Car FM Transmitters

[AndyP]

There hasn't been a dedicated thread for this, but some discussion on them in various threads.

I don't have an Auxiliary input and I can't get a kit installed in the model of my car because it requires the wiring of the head unit to be adjusted, which is too much of a risk for me.

Do you get what you pay for with these things? What are the best ones?

(Yes MW, I know that you aren't a fan)

[virge666]

Andy - they are shit.

Honest.

Parrot Bluetooth is your answer.

[henno]

They are massively shit; sound quality is crap due to bandwidth issues of the FM band.

[PeteyD]

Total Crud. Supercheap at Capalaba just redid the display yesterday and had a heap of head units at half price.

[AndyP]

Car doesn't have bluetooth.

A new headunit is not an option, as it is an in-dash stereo.

:(

[PeteyD]

bugga

[BrisVegas]

They're shite. Tell you what, for $17k I'll sell you our near new Fiesta Zetec with integrated blue tooth and ipod integration, hands free phone etc. etc.

[senecio]

They're crap!

You can have the one my wife used to use. I'm sure it will end up in the draw like it did at my place. Only upshot is that you won't be out of pocket.

[AndyP]

They may be shit, but at least I'll be able to play all my music through one. A six stacker CD player just doesn't cut it these days.

Hmmmmmmm, pass on the Zetec.

[Eldrick]

what type of car?
i know a few of the boys at work have thrown these into the company cars
not sure if its possible on other makes and models of vehicles
http://cgi.ebay.com.au/Ford-BA-BF-Falcon-Territory-Aux-Cable-MP3-Ipod-/170605687034?pt=AU_Car_Parts_Accessories&hash=item27b8e430fa

can you use the six stacker input for the ipod?
edit nvm saw that its in dash

[virge666]

You dont need bluetooth... Mine is installed in a factory Honda Accord... with the full facia plate all intact and easy to remove later on.

I repeat "Parrot Bluetooth" is da snizzle.

Once more... The SNIZZLE !

[Jarro]

Mr Holden ... if you want to talk to a pro, send me a PM and i'll direct you to a mate of mine who has a very well respected car stereo business at Enogerra.

[AndyP]

It's a 2003 Mazda6.

Virge & Eldrick, that's the sort of solution that probably would require a jumper wire soldered on the stereo circuit board because of the specific car model, unless I've misunderstood.
Like this:
http://www.cushieaudio.com.au/mazda-ipd3.html

[virge666]

Nope

http://www.parrot.com/au/support/installationdiagrams

[markTHEblake]

AP, I bought a el cheapo off ebay for somethng like $20, goes fantastic. You can get them with or without internal memory. the without ones you just stick a SDcard or USB Stick in them.
Sound is perfect and you only get interference if you select the wrong channel.

Just buy one

[AlexMc]

Agreed with the bagging of FM transmitters. They are so bad you'll inevitably avoid listening to your ipod because of it.

Look for an alternative mate.

[Courty]

I didn't look particularly hard before I bought my Belkin Tunebase. It works as advertised, but the sound is well below CD quality. It wasn't until after that I found out I could have spent only a fraction more and got a genuine Mazda iPod adapter (http://www.caradvice.com.au/685/mazda-to-offer-ipod-adapter/). :roll:

This could be your best solution, AndyP.

[MegaWatty]

The Mazda adaptor is shit!

It doesn't allow you to use the iPod controls and only plays songs in playlists which are impossible to select. Worst few hundred bucks I've ever spent.

[Courty]

The Mazda adaptor is shit!

It doesn't allow you to use the iPod controls and only plays songs in playlists which are impossible to select. Worst few hundred bucks I've ever spent.

OK then, guess I'll investigate the Parrot thingy then.

[MegaWatty]

There are FM transmitters that actually sit in between the actual antenna cable and the stereo that work quite well as well after market kits that will actually work in the Mazda.

Do your research at The Car Kit Company but be careful of their prices and contractors. ;)

[AndyP]

Nope

http://www.parrot.com/au/support/installationdiagramsThanks, I'll have a look into it.


AP, I bought a el cheapo off ebay for somethng like $20, goes fantastic. You can get them with or without internal memory. the without ones you just stick a SDcard or USB Stick in them.
Sound is perfect and you only get interference if you select the wrong channel.

Just buy oneI wouldn't say sound is perfect on them, but I'm not as negative as some of the others here.
I have had a cheapo in the past and it did the job, but fell apart. I now have a cheapo that takes SDcard or USB, but it sucks because I can't pick songs.


OK then, guess I'll investigate the Parrot thingy then.
Look at my link in post #13. My car can't have it, but yours probably can. Controlling your iPod from the steering wheel stereo controls would be awesome.

[markTHEblake]

but it sucks because I can't pick songs

songs? can they play songs? I only use mine for podcasts, if I wanted to play songs I'd have to work out how to get my 78's into those little things.

[PeteyD]

Don't you got the 8 Track Blakey?

[goughy]

Looking at one of these see for in my van when I have some money. Like the idea of the mike for calls. I've tried one from ebay but the a2dp didnt work properly. But when I connect the phone by aux cable the sound was fine for me. Had to send back.

http://www.amazon.com/Soundfly-Bluetooth-Transmitter-BlackBerry-supported/dp/B001DDE4VY/ref=zg_bs_13981621_5/178-5236350-9839345

[LarryLong]

I used to have an iRiver one and it was OK. Can't get them anymore though. I remember reading some reviews that said the Kensington ones were OK. I was going to buy one, but then I found out that my new car has an audio line-in jack.

[markTHEblake]

Don't you got the 8 Track Blakey?
they dont have any good music on 8 track

[AndyP]

I used to have an iRiver one and it was OK. Can't get them anymore though. I remember reading some reviews that said the Kensington ones were OK. I was going to buy one, but then I found out that my new car has an audio line-in jack.
I think Kensington was the brand of the one I had. I got it for $10 from Catch Of The Day.

[Courty]

Look at my link in post #13. My car can't have it, but yours probably can. Controlling your iPod from the steering wheel stereo controls would be awesome.

Are you sure it won't work in yours? If you go here (http://www.gromaudio.com/), and select '03 Mazda 6' in 'Browse By Car Make', it lists a few models.

I recently rediscovered this stuff because of the general shitness of my Belkin Tunebase, so I've just installed one this morning. It wasn't very difficult at all, and works like a treat!

[AndyP]

Are you sure it won't work in yours? If you go here (http://www.gromaudio.com/), and select '03 Mazda 6' in 'Browse By Car Make', it lists a few models. Did you read post #13, since you quoted a post that referred to it? I didn't think so.


I recently rediscovered this stuff because of the general shitness of my Belkin Tunebase, so I've just installed one this morning. It wasn't very difficult at all, and works like a treat!Nice one. I'll get one installed into my 323 one of these days. I was waiting for them to come on special; I don't know why though.

[Courty]

Did you read post #13, since you quoted a post that referred to it? I didn't think so.

Yes, I did. What's your point?

[AndyP]

For it to work, it would require soldering on the circuit board, which is too risky.

[Outcast]

I have a Motorola T505 Handsfree kit; has bluetooth (connect to my iphone) & fm transmitter; works just fine in my opinion; sound quality is just fine

[goughy]

Outcast, so that works well? I've tried a cheapie thing that didn't work well and returned it. But I'm after something with an fm transmitter for my music and do calls etc? With this, does it have a speaker built into it, so if you aren't transmitting to the radio at the time you can still hear calls?

[goughy]

Just picked one up outcast. Sounds like it's the device I've been after for a while.

[Outcast]

Goughy,

you'll find if you have it set to transmit to your radio, navigation instructions (if you have tom-tom on your phone), calls, etc.. are routed to your radio; this can be a little annoying when tom-tom decides to tell you something obvious in the middle of a good tune. It does have a speaker in the unit (you probably already know this now since you bought one) but, it would be rude of me not to answer your question.:lol: Oh, and when your not transmitting to the radio, the speaker provides excellent amplification for calls/instructions; you will notice a volume drop when the battery is getting low... I use this as an indicator of when to recharge it.

I get great battery life out of mine and it is on most of the time in the car for hands free at the least. If your able you could rig the incar charger unit permanently but, I am unable to do that in my car as the wire would go across the windscreen.

I recently bought a Tom-tom cradle thinking I might be able to connect to two devices and avoid calls/instructions going to the radio but, you can't. IMHO the position of the Motorola HF on your visor is much better for picking up your voice when you make calls than the tom-tom microphone on the cradle anyway so my cradle really just holds and charges the phone.

As I said, I reckon it works a treat, hope it serves your purpose