Showing posts with label belkin. Show all posts
Showing posts with label belkin. Show all posts

Thursday, January 31, 2013

Belkin Mobile Power Cord for iPod with Dock Connector (White) Review

Belkin Mobile Power Cord for iPod with Dock Connector (White)
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This is an extremely useful product for people who want to listen to their iPods in their car.
It beats having an FM transmitter if you connect a cassette adapter to the charger's audio jack, because then
1) Only 1 cable connects your iPod to the charger, and you get both power for the iPod and audio from the car speakers.
2) The iPod automatically goes into pause when your car (and its speakers) is turned off... something the FM transmitter cannot possibly do. This is perhaps the most underrated and undermentioned feature of the iPod and this charger. You no longer have to fiddle around with the iPod to stop it when you park your car.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Belkin Mobile Power Cord for iPod with Dock Connector (White)

The Belkin F8V7067-APL Mobile Power Cord for iPod with Dock Connector connects your iPod player to your car's power source and provides unlimited play and standby time. And with the Belkin mobile power cord, you will know you are properly connected by its illuminated LED indicator.
Engineered with a replaceable safety fuse to protect from potentially damaging power surges or short circuits, this unit features a DC input jack, which when used with the Belkin F8V3080-APL TuneCast II Mobile FM Transmitter that includes a DC power cable, allows you to simultaneously power your FM Transmitter on the road, thereby preserving battery life.
Compatible with any iPod with a 30-pin dock connector--including the iPod nano 1G, iPod nano 2G, iPod mini, iPod 3G, iPod 4G (Click Wheel), iPod color, and iPod 5G/5.5G Video--the Belkin F8V7067 comes in a white that complements your iPod, and is backed by Belkin's lifetime warranty.
What's in the Box Belkin F8V7067-APL mobile power cord, and warranty information.

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Saturday, December 15, 2012

Belkin F8Z498 Tunecast Auto Live FM Transmitter and Charger for iPod/iPhone Review

Belkin F8Z498 Tunecast Auto Live FM Transmitter and Charger for iPod/iPhone
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The Belkin Tunecast Auto Live is different from other FM Transmitters on the market because, through a special iPhone app, it can use GPS to determine the best frequency for you to use. After testing this transmitter with the app on my iPhone 3GS, I have the following opinions:
-You can only use the GPS function when the App is open, which means you can't run other apps when using the Belkin app. So if you're listening to Pandora when you suddenly need to change the frequency, you'll have to close Pandora in order to open the Belkin app. (EDIT: Apple's iOS 4 now allows for multi-tasking, so this particular point of mine is no longer valid, although you still have to go through the hassle of changing apps to change a frequency)
-The GPS function is useless. It kept telling me to use a particular frequency which did not work well. I could press the button on the iPhone app to cycle through frequencies, but the same useless frequencies would keep repeating.
-The Clearscan function (the button on the transmitter itself) is also useless, for pretty much the same reasons as above.
-Try to use the app to change the frequency of the Belkin transmitter while in rush-hour traffic. Yup, another driving distraction. (Memo to Belkin's lawyers: sooner or later, you'll need a warning in the manual along the lines of "do not use the app while driving")
-If I listened to Heavy Metal or loud Hip-Hop music, I might be ok with the sound quality from this transmitter. But since I listen to softer music, I find the constant background hissing and static to be very very annoying.
-I do LIKE the display though, the amber color is very pleasing and is easily visible both day and night. (hey, I'm trying hard to find some positives too!)
Overall, I don't recommend this transmitter. In fact, I've gone through many of the different transmitters from the different brands and the only one that worked perfectly and which I recommend is Griffin's iTrip. The reason is that the Griffins all have a hidden feature called "International" mode which allow the use of the 87.7 and 87.9 frequencies, as they are open frequencies in the United States (meaning there isn't a single U.S. radio station on those frequencies). But only the Griffins can use those frequencies, all other transmitters (including this very Belkin model) can go as low as 88.1 only. The Griffins also have a feature to boost transmitting power by setting the output to Mono, rather than the default Stereo which seems to produce a weaker signal. For more details on these functions, see the reviews for the Griffin iTrip products.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Belkin F8Z498 Tunecast Auto Live FM Transmitter and Charger for iPod/iPhone

Belkin Tunecast Auto Live FM Transmitter and Charger for iPod/iPhone (F8Z498)

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Thursday, November 8, 2012

Belkin Auto Charger for iPod (White) Review

Belkin Auto Charger for iPod (White)
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Before I got this adapter, I was just using a cassette adapter and an FM transmitter in the car. In both cases the iPod was struggling to provide enough power output to provide clean undistorted sound, and still having to crank the volume control up all the way on both the car stereo and the iPod.
This product solves that problem, and charges your iPod to boot. It uses the new line out capabilities through the docking connector. You then plug your adapter into a mini-plug jack located on the power adapter. Adjust the aplifier volume on the adapter as well. The built in amplifier provides enough power now so I don't have to crank the volume on the car stereo, making the sound to be fuller, richer, more accurate and eliminating all the hiss & noise caused by having to turn up the car stereo all the way.
The only things that might need to consider is the mini-plug output for the amplifier and volume controls are on the side of the cigarette plug. While this wasn't a problem for me, people with resessed power plugs in their cars might have difficulty with it if your cassette adapter/fm transmitter doesn't have a angled plug (I have a MB that has a power adapter in a recessed ashtray and it's challenging to use that plug because of space requirements, but does work after some adjustment). Belkin should have put these on opposite sides of the device, but should only be a minor inconvience. I don't envision anyone having to adjust the output volume very often, after you set it for the first time.
I highly reccomend this product to anyone wanting to listen to their iPod in the car.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Belkin Auto Charger for iPod (White)

The Belkin F8V7058-APL Auto Kit for iPods with Dock Connector connects your iPod device to your car's power source, and includes an exclusive Belkin cable that charges your iPod from your car's cigarette lighter. Perfect for those long road trips, the Belkin auto kit not only keeps your iPod fully charged, but when used with other accessories such as the Belkin Mobile Cassette Adapter or TuneCast Mobile FM Transmitter (not included), allows you to listen to continuous high-quality audio through your car stereo.
The Belkin Auto Kit features an adjustable amplifier to control your iPod's volume level, and a 3.5-millimeter audio-out jack that lets you play your favorite iPod music through your car stereo or other audio equipment when using an FM transmitter or cassette adapter. For safety purposes this unit includes an illuminated LED indicator that lets you know when it is properly connected, and a built-in, replaceable safety fuse that protects your iPod from potentially damaging spikes in power or short circuits. Your iPod locks securely to the auto kit via the dock connector, while a convenient strap lets you easily manage your excess cord length.
Compatible with any iPod with a dock connector--including the iPod nano 1G, iPod nano 2G, iPod mini, iPod 3G, iPod 4G (Click Wheel), iPod color, and iPod 5G/5.5G Video--the Belkin F8V7058-APL auto kit is backed by a manufacturer's lifetime warranty.
What's in the Box Belkin F8V7058-APL auto kit, a user's manual and warranty information.

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Tuesday, October 23, 2012

Griffin RoadTrip FM Transmitter with SmartScan for iPod Review

Griffin RoadTrip FM Transmitter with SmartScan for iPod
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This is a great and useful product, but must be turned to European mode to reach 87.7 - 87.9 since for some reason Griffin thinks that they are not allowed to use these frequencies (they are).
On the FM transmitter box, push the middle button (Function) and then press and hold the "Mode" button (the right one) for approximately 10 seconds. When you let go you will see a menu for "Us" "Eu" "Ja", select the middle button, "Eu". Let the device sit for a few seconds until it goes back to the main screen, then tune your radio and the transmitter to 87.7 - 87.9! Now you can use the device on the frequencies that will rarely give you interference (I have the best luck in St. Louis with 87.7).

Click Here to see more reviews about: Griffin RoadTrip FM Transmitter with SmartScan for iPod

Get away from cords and complicated docking systems with the RoadTrip from Griffin. A new, flexible steel neck and model-specific adapters keep your iPod within easy reach, as it pumps your favorite tunes through the existing stereo system. SmartScan technology will find the three clearest broadcast frequencies, automatically programming them to pre-set buttons. SmartSound Plus technology delivers clear sound no matter where you're driving.


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Thursday, October 18, 2012

Belkin Conserve Valet F7C008q Energy-Saving USB Charging Station Review

Belkin Conserve Valet F7C008q Energy-Saving USB Charging Station
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I really like this charger, we brought it down to a small conference and set it up in the conference office. We configured its four ports with two iPhone cables and the included mini-USB and micro-USB cables. I think it is fair to say that the device was a hit - people could put a phone of almost any stripe on the charger. Over the course of the conference, we charged maybe a dozen different types of phones (and even a MiFi) without any issues.
The one problem was the "automatic" timer. As it turns out, it's just a timed 4.5 hour switch - not some kind of smart system that detects current draw. So, if someone puts a phone on it and turns on the charger, it will go off in 4.5 hours - which is fine - unless someone else shows up two hours later and adds their phone (which will only get a 2.5 hour charge). As a result, we had a lot of phones that would not get a full charge because the device had shut off and no one had realized they needed to turn it back on. The indicator light is very, very dim (perhaps part of the energy savings?), so it's not very noticeable from a simple glance if the unit is on - you really have to look at the power light.
It's a good device, but its limitations should be resolved in the next iteration with an option to turn off the power-saving feature or to change the timer length to 8 or 16 hours.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Belkin Conserve Valet F7C008q Energy-Saving USB Charging Station

Belkin Conserve Valet - Energy Saving USB Charging Station (F7C008q)

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Friday, July 20, 2012

Belkin Conserve Insight F7C005q Energy-Use Monitor Review

Belkin Conserve Insight F7C005q Energy-Use Monitor
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The Belkin Conserve Insight is a very nice piece of hardware and has a number of advantages over the Kill-A-Watt. Firstly, there are three outputs.
1) lbs/CO2 per year (or month)
2) $/year (or month)
3) Watts
Both the CO2 and $ setting can be adjusted to account for the cost and CO2 intensity for your local utility.
Averaging. One very nice feature is that after 45 minutes, the Conserve Insight goes in to averaging mode and displays the projected CO2 and $ per year. This is excellent for appliances that are turned on and off like a laptop or a refrigerator. The Watt display, however does not average. It shows the realtime updates.
Location, Location, Location: The small display for the Conserve Insight is located on the end of a 5 foot long cord. This is much better than the Kill-A-Watt that requires you to crawl on your hands and knees to get a reading. Also, the Conserve Insight is very nicely styled and looks great on a desktop. The Kill-A-Watt is much more utilitarian.
Simple: The Conserve Insight is very simple and easy to use. Personally, I do not have any problem with the Kill-A-Watts ease of use, but I have had trouble explaining it to other people.
Range: The Insight Conserve goes down to a much lower range than the Kill-A-Watt. Whereas the Kill-A-Watt bottoms out at 1 Watt, the Conserve Insight goes down to 0.5 Watts. This is a great help when trying to understand the power usage of wall hanging bricks (AC/DC converters). I am always frustrated with the Kill-A-Watt reading either 0,1, or 2. With the Conserve Insight, I can see the difference between 1.0 and 1.2. Nice.
Limits.
There are a couple of things I do not like.
Jumping Display: The watt reading updates a little to frequently. When reading the power to my laptop it jumps quickly from 30 watts to 40 watts and back again. This makes it impossible to get a sense of average power consumption.
KWH?: There is no KWH measurement. However, this can be back calculated from the $ reading and the $/KWH setting you applied to it.Overall:
Highly recommend this product.


Click Here to see more reviews about: Belkin Conserve Insight F7C005q Energy-Use Monitor

Belkin Conserve Insight - Energy Cost Monitor (F7C005q)

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Thursday, July 19, 2012

Belkin TuneCast Auto with ClearScan for iPod, iPhone 1G, 3G Review

Belkin TuneCast Auto with ClearScan for iPod, iPhone 1G, 3G
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After reading lots of reviews on this, I had expected a good product. It was awful. When I pressed the autoscan button, it would scan to stations that were already in use, or partially in use. It rarely scanned to empty stations. I used to have a Kensington digital FM transmitter, and when I tuned to my go-to station, it would work no problem, no static at all. When I tried that same station with the Belkin, I heard static non-stop, along with my music. The only time I heard no static was when I went through a tunnel (obviously, since there's no radio station to interfere). I'm going back to my Kensington - very disappointed with this Belkin model. Note: I live in Fairfield County, and used this on the way to NYC. Maybe it would work better in other areas, but around here, it was terrible.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Belkin TuneCast Auto with ClearScan for iPod, iPhone 1G, 3G

The Belkin TuneCast Auto lets you listen to your iPhone or iPod through the radio in your car, while it charges.

Cut through the static with ClearScan--your TuneCast will automatically (and quickly) scan the FM spectrum to find a clear frequency at the push of a button. Avoid the frustration of manually finding a clear FM station. When find a couple of favorites, store them with the two programmable preset buttons.
The TuneCast's high-contrast backlit display provides high visibility, and its small size offers flexibility in placement. The device is powered by your car's cigarette lighter/power outlet, and it charges your iPod while you enjoy your music.
The included PRO setting can make your music sound louder and fuller by decreasing the amount of attenuation in the audio signal. Professional FM stations use dynamic compression to make music louder and fuller while limiting distortion. You can use the three PRO settings on your TuneCast Auto to add dynamic compression to your audio, thereby optimizing audio and boosting volume.
The TuneCast Auto is compatible with iPod 4G, 5G, 6G; iPod mini; iPod nano 1G, 2G, 3G; iPod touch; and iPhone.What's in the Box TuneCast Auto with ClearScan for iPhone and iPod


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Tuesday, February 28, 2012

Belkin TuneCast II FM Transmitter for MP3 Players (White) Review

Belkin TuneCast II FM Transmitter for MP3 Players (White)
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This thing has a range of about a foot, with really poor quality sound. It may be as good or better than other transmitters that are available, but it's still pretty lousy. Not really as good as standard FM, probably halfway between AM and FM, and interrupted by the occasional static. I modified it as described in the websites that describe how to do such things, but the sound is so crappy, that it's hardly worth the price. The modified range is about 50 feet.
I realize that it solves a problem of allowing an MP3 player to work in your car, and there aren't any good alternatives, but but this isn't going to make anyone really happy. It's just a barely passable solution. It does what it's supposed to, and if you modify it, it has much better range, but it's really not a great result.
UPDATE: I really wanted a product like this, so I bought the "whole house transmitter" right on Amazon and it works. Near FM quality sound, decent range (about 40 feet). It only broadcasts on one of 6 channels, but at least the quality is acceptable if you can find an open one, and it punches through weak stations so the channel doesn't really have to be completely clear. It's 3X the price, but that seems to be what it takes to get decent quality sound.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Belkin TuneCast II FM Transmitter for MP3 Players (White)

With this handy device you can listen to your favorite tunes through any FM stereo receiver with your iPod, PDA, PC, or laptop, even an MP3, CD, or cassette player from up to 30 feet away. The Belkin TuneCast II Mobile FM Transmitter makes it easy to wirelessly connect portable music players to your car or home stereo FM radio. Simply plug the TuneCast II into the headphone jack of your player or connect it to your PC or laptop computer, then tune your car stereo or receiver to any clear FM frequency.
There's also an auto on/off function that lets the device simply power on whenever an audio signal is detected. If there is no signal, the TuneCast II switches off after 60 seconds, helping to preserve battery life. There's also four programmable memory slots that let you save the clearest station wherever you go. The device comes with a DC cable for optional battery-free operation, but it only works with the Belkin Mobile Power Cord for 3G iPod. Batteries are included.
iPod Compatibility iPod nano 1G, iPod nano 2G, iPod mini, iPod 4G (Clickwheel), iPod Color, iPod 5G/5.5G Video, iPod Shuffle 1G, iPod Shuffle 2G

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Monday, February 6, 2012

Belkin TuneCast FM transmitter ( F8V367-DL ) Review

Belkin TuneCast FM transmitter ( F8V367-DL )
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Basically, this thing has a really weak transmitter. I tried using this indoors with both a Denon receiver and a cheaper Sony receiver. Nothing came through on those receivers, though the TuneCast was able to interfere with a couple stations. Sadly, there was even less audible on the frequencies with no stations.
Fortunately, I did find a frequency in my car, and the Alpine head unit was able to pick up a signal. I was able to use it for a while... the static wasn't too bad. However, as soon as I drove within range of any other signals, no matter how weak they were, the TuneCast was totally overridden. This thing probably needs about 10 dB of gain to be a viable transmitter, even for a range of 10 feet.
Quite simply, check your airwaves for 88.1, .3, .5. and .7. If you're in a large city or college town, those frequencies are probably littered with college radio or public access stations... no matter how weak they are, they will dominate this guy.
Avoid this. The Griffin iTrip works reasonably well, and is a better allocation of your hard-earned funds.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Belkin TuneCast FM transmitter ( F8V367-DL )

Now you can use your DELL Digital Jukebox, PDA, MP3, CD, cassette player, PC or laptop to listen to your favorite tunes through any FM stereo receiver. The Belkin TuneCast Mobile FM Transmitter wirelessly connects portable music players to your car or home stereo quickly and easily. Just plug the FM Transmitter into the headphone jack of your DJ, PDA, MP3, CD, or cassette player; or connect it to your PC or laptop computer. Tune your car stereo or receiver to the clearest FM frequency, and enjoy your digital music with full sound and convenience. The TuneCast Mobile FM Transmitter also offers a fast and convenient way to enhance your home audio experience. Simply connect the FM Transmitter to the 3.5mm audio-out port on your digital camera or video game console and enjoy surround sound through your home stereo system.

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Friday, January 6, 2012

Belkin TuneBase FM Transmitter with ClearScan for iPod Review

Belkin TuneBase FM Transmitter with ClearScan for iPod
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I got this last night (Monday November 4th, 2007 @ 2:00AM)
1st.
I took it out of the box, found the right adapter that best fit my iPod
(Cassic 160GB)and installed it. Well there are two parts. One is the Cradle, which holds it on the sides and the Pad, which goes in the back of the unite that keeps it from moving forward. With both of these in place I have a good tight fit for my iPod.

2nd.
The "ClearScan" feature does not work all that well. Every time I used it the unite kept finding a station that was occupied or sort of had a station using it. So I did it manually. I found a nice clear station 104.3
3rd.
I and noticed that there are two buttons a 1 and 2 button that lets you preset stations that you've found to be clean and clear and store these in memory for later use. I would like to use them, but every time I pressed the 1 button, it went to 107.3 which has a station in it already. The 2 button also has the same station as its preset. I can not get it to reprogram and thus, this feature is useless.
4th.
The unit does a good job at charging your iPod.
5th.
There is a feature called "Pro" and it boost up the sound and I think the transmission signal of the unit. There is "normal" that gives you a good but not great signal. I tried Pro 1 and its not much better than Normal.
I've found that Pro2 and Pro work best. With Pro it sounded as good as if I had been at home listing to my iPod through my stereo.
(note: on the unit their is a button that says "Pro" and on the display it reads as Normal, Pro1, Pro2 and Pro with a .o0(Thought Bubble)0o. out beside it.)
6th.
I like the arm that the unite rests on, stiff but very flexible. The cigarette lighter plug makes for a good anchor and good placement in my car.
So in closing, it's good but not great. I like it, but its got a few buggs that I'm going to have to call the company over.
(more on that later.)
I just got off the Phone with Belkin, (Tech Support in the U.S. 1-800-223-5546 ext. 2263)
The lady I talked with was VERY helpful.
(1)The way you set the presets is to, Find a good empty station.
(2)Pick between button 1 or 2, then press down on the 1 or 2 button until you hear a plink sound(about 5 seconds).
(3)You will see that station has "Preset1 or Preset2" over the station numbers on the display.
I looked all through manual and it never did say anything about how to reset the 1 or 2 button to another station. This is something they really needed to put in.
After having this 14 days (Tuesday November 18th 2007 9:16 p.m.) Here are a few observations.
1.
When I place my iPod into the cradle and line it up with the data/power port; the unit will turn off the sound on my iPod and let a preset volume level come into your deck, thus you'll be able to control the sound level from your deck with no tweaking needed.
2.
When driving I found the unit to pick up on interference from my car's motor. Here's the good news, it's not so bad that you can't enjoy your favorite Podcast or music.
3.
When you're not moving there's no sound problem.
But if the station you've picked out is too close to another station then you will really know it.
Case-in-point 101.1 is used but 101.3 aren't.
So you pick 101.3, but here come 101.5 bleeding over into your 101.3. I've found that if you can, pick a frequency that has at least two clear stations out either side of it.
Like so, 103.1 clear & (your station)103.3 & on the other side 103.5 also clear.
I don't know if this will work for you, but for me it works well enough.
p.s.
I've found that this transmitter has an odd way of acting as a signal booster for weak stations. So, a station that you could not pick up at all magically comes in just enough and makes that empty spot in the dial not so empty. It's great for Dallas stations that I can almost get. But it's that much harder to find a empty frequency. (March 19, 2008)

Click Here to see more reviews about: Belkin TuneBase FM Transmitter with ClearScan for iPod

The Belkin TuneBase FM with ClearScan lets you easily play the music on your iPod in your car with just a push of the button.
A Button Press Away from Great Sound By pushing a single button, Belkin's ClearScan technology will automatically scan to find the best FM frequency so that you can enjoy the music on your iPod static-free in your car. With an improved FM transmission, the sound is better than before. And the large LED tells you at exactly what frequency the music is being broadcast.
Once you find a clear station, you can set it to one of two presets on the TuneBase. This is especially useful around your local area and areas that you frequent, because you can quickly return to these stations at the touch of a button.
The TuneBase also has a line-out feature that lets you use it with car-stereo inputs or cassette adapters. The built-in PRO setting optimizes the audio and provides a volume boost for the best sound possible.
Built-in Charger and Stand Works with All Docking iPods An integrated auto charger plugs into the cigarette lighter so you needn't worry about running out of power while on a road trip. With a flexible steel-neck mount and a swivel cradle, you can position the iPod for optimal viewing and accessibility. The antenna is integrated into the neck for a clean look. Multiple cradles are included for compatibility with all docking iPods.
The Belkin TuneBase FM with ClearScan is backed by a 3-year warranty.


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Monday, October 24, 2011

Belkin F5X016 Roady XT/XPRESS Home Kit Review

Belkin F5X016 Roady XT/XPRESS Home Kit
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This kit comes with a nice, long antenna wire, so you can place the end near a south facing window. The base is made of metal, which gives it enough weight to not tip over.
I bought this because I didn't need the integral speakers that come with other kits - just wanted something small I cound use with headphones. Problem is, there's no volume control on this unit. The ouputs are "line out", which assumes you're taking it as an input to something that does have a volume control. So, I need to get myself a set of headphones with a volume control. Otherwise, no complaints.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Belkin F5X016 Roady XT/XPRESS Home Kit

MODEL- F5X016 VENDOR- BELKINFEATURES- Roady XT Express Home Kit Roady XT Express Home Kit.

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Monday, August 29, 2011

Belkin TuneCast II FM Transmitter for MP3 Players (Black) Review

Belkin TuneCast II FM Transmitter for MP3 Players (Black)
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First of all, all FM transmitters cause noise on the receiving end, if you turn volume up enough. And don't expect the sound quality to be better than your FM radio itself. It will be worse. If possible, use a wired option such as a "cassette connector" for car. That said, wireless transmitters do offer convenience, and some are better, while others are worse, depend mostly on unit's output power, range, and station selections. After trying out 4 of them personally, I found station selections to be the most important in getting good quality sound on your radio. Hence, the Belkin TuneCast II is the best out there. As far as I know (in the price range I search), it is the only one on the market that offers full frequency digital tuning (Arkon offers transmitters with full frequency analog tuning - SoundFeeder 150x).
Here is a summary of my review on the four transmitters I tried.
Belkin TuneCast II:
+ full frequency digital tuning with 0.05 stepping
+ 4-station memory
+ dual power (battery and DC)
+ auto on/off
+ good output and range
+ LCD display
+ cord storage on unit
- USB power will be nicer, as I have my own USB2DC adapter
- LCD not lighted
iRock 400FM
+ dual power (battery and DC)
+ good output and range
- only 4 preset stations
- dangling cord
- kind of ugly
Arkon SoundFeeder 250
+ good output and range
+ cord storage on unit
- only 8 preset stations
- battery power only (spec claimes 60hr, but I seriously doubt it as others with similar battery could only last 10-13hr)
SIIG Music Adapter Pro
+ dual power (battery and USB, could be tripple if you have your own USB2DC adapter)
+ ok output and range (volume is kind of low)
+ lighted LCD
+ cord storage on unit
- claimed to have 9 preset stations with autoscan, but it was so hard to operate that I could only verify 5 stations through manual stepping, and autoscan does NOT pick up the best station
- battery compartment very hard to open
- DO NOT BUY THIS, even though it looks good, and has good spec
Here are some personal tips on any FM transmitter setup:
1) If your radio and transmitter allows 0.1 stepping, choose an even frequency station such as 88.40, since very very few stations broadcast on even frequecies.
2) Make sure your MP3 files have loud enough volume, so you don't have to boost your MP3 unit or radio's volume too much. High volume magnifies noise. There are many software out there that fine tunes MP3, including volume.
3) If you have to boost volume, boost MP3 unit's volume instead of radio's. High radio volume causes more noise.
4) Always make sure you have new battery or are using DC adapter. Low power forces you to turn up volume, and it in turn causes noise.
5) In general, songs fair better with these transmitters than solo instruments, as noise could become more obvious on the later.


Click Here to see more reviews about: Belkin TuneCast II FM Transmitter for MP3 Players (Black)

Works with any portable music player 3.5mm mini-plugFM channel range: 88.1MHz-107.9MHzStores up to 4 FM frequenciesAutomatic shut-off when no signal is detectedLow-battery LED indicatorOperating range: 10-30'Frequency response: 50Hz-15kHzIncludes 2 AAA batteries and 3G/4G compatible DC cable to be used with Belkin mobile power cord (F8V7067-APL) for battery-free operationFor use with all iPodmodels

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Friday, July 15, 2011

Belkin Car Stereo Kit for iPod or iPhone in the Car with Tune Cast Auto, RockStar, and Dual USB Power Adapter Review

Belkin Car Stereo Kit for iPod or iPhone in the Car with Tune Cast Auto, RockStar, and Dual USB Power Adapter
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This is my second Belkin Radio Adapter, the first being with a hard mount. While I enjoy it's mobility, the signal strength is painful, and driving through the city I have to search for the perfect channel or deal with dull, ambient static. The Clearscan feature is awful, and always reverts to the same station which is worse than the one I am using.
For the price, this is a decent adapter, but I would suggest spending a bit more money for a nicer one.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Belkin Car Stereo Kit for iPod or iPhone in the Car with Tune Cast Auto, RockStar, and Dual USB Power Adapter

Play your iPod or iPhone in the car with this Car Stereo KitTuneCast Auto with ClearScan:* Find the best radio station with one touch of the ClearScan button.* Two memory presets to store the clearest channels* Charge your iPod or iPhone while it plays* PRO setting optimizes audio and boosts volume* High-contrast backlit display for brightest station viewing cut through the static with ClearScan. No longer go through the frustration of manually finding a clear FM station. The ClearScan technology quickly scans and finds the best FM frequency - all with one push of a button.Dual USB Power Adapter:* Charge your iPod or iPhone wherever there is a wall outlet* Two USB outlets let you charge multiple USP-powered devices simultaneouslyUSB Cable:* Charge and sync your iPhone or iPod as you connect it to your desktop or notebook computerRockStar:* Five jacks for attaching headphones, iPod devices, or MP3 and portable DVD players* Mixing and fade-ins controlled by the standard controls of each MP3 playerCompatible with:* iPhone 3G 8GB 16GB* iPhone 4GB 8GB 16GB* iPod Touch 8GB 16GB 32GB* iPod nano 3rd Gen (Video) 4GB 8GB* iPod Classic 80GB 160GB* iPod shuffle 2nd Gen 1GB 2GB* iPod nano 2nd Gen (alum) 2GB 4GB 8GB* iPod 5th Gen (video) 30GB 60GB 80GB* iPod nano 1st Gen 1GB 2GB 4GB* iPod 4th Gen 20GB 30GB 40GB 60GB* iPod 4th Gen 20GB 40GB* iPod mini 1st Gen 4GB 6GB

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Sunday, May 22, 2011

Belkin TuneCast Auto 4 for iPod and iPhone (Black) Review

Belkin TuneCast Auto 4 for iPod and iPhone (Black)
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I was looking for an FM transmitter which charges my iPod Touch and broadcasts over FM in a convenient, usable way. Many don't transmit well, or limit you to a range of the FM spectrum which may not work for your area.
This item is the best I've found, but still not perfect.
For my Video Ipod, I used a Kensington FM transmitter (white one), which was the best. Strong transmitter, easy to use, could dial in any frequency. The only reason I stopped using it was because it doesn't charge the iPod Touch, which is a pain for long drives and days where I commute in and then listen to music at work. The battery gets low and the commute is too long to go without.
Pros:
The scan feature lets you find an empty station quickly. It discovered a new empty station for me, after a lame music station took over my old favorite freqency...jerks.
The display is nice, and there are two preset buttons, so you can set presets you like.
It charges all Ipod Touch/IPhones. My iPod Touch was bought in Jan, 2009.
Cons:
The FM transmitter isn't very strong. Its usable most of the time, but I get interference sometimes, which is annoying, but fairly rare.
I could quickly find a different station if I needed to with the search button. The transmitter is not as strong as my Kensington, but if it gets too bad, I can search for another frequency.The button you press to search for other stations is rather large. I've had that part of the controller swing over to the driver's side and hit it with my leg a few times, which changes the frequency. It probably more how my car is set up, but its still annoying. You have to have the thing somewhere and there is only so much room in a car. I should probably get some tape and mount it somewhere on the dash.
One thing to look out for with the search button is that when you hold the unit, you are acting as part of the antenna and affecting the reception, which messes up its ability to find a clean station. You need to leave the unit where it is and just press the button and take your hand away. Not a big deal, just a heads-up.
Otherwise, its a good transmitter. Not the greatest possible, but I haven't seen anything better from Kensington. The Kensington RDS FM Transmitter does charge the ipod touch as well, but I tried it and its got some quirks that made it too annoying to use. It does seem to transmit stronger, but it doesn't have a display, so you don't know which frequency it is tuned to. On the older ipods, the freq showed on the Ipod screen, but with the Touch, it doesn't show. This makes it unusable.


Click Here to see more reviews about: Belkin TuneCast Auto 4 for iPod and iPhone (Black)

TuneCast Auto lets you listen to your iPhone or iPod in the car, while it charges. Cut through the static with ClearScan. Avoid the frustration of manually finding a clear FM station. ClearScan technology quickly scans and finds the best FM frequency--all with one push of a button.

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