Griffin Technology SmartDeck Intelligent Cassette Adapter for iPod

by Griffin Technology

Product Details

• Item Weight: 13.4 ounces
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
• ASIN: B00093040Y
• Item model number: 4001-SMDECK
• Average Customer Review: 1.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (49 customer reviews)

Product Description

From the Manufacturer

SmartDeck allows you to control your iPod using the built in controls of your cassette player. Using patent-pending sensing technology, the SmartDeck determines which commands the cassette player sends to the iPod. SmartDeck is more than just a cassette adapter for iPod; it achieves truly seamless integration between iPod and cassette deck. Use the cassette deck's forward and rewind buttons to advance to the next or prior songs in the iPod playlist. Pause and stop buttons do what pause and stop buttons are expected to do. Hit the cassette deck's Eject button or switch from Cassette to Radio, and Griffin's SmartPlay technology automatically pauses the iPod.

SmartDeck Features and Benefits

• Control iPod navigation through the car stereo
• Intelligent level control for optimal input levels
• Features highest-quality tape head for crystal clear quality
• Sets optimal volume on the iPod for best audio quality
• Seamless integration between iPod and car stereo

Clear, high-quailty audio and iPod control together in one brainy cassette adapter. What more could you ask for?

iPod Compatibility
iPod mini, iPod 3G, iPod 4G (Clickwheel)

Product Description

Intelligent Cassette Adapter for iPod

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

32 of 34 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Did not perform as advertised, October 27, 2005

By 

W. Sklar (Henderson, Nevada USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Griffin Technology SmartDeck Intelligent Cassette Adapter for iPod (Electronics)

I'll make this short...

1) Noisy
2) Doesn't skip songs as advertised
3) Major disappointment
4) Returned

21 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars yet another warning to potential buyers, December 7, 2005

By 

Kevin Goldsmith (Seattle, WA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Griffin Technology SmartDeck Intelligent Cassette Adapter for iPod (Electronics)

While adding another "do not, do not, do not buy this thing" is redundant, it should be immediately clear to anyone thinking this device works as advertised that it obviously does not. I purchased this and returned it within two hours after trying it for my commute. While it was attached to my iPod, the backlight stayed on which at first I thought was a weird feature, but then it it would go off for couple seconds and jump right back on. Occaisionally tracks would skip for no apparent reason. Using FF and Rev on my car's cassette deck worked exactly once.

This is a great idea for the iPod, I only wished that Griffin hadn't rushed it out without really testing it.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Smartdeck disappointing, October 18, 2005

By 

Joshua Lindsay - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Griffin Technology SmartDeck Intelligent Cassette Adapter for iPod (Electronics)

I loved the idea of it when they announced it late last year, and waited somewhat impatiently for it. FM transmitters don't cut it where I live in the SF Bay area, since there are just too many radio stations. I liked the idea of being able to leave my iPod out of sight and inside my lockable glovebox. I typically use it in shuffle mode, and just skip to the next song if something comes on that I don't like, so that mode would work well with the Smartdeck.
Unfortunately, Griffin didn't execute well on the concept. I tried it in my car and a buddy's car, and had the same experience in both. The problems we found were:
1) When I hit play, it doesn't turn on the iPod. We tried every way we could to trick it into doing that, and it just wouldn't.
2) It doesn't pause the iPod when I hit pause
3) It doesn't either turn the iPod off nor even pause it when I turn the stereo (or the car) off.
4) When I hit fast forward, it seems to behave randomly, independent of the switch position (there's a switch that is supposed to tell the Smartdeck how to interpret FF between skip to the next song vs scan ahead within a song), most often not doing anything, but occasionally jumping to the next song.
5) When I was able to get it to jump to the next song, it delayed long enough to miss the first second or two of the song. That behavior happened when I hit rewind as well.