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AiDot Enhulk 930CFM 58V Cordless Leaf Blower Review

Administrator — Sat, 25 Nov 2023 05:01:11 +0000

AiDot Enhulk 930CFM 58V Cordless Leaf Blower Review

A very powerful cordless leaf blower. The Cruise Control option is very useful to lock the speed and avoid hand fatigue. Battery life is also pretty good.

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Editors Rating

 4.7/5

4.7 stars

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AiDot Enhulk 930CFM 58V Cordless Leaf Blower

What we like

Very Powerful (For a Battery-Operated Device)
Variable Speed Trigger with Cruise Control (To Lock the Speed)
Turbo Mode for Ultimate Performance
Good Battery Life (in Variable Speed Mode)
Charges Really Fast
58V Battery System is Compatible with Other Power Tools (from Same Brand)

What we don’t like

Bottom Line

The AiDot Enhulk 930CFM Cordless Leaf Blower is a simple yet powerful no-nonsense battery-operated device. You can control the speed of the brushless motor and thereby the air flow of the machine using the variable speed trigger. You can lock the speed with a single push of the Cruise Control Button. Want even more power? Just press the Turbo button and unleash the 200MPH air flow. Runtime on a fully-charged battery is decent but the charging speeds are even impressive. Although the machine (main unit + battery) doesn’t weigh that much (just around 4.25Kg or approx. 9.4lbs.), a shoulder strap should have been included in the package.

In this article

Leaf blowers have become indispensable tools for maintaining a neat and tidy outdoor environment, especially during the fall season when yards are covered in a blanket of fallen leaves. These devices have evolved significantly over the years, offering homeowners and landscapers efficient ways to clear debris. Traditional leaf blowers typically rely on gasoline or electric power, providing robust performance but sometimes sacrificing convenience. However, with advancements in technology, especially in motor and battery-related, cordless leaf blowers have emerged as a popular and user-friendly alternative, offering the same power without the restrictions of cords or the environmental impact of gasoline.

Cordless leaf blowers are powered by rechargeable batteries, providing users with the freedom to move around without being tethered to a power outlet or carrying a heavy gasoline blower. This portability makes them ideal for tackling yard work in various settings, from small lawns to larger landscapes. The absence of cords not only enhances maneuverability but also reduces the hassle of untangling and dragging cords, making these tools more accessible for users of all skill levels.

Power and battery life is always a concern with battery-based devices but as technology continues to improve, cordless leaf blowers are becoming more powerful and energy-efficient, offering a greener solution for outdoor maintenance without compromising on performance.

We recently came across an interesting piece of kit from AiDot; the Enhulk 930CFM Cordless Leaf Blower. If you aren’t familiar with AiDot, it is company that provides smart home solutions for control, automation, and security. Their AiDot App allows homeowners to effortlessly manage a diverse array of smart devices (especially with a label “Works with AiDot”), from lighting and climate control to security systems and appliances. Enhulk is a sub-brand of AiDot that focuses on power tools.

Coming to the Enhulk 930CFM Cordless Leaf Blower, as the name suggests, it packs a pretty punch with its 930CFM air flow and 200MPH air speed. It has a lot of interesting features, which we will cover in this review. We will look at the ease of setting up the device, using it, checking its power, battery, charging, and many more. Continue reading the review if you are interested to know more about one of the most powerful cordless leaf blowers in the market.

Unboxing:

Let us kick off this review by taking a look at the contents of the package. Opening the box, we have three types of nozzles (a tapered nozzle, a spread nozzle, and a special Siphon nozzle). Then we have the Blower Tube, an attachment that sits between the actual machine and the nozzle. Next in the box is the main unit of the leaf blower. It contains the motor, trigger, a slot to connect the battery, some basic UI (combination of buttons and LED indicators), etc. We will take a closer look at the leaf blower and the attachments in the next section.

After the leaf blower, we have the battery charger. In a separate box, there is a large battery. And last but not least, we get a bunch of user manuals (one each for the leaf blower, the battery, and the charger). That’s all for the contents of the package.

Design:

When we say leaf blowers, the backpack variants come to mind first. The motor or engine is in the backpack and a hose connects the blower and a long tube which we can maneuver to blow leaves. While the cordless leaf blowers have a similar design approach, everything is connected as a single piece (even though you can detach some parts for storage purposes) and importantly, you can carry the whole machine with a single hand.

This is exactly the design element of the Enhulk 930CFM Cordless Leaf Blower. The main unit of the leaf blower is compact without any attachments and weighs just 2.2kg (4.85lbs.). It has a carry handle on the top with easy access to the trigger button in the spot where we rest our index finger. There are also a couple of buttons on top of the handle which we can press with our thumb.

The buttons have markings of TURBO and CRUISE on them, which obviously mean they activate the Turbo Mode and Cruise Control Mode. Just above the two buttons, there is an LED panel with a couple of indicator symbols. These indicators mean different things depending on the color and mode of the LED (which we will look in a later section). Enhulk calls the whole UI (the combination of buttons and LED indicators) the EZ HMI (Human-Machine Interface) Design.

Below the backend of the handle, we have the slot to insert and connect the battery. There is also a hook on the left side of the handle to fix a shoulder strap. Rest of the body houses the motor, intake, and exhaust vents. We have to attach the Blower Tube to the outlet of the blower and a nozzle at the other end of the blower tube. Everything just snaps into place with latches and quick release buttons.

Speaking of nozzles, we get three types of nozzles with the Enhulk 930CFM Leaf Blower. Spread Nozzles has a tighter opening in an elliptical shape. This nozzle will focus the air pressure on a relatively smaller but wider area helping us clearing slightly heavy or wet debris. The Tapered Nozzle is a more traditional round nozzle which can offer great volume of air to cover a relatively large area. We’ve saved the best for the last. The Siphon Nozzle has a special engineering design that can direct air in the most effective manner.

The battery and its charger are the final two pieces of the kit. The Enhulk 930CFM Leaf Blower uses a 58V Battery Pack with a capacity of 5Ah and weighs just over 2kg. The top section of the battery has an array of 5 LED indicators that show the level of charge of the battery and a power button.

There are ample vents on the battery for air flow. The charger is roughly the same size as the battery and it can charge the battery with a current of up to 2.3A. There is a carry handle on the back of the charger and you also have a provision to wall mount it. The top of the charger has a bunch of LED indicators to indicate charging, fully-charged, etc.

In Action:

Setting up the Enhulk 930CFM Cordless Leaf Blower is very simple and straightforward. The first step is to make sure that the battery is fully charged. While the battery is charging, we can connect the blower tube and a nozzle to the main unit. To assemble the blower tube, match the groove on the tube with the knob on the main blower unit. Slide the tube onto the blower unit until the latch securely clicks into place. Similarly, we have to install the nozzle on to the blower tube. We used the Siphon Nozzle primarily in our testing and used the other two nozzles relatively less often. Once the battery is fully charged, we can insert it into its position on the main blower unit. It snaps into position and we are ready to go.

In order to start the blower, we just have to depress the trigger button. The air flow and speed will depend on the amount of the pressure you apply on the variable speed trigger. The more you depress, the faster the motor spins and higher the air speeds. The opposite is also true. To turn off the blower, just release the trigger.

Even though variable speed trigger is very useful, if would hurt our hand or finger if we have to continuously depress the trigger while using the leaf blower. Thankfully, the Enhulk Leaf Blower comes with a Cruise Control Button that solves this problem beautifully. Depress the trigger to turn the blower on and adjust the speed of the blower using the variable speed trigger. Once you reach the desired speed, click the cruise control button. The LED Indicator just above the CRUISE button (which looks like a speedometer) will become solid green and the blower is locked at that speed. You don’t have to depress the trigger after this action and it will continue to work at that speed until you release the cruise control (which you can do by clicking the cruise control button once again).

If you want to momentarily increase the air speed to maximum possible level, just press and hold the turbo button. The TURBO LED indicator will become solid green. When you release the turbo mode, the blower will continue to operate with the previous speed. You can use the combination of both cruise control modes and turbo modes. When in Cruise Control Mode, if you press and hold the TURBO button, the blower will operate at maximum speed. In this case, the TURBO LED indicator will turn solid green and the Cruise Control LED will be off. When you release the TURBO Button, the blower will go back to the cruise control speed (the TURBO LED will be off and the Cruise LED will turn back on). Apart from indicating turbo mode, this LED will also act as a low battery indicator (turns solid red) and even to indicate any trouble (flashing red).

Performance:

So, how was the performance of the Enhulk 930CFM Cordless Leaf Blower? We will start with the initial setup, which was just installing the blower tube, nozzle, and the battery to the main blower unit. This is a very simple process and it hardly takes a couple of minutes of your time. Coming to the actual performance, we were blown away (pun intended) by the power of this leaf blower.

Having a powerful brushless motor is only one part of the picture. It is the turbine that rotates in tandem with the motor and generates air flow. Modern turbine systems have a lot of R & D behind their design. The air propulsion system in the Enhulk 930CFM Leaf Blower utilizes an aviation-level turbine with advanced aerodynamic design. As a result, it can generate high-speed and high-volume air in an effective manner. We can clearly see the result in operation as we tried this leaf blower on different types of debris (dried leaves, slightly wet leaves, small twigs and branches, and even tiny pebbles)and it worked flawlessly. So, you can use this leaf blower to clean your yard, patio, driveway, etc. with all sorts of debris.

Gas Leaf Blowers and Electric Leaf Blowers are generally considered to have stronger blowing power. But with 930CFM airflow volume and a maximum air speed of 200MPH, the Enhulk Leaf Blower proves that even cordless leaf blowers can be powerful. Although we couldn’t measure the air speed, we have to pull a “trust me bro” with this one. As we mentioned before, we used the leaf blower mostly with the Siphon Nozzle and the reason is that it has a specially engineered design (based on AIRGALE SIPHON) that can direct the airflow in an effective way.

We already talked about cruise control mode and turbo mode. We feel that the cruise control mode is particularly useful as it helps in avoiding hand/finger fatigue after using the leaf blower continuously.

Enhulk incorporated a very clever way to cool the battery, motor, and the overall blower as a whole with the design of the unit. They call this the Enhulk 930 COOLBLAST System. With this design, the motor draws air from the rear of the unit over the battery and pulls it through the inlet. The air then enters the main blower unit cooling the motor as well. So, both the battery and the motor run a little cooler without any additional setup.

The leaf blower doesn’t run too loud. The weight of the leaf blower (main unit + battery + blower tube + nozzle) is over 4.2kgs (over 9.4lbs.). This might not be that heavy but if you intend to use the leaf blower continuously for more than 30 minutes, you will definitely feel some hand fatigue. While the Enhulk 930CFM Leaf Blower has a provision to attach a shoulder strap, it doesn’t come with one in the package.

Battery/Charging:

Enhulk 930CFM Cordless Leaf Blower uses a unique 58V battery system. It also has a huge 5Ah capacity. Enhulk took special interest in the design of the battery pack so that it can provide a high-discharge current, if necessary. Runtime wise, in variable speed mode (at relatively low speeds), we got around 110 minutes of operation. This is good as you can use the leaf blower for more than 100 minutes on a single charge. Things are slightly different with high-speed mode and turbo mode. In continuous high-speed mode, we got around 19 minutes runtime and in continuous turbo mode, the run time was around 14 minutes.

Charging wise, we could charge the battery in just over two hours. Considering the battery has a large 5Ah capacity and the charger provides a maximum of 2.3A charging current, we thought this is an excellent charging speed. But the charger gets slightly hot (a little bit more than what we expected).

If you purchase some other power tools from Enhulk with the same voltage rating, then you can share the battery among all those devices.

Specifications

Model

: Enhulk 930CFM 58V Cordless Leaf Blower

Maximum Air Volume

: 930 CFM (with Siphon Nozzle)

Maximum Air Speed

: 200MPH (With Tapered Nozzle)

Maximum Blowing Force

: 27N (Without Nozzle)

Machine Weight

: 2.2kg (4.85lbs.)

Battery Voltage

: 58V

Battery Capacity

: 5 Ah

Battery Weight

: 2.05kg (4.52lbs.)

Charger Input

: 120V ~ 60Hz, 2.2A

Charger Output

: 58V Max 2.3A

Charger Weight

: 1.12kg (2.47lbs.)

Form Factor

: Handheld

Special Feature

: Cordless

Noise Level

: 73 dB

Manufacturer Warranty

: 4-year Tool Warranty and 2-year Battery Warranty

What’s Included

: Enhulk 930CFM Cordless Leaf Blower, 3 × Nozzles (Siphon Nozzle, Tapered Nozzle, Spread Nozzle), Battery, Charger, Blower Tube, User Manuals (for Main Blower, Battery, Charger)

Price:

The price of the Enhulk 930CFM Cordless Leaf Blower is $299.99. But with some coupons and discounts, you can get it for much less than that. When you combine the powerful performance of the blower along with the warranty from Enhulk (which is 4-years for the main tool and 2-years for the battery), we feel this is a very good price.

For a limited time, our readers can get the Enhulk 930CFM Leaf Blower for $189.99 (this includes the battery and the charger). You can use the code mentioned at the top to avail the discount.

Final Verdict

Overall, we were really impressed with the power of the AiDot Enhulk 58V 930CFM Cordless Leaf Blower. A battery-operated blower producing such high amount of airflow and airspeed is something new (at least to us). The combination of a high-quality brushless motor, aerodynamic turbine, specially designed Siphon Nozzle, and the surprising 58V battery really does a very good job.

The operation is very simple with the variable speed trigger while the cruise control and turbo buttons come in handy for long cleaning jobs and pushing tough debris. The battery life is also decent considering the power it generates. Charging is also very quick (note that the battery is 58V and 5Ah).

If you are looking to invest in a cordless leaf blower to clean your yard or patio from leaves and other debris, the Enhulk 930CFM Leaf Blower is definitely a worthy choice.

The post AiDot Enhulk 930CFM 58V Cordless Leaf Blower Review appeared first on ElectronicsHub.

Kismile 25” FreeStanding Electric Fireplace Stove Review

Administrator — Mon, 20 Nov 2023 07:27:51 +0000

Kismile 25” FreeStanding Electric Fireplace Stove Review

A perfect product for people who need the look of a “fireplace” but can’t have one. It has a powerful 1,500W Heater with customizable flames.

Editors Rating

 4.5/5

4.5 stars

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Kismile 25” FreeStanding Electric Fireplace Stove

What we like

Very Easy to Assemble
The Heater is Reaching Expected Temperatures Quickly
It Has Lock to Prevent Children (or Anyone)from Opening the Door
Adjustable Heater Output and Temperature
Several Customizable Flame Options (Color, Brightness, Speed)

What we don’t like

Bottom Line

Kismile 25” Free Standing Electric Fireplace Stove is a simple way to have a realistic looking fireplace in your home. The heater output is good enough to heat up a moderately large bedroom. The flames look really good from all the directions with a more than decent 3D effect. There is also a ton of customization in terms of heat, flames, timers, etc.

In this article

Electric fireplaces, also known as fireplace stove heaters, have revolutionized the way we experience warmth and ambiance in our homes. Unlike traditional wood-burning or gas fireplaces, electric fireplaces use advanced technology to simulate the look and feel of a real fire without the associated maintenance and safety concerns. These innovative appliances have become increasingly popular for their versatility, energy efficiency, and aesthetic appeal, making them a stylish and practical choice for modern homes.

One of the key advantages of electric fireplaces is their convenience. You can easily install them in any room without the need for a chimney or venting. Additionally, electric fireplaces come with adjustable settings, allowing users to customize the flame intensity and heat output according to their preferences. This not only enhances the overall experience but also makes them an energy-efficient alternative to traditional heating methods. Beyond their functional benefits, we can also admire electric fireplaces for their aesthetic appeal. With realistic flame effects, ember beds, and various design options, these appliances can complement any interior decor. Whether you prefer a classic, rustic stove design or a sleek, contemporary unit, electric fireplaces offer a wide range of styles to suit diverse tastes.

We recently got one such interesting product, the Kismile25” Free Standing Electric Fireplace Stove. It has the look and finish of a traditional wood burning fireplace but is actually an efficient electric heater. We have been using it for the past couple of weeks. In this review, we will look at the ease of installation, operation, different customizations, and the overall appeal of the fireplace. If you are looking to invest in a functional electric fireplace stove, then continue reading the review.

Unboxing:

We will begin this review by unboxing the contents of the package. Opening the main package, the first thing that we get is the user manual and remote control in a zip lock bag. The user manual has a lot of detailed assembly and operation instructions. We highly recommend you to through this guide for an error free installation and usage.

Then we have the main fireplace unit. We have three pieces of fake charcoal and a bag of crystals. There is also a box of accessories that contain the four base feet, a bunch of screws (M5*12 and M5*6), and a couple of AAA batteries for the remote.

Initial Setup:

The main fireplace unit comes almost fully-assembled out of the box. But it requires some basic assembly to turn it into a fully functional unit. But before proceeding with the installation, the manufacturer suggests to check if the fire place is working or not. We did the same and the product was working fine.

After this initial check, we can now install the four base feet to the bottom of the fireplace. We have to carefully lay the product on the floor and fix the feet with the screws that came in the accessories box. We can now lift the device and put it on its feet.

The next step is to place the fake charcoal in the fireplace by opening the glass door. While the door is still open, we can also put the decorative crystal stones in the tray. After this step, we can shut the door completely using a screw at the bottom. This will prevent anyone, especially children from accessing the inside of the fireplace (especially the crystals).

Design:

If you are familiar with fireplaces in general, then the Kismile Free Standing Electric Fireplace Stove looks a lot like a traditional wooden fireplace. But as it is a pretend fireplace, all the wood and fire related elements are fake. That said, the main heater element, which is an Infrared Space Heater, is at the top of the device. We like that they give couple of warning stickers regarding blocking the heater grill and how the top section can get hot.

Just below the heater, we have a tempered glass door that opens from one side. Inside here, we have the screen that simulates the flames of a burning wood. Speaking of which, we get three pieces of fake wooden pieces so that we get a wood burning effect. The entire body of the fireplace is made from steel and it looks really stylish. They say the design of the fireplace is inspired from Baroque architecture.

In Action:

After properly assembling the fireplace and placing it in a decent place in the room, it is now time to power it on. We can use the compact remote control to, well, control the fireplace unit. The remote control has 8 buttons. We will learn about these button as we move on with review. The first button is the power on/off button. When we press this button, the fireplace comes to life. The bed lights as well as the flames start doing their thing. At this point, the heater isn’t on but we can turn it on using the ‘HEAT’ button on the remote.

We have three level of control through the ‘Heat’ button; off, low, and high. The screen displays the particular setting momentarily as a confirmation (‘of’ for heater off, single ‘–’ for low and double ‘– –’ for high). Next, we have the ‘FLAME’ button. If we press this button, the colors of both the flame on the screen as well as the LEDs on the flame bed will change at the same time (to the same color as well). With each click, the colors will change and the options are red, orange, green, yellow, purple, blue, rose red, apple green, pink, yellow & green, light blue, and red & orange.

If you want to change the color of only the flame bed, then you can use the ‘FLAME BED’ button. The color options are still the same 12. You can adjust the brightness of flames on the screen and the lighting on the flame bed using the ‘DIMMER’ button. We can set the brightness in five levels (L1 is the lowest and all the way to L5, which is the highest). The ‘SPEED’ button lets you adjust the speed of the flame on the screen between 5 different speeds with U1 being the slowest and U5 the fastest.

The ‘TIMER’ button as the name suggests, allows you to set a timer for the fireplace. After the set timer runs out, the device will automatically power off. You can choose one of the 8 timer values between 1H and 8H, with an increment of 1H. Last but not least, we have a temperature control button with ‘°F’ symbol. When you press this button, the temperature control of the heater activates. After this, you can press the ‘FLAME BED+’ and ‘FLAME-’ buttons to set the temperature in the range of 55°F to 99°F. To save the temperature, press the ‘°F’ button once again. The default temperature is 70°F.

Performance:

So, how was our experience using the Kismile25” Free Standing Electric Fireplace Stove? Let us begin with the assembly procedure. It was very simple to assemble the fireplace as all we had to do was fix the feet and place the decorations. It took less than 30 minutes to have the fireplace up and running from unboxing. We have to be extra careful while placing the charcoal props inside the fireplace as any sudden movement might touch the screen at the back and we are not sure if it could withstand such blows. Apart from being extra careful while placing the decorations, the rest of the assembly was a breeze.

The combination of the screen and the lighting on floor give an excellent flame effect. The flames on the screen have beautiful 3D effect that makes them look even more realistic. The flames and colors are not only visible from the front but even on the sides with its 180°panoramic design. You can adjust the brightness, color, and even the speed of the flame.

What about the actual purpose of the fireplace, the heater? This is an electric heater that uses IR Radiation to generate heat up to 5,100 BTU. The low heat mode blows warm air with a maximum power of 500W while the high heat mode blows hot air with power of 1,500W. This is sufficient to warmup a room as large as 800 sq. ft. If you just need heat without the distraction of the flames and the lighting, you can long press the DIMMER button to make the lights and flame go to sleep. Very useful if you want a peaceful sleep.

The remote is simple yet functional. We also have some buttons on the fireplace itself but you need to open the door to access them. The fireplace did not make much noise while working.

We like that the door is locked so that children cannot easily access the buttons and those tiny decorations.

Specifications

Product

: Kismile25” Free Standing Electric Fireplace Stove

Model

: S230CP

Material

:All Steel Structure, Tempered Glass

Product Dimensions

: 10.67"D × 23.46"W × 24.25"H

Item Weight

: 33.18 Pounds

Heating Power

:500W/1500W

BTUs

:5100 BTUs

Flame Color

:12 Colors Modes

Flame Bed Color

:12 Colors Modes

Speed Control

:5 Levels

Brightness Control

:5 Levels

Working Noise

:<38dB

Timer

:1 – 8H

Power Cable

:170cm (About 70 inch)

Coverage Area

: 800 sq feet

What’s Included

: Kismile Free Standing Electric Fireplace Stove, Remote Control, 2 × AAA Batteries, 4 × Base Feet, 10 × M5 * 12 Screws, 1 × M5 * 6 Screw, 3 × Simulated Charcoal, Bag of Crystal Stones, User Manual

Price:

The price of the Kismile25” Free Standing Electric Fireplace Stove is $249.99. But with coupons and discounts, you can get this beautiful fireplace for much less than that. The fireplace also comes with 1-year warranty. With a good 3D flame effect and a heater that can keep you warm and cozy, we feel this is a very good price.

Final Verdict

Overall, the Kismile25” Free Standing Electric Fireplace Stove is an elegant way to bring a “wooden” fireplace in to your living room without worrying about a chimney or a vent as it is an electric heater with a mask of wooden fireplace. The installation was really simple and you can use it in any indoor setup, be it bedroom, living room, or even basement. The all-metal body construction makes the device strong and sturdy and also a bit heavy (than what we were expecting).

The design of the fireplace is contemporary with large viewing area on all three sides. The 3D Flames on the screen look beautiful and with the options of multiple adjustments in terms of color, speed, and brightness, you can customize the fireplace to suit your needs.

If you are looking for a fireplace that can keep you warm without actual fire, then the Kismile Free Standing Electric Fireplace Stove is a very good choice.

The post Kismile 25” FreeStanding Electric Fireplace Stove Review appeared first on ElectronicsHub.

SwitchBot Curtain 3 Review

Administrator — Fri, 17 Nov 2023 08:47:06 +0000

SwitchBot Curtain 3 Review

A simple yet smart automatic curtain opener from SwitchBot. It is conditionally quiet, powerful enough to pull/pusheven heavy curtains (up to 16 lbs.), and you can control it in multiple ways.

Editors Rating

 4.5/5

4.5 stars

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SwitchBot Curtain 3

What we like

Very Easy to Install/Setup
Multiple Ways to Control (App, Voice, Remote, etc.)
Pair with SwitchBot Solar Panel for Lifelong Power
Can Push Even Heavy Curtains
Relatively Quiet (When “QuietDrift” Mode is Active)
Setup Timers and Schedules

What we don’t like

Bottom Line

The SwitchBot Curtain 3 is a very capable automatic curtain opener. The simplest way to control them is by installing the smartphone app. However, you can control it in more than one way (Voice Commands, Remote Location, Remote Control, etc.) but you need to purchase some accessories. While the battery life is decent, you can extend the battery life indefinitely by using the Solar Panel accessory.

In this article

Gone are the days of struggling with cords and pulleys; automatic curtain openers offer a seamless and modern solution to the age-old task of manually adjusting curtains. They leverage advanced motorized systems to effortlessly open and close curtains with just a touch of a button or even through voice commands. This not only eliminates the physical effort required in manual operation but also allows for precise control over natural light and privacy. Whether adjusting curtains in a bedroom, living room, children’s room, or office space, these openers provide a customizable and automated solution that adapts to the diverse needs of users.

Moreover, automatic curtain openers contribute to energy efficiency by allowing users to program schedules for curtain movements. This feature enables homeowners to optimize natural light entry during specific times of the day, reducing the need for artificial lighting and lowering energy consumption. With compatibility with smart home systems, users can seamlessly integrate these openers into a broader ecosystem, offering them the ability to manage their curtains remotely through smartphones or other smart devices.

We recently came across one such interesting price of kit from SwitchBot, a brand with expanding portfolio in the space of smart home devices. The product in discussion is the SwitchBot Curtain 3, an Automatic Curtain Opener that can make the job of opening and closing the curtains exciting. It is their third-generation automatic curtain opener with a lot of improvements over the previous two, especially in terms of noise and power.

This is the review SwitchBot Curtain 3 Automatic Curtain Opener. We are writing this review after installing and using the kit for more than 2 weeks. In this review, we will look at our experience of the ease of installation, different types of controls, a bunch of accessories, and many more. If you are looking to automate the process of opening and closing your curtains, then continue reading the review to know more about one of the useful products for such a job.

Unboxing:

Before unboxing, we would like to say that we got the combo package i.e., the SwitchBot Curtain 3 along with the Solar Panel, Hub, and the Remote Control. So, the unboxing experience and the further review will reflect on these accessories as well. That said, let us look at the contents of all the packages one-by-one starting with the Curtain 3.

The first thing in the box is the Main Unit that contains the motor (and battery). Next, we have the Hook Pair that attaches to either side of the Main Unit. There is a USB-C Cable to charge the unit, a reset pin/tool, beads fixer, clip, and a wet wipe. We also get a user manual in the package.

The SwitchBot Solar Panel is the first accessory. Its package contains just the Solar Panel Module, an instructions label, and a user manual. The next accessory is the SwitchBot Hub 2 and its package contains the Hub 2 unit, a USB cable with temperature and humidity sensors, couple of 3M-branded adhesive tapes, a 5V-2A USB Adapter, an after-sales card, and a user manual.

Last but not least, we have the SwitchBot Remote with two keys. This package contains the main remote control, a remote holder, adhesive tape, a CR2450 button cell (which is already installed in the remote), and a user manual. That’s it for the unboxing. Let us proceed with the design of the SwitchBot Curtain 3 Automatic Curtain Opener.

Design:

First of all, the SwitchBot Curtain 3 comes in three different styles of mounting mechanisms; Rod, U-Rail, and I-Rail. The internal components of these three configurations are identical. How you hang it or attach it to your curtains/curtain rod is the only difference. In our case, we got the Rod style curtain opener. Coming to the design of the Curtain 3, We can divide the whole SwitchBot Curtain 3 into three parts. The main central unit houses the brains and the mechanics of the device (this is common to all the configurations). Then we have the spring-loaded hook pair that attach to the either side of the main unit.

The main unit has a rubber roller on the top that touches the curtain rod and provides friction for movement. There is an “Add Device” button in the middle of the main unit as well as a USB-C port at the bottom to either charge the device or connect the solar panel, if you have one.

Speaking of which, the SwitchBot Solar Panel 3 is an improved version of the previous SwitchBot Solar Panel that can more efficiently capture and convert the solar energy. Just above the solar panel (the actual panel), there is a small light sensor that helps in controlling the Curtain 3 in a more intuitive way. The folding hanging rod is strong and, on its end, there is a USB-C connector with a clip mechanism that holds on to the SwitchBot Curtain 3.

There are two more accessories; the SwitchBot Hub 2 and the SwitchBot Remote. These are relatively simple devices and we will talk about in the later sections.

Initial Setup:

Setting up the SwitchBot Curtain 3 is really as simple as it gets. The Rod style curtain opener that we have here can be used with a variety of curtain styles. We have the grommet-style curtains in our home but you can use this on ring top curtains, tab top curtains, and back tab curtains. Depending on the curtain style, the installation steps might slightly vary but if you follow the instructions in the user manual, then you don’t have to worry too much.

One important thing you have to be cautious of is the size of the curtain rod. For a proper contact and grip, SwitchBot recommends the diameter of the curtain rod in the range of 15mm to 40mm.

After installing the Curtain 3 on the rod, pairing the unit with the smartphone app is the next step. If you follow all the on-screen instructions, then even this process is just a breeze. To get an accurate control of the Curtain 3 device and know its stop positions, we can use the magnet attachment that came in the package. While this is a very useful feature, we got mixed results in the real-time. The actual position of the Curtain 3 and the position it shows on the screen are slightly off. But a couple of calibrations solved this issue.

SwitchBot Curtain 3 Calibration is a crucial step after installing the SwitchBot Curtain 3. To ensure optimal performance, you have to calibrate the device by following the provided instructions in the SwitchBot app. The calibration process ensures that the actual movement of the curtain aligns with the animated representation in the app. You can recalibrate the device or change its opening direction at any time by accessing the Curtain Settings Calibration feature in the app.

There is an option to group two SwitchBot Curtain Rod 3 units together for synchronized curtain opening from the middle and before initiating the calibration process, you have to ensure that the positions of both devices match the reference shown in the app. This is very useful if you have a supporting rod in the middle and you have two curtains that open from the middle.

As we have the solar panel accessory, we attached it to the SwitchBot Curtain 3. There is a button on the panel that releases the joint to allows us to adjust the angle of the solar panel.

If you have Swish Track style curtains (which are more common in the UK), then you will find it difficult to use any of the mounting styles that the SwitchBot Curtain 3 comes in.

Performance:

Is the SwitchBot Curtain 3 Automatic Curtain Opener as silent as they say? Is it really that powerful? We will talk about that in a moment but let us talk about the general performance of the device. After installation and calibration (we haven’t yet installed the Hub 2 and the Remote at this point), we pressed a button on the smartphone app and it worked without any glitches. You can fully open the curtains or fully close them with just the click of a button.

Additionally, the app also lets you open/close the curtains at any degree. One feature we really liked is if you pull the curtains manually by a couple of centimeters, the SwitchBot Curtain 3 detects this movement and automatically activates its motor to either open or close the curtains fully (depending on the direction you move the curtains). There are a couple of instances where we felt the device was struck or rather slightly struggling to move but it is not a deal breaker.

Coming to the big question, yes, the SwitchBot Curtain 3 is actually quiet but there is a catch. The Curtain 3 has two operating modes; Performance and QuietDrift. When you select the QuietDrift mode, the Curtain 3 moves swiftly at a pace of roughly 5mm per second. In this mode, there is virtually no noise from the motor or the roller. Although we haven’t measured, SwitchBot say it is less than 25dB. But as you would have gathered by now, it is really slow. In Performance Mode, both the speed and the noise are normal.

Apart from the noise, SwitchBot also improved the performance of the motor and the gears. It can now push or pull up to 16kg (or roughly 36 lbs.) of weights. This is more than enough for even larger or slightly heavier curtains.

Without any additional accessories, the app control is the only way and that too only local control is possible. But as we have the complete set (Solar Panel, Hub 2, and the Remote), it gave us a chance to explore all the different ways of controlling the SwitchBot Curtain 3. If you remember, we said the Solar Panel has a tiny light sensor just above the panel. Using this light sensor, we can automate the task of opening and closing the curtains based on the amount of sunlight it receives (sunset and sunrise). There is a delay function in the app where you can set a countdown timer for opening or closing and also set schedules with customizations for day, time, level of opening (or closing), and even the mode of operation.

If you pair the SwitchBot Curtain 3 with the SwitchBot Hub 2, then you will have a whole lot of additional functionalities and controls. The first and obvious feature of the Hub 2 is voice commands.

You can link third-party services such as Alexa, Google Assistant, and Siri to your SwitchBot account and control the Curtain 3 with just voice commands. With the Hub2, you can also control the curtains remotely and set unlimited number of schedules (without the Hub, you only have a chance of creating just 5 schedules). The Hub 2 has a ton of features of its own (we know it came with a humidity sensor and temperature sensor on the USB Cable) such as humidity reading, temperature reading, a bunch of infrared sensors, etc. Apart from the App and Voice Commands, the SwitchBot Remote is another simple way to control the SwitchBot Curtains.

After pairing the Remote in the smartphone app, we can map the two buttons of the Remote to perform or trigger different actions (such as opening/closing the Curtain 3 or turning the SwitchBot K10+ Mini Robot Vacuum on/off).

Battery/Charging:

We have to talk about the battery life and charging of the SwitchBot Curtain 3. It has a built-in 18650 Lithium-ion battery with a capacity of 3350mAh. After a full charge, the battery will last roughly 6-8 months, depending on the usage. This is very good as charging the device once every 6-months is not at all a bad thing. With a 5V-1A adapter, it will roughly take 6.5 to 7 hours to fully charge the battery.

But with SwitchBot Solar Panel, you don’t have to worry about charging at all. Just connect the Solar Panel to the Curtain 3, place the entire setup in an optimal position with ample (or even moderate) sunlight, and then forget about charging it for its entire lifetime.

Specifications

Model

: SwitchBot Curtain 3 (Rod 3)

Material

: ABS + PC (UV-Resistant Coating)

Battery

: Built-in 18650 Lithium-ion

Battery Capacity

: 3350mAh

Input Power

: 5V 1A

Battery Life

: Approx. 8 Months

Connectivity

: Bluetooth 5.0

Bluetooth Range

: Up to 80m in Open Area

Noise

: Normal – 44dB, QuietDrift Mode – 25dB

Voice Controls

: Yes, Need Hub 2

Third-party Services

: Alexa, Google Assistant, Siri, IFTTT, SmartThings

Optional Accessories

: SwitchBot Solar Panel 3, SwitchBot Hub 2, SwitchBot Remote

What’s Included

: SwitchBot Curtain 3 Automatic Curtain Opener (Main Unit and Hook Pair), USB-C Cable, Clip, Wet Wipe, Reset Tool, Beads Fixer, Magnet Attachment, User Manual.

Price:

The cost of a single SwitchBot Curtain 3 Automatic Curtain Opener is $89.99. This is sufficient if you only need to control a relatively small and single curtain. But if you have a slightly large setup with two curtains or if you have a support rod in the middle, then you will need a couple of these openers. Additionally, the cost of the Switch Solar Panel 3 is $25.99 (for one unit)while the SwitchBot Hub 2 costs $69.99. For a simple no nonsense control, you can add the SwitchBot Remote for $19.99. You can look for combo deals on these products as you might get a better price than buying individual ones.

Final Verdict

Overall, the SwitchBot Curtain 3 Automatic Curtain Opener is a great way to open or close your curtains. It is very easy to install and simple to use and importantly, it can work with relatively large or heavy curtains. There is a significant different in its two operation modes (Performance and QuietDrift) both in terms of performance and noise.

Battery life is also decent and you don’t have to worry about charging it for a long time. Additionally, you can get the optional accessory, the SwitchBot Solar Panel to continuously charge the battery from Solar energy and never charge the device in its life time using a wall adapter. While the app is the main way to control the SwitchBot Curtain 3, the SwitchBot Solar Panel and SwitchBot Hub 2 allow you to control using voice, Sunrise, Sunset, Light Sensor control, etc. The SwitchBot Remote is also useful for a simple one-click control. Of course, all the accessories are optional and if you don’t need them, then you can use the SwitchBot Curtain 3 as a standalone unit as well.

If you are looking for a way to automate the job of opening and closing curtains, then SwitchBot Curtain 3 is a very decent choice. With a long usage life (10 years on motor, rubber roller, and battery) , you don’t have to worry about the automatic curtain opener for anytime soon.

The post SwitchBot Curtain 3 Review appeared first on ElectronicsHub.

SwitchBot K10+ Mini Robot Vacuum Review

Administrator — Sat, 11 Nov 2023 08:22:44 +0000

SwitchBot K10+ Mini Robot Vacuum Review

A tiny, compact yet powerful robot vacuum cleaner that comes with a dust collecting base station.You don’t have to worry about emptying the dustbin for a month or two (depends on personal usage).

Editors Rating

 4.6/5

4.6 stars

Buy On Amazon

Get 20% Discount "20K10HOT" On Switch Bot

SwitchBot K10+ Mini Robot Vacuum

What we like

Very Compact in Size
Quiet Operation (Really Quiet)
Decent Run Time on Single Charge
Auto Empty Feature
Base Station Holds up to 4L of Dust and Debris
Can Go into Tight Spaces (Corners, Under Tables, Sofas, Beds)
Disposable Mopping Pads (Instead of Washable Pads)

What we don’t like

Bottom Line

The SwitchBot K10+ is a compact robot vacuum cleaner that is suitable for small homes and 1-2 rooms apartments. The small size of the robot vacuum is compensated with an auto empty feature where the K10+ will automatically dump the garbage into the dust collection station (which will also charge the robot vacuum).

In this article

Sarah is a busy marketing executive who starts her day at 5:30 AM due to a demanding job and tight schedules. She gets ready quickly and heads to the kitchen to make breakfast. She doesn’t have time to perform cleaning chores so she starts her robot vacuum cleaner. It silently navigates through the living room, dining area, and kitchen, picking up crumbs, dust, and pet hair all the while Sarah enjoys her breakfast without having to worry about vacuuming or sweeping before heading out the door. The robot vacuum handles the cleaning while she focuses on her morning routine.

Robot vacuum cleaners are autonomous devices that can clean floors in homes and other indoor spaces without human intervention. They feature various sensors, cameras, and other technology to navigate around obstacles, avoid falling down stairs, and efficiently cover a complex cleaning area. They use algorithms and mapping technology to create a cleaning path. Most robot vacuum cleaners offer different cleaning modes, including regular cleaning, spot cleaning, and edge cleaning. You can set schedules on some advanced models to clean at specific times.

Many modern robot vacuum cleaners come with Wi-Fi connectivity so that we can pair them to an app on our smartphone and control them. They may also be compatible with voice assistants like Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant. Despite all these bells and whistles, you still need to perform some regular maintenance, such as emptying the dustbin, cleaning the brushes, and checking for obstructions in the sensors.

We recently came across a robot vacuum cleaner, the SwitchBot K10+ Mini Robot Vacuum. As the name suggests, it is a tiny vacuum cleaner with almost all the features that most regular size cleaners have. For instance, the K10+ boasts a 2,500 Pa suction power off of its motor and can climb obstacles that are up to 2cm height. The SwitchBot brand of Robot Vacuum Cleaners are very popular is Japan due to their size (as apartments in Japan, especially in large cities are small and compact). Other important feature, especially for a relatively small vacuum cleaner, is the dust collection unit. Yes. The SwitchBot K10+ comes with a base station that not only charges the vacuum cleaner but also collects and accumulates the dust and debris off of it. There are so many other interesting features which we will be checking out in this review of the SwitchBot K10+ Mini Robo Vacuum. Spoiler alert! If you are looking for a really compact robot vacuum cleaner for your small home/apartment, then the SwitchBot K10+ is a definite contender.

Unboxing:

Not only the K10+, even the package in which it comes is really compact. Opening the box, we have a quick start guide that includes some simple steps to get the vacuum cleaner up and running. Next, we have the main robot vacuum cleaner unit and the base station. We will look at the design elements of both these units in the next section.

There are also a couple of Cleaning Brushes and a set of disposable cleaning mops/cloths. That’s it for the unboxing and we will continue with the design of the main unit as well as the base station.

Design:

If you are familiar with robot vacuum cleaners, you will know them to be slightly larger devices with around 35cm (14”) diameter. But the beauty of the SwitchBot K10+ is its width is just under 25cm (10”) while the height is 9.2cm (3.6”). On the front side, it has a bumper mechanism that also houses some sensors. This will protect the vacuum cleaner even if it manages to hit an obstacle.

On top, there are a couple of buttons. One is the power button, which you need to long press to turn the device on or off and short press to begin the cleaning process. The second button has a “home” symbol on it. If you press it, the K10+ will return to the base station and charges itself. There is another switch under the top magnetic lid. You have to slide this to on position before using the vacuum cleaner.

Once you remove the lid, you will also have access to the tiny dustbin. While you don’t have to empty the dustbin as it will automatically empty itself to the base station, it is good to have easy access to the bin so that you can easily clean or wash it every now and then.

When you turn the unit over, you can see some wheels on the bottom. The main two wheels have suspension mechanism so that they can easily propel the vacuum over tiny obstacles as well. There is a roller wheel with brushes that will suck the dust and debris into the bin. To help move the dust towards the roller, there is a rotating brush on the front, just in front of the wheels. There is also an omnidirectional wheel at the front that will make the vacuum move in different directions.

Moving on to the base station, it will not only charge the robot unit but also collects the dust from the K10+ and stores it in its 4L storage tank. We thought the tank would be an integrated part of the base station or a removable plastic part. But to our surprise, it is a disposable dust bag. On the inside of the lid of the base station, there is a mop plate, which we can attach to the K10+ and use it with the disposable mop sheet that we mentioned earlier.

Features:

The SwitchBot K10+ Mini Robot Vacuum Cleaner comes with a range of innovative and useful features that can make home cleaning more efficient and convenient. First and foremost, the K10+ Mini Robot Vacuum is compact and 50% smaller than traditional vacuums. With a body diameter of just 24.8cm, it can smoothly navigate and clean narrow spaces, easily reach room corners and clean under furniture, such as tables. Its advanced LiDAR route algorithm ensures it can accurately locate and clean even hard-to-reach spots, significantly improving cleaning efficiency by up to 90%. Using the LiDAR technology, the K10+can achieve precise mapping and quick planning to its cleaning route at a speed of 2080 points per second.

This robot vacuum comes with a 4L base station that can hold debris for up to 70 days. It features an auto-funnel system that directs dust into a collection bag, making it ideal for allergy sufferers and providing a more hygienic cleaning experience. To prevent disturbances to family members or neighbors, the K10+ offers a “Do Not Disturb” function that allows dust collection to begin only when you’re out during the day and automatically stops at night.

After three years of research, the engineers at SwitchBot have reduced the noise emitted by the K10+ to just 48dB. This was achieved through optimized vacuum duct design, motor torque, and SilenTech technology, allowing you to clean quietly without disturbing others. The robot vacuum is equipped with a custom high-performance motor and optimized duct design, offering a strong suction power of 2,500Pa. This allows it to efficiently pick up both large debris, like pet food, and fine particles from hard floors and carpets.

The robot vacuum features an auto-recharge function for low battery situations, allowing it to resume cleaning from where it stopped after a full charge, ensuring it completes its cleaning tasks efficiently. The main way to control the K10+ Mini Robot Vacuum is using the smartphone app. We can also customize the operation of the robot through the SwitchBot app. Users can set cleaning plans, define restricted zones, and even use voice commands with Alexa and Google Assistant for a more intelligent and convenient cleaning experience.

Performance:

So, how was the performance of the SwitchBot K10+ Mini Robot Vacuum Cleaner? We were really surprised by the size and the cleaning performance it offers. The diameter of the K10+ is around 25cm. If you compare this with the size of some of the popular robot vacuum cleaners, then you will see a difference of nearly 10cm in terms of diameter. Despite being smaller than most robot vacuum cleaners in the market, it has good suction power of 2,500Pa. We tried this robot to pick up different types and sizes of debris and it handled smoothly. The roller brush with rubber-hair will easily clean dust from the floor (especially from floor gaps) while the front spinning brush will send the dust and debris towards the roller.

We even tested the robot vacuum on carpet and it worked without hassle. Although the carpet that we used is not that thick, SwitchBot K10+ can easily climb obstacles that are 2.5cm high. We thought the small size of the SwitchBot K10+ has another advantage of going into tight corners and easily clean under furniture (sofas, beds, tables, etc.). If you have multi-storied house, then you can easily carry the robot between floors. However, the small size means less surface area, so, it would operate a little slower to clean a same area than a slightly larger robot vacuum cleaner.

Another thing we really like about the SwitchBot K10+ Mini Robot Vacuum Cleaner is its sound/noise, or the lack thereof, during operation. It is really quiet and although we haven’t measured the noise level, SwitchBot says it is just 48dB, thanks to an in-house developed SilenTech technology that reduces noise by 50%.

We talked about the size of the K10+ earlier. The small size of the robot vacuum cleaner will also reflect on the size of the dustbin and the amount of dust and debris it can hold. The 150ml built-in dustbin will fill up pretty quickly but you don’t have to worry about that as the SwitchBot K10+ comes with a dust collection station. The base station of the SwitchBot K10+, which primarily charges the robot vacuum, also collects the dust from it and stores in a 4L disposable bin. SwitchBot says you don’t have to empty the bit for almost 70 days but we feel it depends on the individual usage of the product. Garbage disposal frequency of anything over 50 days is really good.

The process of extracting the dust is also very impressive. It uses an auto-funnel mechanism to extract the dust and debris from the K10+ and store it in the bin. This way, even if you or anyone in your family suffer from allergies, you don’t have to worry about dust particles floating everywhere.

While the SwitchBot K10+ isn’t technically a mopping vacuum, you can mop the floor using the disposable mopping/cleaning pads. You can use this feature to wipe water off of the floor. But what’s more interesting is the battery life of the K10+. Even though it has a powerful motor that can produce a suction power of 2,500Pa, you get an impressive battery life of just over 100 minutes (although SwitchBot says 120mins) from its 3,200mAh battery. Area wise, the robot vacuum can cover up to 120 sq. mt. with a single charge.

On low battery, the K10+ automatically pauses its operation, goes back to the base station to charge, and once the battery is full, it will resume the cleaning operation.

App Experience:

You can turn the K10+ Mini Robot Vacuum Cleaner on and off using the buttons on the top or command it to go back to the base station. That’s it. For everything else, you need the SwitchBot App on your smartphone. The app helps you create a map of the area you want the robot to clean, set boundaries, no-go zones, and many more. The robot vacuum uses a combination of sensors and LiDAR to create maps and you can create multiple maps (say one for each floor) in the app and store up to 10 maps at a time. Like most tech-related home appliances out there, even the SwitchBot K10+ supports only 2.4Ghz Wi-Fi network.

Another very useful feature in the app is you can set schedules on when to clean or when to collect dust. Additionally, you can control the robot using Google Assistant, Alexa, or Siri. The app also lets you adjust the suction power of the vacuum (600Pa/1100Pa/1600Pa/2500Pa).

Specifications

Model

: SwitchBot K10+ Mini Robot Vacuum

Suction Power

: 2,500Pa

Dustbin Capacity

: 150ml

Operating Noise

: 48dB

Battery Capacity

: 3,200mAh

Run Time

: 100min (Standard Mode)

Auto Empty

: Yes

Empty Bin Capacity

: 4L

Garbage Disposal Frequency

: 70 Days

Climbable Height

: 2cm

What’s Included

: SwitchBot K10+ Main Unit, Base Unit (Charging and Dust Collection), Power Cord, Mop Attachment Bracket, 2 × High-performance Filter, Cleaning/Mopping Sheet Set (20 Sheets), 2 × Side Brush, Replacement Paper Bag Set (2 Bags), Maintenance Tool, Installation Manual

Price:

The SwitchBot K10+ Mini Robot Vacuum is available for $499.99. But with some coupons and discounts, you can get the vacuum cleaner for way less than that. The price is similar to some of the other brands of robot vacuum cleaners with auto empty feature. SwitchBot backs this product with a 1-year warranty.

Final Verdict

Overall, we really liked the SwitchBot K10+. It is really tiny yet powerful at the same time. You can use the smartphone app to create maps of different floors and use the robot even in multi-storied houses. As it is a small unit, you can easily carry the robot vacuum from floor to floor.

The built-in dustbin has a small capacity of 150ml but thanks to the auto empty feature, the robot will automatically dump the dust and debris into the dust collection station. It can hold up to 70 days of garbage (realistically, it is less than that)with its 4L bin.

If you are looking for a robot vacuum cleaner for your small apartment, then the SwitchBot K10+ is a decent choice. Even with the base station, it doesn’t occupy much room. Although due to its size, it might take slightly longer to clean a room, you can create schedules and forget and it will take care of the cleaning job for you.

The post SwitchBot K10+ Mini Robot Vacuum Review appeared first on ElectronicsHub.

VIOFO A229 Pro 3Channel Dash Cam Review

Administrator — Wed, 08 Nov 2023 08:27:54 +0000

VIOFO A229 Pro 3Channel Dash Cam Review

An Excellent 3-Channel Dash Cam System that can record high-quality 4K footage (from its main camera). Very Useful for ride sharing drivers.

Editors Rating

 4.7/5

4.7 stars

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Get 5% Discount use "EH229PRO"

VIOFO A229 Pro 3Channel Dash Cam

What we like

Easy To Install
Very High-Quality Footage
Excellent Low-Light (Night Time) Performance
Record From 3 Cameras Simultaneously
Supports Both 2.4GHz and 5GHz Wi-Fi Bands
HDR Implementation is Decent

What we don’t like

Bottom Line

The VIOFO A229 Pro 3 Channel Dash Cam is probably one of the best dash cameras right now. You can configure it as a single channel, dual channel, or even three channel dash camera to record front, rear, and interior of the vehicle. The main dash cam has a Sony STARVIS 2 IMX678 8MP Sensor that can record stunning 4K footage in daytime. It also records very good quality night time footage.

In this article

A dash cam, also known as a dashboard camera or car DVR, is a compact camera that is affixed to a vehicle’s dashboard or windshield. Its primary function is to continuously record the view ahead through the vehicle’s front windscreen and, in some cases, the rear as well as the interior of the vehicle. Dash cams have gained significant popularity in recent years due to their ability to offer crucial evidence in the event of accidents or other incidents on the road. These cameras come in various forms, sizes, and price ranges. Basic models simply record video, while more advanced versions offer features like GPS tracking, night vision, motion detection, and even ADAS functionality.

There are numerous advantages to using a dash cam. In the event of an accident, a dash cam can serve as invaluable evidence for determining fault and supporting insurance claims. It also acts as a safeguard against false accusations of wrongdoing. For instance, if a driver is wrongly accused of running a red light, a dash cam can provide concrete video evidence proving otherwise. Beyond accidents, dash cams function as a deterrent to criminal activity. The presence of a visible dash cam can discourage potential criminals from targeting a vehicle, knowing that their actions will be recorded. Moreover, dash cams are capable of recording evidence of vandalism or other crimes that may occur when a vehicle is parked.

Dash cams are gaining popularity among commercial vehicle operators, particularly in the context of fleet management. Fleets use dash cams to monitor driver behavior, enhance safety, and reduce insurance costs. These cameras also serve as vital sources of evidence in the event of truck accidents or other incidents involving commercial vehicles.

VIOFO, a renowned brand in the world of dashcams, has gained a reputation for producing high-quality and innovative solutions for recording on-road experiences. They produce a range of dashcams with different features and specifications. We already reviewed their budget-friendly VIOFO A119 Mini 2 Dash Cam a while ago and we really liked the performance. Moving into the “PRO” category, we recently got the VIOFO A229 Pro 3 Channel Dash Cam. You can buy only the main A229 Pro alone but we opted for the full package (3 Channel Dash Cam, Bluetooth Button, Hardwire Kit, and microSD Card) to try and test their premium product in a complete setup.

This is the review of the VIOFO A229 Pro 3 Channel Dash Cam. We installed this complete dash cam system in our 2018 Honda Accord and daily drove it for nearly 2 weeks. In this review, we will bring out our experiences of installing and using the dash cam, quality of the recordings from all the cams, and using the app to control the dash cam. Continue reading to find out more about our thoughts and impressions of the VIOFO A229 Pro Dash Cam. Spoiler Alert! It is one of the best dash cam setups we have tested till now.

Unboxing:

Before unboxing, we would like to remind the readers that we got the complete package with all the optional accessories as well. So, the unboxing experience and the upcoming review will feature all these extra components. Depending on the model/configuration you choose, the contents may vary. That said, we will go through the contents of the package one-by-one.

The first box contains the three main cams. Opening the box, we get a plastic film with a very useful connection diagram of all the cameras. Then, we have the front cam with the screen, the rear camera, and the interior camera with IR sensors.

We also get couple of plastic anti-static stickers and a very-detailed user manual. Underneath all these stuff, we have car charger with charging cable, USB-C Data Cable, cables for rear and interior cameras, a polarizing filter, trim removal tool, and a spare sticky pad.

The Bluetooth button package contains the Bluetooth Button, a CR2032 cell, double-sided tape, and a tiny user guide. We opted for the 64GB variant of the microSD card and it came with an adapter as well. Last but not least, the hardwire kit. It contains the power modules with attached cable. That’s it for the unboxing and let us continue with the design of the VIOFO A229 Pro Dash Cams.

Design:

The heart of the VIOFO A229 Pro 3 Channel Dash Cam System is the main dash cam i.e., the front camera. It is a vertical piece of kit with a tiny 2.4” screen on the front (the side that faces the driver)and an adjustable camera mechanism on the bottom. Just below the screen, there are a bunch of indicator LEDs (for power, recording, GPS, Microphone, and Wi-Fi). And below these indicators, we have 5 buttons, with the help of which we can control the dash cam and navigate through the UI.

There is a microSD card slot and port for connecting the interior camera on the right side(with screen facing us) of the main cam. On the left side, we have a multi-function port and the reset button. The back of the cam has the main power port and the mount with sticky tape (and an integrated GPS Module).

Both the rear camera and the interior camera look identical except the interior camera has IR LEDs and light sensor around the camera lens. The connection ports are also same on both these cams (USB-C) but the other end is different (USB-C for rear cam and 3.5mm Jack for interior cam).

Initial Setup:

The first step of installing the dash cam is to insert the microSD Card into the main dash cam. VIOFO suggests a microSD Card with class-10 or UHS-I rating and the capacity can be up to 512GB. We have to format (exFAT or FAT32) the card and we can do it directly from the main cam’s settings or externally using a computer.

To install the VIOFO A229 Pro front camera, first select a location on the windshield behind the rear-view mirror where the camera will not obstruct the driver’s view. Then, wipe clean the installation surface of the windscreen with a dry cloth to remove any grease or dirt. Next, decide whether to mount the dashcam directly to the windshield with the sticky pad or to attach the static sticker to the selected location before installation. If you choose the direct mount option, peel the protection film off the sticky pad and camera lens before fixing the camera in place.

Once the camera is mounted, adjust the lens angle so that you can see a clear view of the road ahead on the LCD screen. Finally, connect the car charger USB cable to the camera mount’s Type-C port and plug the car charger adapter into your vehicle’s 12V / 24V cigarette lighter socket.

Installing the rear camera is also very simple. First, select a suitable installation location on the windscreen, ensuring it is free of defrost grid wires and provides a clear view of the rear. Next, wipe the chosen installation surface with a dry cloth to ensure a clean bond. Then, peel off the protective film from the sticky pad and camera lens before securely fixing the rear camera in the selected position.

Connecting the rear camera is the next crucial step. Power off the product and attach the rear camera cable to the front camera (main unit). However, the cable routing process is vital, as it involves removing the headliner trim using tool that came in the package. While this process is relatively straightforward, if you feel uncomfortable doing it yourself, don’t hesitate to seek assistance from a professional for a hassle-free installation.

You can follow similar procedure for installing the interior camera as well. An important point is to make sure you don’t have any obstacle in the vicinity of the interior camera module as the Infrared Light from the IR LEDs will reflect from the object and fall on the lens (making the image have a bright spot).

After finishing the installation, we can move ahead with setting up the device from the main dash cam. The process is relatively simple and the VIOFO A229 Pro has easy to navigate UI for all the important settings. Alternatively, you can also connect the A229 Pro to a smartphone over Wi-Fi and control it with the official app (which is available for Android as well as iOS).

Performance:

So, how was the performance of the VIOFO A229 Pro Dash Cam? We were thoroughly impressed with the quality of the footage from all the three dash cams. The main front dash cam has a Sony STARVIS 2 IMX678 8MP Sensor that can record in 4K. We can adjust the resolution between 3840×2160P, 2560×1440P, and 1920×1080P. All these resolutions will support only 30fps recording and sadly there is no 60fps option at all.

NOTE: We compressed all the footage images due to large size. But the actual quality of the footage is very good.

The IMX678 has a large 1/1.8” sensor and as a result it will capture more light. This is clearly reflective during night time as the recordings are better even under low light conditions. VIOFO also does some software magic with their Super Night Vision 2.0 algorithm that improves the video quality in low light.

Coming to the rear camera, it uses a Sony STARVIS 2 IMX6755MP Sensor that can record in 2K (2560 × 1440P) with an option to bring down the resolution to 1920 × 1080P, if you need. While IMX675 has a slightly smaller sensor (1/2.8”) than the IMX678, the performance is still decent. Both the front and rear cameras car record in HDR and we are really impressed with the performance of HDR recording. This is especially visible when the car is coming from shade into sunlight. The front cam has a FOV of 140° while the rear cam has even wider FOV of 160°.

Clarity wise, we can see the number plate of the car in front or back with good detail. The number plate of the second car in the front loses some details but we can zoom in on the footage and make out the number. Anything beyond that, the numbers are blurry. During night time, we can see the number plate of only the first car in the front or back. Anything beyond this is very hard to tell. Glare from the glass and lights can be an issue and we definitely recommend the CPL (Circular Polarizing Lens) attachment. It will drastically reduce the glare, even during night time.

The VIOFO A229 Pro has a GPS module in the mounting bracket. This is useful as it can attach the location data to the footage, which might be important in some situations. It also has G-Sensor which can lock the footage in the event of an impact. With loop recording, the A229 Pro will overwrite the oldest footage with the new data.

In order to save storage, you can record in time lapse with a choice of 1, 2, 3, 5, or 10 fps. Another feature that will save storage is low bit rate recording. You can record audio but there is no scope for connecting external microphone.

As this is a 3 Channel System, we have to talk about the interior camera. It has a Sony STARVIS IMX307 2MP Sensor that can record 1920 × 1080P. An additional feature of the interior camera is it has IR LEDs and a Light Sensor. During night time, it will activate the IR LEDs and record night vision style footage.

App Experience:

While you can control the VIOFO A229 Pro with its screen and buttons, you have the provision to pair it with a smartphone and control through the app. All the communication is over Wi-Fi and the A229 Pro supports both 2.4GHz and 5GHz Wi-Fi bands. You have to connect to the Wi-Fi hotspot of the A229 Pro and then have full control of the dash cam (including settings, video playback, recording, and live preview).

You can adjust the exposure of all the cams individually. We also got the HK4 Hardwire Kit, which powers the cams directly from the battery. This way, you can make use of the parking mode of the VIOFO A229 Pro Dash Cam. Apart from built-in buttons and smartphone app, there is also an additional accessory in the form of Bluetooth button, which helps you to lock the current video file with a single press. There is also a voice control feature using which you can start or stop the recording, take a snap, and turn the Wi-Fi on or off just with voice commands. It supports multiple languages.

Specifications

Dashcam Model

: VIOFO A229 Pro

Video Resolution

: Front Camera: 3840×2160P, 2560×1440P, 1920×1080P
Front Camera + Rear Camera: 2160P+1440P, 1440P+1440P, 1080P+1080P
Front Camera + Interior Camera: 2160P+1080P, 1440P+1080P, 1080P+1080P
Front Camera + Rear Camera + Interior Camera: 2160P+1440P+1080P, 2160P+1080P+1080P, 1440P+1440P+1080P, 1080P+1080P+1080P

Lens FOV

: Front 140°, Rear 160°, Interior150°

Frame Rate

: 2.4” IPS LCD

Sensor

: Front: Sony STARVIS 2 IMX678 8MP Sensor
Rear: Sony STARVIS 2 IMX6755MP Sensor
Interior: Sony STARVISIMX3072MP Sensor

Aperture

:Front – 1.8, Rear – 1.9, Interior – 1.8

HDR

: Yes. Supports Multiple Exposure HDR

Bitrate Adjustment

: Yes. Low, Medium, and High

Battery

: None. Has Supercapacitor

App

: Yes, For iOS and Android

Wi-Fi

: Yes. Supports both 2.4GHz and 5GHz Wi-Fi Bands

Additional Features

: HDR, 24-Hour Parking Surveillance, Built-in GPS, Motion Detection, G-Sensor, Night Vision

What’s Included

: VIOFO A229 Pro (Front, Rear, and Interior Cams), USB-C Power Cable, USB-C Data Cable, Car Charging Adapter, USB-C to USB-C Cable for Rear Cam, USB-C to 3.5mm Jack for Interior Cam, CPL Filter, Trim Removal Tool (Crowbar), 2 × Electrostatic Stickers, Sticky Pad, User Manual. (Optional Accessories – HK4 Hardwire Kit, Bluetooth Remote Control, 64GB microSD Card)

Price:

The listing price of the VIOFO A229 Pro 3 – Channel Dash Cam is $389.99 but with coupons and discount, the selling price will be around $329.99. This doesn’t include the microSD Card, Hardwire Kit, and the Bluetooth Button. When you look at the performance of the VIOFO A229 Pro, its price, and the 12-month warranty, we feel the price is very reasonable. You can extend the warranty by registering your product with VIOFO.

If you are interested in the 2 – Channel Variant (without the Interior Cam), then its price is $359.99. Again, with some coupons, the selling price becomes only $299.99. This option is beneficial if you don’t share your car or doesn’t need to monitor driver behavior.

Final Verdict

Overall, we are really impressed with the VIOFO A229 Pro 3 Channel Dash Cam. The front cam is outstanding with its super clear 4K footage during day time and very good quality nighttime recordings. The HDR quality is also decent. While the specs of the rear cam aren’t as impressive as that of the main cam, it still records very good 1440P videos and even in HDR. The nighttime recordings are also good. Last but not least, the interior cam is very useful for recording driver behavior, especially if you share your car or run a fleet for Lyft.

If you are looking for a complete dash cam setup for your vehicle that records front, rear, as well as interior of the car, then the VIOFO A229 Pro 3 Channel Dash Cam is one of the best choices right now.

The post VIOFO A229 Pro 3Channel Dash Cam Review appeared first on ElectronicsHub.

ANCEL BD310 OBD2 Scanner Review

Administrator — Sat, 28 Oct 2023 07:20:07 +0000

ANCEL BD310 OBD2 Scanner Review

A Decent Piece of Equipment for diagnosing car/truck codes (read and erase) and perform several tests. Use it as a plug-and-play unit or with Bluetooth and Smartphone App.

Editors Rating

 4.7/5

4.7 stars

Buy On Amazon

ANCEL BD310 OBD2 Scanner

What we like

Works as Standalone Unit
Smartphone App (over Bluetooth)
Can Read as well as Clear Codes
Performs Several Tests
Realtime Data on App (Available for Android and iOS)
Dashboard Option in the App
Magnetic Mount on the Back

What we don’t like

Bottom Line

The ANCEL BD310 is a budget-friendly OBD2 scanner that offers a good set of features for the price. It can read and clear DTCs from the engine system, and it also has a number of other features, such as live data streaming, graphing, and recording. You can use the device as a standalone unit, thanks to the integrated LCD. Alternatively, connect the device to a smartphone over Bluetooth and read data on the app.

In this article

An OBD2 (On-Board Diagnostics II) scanner is a crucial tool for diagnosing and troubleshooting issues in modern vehicles. It is designed to interface with a car’s onboard computer system to retrieve diagnostic information, including fault codes, sensor data, and other parameters. OBD2 scanners are typically used by mechanics, automotive enthusiasts, and even everyday car owners to identify and understand the source of problems in a vehicle.

These scanners come in various forms, from simple handheld devices with basic code-reading capabilities to more advanced tools that can display real-time data and perform in-depth diagnostics. OBD2 scanners connect to a car’s OBD2 port, usually located under the dashboard near the steering wheel. Once connected, they can read and interpret the information provided by the car’s computer system, helping users pinpoint issues such as engine misfires, emissions problems, or sensor malfunctions. This diagnostic data is valuable for timely repairs and can save both time and money by avoiding costly visits to a mechanic for issues that can be resolved with simple fixes.

ANCEL is a leading manufacturer of OBD2 scanners and other automotive diagnostic tools. Their scanners are known for their reliability, ease of use, and comprehensive features. ANCEL offers a wide range of OBD2 scanners to choose from, depending on your needs and budget. We recently got one interesting piece of kit from ANCEL, the ANCEL BD310 OBD2 Scanner. You can use it as a standalone device, thanks to the integrated display or with a smartphone over Bluetooth (and the companion app).This is the review of the ANCEL BD310 OBD2 Scanner. We are writing this review after using and testing the scanner/reader on couple of our cars for reading codes, smartphone app functionality, and many other. Continue reading the review if you are looking for a tool to diagnose issues with your car or truck.

Unboxing:

Let us start the review by unboxing the contents of the package. The packaging is very simple. We have the ANCEL BD310 OBD2 Scanner in the box. It comes with a cable that has the OBD2 Connector on the end. There is a USB Cable (not shown in the image) for connecting the device to a computer in order to update the device.

There is also a user manual in the package. The instructions are very decent and certainly better than some of the other “technical” documentations we have seen. Last but not least, there is a magnetic clip that we can attach to the car’s AC vents and mount the OBD2 Scanner on it.

Design:

If you are a mechanic or someone who works with cars all the time, you might be familiar with diagnostic tools. They typically have a long body with a display on top and some buttons on the bottom. The overall design of the ANCEL BD310 OBD2 Scanner is very similar to that in spirit but it is only a compact version.

The top section has a 2” TFT display while just below the display, we have four buttons for navigation (Up, Down, Back/Exit, and Enter/Select). On the left of the device, there is a Mode selection button and, on the right, we get a USB Port.

As we mentioned in the previous section, the unit comes attached with a cable and the end of the cable has a standard OBD2 Connector. Although most of the device is made from plastic, there is a small metal plate on the back of the device that attaches to the magnetic clip, if you want to mount the device inside your car.

Initial Setup :

There is really nothing here to setup with the ANCEL BD310 OBD2 Scanner. Just look for the OBD2 Port inside your car, plug in the connector of the ANCEL BD310 and voila, the device comes to life and you can start using it.

So, if you have an idea where the OBD2 Port is in your car, then you can go ahead and plug the device and start using it. In our case, we have a 2018 Honda Accord. For this vehicle, the OBD2 Port is located just below the steering wheel. If you are not sure where the OBD2 Port is for your car, you can refer to the car’s owner’s manual or look it up online.

As the device gets its power from the OBD2 Port itself, you don’t have to worry about additional power supply. Once the device is powered on and it boots up, you will get a screen saying “Bluetooth Mode” and “Please download ANCEL app”. Don’t worry. You can use the device even without the app. For this, you have to press the “Mode” button on the left of the device. As soon as you press the mode button, we will get the main display with four icons (OBDII, Meter, I/M, and Setup).

Features:

The ANCEL BD310 is a comprehensive OBD2 scanner that offers a wide range of features for vehicle self-diagnosis and maintenance. With a single click, the BD310 can perform a thorough self-check of your vehicle, including I/M (Inspection/Maintenance) readiness, error code retrieval, data stream monitoring, and other essential information. This scanner provides accurate and detailed explanations of Diagnostic Trouble Codes (DTCs) that it detects. It allows you to understand the specific issues with your vehicle. You can also use the “Delete Code” function to clear both current and saved DTCs from the vehicle’s control module.

The View Data stream function enables you to monitor Parameter ID (PID) data from the electronic control unit of your vehicle in real-time. This feature is invaluable for diagnosing and understanding your vehicle’s performance. ANCEL BD310 offers an intuitive graphical display with three different styles for customization. You can add pages, select graphic styles, choose specific PIDs to display, and arrange them to your liking on the dashboard. This allows you to keep a close eye on essential vehicle parameters.

Freeze Frame menu shows you critical vehicle operating conditions recorded by the onboard computer at the time of a DTC occurrence. This snapshot of data is valuable for pinpointing the cause of a fault or issue in your vehicle. Some vehicles need to monitor and test oxygen (O2) sensors to identify fuel and emissions-related faults. The “O2 Monitor Test” function lets you view the results of O2 sensor monitoring tests, helping you assess the health of your vehicle’s emission control system.

The scanner can retrieve essential information about your vehicle, including the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN), calibration numbers (CVNs) that indicate the software version of the vehicle’s control module, and calibration check numbers. This information is crucial for OBD II compliant vehicles from the year 2000 and later, as it verifies that emissions-related calibrations have not been altered. You can assess the health of your vehicle’s acceleration, braking, and distance capabilities with the performance test feature. It provides valuable insights into the overall condition of your vehicle’s key driving parameters.

ANCEL BD310 OBD2 scanner offers a comprehensive trip analysis, including time, distance, start time, travel time, maximum speed, maximum speed RPM, average speed, highest and lowest coolant temperature, number of over speeds, and quick braking incidents. You can record, save, print, and share trip data for analysis or discussion with your mechanic. The I/M Readiness function provides a snapshot of the exhaust system’s operations on OBDII/EOBD vehicles. It allows you to check the readiness status of various monitors and components in your vehicle’s emission control system.

The scanner can graphically display the battery voltage in real time, enabling you to monitor the battery’s health and trend over time accurately. This feature is valuable for keeping your vehicle’s electrical system in check. The scanner allows you to export diagnostic reports, making it easy to share diagnostic findings with your mechanic or on social media platforms.

In Action:

As we mentioned earlier, we used the ANCEL BD310 OBD2 Scanner with our 2018 Honda Accord. After plugging the connector to the OBD2 Port below the dashboard, the device powered up immediately. We used the magnetic clip that came in the package to mount the device to the ac vent.

First, we used the device without the smartphone app. Navigating through the menu and different options was very easy. Even though you will get a lot of information directly on the device’s tiny display, we feel that the smartphone connectivity is a better way to interpret the data. With smartphone app, the experience changes all together. The layout is intuitive and you can see a ton of information on the app. Some of the data is not available or greyed out. This of course depends on the make and model of the car.

Using the dashboard feature in the app, you can essentially use your smartphone as an HUD (heads up display) and see essential data without turning or titling your head. Very useful if you want to take your vehicle on a track. You can even set alarms (such as speed alarm or water temperature alarm) in the app.

Specifications

Model

: ANCEL BD310 Bluetooth OBD2 Scanner

Connectivity

: Bluetooth

Ways to Diagnose

: Built-in Screen or Bluetooth App

App Availability

: Android and iOS

Features

: Read Codes, Clear Codes, I/M Readiness, EVAP Monitor Test, Battery Test, O2 Sensor Test, Real-Time Monitor, Trip Analysis

OBDII Protocols

: J1850 PWM, J1850 VPW, ISO9141, KWP2000, and CAN

Display

: 2.0-inch TFT (Full 65K Color)

Operating Temperature

: 0 to 50°C (32 to 140 °F)

Storage Temperature

: -20 to 70°C (-4 to 158 °F)

External Power

: 8.0 to 18.0 V (Power Provided via Vehicle Battery)

Dimensions

: 130mm × 61.5mm × 15.6mm

Weight

: 0.35kg

Support Languages

: Deutsch, Dutch, English, Spanish, French, Italiano, Portuguese, Suomi, Chinese

What’s Included

: ANCEL BD310 OBD2 Scanner, USB Cable, Magnetic Clip (Mount), User Manual

Price:

The listing price of the ANCEL OBD2 Scanner is $88.99 but the selling price is $77.99. There are also some coupons and promo deals (at the time of writing this review) and if you include them, then you can get the scanner for way less than the selling price. ANCEL backs this product with a 1-year warranty. Having Bluetooth and display (for standalone operation) at this price point is very good.

Final Verdict

Overall, we liked the ANCEL BD310 OBD2 Scanner. It is a handy tool for looking up error codes, especially if check engine light turns on. The main advantage of this tool is it can not only work as an independent unit, thanks to the built-in display, you can also use it with a smartphone (app that transmits over Bluetooth). The app is available for both Android and iOS devices.

You can read codes, erase codes, perform emissions test, get vehicle information, and many more. If you use the smartphone app, you can get additional information (live data, battery test, etc.). The device might feel sluggish at times but if your requirement is only for checking codes and occasional testing, then it will easily pass. Also, depending on the vehicle, some functions/parameters may be greyed out.

If you are looking for a bang for the buck diagnostics scanner to read car codes, then the ANCEL BD310 OBD2 Scanner is a decent choice.

The post ANCEL BD310 OBD2 Scanner Review appeared first on ElectronicsHub.

Arylic B50 Wireless Stereo Amplifier Review

Administrator — Wed, 25 Oct 2023 13:09:33 +0000

Arylic B50 Wireless Stereo Amplifier Review

An excellent stereo amplifier with Bluetooth transmit and receive functionality. You can pair two 50W bookshelf speakers and the it has a ton of I/O capability.

Editors Rating

 4.6/5

4.6 stars

Buy On Amazon

Arylic B50 Wireless Stereo Amplifier

What we like

Simple Design and Sturdy Build Quality
Very Good Sound Quality (No Noise or Distortion)
Pair Two Bluetooth Devices at a Time
Supports aptX (aptX HD, aptX AD, aptX LL)
Can Drive Two 4Ω Speakers with Power up to 50W
Features Sub-OUT to Drive External Sub-Woofer
Supports Bluetooth Transmission and Reception
Has HDMI ARC (with CEC), Optical, Phono In, Line In
USB Playback as well as USB DAC (for Laptops or Computers)

What we don’t like

Bottom Line

The Arylic B50 is a decent set of Stereo Amplifier with the added advantage of Bluetooth Functionality. It has a variety of inputs (Phono In, Line In, Optical, HDMI ARC, and Bluetooth) and can drive a couple of passive speakers or Bluetooth audio devices (speakers or headphones). A bonus feature is it can connect to two Bluetooth devices at the same time so you can get the audio on both the devices.

In this article

Stereo amplifiers, a fundamental component of audio systems, serve as the backbone of audio playback by amplifying and enhancing audio signals. They are designed to power and control speakers to produce rich, immersive sound experiences in both home and professional settings. At their core, stereo amplifiers take weak audio signals from sources like CD players, turntables, or digital devices and significantly boost their power. This amplification ensures that audio is delivered with clarity, precision, and the right amount of volume, making it a key element in achieving high-quality sound reproduction.

Wireless stereo amplifiers are a type of stereo amplifier that can transmit and receive audio signals wirelessly. This eliminates the need for wires between the amplifier and the speakers, making it easier to install and use the system. Wireless stereo amplifiers typically use Bluetooth to transmit audio signals. It is a very reliable and efficient technology, making it ideal for streaming audio.

The Arylic B50 is an interesting Wireless Stereo Amplifier that we recently got our hands on. We say it is interesting because it can transmit and receive audio over Bluetooth, drive two passive speakers with power up to 50W, and receive input from HDMI ARC, Optical, Line In, and Phono In. On the Bluetooth side, things are exciting as it has support for Bluetooth 5.2 with aptX HD. There are several more features such as Companion App for smartphone, USB Playback, and USB DAC Functionality.

This is the review of the Arylic B50 Wireless Stereo Amplifier. We are writing this review after using the device for more than a week and testing it with different speakers (passive bookshelf speakers, Bluetooth Speakers, and Bluetooth Headphones), different inputs (Bluetooth, USB Playback, and USB-C DAC), using the app, and many more. Continue reading the review if you are interested in buying a decent stereo amplifier that can also work beautifully for Bluetooth transmission as well as reception.

Unboxing:

Let us quickly unbox the package and take a look at its contents. Opening the box, we have the user manual and an instructions card with information on app and Bluetooth Transmitting and Receiving Modes. Very useful stuff. We highly recommend going through it.

Next, we have couple of boxes with designs/prints on them that indicate their contents. The first box has a power supply. It is a standard universal AC mains input (100 – 240V, 50/60Hz) to 24V DC adapter. The maximum output current is 4.16A, making it a 99.84W adapter. The good thing about this adapter is the output connector is a standard barrel jack. So, you don’t have to worry about replacements.

The second and slightly bigger box contains couple of antenna for Bluetooth, power cord to connect to the power supply, and a tiny IR Remote Control. Exploring further, we have the main event i.e., the Arylic B50 Amplifier. We really like the protective foam that comes with the product.

Design:

If you are familiar with stereo amplifiers in general, then the design of the Arylic B50 might seem familiar to you. It has a metal body construction that adds some heft to the product. On the front, we have an ON/OFF toggle switch on the left. Right to it, we have the IR Receiver and 8 status LEDs (just below the Arylic branding) corresponding to power as well as different modes (Bluetooth, Line In, Phono In, etc.). On the far right, we have a rotary dial (a rotary encoder) with a push switch. The dial adjusts the volume (obviously) while the center button switches between modes.

The back side of the Arylic B50 is busy with several ports. We will start with the two antenna ports (SMA) for Bluetooth and BLE. These ports are on extreme ends on the back. As we mentioned earlier, the power supply has a standard barrel jack. Corresponding to this, we have the barrel connector. For speakers, we have four standard banana sockets with binding post screws for left and right speakers. There is a ground connector, if you need one while connecting to a turntable. Then we have four RCA sockets, two for Phono In (L and R) and two for Line In (L and R). Interestingly, there is another RCA connector but this is for Sub Out. It is good that we have a separate SW OUT port so that we can connect a powered sub-woofer with our stereo setup.

We also have optical In as well as HDMI ARC In. There are a couple of USB ports on the Arylic B50 Amplifier. One is a standard USB-A Port that accepts USB Drives for audio playback. The other is USB-C that we can connect to PC and use the B50 as a DAC. There is a reset button on that back that not only resets the device but also acts as setup button for Bluetooth Pairing.

On a whole, the design of the Arylic B50 Wireless Stereo Amplifier is minimalistic on the front and a plethora of connectivity options on the back. The build quality is good and there is a heft to the device, thanks to all metal construction.

Initial Setup:

The first step in setting up the Arylic B50 is connecting the two antenna to the back of the device. Then plug in the power cable and toggle the switch to on. This will bring the device to life and the “BT” LED starts flashing. In order to use the remote control, you have to install a couple of AAA batteries, which sadly don’t come in the package. It is time to connect the speakers to the amplifier. For our testing, we have a pair of Sony bookshelf speakers. There is nothing fancy about these speakers but they sound good.

Connecting the speakers is pretty straightforward. Look for the positive and negative wires of the left and right speakers and connect them at appropriate banana connectors.

The next step is to figure out the source of input. As we already know, the Arylic B50 supports a variety of inputs. We will start with the simplest of all, the Bluetooth. To be specific, we will use the B50 in the Bluetooth Receiver Mode, where we will transmit audio from a device (smartphone or laptop) over Bluetooth to Arylic B50.

In Bluetooth receiver mode, the Arylic B50 displays a flashing BT LED to signal its readiness for a connection. Users can initiate the connection process on their Bluetooth transmitter devices, such as smartphones, iPads, TVs, or laptops, by searching for the Bluetooth device named “B50” and establishing a connection. After a successful connection, the BT LED remains lit, allowing users to play music from their connected device, with the audio output directed through connected passive speakers. The Arylic B50 also has the ability to remember previously paired devices, automatically reconnecting to them.

A notable feature of the Arylic B50 is its support for simultaneous connections with up to two devices. After the first device is connected, users can trigger pairing mode for the second device by either pressing the Reset button on the device itself or using the BT button on the included remote controller. The connection process for the second device mirrors that of the first. Note that only one device can play music at any given time. When the currently playing device stops music playback, the other device can then begin streaming music. To disconnect the Bluetooth connection entirely, just double press the Reset button.

Features:

The Arylic B50 is a powerful 50W x 2 amplifier designed for passive speakers, bookshelf speakers, and mobile devices, making it an ideal addition to your entertainment setup. The 50W power is applicable only if the impedance of the speaker is 4Ω. If the impedance is 8Ω, then the maximum power is only 30W. The compact Class D digital power amplifier can deliver acoustically accurate and low-distortion audio reproduction, ensuring a high-quality listening experience. It also features Bluetooth wireless music streaming capabilities.

What sets the B50 apart is its use of aptX HD technology with a Qualcomm Bluetooth chip, supporting Bluetooth 5.2, aptX HD, aptX AD, aptX, and aptX LL audio formats. This enables the amplifier to stream and receive high-definition music from two Bluetooth devices simultaneously. The inclusion of a high-end Bluetooth module and precision-tuned antenna ensures a stable and low-latency connection, even up to 50 feet away. This means you can enjoy HD music on your headphones without the interference of popping or audible noise, making the Arylic B50 an excellent choice for enhancing your audio experience.

Apart from Bluetooth, the Arylic B50 offers versatile audio input modes to cater to various devices and sources. You can also connect analog devices with line out port. The Arylic B50 can also act as a Turntable Amplifier. Simply connect a turntable to the Phono In port (and there is a GND connector as well).

In Optical In mode, users can connect any device with a digital optical output to the B50. For users with modern TVs featuring HDMI ARC (Audio Return Channel) ports, the B50 provides HDMI ARC Mode. This mode lets you connect the B50 to your TV, effectively transforming it into an external stereo sound system for playing music through passive speakers.

You can select the Optical In or HDMI ARC Mode either by pressing the Mode button on the device, using the remote controller, or through the smartphone app. Depending on the mode, the respective LED on the front panel illuminates. Moreover, you can stream Optical In or HDMI ARC audio through Bluetooth, allowing you to listen from connected Bluetooth receiver devices like speakers or headphones for private listening while watching TV.

In USB Disk Drive Playback Mode, users can store their music files on a USB disk drive and plug it into the B50 for playback. The device automatically switches to USB Mode, indicated by the illuminated USB LED. The B50 offers a resume playback function, starting from the last song played when the USB disk drive is reconnected. Furthermore, you can stream stored music to connected Bluetooth speakers or headphones via Bluetooth transmitter mode. The USB disk drive should be in Fat16/Fat32/exFat format and must not exceed 128GB in size.

For those seeking to use the B50 as an external USB stereo sound system with a PC, the USB DAC Mode is available. Users can connect the B50 to their PC using a USB Type-C cable designed for data transfer. In this mode, the B50 should be selected as the sound output device on the PC. As with other input modes, audio from the PC can be streamed to other connected Bluetooth devices for a versatile listening experience.

Performance:

So, how was the performance of the Arylic B50 Wireless Stereo Amplifier? The process from unboxing to setting up the device was very simple. After setup, we first connected a pair of passive Sony speakers to the amplifier using the banana jacks. Then we paired the B50 with our smartphone over Bluetooth and started playing the music. The quality of the sound is good and we did not face any noise or distortion. The vocals and instruments are very clear and the bass is decent (this is not an Arylic B50 issue but rather the Sony speakers’ issue). Although there is a Sub-Woofer Out port on the B50, we did not have a powered sub to test this feature.

The Go Connect app makes it easy to control your B50 amplifier from your phone. You can use it to play and pause music, change the input source, and adjust the EQ settings. The app is available for free on both Android and iOS devices.

Next, we inserted a USB Flash Drive to the back of the device and paired a Sony WH-1000XM5 Headphones to the Arylic B50.It is very easy to control the playback using the smartphone app. Then we used the Arylic B50 as USB DAC with both wired Sony speakers and Sony XM5. The setup was very simple, as usual and the performance is also good.

Last but not least, we connected the Arylic B50 with LG TV that has both HDMI ARC (with CEC) and Optical Out. We tested both Optical and HDMI connectivity with B50 and it worked flawlessly. We could even control the B50 with TV remote, thanks to the HDMI CEC functionality.

Specifications

Model

: Arylic B50 Wireless Stereo Amplifier

Amplifier Power

: 24V 4Ω 50W×2, 24V 8Ω 30W ×2

Speaker Impedance

: 4Ω – 8Ω

Frequency Response

: 20Hz to 20KHz

THD+N

: >0.1% @ 1W 1kHz

SNR

: >93db

Audio Input

: Line in Analog RCA (Max 2V RMS Input)
Phono In Analog RCA (Support MM/MC)
Optical In (Max 192kHz/24bit Sample Rate Decode and PCM Encoding)
HDMI ARC (PCM only)
USB Host (USB Disk Drive Playback, Support Resume Playback, Sample Rate: 48kHz, Storage Format: Fat16, Fat32, exFAT, up to 128GB, Support Codec: mp3 (data rate up to 384kbps), mp4, wma, mov, m4a,aac, flac(96kHz/24bit), ape)
USB Type-C (USB DAC for PC Connection, Sample Rate: 48kHz)

Audio Output

: Speaker Out (50W per Channel @ 4ohms)
Subwoofer Out (Max 3V RMS Output, Frequency Response: 250Hz)

Bluetooth Standard

: 5.2

Bluetooth Transmit

: 2x Bluetooth TX (Connect up to 2 Bluetooth Speakers or Earbuds)

Bluetooth Receive

: 2x Bluetooth RX (Connect up to 2 Bluetooth Transmitter Devices)

Bluetooth Codec

:aptX HD, aptX, AAC, SBC

Power Input

: 24V/4.16A

Size

: 185mm × 155mm × 50mm

Weight

: 900g

What’s Included

: Arylic B50 Amplifier, Remote Control, 2 × Antenna, Power Cord, Power Adapter, User Manual, App Guide

Price:

The Arylic B50 Wireless Stereo Amplifier is available for $139.99. If you look at the build quality of product and the performance it offers (in terms of audio playback, connectivity, etc.), then we feel the price is good. We are glad that they did not go over that $150 mark.

Final Verdict

Overall, we really liked the Arylic B50 Wireless Stereo Amplifier. If you have a pair of bookshelf speakers and want to drive them to listen to music or watch TV, then the B50 is a decent choice. While the stereo amplifier is the USP of Arylic B50, getting Bluetooth connectivity in this price range that too with Transmit and Receive functionalities is excellent. The Qualcomm Bluetooth chip supports aptX(HD and LL) codecs along with regular AAC and SBC codecs.

Connectivity is another plus point of Arylic B50. For output, you can connect normal passive bookshelf speakers using banana cables or pair Bluetooth headphones, speakers, or earbuds. The input side is even crazy with sources such as Bluetooth, Line In, Phono In, Optical In, and HDMI ARC. There is a separate sub-woofer out, although the frequency response is basic.

Whether you are looking to drive bookshelf speakers or Bluetooth speakers, the Arylic B50 Wireless Stereo Amplifier is definitely a worthy contender.

The post Arylic B50 Wireless Stereo Amplifier Review appeared first on ElectronicsHub.

INKBIRD Wi-Fi Thermometer Review

Administrator — Mon, 23 Oct 2023 07:41:30 +0000

INKBIRD Wi-Fi Thermometer Review

A decent “smart” device that can display real-time temperature and humidity. Connect it to Wi-Fi and get weather forecast, synchronize data with smartphone app, and even set alarms.

Editors Rating

 4.6/5

4.6 stars

Buy On Amazon

INKBIRD WiFi Thermometer

What we like

Very Easy to Setup/Use
Real-time Temperature and Humidity
Precision Sensors
Comfort Level Indicator (forcolds)
Runs on Rechargeable Battery
Decent Battery Life (Depends on Update Rate)
E-Ink Display
Wi-Fi Connectivity& Smartphone App

What we don’t like

Bottom Line

The INKBIRD Wi-Fi Thermometer and Hygrometer is a neat little device for monitoring temperature and humidity is a room. Very useful for indoor plant nurseries, wine cellars, baby rooms, or other similar environments where monitoring these parameters is essential. While smartphone connectivity (app) and weather forecast are decent, that is where the features end.

In this article

A home weather station is a compact and accessible system designed for personal weather monitoring at homes, garages, workshops, etc. These stations offer a cost-effective way for individuals to keep tabs on local weather conditions, making them ideal for gardening, outdoor planning, and general weather tracking. Home weather stations typically consist of several key components, including weather sensors, a display console, and some even have ability to alarm users (usually through a smartphone).

The weather sensors are at the heart of the system, measuring basic weather parameters such as temperature, humidity, etc. Some advanced models may include sensors for barometric pressure, wind speed, rainfall and solar radiation. The console often features a user-friendly display screen and may offer additional functionality like data logging and weather alerts. One of the key advantages of home weather stations is their ability to provide historical weather data, helping users track weather patterns and trends over time. Some models even offer internet connectivity, enabling users to share their weather data online or integrate it with other smart home devices.

We recently came across one such interesting Thermo Hygrometers known as the INKBIRD IBS-TH5-WIFI 8-in-1 Wi-Fi Thermometer Hygrometer Home Weather Station. It has an integrated display unit along with smartphone app connectivity and even Alexa support. As it has Wi-Fi connectivity, you can get real-time weather updates, comfort levels, and many more.

This is the review of the INKBIRD Wi-Fi Thermometer Hygrometer Home Weather Station. We are writing this review after setting up and using the device in our home for more than 2-weeks. In this review, we will look at our experiences regarding the ease of use, features of the device, smartphone app functionality, etc. Continue reading the review if you are interested in purchasing the INKBIRD Wi-Fi Thermometer Hygrometer for your home, baby room, garage, or wine cellar.

Unboxing:

Let us kickoff this review by taking a look at the contents of the package of the INKBIRD Wi-Fi Thermometer. First, we have the main unit itself i.e., the INKBIRD IBS-TH5-WIFIThermometer Hygrometer. It is a compact little unit with a nice white finish. We will take a closer look at the device and its design in the next section.

Continuing further, there is a tiny box in the package that contains the USB Cable for charging the device. It is a regular USB-A to USB-C cable. Next, we have a tiny user manual. There is also a card with QR Code on it. If you scan the code, it will take you to the official downloads website of INKBIRD.

Design:

The design of the INKBIRD Wi-Fi Thermometer is very minimalistic. It is a tiny box with a 3.71” (diagonal) display on the front. The interesting thing about this display is it isn’t an LCD display but an Electronic Ink or E-Ink Display. What’s so special about this display? E-ink displays only consume power when the image on the screen changes. Once an image is displayed, it can remain on the screen without consuming any additional power. This makes E-ink displays ideal for devices that require long battery life, such as e-readers and in this case a home weather station. The contrast and viewing angles of an e-ink display are also very good.

If you turn your attention to the back of the device, there is an on/off slide switch and a push button that toggles between Degree Celsius mode and Degree Fahrenheit mode. With the display facing you, there is an USB-C Port on the left of the device to charge it.

There is a multi-function button on the top of the INKBIRD Wi-Fi Thermometer (we will see about this later) and an opening for the sensor on the right to collect data from the surroundings.

Initial Setup:

Setting up the INKBIRD Wi-Fi Thermometer is very simple. Slide the on/off button on the back to on position and the device comes to life. It shows the current temperature and humidity immediately. But as we haven’t connected the device to Wi-Fi, you cannot use the “smart” features of the device just yet. So, the first step is to connect the device to Wi-Fi and for that you need to download the official INKBIRD app, which is available for both Android and iOS devices.

Go to your device’s app store (Google Play Store for Android or Apple App Store for iOS).Search for “INKBIRD” in the app store’s search bar. Download and install the INKBIRD app to your device. After installing the app, open it to start the configuration process. In the INKBIRD app interface, you’ll find a “+” icon, typically situated in the upper right corner. Click on this icon to initiate the setup of a new device. From the list of available devices, select “IBS-TH5-Wi-Fi” to specify your device type.

The next steps involve configuring the device to connect to your Wi-Fi network. You’ll be prompted to select the 2.4GHz Wi-Fi network, as this device is not compatible with 5GHz networks, and you may also be asked to enable Bluetooth for the initial setup process. Follow the on-screen instructions provided by the app to ensure a successful connection. Once the connection is successful, you should be able to monitor and control your “IBS-TH5-Wi-Fi” device through the INKBIRD app. Once the setup is complete and your “IBS-TH5-Wi-Fi” device is connected, you’ll be able to conveniently monitor and control it through the INKBIRD app.

Features:

The INKBIRD IBS-TH5-Wi-Fi Thermometer Hygrometer is a versatile and comprehensive environmental monitoring device designed to meet a variety of needs. It offers an array of features to ensure you stay informed about your indoor environment. The device provides real-time monitoring of temperature and humidity, allowing you to continuously track your indoor conditions. It also offers weather forecasts, helping you plan your day effectively based on the expected weather. To keep you well-informed, it also displays the time and date.

We already spoke a little bit about the display on this device. It boasts a large 3.71-inch electronic ink display with high contrast, making it easy to read even from a distance. The wide viewing angle ensures that you can see the display clearly from various positions in the room, and its design is easy on the eyes, allowing for prolonged use without discomfort.

After connecting the device to your 2.4GHz Wi-Fi network, you can enable real-time data monitoring from anywhere. It also provides the convenience of free data storage and the ability to export up to 2 years of historical data, ensuring you can access and analyze past environmental information.

Equipped with a Swiss-made Sensirion sensor, known for its precision, the IBS-TH5-Wi-Fi offers quick data refresh, updating information every 2 seconds. Its accuracy is impressive, with temperature accuracy at ±0.36 °F/±0.2°C and humidity accuracy at ±1.8%RH.

INKBIRD Wi-Fi Thermometer’s long battery life is particularly noteworthy, thanks to a built-in 2000mAh rechargeable battery that can power the device for up to 12 months on a single charge but only if you set the recording interval of 60 minutes. This extended battery life not only enhances its environmental-friendliness but also ensures your convenience but at the cost of slow data updates.

In addition to these features, the IBS-TH5-Wi-Fi provides a comfort level indicator that ensures your environment remains comfortable and pleasant. If the humidity is less than 30%, it will indicate it as “Dry”. For the comfort level to be, well, “Comfort”, the humidity must be in the range of 30% < Humidity < 60% and the temperature must be in the range of 68°F < Temperature < 78.8°F. If the humidity is more than 60%, then it indicates “Wet” on the display.

Beyond its standard monitoring features, the IBS-TH5-Wi-Fi also provides an environmental assessment for colds. It evaluates the flu risk using a precise algorithm considering temperature, humidity, and air pressure. The flu risk is categorized into three levels: Safe Level, Moderate Risk, and High Risk, providing you with valuable health insights and guiding you in taking appropriate measures to maintain a healthy and safe indoor environment.

In Action:

After setting up the device and connecting it to the Wi-Fi, we fixed the INKBIRD Wi-Fi Thermometer to the wall in a room where we have some plants. We got the temperature and humidity data right away. As we connected to Wi-Fi, we also get weather forecast for the next day. For this, we need to short press the button on the top. It will display the local weather for 5 seconds, just beside the date and time. It will also display “TMR” on the top to indicate that it is next day’s weather.

Test Insight

We can turn on or reset the device’s Wi-Fi by long pressing the top button (for about 5 seconds).

While the display on the INKBIRD Wi-Fi Thermometer is good, we can get more information from the smartphone app. Setting up the app is very simple. It shows temperature, humidity, and many more and the interesting thing is it can log the data if you are interested in tracking the data over a period. You can set alarms in the app where the device beeps and sends app notifications if the current temperature or humidity goes beyond set limits.

By default, the device synchronizes with the app every 10 minutes. But this consumes a lot of battery. In fact, if you leave it to the default, you can expect only about 2 months of battery life (realistically, it will be even less). Thankfully, the app gives you control on the synchronization period. You can choose between the default 10 minutes, 30 minutes, or 60 minutes.

With 30 minutes data synchronization, you can expect around 8 months of battery while with 60 minutes, the battery can last up to 12 months.

Test Insight

You can disable the INKBIRD’s Alarm buzzer by long pressing the °C/°F button on the back for about 3 seconds.

You can instantly synchronize the data from the device to the app by pressing the top button. While the real-time temperature and humidity data and some basic weather prediction are good, there isn’t much regarding the prediction other than whether it is sunny or thunderstorms. As this has built-in Wi-Fi, you don’t have to worry about any gateway. Also, you can use the INKBIRD Wi-Fi Thermometer with Alexa, by calling it TH5.

Specifications

Model

: INKBIRD IBS-TH5-WlFl

Price:

The INKBIRD IBS-TH5-WlFl Thermometer Hygrometer Home Weather Station is available for $59.99. But with coupons and discounts, you can get the device for even less. INKBIRD also backs this device with a 1-year warranty.

Final Thoughts

Overall, we liked the INKBIRD IBS-TH5-WlFl Thermometer Hygrometer Home Weather Station for what it is. It offers a smart way to monitor temperature and humidity of a room or closed space with the help of a smartphone app. This is very useful for niche applications such as indoor plant nurseries and wine cellars where monitoring and maintaining a particular humidity and temperature is critical.

The e-ink display is good with crips text. But the smartphone app is the ideal way to use the device. It allows you to remotely monitor environment data. Speaking of environment data, using some magic algorithm, the INKBIRD IBS-TH5-WlFl Thermometer informs the level of comfort and also evaluates the risk of flu.

If you are looking for a Wi-Fi based smart home weather station that can provide real-time information on temperature and humidity, the INKBIRD IBS-TH5-WlFl Thermometer Hygrometer is a worthy contender.

The post INKBIRD Wi-Fi Thermometer Review appeared first on ElectronicsHub.

Acpotel BNV21 Binoculars Review

Administrator — Fri, 20 Oct 2023 07:12:49 +0000

Acpotel BNV21 Binoculars Review

A decent set of night vision binoculars for campers, security, bird/nature watchers, etc. You can easily capture object/target that are as far as 500m during low-light conditions, thanks to multi-level IR Light Fill.

Editors Rating

 4.5/5

4.5 stars

Buy On Amazon

Get 15% Discount "ELENIGHT "

Acpotel BNV21 Binoculars

What we like

Very easy to use
Dual IR Sensors (Emitting Far IR and Near IR)
Observation Distance up to 500m (≈1640ft)
5X Optical Zoom and 8X Digital Zoom
Take Still Images, Record Videos with Audio
Rechargeable and user replaceable Lithium Battery
Comes with sturdy carry case
USB-C Port for Charging and Connect to Computer (Live View)
Slot to mount on tripod

What we don’t like

Bottom Line

Night vision binoculars can enhance visibility in low-light conditions and darkness. The ACPOTEL BNV21 Night Vision Binoculars are one such piece of equipment that can change the way we look at the world after dark. It has a compelling list of features such as 3” internal display, 4.5” viewing display, large eye shield, dual IR Sensors, 5X Optical and 8X Digital zoom, and many more. With all these features and the overall performance it offers, the ACPOTEL Binoculars seem like a decent choice.

In this article

As a wildlife photographer on a quest to capture the enigmatic snow leopard in the Himalayan wilderness, the midnight hour had settled upon the world. Hours of tracking had yielded nothing but footprints in the snow, and with a weary heart, you decided to pause and regain your composure. It was time to employ your secret weapon — the night vision binoculars.You scan the forest, looking for the snow leopard. Suddenly, you see a movement in the bushes. You focus your binoculars on the spot and see a pair of glowing green eyes staring back at you. It was the snow leopard!

You watch in awe as the leopard stalks through the forest. It is so close that you can see its fur and whiskers. You snap a few photos, but you are careful not to make any noise.After a few minutes, the leopard disappears into the forest. You lower your binoculars and take a deep breath. You have just seen one of the most elusive creatures on Earth, an encounter made possible by the ethereal glow of night vision technology.

This is a bit dramatic but so is the experience of you watching nighttime through night vision binoculars. We recently got our hands on ACPOTEL BNV21 Night Vision Binoculars, an interesting product that redefines the way we perceive the world after dark. With a generous 4.5″ IPS display screen (the internal screen is 3”) and a decent7°× 5.2° field of view, these binoculars offer a wider visual canvas, creating an immersive experience like no other. The built-in eye shield provides comfort and uninterrupted viewing even for eyeglass wearers, while the 5x optical zoom and 8x digital zoom maintain view integrity.

There are several more interesting features on this device, which we will talk in the review of the ACPOTEL BNV21 Night Vision Binoculars. We will see how easy it is to use/operate the device, the performance during day time and night time, different modes, battery life, and many more. Continue reading the review to find out more about our thoughts and impressions of using the ACPOTEL Night Vision Binoculars.

Unboxing:

We will begin the review by taking a look at the contents of the package. Opening the main box, we have a carry case with the binoculars in it. The box also has a couple of straps for the case as well as the binoculars. Then we have the USB-C cable for charging the device and an 18650 Lithium Battery.

Focusing on the carry case, opening it reveals a simple user guide, a cleaning cloth, and the main event i.e., the ACPOTEL BNV21 Night Vision Binoculars. We will take a closer look at the design and I/O of the binoculars in the next section, but that’s it for the unboxing.

Design:

If you look at the overall design aspect of the ACPOTEL BNV21 Night Vision Binoculars, it looks and feels like a traditional binoculars. But technically it is a monocular in the sense that it has a single “lens” even though everything is digital. The front (where the lens would be) has an opening for the main image sensor on the right side while there are a couple of IR Sensors on the left. Just beside these IR Sensors, we have a slot to insert the battery.

Just above the eye shield, there is an opening that houses the USB-C Port and a microSD Card Slot. The top section of the binoculars is certainly the busiest side. There are six buttons (Up, Down, ON/OFF, Menu/Settings, Mode/Function, IR) and a wheel to adjust the lens focus. On the bottom, there is nothing much but a standard tripod mounting point. The side with the eye shield also has nothing.

Features:

The ACPOTEL Night Vision Binoculars offer a compelling blend of advanced features to revolutionize nighttime viewing. It has a 3″ IPS internal screen. This may seem smaller but the front 4.5” Display Screenenhances this image slightly so everything looks big and clear.The field of view (FOV) determines how much of the scene you can see through the binoculars at once. A wider FOV is generally more desirable, especially for tracking moving objects. With a 7°× 5.25° field of view, these binoculars present a broader and more immersive visual experience.

Traditional binoculars typically have two eyepieces, providing a binocular vision experience. But if you look at the front of the ACPOTEL BNV21 Night Vision Binoculars, there is a single large eye shield with no gaps.This makes them more comfortable to use for extended periods and provides better depth perception.Additionally, the generous eye shield ensures comfortable wear for both eyeglass-wearers and regular users. The one-touch operation simplifies the operation whether you wear glasses or not.

The main sensor is a 1/3” CMOS sensor. It has the ability to capture decent quality video and photos with a resolution of 1280×720p and 40fps. Storing the footage and images is very easy, thanks to the 32GB microSD Card. The binoculars also support playback and pause functions for added convenience.These binoculars also excel in professional optical capabilities, offering 5X optical zoom and 8X digital zoom while preserving image integrity. The device boasts an impressive 8-hour continuous runtime, with the ability to adjust infrared light levels to conserve power.

In total darkness, these binoculars offer a viewing distance of up to 200m (656ft), making them highly adaptable for both short- and long-range observations. They are particularly well-suited for outdoor enthusiasts, wildlife observers, security professionals, and those engaging in activities such as hunting, surveillance, camping, navigation, and more.

In action:

After powering the ACPOTEL BNV21 Night Vision Binoculars on, the screen comes to life and immediately displays the image.You need to press and hold the on/off button to either turn the device on or off. Short pressing this button with either start or stop the recording.During day time, the visibility can reach beyond 500m (above 1,640ft). The daytime visual aspects of the binoculars is decent but you will soon realize that our digital cameras and even smartphone cameras have excellent zoom capabilities. So, if you need a binoculars for simple daytime viewing, you are better off with a regular optical binoculars or even a digital camera with decent zoom.

But for nighttime viewing, the ACPOTEL BNV21 Binoculars is an entirely different beast.The IR button switches between different IR Levels in the night modes with each press; Night Mode No Light, Night Mode First Fill Light, Night Mode Second Fill Light, and Night Mode Third Fill Light. With each increase in the fill light, the intensity of the IR light increases and the scene brightens. This is possible due to the dual IR Sensors that emit near-beam IR (the bottom sensor that supports the first level) and far-beam IR (the top sensor that supports both level 2 and level 3 IR light fill).

With the help of this IR Light fill, you can clearly (relatively) see things in dark at a distance up to 500m. Depending on your target distance, you can choose between the IR levels and effortlessly capture both short and long-distanceobjects. Even with 100% darkness, the ACPOTEL BNV21 Night Vision Binoculars can be useful up to 200m. The quality of recording/images is decent but keep in mind that the resolution is only 720p. We are waiting for a product that can record excellent 1080p and 4K night vision.

The mode button switches between three modes; Game Mode, Professional Mode, and Pure Mode. These modes can enhance your immersion based on the specific observation scenario, ensuring that you feel as though you are right there on the scene.

In game mode, the binoculars are optimized for recreational and leisurely activities. This mode is perfect for adventures like camping, wildlife observation, or bird watching, where you want to enjoy a more relaxed and engaging experience. It provides a visual environment that’s well-suited for these activities.Professional mode, on the other hand, caters to those who require precise and detailed observations. It is an excellent choice for experts in fields like wildlife research, surveillance, or security. This mode ensures that you get the highest level of clarity and detail when you need to scrutinize your surroundings.

Pure mode offers a balanced and neutral visual experience. It is a versatile choice for a wide range of scenarios, whether you’re out exploring the wilderness, navigating in the dark, or just enjoying the tranquility of the night. Pure mode ensures a clear, natural view, making it an all-around option for various situations.

We have already spoken about the display but once again, the ACPOTEL Night Vision Binoculars are designed to offer an exceptional viewing experience. They feature a decent 4.5″ HD IPS display screen (near the eye shield), providing a broader viewing window to the 3” Internal Display. These binoculars streamline your operation with a user-friendly interface, where a single touch is all it takes to capture your view. Furthermore, you have the flexibility to make adjustments like exposure and ISO settings effortlessly.

One thing that might need some time adjusting is the focus wheel. It is on the left-hand side, so you have to adjust it using your left hand. You can zoom up to 5 times using the lens while the digital zoom has a reach of 8x.

UI and Battery:

The ACPOTEL Night Vision Binoculars take precision and immersion to the next level with horizontal and vertical markings, along with a cross front sight. These features make it easy to adjust your angle, track targets swiftly, and engage in your pursuits with a professional level of precision.

You can make all the settings and adjustments through the screen and the buttons on top. There is no separate app or smartphone connectivity. But thanks to the USB-C connectivity, you can connect the ACPOTEL Binoculars to any computer and view the image/feed directly on the computer screen.

The USB-C port also charges the 2,000mAh 18650 Lithium Battery. We really like the removable battery. This way, you can bring extra batteries, if you need. But the default battery has a good runtime of approximately 7 hours without IR Light. But depending on the level of IR Light Fill, the battery life will fall. So, keeping spare batteries is always handy.

Specifications

Model

: ACPOTEL BNV21 Night Vision Binoculars

Video Resolution

: 1280× 720p

Continuous Water Pressure

2200PSI

Frame Rate

: 40FPS

FOV

: 7°×5.25°

Max. Optical Magnification

: 5X

Max. Digital Zoom

: 8X

Internal Screen Size

: 3”

Display Screen Size

: 4.5”

Lens Focal

: 35 mm

Observation Mode

: Infrared, Visible Light

Observational Distance

: 500m (1640Ft.)

IR Sensors

: Dual (Near and Far IR Sensors)

IR Light Fill

: Three Levels

Operation Modes

: 3 (Game, Professional, Pure)

Operating Time

: ≤6.5h

Battery

: Rechargeable 2000mAh Lithium Battery

USB Port

: USB-C

Weight

: 820g

Ingress Protection Rating

: IP65

What’s Included

: ACPOTEL BNV21 Night Vision Binoculars, 18650 Lithium Battery, Carry Case, Strap for Case, Strap for Binoculars, USB-C Charging Cable, User Manual, Cleaning Cloth

Price :

The listing price of the ACPOTEL BNV21 Night Vision Binoculars is $224.99 but the selling price is $149.99. With coupons (some coupons have discount of $50), you can essentially get the product for less than $100. For this price and the performance it offers, especially the night vision mode, we felt that the binoculars are really worth it.

Final Thoughts

Overall, we really liked the ACPOTEL BNV21 Night Vision Binoculars. It is fairly simple to use and even beginners (who are interested in bird/animal watching or hunting) can easily pick one up and start using it. The large eye shield can easily accommodate eyewear as well so people with spectacles don’t have to worry about that.

The daytime performance is decent but the nighttime performance is very good. We can adjust the IR light fill depending on how far the object/target it. And the binoculars are capable of 5X optical zoom and 8X digital zoom.

If you are in the market looking for a decent and affordable gadget that can enhance your night viewing, then the ACPOTELBNV21 Night Vision Binoculars are definitely worth considering.

The post Acpotel BNV21 Binoculars Review appeared first on ElectronicsHub.

MAXvolador Solar Deck Lights Review

Administrator — Fri, 06 Oct 2023 17:48:12 +0000

MAXvolador Solar Deck Lights Review

Simple, Sturdy, and Easy to Use LED Solar Deck Lights from MAXvolador. They work automatically including charging the battery and turning the lights on/off).

Editors Rating

 4.5/5

4.5 stars

Buy On Amazon

MAXvolador Solar Deck Lights

What we like

Very simple to install/use
Solar Powered
Works automatically
Lasts anywhere between 8 to 12 hours
User replaceable Ni-MH Battery
Available in RGB as well as Warm white colors
Weatherproof (IP44 Rating)

What we don’t like

Bottom Line

The MAXvolador Solar Deck Lights are a simple way to illuminate (as a decoration only, not as regular light) decks, patios, stairways, gardens, pools, and other outdoor spaces using solar energy. The solar panels charge the battery during daytime and as the sun sets, they turn on automatically (even turn off automatically in the morning). These solar deck lights are easy to install, works automatically, and are weatherproof.

In this article

Solar deck lights are outdoor lighting fixtures that make use of solar energy to illuminate decks, patios, stairs, and other outdoor spaces. These lights have solar panels that capture sunlight during the day, converting it into electrical energy and store in rechargeable batteries. As the sun sets, the electrical energy in the battery powers LED bulbs, providing gentle and ambient lighting for outdoor areas. Solar deck lights offer several advantages, including energy efficiency due to their reliance on renewable solar energy, ease of installation with no need for electrical wiring, and wireless and cordless operation, making them both safe and visually appealing.

They typically come with automatic sensors that activate the lights at dusk and deactivate them at dawn. Furthermore, they are built to withstand outdoor conditions and are available in various designs to match different outdoor aesthetics, improving safety, security, and the overall appeal of outdoor spaces. With no ongoing operating costs and their environmentally friendly nature, solar deck lights are an excellent long-term lighting solution for outdoor areas.

We recently came across one such simple and elegant solar deck lights. They are the MAXvolador Solar Deck Lights. Particularly, we got the color changing RGB Model and they also come in solid warm while color as well. All the points we spoke in the introduction apply to these solar deck lights i.e., they are solar powered, turn on and off automatically, have a built-in user replaceable rechargeable battery, and they are pretty pleasing to the eye (after installing them on stair case rails and garden fence).

This is the review of the MAXvolador Solar Deck Lights. We are writing this review after installing and using these solar deck lights for more than 2-weeks. We will see the ease of use, automatic features, and many more. If you are looking to improve the aesthetics of your patio, garden, pool, or any other outdoor space, continue reading this review to know more about MAXvolador Solar Deck Lights.

Unboxing:

Most of the solar deck light vendors sell these lights in 20-pack. This is also the case with MAXvolador Solar Deck Lights. We got two units of 20-pack lights, so totally 40 lights. There isn’t much to talk about the contents of the package. You will have 20 solar deck lights in a big carton along with some basic documentation (user manual) and some accessories to mount the lights.

These accessories include 3M-branded double side tapes, wall anchors, and screws. That’s it.

Design:

If you are familiar with solar deck lights then they have a design that maximizes both functionality and aesthetics for outdoor illumination. The MAXvolador Solar Deck Lights are no different. At the top, there is a solar panel that captures sunlight during the day efficiently. The main body of the solar deck light houses the LED bulb, which emit the light. The LED has a semi-transparent lens and its design focuses on providing ample illumination while conserving power.

While the outer part of the solar deck lights is made up of ABS plastic, the lens is made from Polystyrene. The overall construction of these lights prioritizes durability and weatherproofing and can withstand exposure to rain, snow, and UV rays.

On the inside, you can see the single RGB LED along with a AAA 1.2V Ni-MH rechargeable battery and a small circuit board.

Installation:

Before installing the solar deck lights, you have to remove the plastic lens and access the inside of the unit. There is a switch inside, which is in OFF position. You have to toggle it to ON position so that the battery comes in contact with the rest of the circuit before first charging. After that, you can close the lens and are ready for installation. In case the lights don’t illuminate, you can try toggling the switch from ON to OFF and back to ON or check the battery’s positioning.

You have two mounting option with the MAXvolador Solar Deck Lights: Double-sided tape or screws. If you want to go with the double-side tape mounting option, begin by peeling off one side of the adhesive tape and firmly attaching it to the bottom of the solar panel. Then, remove the protective backing from the other side of the tape and adhere the solar deck light to any flat surface or edge. This method provides a quick and hassle-free way to install the lights without the need for tools.

Alternatively, to opt for screw mounting option, start by drilling two holes in any edge of your desired mounting location, aligning them with the light holes on the solar deck light. Insert anchors into these holes to provide a secure foundation. Afterward, position the solar deck light on the edge and use screws to fasten it in place. This method ensures a sturdy and long-lasting installation, ideal for situations where you need additional stability from the lights.

Features:

MAXvolador Solar Deck Lights offer a range of exceptional features designed to enhance your outdoor lighting experience. With an upgraded solar panel and energy-efficient LED lighting, these outdoor deck lights are designed for maximum efficiency. Simply place them in direct sunlight for 6-8 hours, and they will fully charge, eliminating the need for electricity and significantly reducing your energy costs.

Thanks to built-in dusk-to-dawn sensors, these solar-powered step lights operate automatically, turning on at dusk and off at dawn. They emit soft and warm cozy lighting for up to 8 hours at night once fully charged.

As we mentioned earlier, these solar deck lights are constructed with durable ABS and Polystyrene materials, making these outdoor fence lights weather-resistant, waterproof, and resistant to rust and fading. They can withstand harsh weather conditions, including snow, rain, thunderstorms, and frost, while maintaining their stylish appearance for years. Their longevity saves you time and energy on replacements.

These solar deck lights are versatile and suitable for various outdoor applications. Their compact size and simple design make them ideal for mounting on the edge of outdoor railings, pools, walls, porches, pathways, gutters, or any other outdoor areas in need of decorative lighting. The bronze-finished step lights feature an RGB Lights with color changing mode, creating a welcoming atmosphere that’s perfect for daily decoration and accent lighting, adding both functionality and aesthetics to your outdoor spaces. If you opt for the warm while lights, then they stay on without any effects.

Performance:

So, how’s the experience of using the MAXvolador Solar Deck Lights? We installed these solar lights on the staircase rails and the garden fence. We opted for the permanent screw mount installation and the whole process was very simple. Before using them, we placed them in direct sunlight for about 6 hours so that the battery can charge for a decent time. After that, we placed in their place and as soon as the sun is setting, the LEDs came to life. A small suggestion with the installation; do not install these lights on the stair case as in right in the middle as some of the promotional images are showing. This will be a serious tripping hazard. Install on the sides, or on the rails, or any place where we don’t put our foot down.

As we have the RGB version, the lights keep changing at a factory-set rate and color. Sadly, we don’t have any control over this. If you choose the warm white variant, the light stays solid. While the manufacturer says the battery give a working time of 8 hours, we got close to 7 hours. The good thing is you can easily replace the battery as it is a standard AAA Ni-MH rechargeable battery.

Other than that, we are really impressed with the performance of the MAXvolador Solar Deck Lights. Once you install them, you don’t have to worry about electrical wiring or electricity consumption. Everything is automatic and the lights are solar-powered.

Specifications

Model

: MAXvolador Solar Deck Lights (RGB Multicolor)

Material

: ABS for Main Body and Polystyrene for Lens

Power Source

: Solar

Battery Type

: AAA 1.2V Ni-MH Battery

Battery Capacity

: 300mAh

Charge Time

: 6 to 8 hours

Working Time

: 8 to 12 hours

Brightness

: 3 Lumens

Beam Angle

: 180°

Weatherproof

: IP44

Price:

The Warm White variant of the MAXvolador Solar Deck Lights are available for $21.99. This is of course the price for 20-pack. If you add some coupons and discounts, you can get these lights for even less. This is a good price for these products and the ambiance they provide.

Final Thoughts

Overall, we really liked the MAXvolador Solar Deck Lights. Installation was simple and straightforward and the best part is as these lights are solar-powered, you don’t have to worry about electrical wiring or electricity consumption. Simply install them in a place where you get ample sunlight and they work. It is that simple.

Speaking of simple, you don’t even have to keep an eye on them as they do everything automatically, from charging the battery to turning the light on and off. Don’t expect too much illumination from these lights with a tiny 3 Lumen LED. They are just a decoration light for decks, patios, garden fences, and other similar outdoor places.

If you are interested in improving the aesthetic appeal of your patio, garden, stair case, pool, etc., then the MAXvolador Solar Deck Lights are a worthy choice.

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