An FM transmitter is a very useful option present in the functionality of some navigators. This feature allows you to listen to your favorite music, talk on the phone (if you have a Hands-Free device) or listen to voice prompts given by the navigator, even if your car's audio system does not support the MP3 format. Imagine the situation: your car has such an audio system that you can only listen to tracks that are played on the radio, and, firstly, you don’t like them, and secondly, they soon become boring. With a GPS navigator with an FM transmitter, you can get rid of this problem. In addition, it can reduce/increase the sound volume in accordance with the priority of the source where the sound comes from.

For example, the Digma DM500B model is a typical navigator with FM. This model does not have a very high price, which is again typical for such devices, because those car enthusiasts whose car audio system does not support MP3, as a rule, are not very wealthy. Users of this model have absolutely no complaints about the functionality and quality of work; the work of the FM transmitter is especially good, and this GPS navigator does not freeze when loading a map.

You can also consider a navigator such as Treelogic TL-7001BGF AV. This device is practically no different from the previous one presented by us, but has more at a high price(this product will cost the buyer a little more, but this is dictated not by the improved FM transmitter in the navigator, but by better technical characteristics and expanded functionality). I would like to note that this navigator has such useful feature, as the ability to connect headphones to it (via a standard 3.5 mm jack), which allows you to listen to music without interfering with the rest of passengers on long trips.

Model Digma DS501BN. Compared to the previous device of the company in question, this one is better characterized, because for about the same price (the difference is 100-200 rubles) the second GPS navigator has best quality cards, because it was released later.

In conclusion, I would like to say that the choice of navigators with a transmitter is not limited only to these models; if you wish, you can look on the market for other models with an FM transmitter, perhaps of better quality than those presented.

Navigators also have functions such as FM modulator and radio. They are similar in their capabilities both to the first function from our review and to each other. An FM modulator is a device that changes the signal waveform to FM format, used in combination with a transmitter and supplied mainly on the same devices as the FM transmitter. Another advantage of having a modulator is that it allows GPS navigator read audio files from flash drives.

FM radio is a function that allows the navigator to pick up a signal from various radio frequencies and broadcast it into the car interior. The function is quite useful, but, as a rule, it is also available in audio systems that do not support MP3 files, so its advantage over cheap standard devices is that it better retains the selected wave.

Imagine the situation - you have a favorite radio in your car, even if it is no longer modern, but you like it and you don’t want to change it. But what to do, because CD-DVD discs are already becoming a thing of the past; all modern car radios can produce music with USB flash drives. But there is a way out; in order to listen to music from a flash drive, you will need to buy an FM modulator or, as it is also called, an FM transmitter (pictured below).

This is a compact device that plays music from a flash drive (modulators can be different in strength, the cheapest ones support regular flash drives, and more modern ones support SD memory cards. By the way, the device is inserted into the cigarette lighter, and it charges.

The essence of the work is that the FM modulator plays music from a flash drive, then the radio transmitter built into the modulator converts (converts) digital signal into radio waves that contain audio signals.

Next, the radio tape recorder catches these waves and as a result you hear music from the speakers. To explain it more simply, you insert a memory card with music recorded on it into the FM transmitter, then catch the wave of the FM modulator on the radio and listen to music from the speakers. It turns out that in order to listen to music from a flash drive on an old radio, you just need to buy a transmitter. By the way, many modern car navigators are equipped with FM transmitters; to find out if the navigator has a modulator, read the letters and numbers of the model. If there is FM, then the navigator has a modulator. A handy thing, by the way.

It is also worth adding that FM modulators can operate both in player mode and in the mode of the transmitter itself. In player mode, music is played from a connected memory card, USB flash drive or external hard drive. In transmitter mode, the device transmits sound to the speakers from any device that supports the USB function. If you have a laptop or tablet or smartphone in your car, then using a transmitter you can transfer music from the tablet to the speakers.

FM modulators for cars can be divided into 3 price categories.

Budget class devices.

The simplest modulators look very simple and compact. The advantages are, of course, the price, which fluctuates around 300 rubles. But whatever, there are cheap models even for 150 rubles. The screen is small, monochrome, most often black and white. They perform only their immediate function - they play music through speakers and a radio, rewind tracks, and they can also change the frequency of the wave. These models do not have any additional functions. And what, exactly, can you expect from a device for 300 rubles.
Among the brands, we can recommend the Digma and Supra models. Although, of course, each brand has budget-class devices and top-end models.

Average price range.

This is a more solid device, the screen is already color (blue or green). Suitable for cars that are demanding on the external design of connected gadgets. There are already some additional options and goodies, such as a control panel, the ability to memorize up to 10-20 stations. The average price tag for such devices is around 500-700 rubles. Excellent transmitters from the Ritmix company, collecting a lot of positive reviews (pictured).

Top class devices.

What is an FM transmitter?

FM transmitter is a device that generates radio waves in the FM range. As a rule, it is used to expand the capabilities of standard car audio systems that do not support audio playback from digital media.

The FM transmitter consists of three main parts:

An oscillator that generates a carrier wave;

A modulator that prepares the carrier wave for transmission by changing its shape according to the circuit or pattern of the sound;

An amplifier that increases the power of the modulated wave (signal).

Thanks to this device, the car FM radio acquires the functions of a full-fledged MP3 player.

FM transmitter in GPS navigator

How additional device, the FM transmitter built into plays an important role. It allows you to listen to voice prompts, phone conversation(if the hands free Bluetooth function is available in the device) or music recordings through the car speakers, even if there is no MP3 support in the standard audio system. The main advantage of navigators with an FM transmitter is that the sound coming to the speakers from three sources (voice warnings, speakerphone, audio player) is regulated in accordance with the priority of the source. For example, when you receive an incoming call on your phone, the system will automatically reduce the volume of the music being played. Based on this, we can conclude that the FM transmitter is required function in a GPS navigator equipped with a speakerphone.

How to setup?

Setting up the FM transmitter takes minimal time. To enable this function, go from the main menu to the “Volume” section. Then in the lower right corner we go to the “FM transmitter” subsection “see. Fig. 1".

Fig.1 Fig.2

The GPS navigator uses an odd channel search step.

For a long trip I needed the simplest navigator, I was not chasing inches and pixels, the main parameters were performance and the ability to install Navitel without dancing with a tambourine. Detailed review with photos under the cut.

In general, based on the price/performance ratio, this navigator was chosen, which, taking into account the coupon discount FPCUS10OFF cost $53.96 - only about 1600 rubles. So what do you get for this money:

4.3" screen with a resolution of 480*272
- fast Atlas IV 500MHz processor
- a simple shell that, in addition to navigation, allows you to watch photos, videos, images, listen to music, read texts, and also play built-in games.
- slot for SD cards (the manufacturer promises support for cards up to 16 GB)

More details about performance - the navigator does not slow down, it moves through the menu very quickly. The screen is resistive, but handles finger presses quite well. Also a big plus is the “Exit to Windows” menu item, by clicking which you find yourself on the desktop of a heavily stripped-down Windows CE 6.0 - third-party programs and games refused to work, citing the lack of libraries.

Navitel. Initially, the navigator is supplied without any navigation program at all and without maps, because... it has virtually no internal memory. Therefore, I bought an additional 4Gb SD flash drive for 300 rubles, loaded it with Navitel 3.2.6 and a full map of Russia. Converting a bunch of maps into one atlas with a volume of just over 1GB took the navigator about four hours (left overnight). Navigation starts very quickly and finds the location very quickly. The reception is excellent, but I encountered a glitch - when you are in a building and, accordingly, poor reception, the location begins to glitch - the arrow jumps on the map. Because of this, in the statistics menu you can see maximum speed about 200 km/h =))) During the night my navigator jumped about half a kilometer. For me this is nonsense, but for others it may be a significant drawback.

The FM transmitter transmits sound from the navigator to the car radio perfectly and without unnecessary interference, which allows you to use it as a player in the car.

Photos: