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This review has been independently written for the DAB Digital Radio magazine without any input from the manufacturer. However, Intempo has made a contribution to printing and distribution costs in return for its inclusion.
With most old-fashioned AM/FM alarm clocks the first puzzle is how to set the time. Which buttons do I have to press? In which order? Intempo's alarm clock frees you from all that nonsense. When you plug it in and switch on, the radio checks the digital radio signal and sets the time itself - automatically.
So far so good, and in keeping with Intempo's mission to seize digital radio back from the techno-geeks. Digital radio should be about fun, not COFDM (don't ask, you don't need to know).
That said, this product has more buttons than some other radios in Intempo's range, but that's probably due to the addition of a CD player and some controls to enable you to set the alarm times (sadly, even Intempo hasn't worked out a way to do that automatically). The controls are clearly labelled, and we found it relatively easy to switch between radio stations and the CD player, and do the everyday things like adjusting the volume. Also, don't be puzzled by the turquoise buttons on top of the alarm clock - they're just decorative.
The product comes with a neat remote control, which is an added bonus. Alongside the main functions it also has a 'Mute' button, not found on the alarm clock radio itself.
When starting to use the more advanced features of this radio, you'll find that certain things are pre-determined and you can't change them. This will either not bother you in the least, or cause a certain amount of frustration. For example, the display has three brightness levels, with the dimmest being automatically selected for standby mode. It's not possible to have the display at the brightest level when you're in standby.
The screen displays white text on an illuminated blue background. When you're not listening to the radio or a CD the screen displays the time in hours, minutes and seconds. When you switch on the radio you'll also see the name of the station you're tuned to plus a third line of extra information. Clicking the 'Display/Info' button lets you access the scrolling text about the channel you're listening to (you can also click to view the signal strength indicator which is useful when you're positioning the wire aerial for good reception).
The alarm functions are pretty comprehensive. You can set two separate alarms, and have a variety of options about what to wake up to: two different tones, the radio or the CD (and even a specified CD track). You'll need to follow the instruction manual, and probably also go through a trial and error process, to learn how to set the alarms.
Both beeper alarms switch on at a volume loud enough to make sure even a heavy sleeper should wake up without difficulty. When waking to the radio, it's worth noting that you can only set the alarm to stations you have preset but this shouldn't cause too many problems.
If you're thinking of upgrading your bedroom with a new alarm clock radio this Intempo product should definitely be on your shortlist. Given its versatility as a digital radio, CD player and clock, it's also worth considering as a radio elsewhere in the home.
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| LIST OF FEATURES |
| CD Player |  |
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| Stereo speakers | |
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| Remote control | |
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| Headphones output | |
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| Audio out | |
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| Digital optical out | |
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| Pause | |
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| Alarm | |
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| Sleep timer | |
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| Displays time | |
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| EQ (equalisation) | |
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| Tone control | |
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| Digital Radio Presets | 4 |
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| FM Radio Presets | 4 |
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SWITCHED ON COMMENTS
"I like the contemporary design. It would look rather good on our bedside table. Nice that it's got two alarms, one for me and one for my wife. The circular layout of the controls works well, but the bright silver buttons look a bit cheap. The sound is very bright - not unpleasant. Personally I like more bass, but then I'm a hi-fi nut. That's not what I'd be buying this sort of product for. It's for everyday, functional use, so I wouldn't expect super-high sound quality. Setting the alarm doesn't seem any more difficult than on any other clock radio. My existing one was disturbed by a recent powercut and the time just flashed 00:00. It took us two days to work out how to reset it."
Nicky Horne, Presenter, Planet Rock
"This is a real multi-functional DAB digital radio. It's got a CD player, FM radio, an alarm clock, everything you need. I really like the front of the radio, but the white and green lid is a bit 80s. I think that teenagers might like the design. The backlight dimmer might not be great if you need a really dark room to sleep, because even when it's dimmed you can still see it lit-up. The size of the clock is really clear, and it's always handy to have a sleep function that you can set for a certain amount of time and then doze off listening to the radio. It's a great price for everything that you get and I'd definitely buy this. It's generally easy enough to use, it's cute, it's small - I want one!"
Nicola Bonn, Presenter, Life
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