Motorola MD681 - Lots of features and lots of interference
Pros:
Lots of cool features
Cons:
"Very sensitive" to other electronic equipment - apparently requires 10 foot halo to function properly.
The Bottom Line:
I do not recommend any product that is so sensitive it won't work in a kitchen or office without fear of interference.
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Overall Rating:
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Author's Review
On the plus side
The Motorola MD 681 5.8 GHz Digital Expandable Cordless Speakerphone with Answering System and Caller ID has got all the features the average homeowner could want and more. It includes:
- Caller ID and Call Waiting Caller ID support (your phone company must offer this service to use it)
- Fully functional speakerphones on both the base and the handset
- Speed Dial with memorization capable from the Caller ID logs
- Built-in 3 mailbox answering machine/voice mail
- Expandability to include 5 more handsets with no additional phone wires required.
- Lighted Keypads
- Selectable ring tones
- Hold
- Intercom
- Transfer calls from handset to handset or between base and handset.
On the minus side
This phone is a big gadget. It's sleek hi-tech appearance doesn't blend in at all with more traditional homes. The flashing blue strobe when the phone line is in use is hard to miss, but it also stands out like a sore thumb.
Each handset and the base itself have separate Caller ID and Speed Dial databases. Clearing caller ID from one handset leaves it in the queue on the others, so it appears the calls haven't been returned. Also, there's no way to "learn" a phonebook from the base to the handset or between handsets. This makes for a LOT of programming time.
None of the selectable ring tones sound like a telephone. They are all very electronic, sounding more like a video game than a phone.
The base unit has a battery drawer for saving the base's memory in the event of a power outage. Unfortunately, they only include the battery for the handset, so if you want a battery backup for the base, you have to immediately turn around and order a $20 battery pack.
None of the above were show-stoppers for us. We kind of liked the phone and its gimmicks. Unfortunately, we had...
The BIG Minus!!!
We originally placed the unit in the kitchen. We got constant static on the line and a feedback/echo sound every time we talked. (I'm told it sounded great on the other end of the line, by the way.)
First we tried unplugging all other phones and our old answering machine from the line. No change.
We called Motorola for help and were told to place the unit "at least 10 feet from any other electrical unit," including refrigerators, microwaves, and office equipment. This is difficult to do in a smaller house, but we finally found a space in the back of the house that fit this requirement (although it was a goofy place to put an answering machine / phone.) No change.
Motorola also suggested that we try a "phone line filter" ($15 at RadioShack). We tried this, too. No change.
Finally, Motorola told us to get the local phone company to run a "static line check". (They required that we have the line checked before they would send a replacement, even though no other phones in our home have any static. They said their phones are "very sensitive".) Line testing done... no change.
We jumped through all Motorola's hoops with no change. The phone was still too noisy to use, so we returned the unit.
