Customer Reviews:
 This Product Needs Help September 22, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
We got the GE SmartHome Wireless FRS Intercom and Handheld Radio system in hopes of creating a quality communication method around the house and neighborhood, especially since you can communicate with the walkie talkies from the base unit. We thought that this would be a great idea when the kids are outside playing, and since we could put a base unit on both floors we could communicate back and forth as an intercom without having to wire the house. The quality simply is not there. The Talk button on both of the base units became slightly pushed in and very sensitive. Sometimes the talk mode is still activated even after you have released the button, but it does finally release on its own. For this reason, I called GE (Thomson), and of course they told me to mail it in for repair at my expense. Silly me...I mailed it in at approximately $8.00 for shipping. They sent me a new one (I guess), but it does the same thing. The transmission quality in general is not the best, because we seem to have to repeat a lot due to the transmission just not going through. This radio system is a great concept, but we are disappointed that the quality level is not very good.
Great expections...Great disappointment. February 23, 2005
14 out of 15 found this review helpful
I was thrilled when GE came out with a base/intercom station and rechargable hand-held radio conbination. Being an owner of previous GE models such as the GE 35840 (see my review about that one here on Amazon) and the GE 35810, I was enthuastic to try the new model. Was I disappointed!br /br /I expected the SmartHome line of radios would have similiar features as the previous models of GE radios, but it was nothing like it. No weather broadcase reception. The scan didn't scan the CTCSS codes. No programmable memories available. Features that made the 35840 a great little unit were left out of the newer model.br /br /The base station didn't have a rechargable battery back-up option. It will let you put AA alkaline batteries in them, but who wants to waste their money on replacing batteries when the base station could have been designed to use the same rechargable battery pack as the hand-held unit. Poor design!!!br /br /Well, maybe the performance will be good!? NOT!!!!! The sound quality was terrible. Sometimes it was difficult to make-out what the other person was saying. Man, was I REALLY disappointed!br /br /I know what you are thinking..."Hey, you just got a bad unit." I thought of that, too, so I bought a second set. Guess what? SAME STORY!br /br /GE really bombed on this one. Their previous radios worked great and were, in my opinion, one of the best deals on the FRS radio market. This new "SmartHome" stuff just was not a SMART idea on GE's part. They should have built on their previous successes and utilized a great platform like the 35840 and made a rechargable unit and base station based on that platform. Why re-invent the wheel?br /br /Anyway, don't waste your money on the SmartHome setup. The older GE's like the 35840 and 35810 are a good buy and you can still find them. br /br /Randy A. Hefner
|
