USB MP3 Transmitter - Has anyone tried one of these?

[ccmfan]

With the posts about MP3 player transmitters, I happened to think about an item I saw listed on Ebay:
http://cgi.ebay.com/MP3-WMA-USB-CD-...836555389QQcategoryZ86537QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
I've also seen it at Target.

I like the idea of being to use this to transmit music from a USB drive to a car radio, but does it work, and how well? One main advantage I see is that it will transmit on 88.7 or 88.9, which would keep it away from most FM stations unless you happen to be in an area where there is a TV station on channel 6.

Has anyone had any experience with this or something similar? Thanks!<P ID="edit"><FONT class="small">Edited by ccmfan on 12/06/05 06:27 AM.</FONT></P>

 

[Firebird]

I've tried similar items, including the CCrane model with fair to poor results. I ended up changing my car radio for one with MP3 capability and an auxiliary jack to plug in assorted audio devices.

I did see one such device that plugs into the antenna jack of a car radio. The antenna cable then plugs into the device. Something like that may yield better results.

 

[954]

VR3 MP3 FM Modulator

> With the posts about MP3 player transmitters, I happened to
> think about an item I saw listed on Ebay:
> I've also seen it at Target.
>
> I like the idea of being to use this to transmit music from
> a USB drive to a car radio, but does it work, and how well?
> One main advantage I see is that it will transmit on 88.7 or
> 88.9, which would keep it away from most FM stations unless
> you happen to be in an area where there is a TV station on
> channel 6.
>
> Has anyone had any experience with this or something
> similar? Thanks!

Yeah, I wrote about the VR³ in September Radio News.
(Scroll down to section 3 of 7.)

http://www.univox.com/radio/2005septemberpart1.html

WalMart has 'em. I'm planning to get one. You plug one of
those tiny USB drives into it. Pretty neat, IMHO.

If you buy one before I do, please let me know what
you think of it.

And if you decide to buy one, please consider buying
it through my link!

73s from 954<P ID="signature">______________
<font color='#990000'>Wild and Crazy Christmas Music! 2005-2006</P>

 

[Slinky]

> I've tried similar items, including the CCrane model with
> fair to poor results. I ended up changing my car radio for
> one with MP3 capability and an auxiliary jack to plug in
> assorted audio devices.
>
> I did see one such device that plugs into the antenna jack
> of a car radio. The antenna cable then plugs into the
> device. Something like that may yield better results.

There's a bunch of those available for XM receivers, but the auxillary jack is still going to give you better sound because there's no conversion to and from FM.

 

[dave73]

> > I've tried similar items, including the CCrane model with
> > fair to poor results. I ended up changing my car radio
> for
> > one with MP3 capability and an auxiliary jack to plug in
> > assorted audio devices.
> >
> > I did see one such device that plugs into the antenna jack
>
> > of a car radio. The antenna cable then plugs into the
> > device. Something like that may yield better results.
>
> There's a bunch of those available for XM receivers, but the
> auxillary jack is still going to give you better sound
> because there's no conversion to and from FM.
>
I tried the one that plugs into the cigarette lighter, and in the car I drive, a 1989 Buick Century, it doesn't work as well because I can't plug it into the socket properly. So I don't get as good of a power connection, and I don't get as good of a signal either. What I also don't like about it is the audio is in mono. I played one of my jump drives in the unit and it changes tracks rather crappy. Once one track finishes playing, it has a brief mute at the beginning of the next track. I might look into something else. At least my Sirius satellite unit transmits in stereo.