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Posted: 2019-02-13 17:22:41
btmagic-bluetooth-transmitter-receiver
Btmagic

Problem: You like to walk around the house listening to music with your headphones, but because Bluetooth has a limited range, you have to carry your phone with you from room to room.

Problem: You have an old but awesome stereo that doesn't support Bluetooth, so those speakers are going to waste.

Problem: You want two people to be able to listen to TV audio using headphones. Roku and Fire TV limit you to just one person at a time.

The answer to these and other home-audio obstacles can be found in a long-range Bluetooth receiver/transmitter. Like this one: For a limited time, and while supplies last, Vavofo (via Amazon) has the BTMagic Bluetooth 5.0 Transmitter Receiver for $36 when you apply promo code BTMAGICA at checkout.

There have long been Bluetooth receivers you could plug into, say, an old set of speakers to endow them with wireless goodness, meaning you could then stream Spotify or whatnot from your phone. If that's what you're looking for, the $20 Logitech Bluetooth Music Receiver is a fine choice.

But the BTMagic has a few extra tricks up its sleeve: It's not only a receiver, but also a transmitter. That means you can connect just about any source -- a TV, an old MP3 player, whatever -- and it'll make the audio wireless, accessible via your favorite headphones.

What's more, it promises a range of up to 265 feet. And it supports aptX HD and low-latency technologies, meaning you should enjoy the best audio quality Bluetooth is currently capable of providing and no audio-video sync issues when watching TV.

Another nice perk: It's portable, with an estimated battery life of 15-20 hours, depending on whether it's transmitting or receiving. It even supports NFC for super quick pairing to compatible devices.

To be clear, we haven't tested this one. But based on its specs, my only complaint is that it doesn't come with an AC adapter. You need to supply a USB wall charger, though any old phone charger should work. (It does include a USB charging cable, though.) Still, I think something like this could prove mighty handy, and similar products seem to run at least $45. Your thoughts?

Bonus deal: The Google Play store has a pretty good movie sale going on right now, with a number of titles priced at just $4.99. Some of them are provided in 4K resolution, too.

My picks for the best $5 you can spend? Ocean's Eleven, The Matrix, The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers and the criminally underrated Tom Cruise sci-fi epic Edge of Tomorrow (which was idiotically renamed Live Die Repeat for its home-video release). Just snagged a couple of those myself!


CNET's Cheapskate scours the web for great deals on PCs, phones, gadgets and much more. Note that CNET may get a share of revenue from the sale of the products featured on this page. Questions about the Cheapskate blog? Find the answers on our FAQ page. Find more great buys on the CNET Deals page and follow the Cheapskate on Facebook and Twitter!

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