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Sena Cases Isa Crossbody Leather Hand Bag for smartphones review

Because my days have no set format, I don’t like relying on a single gear bag.  Some days I need a laptop or my 12.9″ iPad Pro, so I need a big bag.  Other days, I’m just running a few errands, so I only want to carry some keys and a wallet, but I still want a small bag to hold them since my clothing never seems to have useable pockets.  The Isa Crossbody Leather Hand Bag for smartphones from Sena Cases seems like a great bag for my errands days, and I was happy to be selected when Sena offered one to The Gadgeteer for our review.

What is it?

The Isa Crossbody bag is not a fitted case; it is a universal phone bag, and it has extra room inside to hold a small EDC kit in addition to a phone.  It holds everything I need for most of my days when I’m just going out to do some errands or go shopping.

Specs

The Isa Crossbody is about 8″ long,  4.5″ tall, and 2.5″ deep (empty).  It has a strap that’s about 5/8″ wide and adjusts from 48″ to 52″ long.  It’s designed as a crossbody bag, so the strap is longer, but you could carry it on your shoulder at the shorter length if you don’t mind carrying it low.

The bag is available in black or red leather.  I asked for the red, of course!

Design and features

The lead picture is a photo of my actual bag, but I thought I’d also include the one from Sena’s website so you can see the strap adjustment buckle.  They more artfully staged the Isa than I was able to do.  You can see the small, round metal Sena badge at the top center.  This was the only branding on the bag’s leather exterior.  You can also see the gold-toned metal hardware and zippers.

The leather on the front of the bag has been quilted into an attractive small grid design.  There is no external pocket on the front of the bag.

The zipper pull tabs are made of metal, as well, and they are very thick.  So thick, in fact, that they can get stuck in strange positions that make it hard to operate the zipper sometimes.  It’s impossible to see in this image, but the zipper pull tabs are branded with the Sena name.

The back of the bag has no quilting.  There is an open pocket that covers most of the back.

The bag has two separate zippered compartments.  The front compartment has a sewn-in sleeve that holds a phone with up to a 5.5″ screen.

It easily held my iPhone 7 Plus in its thin, clear Spigen case.  I stored my Vera Bradley zippered card case and a folding Kent comb in the rest of the front zippered compartment.

The back compartment has a little zippered pocket on the back wall; it’s unzipped in this image.  There’s also a leather badge imprinted with the Sena name on the back wall, but it can’t been easily seen in this image.  The red line visible just under the interior zipper is the top of the badge.

I packed most of my stuff in this back compartment.  I have my iPod touch in a clear Spigen case in the zippered pocket.  I have three car fobs in cases, a Bic 4-in-1 pen/pencil, and a small LED flashlight with a Swiss Army knife attached in this pocket.  And the compartment actually zips!

Here’s a look at everything, except the iPhone 7 Plus, that I carry in the Isa Crossbody.  (I used the iPhone to take this photo.)

Granted, the bag was a bit cramped, but I could leave behind the fobs for my husband’s car (red leather case) and my daughter’s car (small oval, blue leather case) and have room for other stuff.  Truth is, I never remember to pick up the fob for the other car if I’m going to to be using someone else’s car, so I’d rather just carry all three fobs.  I’m glad the Isa allows me to carry them all.

I like the Isa Crossbody universal smartphone bag.  If I get a new phone, I won’t have to worry if it will fit in the Isa, because I can just leave it out of that phone sleeve if I need to.  I like that I can segregate my stuff to keep the keys away from the phone screen, and I like that I can fit what I consider to be my minimal EDC items in the bag and zip it all up securely.  I like that it’s a crossbody bag, because that leaves my hands free, and I don’t have to worry that I’ll set my bag down to look at something then walk off without it.  I think Sena has a winner with this well-constructed, reasonably-priced, attractive phone bag!

What I like

  • Great size for a phone, keys, and wallet
  • Beautiful leather, design, and construction
  • Adjustable strap so you can carry it on your shoulder or wear crossbody
  • Interior zipper pocket and two main zippered compartments help organize contents

What needs to be improved

  • Zipper pull tabs are thick and can get stuck in a position that makes it harder to pull open the zipper

Final thoughts

The Sena Cases Isa Crossbody Leather Hand Bag for smartphones is an attractive, well-made bag that’s perfectly sized for a minimal carry kit when you want to travel light.

Price: $129.95
Where to buy: Sena Cases
Source: The sample of this product was provided by Sena Cases.

Keysmart Pro key holder plus Tile finder review

One of the most useful technologies that has come out the past few years has been Tile, that little Bluetooth wafer you attach to anything you are afraid of misplacing.  For me, although I liked the concept of using Tile with something like my keys, the extra item hanging from my keychain just wasn’t worth the extra bulk it brought.  My keys have constantly been a source of annoyance because no matter how I placed them in my pocket, they were uncomfortable.  Especially with those really long key fobs.  So when KeySmart, the expert in minimalist key chain design, combined a killer keychain design with a built-in Tile, well, I was more than excited to try it.

What is it?

It’s a minimalist keychain that can hold 8-10 keys comfortably.  It has a built-in LED flashlight, powered by a rechargeable internal battery, and it has a Tile Bluetooth locator built-in as well.

Hardware specs

The built-in 40 mAh battery provides, according to KeySmart, about 90 days of juice before it needs to be recharged.  (I was only able to get about 60 days of use before it died on me.)  It is just a tad under 4 inches long, about ¾ inches wide, and with my 6 keys and spacers between them it is about ¾ inches thick. The more keys you have, the thicker and heavier it gets.  It also has a micro-USB port for charging.

What’s in the box?

You get a KeySmart keychain, and a USB charging cable. Included is a bottle opener attachment that also provides an eyelet where you can attach your large key fob.  You’ll also get a bunch of round separators that you can put between the keys inside the KeySmart.

Design and features

As far as the design of the product goes, I like it.  The ends of the KeySmart are slightly wider than the middle, so it is quite easy to hold in your hand.  The ends are also rounded, so no sharp edges to poke or prod you.  The integration of the LED flashlight button on top is a nice touch. For the keys on that end of the KeySmart I can press the button to illuminate the keyhole in dark situations like at night.  Nice.

There are some keys that I have found won’t work very well with KeySmart.  I have one key that has a really big head on it and it sticks out of the KeySmart quite a bit, so I got a copy made with a smaller head that fits much better.  I also have an old key to one of our family cars where the head is encased in a thick black plastic. (Both keys are pictured below).  That key is just awkward in the KeySmart, so I chose not to add it and I keep it in a drawer at home.

And here is an example of what my keys looked like before and after:

Installation

Getting started with KeySmart is pretty easy.  To start using the Tile functionality you download the free Tile app, create an account (if you don’t already have one), attach the KeySmart to your account, and you are ready.  As far as getting your keys added, it takes a bit more effort.  You use a screwdriver or even a coin to remove the 2 screw posts on the ends of the KeySmart and deatach the 2 halves, add your keys to each end in the order that you desire, put the KeySmart back together, and you are ready to go.

Performance as a keychain

So there are some things I like and don’t like about the KeySmart as far as a keychain.  It is an awesome way to organize your keys and keep them in line.  I won’t be going back to my old keychain set up, that’s for sure.  But I think as a keychain it isn’t perfect.  For example, it can be awkward flipping out an individual key from the KeySmart with just one hand.  I usually end up flipping out all of the keys and have to rotate back in the keys I don’t want to use. You can adjust the tightness of the screw posts on the ends of the KeySmart, so of course the tighter you have it set the harder it is to flip an individual key out, and of course the looser you have it set the more likely it is that the keys will flop about and negate one of the benefits of the KeySmart which is keeping your keys under control.  I suppose I would call this a minor complaint but it is an issue for me because I have to flip out most the keys on a daily basis.

One other issue I have found is that the keys that are on the end of the KeySmart that has my key fob on it are harder to use.  Let me try to describe it.  My key fob is attached to the bottle opener attachment, which is lined up with the keys on that end of the KeySmart.  So when I have to use one of those keys I have to rotate the key fob out of the way, which then causes the can opener to rotate out along with the key I am trying to use.  It is just awkward.  So I keep my most-used keys on the other end of the KeySmart.  Again, this is a little annoyance, and as I said, I won’t stop using the KeySmart just because of this.

Tile features

If you already use any Tile products, you won’t be disappointed because it works great with the KeySmart.  Basically, I see 2 common scenarios where the Tile feature is valuable.  If you are around your house or office and you can’t find your keys, you simply open the Tile app on your phone and press the button to locate your KeySmart, which will then start playing a little audible tune to help you locate them. And if you can’t find your phone then you press the Tile button on the KeySmart and your phone will start playing a little tune to help you find it, even if your phone is on silent.  Really nice.

The other scenario is if you misplace your keys someplace and have no idea where.  The Tile app will show you a map of where your keys were last located when they were last near your phone.  All you have to do is go back to that vicinity and look for your keys.  And when your keys get close to your phone the app will indicate such.  An additional Tile feature is that if another Tile user gets close to your KeySmart that has been lost, their Tile app will notify the Tile website that it has been located and will notify you where it is approximately located.  Pretty cool.

I should also mention something really important at this point.  The only way that this Tile feature works is if you have both Bluetooth and Location Services activated on your phone at all times.  The KeySmart connects to your phone via Bluetooth and then Location Services lets the Tile app keep track of where the KeySmart currently is.  So if you don’t have those 2 features on at all times, the Tile feature of the KeySmart isn’t really working for you.

One feature I hope that is added to the KeySmart that I currently have in the MYNT Tracker is that when I walk away from KeySmart and get beyond the Bluetooth range I wish my phone would start ringing so that I could simply go back and retrieve my KeySmart instead of realizing later that I left it somewhere and have to go through the motions of finding it using the Tile app.  Avoiding that whole scenario up front seems like a great idea.

Positives

  • Awesome key organizer
  • Built-in flashlight is very handy
  • Tile integration works flawlessly

Negatives

  • Using more than 10 keys could make it too bulky
  • Using your keys with one hand can be awkward
  • Some keys will simply be too big or thick for KeySmart

Final thoughts

If you want to organize your keys then this is an excellent solution that will work with most keys.  It is clean and easy to carry and you won’t be poked and prodded in your pocket or purse, and the flashlight is pretty handy.  The Tile feature works great and just as you would expect, as long as you are willing to keep your Bluetooth and Location Services on at all times and live with the battery hit you will take.  I live with the minor annoyances of using the keys with one hand, but they aren’t enough to cause me to give it up.  If you often lose your keys are phone, this product is essential for you.  For those of you who never lose either of those things, then you’ll still be happy with the KeySmart.

Price: $59.99
Where to buy: KeySmart and Amazon
Source: The sample of this product was provided by KeySmart.

Shinola Canfield over-ear headphones review

I am a wireless sports earbud kind of guy. Their take anywhere, tiny form factor enable me to have them with me at all times during my hectic lifestyle whether I’m on a plane or pounding pavement. Though occasionally I want to trade their portability and durability for better sound and build quality. The Shinola Canfield Over-Ear headphones fit this bill nicely. Let’s see if the Candfield’s material, build, and sound quality live up to their premium price.

What is it?

Shinola is a homegrown, US company based out of Detroit that manufactures high quality luxury items…everything from fine watches to hand-built bicycles. Recently I reviewed their New York MS3 Manhattan folder which continues to be my favorite pocketknife and top review item of 2017. During my research, their Canfield Headphone Collection caught my eye. Shinola’s dive into personal audio was years in the making, engineering and fine tuning the Canfield collection using quality materials, polished design, and excellent audio engineering resulting in a product that not only turns heads but sound great as well.

Design and features

The Canfield headphones are designed, assembled, and tested in Detroit. The Canfield over-ear headphones are big, gorgeous, and well made with meticulous attention to detail and quality. They’re a beautiful mixture of stainless steel and leather with a very nice quality weight to them.

Specifications:

TRANSDUCER TYPE
50MM Shinola Dynamic Transducer
HEADPHONE STYLE
Closed-back, Circumaural Ear Cushion
FREQUENCY RESPONSE
20 – 24,000 HZ
NOMINAL IMPEDANCE
41Ω
SOUND PRESSURE LEVEL
102 DB ±3DB/MW @ 1KHZ
TOTAL HARMONIC DISTORTION
1% THD @ 1KHZ
EFFICIENCY
115 DB SPL/V @1KHZ
WEIGHT (WITHOUT CABLE)
0.99 LBS
DIMENSIONS 6.9″ x 8.3″ x 1.7″ | 17.5cm x 21cm x 4.3cm

In the Box:

  • Canfield over-ear headphones
  • Cable
  • Carrying case
  • Instruction manual
  • Certificate of Authenticity

Build Quality:

The Canfield over-ear headphones are the finest made headphones I have ever used or even seen. They have an old-world vibe/charm reminiscent of the “good old days” when products were well made and built to withstandthe test of time. The combination of polished and brushed stainless steel look great together with the black leather.

Soft, supple full-grained leather covers the cushioned headband. While initially comfortable, (according to Shinola) the headphones will become more so over time as they wear in. As you can see, the exterior leather is well stitched and finely finished.

The interior leather is a medium gray with additional padding stitched into the top inside.

Initially adjusting the Canfield headphones took a decent amount of force. After a few weeks of use, the assembly became easier to adjust while still remaining where you move it to.

Sound Quality:

Shinola has done a good job of creating a set of headphones with clear, detailed audio performance. Overall, the Canfield over-ear headphones have a solid balance across the spectrum, the highs and mids were crisp and defined with the low end not overstated. The bass is not overbearing as some other headphones but more than solid, which is definitely my preference. I listened to various types of music (from jazz to the 1812 Overture), watched movies & Netflix shows, and took calls…all of which sounded great.

The Canfield headphones have a 50mm dynamic transducer with a frequency response of 20Hz to 24,000Hz.

Shinola tunes and tests every pair of their over-ear headphones in their Detroit factory.

“The Shinola Sound Signature is rich, warm and expansive”.

And overall I agree.

The memory-foam ear cups are covered in soft lambskin and are held in place magnetically. The lambskin feels great against your skin. The magnetic ear cups snap smartly into place with a click. The magnets hold the cups in place well enough but (as designed) they do come off when enough force is applied. Before I realized how they were held in place, when they first popped off, I had thought I had broken/damaged them…fortunately not 😉 .

The Canfields are obviously a wired set of headphones. The headphone cable is as nicely made as the headphones themselves, soft and flexible, yet durable…wrapped in a braided tangle-free nylon.

The inline remote control is located at the union of the left and right cables with the built-in mic on the right side cable. The top button increases volume, the lower button decreases volume with the round center button controlling play/pause. I placed a few calls with the Canfield’s and the people came thru clearly and always heard me just fine.

Quick-pressing the play/pause button twice advances to the next track, while triple pressing it will go to the previous track. The remote as a whole works as you would expect.

Comfort and Styling:

Since he’s more photogenic with better hair, I volunteered the Gadgeteer Kid to be my model (tho this is his “mandatory fun with dad” look). The over-ear design sits comfortably due to the combination of padded headband, soft lambskin ear cups, and adaptive memory foam. These headphones weigh a pound but do not feel heavy, as I said. I reviewed these headphones during the heart of winter and noticed what great ear warmers they were.  Even though the Canfields do not have active noise cancelling, their over-ear design does a decent job of isolating and blocking out ambient noise.

These headphones have old world charm, simplistic styling, and eye catching quality…all the while being very nonchalant and subdued at the same.

The Canfield collection is all wired and in a world where headphone ports are becoming increasingly rare, a dongle maybe needed depending on what smart device you’re trying to connect to. The option to order (or better yet, Shinola including one in the box) a cable with a lightening or USB-C connector would be nice.

In addition to black leather and silver, the Canfield over-ear headphones are available in cognac (aka brown) and silver and polished, gloss black. Shinola also includes an On-ear and two in-ear variants in their Canfield collection as well.

Positives

  • Beautiful/gorgeous/timeless old-world styling
  • Excellent build quality
  • Superior materials (stainless steel and full grain leather)
  • Very nice listening experience

Negatives

  • Expensive
  • Not very transportable
  • Wired

Final thoughts

Even though I enjoy listening to all types of music, I am not an audiophile by any stretch of the imagination. I do not have a receiver with tubes that must warm up, own any vinyl, or have to have crazy high bit rate on my digital music but I do know what sounds good @least to me. The Canfield over-ear headphones sound great with a crisp, warm sound that is well balanced. Add in the Canfield’s excellent materials, build quality, and stylish old school design the cost of these headphones is not outrageous IMO. But on the flip side, I would agree there are many cheaper alternatives that sound just as good that are wireless with noise cancelling. It all comes down to what you’re looking for and the details that matter to you.

One more thing: Based on some of the comments my MS3 Manhattan review received and a bit of research, I’ve discovered there are many out there who either love or hate Shinola (definitely strong opinions on both sides). That said, I had no opinion either way before trying their Manhattan pocketknife or Canfield headphones but both have impressed me. I grant you both are expensive but the quality and attention to detail are excellent. Though my only wish would be that there was a wireless Canfield but hopefully that comes in the future.

Price: $595.00
Where to buy: Shinola
Source: The sample of this product was provided by Shinola.

ONOTONE Concrete and Bamboo iPhone X Case review

For as long as I have owned a smart phone, I have used cases to protect them.  The fact that we have gotten used to carrying around a tiny computer in our pocket that can cost over $1000 is a little mind boggling when you step back and think about it.  Now the thing that I find funny is how we all want a thinner lighter device and are totally wowed when we get the newest phone but instantly put it in a case lest we scratch the anodized aluminum or glass back of the phone and therefore never enjoy the aesthetics of the back half of the phone or truly appreciate the full design considerations of our new $1000 pocket computer.  This is not a criticism of phone cases.  Like I said, I ALWAYS use them, its just an observation on human behavior that I have always found interesting.  I see people nearly every day carrying the latest smartphone with no case and 9 times out of 10 the shattered screens that I see are on phones with no case around it.  All this makes for a pretty good set of reasons to protect your phone.  The fact that most of us entomb our phones so we don’t damage them leads to the desire to make your chosen case a personal statement of your own style or something that will be as or more eye catching than a naked iPhone.  Enter the concrete and bamboo cases from ONOTONE.

What is it?

ONOTONE has created cases for your iPhone X, 7, 7 plus, 8 and 8 plus that have lightweight concrete, bamboo and cork (the cork is not being reviewed in this post) back plates and offer a truly unique and protective solution for your phone while almost guarantying that you will get comments or questions on them.  These are the most unique phone cases I have owned and the feel of them is a tactile treat.  Just to note, I am testing these cases on my iPhone X.

Hardware Specs

ONOTONE doesn’t give the weights of these cases on the website and I do not have a scale to do this for our readers but the cases are extremely lightweight and have the fit of other similar minimalist iPhone cases you might have used before.  The inside of the case is a rubberized coating over a plastic shell.  The concrete and bamboo is a layer that is attached to the case itself and covers the entire back of the case/phone.  The cutouts for the volume and lock buttons, speakers, lightning cable and silent switch are all perfectly placed for maximum functionality of your phone.

What’s in the box?

Well this section is pretty simple.  In the box you will receive a case that fits your model of iPhone (X, 8, 8 plus, 7, 7 plus) with your chosen back plate material (concrete or bamboo).

Design and features

The part of this case that touches your phone isn’t anything you haven’t seen before.  It is a standard hard plastic case with a rubberized coating to protect the phone with cutouts where needed.  The back of the case is what makes these stand out.  Lets talk about the concrete one first.  At first I thought that the concrete case was going to be some kind of plastic or fake concrete.  Nope!  It is extremely lightweight, real deal concrete.  I am assuming that the concrete has a high porosity allowing for a lot of air to be caught in it while it cures to allow for such a light sheet of cement.  It has a rough feel to it and you can easily see the grains, bubbles and color variations in the grain that are unmistakably the traits of real concrete.  The concrete face seems to have been smoothed over a bit leaving some texture so you know that part of your iPhone case is made out of rock but smooth enough that I don’t really worry that it will scratch anything.  It does not feel like fine grit sandpaper at all.  It has a very pleasant feel to it and is definitely the most unique phone case I have owned.

Next is the bamboo case.  the interior and cutouts are identical to the concrete so I wont repeat myself.  As you can probably guess the bamboo case is extremely lightweight too.  The grains of the wood are visible from a distance and brings a nice feeling of the outdoors to your smartphone.  The finish of the wood is silky smooth with absolutely no texture to it.  It is as enjoyable to handle and touch as the concrete one.  Honestly, I am so happy to have both because I like them so much I wouldn’t be able to choose between them now that I have handled them both.

The materials used in these two cases are pretty far apart with what they represent or where they come from.  On one end you have the concrete, which is an industrial, urban looking case and on the other end you have bamboo, which immediately makes me think of the outdoors and open spaces.  If you are looking for a recommendation on which of the two I would choose I would have a hard time picking but if pressed, I would have to go with the concrete.  It is just so unique, deceptively lightweight and I think it will build a nice patina with use as it changes with oils from your hands and the environment, given the porous nature of the material.  I am in love with both though.  I am guessing most people interested in this review who would buy just one will have a strong referenced one way or the other.  I can say that If you buy one of these, you will be pleased with it.

Positives

The back plates are made from real concrete and bamboo, not plastic posing as something its not.  Very reasonable pricing for the material you are getting and the quality of the product.  Both the concrete and bamboo models have a striking appearance and a fantastic feeling in your hand that is sure to get some second looks and comments from others.

Negatives

I don’t know how the concrete version would stand up to a drop onto a hard surface.  A thin layer of low density concrete seems like it would break but I will not be testing this out.  The purpose of a minimalist case is to offer a low cost protective layer to prevent damage from regular wear and tear.  With the reasonable price tag of $29.95 for the concrete model, even if it broke while protecting my phone, I wouldn’t be terribly disappointed and would invest in another.  Other than that I don’t have anything bad to say about these cases.  I have really enjoyed them.

Final Thoughts

Remember these are minimalist cases so please don’t expect to be able to drive over your phone with this case on it and it survive.  It’s worth mentioning that this is not a LifeProof case but it doesn’t want or claim to be.  Minimalist cases are for the little bumps and drops that happen in daily life and make it easier to hold your phone without it slipping from your grip and they are a balance between keeping a sleek and low profile phone wile offering some protection to your investment.  The first day that I was testing these products I used both cases and went into my daily meetings and received questions and comments on both cases within minutes or sometimes seconds of putting my phone on the table.  I now find myself putting my phone with the back side up just to see if people will notice them (I know, that’s a little weird and a very “look at me” strategy but I like sharing these with people and seeing their amazement when the feel the material, especially on the concrete one).

I have owned dozens of cases for my iPhones over the years and have rarely had a bad experience.  I stick to quality products and have not been let down.  I have seen other cases that offer no protection and are essentially a way to get a brand logo or a design onto your phone as their primary function.  There’s nothing wrong with that if that’s what you want but if I am going to cover up the beautiful design of my latest and greatest iPhone, it will be to protect it and hopefully add a little style to it in the process.  Bottom line is the cases I have reviewed here are lightweight, offer sufficient protection for my phone in the minimalist case market but offer two very unique and high quality feeling options that best fit your style or personality.

I know this has been a long review for a couple of very reasonably priced phone cases but I am truly impressed and hope that our readers will give these a shot.  I don’t think you will regret it.  For the great design and the use of very unique and attractive materials and the value compared with minimalist cases that offer similar function I give this these the highest rating of 5 stars.  I am very impressed!

Price: $29.95 for the concrete case and $22.95 for the bamboo case.  These prices are the same for all the iPhone models they offer cases for (X, 8, 8 plus, 7, 7 plus).  They also offer a cork iPhone case for $22.05 but I didn’t receive that to review but it is yet another option for a unique look to add to your phone.

Where to buy:  ONOTONE.

The samples for this review were provided by ONOTONE.

Winegard Elite 7550 Long Range Outdoor HDTV Antenna review

The Winegard Elite 7550 is a very powerful HDTV antenna that is able to pull in high-definition television signals from as far away as 70 miles. Reasonably priced at $149.99, it works exceptionally well despite a somewhat fragile build and a plastic roof mount that you’ll want to swap out for something a lot sturdier.

What is it?

The Winegard Elite 7550 is a USB-powered, long-range, outdoor HDTV television antenna. These antennas are popular with cord-cutters because they allow you to access high definition over-the-air programming for free without the hassle and cost of dealing with a cable or satellite company.

What’s in the box?

  • The Winegard Elite 7550 Antenna with embedded ultra low noise amplifier
  • Inline 5V Power inverter with LED power indicator
  • 3′ USB power cable with 110V adapter
  • Mounting supplies (pipe, foot, and hardware)
  • Instruction manual

Hardware specs

  • 70+ Mile Range with “Clear Circuit Technology”
  • Optimized for Dual-Band VHF/UHF Reception
  • Dimensions: 30″ x 17.5″ x 5″
  • Weight: 1 lb
  • Directional
  • Embedded ultra low noise (1db) digital amplifier
  • LTE Filter

Setup

It’s easy to get overwhelmed when first beginning to assemble the Elite 7550. There’s no shortage of little screws, fasteners and delicate metal and plastic beams. Fortunately, after a quick perusal of the instruction manual, things will quickly make more sense.

Each beam and fin has a home on the Elite 7550, but you have to take great care not to over-tighten any of the screws or snap a beam when bending and inserting them into position.

Once assembled, the Elite 7550 is pretty impressive looking, in a futuristic sci-fi kind of way.

Design and features

The secret behind the power of the Winegard Elite 7550 is its embedded low-noise preamp and LTE filter. These two unique features help to filter out a lot of existing signal noise and boost weaker signals that might otherwise get lost.

As a perfect example to the power of the Elite 7550, after assembling the antenna we set it up next to the TV on a shelf in the back room of a house surrounded by woods in Westchester County, New York. Against all odds, the antenna STILL pulled in about 18 channels after we ran the Channel Search function on our test TV.

Every television and set-top box has a different way to search for HD channels, but they’re all pretty similar. Connect the antenna to your TV or box, find the “Auto Channel Search” or similar function, and sit back and let the process run.

With the great success the Elite 7550 had inside, we couldn’t wait to see how it did once mounted properly outside. The first step to that process was to visit the antenna selector at the Winegard website.

After inputting your address or zip code, the Winegard site will bring up a handy map showing you signal strengths, available channels, and the location of the nearest broadcast towers. The site will also show which Winegard antenna would work best for your location.

Once you’ve determined the direction of the nearest broadcast tower, make sure you align your antenna to face that direction BEFORE you mount it and start drilling holes through your house.

The outdoor mounting and directional adjustment allowed us to bring in even more channels than we had hoped for, over 50 in total.

We opted to mount the Elite 7550 on the side of the house instead of the roof, partially to protect it a bit from heavy winds and weather, but also because we were fearful of climbing up on the roof and potentially falling off.

As I mentioned previously, the supplied mounting bracket felt pretty flimsy and we were afraid that it wouldn’t hold up to the weight and mounting pressure, so we replaced it with an Ailuki J-Pole Antenna Mount we found on Amazon.com. We also hired a professional to drill through the house and run the coaxial cable into the living room right behind the main television.

Now that the Elite 7550 is mounted and working, every once in awhile we’ll run the Auto Channel Search again and discover that more channels have become available. The Winegard Elite 7550 has definitely made cutting the cord that much easier for us.

What I like

  • Relatively easy set-up
  • Very powerful
  • A number of mounting options

What needs to be improved

  • Care must be taken during assembly because of fragile elements
  • Plastic roof mount not adequate for permanent mounting
  • No coaxial cable included

Final thoughts

The Winegard Elite 7550 Long Range Outdoor HDTV Antenna is a great product. Once you do a little online research for signal towers and directional information this powerful antenna will pull in more free high-definition television channels than anyone would ever care to watch, even in some areas with tough terrain. The build quality is a little lacking for the price and some supplied coaxial cable would’ve been nice as well, but overall for $149.99 it’s a decent purchase.

Price: $149.99
Where to buy: Amazon
Source: The sample of this product was provided by Winegard.