Despite most cars being equipped with CD players that can hold 6 or more CDs, the growth of digital music downloads is making consumers think twice of taking CDs with them and turning to ways of connecting their iPod or other MP3 player up to their car stereo for in-car playback. In the US, this can easily be done through the use of a short-range FM transmitter, in which the device sends the playback over the FM band so that it can be tuned into the car stereo. However, in the UK it is illegal to transmit anything on the FM band without a license, which means that the only legal way to connect up an iPod to the car stereo is through a legacy cassette tape adaptor. Unfortunately, most recent car stereos no longer have a cassette player and most also lack a line-in port.
After about 60 years of this legislation against unlicensed FM transmission, the UK telecommunications operator Ofcom now wants to lift this ban. Once removed, consumers in the UK will be able to transmit a low power signal on the FM band to broadcast music via wireless through their home or while travelling in their car. However, despite the legislation, apparently it is legal for retailers to sell these devices, but the consumer is taking a legal risk by operating them as they technically need a license.
These low power FM transmitters originally remained outlawed in the UK and parts of Europe in fear that they would interfere with FM broadcast services. However, with such a strong popularity of these devices and many consumers already operating them illegally in the UK, Ofcom officials have decided to reconsider the legislation against them. Ofcom walso plans to lift certain restrictions on CB radio as well as various other low-power radio operated devices. If all goes to plan, this revised legislation could put into effect by Christmas.
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The gizmos work by allowing car radios or household stereos to tune in to iPod signals and play music, using the same wavelengths as radio stations. Although the devices only broadcast their FM radio signals over distances of a few metres, they were ruled illegal because of fears they would interfere with commercial radio. Despite the ban, thousands of people use the iTrip or Belkin's TuneCast wireless transmitter to listen to their music on the move. "The iTrip is actually our biggest-selling hardware accessory," said Jonathan Cole, managing director of the iPod retailer PopXpress.com. The full article can be read here. |
Apparently in Ireland, the cassette adaptor seems to be one of the most common ways of linking up a portable CD player, iPod or other MP3 player to a car stereo with these sold all over the place. However, with the growing popularity of MP3 players, it would be nice if car stereos included a line-in socket as standard. So far, I have only seen this on a few car stereos and while this would not be as good as a digital link-up, it would still provide better sound quality than most cassette tape adaptors and FM transmitters, which are susceptible to interference.
Source: Guardian Technology
By Federal Communications Commission rules, the personal transmitters here can't transmit past 30 feet (~3m) so you pretty much have to be parked next to someone to catch the signal anyway, and personal experience by many is that the radio antenna outside the car, two or three feet away from the transmitter and mere inches away from the radio, doesn't get enough signal. This is why I have a 6' (2m) headphone extention cable from Radioshack/Tandy between my transmitter and my Rio S35, looped over the rearview mirror. Helps immensely. 
[edited by themushroom on 17.07.2006 22:17]
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