Griffin iTrip Universal FM transmitter tested

22nd November 2008

This brand new Universal FM transmitter from Griffin does exactly what it says on the pack – as it will work with any player that features a headphone jack.

And this means the latest iTrip can channel music into your car’s ICE system from not only the ubiquitous iPod, but also from anything with a 3.5mm input. That includes the SanDisk Sansa and Microsoft Zune players, portable CD players and mobile phones.

It’s simply a matter of plugging your device into the iTrip and tuning into a suitable radio frequency, which is then picked up by the car’s head unit. In an industry first, the iTrip uses a rechargeable 180mAh li-ion battery, so power life should never be an issue. Recharging is easy, too – simply plug into a USB port.

Neat, stylish and only slightly larger than a pen drive, the unit is small enough to be unobtrusive while having plenty of room for a large and clear backlit station display.

Up to three frequencies can be stored in the programmable presets, and the user can select mono or stereo depending on the sound source and strength of signal. Its versatility will be a big bonus for those who use more than one make of player.

Tell us about your car in our Driver Power survey.