| Part # F8E469-KIT2-DL |
| By : Thomas Bui |
| Cost: $50 from Dell |
| Includes: FM Transmitter(1), Car Charger(2), and Cup Holder Console(3) |
By taking a recent road trip from Denver to Houston and back, I was able to try out my Dell DJ on the road with the Belkin FM Transmitter Auto Kit. After all the driving, I must say that I am happy with the kit but it still could use some improvements..
First, the cup holder console comes with three bases and the console. The console screws into a cup, which allows you to have it at various heights (there is about a couple inches in difference) and is adjustable to angles for a better view of the DJ.
Next, the FM transmitter is powered by a couple of AA batteries with four presets: 88.1, 88.3, 88.5 and 88.7. Before selecting a preset, I checked to see if any of the four were being used for broadcasting. I found that preset 88.7 was being used so it did affect 88.5 with some broadcast interference. I used 88.1, which only had static on it. To get the best sound, I had to adjust the DJs volume at 22 and my vans stereos treble all the way up with the bass up a little. I think the sound quality was pretty decent. In fact, it sounded better than a friends CD player hooked up with a cassette adapter.
While driving through different towns, we did have to adjust the presets that we were using. This was pretty simple to fix by turning the tuner to a station with only static. Now, this is fine if you can get a clear station without broadcasting interference. When I got to about 20 minutes north of Houston, I really couldnt use the transmitter any longer. The 88.3 and 88.7 presets were broadcasting thus affecting the other two presets. You can still hear the music but the interference comes through also.
During the drive, my wife and friends passed the DJ around which had little if no effect on the sound. After a lot of scrolling, the battery started to wear down after about 10 hours to one bar on the battery meter (remember, the volume is at 22 also). I put the DJ back on the console and plugged up the car charger for the rest of the drive enjoying the music still. When we made it to Houston, it was fully charged (it actually took 3 hours to fully charge).
On the way back, we were still using the same pair of AAs that we drove down with. So that was 15 hours on the way to Houston, how much longer can they go? The DJ kept on playing music for another 7 hours until it started to fade out to static. It may have gone on longer if I didnt forget to turn it off during a two-hour stop. Twenty-two hours may not seem long, but how long do you truly spend in your car. For future usage, I will be using rechargeable batteries so I can save cost and the environment. It would be nice if it could plug up to the cigarette lighter.
Although the FM transmitter worked well most of the time, it does have its shortcomings. The option of only four presets is the biggest flaw of the transmitter obviously. There needs to be greater flexibility for other stations on the FM dial. Before you decide to buy one, check to see if the above presets are being used. If so, this is not for you. If they are not all being used, I recommend it because it works great for me here in Colorado.
