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Belkin Tunebase FM Transmitter with ClearScan for iPod

Brand: Belkin
Category: CE

List Price: ~~$89.99~~
Buy New: $61.50
You Save: $28.49 (32%)

New (57) Used (9) from $33.20

Rating: 3.0 out of 5 stars

94 reviews

Media: Electronics
Autographed: No
Memorabilia: No
Batteries Included: No
Shipping Weight (lbs): 8
Dimensions (in): 2.6 x 5.6 x 7.2
Legal Disclaimer: Warranty does not cover misuse of product.
Warranty: 3 years warranty

MPN: F8Z176
Model: F8Z176
UPC: 722868638088
EAN: 0722868638088
ASIN: B000WW1YVU

Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days

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Features:

•	Adapter lets you listen to any docking iPod in your car
•	Automatically finds the optimal FM frequency to broadcast music for the clearest sound
•	Line-out option for use with car-stereo inputs or cassette adapter
•	Built-in auto charger provides power to the iPod
•	Built-in stand lets you optimally position the iPod

Accessories:

•	Apple iPod touch 16 GB, Old (1st Generation)
•	Apple iPod classic 160 GB Silver (6th Generation)
•	Apple iPod classic 80 GB Silver (6th Generation)
•	Apple iPod nano 8 GB Green (3rd Generation)
•	Scosche IU2PS Dual 12v Power Socket

The Belkin TuneBase FM with ClearScan offers:

the ability to listen to any docking iPod in your car;
automatic search of the best FM frequency with the cleanest sound; and
a built-in charger to keep the tunes going all day long.

The Belkin TuneBase FM with ClearScan lets you easily play the music on your iPod in your car with just a push of the button.

The flexible steel neck allows many positioning options. View larger.

A Button Press Away from Great Sound
By pushing a single button, Belkin's ClearScan technology will automatically scan to find the best FM frequency so that you can enjoy the music on your iPod static-free in your car. With an improved FM transmission, the sound is better than before. And the large LED tells you at exactly what frequency the music is being broadcast.

Once you find a clear station, you can set it to one of two presets on the TuneBase. This is especially useful around your local area and areas that you frequent, because you can quickly return to these stations at the touch of a button.

The TuneBase also has a line-out feature that lets you use it with car-stereo inputs or cassette adapters. The built-in PRO setting optimizes the audio and provides a volume boost for the best sound possible.

Built-in Charger and Stand Works with All Docking iPods An integrated auto charger plugs into the cigarette lighter so you needn't worry about running out of power while on a road trip. With a flexible steel-neck mount and a swivel cradle, you can position the iPod for optimal viewing and accessibility. The antenna is integrated into the neck for a clean look. Multiple cradles are included for compatibility with all docking iPods.

The Belkin TuneBase FM with ClearScan is backed by a 3-year warranty.

Enjoy the music on your iPod while on the road.

Customer Reviews: Read 89 more reviews...

4 out of 5 stars

Serves the purpose quite well January 6, 2009
Debi L
The Belkin was easy to use. It scanned and found the best stations. There is a bit of static, but I don't think that can be attributed to the Belkin. All in all I like it.

3 out of 5 stars

A bit disappointing January 6, 2009
Jobot (Heidelberg, MS)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful

First, the good news. This product looks great. Belkin put some thought into the design .. from the flexible arm to the interchangeable cradles. The LCD screen is bright and easy to read. I like the idea of just dropping my ipod in the cradle and not having to fuss with wires. And, of course, the tunebase keeps the ipod charged. The addition of a line out port is nice, since everyone knows how bad FM transmitters sound.

Now the bad news. The FM transmitter has lots of static (no surprise). Although it performs better than other FM transmitters I've used, it's still not very good. I receive plenty of static even when tuned to empty spots on the dial. How much static? Well, if it was a broadcast station I would skip it. I don't blame belkin for this .. the FCC limits the power of the FM transmitters.

More bad news. The clever line out port is worthless. I plugged this up to my cassette adapter and was treated to the worst noise ever produced by a car stereo. When my ipod is connected directly to the cassette adapter it sounds great, but when connected via the line out port on the tunebase it's a cacophony of terror. Imagine listening to an AM station while using your blender.

I give the tunebase three stars, because it's a really clever design and I like belkin. I wish I could say this product works great .. but it doesn't. It's acceptable when you have no alternatives, or perhaps if you only drive your car in tunnels.

4 out of 5 stars

For Ipod January 6, 2009
Olga L. Uriarte (Florida, USA)
Belkin Tunebase FM Transmitter with ClearScan for iPod
The only problem I enconter was that you need to keep changing the stations because of a bad signal.

1 out of 5 stars

Transmitter weak and no sleeve for 4th gen. Nano January 6, 2009
R. Potter (Gilberts, IL)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful

First off I just got this for Christmas as was excited to get rid of the CD's from my car.

The sleeves that came with the model I got did not fit my new iPOD nano, so I modified the closest one to fit. Before I modified the sleeve every time I hit a bump it would put my iPOD into shuffle mode.

We went on a road trip from the North West suburbs of Chicago to Springfield IL and it worked pretty good. I had to do the Clearscan about five times on the trip down, and it found clear stations most of the time. I noticed the signal was weak depending on the number of adjacent channels, so I adjusted to channels that had open side bands.

Now I went back to work in the West Chicago suburbs and noticed that there aren't any open channels with open side bands. Every other channel is taken, so the transmitter would be overpowered by the near by radio stations. I tried the Clearscan at least 15 times without much luck. This thing really doesn't work well at all. I attribute it to the location of the unit and the lack of an external antenna. Obviously my car radio antenna is mounted on the top rear of my car, so it will pick up better than this thing without an antenna.

I couldn't think of anything else to do but to take it apart and figure out the circuitry, but once I got it apart I thought it would be easier to just add an antenna. I soldered in a small piece of copper wire onto the board where it says LF, not the ANT-RX and that seemed to help dramatically. I would not recommend taking your unit apart unless you don't mind the possibility of breaking it.

2 out of 5 stars

Not impressed so far... January 5, 2009
Carrie Lett
0 out of 1 found this review helpful

I purchased this item after returning another, cheaper Belkin unit that my brother had gotten me for Christmas. That unit had very poor transmission and required the stations to be changed manually, which (since I was constantly trying to find a workable channel) was an accident waiting to happen. I would have preferred to try a different brand altogether, but since it was a gift purchased on a credit card and my brother was no longer in my state, I had no choice but to make an exchange at the same store, which only carried Belkin products. Still, I went in with hopes that a more expensive unit with the clearscan feature would make for a clearer sound and safer, easier use. Not so much.

While I am happy not to be fumbling around with a controller in my lap while driving, the clearscan is a joke. Rather than actually finding the best signal, it took me through what seemed to be a preset list of stations for the area I was in, many of which were very obviously occupied. When I did finally find a station, the sound was decent, but still more staticky than my usual radio channels. I commute to another town to work, and after driving several miles, I soon lost the signal that had worked when I started driving. I then had to press the clearscan button repeatedly to find a station that allowed me to even hear my music, however fuzzily. Of my half hour commute, I think I only spent about 1/4 of the time listening to my music.

Part of my trouble may be that I am located outside New York City, which generates a lot of traffic on the airwaves. But I don't think I should need to move to the wilds of Canada to make this work properly. On the whole, I have been disappointed with the quality of Belkin's ipod to radio converters. Maybe this is the best that's out there, but I think I'd prefer to put the $90 I spent towards a solution that really works.