eBay FM Transmitter Any Good?

[frascati]

Thank you for that TJ.

Has anyone tried this one?

http://www.elecsky.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=91

I really do like the extra control allowed it via USB since all of the content played thru it will be PC based. Unlike the "dongles" or the purely USB driven transmitters I've seen, this one only uses USB for GUI control and not for the audio link. That means that the PC still has active headphone audio outs.

[Orville]

And Orville, how you tried the Hi/Lo power option on your unit? It may have it as an (undocumented) option, push & hold the Power On button, and plug the radio in. if you see Hi, push either the Up/Down freq button until the display says Lo (Low). That should set yours to low power (.1w). My unit (the CZH-05w) didnt specifically state it as an option on the auction page or booklet when I bought it, but it works!

Unfortunately my switch IS NOT a pushbutton TJ. it's a toggle switch, flip it one way for off, the other for on. If this were a PB style switch I'd sure give that a try. So I sort of doubt my MBB E-4000 has that "hidden" option. But I might try pressing and holding the other Push Buttons that save, set or go up/down to choose the Freq. and see if any of them bring up anythng like that. Have my doubts it will though.

[Orville]

First post. Joined the forum to ask about a couple of rock bottom dirt cheap alternatives that have not been mentioned as far as I know.

http://www.ebay.com/...=item35b4f84c54

http://www.ebay.com/...=item337afd98d0

I know I'm risking some flame here, but here goes anyway. If you DO NOT have the genuine electronics bonifides to comment on modern radio-on-a-chip smd componentry then please, please, please resist the temptation to exercise your burning opinions about "getting what you pay for", "all that china stuff is junk".... ad nauseum. Some posts here meet that qualification. Too many do not.

There are plenty of valid points to be made about the general quality of chinese made components today, but in too many specific instances many higher priced "name brand" "trusted" units out there are, any more, using so many of the same basic boards, chips, components, and assembly lines that the only real difference in your overall satisfaction of the performance is better warranty and tech support per the company's reputation. And even that is a VERY big IF. (tech support for HP, Samsung, or Netgear anyone.....? Tried it lately?)

Anyway, that said, has anyone tried the above? How much coverage might one expect from adding a suitable length of straigt wire antenna pigtail onto the board?

Matter of fact I used to work for a CB Radio Manufacturer, have built aircraft blackboxes, built missiles, rockets and everything imaginable in between and been involved in electronics building crystal, am and fm radios and transmitters since I was 7 years old, I'll be 56 this year and now retired from all that.

But for anyone to say "all that china stuff is junk" apparently HAS NOT opened and looked at many of the items today, TV's, Stereo's, Computers, Electronic components in your vehicle, tags on LED and Incandescent light strands and a host of many other everyday things we all use, usually all have a MADE IN CHINA sticker on it, in it, or even etched onto the PCB's {Printer Circuit Boards} inside,

Even many of the components we used in the areospace industry, that had to be "Government specific" were made in China,

However, when someone says you get what you pay for, they may be talking from their own experiences with any given product, like the Whole House Transmitter just about everyone hates it, says it's junk, but there are a few who have had success with it.

But because the majority that DID BUY and TRY it, had no success, it gets labeled as "junk", unfortunately that's how it is.

We try and base our decisions and objectivity on what others experiences have been with the unit, sometimes those experiences aren't there, so we give it a whirl, didn't work as expected, so one person gives it a bad review, does that make it junk?

Of course not, what that makes it is, no one else has tried it, but once you get 10, 15, 40, 50 or more folks have tried it, all unhappy, writing bad reviews because it did not work, then most often that particular product IS going to be relegated as "junk", and folks will say stay away from it.

Just because a person DOES NOT have any manufacturing experience DOES NOT make them any less qualified to criticize, rate or review a product, and then give their opinion on how well it worked or did not work for them. So for you to say they need to shut up because they have no experience with smd components or radio chips is completely ridiculous.

Everyone should be allowed to state their opinions on any FM Transmitter or any other item here that folks are interested in, however, I will say, even if they have not used that particular transmitter, they are basing their opinions on the one at hand due to the OP's issues they were having with it, which they seem to have gotten figured out and now have it working.

So many of these opinions, suggestions and commentary came from their original post about issues they were having and folks here just trying to give what advice they thought best about what do about it. Nothing more and nothing less.

BTW: Yes, I have used HP's tech support, had to contact them about my wifes' school laptop and they were very helpful, very nice and with their help got her school laptop working as it should be. Sent me to where I could download specific files for FREE to her computer to get the BIOS and everything else upgraded. So I don't have any complaints with HP's tech support service at all. {Since you asked}.

Edited September 18, 2012 by Orville

[Arteom]

Thank you for that TJ.

Has anyone tried this one?

http://www.elecsky.c...&products_id=91

I really do like the extra control allowed it via USB since all of the content played thru it will be PC based. Unlike the "dongles" or the purely USB driven transmitters I've seen, this one only uses USB for GUI control and not for the audio link. That means that the PC still has active headphone audio outs.

Any "No Name" FM transmitters out there will work, I hope you read the entire fourm as everything progressed, I had some ptrouble, and as you might know Chinese units are not solid, they are low quality and unpredictable, but with proper care and maintenance they should last for at least sometime.

I personally believe that you should not go out and blow more than $60 on a "No Name" FM transmitter, Everything over that price is simply more expensive cause of all the little buttons and shiny gizmos they ad onto it, they are no more durable than the cheapest ones, I know cause I have experience dealing with China and "Star" LED's AKA No Name Cree's.

I once purchased 100 3W "Star LED's" from a china supplier for around $2.50 each, after around 6 months of use they started getting dim, and 20% of them broke, they had a "5 YEAR GUARANTEE" but the company never replied to my emails, Then around 3 months ago, I got into the aquarium hobby and setup a reef tank, decided to give China a chance and ordered some LED's for my DIY light fixture, I ordered the most dirt cheap 3W "Star LEDs" I could find, I figured this would be a "for now" fixture, they ran me around $0.70/ each shipped, to this day they work great no flickering, signs of fade or anything for that matter. I ordered their LED Drivers for a mere $3/ Driver and they work great too.

Honestly, you get what you pay for here in the states, most of the time. In China, it all just depends on how much of a smart shopper you are.

[TJ Hvasta]

Thank you for that TJ.

Has anyone tried this one?

http://www.elecsky.c...&products_id=91

I really do like the extra control allowed it via USB since all of the content played thru it will be PC based. Unlike the "dongles" or the purely USB driven transmitters I've seen, this one only uses USB for GUI control and not for the audio link. That means that the PC still has active headphone audio outs.

Do not get anything listed with a power greater than .5watts..

Guess you did not see that part of my post. That link is 1watt... not a tenth of a watt <--- what you should find. I'm really wondering why you are so set on USB models, not that it affects me, but I know there's gonna be posts with weeping, wringing of hands and gnashing of teeth about its performance.

Honestly, if you are dead set and determined to find/get something other than what others here have already recommended, or recommended to stay away from, then I wouldnt expect replies. Its that "ask for advise, then do the opposite".. All I am going to do is wish you luck on whatever you pick.

Edited September 19, 2012 by TJ Hvasta

[TJ Hvasta]

Unfortunately my switch IS NOT a pushbutton TJ. it's a toggle switch, flip it one way for off, the other for on. If this were a PB style switch I'd sure give that a try. So I sort of doubt my MBB E-4000 has that "hidden" option. But I might try pressing and holding the other Push Buttons that save, set or go up/down to choose the Freq. and see if any of them bring up anythng like that. Have my doubts it will though.

Orv, oops, 'thot you were refering to the CZH- model you said you had.. didnt realize you were thinking of the MBB.. I dont have any info on the MBB.. try a google search for changing the power level for the MBB-4000.. see what you can find.

Edited September 19, 2012 by TJ Hvasta

[Orville]

Orv, oops, 'thot you were refering to the CZH- model you said you had.. didnt realize you were thinking of the MBB.. I dont have any info on the MBB.. try a google search for changing the power level for the MBB-4000.. see what you can find.

Nope, I bought the MBB Eclipe 4000 in 2010 on recommendations from others here that gave it a good review and it was a lot less money at the time for a fully assembled and working unit, as I didn't want to have to assemble a kit, because at the time folks were saying EDM's were kits, I didn't want to have to fully assemble an FM Transmitter. Knowing what I know now, I would have gone with the EDM and spent the extra $20-$30 more at the time on the EDM unit.

[columbus27]

Yep go ahead and get the one Watt one and watch you garage door opener stop working.

[TJ Hvasta]

Get it, and be sure to get yer affairs in order, as you'll be visited by 3 ghosts... wearing sunglasses, at night, driving a black panel van, with gov't plates, and absolutely no sense of humor.

[Klayfish]

Is this the CZH model you're recommending?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/CZH-05B-Home-Stereo-Transmitter-100mW-500mW-FM-76-108Mhz-Range-Antenne-Adapter-/170901898903?pt=US_Ham_Radio_Transmitters&hash=item27ca8c0697#ht_7725wt_928

[dusty72]

Klayfish this is the same one I just received and played with last night( same person also) no issues with it( yet)

[Orville]

Sorry, stand corrected. Just re-read the FCC Part 15 and I honestly had thought I read in there last year when I looked at them that there was a 200 foot range limit mentioned somewhere in them. So now I'm not sure where I got that range from. I try to re-read them each year, since you never know if something may change that could affect us in this hobby, since many of use FM Transmitters to broadcast our show,

But if I am reading it right, and it's 3 Meters, that isn't far enough to even get out of most front yards{unless you mount your transmitter roadside!}, at least not with the conversion to feet online calculator I used, that 3 Meters equals a mere 9-1/2 foot range limit {it can't be that small a distance...can/is it?}. Or the conversion calculator is in error on its conversion, but I don't think so.

Just seems if it really is actually limited to 3 Meters {9.5 feet}, it wouldn't even be worth having a transmitter at all in that short of a distance.

[Steven]

But if I am reading it right, and it's 3 Meters, that isn't far enough to even get out of most front yards

...

Just seems if it really is actually limited to 3 Meters {9.5 feet}, it wouldn't even be worth having a transmitter at all in that short of a distance.

You misunderstood the regulations. They say:

The field strength of any emissions within the permitted 200 kHz band shall not exceed 250 microvolts/ meter at 3 meters. The emission limit in this paragraph is based on measurement instrumentation employing an average detector.

The strength of electromagnetic radiation, (like your FM signal) decreases in proportion with the distance from the antenna (approximately). Thus, if the field were 250 microvolts / meter at 3 meters, it would be 125 microvolts / meter at 6 meters. In order to determine the actual range, you need to know the sensitivity of the FM receiver, and the amount of noise present. These figures are difficult to find, because they depend on so many different things.

I did find on Wikipedia a description of Broadcast Range. It says the "City Range" of a broadcast station is 3.16mV/m. Using this definition, the range of a legal part 15 transmitter is 237 meters. Your signal would not be static-free at this range, and it also depends on the amount of interference and noise in your area.

[Orville]

You misunderstood the regulations. They say:

The strength of electromagnetic radiation, (like your FM signal) decreases in proportion with the distance from the antenna (approximately). Thus, if the field were 250 microvolts / meter at 3 meters, it would be 125 microvolts / meter at 6 meters. In order to determine the actual range, you need to know the sensitivity of the FM receiver, and the amount of noise present. These figures are difficult to find, because they depend on so many different things.

I did find on Wikipedia a description of Broadcast Range. It says the "City Range" of a broadcast station is 3.16mV/m. Using this definition, the range of a legal part 15 transmitter is 237 meters. Your signal would not be static-free at this range, and it also depends on the amount of interference and noise in your area.

Thanks for the clarification Steven. I figured 9.5 feet, wouldn't even be worth it.

However, with what you say from your figuring then that's a good distance.

237m = 777ft 6²³⁄₃₂in {again per online converter calculator}

So that's definitely a much better range than what I was taking it for.

Of course the majority of us probably don't even have the equipment to measure that from our FM Transmitters. Checked into one last year to do that, but those meters that can test the FCC info ARE VERY EXPEN$IVE!

[Max-Paul]

Well I finally going to jump into one of my pet topics. First putting an external antenna on most of these transmitters i not needed. And in a lot of cases will put you way over the legal limit. Transmitting a clean signal further than a block is putting you over the legal limit. Testing your signal several times during the season is a good way to insure that someone did not adjust the output level of your computer that can cause the sound to be bad and if the volume is to high, the transmitter can start to transmit harmonics that will call attention to the G-Men. To much power can block a near frequency lic. station. A station that someone likes to listen to. This could lead to a call to the G-Men.

K.I.S.S. use a radio with JUST ENOUGH power to get a clean signal within a block of your house. This might also mean that there might be some metal in your house blocking your signal from getting out. Might need to move the transmitter to get a clean signal outside. Unless you know what you are doing. Adding wire to the antenna could de-tune the transmitter. Hence a worse signal and or a blown final transistor.

BTW a transmitter is more than a single SMD chip. There are still enough discrete parts in a transmitter. And good engineering and quality parts are still a major factor. So, yes Johnny, Cheap radios built in China can be junk or trash. Even if they have a SMD chip on the board. But even the best built transmitter can be rendered defective if the wall cube power supply is acting up. Yes gents, those electrolic Cap filters can leak or dry out and leave a A.C. signal superimposed on the D.C. voltage.

[TJ Hvasta]

Me thanks ta ya, Steve, Orv & Max.. ya be fine, fine 'mates..

Ahoy, Klay, aye, th' CZH-05b (silver case) be wot I 'ave used fer 3+ years now.. works just fine.. I keeps it at th' 100mw level, in th' "basement, front of the house" (split-lvl) an' can get full quieting signal at each end o' th' block.. two blocks away, it be 50-60% static, but I am ok wit' tha'. It be playin' thunderstorm clips right now.. 'twas playin' me fav'rit piratic songs (Pirates o' th' Caribbean soundtracks) oll day.. mmmmm, music ta me ears, savvy?

[jgordon]

I just got the EDM with the rubber ducky antenna, but my range is very limited - maybe 50-100 yards with good reception. The power is on the low setting. I'm a little disappointed, frankly. Is there anything I can do to boost the range? My test was transmitting out a window right near the area I'll put my display.

[jgordon]

I just bought my EDM transmitter with the rubber ducky antenna, and I'm a little disappointed in the limited range - maybe 50-100 yards with good reception. I have it on the low power setting. Is there anything I can do to boost the range without getting the black govt. vans? My test put it next to a window near my display area.

[TJ Hvasta]

Hmmm, yours is the first "not happy" post about the EDM I've seen.. I think, ever.. What is the high power setting? .5 watt ? I dont have one, so I dont know what the settings arrrre on it..

[EARLE W. TALLEY]

I found that some car radios don't pick up the signal very well with the rubber duck antenna, so I went back to the wire one provided and it seemed to work better. My 2005 car picks up both real well but my 2010 does not like the rubber duck antenna. Just what I found out thru trial and error.

Earle