Radio Transmitter for MP3 players

oneilldo · 2 Dec 2006 at 16:11

These are being made legal on the 8th December. I have got my girlfriend an MP3 player (not an IPOD) and want to get her a transmitter for xmas, has anyone had experience of these and can recommend specific models (ideally not the ipod specific ones as these won't work).
Obviously don't link to competitors

Larnica · 2 Dec 2006 at 16:14

oneilldo said:
These are being made legal on the 8th December. I have got my girlfriend an MP3 player (not an IPOD) and want to get her a transmitter for xmas, has anyone had experience of these and can recommend specific models (ideally not the ipod specific ones as these won't work).
Obviously don't link to competitors

Sorry I dont have any input but I think ive seen a lot of places online selling them, why are they illegal?

james.miller · 2 Dec 2006 at 16:17

illegal to use, not illegal to sell. THe only reason they are illegal at all is because of a rather stict limit on the output power of devices operating in radio frequencies. Anything above a certain amount (cant remember exactly) requires a licence. The trouble is that limit is so low it makes things like mp3 player fm transmitters illegal. They are upping that lower limit so that the devices are legal becaus they know they cause no harm or interference.

well, thats about the jist of it anyway lol

oneilldo · 2 Dec 2006 at 16:50

yeah the above about sums it up, ofcom are changing the rules on the 8th so they are then legal to use in UK. Belkin make one called tunecast II that looks ok.

benjo plz. · 2 Dec 2006 at 16:52

The law that made them illegal dates back to the 1940s, It's about time they changed it.

iraiguana · 2 Dec 2006 at 17:33

I have heard that they are changing that law very shortly.

benjo plz. · 2 Dec 2006 at 17:45

iraiguana said:
I have heard that they are changing that law very shortly.

erm yeh, as the op said, december 8th

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Larnica · 2 Dec 2006 at 18:34

Phnom_Penh said:
erm yeh, as the op said, december 8th .

Pwned

oneilldo · 2 Dec 2006 at 18:49

So now we have cleared up the date when they are legal to use in the UK

Does anyone have an experience of non-ipod specific transmitters?

Alibaba99 · 2 Dec 2006 at 19:46

Only specific transmitters will become legal, I think they will get an E mark or somesuch.

Stellios · 2 Dec 2006 at 19:48

Went into Halfords about them and the guy told me id be better off spending the money on a radio with an aux socket as the quality is rubbish.

benjo plz. · 2 Dec 2006 at 20:14

Stellios said:
Went into Halfords about them and the guy told me id be better off spending the money on a radio with an aux socket as the quality is rubbish.

That's not quite right. For the price, the quality is ok, it's better than a tape adapter, but yes, an aux inputs will give the best sound, but cost more.

daz · 3 Dec 2006 at 11:30

Phnom_Penh said:
but yes, an aux inputs will give the best sound, but cost more.

Why would it cost more?

An aux-in cable for most Blaupunkts is about £8.

oneilldo · 3 Dec 2006 at 12:05

I presume he means than replacing your car stereo to one that has an aux input.

benjo plz. · 3 Dec 2006 at 13:11

daz said:
Why would it cost more?

An aux-in cable for most Blaupunkts is about £8.

Because you need a head unit with an aux input

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