Griffin 4045-TRPAUTOS iTrip Auto FM Transmitter with SmartScan for iPod Review. The Griffin iTrip Auto FM Transmitter with SmartScan wirelessly sends music from your iPod to your car radio so you can listen on your car stereo speakers. It combines Griffin's renowned FM transmitter technology with an integrated charger. Designed specifically for use in the car, the SmartScan function makes it easier than ever to find the perfect frequency. SmartScan scans the radio dial for the three best frequencies and saves them to the preset buttons. The high-contrast display is easy to read in any light, and the three-stage light ring changes color to indicate charging status. Compatible with iPod (4G, 5G), iPod nano (1G, 2G, 3G), iPod classic, and iPod touch....
"Finally! Something that works!" 2008-07-01
By G (bay area, ca)
I've bought many FM transmitters from Kensington to Monster to DLo. This one is by far one of the best ones I have used. Kensington worked well, but stopped working after about 3 months of using it. I had returned others because there was too much static. I like this one because it searches for the 3 clearest channels that you could use, a feature that many others FM transmitters do not have.
"Works great with iPod Nano 8gb (4th gen)" 2009-09-09
By Blee1 (San Francisco, CA USA)
Let's cut to the chase: we bought this to hook up an iPod to the car stereo without lugging around a bunch of cd's. With the 8gb Nano, it holds a lot of music (sorry, I'm not into watching movies on a tiny screen. If you do, you got to get a life). I'm using this in a metropolitan area and the frequency I'm using is as low as possible - 88.3.
Pros: Simple to use. It CHARGES the new iPod Nano during use, (not listed in the Amazon site). The buttons make it easy to tune in a specific frequency. It has idiot lights to let you know the status of your iPod and the unit itself. Went to the Griffin web site to check the compatibility just to make sure. Uses a mini 2 amp fuse to protect the iPod and that is a great feature!
Cons: The "search" feature didn't always find the clearest channel especially at higher FM frequencies. As in previous reviews, I tuned it to the lowest frequency possible that would deliver a clean sound. My radio doesn't go down to 87.7 so I had to find the next higher and clearest signal. This is not really a con since for the money we are all trying to maximize our iPods for the lowest dollar amount we want to spend and to use this in the car for those long trips or just wanting to hear your favs are worth it.
HINT: The tuner function is great. Find the clear space on the radio and tune the iTrip. Usually the lower the frequency, the less "white noise" is present. Also, adjust the iPod's EQ to fit what would sound best to you, (I set mine to Acoustic) and adjust the tone quality of the car radio. The car radio volume will have to go up a little.
This is a great little product at a fair price. So the sound isn't perfect, but what the heck . . . you got your iPod playing in the car!
"Great Sound Quality" 2009-12-10
By IpodAccs
I have been using Griffin's FM transmitters over 3 years and I have been using this product more than a year and very happy with it.
It has great sound quality (especially in the stereo mode) compared to the other Griffin transmitters. Its OLED display is also very bright and attractive.
It's a great friend to my iPhone 3G!
"Great Transmitter" 2009-04-06
By Christi
I was hesitant at first because I read reviews about the display being hard to read in the daytime and about the sound quality to be crap but found that both of these reviews were wrong. I live near DC so we have a lot of radio stations and depending on where/how far you're driving will determine if/how frequently you'll have to change your FM transmitter station. I really like this type of transmitter compared to the docking station kind because I can pass the iPod in the car to whomever to flip through songs as opposed to having to be in arms reach of the cigg lighter and twisting it to see the iPod display. It worked so well we bought one for the other car and although it didn't say it in the description at the time this also works for our 4th gen Nano.
**Edit- Although the bought both from the same store the second one I received had a different screen than the first. The first had a plain screen as the one shown in the picture but the second one seemed to have a gray/quasi reflective screen. I can still see the display fine during the day and you wont be changing the station constantly so it shouldn't be a huge deal.
"Great for iphone 3g" 2009-05-14
By TLO (Los Angeles, CA)
Just got the itrip yesterday, and it's great. Set the transmitter frequency to JP, and my car radio to 87.9, and I have clear reception. Here's something that I had accidentally discovered today. When the iphone is set to silent mode, the transmitter will not charge the phone. Thought there was something wrong with the transmitter at first, but when I switched back to regular "ringing" mode, the transmitter worked like a charm (charger and FM transmitter all in one)!
By G (bay area, ca)
I've bought many FM transmitters from Kensington to Monster to DLo. This one is by far one of the best ones I have used. Kensington worked well, but stopped working after about 3 months of using it. I had returned others because there was too much static. I like this one because it searches for the 3 clearest channels that you could use, a feature that many others FM transmitters do not have.
By Blee1 (San Francisco, CA USA)
Let's cut to the chase: we bought this to hook up an iPod to the car stereo without lugging around a bunch of cd's. With the 8gb Nano, it holds a lot of music (sorry, I'm not into watching movies on a tiny screen. If you do, you got to get a life). I'm using this in a metropolitan area and the frequency I'm using is as low as possible - 88.3.
Pros: Simple to use. It CHARGES the new iPod Nano during use, (not listed in the Amazon site). The buttons make it easy to tune in a specific frequency. It has idiot lights to let you know the status of your iPod and the unit itself. Went to the Griffin web site to check the compatibility just to make sure. Uses a mini 2 amp fuse to protect the iPod and that is a great feature!
Cons: The "search" feature didn't always find the clearest channel especially at higher FM frequencies. As in previous reviews, I tuned it to the lowest frequency possible that would deliver a clean sound. My radio doesn't go down to 87.7 so I had to find the next higher and clearest signal. This is not really a con since for the money we are all trying to maximize our iPods for the lowest dollar amount we want to spend and to use this in the car for those long trips or just wanting to hear your favs are worth it.
HINT: The tuner function is great. Find the clear space on the radio and tune the iTrip. Usually the lower the frequency, the less "white noise" is present. Also, adjust the iPod's EQ to fit what would sound best to you, (I set mine to Acoustic) and adjust the tone quality of the car radio. The car radio volume will have to go up a little.
This is a great little product at a fair price. So the sound isn't perfect, but what the heck . . . you got your iPod playing in the car!
By IpodAccs
I have been using Griffin's FM transmitters over 3 years and I have been using this product more than a year and very happy with it.
It has great sound quality (especially in the stereo mode) compared to the other Griffin transmitters. Its OLED display is also very bright and attractive.
It's a great friend to my iPhone 3G!
By Christi
I was hesitant at first because I read reviews about the display being hard to read in the daytime and about the sound quality to be crap but found that both of these reviews were wrong. I live near DC so we have a lot of radio stations and depending on where/how far you're driving will determine if/how frequently you'll have to change your FM transmitter station. I really like this type of transmitter compared to the docking station kind because I can pass the iPod in the car to whomever to flip through songs as opposed to having to be in arms reach of the cigg lighter and twisting it to see the iPod display. It worked so well we bought one for the other car and although it didn't say it in the description at the time this also works for our 4th gen Nano.
**Edit- Although the bought both from the same store the second one I received had a different screen than the first. The first had a plain screen as the one shown in the picture but the second one seemed to have a gray/quasi reflective screen. I can still see the display fine during the day and you wont be changing the station constantly so it shouldn't be a huge deal.
By TLO (Los Angeles, CA)
Just got the itrip yesterday, and it's great. Set the transmitter frequency to JP, and my car radio to 87.9, and I have clear reception. Here's something that I had accidentally discovered today. When the iphone is set to silent mode, the transmitter will not charge the phone. Thought there was something wrong with the transmitter at first, but when I switched back to regular "ringing" mode, the transmitter worked like a charm (charger and FM transmitter all in one)!
