To be considered for equipping an old car

Multiple models of this type of device have flourished in recent years, with particularly attractive rates. The first were content to retrieve an audio source through a stereo input, and broadcast in FM. Current devices like this one offer more possibilities.

TnB This model is at first fairly good manufacturing (there are other really bad), but it will be to judge its reliability, which is often not the strong point of this kind of devices unfortunately. Surprising: a spare fuse (very easy to change, simply unscrew the tip of the cigarette lighter plug) is provided, to see as a nice touch from the manufacturer, or as his fear of a probable failure ...

To sum up, this unit can play MP3 files from an SD card or USB key, and FM broadcasts music on a channel we choose of course free, and for transmitting audio stream to his car radio set to the same FM frequency. Diffusion is very low power, not exceeding a 2 meters around. It can also play sound (music, GPS Application ...) telephone or any mobile device using the mini-jack input (a small audio cable, alas poor quality, is included.) In operation "MP3", the small directional bright screen (and surrounded by a few buttons) displays to pocket the title information, the selected FM frequency, etc. A mini remote control is provided, needless to say that rolling, it is totally unusable by the driver. The settings from the device itself, however, are somewhat limited, or too complex (short presses, long ... you get lost) and it is very difficult to successfully select the title you want to listen to.

The idea is still appealing and reminds me of what was already there for over 10 years with audio cassette shaped devices that fitted into the car radio. The quality was not bad, but do not rivaled a CD radio. Here it's the same thing and I actually felt like I board an audio tape, funny feeling when you listen to mp3: the sound is a little muffled, lack of dynamics, especially in the treble ; not catastrophic but unquestionably suffering from analogue transmission. And that's not counting the occasional interference that disturb listening. If you drive a lot, you may have to change the frequency as the FM stations also change frequency by region. I have not had the opportunity to test in the Paris region, but the FM space is so saturated that such devices could be virtually unusable ...

Another regret, the device monopolizes cigarette lighter, it would have been advantageous to provide such an output USB socket to recharge the phone at the same time (here the USB connector is only used to play MP3s from a USB stick .) The solution to a doubling of cigarette lighter sockets is not terrible, if we add this transmitter, it makes a big awkward mounting and keeps evil.

So, this device is intended primarily to the owner of a fairly old car did not want to invest in a new audio equipment. My car radio integrated bed rewritable CD, MP3 and has an RCA input: even if I can not use a USB key or memory card with the loss of quality is too strong for me to continue to use the FM transmitter. For those with a standard car radio (DIN), they will get a better and more comfortable by changing their model with a new with an SD card reader or USB stick, which is not so expensive nowadays.