- Average user rating: 2.5 stars out of 4 reviews Back to product review
- My rating: 0 stars
Full user review
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3.5 stars
"Works well when there's a strong signal"
Pros: Good design, multiple installation options, reasonable feature set
Cons: external wired antenna's are rather large and placement can be a distraction when placed on windshield. Had to buy optional "professional Installation kit" because the "do it yourself" wireless FM transmitter reception was staticky and inconsistent.
Summary: The unit is small and well designed. It's gray scale LCD screen is bright and clear and offers multiple display options including artist and song information where available as well as a graphic EQ and signal strength. Its tuning button is large and offers 2 seek options. Press up or down to seek HD stations only, or left or right to seek all stations. There are 3 banks of 6 presets for locking in your favorite stations. The menu offers options to adjust the display brightness, and there are multiple EQ presets as well as a user defined option.
There are a number of installation options available including a Professional installation kit that requires the vehicle stereo to be removed and the antenna connected through a FM transmitter installed under the dash. This offers the best quality reception but as it may require a "Pro" to complete. The "do it yourself"installation kit consists of 2 antennas, an input and an output, that must be attached to the cars front or rear windscreen depending on where your car's antenna is. This requires sticking 2 black plastic strips approximately 18 inches long by one inch wide to the glass and running wires to the unit. After initially purchasing the unit with the do it yourself installation kit, I found the signal to my stereo was not strong and sounded staticky, plus there were wires running all over the place, so I ordered the Pro installation kit and was able to do it myself in about a half an hour. Once the installation was complete the signal was srong and clear and sounded great. Regardless of how you install it, you still need to use a car charger for power. In my case, I had to purchase a dual adapter for my power outlet because I also have an external GPS navigation unit that plugs into the power outlet. The Do it yourself kit comes with a windshield mount that is sturdy and easily adjustable. The Pro kit comes with a dash mount that uses a strong adhesive to attach to the dash and also is adjustable. There is also a Home installation kit that allows you to use this unit with your home audio system.
As far as the units performance, once it locks on to a signal it sounds much better than standard FM Radio. The AM HD stations are nearly as good as regular FM stations and the streaming text is great for identifying artists and song names where the DJ never reveals this info. The unit comes with a small remote that has all the functions of the unit and is much easier to deal with when driving. Overall, for price and performance I feel comfortable recommending this unit to anyone interested in adding HD radio to their vehicle or home.
Where to buy
JVC KT-HDP1 Portable HD Radio:
$34.88 - $75.33
| store | price | in stock? | rating |
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$75.33 | Yes |
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Amazon.com Marketplace
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$34.88 | Yes |
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$49.99 | Yes |
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