• Mobile FM transmitter for listening to portable audio devices through car stereo
• Transmits to all FM frequencies (88.1 to 107.9 MHz)
• Plugs into standard car power socket--no batteries required
• Connects to the headphone jack of portable MP3 or CD players; easy-to-read blue LCD display
• Universal accessory for all digital audio players compatible with 3.5mm mini-jack

The iRiver Mobile FM Transmitter broadcasts a powerful signal allowing you to listen to your iRiver player or other portable audio device through your car stereo. It transmits to any FM frequency making it easy to listen to your music on any FM signal you choose. PRODUCT FEATURES: Blue LCD display; Plugs into any standard car power socket; No batteries needed; Transmits to any FM station (88.1MHz - 107.9MHz); Works with any audio device (plugs into the headphone jack of your player).

The iRiver AFT 100 Mobile FM Transmitter lets you listen to your iRiver player and most other portable audio devices through your car stereo. All you have to do is plug the transmitter into one of your car's power sockets and the headphone jack of your player, sync frequencies with the stereo, then turn the volume up. You can pick whatever FM signal you choose, and this small transmitter with a big, stylish blue display needs no batteries.

What's in the Box
AFT-100 mobile FM transmitter and instruction sheet.

I bought one of these for my husband about four years ago. It died from a fatal kid-induced accident and I'm going to buy another. I also recommended it to someone who lived in Chicago and they said it worked great there.

For two years, this transmitter served me very well. I've used it with a variety of input sources -- including cell phones, portable CD and DVD players, iPod and Dell MP3 players -- and it has worked great with all of them.

The broadcast signal is nice and strong, and even in the dense L.A. airwaves, there was no trouble with the signal. The preset buttons are perfect -- with the three right stations programmed, I can drive from Ventura to Palm Springs without having to search. When I start getting interference, I just push a preset button on the transmitter, push the corresponding station preset on my radio and, voila, I've got clear reception again!

Another nice feature is that it always returns to the last frequency you used. I just tried the Griffin iTrip, and returned it because when you turn it on, it always returns to its lowest frequency, 88.1, which is not a good one. With the iRiver, when I start the car, there's only a second of static before it comes to life and I have silence -- giving me some time to turn on the mp3 player, or whatever.

The silence detection and auto-off feature of the iRiver can be a problem, though. Very quiet signals, and in particular, spoken word material, can make it shut off, and I certainly agree with the reviewers who noted the nasty whine just before you're returned to static.

The one-piece design is excellent. It's great, when you do have to change a preset, that you don't have to go fishing for the controls -- they're right there at your power outlet. If your power outlet is not easily accessible, however, this is not the product for you.

However, there are some drawbacks of this product. The cord is a bit fragile. Eventually, unless you are extremely careful, the cord will short out, leaving you with one or both channels dead. I tried to repair it, and found that the sheath for the inner wires is not very flexible and was cracked open along much of the length of the cord.

Also, the unit does not tolerate high volume input well. With some players and source material, it was prone to distortion. I had to turn the player down to about 50% volume, which meant that the sound I was getting out of the radio was much less. Plus, when something quieter came on, the auto-shutoff was likely to happen.

I'm currently trying out some other options, but I might wind up buying another of these -- I'll just have to be very, very careful with the cord.

Pros
- strong broadcast signal
- returns to the last frequency you used
- single-cord design
- bright, easy-to-read display
- preset buttons
- easy tuning

Cons:
- does not tolerate high volume input well
- the cord is fragile

It worked great for 6 months and then it died with no warning. One morning it just would not power up. It held the station pretty good when it was working but there was one 5 minute section of my 20 minute commute where it always got stepped on by a powerful station broadcasting on the wrong frequency. Make sure you can find a station with just static for most or all of the drive if you intend to use it for a regular trip like to and from work.

iriver AFT 100 mobile transmitter does what it's supposed to. Even though statics can be heard once in a while, it can be easily fixed by tuning to the transmitter's wide range of radio frequency selections.

Works well, easy to use. A little pricey - there are probably cheaper things that do as well, but this one is good if you're in a city or travel to different cities since you can change the frequency.