Eton FR400 Self-Powered Water-Resistant AM/FM Radio with NOAA by Eton
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Digital camera reviews of Eton FR400 Self-Powered Water-Resistant AM/FM Radio with NOAA
Digital camera Review: Inacurate Description
Summary: 4 Stars
Product description says it comes with connection tips to recharge cell phones. It does not. One other reviewer said you have to call Eton to get such. After Christmas, I'll give that a whirl and see what happens. Otherwise, it's a good radio and the cammo version is much less expensive than the others though I'm not sure why. Maybe the cell phone tips????Digital camera Review: Info on Digital for this item...
Summary: 4 Stars
I needed more info on this radio and others so I called Amazon tech support. I was given the Eton customer service number: 1-800-872-2228.
The Eton FR400 has TV capabilities that will become obsolete in 2009 as the signals will all be switched to digital for the TV portion of this radio. All other functions will work. The updated model, Eton FR405, is the same as this radio only without the TV signal capability. The FR405 is only available at Best Buy at this time. For my money, the FR400 with TV capabilities, while the TV signals last, is a better buy.
This radio is water resistant. A waterproof model would be perfect. We've lost a couple of cell phones in the river and water kills them fast. Sun dried cell phones are never the same if they even flicker with life at all. So, now I look for waterproof when buying anything that might get wet or fall overboard. An emergency radio is in that class.
Another newer model coming on the scene soon will be the Eton FR1000--no TV capability, but it will come with a walkie talkie. This is being tested now and should be the next model you will see on the market.
Eton does not make a GPS system combined with NOAA radio capabilities. They also do not have a unit with both shortwave and NOAA combined--apparently the circuitry on the two things are not compatable. No one has this.
I want something that will be equally useful on land, at sea or in a vehicle. I want an "emergency" unit that packages many of the things I may need for "survival" communication. Okay, I really meant everything I might need. :) I haven't found the perfect NOAA radio yet.
The other thing that is not available is an NOAA radio with digital TV. Apparently, the digital components are too expensive at this time to add this feature to these radios and maintain a decent price point. So, companies are simply deleting TV from the mix.
This model, Eton FR400, will charge a cell phone battery. None of the connections come with the unit. You send in for them. The first cell phone adapter connector is free, additional ones cost $5 each. Eton tries to keep a number of cell phone battery charger adaptors in stock, but you may want to see if they have your specific adaptor before making a purchase because they don't carry them all.
Amazon has inflated the retail price on this unit. It sells for $60 directly from Eton, plus $10 shipping.
The unit is larger than I expected. This is okay, but wouldn't a cell phone sized unit be wonderful! Waterproof of course.
UPDATE 2-7-2008: The Eton FR1000 has been released this month. I haven't seen it on Amazon yet, but it is available at some other retailers. Check online. The retail price is $150.
Digital camera Review: Not as described
Summary: 3 Stars
The product description clearly says, "Includes an emergency siren, and a built-in cell phone charger with multiple adapter tips". After reading many accounts of how it is possible to lose contact simply because of not being able to recharge a cell phone, I thought this a very good feature in a "disaster radio", and it is the feature that motivated me to purchase the radio.
I was surprised to find that the radio not only doesn't include "multiple adapter tips", it doesn't have even one, in fact doesn't have even a cord that will plug into the socket labeled "cell phone", and this socket is also nothing like any standard cell phone cord would plug into.
[added later] Not evident in the product description, the "normal procedure" is to, after purchase, contact customer service, who will send you the proper adapter for the cell phone you specify. [end addition]
I contacted Eton customer service. To their credit, the reply was quick, but to the effect of, "tell us the cell phone model and we will send one cord, but no other adapters".
I'm less than thrilled with this radio. It seems OK, but the light is dim (2 LEDs), the radio reception is spotty, hard to tune, and the carrying case is too small to fit the radio and the charger.
Digital camera Review: TV reception goes away in Feb 2009
Summary: 3 Stars
While I can't comment on this units performance as an FM/AM/Weather Radio, you should note that after the transition to Digital TV signals in February 2009, the TV bands on this radio will no longer work.
Just something to keep in mind before you buy...
Digital camera Review: Works great
Summary: 5 Stars
I bought this product based on a friend's recommendation. I have been very impressed with the features and functionality of the FR-400. The quality of the unit is nice and I have already had the benefit of the "alert" function.