Cables Unlimited USB1510 USB Acc, USB To Irda Adapter Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I ordered this USB to IrDA for communication between my Polar RS800sd and my Windows XP SP2 computer. It works great and I have had no problems transfering data. This product is an excellent alternative to Polar's expensive USB to IrDA. Note that IrDA was super seeded by bluetooth etc, so these adapters for IrDA have become hard to find. That is why Polar can charge such a high price.
The official website of Cables Unlimited can be found by searching "Cables Unlimited". You can then search "USB IrDA" on their site to see all the technical information. Note the driver is also available on the web, so if you lose the disk you are still in business. Summary of the main features:
- Supports IrDA data rates to 4Mbps
- No power adapter. Runs off USB bus
- Compatible with IrDA 1.3, USB 1.1
- Plug and Play compatible
- Transmit distances to 1 meter
- 30 degree max transmit angle
- Comes with an additional short USB cable
I would recommend this product. I am not sure if the cheaper options on Amazon are any good, as some people have said they are a bit temperamental. Do these cheaper models work with Polars? Maybe someone could post a comment on this review if they have a cheaper option that works with Polar products.
This one has worked fine so far. It is true that the manual has poor English, but Windows can walk you through the installation with the usual Plug and Play installation. There is no need to worry about that aspect. Also, you should always plug the adapter into the _same_ USB port every time you use the adapter, this will prevent you having to falsely "reinstall" the driver. This is a Windows idiosyncrasy and has nothing to do with the IrDA adapter.
Another reviewer said he was having trouble getting the Polar to be found by the IrDA. You need to position the Polar very close, a few centimeters, to the IrDA to get a good signal. IrDA is not like using a normal wireless Internet signal or a wireless mouse etc, you MUST BE VERY CLOSE and have a CLEAR LINE OF SIGHT to transmit properly. IrDA is unreliable even at the best of times. You may also have to sheild the sensors from objects that emit infrared light like bulbs etc. So put your Polar watch a few centimeters from the IrDA and make sure the transmitters on the polar watch (the small holes or whatever you have) face the IrDA plugged into the USB port. You may have to hold it there or get something to put the watch on that is the same height as the IrDA.
Also for people having troubleshooting issues here are my settings: In your Polar software (I have Polar Protrainer 5) verify the following settings:
Options -> Preferences -> Hardware -> IR Communication port -> This should be set to "IrDA"
Options -> Preferences -> Hardware -> Mobile Connection -> Make sure this is unchecked
Then from the same window:
IR Communication port -> Options -> Make sure the first four boxes are checked.
Let me also supply you with the USB-IrDA driver settings that work for me. In short everything is set to DEFAULT. I am using Driver Version 1.3.0.0 from the CD that was supplied. To see the settings follow:
Start->Control Panel->Wireless Link->Hardware->Properties->Advanced
-------------------------------
DebugLevel: None [Default]
Extended Mode: On [Default]
Extra BOFs: 00 [Default]
Infrared Transceiver Type: Vishay TFD [Default]
Min. Turn-Around Time: 1.0mS [Default]
PowerDown: Disable [Default]
ReadDepth: 20 [Default]
ReadThreshold: 05 [Default]
Receive Sensitivity: Enable[ Default]
Receive Window Size: 04 [Default]
ReceiveMode: Fast [Default]
Send Window Size: 01 [Default]
SIR Turbo: Off [Default]
SIRTweak: Enable [Default]
Speed Enable: 4000000 [Default]
Time to Wait: 700 [Default]
Turbo Mode: On [Default]
Write Depth: 20 [Default]
------------------------------
I hope these posts are of assistance to anyone having problems connecting to their Polar.
I'll just add, if I had more money to spare I would have gone with a more expensive version, but I decided to buy the best HRM possible and make do with a less expensive IrDA adapter for the time being. If money is no object, you might want to consider an adapter with better support.

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Cables Unlimited Unlimited USB to IRDA Adapter USB1510 Cable Adapters

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Audio Unlimited SPK-VELO-001 Water-Resistant Wireless Speakers with Remote Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I bought these wireless outdoor speakers for a Mothers Day gift for my wife and I have found them to be either very good or very bad, depending on a few critical factors. Of the 150+ reviews I wish someone had taken the time to figure out the "bad" factors - it would have saved my Mothers Day. Here it is for your information - you decide.
The Good:
For the price (under $100) the reproduced sound quality of the speakers is very good. The technical details from Amazon are a bit misleading, though. The speaker has a SINGLE, 3 inch rubberized element housed inside the weatherproof enclosure, projecting the sound upward. There is a venturi sound dispersal structure which sends the sound out the sides and top. There is also a low frequency sound tunnel similar to those used in some high end sound systems (you know the ones, very expensive, four letter name beginning with B and rhyming with "nose.") At 900mhz, the distance is limited. In my ordinary stucco-and-wood two story house, it is about 25-30 feet. By taking the transmitter outside the house the range increased by 3x to 60-75 feet. While the speakers are not truly stereo (they blend the right and left channels into a single mono channel) the sound effect when you're within earshot of both speakers is quite good. With a high quality sound source like an Ipod, the full range of sound can be heard. When I thought some music sounded "tinny" I ultimately traced it back to source; the source music was the cause. The transmitter is quite forgiving about the input sound level. The printed instruction booklet that comes with the speakers gives good advice (set earpiece volume on source device at two thirds full). The speaker enclosure is well thought out, has two simple mounting eyelets on the back where the surface is flat. No mounting screws are included; you'll need to provide those yourself if you want to mount on a wall. There are low-profile four rubberized feet on the bottom in case you want to set it on a delicate surface. The brand name (Audio Unlimited) appears as a small discreet logo on the front of the speaker. The transmitter has two transmission channels selected by a switch on the transmitter itself. Tuning between the two offered channels is a snap, just press the button on each speaker and it automatically finds the signal. There is a reassuring blue LED on the front of the speaker to let you know it is active at full power. Using the remote's Power button puts the speaker in Standby and the LED turns to yellow. To fully power off the speaker you must press the power button on each speaker. The Infrared remote emits a strong enough signal to work in direct sunlight and the infrared sensor on each speaker is a 2 inch oval vrtical window on the front. It works well from just about any angle. Each speaker comes with its own AC power adapter capable of 110-240v input. when loaded with its six C-cell batteries the weight of each speaker is hefty enough to withstand wind gusts or the occasional bump, when not fix-mounted, without toppling over.
The Bad
Each speaker requires 6 (six) C-size 1.5v batteries, not included. The remote needs two AAA batteries (again, NOT included.) If you haven't bought the C-size battery lately and you're accustomed to AA and AAA prices, get ready for a shock. The price for twelve good quality alkaline batteries is between 12 and 26 dollars, depending on brand. I bought Ray-O-Vac at $12. Duracell copper top were $26. I had planned to use rechargeable niMh, but at $14 for TWO batteries (you can find twelve on the internet for about $60), I decided to wait to see if I liked the speakers. I do not know if the speakers will actually work on rechargeable - something to check out before you buy those expensive batteries. Rechargeables are only 1.2volt (versus the 1.5v of regular batteries). Batteries last for approximately 16 hours of continuous use.
NOW HERE IS THE REALLY IMPORTANT PART:
If you are surrounded by lots of wireless technology already - wireless telephones, wireless internet, wireless security, wireless garage door openers, wireless mailbox sensors, wireless garage door sensors, wireless iPod headphones, bluetooth headsets, bluetooth printers, keyboards, mouse... THESE SPEAKERS ARE NOT FOR YOU.
I'm a fairly geeky guy who loves his gadgets, and I reasoned that most of my devices operate at or above 2.5ghz and wouldn't interfere. I was WRONG! by process of elimination I figured out that you need to get up abouve 5ghz to be safe from interference with this device. Remember this is an analog device that translates signals into sounds. Our ears are remarkably sensitive to any interference. And the digital kind of interference doesn't come across the speakers the gentle hiss of background static; it comes across as sharply (loud) punctuated squeals, cracks and pops. I live on a golf course, and by taking the transmitter and speaker out onto the middle of the fairway behind my house (with a long extension cord for the transmitter) I was able to eliminate all interference. But as soon as I went back near the house, the transmitter needed to be 4-5 feet away from the speakers to eliminate most of the digital wireless interference (it never truly went away unless I was on the fairway, well removed from any human digital wireless technology).
Summary
If you live in a relatively wireless-free world, or all your other wireless devices operate above 5ghz, these are great value for the money - watch the batteries, the cost can quickly overrun what you paid for the speakers.


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Listen to music just about anywhere without the hassle of running unsightly speaker wire! The powerful transmitter uses 900 MHz technology to send music through walls and floors to the dual wireless speakers up to 150 feet away. These high-quality, weather-resistant speaker can even be used in wet areas. Enjoy the complete freedom of taking your music or other audio almost anywhere.

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Cables Unlimited SPK-9100 900MHz Wireless Headphones Review

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(More customer reviews)I didn't expect much when I ordered these. I needed wireless headphones so I didn't wake up my girlfriend while I watched TV late at night. These had a rebate when I ordered them and were the lowest price so I bought them.
Turns out they are great quality for the price. Great range as I can walk into the kitchen several rooms away from my bedroom with the headphones on and still listen to my show. Great fabric on the ear pieces so they don't buildup heat or collect moisture. They recharge when you set them in the holder and even come with nimh batteries.
The headphones are a bit bulkier that what I was originally looking for, but they're light and don't get in the way. They have a clear sound. I'm really happy with my purchase. Thanks Amazon!

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Listen to music just about anywhere without the hassle of cumbersome wires! The powerful transmitter uses 900 MHz technology to send music through walls and floors to the wireless headphones up to 165 feet away. These comfortable high-quality, lightweight, over the ear headphones provide the perfect solution for watching movies or listening to music without disturbing your family or roommates.

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