TuneCenter update

Update: First things first... It turns out that the TuneCenter cost me the full $129.99 USD ($148 CDN, plus the 14 bucks FedEx crap)... Not happy... Where the hell is the benefit to preordering something and having to wait 9 friggin' months to get it. Especially since I was so frustrated with waiting for it that, as I said before, I was in the process of figuring out how to cancel my order when it showed up in Calgary, and it was just too late to cancel.

Secondly: After playing with this for a few days, I find that the internet radio is what I use almost exclusvely. I also find this a bit odd, not to mention that my iPod sits in it's nice little Apple dock, while the TuneCenter pretty much sits on some Moscow music station as a little background music. Why would I do this, you may ask? Well it's because I can sync my iPod when it's in my dock, and it has audio out, and has S-video out as well. Sure it doesn't have the fancy interface for the audio tracks, but when hooking it up to my projector, or LCD, I want it for the video, and not simply the audio. Since there is no on-screen video browsing/launching capability what's the point.

When I placed my preorder the TuneCenter had RCA outputs on the back, where now there is the iPod video/audio mini-jack output cable, nice if I wanted to take the cable with me and hook my iPod directly into a TV, but then why do I need the TuneCenter? Plus every device that even remotely has anything to do with video has come with one of these cables, my portable DVD player came with 2, my camcorder had 1, and I bought a good high quality one on my own for hooking up my 5G iPod. With my camcorder mini-jack cable, the Apple dock, and the remote (which all come in a pack from Apple for less than the seperate parts) I essentially have the TuneCenter for much less, with the only bit missing being the internet audio, and the really slow-ass interface; but I do get the ability to sync my iPod, which is a HUGE bonus. And by the way Griffin... Apple included the bloody battery for the remote (just like your AirClick remote).

If I sound a bit bitter about this, it's because I am. The remote battery was a big issue since the TuneCenter is useless without the remote, then when hooking it up it is painfully slow when clicking around the interface, not to mention the aspect ratio issues, and the EQ settings that still don't work, (and there is no mention of this on the support page @ Griffin), and the fact that you have to get up, and look at the tiny little iPod screen to navigate your pictures, and videos (although you can still use the remote to navigate the menus, big whoop!).

There are no display settings, which for a display device is more than a bit odd. No colour customization, no background options, not even brightness or contrast, and the S-video doesn't offer any discernable quality difference on any of the 5 sets that I tried it on.

After looking at my existing iPod dock which is already setup, with remote; I felt pretty OK that I spent a little extra for a fancy interface, but once I saw that I paid full price after waiting 9 months for this BARELY better dock-that's-not-a-dock, the aforementioned "wow factor" has worn off. All I can think of when I look at the thing is, "I blew a hundred and seventy buck on that... What the hell was I thinking?"

While the Griffin TuneCenter is a reasonable device if you really want internet audio with a TV display, but otherwise save your cash, and get the iPod AV Connection Kit for $99 USD, the trade off is that you don't get the on-screen interface and the internet audio, but you do get to save money and can sync your iPod. If I could use the on-screen interface (as slow as it is) to browse my videos, and pictures, then it would have been worth it.

Bottom line is the TuneCenter is an acceptable solution to get your iPod on your TV, it however is not the best or most reasonable priced. It is one of the nicest looking, and sturdiest feeling around. Just remember: Try before you buy, and never preorder without a clear launch window.

Never again... Never again....

T