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| Freeplay EyeMax AM/FM LED Radio | 
 enlarge | Brand: Freeplay Corporation
Category: CE
List Price: $54.95
Buy New: $49.00
You Save: $5.95 (11%)
New (3) from $49.00
Avg. Customer Rating:  3 reviews
Sales Rank: 15588
Color: Bue
Media: Electronics
Batteries Included: Yes
Clothing Size: Small
Size: Small
Shipping Weight (lbs): 2.1
Dimensions (in): 2 x 7 x 4
MPN: EYM
Model: EYM
EAN: 6008553000533
ASIN: B000BC98H8
Release Date: September 29, 2006
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Customer Reviews:
Great emergency crank-up am/fm radio May 5, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
I think very highly of the quality craftsmanship as well as the technological achievements present in this emergency AM/FM radio. It has the most efficient crank mechanism on the market and comes complete with an AC/DC adapter charger, a telescoping antenna, a large and good quality speaker, a single and bright LED flashlight, a separate LED for indicating the optimal charging crank-rate (that also makes a decent night-light and also shows that external AC power is being supplied to the unit) as well as a solar panel for both charging the internal batteries and also providing sufficient power to still operate the radio normally. The crank operates equally well using either a clockwise (cw) or a ccw rotation too so even if you forget, you can't damage it by turning the crank the wrong way! As advertised, 30 seconds of cranking gives 35 minutes of medium volume listening (or 25 minutes of loud volume levels) and the listening time increases proportionally if you crank it even longer.
The system is totally analog, lacks weatherband, shortwave, aircraft as well as TV bands. but is nonetheless quite useful as well as readily affordable if you wait for a sale. Freeplay also makes a much more expensive digital model with shortwave bands as well, but it is very hard to build all these as quality features including a digital PLL (Phase locked loop) synthesized radio for a reasonable price that people will also buy. My advice is too stick with a much simpler, quality made device that you know will work reliably in a pinch when it is really needed. One really nice feature for example is that the FM antenna can be simply stored in the radio when not being used, but when it is needed it can easily be fully extended. This also greatly reduces the chances of it being broken off inadvertently in an emergency situation in my opinion.
The analog vernier dial is very easy to tune for both AM/FM and allows an extra large amount of turning to easily and precisely tune the am/fm bands. The volume control on the side controls all available bands. It also has a jack for a earphone/headphone during quiet times. Finally the provided charger can also be left plugged in indefinitely because after the first 24 hours of preconditioning the battery pack (sealed internal Nickel Metal Hydride batteries), it will continue to keep them fully charged until the advent of an emergency by trickle charging (by applying only very small amounts of current). In the meantime you can feel completely free to use it as an everyday quality and very enjoyable listening device. Most of all I like how totally reliable and redundant the many independent systems are on this radio.
For camping and roughing it, it would have been better if Freeplay had provided a carrying strap for the radio (to attach to the provided eyelet) just for something to grab quickly, but for general household emergency purposes it is just fine. Of course you can always add your own strap if you feel that you require it for camping, etc. In a real emergency however you will be very glad to have purchased this quality instrument in my opinion.
Finally I intend to buy several more of these units for my immediate and extended family members who really need this device.
Purchased for emergencies by this is the radio I use daily. September 8, 2006
20 out of 20 found this review helpful
My Freeplay radio usually teams up with a satellite radio. The only static has been when the solar cell is hit by direct sunlight while the radio is already running on windup or electric power. Otherwise the sound is clear.
Winding up is easy. The radio is compact. You can look through the plastic to see the inner mechanics.
I am out in the desert. Two other radios get halfway decent reception from one commercial radio station. The Freeplay picks up five commercial stations, one with no static, so this little radio is a mighty mouse. No complaints with it.
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