Feed: Wireless External Hard Drive - AggScore: 50.1

Onkyo TX-NR905 7.1 Channel Home Theater Receiver (Black) Review

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Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)After a lot of research, I purchased the 905 last year. Onkyo had some production issues (strong demand) and so I waited MONTHS before one became available. On paper, the specs look very good.
Ultimately, Onkyo bought-back my receiver from me because of several design flaws that firmware updates could not fix. For example, the DSPs are poorly designed such that there is a delay of 2-3 seconds when locking onto and audio stream. So every time I fast-forward through a commercial, the video plays for 2-3 seconds with no audio. Changing audio streams on Blu-Ray movies had the same delay.
In addition, there is a significant audio delay that causes a mis-sync between audio and video. Again, Onkyo says a firmware update cannot fix the problem. I bypassed the Reon video processor to help with the problem, but then you lose the built-in scaling feature.
Only service centers are permitted to do firmware updates. In my case, there was a 2-3 week backlog. Thankfully, one update leaked to the internet and I was able to do it myself. However, Onkyo found out about the leak and was not happy.
Onkyo also makes no mention of any firmware updates on their web site. So unless a consumer calls in regarding a problem, they will never know an update is out there. They should clearly state on their product support web site an update is available and to call their service center for more information.
If they can fix these and other defects in the 906 model (due mid 2008), then it would be a winner. But the 905 has so many issues that I switched receivers and now own a Denon. For more insight to the problems, check out the avsforum site where there is a large discussion on this model.

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Meet the standout leader of Onkyo's new range of home theater heroes. The TX-NR905 7.1-channel home network receiver has a number of advantages that propel it into the home theater super league. Look to the TX-NR905's network (interfacing with Windows Media Player and Windows Media Connect) to open up a huge reservoir of Internet and computer-based audio resources. Enjoy the edge in high-definition 1080p video processing from the world's first receiver to incorporate HQV Reon VX. In-line with Onkyo's impeccable track record, under the hood of the TX-NR905 you'll find an innovative power supply, remarkable amplification design, and high-performance parts from the likes of Texas Instruments. "Complete" is a tag not given lightly, but the TX-NR905 earns it in style.

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Gateway FX6840-23 Desktop (Black) Review

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Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I've owned this computer and used it every day for 3 months. It was a great deal, fast, plays any game i have just fine, and has room to grow. The case is awesome! having everything on the top like that is pretty handy.
The only thing that i'd fix is the trouble of replacing the power supply myself, where there's lots of goodies that need power, theres power CORDS running into every crack and i'd hafta disassemble the whole thing to get it out, but i replaced the video card with an HIS Radeon hd 5850 1GB and it runs no prob with the stock 500w powersupply.

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Gateway FX6840-23 Desktop PC comes with these specs: Intel Core i7-860 Processor 2.8 GHz with Turbo Boost Technology up to 3.46 GHz, Windows 7 Home Premium, Intel H57 Express Chipset, 8 GB DDR3 Memory, ATI Radeon HD 5750 Graphics Card with 1 GB Discrete Video Memory, 1TB SATA Hard Drive , Multi-in-1 Digital Media Card Reader, High-Definition Audio Support with 5.1-channel Audio Support, 10 - USB 2.0, Keyboard and Mouse, 31.0 lbs. | 14.1 kg (system unit only), 1 Year Parts and Labor Limited Warranty with Toll-Free Tech Support, Registration/ Limited Warranty Card, Norton Internet Security Suite 2009 Trial

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Samsung LN52B630 52-Inch 1080p 120 Hz LCD HDTV with Red Touch of Color Review

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Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)After spending way too much time researching and viewing these TVs at big box stores, I eventually bought this set from Amazon, and could not be happier.
I was in the plasma vs LCD debate for a while and decided that I needed/wanted the brightness of an LCD, didn't want to worry about any burn in issues (I know they are almost non-existent today anyway). I wanted 1080p and most plasma sets with 1080p are close to this price point as well. I debated for about a month between last years ln52a630 and the ln52a750, and which one to buy. The matte screen on the 630 was its highlight for me, but there was a sacrifice in the contrast ratio and other miscellaneous little "bells and whistles". The A750 being the more expensive model, the price point dropped so much, it was now pretty much an even swap. Hearing about the problems associated with the 750 including glare, halo and TOC flaking issues, I decided the 630 with its matte screen was the TV for me.
So, I price shopped the A630 for a few weeks until I stumbled across the new version of the set, the ln52b630. A little more money is WELL spent when upgrading to this TV. The contrast ratio is double 40,000:1 vs 80,000:1, and even dominates last years 50,000:1 A750's contrast ratio. Again, this TV also has the MATTE SCREEN! Almost no glare issues in my very bright viewing room, that has multiple windows and a sliding glass door.
The TV's picture quality is the best my friends and I have seen so far from an LCD. Deepest blacks and brightest brights are the comments I have been hearing when people see this TV in operation. The clarity in blu-ray 1080p with 120hz is breathtaking, you almost don't want to take your eyes off the screen. I have it connected to Dish Network's HD service and the PQ in 1080i is also superb, a slight loss in clarity and blur in fast moving sequences that is non-existent in 1080p. Standard def programing also looks great as well.
As far as audio, I have it setup through surround sound, so I cannot comment.
I have yet to connect an ethernet cable to use those features as well.
**UPDATE** I have attached the ethernet cable and the "infolink" features do work as advertised. It is a nice feature, news stories, temperature/weather, stocks all positioned in the corners of the screen. Will i ever use it, probably not. But, it works as advertised. I wish it was a way to update firmware for the TV rather than for these features.
The USB media port is another excellent feature. It allows you to play movies, music and pictures directly from the side of the TV with a USB flash drive or external hard drive. It will play almost any codec you throw at it, supposedly even x264(HD), have not been able to test this.
The remote is nicely designed and easy to use. Samsung eliminated the dreaded "click-wheel' on this years new models.
Delivery: Pilot was my shipping service, and I cannot say anything bad about the service. The delivered early and made the necessary phone calls to arrange delivery. The box was in great shape, as well as the TV inside.

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With Samsung’s LN52B630, you’re connected to great HD entertainment and up-to-the-minute online info. Enjoy a Full HD feast for the eyes, courtesy of the 1080p resolution and 52-inch LCD screen. Check sports scores, stock quotes, weather and other update able RSS content at just the touch of a button on your remote, with the InfoLink feature. Samsung’s Auto Motion Plus120Hz technology keeps even the fastest on-screen motion smooth and natural. Enjoy bold black tones with an impressive 80,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio. Four HDMI inputs give you fast and easyconnection options for your Blu-ray Disc player and gaming system. And the stylish yet subtle Touch of Color design adds a red accent to the bezel’s border – perfect in any modern home.

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Samsung LN40A750 40-Inch 1080p DLNA LCD HDTV with Red Touch of Color Review

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Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)... buy this model. We got it to replace a three year old, 32-inch Sony that has served us very well in our bedroom, but we wanted a bigger screen. We got the bigger screen in a better looking cabinet, and, a much better picture, much better sound, and a much better tuner.
UPDATE (8/24/08) - If I could give this TV more than 5 stars, I would. When I registered my TV with SAMSUNG online (as opposed to mailing in the warranty card), they automatically extended the warranty from 12 to 18 months. Then, 2 days ago, I got a box in the mail from SAMSUNG with their USB wireless network adapter. For free! I attached it and gave myself a crash course in setting up wireless network security. At first I used automatic network setup on the TV menu. It worked well but intermittently with WPA-PSK encryption, but, flawlessly when I used manual wireless setup. The content this gives you is from USA Today. I found out what "That Darn Wheel" on the remote is really for. When you read a multipage news story, you have to use the wheel to turn the pages. There's no other way.
I ordered a cheap HDMI cable from an Amazon independent vendor (cost $6, including shipping) and hooked the TV up to a Philips 160 GB HDD/DVD recorder with a built-in digital QAM tuner. Got rid of all the other cables to neaten up the cable tangle situation. The recorder does 1080P upscaling if you use the HDMI interface and the TV automatically senses and adjusts its resolution mode to match. Makes even regular channels look almost as good as the HIDEF ones. I don't use the recorder's tuner all the time for normal TV viewing, but when I need it, its there to add a new dimension for enjoying this TV's many features.
I got almost $150 back during the 30 day grace period, and the price has fallen another $159 since, but I got it when when I needed it and don't regret not getting a better price. Every time I turn it on, I am glad I chose this model.
Back to my original review -
PLUSES -
CABINET - The jet black bezel has a subtle tinge of red, and is accented with a clear rim. It's stunning.
SOUND- I chose this model for the internal subwoofer. We don't want multiple speakers in our bedroom, and the Samsung's internal speakers work fine. We loaded a Blueman Group DVD and the internal woofer was pretty powerful. I turned up the bass on the built-in equalizer and had to throttle it back to neutral so the room wouldn't shake. The factory settings are fine.
PICTURE - The picture is sharp, even on analog channels. Digital channels look even better. The wideband flourescent backlight delivers the promised color performance. The factory settings make both analog and digital pictures look fantastic, but I detuned the picture to dim down the light emitted into the room and set the energy saving feature to high which also degrades the picture. Know what? It still looks great.
TUNER - We don't have and don't want to use the cable company's box, but, we can get all the analog content and unscrambled digital, high def channels they offer (NBC, CBS, ABC, Fox, and PBS). The Sony's tuner used to break up on Fox and ABC high def channels, but the Samsung's tuner locks in tight on everything. The Sony took a few seconds to lock on digital channels and the Samsung does this much faster.
MINUSES - Not many.
PRELOADED CONTENT - The content the factory loaded on the internal flash drive seems silly. It includes games, artwork, recipes, and entertaiment. The artwork includes high def works by Monet, Van Gogh, and Latrec. I can see that it might be nice to use the TV as a picture frame, but who needs it. The other content is OK to look at once, but after that, never again. You can't add content to the internal memory, but you can use MP3 and JPEG content on an external USB thumb drive.
THAT DARN WHEEL - Overall, the remote is also great, but the wheel is twitchy and there isn't a single thing you can do with it that you can't do easier by just using it as a 4-way switch (up, down, left, right). It's more awkward to twist the wheel with your thumb than it is to push down on the wheel's edge, but if you aren't careful the slightest twist will change the function you are trying to adjust. It's not hard to master the feel, but the wheel is a totally unnecessary feature. Wonder how much it adds to the remote's production cost. The remote lights up when you touch it, which is great while you are learning where all the buttons are, but it does run the batteries down faster, so the instructions say. You can easily enable and disable the light function.
Amazon's price was right and it dropped $45 between the time I ordered and when it was delivered. Getting a refund for the difference took less than 5 minutes on the phone. The TV was delivered 5 days earlier than promised.
Directions on how to adjust the TV on/off melody sound, which is annoying, are on page 61 of the manual. Navigate to menu/setup/external settings/melody. then select "off."

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The upgraded model for this product is Samsung LN40B750 The LN40A750 is a truly exceptional HDTV and offers an incredible entertainment experience. SAMSUNG's new Touch of ColorTM design is sure make a statement in your home. And InfoLinkTM RSS lets you instantly access news, weather, sports and stock information. Seeing is believing with Auto Motion Plus 120HzTM. It creates an amazingly clear picture and more realistic action scenes. Satisfy your craving for the latest in HD technology with the SAMSUNG LN40A750 LCD TV.

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Dell Studio XPS 13 (1340) Laptop Review

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Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)We purchased one of these for our son to take to college. It has been nothing but trouble with overheating, hinges and other things. Three times Dell replaced the hard drive, which of course resulted in the loss of the software, files, etc. and required rebuilding. After the third time, I started insisting they replace it and the agreed. But now we're 5 weeks into this as the end of a semester approaches and the replacement Laptop still hasn't shippped. This has required many hours on the line with Dell over the year and the three rebuilds of the hard disk and other things. This seems to be a systemic problem with this product that Dell should have been aware of through the design and testing process and through it QA processes once the product was in the field. It kept overheating and they kept insisting that a BIOS update and things were going to fix it.
We've been long-time Dell users and have a number of Dell Systems. it's going to be easier in the future just to switch back over to HP or Toshibia or some other manufacturer with better product reliability, because Dell as failed with this. And now trying to get it replaced is something started in Oct, and yet here in Mid-Nov we can't get an estimated shipping date. Totally uancceptable.
I was also about ready to get a new powerhouse Dell desktop, but I'll buy that from a manufacturer with more reliable products too.

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HP Pavilion dv4-2170us Intel Core i5, 2.26Ghz, 4GB, 320GB, DVDRW with Lightscribe, White Notebook, 14.1", Webcam, HDMI, Windows 7 Home Premium 64bit Review

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Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Had this HP DV4-2170US for just over a week and love it. The keyboard has a nice silky feel to it and responds nicely. Love the "touch" volume and WiFi controls; you basically just slide your finger over the volume level to adjust and just "tap" the WiFi icon to turn it on/off, cool! The screen is nice and has that glossy look that most new laptops have.
I got a pretty good deal on this laptop through Staples. The offer included a $46 instant savings, plus a $50 savings from HP and it was priced pretty low to begin with. I ended up paying ~$670 shipped, tax, etc., not bad for an Intel i5 processor, 14.1" machine with 4GB/320GB HD.
My only issue was that initially, it did recognize my WiFi setup but would not authenticate? I tried resetting my wireless router, rebooted it, reset all the settings, etc., nothing worked! I then finally just reloaded the driver/software for the adaptor (off of HP's site), and that fixed it, go figure!
Battery life could be a bit better, I get just over 3 hours on a full charge which I believe is less than HP indicates (4 hours?), but that's not really a deal breaker. Others have mentioned that the Intel i5 processor is a bit of a power monger, not a bad sacrifice for more speed/power!
Overall, if you don't mind the white cover and keyboard I definitely recommend this laptop.
On a side note, the HP DV4-2160US is the exact laptop (same specs) but with a brownish/plaid cover and black keyboard instead of the white setup on the HP DV4-2170US.

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Dell Desktop Inspiron 530 Desktop Review

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Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I purchased this computer because it was inexpensive for the components provided. I run a small business, and we were overdue for an upgraded system. Our old Compaq had served us for about 5 years, but was getting too bogged down.
This computer was promised with a Win7 upgrade, free of charge. When I received it, I immediately installed it, and it rendered my wireless network useless. After spending an hour trying to fix it, I had to call Dell for assistance. It was Sunday afternoon, and if our wireless did not work Monday, we would have to close up.
I found out something very important - DELL DOES NOT OFFER ANY SUPPORT OF WINDOWS other than paid support. It cost me $135 for someone to reset my wireless connection. I was told that most users will never have a problem with Windows, so they do not provide support. Microsoft told me that Dell is responsible for the Windows support for this product, but if they don't offer it, I could also pay Microsoft for assistance.
Now, a few months later, I'm having hardware failures. After 6 calls today - all of which were disconnected during transfers to tech support - I'm now stuck with an online chat, attempting to solve my problem. Very slow, tedious, and inconvenient, but you get what you pay for!

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Item specifics - PC Desktops Condition:Used: An item that has been used previously. The item may have some signs of cosmetic wear, but is fully operational and functions as intended. This item may be a floor model or store return that has been used. See the seller's listing for full details and description of any imperfections. See all condition definitions- opens in a new window or tab... Read moreabout the condition Processor Type:Intel Core 2 Duo Brand:Dell Processor Speed (per Core):2.8 GHz Operating System:Windows Vista Home Premium Processor Configuration:Dual Core Primary Drive:DVD+/-RW Memory (RAM):6 GB Bundled Items:Keyboard, Mouse Hard Drive Capacity:500 GB Screen Size:--

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Samsung LN46A850 46-Inch 1080p 120Hz LCD HDTV with RED Touch of Color Review

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Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)First off let me provide some basic info so you have an understanding of the use, location, and expectations for this TV. Let me state that this is the first HDTV we have ever owned. This is a replacement for a functioning 25" Zenith color console with a rotary dial (only has a flat UHF and VHF input) that we purchased new 25 plus years ago. We have basic cable (Time Warner) that was hooked up to the old TV through a VHS and DVD (separate) player. We started researching HDTV's last year. After information overload from all of the various manufactures as to why they were better we settled on the Samsung brand just to start narrowing it down. After that we took up the Plasma vs. LCD. We settled on the LCD and then quickly narrowed it down to the 46" model based upon our living room layout. We have three interior and one exterior wall, with the exterior wall facing east and is all glass. We have a fireplace at the end of the room and that is where the TV has always set. After all of that was done we were ready to pull the trigger and purchase the LN46A650 but waited for a while ($). By the time we were ready to purchase, Samsung had just released the 850, 860, and 950. Jump back into research to see what the differences were. Well thin is what we needed to help with the room arrangement so we quickly changed to the 850 (ToC red) / 860 (ToC blue) model. We purchased the 850 on Cyber Monday. It arrived the following Monday.
1. CEVA Logistics, Just after placing my order I received a confirmation from Amazon with the tracking #. Goggled CEVA, placed the tracking # in the main web page to locate the TV and there it was, at the warehouse outside of Harrisburg Pa. I checked it several times that week and followed it through their system. I received a phone call from the local agent on Friday who setup a delivery time on Monday (7 days after the order) for a delivery between 9 and 1. They arrived at about 10:00 with a small urban type delivery truck. The two deliverymen were college aged and friendly. They met me at the door and we inspected the package together. They advised me before stepping into the house that they were only to unpack and check that it powered on. They did just that and there were no issues. I tried to tip them but they politely refused and went on their way. I am mentioning this here as some reviews were all over the place on them.
2. The TV, It was easy to hook up. Screwed in the cable to the back and turned it on. It went through a couple of quick menus and then it was searching for channels. It even tells you on the screen where it is in the process. We only get about 60 basic cable channels so I was quite surprised when it said that it was up to about 150 and still going. Once it reached the end it stated "removing scrambled channels" which brought the number back down. It found all of the HD channels that Time Warner provides free and I never new they were there.
3. Navigating the built in menu system is fairly easy. Once you get the hang of the remote you can set up the entire TV in about 30 minutes (in my case).
4. I will say that the remotes are pretty particular that they are pointed at the lower left side of the screen. One remote has everything on it. The second remote in the box that is pretty basic. It will turn the TV off and on; change the channels and the volume.
5. ToC, this is a non issue in this model. You can barely see it at all and there is no glare that we can detect at all through the sides that affect the picture.
6. The black bezel is extremely glossy and looks spectacular. When our room has all of the lights on you can see the reflections off of it but it has not interfered with our viewing. We mostly have one light on in the room at the far end in the evening and it is not noticeable. Daytime viewing, in the morning the room is brightly lit as it gets the rising sun. The screen is not affected from it.
7. Factory defaults, from the start we left them alone till we had a better feel for the TV. We have been tweaking here and there and believe that everyone can customize to their tastes. The picture is just exceptionally clear and the TV does a great job of adjusting the straight 4:3 broadcast into what ever format you want. I think that there are 5 different settings here (4:3, 16:9, zoom 1, zoom 2, wide fit) and you can set to your tastes.
8. DVD Player, Hooked it up to the TV with component cables as the connection. The player is a 2001 model and is pretty basic. We placed a Star Wars DVD in because of the THX calibration (Google it) and was utterly amazed that it looked that good. We did not do a calibration and left all of the settings alone. The TV has a built in surround sound emulator that can be turned on and off if you do not have external speakers. The sound was absolutely great compared to what we had before. I am sure that it does not match a true 5:1 or 7:1 but in no way is it weak as other reviewers have claimed.
9. Update on DLNA (12-20-2008),(additional info posted under comments, 1-19-2009) You do not need to install the software if you have Vista Home Premium, Vista Ultimate, or Windows Home Server. The DLNA hooked up while I was trying to figure out the instructions in the manual. That is about the only good I can say about this at this point. The instructions in the user manual are almost worthless. It makes it seem that you have to install the software which is not the case if you have any of the 3 OS above. The DLNA found my extensive home photo library and that part works OK. The USB on the side of the TV will not support anything but FAT 16/32 formatted keys. It will not allow the running of an external hard drive on the port. Home Movies and an extensive music library will not play on the TV. DLNA supports a very limited set of formats and codec's. Nothing that I have will run in either of these two categories without an error message "format not supported". How many folks will want to convert hundreds of gigs of home movies and music? After doing a little research I am finding that there is software that will sit between your storage devices and the TV that will convert on the fly. It will be till January sometime that I have a chance to try that out.
Final Thoughts on DLNA, I am disappointed that Samsung did not choose formats that more closely resembled what the general population has sitting on their home computers. The use of converters and the shortcomings here are a major let down as compared to the rest of the TV. I will say that my photo library looks stunning on the TV. Samsung has a way to go to support home movies and music. While this is a major shortfall it does not take away the viewing quality that this TV produces when watched. Just be aware that you need to be somewhat Techy to get DLNA working.

10. Infolink, The INFOLINK found everything the first time. News, Sports, Weather, and Stocks etc can be programmed fairly easy.
Final comments, the channel search found double channels on all of the major broadcast affiliates (NBC, ABC, FOX, ETC). It is easy to go through the menu system and tell which is analog and which is digital. Delete the analog as you can see a major difference in the quality. One can hit an "info" button on the remote and it will give you all of the technical stuff on the channels. I really like the feature that tells you which format the broadcasts are in, 4:3 or 16:9, and the resolution 420i, 720P, 1080i. The HD channels and shows themselves are clearly awesome as you see features on the shows that you have never seen before, blemishes on the actor's faces, individual strands of hair, subtle makeup differences in shades ETC. The swivel stand is nice and the TV itself is not that heavy. It comes with a micro fiber cleaning cloth. Only time will tell if this model will give us the longevity that we are accustomed to. We are totally pleased with our purchase.
Thanks
GM

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Samsung's 850 Series has the Touch of Color design with a slim depth and narrow bezel and features a built-in tuner, full high definition 1080p resolution with Auto Motion Plus 120Hz.A fast 4 ms response rate with a Ultra Clear Panel produces smooth-motion scenes for sports and action movies and a dynamic contrast ratio of 50,000:1 makes for deep blacks and crisp lines.Superb connectivity and networking with 4 HDMI 1.3 ports (3 rear/1 side).Turn your LCD into a full-scale home viewing gallery and watch your favorite photos in a slide show and listen to your MP3's with WiseLink (USB 2.0). Samsung's InfoLink provides RSS feeds of customizable stock quotes, weather, and brief news articles.

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Denon AVR-4308CI Multizone Home Theater Receiver with Network Streaming and Wi-Fi Review

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Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Denon 4308CI Receiver

Strengths: Great quality picture and sound, excellent build quality, nice display, GUI interface, easy to assign/rename imputs, HD radio, 4 HDMI, 140 Watt multizone output, good value for price point.
Weaknesses: Complicated user manual, Useless remote, Faroudja vs. Silicon Optix processor
Price paid: $1,780 (2/08)from a reputable retail store. (Please do not ask which one as I was given an insider price)
Summary: After considerable research I purchased the Denon 4308CI to upgrade a prexisting Sony STRDA555ES receiver. My main desire in upgrading was to obtain HDMI connection capability and take advantage updated sound processing and 1080P upscaling. I ruled out various other comparable recievers for a variety of reasons, including heat generation as my components are enclosed in a audio rack partially recessed into a closed media room.
As a longtime Sony fan and owner of three ES AV recievers, it came down to a choice between the STRDA 5300ES and the Denon 4308CI.
I opted for the Denon over the Sony for a few reasons. The display on the Denon is much larger. It might sound silly but I like to see the information displayed on the receiver from where I'm listing to music. The Sony display was rather small. I also liked the fact that the Denon has internet streaming capability and HD Radio reception. The Sony has more HDMI hookups and a longer warranty (5 years vs. 2 for the Denon) but the Denon has increased power handling and full 1080P upscaling. Pricewise the Denon was a few hundred dollars more then the Sony but I felt that it had a more "modern" feature set.
So far after 4 months of use I have been very pleased with the Denon. Sound is fantastic and the GUI was intuitive. I disagree with some of the other reviews that I have read regarding the ease of setup. It took a little longer then I anticipated to set up but as I previously noted the GUI was fairly intuitive. I really like the fact that you can rename the inputs so when you select them from the function selection dial it will display whatever name you decide on. I prefer optical connections so I had to reassign some of the optical connections. Rear connections seem pretty sturdy. The unit gets warm but not hot after a few hours of use. Still havent taken advantage of the 1080P upscaling as of yet. HD radio signal reception is pretty strong and so far no interference despite living in a New York City Apartment building.
Harmony 880 Universal Remote works better then supplied remotes.
Video processing is excellent. I have however occasionally noted video artifacts. This reciver uses a Faroudja DCDi FLI2310 processor which is simply not as highly regarded by professional reviewers as the Silicon Optix Realta HQV processor used by Denon's flagship 3800BDCI Blu-ray player or the Silicon Optix Reon chipset used by receivers such as the Onkyo TX-NR905 and Integra DTR 8.8. However, overall picture quality on standard 1080i and 720p cable source material is excellent.
3808CI vs.4308CI? The 4308CI appeared to have a slightly more "attractive" build quality and appearance. In comparing the two models side by side before purchasing, the 4308CI simply looked better. However, HD radio, increased power handling and WiFi capability were the primary reasons I opted to spend more to purchase the 4308CI.
4308CI and 3800BDCI blu-ray combo. Have had the 4308CI and the 3800BDCI paired for the last three weeks. The Blu-ray picture is simply amazing. Will never purchase another standard DVD again if available in Blu-ray format.
Conclusion: I've been very happy with the 4308CI. It offers great sound and picture features at an attractive price point. However,if you are interested in better video processing you may want to check out the Onkyo TX-NR905 and Integra DTR 8.8 as well.

Review system components: (used in review)
Panasonic TH-50PZ750U 1080P (limited Ed)
Artcoustic DF-65's
Artcoustic DF-Multi (center)
Denon 3800BDCI (DVD)(used three weeks)
Sony ES 5 Disc changer
Sony SACD player
Monster HPS7000 Signature Series
Monster AVS2000 Signature series
Polk XM Radio Tuner

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Denon AVR-4308CI Next Generation A/V Multi-Source/Zone with Network Streaming Receiver

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Denon AVR-3808CI 7.1-Channel Multizone Home Theater Receiver with Networking Review

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Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I have been waiting a while for "the perfect receiver". However, I have come to the conclusion that this is as close to perfect as I am going to find for my needs right now. I am using all 4 HDMI inputs (PS3, Oppo 980H, Directv HR20, and a Sony Vaio computer). The Denon has worked flawlessly with SACD, DVD-A, and lossless audio sources from my BluRay movies.
For sound quality, it is important to get the speakers setup properly. Denon's auto setup with the included mic makes this a very simple setup. I have heard that it helps to take measurements from all over the room, so I setup 5 listening locations. The sound quality is fantastic. I do have an spl meter, but I have not had it out to fine tune the setup just yet. It already sounds fantastic. The Oppo has the ability to send out a DSD multi-channel signal for its SACD and these sound fantastic on the Denon.
I am not really using the video upscaler very much since most of the signals I am inputting are already HD. In other words, the Denon mainly sends out the signals untouched, so it is hard to complain.
The ability to update the firmware over the internet connection is what I believe sets this receiver apart from the competition. For me, this was the deciding factor. With all of the new tech in these receivers, I do not want to have to carry the thing into a service location every time it needs an update.
I should mention that I played some music coming from my computer using the network interface and it worked okay. It did take a few seconds to retrieve license information for Yahoo Music DRM files, but I bet they improve on that in the future.
The downsides are small, but should be mentioned. The remote is okay for setting up the system, but it is going into a drawer with my other remotes now that I have my Harmony 880 universal programmed for all of the general functions that I need. Also, the GUI takes some getting used to. I like the ability to rename the inputs and choose what video inputs go with the audio inputs. However, it was not something that I picked up and setup in a few minutes. It is better than my old Denon AVR-3300, so at least they are going in the right direction!

Click Here to see more reviews about: Denon AVR-3808CI 7.1-Channel Multizone Home Theater Receiver with Networking

Denon AVR-3808CI A/V Multi-Source/Zone with Network Streaming Receiver

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Acer Emachines Laptop Pc with Intel Dual Core T4400 2.2ghz Windows 7 Home Premium 3gb Ddr2 250gb 5400 RPM Sata Supermulti 8x Dvd+ Burner with Double Layer Support 802.11b/g/n 15.6" Hd Widescreen High-brightness LCD Display 1366 X 768 5-in-1 Digital Media Reader Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 4500m with 1695 Mb Video Memory 2 X USB 2.0 Ports, 1 X VGA Connector, 1 X Headphone/speaker/line-out Jack, 1 X Microphone-in Jack, 1 X Rj-45 Port, 1 X Dc-in Jack for Ac Adapter 6-cell Lithium-ion Battery (Up to 2.5 Hours) (Black) Review

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Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)This is a good deal. This laptop is good enough for home or small bussines. Camera included will be great.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Acer Emachines Laptop Pc with Intel Dual Core T4400 2.2ghz Windows 7 Home Premium 3gb Ddr2 250gb 5400 RPM Sata Supermulti 8x Dvd+ Burner with Double Layer Support 802.11b/g/n 15.6" Hd Widescreen High-brightness LCD Display 1366 X 768 5-in-1 Digital Media Reader Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 4500m with 1695 Mb Video Memory 2 X USB 2.0 Ports, 1 X VGA Connector, 1 X Headphone/speaker/line-out Jack, 1 X Microphone-in Jack, 1 X Rj-45 Port, 1 X Dc-in Jack for Ac Adapter 6-cell Lithium-ion Battery (Up to 2.5 Hours) (Black)

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LG 42LH50 42-Inch 1080p 120 Hz Broadband LCD HDTV, Gloss Black Review

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Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I am really happy with this LCD. The newtwork features are what really set this set apart. I am sure these type of features will soon be common, but for now LG is leading the way. Under NETCAST, you have streaming Netflix, Vudu HD movies and youtube. The Netflix setup was easy and the movies lookedmuch better than I expected. I tried both SD and HD movies and they looked good but of course I will be glad when they get a better HD selection. The Vudu movie service is one of my favorite features and not evem because of the easy access to streaming HD movies at your finger tips. The best part of Vudu for me is that you can view HD trailers for upcoming movies, and most of the previews aren't even on TV yet. They lso have all the latest movies, so it's a better selection than Netflix. The youtube streaming also looked much better than expected. An example of how cool this feature can be, my wife was watching a talk show with friends an it was talking about the viral video of the baby dancing to beyonce and she was able to quickly pull it up and see what all the fuss was about. Needless to say her girlfriends loved it. The other nice feature of this set is the ability to use the usb drive to connect a thumb drive or hard drive and watch video clips, pictures or listen to music. You can also view media on your network, so this tv really does it all. Oh and the yahoo widgets are aslo available. They allow you to watch Yahoo videos, follow your Twitter account, yahoo weather, news, sports, stocks and Flickr. Lastly, there are plenty of settings adjustments that can be made to tweak your picture. There are some settings on CNET that look great. Oh, and I went with some linksys powerline adapters to get it onlne and they work great. I have had no problems with streaming any media, even HD.

Click Here to see more reviews about: LG 42LH50 42-Inch 1080p 120 Hz Broadband LCD HDTV, Gloss Black

42" LCD Broadband HDTV, 1920 x 1080 Resolution, 120Hz, 70,000:1 Contrast Ratio, ATSC/NTSC/Clear QAM - 1 Tuner, SRS TruSurround XT, 4 HDMI input

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- HP Pavilion dv4-2045dx Notebook PC (White) - AMD Turion II Dual-Core M500 2.2GHz / 14.1" WXGA / 4GB DDR2 / 320GB HD / DVD±RW/CD-RW / Built-in webcam / Windows 7 Home Premium Review

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Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I bought this explicitly for using as a budget HTPC. I didn't need Blu-Ray or long battery life because I intended to park it on my components and plug it into my big screen via HDMI. I did need a computer with good graphics and a pc that was powerful enough to run flash and HD video without hiccuping. Picked this up yesterday and by the time I had the OS decrappified of all of the junk software they add to these budget computers I was up and running and connected to my entertainment center and watching youtube on the big screen in no time.
I'll leave some updates later but here are a few important things to keep in mind.
1. There is a little button above the touchpad that turns it on and off. Make sure it's on before you freak out.
2. You have to touch the wireless icon in order to turn on the wireless card. It glows red and changes color to blue when it's on and it's touch sensitive.
Both points aren't made clear in the manual.

Click Here to see more reviews about: - HP Pavilion dv4-2045dx Notebook PC (White) - AMD Turion II Dual-Core M500 2.2GHz / 14.1" WXGA / 4GB DDR2 / 320GB HD / DVD±RW/CD-RW / Built-in webcam / Windows 7 Home Premium

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Acer Aspire 3680-2682 Review

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Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I got my notebook computer in August 2007 for my Birthday at Wal-Mart. This is my first notebook computer, but not first computer. At first I was scared about getting it, because when you buy something at a low price. Lot of time you end up getting what you pay for. I'm thankful I got it now. The sound is good on it, also the screen is nice. I like the speed on it.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Acer Aspire 3680-2682

The Acer Aspire 3680 delivers reliable entertainment performance and adept multi-tasking via a highly advanced Intel Celeron M processor. Intel GMA 950 graphics deliver superb imagery on the 14.1" Acer CrystalBrite LCD screen. Fully loaded with entertainment-enhancing features, the Aspire 3680 is designed to improve your multimedia experience. Key Features & Benefits: 14.1" Acer CrystalBrite LCD Delivers 1280 x 800 WXGA resolution for clear pictures and video Intel Celeron M processor 420 Handles important multi-tasking with ease, offering an excellent balance of performance and value 80 GB hard drive Provides enough storage capacity for multimedia files 512 MB of DDR2 533 MHz memory with dual-channel support Delivers high-performance, entertainment-based multi-tasking and is upgradeable to 2 GB DVD-Combo optical drive CD and DVD-ROM compatibility and lets you burn up to 700 MB of data on CD-R/RWs for easy backups Type II PC card slot

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HP Jornada 820 - Handheld - Windows CE H/PC Pro - SA-1100 190 MHz - RAM: 16 MB - ROM: 16 MB - 8.2" color CSTN ( 640 x 480 ) Review

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Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)(This review is for the Jornada 820 mini laptop.)
A nice write-up Eric (another Reviewer here on Amazon.com). I really enjoyed reading your review.
I agree, the Jornada 820 is a great mini laptop! I think it is physically much better made than almost any of the current batch of netbooks (MSI Wind, Asus Eee, HP Mini, and even the Samsung NC10). Absolutely no flex in the screen or the keyboard. Amazing! What a great keyboard! I have not seen another mini laptop with a 3 mm travel on each key press (all the others are around 2 mm). And the light grey-blue color, textured hard plastic cover, is beautiful and very practical - shows no fingerprint marks whatsoever. No cracks even after 10 years. If it only had a full Windows XP functionality and still keeping the fantastic instant-on/instant-off feature! Actually, for my purposes, the one and only real problem with the Jornada 820 is not being able to enter websites with a greater than 40-bit encryption security (i.e., all those that need 128-bit). And web surfing on such a small screen with a very basic browser is not the greatest experience (it gets tiring after a while). But high-speed Internet with a wired Kingston Ethernet IC PC Card (or with a Cisco Aeronet 350 series Wireless LAN Adapter) is very fast. Many people claim that you don't need an anti-virus program to protect your Jornada 820, but this is not correct. You CAN get bugs from surfing the Internet. (Unfortunately, I am not aware of an anti-virus program suitable for the Jornada 820.) If you do encounter a problem, you will need to do a hard-reset.
I've owned about four of these over the years in various used condition (purchased them used from eBay), all with the 32MB RAM upgrade installed, and I still use one of them currently. The only physical problem is that the supporting lid hinge would eventually come loose or break away (always on the right side of the laptop), even though I really try to be gentle on the unit. It still happens after a while if you keep using the machine. Another problem buying a much used unit is that the screen tends to be a bit spotty or blotchy (uneven shadows - looks like as if someone smeared it with a cloth or pressed on it too hard). And there can be a little light-bleeding around the edges too. You can really see this when the unit is turned on and you have set a black desktop background color on the screen. But if you can find a really good one (near new condition), you won't have any of these issues with the screen image. Also, the screen is not very bright for outdoors (but more than sufficiently bright indoors).
Other than that, the Jornada 820 is an incredibly great mini laptop with the best keyboard I have ever used (even after years of use, the white bold characters printed on the keys don't wear off at all). It is a very solid, very well constructed, sturdy laptop. Very reliable; you don't get the strange temperament as with "normal" Windows laptops - the Jornada 820 always behaves the same; no blue-screen problems here, or applications hanging up with no response. And if ever something does go wrong, it is very easy and quick to either soft or hard reset the unit (if hard-resetting, save your data first - and hard-reset only if you want to put everything back to original factory settings). Another plus: your PocketOutlook (i.e., Contacts, Calendar, Tasks, etc.) on the Jornada 820 can be easily synchronized with your desktop's Outlook (using ActiveSync 3.8).
If you like reading books on your mini-laptop, Mobipocket.com has a compatible reader (and lots of books available) for the Jornada 820. Reading printed text on this unit is very easy because the font type and size is adjustable (both in the laptop and also in the Mobipocket reader software).
Why did I give it a 5-Star rating with all the concerns I've listed above? Well, because it is still a fantastic mini laptop and very satisfying to own and use one on a day to day basis. The Standard Rechargeable Battery, even after many years of use, still lasts around six hours. And with the High Capacity Battery, you get OVER ten hours of use on a single charge, and it is the SAME size as the Standard Battery (i.e., it doesn't stick out of the unit in the back or anywhere else)! It is also great to take notes on at a conference, while the Jornada is sitting on your lap or on a table/desk.
I sure wish I could get my hands on a brand new unit!

Click Here to see more reviews about: HP Jornada 820 - Handheld - Windows CE H/PC Pro - SA-1100 190 MHz - RAM: 16 MB - ROM: 16 MB - 8.2" color CSTN ( 640 x 480 )

Hewlett Packard ushers in the next era of handheld computers with its Jornada 820, a notebook/PDA hybrid that dramatically increases your computing power without sacrificing convenience or portability.The Jornada 820 has the power you need to operate the latest editions of pocket productivity applications. Impressively, all this functionality is packed into a package that's easy to stow in a briefcase or purse and take anywhere. Don't endure any more dull moments traveling with nothing to do - let Hewlett Packard's Jornada 820 maximize your productiveness on the road, in the air, or at home. The 820 is also packed with features such as an efficient power management that lets you work up to 10 hours at one go, instant-on ability so there is no more needless waiting and one-step connectivity to your desktop computer for seamless data exchange and synchronization.

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