GigaRange Elite! Now I know what it means.
Written: Apr 22 '03
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Product Rating:
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Pros: range, digital answering machine with clear sound, good styling and design.
Cons: Digital speakerphone clips, low battery life, not expandable.
The Bottom Line: This is a superior cordless phone and answering machine, in spite of the bad battery and poor speakerphone.
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| aashok's Full Review: Panasonic KX TG2670 2.4 GHz 1-Line Cordless Phone |
Saying goodbye to my old friend.
After almost a year of faithful service, it’s time to say farewell to my trusty old phone. We have had our differences such as the short battery cycle, and our share of problems such as the clipping speakerphone. But it performed flawlessly in its core task of being a cordless phone. Alas the rigors of life in my crazy home have taken a toll. It’s limping along with a broken antenna, and scotch tape bandage to hold in the battery. This is not a worthy life for a phone of this caliber. So with a heavy heart I lay it to rest in peace, in the telephone heaven called the Staten Island Fresh Kills landfill.
The Layout.
When I first got the phone, I was very impressed by the small size and numerous functions on the base and handset. The handset has a lime green colored backlight for the keypad and the 3-line LCD display. It also has a speakerphone button that activates the loudspeaker located on the reverse. A four way rocker switch located below the LCD allows easy navigation of the features and menu items. The antenna can be extended to increase range. An included belt clip attaches from behind and there is a headset jack on the left side covered by a small rubber insert. The base has a built in digital answering machine, speakerphone with dedicated keypad. The LCD display is also backlit but the keypad is not. There are LEDs to indicate missed calls, pending caller id list and speakerphone status. The caller id list can be viewed on both the base and the handset. The handset has to be inserted in a vertical standing position to recharge. The base can also be wall mounted with the included bracket. The Base has two non retractable antennae mounted on a vertical swivel, on either side. This phone supports one telephone line only.
What’s HOT:
Digital Spread Spectrum & Outstanding Range.
Digital Spread Spectrum technology provides clear sound, superb range and enhanced security. Cordless phones with Digital SST have greater output power than other phones because they transmit over the entire bandwidth, constantly changing frequencies. This increased power dramatically boosts range while the switching of the digital signal thru 24 channel autoscan, makes conversations more difficult to monitor. The single best reason to buy this phone is the reception and range. I live on the 9th floor of a high rise. The phone is placed about 4 feet from the window. I took the handset and started walking down the stairs. It kept working for 3 floors. What was amazing was that I could use the phone from the park at ground level in front of the building. The reception was exactly the same as in my house. Unbelievable! Usually the 2.4 and 5 gHz spectrum, is notoriously weak in penetrating infrastructure such as walls, ceilings and aluminum siding. The more walls the signal has to travel thru, the worse the reception.
Digital Answering Machine.
This type of an answering device does not use any cassette tapes, but relies on built-in solid state memory to store incoming messages and the outgoing greeting. The total recording capacity is 15 minutes. The quality of recording is excellent. The obvious disadvantages are that you have to regularly delete old messages to make room for new ones, and you cannot remove a tape to save those incriminating messages left by the psycho ex-girlfriends psycho mother. It can get a little tricky to program the TAD. Access to all the custom settings and advanced functions can only be made thru the handset. For certain features, the handset refers you to look at the base for further instructions/options.
Small Size and Great Design.
Both the base and the handset are much smaller than most phones. This actually helps the ergonomics and user friendliness of both. The handset is too small to rest on the shoulder, but if you really want to be hands free, you can do so with the speakerphone or an inexpensive headset that plugs into the handset. I plugged in a headset from an old cell phone and it worked just fine. The plastic exterior has a matte titanium gray finish with gray and black buttons and trim. I feel this finish actually prevents the buildup of dirt and grime between the keypad buttons. Even though my handset looks like a war veteran after a year, I still like this design. It really took some inordinate amount of abuse to get to its current state. The base is still in pristine working condition. Compared to my older Sony, which was bigger, heavier and felt sturdier. But it also fell apart sooner.
What’s NOT:
Poor Battery Cycle.
The battery (model: HHR-P509) will not last 11 days in standby as claimed. More like 3 days with average use. The talk time is about 3.5-4 hours if you don't use speakerphone on handset. If you use the handset speakerphone, expect 1.5-2 hours of talk time. This translates to a more frequent discharge/recharge cycle. This means that over time the battery will keep reducing it's talk time till it croaks. After 6 months, with a full charge, my phone would completely discharge as soon as I pressed the speakerphone button on handset.
Digital Speakerphone.
This was very useful when I needed to take notes while on the phone. The speakerphone is supposed to be digital duplex. However it is not truly duplex. When one person is talking the other party cannot interrupt or talk over like you normally would on a regular phone. Also extraneous noises will cause speaker volume to suddenly decrease. The manufacturer recommends the following, "Talk alternately with caller in a quiet room. If the other party's voice cuts in/out or they cannot hear you, reduce speaker volume. If problem persists, switch from speakerphone to regular receiver." That is not a proper solution and below the quality standards that Panasonic generally aspires toward.
The Bottom Line:
So far, this has been by far the best cordless phone I’ve ever owned. The answering machine works well and has very clear record quality. The speakerphone even with its occasional clipping, IS a convenient feature to have. However this is an older model. The newer models are now offering multi line and multi handset expandable systems. But at their core is the same reliable GigaRange Digital Spread Spectrum technology.
Panasonic Product url:
http://www.prodcat.panasonic.com/shop/NewDesign/ModelTemplatePrinter.asp?ModelID=13128
User Manual:pdf format,
http://www.pasc.panasonic.com/OperatingManuals/KXTG2670N.pdf
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Recommended:
Yes
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aashok
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Member: Ashok
Location: The BIG Apple
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