Welcome to the MacNN Forums.

mdc · Sep 6, 2005, 09:36 AM

griffin has the new itrip lcd on their site now. it's going for $39.99, has an lcd screen on it, and according to them some new technology for better reception.

has anyone used one and compared it to the regular itrip?

i am looking to buy an itrip to replace my tape adapter since i really hate the wires.

http://griffintechnology.com/product...plcd/index.php

Eriamjh · Sep 7, 2005, 06:14 AM

I have a standard iTrip2 and the quality sucks. Stick with the cassette. The audio is much clearer and has more high-end.

TailsToo · Sep 7, 2005, 09:30 PM

I only use an iTrip since I have no cassette on my car - FM Transmitters all have problems

SSharon · Sep 8, 2005, 12:29 AM

I have no tape deck and my itrip mini works amazingly well. I drove from chicago to jersey without ever changing stations and with only 30 seconds of interference while passing a truck (who I tihnk had an ipod on the same station).

Eriamjh · Sep 8, 2005, 06:09 AM

iLounge.com did a review of the new iTrip. Seems the quality is better than the old iTrip. I'll believe it when I hear it, but surf over and check it out.

Mastrap · Sep 8, 2005, 06:23 AM

Originally Posted by Eriamjh

I have a standard iTrip2 and the quality sucks. Stick with the cassette. The audio is much clearer and has more high-end.

I couldn't disagree more. I use my iTrip not just in the car but also around the house and the quality I am getting is good.

beverson · Sep 8, 2005, 08:59 PM

I always prefer a cassette adapter to FM transmitters (I've had two of the latter, including one iTrip). The old iTrips were definitely the best of the FM transmitters, and worked in a pinch or if you don't have a tape deck. Even if the quality is no better, the new iTrips appear to overcome all of the other shortcomings of the old model. I'd be interested to compare the sound quality of old and new iTrips, though I'm skeptical that the new ones would sound as good as a cassette adapter.

A direct line in, of course, is usually even better — that's what I have now, and it's fantastic.

AC Rempt · Sep 8, 2005, 10:22 PM

I have found if I lay my iTrip and iPod right on top of my home stereo, it sounds great, and I live under the crowded airways of San Diego.

PurpleGiant · Sep 9, 2005, 04:12 AM

This is ideal timing. My old iTrip stopped functioning just last week and I had been meaning to buy a new one (mine works fantastically...so much so that I don't use the line-in on my car stereo). Looks like I'll get an iTrip LCD.

I never did like having to make the station changing controls sit in my iTunes Library.

porieux · 06:32 AM

...

porieux · 06:32 AM

...

cptsilver · Sep 20, 2005, 08:59 PM

I read the playlist mag review among other ones out there saying this one being a big improvement over the last iTrips (not a huge achievement by any means), so I bit the bullet and ordered one.

Got it yesterday, and I'm going to return it as soon as I get around doing it.

It's pretty much the same kind of quality (or lack thereof), I even tried the suggestion of switching to INTL and using 87.5 (a freq. out of range in US, but my headunit supports it). I don't get interference from other channels, but there's A LOT of static, sound quality is terrible. Turning on DX mode (as claimed to be a much stronger signal) is pretty much the same thing. Just to be fair, my headunit gets great reception from local FM stations. As I was testing last night, I tried playing the same song on my iPod as one of the stations, trying to gauge how poor it sounds, and I'd say the sound quality is somewhere between AM and FM. I then tried it on my other car, same thing, buzzing/static noise all over the place.

I'm really sorry I spent money on this piece of crap, and I'm returning it!!

wilsonng · Sep 20, 2005, 09:29 PM

I think the Newer Technology Roadtrip! transmitter + charger got a higher rating than the iTrip. It only works in the car 'cuz it uses the car's cigarette lighter as its power source. But I think DLO has something in production that will allow you to connect one of these cigarette lighter connectors to an AC adapter.

The Kensington FM Digital Transmitter supposedly is even stronger than the Newer Technology RoadTrip! transmitter + charger.

Both the Kensington and Newer Technology transmitters get the audio via line out from the dock connector so this would be a better solution for the nano which doesn't have that voltage connector near the headphone. The nice thing about these 2 transmitters is that they also charge your iPod as well as broadcast to the FM station. www.iLounge.com gave both of these transmitters their recommended buy.

i have the RoadTrip! transmitter + charger and am loving it! Of course, nothing will ever beat a direct line in through the auxilary port of the car stereo.

doug81 · Sep 26, 2005, 11:56 AM

hey guys

I got my itrip LCD today from a UK Store!!!(Amazing as we always seem to be last with everything) was so surprised as the pre order date was for in two weeks time they must have got it early.

Ive tested it and its much better than the normal itrip (Which I thought was rubbish) Its about the same quality as an Xtrememac Airplay (Which I got after the first itrip and think is excellent) The best thing is the itrip lcd looks much better with the crome wheel much better than the airplay.

I got mine from

www.easyipod.co.uk

My mate just ordered one as well and they still have them in stock. Saves you buying from ebay which I was gonna do but always get import tax from America been unlucky I think

DaVig · Oct 1, 2005, 11:34 AM

Originally Posted by mdc

has anyone used one and compared it to the regular itrip?

Sounds like mixed reviews here.

Haven't used the regular one, but my friend has the reg one and it seemed to sound OK. So of course I just had to go and get the new one so I wouldn't have to deal with playlists to change the freq.

I was extremely disappointed in the iTrip-LCD unit. Lousy sound quality. The strangest thing was that it would seem to pick up external vibrations (tapping on the unit, vibrations from sliding across the car seat, etc.) and transmit them to the radio. It sounded almost as if the transmitter was a microphone. That was more bothersome than the static... I would here every little bump through the radio!

Sent it back. They tried sending another unit even though I said I wanted a refund. I asked them to stop the shipment of the new unit but they never did. Lucky I was able to catch FedEx at the door and refuse the shipment.

Then they only refunded the actual cost of the unit, not the original $10 shipping - pretty standard I guess, but a little annoying considering I had to pay outta pocket to ship the bad unit back to them.

Maybe mine was just a fluke defective unit. Try to test one out in a store before shelling out $$.

Anyway, got a transmitter from Belkin that works great so far... is able to blast over normal stations broadcasting on 88.1

Cheers.

disgruntled goat · Oct 1, 2005, 03:24 PM

I had bought an iTrip when i bought my 3rd gen iPod when they first came out and that iTrip was absolutely horrible. The quality was subpar to even normal FM radio. My father bought one with his 4th gen iPod and it works better than mine, but still was pretty bad. FM transmitters should only be used as a last resort if no other options are available, IMO.