iPod radio-transmitters legal in UK from tomorrow

by Bob Crabtree on 7 December 2006, 15:19

Tags: iPod shuffle, Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL)

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From tomorrow (Dec 8, 06), it will be legal in the UK to use miniature battery-powered FM transmitters that allow in-car radios to pick up music wirelessly from iPods and other personal music players.

Other such devices work with home hi-fi tuners and radios - and these become legal, too, if they conform to revised regulations.

Both types have been sold clandestinely in the UK for ages - though sales came out into the open after Ofcom heavily hinted in the summer that it was going to relax the regulations, see this HEXUS.lifestyle.headlines,  iPod radio-transmitters soon to be legal in UK?.

Griffin was one of the pioneers - but toed the line in the UK - and, for a mere £17.75, its first UK-legal car model, the iTrip Auto, combines an FM transmitter with an iPod car charger. Click on the image below for a close-up. The company's wide range also includes direct-fit iTrips that can be used at home or in the car.

Griffin itrip_auto

Virtually all the other music-player-accessory suppliers you know of also do variants but you'd be well advised to check before buying whether the product carries a CE mark showing it's been approved for sale in the EU.

The most common type at the moment seems to be combi FM transmitter/iPod car chargers comparable to the iTrip Auto, with competitors offered by GEAR 4 (the £30 PowerTrip FM) and Sonnet Technologies (the £40 iFreq) and many others.


Gear 4 PowerTripFM
PowerTrip FM



Sonnet iFreq
iFreq


Ofcom heralded tomorrow's legal U-turn in a brief statement on November 23 headed, Change to the law to allow the use of low power FM transmitters for MP3 players. This said,

Ofcom today announced that the use of certain low power FM transmitters, which wirelessly connect MP3 players and other personal audio devices to radios and in-car entertainment systems, will be legal for use in the UK from 8 December 2006.

Equipment previously available carries a high risk of interference to other broadcast services. However, in response to consumer demand Ofcom has led negotiations in Europe to develop a harmonised technical approach designed to limit the potential of interference to other wireless devices.

The FM transmitters that meet these specifications, and which will be legal to use in the UK, will carry a CE mark indicating approval for sale in the European Union. Their use will be legalised under the Wireless Telegraphy (Exemption) (Amendment) Regulations 2006 which come into effect on 8 December. The regulations set out the technical specifications for FM transmitters.

A more fulsome version is available here. Those who like their small print can read The Wireless Telegraphy (Exemption) (Amendment) Regulations 2006 here.

Fancy going wireless? Tell us about it in this thread in the HEXUS.lifestyle.news forum.

HEXUS.links

HEXUS.community :: discussion thread about this article
HEXUS.lifestyle.headlines :: iPod radio-transmitters soon to be legal in UK?
HEXUS.lifestyle.press.releases :: Griffin unveils iTalkPro, iKaraoke and TuneCenter at Paris Apple Expo

External.links

Ofcom - Change to the law to allow the use of low power FM transmitters for MP3 players
Ofcom - Change to the law to allow the use of low power FM transmitters for MP3 players (full statement)
Ofcom - The Wireless Telegraphy (Exemption) (Amendment) Regulations 2006
Griffin - iTrip Auto
Griffin - iTrip range
GEAR 4 - PowerTrip FM
Sonnet Technologies -  iFreq



HEXUS Forums :: 5 Comments

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Ahh, a goverment being logical. Could we have a side of fair use revisions with that?
When I open my Christmas present (8Gb Nano + itrip for the car) i'll be legal, except that transferring music from CD to Nano is not legal, well there are hopes for that to be made legal.
i brought one on the net about 2 years ago dont know what the problem was in the first place!
does that mean they'll be able to be slightly more powerfull now? I can hardly use mine in London with so many pirate stations on every spare frequency….
awm
Ahh, a goverment being logical. Could we have a side of fair use revisions with that?
When the chancelor was annouced increased penalties for downloading pirate movies and music. , there was also talk of amending copywright a bit, to allow people to rip their (leagaly purchaced) CDs to their iPods. Mind you it was only a suggestion rather than a promise, and would not include anything as vauge or prermisive as fair use, just a few specificaly defined exceptions.

BTW, can anyone recomend a generic FM transmiter that works with a 3.5mm jack, instead of being iPod specific?


10 years for downlaoding pirate movies! You would get less for downloading the worst sort of kidde porn. (so long as you paid the sicko who filmed it).