Belkin TuneBase FM Transmitter for iPod with Dock Connector (Black)
by Belkin
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Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of Belkin TuneBase FM Transmitter for iPod with Dock Connector (Black)
Customer Review: A Great All-in-One FM Solution for your Vehicle
Summary: 4 Stars
Strengths: All-in-one solution for docking, charging, and FM transmission; adaptable to all iPods and vehicles; versatile FM tuning options
Weaknesses: Sound quality issues typical of FM transmitters; no auxiliary audio input or output
Let's face it: using your iPod in your vehicle just isn't as simple as it should be. Unless you're driving a 2006 model year or later vehicle, chances are that your vehicle's stereo head unit doesn't provide any easy way for you to connect your iPod (or any other digital music player, for that matter). That means that you only have three options for listening to your iPod through your vehicle's stereo: direct connection to your head unit via an auxiliary input, a cassette tape adapter, or an FM transmitter. Most automobiles don't offer an auxiliary input jack on the front of their receivers, and connecting your iPod to a rear aux input--if your unit even has one, that is--is a complicated process that involves removing your receiver and (sometimes) part of your dashboard as well. So even though this setup offers the best sound quality, installation can prove difficult...or impossible. On the other hand, cassette tape adapters provide a far simpler and good-sounding method to connect your player, but they only work if your vehicle has a cassette player. So if neither of the above solutions are an option for you, then you have to begin considering either (1) purchasing an aftermarket, iPod-friendly head unit or (2) looking for an FM transmitter, and that's where the Belkin TuneBase FM for iPod comes into the picture.
If you decide to go the FM transmission route, you really can't lose with the TuneBase FM. Not only does it transmit the audio output from your iPod to an FM frequency you select, but it also provides a convenient dock for your iPod that even charges your iPod while it's in use. Many all-in-one solutions such as this are poor performers all around, but the TuneBase FM fulfills all of its duties superbly.
It goes without saying that the most important element of the TuneBase FM's performance is sound quality. After all, it doesn't do much good to dock and charge your iPod in the car if you can't listen to your music. As FM transmitters go, the TuneBase FM does an admirably good job getting audio output from your iPod to your vehicle's stereo, but it is plagued by the same sound quality issues that affect all FM transmitters. I live in an area that has a pretty crowd frequency spectrum; there are only a few frequencies that are relatively free of other transmissions. Despite this, however, the TuneBase FM still manages to transmit a clear audio signal to my receiver most of the time, although static can be a problem from time to time. I commute almost forty miles one way to work everyday, and I rarely have to switch frequencies, which is pretty impressive. Your results may vary depending on how crowded the airwaves are in your region. Compared to my last FM transmitter, a highly-rated iRock! BeamIt model, the TuneBase FM transmits a slightly clearer and more powerful signal. You won't get a much better FM signal from any other FM transmitter.
The TuneBase FM's other features are what really make it stand out from the rest of the crowd. Its docking solution, utilizing a flexible steel "neck" to support the cradle, is much more elegant, flexible, and pleasing to the eye than other solutions that use a series of thick, jointed plastic connectors. This allows you to position your iPod just about any way you please, and it also virtually guarantees that this dock is adjustable to fit just about any vehicle on the road. The dock is secured by inserting the base into a free power or cigarette lighter outlet, which is also how the device receives power for charging the iPod. Included in the box are plastic and rubber outlet adapters to ensure a snug fit in just about any outlet, and this seems to work quite well; even over bumpy roads or terrain, my iPod remains firmly upright in its cradle. It would be nice if the adjustable neck were just a couple inches longer (this unit includes a four-inch neck, the TuneBase FM for iPod nano includes a seven-inch neck), but a longer neck would likely be too flimsy to support heavier iPods such as the 60GB and new 80GB 5G video iPods.
The TuneBase FM automatically pauses and powers down a docked iPod when it the power supply to the device is interrupted, and it powers up the iPod and resumes playback when power is restored. One note about this: there is no on/off switch on the device, so it remains powered as long as the vehicle's power outlet is powered. If your vehicle's power outlets deactivate when you remove the key from the ignition, then this is not an issue. However, if your vehicle (like mine) powers your outlet(s) continually (even when the vehicle is off and the key is removed from the ignition), you need to remember to manually turn off your iPod when exiting your car or risk draining your car's battery.
Tuning to different radio frequencies with the TuneBase is a simple exercise. The device interfaces with the iPod through its dock connector, so it is able to display frequency and present information on the iPod's own display, which is much easier to read than a separate LCD readout. Tuning options are very flexible. In addition to four presets (which, if you sync with the presents on your vehicle's receiver, makes channel-hopping a breeze), the TuneBase FM allows you to to any frequency from 87.9 to 107.9, including broadcast-free even-numbered frequencies such as 88.8, 96.2, etc.
I only have a few minor complaints about the TuneBase FM for iPod. As I mentioned earlier, there is no on/off switch to accommodate vehicles with continually-powered outlets and cigarette lighters. I haven't experienced any difficulties with leaving my TuneBase plugged in for extended periods of time as long as I manually power down or remove my iPod, but it's an unnecessary extra step that I shouldn't have to take. It's also unfortunate that Belkin does not include auxiliary input and output jacks for direct connection to supported receivers or the ability to use the TuneBase for other digital media players and not just iPods. There's even a spot on the cradle specifically for an auxiliary jack; Belkin just decided not to include it with this model. That's really too bad, as I would have been more than willing to pay an extra five dollars or so for the added functionality of an auxiliary jack.
Overall, however, the TuneBase FM for iPod is an excellent product. If you have decided that FM transmission is your only option for in-car iPod connectivity, then this product is definitely worth considering and will perform admirably.
Customer Review: A solidly adequate product
Summary: 4 Stars
I bought a TuneBase for my iPod about a month ago for a three-week, 4,000 mile road-trip. I just got back and am generally pleased with the way the TuneBase performed. It worked well, it was easy to operate, and it held up well to being tossed in the glove-compartment or under the front seat when I wanted to use the outlet for other things.
Pros: The TuneBase was extremely easy to set up and tune. The tuning was a one-handed operation (let me stress that I did it only when stopped or when my wife was driving - tuning this thing while at the wheel and careening down a mountain road would be as smart as reading or applying make-up under the same conditions; given that there are idiots who do those things (I've seen them, and thus learned that the universe isn't just - if it were, it would promptly remove them from the gene pool and take out no one else in the process), the ease of operation enhances your odds of survival should you wish to change frequencies and drive at the same time). The flexible neck made it very easy to turn the iPod so that the screen was easily readable wherever I was sitting. The unit looked reasonably nice, it fit well in the glove compartment, and when my daughter whacked my son across the head with it, it made a satisfyingly solid "thunk" that didn't damage the TuneBase at all.
Cons: Like any FM transmitter, the TuneBase is subject to interference from radio stations, CB radios, and power lines. I gave up trying to listen to my music in large cities and during thunder storms. On those afore-mentioned mountain roads, centrifugal force set the iPod swinging off to the side like a tree in a hurricane; the effect was accentuated by the long goose-neck which gives the force a long lever arm through which to act. There was a frequent annoying whine during the soft passages of classical music, but there were no problems at all with pop/rock music, which tends to have a more limited dynamic range than classical.
Overall, the TuneBase worked very well across the mountains, prairies, and west-Texas desolation. It wasn't very useful in large cities (even when I found unused bands, there was a lot of radio noise). It worked beautifully when I wanted to listen to Latin, pop, or similar music. It was okay for listening to most classical music, useless for music with extended soft passages. (But on an extended vacation with two small children, who needs music with extended soft passages? What's really needed is a way to drown out their screams - I'll be looking into iPod headphones soon.) I'm going to get an iPod dock hardwired into my car as soon as I can, but the TuneBase has been a perfectly adequate stop-gap solution to my travel needs. If you prefer rock to Bartok or drive mostly in rural areas, it should be more than adequate to your needs - it will be outstanding.
Customer Review: Convenient and worth the price
Summary: 4 Stars
I bought this FM transmitter/charger 6 months ago, and am still happy with it.
What makes the Tunebase convenient?
The flex-neck
The flex-neck holds up well. It hasn't fallen out of position despite bad potholes and driving over construction. It also re-positions easily. Its great to not have wires all over the place. Plus, the flex-neck holds the iPod in one place, so I don't have to hunt for my iPod when I want to skip a song.
The Pre-Sets
The tunebase comes with four pre-set buttons. You chose a channel with the up/down arrows, then press the pre-set button and hold.
Auto on/off
When you put your iPod in the unit, it will automaticly turn iPod on. When you remove it from the unit or turn off the engine, it automaticlly pauses iPod.
Charges iPod
I don't worry about my iPod battery running out on me on long trips because the Tunebase charges it.
Broadcasts on even numbered channels
Good reception quality
Its free of static unless the channel I'm using has a clear radio station.
The Tunebase does have a few drawbacks:
Changing or checking channels with the pre-set operation is not as convenient as other FM tranmitters (like the Monster Cable Radio Play). When you chose a button, first the button name is displayed for a momment, then the station number is displayed. So, if you forget what station is programed on a button, you have to wait to find out. Plus, you have to keep taking your eyes off the road to check it. If you wait too long, it will revert back to iPod's usual display.
A few months after I bought my unit, the auto-pause feature stopped working.
The flex-neck isn't very long. So, if your cigarette lighter is low (or high) on your car's console, it could be tricky to position it in a useful place.
Customer Review: Well Designed but Not For Everyone
Summary: 4 Stars
Pros: Compact, stylish. Simple: one connection. On-screen station management. 4 station presets. Firmware remembers where you were in what playlist when you plug it in, and starts you there. It also pauses the play when you unplug the tunebase or turn off your car (so your iPod won't keep playing silently away until you notice and turn it off). Comes with adapters for just about every iPod but the Shuffle, which fit snuggly and hold it securely in place.
Cons: Broadcast signal is fairly quiet, so you might have to turn up your volume (can't do so on the iPod, since it pulls the volume out the base, not the audio out). Quiet signal allows for more interference in some vehicles, especially if you live in Big Fat Cityville, where empty airwaves are harder to find. The really snug plastic adapters that hold your iPod in place are really snug so . . . If you have any kind of skin on your iPod, you probably won't be able to use this accessory. FM transmitters are always a poor substitute to an auxilliary input into your stereo if you have one.
Conclusion: I haven't used but two FM transmitters, and this one seems average as a transmitter. You just have to decide if you want to put up with the hassle/flexbility of a bunch of wires, or deal with the one-spot, compact set up that is the TuneBase FM. I enjoy mine, but my iPod barely fits due to some BestSkinsEver skins, and it occasionally feels in the way of my stick-shift. As always, if you have a tape deck, get a tape adapter. If you have an auxiliary input, get some savy friend to wire you in. Happy Shopping!
Customer Review: Surpassing my expectations...
Summary: 4 Stars
The Belkin Tunebase FM far surpassed my intitial expectations. After reading several reviews (I tend to do extensive research on virtually everything I plan to purchase) I was somewhat skeptical. However... this product does exactly what it intends.
The sound is as good as you can get from a device of this nature. Yes... there will be some static, especially when driving through more metropolitan areas. I live in Western Maryland where there are only a handful of radio stations. So fortunately, there are more than enough frequencies on the dial for me to resort to for clear audio from my iPod.
I have noticed when passing vehicles with XM or Sirius service, my Tunebase FM occasionally picks up the signal. But this only lasts long enough for them to pass me or vice versa.
The overall design of the Tunebase FM is highly functional. But there is a major dependency on where your cigarette lighter is located. The unit comes with some adapter rings, so it should fit snug in most all lighter outlets. However, if your lighter is in a pull out ashtray or surrounded by other consol items, the Tunebase FM may be difficult to position. The flexible arm is great... but it doesn't exactly "flex" as much as you would wish. The cradle that the iPod sits in has to always be in an upright position. Otherwise, the iPod will fall out after a couple bumps in the road.
All in all, this is a great product and probably the best purchase I have made in years (next to my iPod).