Belkin TuneCast II Mobile FM Transmitter £5.95 @ Zavvi
August 14, 2009 by Technorati Search for: mp3 players · Leave a Comment
Belkin TuneCast II Mobile FM Transmitter only £5.00 + Free Delivery @ The Hut
June 26, 2009 by Technorati Search for: mp3 players · Leave a Comment
Sony Bluetooth Wireless Transmitter for iPod Black
June 20, 2009 by Mp3 Players Review · Leave a Comment
Sony Bluetooth Wireless Transmitter for iPod Black
This convenient transmitter lets you enjoy your iPod music wirelessly on a compatible Bluetooth sound system. It doesn’t use a battery, and draws minimal power from the iPod. Basic functions can be controlled from a compatible Bluetooth headset with AVRCP compatibility. The compact size and simple operation make the TMR-BT8IP transmitter a must-have accessory for true music lovers. It is designed for any iPod with dock connector (30-pin).
User Ratings and Reviews
5 Stars MP3 bluetooth transmitter solution to Home stereo audio receiver
I bought this and “Sony Portable Bluetooth Transmitter/Receiver HWSBTA2W”. This allows me to tranmit audio from my iPod and receive using the HWSBTA2W connected to my home audio receiver. So, you can sit anywhere in the room and listen to your iPod on your home stereo. This is not a good solution if you want to transmit from one room to another room. It is excellent if you want to transmit from one room to the same room. Sound is excellent. Also, the transmitter is powered by the iPod which is very handy. Another consideration is that the transmitter uses the iPod’s line-out, so you do not control the Volume from the ipod.
Also, you could just buy 2 of the HWSBTA2W’s set one as a transmitter and one as a receiver. Use the one that is transmitting to tranmsit audio from anything with a Headphone jack (computer, ipod, mp3 players, etc). However, this device requires power from a wall jack as there is no battery. Sound quality is excellent.
5 Stars Excellent add-on for ipod touch 2g
I really don’t understand why Apple hasn’t built in the features that this tiny accessory brings to the ipod touch 2g… I use it with my DRBT-21G Sony BT stereo headphones and am as happy as can be. Set up is trivial and the quality is great.
5 Stars Great product for an unforortunate iPhone shortcoming
A year ago I picked up a Jabra BT8010 headset. This is your basic bluetooth headset, except you have the option of plugging in a second speaker for stereo music use. I used it with a Windows Mobile phone and loved the headset, but hated the phone.
My new iPhones lack of bluetooth stereo headphone support really ticked me off. It’s dumb, the phone already has a bluetooth radio, I wasn’t excited about spending money on adding a dongle to my phone. If I had to, I wanted the best and this Sony unit appeared to be it.
And… it works exactly as advertised! Mostly. Sound quality is perfect, pairing is fast and easy, it appears to have very little impact on battery life, and playback starts very quickly (virtually no buffering).
I expected certain hickups with the iPhone though (this adapter was really intended only for ipods). So what are those kickups? When first plugging in this adaptor you get a warning about it not being designed for iPhone use. It suggests putting your iPhone into flight mode… just click no to this dialog box. Using this adapter while also using WiFi is a no-go. Wifi signal drops to almost nothing the moment the music starts streaming (however this doesn’t happen with the Edge data network). My headset allows pairing with two devices, which is good since the iPhone and Adaptor will take up both slots. It switches rather smoothly from music to a call and back. However I’ve found if I want to use the bluetooth adaptor with any other software (pandora, last.fm, tuner, etc) that I have to start and stop the native iPod app first.
This adaptor is fricken TINY. That’s a good thing when using it, but I’m not looking forward to the first time I misplace it.
I sure as heck wish I could charge the phone at the same time I’m using the adapter.
Overall, this Sony adapter does exactly what it was designed to do, and darn near perfectly. But it sure would be nice if Apple would get with the program and add the one feature to their phone that nearly every smart phone offers as a standard.
1 Star Sony Bluetooth Wirelessdoes not work with iPhone
This Sony Bluetooth Wirelessdoes not work with iPhone and this is not stated in their product brochure.
5 Stars Finally Bluetooth for iPhone
This finally allows bluethooth music streaming from the iPhone.
The iPhone complains that it is not a ‘real’ iPhone device, but after pairing it with my Motorola S9, music worked great. Getting it to allow phone calls via the same headset is a bit trickier, but works too.
First pair your stereo headset with the iphone. Then pair it with the wireless transmitter. Then go back to the iphone and pair again. Now you should have both music and phone capabilities in one headset. It works for me, but I don’t know if other stereo headsets will work.
Biggest disadvantage is that the transmitter is really easy to loose.
Otherwise great, although Apple should provide music streaming capabilities with the iPhone.
Scosche UBRH Bluetooth Hands Free Car Kit
May 13, 2009 by Mp3 Players Review · Leave a Comment
Scosche UBRH Bluetooth Hands Free Car Kit
universal Bluetooth receiver with “hands-free” cell phone compatibility for home or car use * receiver module connects to your home stereo and delivers up to 30′ of wireless roaming distance * “hands-free” microphone included * home power adapter included * Bluetooth 1.2 compliant * RCA audio cable included *
User Ratings and Reviews
2 Stars great concept, poor reception.
PRO: Easy to connect. Small.
CON: Poor reception. Average audio quality.
VERDICT: works good if the transmitter within couple of ft. Otherwise is useless.
NOTES: Used as connection to home stereo.
Works good within 4ft radius. If you go further than that – expect interference. Strange thing is, that when you stand or move between your transmitter and this receiver – you get interference.
even though I got it for $20 from Ebay, it’s barely worth it.
4 Stars Works great for me!
I don’t why the other two reviewers are having problems but this works great for me and the audio quality is excellent. The only problems I have with this is when I don’t sync my phone to my bluetooth handsfree kit.
1 Star Doesn’t play nice with wifi
I bought this item and found out it doesn’t play nice with wifi. My phone, a Samsung A717, connected fine and played music. My phone does have EDP. I was unable to control the volume, and the sound “skipped” a lot. The it cut out entirely, and any attempt to reconnect failed. I have to power cycle the device, and the I can reconnect and get a few more minutes of music.
Not recommended.
Does not play nice with Wifi.
5 Stars Works and sounds wonderful with Panasonic 50″ Plasma HDTV
I like to watch Youtube, Yahoo Video, TVU Networks and few other internet video programs on the big screen TV. I run a 50+ feet VGA extension cable for the video from Lenovo laptop. I came across this Bluetooth receiver for its AD2P Streaming stereo audio capability. Although I have read those not-so-positive previous reviews here but after visiting Scosche’s website, I realized the company seems very good at making the Bluetooth accessories so I ordered it anyway from a Marketplace store to give it a try.
After connecting this receiver to TV’s PC stereo audio-in jack and switch it on, a few seconds later the blue power LED next to the switch start blinking/flashing, means searching for Bluetooth transmitter according to the well-written instructions.
On that 1-year old Lenovo 3000 N100 laptop, running Win/XP, with built-in Bluetooth capability, My Bluetooch Place can “view” this device in range, with name as “SCOSCHE”. I choose to connect option to be a stereo headphone, without the mic. Voila, the sound stop coming out from the laptop, but from the speakers on the TV. The blue power LED becomes solid. The sound coming out from the TV seems as good as if through the stereo headphone. The Plasma TV now shows 1024×768 Standard 4:3 program with stereo sound very nicely.
I can also easily connect Motorola RAZR V3xx to the receiver and play the MP3 music and ring-tones through it to the home audio system.
To be quite honest, the sound did not come out from the TV just like that on the first attempt. However, I don’t think its the problem/issue of this wonderful Bluetooth receiver, but on the laptop and Win/XP to establish the connection.
In my opinion, to make this unit work, people have to read and follow through the installation instructions carefully. One more note, if there is a cordless phone near the receiver, when the phone ring, the ring-tone might come out from the TV too.
2 Stars Does not automatically re-pair to my Blackberry 8100
I bought this because I wanted a BT speakerphone that turned on and off with my car. I previously used a Motorola T305 that had to be manually turned on when entering the car, and wanted something automatic.
The Scosche unit turns on automatically, but takes a long time to turn on after power is applied (even with the AC adaptor in-home) and does not reconnect automatically to my Blackberry 8100. I must navigate to the Blackberry’s Bluetooth menu, select “SCOSCHE” and re-connect manually. Every other Bluetooth device I’ve used with my Blackberry (several models of ear-headsets, the aforementioned T305 speaker-phone, and a Parrot speaker-phone, all re-pair automatically within SECONDS of being powered up.
What a disappointment.
Zune Home AV Pack v2
May 6, 2009 by Mp3 Players Review · Leave a Comment
The Zune Home A/V Pack gives you everything you need to amplify your Zune through your home stereo. With the wireless remote you can control the experience from anywhere in the room. The wireless remote gives you full access to your Zune device from anywhere in the room. The Zune Dock includes a longer cable to accommodate your home setup, and the Zune AC adapter is optimized to fit into most power strips by taking up less room. Zune 30GB and Zune 80GB have the ability to use your TV as a display for viewing photos and video. Just plug the included composite AV output cable into your TV. Component output for Zune 80GB
User Ratings and Reviews
4 Stars Great For Charging Zune
If you want to fully enjoy your zune, you have to get this pack. The only way to always have wireless on when your on the go is to always charge it before leaving the house. Whenever I get home I just plug my zune right into the home dock. A lot of people who have zunes say that the wireless functions drain the battery too much, but if you have a home dock, this eliminates that problem.
Pros
-keeps zune chargedn no doubt
-nice to plug into your tv or entertainment system to listen or watch the stuff on your zune.
Cons
-the remote control for the home dock is too rigid for my tastes
-if you want your zune to be in HD, you need to buy component cables too.
2 Stars ok, but could have been better quality
I got this kit free as a prize from a web site.
I already own a first gen 30GB zune and also have the v1 A/K kit as well.
I noticed the quality on this a/v kit was no where near the quality of the last gen.
The remote felt really cheap and was lacking buttons, the dock wasnt that much better, also felt cheap and on top of that there was no place to hold the remote unlike the first gen.
The only plus to the new dock is it has HD cable support for v2+ gen zunes only.
Another plus is the new power plug, its smaller, the actual prongs fold into the adapter for traveling, and its plugs in sideways.
Overall you might be better off getting the first gen a/v kit.
I only used the power pak from this kit and use all the first gen stuff instead after seeing the bad quality.
4 Stars Very Nice Addition
The AV pack is a very nice addition to the zune. I really like mine. The remote has good range. The output to high def is a unexpected feature.
5 Stars Great Product
I bought this because I lost my sync cable and this was on sale for 45% off.
It does everything it says it would, I have it hooked up in my living room and everyday when I get back from work, I just drop my Zune 80 in the dock, and it starts charging and syncing with my computer(assuming the computer is on and has the Zune Software running).
If I’m syncing a large amount of files you can plug this straight into the computer, otherwise it’s hooked up to my tv for its video/audio out feature (great for viewing podcasts/videos/photos)
I’ve had not problems with it, and would even consider buying another for my bedroom.
3 Stars Simply overpriced, even at the Amazon discounted price point.
I have an iPod 80, and as a splurge only would like to buy a second MP3 player, and the obvious choice for my requirements is the new Zune 120. However, the Home A/V Dock v2 Kit is a must have item IF I were to commit to purchase (I’ve ruled out the origin A/V Dock, though I know it can be made to work easily w/ the Zune 120) … The price point of the Home A/V Dock v2 is a deal killer. Exercising restraint, I’ll simply keep toting my iPod between work and home …. if the price point was closer to what I could swallow as fair, I’d buy the Zune 120 w/ the Home A/V Dock v2. Microsoft’s $99 MSRP is outrageous. The Amazon price point is still too high.