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📝Reviews => X10 Hardware => Entertainment Product Reviews => Topic started by: Malisaw on April 25, 2008, 10:35:04 PM

Title: Video Sender/Receiver review (VK82A with Universal learning remote upgrade)
Post by: Malisaw on April 25, 2008, 10:35:04 PM
Surprised to see the negative comments -- I'm so impressed with the one I received today (new version with the smaller UFO shaped sender/receiver) that I hunted down this forum to type a review.

The only complaint I really have is that they don't advertise plainly enough what I used it for so the product was slightly tough for me to locate when I started searching for one. 

I live in a 5 bedroom log house and running wires/cables inside the house is rather difficult when you have to drill holes through logs all over the place -- and trying to hide the cables is impossible (it's truly a rustic type log home).  I wanted to hook up a TV in the furthest bedroom from the den which would have required me running about 150ft of cable outside the house and coming in through a window (or drilling a hole through the logs which I'm hesitant to do).  The inside distance from sender to receiver is approximately 65-70ft - both units are on the bottom floor of the house and there are two walls, 12-15" logs plus insulation, separating them. 

What I wanted was to watch something different on the TV in the bedroom than what was on in the den.  Easy enough, hook up the sender to the VCR and use the tuner on the VCR and send that signal to the back bedroom.  Of course I lose the use of the VCR in the den without changing a few cables...but it's not used but a couple of times a year anyway. 

My expectations were a bit low given that I have a wireless desktop about 4 feet from the TV in the bedroom... a wireless desktop about 6 feet from the TV & VCR in the den (that one is directly between the sender and receiver) and the wireless router is in a bedroom upstairs between the sender and receiver.  Bottom line is it works exceptionally well for me!  I *do* get a couple of very small white lines scrolling through the otherwise very sharp video - and those lines seem to cause a slight popping noise which is in the background and does not prevent you hearing the normal audio of the TV at all.  I want to emphasize that these lines are barely noticable - but they are definitely there so I need to mention them....  The IR sender works very well with the existing VCR's remote - but I ordered the learning remote for another ..4-5$? something like 54$ total I think to upgrade to the learning remote.  This allows me to set up the remote for the TV and then learn the channel up/down buttons from the VCR so I don't have to fiddle pressing the device button I want to control -- I leave the VCR turned on all the time just as a matter of convenience so I can do what I just mentioned with the remote (ease of use for the wifie!).

So, same probs a lot have mentioned with the popping noise I think -- but from my perspective.... I paid 50$ (instead of approx 130$ for "outside cable"...) and have a VERY watchable television where I wanted it.

I also tried this upstairs going from another VCR to a little TV without the RCA hookups (old portable TV in an office).  I hooked that up with the 75 Ohm cable and put the TV on channel 3 -- that one is only going about  1/2 the distance but through 1 more wall.  Works perfectly with no video or audio distortion (wireless router is located about 3 feet further from the receiver).  It worked so well I'm ordering another one.

I think the bottom line is that when you appreciate the fact that you are spending 50$ to accomplish a task that you obviously can not do simply and/or cheaply with cable(s)... you can be a little tolerant of an ever so slight nuisance popping sound that in no way makes any program unwatchable.

BEST 50$'s I'VE SPENT IN YEARS and looking forward to spending another 50 tomorrow on a 2nd set!!

Oh, set up --- well... what set up?  I plugged it in, set the IR thingie right in front of the IR receiver on the VCR, turned it on... 1st code for my VCR worked on the universal remote (lucky there I think)...learned the other two buttons in a matter of 3 minutes (had to read the instructions carefully!)...  Alignment took about 2 minutes....phoned my wife on her cellphone from mine and moved things about in both rooms for about 2 minutes... DONE.

Title: Re: Video Sender/Receiver review (VK82A with Universal learning remote upgrade)
Post by: Malisaw on April 30, 2008, 08:58:18 PM
Received and hooked up the 2nd one today.  Ran in to a small problem with the wireless network (wireless DSL modem is a couple of feet from the TV I am sending too).  I changed the send/receive channel on the new one to D (1st one is A) and was still getting a bit of the noise popping with the white lines.  Changed my DSL wireless channel from 9 to 3 and it solved the problem - picture and sound is *very* good on this 2nd one.  Still have just slight nuisance lines and slight popping on the 1st unit (turned off wireless DSL to test and it's not affecting this one) which doesn't bother me - so no complaints from me at all!



Title: Re: Video Sender/Receiver review (VK82A with Universal learning remote upgrade)
Post by: yinston on September 28, 2008, 09:24:41 PM
I've been using this product for about 2 weeks now.  About 70% of the time I'm content with it.  The other 30% I want to return it.  Popping and white lines are always present, but get too distracting to watch anything during the 30%.  The receiver/sender are about 20 feet away in a straight line with no obstructions.  I don't have a phone to interfere, but I have wireless broadband which is off to the side by about 12 feet.  X10's use of 2.4G frequency is a nice idea, but there are too many common household items to interfere with it.  The only part about it a enjoy is the remote control sending/receiving

I would not recommend this product unless your house has been proven to get GREAT reception.  I will most likely end up returning/selling this setup and purchasing a solo remote control sending/receiving.  I've always loved x10 products and will continue to shop with them, but this product does not get my seal of approval.

Title: Re: Video Sender/Receiver review (VK82A with Universal learning remote upgrade)
Post by: HA Dave on September 28, 2008, 11:41:45 PM
................... X10's use of 2.4G frequency is a nice idea, but there are too many common household items to interfere with it. 

There is a lot of bandwidth at 2.4. I run broadband, phones, cameras (X10 wireless) and the senders and receivers. The only time I get any noticeable interference is when I run the microwave. Try switching channels [of course] then... if that doesn't work check your broadband routers setting.

Another trick is aiming the patch antenna. Instead of trying to configure the antennas point-to-point.... try aiming the sender into a corner and the aim the receiver patch antenna to the same corner. Hope this helps.