BrandBrains

Last year, I thought I’d get rid of some of the cords that were strewn about my Passat for my various gadgets. (Hands-free for my cell phone, cassette adapter for my iPod, Power adapter for my iPod, power adapter for my Garmin StreetPilot III GPS navigator…)
So, I thought I would switch to an FM transmitter for my iPod - specifically the Griffin iTrip.

No such luck. Why?

Let me remind you the design and location of the Passat’s antenna: it’s a whip antenna that sticks out the back, like some kind of automotive dorsal fin:

So, if your iPod and iTrip are near the radio and driver, the iTrip just doesn’t have enough power to properly transmit a signal in the Passat.

The answer: the MP3 Hi-Fi Stereo FM Transmitter from HobbyTron.com. This fully assembled transmitter can be powered by a 9-volt battery and transmits up to 100 feet.

So now, not only can I transmit my music from my iPod to my car stereo, but to yours, too. (If you’re driving alongside me.)

The only thing I can’t determine from the product description is how to set the frequency. It looks like it might be done using jumpers. I hope it comes with detailed directions…

[via Engadget]

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