Casio SY-21 2.3 in. Handheld TV
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- Aspect Ratio: 4:3
- Display Type: Color
- Radio Tuner Built-in: Without Radio Tuner
- TV Type: Handheld
- Weight: 0.64 lb.
- Screen Size: 2.3 inch
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Water-Resistant Portable Color TV - You Don't Need One, But It Is Fun!
Pros
Great color picture; Easy to Use; Water-Resistant
Cons
None really, it performs exactly as expected--even the horrible speaker.
Recommended it?
Yes
The Bottom Line:
It's a great water-resistant portable TV. Use headphones and you'll love the sound and the picture.
We like water-resistant and waterproof products at our house—so much so that we'll pay extra for the feature (and extra it is!). We do this because too many of our electronic devices have been rained on (we live in Washington State after all), dewed upon, and simply spilled on. This little portable TV was a purchase my son made without us—I'll give him the waterproof part, but I don't think he really NEEDED it.
WHAT'S GOOD ABOUT IT
Small (easily snuck into a backpack)—only 5-1/8"H x 3-1/4"W x 1-1/2"D and only 10.24 ounces. The shape is reminiscent of old portable radios—the external rod antenna extends for better reception. Perhaps it's the antenna that makes it look retro to me. The design is fine and easy to grip, even when wet. The tuning is done with two buttons just below the screen—easy to find and straightforward to use. It does have a headphone jack but you'll need to supply your own (fine with me as I prefer earbuds and most come with headphones). While the screen is small, just 2.3-inches, it is a color screen with anti-glare technology (they advertise it as Ti-STN) that really is quite spectacular. Even in bright light, it does a great job. I'd have to give it a 9 out of 10 for picture quality. Crisp, clear, and focused. Just a few buttons—one dial for on/off/volume, and two arrow buttons (up/down) for tuning. Other than that, there's just the headphone jack and external antenna jack—everything is covered giving it its splash resistance.
WHAT'S NOT GREAT ABOUT IT
It flickers a bit and since you "dial" in the station, you're forever relocating the station manually if you're moving around. That's to be expected, however, on these lower end models which don't have digital tuning. The speaker, which only offers mono sound, is HORRIBLE! Use a good quality headphone and it's great, try the external speaker and you'll find it sounds very harsh and scratchy.
PERFORMANCE
My 15-year old has used it daily for about 4 months. It's banged up a bit but still in perfect working condition. Even living inside his pack the screen is fresh without scratches or blemishes (he keeps it is a side pocket and I've warned him about items pressing into the screen). On long car trips he adds a earphone jack splitter (about $2) so that he and his companion can watch together. Reception is fine when you're sitting still. In a moving car it's spotty, but that's really to be expected. Rather than a travel TV it's really more of a beach or shower TV. My husband has grabbed it a few times to watch the news while showering and lately it's been going into the garage where the new BowFlex is. The external antenna is a definite plus—without it tuning would be a nightmare and never ending.
BATTERIES
Four AAA batteries will keep it going for about 4 hours total. You can use re-chargeables or purchase the optional accessories below. We tried rechargeable batteries, but found the they only lasted about 2 hours so we've been very bad and purchased an enormous pack of batteries from Costco. Perhaps we'll try a different brand, but they're so expensive I need to do some research first. Besides, he keeps extras in his backpack for emergencies.
ACCESSORIES
You can purchase a soft carrying case ($19.99), AC Adaptor ($19.99), Car Adaptor ($24.95), and RF Cord ($9.95).
We haven't purchased any accessories as of yet, but we're looking into the RF cord to see if it would allow him to attach his PS2 to it (or some other game).
WHO NEEDS ONE?
Actually, it's pretty cheap and if you'd like a tiny TV for emergencies (battery operated), or love sports and hate to miss the game, this would be a great toy. If you live in a remote area you'll be very limited as to the number of channels you're able to receive (as we are), but major metropolitan areas should find all the local channels available. As an aside, today my son showed me the cool see-through pocket in his new ski-jacket. It's an inside chest pocket. He slipped in the TV, fished the earphone cord through the slot, and watched TV like a secret spy—he thought it was pretty cool.
SPECS
Screen size: 2.3" (measured diagonally from corner to corner) with 39,600 pixels
TV type: Tube
Screen format: Standard with 4:3 ratio
Frequency/Hertz 50 (the picture is updated 50 times per second)
Sound type: Mono
External Antenna Jack (we're not sure what this is for, but would love to find out!)
CAUTIONS
Casio cautions that in order to retain its splash-proof features you'll need to check all of the rubber gaskets occasionally. In addition, they recommend pulling out the batteries if you're not going to use it for an extended time. Keep out of direct sunlight and away from high heat (she's made entirely of plastic and rubber parts—now that would stink if it got too hot!).
WARRANTY
Warranty: One Year Parts, 90 Days Labor
WHAT'S GOOD ABOUT IT
Small (easily snuck into a backpack)—only 5-1/8"H x 3-1/4"W x 1-1/2"D and only 10.24 ounces. The shape is reminiscent of old portable radios—the external rod antenna extends for better reception. Perhaps it's the antenna that makes it look retro to me. The design is fine and easy to grip, even when wet. The tuning is done with two buttons just below the screen—easy to find and straightforward to use. It does have a headphone jack but you'll need to supply your own (fine with me as I prefer earbuds and most come with headphones). While the screen is small, just 2.3-inches, it is a color screen with anti-glare technology (they advertise it as Ti-STN) that really is quite spectacular. Even in bright light, it does a great job. I'd have to give it a 9 out of 10 for picture quality. Crisp, clear, and focused. Just a few buttons—one dial for on/off/volume, and two arrow buttons (up/down) for tuning. Other than that, there's just the headphone jack and external antenna jack—everything is covered giving it its splash resistance.
WHAT'S NOT GREAT ABOUT IT
It flickers a bit and since you "dial" in the station, you're forever relocating the station manually if you're moving around. That's to be expected, however, on these lower end models which don't have digital tuning. The speaker, which only offers mono sound, is HORRIBLE! Use a good quality headphone and it's great, try the external speaker and you'll find it sounds very harsh and scratchy.
PERFORMANCE
My 15-year old has used it daily for about 4 months. It's banged up a bit but still in perfect working condition. Even living inside his pack the screen is fresh without scratches or blemishes (he keeps it is a side pocket and I've warned him about items pressing into the screen). On long car trips he adds a earphone jack splitter (about $2) so that he and his companion can watch together. Reception is fine when you're sitting still. In a moving car it's spotty, but that's really to be expected. Rather than a travel TV it's really more of a beach or shower TV. My husband has grabbed it a few times to watch the news while showering and lately it's been going into the garage where the new BowFlex is. The external antenna is a definite plus—without it tuning would be a nightmare and never ending.
BATTERIES
Four AAA batteries will keep it going for about 4 hours total. You can use re-chargeables or purchase the optional accessories below. We tried rechargeable batteries, but found the they only lasted about 2 hours so we've been very bad and purchased an enormous pack of batteries from Costco. Perhaps we'll try a different brand, but they're so expensive I need to do some research first. Besides, he keeps extras in his backpack for emergencies.
ACCESSORIES
You can purchase a soft carrying case ($19.99), AC Adaptor ($19.99), Car Adaptor ($24.95), and RF Cord ($9.95).
We haven't purchased any accessories as of yet, but we're looking into the RF cord to see if it would allow him to attach his PS2 to it (or some other game).
WHO NEEDS ONE?
Actually, it's pretty cheap and if you'd like a tiny TV for emergencies (battery operated), or love sports and hate to miss the game, this would be a great toy. If you live in a remote area you'll be very limited as to the number of channels you're able to receive (as we are), but major metropolitan areas should find all the local channels available. As an aside, today my son showed me the cool see-through pocket in his new ski-jacket. It's an inside chest pocket. He slipped in the TV, fished the earphone cord through the slot, and watched TV like a secret spy—he thought it was pretty cool.
SPECS
Screen size: 2.3" (measured diagonally from corner to corner) with 39,600 pixels
TV type: Tube
Screen format: Standard with 4:3 ratio
Frequency/Hertz 50 (the picture is updated 50 times per second)
Sound type: Mono
External Antenna Jack (we're not sure what this is for, but would love to find out!)
CAUTIONS
Casio cautions that in order to retain its splash-proof features you'll need to check all of the rubber gaskets occasionally. In addition, they recommend pulling out the batteries if you're not going to use it for an extended time. Keep out of direct sunlight and away from high heat (she's made entirely of plastic and rubber parts—now that would stink if it got too hot!).
WARRANTY
Warranty: One Year Parts, 90 Days Labor
