Showing posts with label buy new car battery. Show all posts
Showing posts with label buy new car battery. Show all posts

Sunday, October 19, 2014

Midland 75-822 40 Channel CB-Way Radio

Midland 75-822 40 Channel CB-Way Radio
  • Portable CB radio with 40 CB channels, 10 NOAA channels, and 4 Watts of output power
  • Power with six AA batteries or included cigarette lighter adapter for mobile use
  • Instant access to NOAA Radio, channels 9 and 19; Dual Watch monitors channel 9 and additional channel
  • ANL (automatic noise limiter) and squelch control for improving reception and eliminating noise
  • One-year manufacturer's warranty

I couldn't be much happier with this unit. Where it really shines is in battery life. I've used this in various 4x4 competitions and my teammates use some much larger, clunky handhelds that require 10 batteries and eat them up quick (several sets in a weekend). I use 6 nicads in my midland unit and they last and last.

Its a pretty decent mobile unit too with the adapter. With an external antenna the range is tremendously improved. My only real complaint is that I wish that there was a way to lock the backlighting on when using the car adapter this would make it easier to use at night.

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Works very well and a great value for the purchase price. The fact that this radio can be a handheld or a mobile radio and that it comes with a 12-volt cigarette lighter plug, a PL-259 external antenna connector, a portable antenna, a battery box for using six "AA' batteries, and an AC adapter made the system very versatile. The NOAA weather band capabilities only added to this versatility My only complaint is that the radio could use more volume output as it is sometimes hard to hear when used in a vehicle.

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I purchased this CB radio at a local electronics store for $. It comes with an adapter to plug into your vehicle. The adapter also has a hookup for an external antenna. You can use the unit as a hand held with the battery packs. The radio comes with two battery holders. One for disposable batteries, another for rechargeable. The rechargeable battery holder has an AC adapter included. It comes with a steel belt clip. Though, be careful it can easily scratch your belt.

The radio isn't very loud, even with the sound at max level. The only time I have any issues hearing it is when I have a window cracked. It does come with a jack for headphones or an external speaker. This Midland model also does not have an ANL (Automatic Noise Limiter), and does receive interference from time to time.

The range is to be expected for a hand held radio. Using it with the rubber antenna inside of your vehicle you can expect 1/4 3/4 mile range depending on the time of day and terrain. You get better range outside of your vehicle. Excellent for use on ATVs. If you plan to use this radio in your vehicle, it would be wise to purchase an antenna. I purchased a magnetic antenna for portability:

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The Midland 75-822 is a neat little device, it comes with everything for both HT & mobile use except, a hand microphone, mobile antenna & batteries. External hand microphone, external antenna, & both rechargeable & alkaline cells are each purchased separately. Rechargeable & alkaline cell battery cases, plus cigar lighter power cable with an external antenna adapter are included (Type BNC & SO239/PL259 HF antenna connector) They really thought of almost everything in this package. The one drawback I found was the build was cheap. One of the screws came from the factory cross threaded into the bottom of the unit. The screw was crooked and caused difficulty, impairing the battery pack's ability to slide on and off the radio. There was evidence that the internal wires were pinched causing case/frame misalignment during assembly and when examined the internal frame was slightly bent. As a result someone had forced the screw into the slot and stripped all of the threads on both surfaces. The radio is still usable after clearing the pinched wires except the threads are damaged and the screw may come loose (only use & time will tell). I don't think I should have to repair a radio's defects brand new from the factory, and I feel it's just another example of the cheap, inferior quality of Chinese gear pouring across borders everywhere. Also want to state two (2) radios were purchased. Be aware when you purchase an inferior Chinese product, you might be stuck with the Status Quo. Amateur radio & GMRS/FRS gear is slightly more expensive in most cases but, in this case would have been a better purchase as it is engineered to higher quality standards. Decided to purchase two Yaesu HT's to replace them. These Midland radios are still as new in their boxes sitting on the shelf. They will likely play an emergency backup role to the new Yaesu radios. Caveat Emptor! (Let the Buyer Beware)

The Midland 75-822 would have received 5 stars had they both been 100%. However, sometimes Chinese gear is sub standard so, in this case it receives 3 stars (because it's just ok under the circumstances). IF there is any change I will update this review appropriately.

I hope this saves somebody a headache (check the build very carefully prior to posting your review). I hope Midland and Amazon are listening.

Thank you for reading

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I purchased this item to use on trail runs that I do with other 4X4 owners. When standing outside the vehicle and using the hand held setup I got a range of about a mile and a half. The primary way that I use this radio is with a 3' FireStik mounted to a cross member on my roof rack. This set up puts the antenna right in the middle of the roof of my SUV and makes for a great ground plane. I then run 18' of coax along the roof rack, through the rear window and under the floor mats to the front of the cabin. I check the antenna tuning each time I set it up and I get over 5 miles range in mountainous terrain and over 10 miles in open country.

I like this radio because it fits my needs. I want to be able to take it down when I am not on the trails or traveling in remote areas, but I want it to be quick and easy to set up when I do want to use it. I am sure I can get better features and longer range with a permanent setup and a "big box" radio, but I am completely satisfied with this product. It is versatile and easy to use once you familiarize yourself with the controls and their locations.

Tuesday, September 16, 2014

250 PSI 12V Mini Air Compressor 12 Volt Emergency Car and Truck Tire Pump (with adapters to inflate

250 PSI 12V Mini Air Compressor 12 Volt Emergency Car and Truck Tire PumpI got this as a gift. While it did do its job, it does it extremely slowly. It takes minimum of 10 to 15 mins to fully pump to about 25 psi from flat or 10 psi. I used it for less than 6 months and it broke. The pump would not produce air while the compressor still operates. I would say that this is for inflating ANYTHING but car tires. The metal part near the gauge gets SCORCHING hot after a while, I got myself a blister when picking it up one time. Shell the extra 20 bucks and get something better. I would not recommend this to anyone.

This is really great to keep in your car. Doesn't last forever, if you use it heavily like I do they last a year or two, then will need to be replaced but for $15 or $20 it's worth it. Great if you get stuck or have a slow leak. Also it comes with adapters for toys and basketballs, ect. Great to keep on hand. We keep one in each of our cars now. It can be a life saver. If you have a big truck or SUV (like my mom's explorer)it can take a bit longer to blow up the tire though, but still it's better to wait an extra 15 minutes than to be stuck there! Also just be careful the metal hose attachment on top can get hot if it running for awhile, so always pick it up by the black plastic parts!Other than that, fantastic product. Highly recomend.

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At $6.99 (on sale at my local Harbor Tools), this is a great bargain. It's well worth having one in each of my cars for emergencies, even if it is never use. Used it once, no complaints.

Partly because it is small and light (and therefore easily packed), it's probably ideal for inflating bicycle tires, basketballs, footballs, beach balls, rafts, and air matresses, and other light-duty use. Although it may work in an emergency, I would not recommend it for inflating truck tires.

I use a larger heavier-duty air-pump for routine topping off of my car tires. Q Industries HV35 SuperFlow 12-Volt 140 PSI Air Compressor

To see my "Put together a tire maintenance kit" and "Repair a tire valve" guides, click on "" above, then click on "So you'd like to know" guides on the left side of the page

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I bought one of these little guys almost exactly 1 year ago. I've used it once or twice a week to keep my bike tires inflated to 120psi. It has worked well for this purpose. It's a bit slower than a floor pump for this but it works. Unfortunately the mechanical linkage that couple the motor to the compressor broke yesterday while inflating a tire. The motor still runs fine, just doesn't pump anymore. I guess it's what to expect from something so cheap. However I had expected this to have a longer life. this is reflected in my rating of 3 star.

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Worked for a few days then crapped out. Sent to the junk yard in the sky....

Sad day. Could have built it better.

Friday, September 12, 2014

GTMax White USB Car Charger for Apple iPod Touch 4th Generation

GTMax White USB Car Charger for Apple iPod Touch 4th Generation
  • GTMax the Exclusive Brand of Bargaincell. Only in the United States.
  • .Apple iPod®, iPhone®, or iPad® are registered trademarks of Apple, Inc. Products are Apple compatible and not endorsed by Apple, Inc.

nice very little and love the way it fit well and the mailing was a fast services l will rate it 4.

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Have not used yet but it seems rathr cheap looking and hollow. Do not know how long it will last

Monday, August 25, 2014

Pyle PLMRMP1A 2-Channel Waterproof MP3/iPod Marine Power Amplifier

Pyle PLMRMP1A 2-Channel Waterproof MP3/iPod Marine Power Amplifier
  • Marine amplifier delivers 2 x 100 Watts RMS at 4 Ohms, 2 x 200 Watts Max at 4 Ohms, 2 x 300 Watts RMS at 2 Ohms
  • Power protection circuitry with anti-thump turn-on and soft turn-off to protect your speakers
  • Accepts RCA line inputs and includes a 3.5mm-to-RCA adaptor so you can plug in your MP3 player or iPod easily
  • Also accepts standard high- and low-level inputs from marine head units
  • Includes wired remote control for adjusting volume gain

The wiring and accessories looked nice and convenient, but the amp did not push anywhere near the rated 100 watts. In reality this amp is good for about 25 watts total (12.5 watts x 2).

If you want low end or volume look elsewhere.

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Very small (think deck of cards) and easy to install. Wish it had more power, but it works.

I paired it with the Dual $30 speakers below. Sounds fine. The amp doesn't push the speakers beyond their limit at all (I hooked them up to my home stereo and they went much louder) so I couldn't see buying any larger speakers for this amp. I put it in my boat, and it is plenty loud enough without the engine running, but I can barely hear it over the engine when running.

Link to speakers below

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000A5S926/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i00

Read Best Reviews of Pyle PLMRMP1A 2-Channel Waterproof MP3/iPod Marine Power Amplifier Here

I installed this AMP in my golf cart and it works great. I purchased the one with the 6.5" speakers. The sound is good for the price. You dont get a lot of base and its not going make you go def but does sound good at normal\high volumes. My cart is open air and we have no problem hearing it at full speed or even if just hanging out near the cart. Very easy to hook up and wired volume control is a great addition. Believe they make a 4 channel if hooking up 4 speakers. If you are looking to THUMP or BLARE this is prob not the best for you but does get loud.

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Gets hot but overall great product , does make music very loud and enjoyable to listen to was amazed how loud

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after proper installation the amp wokred great. then after a hour's worth at half volume it overheated and stoped working.

Wednesday, August 6, 2014

DLO TransCast FM Transmitter for MP3 Players

DLO TransCast FM Transmitter for MP3 Players
  • Tiny device broadcasts music over any available FM radio frequency.
  • Simple one-handed frequency tuning and back light control via joystick.
  • Includes rechargeable battery, connection cable, and car charger.

I know this product has received mixed reviews. All I can say is it works for me.

1) I drive a Honda, the radio is set up in 0.2mhz increments. If I can find a dead station, anyone can.

2) Max the volume on your player

3) Cigarette lighter adapter works well.

I have used around town and on long trips (5-8 hours). The only thing you need to be aware of is having to hunt for a new station as you drive X distance.

Sound quality can be controlled by the player, as the transmitter uses the headphone jack.

If your going to bass boost the player, set the radio to flat until you hear what it sounds like.

I use mine with a Creative Zen Vision:M. Does the job, and does it for a reasonable price.

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It's decent for the price. real small. it has a great range on it. i leave it in my bedroom and listen to it all over the house. it has clear sound and signal as well. i guess it all depends on your configuration :).

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The DLO TransCast FM device seems like a great idea. It is small and packaged nicely. I thought I was getting a great deal at $20, but the device was intermittent and staticy from day one. After I gave up on it, I tore the device open and discovered a cracked solder joint on the socket where the power jack plugs in. Even though the root cause could have been a cold solder joint (manufacturing problem), I suspect failure was because the tiny socket wasn't mechanically secured. The force of plugging in the jack was borne completely by the PC board pad and solder.

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The problem with is with impedance. Yes, it works with my Zen MP3 player. No, it doesn't work with my ATT Tilt Cellphone. The problem is the impedance is different. The DLO wants low impedance..like for a typical headset. My cellphone puts out a high impedance to its headset.

So, the issue can be resolved for $2.99. Go to Radio Shack and buy the 8 ohm-to-1000 ohm audio transformer. You'll need to do a little soldering, but it works. Why didn't they incorporate different impedanc einto the device? YOu can figure it cost more that way

---* Beck

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I am a happy owner of this product -and I get excited, especially nowadays, when I come across such a great buy in a sea of mediocrity in electronics.

The most important thing to note about this FM transmitter is that it uses the entire FM range. Also the product's web site features an "Open FM Frequency Finder" which finds unused FM stations by zip code or city/state. This free service makes this product even more dependable and is another plus in the manufacturer's favor. Google "digital lifestyle outfitters fm transmitter" to find the product's web site.

Note that most FM transmitters only use the high and low FM frequencies, which in areas like Washington DC are clogged with FM stations and no available FM frequencies. Using all frequencies is a feature usually only found in devices which cost quite a bit more than this one.

This FM transmitter scans the "even" FM frequencies as well (ie 96.0, 96.1, 96.2, ...), so if your car stereo scans these frequencies you're almost guaranteed to find a free FM frequency. Too bad it stops at 88.1 (my car's stereo goes all the way down to 87.7), but its not a big loss.

I've read all of the reviews for this product as of the time of this post, and I am dubious about the claims made in most of negative ones. I have owned this FM transmitter for close to three years now. Mine is still as good as new. In fact, when you factor in the car plug and rechargeable AAA battery, you'll probably agree that this is an absolutely excellent value for the price.

The company has been around for more than a few months too, which in this business is pretty amazing.

If you are budget conscious and demand quality for your money: stop surfing, buy this FM transmitter, and for goodness' sake, go to bed! As of the time of this posting, Amazon has some great prices for this FM transmitter. When you get yours in the mail and hook it up that first time, you will agree that it was great buy.

Thursday, July 31, 2014

Bluetooth Handsfree In-car Visor Kit for All LG Phones

Bluetooth Handsfree In-car Visor Kit for All LG PhonesThis was a waste of my time and money. I tried this sevral times and in different parts of the car to see where it would work best and when i used it everyone complained. No one liked it at all. It kept cuttingout way too much.

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Sunday, July 6, 2014

LG Lucid VS840 Verizon Wireless Original Vehicle Mount (Retail Packaging)

LG Lucid VS840 Verizon Wireless Original Vehicle MountThis works perfectly for when I am on the go and need a mount so that I can see my gps. Would recommend to any of my friends.

Actually, Life just got better. This OEM part really was better than anticipated. I didn't know it placing the phone in the cradle activated Car Mode. That was pretty cool. However, a recent Verizon 'no-choice' update to the phone base software resulted ina delay of about 30 seconds for the Car Mode to kick-in. But Life if still Good.

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I was looking for a way to keep my phone handy when driving. I use a bluetooth for hands free talk while driving but I struggled to find a way to make it easy to interac t with the phone while on the move. This mount was the perfect solution, made for my phone the LG Lucid by Verizon. It mounts with a suction cup that has a cool lever to make sure the suction is solid and flip it to easily release it. Mounts toi the window or use the included dash mount (sticky back). And the cool part is that when you put the phone in the mount it makes the phone into a GPS unit. and with the bluetooth directions go right into my ear.

Read Best Reviews of LG Lucid VS840 Verizon Wireless Original Vehicle Mount (Retail Packaging) Here

Works perfectly. The added bonus of using this original holder is your phone recognizes when it's inserted into the holder and automatically goes into in-car mode.

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Thursday, June 5, 2014

Permatex 26984 Tune-Up Kit

Permatex 26984 Tune-Up KitIf you are like me and you normally do a tune-up or two every year, this is probably enough for a few years. It is obviously not the most economical way to buy anti-sieze compound OR dielectric grease, since they come in much larger containers for not much higher cost. One question that HAS to be asked is 'WHY did they put the anti-sieze compound in a packet instead of resealable a tube?' I think the obvious answer is that they want you to throw it away so you will have to buy more next time. A little anti-sieze compound goes a long way, and I bet I can make that little packet last a few years! I keep it in a special sealed container in my garage so it doesn't get lost.

I used this to keep my spark plugs from seizing in my aluminum head Seadoo engines. This kit included the dielectric grease which you put on the connection to the plug to keep it from corroding. Four plugs in two Seadoos and this kit was more than enough to complete that job.

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Saturday, March 22, 2014

NRG Voltage Stabilizer E-PAC3

NRG Voltage Stabilizer E-PAC3I bought the E-PAC3 about two weeks after installing a grounding kit from this same mfg. It took about 3 minutes to install, mount and tie wrap the two wires. There are flashing lights whatever. The throttle response had improved by 10% with just the grounding kit and then with this stabilizer I've gained another 10%. Both of these combined with the K&N oil filter, a cold air intake, front and rear sway bars, and ECU piggyback have unleashed those bits of raw torque I was looking for into, through and out of long radius turns. I'll say the same thing for this neat little box as I said for the grounding kit...If you have a car, get it. If you are looking for a gift to buy for someone's car BUY THIS NOW. I would say that it is a good idea to buy some thermal wrap for the wires just to be sure there aren't any troubles after years of engine heat and weather changes. I'll be wrapping mine individually with a flexible rubber strip to keep them separate and then thermal wrapping them again as a couple. You just can't be too careful when all of your battery's amps and ground are so close together. I myself ride with a small fire extinguisher in the spare tire compartment for, if nothing else, piece of mind.

i was really looking forward to using this product. Bought this with the grounding kit and saw no real difference in my lighting (that's the primary reason for buying this product). As I said in the review for the grounding kit, my lights still dims under certain conditions. I don't know if I needed a bigger unit for my vehicle.

My sound was installed after this was installed, so I can't speak to whether or not it reduced audio noise.

The two sided tape worked for a while before the unit became dislodged, had to have a bracket fitted to the firewall.

Saw no improvement all around and I only keep in because I had already paid for it. Where this product is concerned, it wasn't money well spent.

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I installed this on my 2007 Civic Lx, it caused a bunch of problems in my electrical system and even over loaded the module. It was done correctly and even while it was working, it made little to no difference.

Read Best Reviews of NRG Voltage Stabilizer E-PAC3 Here

I first saw voltage stabilizers when I was doing a study abroad program in Japan, and since then, they have been in every vehicle I have owned. I most recently bought one of these for my '02 Jeep Liberty. The additions of a voltage stabilizer and higher gauge grounding wires have decreased the idle rpm by 150. The engine feels smoother throughout the entire range, better throttle response, and fuel consumption is very slightly better (1/10 gallon/hour less). I use a scangauge II, so my findings are actually measured, and as far as I'm concerned, every little bit helps. Whether you're a hard core modder or an every day commuter, this addition is a must-have!

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Friday, March 14, 2014

LCD Remote Car Start (SPY-F10S)

LCD Remote Car StartLCD Remote Car StartReceived this remote starter F10s last week (under a week in shipment). Installed it today, fairly simple installation when i followed vehicle wiring diagram from bulldogsecurity's website.

Took me ~2 hours for full installation, fairly simple, engine started the first time, door lock didn't work, had to supply seperate power +&to door lock wire harness and then it worked (this wiring in the F10s installation diagram). Light flashing (headlight/parklight) didn't work, checked the installation diagram, i followed it properly, checked the headlight/parking light output with a multimeter, nothing, this part of the circuit is dead. Checked the jumper settting in the control unit (the jumper was in wrong place not in default place as the installation instruction says: this means this is a previous problem, probably a returned/ failed control unit). put the jumper in the right place, still this circuit is dead. Tomorrow i will be calling 'speed shop' and ask them if they can ship me a good control box (the black box).

my observation & experience:

-easy to install

-microwave sensor purchased separately from ebay $15 with shipping works soso

-distance not 5000 meter, tested it to be between 500-700 meter (5000 meter is pure lie)

-a lot of mistake in the installation and owners manual (cheap company)

-remotes built cheaply, $ shop quality

-remote color won't change from green even after following owners manual and trying more than 4 times

-no dome light supervision (car's inside light won't turn on whan unlock button pressed, no circuit for this)

-company's (manufacturer's) website doesn't exist

-2 remotes its a +

-for start sensing, had to connect my own wire extention and make a coil in the distributor/ingnition wire. it would be better if it had a high voltage ignition sense and could connect directly to ignition coil, this would be more stable to sense if the car really started and running or not and would stop over cranking

-overall for the price and functionality option (both remote starter and alarm), i am giving this product a 2* out of 5*

hope this information help other buyers like me.

.end

Saturday, February 22, 2014

Superwinch 1450200 S5000, 12 VDC winch, 5,000lb/2268 kg single line pull with roller fairlead & 30'

Superwinch 1450200 S5000, 12 VDC winch, 5,000lb/2268 kg single line pull with roller fairlead & 30' remoteI am very happy with my s5000 superwinch. I used it to drag a old car onto my trailer that hasn't moved since 1984. Using a snatch block, I dragged the car with 3 flat tires with only the front tires turning. The only problem I had was the cable wanted to roll up on one side. The long control cable made it easy to walk around and do what needed to be done because I loaded it by myself.

The winch pulls great! This exactly what we needed to pull the race car into the trailer.

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Purchased this winch for my tilt trailer to pull non-operational vehicles up onto the trailer. This is a very nice setup. I made a quick release attachment so I could remove it from the trailer when not in use. I also purchased the remote and the battery cable hookup that attaches to my pickup battery. This was a great setup. Thank you

Read Best Reviews of Superwinch 1450200 S5000, 12 VDC winch, 5,000lb/2268 kg single line pull with roller fairlead & 30' Here

take away the fancy covers and you're left with a flimsey piece of junk that could be bought anywhere else for under $100 . I used mine less than 20 times to load a car onto a trailer and it simply pulled itself apart . threads in fairlead mounting bolt holes stripped out and flange on spool cracked and broke . structural integrity is shot so now gears are skipping .

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I purchased this winch to install in my car hauler. It was very reasonably priced, shipped quickly, and simple to install. I have used it on different occasions and it works great.

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Monday, December 9, 2013

BlackVue Wi-Fi New DR500GW-HD, Car Black Box/Car DVR Recorder, Built-in Wi-Fi, Full HD (1080p@30fps

BlackVue Wi-Fi New DR500GW-HD, Car Black Box/Car DVR Recorder, Built-in Wi-Fi, Full HD, G Sensor, GPS Tracking, 16GB SD Card Included
  • New Wi-Fi Feature, Full HD Video: High Definition & High Frame Rate, Extended recording time with a high compression rate
  • 2 megapixel CMOS sensor, Diagonal 120, horizontal 98, Built-in microphone, High-Capacity Meory Card Support (up to 32GB)
  • Various Recording Modes, Motion Dection in Parking Mode Recording, 360 rotation cylinder in sleek design, Full HD label
  • Universal File Format: MP4, Video Playback on various devices, BlackVue App and Software(for PC), MyWay Viewer
  • Built-in GPS and G-sensor, Internal Emergency battery, Voice Guide, 3-color LEDs, Video out, Resolved Heat Issue

youtube.com/watch?v=oITJ2xGBuT8 YouTube compresses video quality is actually much better than shown on YouTube.

I am new to dash cams but not to mobile technology.

Its pretty cool it has WiFi, GPS, 3-axis gyro, accelerometer, shock sensors and ambient light sensor. It records to a MicroSD card or you can download directly via WiFi to your iDevice or Android.

I bought this 500GW-HD about a week ago and I have been fiddling with it via Telnet/SSH/FTP, iPhone 5 & iPad 4 iOS app, Android app (rooted Kindle 2 running Jelly Bean 4.2) and the MicroSD card directly. I am primarily a Mac and Linux user on the desktop, although I loaded Windows 7 on my Macbook Air & iMac to look at the Blackvue Viewer Windows application (which is much better than the Mac version, BTW. More on this later)

My first impressions of the Blackvue DR500GW-HD are, by and large, positive. The 500GW-HD gets warm, but never hot. The camera mount is solid and very adjustable, the angle of view is excellent and the video quality is much better than I expected, even at night. Audio is crystal clear and in-sync. I expect that Firmware updates will fix/mitigate some of the more glaring defects discussed below.

It has some kinks, which is to be expected as this technology is still maturing. In particular, the firmware is not actually updated with any changes you make on the SD card (config.ini), the camera just reads the config.ini and uses that. But not always. Sometimes, after a power down/power up, the SSID and pwd will be forgotten or some of your other settings (timezone etc.) will be ignored. This may be a Blackvue Mac vs. PC application problem rather than a Blackvue firmware bug, although this did happen twice using the Windows app only.

My Firmware is in English and the latest version as of this writing version 1.003; I bought the 500GW-HD along with a Sandisk 32Gb Class 10 MicroSD card from Amazon. I also bought the Power Magic Pro (from eBay) and hardwired the Blackvue. The PMP is set to 12v & 48 hours and has been rock solid so far. A little background for anyone new to hacking the Blackvue 500GW-HD you can Telnet, SSH and FTP to the device via WiFi. The IP address is 192.168.8.1, login as "root", default password is "pt". FTP is ftp://192.168.8.1/Blackvue/Record/ to access all of your videos.

My config.ini is set to Normal, 1080p, Brightness 1, all flashing LEDs off, default LED colours, default sensors, voice on for everything except Events, custom SSID & pwd, custom root pwd, 1 minute record intervals, MPH and TimeZone to 174. I am in Houston, Texas, if that helps with the timezone thing. I tried setting the Blackvue to 802.11n by adding the line "ap_11n=1" to the [WiFi] section of the config.ini, but it didn't work. Fastest connection so far is 802.11g

Let me briefly discuss the Blackvue desktop Viewer applications for Windows and Mac. The Windows apps I am sure most of you are familiar with (and has been discussed many times elsewhere) so I won't spend any time on it other than to state that if you want to make changes that will persist over reboots, use the Windows application. Contrary to what others have stated, the Mac Viewer app does indeed have configuration settings, and they do write out to the config.ini but I would suggest you do not do this. Use the Windows Viewer app or manually modify the config.ini.

The Mac Viewer app looks identical to its Windows counterpart except for the configurations settings and video quality. Yes, you read that correctly; the Windows video quality display is better, on the same hardware. Go figure. I tested this on both a late model 27" iMac and late model Macbook Air, both running Mountain Lion on the Mac side and Windows 7 on the PC side (via BootCamp). Same files, same SD card, the Windows video looks way better.

Below are some screenshots of the Mac Viewer app. You will notice the similarities to the (superior) Windows app all the same functionality (Events, Parking Mode, Normal Mode, date/time, GPS mapping etc.), until you get to the configurations screens. There you encounter extremely limited TimeZone selection and if you save these settings, all bets are off as to what the Blackvue will actually do when it boots up using these settings (not what you expect, that's for sure). My advice; do not use the Mac app to make any configuration changes.

grond.tv/blackvue/blackvue4.jpg

grond.tv/blackvue/blackvue1.jpg

grond.tv/blackvue/blackvue2.jpg

grond.tv/blackvue/blackvue3.jpg

Let's move on to the iOS and Android apps, both also pretty rough. Both looked like they were written by a 8 year old, with an extremely poor and confusing interface, insane choices of font colours and sizes (very light, bright green on a white background!) along with confusing options. To get to the Live View, you have to swipe the top menu to the right (seriously?) and you cannot delete any videos on the SD card only copy them to your iOS or Android device. Copying a 1 minute video (about 55Mb) takes a while at 802.11g speeds so get comfy. You can configure the Blackvue via iOS/Android, which simply modifies the config.ini file and then you have to reboot the Blackvue for it to read the new config.ini. But given what I have said above (especially the font colours!), don't bother. There is no dedicated iPad app that will take advantage of the big 10 inch screen, just a iPhone app that you can double the size. It is actually better to do this than use the app on a iPhone as you can see the screen much better. The Android app is phone sized and looks fairly bad on the Kindle 2 but it is usable.

Parking Mode takes a while to both engage and disengage, but that can be tweaked via the motion sensors configuration. Event Mode, likewise can be tweaked.

Reading this review, it may appear as if I have been overtly negative towards the 500GW-HD, but that is not the case. As I started out saying, my impressions are largely positive. The Blackvue does what it was designed to do record video unobtrusively 24/7, and it does that very, very well.

The camera is remarkably configurable and very capable, far beyond my expectations. Video quality is par excellence for a 2mp CMOS.

I recommend the Blackvue 500GW-HD.

Buy BlackVue Wi-Fi New DR500GW-HD, Car Black Box/Car DVR Recorder, Built-in Wi-Fi, Full HD (1080p@30fps Now

UPDATED 4/12/2013

Upgraded to latest firmware 1.0.5, but didn't notice any new features or improvements. Also switched to using 32GB card and now on a few occasions it wouldn't record. I have to unplug the camera power to start recording again. WiFi feature maybe selling point, but I haven't used it in 2 month. The video feed is choppy and with delay when using live view feature. I covered silver accents with black tape, looks tacky, but at least it doesn't stand out as much now.

Virus issues: There were reports that there is a virus on the sd card from this seller. I have not had this issue because I purchased this from another source, but prior to upgrade my blackvue to 1.0.3 I've actually formatted the card, so I don't know if I had the virus or not.

I've been using different DVRs over the years, mostly Chinese made, this is first Korean DVR and this is the first one that actually I really like and it addressed most of my previous concerns:

THE GOOD

Compact, simple, non distracting design and solid quality feel

No built-in display, it's substituted with WiFi connection to your smartphone which becomes DVR display. Love this feature! Keep in mind there is about 1-2 second delay in the live image. You can also stream live video to a browser without using any apps, simply by entering the following url in the browser (without spaces) h t t p:// 192 .168 .8 .1 / blackvue_live.cgi.

Excellent daylight quality

Low profile mount, but see cons

Parking mode motion sensor, haven't tried yet

Bunch of venting holes for hot climates, I haven't tried it in the hot weather, but it doesn't seem like it would have any issues as previous model

Voice notifications, fun to have at first, but I would rather turn them off

Extra wide angle, you will most likely see the A pillars in your car. If you turn it facing inside the car you will see the sides of the front windows which may be handy, but the image doesn't flip over.

Very easy to view your recordings on a smartphone. (I only tried Android app)

Included wire management clips, nice addon

IR sensor to turn on/off microphone. Interesting feature, but I don't see any practical use to turn off microphone.

THE NOT SO PRETTY

Night quality still has plenty of room for improvement, but overall it's definetely better then most cheap DVRs I've tried

Some minor user interface glitches in the Android app, hopefully will be resolved in the future updates

A bit pricey when there are plenty of HD cameras that cost less

Silver accents are noticeable. Blackboxes should be All-Black-Boxes, but nothing that black tape or marker can't fix.

Design does not allow you to move the camera horizontally

No built in battery, there is however some sort of capacitor that serves purpose of allowing the cam to save the file correctly when there is no power.

Standard bitrate is a bit low at 7000, but with some modding (search forums) you can increase it up to 15000

I've been having mixed feelings with the mount. On one had I understand the stick on clip design, but I prefer non permanent solutions, like suction cups. Also removal of the DVR is a bit cumbersome. You have to first unplug power then click the button to unlock and only then you can remove it from the mount.

It does get warm a bit to the touch, but venting holes help to cool it down fast after powering down.

Read Best Reviews of BlackVue Wi-Fi New DR500GW-HD, Car Black Box/Car DVR Recorder, Built-in Wi-Fi, Full HD (1080p@30fps Here

I received my purchase which was sent via UPS, 2 day business shipping. The package arrived on time, in great shape and everything inside the same. I had fun installing the camera in my 2012 Tahoe. I mounted it on the windshield, directly in front of my rear-view mirror and ran the cable above the headliner, along the passenger side, down and inside the windshield side support covering, under the dash and to the lighter adapter ( I plan on wiring it directly to the fuse box in the near future).

Before ordering, I had several email conversations with the selling company and they were professional and replied within just a short period of time. They stated that their testing showed the DR500 to run cooler than the DR400 and earlier models (more on that later). They also claimed to be an authorized seller for Pittasoft. I decided to give it a try and placed the order. After I received and set it up, I had a question regarding a setting, so I emailed the manufacturer Pittasoft. Before they would deal with me, they asked for my serial number to verify the product was sold by an authorized dealer. I emailed them the serial number which they indicated was an authorized unit and my questions were answered, however, due to and "only due to" the difference in time between USA and Korea, several back and forth replies took a couple of days.

I have had this in my vehicle for over 2 weeks and the unit runs perfectly. The unit records clear pictures, unfortunately, when I zoom in on a plate of a passing vehicle using the Windows software, most often the plate is unreadable due to the picture's pixels being scattered, and the unit is set at the highest setting, Full HD (1920x1080) @30fps, with no compression; thankfully this is not a deal breaker for me as the rest of the video and sound is exceptional. I did buy a larger 32GB mini SD card which works flawlessly.

The unit has been running 24x7 and goes into the parking mode about 10 minutes after I park in my parking spot. The parking mode records things at by movement, usually locking in on the event 5 seconds before it sees it and then for one minute in length. I'm using the factory settings which seem sufficient for me. One night I had a 1 minute recording at about 2 am. I played the video only to see a small moth walking on the windshield in the vision path of the camera. I liked that, knowing that any passing movement in the middle of the night is recorded.

I want my unit to be as stealth as possible, so in the event that someone were to break in to the vehicle, the recorder would not draw attention, I have all the LED lights settings marked "off" when the unit is operational which still leaves the WI-FI indicator on. I placed a piece of black tape over that LED and now it is totally dark. In addition, I have the voice settings off so an intruder would not be alerted by voice either.

I am currently in Florida and the weather is now in the 80's. With the sun hitting the unit, it does get hot, but then so does everything the sun hits. I have not seen any issues on any of the video, still clear, smooth and good audio. Even out of the sun, the camera is warm to the touch, not hot, and the card, if I pull it out and immediately put it between my lips, it also is warm but does not feel dangerously hot. I'll do an update on the units heat once summer is over or if I have problems sooner, but as of now, I'm very satisfied and don't see a heat issue.

So for now, the following on my likes/dislikes.

Pros:

*Cylinder shape -The unit is horizontal to the window making for a smaller look, so it's not as obviously a recorder is in the vehicle.

*Wi-fi, via an Android App(no screen-again keeping a small inconspicuous footprint) allowing to easily adjust height view, play back and verify everything is working properly. I can view it using my phone or my larger Android tablet, which really is nice. The application also has a settings page where all the camera settings can be adjusted (settings can also can be adjusted using the PC software; I don't have a Mac so I can't say one way or another for that). I have an old unused Droid I have set up with the Android App that is set using only the Wi-fi allowing me to keep it logged into the camera as long as I like.

*Available Settings; normal, event and parking.

-Normal, allows for normal live recording while the vehicle is in motion.

-Event, when an event occurs, such as a sharp corner, fast breaking/acceleration, hard bump, an accident or damage to vehicle, the recorder will ensure that in the case of power loss, the one minute event is saved before the camera can shut down preventing the loss of the data.

-Parked, the camera goes into what I visualize, a none record mode even though the camera sees everything going on in front of it and if and when any movement occurs, it begins recording 5 seconds before the movement and for at least 1 minute or until the movement stops.

*On all the time, so no lag for start up. When I get in the car, the camera has already recorded me approaching from the front and when I start the vehicle, the camera continues on recording.

*Internal clock, minutes are accurate but nonadjustable (this give credibility to the time of the recording), one only needs to adjust the time zone and the clock is right on.

*Long power cord, which should enough for most installations. In addition, unit comes with two 3M window stick-ons (more can be purchased) and 5 or 6 cord hooks that stick to the window or car molding to help direct the power cord.

*GPS system works well and is as accurate as any other GPS system I've used.

*No lag or missed time between video clips

Cons:

*The factory SD card had a Trojan Horse. My antivirus program (Norton) immediately found, quarantined and removed the "autorun.inf" file on the SD card due to it reporting the file infected with W32.Downadup/W32/Conficker. However, if one reads several forum posts about this, it seems this was common on these disks. I formatted the card with the format function built into the camera, all the operational files were automatically reinstalled but W32.Downadup was not. This must have been introduced only to the card when it was made, it is not in the camera software.

*The cost, however, now that it is installed and operational, I feel the cost was reasonable.

*The instruction booklet was translated to English, but it could have been done better, some sentences don't make sense.

*Even though the instruction booklet is in English and touched on most of the options, it did not go into depth about the sensitivity settings, so in the event I need to change them, it will be a bit of trail and error. There is also a "Brightness" setting. I've played with it a little, but I'm not able to see a difference and again, the instructions failed to explain this.

*Most functions of the Android app and Windows software is in English, however, there are a few spots where the English is poor or still in, I believe, Korean.

*The 140 degree view of the camera is nice, however in certain circumstances, mostly with rain or water, the playback view can look like a fish eye. If there were an option of an 120 degree lens, I believe I would opt for that.

Bottom line, I think this is a great unit and I'm glad I opted to buy it. I plan on putting a second camera in my truck, to the rear, however I don't think I will buy another DR500 for this since that unit won't need all the options.

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WARNING: The SD card that came with my Blackvue was infected with Conflicker.B Trojan. Before you plug ANY strange software into your PC make certain autoplay is turned OFF, and scan the new device with a good anti-virus scanner. In my case, Windows Security Essentials (Free) detected the trojan and removed it. After that all seems well.

As for the dashcam itself, it arrived in very nice packaging, everything in English and very professional looking. Setup in the car went flawlessly with plenty of length on the supplied power cord for hiding it under the roof and door trim around to my center console cigarette lighter. Although, since the input pin on the cam is labelled for 12V input, I wish there was an option to buy a cable that fit the power socket on the cam and then could be direct wired into the car's 12V electric system. Even the available BlackBox Pro battery protector has the dashcam going through a lighter plug.

Getting the Cam to connect via WiFi to the android app seems a bit finicky, though I'm starting to suspect that it may just be that I'm too impatient. If I try to connect as soon as the voice notification that normal recording has started is over, I can't get a wifi connection without trying multiple times. If I keep trying, after a few minutes it connects and everything is fine. If I wait 5-10 minutes after turning the camera on, then it connects much quicker.

The video quality is great. The unit does get warm to the touch during operation, but with the vent holes, cools rapidly once powered down. I've been using it for only 2 days now, and we're still in winter, if you can call it that in Texas. I'm very interested to see how it continues to perform through it's first Texas summer in a few months.

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I have both the DR400-HD and the DR500GW-HD

I purchased the DR500GW-HD for it's live view and wifi function. These features are nice but not what I had expected. It's almost a gimmick.

I had imagined the LiveView function to be just that, live view. Unfortunately the live view gives you a video which is delayed, of lower quality and not smooth. It's pretty much only good for adjusting the camera. On both cameras, the "Blackvue" logo can be used to adjust the camera. Align the Blackvue logo horizontally and the camera angle is pretty much set correctly.

Don't expect the wifi connection to be like your home router. If you think you can sit at a cafe and use Live View from across the street you'll be diasppointed. It's only good for a very short distance, less than the stated 10m. Additionally, even with the supplied class 10 microSD card, viewing recorded video through wifi is not a very smooth experience due to a lot of buffering (on multiple iOS and Android devices). On top of that, I occasionally get a "weak signal" error on my android devices when connected so I have to get out of the mobile app and reconnect.

It is 44% bigger (by volume) than the older Blackvue. Not sure why they had to make it so much bigger for the WIFI function but it is noticeably bigger. The camera recording angle is much wider (156 diag/123 hor/90 vert degrees vs 120 diag/98 hor /55 Vert degrees). Although the recording angle much better, it tends to loose some details of license plates.

The biggest problem is the video generated by the DR500GW. It is worse in quality compared to the DR400! In areas with a lot of trees and dark objects, the video quality is horrible with big blocks of pixelation. When viewing the video using the Blackvue windows application (approximately reduced to 30%) the video looks ok but you can still see pixelation. The same video zoomed out to 100% is pretty bad. In other situations the video is comparable to the DR400, just slightly less in quality. The video from the DR400 is also much better at night. The video from the DR500GW at night has too much constrast and looks greenish. The only setting you can change is brightness and mine is set to the lowest level)

Bottom line? Is DR500GW-HD a worthy upgrade? NO! While it has wider recording angle and better cooling, the DR500GW-HD produces lower quality video. Additionally, the Live View and WIFI function doesn't work as expected/implied.

If the bitrate can be increased to improve the video quality (perhaps a low, medium, high instead of just compressed and normal) and the WIFI streaming (both video replay and Live View) works smoothly with longer range, then Pittasoft has a innovative winning product. At the current iteration, it's a down grade from the previous generation.

Wednesday, December 4, 2013

Car Mp3 Player Wireless Fm Transmitter Black

Car Mp3 Player Wireless Fm Transmitter Black
  • Transmit distance > 5m
  • Distortion <= 3% (F = 75KHz. f = lKHz)
  • Signal to noise ratio >= 45db
  • Frequency response: 20Hz - 20KHz
  • Separation: >= 50dB

I bought this because it has the ability to transmit from any frequency, rather than just a couple presets, which I like.

The thing is not great, but pretty decent. My biggest problem with it was that information on the screen is so light that it is basically impossible to read unless you tilt it to a certain angle. Then again, that didn't bother me too much because once you set it, you don't really need to touch it again.

I live in suburban New Hampshire, so there isn't a lot of interference, and the device transmitted quite well. Very pleasantly surprised, actually. I don't know how it would hold up in more urban environments. Battery life is quite good also. It does NOT charge your device, in case there is any confusion about that.

Of course, you can tell it is cheaply made. Mine just broke after fairly heavy use for 3 months. I may have been too rough with it though, and I'm going to buy another one because the price is so good.

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For $3.95 this is an incredible bargain! There is only minor background noise in quiet parts of the song, or between songs, otherwise the sound quality is terrific, and it's compact enough that I mounted it to my dashboard so it's always there, ready to use. The backlight and clock are nice extras, and it also tells the temperature, although only in centigrade. There's no reason to spend more on a similar item. This works terrific for me with my MP3.

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The car Mp3 transmitter works great. I keep it in my car all the time and use it to play my Mp3s through my radio. Good price for good quality.

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I got it on time, but it would not come on or work. I hope they can help me with this......

Works great and arrived on time every thing was in the box and came with every it was suppose to

Thursday, November 28, 2013

Wagan IN2514 Heated Massage Lumbar Cushion

Wagan IN2514 Heated Massage Lumbar CushionI have DDD and this product gives me the fastest pain relief of any mechanical device I've tried. I like the fact that it DOES NOT contain a self timing shut-off device as many do. The only thing: I wish there was a way of shutting it off without unplugging the transformer... when left plugged into the wall, the transformer gets very hot... even when not in use. This can be overcome with a short extension cord with a switch built in or a switched wall socket.

I bought this cushion after reading favorable reviews on it, for my husband who had recently herniated a couple of lumbar disks. We were facing a long road trip home to see family and I was thinking I'd end up doing all of the driving. Not so! The heated cushion was just the thing to keep hubby happy and pain free for up to 6 hours of driving at a stretch. We were both happy with that outcome. He didn't really use the massage (really vibrate) function much. The heating element and shape of the cushion worked very well on his back. Because it pushes your lower back forward, you will have to put a towel or cushion behind your upper back to keep proper alignment when you use it.

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Pad has good support, works well for me while driving. Heater would be better with low, medium and high settings. Massage feature is more annoying than useful. Overall, good product for the price..

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Pro: Bought this awhile back, worked great, reduced pain in my lower back. Loved the heat and message options.

Con: lasted only slightly more than a month. Now the heat function works but not message. Makes a loud motor noise.

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I bought this for my husband, who has been experiencing back pain while driving for extended periods. He then used it on a 750-mile drive. It worked very well, and he especially liked the heat option. Unlike other cushions we tried, this one did NOT push him too far forward on the seat. I compared several similar products while shopping for a back supporting cushion, and I believe that this one is by far the best value for the money. The only problem was that the elastic strap (provided for stability) was too short to go around the front seat and broke.

Saturday, September 7, 2013

Stinger Shoc-Krome Series 0 to 4 Gauge Power / Ground Wire Reducer

Stinger Shoc-Krome Series 0 to 4 Gauge Power / Ground Wire Reducer
  • 0 Gauge Input to 4 Gauge Output
  • Corrosion Resistant - High Power Delivery
  • Improves Cosmetic Appearance
  • Very heavy duty. Can be used for audio, marine and any underhood wiring.
  • Allen Type Screw Terminal

I liked the idea of not having to take my 0 gauge wire and putting it into a distribution block and then running 4 gauge wire into my amplifier but when i tried to install the post into my amp i found that it didnt fit into my amplifier. Im almost 100 % positive that my amplifiers ports accept 4 gauge wire and the post is just a hair too big. Im going to try to grind it down a hair and see if it will work after that but i dont like to modify things that should work. The idea is there and it could just be my amp so it could work for others but this is my experience so take it for what its worth and try it for yourself if you would like. Shipped quick and was priced good.

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These adapters have some of the best quality I've ever seen. No metal blobs on the edges, and they really clamp down on the wire. Haven't had a single problem with them. well worth 6 $.

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This item is 13/16" at it's widest point & 3/8" wide at the narrow end. I've read numerous reviews on this item but haven't found either here, or on the Stinger site, how wide these reducers actually are.

I have a Lanzar Opti2000D amp w/4 gauge power/ground terminals. I had to trim the sides down from 3/8" to just under 5/16" wide, in order to fit into the amp. My pwr/gnd connections are separated by a 1/2". With both reducers installed I have 5/32" clearance between the terminals. A great buy!!

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This is a great product. I really like the build quality. Not only is this reducer well made and heavy-duty, it gets the job done in high fashion. It fits true 1/0 gauge cable perfectly, in turn, making a great seal from the elements. I recommend this product to anyone who wants top quality for a very reasonable price. Hands down, one of the best!

Dealing with Darvex was as easy as 1, 2, 3. They offered the most competitive price amongst all other potential merchants. My order was sent on 10-20-2010 and I received it today (10-22-2010) with standard shipping. Spectacular service! I didn't have one single problem.

Thursday, August 22, 2013

Wagan 4-Way 12V Automotive Socket Extender

Wagan 4-Way 12V Automotive Socket ExtenderThis splitter is HEAVY and bulky. But if located correctly, these are advantages. I was using all 4 outlets with multiple swaps going on all day by people from different angles in the van, and there was never a problem with intermitant contact or loose contacts. I attribute that to the heavy casing and the heavy outlets. The only caution are the two tabs used to attach the splitter. They appear to be undersized if the splitter is hung. I used both the provided double-sided tape and the tabs to hang my splitter it is quite stable.

I received this item fast and I installed it in about 5 minutes. It came with double sticky tape and 4 screws so you can choose which method is best for you. I chose the screws because I wanted a more secure installation. I drilled the holes and mounted the bracket and the unit attached easily. I plugged it in and hooked up my key fob charger, phone charger and radio transmitter and had all 3 operating without a hitch. The unit is sturdy and mounted with the screws I had no problems plugging and unplugging my devices. The only thing I can complain about is that the item I received was not the same as the picture so they must have substituted. I have no problem with that as the substitution in my opinion is better looking and it works awesome. I would buy another if I owned another vehicle. I recommend this to everyone.

I uploaded 4 pictures also so you can see the unit installed.

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Not much to it. But still, it does what it supposed to do, and and is solid.

Comes with screws and a mount for the dash, and double sided tape so you can mount the way you prefer. 4 outlets, one with the "spring" bit that works with your cig lighter. The maybe 3' cord leading to the device is nice, and makes it flexible for mounting.

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This product was pretty good for what it was. It's positives is that there are four sockets to charge

but the negatives is that the sockets are really narrow so if your plug is wide then you will most likely have to leave a slot unoccupied simply because the sockets are so close together.

Another con for a compact car is the cord is pretty long.

And the final and major con is it worked well for the first 9 months but died just last week. It is very disappointing as I paid more in hopes this would last a while. I will be contacting the company

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Cord is as specified @ 34"

Cord is all black unlike picture (its a newer model than pictured)

Cord is 18 gauge wire

Safegaurded by a 10 amp fuse

All 4 sockets are usable for any device and all 4 sockets can be used at the same time as long as the total amperage pulled by those 4 devices is a total of 10 amp's or less.

Mounting screws are very short, so I used some longer screws; I didn't try to use the doubled sided tape.

I installed the unit under the passenger dash on my bass boat and ran wires from the battery to a female adapter to the front where it connected to the male adapter.

Unit Works greats great

For the price it is a great deal.

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Friday, August 16, 2013

GOgroove FlexSMART X2 Wireless In-Car Bluetooth FM Transmitter with Charging, Music Control, and Ha

GOgroove FlexSMART X2 Wireless In-Car Bluetooth FM Transmitter with Charging, Music Control, and Hands-Free Calling for Android, iPhone, Blackberry, & Windows Smartphones
  • On-board volume, play settings, and phone controls|Built-in microphone with enhanced voice detection
  • FM tuner with an Auto-seek feature to help find the clearest FM station
  • Universal USB port lets you charge your Smartphone or MP3 Player while streaming
  • Includes "line in" port and 3.5 aux. cable for connecting non-Bluetooth enabled devices

When I got the HTC Evo back at the beginning of June I just went to Wal Mart and picked up an FM transmitter there for 50 dollars, but it would only transmit to the radio but not charge the phone. For anyone who has an Evo, you know that the battery life is not good. Plus it had a so much excess wiring. I returned it and bought this off of amazon and it is amazing. It paired within 10 seconds and transmits with barely noticeable no static, transmits far better than the 50 dollar thing I got from Wal-Mart or the FM transmitter I had for my iphone. I put my phone onto pandora, plug in the charger and set it down and if a song comes up I want to skip, I can just hit the forward button on the flexSmart unit which can be easily adjusted to any position for your hand.

I love this thing, its not obtrusive, theres not a ton of excess wiring, just the gooseneck and if you want to charge it simultaneously you can just plug it into the usb port with the included 6 inch wire or use your own. The calls come in clear and great too, just as good as any bluetooth headset.

I highly recommend this if you dont have an auxiliary port in your car stereo, I was considering getting the gomadic one which is only 5 dollars cheapers, but has so much more wiring and the typical inconvenient control module built into the wiring. I'm really glad I got this one, I'm about to drive from DC to Portland and this thing will make the trip much more bearable and its not an eye sore in the car.

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This product is an FM transmitter that connects to your Phone via bluetooth, and then transmits the audio to your car stereo through an FM signal. Just the same as other FM transmitters, but using bluetooth connection to your phone rather than a cord.

Setup:

I take a lot of trips up to Santa Barbara on the weekends and it's about 90 miles away. I use this with my Motorola Droid usually, but also with my friends' phones too. First you just plug the FLEXSMART X2 into the cigarette outlet in your car, and then press the power button. You see the LCD light up and you can adjust the FM station with the twisting knob. Just match the FM station on the FLEXSMART X2 and your car FM radio. To find the best station you can just hold down the twisting knob for a few seconds and it automatically finds a clear station for you. All you have to do to put the FLEXSMART X2 into pairing mode is hold the blue call button for a couple seconds, and then the lights start to flash. Then you go into your bluetooth settings on whatever phone you have and search for FLEXSMART X2 from the list. It usually connects in about 5 seconds. You here two beeps. One thing to notice is that when you want to disconnect one phone and connect a friend's, you have to unpair the 1st phone before connecting the 2nd one.

Sound for Music and Calls:

The sound quality for music seems to be very good. It's way less interference than other FM transmitters, I think it's possibly because there are no wires connecting the phone to the transmitter. Bluetooth music seems to be superior. One thing I did notice was a difference in my sound levels with the bass and treble. I just tweaked the bass and treble levels and got it sounding the way I like. Call quality is different. I can't figure it out...sometimes when I make or receive calls everything is perfect.. then sometimes the person I'm talking to says they can hear their voice echo in the background, BUT they sound fine to me??? It only happens maybe 1 out of 10 times.. but I can't figure out what causes it... maybe a bad cell phone signal I'm not sure. BUt for the most part calls sound good and I like how I can answer and end calls without ever toughing my phone

Controls:

You can answer and end calls by the controls on FLEXSMART X2, and you can even hold down the call button to call the same person you last talked to. The twisting knob is used for fm station tuning. Twsting it will change the FM station by 0.1 with each click. One cool feature is this Auto-Seek that finds clear stations for you. You just hold down the twisting knob and it zooms into a clear station...very cool. Also, the knob controls volume if you click it down just once. It seems like the best sound comes when you turn the FLEXMSART X2 volume up to 30, and then your car radio at about mid level(depending on how loud you like your music). I've noticed by turning up the volume on FLEXSMART X2 first the sound quality is really great. The play, forward and back buttons control your music. These controls worked great on most phones I've tried, but only the play and pause control worked on the iPhone 3GS we used.

Other cool things.....

I noticed that when you leave your phoen bluetooth on, FLEXSMART X2 automatically re-pairs it when you turn your car on. Thats pretty cool. It also comes with 3 usb cables which can charge iPods and almost any cell phone. It has a USB port on the side of it that you connect these cables to, so you could charge your phone or your friend's phone even though your cigarette outlet is being taken up.

The lights are also really cool at night. They go nice with my 2002 Volkswagen console lights. ALSO, you can use this just like any other FM transmitter if you have an iPod or something without bluetooth capability. It has a 3.5mm headphone cord jack and a two-way cable. It's cool that you can use it even with things(mp3 players / laptops) that don't have bluetooth capability.

What a cool product... for sure one of the coolest car audio products I've ever used...hahha and my friends like it too.

Read Best Reviews of GOgroove FlexSMART X2 Wireless In-Car Bluetooth FM Transmitter with Charging, Music Control, and Ha Here

Okay, so maybe everybody knows this, but this isn't just for the Android phone-it's compatible with the iPhone 4 as well. I wasn't sure of this (I've never really messed with bluetooth before) as they list the FlexSmart on here for the iPhone and the Android phone as separate products. The one listed for the iPhone is actually more money and is not Prime eligible, so I took a chance and just ordered this one. Success, it worked! So if there's anyone out there that's as silly as me wondering hey, will it work for both? The answer is YES. I have an iPhone 4 and my husband has the Samsung Galaxy (an Android phone), and we both connect to it with NO problems whatsoever.

The sound is super crisp. I've had an FM transmitter for my iPod before and not been impressed-it was static-y and wouldn't hold the signal. But this little gadget really knocked my socks off! Pairing it with 2 different phones was super easy, and the sound quality is terrific. My husband wants one for his truck now. :)

In the item pictures, it only shows the mini & micro USB and audio cords, but this comes with a little package of all the USB cords you'd need for charging if you're a multi-phone family like us (including iPhone/iPod cord). That is REALLY awesome because now I've got ONE device for bluetooth, charging and music! I can get rid of all those other cords! The cord plugs into the USB port and keeps my iPhone charged on long drives. :)

I also plugged my mom's iPhone 3G and my sister's iPhone 3GS into it, paired it using Bluetooth, and it worked flawlessly with those models as well.

I highly recommend this!!

Want GOgroove FlexSMART X2 Wireless In-Car Bluetooth FM Transmitter with Charging, Music Control, and Ha Discount?

This my quick review, I'll use the given standardized attributes -

Call Quality (4)

The quality is actually pretty good, but it wasn't 5 stars primarily because the voice volume is considerably lower than the music volume and this is with them set to be even on the phone, it's a big discrepancy in the two volume levels.

Compatibility (5)

Gave it a 5 for this because I tried it with a bunch of devices and it connected and worked NO PROBLEM! It re-pairs and reconnects effortlessly. It supports all the different pairing modes as advertised and paired with my Android phone I can control the music I play with the easy-to-use buttons.

Setup (5)

You don't have to be a Techie AT ALL to set this up in under 10 mins (and keep it setup). Pairing was easy, using was easy and intuitive. There is one little issue that I will mention at the end. What Is great is that they provide you ALL the cables you would ever need.

Sound Quality (4)

The sound quality is pretty okay, but not great.

Music Quality (4)

I gave this a 4 because the sound quality over bluetooth is noticeably less than when it is connected via cable (not too much of a surprise there). There's almost no bottom-end in the music over Bluetooth.

SUGGESTION to the manufacturers:

I really luv this product. There are two quick suggestions I have -

(1) Improve the quality of the music over Bluetooth (it needs to be able to carry bass).

(2) This next one is concerning the knob. It is very nice in every way, EXCEPT... I suggest to reverse the volume and tuning operations. When you turn the knob it changes the FM frequency (which is not something that you have to do much if at all)... HOWEVER, to adjust the volume (more frequently done) you have to first press the knob and then turn it to adjust. These need to be switched around.

If I discover anything else I will add more.

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I was hesitant to purchase an FM based transmitting device for my iPhone. I was going to spend the money and get a new stereo with an wired interface for my iPhone instead. I've tried quite a few of the FM based devices before, and I was always getting interference from FM broadcast stations, even ones that were not close by. I was very surprised that I did not have that problem with this device. I traveled over 250 miles one way, going through 3 major cities, and not once did I have to search for a clean station. When I turned off power to the Flexsmart X2, there was a very strong station being broadcast on the frequency it was using, but I never had bleed through from it. Amazing. I did not really buy it for the phone capabilities, since I use a BlueAnt visor clip model, but the Flexsmart X2 is superior to the BlueAnt. No one tells me that I sound awful using it, and most people don't know that I am on a speaker phone unless I tell them. Since the audio for the phone is coming through the radio, I don't have a problem hearing the party I am speaking to, either. Only problem with it is that the flex arm seems to be a bit weak and sags after a while, but it is far from a deal breaker. I have no problem recommending purchasing this to anyone looking for a very good, inexpensive way to interface their iPhone with their car stereo.

Tuesday, July 16, 2013

2nd Generation Audio FM Transmitter and Car Vehicle Charger for the Samsung Galaxy Tab - Uses Gomad

2nd Generation Audio FM Transmitter and Car Vehicle Charger for the Samsung Galaxy Tab - Uses Gomadic TipExchange TechnologyI am always skeptical about FM transmitters for music playback through the radio of one's car. Having tried many of these devices I was never really pleased with the sound quality because of the amount of static that could be heard over the soundwaves.

I am happy to say that this device works GREAT! As long as there is nothing electrical between this transmitter and the antenna of your car, the clarity of the signal is amazing! I turned down the sound of my Galaxy Tab 10.1 to see how much static I could here and pumped up the car stereo volume and I could barely hear any static!

I use it with a cup holder cigarette lighter power unit (it also has TWO USB power connectors) so I can power other music devices while using the 3.5 mm jack to port the sound through the car speakers.

Two thumbs up on this gadget!

Dagoof

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Monday, July 15, 2013

Rapid Car / Auto Charger for the Maylong FD-220 GPS For Dummies - uses Gomadic TipExchange Technolo

Rapid Car / Auto Charger for the Maylong FD-220 GPS For Dummies - uses Gomadic TipExchange Technology
  • High output Rapid Charging adapter fits cigarette lighters in both foreign and domestic vehicles
  • 12 - 24 VDC; 1000 mA high output current for faster charging; full lifetime warranty
  • Advanced internal circuitry prevents device from power surges; overcharging and short-circuiting
  • TipExchange Technology protects investment providing means to upgrade charger tips at lower cost ( Maylong FD-220 GPS For Dummies Tip Included )
  • Charging adapter works with both foreign and domestic car lighter ports

This was a gift for my elderly parents they love it. I am very happy with this item. My parents bought me the same one three years ago, so I wanted to give them something that was very easy to use this is,.

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