Black Boxes: Terk WaveMaster 30 Transmitter-Receiver (LF-30S)

by Stephen Muratore
Summer/Fall 2003

TERK Technologies
Contact: (631) 543-1900
Web: www.terk.com
Price: $100

Need a quick way to send audio and video around your home without wires? Terk has been making high-quality, 2.4 GHz A/V transmitter-receiver sets for some time that do just this. We reviewed, positively, their Leapfrog WaveMaster 20 in the Fall issue of 2001. Now Terk has released the WaveMaster's successor, the Leapfrog WaveMaster 30. The new unit incorporates the one thing needful we identified for the earlier model: a built-in remote control extender. This one feature adds greatly to the WaveMaster's utility.

Set Up Ease
We found the Wavemaster 30 as easy to hook up as the 20. Setup entailed plugging audio and video outputs from the home theater system into the transmitter's line-level RCA audio and composite video inputs; then plugging the receivers' similar outputs into audio amplifiers and TV monitors located in remote rooms. The WaveMaster allows users to select the clearest of 4 channels for transmission.

Transmitting, Round One
We first used the WaveMaster to transmit audio from a living room CD jukebox to receivers connected to self-powered computer speakers located in office, bedroom and bathrooms up to 40 feet away. With the transmitter sitting four feet above the floor, and receivers located at heights, variously, from two and a half to five feet, we got strong, clear, usually static-free high fidelity audio at all locations. The user manual advises against placing units close to appliances and also recommends mounting them as high as possible.

Transmitting, Round Two
Next we hooked up the remote control extender. WaveMaster 30 receivers relay infrared commands (as RF) back to the transmitter and then out to their target devices by way of a wire ending in an infrared emitter. We stuck the emitter to the infrared receiver window on the CD jukebox, and took its remote control to a room where a receiver was located. Pointing it toward the receiver, we pressed the remote's button for skipping to the next track on the CD. Nothing happened. We tried several different buttons in succession. Still nothing. As a troubleshooting move, we attached the emitter to a DVD player, and tried its remote at the receiver location. All commands worked. Could it be that the IR extender couldn't control the model jukebox we were using? Terk didn't respond to a query sent to their technical support email address for more than a day. A representative finally told us that no IR extender in the market can work with more than 85% of the devices in existence. Our CD jukebox wasn't among the orphaned 15%, however. This particular jukebox offers a choice from among three different remote command sets. The third command set we tried worked. All of the remote's buttons became effective from the receiver location.

Though the Wavemaster 30 is designed for use point-to-point, as a single transmitter-receiver pair, we pushed the envelope by using a transmitter with several receivers. Reception remained good in all locations, but the transmission of remote control signals back to the CD jukebox from the various locations failed sporadically when all receivers were turned on. We suspect the remote extenders may have interfered with one another. This is hardly a criticism as the Wavemaster 30 set wasn't designed to be used in this way.

Third and Final Round
Next, we plugged the audio and video outputs from an EchoStar/Dish receiver into the transmitter, and the outputs from a receiver in another room into a TV monitor. In no time at all, we were, not only watching, but surfing satellite channels remotely. Picture quality was remarkably good.

A Knockout
We give the Leapfrog WaveMaster 30 high marks for ease of set up, ease of use and quality of performance. It is a quick, easy and affordable tool for spreading the enjoyment of audio and video throughout the home.

SMART SPECS
Transmitter
Frequency: 2.4 to 2.4835GHz +- .005%
Modulation: FM (video and audio)
Channel number: four 18MHz/channel
Video input: RCA jack
Audio input: two RCA jacks
Power source: 120VAC 60Hz/9VDC, 400mA adapter
Receiver
Video output: RCA jack
Audio output: two RCA jacks