What to look for in an MP3 player...
8.FM transmitters.
You may be considering buying an FM transmitter as a seperate unit or an mp3 player with an FM transmitter built in.
There are numerous considerations for this too. Some FM transmitters will work well for your purpose and truly
transform your music listening experience at home, in the car, at work, anywhere you wish.
The main points to consider with FM transmitters are where you are going to use them and how good the radio is at
picking up the signal. If you intend to use it at home only and have them directly next to the stereo then there
is a good chance you will not experience any problems. If however you want to use them in the car or outside, or possibly even if you live in an urban area subject to bombardment by many different radio frequencies then
you may need to get something with a stronger signal. The strength of the signal is often measured in
metres however this is does not always give the full picture. One of the most stark differences in listening
quality may be found between units with external power and those that rely solely on battery power.
An FM transmitter that is powered through a home or car power supply will usually provide a much stronger and more consistent signal than one powered with household batteries. In addition the performance will depend upon the location of the receiver on the unit you are transmitting to and the amount of interference on the band you choose to broadcast on. An mp3 player with a built in transmitter may not always have as wide a bandwidth to choose from. Being able to choose an FM band that has no intereference from other stations, even those that are far away, will help enormously. In addition you need to be intelligent in your choice of band. If radio 1 broadcast on 98.5fm don't try this or anything near it if you want a succesful connection.
In the car you may think placing the transmitter next to dash radio unit will work but your arial is more than likely on the roof, possibly toward the rear and middle of the car, and good radio units will have some shielding around the actual unit itself to avoid interference from the engine.
In addition a car has much less shielding altogether from external radio waves and is in a much more open position. There may be many competing signals which are not solely from standard radio stations, other cars, trucks, emergency services etc. You may not pick these up clearly or at all but they will compete with your own and cause yours to be a less successful broadcast.
In summary, a good broadcast range, the option of car or mains power in addition to batteries, and a good range of broadcast frequencies will make your choice the most likely to succeed.
