Customer Reviews

Griffin iTrip Pocket FM Transmitter for iPod nano 2G

5 star:		(16)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(6)

 

 

The industrial design of the iTrip Pocket is almost as impressive as the iPod Nano itself--which is one of the main reasons I selected it to begin with. It connects snugly to the USB connector on the base of the Nano, and its controls are very intuitive. It even briefly displays its FM station setting whenever you change its station, and upon power-up.

I recommend care when disconnecting it from the Nano. Since the connector is not centered, there is a tendency for the iTrip to pivot at an angle as it is being removed. If it is not disconnected in a straight line, I suspect that the lifetime of both connectors (iTrip, as well as the Nano mate) will be greatly reduced.

The sound quality of the iTrip is, at best, decent FM quality--which is what should be expected from an FM transmitter. The FCC limits the amount of broadcast power of these types of devices so that they do not interfere with radio broadcasts. This means that the FM power of all these transmitters is inherently weak. The iTrip will not give you CD quality sound. To optimize the sound quality, the selection of the radio station is critical. I found it to be absolutely essential that I find three unused FM stations in a row on my radio, and then set the iTrip to the middle station. I found that setting the iTrip to an unused station that is adjacent to a used station yielded very poor results. Note that, since the iTrip does not connect to the headphone/earbud jack of the Nano, it is not affected by the volume control of the Nano; it is only controlled by the volume control of your car's radio. I found that I have to set my radio's volume control significantly higher than normal when I use my iTrip; as mentioned before, even though it is only a few feet from the radio, the iTrip is still a very weak transmitter. As with any FM radio broadcast, there can be intermittent radio noise while driving, and noticeable hiss, particularly when the radio's volume is turned up high which (as mentioned earlier) is necessary when using the iTrip.

The position of the iTrip in your car is significant. One of my cars has the antenna in the rear. In this car, I find that reception is improved if I place the iTrip in the back seat--closer to the antenna.

Note that this product does not charge your Nano, in fact it uses your Nano's battery to operate. I have noticed a significant reduction of the Nano's battery life while using the iTrip. With the iTrip, I can only get about 6-8 hours on a charge; normally, a charge lasts at least 10-12 hours, I think.

Overall, I think this is a very good product. But if you are looking for better sound and your car has a cassette deck, I recommend using a cassette converter (traditionally used to connect a portable CD player through a cassette deck). If you want the best possible sound, the only way to go is to directly connect your Nano to your car's stereo system which, depending on the type of stereo you have, may not be straightforward.

I bought this with pretty low expectations. When I received the product and immediately tried it out in my Ford Focus hatchback (stock sound blaster radio) I was pleasantly surprised. I read the reviews thoroughly before buying, and only a few provided really useful info, so here are some things you should know.

First off, as mentioned in many reviews, this transmitter does not give you CD-quality sound. The quality is pretty good--for what you pay for it. Since you must turn your radio to above normal volume levels to use this product, there is noticeable hiss in the background during silent spots of songs but is not really noticeable with music playing. I found that even though the sound quality is decent, you must change the EQ setting in the iPod to either treble booster or loudness (that is what I prefer, anyways) since there is a lack of treble through the device. I also had to change the bass settings on my Focus' radio, however, when I tried it with my Sony radio that is wired to speakers throughout my house, the sound was much better and did not require any adjustments. I also tried it with the Sony system that is in my boat with the same results.

As far as signal strength goes, the device actually has a fair bit of power. I was able to walk about 20-30 feet from my Focus before I noticed the radio signal beginning to cut out. I live in the Tampa, FL area, so that is VERY good considering that there are so few unused radio stations around here. There is also a fair bit of radio noise going around from all the various commercial and industrial activities. It does occasionally cut out when I'm driving around the city, but overall is stellar. I keep it in one of the cup holders in my Focus and occasionally will put it up on top of the dash if there are ever any problems with signal strength (rarely). My car's antenna is centered on the roof of the car.

I am using this with an iPod Touch 3g 32gb, and it DOES NOT display the frequency or menu interface on the screen. If this is important to you, look elsewhere. However, the product is extremely easy to use even without a display. Navigation is simple. First find three empty radio stations in a row (for signal quality purposes) and then click the +/- buttons to change the frequency until you hear your music playing on the radio. This might take a bit if you cannot see it on the iPod screen, but it does work. Once you find the correct frequency, simply hold one of the three numbered buttons until it beeps to save the frequency as a preset. The device automatically saves the last frequency used even when you remove it from the iPod.

Battery life with this accessory is okay. I haven't used it too much yet, but it definitely takes battery faster than just the iPod alone. It still lasts a good bit though. I'd say about 3/4 the battery life of just the iPod alone.

As mentioned in some other reviews, the connection is pretty tight. You need to be careful when removing it from the iPod since it is not centered. Make sure to grab it on both edges and pull straight out without angling it to prevent any damage to either connector.

The last couple things I should mention are that you should make sure the red LED on the device is lit. This indicates that the connection is secure and that it is broadcasting. If it does not light when you plug it into the iPod, simply unplug and replug it. The other thing you need to know is that it DOES broadcast to international frequencies (less than 88.1MHz), however, you must change it to international mode to go below 87.9MHz. I haven't had the need to do this, so I don't know if it's possible without the use of the iPod display, however, if you don't have an iPod Nano 2g, you could simply borrow one from a friend (it might work on different generations of Nano, but it DOES NOT work on the Touch).

For those unfamiliar with the iTrip concept, this is basically a miniature FM transmitter which enables you to broadcast music from your iPod to the radio in your home or car, controlling the output using the normal controls on the iPod. I previously owned a Griffin iTrip for my iPod Mini and had no hestitation in purchasing this product from the same company for my iPod Nano 2nd generation. It's an excellent complement to the iPod.

Set-up for this iTrip is easier than ever. First, select a blank FM frequency on your radio. Then plug the tiny iTrip into the dock connector on the iPod. A frequency appears on the screen, and can then be scrolled up or down. You can also save three pre-set frequencies. The iTrip draws its power requirement - which is said to be 'minimal' - from the iPod. On this version, you cannot plug the iPod into the charger whilst using the iTrip, but this is a very minor disadvantage. An advantage compared to earlier versions is that you do not have to pre-load frequencies via iTunes - the iTrip does the whole thing itself.

This is a very convenient gadget which saves you from lugging a big collection of CDs around. It also means, I think, that you could have a cheap radio in your car, taking the iPod and iTrip combo away with you and thus reducing the risk of theft.

Sound quality, played through my home hi fi, isn't CD standard, but is approximately equivalent to FM radio reception.

All in all, it's a good product which can be strongly recommended.

This worked fantastic for me! The old itrip for the regular ipod required the installation of software; this doesn't. This was truly plug n' play. The sound is impeccably clear on my radio. Love it.

Shipper was fast and accurate, well packaged, as described and very fast delivery. Product is ok, it does the job, feels kinda cheesy but not bad. It tends to hop into low power mode quite easily and you have to reconnect it to get a volume boost. I'd say this is the biggest minus with it. The Nano battery doesn't last long by itself I've found and this unit of course will drain it much faster. I'd say if you're getting 3 hours out of it you're doing very well. So it's not really any good for a huge road trip but a daily commute or up to about 150 miles it will work for you. Nice being able to play your ipod wirelessly in the car no doubt. It's not a bad product, just not all that great either. Decent enough I guess. Just glad I didn't pay what it was selling for upon its release a few years ago. But for the money now it's not a waste.

Came fast, purchased for 5 bucks as used but came in sealed package and works really well! I know others that have had trouble with radio station clarity but this is crystal clear!

It's easy to use, does what it's supposed to do, fits in my handbag...and it's the best looking of all the similar products. The only drawback I've found is that it can't be plugged in to charge while using the transmitter.

I like the top models better, but bought this one for a friend and they LOVE it. Great sound for the money, and very durable.

This is a great product, for next to nothing. I just needed something to play my ipod while I was driving in my car (my 3yr old likes specific music- lol). It was VERY easy to use. Snap it on to the ipod, and put the radio on the stations suggested and there you have it... all your music. Exactly what I was looking for.... Simple, cheap and gets the job done!

I needed an fm transmitter to also charge my ipod touch 1st generation while it is playing, which this one does not.