Showing posts with label optima car batteries. Show all posts
Showing posts with label optima car batteries. Show all posts

Wednesday, October 15, 2014

Sony Ericsson HCA-60 Installed Handsfree Car Kit Z710i / Z550a / Z525a / Z520a / W950i / W810i / W8

Sony Ericsson HCA-60 Installed Handsfree Car Kit Z710i / Z550a / Z525a / Z520a / W950i / W810i / W800 / W712a / W710i / W610i / W600 / W300i / W200i / W200a / P990i / M600i / K790a / K750 / K550i / K510i / K510a / D750iFor those of us in our automobiles who like to be able to talk on our cellphones handsfree, through the medium of our car's stereo system, this HCA-60 Kit is terrific. When the Kit is installed (which must be done professionally) in tandem with the Sony Ericsson Stereo Music Mute HCE-26, we can place and receive calls easily: the music to which we are listening shuts off whenever we place or receive a call and it returns when the call is completed. Moreover, for those of us who remain concerned about the safety of Bluetooth technology -some researchers believe that the problem of electromagnetic radiation associated with cellphones is not fully alleviated by Bluetooth -having a hard-wired system like this one is the way to go.

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Monday, August 25, 2014

Schumacher SC-600A SpeedCharge High Frequency Battery Charger

Schumacher SC-600A SpeedCharge High Frequency Battery ChargerI purchased the product from Walmart for about $30.00. I purchased it as a compliment to a more powerful but not automatic charger I already have. My main purpose is to keep boat batteries charged during the off season. After reading the instructions and hooking it up it went through the charging and stopping cycles as indicated in the user's manual. All of the indicator lights worked as stated in the manual. So far I have charged two batteries. I hooked them up in the evening, the indicator light showed they were at about 75% charge. By morning they were fully charged and the charging cycle had stopped. According to the user's manual once the charging stops it goes into a maintainance mode where it monitors the battery and when it falls below a pre-set charge, it begins a recharge cycle again. The automatic function is nice because you dont have to worry about over charging. The 6 ft power cord and 6 ft charging cables are convenient because I could charge my boat battery in the garage without having to use an extension chord. I have only charged two batteries but so far, so good.

Schumacher's basic charger 6V or 12V, 2A, 4A & 6A charge rate. Automatic charger that charges, then goes to maintenance mode. Their more expensive chargers have higher charge rates (10A & higher) and additional built-in metering like voltmeter to test state of charge, etc.

I am using it exclusive for my 2 cars in the winter. Went on vacation and returned 6 days later to find the car wouldn't start when the trunk lid (truck light) was left open. With regular below 32 degree weather in the winter in Wash DC, bought this to maintain the 2 car batteries. After jump starting my wife's car, decided to buy this to charge the battery and monitor battery condition (can't leave her stranded or home alone with a dead car battery).

Instructions were simple, but use caution anyway. Charger had approx 6 feet alligator clip cables to connect to battery and keep away from battery (acids, fumes, etc.). With negative-grounded car, attach red clip to positive battery terminal, then black clip to ground (charger must be unplugged from AC). Then plug into AC. Charger has "connection" indicator tyo show a battery is recognized. Then select 6V/12V, then select charge rate (2A or more). When charging, has "charge" indicator light and 3 lights (25%, 50%, 75%) to show progress. When fully charged, 3 progress lights go off and green "charged" indicator lights up and it goes into maitenance mode. Unplug the charger, then disconnect the 2 clips from the battery.

The unit has a five (5) year warranty; very few electrical/electronic devices now have a warranty beyond 1 year. Even the big appliances like washers, dryers, dish washers now come with just 1 year - the manufacturer effectively increased the price by 10% which is about the repair rate for the 3rd to 5th years.

Buy Schumacher SC-600A SpeedCharge High Frequency Battery Charger Now

This little charger works equally well when charging and maintaining both 6 and 12 volt automotive batteries. It's a good choice for maintaining batteries in cars which are driven only on special occasions.

Read Best Reviews of Schumacher SC-600A SpeedCharge High Frequency Battery Charger Here

This charger works perfectly. I have had other chargers over the years and have borrowed chargers from friends and family. The last one I used was from a neighbor and, although it said that the two batteries I tried were charged, they would not crank the car or lawn tractor at all. I put both batteries through a full charge with the Schumacher and both came up trumps. Both the car and lawn tractor fired up immediately. I returned the neighbors charger and have not looked back. It was well worth the price as I would have had to replace both batteries. Highly recommended.

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It can charge both 6V and 12V batteries, with different amp selection. Different from some of the older style charger, this one will automatically shutoff when charge is full. So you can plugin, clamp on, turn on and walk away doing other things. Never worry about overcharge the battery.

It is light weight and great tool to have, if you have a lot of batteries around. We use it to charge and check the batteries for the large UPS power supplies in our office. Properly maintained battery can extend its life so much, worth many times the cost of this charger.

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Friday, August 22, 2014

Milton 1260 Battery-Starter Charging System Tester

Milton 1260 Battery-Starter Charging System TesterI gave this Milton Industries model 1260 Battery Tester the lowest possible rating for three reasons: 1) poor load switching design, 2) poor calibration and, 2) poor Customer Service attitude (which reflects on the Company's attitude).

1) After having this tester for about a week and having tested 7 batteries the load switch failed. Removal and disassembly of this switch (after talking with Milton, see below) revealed that most of the internal plastic supporting material had severely melted. This was a DPST momentary rocker switch. It had no external or internal identification markings. Milton recommended replacement switch p/n: P10-2-1N from Toolsavings of Chicago. This new switch was similar but not exactly the same as the original part. It was identified as made by Arcolectric Corp with a 1551 part number. In Arcolectric's literature (see http://www.arcolectric.com/pdfs/RockerSwitches_199.pdf pp 26 & 27) this switch has a 20 amp at 24vdc rating. With the new switch installed I subsequently used the Tester to measure two different batteries while using a clamp-on DC Amp meter. I measured an average of 120 amps, or 60 amps per switch contact set (IF the load is equally distributed between the two contact sets). Conclusion: At least the replacement Load switch (and probably the original Load switch) is grossly underrated, by a factor of 1/3, for this application. Burnout of this switch is apparently a common occurrence since doing a search for battery testers on Amazon.com strangely also includes a listing for this 1260 switch.

2) I found that the analysis meter reads between 0.4 and 0.5 volts high (at 12.5 vdc when compared with three accurate digital voltmeters). This is an incredible amount of error when proper analysis requires a basic accuracy of 0.1 volt.

3) When I called Milton's Customer Service and said the Load switch quit working the person said "I must of had it on too long", i.e. it was the customer's fault for the problem. For each test I only had the switch on for the literature recommended 10 second test evaluation interval. If the company believes this is wrong then they should correct their written procedures. Additionally, I suggested that they could just send me a new switch since it looked like replacement of the switch would be an easy task, and that it would save us both time and money if I were to do the work. They wouldn't agree to do it that way, that instead I would have to send the unit back to them for warrantee service. Also, I found it interesting that none of the packaging or accompanying literature listed their phone number (toll free or otherwise). I had to find it by doing an internet search. Conclusion: This is not a customer friendly company.

Finally, in all fairness, I must say that I think that parts of the design are very good. The expanded scale meter is quite readable with clearly defined analysis colored areas. Also, the use of a separate set of wires within the two cables to the battery terminal clips is critical for properly measuring true battery voltage.

Dennis Barkley

Ret. Electrical Engineer

I had two Battery testers ,one was my old Snap On that I had for over 30 years , like a fool I sold it in a garage sale because I had bought a new MILTON 1260 tester,well after using the meter 2 times the load switch quit,a disassembly of the switch showed the little plastic contacts MELTED and the switch failed.Its funny that after using my Snap On all of these years Milton is saying that I held the switch on two long. The switch is under rated, a much heavier switch is needed, I will find my own replacement switch and repair it myself.IF I WERE TO DO IT AGAIN I WOULD NOT BUY THIS PRODUCT,IT HAS A VERY POOR LOAD SWITCH.

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Had this tester for 2 years. Used the tester maybe a total of 10 times. After only minimal use the Load Switch failed. When I contacted Milton they we little or No help. Its a useful piece of equipment but rendered usless with a defective Load switch and Milton wanted nothing to do with correcting the problem.

Read Best Reviews of Milton 1260 Battery-Starter Charging System Tester Here

We use them all the time.... Had many over the years and never a problem. The Warranty helped sell also. Very easy to use.

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Thursday, July 31, 2014

Mazda MIATA Battery

Mazda MIATA BatteryI have a 92 Miata and the old Westco died after only 4 years of service. Since this battery is so much cheaper than Westco's now $133 pricetag for something that's made overseas, I figure I'd get this item which is reported to be the same exact unit as the old Westco made by EastPenn Deka with the exact same dimensions. Since mine was the first generation Miata with round vent tubes, the venting outlets should also fit perfectly.

I ordered the item straight from BatteryMart, which uses Google checkout. They also shipped out the package the same day they received my order in the morning. As I need the battery to start my car, it was much appreciated.

However, UPS delivery had a problem since the address was missing my apartment number. I called Batterymart since I was sure I entered the apartment number in the original order (shown in email confirmation), batterymart rep claimed that I would have to pay a $10 fee to correct this error, which I found outrageous (regardless of whose error, since it's really just a simple call to UPS to change the information).

After explaining and verifying that it was something amiss between Batterymart and Google Checkout that they used, the manager was able to "waive" the address-change fee. A bit cynical, I asked for a discount, which the manager named Anthony was nicely able to get (probably through Google) a day later by waiving my shipping charge.

Then the package finally arrived, even though it was delivered to the wrong building (again fault of UPS). The carton looked worryingly small, barely bigger than the battery. Opening it, the suspected problem unraveled: The package was padded by 1/2" of spacer at the top and two longer sides (not four), but the bottom was only padded by a single layer of thin corrugated board with a few crushed shipping foam peanuts. Two corners of the battery was thus damaged, obviously pushed in with creases in the plastic and outer box.

I called UPS to file a damage report, but also contacted BatteryMart via email. I think the damage is as much attributable to UPS as it may be to the woefully inadequate packaging. The battery had been tested to have the proper voltage and appeared functional, though I was not sure if these damages would have repercussions in the long term. I will update if I get a follow-up from the vendor (or not) on replacements or compensation.

Also notable is that the top of the battery doesn't really look like the one in the Amazon photo, which looks exactly the same as the old Deka/Westco battery. The one I received has a slightly different design, arguably looks a bit cheaper with plastic layers instead of an entire block with grooves as the hold-down bar guides; although it's a minor quibble. I also cannot verify from any of the markings that it is indeed made by East Penn (except the shared 81MU1R model number which is also shared with an Autozone wet cell miata battery among others, telling nothing of its true origins).

Nonetheless, it is an AGM as there are no watery slushing noises, or this sort of damage with the package obviously been rolled around would probably have caused a leak already. The hold down clamp in the Miata also fits perfectly over the plastic top pieces. The battery is the exact same size as the old Westco, fitting nicely into the battery tray as well, with some room left over (as Westco is a bit smaller than the original Panasonic AGMs).

I have searched various sources for the proper AGM battery, and most are either much more expensive, or have been replaced by Wet-cell types that are serviceable yet undesirable due to Miata's peculiar battery location in the trunk. It's a pity that if not for the damages, I would have declared this my new source of replacement Miata batteries.

8/20/10

Batterymart responded to my email, less than a day after I dispatched my request. A product specialist named Brad kindly offered to ship me a replacement at no cost, and noted that UPS will probably pick up the damaged package. He also instructed the shipping department to pay extra attention to packaging to avoid damages. I also received a UPS shipment notification, suggesting the package is going out today.

Initially I almost did not expect a reply, much less a positive one, due to the aggressive pricing of the battery itself and that "$10 address-change surcharge" incident. Therefore this level of painless customer service had taken me a bit by surprise. I hope this wraps up nicely, and will update once the replacement arrives.

8/24/10

The replacement battery arrived today. The package is almost 3 times as big as the original that got damaged, suggesting ample padding material. Opening it up, I had to chuckle: the battery was packed to make a point! There was at least 2" of thick corrugated boards protecting the top and bottom, and between 3" and 4" of similar padding by the four sides (see photo). I imagine even the most anal-retentive (e.g. yours truly) would be put at ease with this kind of packing. It would probably survive a drop from a UPS truck while moving!

Needless to say, the battery arrived in perfect condition and tested to be in expected working order. The customer service at Batterymart proved to be responsive and thorough, and promptly righted what could be a messy problem. It's probably a quality most valued from any online vendor, and I appreciated it.

Bought this to replace a 7 year old Mazda battery in my 96 Miata. Battery was the same size and poles are correct. The only minor issue is the Battery vents are round and smaller than the Mazda battery. I had to cut the square ends off of the vent hoses and they fit into the round holes on the Marathon replacement battery. Other than that was a quick replacement and has been working well.

Good replacemnet and cheaper than the dealer.

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According to a number of threads on Miata.net, as well as manufacturer data on other sites, the Marathon MAR-8AM-U1R battery is in fact an Absorption Glass Mat (AGM) battery, NOT a lead-acid type as stated in the description here on Amazon. This also appears to be the same unit sold elsewhere under the Deka brand name, item number 8AMU1R. In any case you can buy with confidence, this is the right battery for your Miata.

Read Best Reviews of Mazda MIATA Battery Here

BatteryMart replacement battery (made by Marathon Batery) was easy to install and took only about 10 minutes.

I cut the original two "rubber" vent tubes at the top of the round tubing where it met the rectangular section which fitted over the rectangular battery vent (I was replacing a Jhonson Control's battery).

The new battery (Marathon) had circular vent holes so the round "rubber" tubes fit perfectly over the battery's vents.

The new battery had the same terminal orientation as the old battery so the cables fit perfectly.

So for $101.95 (including shipping) and 10 minutes installation timeI was very satified with this purchase. The local Miata dealer had quoted me almost $200.00 for replacing the battery on my Miata.

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This battery is a great sub for the Gen 1 (Classic) Prius battery.

It costs less, has vents required for trunk mount and is jell cell.

Length and width are the same, height needs to be shimmed 2 inches.

I used pieces of pressure treated wood pickets for that.

The battery terminals need to be changed to standard auto terminals.

Less than 10 dollars at Auto zone.

A good deal

Sunday, June 29, 2014

Pwr+ Laptop Adapter USB Charger for Apple Ipod Touch, Nano, Shuffle, Slate / Sandisk / Coby / Samsu

Pwr+ Laptop Adapter USB Charger for Apple Ipod Touch, Nano, Shuffle, Slate / Sandisk / Coby / Samsung Galaxy / Zune / Pyrus Video Player Charge Your Device Via Any USB Port
  • ! Charge your electronic device via any USB port, via any charger with this very useful gadget - use weaker usb chargers to power up tabs !
  • Increas the Voltage of your USB charger and make them can charge iPad or similar devices
  • Allows you to charge your iPad with any computer or USB hub, using the regular USB charger cable or other USB Car/Travel adapter
  • Connect this plug adapter between your iPad, USB Sync cable and any USB power source to charge your iPad
  • *Please Note: "Not Charging" message might be displayed by your device. Disregard it. Let USB filter work and check the battery charge some time later. It will be 100%!*

This has got to be one of the most useless items I've ever come across.

iPod's and other items described in the item title can be plugged into the place you are plugging this in!

Shocked? Yes, I know.

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Monday, June 9, 2014

Dynon SKYVIEW D700 EFIS SYSTEM Bundle (Display & Harness)

Dynon SKYVIEW D700 EFIS SYSTEM Bundle
  • PRIMARY FLIGHT DISPLAY
  • ENGINE MONITORING
  • MOVING MAP
  • EXTERNAL DATA INTERFACES

I believe the Dynon system is one of the best values on the market for experimental aircraft. I have a system in my plane and it's been absolutely rock solid. Add an autopilot and you really can't beat it.

Watch out for bargain basement pricing tactics though. If you purchase just the D700, you'll still need to purchase at MINIMUM the ADAHRS unit and probably the GPS unit too unless you want to get GPS data from your hand-held or your panel mount GPS. The ADAHRS should run you about $1000 and the GPS "puck" around $200.

Thursday, April 17, 2014

Roadpro 12V Heater and Fan with Swing-out Handle

Roadpro 12V Heater and Fan with Swing-out HandleWhat we have here are extremely unrealistic expectations by reviewers. They are ignorant as to what they are buying. Here is what to expect look at the wattage. This unit and similar (cigarrete lighter ones) are about 180 watts. I use one of these in my car when I first turn it on to warm up my hands or face. This unit is ONLY 180 watts...it will not heat up anything other than a few inches in front of it. I use it when I get in my car on frozen Minnesota winter days to take the "sting" off the long walk to the frozen car. Once the car warms up I shut it off. People here reviewing are faily clueless so here is what you should expect..take a hair dryer...1200 watts. You should expect about 1/7 of the heat from a hair dryer. Watts is watts people!!! There is no magic conversionlook at the wattage of something you know a household plug-in heater is generally 1200 watts because its drawing 10amps at 120volts AC. Your car is only 12-14v dc. So even at say 15amps, enought to blow a 15amp fuse, a 15amp circuit like your cigarette lighter can only provide 180watts at 12 volts. If you need more heat look at the 300W model which is a direct wire from your car battery but don't expect miracles. These heaters will only augment and NEVER replace your car's heater. One day I was installing a stereo or something in my car on a winter day with a household heater (1200 watts) running inside the car and that still didnt provide enough heat to warm up the car. If its 70 degrees inside your car when using these heaters they can get very hot. If its ZERO degrees they will provide a little bit of warm air-just enough to warm your face or hands. Thats it. 180Watts. Like two 90watt light bulbs in your house. Light bulbs get really HOT when its 70 degrees in your house, but take the light outside to ZERO or 32 degrees and you'll see the light does not get that hot. Thats what we have. From an engineering standpoint it can raise the ambient air X amount of degrees regardless of the temp. So if it's 60 degrees in the car, maybe it has a 70 degree rise and throws out 130 degree air. But if its zero, then it still has a 70 degree rise so it spits out 70 degree air.

I was excited and happy for all of 10 minutes; then my lighter fuse blew out. Not sure if the heater would have gotten hot...but I won't know now until I can find my car owner's manual so that I can figure out which fuse needs to be replaced. On a good note, I got the item in a couple days!

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Not good..I purchased this project thinking we would have a way to defrost the windows on our old Olds' Intrigue, but that was not the case. The first time I plugged it in, it melted the plastic guard! I have not used it since. Waste of time and money. Delivery was fast. Possibly the only plus in this entire transactions. I do not receommend the product to anyone.

Read Best Reviews of Roadpro 12V Heater and Fan with Swing-out Handle Here

here in northern ny.....i've been using it the last 2 months now....doesnt put out a blast of heat.....but it works....I had to change the accessory fuse in my fuse panel to 25 watts. In zero degree temps after about 15 minutes it will defrost a dinner plate sized view. after about a half hour it will defrost a good portion of one half the windshield. again its not a powerfull unit but you got a remember it's only a 200 watt reated unit. most hair dryers are rated for 1875watts so you can figure this little heater will only put out a tenth of the velocity one of those hair dryers will.

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This heater worked for about 10min before stopping. I would have to

recommend not buying this heater.

While the heater was working the amount of heat that it was putting out

most likely wouldn't be sufficient for warming a car up in cold weather but that is just my opinion.

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Sunday, April 13, 2014

Astro SP0612 Smart Plug 6 Gauge 12-Feet Booster Cables

Astro SP0612 Smart Plug 6 Gauge 12-Feet Booster CablesI bought these because of that connector in the middle thinking it was a smart idea. It makes it very easy to connect to the cars batteries without worrying about sparks.

I used them a couple of times in the summer months and they worked as expected, but seemed a bit shorter than other cables I have used.

Then winter came along and I needed them again. I took them out of their handy storage bag and started to unroll them only to watch the insulation start cracking.

Overall I liked the design and that compact packaging, but they are simply not safe after the insulation cracks from cold weather.

I used to own a set of these jumper cables years ago and loved them. They are foolproof and very safe. I could not find them at storefront retail auto parts stores so I am glad I found them on Amazon.

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My wife got a set of these cables years ago as a safety promotion from work, and I've looked on and off for years for them. I was delighted to find that Amazon sourced these at a great price, and in a quality with thick cabling that will I am hoping will last as long as the set I have owned for 20 years. The yellow box you see on the left is a coupling that is the last part of the connection made when connecting batteries. Thus, you're connecting two independent cables mid-way after having connected the clamps to each of the batteries to be connected. this moves you and any potential spark safely a few feet from each battery. They arrive in a carry bag for repeated use as well, a nice bonus not obvious when ordering.

Read Best Reviews of Astro SP0612 Smart Plug 6 Gauge 12-Feet Booster Cables Here

I nice mistake proof jumper cable, and it comes with a convenient storing case. I would recommend this cables to others.

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I highly recommend these cables for anyone that is not mechanically inclined. It is really hard to mess up the order of connecting jumper cables with these.

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Wednesday, April 2, 2014

HD 720P Dual Lens IR Night Vision Car DVR Camera Dash Cam Video Recorder Motion Detection

HD 720P Dual Lens IR Night Vision Car DVR Camera Dash Cam Video Recorder Motion Detection
  • Dual lens, double views
  • 5.0 MP 1/4 CMOS sensor
  • 1280x720 high resolution video recording
  • 120 degrees wide view angle, 330 degrees rotating screen panel
  • Motion detection & IR Night Vision & Loop Recording

After having (briefly) owned two failed units from different companies I'd gotten through eBay, I had my hopes on this one functioning as advertised reasonably low.

However, upon unpacking, it felt well-made, had a nice look, fit and finish to it. Already more impressive than the previous two. Installation was very easy, straight forward and there is plenty of cord to not only span but also tuck away within one of the longest production saloons ever built.

First use was done with an old 2GB card I had from a mobile phone, not the ideal size but it worked for the test run. The video is where I expected it to be after watching hours of Russian dashboard camera videos of all sorts of mischief with the bonus of covering front and rear of your vehicle.

The files are stored on the card as DCIMA and DCIMB for the front and rear respectively. I can't get the rear video to mirror on the camera itself (the image is vertically inverted) but having video editing software available, this isn't an issue for me.

Overall, I'm very pleased with the camera and the results it produces. Since my car appears to attract an unusually high number of moron motorists, it's nice to know that their incapabilities are recorded and can be used against them in the worst case, in the best case to make fun of them with my friends.

Quite likely that I'll order more for other vehicles too.

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I have this Car DVR and I love it. However, mine may be a newer model as it is MP4 format not AVI so it is compatible with any computer system (you never know what the cops [or Youtube] might need). The only problem I have had with it is the adhesive on the rear camera is not too good and it falls off. But that's a minor issue.

If you get this machine, DO NOT LOSE THE INSTRUCTIONS! You will use them over and over again as you may randomly decide to change features (it has a LOT).

The video quality out of both cameras is excellent from dawn to dusk. Night vision is mediocre but definitely usable. Its better than my iPhone video at night.

It comes with two mounts -an articulating mount and one that just sticks to the windshield. I'm using the one that is flat on the windshield. My windshield has a severe angle so I can't really see the screen very well. With the articulating arm you can see the screen well but the screen is so small I'm not sure its of any consequence -especially if you are using the PIP with the rear camera.

The DVR creates two folders on the SIM. One for the front camera and one for the rear. If there should be a "collision" it will add two more folders automatically that are not erased when the chip fills up. Video during the accident is put in those folders. It only plays for a few minutes on the built-in battery but if your car loses power from an accident it should be sufficient.

I would definitely recommend the MP4 version.

Read Best Reviews of HD 720P Dual Lens IR Night Vision Car DVR Camera Dash Cam Video Recorder Motion Detection Here

Reviewed the product specs and it did not mention G-Sensor or microSD card. Emailed seller and they said no G-Sensor on product and no microSD support. However, picture on Amazon shows small memory slot which means microSD. Ordered/received product within 3 days.

Here is the rundown:

Unit powered up in Chinese. There was no upfront welcome screen to select the language.

Spent 20 min flipping thru Chinese menus looking for "language". With trial/error, finally set it to English

Dashcam has G-Sensor and only supports microSD card Amazon, please fix website and seller needs to know specs.

G-Sensor works OK. Test it by shaking the dashcam while recording. You'll see a lock symbol on screen, and the video file in the "LOCKED" directory on memory card

Saved video files are .MOV. Product description says .AVI.

Color was horrible on video playback/ Pink shows up as dark blue. Changed "Color" setting in menu to NULL. This fixed color issue. Also, traffic light color now shows correctly

VGA mode works very clear. 720 Mode appears to be OK, but I am happy with VGA.

Video file size is 15MB/min for VGA, and 53MB/min for 720 mode

Unit powers up automatically upon ignition start and stops on ignition off. Menu setting allows further recording after poweroff

Very compact unit that nicely sits behind the rear view mirror. Easy to slide on/off the suction cup mount.

Secondary camera kinda works. When enabled, it creates a PIP on the main LCD screen. If your PIP is upside down, just rotate the secondary camera 180 degrees. However, this causes a problem in that when you view playback, video is inverted. Left/right is flipped flopped. bad design.

Powerplug that inserts into the cigarette lighter socket does not fit well, causes random power loss to dashcam.

Looping works fine, I use 1 and 2 minutes, and it does what it is supposed to.

Night time driving with street lights/headlights is fine. You can see enough.

Audio picks up all noises

Overall, very happy with unit; accomplishes what I want it to do. Can't fully test 720P yet because I only have a older slow 1GB microSD card to test with. Will get 32GB this week. But don't 'really care too much since VGA is fine.

It is lightweight, compact, and very reliable. Not too bad for $70.00.

Will probably return it and reorder to address power plug issue. Will also get a 2nd unit for other car.

(had previously ordered the "$20 dashcam, and as you know, you get what you pay for got refund on that)

Update 6/2/13:

Keeping the unit since it works fine. Don't care about power plug problem anymore, whereas I am using my Garmin USB cable to power up the dashcam. I like this dashcam model a lot, so I ordered a second unit. But this time, I ordered from another seller (fulfillment by Amazon). This second unit is identical to the first except it now has: 1. New firmware 2. Remote control 3. 1080P.

Regardless, the VGA recordings still work the same as the first unit. No need for the extra features. (1080P is not real. playback just shows magnified objects).

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Hopefully (as others have described) it will last longer than other Chinese Made dash camera's I've purchased. Video is better than expected for daytime use, but very poor on night vision (even with bright headlights). It will overheat quickly and seize up needing resets after cooling off if left in the sunlight for brief periods while parked and no AC running. Also will freeze up during use with the PC under different modes. You must learn by trial and error on the menu options. The manual is nearly useless, as is the onboard menu that has been translated poorly from Chinese to "Engrish". For the price and to document any additional accidents on the road, or catch incidents of bad driving habits, this should work well. You do need to know basic knowledge of operating Digital Video cameras or the lack of instructions that are complete will frustrate you. For my own needs in a private vehicle, this serves the purpose. I added an 8gb Duracell Micro SD card I picked up locally. The battery backup lasts only about 1-2 minutes after the unit is charged, but it does work well with the included cigarette lighter power adapter. The screen is tiny and difficult to see, and more so with the Picture in Picture (PIP) of the second camera. It will (not easily) let you switch between cameras for a full view, but again with missing instructions you just keep pushing buttons until it does what you want....then hope to remember what you did for later.

I ordered one of these from a vendor on Amazon, and the product came with scratches on the screen, which I could live with. What I could not live with, though, is that the video would tend to freeze when a file was playing back, after about 30 seconds or so into it. This was true whether I chose five-minute or two-minute recordings, and occurred on two different micro cards (16Gb and 32GB), thus the unit itself was clearly at fault. So, I sent that one back.

I ordered a second one from eBestrade, and it seems to work okay. This time the screen came with a protective cover that I peeled off, and the unit records and plays back without issue. The only negative, as a few other reviews have noted, is that the back camera recordings are inverted, meaning it's like you're viewing the video image from a mirror. Street signs read backwards, and it looks like you're driving in England...everything is reversed. Apparently they all have this defect.

Interestingly, you'll notice that this same design is sold by quite a few vendors at different prices, some shipped from the US, some shipped from the US with Amazon Prime as an option, and some shipped from China or Hong Kong. From what I can tell, though, they all have the same features. The first one I purchased was packaged in a completely different box than the second, but other than that they both had exactly the same functionality.

I chose this particular design because it is the only one I found with a detachable, wired rear camera. Many accidents are caused by being hit from behind, so I didn't want a dash cam that only recorded what was going on in the front of my vehicle.

The unit records into two files, one for the front camera and one for the rear. It will take up to a 32GB micro SD card. I have a 16GB in mine, which is easily sufficient because it loop records, meaning it will start to record over the older files once the card fills up. With my 40-mile round trip to work, I can record several days worth of driving before it starts to record over the older files.

I have found the picture quality from both cameras, front and rear, to be adequate. You will NOT be able to read license plates from either camera...definitely not from the back camera (it would be inverted anyway), and not from the front camera either, unless conditions are absolutely perfect (vehicle stopped, close, and very bright lighting). So, if someone side-swipes you and takes off, you'll get video of the car speeding away, but that will be about it.

On the other hand, though, if some idiot cuts you off, or plows into you from behind, and an accident does unfortunately occur, you'll have very good footage of what took place.

The unit is very small and very light. So small, I have to get a magnifying glass to read the menu choices on the screen. The settings for it are many...you can pretty much tweak it to do whatever you want it to do. You will, though, need to play around with the buttons to figure out how to find, select and save your choices. The written instructions are pretty bad (mine came in both English and Chinese), so learning through trial and error is really the best way.

It seems to work fine for what it is made for. Don't expect a solid, well-built, name-brand Sony or Samsung type product. This is a low-cost, Chinese manufactured device. Both of the units I bought came with English menus already activated. It mounts securely to the windshield, and is not at all noticeable when you're driving if you place it strategically. Also note that even though the wire connecting the rear camera is really long, to get the wire hidden away in my SUV (an Armada), I am going to need to get an extension cable. I don't think this will be necessary in most cars, though.

The unit will power on and off with the vehicle as long as you have it plugged into a 12-volt socket that also powers on and off with the vehicle. Some of the sockets in my SUV are constantly on, so I have purchased a splitter (this one: Multi-Use Vehicle Charger with Dual USB Ports and Dual 12 Volt Sockets Magnadyne) to accommodate it, since I also have an external GPS unit that also needs to power on and off with the vehicle. The dash cam stays on for about 15 seconds after the ignition is switched off.

Considering all of the above, for what you get for $70 (as of this writing), I consider this dash cam a four-star deal. I plan to buy a second one for my wife's car.

Tuesday, March 18, 2014

Raptor PBT10N Negative Battery Terminal

Raptor PBT10N Negative Battery Terminal
  • Platinum-look finish
  • 24K gold-plated hardware
  • Insulating clear cover
  • Insulated clear cover
  • Ensures easy installation

I used this terminal for a start to car audio and it worked great and did what I wanted it to do.

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I should have been suspecious when an earlier reviewer commented on the product not fitting the negative battery terminal. However, I have purchased other Raptor terminals with no problems so why question this one. I was wrong. It DOESN'T fit! Amazing! I also had the set screw break while trying to tighten it.

POST SCRIPT: Today I decided to see what I could do to fix the terminal with the broken set screw. First of all I should mention that I purchased two sets of terminals for my dual-battery Ford diesel truck. When I sheared off the screw on the first terminal, I thought I should wait and figure out how to handle it with Amazon. However, since I needed my truck I couldn't wait. Hence the decision to see if I could fix it. (Note that I had already sawed off the battery cables from the stock terminals so using them was not an option.)

First, I tried to extract the broken screw... no luck with that.

Second, a "last resort" option given the nice design of the terminal I drilled through and use a conventional bolt. U G L Y!!! Problem solved.

Ok, now for the other terminal. I did try once again to tighten it and see if it worked, but this time I was extra careful. Nope... this one was loose too! Then I had an idea. What if the set screw was too long? Or the hole not deep enough? One M6 lock washer under the screw head later and IT WORKED! Take note Raptor and fix your tooling.

After this experience I decided to upgrade the rating from one star to three. It could easily have been 4 stars except for the hastle I went through.

NOW I need to contact Amazon to see if I can get a replacement for the one I "modified". Somehow I think I'm stuck with it. We'll see!

Another observation which is common with other Raptor terminals is that the wire holes have a "shoulder" inside the hole which makes it very difficult to install the wires without some of the wire braids hanging up. I solved the problem by using a die grinder and removing the shoulder. No problems after that.

GOOD LUCK!!!

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Yeah its very pretty but it wouldnt tighten on my battery terminal and the bolt to tighten it to the battery terminal broke with a hand held tool not a power tool.

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The terminal works fine the only problem is the plastic cover doesn't snap securely on. It seems like a big bump might knock the cover lose

Tuesday, March 4, 2014

Nite Ize KnotBone Flat Bungee

Nite Ize KBBF-03-26 KnotBone Adjustable Flat Bungee, FoliageThis bungee is well made. Great quality and easy to use and adjust. I actually bought this bungee to use to tie back the Dutch doors on the outside of horse stalls in place of chains and metal cinches to prevent damage to the painted metal siding on the outside of the barn.

A pair of these $9 flat bungees has so many uses. I gave up on my Thule roof rack cargo net because it was so cumbersome to use since it was ALWAYS tangling. I have my luggage strapped down in 2 minutes, versus the 15 minutes of untangling my cargo net.

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got the package and it is a good product, just really isn't designed for latching securely on my truck bed hooks.

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Great on the back of my bike rack, as well as in use on my hand cart with my musical instrument on it.

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Simple,great product. Best bungee on the market. This product is great for tieing down anything,anywhere. I am a clutz but so simple to use my 9 year old ties stuff down in the truck with the bungee.

Saturday, January 25, 2014

Schumacher XC10 SpeedCharge 10 Amp Battery Charger

Schumacher XC10 SpeedCharge 10 Amp Battery ChargerIn the past 7 months I have returned two of this charger. It stops working if you use it often. I have a Volks Wagen Camper, so I have to often recharge my battery. Both Units Failed after a few months of use.

I would buy something else, Dont Buy This Model..!!

left my key on, my honda's battery is only 1 year old, it was almost dead, but it barely started, drove it around for about am hour running here and there. Then I hooked this thing up, set it to 6 amps (turtle?) and it said it would go to float charge after it was charged. After about 2 or 3 hours, I went to the garage and it smelled like battery acid, and I could here the battery boiling. Put the fluke meter on it ... 16.1 volts!!! I did some research, and the max equalizing charge voltage should be is 15.5v No way, its going back.

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One hour into the first use sparks flew and the unit was smoked. Returned the XC10 and now I'm trying the XC6.

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Exceeded my expectations. Easy to use. The LCD Screen is great. I would definitely buy again or give as a gift.

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This is the second Schumacher charger that is going to the dump for me. The 1.5A says there's a problem with the battery on every battery I've put it on. This one charged the first battery I hooked it to. It boiled the second battery. The third battery was a 6V and sparked as soon as the charge started. I don't think the automatic voltage detection works and I think it sends too high voltage even on a 12V. I will be searching for a different brand.

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Saturday, October 26, 2013

PHILIPS PET729/37 7 PORTABLE WIDESCREEN LCD HDTV WITH CD/MP3 PLAYBACK

PHILIPS PET729/37 7 PORTABLE WIDESCREEN LCD HDTV WITH CD/MP3 PLAYBACK
  • 7" TFT COLOR LCD DISPLAY IN 16:9 WIDESCREEN FORMAT.
  • DVD, DVD+R/RW, DVD-R/RW, (S)VCD & CD COMPATIBLE.
  • MP3-CD, CD & CD-RW PLAYBACK.
  • VIEW JPEG IMAGES FROM PICTURE DISC.
  • FREE-TO-AIR DIGITAL TV CHANNEL RECEPTION.

I have become increasing aware of the number of catastropic weather events over the last few years, and find them alarming. I bought this so I would be able to tune into the TV networks when there was no electricity. Just two weeks ago, there were tornados in my area of Texas, and this was a great help in being aware of which areas were in the greatest danger.

It was easy to set up, and the picture is great as long as it's close to a window. I am very pleased.

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Bought this for my husband for Christmas after seeing my brother-in-law's little tv. It's a great little buy for the money and you can also play CDs and DVDs. Great way for him to watch TV when there is no other tv around that he can control! Also great if the power goes out in your home since it's battery powered!

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If you don't want your moneys' worth don't buy this. Better reception than Vizio or Haier. Not to mention the Amazon Guarantee. Don't waste money on the Vizio or Haier, I did.

Saturday, October 19, 2013

iShoppingdeals - for Sony Walkman NWZ S544 S545 MP3: Car Charger + Wall Charger + USB Data Cable +

iShoppingdeals - for Sony Walkman NWZ S544 S545 MP3: Car Charger + Wall Charger + USB Data Cable + 3.5mm Audio Cable + Headset + Black Speaker + Black/Blue Soft Gel Skins + Screen Protector + Armband + Clip + Fishbone Keychain
  • This Bundle Includes 12 Items: Car Charger, Wall Charger, USB Data Cable, 3.5mm Audio Cable, Headset, Black Speaker, Black and Blue Soft Skins, Screen Protector, Armband, Beltclip, Fishbone Keychain
  • Car charger: 12-24V, Wall charger: 100-240V, The 2-in-1 USB 2.0 cable is great for charging or to transfer data
  • High quality(Non-Oem) soft silicone skin case is extremely durable and provides a soft comfortable grip
  • Power this speaker with USB power cord (included) or go cordless with 4 x AAA batteries (not included)
  • Compatible with Sony NWZ S544 S545 ONLY (MP3 Player Not Included)

This bundle came with so many great things. I haven't used them all yet. It is nice to have a cover for my MP3 player for protection and there is an extra one as well. It also came w/ 2 screen protecters but I found they did not fit which is not a big deal because it comes with a little stretchy black bad to keep my MP3 player in . And the speakers are awesome and I use them on my bedside tabble. I would buy this again or for a present.

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The product package was very nice, but it was not what I was looking for. I returned the product.

Sunday, October 13, 2013

GMax LED Battery Case Kit with Cover and Screws

GMax LED Battery Case Kit with Cover and ScrewsI ordered this item thinking the led brake light kit came without it. Much to my surprise when the led brake light kit arrived the battery case was included minus the cover. Now I have a spare battery case, cover and screw.

Wednesday, September 11, 2013

Kensington 33199 Digital FM Transmitter and Auto Charger for iPod (Black)

Kensington 33199 Digital FM Transmitter and Auto Charger for iPod
  • Combination FM transmitter/car charger for playing iPod through FM stereo speakers
  • Transmits iPod tunes through any available FM frequency; easy-to-read digital display
  • Plugs into car's DC power source (cigarette lighter outlet); simple up/down button selection
  • Compatible with iPod nano (Gen 1,2,3); iPod (Gen 1,2,3,4); iPod Classic; iPod Touch
  • 3 programmable buttons lock in station presets; ClearFM technology reduces noise

I've had 2 other FM transmitters (A Belkin and a Griffin iTrip). Neither came close to the quality of this transmitter. Neither charged the iPod (The Belkin required batteries, which only lasted about 15 hours of use), while the iTrip worked OK at first, but then started getting static no matter what station I used. In fact, I had to have the iPod in hand for the static to go away (and then, it was still not clear). The sound isn't as loud as some (it takes over the volume control, so you cant use the volume on the iPod.) Still, it's not nearly as soft as some I've seen. I found most music came through at a good volume (I did adjust a few songs in iTunes to pump them up). This unit, although it seems cheap and flimsy at first, is able to get a consistant, strong signal, even on stations which usually come in clearly. It powers through them, and the result is a very clean sound. It is a little hard to read at the regular angle, but once you set the 3 presets, you don't need to see the screen. Just set your radio to the same 1-2-3 configuration. Also, turning it at a 90 degree angle lets you see the screen much clearer. In all, I couldn't be happier.

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For days I researched which FM transmitter to buy. After everything I read, I decided to wait for Kensington to release this one. This transmitter was also highly rated by Ilounge. Bottom line...It sounds better than my FM radio. Absolutely no static! I love it.

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I bought this unit because of the rave reviews at many IPOD accessory sites. One thing that is awesome on this unit but is hidden is the ability to tune to 87.9FM. In most areas that frequency is unused and crystal clear buy most transmitters only tune down to 88.1. The trick is hold the two right preset buttons down and with your other hand (yes this takes two hands) press the tuner past 107.9. It will now go to 87.5 and 6,7,8,9 and then on to 88.1.

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I have tried two other FM transmitters for my iPod, and this one has proven to work the best. It includes enough frequencies that you shouldn't have any problem finding a clear channel (the lower 80's channels are poor in my area because of all the talk stations, but the high end of the dial works quite well).

The only thing I don't like about this transmitter is that it is nearly impossible to see when it is plugged in. The angle of the LCD is good if you're standing on your head since it is about even with the top of your seat. Also, the orange back-lighting makes reading the numbers on the display quite difficult.

If I were making one of these, I would tilt the display so it faces up, and I would use either LEDs or an LCD display where the numbers light up instead of back-lighting.

I'm still giving this unit 4 stars because the sound quality is really what it is all about, and it does well in that area.

I preface this review by acknowledging that I've tried only one other transmitter, also with unacceptable results. I bought this unit for my daughter (ipod) and decided to try it out before wrapping it. I tried it on 3 car stereo systems and was VERY disappointed in the lack of clarity. I live in a metropolitan area of 1 million + population and was able to locate one band that was nearly static free. The transmitter started off o.k. but within 3 seconds was transmitting unacceptable static. There was no perceptible reduction in static with, or without, the unit engaged. After all the positive reviews I read I was expecting a reliable device but was left to wander why so many reviewers would accept dirty noise with their music its like drinking fine wine from a dirty glass. Would these people also listen to a radio station with static? I, for one, would rather have silence.

I bought this unit from ANTOnline (lowest price should have been forewarned) and they were impossible to communicate with. There is no phone #, and when I finally e-mailed to convey a thorough complaint and request procedures for returning this unit they responded that I should answer 4 questions, yes or no, regardless of any other circumstances. After several cryptic responses they finally stated there would be no refunds for opened packages with parts or packaging missing. Though I reiterated that no parts or packing were missing I haven't heard back from ANTOnline in over a week.

Frustrated to the nth degree, I contacted Amazon, who quickly refunded the cost of the unit. In closing: Amazon has displayed great service and ANTOnline should be avoided as a vendor if there's any possibility of having to engage them after the purchase.

Sunday, July 14, 2013

Pyle PLPW10D 10-Inch 1000 Watt Dual 4 Ohm Subwoofer-Set of 1

Pyle PLPW10D 10-Inch 1000 Watt Dual 4 Ohm Subwoofer-Set of 1
  • New - Retail
  • 30-Day Warranty
  • Pyle PLPW10D
  • Pyle Plpw10d 10 1000-Watt Dual Voice Coil 4Ohm Subwoofer

Bought these to replace blown speakers in a mtx box i had sitting in the garage for years. These are more heavy duty and weigh a bit more but fit the box nicely and the screw holes lined up (lucky). This was cheaper than buying a premade enclosure w/speakers and from what i remember the sound these give are better.

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items were shipped promptly and received in good order. Decent sounding speakers for the price. I will probably purchase more.

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The speaker didnt work at all very disapointed will never purchase speakers online again. Id advise everyone else to do the same

Thursday, July 11, 2013

Keyless Entry Remote Fob Clicker for 2005 Acura MDX - Memory #1 With Do-It-Yourself Programming

Keyless Entry Remote Fob Clicker for 2005 Acura MDX - Memory #1 With Do-It-Yourself ProgrammingI was VERY pleased with the remote I ordered. The entire process was so quick and easy. I received my remote with instructions in about 3 days. The remote was in perfect shape and the instructions were simple and easy to understand. The packaging was nice and I liked the toll free assistance line that I could use if I had problems with the programming. This was most certainly a positive experience and I could not be more satisfied. :)

Works great on our 2005 Acura MDX Touring with memory seats, just like the original.

Phenomenal price and quality on the product, for a fraction of what the dealership charges.

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Wednesday, June 26, 2013

Husky Liners Custom Fit Second Seat Floor Liner for Select Ford F-150 Models (Grey)

Husky Liners Custom Fit Second Seat Floor Liner for Select Ford F-150 ModelsThis is a nice one piece liner that covers the entire rear floor of my F150 SuperCab. It is not as good as the WeatherTech liners I installed in the front, which were made of thicker material and more form fitting. However, WeatherTech doesn't make a rear liner for a SuperCab. Overall, I am very satisfied with this liner.

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