advice on what to get

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Ltmup

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getting santa list together. need a fm transmitter with a range of about 50m tops. any suggestions?
 
The CZE-05B (also sound under a couple of different names) are popular, dont be tempted to get the higher powered one (CZE-7)

Some people also suggest using a Creative Sound Blaster Play! 3 USB sound card if using a Rasp pi as your showplayer
 
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I have the SignsTek ST-05B
This seems to be the exact transmitter as the CZE-05B, but with different branding.
As far as I've seen, all accessories and parts are the same between the two (looking from here and FB posts).

This is my SignsTek ST-05B in low power 0.1w mode. At the point I got a great clear signal then it just dropped out. It didn't fade out like a cheap transmitter I had.
This was tested earlier this year. Transmitter was at the back of the house and a small portable FM radio was used.
All parts supplied where used for this test. That was the; audio cable, power supply and antenna.
 
An EDM transmitter might be a sensible option. Its output power is continuously adjustable https://www.edmdesign.com/

I have seen first hand that a 10 milliwatt (0.01 watt) transmitter can send a signal 500 metres with a dipole antenna connected and a car radio listening to it. The sensitivity of the receiving radio makes a big difference; car radios are generally much more sensitive than the ones built into CD players.
 
I've got a CZE-05B last year which I upgraded from a cheapie board thing which fell apart. The CZE-05B is easy to use, and does the job. Around my house it worked clearly around my house and the sound got a bit crackly maybe 3-4 houses away which was all I was wanting to achieve.
Someone did complain that it was crackly for them early december, but I found out a quite a few songs were clipping so I ran then though MP3Gain and got no further complains. I ran mine off a RPi with the soundblaster play USB thing.
 
First year last year - went with the cheap transmitter, attached antenna to it and I was able to listen in the car about 5 houses away ~ 100m or 330ft ;) and the antenna was indoors along with my Pi4 as master
 
Last year was my first year and I used a $6 cheap transmitter attached to a dipole and I could hear it at the end of my street. I also had a sound blaster out of my raspberry pie. I never adjusted my songs for clipping but I will this year. Sounded pretty good.
 
Srmorgan might have a suitable transmitter but be careful about going really cheap. I haven't heard what this sounds like but if the transmitter has no pre-emphasis, the receiving radio will play the bass and treble at the wrong volume relative to each other. It would similarly make sense to avoid buying a transmitter from America or Korea because they use a different pre-emphasis standard to Australia.
 
Srmorgan said:
Last year was my first year and I used a $6 cheap transmitter attached to a dipole and I could hear it at the end of my street. I also had a sound blaster out of my raspberry pie. I never adjusted my songs for clipping but I will this year. Sounded pretty good.
Click to expand...
I'll grant these sound okay.
Now that I've got my SignsTek one I've realised the difference.

Although I do say these cheap boards are worthy for their price.


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J7MKqJODbR4


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n-JilAsI_z8
 
I want to get a signstek or one like it I just have to convince my better half. Last year it was out of the budget and the cheap one got me to the finish line and that was all I was looking for. I should edit my first post from “pretty good” to “good enough because I had enough on my plate to worry about “
 
If one is in the US I suggest obtaining a unit that is FCC certified and has the US 75uS pre-emphasis. Australia, New Zealand, Europe; pretty much everyone else uses a 50 uS pre-emphasis (i13 mentioned Korea, South Korea actually). There will be limitations but receiver treble controls will minimize a 75 uS or 50 uS pre/de-emphasis transmitter/receiver mis-match. If my thinking is in the correct direction, a 50 uS pre-emphasis transmitter with a 75 uS receiver will have a lower treble output, that is higher frequencies will be reduced.

Keeping in mind one usually gets what one pays for, there are units available with switch selectable pre-emphasis settings. Another point: for some units the Mic inputs will require a pre-amp.
 
So, I tried using one of those small transmitters and it did not work for me at all. It's pretty much hit or miss in my opinion. I was lucky enough to be testing before my show went live and on the recommendation of almost everyone went with a CZE-05B style transmitter from Amazon and had it in a couple days. The output went from my PI to Soundblaster USB3 to the transmitter which was all setup inside my garage. I could easily hear the transmitter up 3/4 of a mile or 2600 feet. It cost me under $90 and I am so glad I did it.
 
Agree. I tried some sort of "whole house" FM transmitter a few years ago before I thought of music with the lights, and that thing stunk at 10m. The one I use now was significantly cheaper, works amazingly well. So well I switched it to "low power" when I found the signal was still strong 500m away and usable but scratchy 1000m away. Low power fades out at 300m, which still seems like overkill, but won't bother anyone on the frequency I'm using. Next year I may run it indoors, rather than under the porch, as environmental concerns could be more important than proximity to the cars.
 
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