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Model Of Item : AI-IP-FM-CH
Product Brand : Monster
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Monster iCarPlay Wireless FM Transmitter/Charger for iPod
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Customer Review :
Finally found a good solution : Monster iCarPlay Wireless FM Transmitter/Charger for iPod
iPod: 3rd gen, 20 gig
Car: 2001 Mazda Protege, stock stereo/cd player unit
I bought this device from an Apple Store just before a road trip from Westchester, NY to Washington, DC. I had previously been considering taking the car in to a car stereo place to have somebody run a cable from the in-dash stereo (which has a button for MD/Aux) so I could plug in the iPod directly, but after using the Monster product during my weekend trip, I don't see any reason to bother.
I am thoroughly satisfied with this device, despite it's higher price compared to some other options such as the iTrip and the iRock. I previously owned a 2nd generation iPod, for which I had a cigarette lighter adapter/charger and the iTrip. For less money than the Monster product, I could have bought a PocketDock (to enable me to use the charger with the 3rd gen iPod) and a new iTrip, but I chose to try out the Monster iCarPlay (despite the terrible name), and I'm so happy I did. Here are some issues to consider when buying a car kit for the iPod and my take on how the Monster iCarPlay performs. First let me say that I'm assuming that the cassette adapter route is not an option (if you have a cassette deck, the decision is even more complicated, but I don't know anything about cassette adapters because I have only a CD player in the car):
1. FM BROADCAST FREQUENCIES -- The iCarPlay offers 8 options toward the bottom of the FM spectrum. I was able to use 89.3 with very satisfactory sound quality all the way through to Baltimore, despite traveling through a series of major radio markets, including New York, Philadelphia, and Baltimore. From a user interface point of view, the iCarPlay features red LED indicator lights that clearly communicate to the user which FM frequency is being broadcast - and there is only one button to press to scroll through the options - nice and simple. Compare this with the iTrip, which requires the user to download a playlist of "tracks" onto the iPod that are used to tell the device which frequency to use, a system that not only requires stoppage of music to change frequencies, but also results in the iPod occasionally playing a bizarre series of beeps during random play of the full Library due to the fact that the frequencies are encoded in the form of tracks in the iPod's music Library. I'm a big believer in the benefits of a hardware-based rather than software-based solution, especially after the time that I forgot to re-sync the iTrip frequencies playlist when I changed the music on the iPod, rendering the iTrip unusable on the next car trip. The iCarPlay is ready for use right out of the box - no software to install or data to be transferred to the iPod. Ever.
2. iPOD-ESQUE ESTHETICS -- Here, the iCarPlay falls short, but I don't care that much (I don't use the iPod ear-buds either - I never found them comfortable), and I think the iCarPlay is nice enough looking on its own merits. My main concern is the usability and the efficacy of the product, and it is great in both regards.
3. POWER/BATTERIES -- One of the best things about the iCarPlay other than the sound quality is that it is an all-in-one solution, charging the iPod and broadcasting the FM signal at the same time and through the same port on the iPod. No batteries to change in the transmitter (compare with the iRock), and no leeching off of the iPod's own power, however little it may be (compare with the iTrip).
4. CONNECTIONS -- As mentioned above, there is only one point of connection with the iPod for both charging and playing: the dock connector port in the bottom. I like this because the performance of the FM transmitter is independent of the volume level on the iPod, resulting in one fewer thing to worry about. By comparison, the iTrip requires that the iPod's volume level be set within a recommended range for best results, even to be able to set the broadcast frequency. The iCarPlay's use of the dock connector also has the advantage (I'm speculating here: I haven't tried this) of leaving the top of iPod free for using the in-line remote or another peripheral, such as a voice recorder.
As a final detail, I'll point out a feature that may be unique to the iCarPlay. When you turn off the car, the device stops charging the iPod. What I was delighted to discover is that when this happens, the iCarPlay sends a signal to the iPod to pause itself. This is simply good, smart, considerate design - it takes the onus off the user to remember to pause the iPod to avoid having the iPod battery run down for no reason.
One last issue to bear in mind is that the iCarPlay is really just for use in the car (or on a boat, or anywhere with both a cigarette lighter socket and an FM radio). One advantage of the iTrip or iRock, is that they can be used to play the iPod through *any* FM radio, such as in a hotel room. I am willing to give up that bit of flexibility in return for the numerous other advantages I've found in the iCarPlay.
I don't usually take the time to write reviews on Amazon, and especially not of this length, but I am so pleased with this product (and aware of how confusing the decision about which FM transmitter to buy can be) that I felt compelled to share my experience. The iCarPlay is an effective, supremely easy-to-use solution for those of us with no cassette deck and a desire to play our iPod through our car stereo.
