Kensington 33350 Entertainment Dock 500 with Charger for iPod
by Kensington
(Click here)
Digital product summary information
Manufacturer: KensingtonBrand: Kensington
Edition: Electronics
Audio: English (Original Language)
Format: CD
Model: 33350
Publisher: Kensington
Studio: Kensington
Music Label: Kensington
Product features:
- Lets you listen to your iPod's music through your home stereo, and view your favorite photos
- Comes with a wireless RF remote control that lets you operate your iPod from up to 50 feet away
- Simultaneously charges your iPod while in its cradle, and lets you play your music and videos
- Compatible with iPod Nano (Gen 1,2); iPod (Gen 1,2,4)
- With built-in audio/video out and S-video connections, this system is simple plug-and-play
Digital camera reviews of Kensington 33350 Entertainment Dock 500 with Charger for iPod
Digital camera Review: A fix for the remote control...
Summary: 4 Stars
I did a lot of research in trying to find just the right dock for my new 80 GIG iPod, much of it on Amazon and iLounge. I figured with the negative reviews on the remote that even if it was a bit faulty, it probably had some sort of solution or I at least would be able to get it replaced (Kensington offers a free 2-year warranty on this product). That said, it seemed to provide the best audio and video outputs (with s-video capability assuming you already have an s-video cable or buy one separately), so I went for it.
Everything worked great for two days, and then the remote stopped working. HERE'S THE PROBLEM: The coils which should make clean, direct contact with the flat end (the negative end) of the AAA battery are very, very flimsy, and one of mine (probably at least one on the remotes on all of the people reporting problems) always tended to tilt sideways when I put a battery in (resulting in the coil not completely hitting the negative end). The result is that you're not getting full power from the batteries and so the remote seems dead. HERE'S THE FIX: I had to use a golf tee to keep the coil straight-on with the battery as I put the battery in, and then removed it once the battery made clean contact and could push it in directly. After that it worked fine. Use whatever but make sure those coils are in direct contact - that should do it. UPDATE: A day later, my fix has failed, but I'll continue to play with it and see what I can do - that cheap little coil is really flimsy but at least the company can replace it.
The remote will navigate through pretty much every menu on your ipod (not just volume or skipping tracks, but also going up and down levels on the menu, turning the iPod off and on, etc), though sadly as I had read in advance the menus do not turn up on your TV screen. It'll be great when/if that problem is solved.
As for AV quality, I'm fairly satisfied. On my HDTV, using the RCA inputs for audio works great but the picture quality leaves something to be desired (what do you expect with all that compression) - looks great on a 2" x 2" screen but blow that up onto an actual TV and it's watchable but hardly crystal clear. I haven't tried the S-video connection yet but I imagine the results won't be that much better (again, I'm assuming it's the file compression and not the cables that make that big a deal). Audio is my main concern, and that sounds great. I'm picky about such things and as such was late to make the leap to iPods in general, but this dock makes my songs sound nearly as good as CD's to my ears.
Pros:
-Great sound
-Nice unobtrusive design
-Supports RCA and S-Video output
-Good range on the remote
Cons:
-Cheap (but fixable) remote
-No menus on the TV (though very few support this)
Summary of Kensington 33350 Entertainment Dock 500 with Charger for iPod
ENTERTAINMENT DOCK 500 FOR IPOD IPOD NANOWith the Kensington 33350 Entertainment Dock 500 for iPods you can enjoy all your favorite music, video and photos in your home with a touch of a remote control. The Entertainment Dock 500 lets you also display your videos and photos from your iPod through your TV.
The Kensington 33350 entertainment dock lets you listen to music through your home stereo, as well as play a soundtrack while you view your favorite photos or play your favorite videos over your home entertainment system. What's more, this handy unit comes with a wireless RF remote control that lets you operate your iPod from up to 50 feet away, and simultaneously charges your iPod in its cradle. Constructed with both an audio/video out, as well as S-video, this system is simple plug-and-play, without requiring you to change any settings or download any new software.
This unit has a built-in Universal Dock that allows it to work with the iPod or iPod mini with dock connector, as well as the new iPod nano and video--including the iPod 3G, iPod 4G (Click Wheel), iPod color, and iPod 5G/5.5G Video--and is backed by Kensington's 2-year warranty.
What's in the Box
Kensington 33350 Entertainment Dock 500, an audio/video cable, a wireless radio frequency remote, an AC power adapter, a user's guide and warranty information.
MP3 Player Accessories
Cameras and Photo
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