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semana
December 25th, 2003, 03:47 AM
FM Transmitter for Christmas

I got myself a gadget for Christmas from C. Crane, www.ccrane.com It's an FM transmitter. You plug it into the earphone jack on your computer, tune it to an FM frequency. Then, anywhere within 70 feet you can tune an FM receiver to that same frequency and whatever is playing on the computer will play through the radio. Effectively, that turns my computer (where I have stored my entire CD collection) into a jukebox, allowing me to listen anywhere in the house or outside near the house by using a portable FM radio. This is great for several reasons.

First, FM reception where I live is terrible, because of the mountains.

Second, I listen to any song in any order by programming my Windows Media Player.

Third, because I can get thousands of radio stations from all over the world via internet, I can now listen to them through my computer, through my two Bose Wave Radios or through a portable radio anywhere in the house or on the back patio.

Fourth, I can listen to archived audio programming from National Public Radio, the BBC or any other station that archives its programming. Great little device, and makes an FM antenna unnecessary. I can even listen to JAZZ on KLCC-FM in Eugene, Oregon - the station where I was Program Manager 34 years ago.

Song Downloads for 88 cents each

Another thing I just started doing. for 88 cents each, you can download songs from Walmart. This is the same place where I upload my digital photos. They print 4 x 6s for 26 cents each and deliver them free to the nearest Walmart store. Well, today I downloaded 5 Diana Krall songs for $4.75 (including tax). I can write up to 10 CDs with these songs, back them up on two computers or have unlimited download permission to my MPEG3 portable listening device. Kewl!

vibes
December 25th, 2003, 04:24 AM
Best Buy sells similar devices for cars for around $20. I demoed (is that a word?) one before Best Buy picked them up and was pretty impressed with the sound quality. The effective range of the transmitter is 10-30', depending on the power of the receiver. Not a bad idea if you want to use your mp3 player in the car.

Here's a link:

SI-Link (http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?id=1063630089097&skuId=5928605&type=product)

Tenorman
December 25th, 2003, 09:21 AM
Originally posted by vibes
Best Buy sells similar devices for cars for around $20. I demoed (is that a word?)

Being the pedantic so-and-so that I am - "demo'ed" would be the correct form for the abbreviation of "demonstrated":D

semana
December 25th, 2003, 12:20 PM
How does the device work in a car? I transmit 70 feet from my computer to a portable radio. Where does the car device transmitt to and from?

vibes
December 26th, 2003, 01:23 AM
The device is battery-powered and plugs into the headphone/line out jack on a portable audio device. It transmits the audio from the device to a radio station, which you would select with your car stereo.

semana
December 26th, 2003, 06:08 AM
Oh. So you can play your MPEG3 player through your car radio.

semana
December 26th, 2003, 12:31 PM
I bought a set of wireless headphones a few years ago for $100 at Brookstone (I think that was the name of the store). I gave up on them after a short time. Sometimes they worked, sometimes they didn't. And tuning them in was a pain. Now, if I want to watch TV and not bother my wife I use a little earplug on a long wire. If I want to listen to music I go to my computer room or use headphones with my RIO MP3 digital player.