Customer Reviews

Griffin NA22041 iTrip Auto Pilot FM Transmitter with App Integration for iPod and iPhone

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(25)
3 star:		(8)
2 star:		(11)
1 star:		(30)

 

 

This review refers to the 4046-TRPAUTOC model # just released the end of May 2008. This particular model does, in fact, support the iPhone.

OK, let's start out with the good news. Finally there is an FM transmitter on the market that supports the iPhone without triggering the Airplane Mode prompt. It uses the dock connector and will output audio from the unit even with videos. This gets it an extra star.

That's it. That's the good news. Everything else about it is garbage.

Frequency range - This unit will not tune to any stations below 88.1. This leaves out prime territory on most American vehicles' radios below this point were no real U.S. radio stations broadcast.

SmartScan - Supposedly this will scan the radio signals in your area and find the 3 frequencies with the least interference from terrestrial radio. Put simply, it doesn't work. The device will find a new set of 3 stations every time I run the scan mode, sitting in the same place geographically. Nine out of ten times the supposedly radio-free frequencies it finds are actually full-blown radio stations, and they're pretty strong ones. It has yet to find a frequency that is weak enough for the built-in FM transmitter to overpower. This despite the fact that there are a few genuinely free frequencies in this area.

SmartSound - Supposed to improve sound quality. Seems to turn the volume up a hair (kind of like the old "loudness" setting on some CD players of a decade or two ago). Yay! Louder static!

Radio Data System (RDS) - Supposed to broadcast the track and artist name along side the music to radios equipped with such capabilities. Doesn't work. Generally sends gibberish even when the audio signal can get through.

FM Transmitter - The weakest part of the whole package. If this part worked, the rest would be forgivable. It doesn't. It can't even overpower dead/empty frequencies consistently. This is the weakest iPod-style FM transmitter I have ever used. This is unacceptable, and I'm not even sure how this got out of the development lab. You'd figure it should be able to do what it was designed to do, but I guess not.

Bear in mind, I live in a city of less than 100k and there aren't that many powerful stations in this area. I was hoping to be able to retire my old iPod and use my iPhone exclusively. Unfortunately, this unit is not capable of performing as advertised. This is the third piece of Griffin Technology that has failed. I will never invest in their brand again.

Update 6/15/08:

I've tried this unit a few more times after seeing several "B" level reviews, and after discovering an "Easter Egg" hidden feature of the transmitter. Though I wouldn't say this makes me want to give it any more stars (I'm sticking with 1/5), it may make some difference to someone. More importantly, it may help those of us who were foolish enough to purchase this unit.

You can make this unit tune to 87.9 FM to broadcast. This is a "hidden" feature (a.k.a. Easter Egg) of the device. If you go into the settings menu under "Mode" you have the option to do Stereo/Mono on the right and to enable/disable "SmartSound" on the left. In the middle there is simply the logo for "Griffin" displayed on the screen. Normally it's at the bottom of the screen (bottom center). If you press and hold the center button under it for about 10 seconds, it will jump to the top-center position. This will open the transmitter up to transmit on frequencies less than 88.1 FM.

Why is this important? Legally, radio stations in the U.S. are restricted from broadcasting lower than 88.1 or so (there are exceptions), so it's almost always a fairly open frequency anywhere you go in the U.S. (not necessarily true in other countries). Most car radios can tune that low as well (for use in other countries).

I found that using that trick, the unit seems to be in a stronger broadcast mode. I'm not sure if it is a power boost or if it's just due to less interference from terrestrial radio. Either way, it's a huge improvement over the out-of-the-box settings but still barely average for an FM transmitter in my early testing so far. The AutoScan still doesn't work (in a semi-rural area with only a few moderately strong radio signals). The RDS doesn't work consistently. Still a huge disappointment vs. my Kensington.

I will start this review by saying that it is a MUST that you use this unit on the 87.9 frequency. By default, the lowest the unit will go is 88.1, but I will describe how to toggle ON the lower frequencies so that you have access to 87.9 later in this review.

I use this unit with my iPhone 3g and have no issues with airplane mode or charging. Everything works as intended with no unexpected issues as far as compatibility with the iPhone 3G goes.

[Controls / Interface]
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The controls and interface of this device are very clear and clean. There are 3 buttons on front of the cigarette lighter connector (Next Track, Previous Track, Pause/Play). The FM transmitter portion has three buttons on it also that adjust the frequency and give you menu options to toggle on and off. The display numbers are very clear to see, even during the day and the buttons are easy to press without any issues. The iPod/iPhone connector is pretty self explanatory and sturdy.

My only issue with the controls is the ones on the cigarette lighter jack. The buttons are pressable on the entire front surface of the connecter, which means that plugging the connector in causes you to change a track or pause/play if you connected the iPod/iPhone before powering up the unit. If you are like me and listen to music on the way to the car and want to easily transition, you may want to consider powering up first, then connecting the iPod/iPhone.

[Sound Quality / Signal Strength]
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The signal strength of this device can only be described as lackluster when using any of the preset stations. This device is practically unusable on any frequency OTHER than 87.9 and by default, you can not set the device to anything lower than 88.1 (See instructions below on how to toggle on stations below 88.1).

However, when connected to 87.9, the signal is very clear and there is no obviously audible static or noise. Having said that, you will NOT get crystal clear sound out of this device, even at its best performance. High pitches tones sound slightly garbled and not as sharp as they should sound. The very low basses sound slightly muddy.

Overall the sound quality is clearer than normal radio stations, but not quite as clear as playing a CD in the deck.

[Charging / Other Functions]
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The device doesn't have very many functions, but if there is something that does stand out, it is the charging.

Charging works very well and I find that my device charges extremely fast. The device has 3 light levels and the cigarette lighter connector will glow red when the battery is charging but low and green when the device is fully charged. It charges my iPhone 3G quickly, but does make it a little tiny bit hot if left on during a long trip (30+ minutes). I feel this is not too much of an issue though.

The preset station and smart scan functionality are lackluster and will often times find stations are are .2 higher than a station that has a very strong broadcast signal. This means that on these stations, you will hear the stronger signal and get nothing from the iPhone/iPod. The presets reset every time you do a scan and the results it gives back are typically very unreliable. Even when they do work, the signals are very static-y and will go out if you drive under a bridge or are ordering drive through at a fast good restaurant.

I will repeat once again:

ONLY USE THIS DEVICE ON 87.9 (Every other station is worthless)

It is the only station that truly does this device any justice and it is the only station that kept me from giving this product a 2 star and returning it.

***** [How To Access 87.9] *****
[UPDATE: Please read the comments of this review for how to do this same thing with the new versions of this device. It works the same but the FUNCTION button has apparently moved.]
On the FM transmitter box, push the middle button (Function) and then press it a second time when it says "Mode." You will see a Griffin logo in the bottom center of that screen. Press and hold the middle button for approximately 10 seconds. You will know that you have toggled 87.9 ON when the Griffin logo moves from the bottom center to the top center. Let the device sit for a few seconds until it goes back to the main screen, then tune your radio and the transmitter to 87.9! Finally, enjoy the best signal you will get from this device!
*****************************

[Final Thoughts]
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I gave this device 4 stars because I found that it consistently works very very well on the 87.9 frequency. With this knowledge, I don't have to use the lackluster preset or smart scan functionalities. Using 87.9 gives great sound and a good signal.

The charges does its job very well and the controls on the cigarette lighter connector work well. The lights that glow according to the battery charge level are a nice touch and the device itself is stylish.

4 / 5 Stars

I ordered the new iTrip and was hoping to use it in my SUV (a 2007 Chrysler Aspen). You download a free app to your iPhone, let it search for an empty piece of FM bandwidth and you're ready to go. The device is beautiful and very well designed. Unfortunately, with recent regulatory changes by the FCC, the allowed amount of signal strength just isn't enough to get a decent signal. Maybe my car has a lot of metal shielding in it, but I held the cable as close as I could to the external antenna, but it just wasn't usable. I ended up returning it. I don't consider this Griffin's fault but rather the FCC for implementing too strict regulations.

I had to get a new fm transmitter after i found out my trusty(and powerful) kensington fm transmitter would not charge my new iphone 3g. it had worked with my 1st gen iphone so i was a bit unhappy about it. After researching on the web for a few days i narrowed it down to the belkin tunescan for iphone and the griffin itrip autopilot. i chose the itrip because it had a better review on ilounge.com and im happy with the choice. im not sure where the other reviewers live but if you live in any big city you will have issues getting a good station with ANY fm transmitter. i live in the suburbs and the itrip scans and picks up a station quickly and it sounds as good as my old kensington. i also love the buttons and the light on the charger, it makes going through music easier and a lot safer then trying to press the iphone's screen.

so if you're looking for a iphone 3g fm transmitter that will charge, not bring up the annoying airplane pop up, and you don't live in or near any major cities, this is the one for you. If you live in or near a major city i recommend looking for an alternative method to connect your ipod/iphone to your stereo.

Unit works very well when used in rural areas where there are few radio stations, but in the Seattle area it's completely unusable unless you enjoy listening to songs overpowered by static until an actual radio station cuts in and drowns out your iPod music all together. I keep this around only for trips across state where the FM band is not clogged as it is in the city.

I bought this unit to replace a Kensington model which I had been moderately happy with for several years. The Kensington model was great for the iPod, but picked up the GSM interference from the iPhone which limited its usefulness once I switched over. I have a 2006 Pontiac Vibe with the CD changer radio, so there was no real option for a direct connection (without hacking the radio and splicing wires).

The verdict is good, but not perfect for this unit.

Advantages:
1. Output is louder and clearer than the Kensington product
2. RDS text works reasonably well, though milage varies considerably by radio
3. No GSM interference at all
4. No "Airport Mode" message when connecting to the iPhone
5. Plug contains play/pause, forward, and backward buttons for easy access
6. SmartScan works well. I live around NYC (Shelton, CT) and so almost every channel on my radio is taken up with something (or sometimes multiple overlapping transmissions) but it managed to find two previously undiscovered stations which were empty enough for the iTrip to work flawlessly.

Disadvantages:
1. Transmitter is not as strong as the Kensington. When I manually tuned to the station I always used with the Kensington, a local radio station interfered strongly with the transmission. This same station was never an issue for the older unit. Again, after I did SmartScan, the new station it found had no similar issue.
2. Tuning while on the road is not easy. I drive 40 miles to and from work each day, so I go thru different radio bands from NYC, Bridgeport, and Hartford. The Kensington had the tuner on the plug, so I could easily change stations if I came into a new region. The iTrip has it on the cord and it can be hard to get to and switch.

Overall, I had a MUCH better experience than the other reviewer on this unit. It is still early in my experience with the unit, but I am pleased so far. I wish the transmitter was stronger, but I know recent court rulings make it harder to build a really strong RF transmitter for fear of interfering with other nearby vehicles.

Griffin iTrip easter egg: Setting it to a useable frequency. If you purchased a newer model, holding the middle button does not work as previous people have written.. The only way to get a channel lower than 88.1 is to:
1. Press middle function button.
2. Press right mode button and hold for 10 sec.
3. While still holding right button press and hold preset middle button and release middle button and the right button at the same time. It may take several tries.
4. You may then choose US or EU or JP.
Choose JP to tune to 87.6 and enjoy.

I just received my Griffin iTrip Autopilot w/Smartscan and I know there are a lot of reviews besides mine to get the same information. I generally do not write reviews, but this product is so lame from a company that has in the past produced such great products that I am shocked. I set it up, even pushed it into international mode to broadcast lower on the dial, and it is awful. The unit has no power to even take over a band that has little or no interference. Its going back to Amazon tomorrow. By the way, I took the chance that it was better than some people here said because I loved the idea of the operating controls on the power plug. My cheap iRiver FM transmitter blows this away with a very strong signal, and I live in LA.

After I bought this transmitter, I was one day from taking it back. I was totally frustrated at the lack of reception. I couldn't believe anyone would try and sell this. But then I read a review here, and found there is a "trick" that IS NOT in the manual, I assume for legal reasons. But you can change the frequency settings to Japan and Europe, which then allows you to use the frequency of 87.9. I can get my radio down to 87.5. If at all possible, I recommend you do this. During long travels, I found a few stations broadcasting on 88.1, which would override 87.9. So the lower the frequency, the better. After doing this, the reception was MUCH BETTER. Only a very slight hiss in the background. If the hiss bothers you, you can change the settings from stereo to mono and have no hiss at all. I drove from Michigan to South Carolina with no interference. If it were not for learning of being able to lower the frequency, I would have given it one star, and that's only because you can't go lower...but after I learned of how to do it, I give this transmitter a solid 4 stars. It loses 1 star because of the "smart scan" feature which is totally useless. But since I will only have to use 87.5 anyway, it really doesn't matter. Here is a part of the review I read that was SO helpful by Roberto:

On the FM transmitter box, push the middle button (Function) and then press it a second time when it says "Mode." You will see a Griffin logo in the bottom center of that screen. Press and hold the middle button for approximately 10 seconds. You will know that you have toggled 87.9 ON when the Griffin logo moves from the bottom center to the top center. Let the device sit for a few seconds until it goes back to the main screen, then tune your radio and the transmitter to 87.9! Finally, enjoy the best signal you will get from this device!
- Roberto A. Villarreal

This iPod FM transmitter does not work as well as some others. I have found that the DLO transdock micro has better reception and is easier to use. When using this Griffin FM transmitter, I found a considerable amount of static no matter which station I selected. There are definitely better competitors out there.