|
Griffin AutoPilot FM Transmitter for iPod | 
 enlarge | Brand: Griffin Technology
Category: CE
List Price: $49.99
Buy New: $23.98
You Save: $26.01 (52%)
New (58) Used (1) from $23.98
Avg. Customer Rating:  26 reviews
Color: Black
Media: Electronics
Autographed: No
Memorabilia: No
Batteries Included: No
Shipping Weight (lbs): 2
Dimensions (in): 5 x 1.4 x 7.9
MPN: 9559-AUTOPLTB
Model: 9559-AUTOPLTB
UPC: 685387095599
EAN: 0685387095599
ASIN: B000WKW6HS
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
|
| Features:
| • | Compatibility: iPod classic 3G, 4G, 5G, 6G; mini; nano 1G, 2G, 3G; iPod touch | | • | Backlit controls for play, pause, skip and scan forward, and skip and scan backward | | • | 3-color charging light indicates iPod charge status at a glance | | • | 3.5-mm line-out port connect your iPod to your car stereo | | • | Includes stereo audio cable for easy car-stereo connection |
|
| Similar Items:
|
| Editorial Reviews:
Amazon.com Product Description--Posted October 1, 2008
Griffin's premium in-car iPod play solution lets you play and control your iPod as it charges. The AutoPilot broadcasts the music from your iPod to an open FM frequency on your car's stereo so you can play your tunes through your vehicle's speakers. RDS technology shows song information on your RDS-enabled car radio display. The built-in SmartScan technology does all the work for you, scanning the radio dial for the three best frequencies and then saving them automatically to the programmable presets for easy recall at the touch of a button. SmartSound Plus technology delivers clear sound so you can enjoy your music it was meant to be heard. Also, the AutoPilot puts a set of iPod play controls in easy reach, letting you stash your iPod out of sight in a glove-box or under the seat while still controlling playback. What's in the Box Griffin iTrip AutoPilot FM Transmitter.
Product Description
AutoPilot is a sleek, low profile power adapter and iPod controller that plugs into the cigarette lighter or power socket in your dashboard or console. AutoPilot's illuminated knob gives you controls for Play/Pause and Track Forward/Backward. You get tactile feedback that lets you keep your eyes on the road. It's the perfect complement for iPod touch or any iPod while driving. You never have to glance down or touch the face of your iPod. AutoPilot uses a line-level output jack to send the best possible sound from your iPod to your car stereos equipped with Auxiliary-In jacks.
|
| Customer Reviews: Read 21 more reviews...
 It works with iPhone 1Gen and 3g October 7, 2008
I have an Eclipse Stereo with both RCA connectors and iPod integration. The Eclipse iPod integration does not work with the iPhone, so... I tried this out, skeptical of the positive reviews. But... it is true, it works with both the iPhone 1st generation and the iPhone 3G. There is no static unless you get a call while the iPhone is right on top of the stereo. As others have said, this is not an FM transmitter. the two only reasons for 4 stars instead of 5 is that the 2.5 mm plug is on the side of the unit instead of on the top, and the build quality of the whole unit is rather plastic and weak feeling. Do remember to select "No" when the iPhone asks you if you want to go into airplane mode. The Device does work with the iPhone even though the iPhone things that it does not. Lastly, do make sure that the unit is set to "high".
Partially Works With iPhone September 26, 2008
The iPhone will definitely plug in and function as an iPod. The music is best with a direct connection.
The phone will ring and you can answer it, BUT you cannot talk or listen with the iPhone in the speaker mode as you can still hear the music playing in the background-both on the sending and receiving phone. YOu must remove the transmitter from the iPhone for the iPhone to function correctly. It will NOT play the incoming call over your car speakers.
So, I gave it 4 stars because (1) it functions flawlessly if all you want is to use the iPhone as an iPod in your vehicle and (2) only want to know that you are receiving a call--If you want to answer the call you must disconnect it from the device.
Plus: iPhone (2G or 3G)functions well as an iPod
Minus: iPhone (2G or 3G) does NOT function well as a phone.
AutoPilot user review - Alaskan Apple User Group Member September 26, 2008
The Griffin Autopilot answered my needs for a device to both charge my iPod on the road and make it easier to use my iPod while driving. Since I did not have a radio with an auxiliary input I went to Best Buy to purchase a Griffin Direct Deck adaptor as noted in the information that came with the Auto Pilot. At first they did not know what I was talking about until I showed them the reference to the device in the material that comes with the Autopilot. They said they did not carry the device and did not know how it worked. A little more research on my part revealed that I already owned two of the devices of another brand, which look like a cassette and go into the cassette player with the cable plugging into the Autopilot. The result was very clear sound and easy manipulation of the AutoPilot. I also tried the AutoPilot with the FM transmitter that normally plugs into my iPod and it also worked well; but the quality of the sound was noticeably less than the direct connection through the cassette deck. With a little practice I was able to easily use the device without having to take my eyes off of the road.
Although the device is a little spendy and the charging function can also be accomplished with a cigarette lighter charger; the convenience of having the control available without having to look away from one's driving, is a solid safety feature. The lighted ring indicating charging status also aids in finding the device in the dark. I now find my iPod to be a lot more useable while I am driving and I don't have to wait until the next pullout to safely change the program on my iPod.
 AutoPilot with iPod nano 4g - it works perfectly! September 23, 2008
Short version: it works. It charges the 4g iPod nano, the line-out works great, as do the pause/play, skip/scan forward/reverse controls and it pauses playback when you shut your car off!!
Full review:
Nothing on the package of the AutoPilot that I received from amazon.com ($30.85 shipped when I ordered it) indicates compatibility with the iPod nano 4G. Only 1G to 3G is listed. However, it works completely with the iPod nano 4G. So if you are buying this in store don't worry about what it says on the package. It works. However, don't buy it in store because in store it will probably be $50+tax. If you can stand the wait, buy it from Amazon for more than $20 less. But, hey, it's your money - do what you want!
The AutoPilot comes with the adaptor and a short (about 3 foot) mini-jack audio patch cable. The cable isn't particularly thick, so if you require half-inch think audio cables this isn't for you. However, if you care about the sound quality instead of the thickness of the cable, this will do fine. ;^) I'm not using the audio cable because we have an audio input in our Matrix via an adaptor box installed behind the dash that has a cable already plugged into it, and changing the cable would involve taking the dash apart. It, incidentally, is thicker then the provide one. Thank goodness!
The adaptor has a round pause/play button in the middle, surrounded by a glowing ring, and skip/scan back and forward controls as the outer ring on the left and right sides respectively. That is, the entire left side of the outer ring is back and entire right side of the outer ring is forward. Press and release to skip. Hold to scan. The controls work great and are easy to use blind, though, as I tested this tonight, the controls themselves are not lighted. Only the power ring around the pause/play button is lit. However that works fine once you know that inside the ring is pause/play and outside of the ring is skip/scan. I do have to say that the controls feel a little light to the touch, such that it could result in accidental track changes, though I haven't had it long enough to know if it's actually a problem and it didn't happen in my test.
There is also a small switch that sets the adaptor's audio output to "Lo" or "Hi". I believe that the "Lo" setting is used with FM transmitters, but don't quote me on it. What I can tell you with certainty is that with a line-in input you are going to want to set it to "Hi", otherwise the output volume is too low and sound quality is poor (or perhaps just low volume - I didn't test it extensively). Switched to "Hi" the volume is good/normal. In my brief test I did not detect any static or clipping. The sound quality was excellent, or at least as excellent as my factory car stereo is capable of being. I used it both sitting with the car engine off, as well as driving around town. It performed flawlessly. Note that mine shipped with the switch set to "Lo" so you will want to check the setting of this switch.
Another thing to note about this design is that if you have it right side up with "skip back" on the left, then the audio cable is coming out of the upper right corner. You probably won't want to flip it over to have it coming out the left side, as then the controls would be backward. Just something to keep in mind.
Now for the killer feature that I was hoping for and the AutoPilot didn't fail me: when you shut off your car it pauses your iPod! I can't reiterate enough just how great that feature is. I have this on my (crappy) FM transmitter that I use in our other car and while that transmitter is pretty terrible, I live with it in part because of this feature, which is just really, really wonderful. Note that it works even though power gets shut off pretty instantly to the outlet. If you haven't had this feature before it is something you'll have to get use to because you are probably in the habit of immediately hitting the pause control on your iPod after powering off the car. If you do that with this gizmo you'll actually start it playing again! Trust me, though, you'll get use to it, and you'll like it - or else!
When the adapter is receiving power and no iPod is connected, the light ring glows red. When you plug in an iPod that needs charging, it will slowly pulse a... err I'm forgetting the color (maybe a light blue???) It isn't overly bright, but it is pulsing. The slow pulsing doesn't bother me, but I imagine that there might be some for whom they'd wish it wouldn't pulse. When the iPod is fully charged it glows steadily (in theory - in my test I didn't have time for it to charge to full capacity.)
The controls work well and I find them pretty handy because, unlike the attached iPod, these controls are always in the same place. How useful they are may depend on the location of your outlet. In our Matrix it's pretty perfectly located about midway up the dash just to the right of the steering wheel. They will prove even more useful for my iPod touch.
Another thing worth noting is that this adapter eliminates the cable clutter that we had with our "SiK imp" solution. That (piece of junk) had both audio and power cables coming out of the dock connector. Moreover it had a short length of audio cable to which we had to plug the cable going into the car, and it wasn't infrequently the case the the audio cable got pulled out. With the AutoPilot the audio cable plugs into the adapter, and then a single cable leads from the adaptor to the iPod. This is a huge improvement. I was able to push almost all of the audio cable through the back of the cubby that we have it running out of, and so it pretty much has just disappeared. The AutoPilot is a big upgrade for us when it comes to cable clutter.
One last thing. Shortly after testing the AutoPilot out I ended up turning of the "shake to shuffle" feature of the iPod nano 4G. The new nano is so light that I bumped the cable and the nano fell out of the cubby I had it sitting in and landed on the carpet. This resulted in triggering shake to shuffle and I ended up going from a great Bob Dylan album to a great, but not exactly what I wanted, Raffi tune. Ouch. What a completely useless new feature!
Works Perfectly! September 22, 2008
Griffin AutoPilot Charger/Controller for iPod
I ordered this when I was given my first iPod. In no time I was listening to my favorite book through my car stereo! I highly recommend this item, it helps to make a long drive very enjoyable.
|
|
|
Working Dogs | |
