iPod radio-transmitters legal in UK from tomorrow

[Bob Crabtree]

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.

Griffin iTrip Auto

Check out this HEXUS.lifestyle.headline.

[awm]

Ahh, a goverment being logical. Could we have a side of fair use revisions with that?

[teachmech]

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.

[sTrAnGeFrUiT!]

i brought one on the net about 2 years ago dont know what the problem was in the first place!

[colincliff]

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....

[chrestomanci]

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).