Princeton PCK-UAV UHF video / audio transmitter

While it seems that there's just too many of those not-exactly-functional FM transmitters for your iPod / DAP-of-choice to ever actually decide on just one (and hope for the best), the market for transmitting video from your portable media player is bit more limited. Princeton has unveiled its video (and audio) transmitting solution, dubbed the PCK-UAV, to give 5G iPod owners, as well any other PMP -- or anything with RCA outs, actually -- the ability to transmit media wirelessly over the UHF band. If you're fortunate enough to rock a TV monitor (or four) in your ride, and you've got a built-in TV tuner somewhere in there as well, you can pipe your TV shows, movies, tunes, etc. to any connected display by tuning into one of the four UHF stations the PCK-UAV plays nice with; DIP switches on the unit allow for broadcasting to channels 45, 48, 50, and 53, and you can supposedly pick these up on a standard television as well, giving you an excellent reason to dust off those 'ole rabbit ears. Contrary to most poorly complemented Japanese products, Princeton includes some thoughtful extras here, such as a 12 volt car power adapter and apparently a video / audio connector cable made specifically for the iPod with video -- although we can't quite pick up solid deets concerning price or availability, nor how well this implementation of an in-car transmitter will actually, you know, transmit, it'll supposedly run you about ¥8,000 ($69) when it drops this month.

[Via OhGizmo]

[Michael Honore @ Aug 19th 2006 5:45PM]

This can be a useful tool. I would buy one definitely.

[Roberto @ Aug 19th 2006 6:21PM]

How's this compared to X10's offer?
http://www.x10.com/products/transmitters.htm#

[Zorque @ Aug 19th 2006 6:27PM]

I think the extra $20 dollars would be worth it not to deal with the X10 site.

[Threnody @ Aug 19th 2006 6:32PM]

Wouldn't the receiving TV have to have an antenna attached to it? And wouldn't it have to be set to broadcast frequencies instead of cable? Very few people have their TVs set to receive over-the-air broadcasts these days, so they'd have to reconfigure every time they wanted to use it. I'd much rather just stick with composite jacks, thanks.

[Spyvie @ Aug 19th 2006 7:02PM]

The concept and basic functionality of this product has been around since the 70s in the form of “the Rabbit” and some even older VHS transmitter-receiver setups. We’re talkin way old, like back to the dawn of cable TV and/or VCRs.
http://cgi.ebay.com/RABBIT-TV-VCR-Receiver-Transmitter-pair_W0QQitemZ130016907202QQcmdZViewItem

[Oli @ Aug 19th 2006 7:21PM]

Could you use this to transmit to a projector over the air from a PC/laptop?

[JivaEric @ Aug 19th 2006 9:17PM]

Nice that is comes standard with "Feeble radio equipment"

[Roberto @ Aug 19th 2006 9:24PM]

Zorque,
You don't own many X10 products, do you? If you did, you'd know they are of decent quality, and they perform as advertised.

[Michael @ Aug 19th 2006 9:34PM]

@Roberto:

I agree with Zorque. Yes, X10's products are good (VERY good) their site seems that it, at the very least, should have some ads removed. (Especialy when one of their ads once pointed to one of their competitors). The site sucks, not the products. He says nothing about the products.

[Spyvie @ Aug 19th 2006 10:49PM]

I gotta correct myself, this does not use a receiver like the Rabbit and the X10 offering. It apparently broadcasts a low power UHF signal to any TV. Sort of a video Mr. Microphone, or a video version of an MP3 FM transmitter.

Incidentally, UHF uses a compact loop antenna, not a pair of rabbit ears.

[Dan @ Aug 19th 2006 11:19PM]

Speaking of the Gemini Rabbit, here's another one.

[Dan @ Aug 19th 2006 11:20PM]

Whoops! Speaking of the Gemini Rabbit, here's another one: http://gothicauctions.com/?c=ShowItem&i=630050

[m-p{3} @ Aug 19th 2006 11:21PM]

Especially useful when your computer is at the opposite side of the room, and you can't move your computer near the TV, like mine :|

[Larry The Cable Guy @ Aug 20th 2006 4:10AM]

Hey, thank you very mush for let me know two months after the FACT, this means the device is already available.

July 31 "Princeton iPOD Video-Audio Transmitter", at http://blog.americasnewstoday.com/2006/07/31/princeton-ipod-videoaudio-transmitter.aspx