Just picked this device up for my mini ipod and I have to say that I was quite impressed with it. It lets you play songs from your mini ipod to any FM stereo through an FM frequency. I'm no longer limited to just listening through the headphones and now take it with me in the car and at work. I recommend this to anyone with a mini ipod. They also have one for the normal sized ipods as well. :RockOn:
[ms] · Est. May 2002
Music madethis place,we just kept itgoing...
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Griffin Itrip for the Mini Ipod
40 durable postsStarted 2004-08-16Latest 2004-08-20
How much of a decrease in quality is there?
[quote=skahound]How much of a decrease in quality is there?[/quote]
Anytime you are modulating a Digital signal to that of an analog radio frequency, there will be a significant loss in quality.
However, because your listening to compressed digital audio any way, in MP3 format, then it won't be quite as noticable. If you have a lot of 128 kbps MP3 files that you listen to, then the difference won't be as noticable as it would be with 192 kbps. With say 320 kbps, there would be a significant difference. It will be very noticable, just like with the CD Changer that uses FM modulation.
[quote=skahound]How much of a decrease in quality is there?[/quote]
I have to agree with Civic that there is some loss of quality, but since most of my songs are from 128 kbs to 192 kbs, the loss is not that significant. The only problem I generally have is some slight static from time to time. People in very large Metropolitan areas like NYC may have more trouble finding a radio station with pure static since most of the FM frequencies are being used. Since I'm here in Baltimore it isn't that hard finding an empty FM frequency.
Re:: Griffin Itrip for the Mini Ipod
I was gonna save on the iTrip 'cos I figured since I was going to use it in the car, I'd try one of them old-skool stereojack-to-cassette adapters.
Except the damn cassette got stuck in my car's deck. It refuses to eject and I can't get any sound out of it!
So looks like an iTrip is the way to go.
:MadNow:
Re:: Griffin Itrip for the Mini Ipod
From the sound of things, I'm lead to believe that the iTrip would be better than the stereojack-to-cassette adapters. I have one of those adapters right now for my CD player and it sucks because all your wires get tangled into a huge ball of mess and the sound the cassette makes is annoying too.
Re:: Griffin Itrip for the Mini Ipod
i just run mine through the aux. port off the back of my deck. but i also use the itrip for other events where there's no ports.
Re:: Griffin Itrip for the Mini Ipod
I've said it once and I'll say it again the ipod rocks. I wish you all could here it plugged into the aux port in my Mini Cooper S, with a harmon kardon sound system.
A big drawback of the itrip is it plugs into the headphone jack. That's a major decrease in sound quality.
A better solution is to get one that comes from the line out using the port on the bottom. I went with the Belkin ipod lighter adaptor combined with the Belkin radio transmitter (you could also use your tape adaptors like this). The huge benefit is you're going directly from lineout.
If I plug my Belkin radio transmitter straight into the headphone jack, the sound quality is vastly degraded compared to plugging into the lineout on the power adaptor.
One drawback is more wires, but hey. I'll take it for better sound.
I got an itrip a couple of months ago, but found out recently that these are illegal in the uk, as you are broadcasting your own pirate radio station
Re:: Griffin Itrip for the Mini Ipod
Which FM transmitter allows you to plug into the line-out?
[quote=chrisarm]I got an itrip a couple of months ago, but found out recently that these are illegal in the uk, as you are broadcasting your own pirate radio station[/quote]
Are you sure they're illegal? The iTrips and other FM trasmitters should be made to broadcast within a limited range so as to [b]not[/b] contravene any such regulations.
i am sure that you can preset the frequency to wherever you want with the software they give you. That's why you do not see them for sale in any outlets pc world etc, and can only get them over the internet
[quote=chrisarm]i am sure that you can preset the frequency to wherever you want with the software they give you. That's why you do not see them for sale in any outlets pc world etc, and can only get them over the internet[/quote]
It's not the frequency that's illegal. It's the range. These tuners only broadcast with a range of about 15-30 feet. I doubt UK would make that illegal. Look into it.
Re:: Griffin Itrip for the Mini Ipod
[quote=feather]Which FM transmitter allows you to plug into the line-out?[/quote]
It's not the FM transmitter, actually. The Belkin iPod lighter adapter hooks into the dock port and has it's own lineout, which you can then plug any fm adaptor or cassette adaptor into.
So I could try plugging the iTrip into the dock as well for it to work (?)
Re:: Griffin Itrip for the Mini Ipod
very cool! how is the quality?
:Bingo:
[quote=feather]So I could try plugging the iTrip into the dock as well for it to work (?)[/quote]
Well, the itrip has those two ports, so I think it would be difficult to plug it into the Belkin device.
There are plenty of FM tuners out there. As long as they can connect to a headphone jack, they'll work on the line out from the Belkin.
As I said above, I did an experiment where I hooked my FM tuner into the headphone jack on the iPod. I listened, then hooked it into the line out on the Belkin power adaptor. The difference instantly was instantly recognizable by anyone, even if you're not a stickler for sound quality. The lineout is far better, which is why I didn't buy the iTrip.
Re:: Griffin Itrip for the Mini Ipod
I probably wouldn't have bought one brand new but I came across a secondhand iTrip and caved in.
Tested it in the car tonight. Started with a frequency which was suppose to be empty, but I was getting a lot of static from it. So I switched to the low end of the band and sound quality stabilised.
Some music I played sounded "tinny" and flat, while others seem to sound fine. So I'm not sure if it's the transmission the iTrip, or the quality of the music, or the encoding of the music file; that produced the discrepencies in sound. Shall trial it somemore.
I don't mean to say the sound quality of the iTrip is as good as a direct connection or even the line-out, just noticing these differences in the different music files I was playing.
It is illegal. I'm sure it is just something to do with the fact you are 'broadcasting' music without a licence. I know the law is such in ameriaca also, but prehaps griffin are exploiting some small print, where as the british laws are probably not as lenient.
I'm sure you wouldnt get arested or even ticked off for it though.
Re:: Griffin Itrip for the Mini Ipod
Well, I guess you're right about UK, but they are most definitely legal in US: [url]http://www.theregister.co.uk/2003/07/31/uk_bans_ipod_radio_addon/[/url]
can't imagine the british police doing anything if they caught me with an itrip in my car. however when following my girlfriend home last night, everytime she stopped at some traffic lights, she was getting interference on her radio when i pulled up
[quote=chrisarm]however when following my girlfriend home last night, everytime she stopped at some traffic lights, she was getting interference on her radio when i pulled up[/quote]
I've noticed the transmission from the iTrip is very susceptible to interference, even thuogh the iTrip and iPod is placed within the car where I presume is within the sphere of its transmission.
if you try changing the frequency, it can be better than the standard 87.9 frequency that is standard
[quote=chrisarm]if you try changing the frequency, it can be better than the standard 87.9 frequency that is standard[/quote]
No doubt, I tried it on 91.9 which, while empty, gave me a lot of static when I tuned in with the car stereo, so I changed it to 88, which sounded stable. Like I said, a lot of trial and error :Smiling:
hmmm would these things be compatible with an iriver?
dont think they are compatable with iriver, as it runs through the head phone socket
I've heard you can run them on an i river.... can anyone confirm this?
Re:: Griffin Itrip for the Mini Ipod
[img]http://www.griffinserver.com/images/products/prod_itrip_a.jpg[/img]
If you looked at the bottom, next to the stereojack, there's a little "controller" thingie which plugs into the iPod's remote jack, so I doubt if the iTrip sits on an iRiver properly. The stereojack should fit on the iRiver's headphone jack, but the other bit would be in the way.
yeh the irivers have the remote control "controller thingy" as well.....but if the jack plugs into the headphone in then it def wont fit as the gap between the controller input and the headphone input on the iriver looks heaps bigger than that of the ipod
Re:: Griffin Itrip for the Mini Ipod
[quote=timkell]Well, I guess you're right about UK, but they are most definitely legal in US: [url]http://www.theregister.co.uk/2003/07/31/uk_bans_ipod_radio_addon/[/url][/quote]
I just read this article and it's hard to beleive that they would ban this device in the UK considering it's weak broadcasting abilities. :Rolling:
[quote=jackssi]I've heard you can run them on an i river.... can anyone confirm this?[/quote]
Get this: [url]http://catalog.belkin.com/IWCatProductPage.process?Merchant_Id=&Section_Id=201526&pcount=&Product_Id=166893[/url]
[quote=timkell] Well, the itrip has those two ports, so I think it would be difficult to plug it into the Belkin device.
There are plenty of FM tuners out there. As long as they can connect to a headphone jack, they'll work on the line out from the Belkin.
As I said above, I did an experiment where I hooked my FM tuner into the headphone jack on the iPod. I listened, then hooked it into the line out on the Belkin power adaptor. The difference instantly was instantly recognizable by anyone, even if you're not a stickler for sound quality. The lineout is far better, which is why I didn't buy the iTrip.[/quote]
Any chance you could post links of the setup you mention. I would love to have the best sound quality possible (without buying a BMW or Mini).
Maybe you could use your iPod with its dock in the car, and connect a Belkin Tunecast to the line-out at the back of the dock, as an alternative to using the headphone jack.
[quote=skahound][quote=timkell] Well, the itrip has those two ports, so I think it would be difficult to plug it into the Belkin device.
There are plenty of FM tuners out there. As long as they can connect to a headphone jack, they'll work on the line out from the Belkin.
As I said above, I did an experiment where I hooked my FM tuner into the headphone jack on the iPod. I listened, then hooked it into the line out on the Belkin power adaptor. The difference instantly was instantly recognizable by anyone, even if you're not a stickler for sound quality. The lineout is far better, which is why I didn't buy the iTrip.[/quote]
Any chance you could post links of the setup you mention. I would love to have the best sound quality possible (without buying a BMW or Mini).[/quote]
[url]http://catalog.belkin.com/IWCatProductPage.process?Merchant_Id=&Section_Id=201526&pcount=&Product_Id=166893[/url] [url]http://catalog.belkin.com/IWCatProductPage.process?Merchant_Id=&Section_Id=201526&pcount=&Product_Id=149006[/url]
They have another power adaptor that will eliminate the need for batteries in the FM tuner. Unfortunately, that one has no line out. Kind of dumb. They should combine all three. Line out, power source for tuner and power source for iPod. Not there yet, so you have to live with these two and AAA batteries to get the best sound quality.
The most annoying thing is when you forget to turn the power off on your tuner, then you come back and the batteries are dead! I still live with it, though, because it sounds so much better.
[quote=timkell]They should combine all three. Line out, power source for tuner and power source for iPod. Not there yet, so you have to live with these two and AAA batteries to get the best sound quality.[/quote]
[url=http://www.griffintechnology.com/products/roadtrip/]They do now![/url]
[quote=feather][quote=timkell]They should combine all three. Line out, power source for tuner and power source for iPod. Not there yet, so you have to live with these two and AAA batteries to get the best sound quality.[/quote]
[url=http://www.griffintechnology.com/products/roadtrip/]They do now![/url][/quote]
This looks like a great alternative to the Belkin adapter since it is compact and lacks all the wiring. Kind of pricey at 80 dollars though.
It's probably one of the better in-car wireless solutions I've seen, due to the line-out and lighter power source.
[quote=maddlingo][quote=feather][quote=timkell]They should combine all three. Line out, power source for tuner and power source for iPod. Not there yet, so you have to live with these two and AAA batteries to get the best sound quality.[/quote]
[url=http://www.griffintechnology.com/products/roadtrip/]They do now![/url][/quote]
This looks like a great alternative to the Belkin adapter since it is compact and lacks all the wiring. Kind of pricey at 80 dollars though.[/quote]
Yeah, this rocks!!! Nice find. It's pretty damn ugly, though, that's for sure. I expect I'll be picking it up anyway, though.
Re:: Griffin Itrip for the Mini Ipod
For you guys with the iTrip or looking to get one here's a hack that increases broadcast ability by 20-30%
[url]http://www.engadget.com/entry/3597373383872462/[/url]