Cool Nokia N900 feature: FM transmitter

Posted on Wednesday, Oct 14, 2009 by Matthew Miller

20 Comments » File Under:Internet Tablet, linux, Maemo, Nseries, On the Go;

The more I use the N900 the more I am liking the device. Last night I tested out the FM transmitter functionality that lets you output audio content to a car or home FM radio. I used GPodder to download some podcasts and then selected a rather open FM station in the settings on the N900. Finding an open station in Western Washington is not easy as our FM frequency bands are packed with stations. I previously tried other Nokia devices with integrated FM transmitters (N85 and N78 for example) and ones that plug into your headset jack, but have not had much success or hope for the N900.

I was pleasantly surprised when my podcasts played in my Jeep and actually sounded pretty good. A direct connection (via 3.5mm cable or cassette adapter) still sounds much better, but the N900 holds its own and can be great for traveling.

BTW, I wrote and posted this blog post from WordPy on the Nokia N900. WordPy works better on this N900 than I have seen it working on any S60 device and you may just find me posting quite a bit directly from the device. Now to play with image insertion and more.

Eina
October 14, 2009

I have never used a phone with FM transmitter & am wondering whether it has this functionality:

Have the car radio tuned to my normal radio music station. Have the FM transmitter turned to the same music station. Have the phone GPS application working. Normally I will be able to listed to the radio station but if the GPS has some voice instructions it will over-ride the radio station signal so I can hear the navigation instructions before the N900 transmitter turns off & I can hear my music again.

Or is the N900 transmitter on all the time, drowning out the FM station I am tuned to?

Steve
October 15, 2009

I use the FM Transmitter on the N97 daily to listen to podcasts and music in the car. In fact, its become so much the standard that instead of changing the station on the car radio, its easier to use the FM Radio built into the N97 as well. Combine with the GPS navigation from Nokia/Ovi Maps and its an extremely useful tool.

The hardest part is actually finding a frequency that isn’t going to get bleed from stronger radio station signals. But for the most part its not a huge deal once you find one. Especially on longer journeys.

WOM World / Nokia » Blog Archive - Transmitting from the N900 over FM
October 16, 2009

[...] impressed with the FM transmitter. Have you used this feature on other Nokia devices before? Give him a shout and let his readers know any tips and tricks you’ve found for placing the phone closer to the [...]

FM Transmitter on Nokia N900 | Nokia Fanboy
October 22, 2009

[...] [via] [...]

shan
April 5, 2010

the fm transmitter of my nokia n900 is not working. everytime i turn on the fm, theres an indicator on the screen that the fm is on but theres no sound. why is that? can anyone help me? thanks

dedysebong
April 20, 2010

l want download fm transmitter

Lapun
May 18, 2010

Like Shan, I am having the same problem. Everything looks like its working (FM allows me to turn it on and off, select frequency) so i don’t think it has been disabled; it just doesn’t work. I have only had the phone less than 2 weeks. I am located in Australia where use of FM transmitters is legal. Any suggestions?

anonymous
May 28, 2010

download fmboost and start it up after u turn on the fm transmitter and the phone’s plugged in to your charger.

patrick
May 30, 2010

shan April 5, 2010 the fm transmitter of my nokia n900 is not working. everytime i turn on the fm, theres an indicator on the screen that the fm is on but theres no sound. why is that? can anyone help me? thanks ………………………………………………shan if your getting no sound on your phone then the transmitter is working.. just keep tuning your stand alone radio to pick it up!

Alhimiq
June 2, 2010

I have same issue with my n900. It doesn’t matter how i tweak car radio, it doesn’t make a noise. Nothing. Not even weak playing. When I turn on fm transmitter, music vanishes from phone and it is assumed that phone is transmittering. NOT… Why? May this be because of settings?

Has anybody solved this issue?

elchoud
July 5, 2010

my fm transmitter on N900 was working perfectly. i got some kind of virus that forced me to flash my mobile and since then it’s as alhimique said you can select the frequency and once its enabled it looks like transmitting but nothing on the radio

furqan rizvi
September 21, 2010

hi this is furqan iam having the same problem like shan but there is a solution if u move your n900 up and down fastly then it starts to work.

iam going to nokia care to check

i will inform you guys as soon as possible.

jamien900
December 22, 2010

lol the fm transmiter works fine if u have no sound that means its in the radio u just gotta find the station if u turn transmiter off then sound comes back on think about it haha i set mine on 93.7 i got loads of downloaded mp3s so i listen to them in car rather than radio n900 is wicked:)