Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)Overall:
HD Radio: 1/5
iPod / iPhone integration: 3/5
Build: 2/5
Clock / Alarm: 0/5
Sound Quality: 2/5
I was drawn to this item because it has great features. HD Radio and iPhone dock in one package is a really good idea. Ever since I've discovered HD Radio (in my car), normal radio sounds inadequate. After researching online for a few weeks, I bought HD171 and received it yesterday. Let's look at various aspects of this device.
What's in the package
- Radio (HD 171)
- AM antenna
- FM antenna wire
- remote control
- 3 dock adapters for different ipods (or iphone)
- manual, warranty, etc.
HD Radio:
Since HD Radio was a big requirement for me, this is the first feature I tried out. After plugging everything in, I tuned into my favorite radio station. The sound was acceptable but I didn't see the HD logo come on. After waiting for 5 minutes I started moving the FM antenna wire around to get a better signal. I finally found a good position near the window. After 15 seconds of linking, I finally heard the HD goodness. But that didn't last very long. The signal kept losing. So I relocated the radio next to an open window. HD signal was much strong and I was able to listen to HD-2 channels too but the signal would always drop after a few minutes. There were just way too many drops and cuts for me to enjoy the music. It might perform better with an amplified antenna but given that I live in middle of a city, I expect the radio to work without add-ons (I had no issues with reception in my car).
iPod / iPhone Integration:
After being disappointed with the HD Radio, I tried the iPod dock with my iPhone. Everything worked well there. I was able to listen to the songs stored on the phone as well as those played by apps like Pandora and AOL Radio just fine. The iTunes tagging feature also works well but once you tag a song playing on radio it takes about 30-40 seconds for transferring it to iPhone.
Sound Quality:
I have been using Logitech Pure-Fi Anywhere with my iPhone and had been fairly happy with the sound considering the form factor. I expected more from HD171. The max sound level is 35 and it does get loud for a medium sized room but there isn't much clarity. It really does sound like low end radios rather than something $150-$200 range. The bass is lacking lows, and Highs and Mids are both off.
Clock / Alarm:
I liked the fact that this device can sync time with iPhone. I noticed that it did so the moment I docked my iPhone. After a few hours I noticed that the time was stuck and the display kept flashing the message "Time Sync". After removing the iPhone, the time started incrementing. By the night, the time showed as "38:04" (!). I'm not sure why it did so or what that means. Re-docking my iPhone corrected the time but it still wouldn't increment. Due to this, the alarm clock wouldn't function either. I was able to set the alarm but it never went off.
Build and Looks:
It is a bit heavy but that's probably due to the speakers. Mostly plastic construction and feels cheap in certain portions. Doesn't have the chic look that's associated with Apple products and related accessories. There are two knobs on the front, volume and tuning. They feel flimsy and I was worried they would wear quite fast. The LCD display is amply lit and the dimmer has 4 levels and a way to turn it off. Buttons on the top panel are a bit stiff and don't always register when pressed.
Remote Control:
It's nice to have a remote control. It is IR so it needs a line of sight and it didn't work beyond 7ft. It has buttons for: power, mute, source selection, presets, memory, sleep, play, next, prev, volume, snooze/dimmer.
Control Panel:
The controls on the radio have all the buttons you'd need. But there is a flaw. You cannot move between HD channels of the same station. The tuner jumps to the next frequency. The only way to achieve this is using the remote control (next/prev buttons).
Documentation:
The documentation is quite poor and does not even talk about HD Radio. The Troubleshooting section is dismal.
Final words:
I had great hopes from this device but considering all the issues, I'm sending it back to Amazon. I hope to see a better attempt in future at HD Radio and iPhone integration.
Click Here to see more reviews about: iLuv iHD171 HD Radio with iTunes Tagging for iPod, iPhone, and iPhone 3G/3G S
The iHD171 provides crystal clear, digital stereo for AM/FM HD Radio and multicast stations. Receive HD radios signals to increase the clarity of your FM radio stations to CD-quality sound. Displays info such as station and song name, brand, frequency and more if avilable from the station. One touch iTunes Taggin, PLL tuning digital tuning technology and programmable presets for 30 radio stations. Enjoy rich sound from your iPhone & iPod, plays and charges both. Output your favorite videos to your TV if your iPod has video capability. Digital clock display w/dual alarm function, time sync function synchronizes time from your iPhone or iPod. Wake and sleep to your iPhone, iPod, AM/FM radio or buzzer.
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