FM transmitters for MP3 Players

Want to know if FM Transmitters are worth using for mp3 players. i heard the sound quality is poor, but how bad? I have an aftermarket to install, but im not sure if i want to, i like the looks with the stock HU.

 

Ive tried a few and they are absolutely HORRIBLE. Pay the extra $$ and have it hard wired.

Ted

 

I put up with FM transmitters for a couple years. There is a lot of variation between brands as far as channel reception. They sound ok but not like hard-wired. After my third FM transmitter I found one that worked fairly well but it cost me nearly $50. Once I got on this site I found out about the Metra adapter. It also costs $50. It connects right into the back of the stock head unit and sounds sooo much better. Takes about 30 minutes to install. Check out the following thread.

http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/audio-video/3767-installed-metra-ipod-mp3-adapter.html

 

I used 2 different ones for years and I had no issues and they were a great way to get around hard wiring. The first one I had was called an Irock and the second was by Belkin I think. They were a bit of a pain on long trips especially in big cities but locally it was easy to find a clean frequency.

I now have my Ipod hard wired and the great advantage is to use the headunit to navigate the Ipod so hard wired is the way to go but an FM transmitter will work just fine if you go that route.

 

i had the fm transmitter in the taco for an ipod and HATED it....

got my wife a sirus radio thing and to hard wire was gonna be a mess. i bought a fm transmitter booster antenna thing off ebay for a couple bucks and to my suprise it helped ALOT... it is actually pretty clear.

if you live in a big city with a ton of radio stations you will have more interferance than a smaller community....

just my thoughts on it.

 

FM Transmitter are horrible. Go with the USA SPEC.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/USA-...018QQitemZ280182540013QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWDVW

 

Never go FM transmitter. They sound worse than the FM radio, because most of the time it is fighting with other FM stations.

 

Look into the bluetooth transmitters, theres a lot of them out there. And they are clearer in signal, scorche make a few.

 

one problem though, i dont use ipod, i use zune and i can't seem to find any hardwires for it.

 

I'm in the same boat. Only option is to use aux input type of devices without direct docking.
We've tried several FM units and way too many stations in this area for them to work. Maybe if we lived in the FRICKING desert.

 

well looks like im stuck into changing the headunit (the wife is going to be mad) =(

 

That still won't help you with the Zune any more than the other solutions above.

 

why not? this way ill have a aux port to plug into...

 

The Metra adapter that's been discussed on here a few times has an input for both an Ipod and for other devices...rhoppas posted a link to that thread above, and I know someone on there said they used an "other than Ipod" device and it worked for them. I do have an Ipod, and that's what I've got in my truck, and I couldn't be happier after far less than stellar performance from FM transmitters, etc. that I'd used in the past.

 

True but that can be done by adding the usa spec or simular device to your existing Headunit.

 

I assume there is a headphone jack on the Zune. The Metra will plug right into the headphone jack. It sounds very good. You will have to use the Zune to control your tunes but that is no big deal...