Comments on: FM transmitter/iPod touch woes

Question: FM transmitter/iPod touch woes

anthom — Sat, 22 Sep 2012 16:41:42 -0800

Can I use an iPod dock extender cable to get audio from my 4th generation iPod touch to an FM transmitter with a male dock connection meant for the iPod mini? If not, what are my options for inexpensive FM transmission from my Touch?

My most recent car FM transmitter, a cheapo $10 Big Lots special (this thing), just crapped out on me after 3 months and I'm looking for a reliable, cheap way to play music and podcasts from my Touch. Can it be done?

My car has an aftermarket stereo that's new enough to not have a cassette player, but old enough to have no line-in or other iPod gadgetry. I still have a working Sonnet Podfreq Mini FM transmitter, which I had used with my dearly departed iPod mini. Despite its oddball looks, it's been a remarkably reliable transmitter with a strong signal. Is there a way I can use it with my Touch? Is the audio out on an old dock connector compatible with a newer device? I don't care about charging. I'm guessing due to power incompatibility between the mini and newer iDevices, the Touch wouldn't charge from the Podfreq anyway. If so, could I simply pick up a dock extension cable to plug the Touch into the Podfreq and get my music back?

If this isn't an option, are there any amazing transmitters (yes, I know "amazing transmitters" may seem like an oxymoron...) out there worth the money these days?

By: ShutterBun

ShutterBun — Sat, 22 Sep 2012 16:51:05 -0800

Short answer: probably. Ipod minis use the same kind of connector as 4th generation iPods & iPod touch.

By: zsazsa

zsazsa — Sat, 22 Sep 2012 16:59:29 -0800

I once had an old cheapo dock line out cable that didn't work with an iPhone, but did work with an iPod Classic. The cable connector didn't connect one of the pins to ground, so the phone didn't know a dock connector with audio out was plugged in. While the adapter you have probably will work, if it doesn't it's probably for the same reason my cable didn't. Btw, I'm handy with a soldering iron so the cable was easy to fix.

By: youngergirl44

youngergirl44 — Sun, 23 Sep 2012 10:31:07 -0800

If you have to purchase a new FM transmitter, check out Belkin's models. I've had several of their transmitters over the years and love them. And I've had a few mostly because I've lost them or upgraded my devices, not because they've stopped working. The ones I have now plug in to the headphone jack so I can use them with either an Android or Apple product.