FM iPod transmitters go legal

Author: Wil Harris
Published: 24th November 2006
Comments (9) Stumble
FM iPod transmitters go legal

The iPod has built up a massive accessory ecosystem, including a range of FM transmitters.

The UK's communications watchdog, OFCOM, has announced that it will be legalising sales of small FM transmitters designed to work with iPods and other portable media devices.

Although widely used and sold in the UK, devices such as Griffin's iTrip have been technically illegal in this fair isle, on the basis that the radio transmission signal could interfere with commercial or emergency wavebands.

The new regulations, which come into force on December 8, will incorporate recent EU decisions about the types of products which should be allowed on sale. UK-authorised kit will have the standard CE mark on the back, so using imported kit from eBay could still be illegal.

The UK's third political party, the Liberal Democrats, were apparently a major force in pushing this through, citing the massive consumer demand for these items as a reason to look again at the antiquated radio regulation legislation.

Do you currently use an iTrip or similar device? Or will you be waiting until they're legal to get in the shops? Give us your thoughts over in the forums.
Quote quack 24th November 2006, 12:06
I've got a Belkin TuneCast II. It's about bloody time they were legal. The only problem now is finding a frequency that's not taken up by a legit radio station or a pirate one while driving through Sutton!
Quote DarkReaper 24th November 2006, 12:51
About time. Owned an itrip for ages, can't use it with the new ipod any more but the fact that it was illegal never put me off, since the law made absolutely zero sense.

I haven't encountered any pirate radio stations in Belfast to date... Which is actually a touch disappointing really.
Quote Tyinsar 24th November 2006, 16:00
heh, my current location has about 6 radio stations (AM & FM combined). My hometown had only 2. (It's not quite the end of the world but on a clear day you can see it from there.)

Given the relative congestion there (UK) as compared to here ("Northern" Canada) I can see why there would be a law against them. But then again the range on those is so poor that I can't see it mattering. Just how full are the radio bands there?
Quote DXR_13KE 24th November 2006, 18:41
nice.... good for you Brits... :D
Quote Sh00ter 26th November 2006, 10:14
had a similar thing for ages, the fact that they were illegal made no diff to me, the signal only travels bout 10 feet anyways - can just pick it up in house if car is on driveway
Quote Seth 26th November 2006, 15:09
I don't know why everyone likes these things.. the sound quality is horrible..
I had an itrip, it made me cry....
Quote speedfreek 26th November 2006, 23:25
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tyinsar
heh, my current location has about 6 radio stations (AM & FM combined). My hometown had only 2. (It's not quite the end of the world but on a clear day you can see it from there.)

Given the relative congestion there (UK) as compared to here ("Northern" Canada) I can see why there would be a law against them. But then again the range on those is so poor that I can't see it mattering. Just how full are the radio bands there?
Where do you live, the exact middle of nowhere. :D

Sound quality over fm radio is terrible anyway so why even bother with these, same thing with tape adapters. At about $100 for a hald decent in dash player that you can directly plug your mp3 player into its worth it just so you dont have to put up with crap sound quality.
Quote Tyinsar 27th November 2006, 07:06
I too had an "iTrip" - I think mine had an operational range of 3 feet (~1 meter) I traded it for some DDR RAM.

[Off Topic]
Quote:
Originally Posted by speedfreek
Where do you live, the exact middle of nowhere. :D
The most remote location I've lived in was an "First Nations Reservation" up in Wood Buffalo National Park (fly in in the summer & drive across an ice road in the winter) mOjOm , the most congested place was in Pennsylvania (no unused land there at all, way too crowded for me :D ) I currently reside here
[/Off Topic]
Quote:
Originally Posted by speedfreek
...At about $100 for a half decent in dash player that you can directly plug your mp3 player into its worth it...
- unless you (I) already have an great dash unit that you're (I'm) too cheap to replace yet
Quote speedfreek 27th November 2006, 21:35
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tyinsar
- unless you (I) already have an great dash unit that you're (I'm) too cheap to replace yet
I have a nice kenwood that takes mp3 data cds that I am quite happy with. The sound quality compared to the stock radio blew me away so much that I wouldnt dream of being stuck with a fm transmitter or cassete adapter.

Any you do live nearer then I have even been to the middle of nowhere. :D
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