GE 29878GE1 Digital Messaging System- You get what you pay for
Written: Jul 16 '02 (Updated Jul 16 '02)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Very easy to use, has time/day stamp
Cons: The quality of the recordings just plain sucks
The Bottom Line: Although extremely easy to use, the GE Digital Messaging System is lacking when it comes to sound quality. You pay for what you get.
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| xxskagirlxx's Full Review: General Electric 29878GE1 Digital Answering Machin... |
My fiance and I moved into our new apartment a little over a month ago. Since this was both our first times on our own, we quickly learned that we needed to purchase some essentials.
We headed down to our local Target, equipped with our shopping list. Since we're basically just two poor college kids in disguise (Jason has rich parents that are sometimes kind enough to help us out, but they weren't around for this excursion) we knew that we would have to cut some corners. As we drew closer to the electronics department, I realized that we needed an answering machine.
Well, I'm one of those people who have very little patience for electronic devices. I'm not willing to shell out the extra bucks for something that looks cool. And, since we were trying to be somewhat thrifty, I picked up the cheapest answering machine on the shelf. It was the General Electric 29878GE1 Digital Messaging System and it was retailing for $15.
Features:
-14-minute recording time
-Fully digital, no tape required
-Memo function
-Access messages remotely
-Voice time/day stamp
-One year warranty to cover parts and service
-Automatically disconnects if phone is picked up
What I found:
*PROS*
The General Electric 29878GE1 Digital Messaging System was incredibly easy to set up. We removed it from the box and attached the electrical cord the back of the phone. We then plugged it in to the wall outlet and pressed the "on/off" button to turn it on. Immediately, the LCD light came on to let us know that it was operating. We then proceeded to plug in my fiance's cordless telephone into the phone jack located on the back of the machine and plugged in the phone cord that ran from the answering machine into the phone jack on the wall.
The answering machine came with a pre-recorded message for the consumer too lazy to record their own message. It happened to be the same voice that also speaks the time/date stamp. You know the usual creepy robatic voice. This time it happened to be a woman. Since this is such a creepy voice, I would suggest that you record your own message, which is incredibly easy. All you do is hold down the "greeting" button and the creepy woman's voice will tell you to record a new message after the tone.
Overall, this answering machine was one of the easiest answering machines I've ever used. There's a power button (which also doubles as an erase button when listening to a message), two volume buttons (up and down), a stop button (which doubles as a button to set the time/date), a greeting button, and in the middle there is a big play button and below it two more buttons for forwarding and rewinding. Every button is labeled very clearly and it is easy to understand. My fiance and I didn't even really need to read the instructions that came with the machine. Also, the LCD button that flashes when there is a message is very big. I could easily see it from my bedroom when looking toward my kitchen (where the machine was set up).
*CONS*
However, you pay for what you get when it comes to sound quality. The quality of the recordings are just terrible. Every message I received I had to listen to at least three times in order to get the general idea of the message. I was screwed if the person left a phone number to reach them at. I also happen to have a friend and for this purpose we'll call her "Fran". You see, "Fran" likes to leave messages that are long and detailed and they last for at least three minutes. Which is fine, because this answering machine has ample recording time. However, when "Fran" left a message, she sounded as though she had stuffed her mouth with marbles and then picked up the phone to call me. So, I would have to go through the message again and again in order to understand what was going on. Turning up the volume made the quality sound terribly scratchy and tinny. Turning down the volume helped the quality a little, but then I could hardly hear the message. Thirty minutes later, I was about ready to throw the machine against the freakin' wall. You could imagine what I was like at the end of the week.
Another gripe is the fact that there isn't a display to let you know how many new messages you have, there is only a light that flashes when you do have a new message. That might not be so important, but I would like to know in advance what I'm in for before I hit the "play" button.
And the last gripe concerns batteries. You see, General Electric was kind enough to include a feature that allows you to install batteries in case of a power failure. When a power failure does occur (as it did in our apartment during an electric storm), all of your messages and your personalized greeting will be saved. However, if you are lazy like us and choose to not install the batteries, not only will you lose everything but you will also be forced to endure the creepy woman's voice saying "low batteries" each and every time you listen to a message.
But Wait! There's a happy ending!
And so, in the end, my fiance and I trucked back to the store to purchase a new answering machine. It actually ended up being a better deal because we has just signed up for Caller I.D. so we ended up just buying a whole new phone that had a Caller I.D. and answering machine all rolled into one. And, I took my little GE Digital Messaging System and smashed it to bits with a bat.
My Recommendation:
I would only recommend this answering machine for people who 1.) are very broke or 2.) love to solve riddles and play guessing games. Otherwise, don't be suckered in by the cheap price. Splurge a little and buy a nicer machine. You'll be glad you did.
Recommended:
No
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Epinions.com ID:
xxskagirlxx
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Member: Stevie
Location: South Dakota
Reviews written: 152
Trusted by: 85 members
About Me:
I dress up my dogs and then force my husband to take them for walks.
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