If you have been following our reviews for some time you will have noticed we have covered a number of products produced by Technaxx including Disco Mobile Auto Charger, TX-165 Birdcam & Technaxx TX-SW6HR smartwatch. In this review, we have been sent the Technaxx TX-168 which is a portable car alarm.
I was a little on the fence about reviewing this product as I felt most cars on the road have built-in Thatcham alarms so what would be the point of this device? However, this is designed for the older car that might not have such technology in their car. Costing £68 let’s take a closer look and see if this device is worth a purchase or just a crazy idea.
First Impressions
The Technaxx TX-168 is simply an alarm system with a built-in siren and detection system that uses the cigarette lighter in your car to protect you from thieves as the siren should deter theft. It’s also portable and with a battery life of 10 days and with that PIR movement sensor, you could use it to protect your garage or locker at work. The TX-168 can also be carried on your person and be used as a panic alarm if required for self-defence reasons.
Unboxing
The packaging as with most Technaxx devices is designed to offer you all the information needed to make that buying decision.
Once you have opened the box you will be presented with the following:
- 1x Siren – Power up to 105dB
- 1x User guide
- 1x Instruction Book
- 1x Battery for the remote control
- 1x Remote control
- 1x Detection sensor
Design
The mini alarm is very lightweight at only 69g and comes in the following size – 3.0 x 3.0 x 13.5cm it also has a USB-Type C and USB-A port which is useful if you need to charge up your phone while driving. There is also a larger external siren that should be fitted under the bonnet of the car.
Moving back to the mini alarm it’s charged by the 24V cigarette lighter socket. The mini alarm allows you to activate or deactivate the alarm and will flash a red light every 5 seconds to indicate it’s been activated. The PIR movement sensor will reach the car from up to 10m as long as you have a clear view and you can connect up to three remote controls for the one alarm system useful if you have multiple drivers.
The alarm will automatically be triggered when it detects motion via the PIR sensor and there is also a manual panic button that can be activated from the inside of the car as well if required. The alarm is very loud with a max sound of 105db and will sound for a max of 2 minutes. It’s the detection sensor which is the most interesting part of the package you get here. It has a detection angle of 120 degrees and has an internal battery of 500mAh which should offer you about 7 days of battery life.
Installation
Installation is a very simple process: simply give the mini alarm a full charge before first-time use and if it’s not being used regularly, for example, it’s being used as a panic alarm. I would recommend a charge every 3 months to keep the battery working as normal.
Installing the siren under the bonnet is the most difficult part but even that does not require much skill to connect to the car, follow the instructions and you can not go wrong.
Image Credit: Pledge Times
The remote control is ready to use and there is no need to do anything. The only thing to do really as mentioned charge up the detector for 2 hours before use.
Performance
Using the TX-168 is very easy to use, Simply press the button on the remote control and the system will start and you will hear a small sound to indicate it’s activated. Then a few seconds later the LED on the detection sensor will switch colour. Once that has happened any motion detected will trigger the alarm.
Deactivation is just as easy as simply pressing the button on the remote control again. If you hold the button for a few seconds you will disable the anti-theft feature.
Verdict
When I was asked to review the TX-168 I questioned this device mainly due to the fact I have a Thatcham alarm system built into my car and that feeling still remains. This is more useful for these with older cars or what I found it worked well for was adding an extra level of protection in my garage. If the alarm is triggered this will deter some thieves but not all of them. I like the fact this device can also be used as a panic alarm if required.
However, there are some real negatives with this device. If you were on holiday and parked in a long stay car park you only have protection for 7 days due to the limited battery life which is annoying if you’re away for longer. As most cars will disconnect the power from the cigarette lighter the power will just start to decrease leaving your car at risk.
If you only use this alarm for short journeys and return before that 7-day period then it’s a suitable option to consider to protect your car. The other issue is the sound of the alarm some might consider it to sound a little low, especially in a built-up area you might not hear the alarm if you are a little bit of a distance from the car. If you use the device as a panic alarm you won’t have any issue with the sound of the alarm it will scare someone off or at least get other people’s attention.
At £68 it is a budget-friendly price for a portable car alarm not perfect but will do a job if you own an older car and are looking for some extra security plus being able to use it for multiple uses makes this device even more useful.
Product Rating:
Design: 4.0 out of 5.0 stars
Installation: 5.0 out of 5.0 stars5.0
Performance: 4.0 out of 5.0 stars
Value For Money: 4.0 out of 5.0 stars
Overall Rating: 4.6 out of 5.0 stars – 4.6 Stars
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