FM transmitters don't provide the best sound quality but, after giving it a fighting chance, I must say that it works pretty darn well.
Not having used any other transmitter (iTrip, NewerTech stuff, etc) I really don't have a point of reference, so I'll just use my knowledge of how CDs and regular radio transmissions sound to me. The iRiver falls somewhere in between, with a sound quality (while music is playing - more on this later) that pretty much matches the best FM station in my car. The signal is strong enough that I don't bother changing the station from 88.1. I may play with it some more, as the iRiver runs the full FM spectrum (sans 87.x) but, for now, 88.1 is just fine. I did, breifly, test it on some stations with a moderate signal coming in, and it seems strong enough that there isn't any bleed-thru, but I'll have to test it out on a strong station later.
As for when there isn't music playing, the speakers emit what is best described as the sound a record makes when there's no music. It's not unbearable though, and the only time I hear it is when there is absolutely no sound output from the iPod.
As for looks, sure, it's black and doesn't match the iPod, but it matches the interior of my car and that's just fine with me. The LCD screen is a medium blue with very clear numbers, which is nice too. The system for changing the station consists of 2 buttons to the right of the screen, stacked vertically, for up/down changes, and 3 buttons under the screen for presets. The buttons are a little small, but they aren't too bad. My only issue with the interface is that the buttons used to change the frequency are on the right. Placing them on the left would have made them a bit more accessible from the driver's side, but it's a small issue that really doesn't detract from the overall use of the iRiver.
All in all, I'd say the thing is a pretty good transmitter. For the record, I live in an area of PA that doesn't have a TON of stations, but there are a good number of them and, again, the iRiver is strong enough to drown out everything I've so far tested it on. So, if you're looking for a decent transmitter and don't care about charging your iPod (a slight negative which I'll have to remedy later) I'd consider the iRiver as a viable option.
Not having used any other transmitter (iTrip, NewerTech stuff, etc) I really don't have a point of reference, so I'll just use my knowledge of how CDs and regular radio transmissions sound to me. The iRiver falls somewhere in between, with a sound quality (while music is playing - more on this later) that pretty much matches the best FM station in my car. The signal is strong enough that I don't bother changing the station from 88.1. I may play with it some more, as the iRiver runs the full FM spectrum (sans 87.x) but, for now, 88.1 is just fine. I did, breifly, test it on some stations with a moderate signal coming in, and it seems strong enough that there isn't any bleed-thru, but I'll have to test it out on a strong station later.
As for when there isn't music playing, the speakers emit what is best described as the sound a record makes when there's no music. It's not unbearable though, and the only time I hear it is when there is absolutely no sound output from the iPod.
As for looks, sure, it's black and doesn't match the iPod, but it matches the interior of my car and that's just fine with me. The LCD screen is a medium blue with very clear numbers, which is nice too. The system for changing the station consists of 2 buttons to the right of the screen, stacked vertically, for up/down changes, and 3 buttons under the screen for presets. The buttons are a little small, but they aren't too bad. My only issue with the interface is that the buttons used to change the frequency are on the right. Placing them on the left would have made them a bit more accessible from the driver's side, but it's a small issue that really doesn't detract from the overall use of the iRiver.
All in all, I'd say the thing is a pretty good transmitter. For the record, I live in an area of PA that doesn't have a TON of stations, but there are a good number of them and, again, the iRiver is strong enough to drown out everything I've so far tested it on. So, if you're looking for a decent transmitter and don't care about charging your iPod (a slight negative which I'll have to remedy later) I'd consider the iRiver as a viable option.