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slider · Jul 20, 2002, 01:31 PM

I want to be able to listen to my iPod, when I get it, through my car radio. I saw the iRock at the online Apple store but remember that DrBott has an FM tuner adaptor kit with car charger. Does anyone have experiences with either of these products, or even better with both? I would need to purchase a power adaptor in addition to the iRock, plus the DrBott kit has a few extras. So I guess the real question is, is there a reason to get the iRock as opposed to the DrBott model, quality, reliability, functionality?

DigitalEl · Jul 20, 2002, 04:11 PM

My experience with the iRock has been poor. For me, it only works if positioned a certain way in the car... And in a moving car, it's tough to do that. I ended up using an old-school tape-deck adapter. Less elegant, but it works 100% of the time. Not to mention cheaper!

slider · Jul 20, 2002, 06:02 PM

Yeah, but I don't have a tape deck, thanks anyways.

mrwalker · Jul 20, 2002, 06:23 PM

Why don't car stereos have a line-in socket?

How about you get one of those fancy in car power amps & plug it directly into that?

slider · Jul 20, 2002, 06:30 PM

Fifty bucks plus the iPod is about it for me. Wouldn't even know were to begin with an amp. It would be great though if someone made an adaptor that was wired into you cars system and all you would need to do is slide the iPod into a cradle mounted in you car somehow.

alauzon · Jul 23, 2002, 10:03 AM

Hi Slider. I got the iRock last thursday at the Salem,NH Apple Store. The 2 Apple employees there told me that they both used it and that it worked great. So I bought it. I have a Sahara Jeep TJ 2002 that came with a CD player. So the iRock was the only way for me to go. It works fine for me. I don't need superior sound on the road, as the Jeep is really noisy. For the iRock to work fine you have to somehow install it so it's position in front of the car radio at all times. I bought a longer cable (6 feet) to hook between the iRock and the iPod. The iRock is always in front of the car radio, (hanging from the dash board!!!), and the iPod is by my side. it's not really pretty but it does the job. The sound is better then I expected. For the batteries, the iRock uses 2 AAA and they last about 10-12 hours. Hope this help......

slider · Jul 23, 2002, 10:37 AM

Thanks, not too crazy about the battery life, good thinking about extending the cable, sometimes the extremely obvious ain't so. Haven't been to the Salem store yet, did make to the Northshore opening though. Maybe I'll make the run up there once my iPod gets here. Thanks again.

Jeffrey P. Kempster · Jul 23, 2002, 04:48 PM

Did you guys see the announcement of the iTrip device made by Griffen. Macminute had a article about it last week...

<a href="http://www.macminute.com/lib/020717itrip.shtml" target="_blank">http://www.macminute.com/lib/020717itrip.shtml</a>

No Batteries!!! I just hope it works better than other FM transmitters. I also hope you can charge the unit while the iTrip is instlled.

slider · Jul 23, 2002, 05:01 PM

<blockquote>quote:<hr />Originally posted by Jeffrey P. Kempster:
Did you guys see the announcement of the iTrip device made by Griffen. Macminute had a article about it last week...

<a href="http://www.macminute.com/lib/020717itrip.shtml" target="_blank">http://www.macminute.com/lib/020717itrip.shtml</a>

No Batteries!!! I just hope it works better than other FM transmitters. I also hope you can charge the unit while the iTrip is instlled.<hr /></blockquote>Well that does it for me, I hope I can charge the iPod at the same time.

ed phelan · Jul 24, 2002, 02:04 PM

<blockquote>quote:<hr />Originally posted by alauzon:
Hi Slider. I got the iRock last thursday at the Salem,NH Apple Store. The 2 Apple employees there told me that they both used it and that it worked great. So I bought it. I have a Sahara Jeep TJ 2002 that came with a CD player. So the iRock was the only way for me to go. It works fine for me. I don't need superior sound on the road, as the Jeep is really noisy. For the iRock to work fine you have to somehow install it so it's position in front of the car radio at all times. I bought a longer cable (6 feet) to hook between the iRock and the iPod. The iRock is always in front of the car radio, (hanging from the dash board!!!), and the iPod is by my side. it's not really pretty but it does the job. The sound is better then I expected. For the batteries, the iRock uses 2 AAA and they last about 10-12 hours. Hope this help......<hr /></blockquote>

ed phelan · Jul 24, 2002, 02:12 PM

[QUOTE]Originally posted by ed phelan:
[QB][QUOTE]Originally posted by alauzon:
For the iRock to work fine you have to somehow install it so it's position in front of the car radio at all times. I bought a longer cable (6 feet) to hook between the iRock and the iPod. The iRock is always in front of the car radio, (hanging from the dash board!!!), and the iPod is by my side.

Let me try this again. (There are snips in the above quote)

AL: I'm grateful for the advice re placing iRock directly in front of the radio. Explains poor reception I experienced on the Mass Pike the other day. Cannot, however, for the life of me understand what you mean by hooking a longer cable between the iPod and the iRock. There seems to be no place on the iRock for anything other than the short built-in cable. Can/will you help me out on this? Appreciate.
e

ed phelan · Jul 24, 2002, 02:14 PM

<blockquote>quote:<hr />Originally posted by alauzon:
Hi Slider. I got the iRock last thursday at the Salem,NH Apple Store. The 2 Apple employees there told me that they both used it and that it worked great. So I bought it. I have a Sahara Jeep TJ 2002 that came with a CD player. So the iRock was the only way for me to go. It works fine for me. I don't need superior sound on the road, as the Jeep is really noisy. For the iRock to work fine you have to somehow install it so it's position in front of the car radio at all times. I bought a longer cable (6 feet) to hook between the iRock and the iPod. The iRock is always in front of the car radio, (hanging from the dash board!!!), and the iPod is by my side. it's not really pretty but it does the job. The sound is better then I expected. For the batteries, the iRock uses 2 AAA and they last about 10-12 hours. Hope this help......<hr /></blockquote>

KeyLimePi · Jul 24, 2002, 03:25 PM

Okay, I'm confused. How does positioning the iRock closer to the radio itself help reception? Wouldn't it be better to position it closer to the car's antenna??

alauzon · Jul 24, 2002, 04:34 PM

As for my iRock hanging in front of the car radio..... I tried at first to leave it on the passenger seat. But it kept sliding and I was loosing the signal. Doing what I did was the only thing that worked for me. You guys may come up with a better solution. The Apple employee suggested that I get a gizmo for cell phones and hang it beside the radio. I didn't have enough room to do that. I already have a cell phone hanging by my radio. As for the longer cable, it permits me to have my iPod right beside me if I want to change something. I don't need to do pirouettes and ending in the ditch.

G4ME · Jul 25, 2002, 09:02 AM

fir that itrip, it seems as though it would plug into the firewire port anf draw power off of that. so no go on chargin while you drive.

I can also comment on Dr. Botts Firewire to AC adapter. Mine works great, just plug it in and it works charging while you drive, the only thing is try and umplug the end lighter end before you shut off the car or else the ipod will shut off, I like my ipod to stay paused.

G4ME · Jul 25, 2002, 09:09 AM

fir that itrip, it seems as though it would plug into the firewire port anf draw power off of that. so no go on chargin while you drive.

I can also comment on Dr. Botts Firewire to AC adapter. Mine works great, just plug it in and it works charging while you drive, the only thing is try and umplug the end lighter end before you shut off the car or else the ipod will shut off, I like my ipod to stay paused.

ed phelan · Jul 25, 2002, 12:03 PM

<blockquote>quote:<hr />Originally posted by alauzon:
As for the longer cable, it permits me to have my iPod right beside me if I want to change something. I don't need to do pirouettes and ending in the ditch.

[/QB]<hr /></blockquote>I must be dense. I still don't understand where you put this "longer cable". The iRock has a little jack that goes into the ear plug receptacle on the iPod. That joins the two things to within about six inches of each other. Do you yank out the little cable from the iRock and substitute for it this "longer cable" you're talking about?

Confused in Maine.
e

slider · Jul 25, 2002, 05:17 PM

Hey, ed, you're making me laugh. I believe all he's talking about is an extension cable. It has a male and female end and, well, it's just longer. iRock=>female end of cable, length, male end of cable=>iPod.

Try this link
<a href="http://www.radioshack.com/product.asp?catalog%5Fname=CTLG&category%5Fnam e=CTLG%5F002%5F001%5F008%5F000&product%5Fid=33 %2D176" target="_blank">http://www.radioshack.com/product.asp?catalog%5Fname=CTLG&category%5Fnam e=CTLG%5F002%5F001%5F008%5F000&product%5Fid=33 %2D176</a>

ed phelan · Jul 29, 2002, 06:02 PM

[QUOTE]Originally posted by slider:
[QB]Hey, ed, you're making me laugh. I believe all he's talking about is an extension cable. It has a male and female end and, well, it's just longer. iRock=>female end of cable, length, male end of cable=>iPod.

Slider: been out of town or would have thanked you sooner for the enlightenment. Couldn't for the life of me figure out how an extension cable fit into the picture.
All the best/e

slider · Jul 29, 2002, 07:35 PM

slider · Aug 10, 2002, 07:23 PM

Now that I have had my iPod for a couple of days, I can definitely say that I will get this iTrip thing. iTrip

September seems like a long time to wait.

Juggler · Nov 8, 2002, 01:52 PM

Apparently C. Crane's digital FM transmiter is the way to go! Has anybody tried this one?

http://www.ccrane.com/fm_transmitter.asp

art_director · Nov 9, 2002, 09:09 AM

Originally posted by slider:
I want to be able to listen to my iPod, when I get it, through my car radio. I saw the iRock at the online Apple store but remember that DrBott has an FM tuner adaptor kit with car charger. Does anyone have experiences with either of these products, or even better with both? I would need to purchase a power adaptor in addition to the iRock, plus the DrBott kit has a few extras. So I guess the real question is, is there a reason to get the iRock as opposed to the DrBott model, quality, reliability, functionality?

the irock blows. wish i never bought it. with my ipod fully charged and new batteries in my irock i was unable to get decent reception in my car or boat, even when the ipod was next to the antenna. save your money.

slider · Nov 9, 2002, 09:52 AM

Yeah, all the options had been ruled out, I was expecting the iTrip out by now, but nothing. And option of the CCrane Digital FM Transmitter looks like the deal, but that price. I don't know what happened to Griffin's product, but $30 is about all I would want to pay.

vmpaul · Nov 9, 2002, 08:18 PM

Well, I've bought this one a couple of weeks ago. It works OK. I don't like the fact that I can't choose the exact frequency. You're given 3 ranges and then you have to find it on your FM receiving unit. It was pretty inexpensive.

Funny thing, the day I got it I was playing with it in the car attached to my iPod. I had to follow my wife home from work and she could actually pick it up on HER radio as long as she stayed within a car length. I was DJ'ing for her all the way home. Kinda fun.

Does anybody know if the ccrane or the Griffin unit allows you to specify the exact frequency to transmit over?

Also, wouldn't it be cool if Apple built this function into the iPod? That would be real unique. Would differentiate the product even more.

Juggler · Nov 10, 2002, 09:38 AM

Originally posted by vmpaul:
Does anybody know if the ccrane or the Griffin unit allows you to specify the exact frequency to transmit over?

The ccrane does allow you to specify the exact transmit frequency.

It seems a bit expensive, but if it works well I would buy it.

J.

Roxie · Nov 10, 2002, 11:48 AM

While a bit on the pricey side, the "Transpod" seems to have strong possibilities as an all-in-one solution for broadcasting over the entire FM spectrum, charging and convenient placement .

http://www.everythingipod.com/sugges...=YES&max=1

It's scheduled to ship at the end of November.

slider · Nov 10, 2002, 01:04 PM

Originally posted by Roxie:
While a bit on the pricey side, the "Transpod" seems to have strong possibilities as an all-in-one solution for broadcasting over the entire FM spectrum, charging and convenient placement .

http://www.everythingipod.com/sugges...=YES&max=1

It's scheduled to ship at the end of November.

That does look good, but you would have to take it out of your case, something I never do except to show it off.

JFischel · Feb 26, 2003, 10:22 AM

The Griffin one lets you change the frequency by adding files to the iPod that specify the freq. when you select that file...not sure how that works, but it's the details I have heard.

Josh

Originally posted by Juggler:
The ccrane does allow you to specify the exact transmit frequency.

It seems a bit expensive, but if it works well I would buy it.

J.

audvidsvs · Feb 26, 2003, 11:17 AM

I bought a JVC In-Dash radio/Cd player for my van and it does have a Line-in jack. Ilooked long and hard for a unit that did and it works much better than either the Cassette adapter or the FM trasmitter options.

I realize this may seem a little extreme at first glance but it was only $100.00 and my factory radio was terrible and took 2 dash spaces.
I got a 6" mini to mini extension cable and place the IPod in a phone holder in the drink holder directly under the radio.

I drive all around the country with at least a dozen Audible books in the IPod as well as a lot of music.

This was the real reason I switched to a Mac in the first place. Glad I did.

Ed