Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #3609 in Consumer Electronics
• Brand: Belkin
• Model: F8V3080eaAPLBLK
• Released on: 2008-05-13
• Dimensions: .39" h x .39" w x .39" l, .44 pounds

Features

• Belkin Tunecast FM Transmitter Wireless 88.1-107.9MHz for Audio to Radio Set Ref F8V3080eaAPLBLK

Manufacturer's Description

Now you can use your iPod, PDA, MP3, CD, cassette player, PC, or laptop to listen to your favorite tunes through any FM stereo receiver. The Belkin TuneCast II Mobile FM Transmitter wirelessly connects portable music players to your car or home stereo quickly and easily using FM radio waves. Just plug the TuneCast II into the headphone jack of your iPod, PDA,MP3, CD, or cassette player; or connect it to your PC or laptop computer. Tune your car stereo or receiver to any clear FM frequency, and enjoy your iPod music experience with more sound and fewer wires.

We add a great convenience feature with our unique Auto ON/OFF function. It frees you from having to manually toggle your TuneCast II''s ON/OFF switch by simply powering on when an audio signal is detected. If no signal is detected for a period of 60 seconds, your TuneCast II switches off. This innovation preserves battery life while making your outstanding mobile audio experience simpler to enjoy.

TuneCast II also features 4 programable memory slots allowing you to save the clearest station wherever you go.

TuneCast II includes a Belkin Mobile Power Cord that connects to your car's cigarette lighter so you can preserve your batteries as you play your tunes on the road (will not charge the TuneCast II).

Box Contents

Customer Reviews

Reasonable value- shame it flattens batteries when off!
I bought it to use in my car mainly when the supplied cigar lighter power lead can be used. After reading another review about batteries running down even when switched off I did a quick test (retired electronics engineer). My unit draws about 4 milliamps when OFF. AAA batteries have
a capacity of around 1000 milliampere-hours at this kind of discharge rate so I would expect a set of new batteries to be exhausted in 10 days
even if you don't use it. If you must keep batteries in it -stick a piece of paper between the end of one battery and the unit's terminal when not in use!
Otherwise it works about as well as I expected.

Almost brilliant!
It was with high hopes that I bought this FM transmitter.

The idea, to use it in the car and at home to listen to music from my ipod on the hi fi etc.

It is incredibly easy to use, pop out the lead, (which tucks away neatly on the device) into the headphone socket, select an FM frequency that is not being used, tune the radio to the same frequency and thats it.

It even comes with a car charger!

It worked first time. However, its not a 5 star product because there is always a background hiss.

Its so nearly a great product.

But not quite there yet.

In defense of the TuneCast II
1) It works! Within the confines of a car you can put it in the boot or glovebox whether the aerial is at the front or back or the car.
2) Yes, the sound is a bit compressed (bouncy/punchy/pop music effect so the loud parts aren't too loud nor the quiet too quiet which makes music seem louder). Most Radio stations do this because it helps transmission / most people like the effect - the exception is Radio 3 / Classical Music.
3) Yes, there is slight hiss/crackle if the music is quiet and your car stereo volume is high - solution, make sure your MP3 volume is turned up instead so the TuneCast II gets to broadcast a strong signal.
4) They provide Duracell Plus batteries and, no, they don't last forever, but transmitting on FM is power hungry. A Car/Cigarette adaptor is provided - just make sure you hide it when leaving the car!

The signal stays fairly strong up to ~2 metres then toward 3 metres suddenly drops out - i.e. unlikely to interfere with the car next to you if they happen to be doing the same on exactly the same frequency (but you can use any FM frequency and preset up to 4).

Yes, there'll probably be an improved version out by mid 2007, but I doubt the current (12/2006) alternatives can be significantly better and at sub £20 (I was happy when I paid £30 high street) and accepting it's emulating a mini Radio Station YOU JUST CAN'T COMPLAIN!