Anyone use this FM transmitter for the Thunderbolt?

[Ricom1]

...or any other droid?

I'm curious to how well it works and I'm also curious to the charging capacity. In the sticky threads above, it states that the standard car charger runs at ~750 mA and that is just enough to balance out the Navigator. In order to charge it up, you need to purchase a 1 A charger....I'm planning a road trip from NC to TX in the fall and will be using my Google Navigator...so I was wondering what this charger was rated at (didn't see it in the description).

I want to be able to play/transmit music and use navigation at once.

Anybody use it? Thoughts? Any "other" options? Thanks.

2nd Generation Audio FM Transmitter

 

[Ricom1]

Nobody?

 

[echotodd]

I haven't used that particular one but I just used a model by called iTrip that I picked up at best buy. It powered my google navigator and played my music. Sounded fine too. Actually just got back in town a half hour ago. Thankfully I beat the hail!

 

[Casey Cheung]

Are you referring to the built in FM Radio app? If so, I've used this a few times, and it works pretty well. I just wish I didn't need to plug in earphones in order to get a signal.

 

[Harlemknight]

I use it every morning so I can work and listen to "The Rickey Smiley Morning Show." I love it. You have to to have the headphones though because they are the antenna.(sp?)

 

[McLabia]

Atleast you can push the audio to the speaker. Ive used it a couple times when I was at work and wasnt able to be in front of a TV for my Sharks games. Works well.

EDIT: It seems as though Im having a hard time reading OP's today. lol. Ive used the FM transmitters before and I think that they all suck. Use the tape deck ones if you have one in your car. If not, I would highly recommend using the headphone jack instead. If the transmitter is all you can use, I would suggest the one made by Monster. Its worked the best out of the ones Ive used.

 

[Spoon]

or you all can download Tunein Radio from the market. it got majority of the stations. and you dont need your speakers plugged in as antenna.....

 

[echotodd]

I edited my previous post. Autocorrect, being tired, and the joy of the first thunderstorm of the year made me type gibberish!

"I haven't used that particular one but I just used a model by called irruption that I picked up at best buy. It powered my google navigator and played my music. Sounded fine too. Actually just got back in town a half hour ago. Thankfully I beat the hail!"

Seriously, irruption...ugh.

 

[Ricom1]

I haven't used that particular one but I just used a model by called iTrip that I picked up at best buy. It powered my google navigator and played my music. Sounded fine too. Actually just got back in town a half hour ago. Thankfully I beat the hail!

I read in the sticky that any sort of USB type charger will by default charge at 500 mA (in the TB forum sticky). Since Navigator takes ~750mA (again from stickies) and you would be using the music player as well...I'm assuming you saw a battery decrease using this?

That may be fine for around town...but I am planning a 22 hour trip from NC to Texas (in two stretches). If I don't at least supply the power used by Nav+Music, then my phone will obviously die. (Yes I could just turn off Navigation when I'm on a LONG stretch, but I'd really like an all-in-one solution).

Thanks for the responses (and I do not have a tape deck in my vehicle, nor do I have an alternate input/jack to plug directly into the deck..so only option would be a FM transmitter).

Thanks again!

 

[Ricom1]

Alright, I just emailed the manufacturer asking what the power output was for the charger. I'll update this post when I get a response.

 

[Ricom1]

The sales department got back to me...it's a 1A power source, so it should charge with Navigation and Music playing (not that I have a clue what the music player's power consumption is).

 

[Casey Cheung]

Thanks for info on TuneIn Radio. No earphones needed. Cool !

 

[dhendriksen]

I use my phone in the car all the time. Yesterday I got in my car with the battery at 60%. I put the phone in the car dock, connected to a standard charger. I used navigation for a 3 hour drive, and most of the time was also talking on the phone using my bluetooth headset. I got to my destination and the battery was at 99%.

Don't worry about it, you'll be fine.

Oh yeah, my screen brightness was at ~35%.

 

[kerrdj]

Ricom, i have never had any trouble using a car charger. i went on a 4 hour(one way) road trip this weekend. i had navigation and music playing through the headphone jack into the aux jack in my car stereo. the phone was plugged in to my old droid car charger and it charged just fine.

i have never had a charger that couldnt charge while the phone was on/running.

and i did all this with the screen on and the screen uses more battery than navigation so you should be fine with any charger.

 

[echotodd]

I didn't lose charge at all. In fact, I started with a low battery and had a fully charged battery in a little more than it would take if I only just charged it. Truth be told, I am thinking about tearing my dash apart to add an aux input to my stereo but that is only because I am a glutton for punishment. The fm transmitter worked fine and playing with the eq in the power amp app made things sound great! Don't overthink it, just enjoy your music!

 

[Spoon]

Thanks for info on TuneIn Radio. No earphones needed. Cool !

Your welcome. I love that app! Explore the various genre music via music or by location.

 

[Ricom1]

Thanks for the update for your battery life...I checked the sticky again (to make sure I wasn't crazy) and...

USB car chargers only output 500mAh - regardless of their rated output. The TB will see it as a USB host (like a PC/laptop) and will not draw any more power than that. Use a 1A car charger like this $5 charger from Motorola. The Verizon charger is rated at 750mAh out. If you're in your car using Nav or more, 750mAh will not keep up. The wall charger pushes 1A - get a car charger that matches.

I personally have only taken 30-40 minute drives so far with my phone in Navigation, so I couldn't tell you if I lost/gained power, but this sticky made me think a long trip was going to drain it.

I think I'll try this FM transmitter though, since it's a 1A power supply, it should work fine for whatever load I put on it while driving...again thanks!

 

[mom133d]

or you all can download Tunein Radio from the market. it got majority of the stations. and you dont need your speakers plugged in as antenna.....

And Tunein Radio is free today in the Amazon App store. Haven't tried it yet, but I have installed it.