FM Transmitter vs Outdoor Speakers

[JF1993]

It's crunch time, and I need to either buy/make some outdoor speakers, or purchase a FM transmitter. In my case I'm leaning a little more towards the speakers only because I live on the busiest street in my town, and people can't park their cars in front of my house to listen over the radio. I'm just worried about the "noise pollution" problem. Each side has it's ups and downs. What do you think I should do?

[JBullard]

Use multiple speakers all along the sidewalk at a low volume level. Solves noise polloution problem

[dstevens]

I started with the outdoor speakers during my first year, but went to the transmitter after 3 days due to the noise pollution problem.

[dgrant]

This is my first year out, so I'm doing both speakers and FM transmitter(EDM-RDS). The audio to the front yard will only be for the first show of the night, then I'll shut it down so as not to disturb the neighbors. I bought a "Tune To" sign and wired it up with lights for the frequency. There is only one other home in the whole neighboring many towns that does this type of display and they get a lot of cars lined up for blocks. I don't expect traffic like this as no one knows yet that I'll be doing it here other than a few neighbors. Next year might be another matter.

[dknahoolewa]

Do both. then if you don't like one you still have the other. you can always find speakers really cheap (good will for example).

[steve gibbons]

I do both in my display. I have a timer that turns the speakers off at 8:00 so my neighbors get a break, but leave the transmitter on until the display ends.

[Orville]

I do both and my speakers stay on for the entire show. But I keep them low enough they CAN NOT be heard inside my home or any of my neighbors, they can only be heard if you're outside and close to my house. This way it doesn't disturb my neighbors, fortunately I am not on a busy street, that in itself could pose a problem because if the street is busy, and folks can't park to watch the display from any point, I'd think the street being that busy, and the noise from all the vehicles travelling down the street passing by ARE NOT going to hear your music from speakers, not unless they were cranked way up past the comfort level of your neighbors.

Personally, if I lived on a busy street, I'd probably not do a musically themed display, just silent animation displays, otherwise the musical display would just be for my own personal enjoyment, as no one else is going to be able to hear anything just driving by, again, unless the outdoor speakers were extremely loud. And I sure would not want to upset my neighbors like that.

Just my opinion.

Edited September 11, 2012 by Orville

[texascop]

I have an FM transmitter set up and I bought two inexpensive radios and placed them in boxes that look like presents (plastic lined) and set them in the front yard. The radios are tuned to the transmitter station. No wires. Radios runs on electricity or battery. Works great.

[Caleb Linburg]

I have an FM transmitter set up and I bought two inexpensive radios and placed them in boxes that look like presents (plastic lined) and set them in the front yard. The radios are tuned to the transmitter station. No wires. Radios runs on electricity or battery. Works great.

Is the speaker acctually covered in plastic?

[WhitePlainsNY]

I use both an FM transmitter and a low powered speaker near the sidewalk. The speakers are motion activated using a $20 outdoor flood lamp fixture. I just screwed in a socket adapter so I could plug in a cheap set of powered computer speakers. I set the run time to 5 minutes. If no one's on the sidewalk, there's no noise pollution.

[JF1993]

I use both an FM transmitter and a low powered speaker near the sidewalk. The speakers are motion activated using a $20 outdoor flood lamp fixture. I just screwed in a socket adapter so I could plug in a cheap set of powered computer speakers. I set the run time to 5 minutes. If no one's on the sidewalk, there's no noise pollution.

That's a really good idea. I would've never thought about that. The street traffic usually calms down at about 7 or 8 so I'm not to worried about cranking the speakers all the way past the neighborhood comfort zone. In any case I really do like that idea about the motion sensor. Have you had any problems with it shutting off with people still outside?

[WhitePlainsNY]

That's a really good idea. I would've never thought about that. The street traffic usually calms down at about 7 or 8 so I'm not to worried about cranking the speakers all the way past the neighborhood comfort zone. In any case I really do like that idea about the motion sensor. Have you had any problems with it shutting off with people still outside?

It's never been a problem of people not moving around while they're outside in the cold. Aim the sensor and set the time it's on for what work's for your situation. Even if they did stand still, once they moved to leave, it'll come back on.

[JF1993]

My neighbors are pretty cool, and one of them does a huge static display. It's just too bad I'll have to limit my shows to walkers or people driving past real quick. That's the downside about living on a busy street. But the good thing is everyone in town will know about lol.

[wschlatt]

I love WhitePlainsNY's motion-activated idea for turning on the outdoor speakers... I have used both speakers and a transmitter for several years. The speakers are on opposite ends of the property and face in, so the music is heard softly only on my property. It is also on one of the LOR channels, so it goes off around 9pm. The transmitter idea is a necessity in my opinion, but mostly because it's darn cold outside and people don't want to open their windows or get out of their cars!

[Liberty-Laser]

I'm not a fan of speakers outside. Too low and they're near useless, Too loud and the friendly neighbors become unfriendly, Just right and someone will still complain it's too low or too loud.

With an FM transmitter, it’s hard to go wrong. Visitors can listen as they pass by from the comfort of their own cars. On opening night we have a party for the whole neighborhood, and I’ll put an FM Boom box outside for those gathering around the fire pit.

[edvas69]

I do both, i actually run my speakers through a radio so this ensures if my transmission drops out that i will know straight away as the music from the radio and speakers will stop as well.

This way you could actually use a few small portable battery operated radios around different places without worrying about speaker cables if needed. But offer both as you will have some who will walk by and look and others that will drive by and look, also some will bring their own portable radios to listen.

[greywolf]

radio shack is the only place i know of to have weatherproof speakers an they have brackets to mount them an if i remember correctly they do have volume controls built in

[JF1993]

As long as I don't keep the show going past 9 or 10 I think I won't have a problem with noise ordinances or anything. Like I said before our neighbors seem pretty nice, and one of them does a big static display every year. I've been looking around for secondhand outdoor speakers with no luck of finding any yet. I was even considering making my own outdoor speakers out of old computer speakers, and something to keep them dry.

[Orville]

As long as I don't keep the show going past 9 or 10 I think I won't have a problem with noise ordinances or anything. Like I said before our neighbors seem pretty nice, and one of them does a big static display every year. I've been looking around for secondhand outdoor speakers with no luck of finding any yet. I was even considering making my own outdoor speakers out of old computer speakers, and something to keep them dry.

I actually was able to pick up a couple of solar rock spot lights for less than $10, removed the solar guts and lights, drilled out the plexiglass face plate for speaker holes, glued some saran wrap behing the plexiglass and in front of the speakers. Mounted the speakers where the solar LEDs and reflector assembly was originally. Ran speaker wire through a small hole in the back of the rock, reassembled, ran the wiring to my stereo and a nice set of rock speakers hidden among the display.

Unfortunately in our move, someone picked them up not knowing what they were, dropped and shattered them to pieces. I was royally p.o.ed about it too!

So now I have to find two more so I can redo the project. But if you look around places like Big Lots or Thrift Stores, sometimes you can find these solar LED spotlight rocks for around $3-$5 each, and it's not really all that difficult to convert them from solar lamps to speaker housings with a little bit of work!

[dgrant]

I picked up some very nice outdoor speakers that look like rocks. Connected them to a formal receiver in the garage which will be tuned to the FM channel that I'm broadcasting the audio to cars as well....therefore only wires to the speakers which will come out of the garage to the speakers which will set inside of the plants. These speakers are also set up for 70volt speaker systems as well, if desired, however I'm using them as normal ones and so far in my testing, they work just fine.