Reviews for Griffin Tech. iTrip FM Transmitter

30ft Operating Range - MPN: 40132TRIP

  • 4
  By member: seymouru - Nov 25, 2003

Griffin Tech. iTrip FM Transmitter

Strengths: Easy to use right out of the box (@ 87.9 Mhz); great reception

Weakness: Draws power from the iPod, requiring more frequent charging.

I switched from the Belkin transmitter which only had 4 stations to choose from, none of them ideal in my area. I was expecting to use the iTrip's setup disk to find and install a better frequency. But the manual said the iTrip was preset to 87.9, so I tried that without doing the setup. It worked great since there are no stations on that frequency. I've been using it at home and in the car for a week without touching the setup disk at all. Sounds great.

The only drawback is that it draws power from the iPod's battery, so you have to charge it more often. But that's a lot better than replacing the batteries in the Belkin every couple of weeks. Hopefully the iPod's battery will hold out.

Overall well worth the price.

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  • 4
  By member: davidperrott - Jan 19, 2004

Griffin Tech. iTrip FM Transmitter

Strengths: Very convenient, especially when travelling by car. Doesn't require batteries, very simple to connect.

Weakness: Manual could be more comprehensive. Occasional static. Ipod battery drains faster.

Overall, a great product, that streamlines very well with the iPod and looks great. I would definitely recommend it, especially for the price. The weaknesses are only minor inconveniences.

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  • 4
  By member: fraGer - Feb 18, 2004

Griffin Tech. iTrip FM Transmitter

Strengths: Easy to use, Sounds pretty good, Looks pretty good, can choose from ANY channel on the dial.

Weakness: The setup was a bit more difficult than I expected. (I'm an itunes user, not a MusicMatch) The sound is good but not cd quality, a bit low in volume and there is static occasionally.

Overall this little gadget is pretty darn cool! The setup bothered me a little, since I did not have MusicMatch installed the setup just plain failed, why they would ship such a cool thing with an installation CD that does not support itunes is beyond me. Anyway, Griffin now has a fix for this on their website, just download the itunes support file.
So, got it all set up and went into the garage to test it out in the vehicles. Found a dead station and set the itrip to that station and voila, music! On quiet songs I could hear a lttle static and humming in the background but loud songs (any limp bizkit for instance) sound great. The volume is a bit lower than regular FM stations, just have to turn it up more.
Positives by far out weigh the negatives, it sure beats plugging it in to the tape deck everytime, plus you can listen to it in ANY car or on ANY radio. In fact, got it playin right now on my little sony clock radio at work. Shhhhhh
I think I'll go freak out some employees by predicting a song on some obscure radio station.... hehe

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  • 3
  By member: origican - Jan 18, 2004

Griffin Tech. iTrip FM Transmitter

Strengths: Seamless integration. Easy set-up. Chose from any station.

Weakness: Not CD quality. Underpowered signal. Almost as good as local radiostations.

Overall the iTrip is a great solution if your looking to listen to your iPod in your car. But unfortunately it isn't all it's cut out to be. There is a constant hum or high pitch noise in the signal. I think the fact the the iTrip powers itself from the iPod is great but it greatly reduces the strength of the signal. External power may be better. Aside from the weak signal and mediocre sound quality it is a nice gadget. Also for those of us with "jackets" on the iPod the iTrip should have more 'ground' clearence.

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  • 5
  By member: kimberlyh82 - Dec 30, 2003

Griffin Tech. iTrip FM Transmitter

Strengths: Very convenient, easy to use, and use anywhere there's a radio!

Weakness: Occasional interference and static, but still FM quality sound.

Out of all the FM transmittors currently available, this one is the best. I have tried the Belkin tuner, and I was unhappy with the results. After purchasing this one, I played with it for hours. It's great, you can hop into any car, tune in to the set itrip station like "89.7", turn on your ipod, and listen to all your music. Now it was worth it to download my entire cd collection into my new 20gb ipod, and I can access the music anywhere. Hey, you can even go to a party, tune in, and be your own dj!
So far, this is the best technology out there for the new ipod. Even the Apple retailers recommend this one!

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  • 4
  By member: zptiduda - Jan 12, 2004

Griffin Tech. iTrip FM Transmitter

Strengths: easy elegant fit with IPod; all of my music on any ole' radio to share with friends or enjoy in the car-what a joy!

Weakness: sometimes problem with reception but overall it still sounds good

The Itrip is very easy to use. Had some initial difficulty with software because I am a PC user that uses Itunes and the software is preset that all PC users use MusicMatch. Problem was easily resolved though- clear instructions for PC/Itunes users provided on Griffin's website.
Traveling in the car, reception is clear with some occassional difficulties- this varies though from city to city and is dependent on how crowded your FM frequencies are. If you have a car with a detachable antenna (I can unscrew mine from my car) then it helps to reduce the competition. Also, Apple support recommended setting the volume on the IPod to between 40-80% for best sound.
I really enjoy the flexibility that my ITrip has given me and look forward to using it for years to come.

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  • 5
  By member: RAHSMIA - Jan 5, 2004

Griffin Tech. iTrip FM Transmitter

Strengths: Clarity is unbelievable!! The best part though is that it is wireless...don't have to deal with all that mess. Just plug and your good to go!!

Weakness: I too thought the manuel was slightly vague and it took a little while to find what station I needed to tune into. Installation was the most confusing. But not impossible and needs patience.

Overall I love the iTrip. I am a neat freak and love that it is wireless. Just plug and go. Does suck alittle more energy than normal but its not that bad and was expected since I knew it didn't take batteries. Installation took some patience and common sense - I manually transfer my files so I had to manually transfer the station files. The vague instructions are to thank for the extra time it took to figure that out.

I would definitely recommend!!

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  • 5
  By member: coolest - Feb 4, 2004

Griffin Tech. iTrip FM Transmitter

simply the best! ... I own and have tried Belkin's Tunecast and First International Digital's irock! (www.myirock.com) with my 40G iPOD. and then I bought Griffin Technology's iTrip ... the best $35.00 I have ever spent! ... what a pleasant surprise ... with the first two transmitters, I had given up on using my iPOD in my car. with iTrip, my dog (his name is Flash) and I will be enjoying our music again while driving around the city. Love it (iTrip, that is).

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  • 1
  By member: jeffnnj - Nov 22, 2005

AM I LIVING ON ANOTHER PLANET?? THIS THING SUCKS!!

Strengths: Looks nice, same color as iPod

Weakness: Massive amounts of static, difficult to match up with an available station, difficult to set station frequence, generally doesn't work

Maybe I live in an overly congested area, Northern NJ, but I cannot get this thing to work decently for more then two minutes. As soon as I find an available station and go through the tedious process of matching it up with the itrip and drive 2 minutes, I lose the signal. Even when it does work, which is rare, I hear tons of static and crackling in the backround. All and all I HATE THIS THING. If you live in the NNJ/NYC area, don't waste your money.

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  • 5
  By member: MichaelGo - Dec 20, 2003

Griffin Tech. iTrip FM Transmitter

Strengths: Wide range of FM frequencies, lightweight, fits iPod form factor, no heavy power pack

Weakness: FM frequency difficult (or dangerous) to change while driving

I've tried different FM adapters for the iPod and this one is arguably the most elegant solution. The signal quality depends on the proximity of your iTrip to the radio antenna. It is also affected by how crowded your local FM universe is.

The sound quality of the transmission varies and is dependent on how good your FM radio is. On some cheap FM car radios, the sound is tinny and is muted. On others, the sound is robust. It does not approach CD quality but it can be as good as the best FM radio reception you can get. On my home stereo system's radio tuner, the sound is good enough.

Griffin has provided an application called iTrip Station Finder that helps you find a free frequency in a particulary locality. However, when driving long distances, it is difficult (or downright dangerous) to change the iTrip frequency while you are driving without pulling off the road. There are also instances that the signal fades off or gets interference, particularly through tunnels and around radio towers, but that is expected in all FM reception.

The company has excellent support. I had a defective iTrip. They responded to my email query quickly, and after determining that it was really defective, replaced it.

I highly recommended the iTrip. Short of hardwiring your iPod to your stereo, this is the best and easiest choice of putting your iPod's music into your car (or home) stereo system.

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  • 4
  By member: fry420 - Oct 2, 2005

Watch using with aux power to IPOD from car ac

Strengths: best signal and ease of use of all fm modulators I tried.

Weakness: subject to fail if car turned off and started with aux ac power to IPOD-Changing stations never worked very well.

Exchanged two until if determined the ITRIP was unable to take charge of auto when turned on and off. If aux power is used, unit must be unplugged when car is turned on. Starting car with ipod and itrip both connected to aux power will fry the itrip.

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  • 4
  By member: junxellipsis - Nov 2, 2003

Griffin Tech. iTrip FM Transmitter

Strengths: it is very easy to use and it does not require a seperate battery to run

Weakness: the installation was difficult because the manual was vague

small...compact and easy to use. it works well to my car audio with little noticeable quality change. the installation part was not specific enough but i found out that i just needed to copy over the list of stations into my iPod. have not used it with any other audio but it works good in my car which is all i wanted to do anyways...

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  • 4
  By member: bite_the_curb - Aug 14, 2004

Griffin Tech. iTrip FM Transmitter

Strengths: Works great in the car, or at home. Its well worth its full price for its capability.

Weakness: Signal could be a little more stronger for longer range...

Just imagine your at school you get your friends to tune into the same station and instantly your all listening to your music.

iTrip is wireless, affordable, and very pordable.
(Doesnt even eat up your battery as much as your backlight)

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  • 5
  By member: cckerspnllver - Jan 9, 2005

Griffin Tech. iTrip FM Transmitter

This product is easy to use and hooks up in no time. It makes the iPod so much more versatile for very little cost. I am glad I bought it.

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  • 4
  By member: phyllisk1 - Jan 20, 2004

Griffin Tech. iTrip FM Transmitter

Strengths: Very convenient, especially when traveling by car.

Weakness: I found the manual to not offer much, figured out how it really works by doing a search on the internet. Occasional static.

I don't have a cassette player in my car, So this is much better than lugging around 80-100 cds!

Another advantage of the iTrip is that it doesn't need an outside power source .

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  • 4
  By member: rplyler - Jan 8, 2004

Griffin Tech. iTrip FM Transmitter

Strengths: This product has many good features. I have a car that only includes a CD player, so this product allows me to listen to my iPod music through my car speakers easily and clearly.

Weakness: Occasional static.

This product has been great so far. It has allowed me to listen to the music I want on my car speakers without shuffling through hundreds of CD's. Everyone with an iPod and a car should get one, it is well worth the money.

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  • 5
  By member: noop212 - Jan 3, 2004

Griffin Tech. iTrip FM Transmitter

Strengths: Does not need batteries of any sorts, connects directly to the ipod. There are no wires that get in the way and you get to pick the station.

Weakness: Strength of stations change as you travel.

This is the greatest thing to happen to my ipod. I can take my over 2000 songs and play them in my car without having to worry about wires. I love the iTrip.

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  • 5
  By member: ronaldvk - Dec 24, 2004

Griffin Tech. iTrip FM Transmitter

Strengths: Works Great....

Weakness: None

This is my second iTrip... I purchased one for my orginal 5 gb iPod which is still in operation... and this one works as good or better... Would recommend this to any iPod user...

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  • 4
  By member: RodneyW - May 29, 2004

Griffin Tech. iTrip FM Transmitter

Strengths: Design matched to ipod, auto shut-off, full FM station selection, easy to use

Weakness: performance is not as good as a strong FM station

I just started in the world of ipod but I knew that I needed a car solution. I reviewed the choices and realized that multiple station ability was important. This product is easy to use - just plug it into the top of the pod. What took me forever to figure out was how to get the software loaded via musicmatch and also, adapt it to my chosen empty station. Here is the simple on the software: 1)download the latest iTunes to your computer 2) download from griffin the new iTunes itrip software. 3) import the station file and sync. Regarding the FM station, the playlist shows on the pod as itrip stations. Scroll to the frequency of your choice, highliight it, press the play/pause 1X and wait for the itrip to flash rapidly then press the play/pause again and go back to your music. Ta Dah!
The product is great. I was surprised though that the volume was low and that hiss was as there at all. I expected strong FM station performance. I get a hint of CD clarity with a froward hiss. It is still a good product for $34 and none of the competition is designed as well for sure.

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  • 5
  By member: Red5dsd - Jan 1, 2005

Griffin Tech. iTrip FM Transmitter

Strengths: Awesome gadget. Ultra-portable solution.

Weakness: Uses iPod battery, but what do you expect for something so compact.

This thing is essential for any iPod owner. Don't bother getting an iPod boom box. Just use your existing boom box if you're on the go. (It'll probably sound better too.) The interface is a little awkward and you should program it before you start driving so that you're not tinkering with your iPod while you're driving. Forgot your dock when traveling to grandma's? Don't worry, this little puppy will help you jam your tunes on grandma's stereo anyway. Buy this thing today.

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  • 4
  By member: patrickhgh - Nov 5, 2003

Griffin Tech. iTrip FM Transmitter

Strengths: Easy to Operate. Good reception.

Works much better that the Belkin Transmitter. Better reception and less cumbersome. The best option for playing an ipod in the car, besides putting a line-in in the stereo.

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  • 3
  By member: tmndesai - Feb 17, 2008

iTrip Family FM Transmitter for iPod.

Strengths: compact, doesnot need external power

Weakness: sound quality not good, difficult to use as it jumps in to tuning when frequncy selected

iTrip Family FM Transmitter for iPod is good product for price paid. However it seems it has limitations in terms of use and quality of sound. the transmitter is compact and it is convinient to carry around

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  • 5
  By member: beelzebubba - Apr 9, 2006

Good thing in small package

Strengths: Small, convenient, good signal strength right out of the box on the default freq. 87.9.

Weakness: Uses iPod battery, but really not bad.

I had tried one from C.Crane with a really good review and it was really bad. Regardless of the frequency it just didn't offer a good signal. But the little iTrip is strangely much better.

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  • 3
  By member: josephbuck - Oct 13, 2005

Griffin Tech. iTrip FM Transmitter

Strengths: Very small, runs on ipod battery, tunes to any station

Weakness: not very good reception in my car. you can almost always here at least a little static but maybe that's all transmitters or just my antenna or something...

I thought that it would be perfect sound but I guess the only way to get that is to have a direct line to the cd player. But overall it's a really convient product because of the size and ability to just throw it on and broadcast in your friend's cars as well. With a direct line you wouldn't be albe to do that.

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  • 5
  By member: dobyrules - Sep 28, 2005

Itrip Rocks

Strengths: It transmits in an excelent quality and lets you pick almost any station to transmit to

Weakness: The Itrip drains batteries like it't going out of style. The charge that would last 8 hours regularly lasts only 2 hours.

It is my opinion that if you have an ipod, buy an itrip you will not regret it. To address the issue of battery draining. If you plug the ipod into electricity while using the itrip ,the itrip by passes the battery and goes straight to electricity so there is no draining of your battery which is some what of a solution to that problem. So if you have an Ipod get an Itrip

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  • 4
  By member: Nitrayn - Jul 10, 2005

griffin Itrip

Strengths: nice size, extremely easy to use, plays clearly through the radio

Weakness: does not put out great sound quality

This product is very handy if you have an Ipod. You can take it to parties, in your car or at home. The only drawback is that it does not put out great sound quality. You have to really crank up the stereo for it too sound good at high volumes, but it never gets close to CD quality sound at high volumes. At low to mid level listening volumes it is more than adequete

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  • 4
  By member: xbharat - Jun 14, 2005

Griffin Tech. iTrip FM Transmitter

Strengths: No wires, fits snugly. Blends superbly with the ipod

Weakness: At times with some of the FM radios (inside the house), has a 'static' sound. This can sometimes be rectified if you place the ipod parallel to the radio

An ipod without an iTrip is like a horse without a saddle. if you are on the move and like to listen to music without changing CD in your car player, you cannot do without an itrip. The sound is crystal clear in streo mode.

One thing that I hate about the itrip is that itrip stations are stored as songlist on the ipod. And unlike other FM transmitters, ipod does not require a battery. This saves a lot of hassle if you are on the move a lot and charge your ipod via your laptop.

This surely does not beat the wired option (i.e connecting the ipod to the speaker system using wires), but if you want to go wireless, buy the itrip.

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  • 4
  By member: lopeza - May 6, 2005

Griffin Tech. iTrip FM Transmitter

Strengths: Works GREAT! I am in Tanzania (Africa) and it works fine with the local radio stations.

Weakness: It do not fit very well if you use the IPOD rubber protector case. It tends to pop off. They were not made for one another in mind.

If you do not have one, get one! It is great for long road trips. Makes a big difference when the choice of music is less or undesireable.

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  • 3.7
  testseek.com - Mar 11, 2011

Griffin iTrip FM Transmitter for Docking iPods

Testseek.com has collected 9 expert reviews for Griffin iTrip FM Transmitter for Docking iPods and the average expert rating is 74 of 100. The average score reflects the expert community’s view on this product. Click below and use Testseek.com to see all ratings, product awards and conclusions.

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