Kensington LiquidFM Plus for MP3 Players FM Transmitter

I had heard good things about the LiquidFM and decided to give it a shot. I fully know that FM transmitters are a last option, bu there were a number of problems with this transmitter.

First and foremost, it will NOT charge my 30gb Zune. The Zune has been known to be particular with what USB ports it will charge from, but I would at least expect them to test the major MP3 brands.

Secondly, the cord is too short. The reason this is a problem is because the cord is used as the antenna for the transmitter. If the cord were longer, it would be more powerful, and you would be able to place the cord in a better place. The device works best in my car when I loop the antenna over my rear view mirror, maximizing the cord and significantly boosting the signal.

Finally, the device does not always pick the clearest frequency. I would often find it had picked a station with clear audio playing, rather than one with mostly static. I know this isn't a perfect...Read more

I have an earlier model of the Kensington FM transmitter and it works very well with my Treo 680, providing a strong and clear signal. I purchased this unit because it offered the inline USB power plug (allowing me to charge the Treo while listening to music) and for the new feature that would scan for open frequencies. Since I'm traveling longer distances right now, I have to often search for a clear channel every 60 miles or so and thought this would do the trick.

It does find an open channel just fine ... BUT the FM transmission power of this newer unit is so weak as to be non-existent. I tried two different units and neither of them could transmit a signal with sufficient power to be received by the car radio which is just a foot away (and the antenna is no more than 4 feet away).

This new design is utter garbage and a complete waste of time and money. Amazon took it back without question. Save yourself the aggravation and avoid this unit like the plague...Read more

So it has a button to auto-detect the best station to tune the radio to. Sometimes it picks an unavailable station. Other times I can't find an open frequency (too many stations?) Then, the signal strength is weak or mine can't grab 100% of the frequency. There is ALWAYS static...

But, until I buy a new radio. This works.