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HMDX Audio HX-B440 Cube Bluetooth Alarm Clock

Connects wirelessly with smart phones, laptops and most notebooks,
Full-Function dual alarm clock with snooze, nap, and gradual wake feature,
Digital FM Radio, USB port for charging your devices, Clock syncs with time on apple device

I've owned this alarm clock for over a month. It's too late for a return now, but I've thought many times about just putting in the kitchen as a remote speaker instead of using it as an alarm clock.

First the good parts:

* Bluetooth: This is great. I can put my phone or tablet anywhere in the room and have the music come through the speaker on the alarm clock.

* USB charging port: I love that I can plug my phone in on my desk at night without any other device needing to be available. I can charge my phone every night and don't have to think about it.

* Display: I love the big numbers and the quiet light. You can adjust the display level from super bright to super dim. I believe there are 4 light levels that can be chosen, and you can choose to have the nightlight or not. If the nightlight is on it reflects the same level as the display. I chose to have it off.

* FM Reception: This gets much better reception than my previous clock.

Second the "meh" parts:

* The speakers are not bad for alarm clock speakers... but they are still obviously alarm clock speakers.

* The tuning and volume nobs could use an indentation to make them easier to turn. As they are you can't comfortably push to turn, but there's not quite enough to grasp to turn either. They aren't horrible, but they could be better.

* If you want to snooze, and you hit the snooze button then you are good to go. If you miss and hit some other button then the alarm turns OFF. I haven't missed yet, but I can see how this might be a problem on a very early, groggy morning.

Finally the bad parts:

* Auto time set just didn't work, and not just because of a time zone. It could be because I have it running through a surge protector or something, but the minutes portion wasn't even close, whereas if it was a time zone issue the minutes would have at least been correct.

* Gentle wake just doesn't work. It's supposed to slowly get louder over the course of 2 minutes so you are gently awakened. The first morning I expected to be soothed awake (is that possible?) with gentle music or talking from my selected FM station. It was about 4 seconds and this thing was blaring. I have tested it when awake to be sure I wasn't so soothed I slept through the quiet part. It is literally around 4 seconds before it's so loud you are ready to just kill it. I would even be ok with that if I could set the maximum volume level, but it disregards any volume level you have set and just starts yelling. I guess as an alarm clock it works because I find that I'm so worried about waking my wife that I regularly wake 10-15 minutes before the alarm goes off and lay in bed waiting for it to go off so I can get to it quickly.

* Customer support. I emailed them regarding the volume and the gentle wake feature. This was several weeks ago and I have not heard back from them. I don't suspect I ever will.

I've used this with Nexus 10, Nexus 7, and Nexus 4 devices without any issues.

0 stars because of the wake feature. The main function should be the alarm since it's an ALARM CLOCK, and I consider it broken. I give it one star for the bluetooth, and one star for the USB charging port.

Buy HMDX Audio HX-B440 Cube Bluetooth Alarm Clock Now

The HMDX Audio HX Cube is a bluetooth enabled alarm clock. Your bluetooth music device will sync with the system and you can play your music through it. Out of the box, it contains a completely self-contained system with a power cord and antennae cord.

As soon as I opened it up, I tested out the syncing capability. I used my iPhone 4S to sync to it. It was extremely simple and straight-forward and found my phone in under a minute. Once it was synced, I could hit "play" on my phone, and it streamed directly to the clock. It says it has a 30' range, but that is a clear range, meaning no thick walls between your device and the unit. At 20' (the most clear distance we had) and around a corner, it responded instantly.

Sound-wise, I thought it was pretty good for a "clock radio". It is certainly not as good as some of the higher end direct sync systems, but it isn't bad, by any stretch. I know another reviewer had trouble with the radio part, but for me, the radio feature worked fine. I do live just outside a big city and get a lot of power from my local radio stations, so I don't know if that is a factor.

Other features: It has a USB port on the back, making it able to charge multiple types of devices. As we are pretty much i____ people, we use it to charge our iPhones and iPods. I like having the USB plug in the back, as that way I can charge whatever I want, as long as it connects with a USB cord (it doesn't have to be a bluetooth device). The USB port does not sync the phone, so it is only a charger. There is also an audio port on the back where you can hook up any non-bluetooth devices. The sound quality through that port is not as good as the bluetooth connection (weird), but it may be the quality of the cable (included). I haven't tried other cables, so I can't comment.

Clock: As a clock, it is like most other clocks in its features (alarm, snooze). I do like that the alarm settings can be set different for the weekday, weekends or all week, for those of us who have different weekend and weekday schedules. It will sync to the correct time when you use Bluetooth, which I like. It is bright (bright!), but I don't have it near my bed, so it doesn't bother me. It also comes with this cool "undercarriage" light that will light up the bottom of the clock. Not sure what it is for, but it looks really neat in the dark.

Overall, I was satisfied with the product. I wasn't expecting great sound quality, but for a clock radio, it was better than average. The only drawback is the price, as it seems a bit pricy for what it is. I own a Sony clock and iProduct docking station that cost more, but it had huge speakers and wasn't as good in terms of its clock features. The sound from the Sony is much better, but then there is no bluetooth capabilities. So, overall, it is a trade-off, but I still am enjoying this bluetooth alarm clock.

Read Best Reviews of HMDX Audio HX-B440 Cube Bluetooth Alarm Clock Here

You can buy this radio for $39.00 at bed bath and beyond. Just purchased mine and it works fine. Good buy

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I honestly couldn't find a single good thing to say about this clock. Ok, it has a nightlight on the bottom.

The biggest problem we ran into was the fact that the controls frequently and completely locked up on multiple occasions. Unplugging it didn't reset it, but unscrewing the cover and removing the button sized backup battery did. For a few days, then it would lock up again.

The last straw was when the clock went off this morning in my kid's room -woke up my daughter and my grandson in the adjacent room. At 5:45AM. The clock froze and wouldn't go into snooze or off.

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Product is good as far as its specification goes.

It has a straight, clear, design.

And that is the end of the "good" part of it.

Display stopped working after 2 weeks of use. It just went dead, which makes the alarm clock totally useless.

Venturer KLV3915 15.4-Inch Undercabinet Kitchen LCD TV/DVD Combo

15.4-inch undercabinet LCD TV/DVD combo
Flip-up screen flips around and up to save space and protect the screen
DVD player - compatible with DVDs, CDs and JPGs; Digital/analog ATSC/NTSC TV tuner
AM/FM radio with digital tuning and station presets
Includes magnetic remote control and under-cabinet mounting hardware

I did my homework on these units. There are not many of these under counter all in one tvs left. So my score is in comparison to what is out there.

Pros

* Big screen this is a nice feature as most units have much smaller screens

* Plays DVDs I have no problems with this feature

* Has good reception All my channels come in fairly good (Cable TV/FM/AM)

* Cheapest of all units with this screen size.

* Magnetic remote for the fridge. I have heard people complain about this feature because it is not strong enough to hold the remote up. I am guessing that is because they have a stainless steel fridge which has less magnetic for the most part in comparison to a standard metal finish.

Cons

* Picture quality is not so great. I think this is because of the slow response time of the screen. I also noticed that the picture was much better when a HD signal was present.

* Selecting presets is difficult. This is by far the biggest issue for me. It is not easy to select your favorite channels. I have also noticed that selecting presets is done differently between the tv and the radio.

* When the timer is on I have not figured out a way to see it count down. So until it goes off you have no idea how much time is left.

* Remote does not make it across the room. I tested it and it goes about 10 feet. In reality how much farther will you view a 15 inch screen from?

* You really need the remote to use this unit. I am sure there is a way to use the buttons on the unit but the remote is much easier. I Wish they would have done preselects on the unit.

Summary

Not a bad unit, but if picture is important to you then this is not the unit for you. I am not sure the other units are any better in fact most of these units look to come from the same design. I assume they have updated the screen for vendors like RCA but not sure. IF you are looking for a simple inexpensive unit that has a big screen then it is not a bad option. I have had the unit for 2 months and no problems yet. We watch the news every day while making dinner.

Buy Venturer KLV3915 15.4-Inch Undercabinet Kitchen LCD TV/DVD Combo Now

Nice big screen. No problems so far and have been using it about 6 weeks. I shopped and this was the best choice I could find for a TV/DVD/CD combo. Sound is loud enough although it could be a little higher fidelity when using as a CD player. It's a trade off worth making to be able to save the space and have a screen you can actually see from more than a foot away. I recommend it.

Read Best Reviews of Venturer KLV3915 15.4-Inch Undercabinet Kitchen LCD TV/DVD Combo Here

this replaced a slightly larger screen my sons insisted on twisting everytime the went to the kitchen table... every 2 or 3 days I'd have to push it back to protect it from falling onto the floor.

The Venturer screen is the largest I've seen. The 270 degree swivel means it can go to either side... even though it turned opposite the way we usually watch it, getting it face on to the table left of the screen as we look at it from the front is no problem.

Picture quality and sound are great. DVD is built in, & works without problem.

I have only 2 even minor issues:

1st... CAUTION when installing... our cabinet was shallow enough there was nearly not enough room to fix it in place... I had to drill a 2nd set of holes 1/2" forward of where the paper template said holes should be drilled, so PUT THE UNIT UP BEFORE YOU DRILL TO MAKE SURE IT FITS!!!

2nd... the remote IR sensor is at the front of the unit... including when the screen is turned left or right. We have at times found it impossible to change the station or volume from where we were sitting... a mirror on the fridge has helped in our case.

All in all, it was a great investment... saves us counter space, is better protected than the set it replaced, & went up without a real hitch of significance.

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This TV worked fine for 8 months and then the screen went out. When I called to discuss the problem I was told the warranty was only for 3 months!

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I researched under-counter TVs for way too long before deciding to go with this TV. For those of you in the same boat, here are my thoughts.

I've had it for 3 or 4 months now. I use it mainly to watch the news while I eat breakfast, and occasionally to show a DVD for the kids while they eat.

Pros

* Large screen. I absolutely 100% recommend getting a screen this size. I was worried it would come too close to the counter top, but this is not the case. It's easily viewed from the side and it rotates in all directions (but gets dark if viewed from a low angle). The HD picture looks great and you can see it without being right up next to it.

* Sound. It gets plenty loud to watch TV while washing dishes. I don't play a lot of music on it, but I have and it sounds fine to me. Obviously not a sound system, but it's better than a drive-thru speaker.

* Size. It has a very slim profile. I had a little trouble with it being slightly bigger than my cupboard is deep, but I was able to put it right up against the wall and it sticks out maybe a half inch.

Meh

* Quality. The screen feels kind of like wimpy plastic, but we don't put it under any stress and it's survived lots of openings and closings so far. My screen had one dead pixel out of the box.

* Installation. The paper screw guide works pretty well, but I'd still get out a tape measure to double check, especially if jamming it in like I did. The plug for the coax cable is indented, so you have room to bend the cord and get it out while flush against the wall, but the power cord is not (bad design), so I had to smash that in to get it as flush against the wall as I could. I get over-the-air HD signal from an attic antenna that I route through my cable-wired house, so I just had to plug into the wall. If you're plugging into a wall coax socket, invest in a right angle adapter (Radio Shack, etc) so your cord doesn't stick way out. I have a small lip on my cupboard, so I used the extenders, and the extra space it gives works out well as a place to put extra lengths of cord and the AM and FM antennas so they aren't in sight.

* Style. This was not my favorite under-counter TV as far as style goes, but it doesn't look bad installed.

Cons

* Remote. The remote is magnetic and sticks very well to my fridge. Unfortunately, the remote is kind of essential (see below) and the TV is not close to the fridge, so that's not so great of a feature. You also have to point right at the front (of the console, not the screen) to get it to work. Not the greatest quality.

* Speed. It takes an annoyingly long time to change channels, like a couple seconds, which means you can't just channel up and down with the console, you have to type in the channel with the remote. (One "pro" in this "con" is that for HD channels you can just type 11 and it will default to 11.1) Switching between functions (TV/DVD/Radio) is also pretty slow, and although the button looks like three buttons, it's only one and you have to cycle through.

For me, this TV has worked out very well and I have no regrets. I agree with the lamentations of others that this market needs to better players, but from what's out there, I would guess this is one of the better ones.

******Edited to add*******

I just got done completely kludging this tv. I've had it for a couple years now, but in the last few months, the hinge has been cracking and breaking when it is opened and closed. Since I mainly use it to watch the news while I eat breakfast, this happened maybe once a day. A few weeks ago it cracked significantly and we had to prop it up with some soup cans. Today the hinge completely broke off, leaving the screen hanging by the wires, and I was forced to use some duct tape to tape the thing back together. It's not pretty, but it works. So in short, if you buy this, be very gentle with the plastic hinge!!

Jensen Docking Station/Alarm Clock/Music System for iPod (Black)

Output: 2 x 3W PMS
Remote Control
AM/FM Stereo Receiver with Digital Tuning
Multi-Function Back-lit LCD Display
Digital Volume Control

I just got this product from amazon.com. It seemed cheaply made. It was also a little difficult to get the settings set to my preferences. The alarm didn't work this morning, so that is still a work in progress. I have been using the radio and the docking station just fine. Bottom line: It is overpriced. If the price dropped to say, $35, then I would be satisfied with my purchase.

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Bought this for my son. It's great. My husband bought one for me which isn't nearly as nice.

Seiko QHR020WLH Advanced Technology R-Wave Desk Clock

Clock works like a charm. Seiko is a brand I've trusted for years owning countless of watches. The clock is solidly build and the atomic signal did set the time correctly within 24 hours.

Got this for my 96 year old mother-in-law, she loves it. Easy to set-up and very good looking in any type of decor.

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Does everything as seen in picture and seems to be very accurate. Has all the functions that I wanted like temp and humidity.

Read Best Reviews of Seiko QHR020WLH Advanced Technology R-Wave Desk Clock Here

Just install batteries, set time zone, push set button and ten minutes later right time and date. Live where we always lose power so this is great to keep right time.

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COBY MP828-8GBLK 8 GB 2.8" TOUCHSCREEN MP3/MP4 PLAYER WITH SPEAKER & CAMERA - MP828-8GBLK

This MP3 player is a nifty looking little thing but it is not compatible with Rhapsody! I bought this as a gift for a special needs relative who uses Rhapsody exclusively and was so disappointed when they couldn't use it for that. I since replaced it with one that is compatible & if I still had my shipping info I would return it. I just assumed it would work!

Buy COBY MP828-8GBLK 8 GB 2.8" TOUCHSCREEN MP3/MP4 PLAYER WITH SPEAKER & CAMERA - MP828-8GBLK Now

We bought this MP3 player for our 9 year old son and it woris fine for him. I didnt want an expensive one that would matter if he lost it, but I also didnt want one that was so cheap that it would break or not work. This one was reasonable priced and works great for him, it is easy to use and understand. He loves to play with the camera and video player. I would recommend it for someone who isnt looking for the world within an MP3 player.

Read Best Reviews of COBY MP828-8GBLK 8 GB 2.8" TOUCHSCREEN MP3/MP4 PLAYER WITH SPEAKER & CAMERA - MP828-8GBLK Here

This Mp3/Mp4 player feels and looks very cheap. The quality is terrible and the touchscreen is ridiculously unresponsive at times! You have to press very hard sometimes, and even then it won't do what you want it to do. I highly recommend getting an iPod instead, it will cost much more but it is definitely worth it. This is a piece of JUNK!!!! The camera takes the worst pictures ever, and the video quality is not much better. When Coby describes it on there website they make it sound so Awesome, but really this player isn't worth 5 dollars! The built-in speaker is worthless it is so quiet that you can barely here it. I had to buy a separate pare of speakers. Do not buy this, it looks like it is good but it's a lie! Don't make the same mistake I made!

shark SHKLXMT723 Waterproof Motorcycle FM radio / AMP / AUX IN AUDIO OUT CLOCK

Built-in FM radio, Radio Frequency range 87.5--108MHz
Dot Matrix LCD FM frequency display
Built-in 2x15W amplifier
RMS power @8 15WX2
Frequency response 20Hz-20kHz

Great unit for the money, works as described, simple to hook up. shipping was fast, I would buy again if I needed one.

Buy shark SHKLXMT723 Waterproof Motorcycle FM radio / AMP / AUX IN AUDIO OUT CLOCK Now

I brought the radio, received it. Nothing telling me how or what to use to mount it. Don't think wireties would look to kool. I saw it on another bike and it look real good but didn't take time to see how it was mounted.

Produce Name:shark SHKLYMT723 Waterproof Motorcycle FM radio/AMP?AUX IN AUDIO OUT CLOCK.

Memorex Mi4390BLK Clock Radio for iPod

Supports most iPhone and iPod models with Universal Dock Connector
Play and charge most docking iPod models, or listen to FM radio
Wake to your iPod, radio, or buzzer with a gradual alarm volume increase
Battery backup (two AAA batteries, not included) protects against power outages
Line-in jack for connecting non-docking iPods, MP3 and CD players, and other devices

Ok, I bought this from a local store, but I wanted to review it here to hopefully help someone else.

I needed the following....

1. Ipod connection

2. Ability to turn all lights off on the clock

3. Ability to listen to the ipod to go to sleep (in this case, white noise) and then have it switch to the buzzer alarm.

4. I needed a radio.

This does all that, and looks really nice! I need my room as dark as possible, and so this was awesome for that. Also, I sleep with a white noise machine, but I wanted to get rid of it, and just have an alarm clock on my night stand for a clean look. I also wasn't a fan of the white noise that the machines made (i swear i heard voices in it). I was able to make my own on my computer and put it on my ipod as a playlist, so it plays all night. Then, when the buzzer alarm goes off, it shuts down the ipod and turns on the buzzer alarm.

Also, I can listen to the radio before going to bed, which is very nice.

Keep in mind, this is not some booming ipod radio and the sound quality is so-so, but for what I need, it was either this, or some $75-$100 iHome...

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I love this little Clock Radio for the IPOD.

It sounds wonderful.

Even though it's a small, the sound it gives off when I use my IPOD is pretty LOUD. I was looking for a clock radio to connect with my IPOD and came across this one and I'm so happy I did.

The radio is only FM station ( no AM staion)

The clock numbers are a soft blue color which you can dim really low if the blue color bothers you.

You can wake up to the alarm clock, radio or your IPOD.

Everything is very easy to set up.

It's perfect!!!

For the price it's a steal.

Read Best Reviews of Memorex Mi4390BLK Clock Radio for iPod Here

I needed a clock/radio for our baby's room that could use my iPod Nano that I had bought in 2008 (but was quickly replaced by my Iphone). It comes with a remote that does basic functions (off/on, play, pause, next, previous, etc.)

I thought the sound quality was 3.5 out of 5 stars. I didn't expect much for the price, but I was generally surprised at sound.

Because the remote is limited you'll need to select your playlist, artist, etc. on the iPod's menu's first, then you can use the remote to toggle between the next song or previous.

Overall, this clock fit my needs perfectly.

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I just received my Memorex Mi4390BLK. My comments about it as follow: Just few words to describe it; easy to set it up, digital clock with big numbers. Easily you can turn display off at nights, nice remote control and sounds good on fm radio and ipod.

I just dissapointed when i tried to hear my ipod touch 3rd Gen, after it was plugged there wasn`t charge and sound. After that I realized that Memorex alarm only works on ipod classic and ipod nano old generations.

The price is one of the best options.

Buy one so you won`t dissapointed

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Works well easy to set time (although I did have to look at the directions briefly). Sound quality from iPod is good; only have to have the volume on 3 or 4 to hear it well. Imagine that it could get quite loud. Connects to my 30G first-generation iPod video easily, charges it quickly. The blue backlight is quite bright at night, but can be turned off completely. Alarm works well, although you can't listen to your iPod before you go to sleep and then have it wake you up to a different playlist have to set the playlist you want to wake you before you go to bed. Makes a slight high-pitched humming noise when you put your ear up to it in complete silence, but nothing that would ever bother me and my hearing is fairly good. Haven't gotten a chance to use the radio yet. A good, solid iPod clock radio, and nice and small as well.

The Sharper Image EC-B100 Sound Soother Alarm Clock

Enjoy 20 digital soothing sounds for relaxation
Extra large display with full sound titles
Dual alarm, auto-off timer and convenient automatic time reset after power failure
Choice of two alarm wake modes: Soothing Sounds or Beep Tone
Elegant design is beautiful in any room decor
Features: Dual alarm, auto-off timer and convenient automatic time reset after power failure and daylight savings time

The Sharper Image Sound Soother has a very sleek and modern design, however, there are a few flaws that detract from the overall experience.

First, the digital display is very bright in a dark bedroom. Unlike a regular, cheap alarm clock where only the time is lit, the entire display of the Sound Soother is backlit. If your bedroom has little ambient light at night, this display will emit a glow that some people may find too bright. Although there are three display brightness settings, there is little difference between them and the lowest setting is still bright. We have to turn the clock away from the bed at night so it's not directly in our face, but the glow is still significant.

Second, the sound quality could be better. This could be a tradeoff for the sleek design, but the sounds are not very natural coming out of the small rear speakers and are a bit tinny as another reviewer has noted. The volume control is not very good either, as the difference between the first, second, third, etc. volume selections are very noticeable. In other words, 1 is too soft for some sounds, but 2 is way too loud. The audio loop on some of the sounds is too short as well, and if you are concentrating on the sound you may be able to detect the pattern, which can be distracting as you are trying to fall asleep. Also, the control buttons themselves make a very loud and abrasive "click" sound when you push them, which seems odd for a machine designed to relax you.

Overall, the Sound Soother is a decent alarm clock that gets the job done, but it could definitely be improved (display too bright, audio quality is lacking, and buttons take away from the overall experience). Although it is made by Sharper Image, it has a somewhat "cheap" feeling to it. Despite the flaws, it is one of the better sound machine/alarm clock I came across that was less than $50.

Buy The Sharper Image EC-B100 Sound Soother Alarm Clock Now

Found this sound soother at QVC for $36.50. I hated waking up to a loud "give-me-a-heart-attack" buzzers on regular alarm clocks and was hunting for a more soothing wake-up call. The beep on this clock is ok not near as screeching as some other clocks I've tried. The sound system and its many nature sound options are great. I don't know why other buyers complain about the quality of the sounds, they must miss their big ole stereo system or something, its just a clock people duh! I love the rainforest sound and the summer night as well as the oceanside waves. I chose most often to set the alarm to the foghorn, its a nice soft realistic sound of boats in the harbor. If you're a deep sleeper, the beep probably would be better to use. I found the manual for this too sparse on instructions. There was no instructions on how to set either the beep or the sound option, by accident I found out how. The luminous figures are not too bright, good grief I can't believe other buyers complained about that too. It's like having a very, very, low night light on not too bright at all. I am pleased with having bought this item, I like the fact it has battery back up. Only down side for me was that it was made in China, would have preferred finding an alternative made in USA.

Read Best Reviews of The Sharper Image EC-B100 Sound Soother Alarm Clock Here

I had high hopes for this thinking it was similar to a clock I saw a few years ago and can't seem to find now. Those of you who are light sleepers will appreciate the sound library. The digital recordings have long loops and sound pretty good, but the speakers are on the tinny side. I like to sleep with a surf sound and that is decent. The problem is the alarm (which wasn't even covered in my manual). The alarm allows you to wake with either a beeper or a sound. The problem is if you sleep with a sound playing, that is the same one used for the alarm so it doesn't quite work! I was hoping you could set different sounds for the alarms. The clock I saw a few years ago allowed you to listen to surf but the alarm added in foghorns or other related sounds. That was pretty cool! If anyone knows what clock I am talking about, please let me know. Don't be too disappointed if the Sound Soother isn't available on Amazon. It is available at Best Buy for the same price.

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I've been a Sharper Image fan for some time, due in large part, to their Sound Soother products. After having bought two (2) of these EC-B100 products, my total Sound Soothers number six. I've had expensive woodgrain, modern, portables, and now these and I've put them through many miles of travel and years of daily use.

So why on earth is their so much bashing about this product? It's unclear to me. Specifically:

1. I found these units to be plenty variable with respect to their contrast and light emission. In no way are they distracting from my sleep and I am an extremely light sleeper. In fact, I have two EX-B100s on both sides of my and my wife's king side bed. True, they are dimmed all the way, but we both sleep just fine. There is plenty of room for increasing the brightness; however, it's just not necessary.

2. To those other buyers who complained that the soothing is so loud that it keeps them awake, all I can report is the following: Either there is tremendous user/operational errors or Sharper Image responded by provided more than 8 variable sound levels ranging from super quiet to yes very loud.

3. Not that this unit is without fault....mind you, I'm picky only after having had many other Sound Soother units. To begin with, I really miss having an auxiliary sound input (for either CD, iPod, etc.). I also miss having an AM/FM radio in the unit....something that most clock radios include. Finally, the stereo separation isn't as good as it gets with older units....however...to the users who complained that the sample loops were highly discernable in a distracting way, please be advised: I am an audio engineer by trade and get paid to create loops all day long. I simply can't distinguish the, on this unit...and I know that you will like the quality.

Lest you think that I'm an employee for the Sharper Image....rest assured, I am not.

Just simply a satisfied customer who every now and then enjoys standing up for a great company and successful product line.

I read reviews of this clock for a while before purchasing it. Two things worried me complaints that the sound has only 2 settings (very loud or very soft) and that the backlight was too bright.

The version of the clock I got has 5 volume settings and it's a good range. The lowest is very quiet, but a setting of 2 or 3 is quite nice. The sound quality isn't awesome, but it's not bad.

The backlight, however, is too bright, even on the lowest setting. It was like having a pretty bright nightlight on the table. Since the clock had everything else I was looking for, I hoped to fix this. I took the clock apart (removing 5 screws on the back. The display is a circuit board with 3 LEDs on either side. They angle toward the window for the display. I removed the circuit board and bent the LEDs out so they face the inside edge of the clock. I then reassembled it (it's critical to screw the circuit board back in VERY TIGHTLY since this pressure contact runs the display) and the light is *perfect*. I can see it at night, but there is no glowing light, and I can read it fine during the day.

I know it's an annoying fix, but for me it was worth it to have the dual alarms and nice set of sounds to wake up to.

Dish Network TR40CRA

Easy to connect
Analog pass-through
On-Screen program guide
Eligible for $40 off with government coupon

After doing a lot of research, I decided to wait for this converter before getting my coupons. I recommend it, but it does have its drawbacks.

The Pros

1) I'm getting 22 crystal clear channels now, compared to 3 clear and 7 fuzzy analog stations I was getting before.

2) The Guide, presents you with a grid that you can page through to see whats on.

3) The Search presents you with a chronological list of what's on, and can be filtered by spelling part of the name. And then you can SAVE your searches for future use. For example FOOTBALL can be saved and reused every Saturday.

4) The Browse feature, is great when you are watching something, but would really like to see what else is on, or what's going to be on next. This lets you explore other channels and other time slots, while not missing the dialog of the current show. I use this feature when I want to explore during commercials and don't want to miss out when the show resumes.

5) The event timer is great, because I go through the list of shows and have the unit change all my channels automatically after I planned my viewing for the day. You can set up an event timer while using the guide, search or browse function.

6) One of my favorite features is I can rename the channels, so I can call the stations ABC, NBC, CBS, PBS, CW instead of the number and call letters, which is great because I travel a lot and can never remember the channels.

7) These boxes can be controlled with Echostar and Dish codes for universal remotes, which is good because there is no way to control this box without a remote. No Power, +Channel, no menus.... .

The Cons:

1) Tech support isn't too sharp. I've had 3 problems and tech support couldn't solve any of them, and didn't give me any usable guidance.

2) I had the clock time wrong which was really annoying because it kept showing me the information for the previous show when changing channels. This also screwed up the event timer. It wouldn't work because the time was wrong. There is no way to correct the time through any menu options. I called tech support 2 times and both techs kept telling me that the time was picked up from the individual channels. Well how could ALL OF THEM be 20 minutes behind. Finally I reinstalled the unit, and the time self corrected on ALL the channels. It appears the long power outage that we had screwed up the clock.

3) I have several of these units under the TR40CRa and DTVPal label, but on one, the remote isn't working well for me, sometimes only changing channels when the remote is held 2 inches in front of the box. I changed the batteries out and I swapped out the remote. Neither action helped. The only way to correct this, is to unplug the unit and then plug it back in, sometimes several times until the unit until the green light goes out and stays out. I'm thinking that this happens anytime there is any stress put on the cords, but I can't cause it to happen on purpose, so it might be caused by some download going on in the background. Its really annoying when it happens.

4) This unit REQUIRES A REMOTE, there is no way to operate it without a remote. If your prone to misplacing your remote you will have a real problem because after february 2009, you won't be able to fall back to analog if your remote goes missing!!

Buy Dish Network TR40CRA Now

This is the best digital to analog converter box available. I have tried the RCA model, the ZENITH model which is also the same as the insignia model and this one is the best. Why? As far as reception, they all worked the same for me. But when you hit the guide button, the other models show 1 or 2 shows ahead but the guide on the TR-40 converter shows a huge guide hours ahead. Its the same guide you would see on your cable or satellite receiver. Since this converter is made by Dishnetwork, I'm guessing they are using the satellite program guide, but it is worlds ahead of any other converter. The TR-40 is also very small , half the size of the other converters and does not get hot when left on 24hrs. Don't waste your time with the other converters, this is the one to buy. I used my goverment coupons on 2 of these and sent the RCA and Zenith models back ....

Read Best Reviews of Dish Network TR40CRA Here

This is an excellent box with a better Channel Guide than almost all other converters. I got it yesterday and have worked on getting my ancient rabbit ears w/ UHF loop to work ever since. No luck. Tonight I bought a Radio Shack 15-1878 indoor amplified antenna 35$ just to see what it would do before I bought an outdoor UHF antenna and it works like a champ. Keep it in mind if yours doesn't work well enough.

IMPORTANT: Move this converter box as far away from your antenna as possible if the antenna is indoors. My signal went from an unwatchable 63 with the antenna base sitting on top of the converter which was on the TV, to 88-90 with the antenna still on the TV and the converter three feet+ away on the counter. Second trick not in the manual, if you want to delete a channel from the ones it finds (maybe not your language, etc.), the DELETE button in the list is grayed out and you can't choose it. The trick is to highlight the channel and press SELECT. That puts a check in the tiny, nearly invisible box on the left. NOW the DELETE button is available! One last thing. Any static you see is the result of your cables right by the TV, not interference. There is no interference on digital TV so the signal's clean when it leaves the converter box. Get your power cords away from your coax cables and do not tie your coax cables into coils. You'll have static. Stretch them out straight and use all available cable length to move this box away from your indoor antenna. Your signal will shoot up.

The supplied remote is very powerful. It works when pointed anywhere in the room, even the opposite direction. They give you batteries and a coax cable in the box so you don't have to buy anything else to get going, except an outlet splitter because you'll plug in three things; TV, antenna's amplifier, and converter. The converter comes with yet another plug-in transformer and a 4' or 5' cord. The picture is crystal clear on my little TV (once I moved the power cord and uncoiled the coax) on all channels that have any signal at all. That was far from the case when I was using the ancient rabbit ears. Another of its very useful features not on many other boxes is the ability to see numerical signal strength while you adjust the antenna. I bought two of these things and am glad I did. Very nice.

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I got this converter box simply because I liked the price. I found it online for free plus shipping, after my government coupon discount. I wasn't expecting it to be much, but I was pleasantly surprised.

Set-up was easy. Instructions were clear and within minutes I was up and running with all my local channels memorized.

Pros:

The picture quality is very good.

The remote is very much like a Dish remote. If you have used a Dish remote before, it will be a no-brainer.

The codes the the remote uses are the same as Dish satellite receiver codes, so if your TV remote can operate a Dish receiver, it will be able to operate this converter box.

Small size. This box is tiny. It really is the size of a paperback book!

Aspect ratio You can choose aspect ratio to make 4:3 images fit your 4:3 TV when they are being broadcast on a 16:9 channel. It does this automatically for channels being broadcast in 4:3.

Program Guide How well your local broadcasters keep their program info up to date is how well the program guide will populate. Mine do a good job for the most part so the guide is very useful for me. You get to see a full grid of what's on now and into the future on all channels, much like Dish service.

Event Timer If you wish to view or record a show with your VCR, you can just click on a show in the guide and set a timer event. A little green "clock" icon on the individual program in the guide will remind you of what programs you've chosen to record.

Event Search You can search using key words or partial words to find programs within the guide. You can set it to look in the program title, description or both. Your remote's numerical keypad works much like a cell phone keypad, so you can type A, B or C by hitting 2 one, two or three times. This is faster than using the onscreen keyboard.

Manual Channel Search You can scan the frequencies one by one and see if there is anything being broadcast in your area that was not picked up in the initial scan. Using this method, you can pick up a weak signal, tell the TR40 to scan it, and the TR40 will display the station ID if available. Also the frequency will be displayed. Perfect for those who like to attempt to get far off stations.

Cons I know, I gave it 5 stars, but I rounded up from 4.5...

I would like the guide better if it displayed the lower channel numbers at the top the list, rather than the bottom. It seems to make more sense that way.

I think it should offer support for 16:9 TV's. Some people may be buying it for a DVD recorder hooked to a 16:9 TV. Also, it's worth the purchase price just for the guide alone.

Takes a few moments to display a picture sometimes since it needs to download new guide info off the air.

Pros: Easy Setup, Pass Through optionOn or Off, Two output options-Composite or Coaxial, menu options are intuitive, Event Timer programming capability

Cons: No buttons on the front panel, Tech Support, no component cable, and remote a little bulky

Summary: Tech Support Request your Social Security number to set up an account to talk to you. They will not be accomadating in using another number besides your Social Security number as an ID number.

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