Bluetooth FM Transmitter for cars

[chalkpie]

I'm getting out of control grabbing CD's for my commutes. My car becomes a fucking CD pigsty. I know Clamazon sells a bunch of these Bluetooth FM Transmitters in which you use an "open" FM station and then play streams or mp3's.

Does anybody have any insight into these things? Recommendations? Reservations?

I guess another big question is this: If I hear static on an open FM station, will that static still be present when you play music? I don't think I can get a station that is static-free where I live. Also, my car does NOT have any type of input, so going direct is not an option for me.

Thanks in advance, govs.

[progmatist]

I have some experience with them. Just be sure to get a transmitter with digital tuning. Better yet, get one which scans and locates empty FM space on which to transmit. I had a cheap one with an analog dial, and it would drift in and out while I was driving...quite annoying.

Any static on an empty frequency band will disappear once a carrier signal is present. The sound quality is actually quite good.

Finally, you'll want to get one which plugs into the cigarette power port. The last thing you want is for the batteries to die while driving. There are even some models with built in MP3 players. You simply insert a micro SD card full of MP3s, plug them into the cigarette port, power them up, and off you go.

[Jerjo]

I'm going to go this route soon because I'm sick of disc players in my old vehicles. My brother swears by this model so I'm going to give it a try.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B018E0I01I...=2L103VY1CZPBQ

[rcarlberg]

Couple years ago I bought a Pioneer car stereo, came with Bluetooth built in. Plus plays CDs or thumbdrives. Hundred bucks. Best buy ever.

When in Bluetooth mode with my phone I can make or take phone calls hands free. Or play Pandora.

[chalkpie]

I have some experience with them. Just be sure to get a transmitter with digital tuning. Better yet, get one which scans and locates empty FM space on which to transmit. I had a cheap one with an analog dial, and it would drift in and out while I was driving...quite annoying.

Any static on an empty frequency band will disappear once a carrier signal is present. The sound quality is actually quite good.

Finally, you'll want to get one which plugs into the cigarette power port. The last thing you want is for the batteries to die while driving. There are even some models with built in MP3 players. You simply insert a micro SD card full of MP3s, plug them into the cigarette port, power them up, and off you go.

Cheers mate

[Progbear]

I need one for my work vehicle, because State trucks don’t even have cassette decks, just AM/FM radios. And I’ll be damned if I’m going to be a slave to “classic rock” radio. (Oh look, it’s “You Give Love a Bad Name.” Again.)

I use the Just Wireless transmitter from Target. It works fine for me. And I can use it to charge my phone as well.

[JKL2000]

Today I bought an Alutek Bluetooth Receiver/Transmitter at Best Buy. I needed it so I could transmit Bluetooth to my home audio receiver, which doesn't have Bluetooth. My home audio/video system is a sort of amusing combination of high tech and low tech. The most high tech thing is my Oppo BD player, which has networking capabilites, but those are pretty much useless to me. I don't do any transmitting to it. I just wanted to transmit from my iPhone to my receiver, to play music stored on my phone and from Spotify, Bandcamp, TuneIn, etc.

I find the kludgy, 10-years - or so - behind the times methods are more fun than being up to date. I do kind of wish my receiver had an HDMI input though.

[Progbear]

As for the worry about static, I find it’s better if you live in a built-up area to use a frequency with a weak signal that the local transmitter can overpower, as opposed to one where you hear only static. In the “dead air” zone, I find it tries to latch onto rogue external frequencies too much, resulting in static and the like.

[Jerjo]

I was just thinking about this thread. Provided we can get a new vehicle next year I hope that whatever I end up with has a USB port and can play lossless files. I can get a slim 2TB drive and have a massive library to choose from. Even some of my wife's shit.