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 Customer Reviews
Vista, 09 Nov 2008
This phone worked fine when I had XP, but having changed computer and had Vista I could not get the phone to work.
Vista - advertised as compatible, it's not - don't BUY, 02 Nov 2008
This phone looks great, feels great and as a phone is great. When it comes to connecting to vista it's not. XP works fine. Vista doesn't recognise the phone regardless of different drivers etc. Be warned and type in Philips 321 on the skype forums and you'll see what I mean.
Don't buy if you have Vista, 31 Oct 2008
Having bought this product in February 2008 it installed and worked fine with Windows XP and I was very pleased with it. However I have recently changed my pc which now uses Vista since which time trying to get this phone installed and working has become a complete nightmare. No matter what I have attempted to do and having loaded the latest version for the phone and Skype the system just will not allow the phone to work. I contacted Philips helpdesk who were very helpful and made a few suggestions but when these did not work they implied that the incompatibility of the soundcard and Vista was blocking the phone !!!! I am very disappointed with the phone and would not recommend that anyone purchase this phone who has Vista installed on their pc. This review would have been a 5* if I was still using XP.
Very disappointing product but impressed with Amazon, 16 Oct 2008
I wish I had read a few more reviews for this before I bought it. Firstly, I was expecting a 'no pc required' voip phone and was disappointed to discover it wasn't. However, I thought I would give it a go as we needed a new landline phone. In hindsight, a yoghurt pot and a piece of string would have provided a clearer call than this "phone" - it was worse than dire. I could not hear the 3rd party, despite turning the volume up to max and the interference was awful - every few seconds an intermittent crackling noise which lasted about 5 seconds would occur. This was never a problem with our old portable handsets so I knew it was the actual phone as opposed to our telephone line. In it's defence, the quality of the skype call was crystal clear but we needed it primarily as a landline and so we sent it back. I sent it back by courier 2 days ago and received an email from Amazon this morning to inform me that a full refund was going through. I would never ever buy a Philips phone again and would recommend everyone gives this particular model a wide berth, however, on a brighter note, Amazon were excellent and I am very impressed at their very speedy, no nonsense returns and refund policy.
vista problems!!!, 15 Oct 2008
Although they say this item is vista compatible beware!!! Despire the reviews here saying it's simply a case of downloading the latest driver it's not that simple. Search google for 'VOIP321 vista driver' and you'll find a community of people all of whom can't get this working with vista.
The only reported solution is having to install an extra PCI VIA 6212L Chipset based 4/5 port usb controller. (these are around £7) but still it's an extra headache. [update: have installed this usb card, unistalled skype and Voip321 software and renistalled from the vista download on philips site and.. it worked!!] Intially I'd had problems with the microphone not recording but this was fixed by uninstall reinstall. I also had to loose a TV tuner card to free up a pci slot for the usb hub which is a pain and shouldn't have been necessary.
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Product Description
The KX-TG1103 DECT wireless phone from Panasonic has a number of useful functions. The compact KX-TG1103 includes a speed-dial feature, 50-name contacts list and 14 different ringtone melodies!The KX-TG1103 is easy to use and lets you move about freely as you talk. The KX-TG1103 DECT 3 pack allows you to install the handsets throughout your home, giving you quick and easy access to your telephone line whenever you receive a call.
Customer Reviews
Vista, 09 Nov 2008
This phone worked fine when I had XP, but having changed computer and had Vista I could not get the phone to work.
Vista - advertised as compatible, it's not - don't BUY, 02 Nov 2008
This phone looks great, feels great and as a phone is great. When it comes to connecting to vista it's not. XP works fine. Vista doesn't recognise the phone regardless of different drivers etc. Be warned and type in Philips 321 on the skype forums and you'll see what I mean.
Don't buy if you have Vista, 31 Oct 2008
Having bought this product in February 2008 it installed and worked fine with Windows XP and I was very pleased with it. However I have recently changed my pc which now uses Vista since which time trying to get this phone installed and working has become a complete nightmare. No matter what I have attempted to do and having loaded the latest version for the phone and Skype the system just will not allow the phone to work. I contacted Philips helpdesk who were very helpful and made a few suggestions but when these did not work they implied that the incompatibility of the soundcard and Vista was blocking the phone !!!! I am very disappointed with the phone and would not recommend that anyone purchase this phone who has Vista installed on their pc. This review would have been a 5* if I was still using XP.
Very disappointing product but impressed with Amazon, 16 Oct 2008
I wish I had read a few more reviews for this before I bought it. Firstly, I was expecting a 'no pc required' voip phone and was disappointed to discover it wasn't. However, I thought I would give it a go as we needed a new landline phone. In hindsight, a yoghurt pot and a piece of string would have provided a clearer call than this "phone" - it was worse than dire. I could not hear the 3rd party, despite turning the volume up to max and the interference was awful - every few seconds an intermittent crackling noise which lasted about 5 seconds would occur. This was never a problem with our old portable handsets so I knew it was the actual phone as opposed to our telephone line. In it's defence, the quality of the skype call was crystal clear but we needed it primarily as a landline and so we sent it back. I sent it back by courier 2 days ago and received an email from Amazon this morning to inform me that a full refund was going through. I would never ever buy a Philips phone again and would recommend everyone gives this particular model a wide berth, however, on a brighter note, Amazon were excellent and I am very impressed at their very speedy, no nonsense returns and refund policy.
vista problems!!!, 15 Oct 2008
Although they say this item is vista compatible beware!!! Despire the reviews here saying it's simply a case of downloading the latest driver it's not that simple. Search google for 'VOIP321 vista driver' and you'll find a community of people all of whom can't get this working with vista.
The only reported solution is having to install an extra PCI VIA 6212L Chipset based 4/5 port usb controller. (these are around £7) but still it's an extra headache. [update: have installed this usb card, unistalled skype and Voip321 software and renistalled from the vista download on philips site and.. it worked!!] Intially I'd had problems with the microphone not recording but this was fixed by uninstall reinstall. I also had to loose a TV tuner card to free up a pci slot for the usb hub which is a pain and shouldn't have been necessary.
Good Phone, Poor Ergonomics, 24 Mar 2007
We bought these phones because we were getting terrible interference and noise on the BT FM wireless phones we were using. These Panasonic digital phones are far better with only slight background hiss, problem solved! Battery life seems good and they use standard rechargeables so replacements will be cheap.
Controls and menus are fiddly though making setup a pain although they do have a stack of useful features, like being able to call between the handsets and assign different ringing tones to each one. Which would be nicer if the ringing tones were pleasant!
Overall, a good phone at a good price but lumbered with convoluted ergonomics and annoying ringtones.
Beware Some Shortcomings ..., 29 Jan 2007
I have purchased several Panasonic DECT phones in the past. This set cannot be used with them or any other DECT phone -- it is not GAP compliant, according to the Panasonic support centre, despite the feature being listed in the Amazon description. No speaker-phone capability (my oversight); cheap, light construction; cheap AAA re-chargeables. Not up to usual Panasonic standards
Great value, 17 Aug 2006
Got this poackage from Amazon and am very impressed. Very easy to set up, battery life is excellent. Feature packed. Can transfer and make calls between handsets. Handsets feel robust and well made. Phones have adjustable ring volume and can ring very loudly. Reception quality is excellent. Have been very pleased with this package.
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Product Description
With the VOIP 321 you can make free Skype calls as well as normal landline calls. You can make and take calls on both networks from one single handset, and you can see who is on-line without going to the PC, just by looking at the display.Main Features:Free calls worldwide via Skype to any other Skype usersDirect Skype key to access your contacts listSkype conference calls with several friendsMake or take calls via SkypeMake or take calls via landlineLow rate call cost on standard phone numbers via SkypeOut...
Customer Reviews
Vista, 09 Nov 2008
This phone worked fine when I had XP, but having changed computer and had Vista I could not get the phone to work.
Vista - advertised as compatible, it's not - don't BUY, 02 Nov 2008
This phone looks great, feels great and as a phone is great. When it comes to connecting to vista it's not. XP works fine. Vista doesn't recognise the phone regardless of different drivers etc. Be warned and type in Philips 321 on the skype forums and you'll see what I mean.
Don't buy if you have Vista, 31 Oct 2008
Having bought this product in February 2008 it installed and worked fine with Windows XP and I was very pleased with it. However I have recently changed my pc which now uses Vista since which time trying to get this phone installed and working has become a complete nightmare. No matter what I have attempted to do and having loaded the latest version for the phone and Skype the system just will not allow the phone to work. I contacted Philips helpdesk who were very helpful and made a few suggestions but when these did not work they implied that the incompatibility of the soundcard and Vista was blocking the phone !!!! I am very disappointed with the phone and would not recommend that anyone purchase this phone who has Vista installed on their pc. This review would have been a 5* if I was still using XP.
Very disappointing product but impressed with Amazon, 16 Oct 2008
I wish I had read a few more reviews for this before I bought it. Firstly, I was expecting a 'no pc required' voip phone and was disappointed to discover it wasn't. However, I thought I would give it a go as we needed a new landline phone. In hindsight, a yoghurt pot and a piece of string would have provided a clearer call than this "phone" - it was worse than dire. I could not hear the 3rd party, despite turning the volume up to max and the interference was awful - every few seconds an intermittent crackling noise which lasted about 5 seconds would occur. This was never a problem with our old portable handsets so I knew it was the actual phone as opposed to our telephone line. In it's defence, the quality of the skype call was crystal clear but we needed it primarily as a landline and so we sent it back. I sent it back by courier 2 days ago and received an email from Amazon this morning to inform me that a full refund was going through. I would never ever buy a Philips phone again and would recommend everyone gives this particular model a wide berth, however, on a brighter note, Amazon were excellent and I am very impressed at their very speedy, no nonsense returns and refund policy.
vista problems!!!, 15 Oct 2008
Although they say this item is vista compatible beware!!! Despire the reviews here saying it's simply a case of downloading the latest driver it's not that simple. Search google for 'VOIP321 vista driver' and you'll find a community of people all of whom can't get this working with vista.
The only reported solution is having to install an extra PCI VIA 6212L Chipset based 4/5 port usb controller. (these are around £7) but still it's an extra headache. [update: have installed this usb card, unistalled skype and Voip321 software and renistalled from the vista download on philips site and.. it worked!!] Intially I'd had problems with the microphone not recording but this was fixed by uninstall reinstall. I also had to loose a TV tuner card to free up a pci slot for the usb hub which is a pain and shouldn't have been necessary.
Good Phone, Poor Ergonomics, 24 Mar 2007
We bought these phones because we were getting terrible interference and noise on the BT FM wireless phones we were using. These Panasonic digital phones are far better with only slight background hiss, problem solved! Battery life seems good and they use standard rechargeables so replacements will be cheap.
Controls and menus are fiddly though making setup a pain although they do have a stack of useful features, like being able to call between the handsets and assign different ringing tones to each one. Which would be nicer if the ringing tones were pleasant!
Overall, a good phone at a good price but lumbered with convoluted ergonomics and annoying ringtones.
Beware Some Shortcomings ..., 29 Jan 2007
I have purchased several Panasonic DECT phones in the past. This set cannot be used with them or any other DECT phone -- it is not GAP compliant, according to the Panasonic support centre, despite the feature being listed in the Amazon description. No speaker-phone capability (my oversight); cheap, light construction; cheap AAA re-chargeables. Not up to usual Panasonic standards
Great value, 17 Aug 2006
Got this poackage from Amazon and am very impressed. Very easy to set up, battery life is excellent. Feature packed. Can transfer and make calls between handsets. Handsets feel robust and well made. Phones have adjustable ring volume and can ring very loudly. Reception quality is excellent. Have been very pleased with this package.
Great phone, 31 Oct 2008
I have only had this phone for a couple of days and originally found it was not working correctly when running Vista. However a quick visit to the Philips web site and a download of the latest software soon solved the problems. About to purchase a second handset for my daughter and am recommending it to everyone I know.
Not with XP Pro (64bit), 13 Oct 2008
I found this phone reasonably easy to set up and it worked well with Skype. However, shortly after I bought it, I upgraded my PC which also required an upgrade of the operating system from XP to XP Pro version. Unfortunately the drivers and software don't work with XP Pro so I can no longer use the phone. Disappointed.
Poor sound quality, 25 Sep 2008
Found the product simple to set up. Main problem the ring tone is so low you can't hear it and the handset volume is set to medium so so can't hear callers. After much fiddling with the menu to reset the volume(s) gave up and sent it back.
Very tempermental phone, 21 Sep 2008
Installed this phone a while ago and it worked for a short time. Then suddenly stopped being recognised by the pc as a USB device. Uninstalling and reinstalling made no difference. Rebuilt the pc from scratch, put the drivers back on(from the install cd) and 'usb device not recognised' error still apparent. Contacted philips customer support and they were no help. Wont be buying another Philips skype phone !
Doesn't work with Vista, 03 Sep 2008
I purchased this phone when I had XP and it worked fine. I have found it impossible however to get it working properly with Vista. Philips Customer Support is abysmal and the phone is now useless. Skype is an excellent tool but if you are running Vista choose a compatible phone NOT this one.
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Product Description
Cordless phone with 3 extra handsets, answering machine with remote access, caller display, 300m range, base station ringer volume control , paging, backlit display, switchboard compatible, call waiting, call timer, 255 no directory & text messaging.
Customer Reviews
Vista, 09 Nov 2008
This phone worked fine when I had XP, but having changed computer and had Vista I could not get the phone to work.
Vista - advertised as compatible, it's not - don't BUY, 02 Nov 2008
This phone looks great, feels great and as a phone is great. When it comes to connecting to vista it's not. XP works fine. Vista doesn't recognise the phone regardless of different drivers etc. Be warned and type in Philips 321 on the skype forums and you'll see what I mean.
Don't buy if you have Vista, 31 Oct 2008
Having bought this product in February 2008 it installed and worked fine with Windows XP and I was very pleased with it. However I have recently changed my pc which now uses Vista since which time trying to get this phone installed and working has become a complete nightmare. No matter what I have attempted to do and having loaded the latest version for the phone and Skype the system just will not allow the phone to work. I contacted Philips helpdesk who were very helpful and made a few suggestions but when these did not work they implied that the incompatibility of the soundcard and Vista was blocking the phone !!!! I am very disappointed with the phone and would not recommend that anyone purchase this phone who has Vista installed on their pc. This review would have been a 5* if I was still using XP.
Very disappointing product but impressed with Amazon, 16 Oct 2008
I wish I had read a few more reviews for this before I bought it. Firstly, I was expecting a 'no pc required' voip phone and was disappointed to discover it wasn't. However, I thought I would give it a go as we needed a new landline phone. In hindsight, a yoghurt pot and a piece of string would have provided a clearer call than this "phone" - it was worse than dire. I could not hear the 3rd party, despite turning the volume up to max and the interference was awful - every few seconds an intermittent crackling noise which lasted about 5 seconds would occur. This was never a problem with our old portable handsets so I knew it was the actual phone as opposed to our telephone line. In it's defence, the quality of the skype call was crystal clear but we needed it primarily as a landline and so we sent it back. I sent it back by courier 2 days ago and received an email from Amazon this morning to inform me that a full refund was going through. I would never ever buy a Philips phone again and would recommend everyone gives this particular model a wide berth, however, on a brighter note, Amazon were excellent and I am very impressed at their very speedy, no nonsense returns and refund policy.
vista problems!!!, 15 Oct 2008
Although they say this item is vista compatible beware!!! Despire the reviews here saying it's simply a case of downloading the latest driver it's not that simple. Search google for 'VOIP321 vista driver' and you'll find a community of people all of whom can't get this working with vista.
The only reported solution is having to install an extra PCI VIA 6212L Chipset based 4/5 port usb controller. (these are around £7) but still it's an extra headache. [update: have installed this usb card, unistalled skype and Voip321 software and renistalled from the vista download on philips site and.. it worked!!] Intially I'd had problems with the microphone not recording but this was fixed by uninstall reinstall. I also had to loose a TV tuner card to free up a pci slot for the usb hub which is a pain and shouldn't have been necessary.
Good Phone, Poor Ergonomics, 24 Mar 2007
We bought these phones because we were getting terrible interference and noise on the BT FM wireless phones we were using. These Panasonic digital phones are far better with only slight background hiss, problem solved! Battery life seems good and they use standard rechargeables so replacements will be cheap.
Controls and menus are fiddly though making setup a pain although they do have a stack of useful features, like being able to call between the handsets and assign different ringing tones to each one. Which would be nicer if the ringing tones were pleasant!
Overall, a good phone at a good price but lumbered with convoluted ergonomics and annoying ringtones.
Beware Some Shortcomings ..., 29 Jan 2007
I have purchased several Panasonic DECT phones in the past. This set cannot be used with them or any other DECT phone -- it is not GAP compliant, according to the Panasonic support centre, despite the feature being listed in the Amazon description. No speaker-phone capability (my oversight); cheap, light construction; cheap AAA re-chargeables. Not up to usual Panasonic standards
Great value, 17 Aug 2006
Got this poackage from Amazon and am very impressed. Very easy to set up, battery life is excellent. Feature packed. Can transfer and make calls between handsets. Handsets feel robust and well made. Phones have adjustable ring volume and can ring very loudly. Reception quality is excellent. Have been very pleased with this package.
Great phone, 31 Oct 2008
I have only had this phone for a couple of days and originally found it was not working correctly when running Vista. However a quick visit to the Philips web site and a download of the latest software soon solved the problems. About to purchase a second handset for my daughter and am recommending it to everyone I know.
Not with XP Pro (64bit), 13 Oct 2008
I found this phone reasonably easy to set up and it worked well with Skype. However, shortly after I bought it, I upgraded my PC which also required an upgrade of the operating system from XP to XP Pro version. Unfortunately the drivers and software don't work with XP Pro so I can no longer use the phone. Disappointed.
Poor sound quality, 25 Sep 2008
Found the product simple to set up. Main problem the ring tone is so low you can't hear it and the handset volume is set to medium so so can't hear callers. After much fiddling with the menu to reset the volume(s) gave up and sent it back.
Very tempermental phone, 21 Sep 2008
Installed this phone a while ago and it worked for a short time. Then suddenly stopped being recognised by the pc as a USB device. Uninstalling and reinstalling made no difference. Rebuilt the pc from scratch, put the drivers back on(from the install cd) and 'usb device not recognised' error still apparent. Contacted philips customer support and they were no help. Wont be buying another Philips skype phone !
Doesn't work with Vista, 03 Sep 2008
I purchased this phone when I had XP and it worked fine. I have found it impossible however to get it working properly with Vista. Philips Customer Support is abysmal and the phone is now useless. Skype is an excellent tool but if you are running Vista choose a compatible phone NOT this one.
AVOID AT ALL COSTS!!!!!!, 17 Nov 2008
I would have awarded no stars if the system would have allowed me.
After 14 months of use, 3 of the 4 phones are now unusable and Amazon have fallen back on the fact that the one year warrantee has run out and will not replace.
Appalling waste of money, £90+ spent on a phone system that does not work after just over a year - anyone considering these phones should take heed.
This is the first time I have had a problem with anything bought from Amazon, but I am now very wary about buying anything other than a CD or DVD from Amazon in the future. Given that three of the four phones have failed suggests something fundamentally wrong with the units something that any High Street retailer would recognise and would offer a without prejudice replacement.
BT SYNERGY 4500 Dect Quad With Answering Machine, 13 Jan 2008
Really impressed and pleased with my purchase, especially the price - almost £40 cheaper from Amazon than in Argos!!!
The phones look good, so simple to programme and set up. I would recommend these phones to anyone!
Nothing but trouble!, 21 Dec 2007
I got these from amazon and one the phones didn't work. I sent it back and got some from argos and they didn't work!!! I finally got a good replacement and the battery life on these things are rubbish! They have been nothing but trouble and they are messy phones. Dont bother with them!
perfect, 24 Nov 2007
I am very pleased with these phones and correspondace has been brilliant. would deal with again.
POOR SOUND, 20 Nov 2007
For a phone, sound quality is everything. This phone is very poor when it comes to other people hearing you. Sounds like you are talking through cotton wool. High frequencies are all but non existent. There is a constant buzz in the background (not noticeable to the third party), also the sound distorts and the battery life is not good. AVOID!!!
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Product Description
BT SYNERGY 4500 DECT TELEPHONE TRIO
Customer Reviews
Vista, 09 Nov 2008
This phone worked fine when I had XP, but having changed computer and had Vista I could not get the phone to work.
Vista - advertised as compatible, it's not - don't BUY, 02 Nov 2008
This phone looks great, feels great and as a phone is great. When it comes to connecting to vista it's not. XP works fine. Vista doesn't recognise the phone regardless of different drivers etc. Be warned and type in Philips 321 on the skype forums and you'll see what I mean.
Don't buy if you have Vista, 31 Oct 2008
Having bought this product in February 2008 it installed and worked fine with Windows XP and I was very pleased with it. However I have recently changed my pc which now uses Vista since which time trying to get this phone installed and working has become a complete nightmare. No matter what I have attempted to do and having loaded the latest version for the phone and Skype the system just will not allow the phone to work. I contacted Philips helpdesk who were very helpful and made a few suggestions but when these did not work they implied that the incompatibility of the soundcard and Vista was blocking the phone !!!! I am very disappointed with the phone and would not recommend that anyone purchase this phone who has Vista installed on their pc. This review would have been a 5* if I was still using XP.
Very disappointing product but impressed with Amazon, 16 Oct 2008
I wish I had read a few more reviews for this before I bought it. Firstly, I was expecting a 'no pc required' voip phone and was disappointed to discover it wasn't. However, I thought I would give it a go as we needed a new landline phone. In hindsight, a yoghurt pot and a piece of string would have provided a clearer call than this "phone" - it was worse than dire. I could not hear the 3rd party, despite turning the volume up to max and the interference was awful - every few seconds an intermittent crackling noise which lasted about 5 seconds would occur. This was never a problem with our old portable handsets so I knew it was the actual phone as opposed to our telephone line. In it's defence, the quality of the skype call was crystal clear but we needed it primarily as a landline and so we sent it back. I sent it back by courier 2 days ago and received an email from Amazon this morning to inform me that a full refund was going through. I would never ever buy a Philips phone again and would recommend everyone gives this particular model a wide berth, however, on a brighter note, Amazon were excellent and I am very impressed at their very speedy, no nonsense returns and refund policy.
vista problems!!!, 15 Oct 2008
Although they say this item is vista compatible beware!!! Despire the reviews here saying it's simply a case of downloading the latest driver it's not that simple. Search google for 'VOIP321 vista driver' and you'll find a community of people all of whom can't get this working with vista.
The only reported solution is having to install an extra PCI VIA 6212L Chipset based 4/5 port usb controller. (these are around £7) but still it's an extra headache. [update: have installed this usb card, unistalled skype and Voip321 software and renistalled from the vista download on philips site and.. it worked!!] Intially I'd had problems with the microphone not recording but this was fixed by uninstall reinstall. I also had to loose a TV tuner card to free up a pci slot for the usb hub which is a pain and shouldn't have been necessary.
Good Phone, Poor Ergonomics, 24 Mar 2007
We bought these phones because we were getting terrible interference and noise on the BT FM wireless phones we were using. These Panasonic digital phones are far better with only slight background hiss, problem solved! Battery life seems good and they use standard rechargeables so replacements will be cheap.
Controls and menus are fiddly though making setup a pain although they do have a stack of useful features, like being able to call between the handsets and assign different ringing tones to each one. Which would be nicer if the ringing tones were pleasant!
Overall, a good phone at a good price but lumbered with convoluted ergonomics and annoying ringtones.
Beware Some Shortcomings ..., 29 Jan 2007
I have purchased several Panasonic DECT phones in the past. This set cannot be used with them or any other DECT phone -- it is not GAP compliant, according to the Panasonic support centre, despite the feature being listed in the Amazon description. No speaker-phone capability (my oversight); cheap, light construction; cheap AAA re-chargeables. Not up to usual Panasonic standards
Great value, 17 Aug 2006
Got this poackage from Amazon and am very impressed. Very easy to set up, battery life is excellent. Feature packed. Can transfer and make calls between handsets. Handsets feel robust and well made. Phones have adjustable ring volume and can ring very loudly. Reception quality is excellent. Have been very pleased with this package.
Great phone, 31 Oct 2008
I have only had this phone for a couple of days and originally found it was not working correctly when running Vista. However a quick visit to the Philips web site and a download of the latest software soon solved the problems. About to purchase a second handset for my daughter and am recommending it to everyone I know.
Not with XP Pro (64bit), 13 Oct 2008
I found this phone reasonably easy to set up and it worked well with Skype. However, shortly after I bought it, I upgraded my PC which also required an upgrade of the operating system from XP to XP Pro version. Unfortunately the drivers and software don't work with XP Pro so I can no longer use the phone. Disappointed.
Poor sound quality, 25 Sep 2008
Found the product simple to set up. Main problem the ring tone is so low you can't hear it and the handset volume is set to medium so so can't hear callers. After much fiddling with the menu to reset the volume(s) gave up and sent it back.
Very tempermental phone, 21 Sep 2008
Installed this phone a while ago and it worked for a short time. Then suddenly stopped being recognised by the pc as a USB device. Uninstalling and reinstalling made no difference. Rebuilt the pc from scratch, put the drivers back on(from the install cd) and 'usb device not recognised' error still apparent. Contacted philips customer support and they were no help. Wont be buying another Philips skype phone !
Doesn't work with Vista, 03 Sep 2008
I purchased this phone when I had XP and it worked fine. I have found it impossible however to get it working properly with Vista. Philips Customer Support is abysmal and the phone is now useless. Skype is an excellent tool but if you are running Vista choose a compatible phone NOT this one.
AVOID AT ALL COSTS!!!!!!, 17 Nov 2008
I would have awarded no stars if the system would have allowed me.
After 14 months of use, 3 of the 4 phones are now unusable and Amazon have fallen back on the fact that the one year warrantee has run out and will not replace.
Appalling waste of money, £90+ spent on a phone system that does not work after just over a year - anyone considering these phones should take heed.
This is the first time I have had a problem with anything bought from Amazon, but I am now very wary about buying anything other than a CD or DVD from Amazon in the future. Given that three of the four phones have failed suggests something fundamentally wrong with the units something that any High Street retailer would recognise and would offer a without prejudice replacement.
BT SYNERGY 4500 Dect Quad With Answering Machine, 13 Jan 2008
Really impressed and pleased with my purchase, especially the price - almost £40 cheaper from Amazon than in Argos!!!
The phones look good, so simple to programme and set up. I would recommend these phones to anyone!
Nothing but trouble!, 21 Dec 2007
I got these from amazon and one the phones didn't work. I sent it back and got some from argos and they didn't work!!! I finally got a good replacement and the battery life on these things are rubbish! They have been nothing but trouble and they are messy phones. Dont bother with them!
perfect, 24 Nov 2007
I am very pleased with these phones and correspondace has been brilliant. would deal with again.
POOR SOUND, 20 Nov 2007
For a phone, sound quality is everything. This phone is very poor when it comes to other people hearing you. Sounds like you are talking through cotton wool. High frequencies are all but non existent. There is a constant buzz in the background (not noticeable to the third party), also the sound distorts and the battery life is not good. AVOID!!!
Don't waste your money, 20 Oct 2008
Bought this phone approx. a year ago. It was great for about 6 months but rapidly went down hill. The battery life is very poor, the phones cut off for no reason and have become completely unreliable.
Absolute Rubbish. Avoid at all costs, 10 Oct 2008
These phones are absolute rubbish. We have had the trio set for just over a year and they have been nothing but trouble. I cant wait to replace them.
Constant Problems as follows:
1. They constantly cut out almost EVERY TIME when you pick up to answer. Sometime they cut out when the phone rings before you even get to the handset!!!
2. On the odd occasion they do work, the battery life is awful
3. If you dial a number too quickly, the handset crashes and keeps adding numbers
4. Irritating ringtones
5. Hardly audible earpiece speaker so you end up pressing the phone against your head even when you are indoors!!
Awful awful awful. I would rather have polystyrene cups strung between pieces of string.
terrible phones, 16 Jul 2008
I bought a set of four of these phones a few months back, and they have all since started playing up. They switch off when you try to answer them, and when you attempt to dial out. I would take them back, but found them so infuriating that I have smashed two of them to pieces in temper. Avoid at all costs.
Good Phone - No Problems So Far, 06 May 2008
We've had this phone for 5 months now, and haven't had any problems with it. The sound quality is good, but not quite as good as our previous wired (non-cordless) phones.
We live in a sizeable 1930s 4 bedroomed brick-built house, and the phone works well all over the house and in the garden. We found an acceptable ring tone, and it is loud enough for us.
We haven't had any problems with battery life. Also, the phone is plugged into the same phone socket as our BT Homehub, and we haven't had any problems with interference between these two wireless devices.
The reason we bought a cordless phone was because the extension wiring for phone sockets round the house was slowing down the broadband line speed - it increased from less than 500kb to over 2mb when the extension wiring was disconnected.
Good start - but soon disappointed, 16 Apr 2008
We were very fortunate to pick up a 4 handset one in the Next sale for £55. Bargain we thought. It's lasted 3 months.
About a week ago I suddenly noticed that one of the handsets was flashing 'Base 1'. Strange... I checked the other handsets and they were all doing it. I tried to make a call but the phones just didn't work! So I read the manual. Troubleshooting seemed to think it was that the handsets weren't registered to the base. So I went through the instructions for registering and it didn't work.
Tried all of the usual fix it yourself options (power off for 10 secs, unplug from phone line etc) - still nothing.
Phoned the helpline number in the book then next day (no answer that night). Went through a few manufacturer's options that aren't printed in the book. Still not working. So I was told basically - tough, you'll have to return it to where you bought it from and get your money back. I wanted them to fix it (it's probably just the transmitter in the base unit) because we won't be able to pick up a replacement 4 handset phone of the same quality for the money that we paid. Not interested, despite the fact the instruction book gives a 12 month warrenty that implies they will take it back from you and fix it!
Now we were considering just buying a single unit to get the new base - but upon reading the reviews on here I think I have changed my mind. I wouldn't recommend this to anyone now - which is a shame because the features with it were exactly what we needed.
I've never had a BT phone before and probably won't again now.
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Product Description
Cordless phone with 2 handsets, answering m/c, SMS text messaging and LCD. Features include: 20 min recording time, call timer, call transfer, volume control, paging, keypad lock, 13 talk time, 170 hours standby, 300m range and 100 name & no. directory
Customer Reviews
Vista, 09 Nov 2008
This phone worked fine when I had XP, but having changed computer and had Vista I could not get the phone to work.
Vista - advertised as compatible, it's not - don't BUY, 02 Nov 2008
This phone looks great, feels great and as a phone is great. When it comes to connecting to vista it's not. XP works fine. Vista doesn't recognise the phone regardless of different drivers etc. Be warned and type in Philips 321 on the skype forums and you'll see what I mean.
Don't buy if you have Vista, 31 Oct 2008
Having bought this product in February 2008 it installed and worked fine with Windows XP and I was very pleased with it. However I have recently changed my pc which now uses Vista since which time trying to get this phone installed and working has become a complete nightmare. No matter what I have attempted to do and having loaded the latest version for the phone and Skype the system just will not allow the phone to work. I contacted Philips helpdesk who were very helpful and made a few suggestions but when these did not work they implied that the incompatibility of the soundcard and Vista was blocking the phone !!!! I am very disappointed with the phone and would not recommend that anyone purchase this phone who has Vista installed on their pc. This review would have been a 5* if I was still using XP.
Very disappointing product but impressed with Amazon, 16 Oct 2008
I wish I had read a few more reviews for this before I bought it. Firstly, I was expecting a 'no pc required' voip phone and was disappointed to discover it wasn't. However, I thought I would give it a go as we needed a new landline phone. In hindsight, a yoghurt pot and a piece of string would have provided a clearer call than this "phone" - it was worse than dire. I could not hear the 3rd party, despite turning the volume up to max and the interference was awful - every few seconds an intermittent crackling noise which lasted about 5 seconds would occur. This was never a problem with our old portable handsets so I knew it was the actual phone as opposed to our telephone line. In it's defence, the quality of the skype call was crystal clear but we needed it primarily as a landline and so we sent it back. I sent it back by courier 2 days ago and received an email from Amazon this morning to inform me that a full refund was going through. I would never ever buy a Philips phone again and would recommend everyone gives this particular model a wide berth, however, on a brighter note, Amazon were excellent and I am very impressed at their very speedy, no nonsense returns and refund policy.
vista problems!!!, 15 Oct 2008
Although they say this item is vista compatible beware!!! Despire the reviews here saying it's simply a case of downloading the latest driver it's not that simple. Search google for 'VOIP321 vista driver' and you'll find a community of people all of whom can't get this working with vista.
The only reported solution is having to install an extra PCI VIA 6212L Chipset based 4/5 port usb controller. (these are around £7) but still it's an extra headache. [update: have installed this usb card, unistalled skype and Voip321 software and renistalled from the vista download on philips site and.. it worked!!] Intially I'd had problems with the microphone not recording but this was fixed by uninstall reinstall. I also had to loose a TV tuner card to free up a pci slot for the usb hub which is a pain and shouldn't have been necessary.
Good Phone, Poor Ergonomics, 24 Mar 2007
We bought these phones because we were getting terrible interference and noise on the BT FM wireless phones we were using. These Panasonic digital phones are far better with only slight background hiss, problem solved! Battery life seems good and they use standard rechargeables so replacements will be cheap.
Controls and menus are fiddly though making setup a pain although they do have a stack of useful features, like being able to call between the handsets and assign different ringing tones to each one. Which would be nicer if the ringing tones were pleasant!
Overall, a good phone at a good price but lumbered with convoluted ergonomics and annoying ringtones.
Beware Some Shortcomings ..., 29 Jan 2007
I have purchased several Panasonic DECT phones in the past. This set cannot be used with them or any other DECT phone -- it is not GAP compliant, according to the Panasonic support centre, despite the feature being listed in the Amazon description. No speaker-phone capability (my oversight); cheap, light construction; cheap AAA re-chargeables. Not up to usual Panasonic standards
Great value, 17 Aug 2006
Got this poackage from Amazon and am very impressed. Very easy to set up, battery life is excellent. Feature packed. Can transfer and make calls between handsets. Handsets feel robust and well made. Phones have adjustable ring volume and can ring very loudly. Reception quality is excellent. Have been very pleased with this package.
Great phone, 31 Oct 2008
I have only had this phone for a couple of days and originally found it was not working correctly when running Vista. However a quick visit to the Philips web site and a download of the latest software soon solved the problems. About to purchase a second handset for my daughter and am recommending it to everyone I know.
Not with XP Pro (64bit), 13 Oct 2008
I found this phone reasonably easy to set up and it worked well with Skype. However, shortly after I bought it, I upgraded my PC which also required an upgrade of the operating system from XP to XP Pro version. Unfortunately the drivers and software don't work with XP Pro so I can no longer use the phone. Disappointed.
Poor sound quality, 25 Sep 2008
Found the product simple to set up. Main problem the ring tone is so low you can't hear it and the handset volume is set to medium so so can't hear callers. After much fiddling with the menu to reset the volume(s) gave up and sent it back.
Very tempermental phone, 21 Sep 2008
Installed this phone a while ago and it worked for a short time. Then suddenly stopped being recognised by the pc as a USB device. Uninstalling and reinstalling made no difference. Rebuilt the pc from scratch, put the drivers back on(from the install cd) and 'usb device not recognised' error still apparent. Contacted philips customer support and they were no help. Wont be buying another Philips skype phone !
Doesn't work with Vista, 03 Sep 2008
I purchased this phone when I had XP and it worked fine. I have found it impossible however to get it working properly with Vista. Philips Customer Support is abysmal and the phone is now useless. Skype is an excellent tool but if you are running Vista choose a compatible phone NOT this one.
AVOID AT ALL COSTS!!!!!!, 17 Nov 2008
I would have awarded no stars if the system would have allowed me.
After 14 months of use, 3 of the 4 phones are now unusable and Amazon have fallen back on the fact that the one year warrantee has run out and will not replace.
Appalling waste of money, £90+ spent on a phone system that does not work after just over a year - anyone considering these phones should take heed.
This is the first time I have had a problem with anything bought from Amazon, but I am now very wary about buying anything other than a CD or DVD from Amazon in the future. Given that three of the four phones have failed suggests something fundamentally wrong with the units something that any High Street retailer would recognise and would offer a without prejudice replacement.
BT SYNERGY 4500 Dect Quad With Answering Machine, 13 Jan 2008
Really impressed and pleased with my purchase, especially the price - almost £40 cheaper from Amazon than in Argos!!!
The phones look good, so simple to programme and set up. I would recommend these phones to anyone!
Nothing but trouble!, 21 Dec 2007
I got these from amazon and one the phones didn't work. I sent it back and got some from argos and they didn't work!!! I finally got a good replacement and the battery life on these things are rubbish! They have been nothing but trouble and they are messy phones. Dont bother with them!
perfect, 24 Nov 2007
I am very pleased with these phones and correspondace has been brilliant. would deal with again.
POOR SOUND, 20 Nov 2007
For a phone, sound quality is everything. This phone is very poor when it comes to other people hearing you. Sounds like you are talking through cotton wool. High frequencies are all but non existent. There is a constant buzz in the background (not noticeable to the third party), also the sound distorts and the battery life is not good. AVOID!!!
Don't waste your money, 20 Oct 2008
Bought this phone approx. a year ago. It was great for about 6 months but rapidly went down hill. The battery life is very poor, the phones cut off for no reason and have become completely unreliable.
Absolute Rubbish. Avoid at all costs, 10 Oct 2008
These phones are absolute rubbish. We have had the trio set for just over a year and they have been nothing but trouble. I cant wait to replace them.
Constant Problems as follows:
1. They constantly cut out almost EVERY TIME when you pick up to answer. Sometime they cut out when the phone rings before you even get to the handset!!!
2. On the odd occasion they do work, the battery life is awful
3. If you dial a number too quickly, the handset crashes and keeps adding numbers
4. Irritating ringtones
5. Hardly audible earpiece speaker so you end up pressing the phone against your head even when you are indoors!!
Awful awful awful. I would rather have polystyrene cups strung between pieces of string.
terrible phones, 16 Jul 2008
I bought a set of four of these phones a few months back, and they have all since started playing up. They switch off when you try to answer them, and when you attempt to dial out. I would take them back, but found them so infuriating that I have smashed two of them to pieces in temper. Avoid at all costs.
Good Phone - No Problems So Far, 06 May 2008
We've had this phone for 5 months now, and haven't had any problems with it. The sound quality is good, but not quite as good as our previous wired (non-cordless) phones.
We live in a sizeable 1930s 4 bedroomed brick-built house, and the phone works well all over the house and in the garden. We found an acceptable ring tone, and it is loud enough for us.
We haven't had any problems with battery life. Also, the phone is plugged into the same phone socket as our BT Homehub, and we haven't had any problems with interference between these two wireless devices.
The reason we bought a cordless phone was because the extension wiring for phone sockets round the house was slowing down the broadband line speed - it increased from less than 500kb to over 2mb when the extension wiring was disconnected.
Good start - but soon disappointed, 16 Apr 2008
We were very fortunate to pick up a 4 handset one in the Next sale for £55. Bargain we thought. It's lasted 3 months.
About a week ago I suddenly noticed that one of the handsets was flashing 'Base 1'. Strange... I checked the other handsets and they were all doing it. I tried to make a call but the phones just didn't work! So I read the manual. Troubleshooting seemed to think it was that the handsets weren't registered to the base. So I went through the instructions for registering and it didn't work.
Tried all of the usual fix it yourself options (power off for 10 secs, unplug from phone line etc) - still nothing.
Phoned the helpline number in the book then next day (no answer that night). Went through a few manufacturer's options that aren't printed in the book. Still not working. So I was told basically - tough, you'll have to return it to where you bought it from and get your money back. I wanted them to fix it (it's probably just the transmitter in the base unit) because we won't be able to pick up a replacement 4 handset phone of the same quality for the money that we paid. Not interested, despite the fact the instruction book gives a 12 month warrenty that implies they will take it back from you and fix it!
Now we were considering just buying a single unit to get the new base - but upon reading the reviews on here I think I have changed my mind. I wouldn't recommend this to anyone now - which is a shame because the features with it were exactly what we needed.
I've never had a BT phone before and probably won't again now.
But does it last?, 03 Nov 2008
I thought I'd share my experience with this phone one year and some months on since I bought it. I'm back on Amazon having to buy a new phone because both the headsets that came with this phone bit the dust: I had been having major troubles with static and have checked the phone service, replaced all filters and cables still to no avail. And then BT informed me that it is my phone. The battery life is great but what is the point when you can't HEAR anyone due to the static? To boot, I bought this phone solely for the headset use and both handsets had problems with the headset - the prong for the headset on each handset loosened so I got really bad feedback if I even moved a muscle when I had my headset on. This phone is way too expensive to have to replace a year later. I'm going Panasonic.
Twice Disappointed, 06 Jun 2008
The first 6250 arrived with one phone failing to charge properly and was returned for a replacement. The replacement had an intermittent fault where there would be short cut offs during conversation then the connection would return - very annoying.
Amazon returns service was excellent, pity about the product.
Best DECT phone that I have found, 05 May 2008
Like most people I have tried a variety of cordless phones over the years and in virtually all respects this is the best, regardless of price. Highly recommended
Pros
Very easy and intuitive to use.
Clear display.
Good clarity and reception.
Well shaped for the hand and the ear so very comfortable to use.
Pretty good for hands free use.
The SIM copy function is a great idea and works pretty well (see cons).
Cones
The construction is ok but plastic resonates when tapped and the sound is fed back into the ear when using the phone; more of a niggle than a fault.
The SIM copy function works fine on the main phone but does not complete the copy on additional phones.
I have not explored the answer phone function as like a lot of people I use BT 1571. I have given this phone 5 Stars because relative to all others I have used it is fantastic. However in reality it would only get 4.5 stars due to the average construction and problems with the SIM copy.
Faulty Handsets ..., 22 Apr 2008
Read a few reviews and decided to go for this phone as it had a lot of features of interest (SIM reader, audible message alert, playback buttons, hands free, combined with good reviews). However, the handsets of the first boxed set would not charge, after 16+ hours of charging both handsets icons flashed warning of low batteries, and eventually died. A replacement was quick to arrive and in this case one handset would not hold the charge.
Amazon now will not replace this item and have offered a refund ... but still on sale here ?!
Despite this it seemed easy to use and quick to set up. Call clarity very good - so much better than my old BT phone (hence 2 stars), but have not had the chance to test it as it will have to be returned for a refund. very disappointing
Excellent phone, 10 Jan 2008
Following weeks of reading reviews I went ahead and brought this phone and I have to say it was well worth the wait! i had no problems setting the phones up, unlike the BT Synergy 4500 which i brought and returned due to endless problems.
Both handsets and the answering machine are working well and more importantly, the line is very clear. I have had the phones for five days now and the main phone's battery is still 3/4 full, despite making numerous relatively long phone calls.
I am very impressed with the phone and I recommend this to anyone who is currently debating which phone to buy.
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BT Freestyle 350 Trio
Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days
*Best price found from Amazon Marketplace seller
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*Amazon: £62.00
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Product Description
DECT phone with 2 extra handsets, answering m/c with 15 min recording time, text messaging, colour LCD, speakerphone, intercom, volume & ringer controls, 50m indoor range, secrecy, clock/date, call timer, 100 no directory & 30 number caller ID memory.
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Product Description
The phone everyone is talking about. The BT Reveal is looking more like a sleek black box than a phone has been designed so that the handset when not in use slips into the base unit to create a shiny black wall, subtly lit by a blue downlight... until it rings and the caller ID appears across the front. It packs all the functionality you would need for business or personal allowing a maximum of 5 additional handsets to be added, up to 255 name and number directory as well as hands free function, call transfer and conferencing, the ability to use polyphonic ringtones and a SIM card reader. With 10 hours of talktime, and 100hrs standby the Reveal has a 50m indoor and 300m outdoor range along with a built in warning function to indicate when out of range of the base unit. The Reveal can send and receive text messages and includes predictive textImpress your friends and family now with the young and stylish BT Reveal
Customer Reviews
Vista, 09 Nov 2008
This phone worked fine when I had XP, but having changed computer and had Vista I could not get the phone to work.
Vista - advertised as compatible, it's not - don't BUY, 02 Nov 2008
This phone looks great, feels great and as a phone is great. When it comes to connecting to vista it's not. XP works fine. Vista doesn't recognise the phone regardless of different drivers etc. Be warned and type in Philips 321 on the skype forums and you'll see what I mean.
Don't buy if you have Vista, 31 Oct 2008
Having bought this product in February 2008 it installed and worked fine with Windows XP and I was very pleased with it. However I have recently changed my pc which now uses Vista since which time trying to get this phone installed and working has become a complete nightmare. No matter what I have attempted to do and having loaded the latest version for the phone and Skype the system just will not allow the phone to work. I contacted Philips helpdesk who were very helpful and made a few suggestions but when these did not work they implied that the incompatibility of the soundcard and Vista was blocking the phone !!!! I am very disappointed with the phone and would not recommend that anyone purchase this phone who has Vista installed on their pc. This review would have been a 5* if I was still using XP.
Very disappointing product but impressed with Amazon, 16 Oct 2008
I wish I had read a few more reviews for this before I bought it. Firstly, I was expecting a 'no pc required' voip phone and was disappointed to discover it wasn't. However, I thought I would give it a go as we needed a new landline phone. In hindsight, a yoghurt pot and a piece of string would have provided a clearer call than this "phone" - it was worse than dire. I could not hear the 3rd party, despite turning the volume up to max and the interference was awful - every few seconds an intermittent crackling noise which lasted about 5 seconds would occur. This was never a problem with our old portable handsets so I knew it was the actual phone as opposed to our telephone line. In it's defence, the quality of the skype call was crystal clear but we needed it primarily as a landline and so we sent it back. I sent it back by courier 2 days ago and received an email from Amazon this morning to inform me that a full refund was going through. I would never ever buy a Philips phone again and would recommend everyone gives this particular model a wide berth, however, on a brighter note, Amazon were excellent and I am very impressed at their very speedy, no nonsense returns and refund policy.
vista problems!!!, 15 Oct 2008
Although they say this item is vista compatible beware!!! Despire the reviews here saying it's simply a case of downloading the latest driver it's not that simple. Search google for 'VOIP321 vista driver' and you'll find a community of people all of whom can't get this working with vista.
The only reported solution is having to install an extra PCI VIA 6212L Chipset based 4/5 port usb controller. (these are around £7) but still it's an extra headache. [update: have installed this usb card, unistalled skype and Voip321 software and renistalled from the vista download on philips site and.. it worked!!] Intially I'd had problems with the microphone not recording but this was fixed by uninstall reinstall. I also had to loose a TV tuner card to free up a pci slot for the usb hub which is a pain and shouldn't have been necessary.
Good Phone, Poor Ergonomics, 24 Mar 2007
We bought these phones because we were getting terrible interference and noise on the BT FM wireless phones we were using. These Panasonic digital phones are far better with only slight background hiss, problem solved! Battery life seems good and they use standard rechargeables so replacements will be cheap.
Controls and menus are fiddly though making setup a pain although they do have a stack of useful features, like being able to call between the handsets and assign different ringing tones to each one. Which would be nicer if the ringing tones were pleasant!
Overall, a good phone at a good price but lumbered with convoluted ergonomics and annoying ringtones.
Beware Some Shortcomings ..., 29 Jan 2007
I have purchased several Panasonic DECT phones in the past. This set cannot be used with them or any other DECT phone -- it is not GAP compliant, according to the Panasonic support centre, despite the feature being listed in the Amazon description. No speaker-phone capability (my oversight); cheap, light construction; cheap AAA re-chargeables. Not up to usual Panasonic standards
Great value, 17 Aug 2006
Got this poackage from Amazon and am very impressed. Very easy to set up, battery life is excellent. Feature packed. Can transfer and make calls between handsets. Handsets feel robust and well made. Phones have adjustable ring volume and can ring very loudly. Reception quality is excellent. Have been very pleased with this package.
Great phone, 31 Oct 2008
I have only had this phone for a couple of days and originally found it was not working correctly when running Vista. However a quick visit to the Philips web site and a download of the latest software soon solved the problems. About to purchase a second handset for my daughter and am recommending it to everyone I know.
Not with XP Pro (64bit), 13 Oct 2008
I found this phone reasonably easy to set up and it worked well with Skype. However, shortly after I bought it, I upgraded my PC which also required an upgrade of the operating system from XP to XP Pro version. Unfortunately the drivers and software don't work with XP Pro so I can no longer use the phone. Disappointed.
Poor sound quality, 25 Sep 2008
Found the product simple to set up. Main problem the ring tone is so low you can't hear it and the handset volume is set to medium so so can't hear callers. After much fiddling with the menu to reset the volume(s) gave up and sent it back.
Very tempermental phone, 21 Sep 2008
Installed this phone a while ago and it worked for a short time. Then suddenly stopped being recognised by the pc as a USB device. Uninstalling and reinstalling made no difference. Rebuilt the pc from scratch, put the drivers back on(from the install cd) and 'usb device not recognised' error still apparent. Contacted philips customer support and they were no help. Wont be buying another Philips skype phone !
Doesn't work with Vista, 03 Sep 2008
I purchased this phone when I had XP and it worked fine. I have found it impossible however to get it working properly with Vista. Philips Customer Support is abysmal and the phone is now useless. Skype is an excellent tool but if you are running Vista choose a compatible phone NOT this one.
AVOID AT ALL COSTS!!!!!!, 17 Nov 2008
I would have awarded no stars if the system would have allowed me.
After 14 months of use, 3 of the 4 phones are now unusable and Amazon have fallen back on the fact that the one year warrantee has run out and will not replace.
Appalling waste of money, £90+ spent on a phone system that does not work after just over a year - anyone considering these phones should take heed.
This is the first time I have had a problem with anything bought from Amazon, but I am now very wary about buying anything other than a CD or DVD from Amazon in the future. Given that three of the four phones have failed suggests something fundamentally wrong with the units something that any High Street retailer would recognise and would offer a without prejudice replacement.
BT SYNERGY 4500 Dect Quad With Answering Machine, 13 Jan 2008
Really impressed and pleased with my purchase, especially the price - almost £40 cheaper from Amazon than in Argos!!!
The phones look good, so simple to programme and set up. I would recommend these phones to anyone!
Nothing but trouble!, 21 Dec 2007
I got these from amazon and one the phones didn't work. I sent it back and got some from argos and they didn't work!!! I finally got a good replacement and the battery life on these things are rubbish! They have been nothing but trouble and they are messy phones. Dont bother with them!
perfect, 24 Nov 2007
I am very pleased with these phones and correspondace has been brilliant. would deal with again.
POOR SOUND, 20 Nov 2007
For a phone, sound quality is everything. This phone is very poor when it comes to other people hearing you. Sounds like you are talking through cotton wool. High frequencies are all but non existent. There is a constant buzz in the background (not noticeable to the third party), also the sound distorts and the battery life is not good. AVOID!!!
Don't waste your money, 20 Oct 2008
Bought this phone approx. a year ago. It was great for about 6 months but rapidly went down hill. The battery life is very poor, the phones cut off for no reason and have become completely unreliable.
Absolute Rubbish. Avoid at all costs, 10 Oct 2008
These phones are absolute rubbish. We have had the trio set for just over a year and they have been nothing but trouble. I cant wait to replace them.
Constant Problems as follows:
1. They constantly cut out almost EVERY TIME when you pick up to answer. Sometime they cut out when the phone rings before you even get to the handset!!!
2. On the odd occasion they do work, the battery life is awful
3. If you dial a number too quickly, the handset crashes and keeps adding numbers
4. Irritating ringtones
5. Hardly audible earpiece speaker so you end up pressing the phone against your head even when you are indoors!!
Awful awful awful. I would rather have polystyrene cups strung between pieces of string.
terrible phones, 16 Jul 2008
I bought a set of four of these phones a few months back, and they have all since started playing up. They switch off when you try to answer them, and when you attempt to dial out. I would take them back, but found them so infuriating that I have smashed two of them to pieces in temper. Avoid at all costs.
Good Phone - No Problems So Far, 06 May 2008
We've had this phone for 5 months now, and haven't had any problems with it. The sound quality is good, but not quite as good as our previous wired (non-cordless) phones.
We live in a sizeable 1930s 4 bedroomed brick-built house, and the phone works well all over the house and in the garden. We found an acceptable ring tone, and it is loud enough for us.
We haven't had any problems with battery life. Also, the phone is plugged into the same phone socket as our BT Homehub, and we haven't had any problems with interference between these two wireless devices.
The reason we bought a cordless phone was because the extension wiring for phone sockets round the house was slowing down the broadband line speed - it increased from less than 500kb to over 2mb when the extension wiring was disconnected.
Good start - but soon disappointed, 16 Apr 2008
We were very fortunate to pick up a 4 handset one in the Next sale for £55. Bargain we thought. It's lasted 3 months.
About a week ago I suddenly noticed that one of the handsets was flashing 'Base 1'. Strange... I checked the other handsets and they were all doing it. I tried to make a call but the phones just didn't work! So I read the manual. Troubleshooting seemed to think it was that the handsets weren't registered to the base. So I went through the instructions for registering and it didn't work.
Tried all of the usual fix it yourself options (power off for 10 secs, unplug from phone line etc) - still nothing.
Phoned the helpline number in the book then next day (no answer that night). Went through a few manufacturer's options that aren't printed in the book. Still not working. So I was told basically - tough, you'll have to return it to where you bought it from and get your money back. I wanted them to fix it (it's probably just the transmitter in the base unit) because we won't be able to pick up a replacement 4 handset phone of the same quality for the money that we paid. Not interested, despite the fact the instruction book gives a 12 month warrenty that implies they will take it back from you and fix it!
Now we were considering just buying a single unit to get the new base - but upon reading the reviews on here I think I have changed my mind. I wouldn't recommend this to anyone now - which is a shame because the features with it were exactly what we needed.
I've never had a BT phone before and probably won't again now.
But does it last?, 03 Nov 2008
I thought I'd share my experience with this phone one year and some months on since I bought it. I'm back on Amazon having to buy a new phone because both the headsets that came with this phone bit the dust: I had been having major troubles with static and have checked the phone service, replaced all filters and cables still to no avail. And then BT informed me that it is my phone. The battery life is great but what is the point when you can't HEAR anyone due to the static? To boot, I bought this phone solely for the headset use and both handsets had problems with the headset - the prong for the headset on each handset loosened so I got really bad feedback if I even moved a muscle when I had my headset on. This phone is way too expensive to have to replace a year later. I'm going Panasonic.
Twice Disappointed, 06 Jun 2008
The first 6250 arrived with one phone failing to charge properly and was returned for a replacement. The replacement had an intermittent fault where there would be short cut offs during conversation then the connection would return - very annoying.
Amazon returns service was excellent, pity about the product.
Best DECT phone that I have found, 05 May 2008
Like most people I have tried a variety of cordless phones over the years and in virtually all respects this is the best, regardless of price. Highly recommended
Pros
Very easy and intuitive to use.
Clear display.
Good clarity and reception.
Well shaped for the hand and the ear so very comfortable to use.
Pretty good for hands free use.
The SIM copy function is a great idea and works pretty well (see cons).
Cones
The construction is ok but plastic resonates when tapped and the sound is fed back into the ear when using the phone; more of a niggle than a fault.
The SIM copy function works fine on the main phone but does not complete the copy on additional phones.
I have not explored the answer phone function as like a lot of people I use BT 1571. I have given this phone 5 Stars because relative to all others I have used it is fantastic. However in reality it would only get 4.5 stars due to the average construction and problems with the SIM copy.
Faulty Handsets ..., 22 Apr 2008
Read a few reviews and decided to go for this phone as it had a lot of features of interest (SIM reader, audible message alert, playback buttons, hands free, combined with good reviews). However, the handsets of the first boxed set would not charge, after 16+ hours of charging both handsets icons flashed warning of low batteries, and eventually died. A replacement was quick to arrive and in this case one handset would not hold the charge.
Amazon now will not replace this item and have offered a refund ... but still on sale here ?!
Despite this it seemed easy to use and quick to set up. Call clarity very good - so much better than my old BT phone (hence 2 stars), but have not had the chance to test it as it will have to be returned for a refund. very disappointing
Excellent phone, 10 Jan 2008
Following weeks of reading reviews I went ahead and brought this phone and I have to say it was well worth the wait! i had no problems setting the phones up, unlike the BT Synergy 4500 which i brought and returned due to endless problems.
Both handsets and the answering machine are working well and more importantly, the line is very clear. I have had the phones for five days now and the main phone's battery is still 3/4 full, despite making numerous relatively long phone calls.
I am very impressed with the phone and I recommend this to anyone who is currently debating which phone to buy.
The nicest DECT handset I've owned, 17 Sep 2008
We bought this handset when it was first released in March 2008.
Considering we have more free minutes on our mobiles than we can shake a stick at, we tend to use our mobiles to make calls even when we're at home. Because of this our Reveal is mainly used only when someone calls the house, and spends the rest of its time on the base station taking voice messages.
With that in mind:
- battery life is great
- I have had no issues with the display
- I'm an IT geek yet I'm finding the menu easy to use
- I actually like the ring tones on there
- It looks very sweet (even the packaging it came in screams style!)
- Sound quality is useable but not top quality (thus the 4 stars)
I'm sorry I know I'm contradicting other reviews here, and I'm finding their experience very baffling I must say, but based on our experience and for what we use it for it gets top marks.
I'm now back on Amazon looking for one of these for upstairs, and felt obliged to post this review.
Verdict:
If your mobile is your main communication device but for occasional use you wish to have a phone at home that's functional and looks good then this is for you.
I hope that's helped.
Disappointing - to say the least..., 18 Jul 2008
I have now had the BT Reveal for 6 months.
As another review mentioned, it IS a very stylish looking phone, but then it all goes wrong from there.
What I noticed first was the incredibly AWFUL ring tones that are installed in the Reveal already (they go from bad to REALLY BAD) and more than anything reminds me of the ring tones of cheap cordless phones 10 years ago.
It is not possible to add new ring tones - you have to suffer the existing ring tones.
I thought it was just the handset and dock that was faulty, but after an exchange I had to accept it.
The display on the inside of the phone, used to navigate through the menus is incredibly poorly lit up which makes it virtually impossible to read. It can be a real challenge to take a number off the phone, unless you're in a room with dimmed lightning. Daylight is certainly not ideal.
The menus on the phone are intended to be similar to the menus on a mobile phone, but navigation of the menus is a throw back to the 90s and more clumsy than a mobile phone was 10 years ago (and I do mean 10 years ago)
It was a shock to use the menus the first couple of times, simply because they were so incredibly disappointing.
The ONLY redeeming feature is the answering machine which does have a nice greeting and a voice directed message retrieval system, but any answering machine would do that for you, so that is hardly a bonus.
Unfortunately the sound quality of the speaker is oh-so BAD, which is a bit shocking, given the attention that has been made to detail in the design of the phone, but as with everything about this phone, it lets down your expectations.
The battery life is quite poor and you cannot use the phone for more than 4-5 short to medium length calls (in a 24 hour period), before it goes completely dead.
Is it just me having a bad experience with this phone, you might ask yourself: I have had 4 different handsets over the last 6 months, each of those with some difficulty, but all with the very same flaws I have listed here.
It is pretty safe to say this phone should not have been on the market (at least not sold after the year 2000 - it's just not up-to-date in quality in all aspects from sound to functionality). This product I would have expected from a very CHEAP labour factory in a developing country and NOT a phone BT would ever want to put their name on or even be associated with.
Good luck to you all - I hope this review will prevent you from making the same mistake as I did and (regrettably) buy this phone. Or you can have mine... it is collection dust in a box after I had to replace it to get a decent phone again. :-)
Looks great, BUT, 27 Jun 2008
Looks great, but sound quality is dismal and the keys / menus not brilliant. I wouldn't buy it again, because of this, even if it was half the price.
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Product Description
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Customer Reviews
Vista, 09 Nov 2008
This phone worked fine when I had XP, but having changed computer and had Vista I could not get the phone to work.
Vista - advertised as compatible, it's not - don't BUY, 02 Nov 2008
This phone looks great, feels great and as a phone is great. When it comes to connecting to vista it's not. XP works fine. Vista doesn't recognise the phone regardless of different drivers etc. Be warned and type in Philips 321 on the skype forums and you'll see what I mean.
Don't buy if you have Vista, 31 Oct 2008
Having bought this product in February 2008 it installed and worked fine with Windows XP and I was very pleased with it. However I have recently changed my pc which now uses Vista since which time trying to get this phone installed and working has become a complete nightmare. No matter what I have attempted to do and having loaded the latest version for the phone and Skype the system just will not allow the phone to work. I contacted Philips helpdesk who were very helpful and made a few suggestions but when these did not work they implied that the incompatibility of the soundcard and Vista was blocking the phone !!!! I am very disappointed with the phone and would not recommend that anyone purchase this phone who has Vista installed on their pc. This review would have been a 5* if I was still using XP.
Very disappointing product but impressed with Amazon, 16 Oct 2008
I wish I had read a few more reviews for this before I bought it. Firstly, I was expecting a 'no pc required' voip phone and was disappointed to discover it wasn't. However, I thought I would give it a go as we needed a new landline phone. In hindsight, a yoghurt pot and a piece of string would have provided a clearer call than this "phone" - it was worse than dire. I could not hear the 3rd party, despite turning the volume up to max and the interference was awful - every few seconds an intermittent crackling noise which lasted about 5 seconds would occur. This was never a problem with our old portable handsets so I knew it was the actual phone as opposed to our telephone line. In it's defence, the quality of the skype call was crystal clear but we needed it primarily as a landline and so we sent it back. I sent it back by courier 2 days ago and received an email from Amazon this morning to inform me that a full refund was going through. I would never ever buy a Philips phone again and would recommend everyone gives this particular model a wide berth, however, on a brighter note, Amazon were excellent and I am very impressed at their very speedy, no nonsense returns and refund policy.
vista problems!!!, 15 Oct 2008
Although they say this item is vista compatible beware!!! Despire the reviews here saying it's simply a case of downloading the latest driver it's not that simple. Search google for 'VOIP321 vista driver' and you'll find a community of people all of whom can't get this working with vista.
The only reported solution is having to install an extra PCI VIA 6212L Chipset based 4/5 port usb controller. (these are around £7) but still it's an extra headache. [update: have installed this usb card, unistalled skype and Voip321 software and renistalled from the vista download on philips site and.. it worked!!] Intially I'd had problems with the microphone not recording but this was fixed by uninstall reinstall. I also had to loose a TV tuner card to free up a pci slot for the usb hub which is a pain and shouldn't have been necessary.
Good Phone, Poor Ergonomics, 24 Mar 2007
We bought these phones because we were getting terrible interference and noise on the BT FM wireless phones we were using. These Panasonic digital phones are far better with only slight background hiss, problem solved! Battery life seems good and they use standard rechargeables so replacements will be cheap.
Controls and menus are fiddly though making setup a pain although they do have a stack of useful features, like being able to call between the handsets and assign different ringing tones to each one. Which would be nicer if the ringing tones were pleasant!
Overall, a good phone at a good price but lumbered with convoluted ergonomics and annoying ringtones.
Beware Some Shortcomings ..., 29 Jan 2007
I have purchased several Panasonic DECT phones in the past. This set cannot be used with them or any other DECT phone -- it is not GAP compliant, according to the Panasonic support centre, despite the feature being listed in the Amazon description. No speaker-phone capability (my oversight); cheap, light construction; cheap AAA re-chargeables. Not up to usual Panasonic standards
Great value, 17 Aug 2006
Got this poackage from Amazon and am very impressed. Very easy to set up, battery life is excellent. Feature packed. Can transfer and make calls between handsets. Handsets feel robust and well made. Phones have adjustable ring volume and can ring very loudly. Reception quality is excellent. Have been very pleased with this package.
Great phone, 31 Oct 2008
I have only had this phone for a couple of days and originally found it was not working correctly when running Vista. However a quick visit to the Philips web site and a download of the latest software soon solved the problems. About to purchase a second handset for my daughter and am recommending it to everyone I know.
Not with XP Pro (64bit), 13 Oct 2008
I found this phone reasonably easy to set up and it worked well with Skype. However, shortly after I bought it, I upgraded my PC which also required an upgrade of the operating system from XP to XP Pro version. Unfortunately the drivers and software don't work with XP Pro so I can no longer use the phone. Disappointed.
Poor sound quality, 25 Sep 2008
Found the product simple to set up. Main problem the ring tone is so low you can't hear it and the handset volume is set to medium so so can't hear callers. After much fiddling with the menu to reset the volume(s) gave up and sent it back.
Very tempermental phone, 21 Sep 2008
Installed this phone a while ago and it worked for a short time. Then suddenly stopped being recognised by the pc as a USB device. Uninstalling and reinstalling made no difference. Rebuilt the pc from scratch, put the drivers back on(from the install cd) and 'usb device not recognised' error still apparent. Contacted philips customer support and they were no help. Wont be buying another Philips skype phone !
Doesn't work with Vista, 03 Sep 2008
I purchased this phone when I had XP and it worked fine. I have found it impossible however to get it working properly with Vista. Philips Customer Support is abysmal and the phone is now useless. Skype is an excellent tool but if you are running Vista choose a compatible phone NOT this one.
AVOID AT ALL COSTS!!!!!!, 17 Nov 2008
I would have awarded no stars if the system would have allowed me.
After 14 months of use, 3 of the 4 phones are now unusable and Amazon have fallen back on the fact that the one year warrantee has run out and will not replace.
Appalling waste of money, £90+ spent on a phone system that does not work after just over a year - anyone considering these phones should take heed.
This is the first time I have had a problem with anything bought from Amazon, but I am now very wary about buying anything other than a CD or DVD from Amazon in the future. Given that three of the four phones have failed suggests something fundamentally wrong with the units something that any High Street retailer would recognise and would offer a without prejudice replacement.
BT SYNERGY 4500 Dect Quad With Answering Machine, 13 Jan 2008
Really impressed and pleased with my purchase, espec | | |