The system features four programmable memory slots and a Belkin Mobile Power Cord that connects to your car's cigarette lighter to provide power for the transmitter. Two AAA batteries are included, and an LED light comes on to show you when the TuneCast II is running low on power.

Let me just say now that this product is an awesome purchase. I was very leery at first to buy it based on the limited reviews of this new model and the sub-par reviews of earlier models. I'm very glad that I spent the $49.99 to get it though. With this model you get the whole spectrum of FM stations to broadcast on. Even living in a capitol city (like me) there are at least a few stations that are unoccupied or are too far away to broadcast clearly.

What really blows me away about this unit is the sound quality. I am very conscience of sound quality and can easily tell when the music's quality has diminished. However, with this unit it is hardly noticeable. There is the ever-so-slight fuzz in the background that you get from any radio station but I've noticed so far that if you max out the volume on your MP3/CD/MD player then it cuts down on the fuzz noise.

For best results I've also noticed that it's good to first surf the radio and find a station that is nothing but fuzz or not broadcasting very clearly. Keep your radio tuned to that station and then turn it off. Next start up your MP3/CD/MD player. Once the music starts the FM transmitter will kick on, and then you can turn on your radio. Starting up the transmitter/mp3 player when the radio is already on seems to make for some odd interference. As far as range is considered this unit seems comparable to previous units. I've tested it in my car and with my home radio. To get great reception you still need to be within 10 feet.

For my review above I am using the F8V3080 FM transmitter with a Sony NetMD MZ-NE410 MiniDisc player/recorder.

Well hope this has helped, make sure you go out and buy one today!


Works great!   August 8, 2004
 25 out of 25 found this review helpful

I picked the Belkin Tunecast II up a few weeks ago before driving cross country from Brooklyn to Wisconsin (about a 14 hour car ride). I had recently bought a Rio Karma mp3 player and wanted to use it on the journey. Having just got back from my trip, I couldn't be happier with how the Belkin performed. I was driving a 1994 Saturn SL2 with a Sony Xplod CD player and placed the Rio/Belkin devices on the passenger seat where they would be in easy reach if I had to change the radio frequency. Surprisingly, the Belkin was tuned to 88.3 without incident for my entire journey through New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and Wisconsin (including several major cities such as New York, Newark, Chicago and Milwaukee). I was expecting a lower sound quality filled with the occasional burst of static, but that was not the case. My entire car ride was static free and the music could only have sounded better if I had brought along my CD collection. Needless to say, I'm very happy with this purchase and recommend the Belkin Tunecast II to anyone considering an FM transmitter for similar purposes. A word of caution: as another reviewer pointed out, different cars may have different antennae/shielding issues so you should probably test this product in your car before buying if possible.


Couldn't be happier   March 13, 2004
 23 out of 28 found this review helpful

Like some other reviewers, I too was skeptical before buying this, due to the scarcity of reviews for this new model and the poor reviews of the older model. I took a chance and couldn't be happier with how this sucker performs.

This device works by transmitting a signal from your MP3 player (or other music device) to an FM radio frequency that is not being used by a broadcast radio station. One major drawback of most cheaper transmitters is that they only allow you four pre-chosen frequencies on which to transmit your signal. I live in Chicago, where most of the FM dial is occupied by one radio station or another. With just four pre-determined frequencies, chances are good that they're all already occupied by a radio station. This is not an issue with the Tunecast II, as it allows you access to the full range of FM frequencies. There's also a four station memory function which allows you to find and store the four frequencies on your dial that work best for you. Very nice touch.

One trick I've found that helps in finding a good frequency in the car is to retract the antenna. This helps a lot to filter out any stations with a weaker signal, particularly those at the lower end of the dial.

Sound quality is very good, but obviously it's going to be limited by the quality of your radio and speakers. For me, the primary advantage is that I can listen to my MP3 player in the car. For all the radio stations we have in Chicago, I've always had a heck of a time finding anything I want to listen to. Not anymore.

In short, the Tunecast II is one of the costlier FM transmitters, but you get what you pay for and this is money well spent.

**ADDENDUM**
I can't believe I forgot to mention this, but the Tunecast II goes further in justifying its higher price by including a power adapter that plugs into your car's cigarette lighter. This is a huge plus because these things go through batteries like a monkey goes through bananas.