Griffin iTrip Mini FM Transmitter for iPod Mini

• FM transmitter designed to play iPod mini music through FM radios
• Tunes to any FM frequency for the best possible performance
• Battery-free design receives power from iPod itself
• Sleek, attractive housing fits seamlessly on top of iPod mini

The itrip mini does what it advertizes: fits the sleek lines of the mini ipod without adding much bulk at all, and transmits your tunes to a radio tuned to frequency (defaults to 87.9, but you can adjust that by installing the simple software provided with the itrip).

Living in LA, there are VERY limited options insofar as stations not in use. 87.9 is actually one of the few options. The sound quality was awful. I tried using this device in my car, in my room, in my home stereo all with the same lousy results.

I should have listened to the advice of the salesperson at the Apple store and gotten the cassette device to play my ipod music on other sound systems.

Bottomline: it works, but sounds like music playing on a radio station that doesn't quite come in clearly static. Poor volume, and very poor sound quality.

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Having gone through several iterations, I have found that the iTrip mini is simply and clearly the superior method (for me) to listen to my iPod mini over my car's radio. In my mind, this is a must have accessory for your iPod Mini.

Let me start with my setup: I have an XM Radio setup and the iPod mini in my VW Jetta. Cup holders are located just above the radio location in the Jetta and both the XM and the iPod sit in their respective Belkin Tunedocks which are seated in the cup holders.

Initially, I used a Belkin Tunecast to broadcast the iPod signal to the radio. It was fairly miserable at accomplishing this task. Actually, it was awful and could not even overcome weak signals from adjacent stations. Plus, the battery life was not very good and the little power cord kept getting disconnected. Enter the cassette solution which I used with a y-adaptor to hook in both my XM SkyFi and iPod. This worked well but I had cords everywhere and it was a bit annoying but the sound quality was a ridiculously big improvement. Then I got the XM MyFi for Christmas which has an internal FM transmitter so I figured I would go completely wireless and picked up the iTrip Mini.

For me, the iTrip has been flawless is the sound quality amazing? No. However, the volume out level is good (don't crank up the iPod volume all the way you don't need to and it overmodulates and distorts the sound if you do) and I don't get static or fading or any problems like that. I have never had to add in the other stations I always keep it on 87.9. I have heard that other stations in the middle of the FM band might provide better quality, but I'm playing this over a Jetta's factory radio so I figure the incremental benefit is probably not there.

I should add, as you may well note, that I am in Dallas and yes we have a crowded FM band there is no frequency that does not have a strong signal on an adjacent frequency yet I have no problems. I think that finding a solid location in your vehicle relative to the radio head unit or the antenna is vital mine is always fairly proximate to the head unit. Moving it some distance say to the passenger seat has a deleterious effect on the quality and interference although it is still quite useable.

I would also note that the transmitter is far superior not only to the Belkin that I previously used, but also to the one in my XM MyFi. With the MyFi, it is not unusual for me to deal with persistent interference that requires me to go channel hopping.

I'd also like to say a word about the form factor it fits perfectly atop the iPod and is, in that regard, highly portable. If you want to listen to or share some tunes in a friend's car or at their house, you need only bring your iPod with the iTrip on top and you are ready to go no additional cords or plugging into outlets, etc. it is the easiest, most elegant solution. Granted, the iTrip uses the iPod's battery for power, so it does have an effect on that regard but the portable nature far exceeds the convenience in any of the power cord/broadcast combos available.

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Looked at a couple of options for using the iPod in the car. Like the fact that there are no extra wires, just pop the iTrip on top of the mini and you're good to go. Very handy for us with two cars; can use our iPods without carting wires/plugs/etc between cars. The iTrip just uses the iPod's battery. Total run time seems about half down to 3 or 4 hours.

Start up is amazingly easy, just unbox and attach to your mini, tune your radio to the default 87.9, and that's it. There's software included that interfaces through iTunes that lets you tune to different frequencies and also turn off the LED (to save power), but we haven't needed it since the default frequency is empty.

Also make sure to keep the volume in the range that Belkin suggests; over 70-80 percent of your iPod's volume and your tunes start to distort; so turn up the volume on your car stereo, not on your iPod. 80% is about the same loudness as typical radio broadcasts, so when you switch between your iPod and other stations, you won't get blasted out.

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I really, really wanted to like this product. I read all the reviews before buying and thought I'd take my chances despite numerous complaints about static and interference in metropolitan areas. But my experience has been just the same.

I downloaded the frequency finder and tried every station recommended for the NYC area. Still, the sound quality was mediocre at best no where NEAR the fidelity of a normal FM station.

Went out yesterday and bought an RCA "Y" adapter and now use that instead.

I have a lot of "windshield time" and one of the main reasons I purchased an iPod was to use for books I download from Audible.com (I was tired of burning 10-20 CD's per book), as well as giving me the capability to download music from iTunes. No, it doesn't sound like my Infinity speakers at home, but (1) I didn't expect it to, and (2) the sound quality is surprisingly very good for the most part with both books and music. There is only one city that I travel to/through where I get a little interference with the FM setting at 87.9, but 90% of the time it is not a problem. The Griffin iTrip Mini does a terrific job for a superb price and I highly recommend it.