Gator ABT300 Review
Also Gator ABT-300 review, Gator Bluetooth FM adapter review. (Manual lists product as a BS300B or BS300A)
The ABT300 is a small box that receives bluetooth audio, transmits FM audio in stereo, has a hands free microphone built in, along with line output and line inputs. A great little gadget; but it has two serious flaws if you want to use it a lot…
I bought one of these for my other half for Christmas from WES Components. It is a mostly good design but has two serious design flaws that may make it unsuitable for it’s intended purpose.
1 – You cannot use the FM transmitter while it’s connected to a charger. (It does still function as a bluetooth hands free but only to a wired output.)
2 – The charging socket and external line input share the same socket. Thus you can’t charge the device and use it as a transmitter for a non-bluetooth audio source at the same time.
This basically renders the device an annoying addition because to use it fully you’ll have to remember to recharge it at least once a week, and you can’t use it for the two hours that it’s recharging.
You can partly work around it’s limitations by connecting it to an always on 12V source and hard wiring its output to your audio system; but what a disappointment to have such a nifty device rendered with such a flaw 🙁
Cheers, Mike.
Edit: Here’s another problem.
Walk away from your car for a little while, the bastard turns itself off. You have to hold the power button for 3+ seconds to turn it back on. Three seconds is a long time if you’re going to be doing it every time you get in the car. Sometimes the power button gets stuck down too. Hold it a little too long and you’re in pairing mode.
FM Output is really weak – if you place it in the middle of your dashboard, you’ll get audible FM Hiss if your antenna is an above-the-drivers-door type.