Monster iCarPlay Wireless FM Transmitter/Charger for iPod Reviews

• Decisions, Decisions.....

  
  By A3DYXBSM2CF9DU on 2005-03-06
  Three months ago, after doing some reading in the web regarding this subject, I went to BestBuy looking for a system for my car. At that time I had narrowed down my options to either the Griffin iTrip FM transmitter for dockable iPods or the Moster Cable iCarPlay wireless FM iPod transmitter/charger but was not totally sure so I decided to ask for advice to a salesperson at the store (bad decision) and he recommended the Monster product.
  
  He claimed he had one in his car and he loved it. He also highlighted the advantage of charging your iPod while you listen to your music.
  
  About the same time, my son bought the Griffin product and he has been using it since then.
  
  Well, I began using the Monster system for about 6 weeks and then switched with my son and began using his Griffin gadget and after gaining experience with both products I can say the following:
  
  1) Because the Monster Cable system has only 8 pre-set FM stations you can use to send your signal to, you have to make sure that there is at least 1 free FM band in the city where you are using this product. If not, you are out of luck. Here in Indianapolis, after much work I found only one FM band that is not being used by a local station so I got lucky and my system works fine. The Griffin iTrip FM transmitter for dockable iPods has much more flexibility since it allows you to tune to any of over 100 FM stations in your FM dial.
  
  2) Even if you find a "clean FM band" to use your Monster Cable FM iPod Transmitter/Charger, you will find that when you are riding your car using the system, you will hit some spots where you will pick-up considerable interference or "static". I have not yet lost my iPod signal when this happens but this situation is quite annoying. For the Griffin iTrip FM transmitter for dockable iPods this problem seems to be much less significant (but not totally absent as they claim in their manual) and this seems to be related to the fact that they use digital technology (versus analog technology which is used by competing products) to beam the signal to your FM radio and this apparently makes the quality of the signal better, stronger and cleaner.
  
  3) The "Charge while you Play" feature is quite a plus for the Monster Cable product. The gadget does charge efficiently and very quickly and it keeps your iPod battery fully charged at all times. For long trips this is quite an advantage that the Griffin product does not have.
  
  4) The price of the Monster Cable product is considerably more expensive than the Griffin iTrip gadget. At BestBuy, where both, my son and I bought these products, the Monster Cable iTrip product was $69.99 while the Griffin iTrip was $39.99.
  
  5) Don't forget that another difference is that with the Monster Cable product you have a cable connected to your iPod all the time and this takes away flexibility and makes it very visible in your car. The Griffin product is wireless and thus there is no connection so you do not need to worry about hiding it when you park your car in oublic places.
  
  In summary, these are two innovative products that allow you to listen to your own music in your own car in a practical and flexible manner. If you are mostly going to use this equipment in the city, while you comute to work and back to home and willnot make long car trips, save yourself some money and some headaches and get the Griffin iTrip FM transmitter for dockable iPods. On the other hand if keeping your iPod charged at all times is a must or if you make long, long trips on your car and want to listen to your iPod during these, consider the Moster Cable iCarPlay wireless FM iPod transmitter/charger.
  
  

• Works well - even in big cities

  
  By A22131YB0I9PBM on 2004-05-13
  I was hesitant to buy the iCarPlay - I had an FM transmitter several years ago and it was miserable. I was afraid I'd get in an accident while fiddling with the dial. The iCarPlay, however, has present stations, making it easier to change the station should you pick up some static.

  That problem doesn't happen often though. I live near Washington, DC, and rarely have to change the station because of static. Sure, the quality isn't as good as if you have a direct line-in port on your car stereo or a cassette adapter, but for those of us with plain ole CD players, the iCarPlay works well. It also does a great job of keeping your iPod charged.

  Another plus is that the cord is long enough that you can pretty much put your iPod wherever you want. I also read some great reviews of it on the Apple message boards.

  It might take you a while to get this product, however; I was on the Amazon's waitlist for over a month before I found it elsewhere and cancelled my order here.
  
  

• Best FM adapter yet, but it's still an FM adapter...

  
  By A2UT33U49HMWL5 on 2004-03-15
  Of all the ways to plug an iPod into your car stereo, an FM transmitter is the worst, sound-quality-wise. A good line in to your aux input will, without exception, yield better sound. However, if this is too daunting a procedure, or if you lack a standard aux input (or the ability to add one -- my situation), the iCarPlay is an excellent product. I have used the Belkin Tunedock, the Transpod, and the iTrip, and iCarPlay manages to be the best solution among them.

  Compared to other FM transmitters, the iCarPlay has a number of design advantages: It is powered from your car's DC adapter (a.k.a. the cigarette lighter plug), so you don't have to worry about batteries (as with the Belkin transmitter). Unlike other transmitters which are car-powered, this one also has a pass-through to recharge your iPod while it plays. The iCarPlay and Transpod are the only two products which provide this sort of integration.

  Controls on the device are simple: A button switches between the available frequencies (which are limited, so if you're in an area where all the low-band FM stations are taken up, you will get very poor quality sound), and a red LED notes which frequency you're on. The LEDs are bright enough to let you (barely) read the station on the device at night. Other than that, you just plug it into your car and into your iPod and control your iPod as normal.

  Physically, the iCarplay is adequately well made, but for such an expensive product, it feels a little too "plasticy" for my tastes, and seems that it could easily crack if abused. Compared to the flawless and solid plastics of the iTrip, it seems downright chintzy, although certainly no more so than the Belkin adapter. The iCarPlay's longish cable proves to be an advantage, as you can pick up the iPod and change songs, without losing transmission. I wouldn't mind a longer cable, but already, the 3' or so provided sometimes gets tangled up on the shift stick, so I'm not sure that would be ideal. The cable is long enough for most use.

  Signal strength is excellent, better than any other transmitter I've used, and it can usually overwhelm the transmission of any not-quite-received stations, and even makes a good effort at coming in over a local FM station, although the interference is severe when it does this. There's a certain amount of FM "hiss" when it plays, which seems more pronounced than that of other transmitters (particularly the iTrip which has an amazingly clear transmission, but a comparatively weak signal). The hiss isn't enough to bother me, with my poor factory stereo speakers, and again, if you're really serious about audio quality, you'll use a line in of some sort. Placing the transmitter as far away from the radio as possible (the DC jack in the hatchback of my Subaru -- a good 6'+ away) did not impair the signal quality.

  In the end, the iCarPlay offers an elegant and practical way to play my iPod in my car. It's priced a little high, but there's only one other device that comes close (the TransPod) and it's even more expensive and, to my mind, less useful. Still, for $70, you can easily add an aux jack to most stereos (except car factory stereos), and for a little more you could buy a low-end head unit with a built-in aux input. But, if you can't stand to take your dashboard apart, this will get the job done and do it with a minimum of fuss.
  
  

• Finally found a good solution

  
  By A2R95CNN9DXH on 2004-06-22
  iPod: 3rd gen, 20 gig
  Car: 2001 Mazda Protege, stock stereo/cd player unit

  I bought this device from an Apple Store just before a road trip from Westchester, NY to Washington, DC. I had previously been considering taking the car in to a car stereo place to have somebody run a cable from the in-dash stereo (which has a button for MD/Aux) so I could plug in the iPod directly, but after using the Monster product during my weekend trip, I don't see any reason to bother.

  I am thoroughly satisfied with this device, despite it's higher price compared to some other options such as the iTrip and the iRock. I previously owned a 2nd generation iPod, for which I had a cigarette lighter adapter/charger and the iTrip. For less money than the Monster product, I could have bought a PocketDock (to enable me to use the charger with the 3rd gen iPod) and a new iTrip, but I chose to try out the Monster iCarPlay (despite the terrible name), and I'm so happy I did. Here are some issues to consider when buying a car kit for the iPod and my take on how the Monster iCarPlay performs. First let me say that I'm assuming that the cassette adapter route is not an option (if you have a cassette deck, the decision is even more complicated, but I don't know anything about cassette adapters because I have only a CD player in the car):

  1. FM BROADCAST FREQUENCIES -- The iCarPlay offers 8 options toward the bottom of the FM spectrum. I was able to use 89.3 with very satisfactory sound quality all the way through to Baltimore, despite traveling through a series of major radio markets, including New York, Philadelphia, and Baltimore. From a user interface point of view, the iCarPlay features red LED indicator lights that clearly communicate to the user which FM frequency is being broadcast - and there is only one button to press to scroll through the options - nice and simple. Compare this with the iTrip, which requires the user to download a playlist of "tracks" onto the iPod that are used to tell the device which frequency to use, a system that not only requires stoppage of music to change frequencies, but also results in the iPod occasionally playing a bizarre series of beeps during random play of the full Library due to the fact that the frequencies are encoded in the form of tracks in the iPod's music Library. I'm a big believer in the benefits of a hardware-based rather than software-based solution, especially after the time that I forgot to re-sync the iTrip frequencies playlist when I changed the music on the iPod, rendering the iTrip unusable on the next car trip. The iCarPlay is ready for use right out of the box - no software to install or data to be transferred to the iPod. Ever.

  2. iPOD-ESQUE ESTHETICS -- Here, the iCarPlay falls short, but I don't care that much (I don't use the iPod ear-buds either - I never found them comfortable), and I think the iCarPlay is nice enough looking on its own merits. My main concern is the usability and the efficacy of the product, and it is great in both regards.

  3. POWER/BATTERIES -- One of the best things about the iCarPlay other than the sound quality is that it is an all-in-one solution, charging the iPod and broadcasting the FM signal at the same time and through the same port on the iPod. No batteries to change in the transmitter (compare with the iRock), and no leeching off of the iPod's own power, however little it may be (compare with the iTrip).

  4. CONNECTIONS -- As mentioned above, there is only one point of connection with the iPod for both charging and playing: the dock connector port in the bottom. I like this because the performance of the FM transmitter is independent of the volume level on the iPod, resulting in one fewer thing to worry about. By comparison, the iTrip requires that the iPod's volume level be set within a recommended range for best results, even to be able to set the broadcast frequency. The iCarPlay's use of the dock connector also has the advantage (I'm speculating here: I haven't tried this) of leaving the top of iPod free for using the in-line remote or another peripheral, such as a voice recorder.

  As a final detail, I'll point out a feature that may be unique to the iCarPlay. When you turn off the car, the device stops charging the iPod. What I was delighted to discover is that when this happens, the iCarPlay sends a signal to the iPod to pause itself. This is simply good, smart, considerate design - it takes the onus off the user to remember to pause the iPod to avoid having the iPod battery run down for no reason.

  One last issue to bear in mind is that the iCarPlay is really just for use in the car (or on a boat, or anywhere with both a cigarette lighter socket and an FM radio). One advantage of the iTrip or iRock, is that they can be used to play the iPod through *any* FM radio, such as in a hotel room. I am willing to give up that bit of flexibility in return for the numerous other advantages I've found in the iCarPlay.

  I don't usually take the time to write reviews on Amazon, and especially not of this length, but I am so pleased with this product (and aware of how confusing the decision about which FM transmitter to buy can be) that I felt compelled to share my experience. The iCarPlay is an effective, supremely easy-to-use solution for those of us with no cassette deck and a desire to play our iPod through our car stereo.
  
  

• Best FM adapter yet, but it's still an FM adapter...

  
  By on 2004-03-15
  Of all the ways to plug an iPod into your car stereo, an FM transmitter is the worst, sound-quality-wise. A good line in to your aux input will, without exception, yield better sound. However, if this is too daunting a procedure, or if you lack a standard aux input (or the ability to add one -- my situation), the iCarPlay is an excellent product. I have used the Belkin Tunedock, the Transpod, and the iTrip, and iCarPlay manages to be the best solution among them.

  Compared to other FM transmitters, the iCarPlay has a number of design advantages: It is powered from your car's DC adapter (a.k.a. the cigarette lighter plug), so you don't have to worry about batteries (as with the Belkin transmitter). Unlike other transmitters which are car-powered, this one also has a pass-through to recharge your iPod while it plays. The iCarPlay and Transpod are the only two products which provide this sort of integration.

  Controls on the device are simple: A button switches between the available frequencies (which are limited, so if you're in an area where all the low-band FM stations are taken up, you will get very poor quality sound), and a red LED notes which frequency you're on. The LEDs are bright enough to let you (barely) read the station on the device at night. Other than that, you just plug it into your car and into your iPod and control your iPod as normal.

  Physically, the iCarplay is adequately well made, but for such an expensive product, it feels a little too "plasticy" for my tastes, and seems that it could easily crack if abused. Compared to the flawless and solid plastics of the iTrip, it seems downright chintzy, although certainly no more so than the Belkin adapter. The iCarPlay's longish cable proves to be an advantage, as you can pick up the iPod and change songs, without losing transmission. I wouldn't mind a longer cable, but already, the 3' or so provided sometimes gets tangled up on the shift stick, so I'm not sure that would be ideal. The cable is long enough for most use.

  Signal strength is excellent, better than any other transmitter I've used, and it can usually overwhelm the transmission of any not-quite-received stations, and even makes a good effort at coming in over a local FM station, although the interference is severe when it does this. There's a certain amount of FM "hiss" when it plays, which seems more pronounced than that of other transmitters (particularly the iTrip which has an amazingly clear transmission, but a comparatively weak signal). The hiss isn't enough to bother me, with my poor factory stereo speakers, and again, if you're really serious about audio quality, you'll use a line in of some sort. Placing the transmitter as far away from the radio as possible (the DC jack in the hatchback of my Subaru -- a good 6'+ away) did not impair the signal quality.

  In the end, the iCarPlay offers an elegant and practical way to play my iPod in my car. It's priced a little high, but there's only one other device that comes close (the TransPod) and it's even more expensive and, to my mind, less useful. Still, for $70, you can easily add an aux jack to most stereos (except car factory stereos), and for a little more you could buy a low-end head unit with a built-in aux input. But, if you can't stand to take your dashboard apart, this will get the job done and do it with a minimum of fuss.
  
  

• Good Quality, Good Signal, Good Design
  By A1DKCFU11OVQ1N on 2004-05-20
  This is a top-notch, easy-to-use product which, from all I've been able to gather, functions far better than other iPod-compatible FM transmitters that are on the market right now. As with anything going through the airwaves, it has been no surprise that I've picked up a little bit of static on occasion. Generally speaking, however, the iCarPlay has delivered very clear, full-sounding audio (noticeably clearer than an average radio station), and I love the fact that it plugs into the iPod's dock connector, keeping it charged while also getting the best audio signal for broadcast. And of course, you can't beat the fact that the Monster logo on the 12V adapter and the radio tuner glow red when plugged in.

  Worried about finding an unused station in your area? Next time you're in your car, just check the FM stations that iCarPlay can use: 88.1, 88.3, 88.5, 88.7, 88.9, 89.1, 89.3, and 89.5. In my experience, even if one of the stations is receiving a weak signal, the iCarPlay shouldn't have any trouble blocking it out.

  Someday, our cars will all be Bluetooth-enabled so we can pile in our innumerable gadgets and they'll all connect to one another, creating a brilliant and convenient array of functionality and convenience. In the meantime, the iCarPlay FM Transmitter appears to be a great option for most everyone with an iPod (with dock) and car with FM radio tuner.
  
  

• it's great!
  By A22496PWW6PSLT on 2004-06-24
  i'll try keep it short here... this thing works great. some knucklehead kid at the Mac store tried to tell me it was no good and to get the iTrip, so i got that and started walking to the parking lot. got to my car and was about ready to rip the iTrip box open when i see that there's a CD inside. the iTrip needs to be set up with software! that's weak! i want plug and play. so i rolled back to the Mac store, exchanged the iTrip for my original choice... the Monster iCarPlay. plugged it into my cigarette lighter, set it to 89.1 (empty frequency for L.A. people!) and bad-bing! it was on. it has eight manually switchable frequency choices. the thing charges my iPod while i've got it on, too! the iTrip DRAINS your iPod... which we all know is a bad thing by now. keeping the pod charged is a constant challenge, eh? many other similar devices require their own batteries. this is an all in one solution. had it six months now. remember... it'll never sound better than the best FM station you've ever heard. once in a while you'll hear a little static for a few seconds. a straight "line in" would obviously produce better sound. but for those of us who don't want to or can't deal with a line in wiring job... this is your answer. i'm a former record producer and the FM quality sound is just great to my ears. the bad... well if you are driving long distance you will eventually run into a radio station that occupies the band to which you have it tuned. so you've got to switch channels... which is EASY on the Monster... if you are not driving the car. i believe on the iTrip you've gotta reprogram the darn thing on your computer to get to another frequency (not sure about that though). anyway, this works great for me especially since my GM car has a stock Delco stereo system that has no standard line in plugs. Open the box, plug it in, set your station with the easy interface, and you are rollin' with tunes in less that a minute! Plus, if you have another car, or are riding in a friends car, you can just take your Monster iCarPlay and your pod with you and subject whomever to your fabulous taste in music!
  
  
• Works great
  By on 2004-02-21
  I originally had the I-Trip which did not provide the best reception on my car stereo. The iCarplay provides excellent reception and I do not have to worry about running low on battery power. Also with the iCarplay you do not have to store any preset stations on your Ipod. With a click of a botton you can change the frequency your Ipod is transmitting.
  
  
• Don't throw away the receipt.
  By A95MYPBN19GQD on 2004-10-30
  This item will either work really well or awfully for your iPod. There are a lot of factors which will affect its performance, but if you're lucky enough to have them all, it's a great product. It charges your iPod, delivers crisp sound and higher audio levels than cassette adaptors and is nicely designed.
  
  However, if you live in an area where the lower FM frequencies have already been used by radio stations, this will not work well. It will also not work well on certain radios, for some bizarre reason. I used this on an Alpine and it worked fine in the area I live in. Later on I had to rent a car while my car was in the shop and the car stereo was a Clarion - at that point, the Monster Cable just freaked out and refused to broadcast from my iPod without deafening me with static.
  
  Also, when using it and it's been performing well but suddenly static starts to interfere, check that the device isn't being covered by something. Jiggle it a bit and if you can, put it on your dashboard. That seems to help the signal catch on more solidly.
  
  This may or may not work very well - it's definitely a case to case basis. My suggestion is to give it a shot - the fact that it charges my iPod while in the car is a huge plus for me - but keep the receipt just in case.
  
  
  
• Check the left side of your FM Dial before ordering.
  By A1QG1EP00BW67H on 2005-01-26
  Before you order this, check the frequencies 88.1,88.3,88.5,88.7,88.9,89.1,89.3,89.5,89.7 and 89.9 on your car's radio in the area you plan to use this. If you have anything more than light static, you won't be happy with the sound due to other interference. If you can find a clear channel, then the sound is OK.
  
  The LED indicator is fine in daylight, but it's hard to see the frequency markings on the device at night.
  
  
  
  
  
• Look no further!
  By AAV17RGQRUZZ0 on 2005-07-15
  Tired of confusing reviews that seem to conflict where all of these types of products are concerned? Allow me to simplify the whole thing. On your particular vehicle, where is your antennea located? Do you have a front-mounted antennea, or a rear-mounted one? If your car's radio antennea is in the front, almost any of these types of products will stand you in good stead. Why? These things have a very limited range in which they can effectively transmit. If however, your car is like mine, with a rear-mounted antennea, (mine is embedded in my rear windshield) you need a superior product to do the job. What constitutes a superior product? One that plugs into the docking port of your iPod rather than the headset jack! Monster iCarPlaymeets this requirement! i had previoudly tried the Arkon-250 and it just sucked. The Monster iCarPlay gives me a wonderful sound, and the only time I experience any static is when I am in an area with a lot of bumper-to-bumper traffic, or a large amount of high-vo;tage power lines. Even then the static is tolerable. The only concessionI have made is clipping the iPod to a sun-visor so that the transmitter reaches the antannea in my rear window. Laying the iPod on my front seat is simply not an option. Hope this helps!
  
  
• Good signal... when you can get it.
  By A2EG83H7VOQW3E on 2004-09-16
  I live in central New Jersey, which counts as both the suburbs for New York City and Philadelphia. You can imagine then, that our airwaves are pretty clogged up. Commuting from New Brunswick to Princeton, as I do, I find that I constantly have to change channels on my transmitter -- and my car stereo -- just to eliminate the static. Visiting upstate New York, however, there was absolutely no problem. My iPod came in loud and clear. This is definitely something to consider when buying any FM transmitter, though it's my understanding that this is the best of the bunch. So I'd recommend it, but only if you live in an area with minimal radio interference. In that case, go with the cassette adapter (if you can) or see about getting it hooked into the auxilary input.
  
  
• Works well in Boston
  By A20SQ8MMZL3G0V on 2005-03-18
  After being quoted $350 by my dealership to instal a vendor
  approved adapter I've decided to take a chance and give the
  iCarPlay a go.
  
  I've been driving for few days with this setup and everything
  works well. There really isn't anything empty on the radio in
  Boston area but 2 frequencies (89.3 and 89.5) have relatively
  weak signals and as such are are prime candidates for iCarPlay
  transmission.
  
  I drive close to ~130 miles daily, mostly Boston North and West,
  and so far the quality of the transmission was more than
  adequate.I did not have to change the frequency, in fact the radio is
  memorized on a new favorite station, 89.5. The only problem spot
  is Ted Williams tunnel, I think Massport is jamming all the radio
  broadcasts there.
  
  4 stars because there isn't a way to switch it off; once
  iCarPlay is plugged in it is on untill you yank it out from the
  socket. Given that it is lit like a Christmas tree it isn't safe
  to just leave it in the car, it does attract attention.
  
  ---
  Note about Amazon.com shipping:
  
  Not sure why, but even though the amazon claims this product is
  available within 24 hours (as of this writing), it took full 2
  weeks for this order to go through, not counting the actual
  shipping time. You may be better off driving to local BestBuy and
  getting it there since the price differential is minimal.
  
  
• Don't Believe Them!!
  By A4WTZB2R7EE8P on 2005-04-04
  Any reviewer who claims to live in an urban area and says he gets great results from this product is LYING. Beware of retailers or manufacturers submitting reviews. I live in the NY area. Every possible bandwith is occupied. This solution does not and cannot work. Even in a rural area, where a response is possible, the sound is brutal! Worse than AM radio. DO NOT WASTE MONEY ON THIS. I'm bringing mine back. I now believe that a hard wired approach is the ONLY workable solution. Reviewers who say this sounds great must still have 8 track players.
  
  
• Great product, but it depends where you are...
  By A1QNAMDEC5KLPM on 2004-11-08
  Living in Orange County (between San Diego and Los Angeles) meaning the airwaves are tight. When commuting between cities which I do on a daily basis I have to change my frequency about once every 30 miles or so, but locally there is no problem. Sound is perfect.
  
  One trick. If you have a car with a removable antenna and are willing to give up your radio 100% while using your iPod (I drive a Nissan 350Z and the antenna unscrews and screws back on easily), you shouldn't have the frequency issue I described above.
  
  This is my third transmitter and I like it the most. It doubles as a charger, and volume is controlled entirely by your car stereo - that is changing the volume on your iPod has no effect.
  
  
• FM radio transmitter works fine!
  By A6KDYRWENGMFO on 2004-10-19
  Considering that it's an FM transmitter, the iCarplay performs fine. I have tried it in about a half-dozen different vehicles and there were no problems that could not be attributed to the FM spectrum, which I have no control over. The sound is comparable to FM radio sound, because it is an FM transmitter.
  
  For iPod owners who regularly drive fleet vehicles like ambulances or police cars, or often rent cars, the iCarplay is a great option for iPod listening. You just plug one end into the cigarette lighter outlet, the other into the iPod, and use the one-button adjustment to find a station to broadcast on. I program the car presets to the iCarplay frequencies so that I can switch around easily.
  
  The left-of-the-dial frequencies that the iCarplay uses are often assigned to noncommercial or university stations. I found that on I-95 in Connecticut, where there are a bunch of noncommercial stations, it was hard to find a good clear station to transmit on. I don't see this as the iCarplay's problem, however.
  
  Pros are intuitive operation (just one button cycles through all frequencies, and it's always on when plugged in and the motor is running) and light weight. The cons are the FM-quality sound and the possibility that depending on where you live, you may not find a clear station. A direct line in or cassette adapter is a better sounding option, but not every vehicle has a cassette, CD player, or line in. I'm perfectly happy with the iCarplay, given its limitations, and I can't see why you wouldn't be.
  
  Other reviewers' complaints about the unit's sound or the lack of available frequencies don't directly address the iCarplay's feature set. Other features not included are electric frying pan and steam iron, but grumbles about the iCarplay's poor performance pressing my shirts or frying my breakfast should be immaterial to your purchase.
  
  
• Results vary by vehicle
  By A2G67XBLYQHBRO on 2005-04-27
  I live in New York, as some other reviewers who have posted reviews. And I can say that the worth of this product seems to vary based on which vehicle it is being used in...
  
  I purchased this transmitter based on some very positive reviews after having tried some of the others available (the Belkin and iTrip models). None of the others I tried seemed to be able to transmit over the weak stations available in New York.
  
  So it was with crossed fingers that I plugged this one into my car. And I was very pleased when this one worked GREAT. Really. Even weak stations (New York has very few empty stations) worked great.
  
  And then...I had to rent a car when mine was being repaired. Needless to say, I expected to be able to play my iPod just as I had before in my own car...the thing is I couldn't. It didn't work at all....I don't know if it is because of the position of your antenna, or where you have to plug the unit into your car for power, but I didn't get the great results of my own car.
  
  So I now understand why some people who live in the same area can come up with different results...
  
  It may very well on what kind of car you own.
  
  
• Only order if you have the "right" car!
  By A2RO40LIBUA67E on 2005-07-01
  This may be a great product. It may be a total piece of crap. Most people will never know because it was apparently designed by someone who'd never actually been in a car. Many cars cigarette lighters (or more politically correct "accessory power ports") are designed to sit inside the ashtray or under a dashboard. The genius who designed this product decided it needed an enormous fat knob on the end of it to support the "monster" logo. This knob guarantees that you will never get the charger to seat properly. I own four cars and I couldn't place it in any of them. Save yourself the hassle, money, and time and avoid this ill designed piece of crap.
  
  
• Save your money
  By A16L00P9FO98W6 on 2004-11-02
  If you live in a city with a crowded FM band (which would be most major cities), you will be very disappointed. Of the 8 possible frequencies, the Nashville area has stations on 6 of them. The two remaining frequencies sound like very distant FM stations... or possibly pretty good AM stations. AM quality is not what I was expecting. If you can pick up more than a couple of stations between 88.1 and 89.5, look elsewhere.
  
  
• Not Wired, but the next best thing.
  By A4VSZT8JX36XR on 2004-11-13
  I have used the TransPod and the Monster unit. Both have driven me to the Dension OEM wired connection that uses OEM changer connections to your cd changer and allows you to control it with your head unit. That is a truly amazing product and will produce amazing sound out of the pod. Though at nearly the cost of a pod, it's a bit pricey.
  
  I used the TransPod which has great range. I drove behind my friend on a road trip both on the same channel and I had my own Pod Radio station. He could go about 10 car lengths before the signal broke up. Problem was that the fuse kept blowing, it's a bit cumbersome and bulky and seemed to get in the way. It allowed you to dial in any signal but it did suffer from static and a tinny sound. I had to use the trebble reducer EQ setting or the sound was horrible.
  
  I replaced it with the Monster unit and I'm overall very happy. I don't need it in my car anymore but I drive for a living and I use it in my work vehicle. You will find that some areas are better than others but overall it is very good and the sound is much better than the TransPod. It's also very compact. The 8 channel thing hasn't been a problem because the only channels it might conflict with, NPR in the Bay, are channels that you don't want to hear and don't have a great signal anyway.
  
  I believe it's probably the best FM transmitter out to date. It is truly a car unit though as it can't be used without the cigarette lighter power, unlike the ITrip. Though if your not in your car you shouldn't be using an FM transmitter anyway, your cheating yourself out of much better direct connect sound.
  
  
• Taking music with me is great... and that's no lie!
  By A1W2BHC4IFYG9 on 2005-04-14
  Three of the stations available on this product are "free" (i.e; full of static) in the Southern California (Orange County) area, and this thing worked great on all three of them; two better than the other. It sounds fantastic; not CD quality, but since my iPod is playing mp3's and not CD's I didn't expect that. The only reason I am giving it 4 stars instead of five is because I *do* have to turn the radio up in order to get the correct volume (volume control on my iPod mini is disabled when this is plugged in), and after you get used to that, switching stations to get a traffic report or something will tend to blow you out of your seat if you're not careful.
  
  This was incredibly easy to use; find the right station on your radio and click the button on the iCarPlay until it matches, and here comes music! One thing that was extra-great was that pulling the cig adapter out and re-seating it resulted in the iCarPlay going back to the previously selected station, so you don't have to fumble with it every time you plug it in.
  
  But the main reason I bought this was due to a negative review here from last week that called anyone who liked this a liar. That cracked me up; I've used that sort of over-the-top reaction as a barometer before and anyone that clueless probably has no idea what they are talking about. After receiving my iCarPlay, that thought was vindicated. I am convinced his problems arose because he couldn't figure out how to install it, or possibly how to turn on his radio. Of course, my 5-year old had no problems...
  
  As an added bonus, I received it less than 24 hours after I ordered it, even without selecting expedited shipping. Being able to charge my iPod mini while I listen to it is awesome, especially on trips where a USB port is not available for charging. Highly recommended, but watch the volume if you switch away from the station your iCarPlay is tuned to!
  
  
  
• Best FM transmitter out there
  By A3GDBE2F3J7ALZ on 2004-04-13
  I have gone through several FM transmitters to get my iPod music to come through my car stereo. This is by far the best in signal strength. I live in Manhattan which has a very crowded radio spectrum and crushes most FM transmitters. I originally bought the iRock when it first came out but quickly gave up on it because of the amount of static as well as short battery life. I then bought the iTrip and got better spectrum choice but still had a fair amount of hiss and static from the weak signal. I then went out and bought what was supposed to be the best FM transmitter by C. Crane and Co ($80.00) according to Wired Magazine. Suprisingly, this was no better than the iTrip. Out of desperation, I finally bought the iCarplay after reading numerous reviews on it. When I plugged it in my car, it was very obvious that the signal was much stronger than the other transmitters. On empty frequencies it gave a very clear signal without any static. On frequencies that already had a station, it would actually suppress the outside signal. In addition to its signal strength, the fact that it runs both the transmitter AND the iPod off the car's lighter socket it hugely helpful. When you are on a long trip, you never have to worry about stocking up on batteries or worse trying to replace them while driving. I calculated that I must have spent in excess of $140 before discovering the iCarplay. If you are thinking of getting a transmitter for your car, this should clearly be your first choice.
  
  
• Check your radio before ordering....especially metro areas
  By A3W2UTN0BC4ZKD on 2005-01-20
  I recently purchased this product along with the 20GB iPod, as I was tired of constantly having to swap CD's in the car on the way to work. And forecasting several trips to Tahoe this season, I knew I wanted to have continuous music on my journey.
  
  The product has several stations to select from, however, being in a metro area, all but one of them is actually occupied by a very strong local station signal.
  
  Before buying the product, I recommend checking your radio dial to see if you have heavy stations from 88.1 to 89.5. If you've got a heavy station on all those channels, this product isn't going to provide the best performance. As the product manual says it's tough to compete with a 50,000megawatt transmitter :).
  
  I was able to find one station that was mostly unused here, 88.5. It has some background static, but no music or talking. As soon as I plug the device into the ciglighter, there is an audible pop on the radio so I know it's broadcasting. I did follow the instructions to increase the treble on my stereo for best results, and it does help.
  
  Because of the way it connects to the iPod, I have found that adjusting the iPod volume does nothing to the transmission. You'll need to use your radio volume to change it accordingly. In between songs you'll probably hear some static too, as if there's a strong signal around you, it will bleed in.
  
  This morning I noticed that I got quite a bit of interference when a large truck drove by...perhaps from their CB/radio system, but I can't be sure.
  
  Aside from these things, which frankly I consider minor compared to swapping 50 CD's, it was well worth the purchase, especially if you do not have a car with an iPod dock, or a tape deck (if you have a tape deck, you can get the tape accessory instead of this one, and you won't have to compete with radio waves).
  
  Enjoy!
  
  
• Works like magic for me who lives in a big, big city.
  By AYUUO2GCLMY29 on 2005-04-16
  first I bought the itrip thingy magingy and that did not work at all. So I returned it and bought the icarplay based on reviews I read right here. Well it works like magic straight out of the box. I can hear it loud and clear. I love my icarplay and believe it is the one to buy if you want to play your itunes in your car. Wow! I got the bose system for my home and that is an awesome sound machine, I'm donating my stereo equipment now. All I need is my ipod, the bose system and icarplay. I'm done.
  
  
  
• useless around san francisco
  By A2PRSJ8YW9B5ZI on 2004-06-11
  Just got the iCarPlay yesterday, and I am already ready to return it. I am sure it is a great idea if you live in the middle of nowhere, but in San Francisco there are radio station on almost every channel and you have to change frequency every 5 minutes.

  I thought I could use it for my commute to work, but I end up spending way to much time making sure I have a clear signal...

  I am returing it.
  
  

• Classy Convenience
  By A18GBEVCKUXCJ7 on 2004-07-07
  I wanted to play my iPod through the car stereo but I don't have a tape player, so I started shopping for a FM transmitter. I looked at several solutions and decided on the iCarPlay from Monster because of the built-in charger. The DC adapter (which plugs in the cigarrete lighter) charges the iPod but also provides power for a stronger signal from the FM transmitter.

  One tip: Pick the station you want to use BEFORE you plug in the iCarPlay. The station numbers are printed on the transmitter and you can just scan through all the channels on your radio to find the one that has the weakest signal or is just static (no FM station at all). Then plug the transmitter in and set it to the same station as the radio. It works great for me!
  
  

• Delighted by iCarPlay
  By A17AJU05I0WSBH on 2004-10-02
  I use my ipod primarily for audiobooks and I was getting annoyed by having to listen to 2 books at a time -- one on cd's while commuting in my car and another on my ipod while exercising etc. I had had a bad experience with an fm transmitter some years ago, so I wasn't sure one of these things would work for me. On the other hand, I also wasn't quite ready to invest in the ultimate ipod accessory -- a BMW or Mini with ipod plug-in feature.
  
  After doing a lot of research -- reading articles in various magazines and user comments posted online in several places and talking to sales people and friends -- I chose the iCarPlay for 4 reasons. 1) It seemed to have the most favorable user comments; 2) it had pretty good reviews in magazine articles I read; 3)it recharges while in use by plugging into the cigarette lighter (the big problem with the fm transmitter I had before was that it sucked power out of batteries so fast as to be nearly unuseable); and 4) it plugs into the firewire slot of the ipod, not the headphone slot, which apparently makes the reception more robust.
  
  At the time of ordering, I regarded my purchase as an expensive risk. My biggest concern about iCarPlay was that it has only 8 preset settings to choose from, while some of the other brands had a full range of settings. I live in the Boston area, where the airwaves are chock-a-block.
  
  I am happy to report that I have been delighted. I plugged it in and it worked immediately and has been problem free with constant use ever since. I've had almost no trouble with reception. Very rarely (once every couple of weeks) the reception will falter for just a second, but not so long that I miss anything. I've tried all the settings and they all seem to work equally well. I sometimes drive down the Mass Pike to the western part of the state and there, too, I have had great reception the whole way. And I've had no problems at all with power, the recharger works very well so I can always plug in the headphones and continue listening as soon as I park the car without worrying about battery life!
  
  I thought about buying some kind of holder for the ipod in my car, but I'm glad I didn't. The cord on the iCarPlay is quite long enough to reach the cup holder built into the console of my car and it works perfectly as a place to put it. All in all, I'm delighted with my iCarPlayer and highly recommend it.
  
  
  
  
• H20music
  By A3KD8M2942DM83 on 2005-04-01
  If you like the sound Quality of your ipod degraded 30 to 40 %, then this is the item for you. The signal is not clear, there is static on all bands and the tone is basically marginal. Save your money!
  
  
• Mixed results - not worth the money
  By ATQHWEC8H46A4 on 2005-05-14
  I'm using iCarPlay in a 1998 Nissan Pathfinder. It works fairly well IF you're in an area where the radio station frequencies are not in use but if I turn on my AC, heater fan etc. I get annoying static sound. In some areas, clashing with radio stations is a big problem. Trying to switch to other frequencies while driving probably isn't the safest thing to do either. The "volume blast" when turning the car on, mentioned in other reviews, is also a major negative.
  Overall, I just don't think it's worth the money or aggravation. Will probably return it and try a cassette adapter until a compatible, decent price system comes out to allow direct integration with my factory Bose car CD system.
  
  
• Worthless to me
  By A25EHVAWCBG9QK on 2005-07-30
  How well this works must depend a lot on your car and where you live. I have a 2003 Accord and live in the suburbs of a mid-sized city, and this is useless. I could only get a signal from it for 2 of the channels, and it was very faint and full of static. I returned it.
  
  

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• Apple iPod nano 4 GB Silver (3rd Generation)
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• Monster iCarPlay Wireless Plus FM Transmitter/Charger for iPod
• Apple 30 GB iPod AAC/MP3 Video Player Black (5.5 Generation)
• Apple iPod touch 8 GB, Old (1st Generation)