Customer Reviews

Griffin RoadTrip FM Transmitter with SmartScan for iPod

5 star:		(24)
4 star:		(13)
3 star:		(9)
2 star:		(14)
1 star:		(11)

 

 

This is a great and useful product, but must be turned to European mode to reach 87.7 - 87.9 since for some reason Griffin thinks that they are not allowed to use these frequencies (they are).

On the FM transmitter box, push the middle button (Function) and then press and hold the "Mode" button (the right one) for approximately 10 seconds. When you let go you will see a menu for "Us" "Eu" "Ja", select the middle button, "Eu". Let the device sit for a few seconds until it goes back to the main screen, then tune your radio and the transmitter to 87.7 - 87.9! Now you can use the device on the frequencies that will rarely give you interference (I have the best luck in St. Louis with 87.7).

I have been looking for a car charger that will also work for the iPhone 3g that is FM transmitter, Dock/Holder all in one. Read all kinds of reviews on all kinds of sites.. THIS ONE I FINALLY TRIED AND WORKS AWESOME. you will however see the apple nag screen that it is not designed for use with this device but just click ignore and off you go.

Sound quality is very good
Easy to use
Charging is Fast
Has swivle neck so i can put phone in portrait mode

THIS IS THE ONE TO GET IF YOU HAVE iPhone 3G.

I know this type of device is known for having problems. Sometimes it's the product itself and sometimes it's the car you put it in. I have to say I was pleasantly surprised by the Griffin Roadtrip with Smartscan. I bought one for my wife. She uses it in a 2002 Nissan Altima with no complaint. On that basis I figured I would try it in my Dodge Dakota. Again, it works great. We live in the Atlanta area and I drive all over, north and east of the city. I am able to leave it set on one of the channels the device itself chose. 90% of the time I hear no interference. The rest of the time there is occasional hissing and, rarely, there is a big swoosh of noise, but only for a couple seconds. We are very satisfied with this product. We have tried some other brands and have not found one this good.

I had been searching for a long time for a decent FM tuner that works with the iPhone 3G. I've tried numerous different products, but couldn't find one that provided a strong enough signal and managed to charge my iPhone 3G. It looks like this product does the trick. Well, it does the trick if you do the trick.

First, before purchasing this product, make sure that your car stereo can tune to 87.7 or lower. The lower the better. Then, set the device to European mode: hit the "Function" button, then hold "Mode" for 10 seconds. Finally, select EU instead of US as the location. This allows you to set the device to transmit on frequencies like 87.7 which contain no radio stations in the United States. Now, plug your phone in, tune your radio to 87.7 and you should be jamming to tunes in no time. You'll only need to do this once.

One of the nicest features of this transmitter is that it has a semi-rigid arm for holding the iPhone/iPod, allowing you position it so you get optimal reception on your radio. Then it just stays there. Much better than other adapters that sit loose. Also, contrary to what I read before purchasing this, the transmitter does not shut off in EU mode when not in iPod mode. I had no problem listening to Pandora over 3G on a recent 150 mile drive. Although, you'll still get the periodic GSM "chirp/buzz", but that's an artifact of GSM and inherent to most GSM phones when not in airplane mode.

Of course, it's not all rosy with this device. It takes a second to start when the power is applied, so I get a brief moment of static on the radio when I first start my car. Secondly, the volume levels output are much lower than what we get over radio -- on my Mazda 3 we can listen to normal radio at volume level 7, but for the transmitter we need volume level 13 or 14. Finally, the plate that holds the phone/ipod in place blocks part of the home button on the iPhone. Not a huge deal, but kinda annoying. Finally, expect to run into standard FM transmitter problems -- your signal may go wacky in tunnels as a result of other signals bouncing around. In my experience this happens reliably in one major tunnel in Pittsburgh, but not in the other major tunnel.

In any case, I've tried out about seven or eight different FM transmitters and this is the first one that I've been happy with. If you don't want to open up your dash to add in an aux line for your iPhone/iPod, this is a good solution.

I did quite a bit of research before choosing this transmitter. I knew I'd be buying two, one of myself and another for my parents, which added additional requirements such as ease of use and functional reliability. Additionally I wanted something that had a flexible mount coming out of the car power source so you wouldn't be fumbling around trying to control the ipod with one connected with just a wire. The final requirement was that it has an audio line out as well. Finding this Griffin filled all of those requirements, along with the hope that it would actually transmit a good, clear signal.

The two units that I purchased have performed at and above my expectations. Using the scan functionality, finding a good channel to use has been easy and I rarely have to scan for a new one in order to clarify the signal. I live in a fairly rural area so this is expected, but every week or so I have to drive into Boston, and have had no problem whatsoever, in my vehicle or that of friends, getting and keeping a clear signal in a densely populated city.

I am using this unit with a 2nd gen Nano, and the other is used with a 4th gen Nano. They've had no problem staying snugly in place (as the transmitter is packaged with 8 or so adapters for various iPod models that easily seat around the connector) and always successfully charge the unit.

Probably my favorite feature has been when you go to turn off the vehicle, it automatically pauses the ipod so that it's ready to go the next time you get in. Also, there's no worry about the vehicles battery as the unit only charges while the vehicle is on (or in accessory). The only feature I wish the unit had was sending the track information to the radio via RDS, but I guess we can't have everything.

All in all the unit has performed above and beyond my expectations. Now the only question is the long term reliability of the unit as so many different transmitters seem to have a problem with.

I tried EVERY open station we have in our area but all of them have a hissing sound to them. That to me is normal but when I get the RoadTrip on the same station I would expect it to go away. It didn't I would hear it in the quieter parts of the song and between the song breaks. I think if it had more signal strength you would not hear that dead station hiss but it doesn't.
I sold mine and now getting a Pioneer stereo with a IPod hook up and IPod controls built in. It's double the money and the install would be a hassle if you weren't good at it but I will pay for good quality sound.

I previously used a product that utilized a cassette connector placed in the tape deck of the car. Besides the tangle of wires, I did get a bit of distortion or hissing. RoadTrip with SmartScan is far superior. I would recommend the RoadTrip with SmartScan. No wires, has a sleek but sturdy flexible neck, holds your iPod securely, has interchangeable cradles if you have more than one iPod, and is much easier to program than a VCR! My only "gripe" was that the identifiers on the undersides of the cradle adaptors were almost impossible to read. They are molded into the plastic and are black on black.

Bought this 7/09. Very secure in the outlet. Sturdy gooseneck. With my iPhone I can now listen to internet radio on the road via Slacker or Pandora apps. Love it!

But, as noted by Michael Paradis in an earlier review, you must do this:

"On the FM transmitter box, push the middle button (Function) and then press and hold the "Mode" button (the right one) for approximately 10 seconds. When you let go you will see a menu for "Us" "Eu" "Ja", select the middle button, "Eu". Let the device sit for a few seconds until it goes back to the main screen, then tune your radio and the transmitter to 87.7 - 87.9!"

Just tried this tip and it works wonderfully. No more hiss or static while listening.

To get nice and clear sound, switch the device into the European mode and tune it to 87.7. It works fine as long as you listen to your iTunes music. A problem appears when you try to listen Internet radios like Pandora. Some weird European regulation says that you can't transmit continuously while not playing music (iPhone doesn't think it's playing music when it's not in the iPod mode) and the device stops transmitting after approximately 20 seconds. Pain in the butt since it doesn't happen in the US mode.
Anyway RoadTrip is great for your iTunes music, just make sure it's in the EU mode and tune your radio to 87.7. Living in a big city (Houston, TX) I rarely get any interference.
Best transmitter for iPhone on the market for sure (tried a few - returned all). Go for it.

This product has been a disappointment to tell you the truth. I purchased this for my wife so that she could enjoy her IPod on her 27 mile commute in the morning. She used the auto scan feature to capture the best signal to use for the radio station for the fm transmitter and soon discovered that even on a short commute she would soon lose contact with the IPod due to station interference. Reprogramming required that she take her eyes off the road which she understandably was reluctant to do. Conclusion: a good product if you like sitting in your car in the driveway listening to your IPod;; but if you intend to listen while driving more than just a few miles, this is NOT the product you want.