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Creative's optional FM Wired Remote is the
perfect companion for your Nomad Jukebox 3 or the new Jukebox Zen. The
FM Wired Remote not only gives you convenient and quick access to your players
basic functions, but incorporates a few extra features as well.
Let's
take a closer look:
The box comes with your remote, a quick start
guide and a Firmware CD for those with a Nomad Jukebox 3. Note the
sticker on the box "Works with Nomad Jukebox Zen". Those owners of the
Jukebox 3 are probably wondering why they took so long to release this remote.
The answer may be the sticker. Looks like they were waiting for the
release of the Jukebox Zen.
The Device
The first thing you will notice is the LCD
display. Its got a very nice big blue backlit display for such a tiny
device.
Above is a shot of the remote with its
attractive blue backlight. This high quality display is easy on the eyes
and legible
even in low light conditions.
On one side you have your "Mode" button which
will allow you to switch between music, recording or radio. You also
have your "EAX/Save" button used to enable/disable EAX features on your device
or save a radio station to one of your 32 available presets. Finally,
you have your "Lock" button to lock your buttons to avoid accidental press of
buttons.
On the other side we have your volume control
buttons and your Mic for voice recordings.
Above is a back view of the remote with it's
built-in clip.
The remote acts as an extension to your
headphones. The top of the device has your headphone jack. The other end
is the plug you will connect to your Jukebox 3 or Jukebox Zen.
Features
Let's take a look at its main features:
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Blue Luminescent Backlit LCD
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Built-in Microphone for Voice Recording
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Radio Recording in Stereo
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32 FM Preset Channels
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Radio Frequency Autoscan
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1 line Text Display for Track Information
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Battery and EAX indicator
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Elapsed Time Counter
-
Clock
If you own Creative's latest player, the Jukebox
Zen, this remote will unleash it's full capabilities. It will integrate
recording functions. Not only can you make voice recordings, but also
record directly from the FM tuner itself! Files are recorded in WAV
format and you can record a max of 10min at a time. Files are saved in
the following format:
For Radio Recordings: "Radio - Recordings
- 01 - FM Date/Time"
For Voice Recordings: "Voice - Recordings
- 01 - VOC Date/Time"
The integrated FM Tuner offers frequency
autoscan and during our tests, received excellent reception. Recording
from the FM tuner works surprisingly well.
Conclusion
Overall, the Jukebox FM Wired Remote is a worthy
companion for your Jukebox 3 and a must have accessory for your Jukebox Zen.
The ability to power on/off the device directly from the remote is great!
The FM tuner's reception is excellent and it's recording capabilities are a
welcome addition. Its LCD display and overall functionality make its $30
price tag more than acceptable.
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