Kensington 33384 QuickSeek FM Transmitter/Car Charger for iPod Review

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(More customer reviews)This is my second Kensington. Althought this model is "newer" than the other model I own (Kensington 33199 Digital FM Transmitter and Auto Charger for iPod (Black), if you compare them side by side, this newer model will make you go a little crazy - it really pales in comparison in terms of ease of use (I'm using it with a 30GB Ipod 5.5 Video).
The main flaw with this transmitter is that it just plain needs a lot of "tweaking" to get it to work. This means every time you power up your car and want to drive down the road while listening to your Ipod. Here's a literal comparison: OLDER MODEL (33199) - start car, wait 2 seconds for transmitter to kick in and override the FM frequency playing, hit "play" on the Ipod. THIS MODEL - start car, wait 6 seconds and I'm still hearing static as transmitter hasn't started operation, reach over and pick up Ipod, press buttens to cycle through the pre-saved frequencies to get to my last used frequency, still hear static, press the transmitter unit harder into the Ipod and press the cable into the unit itself to more firmly seat it, 2 seconds later the static goes away as the transmitter is now transmitting - this is 20 seconds after starting car, now I hit play and the Ipod starts working but the screen doesn't show what its playing, it just shows the main menu (explained below). If you weren't familiar with just how simple these things should be (model 33199), you might actually find this thing acceptable because it does a fair job as an actual transmitter, otherwise you would know that this current model is pretty much trash.
Also, the blocky interface plugs into the docking section, which makes the Ipod harder to handle and makes the whole unit feel more fragile (that is, it's easy to torque the block, which is only connected with a docking interface, which makes me worried about damaging either the transmitter or the Ipod at the connection point).
Worse, the device "controls" the Ipod, using the Ipod screen to read off frequencies. This control doesn't always "release" the Ipod to allow it to go back to the audio control screen, which means that if you want to fast forward or otherwise interact with the song, then you'll have to go through the menus and find the exact song / podcast you are currently listening to and click on it again to bring up the right screen (I kid you not).
Finally, as mentioned above, the last-used frequency doesn't always activate when the unit is powered off then back on, you have to manually switch back to it, amazingly ridiculous. To boot, the "clear frequency scanner" is really gimmicky, providing only marginally good frequency choices, ones that prove poor after driving a little further down the road.
None of these problems with the other unit I mentioned. My recommendation is that you STAY AWAY from this model and go with the Model 33199, much easier to use, flawless execution and a fairly strong transmitter.

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Spend more time enjoying your favorite iPod tunes and less time searching for a high-quality audio signal with the Kensington QuickSeek FM transmitter/car charger. Like other FM transmitters, the unit broadcasts your iPod's music through your vehicle's stereo speakers, so you can groove to your full digital music collection without buying an expensive iPod-compatible car stereo. But unlike with competing models, you don't have to fiddle with the transmitter for several minutes to find a static-free station. Instead, the unit's QuickSeek technology locates the best FM signal in mere seconds, making tuning easier than ever. All you have to do is connect the transmitter to your iPod's dock connector, plug the car charger into your vehicle's 12-volt power outlet, and you're set.
The QuickSeek boasts Kensington's ClearFM technology, which delivers richer lows, crisper highs, and superior stereo separation with a "concert hall" effect--all through your regular stereo speakers. The ClearFM circuitry also includes the company's patented filtering technology, which results in the lowest harmonic distortion and signal-to-noise ratios of any FM transmitter on the market today--up to three times clearer than Kensington's competitors. Handiest of all, the detachable car charger isn't for iPods only, as it also works with other USB-powered devices, such as mobile or smartphones, PDAs, and more.
Other details include three programmable preset buttons for storing FM stations, an ultra-bright display, and a detachable spacer to ensure a custom fit with iPod models in a case. The QuickSeek FM transmitter is backed by a two-year warranty.
What's in the Box FM transmitter, car charger, user's manual.

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