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Shure RMCE-BT2 High-Resolution Bluetooth 5 Earphone Communication Cable review

REVIEW – Recently, I was invited to Chicago—a trip that allowed me and other tech writers/reviewers a chance to be the first to try out a new and updated Bluetooth cable from Shure—the RMCE-BT2 High-Resolution Bluetooth 5 Earphone Communication Cable.

What is it?

This mouthful of a named cable is a simple device that can make any Shure earphone (or other brands with an MMCX connector) wireless. 

Specs

  • Wireless connectivity: Bluetooth 5.0
  • Wireless range: 30 ft.
  • Integrated DAC and amp: Supports Qualcomm, aptX (HD and low latency), AAC, SBC codecs
  • Rechargeable battery life: 10 hours play time and 350 hours standby

Design and features

The Shure RMCE-BT2 is not much to look at, but don’t let its small size fool you. It measures about 3 in. X 1 in. and the thickness of a piece of cardboard. There’s a clip that lets the RMCE-BT2 attach to clothing. Its black color helps make it less noticeable, but a more interesting design form could make it cooler. Two left and right MMCX connector cables are attached at one end. The 13 in. length feels just right—neither too long or short.

The RMCE-BT2 is not just a Bluetooth transmitter. Inside, there’s a digital audio converter (DAC) with a dedicated amp. Rather than buying a ready-made DAC from a manufacturer, Shure developed it themselves which allowed them to tune the DAC to work best with their earphones. The same goes for the amp that Shure says was designed for high fidelity listening. Maybe that’s a bit of hyperbole, but I sure liked what I was hearing.

In Chicago, I was allowed to try out the RMCE-BT2 on different Shure models of earphones. After my return, I concentrated my testing on the Shure SE535 and SE846 as well as a pair of RHA CL1 earphones for testing. Since the CL1s have the MMCX connector, the fit was perfect so I would assume the RMCE-BT2 cable will fit any other brand with that type of connector.   

The RMCE-BT2 comes with the prerequisite volume/pause/skip buttons attached to the cable. Phone calls were easily understood by the person on the other end, although he did say that it wasn’t quite as clear as with Apple’s AirPods—those are indistinguishable from the iPhone itself.

It didn’t seem to matter which earphone I tried with the RMCE-BT2. They each exhibited the same sound signature either wired or wireless. The RMCE-BT2 has the latest Bluetooth 5.0 and you cannot hear any difference. Note that Bluetooth has had a checkered past and has only recently reached a level that can be called hi-def without snickering. In other words, Bluetooth has arrived.

My musical tastes are fairly eclectic—from Abba to Brian Eno to Russian Choral to Moody Blues. As I listened with the RMCE-BT2, I tried to detect any anomalies or less-than-desirable audio parts. The only issues I had were inherent in the original recording and not because of the RMCE-BT2.

If your musical selections are more on the bass side, the bass remains. If you prefer a brighter sound, that won’t change. That’s the point: Nothing changes. You can go wireless when it’s convenient, wired when it doesn’t matter.

Pairing with the new iPhone X Max was flawless and instantaneous. Android users can choose which Bluetooth codec they prefer. Apple iPhones won’t tell you what codec they are using (it won’t be any version of aptX), but usually it’s AAC.  Bluetooth range is rated at an unremarkable 30 ft. I was able to extend that by only a bit. I would have preferred a longer range, especially at the RMCE-BT2’s price.

Speaking of price, the RMCE-BT2 is expensive, but considering that it’s made for Shure earphones, it’s a seamless accessory.

What I like

The RMCE-BT2 adds freedom to earphones that are otherwise tethered and they do it with minimal fuss.

What needs to be improved

The design is meh. It’s a bit expensive.

Final Thoughts

The important thing to remember is not what the RMCE-BT2 High-Resolution Bluetooth 5 Earphone Communication Cable does, but what it doesn’t do. It doesn’t make your music sound better, worse or different. It allows it to sound the same as it would when earphones are wired—and that’s as high a praise as can be given.    

Price: $149.00
Where to buy: Amazon
Source: The sample for this product was provided by Shure.

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Shure RMCE-BT2 High-Resolution Bluetooth 5 Earphone Communication Cable review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on December 8, 2018 at 8:21 am.

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SonarPen stylus review

REVIEW – Creating art on an iPad or an Android tablet is a lot easier if you do it with a stylus, but high-quality styluses tend to be expensive, use Bluetooth, and require frequent charging. The SonarPen skips past those issues, but is it a better choice than other styluses? Let’s check it out.

What is it?

The SonarPen is a pressure sensitive stylus for iOS and Android devices that plugs into the 3.5mm headphone jack instead of using Bluetooth for pairing.

Device compatibility

The SonarPen works with all iPads (except the 1st gen iPad), iPhones, and most Android devices that run on Android OS 4.4 and above. If the device doesn’t have a 3.5mm headphone jack, you’ll need to use an adapter like a lightning to 3.5mm adapter, or a USB-C to 3.5mm adapter.

What’s in the box?

  • SonarPen stylus
  • 3 extra stylus tips
  • 1 lightning port stylus holder for iPads and iPhones
  • 1 stick on stylus holder for other devices

Design and features

The SonarPen looks like a typical stylus with a disc style tip, but you soon realize it’s not typical at all when you notice the flat cable with a 3.5mm plug that is built into the stylus.

The cable wraps conveniently around the handle the stylus when it’s not being used and unwraps to an approximate length of 19 inches from plug tip to the end of the stylus barrel.

As mentioned, the stylus has a clear plastic disc tip/nib that is approximately .25in across and can move freely in all directions. Three extra stylus tips are included in the package and you can purchase additional sets of 3 nibs for $14.95 from Amazon.

The stylus has a shortcut button on the barrel whose function is determined by the software being used with the stylus.

The SonarPen does not have to be charged or paired with your device. You just have to plug the 3.5mm plug into the headphone jack on your phone or tablet. If your phone doesn’t have a headphone jack, you can use a lightning or USB-C adapter to 3.5mm adapter.

I tested the SonarPen with my Pixel 2 XL, a Samsung Galaxy Tab S3, and a Huawei MediaPad M5. The only one of those three devices with a headphone jack was the Samsung tablet and the SonarPen worked perfectly with it. For the other two devices, I used a USB-C to 3.5mm adapter. I’m sorry to say that I was unable to get the SonarPen stylus to work with my Pixel 2 XL, but it did work fine with the Huawei MediaPad M5.

App support

This stylus will work fine with any tablet or smartphone even if it’s not plugged in. But plugging it into a device and using an art program that supports it, is the only way you can take advantage of the different pressure levels and the shortcut button.

If you plan to use the SonarPen with an iOS device, you have a variety of app to choose from, but when I checked the compatible app page on the SonarPen site, I didn’t recognize any of the art and note-taking app names. Then when I checked the Android apps list, I was disappointed to see that only 1 compatible app was available. That app is called ArtFlow. It’s free, which is good, but it does have some features (extra brushes, more undo levels, etc.) that prompt you to buy the full version or watch an advertisement in order to unlock the premium features for a limited time.

Let’s draw!

Since I only had one choice, I tested the SonarPen with the ArtFlow app which is a pretty simple to use drawing and painting app for Android devices. I’m not going to go into a lot of detail about this app as it’s not the point of this review.

Once the SonarPen was connected to the tablet and enabled in the compatible app, using it to draw and write felt no different than many other styluses that I’ve used in the past that have the same type of disk tip. The tip glides easily and smoothly across the glass display with no skipping or studdering and the “ink” point is directly under the center of the stylus tip instead of at an offset.

Where the SonarPen shines is with the pressure level feature as it makes you feel like you’re truly drawing or painting with a pen or brush on paper. The lighter you press the stylus on the display, the lighter the line and of course the harder you press, the heavier and thicker the line will be. There isn’t any info on exactly how many pressure levels the SonarPen can do, but they say it’s more than other styluses.

I’ve used Bluetooth styluses before and most of them feel laggy when drawing. That’s not the case with the SonarPen. The speed is just like an analog stylus. No lag at all that I noticed.

I was a bit bummed that the ArtFlow app that I had to use to test the SonarPen did not support palm rejection. That’s a feature I was really looking forward to trying and the SonarPen is supposed to support it.

What I like

  • Does not need to be charged
  • Does not need to be paired via Bluetooth
  • Comes with 3 extra tips
  • Provides many pressure levels and a shortcut button (in compatible apps)
  • No lag

What needs to be improved

  • Cable gets in the way
  • Doesn’t work with all devices (Pixel 2 XL)
  • Special features only available in a small selection of apps

Final thoughts

The SonarPen has some good things going for it like no charging and no Bluetooth pairing headaches. But I found that the attached cable got in the way a lot of the time. I also wasn’t thrilled with having only one choice of art app to use with it on the Android platform. I’m not sure I would feel any better if I were an iOS person as my favorite art apps on that platform aren’t supported (yet) either.

I think the SonarPen makes drawing feel more analog and true to life with the pressure level feather. The price is pretty nice too. As long as you don’t mind having to use a certain selection of apps with this stylus and you don’t think the cable will bother you, the SonarPen is worth trying.

Price: $34.50
Where to buy: Amazon
Source: The sample for this review was provided by SonarPen.

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SonarPen stylus review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on December 7, 2018 at 11:06 am.

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BenQ HT2550 4K UHD HDR Home Theater Projector review


REVIEW – For many years I have had a fascination with projectors, and much more so when they became 4k capable. After much window shopping, I got the opportunity to test and review the BenQ HT2550 4K UHD HDR Home Theater Projector. Let’s see if the excitement was worthwhile or not!!

What is it?

The BenQ HT2550 HDR XPR UHD DLP Home Theater Projector uses XPR technology to project UHD 4K resolution video. It features HDR10 compatibility to produce a wide color gamut and outputs up to 2200 ANSI lumens of brightness. It has a 10,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio to help produce details even in dark areas of the image and a built-in 5W speaker for additional convenience.

What’s in the box


1 x BenQ HT2550 HDR XPR UHD DLP Home Theater Projector
1 x Remote Control with Batteries
1 x Lens Cover
1 x User Manual CD
1 x Warranty Card
1 x Power Cord

Design and features

Specifications:

Projection System: DLP
Native Resolution: 4K UHD (3840 x 2160)
Brightness (ANSI Lumens): 2200 ANSI Lumens
Contrast Ratio: 10,000:1
Display Color: 30 Bits (1.07 billion colors)
Rec. 709 Coverage: 96% (Color Wheel: RGBRGB)
Speaker: 5W x 1
Aspect Ratio: Native 16:9 (6 aspect ratio selectable)
Throw Ratio: 1.47 – 1.76 (100″ @ 10.6 ft.)
Image Size: 60″ – 200″ / 300″
Zoom Ratio: 1.2x
DMD Type: 0.47″
Lamp Life: (Normal/ Economic/ SmartEco/ LampSave/)* 4000/ 10000/ 8000/ 15000 hours
Operating Temperature: 32 – 104 degrees (Fahrenheit)
Projection Offset: 110%
Resolution Support: VGA (640 x 480) to 4K UHD (3840 x 2160)
Horizontal Frequency: 15 – 102 KHz
Vertical Scan Rate: 23K-120Hz
Interface: HDMI-1 (HDMI 2.0 & HDCP 2.2) x 1; HDMI-2: (HDMI 1.4a & HDCP 1.4) x 1
USB Type A: (1.5A power) x 1
USB Type mini B: (service) x 1
Audio in: (Mini Jack) x 1
Audio out: (Mini Jack) x 1
RS232 in: (DB-9 pin, Male) x 1
IR Receiver: (Front & Top) x 1
Computer in: (D sub 15pin, Female) x 1
DC 12V Trigger: (3.5mm Jack) x1
Dimensions (W x H x D mm): 13.9 x 5.31 x 10.71 inches
HDTV Compatibility: 480i, 480p, 576i, 567p, 720p, 1080i, 1080p, 2160p
Video Compatibility: NTSC, PAL, SECAM
Weight: 4.2 kg (9.2 lbs.)
Audible Noise Level (Normal/ Economic Mode): 33 / 29 dBA
Power Supply: VAC 100 ~ 240 (50/60 Hz)
Power Consumption: Max 385W, Normal 330W, Eco 250W, Standby 0.5W
On-Screen Display Languages: Arabic /Bulgarian/ Croatian/ Czech/ Danish/ Dutch/ English/ Finnish/ French/ German/ Greek/ Hindi/ Hungarian/ Italian/ Indonesian/ Japanese/ Korean/ Norwegian/ Polish/ Portuguese/ Romanian/ Russian/ Simplified Chinese/ Spanish/ Swedish/ Turkish/ Thai/ Traditional Chinese (28 Languages)
Accessories (Standard) Remote Control w/ Battery x 1
Power Cord x 1: (10 feet)

On the front of the projector from left to right, there is an air vent on the left and on the right the lens and the IR Remote Sensor.

On the back from left to right there is the AC Power Jack, Audio input jack and
Audio output jack,  RGB (PC) signal input jack,  HDMI input port (Version 2.0), HDMI input port (Version 1.4a),  USB Mini-B port (for firmware upgrades), RS-232 control port,  USB Type-A port (1.5 A power supply), and a 12V DC output terminal for triggering external devices such as an electric screen or light control.

On both sides of the projector, there are air vents that help to keep it very cool.


On the top rear of the projector, there are buttons that allow you the options of manually controlling the projector as opposed to using the remote.

On the top front of the projector positioned behind the lens are two controls that allow you to adjust the zoom and the focus.

Performance

The BenQ HT2550 4K UHD HDR Home Theater Projector came well packaged as is usual for BenQ equipment, and it was remarkably easy to set up. The first thing I did was to understand the average distance that was necessary to have the picture fully cover the 100″ portable projector screen that I purchased.

If you look at the chart below, you will get an idea of the requirements.

Once I placed it on the projector stand that I had previously owned but was using for another purpose, the next step was to understand the inputs and what devices and video sources could be used and how they could and should be connected.

The next chart below provides more detail about the use of the HDMI and PC connections.

For my testing and regular viewing, I used either my 4K Roku Premiere+ stick or my Amazon 4K Fire Stick, and I used them in the HDMI 1 port.

I made slight adjustments to the leveling feet, and then I turned on the projector. After a few seconds, the BenQ logo appeared on the screen. I adjusted the focus and zoom via the controls on the top of the projector until I got the sharp and crisp image that I was seeking to display. For this testing, I used the remote control for all of the setups and controlling. The remote control is backlit and includes several one-touch buttons that provide shortcuts directly to specific functions.


The projector first went through the initial setup that basically includes settings like language, etc, and then it automatically searched the inputs and found my connected Roku on the HDMI 1 port. I then selected Menu via the remote and played around with the other setting options. Keeping in mind that this projector and its overall menu has numerous settings and levels of settings, here is a basic high-level overview of the Menu that includes the most commonly used sections:
Picture Menu

  •  Picture Mode
  • User Mode Management
  • Brightness
  • Contrast
  • Color
  • Tint
  • Sharpness
  • Advanced
  • Reset Current Picture Mode

Display Menu

  •  Image Position
  • Overscan Adjustment
  • PC Tuning
  • 3D
  • HDR
  • Silence

Installation Menu

  • Projector Position
  • Test Pattern
  • Aspect Ratio
  • 12V Trigger
  • High Altitude Mode

System Setup: Basic Menu

  • Language
  • Background Color
  • Splash Screen
  • Auto Off
  • Direct Power On
  • Menu Settings
  • Source Rename
  • Auto Source
  • Sound

System Setup: Advanced Menu

  • Lamp Settings
  • HDMI Settings
  • Quick Cooling
  • Password
  • Key Lock
  • LED Indicator
  • Reset All Settings
  • ISF

Information Menu

  • Current System Status

Click here to download the complete user manual.

After going through the easy setup, I was ready to see this beauty perform. For my testing, I selected the 4K app from the Roku menu and wow!! the video and images were and are stunning. It is really and truly an immersive experience, and with a 100-inch screen at about 10 feet in front of me, I felt that if I had better acting skills I could just walk right into the screen and be a part of the movie. This projector produces a beautiful picture and provides an impressive overall home theater experience. The following pictures show the projector with the Roku stick attached as well as the Roku splash screen and the projection of a movie selection that I was about to play for my kids.


 



What I like

  • The size
  • The weight
  • The amazing picture and color reproduction
  • The connectivity options
  • The very functional remote control

What can be improved

  • To be quite honest, I like everything about this projector and it lives up to what it is designed to do

Final thoughts

I am so happy that this BenQ HT2550 was the first home projector that I have been able to test and review. I am thoroughly enjoying the experience and it is used every weekend at my home. The picture is quite amazing and in 4K I become totally immersed. The addition of a sound bar and subwoofer have completed the cinema experience and even more so since I can select modes to match the show. While I am sure that several companies including BenQ have even higher-end projectors with even more amazing features and video reproduction, for now, this one has set the acceptable standard of measurement for any and all other home projectors that I review and/or experience. Well done BenQ!! Two thumbs up!!

Price: $1399.00 (On sale for Christmas 2018 at B&H Photo Video and Amazon for $1099)
Where to Buy: BenQ Website or B&H Photo or Amazon
Source: The sample for this review was provided by BenQ

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BenQ HT2550 4K UHD HDR Home Theater Projector review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on December 7, 2018 at 9:00 am.

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Ember mug, Ticpods Free wireless earbuds, X47 notebook, and more – Review updates

REVIEW – I have a few quick review updates for you today, including an update to my Julie’s favorite gear list. We like to post updates to our reviews on a regular basis so you can get an idea of how products stand the test of time – or don’t! Click through to see the list of updated reviews and then scroll to the bottom of each review to read the latest updates.

Ember Ceramic Mug review by Julie Strietelmeier

Mobvoi TicPods Free wireless earbuds review by Julie Strietelmeier

Pixel 2 XL review by Julie Strietelmeier

Huawei P20 Smartphone review by Julie Strietelmeier

X17 and X47 notebooks review by Julie Strietelmeier

Julie’s favorite gear

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Ember mug, Ticpods Free wireless earbuds, X47 notebook, and more – Review updates originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on December 6, 2018 at 10:18 am.

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Ember mug, Ticpods Free wireless earbuds, X47 notebook, and more – Review updates

REVIEW – I have a few quick review updates for you today, including an update to my Julie’s favorite gear list. We like to post updates to our reviews on a regular basis so you can get an idea of how products stand the test of time – or don’t! Click through to see the list of updated reviews and then scroll to the bottom of each review to read the latest updates.

Ember Ceramic Mug review by Julie Strietelmeier

Mobvoi TicPods Free wireless earbuds review by Julie Strietelmeier

Pixel 2 XL review by Julie Strietelmeier

Huawei P20 Smartphone review by Julie Strietelmeier

X17 and X47 notebooks review by Julie Strietelmeier

Julie’s favorite gear

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Ember mug, Ticpods Free wireless earbuds, X47 notebook, and more – Review updates originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on December 6, 2018 at 10:18 am.

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