Great features and clean sound
Written: May 27 '01
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Product Rating:
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Pros: feature packed, easy to read caller ID, lighted keys, very clean sound
Cons: complex programming, no caller ID on base unit, low microphone sensitivity, NiCD battery
The Bottom Line: Great feature-packed phone with clean sound and long range. One of the better 900Mhz phones.
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| dragoon101's Full Review: Panasonic KX TC1870 900 MHz - Cordless Phone |
Features:
The digital speaker phone is very clean and is a big improvement over standard speaker phones which have a very bad clipping effect when attempting to speak while the caller is talking.
The Handset:
The handset has tons of features including a backlit alphanumeric display for caller ID which is very easy to read. A very big plus is that the phone actually has a 3 level battery life indicator which is so simple but so useful. The caller ID seems a little slow though. My other caller ID units almost immediately let me know who is calling or at least within the 1st ring. But the caller ID on the handset is a little slow and you do have to wait until almost the 2nd ring for the information to appear. On the downside, the base unit has no caller ID information and only displays the number of messages waiting for me.
Another big plus is the port which allows for an external headset/microphone to be attached for handsfree calling. I have yet to purchase one of these but I plan to in the future and it's neat to have the option.
Additionally, the keypad is lighted for use in dark rooms but I believe this little feature does take away from the battery life quite a bit.
The battery is a NiCD battery which is not as good as the NiMH or Li-Ion batteries that Panasonic could have used. As you may know, a NiCD battery has memory which may have a negative effect on the life of the battery if the battery is not completely discharged before recharging the unit. On the other hand, NiMH or Li-Ion batteries have no such effect. Thus, although the battery does last a very long time, it will only do so if you take care of the battery by refraining from recharging the unit until the battery is completely drained.
As a plus, the controls for the answering machine are on the handset as well as the base so you can listen to your messages on the handset. Similarly, there is also a dialing keypad on the base unit for making callings with the speaker phone.
On the downside, programming the phone is somewhat of a mystery. Just to set the time on the system, you must program it using the handset by first entering a numeric code in conjunction with the program button to enter the programming mode. This process is the same for setting all the other settings/functions. Because of this, if you lose the manual, you're outta luck. Some simple instructions on the bottom or more buttons would be useful here but are not provided.
The range and clarity of the phone is exceptional but as someone in the other reviews noted, there is a slight echo effect mainly due to the digital spread spectrum technology. But this is ever so slight and not enough to affect the quality of the phone call. However, one concern is that when I make a phone call, some people have told me it is very difficult to hear me even though i am speaking at a reasonably loud tone. I've had the same experience with other Panasonic phones.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
dragoon101
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 - Top 1000 |
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Location: California, USA
Reviews written: 54
Trusted by: 7 members
About Me:
I am musician, audiophile and an attorney who enjoys fine quality electronics.
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