Dexim AV Dock Station For iPhone, iPod touch & iPod Nano [REVIEW]

There are countless iPhone / iPod charging docks available nowadays. Once you’re out in the market to get one, you come across a multitude of docks ranging from cheap, low-end plasticky ones to some really stylish and expensive pieces. However, a compact charge ‘n sync dock with audio / video out capabilities, a wireless remote control, and support for a wide range of new and old iOS devices, is not easy to find. Dexim AV Dock With Remote Control is one such solution that offers great functionality at a very reasonable price. Thanks to Dexim for sending this in for a review.

SPECIFICATIONS

Features:

Show photos and videos on a TV screen flawlessly

Listen to music through your home stereo

Navigate the menu, select songs and videos, control volume, play/pause by Remote

A complete charge & sync solution

Technical:

Model # DRA107

AV Dock Station output power: 5V DC, 500mA

USB AC Adapter output: 5V DC, 1A

AC Adapter input: 100-240V, 50/60Hz

Remote Control: 3V Li-ion button battery CR2032

Coverage of Remote Control: within 8m, 30degrees

Includes:

AV Dock Station with Wireless Remote

Composite RCA audio/video cable

USB charge & sync cable

USB AC adapter & batteries for the Remote

10 different dock adapters to support iPhone 4 / 3GS / 3G/ iPod touch / iPod Classic / Nano and more..

Price:

$69.90 at Dexim.net

REVIEW

The Package:

Dexim has made sure that they include all the essential goodies required to fully enjoy their AV Dock Station. The box packs an Audio / Video docking station, a wireless remote control, an AC adapter for charging your iPhone / iPod while docked and ten different dock adapters to accommodate a wide range of iPhone and iPod models, including the latest iPhone 4.

Also included are two batteries instead of one, instruction & product manuals and a Dexim brand sticker. Even though it says “9 docks included” at the back of the box, it turns out there are actually 10 of them, the extra one for iPhone 4 which seems to have been added later to maximize the dock’s compatibility. A sticker saying “Compatible with iPhone 4” is also posted on the box front which confirms just that.

Design & Product Quality

The AV Dock Station is a compact, perfectly portable dock with a nice solid build. The top is made up of durable rubberized material in gray color while the base has a glossy black finish. At the back, the dock holds sockets for AC adapter and included composite AV cables while the front has an infrared receiver along with a green LED indicator on top, which changes to red or orange when charging the device. The included composite AV cable also has a decent length and build quality.

The dock adapters are nicely engraved with a compatible iPhone / iPod name, on top left corner of each adapter’s back. The included remote is much more practical than the one shipped with Apple’s universal dock with buttons for Menu, OK, Volume Up/Down, Play/Pause, Previous/Rewind, Next/Fast-Forward and Up/ Down and lets you easily navigate through the iPhone or iPod’s music and video files. The remote’s infrared signal is easily picked up by the dock station from around 15 feet away, as long as its pointed at the dock.

Performance

The audio-video output quality of the dock is as good as the one you get from the Apple’s official AV dock. The dock station operates perfectly even without being plugged into the AC adapter. We tested the dock with an iPhone 3G running iOS 3.3 and iPhone 3GS & iPhone 4 both running iOS 4.2 and had no complaints at all with any of its functionality. We watched a bunch of HD videos and some YouTube content, all looked fantastic on a 40″ LCD. Navigation with remote control is also smooth and easy.

VERDICT

Dexim AV Dock Station is a better and cheaper alternative to the official Apple solution that outputs great picture & sound from a wide range of iPhones and iPods with a full function wireless remote.

IMAGE GALLERY