Exactly what I wanted. Not the highest tech device ever, but a great product for half the price of other places. Just remember, (if you don't have it plugged in) when you're not using it turn it off so you're batteries don't die.
Showing posts with label atomic clock. Show all posts
Showing posts with label atomic clock. Show all posts
Works on Verizon HTC Rezound Naztech 3.5mm FM Transmitter. Allows you to listen to music from your p
Exactly what I wanted. Not the highest tech device ever, but a great product for half the price of other places. Just remember, (if you don't have it plugged in) when you're not using it turn it off so you're batteries don't die.
Memorex MA4203BK Clock Radio with Flip Down Dock for iPod and iPhone
- Flip-down universal charging dock for iPhone or iPod
- Dual alarm clock settings (wake to iPod/iPhone, FM radio, or buzzer)
- Digital FM radio with station presets
- Displays day, date, & time
- Snooze and dimmer functions
Buy Memorex MA4203BK Clock Radio with Flip Down Dock for iPod and iPhone Now
Small in size but loud enough to wake me at 4am! This clock has a couple of cool features, you can set the days that you want the alarm to go off and it auomatically sets the time by syncing with iPhone.The led lights are bright enough so that you can see the time but they don't brighten up your bedroom. The flip down charging station is slick too.Read Best Reviews of Memorex MA4203BK Clock Radio with Flip Down Dock for iPod and iPhone Here
The clock is great. The alarm is quite loud. Can wake up to alarm, Iphone or radio. Has sleep mode and snooze button. It charges Iphone3G, Ipod 1st Gen and 2nd Gen; I haven't tested any other, but I'm pretty sure they'll work. The instructions to change the clock time is not so good though. In order to reset the clock, you have to deactivate the alarm first and then just hold the set button to sync your Ipod/Iphone. This is not stated in the manual, so I deducted a star for all the time it took me to realize this. Overall, though, it's a great clock. You should definitely get one for you and the ones you love.Want Memorex MA4203BK Clock Radio with Flip Down Dock for iPod and iPhone Discount?
This alarm clock was possibly the most frustrating piece of equipment I have ever purchased. I bought it to use as my everyday alarm clock, with the nice bonus of having a nice place to charge my iPhone every night and play my iPhone music to wake me up.First of all, the time drifts slowly. In other words, after a month of operation, you will be approximately 20 minutes too slow, which is just just unacceptable. Yes, one could adjust the time by advancing 1 minute every 2 out of 3 days, but this is not what I expect from a clock.
But why not use the auto-sync feature, you ask? There is a feature that allows the clock to sync the time with the iPhone time, surely that will alleviate the problem, right? Well, in order to sync the time, you need to have the iPhone connected, disconnect the AC power, reconnect the AC power, and press power. That will sync the time, but again, for an alarm *clock*, is it asking too much to not have to re-sync the time manually every few days to make sure the time is right?
Then we get to setting an alarm. The button needs to be held before the alarm time can be set. So you hold the button until it starts blinking, then use the +/buttons to change the hour, then minutes, day, and other options by pressing the same button. In theory, at least. In practice, you hold the button until the alarm time starts blinking, but when you let go, it seems to register 1-4 additional button presses, so that by the time you let go, you can't edit the time anymore. It took me about 20 tries to have the opportunity to edit the hour for my alarm. There is clearly a debounce problem with the button, I am not sure if it was my unit, or poor design.
I became so frustrated with the device that I gave it to my brother and warned him about the issues. Despite the fact that I had warned him about how frustrating the alarm might be, he took it and encountered exactly the same problems as I did. By the end of the night, he was on the verge of running over the alarm with his car.
This alarm clock sucks. You have to babysit it to make sure the time is right. The buttons aren't debounced properly so it is frustrating to update the time. If you try to reset and have it resync with your iPhone, congrats, you have the correct time, but good luck resetting your alarm options again.
My $15 Sony alarm clock syncs with the atomic clock and needs virtually no setup or maintenance. Instead of buying this product, I would recommend that you buy a regular Sony alarm clock and keep your iPhone charging cable on your nightstand if you want iPhone charging. You will have to live with the fact that you can't listen to your iPhone music as your wakeup music, but this alarm clock radio it is not worth the frustration or money. Do not, under any circumstances, purchase this alarm clock.
Save 19% Off
Overall, this is one of my favorite alarm clocks I've ever had.Reasons for this:
* It's nice and compact so it doesn't take up much space on a bedside table.
* The iPhone/iPod charger is retractable (another space thing) and also leaves space so that you can keep your phone case on and still be able to get a charge (another alarm clock/charger I had did not allow for that).
* The brightness can be adjusted to a fairly low level so that it's still visible but doesn't give off a glare in a dark room.
* It allows you to play music off of your iPhone/iPod through it's fairly good speakers.
The reason I'm only giving it 4 stars instead of 5:
The buttons are a little confusing and take some getting used to and some consulting of the instruction guide (at least for me). It's fine once you get the hang of it but I think it could have been designed to be a little more user friendly.
UPDATE: even after "getting the hang of it" it is still surprisingly difficult to program this alarm clock changing the time took me about 5 minutes. The interface could be a lot clearer. Also, I think it keeps time a little slow it had lost about 4 minutes after only a few months of use.
Venturer KLV39103 10-Inch Under-Cabinet LCD TV/DVD Combination (Silver)
- 10-Inch TFT LCD Color Display
- Built-in DVD Player
- Plays DVD's, CD's & JPEGs
- ATSC/NTSC TV Tuners, Flip-up Screen, Easy-clean Controls, Built-in DVD Player
- Clock & Timer Functions, AM/FM Radio with Station Presets
Received the Venturer KLV 39130 10", 1 Aug 2011.
Everything worked. (checked it first)
Easy to install.
Recessed wire connectors allows flush to back wall mounting.
works good on my rabbit ears. (No converter needed)
Very nice picture, even at extreme viewing angles.
10" screen is just right for kitchen viewing. (not too small)
Very good screen posioning. (rotates 360* and flips up)
Good volume.
Cons:
Would have liked other exterior color choices.
Screen mount is a bit flimsy. (thin plastic)
Buy Venturer KLV39103 10-Inch Under-Cabinet LCD TV/DVD Combination (Silver) Now
This review if for a VENTURER KLV39103 10" under-cabinet LCD TV/DVD purchased through AMAZON and shipped from Beach Audio for $224.98, plus S&H.I am not at all happy with this product. The screen has many scratches. The installation instructions were inadequate. There were two and they
contradicted each other as to whether holes should be drilled from inside the cabinet to the underside or from the underside into the cabinet.
If drilling from inside the cabinet there may not be space for positioning an electric drill
The sound quality for the TV or the DVD/CD is poor. The sound for the AM/FM is non-existant if you live in a poor reception area. You are supplied a wire antenna for both and are instructed to stretch them out around the kitchen until you find a place with the best reception. I have not found that place yet.
If it was not for the trouble to uninstall and for the cost of shipping it back, I would send it back.
Read Best Reviews of Venturer KLV39103 10-Inch Under-Cabinet LCD TV/DVD Combination (Silver) Here
Just wanted to help those who want to know about the mounting. You have to mark and drill though the bottom of the cabinet. Then counter drill the holes from the inside of the cabinet. Screws are placed down through the cabinet into the mounting holes on the unit. The spacers work great. One size of the spacers fits our cabinet perfect. Did not give it a five stars because the TV does not stay in the folded up position. This does not matter to me I leave it down all the time. TV screen is perfect for the size of our kitchen.Want Venturer KLV39103 10-Inch Under-Cabinet LCD TV/DVD Combination (Silver) Discount?
Bad picture, bad sound..If you have cable, it needs 2 remotes, one to turn it on, mute and adjust volume; the other to change channels. We bought it to replace a 20 year old under counter TV, but it's not as good as the ugly old fat one.
Sharp SPC019F Red LED Alarm Clock with a Wedge Style Case (Silver/Blue)
- 0.9-inch LCD display
- Silver and titanium-colored case with control settings on the side front of the case
- Snooze function only
- 4.75 x 1.5 x 2.75 inches (W x D x H)
- Two year limited warranty
One feature we like is the 2-volume setting. He is a light sleeper and wakes up fine on the quieter setting, whereas I sleep like a log but wake up great on the loud setting.
Edit: I just received the 2nd one and found it to not have the high/low volume setting that I previously wrote about. It also does not have the night light that my old one has. Upon further inspection, I realized that I did not check the model # before writing my review. My old one is model SPC020, which has those 2 features. Whereas this SPC019 does not. I am only noting this for people who might read this review and order based on those features.
Buy Sharp SPC019F Red LED Alarm Clock with a Wedge Style Case (Silver/Blue) Now
Sharp alarm clock is Sharp! This easy to use alarm clock looks cool and is simple to operate for those that are less techically challenged. There is nothing worse than waking to an alarm clock that you can't locate the snooze bar or off button...Not the issue here! Nice big easy to use buttons, a built in night light if you want to use it and 2 levels of alarm sound. Retro silver and blue color make it look like you were on the star ship Enterprise. A must have as far as alarm clocks go.Read Best Reviews of Sharp SPC019F Red LED Alarm Clock with a Wedge Style Case (Silver/Blue) Here
nice loud buzzer, a little time consuming to reset alarm time but everything else is great (have to scroll through all times to get to yours...time consuming for impatient teens) Love the battery back-up.Want Sharp SPC019F Red LED Alarm Clock with a Wedge Style Case (Silver/Blue) Discount?
I'm not sure if it was a shipping error or that the SPC019 has been replaced with the SPC020, but the latter is the clock I received. It looks identical to the one pictured here silver and blue wedged shaped clock, red LED display. My guess is that the SPC020 is what Amazon is shipping if you order this clock since many of the reviewers mention the night light and dual volume settings which are features of the SPC020. The technical specs on this page indicate that the clock should tell "month, date, day of week and temperature in Celsius and Fahrenheit" but that is not the case, at least with the SPC020. No matter, it does tell the time with a bright display which is what a digital clock should do. The buttons are large and easy to use. The night light feature is fantastic I ended up putting this clock in my son's room and it replaced his plastic plugin night light. This is a very nice clock at a very reasonable price. Just be aware that you may be getting a slightly different (and in my opinion better) model than the one that is listed.
Sony WMFS595 Sports Walkman with LED Safety Flasher
- Water-resistant and rugged sports series design
- Feather-touch controls
- Digital synthesized AM/FM stereo tuner
- 20 station preset tuning (15 FM/5 AM)
- 1-finger control pad for volume/presets
There is also a unique "beep" feedback that sounds in the headphones whenever you choose to play, stop, FF, REW, etc. This audible feedback is useful to confirm that you chose the correct function and that the player is doing what you asked it to.
One feature that could have been added is a stopwatch timer. Some of the other Sony models have this feature, but it seems to be absent on this model. The safety LED flashers are great for early-morning or late-night runners.
HELLO KITTY KT2055 Digital AM/FM Clock Radio with Night Light
- AM/FM RADIO.
- NIGHT LIGHT.
- BATTERY BACK-UP SYSTEM FOR TIME/ALARM SETTINGS.
- 24-HOUR "SET & FORGET" ALARM.
- SNOOZE.
Buy HELLO KITTY KT2055 Digital AM/FM Clock Radio with Night Light Now
Wasn't as large as I thought would be. But will do fine, It is a Christmas present so do not know if works or sound quality.
Onkyo TX-SR804S 7.1 Channel Up-Converting THX Certified A/V Receiver (Silver)
- 105 Watts per channel minimum into 8 ohms, at 20 Hz to 20,000Hz x 7 channels
- Selectable modes for 2 channels stereo and 2.1, 5.1, 6.1 and 7.1 channel surround
- Vector Linear Shaping Circuitry (VLSC) for all channels
- Extended frequency response - (5 Hz to 100 kHz)
- Reduced NFB (Negative Feedback)
Pros: Total system looks great, more than I could have asked for. I used the auto set-up micophone that comes with the receiver to adjust the speakers, and that worked well but I did tweak the rear surround speakers slightly to get the sound I wanted. I put in the DVD movie "The Incredibles" as a test for the sound system blew me away! shook the walls! Scared the kids! The Polk RM6750 speakers look and sound great I am glad I didn't spend more to get the Polk RB6880 (from Circuit City)at twice the cost! You will not be disapointed with these speakers. I went from using 5 remotes to using just one the one that came with the receiver. I also have only one HDMI cable from the receiver to my TV. You can also transfer specific remote functions of your choosing from each component remote you don't have to transfer "all" remote functions if you don't need all of them.
Cons: TIME to set this up It took my about a good 10 12 hours to get all components connected to the receiver and to set all the imputs and programs into the remote. You will need to read the instructions over & over until it finally "clicks" in your mind and things start to work the right way. So give yourself time. Call Fire Dog service if you need help getting this set up the right way. I almost did. My last "Con: is you'll have to teach the rest of your family members how to use the new remote, or you may find yourself mystified when something doesn't work the way you programed it to.
Bottom line: I made the right choices for my system components. They look great together and the sound is "WOW".. I may do a little more tweaking, but overall, I am very happy with my new system. I recommend this receiver highly, without any hesitation.
Buy Onkyo TX-SR804S 7.1 Channel Up-Converting THX Certified A/V Receiver (Silver) Now
I shopped and researched for several months for a new HDMI receiver. I was all set to buy the TX-SR674 but I stumbled upon this model in my search. The 804 model has 10 more watts per channel than the 674, THX sound and a cleaner front via a drop down panel. Set-up was quite easy since I was using HDMI connections for the TV, DVD & Cable Box. (Don't waste your $$ on expensive HDMI cables! I had to buy a $70 cable from the big red CC box until my $6.00 HDMI cable arrived in the mail, guess what? No difference in sound!) The instruction manual is decent but does not cover every possible scenario. ie.) To get the XM Radio Info. displayed on the TV screen you have to choose choose VIDEO 2-4, then choose the TUNER (took a little trial and error). The remote is a little big, but is easy to use and does have 3 separate MACROs available to use. I was able to program all my components into this remote. The 804s on-screen display is basic white lettering on a black screen. The new Sony's have a slick on screen GUI like the PS3s but don't get sucked into this 'nice to have'. Once you get your system set up you will rarely go back to your on-screen displays. I'm running a 5.1 speaker system for now until I can afford a new 7.1 setup. However, the 5.1 sound on my old speakers sounds terrific. My speakers actually sound better than they did on my old Yamaha. XM Radio sounds great and is super easy to add on. I did not purchase the DS-A2 iPod dock because DLO is coming out with a new dock in March with on screen album art that the DS-A2 does not have. I'll let you know how this works as soon as I get it! The only feature I wish it had was a 3rd HDMI out, this would have been an even better upgrade over the 674! You can buy better HDMI receivers but you will spend well over $1000.00. Most people will be quite happy with this receiver at this price point.Sound: Excellent Style: Clean and Slick Power: More than adequate Features: A Initial Setup: Medium
My System:
Samsung LN-S4695D LCD TV
Samsung HD-960 DVD (waiting for the HD-DVD/Blu Ray battle to play out and a price drop!)
Sci.Atl. HD cable box/DVR w/HDMI
Audiovox CNP2000H XM Radio Mini Tuner Home Dock with Antenna
Monster HTS 1000 MKII Powercenter with Clean Power (Needed this due to unstable power in my area.)
I hope this helps you to make a decision!I was replacing a 7yr old Denon unit which was rated highly in its time, and served me extremely well. However, I felt the unit was losing some power and showing its age, and I needed a second digital-capable unit for another location. I spent a great deal of time researching this buy, and it came down the Denon 2807 and the Onkyo. I opted for the Onkyo due to excellent price from Amazon, very good reviews, THX rating, and a savings of about $200 over the Denon.
The shipment from Amazon was amazingly fast, appearing in just two days. Packaging of the unit by Onkyo was excellent, and installation/ integration into my setup was very straight-forward. I must say that I am accustomed to home theatre installations with lots of wires, read (and follow) instructions, and expect instructions to be confusing. In this case, the manual is very well written, in legible English, a decided plus. The Audyssey system was in no way difficult to use, and the results (speaker distances read by the system) were extremely accurate. One note here is that reviews of the Denon have stated that same Audyssey system measures sound in three separate areas, to maximize the listener's enjoyment even if they are not in the one "sweet spot." The Onkyo system measures just one location. Since I am the one sitting in the single sweet spot, I was not overly forlorn.
The unit automatically detects the incoming digital sound (DTS, Dolby, etc) so I have not had then need to fiddle with them on the fly. There are a host of settings if you indeed feel the need to modify them, but any incremental gain I might attain by fine-tuning those myriad settings just doesn't seem worth the effort. Perhaps that fact is one of the reasons I opt for a single unit versus buying separate components: Yes, I might be able to tweak the sound better in the latter, but I find it far easier to pop in the disk, let the receiver do its thing, and enjoy the results I get. I was accustomed to high end sound, and the Onkyo does not disappoint. I noticed a heightened clarity in the center speaker versus my older Denon. In some of my reference DVD material, the Onkyo did not provide an appreciably "bigger" sound vs. the old Denon (the Onk is rated 10 watts more per channel), but I notice the surround speakers produce clearer sound and separation. I am as yet focusing on the front speakers to discern a difference. In the overall, it is a testament to Denon that even with a seven year difference, their technology still holds its own vs. the new Onk.
After only a week of auditioning, it is hard to determine whether the Onk investment was better than if I had gone down the Denon path. After all, what will the $200 cost difference mean in a month, or a year? The only way to compare the two units is to play them side by side in your listening room. The fact is, the unit offers lots of great features at an extremely attractive price, and the build quality seems to be there. Some reviewers have noted a few drawbacks (e.g., only stereo in Zone 2), but the manual states that (and manuals are available for download from the manufacturer's website for those details). The remote is a tad big, but after a short while I am already accustomed to it.
Although I might yearn for more oomph, more quality, more bells and whistles from my receiver, I wanted to stay in a certain price range. The Onk offers solid performance and versatility at an excellent price; it rates 5 stars as a great value.
Want Onkyo TX-SR804S 7.1 Channel Up-Converting THX Certified A/V Receiver (Silver) Discount?
I purchased this receiver for two reasons. First HDMI in/out, and second for the ability to 'up-convert' non-hd components such as a TiVo Series 1 or 2 or a VCR. While the receiver works great, I was sadly surprised that it doesn't actually upscale the signal from 480i to 1080i, which is what I really wanted. Up-converting is basically the ability to change the cable output from S-Video or composite video to HDMI. I only just figured out that what I really wanted was an 'Upscaling' receiver (which is more $$$ of course). The quality out via HDMI at 480i is the same as if I had just kept an S-Video cable attached to the TV.
Philips AJ3270D 30-Pin iPod/iPhone Speaker Dock
- Play and charge your iPod/iPhone simultaneously,FM digital tuning with presets,2W RMS total output power
- Dock any iPod/iPhone, even in its case, Dock any iPod/iPhone, Auto clock synchronization with iPod/iPhone when dockedven in its case,viewing backup,Sleep timer for easy falling asleep to your favorite music for on-time wakeup even with power cut,
- Wake up to your iPod/ iPhone music or radio tunes, Gentle wake for a pleasant wake up experience,Dual alarm to wake you and your partner at different times
*This clock works with my iPhone in an Otter case.
*The level of light is adjustable and green, which is much more pleasant/less intrusive than the blue color on many clocks.
*It's a small footprint on my bedside table.
*Great functionality, such as multiple radio channels. Easy to change time/alarm.
I've been using it for about 3 months. It did this crazy thing for the first month, where the alarm volume would increase super loud within about 5 seconds of going off. I contacted Philips and they helped me figure out how to correct it (hello unplug) and it's been great since.
Buy Philips AJ3270D 30-Pin iPod/iPhone Speaker Dock Now
I ordered this for my wife for our master bath so that she could simply charge her iphone 4 (iOS 5.1, with case) while doing her makeup and keep track of time, or if she wanted to listen to Pandora, and this is exactly what we wanted. I was worried that iphone music would automatically play when she plugged in the iphone, but its great that it doesn't. You just hit the 'iphone' button on top of the clock radio to play the iphone music, which is a great feature. Its small and compact for a countertop and puts out good sound.Update: It's still working great with iOS 6.1.2 and playing Pandora. Very rarely when plugged into the dock the iphone will say "device not supported..." (possible due to iOS updates), but we simply just unplug/replug the power to the dock, then re-dock the iphone, and it works again, no problem. (The iphone sets the clock time anyways, so no need to reset that)
Read Best Reviews of Philips AJ3270D 30-Pin iPod/iPhone Speaker Dock Here
I wanted an iPhone 4S charger/clock radio combo that was small, not too bright at night and didn't require me to take off my iPhone case. After going through two other charger/combo units, I finally found this one, and it's GREAT!Here is why I love it:
* Three dimmer settings, and not too bright at night.
* Soft green glow is not harsh.
* It's top loading and doesn't require case removal.
* It has back support for device, so it doesn't wobble when docked.
* It's easy to use. Just dock your phone, and it auto syncs the time.
* It doesn't take up much space.
* No special app required.
* Buttons are on top and easy to find.
* Trusted name brand
I don't use the clock alarm at all, so can't comment on that. I use my iPhone alarm. I just wanted a device that would charge my iPhone and allow me to see the time if I wake at night. This one is the best!
It's hard to find a con or anything negative, but If I were pressed to give one, I'd say the colon, between the hour and minutes, blinks. That's not even a big deal at all, but it's seriously the only thing I could come up with. I'd prefer for it not to blink, but I can live with that.
Want Philips AJ3270D 30-Pin iPod/iPhone Speaker Dock Discount?
I love how simple this clock is and that it works with an iPhone and iPod. I'm returning this because the volume on the alarm clock can't be controlled. I set the volume to level 10 and it doesn't matter. Once it goes off, it gets gradually louder and goes from level 0 to 26 in 5 seconds. It's so loud that it vibrates on the dresser and is screaming at you. It's terrible. I tried talking to customer service and they said there's no way to control the volume. That's just how it is.Save 25% Off
Philips AJ3270D has all the functionality I was looking for (dual alarm, iphone charger, iphone speaker, control buttons on top, time synchronization, etc.). The device worked well for a few days, then all of a sudden it went crazy and stopped accepting my iphone. I had to return it.
Sangean America RCR3 Radio-Controlled Atomic Digital AM/FM Clock Radio (White)
- Radio Controlled Clock
- Large Lcd Display
- 14 Station Preset
- 4 Wake Up Timers; Pll Tuner
- Radio Controlled clock available for DCF/WWVB/MSF/JJY
- 4 alarms by radio or HWS (Humane Wake System) buzzer
- Easy to read LCD display
- Time display both on LCD and analog clock
- Time zone selector switch
I've owned many Sangean clock radios over the last few years and this one is by far the best. Many of my complaints have been addressed making me a very happy camper ;)
This radio is an update to the Sangean rcr-1. As far as I can tell it only comes in white. Improvements to this one include:
1. A change from blue backlighting to white. You can now read the display from any angle and from across the room.
2. Gone is the unsightly ferrite antenna stuck to the back of the rcr-1, rcr-2 and rcr-22.
3. They added two more customizable alarms for a total of 4. The first two are buzzer only and the remaining two are for radio alarms.
4. Humane Waking System works in both radio mode and buzzer mode. (Radio mode is undocumented) HWS in radio mode was previously ONLY available on the rcr-1 and absent on the rcr-2 and rcr-22.
5. When the alarm sounds the display lighting of the analog clock changes to amber. Nice touch!
6. Power is now supplied with what I call a wall wart, LOL. This can be a double edged sword, it has a much thinner power cord running from the wall to the clock but the transformer is rather large and can get in the way.
7. Setting and operating the alarms has been greatly improved. It is more intuitive and takes less time to setup.
The radio is very sensitive and is able to pull in stations with ease. The sound quality is very good for a clock radio. It sounds very natural and pleasing. The snooze feature lets you snooze for 5 min. at a time with no option to change the interval. I've owned several clock radios from other manufacturers that let you program the snooze duration. I also wish this clock had a photo electric dimming circuit for the backlight. It does have a dimmer button and an adjustment for brightness on the bottom of the clock. When you press the dimmer button the brightness gradually decreases or increases, another nice touch! If you leave the clock in dimmed setting and momentarily push a button the display will go bright for a few seconds and then resume the dimmed setting.
Sangean reduced the size of the digital display from that used on the rcr-1. As a result it can no longer display the time and date simultaneously. In order to see the date you must first push the date button. I'm nitpicking but in my opinion this radio is not quite perfect.
One last comment, Sangean still has not added a battery backup! In the event of a power outage the alarm WILL NOT sound. Why did you do this Sangean? Haven't you guys been listening to all of the reviewers on this site? I know someone who supposedly works for Sangean responded to my comments on the rcr-1. To clarify, the clock will maintain time for anywhere from 1 to 3 hrs if the power fails but the alarm will not sound. To get around this issue I have plugged it into an uninterruptible power source (UPS). I live in FL and can't take chances with the alarm.
I also wish it had Radio Data System (RDS) and a HD tuner. To really put it over the top it would be nice to have stereo speakers and an iPod dock. Put all of these features in a table radio and you'll have the ultimate clock radio.
Buy Sangean America RCR3 Radio-Controlled Atomic Digital AM/FM Clock Radio (White) Now
I was torn between the venerable Proton/Sangean RS-330 and the RCR-3. The RS-330 has been the de-facto ultimate clock radio, one of the last great ones from the early 90s when Proton, Nakamichi, and others produced high-end alarm clocks. At the same time, the RS-330 hasn't been updated in nearly 20 years. No CD player, no atomic clock synchronization, uses vacuum fluorescent displays which fade over time and aren't all that energy efficient (~$20/year to run the RS-330 and RS-332). So, I hesitantly bought the RCR-3 with the atomic clock feature being my primary requirement, still wishing I could get all of these features PLUS the great sound & slave clock of the RS-330.The RCR-3 is quite simply the best alarm clock I've ever had. Totally exceeded all of my expectations. The more you use this clock radio the more you realize just how much thought was put into it. I'm planning on buying two more, one for the other side of the bed and one for my office. Might even get one for the kitchen.
Pros:
4 alarms, programmable by day-of-week. Each alarm has a separate button on the face of the clock and the actual buttons illuminate to signal which alarm(s) are turned on. The alarm button currently going off blinks to indicate such. I also appreciate that the backlighting fades up to 100% when the alarm is going off. To show the level of thought put into the alarm clock, the alarm's beeper will sound instead of the radio if the radio station's signal is low/off-air. Alarm volume (beeper and wake-to-radio) is separate from radio playback (sleep) volume. Programming the alarms is quite simple as well. Push the alarm button, then push SET and just arrow up/down. No finger gymnastics of trying to hold multiple buttons down or having to go all the way around the dial because you missed the time you wanted.
The digital radio tuner is rather good. I'm picking up FM stations from ~80 miles away crystal clear. AM reception is clear, full-range audio, and rejects interference well.
Sound quality is good, great for its size. It's been many years since I've heard a Proton clock radio, but this sounds very close. Bass depth is impressive and balanced, particularly for a radio of this size. It doesn't suffer from the boxy exaggerated mid-bass many small speakers suffer from. I've heard worse sound out of much larger speakers. I work with and own many pieces of professional (Meyer) & audiophile (Bowers & Wilkins) sound equipment yet am still impressed by this little radio. It's not at the same level by any means as the sound is heavily coloured, particularly the midrange, but it's quite enjoyable.
Large analogue clock: I'm terribly near-sighted. Digital clocks usually require that I put on my glasses to read them. The clock is also very quiet when advancing to the next minute. Even the lightest sleeper wouldn't be bothered by it. No second hand ticking either.
Dimmer: Full range dimmer. From bright enough to read by to 0% brightness, only going to 100% momentarily when you push any button. There's even a night-light button on the front of the clock that will turn the backlighting up to 100%.
Energy efficient: Uses less than 1 watt on standby, even with backlighting at 100%. Compare this to my old typical alarm clock which used 8 watts on standby. I know this sounds insignificant, but considering it's using this 24/7, it adds up over time. Figure 1 watt * 24 hrs * 365 days = 8.76kWh/year , 8 watts =70kWh/year. Multiply this by the # of clocks you have plugged into the house and you're starting to talk about decent money.
Thin plug/power cord. I know some people dislike power transformers (wall warts), but I'd much rather thread a small DC power connector through things than try to fit a full-size AC plug through an already-too-crowded wire hole in furniture. It also is safer and easily replaced if it gets pinched between the bedframe & wall, etc.
The negatives?
Lack of a backup battery. See my solution below. Sure, it has that backup capacitor AND it does show the time on the digital screen while the power is out, BUT the alarm won't sound if the power's out when the alarm is supposed to start.
No line out. I've not hooked this radio up to my bedroom's Bowers & Wilkins stereo yet, but I would prefer to do so via line out rather than headphone jack.
No HD tuner / CD player. Okay, there's a line-in for this, but I wanted just one piece of equipment on the nightstand. MP3 playback via SD card would be awesome.
No remote control. Why a remote control for a clock radio? Because the sound quality on this clock radio is better than many mini stereos!
No Stereo/slave unit. Not that it's entirely needed with atomic clocks that can sync themselves, I'd love to have the master/slave clock setup that the RS-330 had, if just for the stereo sound alone. I might just buy a 2nd one for the other side of the bed. All that I'd be missing over the RS-330/332 setup would be stereo audio.
As others have mentioned, the manual is lacking in detail. Where detail is provided it over-complicates what is really a well thought-out, logical to operate clock radio.
A few useful bits missing from the manual:
When you first power up the radio:
1) The analog clock will advance until it reaches 12:00 and the radio will scan through the stations and automatically set pre-sets the strongest ones.
2) The digital clock will show a flashing -:and the antenna symbol.
3) The upper right corner of the screen will show L:0, representing signal strength of the time signal. Signal scale is 0 (weak) to 9 (strong).
This clock uses WWVB for time, located in Fort Collins, Colorado, on long-wave radio frequencies. For those unfamiliar with shortwave radio, it's basically AM radio that bounces off the earth's atmosphere and the ground. As you can imagine, reception of this signal is highly variable.
Don't worry if your radio shows a signal strength of 0, especially during the day. Most locations will get the best signal between 1-4am. Keep in mind this clock uses the atomic clock signal to sync its clock so it doesn't need to see it all the time. Once a day is more than enough.
4) Once the clock is receiving WWVB, the seconds display on the screen will start to tick, verifying that it is indeed seeing a signal. After a few minutes of this the clock will set itself and you're good to go. Keep in mind that under IDEAL conditions it would take the clock 3 minutes to acquire a signal. It took my clock about 15 minutes for its first sync.
Mislabeled controls department:
Light button: Should be Night Light. Turns backlighting up to 100% until pressed again when it'll return to the level you've set with the dimmer dial underneath the radio.
Tone control: Should be Loudness control. It's a bass and treble boost/cut control, similar to some car stereos and some smaller home stereos. Both bass & treble are boosted / cut at the same time with this dial.
**Back-up battery fix:**
Since I live in Florida, complete with an electrical grid only a 3rd world country could be proud of, Sangean's capacitor trick isn't going to cut it with our extended outages. Here's how I fixed this problem. I bought:
1) Ademco AD12612 alarm system 16VAC -> 12vDC power supply/charger board. (~$10-$20)
2) generic 16VAC/40VA transformer for the AD12612 (~$5-$10)
3) generic 12v 4amp-hour alarm battery (~$5-$15)
4) A spare DC power cord since I didn't want to hack apart the Sangean's power supply.
5) Some spare wire to connect the transformer to the AD12612.
So I connected all of this together, sticking the battery and Ademco board underneath the bed. Even an electrical novice can't really screw this up. The Ademco board is well-labeled (AC in, DC out, color coded battery leads). For reference, the clock is expecting 12vDC, positive tip, negative shield.
By my estimates, the clock will run for about 4 days with the backlighting on 100% 24/7. Much longer with the backlighting dimmed or off. If I bump it up to a 7AH battery that'll be 7 days, maybe 10-14 days with the backlighting dimmed. This beats out any off-the-shelf battery backup (APC et al) since everything stays in the DC domain. Those off-the-shelf UPSs won't last more than a few hours with no load connected. With the alarm system power supply there's no DC(battery)->AC(inverter)->DC(12vDC transformer) conversion and no DC->AC inverter loss. Dead silent when running too.
As a side benefit, this will be a nice hurricane/emergency setup down the road. The backlighting on the clock is bright enough to read by and certainly more than enough light for emergencies. 7+ day runtime is just icing on the cake. Want more functionality out of this setup? Hook a car cell phone charger up to the 12v output on the power supply.There are many great features to this clock. Some of the things I like the most are: 1) the ability to control the brightness of the display on a continuous scale (not just high & low like most alarms); 2) the ability to control the volume of the buzzer alarm or radio alarm on a continuous scale (but note that the buzzer alarm volume is controlled by a dial on the bottom of the clock, NOT by the radio volume control, a mistake I made & learned the hard way when the buzzer didn't sound); 3) the intuitiveness of the alarm set-up makes it easy to do & easy to remember; 4) the excellent digital reception for the AM/FM radio signals; 5) the ease of resetting the time & date after a power failure (just keep it plugged in & the Atomic Clock feature automatically re-sets the time & date); 6) the "Humane Waking System", which starts with a low volume beep & gradually increases (this is good for preventing heart attacks for those people shocked into awakening by the sound of most alarm clocks, which sound like a huge garbage truck has just backed up into your bedroom), but for those who need a real loud alarm, just turn up the volume & the initial beep/radio sound will be loud to begin with; 7) the tone quality of the radio is very good for such a small unit & there is a single adjustable tone knob (bass/treble). Other nice things about the clock are its superior looks (a combination of modern digital display with Art Deco features & analog clock display), & the fact that 4 alarms per day can be set & there is a separate alarm setting for each day of the week (including weekends). From the first night I used it, I slept very soundly, because it was the first time in years that I didn't feel like a light was shining in my face (from my previous clock). There are two things wrong with the Sangean: 1) the lack of a battery back-up, for those people who have blackouts, & 2) the operating manual. About 12 pages are devoted to operation of the clock in English; three of those pages are diagrams of control locations (very well done with clear layout). The instructions themselves are written by someone who does not have a good command of the English language. Words are misused, sentences end without the usual English structure, grammar is off, & it looks like the manual needs a thorough re-writing & proofreading. This is not a minor quibble, because this clock does so many things (& does them so well) that a better written & more thorough manual would enable the user to get much more out of the clock if its operation were better explained. It would be a 5* clock if the manual were better. Before buying this clock, I literally investigated over 100 clocks on the internet, & this looked to be the best I could find anywhere, considering all of its features. Now that I own it, it has lived up to its promise (except for the manual).
Want Sangean America RCR3 Radio-Controlled Atomic Digital AM/FM Clock Radio (White) Discount?
Did a lot of on-line research and this seemed like a good product. I did see one review where the person said the analog hands continue to revolve and ended up sending the clock back. I chose to ignore that one, since all others seemed positive, figuring it was one fluke clock.I shouldn't have!! When the clock arrived, followed the instructions (not well written, BTW)as precisely as I could. However could not get the clock to set by radio or manually. The hands just continued to turn and the radio never seemed to get a signal, even thought it sat next to an older clock (another mfgr)that updates daily.
Wrote to their help desk and never got a response. Sent second note and got response e-mail from Selwyn Wynstock, VP Marketing/Sales to call him and discuss my problem. When I called, he basically said "Yes, we've had those reports and have contacted the factory. Return your clock for replacement."
A few days later, got another e-mail from their help desk saying "Oh, it shouldn't do that, you must have a defective clock, return it with $8 for replacement."
The VP's comment tells me this is a known, on-going problem and they don't control the factory (contracted manufacture?). The Help dept. just doesn't get it.....wanting 8 bucks to replace a defective clock that never should have been shipped in the first place. Doesn't this firm have a QC program?
Returned the clock today to Amazon for credit. I'll find another manufacturer.
Save 42% Off
I have owned a Sangean world band radio for over 20 years and have been impressed by its performance and build quality. So, I took a chance on the RCR-3 in my long quest for the perfect clock radio. The RCR-3 is heavy, so it's not going to fly off the nightstand. To my eye, the design is beautiful, with design cues reminiscent of 1930's Machine Age radios. The radio reception is outstanding and the RCR-3 just sounds terrific. I like the progressive alarm feature very much since my hearing isn't what it once was, and I just LOVE the nap feature. In short, Sangean has hit a grand slam homerun with the RCR-3.
Duracell Ultra Power AAA Batteries, 8-Count Packs (Pack of 4)
I have alway had good luck with Duracell. These were at a good price. But, batteries are batteries what else can I say?
Michael Scriven
Buy Duracell Ultra Power AAA Batteries, 8-Count Packs (Pack of 4) Now
Memorex MP3124 CD/MP3/Cassette Boombox
- Portable boombox with CD player and MP3 decoder
- Cassette deck and digital AM/FM tuner
- 4-way dynamic stereo speakers
- Integrated carrying handle
- Includes detachable AC cord for continuous play
Memorex support is NON-EXISTENT. Sent detailed email to their support group and never heard back.
Still can't get 7 mp3 CDs to work....ready to give up guessing.
These 7 work fine on portable mp3 player and DVD/mp3 and computer.
The ones that work come up in about 12 seconds ready to play.
Works with 128, 160, 256 kbs
Problems:
Will not read CD...spins forever until you stop it
60 to 120 seconds before ready to play
Lists wrong number of folders
List total files greater than actual files, repeats earlier songs 1 or more times later in playback list.
Some fixes were:
only 23 or less files per folder (fixes total file read problem)
possible limit on number of folders
Can't handle long file names (unsure of actual limit)
Any suggestions please email me at: cranekenup@attbi.com
Buy Memorex MP3124 CD/MP3/Cassette Boombox Now
I purchased this unit mainly for its ability to play MP3 CD's. I was not expecting great sound from it but, among other things, but this unit was lacking an acceptable sound quality. The unit claims to have a bass feature to improve the "deeper" sound, however, you can hardly notice the difference when this feature is engaged. In addition, the MP3 CD's were not always recognized or the unit refused to play MP3's alltogether. Only after totally turning it off would it "reset" itself and play.Another problem with this boombox is that it takes a few seconds to recognize that CD or MP3 CD is inserted. This is more annoying than a bad function, however.
I would not recommend this unit to anyone who is looking for a good quality sound. For its price, however, the unit could be a good value for an entry level system for somebody willing to sacrifice sound for the ability to play MP3's.
Read Best Reviews of Memorex MP3124 CD/MP3/Cassette Boombox Here
Bought and returned this after about a week. While the sound on this is decent, there's a number of serious issues:(1) There's no headphone, line-in or line-out plugs, meaning you can't hook this into your home stereo at all.
(2) It's a battery hog -9 D cells and 4 AA's for the boombox, and another 2 AAs for the remote. And the box only runs about 4 hours or so on batteries.
(3) It only recognizes version 1 ID tags, when most computers use v2.3
(4) The interface to display tags is cumbersome; you have to push a button 4 to 5 times in a row to see the tags, instead of them automatically displaying (when they do exist).
(5) Don't even think about plugging this into the wall -the electronics under the CD player get very hot, very quickly, which starts the player skipping and stuttering (when it's playing from CD-R discs). What's the point of a 10-hour music disc if you can't actually let it run for 10 hours straight?
Overall, this is a disappointment -I'd expect this kind of performance from a generic brand, but not from Memorex.
Want Memorex MP3124 CD/MP3/Cassette Boombox Discount?
Warning! I have now taken one of these things back to Target THREE times! I would have gladly gotten money back the first time, but "conveniently" target only allows for an exchange with this item (they blamed it on Memorex, but who knows.) Every time you hit FF or RW, the entire thing freezes until you turn it on and off. The display only works half the time and not always correctly. MP3 feature? Forget it. I've tried multiple MP3 cd's and none worked (that was fun, trying different cd's and having to turn the thing on and off every two minutes). The remote barely works too. These were just a few of the things that all three boxes I got had wrong with them. A few had additional flaws.I still have the third oneit's sitting in a box because I was unable to return it this last time because they didn't have them in stock. I was given a choice between choosing one of their 40 dollar items as an equal trade or their only item that was more expensive than this one, a 160 dollar item in which I would have had to pay the $60 difference. I decided against that because I didn't want to be stuck with a 160 dollar piece of worthlessness knowing Target's pointless returns/exchange policy. I think from now on, I'll avoid Target and Memorex.
The first box I bought home would play about 10 songs on a home recorded MP3 CD-R (ironically enough, a memorex cd-r) then it would stop tracking altogether. When the box was shut off and examined, I found that the CD was actually hot enough to be painful to touch from being played. This is not right.
I returned the item, and exchanged it for a new one. This one would not even recognize that a CD had been placed in the player, and would constantly demand that the door be shut. Enough is enough, I'm buying another brand in the future, and recommend that others do so as well.
GPX Crayola YCR6806DT Digital Tune AM/FM On-the-Go Radio
- Specially designed radio for kids' fun and creative expression through music.
- Perfect introduction to a personal music device, shaped and colored for kids
- Easy to read, large, blue backlit digital display LCD
- Suction cup feet for easy upright stand
- Uses 4 AA batteries (not included)
Buy GPX Crayola YCR6806DT Digital Tune AM/FM On-the-Go Radio Now
I purchased this radio for my toddler. It makes meal time much easier when he's listening to upbeat music. The radio is larger than I imagined with the loop at the top large enough for an adult hand. Sound quality is similar to a mid-range clock radio. It functions well and has kid resistant buttons and headphone port covers. The suction cups on the bottom are of little use. Thankfully they can be flipped around and tucked away under tha battery cover. My only real gripe with the radio is it's seemingly delicate internal circuitry. one good drop caused the internal antenae to disconnect so it no longer picked up stations. Luckily, another good drop fixed it. At least temporarily.Read Best Reviews of GPX Crayola YCR6806DT Digital Tune AM/FM On-the-Go Radio Here
I got this over a year ago when I started jogging with my son and wanted a way to listen to the radio or music that I could share with my son and also that wouldn't block him out or make him feel like i was blocking him out with headphones.It has taken a few falls (about 3 feet height) and is still working fine.
We use rechargeable batteries and get plenty of use between charges...we use it about an hour 3 times a week. I love that you can see the battery icon when the batteries are low, well before it totally runs out. They're easy to change and require a screwdriver to open so I'm not concerned about my son messing with batteries. The clock is easy to reset each time we change the batteries. The station presets are easy to do too but since I only listen to NPR myself and let my son choose music on his own we don't bother presetting the stations any more :)
The volume is fine and strong, even against morning traffic.
It has gotten wet and still works fine (not totally submerged but enough to see water under the green part).
The handle is great -sometimes when I run without a stroller I'll take it along and just jog with it in my hand nestled on my forearm, and listen to the radido and keep an rough estimate of my pace using the big clock face (which also has a seconds display!). The handle is big enough to add a carabiner or something to hook onto stroller.
Anyway, really worth it for us! We still use it. I think we got it for around $25. I would buy it again for sure if necessary.
Want GPX Crayola YCR6806DT Digital Tune AM/FM On-the-Go Radio Discount?
This is a fantastic radio for any child. My son is 21 months old and we got this radio for him for Christmas. It's his favorite toy. He loves music and it's easy for him to carry around and turn on/off. I would recommend this radio for any child. He's dropped it a few times and it's still going. Great radio so far. Love it!