The Belkin TuneBase is a FM transmitter for use with the iPhone and iPod. Audio from the iDevice will be sent via low-power FM radio to the car’s stereo.
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I used to have a FM-transmitter that attached directly to an iPod, which was compact but the connection was fiddly. In addition, the device worked poorly with the iPhone. There was a lot of interference from the iPhone’s mobile interface.
There are some very good things about this gadget, and a few drawbacks.
When I got it, I was worried that the “pillar” part would interfere with my stick shift. But it’s not a big problem. Once in a while I happen to hit the controls circled around the frequency display but there’s no problem shifting gears.
You should have a look at the placement of the cig lighter in your car before getting one though. It’s optimal if the ligher socket is part of a vertical surface. The frequency display is a bit hard for me to see from the driver’s position; on the other hand, it’s not something that changes a lot.
There’s an option to let the unit scan for a free channel to transmit on. I haven’t used this option, as I found a channel that works for me a long time ago. But when driving long distances this should prove useful.
The part holding the iPhone is rotatable so you can have vertical or horisontal orientation. It’s relatively easy to change playlists etc. using it. It’s much more preferable to having the iPhone lying loose between the seats.
To connect it fully, you need to connect a lead to the headphone jack but this is quickly done. I have a silicone sleeve on my iPhone, it’s a bit tight but not problem to connect.
You control playback and calls with a button below the iPhone, it’s a bit fiddly to double-click to skip tracks.
Sound quality is decent for an FM transmitter. There’s a standard 3.5mm stereo output built into the pillar. You can use that to connect to the stereo if you have that input jack. There’s also a USB socket for more charging options.
Calls work OK if you’re already tuned in to the channel the device is broadcasting on. If not, you’ll have to switch to it, and it takes a few seconds for the Tunebase to be “picked up” by the stereo. If you’re making a lot of calls, and regularly listen to FM radio, this may not be optimal.
The few calls I’ve made have been rather hard to hear, according to my interlocutors.
I’m very happy with the TuneBase, it’s a great way to listen to audio from the iPhone while driving!