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Recently
my brother-in-law bought his very first
Apple iPod Video 30GB MP3 player and along with
it he purchased this Digital Lifestyle TransPod FM transmitter. At
first he wanted to get the
iTrip and he did get it, but after he read the
manual and played around with it that he discovered that the iTrip that he
purchased was not compatible with the new
iPod. So he had no other choice but to go back
to the store and get this instead as they did not have the iTrip that was
compatible with his
iPod. FM transmitters are great for wireless car integration, but at
a cost of sound quality; the best way to integrate your
iPod by
far is to hard wire it.
DESIGN AND CONTROLS :
First of all, let me tell you that it is a little bigger than I would like it to
be, but by brother-in-law seems to have no problem with the size. The unit comes
in three colors (white, silver, and black) and has a backlit (one line) LCD
(Liquid Crystal Display) screen in the middle; this LCD will show you the radio
frequency and charging status. There two arrows on both sides of the LCD that
allows you to scroll through radio stations; there are four preset stations to
choose from. You can also turn the backlight on and off using the arrow buttons.
And as a bonus this cradle will charge you iPod while you are on the road. The
overall design is new to what I am used to as I use the iTrip and also prefer it
over any other. This FM transmitter is has no rough edges and also has a back
support for the iPod.
WHAT IS IT & HOW TO USE IT :
This FM transmitter looks almost like the iPod docking station that has an
adjustable arm. All you need to do to use is to plug it in to the car lighter
adapter, plug in your iPod, and adjust the arm as needed. It is nice to have
this right in front of your shifter for easy controlling. I always like to rest
my hand on the shifter and they play around with my iPod while it is plugged in
to this transmitter.
Note: Do not turn the volume on your iPod higher than seventy percent (70%) as
the sound will just degrade enormously if you set the volume any higher. If you
keep it below seventy, you should have not problem with the sound clarity. You
can always use the volume control on your stereo system to adjust the volume to
your needs.
INSTALLATION :
The installation was simple enough, but you may get overwhelmed by it when you
first open the package as there are about ten separate pieces to put together
for the arm. But you do not have to worry a bit about that as the detailed setup
instructions sheet will guide you step by step with any problems. You may have
to play around with the arm adjustments for best comfort in your vehicle, but
once you have it setup you simple forget about it.
The arm is made of some flimsy plastic that bends when you use the controls on
your iPod, but with a little help from some adhesive Velcro tape I was able to
hold it tight with the cup holder; you have to say goodbye to one of the cup
holders as this cradle will block access to it. We also had an incident where we
were driving on a bumpy road and this thing was swinging pretty well but the
Velcro took care of that without much hassle.
PERSONAL EXPERIENCES :
If you are like us and mostly drive in cities then you will not have any
problems finding a clear radio stations between 87.9 and 107.9. I always have
mine set to 87.9 as it is the clearest station in my area. Another neat feature
I notice on this unit is that it has an auxiliary output plug; to use with
headphones or cassette adapters. This TransPod is has plastic inserts so it is
compatible with any iPod (except for the iPod Shuffle; you can get an additional
unit for that).
I used this transmitter over the weekend and I had no problems with the quality
of the sound once I had it set at 87.9. My brother-in-law uses his iPod with
this transmitter everyday in his car and he just loves it. During the two days I
spent with this unit, I experienced very little or no static. I only had to set
the station once and never again. I chose to use 87.9 because it is one of the
vacant one’s in my area. Vacant station gives you better quality; if you choose
a station that is already in use, the signal will be too weak to override it.
FINAL THOUGHTS :
In the end, I was very impressed with this transmitter and the ease of use once
I had it setup properly. With features like the auxiliary output, built-in
charge indicator, and almost any radio station to choose from, this FM
transmitter provides clear and static free sound. If you are planning to get an
iPod or already have one, then you need this FM transmitter to make your commute
much more relaxed with music you love. All you have to do is set it up once and
just plug in your iPod there after. |
