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Customers most agreed on the following attributes:
from Boulder, CO on 9/11/2008
I use my machine for vital information and need to screen calls. First problem, when someone calls, you can't hear the outgoing message. Second problem, the default mailbox allows for only one minute of messaging which isn't long enough.
Third problem, you can only hear the caller talk if they use the default mailbox, but not if they use the extra mailboxes (1,2 or 3) which are the boxes with the most messaging time, 5 minutes.
Fourth problem, the instructions aren't clear about what to say to callers about how to use the extra mailboxes, i.e. when to press the box number, if you need to wait to hear a beep and then press it, or if you need to press it after the first beep and then wait for a second beep. I created several messages to see which one was correct, but none of them seemed to make a difference, the caller can press the mailbox number whenever they want. And not having clear instructions makes callers uncomfortable and wonder if their message is being recorded.
What happen to products that had reliability? [...]. Give me back the old, reliable (2) cassette system with mediocre sound, but 100% reliability, [...].
from BURKE, VA on 8/30/2008
HOW TO PLAY RECORDING?
lost the manual. cant figure how to delete all past messages.
from Santa Barbara, CA on 7/26/2008
I got this machine in roughly 2006, because the old one broke. Where I live, we have several businesses and two people in the house, so the multi-mailbox feature is very good. However, when I bought it and went to look at the Instructions, I discovered they were in Spanish. Very Useful in the USA! :| However, in the RadioShack Homepage, you can download, save and print the English Instructions as a .pdf file.
I would recommend this to a friend, in short.
-Joke
July 26, 2008
from Syracuse, NY on 7/23/2008
I have had this answering machine for over 6 months.
This answering machine is advertised as having a large 60 minute record capacity. It also has only a 99 call capacity. 99 calls of .5 seconds (one half second each) fill up the memory in about 30 seconds. This machine has never had 60 minutes of record time on it ever. That seems to be impossible for it to do.
It looses all messages in a power failure even with a fresh back up battery. So a tape recorder is needed nearby to prevent the loss of important messages.
The back-up battery is always very hot to the touch. This is the second version of this answering machine that radio shack has sold, The first one had separate mail boxes. I bought the first version and had to throw it out due to exactly the same problem. They damage the back up battery and loose all messages in a power outage. This seems to be a factory defect that nobody seems to have heard of.
Also, it selectively ignores some calls and answers others, even when the memory is empty. I have had to subscribe to voice mail to catch all the calls it misses. So this answering machine requires a secondary answering machine to answer some calls that it misses.
Conclusion: Most of the time, having this answering machine is like not having an answering machine at all. This is not a very good answering machine. But very few Answering Machines made today are very good.
The answering machines that took two full sized cassettes were the best. If the capacity of this answering was increased, by having one or two SD or other memory cards that took the place of the tapes, it would eliminate the need for a back up battery. It would also give the user the option of saving important messages to a computer or mp3 player. Why can't someone make something like that? Hopefully Radio Shack will be the first to carry the SD Card Telephone Answering Device.
This is a faily adequate machine. It is difficult to set the date and time and it must be reset frequently. This would not be a big deal if it had come with English instructions. The Spanish instructions are not very useful to me.
Room monitoring capabilities are not mentioned on the box.
3 digit code is assigned and cannot be changed.
Pick another product other then this one
I love this answering machine and I have had it for nearly 2 years.
1. Plenty of room for saving messages: Each mailbox allows a 5-minute message. There are 3 mailboxes total. Besides, there are general mailbox and allows a 1-minute message.
2. Recording function is great and helpful because I can hear the conversation again since English is not my mother-tongue.
3. Battery back up in case of back out; this saves the setting time.
Phone rings 7 times before it picks up which is the only good thing about it! This is the third answering machine I've tried and each one is worse than the one before!!!
[1 of 1 customers found this review helpful]
Incomplete instructions. No instruction on how to set or change remote access codes. Nothing said it would take almost a minute after power is applied to be ready to have the time set or enter a greeting. Cheap cost cheap unit. I will look for a better replacement elsewhere. AT&T answering machine was the best I owned so far.
[1 of 1 customers found this review helpful]
difficult to use, piece of junk
[1 of 1 customers found this review helpful]
from KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI on 5/31/2008
I SET UP THIS ANSWERING MACHINE AND I COULD NOT GET IT TO ANSWER CALLS! WHAT'S THE POINT IN HAVING AN ANSWERING MACHINE IF IT DOESN'T ANSWER YOUR CALLS!
[1 of 1 customers found this review helpful]
from Chicago IL on 5/4/2008
This was a Christmas present. It seemed needlessly complicated with different mailboxes. Biggest complaint is the quick "blip" instead of long tone for people to leave message. I never get full messages and sometimes get just the last 2 or 3 words of a message. I have missed job interview chances and important info. The kicker is a friend checking to see if I was OK and I hurt their feelings by not returning the call. I never heard it!!! This thing is as reliable as yelling out the window to send a message. I am going to a different companies product.
from Fonda New York on 4/22/2008
Home use.. works good
[1 of 1 customers found this review helpful]
Give the money to charity rather than wasting it on this worthless piece of junk
[1 of 1 customers found this review helpful]
Now that I've been through the daylight savings time change I realize how ridiculously complicated it is to change the time. Other systems I had didn't require the manual. On mine even one of the icons didn't match what was on my system. I'm so greatful I still have my 1994 Panasonic digital answering system. Maybe the next revision will be even more complicated. That seems to be the trend. It still cut callers off and only 1 minute of time isn't enough. I now only use this for a "memo" system on my intercom line.
[1 of 1 customers found this review helpful]
will not answer calls properly. Will not allow time for caller to register calls. Difficult to operate. Poor product
Gave this as a gift, only to be informed later than no English instructions were supplied with the product, and users had difficulty retrieving messages. "Return period" had expired by the time I returned article to Radio Shack store. Difficult to set time, retrieve messages. Not user friendly.
[1 of 1 customers found this review helpful]
Could not retrieve phone messages from the machine when off site because it required a land-line access. The cell phone could not retrieve phone messages when out of the office.
from Long Beach, CA on 1/6/2008
You can't change remote access code. Fatal flaw, only can retrieve messages for main mailbox using toll saver feature, what a joke!! Time is ridiculous to set, this is my third TAD from Radio Shack (brand) the other 2 machines were exceptional. Shame on Radio Shack, the worst quality and answering machine I've ever bought, returning mine.
from Los Angeles on 11/19/2007
would not recommend it, some what difficult to program. Only lasted 3 months, before it broke down. I would recommend a higher quality answering machine
Very good audio quality, much better that AT&Ts latest basic system. I didn't realize that the message length was only a minute. I've had a few caller's messages that were incomplete. I'd rather see a little less capacity and more recording time in the general mailbox. Would be nice to be able to press * or # to bypass the greeting and leave a message.
from Brookline, MA on 11/12/2007
Good features: reasonable sound, 3 mailboxes plus a "general" mailbox (why wouldn't you just have a 4th?), generous 60 minute total recording time, compact, well-priced. Bad features: checking remote messages requires*1, *2, *3, or 1# (for general mailbox), inconsistent interface means clumsy to remember and use. Day and time announcement comes after the message, rather than before. 3 digit remote access code is not resetable. The deal-breaker is that the toll saver feature, standard on most answering machines so that when you call remotely you can tell there are no new messages if the phone rings 3 times (it will answer after 2 rings if there is a new message), only works for the "general" mailbox, not when there is a new message in mailbox 1, 2, or 3. Why would one possibly design a unit in this way? The idea is to allow you to hang up and save a call if there are no new messages. In this unit, if there is a new message in mailbox 1, 2, or 3, there's no way of knowing when you call in.
so people can't and won't be able to leave messages. Great for busy office.
One of the rare. ans machine-only (without telephone & other superfluous bells or whistles) on market with large message capacity--most ans machines only hold 15-20 mins max. This is great. Lost my instructions but are downloadable. Very reliable. Very pleased (especially for the money!)
Nothing is simple, and how in the heck do you change the time!!!???
from Canada on 9/17/2007
This totally sucked. I had another phone/answering machine from Radio Shack and it was junk...ie couldn't properly hear from the headset.. volume was way too low at even the highest setting. This was just another disappointment. Never again.
[1 of 1 customers found this review helpful]
from Vermont on 9/12/2007
The machine cuts off messages after a minute. There are no directions on how to use the mailboxes to get more message time. [...]
This machine will record 1 minute of a message per call unless you set up multiple mail boxes. Setting up multiple mail boxes is impossible, since there is no documentation on how to do this.
What a piece of garbage.
from New Orleans, LA on 7/24/2007
* Doesn't understand Distinctive Ringing/"RingMaster". If the machine is set to answer on the 4th ring and you have a Distinctive Ring pattern of short-long-short, the machine counts the first ring as 3 and then instantly answers at the beginning of the second ring (which it believes to be #4).
* 5 minute maximum record time per caller ONLY IF you use the mailbox feature and callers dial *1, *2, or *3 before leaving their message. Not using the mailboxes or a caller failing to enter a mailbox code results in only ONE minute of recording time.
* Mailbox usage requires TWO button presses. (*1, *2 or *3) This is overly cumbersome.
* Remote Code for retrieving messages away from home is factory preset and CANNOT BE CHANGED. If someone discovers your code you'll have to replace the entire machine to maintain privacy.
from Northern NY on 7/17/2007
Machine is complicated and is missing pertinent information to describe what is seen on machine screen. Have to push buttons quickly or start over again. Can't get outgoing message into machine when machine says "messages are full" when there are no messages. Too complicated for older people.
Self explanitory to a person with a brain.
[1 of 1 customers found this review helpful]
from Seal Beach, California, USA on 5/27/2007
one of the worst answering machines to set up. Very difficult, not straight forward. Many dual use buttons to use for changing time and date and for recording messages..
No instructions of how to use the mailboxes and thats the only way you can have a longer time for incoming messages
I have had this machine over 30 days. It answers calls, but won't play back any calls. Going back to radio shack today.
[1 of 1 customers found this review helpful]
Length of time for incoming messages is too short. Best if this could be reset. Too many detailed calls that have to call back to get a full message. Thanks
I have had it a month, and already it is cutting off messages after just a short time, just as another reviewer stated.
Despite the hype that it has "extended recording time," this machine cuts callers off after about 20 seconds, with no warning. Also, if there's a power outage, even a brief one, you have to re-set everything and re-record the outgoing message.
Maybe I am not using it right but it cuts people off after a short time.
good for home use for long messages
[0 of 1 customers found this review helpful]
Bought it yesterday to replace my tape equipped answeing system. I really love it - it is the cat's MEOW