iPhone 4 car kit?

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reven

3743 posts

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#83831 21-May-2011 15:25

hi, i'm looking for a car kit for my iphone 4. it has to
- play music/calls over fm and have good sound quality
- charge the phone
- plug in via the cigarette lighter
- be hands free
- work with iphone in protective rubber case
- have a longish arm (my car cig lighter is low and kind of hidden)

bonuses
- perfect fit, just "snap in" without having to close arms (like those cheap cradles from $2 stores)
- connect via bluetooth (ie hands free still works without iphone being plugged into cradle)
- only one connection required, doesnt require a line input from the headphone jack.

closest thing i've found is a [url=http://www.belkin.com/pressroom/releases/uploads/06_01_09TuneBaseDirect_TBFM.html]Belkin TuneBase FM with Handsfree for iPhone[/url].

but that requires a input from the headphone jack. other than that its nearly perfect.

there are a lot of cheap things on trademe, just wondering if anyone has found the perfect cradle?

TIA

1eStar

1604 posts

Uber Geek

#472014 21-May-2011 21:46

I use a http://www.dealextreme.com windscreen mount cradle, and a cig plug belkin tunecast fm transmitter/charger. Also Bluetooth earpiece. Mostly used for gps duties, hardly take calls so works ok for me.
You may be better to start looking at compatible head units with USB/Bluetooth connectivity.

porche20002

72 posts

Master Geek

#472032 21-May-2011 22:48

I think for hands-free you will have to plug the 3.5mm jack into the headphone jack because Apple didn't allow that feature?
But I do know some BMWs have that cradle without the need of a headphone jack but I don't know if that works in tangent with bluetooth.

Hope you find what your looking for.
Chris

reven

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#472349 22-May-2011 14:22

oh is the jack for handsfree? i thought they were doing that for the music output. makes sense really since theres another belkin one just for music that doesnt have the jack thing.

might just go with that one then.

cheers guys

Ham

462 posts

Ultimate Geek

#472363 22-May-2011 14:45

Go with a bluetooth headunit

reven

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#472370 22-May-2011 14:55

my car has a built in stereo that would be annoying/very difficult to change, and my old car i had one of these units, really good bluetooth for music, but hands free was pretty meh.

reven

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#472826 23-May-2011 10:13

purchased the belkin fm with hands free, but the one i got was a dud, so have to take it back for a replacement.

the mic didnt work properly and other call just heard a constant beeping sound (and not my voice), was able to get them to hear me perfectly if i only partially plugged in the plug in the headphone jack, but then i couldnt hear them at all through my stereo. tried it in two cars, same result.

reven

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#473139 23-May-2011 19:49

ok 2nd belkin had same issue, very very loud beeping on other callers end. so that was a bust. definitely wouldn't recommend any one buying that device.

might have to shell out for a parrot device.