Product Description

The Auto Kit connects your iPod device to your cars power source and includes an exclusive Belkin cable that charges your iPod from your cars cigarette lighter. The Auto Kit also provides an adjustable amplifier and 3.5mm audio-out jack that lets you play your iPod through your car stereo or other audio equipment when using a Belkin TuneCast Mobile FM Transmitter or Cassette Adapter. You will know your Auto Kit is properly connected by its illuminated LED indicator. The unit is also engineered with a replaceable safety fuse to protect from potentially damaging spikes or short circuits. You can use the Auto Kit with the specially designed Belkin Mobile Cassette Adapter or TuneCast Mobile FM Transmitter (not included) for high-quality audio through your car stereo.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #15963 in Consumer Electronics
• Brand: Belkin
• Dimensions: .66 pounds

Features

• Controls your iPod devices volume level with adjustable amplifier
• Features a 3.5mm audio output that plays your iPod through your car stereo when used with a Belkin TuneCast FM Transmitter or Cassette Adapter
• Manages excess cord easily with convenient strap
• Locks securely to your iPod with dock connector
• Features Lifetime Warranty

Customer Reviews

Great product for use with AUX-in or Cassette adapter
If you're in need of an FM transmitter, I'd recommend the Kensington DIGITAL FM transmitter (a great transmitter / charger combo)

If you have an AUX-IN or a cassette adapter, IMO this Belkin is absolutely the way to go.

Here are some of its benefits:

NOISE
I've found far less noise using the Belkin than I have using other chargers. In fact in the MANY cars where I've used the Belkin I've had no noise at all, vs. a great deal of noise with my other chargers (due to ground loops, engine noise, and mismatched impedance or volume). Isolation provided by the built in amp is a contributor to noise reduction and the volume control eliminates noise problems related to mismatched impedance and mismatched volume requirements. The noise mentioned by some other posters is most likely due to a ground loop problem originating with the car's own wiring. It really is a fairly common problem with any music player used along with a car charger.

VOLUME LEVEL MATCHING
With the Belkin's volume level control I've been able to get a perfect match on the iPods volume and the radio volume, as well as a perfect volume setting for any aux-in or cassette adapter. Note that with most units providing line out you can't adjust the line-out volume via either the ipod or the unit. This makes a nice difference when switching back and forth between radio and iPod. (With other units, in some cars, you'll be blown out by the volume each time you make that switch) You can set the volume once on the Belkin's base and its perfectly matched thereafter, unaffected by the ipods own volume settings, (which you're always changing when using headphones.)

AUTO POWER OFF
The Belkin pauses the iPod when the charger power is shut off, which means that if your car's power outlet is turned off when your engine is turned off (most cars do this), the iPod will (within a few seconds) automatically turn off whenever you shut down your engine. That's a big plus IMO, and means you'll never leave your car with the ipod running, and return to find a dead ipod. (Just when you were planning to take your ipod to the park) Thats the way car audio is supposed to work, but few chargers do that.

CLEANER INSTALL and QUICKER CONNECT/DISCONNECT
JUST one wire to the ipod supplying both power in and audio out, means you'll have a very clean look and a very quick setup when you take your ipod to or from your car.

Pete

Better Than You Think
This adapter has been full of very nice surprises. Because I purchased it on the recommendation of a friend, I didn't really spend much time reviewing the details of the product. Basically, it did what I needed it to do. However after I received it and started using it, I realized how good it really was. The people who designed it clearly thought through the normal problems associated with using an iPod in the car.

First problem: volume. When you have to use an iPod with the standard tape adapter, you constantly have to figure out the right match of iPod volume for car volume. Not surprisingly, this is a distraction from the whole driving the car thing. Since the adapter uses the iPod's dock connector and has it's own volume control, you can set it once and then simply control it from the car's stereo. Brilliant!

Second problem: battery. If you're using the iPod in the car, you constantly have to worry about whether or not the battery is charged and how long it's going to last. There's also the problem about forgetting to turn off the iPod when you turn off the car (which eventually kills the battery). Since the adapter leverages the dock connector, it provides charge while the car is running, and it stops playing when you turn the car off.

So until your favorite car manufacturer gets it together to have full iPod support, this is an excellent option. I highly recommend it.

Good iPod solution for car stereos with aux input
If your car stereo has an auxiliary input, this works well to power and connect an iPod. Just insert the Belkin into a 12V receptacle, plug its cord into the base of the iPod and run a jumper cord (not included) from the Belkin's 1/8" audio output jack to the car's input. Output level is adjustable to help match the iPod with other sources like FM and CD. My '07 Mazda 3 has a 12V receptacle and an input jack inside the center console, making installation easy and neat. There is some low-level RFI when the engine is running, but that's a Mazda problem, not a Belkin problem.