Customer Reviews

GE 29016S Caller ID Box

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(6)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

Whatever happened to the good old days, when caller ID boxes featured readable displays? I have a 10-year-old and a 12-year-old unit both of which are far easier to read than this one. The digits contrast poorly with the background, and the display is covered with a cheap, shiny material which reflects light. There are five adjustable contrast settings: bad, worse, awful, atrocious, and worst. The polarity of the feed-through is reversed, which means that an older push-tone phone cannot be plugged in through the box (you can't dial out). Newer phones, and rotary phones, should work OK. When the caller is UNKNOWN (unavailable, out-of-area) the words UNKNOWN NUMBER blink, but very slowly, in an annoying way that forces you to wait a second to see what's going on. This box, in common with most others, cannot be used with a 2-line phone plugged into it (not even the phone will work, let alone the caller ID) because the manufacturer was too cheap to include two extra wires in the feed-through. Another feature missing from this and other boxes is a way to delete all calls from a specific number simultaneously (this would be especially handy with UNKNOWN calls). Not a great product, GE, but you're not alone, I guess.

My thanks to everyone who's taken the time to write a review. Reading the reviews and the product manuals enabled me to choose a Caller ID Box that suits me well. Prospective buyers should note that GE's improved this product: The current version stores 99 entries rather than the 60 stored by the earlier model. Perhaps they've modified the reflective material as well: Propped at a handy angle, the three-line readout is sharp, clear and easy to read. I've noticed none of the hesitations reported by other reviewers. Also worth noting: GE includes the line cord you'll need to install the box. A small point perhaps, but not every manufacturer does.

Attached to a single-line cordless phone, the GE Caller ID box performs very well for me. It's bright, clear and reliable. I'm happy to recommend it.

Takes 3 AAA batteries that in our experience run out too quick. Other units we've owned have lower battery drain. Also the LCD display has poor contrast. All in all, I'd buy another one that costs a few bucks more.

It's small and it tells me who's calling... after I turn on a lamp so I can see the display. There are several contrast settings, but I still have to light it up to read it. Hey, for the price, it's just fine.

The caller ID box works fine. The only drawback is that the unit is very "short". On my desk it lays too low and is hard to read because of the glare. We have to prop them up right at a better angle to be able to read. Other than that, it serves it's purpose.

GE unit works ok if line is not in use. If you have a call in progress and a new call beeps, I expect to see at least the number of the new call, but no new information occurs. My wife insists that since it has three display lines, it should indicate the new caller, because we have a phone with three display lines which works that way. We have tossed out the packing box. Maybe we expected more, because of the three line display on our phone. Anyway it works good before the call is answered, and the price was ok.

This product is easy to install. I just plug my old phone line into the "in" and plug the other (provided) phone cord into the "out" then into my phone. The display is easy to read and easy to delete phone # one at a time or all at once.

. Well I was impressed initially but after a few days of "REPLACE BATTERIES" I gave up...... I used my normal new supply of spare batteries and after one day it said I needed to replace them, I did and the next day the same thing. These were standard batteries and after two attempts at this on the THIRD time replace batteries i pulled out the arsenal of rechargeable AA's and still the same problem. I don't know if I got a reject/lemon but after trying batter swapping for a week I just left a set of rechargeable batteries in it and it has been working for a month now but still saying recharge the batteries. I, like many of you have bought things from Amazon for years and this has been my only defective item so far. I'm not going through the return hassle for a crummy 17 Bux and just hope these caller I.D. boxes don't continue to be defective off the assembly line.. BTW, I have rebooted/power cycled this thing also.... I like Amazon so this defective item isnt' their fault and I will continue to purchase from Amazon just as I always have to "score the bargain."

Simply, it does the job. (visibility,even with contrast control, is good but not great) Good unit

It is a little dissapointed that the display unit has one LED segment (second digit), segment 3,4 missiog. If a person's number is 1. there will be no display, if the number is zero, it will only displayed C, so on and so forth.

Poor product, made in China.