iPhone FM Transmitter recommendations

[Robotic]

Can anyone recommend a good FM transmitter with charger for the car? Most of the ones I've seen have static or loose signal. The reviews on Bestbuy and Futureshop all have poor reviews.

[DownhillGoat]

Originally Posted by Robotic

The reviews on Bestbuy and Futureshop all have poor reviews.

Because they're all garbage?

If you're looking for an aux in without replacing the head unit, get a hardwired FM modulator. It ties into your antenna plugin, so it still goes through the radio, but sounds better and won't drop out. Still not as good as a standard aux in, but substantially better.

[sclitheroe]

Embrace your inner analogue! I've got a Belkin and a Scosche that both work fairly well. The Scosche TuneIn is the model I use most often, and i assume their other models are decent too.

The sound is, of course, decidedly retro, but that's half the fun.

[burn_this_city]

You can buy kits that will interface with your factory radio providing iPod integration and charging. What kind of vehicle is it?

[nfotiu]

Originally Posted by Robotic

Can anyone recommend a good FM transmitter with charger for the car? Most of the ones I've seen have static or loose signal. The reviews on Bestbuy and Futureshop all have poor reviews.

Yeah it is really the last resort. I guess you don't have Bluetooth in your car Or any aux in? You have to constantly fidgit with those things especially as you drive around and you get interference on different stations. The cassette adapters are even a lot better if you have that option.

[Russic]

I think I spent about $100 on crappy fm transmitters before spending $100 on an installed solution at Future Shop. In hindsight I totally should have gone that direction first. It just adds a little aux in port, and it's hardwired to a station as kunkstyle said. When I bought a car for work a few months ago I think I spent about $275 and just had a cheap deck installed that came with bluetooth and an aux in.

[Robotic]

Yes nfotiu, I don't have Bluetooth or an AUX input. Therefore I have to get a FM transmitter, but all reviews online give everything a poor ratings. I'm now leaning more towards just getting a new deck installed that has Bluetooth/AUX built in as Russic mentioned.

Russic - Were you happy with Futureshops installation? The prices online seem reasonable.

[terminator]

Originally Posted by Robotic

Yes nfotiu, I don't have Bluetooth or an AUX input. Therefore I have to get a FM transmitter, but all reviews online give everything a poor ratings. I'm now leaning more towards just getting a new deck installed that has Bluetooth/AUX built in as Russic mentioned.

Russic - Were you happy with Futureshops installation? The prices online seem reasonable.

My opinion is to change the entire head unit.... for 150-250 you can get full ipod functionality, aux and bluetooth.

[Russic]

Originally Posted by Robotic

Yes nfotiu, I don't have Bluetooth or an AUX input. Therefore I have to get a FM transmitter, but all reviews online give everything a poor ratings. I'm now leaning more towards just getting a new deck installed that has Bluetooth/AUX built in as Russic mentioned.

Russic - Were you happy with Futureshops installation? The prices online seem reasonable.

Ya I liked it. Truthfully I feel the extra $100 you'd spend to get a full unit installed would be the better way to go, but if you budget won't allow it, it's a great mid-point. Some slight static on drives through BC, but wayyyyy more solid than a traditional transmitter.

[DownhillGoat]

Originally Posted by Russic

Ya I liked it. Truthfully I feel the extra $100 you'd spend to get a full unit installed would be the better way to go, but if you budget won't allow it, it's a great mid-point.

If you're not afraid to take your dash apart those modulators are incredibly easy to install and only run around $30.

[Robotic]

Great advice all around. Thanks everyone.

Now just to choose which deck to get... so many options, keep it simple or go balls to the wall?

[Roast Beef]

It depends on your needs. If you just want your iPhone to play through your speakers then simple is fine. I bought a deck for 89 dollars on sale that I am happy with. It has bluetooth and usb. It can connect to 2 phones and you can make and receive calls by pressing a button on the deck to answer a call or to access Siri to make a call. It came with a mountable microphone to pick up my voice. You can also use mapping and gps apps to get turn by turn directions from your car speakers. It doesn't have a CD player but that wasn't an issue for me as my music is on my device or in the cloud via iTunes Match. I did have to purchase a dash kit and a harness for it though. My stock radio was double sized so the dash kit filled the extra space with enough storage for your phone and wallet or a couple of cd's. The harness was needed because my car alarm, chimes and indicators were routed through the stock radio. The harness replicates those functions. If you can, install it yourself. It seems daunting at first, but you can probably find step by step instructions for your particular vehicle. I had absolutely no experience with wires, electronics or removing parts of my dash. It took me less than an hour to remove the cover and radio, install the dash kit and then connect the deck and replace the cover. It was far easier than I had imagined it to be.

Buy the parts and do it yourself. It's easier than you imagine it to be, and you will feel a bit more manly afterwards.

[Robotic]

So I went to Futureshop today and picked up the Pioneer 7" AppRadio 3 which was on sale.
Link Here
Got the harness and dash kit. Installed it myself which didn't take very long. Worked first try! Feeling pretty good about it.

[Russic]