Great Deal On A FM Transmitter

[Tom Webb]

How to broadcast your light show music and stay legal.
Our company manufactures FCC approved FM transmitters. We have many customers who currently use our transmitters to broadcast their Christmas light show. At our customer’s suggestion I am putting this information up on your bulletin board.

We guarantee that the whole House FM transmitter will broadcast your music a minimum of 150 feet. Many customers report getting as much as 300-400 feet. It is completely assembled and very user friendly. You may want to take a look at it: www.WholeHouseFMTransmitter.com. Since the transmitter is FCC legal you won't have to worry about the Feds coming down on your Christmas. :lol:

If you decide to purchase use a special coupon code of “DIYChristmas” and receive free shipping. The whole House FM transmitter comes with a 30 day money back guarantee, a full one year replacement warranty and free lifetime technical support over a toll-free number or e-mail.

[Macrosill]

Looks like a neat transmitter at a good price.

[scharbon]

Anyone who might be interested,

Just bought one. Cheaper than the Ramsey and involves no building, hopefully easier than modifying a Belkin with antenna and USB connection. I'll post comments and reviews on this thread once I get it hooked up and working. If it works right, it will change how I intend to set up my Christmas Display. I'll also let you know how fast it ships. Hopefully I will recieve this at least 1 week before Thanksgiving - allow me to be set up in time for Festivus!!!

Steve

[NogginBoink]

I'm in for one as well.

I'll report back with my opinions as well.

[blake_l]

Anyone use one of these yet?

I tried the Belkin mod last night and it didn't go too well. Tore off the battery wires every time I tried to open the case, and couldn't get it to go further than 20'. I don't have time to mess with it - too many other things to do! I may try one more time if I can find some stranded wire (all the small stuff I have around is solid)

[scharbon]

Got my transmitter today. It was just like Christmas. I love getting a surprise package in the mail - even if I am the one who bought it!!! Needless to say, I was very excited, ran into the house, pet the wife and kids, kissed the dog and disappeared into the basement to open my package. Very reminiscent of the "Orphan Annie Decoder Ring" scene in the Christmas Story movie (Drink more ovaltine). But I digress

Customer service was fast. I ordered on Saturday (3 Nov), the order was processed on Tuesday 5 Nov, picked up by the postal service on 6 Nov and in my hands on Thursday 8 Nov. Tom Webb senior was very quick on responding to a problem with the free shipping coupon. So I give two thumbs up for customer service.

Transmitter itself is pretty nice and rather light. Plugged in the audio source and the USB power jack and got a warning on my computer that the voltage requirement for the USB device exceeded the USB power supply. I have never seen this warning before. Device runs off of 3 AA batteries so I assume it needs 4.5 v. Figured a USB provides that much power. But I am running off of an 8 year old computer and it is USB 1.0 ports - that might have something to do with it. I will contact the company tomorrow to see what gives. Nice thing is this comes with a complete package of accessories - so I pulled the wall wart out of the box, plugged it in and viola - it powered up.

My show computer is in the basement (mad scientist lab) which is surrounded by 1 foot thick concrete walls and lined with foiled insulation. I was able to pcik up a strong signal of a Vixen program on the second floor at the opposite corner of the house. Called my neighbor, had him tune his radio to my broadcasting frequency and he was able to pcik up a strong signal on the second floor of his house too ( not talking more than 40 feet here from source to reception). My wife (who does not share quite my passion for this hobby) wouldn't let me drive down the street to see how far it transmits. I will have to report on that tomorrow. Given teh strength of the signal, I believe it will in fact bradcast the minimum 150 feet promised in the ad. There is a mod in the directions to extend the antenna to 110 inches and turn it into a full wave length antenna, which I believe shoud increase the range. but they don't tell you haow to do it. I will ask them about that when I call on teh USB power issue.

Only limitation to this thing is you are limited to about 6 or 7 frequencies ranging from 106.7 - through 107.9. So it would appear the transmitter wJohn bought from China may be more complicated and more capable - but at the same price.

Overall, I give this a good grade given my limited skills. I think for what we are trying to do - this certainly beats a Belkin modification if you are not too comfortable with making those changes. I will give it a full unqualified recommendation to others with modest skills once I confirm it does broadcast 150 feet from my basement location.

Please let me know if I have missed something you think I should have reported.

[kenjinx]

I'm sold............I'll report the results after I receive and test it

[xmus]

Transmitter itself is pretty nice and rather light. Plugged in the audio source and the USB power jack and got a warning on my computer that the voltage requirement for the USB device exceeded the USB power supply. I have never seen this warning before. Device runs off of 3 AA batteries so I assume it needs 4.5 v. Figured a USB provides that much power. But I am running off of an 8 year old computer and it is USB 1.0 ports - that might have something to do with it. I will contact the company tomorrow to see what gives. Nice thing is this comes with a complete package of accessories - so I pulled the wall wart out of the box, plugged it in and viola - it powered up.


Use a powered usb hub and you might be fine, all USB controllers have a max power rating they can supply, and if you use an unpowered USB hub that will definitely not work, and not all powered hubs are created equal, luckily they are cheap, just try one (I love my DLINK 8 port)

[NogginBoink]

Transmitter itself is pretty nice and rather light. Plugged in the audio source and the USB power jack and got a warning on my computer that the voltage requirement for the USB device exceeded the USB power supply. I have never seen this warning before. Device runs off of 3 AA batteries so I assume it needs 4.5 v. Figured a USB provides that much power. But I am running off of an 8 year old computer and it is USB 1.0 ports - that might have something to do with it. I will contact the company tomorrow to see what gives. Nice thing is this comes with a complete package of accessories - so I pulled the wall wart out of the box, plugged it in and viola - it powered up.


Use a powered usb hub and you might be fine, all USB controllers have a max power rating they can supply, and if you use an unpowered USB hub that will definitely not work, and not all powered hubs are created equal, luckily they are cheap, just try one (I love my DLINK 8 port)

True. A USB device must power up in a configuration that draws no more than 100mA. It can then request up to 500mA from the upstream USB port. Typically, an unpowered hub will only supply 100mA to each port, while a powered hub will grant the request for additional current.

[scharbon]

Problem fixed, I just plugged the wall wart into an outlet and everthing is fine. I already have a powered usb hub, just need to hook it up if I need to make a change to my layout.

Funny story on my transmitter. I used it on the first day while testing my lights and got a weak signal out of the radio. The next day I tested it was even weaker. I tried it the next time and their was no signal at all. I was extremely chaffed to say the least. After trouble shooting for about 20 minutes, I realized I had not plugged the transmitter audio source into the computer. :oops: But the signal was really weak even with the radio turned all the way to max - I was mad, I was about to throw the transmitter in the box and ship it back since this was three days of weak signals. Then I realized I had turned down the master volume on the computer so I could work with earphones while sequencing. :oops: I ramped up the volume and could hear the transmission very loud and very clear. Unfortunately, at that m oment my wife had her head right there at the radio trying to figure out what was wrong with it.

My kids and I thought it was funnier than she did. Her ears have stopped ringing.

Steve

[PajdaProductions]

I just ordered one of these yesterday, should hopefully get it by friday-saturday! Order was simple and secure so I expect no problems from the site so far.

[NogginBoink]

Steve, flowers and chocolates are in order!

[TERBObob]

Not sure why this was not highlighted , but , the BIGGEST downfall I see with this unit is :

It ONLY allows broadcast on the following freqs :

106.7
106.9
107.1
107.3
107.5
107.7
107.9

For some , this might not be any big deal ... but to others ...
I , myself , would prefer the ENTIRE choice of channels like the "other" ones have .