For a while now, I’ve been toying with the idea of getting one of the small FM transmitters for the car, so that I can use my little USB stick MP3 player, or listen to MP3s from the TomTom 910. They used to be illegal in the UK, but the ban was lifted in December.
At the weekend, I discovered that Amazon UK were listing them for 1p. Couldn’t be right, could it? So I ordered one (they come from a third party supplier), half expecting the order to be cancelled. Postage was £4.50. It arrived this morning! 🙂
I’ve not tried it yet. It can either take a battery, or be plugged in to the lighter socket in the car… which would be an issue if I wanted to use it with the TomTom, since that uses the same power source. Still, for the price, I think this is a neat accessory.
Ironically, I just read on yourNav that TomTom announced a new mount with an inbuilt FM transmitter at CES today, and may now abandon the plans for the full Bluetooth car kit for the new TomTom GO series. I don’t agree with the issue that yourNav raises about making a choice between the CD/radio and the TomTom – I could always listen to music from the TomTom. It is just a shame that I would potentially have to spend money on a new mount, though… for now, I don’t think I’ll be investing in this option, but I might change my mind later.
You probably already knew this, but you can get splitters to convert a single cigarette lighter socket into 2. Haven’t tried one, but I know they exist.
I didn’t know that – so that’s handy information, thanks.
I tried it out tonight, with my MP3 player. Seems to be some buzzy interference sometimes… and when I turn the player itself up (rather than the “radio” volume in the car), it hits distortion. Other than that, it works really nicely. You plug it in to the headphone socket of the device you want to transmit; switch it on; it chooses 107.1 by default I think, and there’s a button which lets you change than in .2 increments up to 107.9. Tune the radio, and you’re done 🙂 not bad for 1p plus postage…
Hi,
I have both a splitter and an FM transmitter.
The splitter works great, my car has two 12v sockets inside, but that’s not enough when you have to run, a DVD player, satnav, and iPod, so the splitter allows the back 12v socket to power the DVD and the iPod leaving the front 12v less messy with just a single lead. I don’t know where you get them from, it came with the DVD player as a free gift.
I bought the FM transmitter ages ago, it’s a griffen one for the iPod, works a treat. I’ve got one for the home PC two, it broadcasts iTunes around the house, great for parties and barbeques.
How would the FM transmitter for yout Tom TOm work if you were listening to radio 5 on AM and the football..it can’t interupt the radio so I guess your back listening to directions from the Tom Tom itself again?
I guess you’re right about the AM radio. It doesn’t “interrupt” the radio anyway, it takes over as it broadcasts on its own frequency and you have to tune the radio to it.