iphone FM transmitter question

K

khawk

Audiophyte
So, my older home has the old standard multi room intercom system with am/fm radio and speakers in every room. I would love to update it but don't have the bucks to do it right now. What I want to do though, is to listen to my music on iphone/ipod over this speaker system. The system doesn't have any audio in ports, so I am thinking FM transmitter, but I don't know any of the products and was hoping you all might have some suggestions of either how to listen to iphone over antique wired house speakers, or the best FM transmitter to get for this type of application.

THANKS FOR ANYTHING YOU CAN DO!
 
skizzerflake

skizzerflake

Audioholic Field Marshall
So, my older home has the old standard multi room intercom system with am/fm radio and speakers in every room. I would love to update it but don't have the bucks to do it right now. What I want to do though, is to listen to my music on iphone/ipod over this speaker system. The system doesn't have any audio in ports, so I am thinking FM transmitter, but I don't know any of the products and was hoping you all might have some suggestions of either how to listen to iphone over antique wired house speakers, or the best FM transmitter to get for this type of application.

THANKS FOR ANYTHING YOU CAN DO!
I think I saw these in Best Buy, but you can buy a gadget that you plug into a headphone outlet of an iPhone or other small device that transmits a low power signal to a nearby FM receiver. You then tune the FM receiver to the correct frequency and you have music. I can't speak to sound quality, but it should work. It's similar to those things that have a faux casette for the same purpose in old car radios.
 
M

markw

Audioholic Overlord
If these FM transmitter thingies are anything like others like it I've seen, he better have it right smack-dab on top of whereever the FM receiver is. IOW, he can forget controlling what he hears from another room, or even the other side of the same room for that matter.
 
TLS Guy

TLS Guy

Audioholic Jedi
If these FM transmitter thingies are anything like others like it I've seen, he better have it right smack-dab on top of whereever the FM receiver is. IOW, he can forget controlling what he hears from another room, or even the other side of the same room for that matter.
That is because they are designed for cars.
 
adwilk

adwilk

Audioholic Ninja
So, my older home has the old standard multi room intercom system with am/fm radio and speakers in every room. I would love to update it but don't have the bucks to do it right now. What I want to do though, is to listen to my music on iphone/ipod over this speaker system. The system doesn't have any audio in ports, so I am thinking FM transmitter, but I don't know any of the products and was hoping you all might have some suggestions of either how to listen to iphone over antique wired house speakers, or the best FM transmitter to get for this type of application.

THANKS FOR ANYTHING YOU CAN DO!
How does the main unit not have ANY inputs? Is it only for AM/FM? That seems odd. What would be played over the intercom? If it has a microphone input, or built in microphone I don't see why it couldn't be modified to accept a mini-plug. Are you wanting to play the same thing in every room? You could just leave the transmitter by the main unit, but I don't think you'll be happy with the sound- overall. I've yet to find a good one. Can you post a picture of the brain of the system or at least a make/model? I'm guessing there's a way to patch an input into the system.
 
M

markw

Audioholic Overlord
How does the main unit not have ANY inputs? Is it only for AM/FM? That seems odd.
Nutone all-house units were all the schnitz in the 60's and early 70's for fancy houses. Many still remain.

Sometimes, they had a turntable (with a ceramic cartridge) in a fold-down compartment next to the mai unit.

No, aux inputs and high fidelity or expansion weren't really on the radar for these things forty some odd years ago.
 
adwilk

adwilk

Audioholic Ninja
Nutone all-house units were all the schnitz in the 60's and early 70's for fancy houses. Many still remain.

Sometimes, they had a turntable (with a ceramic cartridge) in a fold-down compartment next to the mai unit.

No, aux inputs and high fidelity or expansion weren't really on the radar for these things forty some odd years ago.
Ok... so they don't have AUX inputs. Did they only output AM/FM or were they capable of anything else? When I think intercom, I'm at least imagining a microphone or something?????

EDIT: Ooooohhhhh... I just looked up some of those units. Interesting. Do these systems have a central brain, or are they all individual units?
 
B

Boombotix

Audiophyte
Try a Blackbox

You should consider trying a Blackbox Radio transmitter.

I've had mine for about a year and it has pretty impressive range (I'd say 60 feet to do it WELL)

MobileBlackBox.com - Home

It's a nice little module to work with.
 
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