Customer Reviews

Griffin iTrip LCD FM Transmitter for iPod nano 1G (Black)

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(19)
3 star:		(22)
2 star:		(8)
1 star:		(26)

 

 

I've tried a few FM transmitters for my various iPods, from Griffin and other manufacturers, and this one sounds as good as any I've used, which is to say not all that terrific - it's OK for non-critical listening in the car, but if you want consistent, crystal-clear, high quality sound without crackling and hiss you'll have to go for some sort of direct-wired approach.

Setting aside the limits of the technology itself, I'd give Griffin's approach four stars - this is a nice little gadget, and very easy to use. It's beautifully designed; the sled arrangement allows it to "bond" with the Nano very nicely - it looks like one integrated unit (though I wish Griffin had offered it in white as well as black). The iTrip hijacks the Nano's screen, which makes for easy tuning and adjustment of preferences (stereo/mono, etc). I haven't noticed a problem yet with the "micro-suction" pad that holds the Nano to the transmitter, but keeping the pad clean is probably a necessity.

Speaking of which, the iTrip comes with a nice little grey cloth pouch that holds the Nano and transmitter snugly - the inside of the pouch is soft, but it also sheds a lot of very fine dust onto the unit for a few days, which probably doesn't help the pad's sticking power.

One caveat - you can't use this transmitter with a Nano case (which may explain why Griffin included a pouch). I've got the clear plastic "Invisibleshield" on my Nano, so it's not a problem for me.

It strikes me as a little overpriced, but it's certainly the best available solution for people who want to listen to their Nano in the car but can't hardwire a connection.

I just wanted to say that I really like this product. I read the other reviews and some of the whining. First and foremost, this is an FM transmitter. Expect static every once in awhile. If you want clear reception all the time go and spend the extra money for and iPod adapter. Otherwise, be glad that you can finally leave your CD wallet at home and be able to listen to all your music. On my last trip my fully charged nano lasted almost 3 hours. I would recommend a phone charger (Razr). All in all it was a good purchase. Do not expect crystal clear reception 100% of the time. The little pouch does leave little "fuzzies" on the iTrip but if you are not a lazy slob you can clean it in less than 5 seconds. For those considering this purchase: it is a good buy. 1)Remember that it is an FM transmitter-it won't be clear all the time. 2) it is cheaper than purchasing an iPod adapter. 3) When you get out of your car you can take your iTrip and nano with you. 4) I recommend a Motorala Razr car charger (for when the nano is low). ****5) This is inexpensive and convenient.

This thing definitely isn't perfect, but it works. A couple of operational notes: you can't see the transmitter antenna, but if you have your hand over it when you hold it, the transmission goes really bad. The control is not entirely intuitive, mainly because it has only one button that does control. However, set up is as easy as hooking your iPod into; no additional software. A couple of complaints: the radio stops when you are go into the menu of this transmitter; the suction strip is useless (which means having the integrated unit stand upright is a definite challenge). The transmission stopped a couple of times with no reason, and the menu on the iPod was scrolling by itself. Very strange!

One nice feature: you can save 3 station presets.

You have to remember: it's a little device, stealing power from iPod battery, and trying to transmit a radio signal in a quite crowded frequency band. When you keep this in mind, you would not be too much surprised that...
* In some areas you can hardly find a frequency with no interference (try NY).
* iPod Nano volume has to be at least 50%, more like 70%, and your radio volume has to be close to max (so when you accidentally change the frequency to the nearest music station you go deaf for a couple of seconds)
* You can't use it for 5 hours straight - iPod Nano is small, so is its battery.

I never used other transmitters, so I don't really know how good this one is in comparison. Bottom line - do NOT expect the music coming out of your radio to be as good as out of a decent headphones, or even wired speakers.

The transmitter has a mini-USB jack, so I have found a way to charge the iPod while listening... but the moment I connect the wire I typically hear irritating hissing. But not always. But often. I can also connect iPod to the computer through this miniUSB and transfer files/music.

The good thing is how the transmitter is designed. It's small and cute, and it sits behind Nano (and a little bit at the bottom). I put a piece of velcro on its back, so the whole thing is not bouncing all over the car when I make a corner but sits in a convenient location on the dashboard.

I have had my transmitter for about a month.I really like it. It works well but if you are going to use it for extended periods you have to have the charger plugged in while you use it because the battery life was not that great. Other than that I love it.

The itrip nano is a great idea, and works excellently if you put forth the time into figuring out the best settings and clearest frequency to operate with. The part that I like best is that I can use it in other countries with the international settings option. After about 10 to 15 minutes of playing around with the settings, I haven't had a problem since.

i bought this product despite some reviews that complained about the static because i used the itrip specifically for the mini and it was dependable. even though i was disappointed that the itrip doesn't charge the ipod, i was ok with it because the nano has great battery life and the itrip does not really use up any more than how much the ipod battery life stands. the key to this product is using a channel that is clearly clear of any radio station. the default was 107.9 which was horrible and staticy but when i used 87.9 (this is san jose area) it worked really well. the other thing about this itrip is if its near any metal then it interrupts the reception. other than that, i put it in the pocket of the door and it works fine. if you have a MOTOROLA RAZR car charger, then you can charge it through the firewall at the bottom of the itrip and it becomes a charger/FM transmitter. this is VERY convenient and it bodes well with the sleek design since most car charger/fm transmitters are bulky and not flexible. you're not going to find an fm transmitter that is any more clear, they are all the same dependency. i got this one because it was on sale for 9.97 at Radio Shack.

amazing product. easy to use and sounds great. too bad i can get these results everywhere EXCEPT in my car which is where i bought this item for!
Obviously the problem is my car stereo, but its the principle.
otherwise this is a great product with no real drawbacks other than it seems to really drain the nano's battery power fast. another no-no for a product whos main features are for use in car without external power.
2/5 stars.

All in all, this is a good product. The display is easy to read, the controls are intuitive, and the fact that it connects to the Nano in such a sleek way is the iTrip's biggest asset. However, it eats the battery pretty quickly. Also, as with all FM transmitters, the quality isn't that fantastic.

I have both Gen 1 and Gen 2 Nanos. I bought this for the Gen 2, only to find out that it will not connect. Apple reoriented the plug and the phone jack that it will not connect to this particular iTrip.

I still can use it for my Gen 1 Nano.

It works fine and the design compliments the Nano quite nicely. It gives good reception provided you set it to an unused radio station. It also has a USB jack so that you can charge your Nano while in use in the car. Overall a good buy.

Amazon: Please indicate that this will not work on Generation 2 Nanos.