USED tested
Sustainability is the name of the game! Anything (that has been tested and still functioning properly) should be repurposed creating saving in wasted Ee and reducing the poisoning our environment when items are buried in the earth at the local tip needlessly.
Never heard of Ee? It is a concept that creates a measurement of ALL things (not just electronics) that humans have made and the energy used in obtaining the raw material, processing the materials right through to a finished product and even should include the shipping of the item to the distributors/retailers.
If you would like to know more about Ee values, please take a look HERE
Here's the crunch!
I always try my best to act in an ethical manner, this sometimes means telling the truth about a product!
While this advertisement is more like an "un-sell" I cannot be dishonest and say this is a great product, it is not!
The usefulness of this AV sender & receiver equipment needs to be carefully considered, probably fine in a household where there is no WiFi operating or for non-critical uses such as extending security video to another nearby location without wires or the use of WiFi. It remains useful equipment but there are definite limits.
Sit back and read all about this Digitech AV Sender & Receiver set ...
Over the years, from time to time, I like to look at "technology products", see how they function and general standard of build.
This AV sender/receiver set from DIGITECH is one such product.
Quite frankly (although functioning as it should) I really dislike this product! I originally took a look at it after being very disappointed with the "communications over power" systems - they always seemed to have problems.
This Digitech equipment was in the same boat, and not built all that well built either - looks "pretty" but a bit on the delicate side!
So what's my beef about this gear? This is old equipment (now discontinued, I don't think anyone is using 2.4Ghz equipment these days except for WiFi). The problem is that in a modern situation where the household is likely to have a WiFi modem (or two) then this transmitter receiver setup just thumps the WiFi signal about the ears and also the WiFi can play havoc with the sender/receiver causing interference. This unit has the choice of 4 selectable channels FIXED, whereas WiFi systems are usually smart enough to change channels when there is interference issues.
Fine if your household has no WiFi setup but that is becoming increasingly uncommon.
The build quality is very much for the "budget conscious" buyer - completely sealed, brittle plastic casing - even the power plug pack casing is not the greatest (although it does state it meets Australian standards!)
So, that's my beef about this equipment.
It DOES WORK but it does have limitations ....
DIGITECH - Wireless AV Sender & Receiver
Model: AR-1844
Wireless refers to operation at 2.4Ghz
This is not Bluetooth or Infra-Red communications equipment
Both components (the SENDER a.k.a Transmitter and RECEIVER units) come with their respective 9V DC plug packs
Audio signal transmitted and received is stereo
Video signal is analog video (not HDMI)
Simple to operate, 4 channel DIP switch on the underneath and power ON-OFF switch at the top
Plug in your 2 channel audio and analog video (RCA sockets) and away you go!
TESTING:
It has been a long time since I have powered this gear up .... here we go
Both units indicate power ON correctly (Green front LED)
Receiver generates a high level of 'white noise' when no signal is present from the sender (transmitter) but when the sender is turned ON, all becomes quiet, so there appears to be no muting in the event of no transmitted signal - annoying.
Audio and video transmission was fine, my test path was from one end of the house to the other - around 50 metres I guess and not "line of sight"
Both audio and video signals were "acceptable"
Just occasionally however there were bursts of "noise", particularly on the audio - I suspected our WiFi modem and killed it (generating many complaints from the rest of the household) and this "noise" stopped. So there is definitely a power struggle going on between the WiFi and this equipment!
Using the 4 DIP switches on the underside, I changed channels to various settings but could never get away from that occasional burst of noise (interference from the house WiFI system)
I also noticed a topside socket labelled IR EXT on the Sender unit. I have never used this 'feature' and immediately thought "perhaps this isn't 2.4Ghz based" but I checked the sender while in operation and there is definitely no Infra-Red being emitted from any part of the case. The receiver does NOT have this IR EXT socket so it's all a mystery to me. Documentation online for this equipment is practically non-existant so no help there either.
CONCLUSION:
It is all working as originally intended but a bit "hit and miss" if there are existing WiFi systems in the vicinity which also are running on 2.4Ghz
COSMETIC CONDITION:
USED
CLEAN
As expected (because this is probably only the 2nd time it has been used since it was purchased years ago) it is in very good condition.
NO damage to the unit cases
NO damage to either of the DC plug pack leads BUT ....
I noticed that one of the plug packs had started to become separated (the plug packs have two halves which the factory is supposed to join together properly) I have seen this before in cheap Asian products and immediately applied super glue right around the join on one plug pack. It is now secure and most importantly SAFE! To have a plug pack open up in your hands (while plugged in) is a very very bad thing!
It is now safe but it would pay to keep an eye on that casing (and the other plug pack)
