The Panasonic KX-TC1733 is a digital 900MHz cordless phone and answering machine with call waiting caller ID and digital duplex speakerphone. The phone is available in two colors: white (1733W) and black (1733B).
Usability
The phone is much easier to use than previous generations of Panasonic phones, because it uses a large “Navigator” button, which resembles a joystick and works in conjunction with the menu (fits three lines of text/choices) displayed on the handset’s backlit LCD screen.
So instead of reading the manual every time you need to adjust some setting, you can push a button in the lower part of the handset that makes the phone display the menu and then use the “Navigator” button/joystick to do whatever you have to do.
Call Waiting, Caller ID, Call Timer And Battery
The phone had caller ID functionality and its handset’s LCD screen displays names and numbers of callers after the first ring (even if you are on another line). The display also shows the battery status the same way cell phones do.
The ability to assess the charge status of the battery is very important if you want to conserve the battery life (my last battery lasted only 1 year). With Ni-Cad batteries, it is better to not charge them until they are almost fully discharged. Which means that keeping the handset on the base all the time to have it fully charged shortens the life of the battery.
If somebody called you and you didn’t pick up the phone, you can review all callers’ numbers and names by pressing “Navigator” key up and/or down and you can instantly save the numbers in the phone’s memory if you want. Also, if you have messages on your answering machine, if you listen to them while having the handset on the base, the LCD will show the name/number of the person who left the message being played.
Digital Answering Machine
The phone has a built-in digital answering machine that stores your messages in memory. You can play back new messages only by pressing the “Play” button or play back all messages by pressing and holding it.
The sound quality is quite good, but you cannot “fast forward” or “rewind” (and I usually want to do this, e.g. if I didn’t catch the phone number of the person who called). You can skip to the next message or to the previous/beginning of the current one.
Also, to go through the list of callers on the handset’s LCD (if you have caller ID service) after you finished listening to your messages, you have to either wait for several seconds or press “stop”, even though the last message has played already. Otherwise, when you press “Navigator” down, the list of caller’s numbers/names refuse to appear.
There is a small display on the base that shows the number of messages you have and a red LED that, when flashes, shows you have new message(s). Another LED, when flashes, shows you have new Caller ID entries.
Sound Quality
The phone’s sound quality is very good - the phone uses digital transmission, which is more secure and eliminates static. If you get too far from the base, instead of static you will experience breakups in conversation (dropouts).
The sound quality is very good in terms of the cordless phones, but the cheap ($10) corded phone I have for emergencies sounds better. And phone my mother got - analog 900 MHz Panasonic KX-TC1731B sounds better (and its battery charges faster and lasts longer).
Features
The volume of the speaker can be adjusted using the Navigator button and you can also adjust the ring volume. The phone has the clock and knows when and how to adjust its clock to the daylight savings time – it adjusted its clock one hour forward.
The handset’s keypad is not backlit, so it is difficult to dial in the dark. The base features intercom. The handset can be used as a speakerphone – there is a separate button for this on the left of the “Navigator” button.
Battery
The speakerphone usage doesn’t seem to drain the battery quickly – I have spent more than an hour on hold using the speakerphone once and the battery still had enough juice for me to yell at my cable company that is too cheap to hire enough tech support people to support their high-speed internet access service that never worked.
The battery charging is reversible – the handset can be placed on the base either face up (preferred position – you can see who is calling before picking up) or face down for recharging.
It is worth mentioning that the analog 900MHz Panasonic KX-TC1731B that my mother has lasts longer in talk and standby and gets recharged in three times faster.
Conclusion
The KX-TC1733 is a very good durable phone with all the features I need and more.
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