Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)I was initially delighted with this product when I bought it six months ago. It looks very nice and functions well. The display is easy to read. The alarms work (though as another reviewer noted you don't get two alarms per day). The gentle back illumination works nicely to let you read the display at night. I haven't paid much attention to the weather display except for the temperature and humidity functions, so I won't comment on those. But I have a few comments worth recording.
First, the unit has two parts. The remote temperature/humidity sensor unit that you hang outdoors isn't shown in the product picture on Amazon. It's about half the size of a pack of cigarettes and it has its own small temperature/humidity display. This unit requires two AAA batteries. If the temperature outside will ever drop below freezing, even for just an hour or two, these must be expensive lithium batteries (8 Energizer Lithium AAA 1.5V High Energy Lithium e2 Battery. 2 X Card 4AAA for example). That's because normal alkaline and titanium batteries deliver less voltage at low temperature, whereas lithium batteries give much more uniform voltage output down to about -40 degrees. If the voltage supply to the outdoor sensor drops too much, it will lose synchronization with the indoor unit and you'll have to "connect" them again.
That brings me to why I think this device is too complicated. When the device is new, or whenever the outdoor unit loses its radio connection to the indoor unit, the two units must negotiate which radio channel they will use to communicate. That's a useful process, because it allows them to choose a radio frequency that has minimal interference from other nearby devices. However, the process for doing it is maddening complex. You must remove the batteries from both units, then insert the batteries in the remote unit, then use an unbent paper clip to press the reset switch on the outdoor unit, then bring the units close together and insert the batteries in the indoor unit. After a minute or so they negotiate a frequency and the temperature of the outdoor unit is displayed on the indoor unit. You can then move them apart.
But you're not done. Having removed the batteries from the indoor unit, you must reset the date, choose a time zone and a bunch of other settings, using a combination of button pushes that is too complex to remember: I printed it out in very small type and taped it to the back of the device so I would not have to find the instruction book each time.
Finally, the atomic clock, like all such devices, synchronizes to the broadcast signal from NIST during the early morning hours, typically midnight to 5 AM local time. That time is chosen because the radio signal is much easier to receive at night. To get my unit to synchronize I had to put it on a window sill; it could not receive a strong enough signal from my night stand. That requirement is typical for so-called "atomic" clocks and watches. Fortunately it only needs to synchronize once a month or so to keep good time.
All in all, I'm glad I bought this remote thermometer, and I'm willing to live with the restrictions noted above. But you should be aware before you buy that this is not a "set it and forget it" device.
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Honeywell TE322ELW Long Range Weather Forecaster with Atomic Clock and Dual Alarm With a new double-tool design, the Honeywell TE322ELW Long Range Weather Forecaster with Atomic Clock and Dual Alarm boasts an elegant glossy finish that is perfect for modern decors. The Honeywell TE322ELW is the quickest, most accurate, and most convenient way of keeping track of the weather in and around your home or office.
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