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WIRELESS HOOK-UP BETWEEN COMPUTER & STEREO
We are pleased to review the General Electric Wireless MP3
transmitter & receiver system – the HO97686. This is an excellent
value and a MUST HAVE for every computer! Not everything electronic has
to cost an “arm and a leg”, and be impossible to work without
a PhD in computers or electrical engineering… and GE has come through
with a perfect product at the right price. We don’t give out many
EDITORS’ CHOICE AWARDS, but the HO97686 scores our first for 2004.
Read on, and then go immediately to your nearest electronics store - we
were that impressed!
Background
Downloading MP3 music to your PC is legal and easy. Also,
many people have already “ripped” favorite songs from their
own CDs and stored them as MP3 files – listening to them through
the WINDOWS MEDIA PLAYER or any one of a number of music playing software
programs (WINAMP, etc.).
Most people have added very good sound systems to their
computers (we have done many reviews of some very excellent products –
check them out in our archives). Often, you work on a PC project, while
listening to your music through your PC.
Did you ever wish you could easily and inexpensively hook
up your Stereo system to play all these good songs you have on your stereo
system?
Well, if you are like most of us the answer is a resounding
– YES! Take my computer setup (please), I have a super-system located
upstairs, but my living room is downstairs – where I have the stereo.
My stereo has both living room speakers and it also has outdoor speakers
for those patio parties. I would love to output my PC music to my stereo,
but I have been stopped by (1) can’t run wiring indoors; and (2)
I don’t want to spend a small fortune (in fact, I don’t want
to spend over $40). GE provided us the HO97686 “Wireless MP3 Transmitter”
for evaluation… and happy days are here/hear at last.
Great things in a Small Package
The HO97686 technology is pretty basic and wonderfully simple
to install.
Each PC audio card has outputs on the rear of the PC. The
686 transmitter unit (if I can call it that from here on out) plugs into
the audio card output (it is green on most computer cards), you plug in
the DC converter power supply (press power button on the transmitter unit
to “turn on/off”), and move the transmitter antenna to the
upward position. The transmitter also has a jack on the back for you to
hook your headset into (so you haven’t lost the ability to use your
headset!).
The 686 receiver unit is just as easy. It also has a DC
converter power supply to plug in and switch to turn on/off. The back
of the receiver has 2 output jacks (red/white) which you run a cable to
the red/white input jacks of your stereo (AUX IN, or similar vacant inputs).
You turn on your PC and the transmitter and receiver. You
are now broadcasting wirelessly what was going to the headphone to your
stereo in the other room. Turn on your stereo and set the source input
to AUX IN (or whatever source input you connected the receiver to) –
and Eureka! Music!
Start to finish (including 5 minutes to read the directions
and 4 minutes to open the tightly wrapped plastic packaging) the installation
took less than 20 minutes, and worked immediately. Very easy, very simple.
In particular, it is nice to be able to turn the transmitter/receiver
off (as opposed to constant on), and the range of the unit appears to
be around 80 feet line of sight, which reduces indoors depending on the
number of walls/ceiling/floors. Interference might be experienced if you
place the receiver on top of your stereo or the transmitter adjacent to
electrical equipment (the cords are long enough to allow the units to
be placed 2 -3 feet away) – so work with the unit placement if you
experience static or an interference “hum” (I didn’t
have this problem).
Lastly, and most pleasantly, the unit retail list is $39.95.
OK – it is time to go to the store now…
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10 / 10 |
OVERALL SCORE
98%
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- Very simple |
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10 / 10 |
- Easy to read |
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10 / 10 |
- Works exactly
as described |
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9 / 10 |
- Simple solution
for simple application |
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10 / 10 |
- Great price point |
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9.8 /
10 |
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