Product ReviewsMediagate I-KIT FM Hands Free Car Kit with iPod FM Transmitter for iPhone iPod and Most MP3 Players
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52%
35%
0%
4%
9%
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With 23 User Reviews
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 Rating: Review Date: 10/08/12  |
Cons: Wont charge phone/ipod and play music at same time*Rubber gromit is next to useless
Pros: It does the job, good solution for the price (if a hard wired option isn't available) |
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Rating: Review Date: 07/12/12 |
Cons: bulky
Pros: good fm receptionfeels solid Comment:
This is the third fm transmitter i have tried. Last one i tried was a few years ago and I gave up on them because none had even adequate reception. There would be a lot of static with the music. This gives you a great signal. I think the big difference is that it's always plugged into a power source instead of running on small batteries. The only downside is you lose all mobility with your ipod. The device is bulky so once it's in, it's not easy to change songs or making any changes that require them being done from the ipod itself. I will give it 5 stars despite it's bulkiness because the reception you get is perfect. |
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Rating: Review Date: 01/07/12 |
Cons: Poor build quality.
Pros: Cheap, flexible neck is sturdy. Comment:
TL;DR - Pay more for better quality!I generally check a lot of reviews before purchasing electronics; something that definitely worked against me in this case. In a way, I feel almost hoodwinked because everything I read about this product prior to purchasing it was positive. In the end, however, I have had nothing but a bad experience since day one.First and foremost, the sound quality isn't great, and the screw that attaches the flexible neck to the unit is made of PLASTIC. Personally, I found that to be hilarious given the fact that the neck it is attached to seems to be of rather high quality; it bends and stays in place relatively well. The unit itself, however, is all plastic and feels rather flimsy. But, since nothing on the outer shell ended up breaking, I guess this is okay and all of the internal components are adequately protected.Then the problems began. First it was the aformentioned screw constantly loosening. As a result I had to tighten it about every week or so. Not a deal-breaker in my books, but definitely a massive nuisance.The second thing to go was the sound. I could no longer play music using the attached iPod cable, and was instead forced to use the 3.5mm minijack connector. Again, not a big deal, but another thing to plug-in and unplug before leaving the car. After a while it becomes bothersome.Finally, the pièce de résistance came only a few hours earlier TODAY! I was playing music through my iPhone and it began to break up. Over the next couple of minutes the intermittent static continued with increasing frequency until it was followed by the smell of buring electronics. Imagine my shock when I looked down and saw my iPhone and the FM transmitter enveloped in smoke; quite a lot for such a small device. I quickly yanked it out from the power outlet, and relief only came when I confirmed that the smoke was coming from the device and not my phone.Luckily, it doesn't seem like any permanent damage was done to my iPhone, and it is probably only a resistor that burned up, but I feel it may still be too soon to tell. Who knows what kind of long-term damage may have been done?Whatever you do, please consider this before purchasing. I understand that electronics are prone to failure, but physically burning up is another matter entirely.I strongly suggest that you look elsewhere. |
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Rating: Review Date: 11/26/11 |
Cons: Questionable build quality. Sound a little bass heavy.
Pros: Outperforms FM transmitters double its price. Amazing sound quality with all genres. Comment:
This thing seems a bit cheap, I will be happy if it lasts more than a year and surprised if it lasts more than a couple. But what they skimped on build quality, they more than made up for it with sound quality. I was sceptical and just wanted a decent FM transmitter for cheap. I did not expect to be immersed in surprisingly good sound quality, it was just as good as a Bluetooth audio connection I tried out in a 2012 Hyundai Elantra. However since my Mazda 5 doesn't even have an auxiliary jack, I thought I had to make do. I'm glad I bet my money on this transmitter! |
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Rating: Review Date: 09/19/11 |
Cons: Sometimes it ends up sliding to one side if you end up taking a slightly sharp turn, otherwise it does hold up with regular turning.
Pros: Transmits clear, charges things, has USB also to charge devices. Comment:
Works great, FM transmit sound is pretty clear but obviosly not as good as CD or AUX. It does its job well, quality is pretty decent, it hasnt died on me yet and I've had it for 10 months. |
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Rating: Review Date: 07/03/11 |
Cons: Like mentioned before, if you turn fast it might decide to flip down.
Pros: Very good unit, excellent FM transmitter (I have a 3th gen iPod), fits perfectly. Comment:
I recommend this transmitter to anyone that doesn't have an aux plug in their car. |
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Rating: Review Date: 05/26/11 |
Pros: great connectivity options!
Comment:
Used it with my ipod and my cd player and it works just fine! good sound quality but still it dont match the quality of the car's cd player. Im happy with it and would recommend it to anyone! |
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Rating: Review Date: 03/11/11 |
Cons:
Price
Pros: Solid Build Comment:
Bought it mainly for a roadtrip about 2 years ago and it still works fine. Mainly uses it with an iPhone 3G and it does charges it with no issue. Price can be a little bit lower, but it does do what it said it does. |
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Rating: Review Date: 03/09/11 |
Cons:
Clip doesnt hold the Ipod perfectly
Pros: Great Audio Quality Great Gooseneck Comment:
I am enjoying this device a lot. It took me 3 minutes to set up, and then it was good to go, for the next couple weeks. It charges the Ipod Touch 2G well. The Quality of the music is surprisingly good, it was atleast as good as a Radio station's music. I live in Vancouver and I dont really have any problems with it. I really recommend The MediaGate I-Kit |
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Rating: Review Date: 02/14/11 |
Cons:
- None
Pros: - Very strong signal emission, it can override anyway FM Radio station in the area- Allow you to select any FM frequence donc 88.1 to 107.9- Solid construction- Grid for the ipod is solid, your ipod will not fell off Comment:
This FM Transmiter is the best I ever had. Strong signal, solid construction, solid grid so your IPod won't fell off. Best bang for the buck! |
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Rating: Review Date: 01/10/11 |
Cons:
Not long enough to reach some power outlets in vehicles.
Pros: Very powerful FM transmitter, compatible with any device, anti-rotation feature works well, side grips hold devices securely in place. Comment:
I previously had a Zune Monster FM transmitter, and it worked ok, but this unit blows it out of the water. Better sound, signal reaches 20x further and you can use any device you want with it! I am very impressed with the product and I highly recommend it if you are looking for the best FM transmitter out there. |
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Rating: Review Date: 07/22/10 |
Cons:
Kind of a cheap plastic feel.Bottom holder should have been wider to hold the ipod. It sits on the adpater end as is.Foam plug doesn't hold it snug enough to keep from spinning in the outlet.
Pros: Good signal.Easy to use.Great price when price-matched. Comment:
Overall, pretty impressed with this transmitter. Never going to be as good as a direct line, but the signal is pretty clear and strong, better than my old Monster. I plugged it in and tuned it to the 94.1 and the tunes came in loud and clear. Only when I unplugged it did I realize that it was transmitting over a radio station, so I don't expect to have to change frequencies like the old one either. Only problem is that it spins in the outlet socket and falls over after bumps in the road. Somehow needs to be more stable. Great buy at 1/4 the price. |
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Rating: Review Date: 07/07/10 |
Cons:
can't charge and transmitt radio at the same timecable too shortpower plug already broken
Pros: the radio was pretty good Comment:
It's a terrible product. I bought it, and found out that it can't trasmitt radio and charge my iphone at the same time (it says it can in the product description). I already got a RMA, but was too lazy to return it. At least i can just use the radio. Now the power plug(one metal thing at the end came off) is broken, so it's totally useless now. |
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Rating: Review Date: 06/16/10 |
Cons:
silicone stopper on the cigarette lighter part is a bit fragile, so if you can, leave it in the outlet long-term
Pros: charges iPod, or ANY USB devicecan be positioned the way you likegood quality transmission with the right frequency Comment:
bought for my 2nd generation ipod touch since my current transmitter didn't charge the ipod, and i am impressed. the sound quality is awesome for an fm transmitter, i can hardly tell it's not being played off a CD. not only does this play ipods, but it can also transmit and charge virtually any USB device with a headphone out port. you can charge any USB device with it, so that alone is a good selling point.i bought 1 for myself and another for my parents, i like it that much. |
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Rating: Review Date: 06/08/10 |
Cons:
None so far.
Pros: Works as advertised Comment:
I just picked up one of these for $30, in a recent sale, and have been fairly impressed with this unit.The Good:- Works, via the 30pin cable, on iPhone & iPod units.- Can be used as a hands free kit with iPhone.- Works with other devices, via the included 3.5mm stereo adapter. Although I didn't try it, I strongly suspect that this would work fine with my old Walkman type cassette player, via the headphone out, or my wife's portable CD player, also via the headphone jack.- Charges iPhone & iPod devices while they're playing.- Sound is excellent, or at least as good as can be expected when playing MP3 via FM.The Bad:- Kinda nitpicky, given the rather low price, but this unit has a very cheap plastic feel to it.- As another reviewer stated, in the first vehicle I tried this in, the unit wouldn't stay connected to power, but when unscrewing the end that plugs into the cigarette lighter, and centering the fuse, it now works fine.The Odd(no, not The Ugly):- As another reviewer mentioned, in the 1st vehicle I tried this in, this unit stays powered on, even when the vehicle has been shut off. I tried this in two other vehicles, and this unit powered off when the vehicle was shut off, so those buying this should take note of how that works in their vehicle, otherwise you may end up with a low, or dead battery, if you leave this plugged in.- Just out of curiosity, since this thing is transmitting via FM, I plugged it in one vehicle and turned on some music, then got in another nearby vehicle and tuned the stereo to the same frequency, and sure enough I was listening to the same music in the 2nd vehicle. |
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Rating: Review Date: 06/02/10 |
Cons:
- Doesn't fit my iPhone case, I have to take it off when I put it in the cradle.- Rubber washer to stop it from moving from left/right at turns isn't quite strong enough. Doesn't work very well in my Toyota Matrix.
Pros: - Works great with iPhone- Signal quality is better than most FM units I've heard. Comment:
Overall the unit is nice. It's great to be able to charge my iPhone on the go, or listen to my music on the way to work. The sound quality is admirable for something of this type. Any FM transmitter is not going to get you CD quality, sorry to burst anyone's bubble. It's going to be about whatever your current radio is, maybe a bit better because of distance.My biggest pet peeve is the rubber washer that's supposed to keep your phone from pivoting when making turns. It simply doesn't work in my Toyota Matrix, and it was driving me nuts. Luckily, there's a screw on the back of the unit, and you can reverse the direction of the stand. So now instead of my phone projecting up from the stand, it just hangs below and doesn't rock any more, as it's not top heavy. This problem will vary from car to car, my girlfriend does not have this problem at all.Anyways, it's a great unit when you PM it for $25. ;) |
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Rating: Review Date: 11/25/09 |
Cons: Typical FM transmitted quality - passable on basic factory system.
Pros: Sturdy4 frequencies to pre-setUSB charger for non-iPod devices Comment:
Used to have one made by Monster Cable that got stolen. Tried this as a replacement. It is in wife's car with a basic factory system. Sounds clearer than the Monster, has 4 frequencies to set (instead of 3), has USB charger as well as iPod connector. Regular price is fair but on sale or PP pricing this is a steal. |
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Rating: Review Date: 11/05/09 |
Cons: The rubber-like washer on the plug-in tends to tear.Cannot rotate the unit (i.e. no "landscape mode")
Pros: Excellent FM signal quality.Charges iphone, iphone 3G, iphone 3GS, ipod, and ipod touch via the dock connector, and any device that has a USB charging cable.Built-in USB port (for power only).Adjustable clamp provides a sturdy mounting point for your device.Variable FM transmission frequency covering the entire North American spectrum in 0.1 MHz increments. Comment:
The I-KIT is a fabulous device for ipod touch and iphone users who need audio output to their car radio via FM transmission. It also works with other devices that have analog audio output, using the 1/8" stereo input on the unit (user provides the required cable).I have used the I-KIT with both an ipod touch 2nd generation, and iphone 3GS. It works perfectly in both cases. The audio as received by the car stereo is as good as any the FM radio can produce. The audio has good bass and clear highs. This is in contrast to other FM transmitters that I have used, which variously produced a loud "hum" and/or staticy noise in the audio. This Mediagate device's signal can be picked up in other vehicles a block away (I had a friend test it), while the others could hardly manage to reach my car's aerial. I am extremely pleased with the quality of the audio.It is very important to select an unused transmission frequency, for if there is any other reasonably strong signal on the same frequency it will manifest as static and reduced frequency response, as the two disparate signals combine to produce random noise. The correct frequency will vary by region. In the Vancouver area, it is 106.7 MHz (and only that - all others are taken). However, I find that on south-facing slopes such as south Burnaby, there is sometimes some interference (probably due to interference from US stations, blast them).To find an unused frequency in your area, slowly advance your FM receiver along the dial, making note of all the frequencies that don't seem to have a clear transmission, then compare them to find the "weakest" one. You may find that you have to reconsider your choice as you move around, due to "dead" spots. Much will depend on the quality of radio you're using and the geography of the region. Some urban users may find that there is no "clear" frequency and that they are forced to re-tune at various intervals. What I am getting at is that these problems are not due to the I-KIT. The unit itself produces an excellent output signal.The I-KIT also powers your device. Ipods/iphones charge through the dock connector, while other devices can use the built-in USB port for power (again, the user must provide the necessary cable). This unit charges all ipods that have the standard dock connector, as well as all iphones to date: original, 3G, and 3GS. Note that some ipod/iphone charging devices (not this I-KIT) will not charge the iphone 3G/3GS or the ipod touch generation 2 and up. This is because the required 12-Volt "firewire" charging circuitry has been deleted from those devices by Apple, leaving only the 5V "USB" circuitry. Car chargers in particular are affected, because they were often designed to tap directly into vehicle power for the needed 12V. The I-KIT is not affected by this since it provides 5V for charging and works with all ipods/iphones to date that have the regular dock connector, as far as I know.Finally, the I-KIT supports your device firmly in a spring-loaded clamp. insert your device and push the 2 "jaws" together. It will accommodate devices of various sizes, since it is adjustable. Two plastic supports on the bottom of the I-KIT prevent your device from falling down. These are laterally adjustable, to allow cables to connect to your device anywhere on the bottom edge. Another reviewer mentioned them, but did not know their purpose. They will come out of their slot if they are moved too near the I-KIT's edge, but they are easily reinsert ed.The "neck" which connects the plug section to the clamp section is flexible, and there is a provision to rotate the device up and down. However, you cannot rotate it for a landscape presentation.The washer on the plug, intended to grip the power socket and prevent the I-KIT from turning due to gravity, is a bit fragile. Mine has torn, and I'm just using the I-KIT without it (it doesn't really turn unless I hit it). One day I'll cut out a piece of material to replace it.This thing is excellent as long as you do not need to turn your device to landscape mode. It securely holds your device so it doesn't slide all over the car while letting you listen to the audio player without stringing wires (at least for Apple devices). With the upcoming prohibition in BC against phones while driving it will come in "handy". 5 stars! |
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Rating: Review Date: 06/21/09 |
Cons: - sub-par sound quality (sounds fuzzy with minor distortion)- stays on even after car is turned off (may not be the case with all car models)
Pros: - supports all media players with 3.5mm jack- charges the iPhone 3G without complications- additional USB port- affordable Comment:
If you are NOT picky about sound quality and just want a simple FM transmitter for your media player, this is the product for you. If you are an audiophile like I am this purchase will simply leave you dissatisfied.Simply put, it works, but fails to deliver what many people would expect from such a purchase. On the plus side at least it's moderately priced... |
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Rating: Review Date: 04/30/09 |
Cons: None
Pros: Size, flexibility Comment:
Bought this for the work vehicle, and it is running great. when I first got it it wouldn't stay connected to the power, but after some playing around there is a fuse in the lighter male end. (unscrew and reposition) and it worked fine. No problems with it otherwise. Highly recommended.Also you can un-screw the top iPod dock and reverse it for more mobile positioning. |
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Rating: Review Date: 04/13/09 |
Cons: - Silicon sleeve not as strong as advertised- Maximum width of holster fits iPhone exactly - bad if you're a fan of big clunky iphone cases- Is somewhat heavy, causing it to flop over on hard corners, despite silicon ring that's supposed to prevent that.
Pros: - Lots of awesome features - charges iPhone 3G!- Appears well built and not likely to break Comment:
I've been looking for an unbranded FM transmitter that interfaced/charged iPhone 3G natively, and I've finally found it.While I did not test every part of it - it can charge your iphone/3G/touch, broadcast FM, and charge another USB device via side port all simultaneously.The iPhone was a snug fit in the holster so it was not moving anywhere. It is adjustable as shown in pics, but it will not fit an iPhone with any case that adds more than 1-2mm to the overall width.Thumbs up on transmission power - did not notice any problems, and was able to overpower reasonably powerful radio signals. It has 5 included preset stations, or you can select any frequency of your choosing, and will remember it next time you start it up.My only negative - the unit is quite large and heavy, so the little tapered silicon ring around the plug that's designed to keep it from rolling and letting the holster flip all around cannot do its job effectively. I found that out with the first corner I made in the car. To be honest, I'm not sure how they could have prevented that at all with such a heavy unit.Regardless, for the price, I give it maximum rating, since Apple store comparable (and less compatible with open standards) is $80, and Belkin unit is $99. |
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Rating: Review Date: 01/27/09 |
Cons: a little big
Pros: Easy of use, very easy to install Comment:
First of all, do a price match, i got it for 29.99$. I just use it in car ( Toyota Echo 2003 )and it work very great. Sound is better than i though and hope. I buy this because my cd broke on my radio. Also i can recharge my mp3 player. my mp3 player model is a Sansa Scandisk C240 This review was modfied by poster @ 01-27-09 01:20 PM |
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Rating: Review Date: 01/19/09 |
Cons: The plug feels a bit flimsy
Pros: It works! Works with iPod touch Comment:
As far as FM transmitters go this is the best one I've used yet. It actually works. Transmission isn't lost easily and seems to be stronger than others. Works better, cheaper. What else is there to say? |
This is a very solid option for those who cannot connect their iDevice to their stereo. Works fine in major city and the sound quality is as good as you can expect from an FM transmitter.There are a couple issues:1) If you plug the dock connecter in, your device thinks it is docked and no audio is available through the headphone jack. So basically you can't charge the device while playing music*.* There is a workaround for this. If you only plug the right side of the connecter in it will charge without disabling the headphone jack. Not ideal, but it works.The other issue is the grey rubber gromit thing that is supposed to prevent the unit from turning in the 12V jack. Its basically useless. It continually falls off or gets stuck in the 12V jack, requiring you to fish it out with pliers.