mp3 player car radio thingy conundrum

[alonewiththemoon]

So I got M an mp3 player and a car radio adapter thingy for Christmas. He's trying to set up the car radio adapter thingy now, but is running into a problem. The directions for the adapter say to tune the radio to a dead spot and commence from there. The problem is that his radio can't be manually dialed, and just jumps from station to station as you press its tuning button, so he can't tune it to a dead spot. Has anybody else encountered this problem before? If so, how did you overcome it? It seems to me that this must be a somewhat common issue...

Comments

[rojagato.livejournal.com]

Seems like there should be a manual tuning switch or toggle on the radio -- maybe google the radio model + "manual tuning" to see whether there's a manual online?

[alonewiththemoon]

The car radio's actual manual doesn't have anything about whether it can do manual tuning, but I'm going to google and see if anybody's posted on some discussion board somewhere about it...

[alonewiththemoon]

No cassette player in the car, unfortunately. He's got it in a workable state right now, but that's out here in Arlington, who knows how it will be driving through the city proper. I think he still has a cassette car radio floating around somewhere, though...

[developer.livejournal.com]

Find a dead spot on another radio. Set the adapter to broadcast on that frequency. The radio should, when skipping, now see this as a valid radio station and stop there.

At least that is what I'd try. I've had mixed results with my radio adapter, but that is larger due to it only have 8 choices to broadcast on and Boston has few true dead spots. Plus I drive 45 minutes and the true dead spots aren't the same in the city and near 495.

[alonewiththemoon]

That was my suggestion too, set it using another radio first, but apparently the device won't work that way. I'm not sure why, it seems logical to me too.

mp3 advice

[crematia13.livejournal.com]

Which one did you get him? My advice is try to get 88.1 locked in, this is a good one for Wireless & Sirius transmission. There has to be a setting somewhere to turn off auto tuning....my sis had that car, so I will ask her too.

I am neck deep setting your bro up with Sirius and my new mp3 player AND my parents, so I am pretty savvy with the mp3 info right now. Give me a call tonight or shoot me an email with the mp3 model and what transmitter you got him and I can help you out.

Savvy? ----man, I love Depp!

Re: mp3 advice

[alonewiththemoon]

The player itself is a Creative Vision M, and the transmitter is a Belkin TuneCast II. 88.1 is actually a station in metro Boston so that won't work, but he was able to figure out the manual tuning thing (I think it was to press and hold the tuning lever rather than flicking it a single time--it's not the radio that came with the car). Unfortunately even with manual tuning the car radio still doesn't like to stay on a dead spot, but he was able to find a frequency with just static going on that works ok, at least here in our driveway. Driving around the city might be another matter altogether though, with all the transmitters in Boston. Apparently this is all the FCC's fault since they won't allow the mp3 transmitters to be above a certain strength, I guess it would be breaking some law or another if they were able to override real radio stations. Grr.

I am savvy to the love of Depp ;-)

Re: mp3 advice

[crematia13.livejournal.com]

I got a Vision M too, the 60gb one it rocks! I had the Belkin transmitter in my hand and almost bought it. I opted for the Griffin iTrip Auto Universal Plus FM Transmitter & charger for USB recharable audio players. I picked it cause it charges the player too and I've heard some connection problems with the Belkin one. I opened the iTrip one in the parking lot, it detected a dead station right away I tuned my radio to it and it was crystal clear. It has an lcd light too which made it easier for my night time install. If he has problems with the Belkin, see if you can exchange it for the iTrip, I highly recommend it. It was $49.99 at Circuit City, if you do just make sure you get the right one not the one that says Sansa on it. Both packages have a green top. I am off to fill up my Vision, let me know if you need anymore help :-)