Product Description

Under Kitchen Cabinet Apple¿ iPod & Shuffle Stereo Player with FM/TV/Weather Band & Remote Control

Product Details

• Color: White
• Brand: Soundesign
• Model: IH36W
• Format: CD
• Dimensions: 3.00" h x 11.00" w x 13.00" l, 8.50 pounds

Features

• Listen to iPod, FM1, FM2, TV or weather channels in your kitchen
• Motorized drawer stores iPod when not in use
• 3 line display shows what's playing on iPod when iPod is hidden
• Clock with cooking timer
• Compatibility: iPod nano (1G only), iPod mini, 3G iPod, 4G iPod with click wheel, iPod Color, iPod Video, iPod shuffle (1G only)

Amazon.com Product Description
Save counter space in your kitchen or workshop while still enjoying your full iPod library with the iHome under-cabinet stereo. Boasting a built-in dock that charges your iPod, an integrated FM/TV/weather tuner, and a three-line display that tells you what's playing from a distance, the unit is perfect for space-challenged users everywhere. To mount the system, simply locate a cabinet, shelf, or desk with roughly 5 inches of underside space. Once you've determined the ideal location, the system installs discreetly using the included mounting hardware. Within minutes you'll have access to hundreds of iPod playlists, the full FM radio spectrum, the audio channels of select TV stations, or any of the built-in weather band channels, all in the comfort of your kitchen or garage.

The motorized docking station is built to protect your iPod--a must in cooking and working environments--with a tray that slides the iPod out of sight while you listen. In addition, it's easy to switch from station to station thanks to the 12 tuner presets, which include four FM1, four FM2, and four TV presets. Best of all, the unit sounds great thanks to the Reson8 ported speaker technology, which delivers full, rich audio through the pair of 3-watt speakers.

Other details include a 120-minute cooking timer for kitchen use, an easy-to-clean vinyl membrane keypad, a factory-preset clock with calendar, a battery backup function that maintains the clock settings after a power failure, and a remote control that adjusts the radio and iPod settings. The remote even includes a magnetic backing that attaches to the side of the iHome player. The unit, which measures 13.03 by 3.28 by 10.98 inches (W x H x D), is backed by a 90-day warranty

iPod Compatibility
iPod nano 1G, iPod mini, iPod 3G, iPod 4G (Click Wheel), iPod color, iPod video 5G/5.5G, and iPod shuffle 1G.

What's in the Box
IH36W under-counter iPod player, power cord, remote control, two AAA batteries (for remote), two AA batteries (for battery backup), iPod inserts, mounting hardware, user's manual.

Customer Reviews

shockingly good
I tried this item at a local store and was pretty impressed with the sound. When we got it home we were even more pleased. Both of our ipods fit perfectly (I use the included adapter for my mini and the 60g just slides right in). The sound is fantastic - especially if you set your ipod equalizer on the small speaker setting. Having said that, the sound is much better than the average small speakers. There isn't the usual tinny quality and the bass comes through surprisingly well. The extras are great, too. There is a remote with a magnet on the back so that you can stick it on your fridge. When you close the pod compartment the display shows the song info so that you can see it from across the kitchen. And the fact that it has radio, weather band and tv station reception are all just bonuses. Heck, it even charges your pod for you! I also like the way it looks - its very neutral so you really don't even notice it. A lot of pod accessories are really unnecessary and overrated, but not this one!

A Surprising Must-Have
When I was given this iHome under-counter speaker system as a gift, I was not thrilled. I already had Altec Lansing inMotion Portable Audio System for iPod for my iPod, and I was not a fan of kitchen electronics. Within minutes of its installation, however, I fell in love with it. The sound is much richer and clearer than what comes out of my Altec speakers. I use the iHome almost every day.

Most people will buy this for its iPod capabilities, although the other features are nice since they replace what many people might have already had in their kitchen. With a single touch, the iPod holder glides out and down. The adaptors that come with the system accommodate most iPod models (not the Shuffle and possibly not the new touch screen 3G, although I don't know about this last); while the iPods fit without these pieces of plastic, the improper support may bend the connections when the iPod is inside the unit. Once inserted, the iPod can be played either outside or inside the machine. Best of all, the iHome screen displays the song being played as well as the artist and the album, a great feature especially when you're listening to a new album or shuffling. The FM radio gets decent reception if you run the antenna wire under your cabinets; the weather radio is automatically tuned and comes in as good as any weather station will. (There's also a "tv" mode which I've never used.) When not in use, the unit displays the time. If you want to store the iPod in the sleeve, it acts as a dock, leaving your iPod always charged and ready to travel. If you leave iHome on and set your iPod's alarm, the music will play at the predetermined time.

The connectors for the unit allow for different hanging heights. Mine is installed with in a 5 ½ inch space, from the cabinet connection point to the lowest point on the unit, and it could take up even less space if I didn't have cabinet molding not flush with the bottom of the cabinet itself. The actual dimensions, not including connectors, are 13 inches wide, 10 ¾ inches deep, and 3 inches high.

The only flaw with this system is the occasional hiccup. When you start the iPod outside of the unit and then close the holder, the sound stops for a second or two, then resumes. Less often, my iPod, especially when left in an open holder, will display as though it has just been synched, and this prevents the alarm from working.

While not providing high-end range, the iHome under-counter player still provides good, relatively clean sound, especially for a kitchen setting where one isn't likely to sit and listen intently. This would make a wonderful gift for anyone who has an ipod. Don't be surprised if the recipient seems indifferent at first - that will quickly change! I highly recommend this.

Very disappointing
How useful is a kitchen radio that can't pick up the radio stations you listen to?
I read the reviews and had high hopes for this unit but now I am very puzzled by the reviewers who said the reception is great. Perhaps I just got a bad unit.
I wanted a kitchen radio that would receive the radio stations I normally listen to ... local Public Radio, Classical FM and local FM. This unit will only pick up 4 of the strongest FM signals, none of which are stations I normally listen to. It will not pick up any of the weather channels and only 2 TV audio channels. I know that, with all the appliances, a kitchen is a hostile environment for a radio, so I switched off my cordless phone, the wireless internet, my cell phone, the dish washer and any other appliances near the radio and tried again. No improvement. So I then tried the radio in all the other rooms in the house, no significant improvement. Then I tried all the other radios in the house in the kitchen. All but one could pick up the stations I wanted. Conclusion: Either the receiver or the antenna are totally inadequate on this model for my home. I find it very disappointing that with so many good receivers available this one should be so poor. There is no facility to attach an external antenna and the instruction book expressly tells you not to.

The ipod functionality is good. My Ipod video worked nicely with it. Sound quality is good, but it is no use to me if it is a kitchen radio that cannot receive anything but the strongest radio signals. A nice idea for freeing up counter space and integrating an iPod ... but it doesn't work for me. I'll stick to the $20 counter top radio I have. Returned.