Question about the "iPod radio remote"

Question

I assume the "radio remote" is the same for every country and is under software control. I want to buy in Canada but use in UK and Canada.
Has anyone got one and seen the RDS work, in the UK almost every FM channel is RDS. Do they have RDS in Canada (Toronto) can anyone confirm?
And of course it says FM so this again I assume no AM, not that I need AM it was just an interest in if it could do it.
What happens about headphones, you can plug a pair into the remote, can you still plug into the bottom of the iPod or does the remote connector get in the way.
What is the story with "line out" I use this all the time as I amp my headphones. So I assume you cant use line out? or is the remote a line out also.
And I assume the remote cable and you headphones act as the aerial, how is the quality? Is it any good indoors, some little FM radios I have used drop to mono indoors. Does this Apple one frop to mono if the signal is weak?
Someone that has one can perhaps answer
Cheers
Ray

Answer 1

I can at least answer some of the questions.
The RDS function on this radio/remote is poor in the
UK. You have to set the radio function on the iPod
to "Europe" and when you do this RDS info is not
displayed on almost all radio stations such as
Virgin, XFM, Capital, GLR, etc. It does display on
Radio 2 however. At least, this is my finding. So
it's unpredictable at best. Setting the radio to
"USA" on the iPod increases the likelihood of getting
the RDS to display, but the downside is that you can
then only tune the radio in increments of 2mhz which
is a bit awkward if your looking for 89.1mhz!
There are three settings for the radio which you
choose via the iPod. They are USA/Europe/Japan. No
setting for Canada, although I'm sure you will still
be able to use it over there as I can still use mine
here in the UK even if it's set to USA.
No, there is no AM radio.
You can plug headphones into the remote or the
headphone jack on the iPod, or both at the same time.
I'm not sure I understand your question about the
bottom of the iPod. The radio plugs into the iPod
via the dock connector.
There is no 'line out' on the iPod. If you mean the
one on the dock, then no you can't use it as you
cannot place the iPod into the dock whilst the
radio/remote is connected as they use the same
connector.
Yes the cable of the remote acts as the aerial.
Reception is surprisingly good where I am, but it
will of course depend on where you use it. I've
used it indoors without any drop in signal or it
dropping to mono.
Lastly, you need to update the software for both the
nano or the 5th generation for the radio to work
(after you do this a radio function appears in the
menu), and some users have found that doing this
screws up the iPod. I have mine working on both the
nano and the 5th gen without any problems.
There is a review of the radio/remote here. I like
mine and consider it a worthwhile accessory, but of
course there will be those who disagree.
iPod
Radio/Remote Review.
Thank you for the reply.
Think your right USA or Europe will work in Canada.
Yes I mean the line out via the dock, I just wondered if the remote become a line out socket (I also use a pocket dock for line out for headphone amp as I use a pair of Sennheiser HD600 with my ipod) but of course that is silly becasue you have a volume control on the remote and line out is normaly fixed.
Based on your views I shall get one in March when in Toronto
Cheers
Ray