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Thread: FM transmitter for laptops?

  1. #1
    Admiral kimchicowboy's Avatar
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    FM transmitter for laptops?

    i was just curious if there was anything like the iTrip for laptops via USB or whatever. i don't have a tape player in my car to use the old tape adapters we used to use with discmans. if i'm driving long distances (like to LA, which is a good 5 hour drive), i can have my laptop's mp3 collection playing the whole time and the battery should last that long as well.

    thanks!
    "I pick my nose too but never eat it." - bachviet, 3/30/04

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  2. #2
    Commander CynJon's Avatar
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    I'm not aware of any that use USB, but any of the ones that plug into the headphone jack should work for you...

    I use this and I've got no complaints...

  3. #3
    Rear Admiral Lower Half Devhux's Avatar
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    I use the TuneCast II (Belkin) and it works great. As with CynJon's Tunecast, mine plugs directly into the headphone port, but the TCII has the benefit of selecting any FM frequency (the original Tunecast let you select only from 4 stations).

    As for relying on your laptop's battery, why don't you get a power inverter?

  4. #4
    Admiral kimchicowboy's Avatar
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    sweet. just what i was looking for.

    now, my antenna's broken. well, i got bent after i attached a balloon to it and the wind caused the antenna to bend. so i just took out the antenna since i hardly listen to the radio. would my CD deck still pick up the signal?
    "I pick my nose too but never eat it." - bachviet, 3/30/04

    if anyone wants to go scuba diving in oahu or wants to learn who to scuba dive in oahu, PM me.

  5. #5
    Belkin TuneCast Mobile FM Transmitter $3.40 with free shipping at Tweeter

    http://www.tweeter.com/product/index...ductId=1434046

    as of 6:50 pm pst

  6. #6
    Captain GilbertsGrape's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by passwird
    Belkin TuneCast Mobile FM Transmitter $3.40 with free shipping at Tweeter

    http://www.tweeter.com/product/index...ductId=1434046

    as of 6:50 pm pst

    Sweet Thank you so much .... it is on back order i hope i still get it

  7. #7
    Admiral kimchicowboy's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by passwird
    Belkin TuneCast Mobile FM Transmitter $3.40 with free shipping at Tweeter

    http://www.tweeter.com/product/index...ductId=1434046

    as of 6:50 pm pst
    yeah, i saw this deal earlier. but can anyone still tell me if it'll work if i don't have an antenna?
    "I pick my nose too but never eat it." - bachviet, 3/30/04

    if anyone wants to go scuba diving in oahu or wants to learn who to scuba dive in oahu, PM me.

  8. #8
    Commander AlpineJay's Avatar
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    What's the make and model of your vehicle? You could possibly just put in a $20 new antenna mast if you were able to pull out the entire antenna including the teeth.

    Anyway from what I know about most car radios I would assume that the sound quality is going to be significantly degraded in the absence of an antenna.
    If con is the opposite of pro, then what's the opposite of progress?

  9. #9
    Commander CynJon's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by kimchicowboy
    yeah, i saw this deal earlier. but can anyone still tell me if it'll work if i don't have an antenna?
    It'll probably work but you may get static or an inconsistent signal. You could always try a hard-wired FM Modulator, like this one which is designed to be installed in-line on your antenna wire (antenna wire plugs into unit, unit plugs into stereo head-unit). You'd have some additional wiring to do (it needs power and ground), but this is the same setup that built-in DVD systems use. You'd need a miniplug (headphone jack) to RCA adapter.

    I installed one of these in our old van and it works great. Like the post above mentions, however, you only have 4 frequencies to choose from so if you're in a "busy" area, you may have trouble finding one that is unused.

  10. #10
    Admiral kimchicowboy's Avatar
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    cool. thanks for the info guys.
    "I pick my nose too but never eat it." - bachviet, 3/30/04

    if anyone wants to go scuba diving in oahu or wants to learn who to scuba dive in oahu, PM me.

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