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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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HP Pavilion DV2-1110US 12.1-Inch Entertainment Laptop Review

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Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Just one week after I buy this notebook from Amazon, the price falls by $27 and Amazon refuses to match the price drop. Quite disappointing in that regard. I ordered this on a Wed, Amazon shipped on Sunday and it arrived on Tuesday with free shipping. So that was good.
On to the notebook. First the pros:
Build quality is good and it feels expensive compared to most sub $500 note/netbooks.
Large keys on the keyboard while not as spacious as a regular keyboard works better than than those from Acer that use the chicklet size keys. One of the reasons why I chose this over the Acer Timeline series.
Screen is bright and sharp.
Small compact and lightweight since it doesn't have a built-in DVD drive (uses an external drive). Design looks clean and modern with none of that clunky look from the low end Lenovos or Toshibas.
Uses Vista 64 bit edition
Has HDMI port to plug into HDTVs
Dedicated graphics processor and memory.
Now the cons:
Battery life is average 2-3 hours
Uses single core AMD Athlon Neo processor which is underpowered for Vista. There're occasional lags when running basic things like browsers, Word, etc. The CPU is maxed out at 100% most times.
The initial applications and drivers installed seem to make the notebook run really slow. I tried to watch videos on Hulu.com and they were jerky and slow. After installing updated video drivers and IE8 and Firefox, it worked better. Strange for a notebook professing to be an "Entertainment" notebook to be that bad at video until the drivers were updated. Despite the dedicated graphics processor and memory, video performance is just average and can a bit slow at times.
Bloatware. There are several but not too bad.
HP MediaSmart: this is pretty useless since the notebook already has Windows Media Center. The software itself is nothing great and eats up additional memory and CPU cycles.
Bottom line: This notebook is just barely able to run Vista 64 since the CPU is underpowered. It's a compromise between a full blown notebook and netbook since it has a decent size hard drive and screen. To make it perform better, you'll have to remove all the bloatware and unnecessary applications, and download the latest software updates and drivers. I'll be upgrading to Win 7 when it arrives so hopefully, that'll improve the performance further. Also probably look into upgrading the 2gb ram to 4gb.

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EXQUISITELY THIN: Refining the dv series to achieve optimal mobility, the new dv2 wears a magnesium-aluminum alloy case, an LED display and a 92% of full-size keyboard. It offers optional WWAN, runs on breakthrough energy-efficient AMD processors and removes the internal optical drive. The elegant modern lines and metalized finishes that define the dv series remain but with a profile less than 1" thin and starting weight of just 3.81lbs. Lustrous magnesium-aluminum alloy casing on the outside is complemented by color-matched HP Imprint finish on the inside in Moonlight white. External optical drives are available in Espresso black. HP¿s mobile products have won coveted International Red Dot, iF and CES Innovation design awards and been recognized by other leading design institutions.SURPRISINGLY ENTERTAINING: Carry on your favorite entertainment with the standard, large-capacity hard drive.Burn CDs and watch DVD films with the external optical drive. Providing more choices than ever, HP MediaSmart enables access to DVDs, videos, photos, music, and Internet TV at the touch of a button.Get access to watch the best video clips from Comedy Central, Nickelodeon, and MTV. Built-in demos show you how to add music to your slide shows or videos with drag-and-drop functionality ¿ and much more. An HDMI port enables you to watch films on an HD TV. Muvee Reveal makes creating films complete with effects and transitions a snap! SRS Premium Sound pours through Altec Lansing speakers delivering great audio.What's in the box: dv2-2110us laptop, 65W AC Adapter, 6-Cell Lithium-Ion battery, Symantec Norton Internet Security 2009 with 60 days complimentary live update, Microsoft Works, HP MediaSmart. Muvee Reveal,Cyberlink DVD Suite, Adobe Acrobat Reader and HP Games Powered by Wild Tangent.

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Zen V Plus 8GB Black/red Carry Music Video Clips & Photos Eng/fr Review

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Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Have had this model (the 8gb V+ black/red) for about a week now. Love it. I would give it 4.5 stars, but Amazon doesn't allow that. The reason it isn't 5 stars I go into below later.
The picture makes it look bigger than it is. This thing is tiny, will probably fit in the tiny coin/key pocket in your jeans.
The buttons have good feel to them, the 5 way joystick is similar to the one on my Sony Ericsson cellphone. Very intuitive to use. Although if you have big clumsy thumbs, it might take a little getting used to.
Power/Lock button is on the opposite side from the volume control. 3 inputs at the top of the device.
1.) USB port (for syncing and charging)
2.) Headphone jack
3.) Audio In jack for connecting external CD player directly to the Zen V+
The FM tuner is decent, can get a little static-y in-doors if the station isn't very powerful. But was able to pickup all the major stations.
The OLED screen is supposed to save on battery life, which is nice, but is also the reason I kept it from getting full 5 stars. It is very crisp and clear in doors, but outside, especially under the sunshine, it can be hard to see sometimes. I have to cup my hands over it to see the screen if under direct sunlight. My solution is to just make sure I load up the playlist in the car before I step outside in the morning when exercising.
Battery: I believe it is a lithium ion battery. So don't worry about it having battery "memory" like the old nickel metal hydride batteries. Don't wait till it gets on empty. Just plug the thing into the charger every night to ensure it always has full charge. Creative says it gets ~15 hours of play time, I haven't gone that long. Longest I've gone is 1.5 continuous hours, and it didn't make a dent in the onscreen battery display bar.
Charging: This is a bit of a pain. It does not come in the box packaged with a wall charger. It only comes in the box with a usb cable that you use to both charge from your computer and sync music with. Charging via the included USB cable connected to your computer takes up to 6 hours!! So when I bought this, I also bought the Creative brand Zen V + wall charger. WARNING: Creative, in their glorious corporate greed has seen it necessary so that normal generic USB wall/car chargers will not work with the Zen V+ (for now atleast). So factor into your budget the Creative Zen wall charger if you're thinking about buying this. With the wall charger, it only took about an hour to fully charge it from dead empty to full.
O/S and software:
All Creative mp3 players use what is called PlayForSure technology. Also known as MTP players. It is a technology Microsoft developed that allows mp3 players to talk with computers. Some good and bad sides to it.
The included software from creative is "okay", but not great. It does include the MTP drivers, and some software for converting videos to the Zen V format, and some WMP-esque music organizing/synching software.
If you have windows vista, OR windows media player 11, you already have the MTP drivers installed. The only reason then to install the creative software is if you want to convert videos so they will work on the Zen, or if you really don't like WMP11 :D
After I installed the Creative software, I went and download MediaMonkey on the advice of some mp3 player message boards. It is much better functionality wise, and is fully compatible with the Zen V+. So that is what I'm actually using to add/remove music.
The menus on the Zen V+ itself:
Very straight forward and simple. After using my brother's IPod a couple times, I had no problems switching to the Zen V+'s menu, wasn't too hard of a transition. All the basics are there. You can browse by artist, album, playlists, genre, or view all. Full shuffle/repeat/play once features available.
Since this is a MTP device, it organizes music on the Zen via your Mp3's ID3tags. It doesn't care about the folder structure you use in windows to store your mp3s. So make sure you clean up your ID3tags or you might have a lot of songs stuck in the "Unknown" menu under Artists. :) (ID3tags are editable with the Creative software, or WMP11, or most free MP3 players.)
Sound quality: Very good. I'm no audiophile or music snob(I listen to regular pop/rock/alternative stuff, nothing fancy like classical music), but it sounds pretty good on the included Creative headphones. Most of my Mp3s are at 192kpbs, I can crank it up without any noticeable distortion or crackles. There is an option in the audio menu to do "bass boost", but with the included Creative headphones, I couldn't tell a difference in the bass.
Overall, I love it. It does what it is supposed to, without any problems.

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ZEN V Plus 8GB (Black/Red) (Eng/Fr)

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Digital Spectrum MemoryFRAME MF-8104 Premium 10.4-Inch Wireless Digital Frame Review

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Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I purchased this digital photo frame for my parents with the hope that they'd just hang it on their wall and then be see new photos each day that I'd uploaded to one of the free online photo sites (Flickr, Webshots, Windows Live Spaces) from wherever I was.
This frame definitely did not live up to my expectations and I ended up returning it. Here is why:
1. User Interface :: The user interface was difficult to use and often left me frustrated because it didn't act in ways that I expected it to. I wouldn't have thought that it'd be hard to design an interface that would work something like Windows Media Center where you can browse what media (pictures, videos, mp3s) you have on the frame's memory, online photo sites, or shared on the home computer, but apparently it is.
2. Wireless Connectivity :: It was difficult to setup with the wireless router and I often was left keying in the passcode for the router time after time. Extremely annoying when you have to do this via remote and a directional keypad. Once the wireless connection was established, I could only get the frame to connect to my photos on Webshots and not on Flickr or Windows Live Spaces. I don't know the reason for this, just know that was the problem that I had.
3. Video Playback :: It does play videos but only if they're resized to 320x240 despite the frame's resolution being much greater than this.
4. Photos on SD Card :: I expected to be able to take the SD card out of the back of my camera and put it into the card reader on the back of the frame and view the images on the card but here I ran into another problem. The frame would only recognize the photos on the card if they were not in any folder or subfolder on the SD card (most digital cameras place the image files into a folder or subfolder on the memory card and not straight onto the card's memory -- therefore making it impossible to just take the memory card straight from the camera and see the images on the frame).
5. Transitions :: All I really wanted was some kind of basic fade out/fade in or a crossfade would have been brilliant. Instead, the frame has cheesy wipes and slides that look terrible. The "no transition" choice was the only bearable on there -- and that says a lot.
6. Cost :: I really was hoping that the old adage "you get what you pay for" would apply here as the frame cost around 370 to my door, but in this case I found there to be no reason to pay that much for this frame unless they work out all of the problems and bugs that I listed above.
7. The Little Things :: Besides the more major problems that I listed above, there were a lot of lesser issues I had with the frame as well. For example, included in the box was a memory card reader that directly plugged into a USB port to accommodate different types of memory cards, but given the shape of this card reader, it couldn't even fit into the USB port on the back of the frame.
Overall :: I don't feel that I was expecting too much from this frame given the $350 price tag and promising product description. I think that it was a mistake to buy this product in it's first generation (the user manual was even just a few photocopied pieces of paper folded in half). The overall impression I got is that the company rushed to get this frame out (as it was supposed to be released months ago) and in doing so there were corners cut and problems that remain unresolved.

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The MF-8104 Wireless Digital Picture Frame from Digital Spectrum Solutions provides much more than a great way to display your pictures, watch movies and listen to music¿ The MF-8104 includes embedded Wi-Fi connectivity allowing you to connect the frame to your wireless network to receive images, news, sports scores, weather, financial updates and much more via the web. This digital picture frame has evolved into a dynamic personal display, capable of connecting to your home media server (with MediaPlayer 11 on Windows Vista or Windows XP), photo sharing and content sites on the web, and even a Bluetooth enabled cell phone (Bluetooth USB dongle add-on required). Designed to match any décor, the MF-8104 is compatible with 8¿ X 10¿ read-made frames, available at any frame store.

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Sony DCR-SX40 Palm-Sized camcorder with 60X Optical Zoom (Red) Review

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Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)My first impressions of this small camcorder are very good. The size is perfect as it fits in your purse so it is available at all times. How many times have you thought I wish I had my camera. The battery last about one and a half hours,it is a infolithium battery, which means that you can see how much time you have left on it. Plus it will hold and retain its charge over time. The record time on sp is about 85 minutes. This camcorder will accept up to a 16 gig memory card. And, you can purchase additional batteries with longer record time. The number of the batteries range between np-fh50 to np-fh100. The touch screen is simple and easy to use. It is powered up when the lcd screen is opened. The controls all have a good placement.The zoom is great works quietly and quickly. The sound is also very good(I could hear every bite the cat ate,the screech of the rocking chair and even the tv which was turned low.)No it is not hd but the picture is very good. This camcorder has a quality build and a Carl Zeiss lens. Because of the features, you would expect this small beauty to be more expensive. So in the end you get quite a lot of bang for your buck.I wanted to add that with a 8 gig card you get an additionl 174 minutes(nearly 3 hrs. additional record time.The npfh50 battery gives you 3 hrs of additional charge. When this two items are added you have nearly 4 and a half hours of record time. Also, the camcorder allows you to choose to record on the internal memory or the memory stick. Plus Amazon has the best prices on the battery and memory card.

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Chic design meets impressive performance in the ultra-compact DCR-SX40 Handycam camcorder. Conveniently flexible, it can record video to 4 GB of embedded memory or removable Memory Stick Duo or Memory Stick PRO Duo media. A professional-quality Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar lens captures crisp, high-resolution images and its 60x optical zoom brings the action up close and personal. Ideal for sporting events, wildlife, or distance shooting you can capture extremely tight shots, even from far away. The 2.7-inch wide touch-panel LCD provides exceptional viewing clarity with 123K pixels resolution, and rotates up to 270 degrees for multiple viewing angles, as well as provides sharp, detailed images for monitoring or playback. Its compact design is ideal for travel or everyday use.

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HP iPAQ HX4705 Pocket PC Review

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Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)This iPaq gets none of the love it deserves. In truth, it is the best stand-alone PDA available on the market. First, let me address the immediate complaints made about the 4705.
1. Price
Um, get a paper route. This is the highest end device of its kind, because of its speedy processor, VGA screen, and extras which are packed into the device. There are Pocket PCs available for much less money, but with lower price you sacrifice quality.
2. Size
Seven Ounces, the size of a pack of index cards. This PDA fits in your front pants or jacket pocket, and form factor dictates that it be that big to accomodate the large screen.3. Screen flip cover.
This is removable. I've never understood this complaint.4. Touchpad.
Using a floating cursor, like a laptop computer is actually a huge convenience. Using the pad as a navigation director isn't easy, so be aware of that before purchasing.Anyway. The 4705 runs on a very fast processor, and can handle several tasks at once. The VGA screen displays 640X480 pixels, making videos, games, and websites absolutely gorgeous to view. There is tons of built-in memory, as well as SD and CF slots to accomadate another 3 GB of storage. This is more than enough room for all your videos, music, photos, games, and PIM. Pocket Informant is included, to manage your Notes, Calendar, Tasks, and Contacts. It integrates with Outlook for your Calendar, Contacts, Notes, Tasks, and Inbox. ActiveSync 3.8 works very quickly, and you'll have no problem taking both your office, and your personal life with you on the go. Microsoft Office is included, so you have both Word and Excel. You can read, edit, write, and print documents and spreadsheets. These can be transferred to and from your computer. Windows Media Player 9.0 is included, allowing you to listen to .wma files, or watch .wmv files. A free e-book reader can be found to allow you to read books on the device, and if you subscribe to Audible.com, you can listen to books. There are literally hundreds of games that you can find for the device that are mind blowingly realistic graphics-wise. Some are free, some cost a small fee to download. HP Image Zone lets you make slideshows of your favorite photo albums. Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are also integrated in the device. This means you have two options of accessing the internet at any given time. Wi-Fi means that you can get a high speed internet connection near a Wi-Fi hotspot such as a coffeehouse, hotel, airport, office, home network, etc. If you're not near a Wi-Fi area, you can connect at dial-up speed using a Bluetooth modem. I use my Motorola V710 phone from Verizon. This may cost more, so check with your wireless company. All in all, this device is a life saver. To recap, I use this iPAQ to:
1. Maintain my Contacts, Calendar, Notes, Tasks, and Inbox
2. Keep all documents and spreadsheets handy
3. View all my photos
4. Read ebooks
5. Connect to the internet whenever, wherever
6. Play numerous PC console- quality video games
7. Listen to hours and hours of music
8. Watch video, including full length DVD movies
9. Record notes
And tons more! This iPAQ is worth every penny you'll pay for it. And if you have a job that involves anything more complex than soaking french fries, it will basically pay for itself, because you'll save hours from your job. The question isn't: Should you buy the HP iPAQ 4705? The question is: You haven't bought the HP iPAQ 4705 yet?!

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Includes: Windows Mobile 2003 2nd Edition, Pocket Outlook, Pocket Word, Pocket Excel, Pocket Informant 5.0, 1,800 mAh lithium-ion battery, AC adapter, desktop cradle, plastic flip cover, stylus, & more. hp iPaq hx4705 Pocket PC - This versatile Pocket PC is a reliable go-anywhere business tool for your hectic lifestyle. Be more productive when you utilize the hx4705's fast Intel 624MHz processor and bundled applications. Stay connected to the world around you with integrated 802.11b Wi-Fi and Bluetooth support. No matter where you are, the world is at your fingertips with the hx4705 Pocket PC.480 x 640 Pixels Magnesium-alloy body Integrated SD Slot (supports SD/MMC and SDIO) Integrated CF Slot (CompactFlash Type II) Integrated Microphone & Speaker (both on the front of the iPaq) 3.5mm Stereo Headphone Jack MP3 Stereo Playback 4 Shortcut programmable buttons Navigation touchpad with mouse-like cursor Buttons -power, voice record, soft reset, contacts, inbox, mail, & iTask Connects to a PC via USB 2.0 Unit Dimensions -5.17 (h) x 3.03 (w) x. 59 (d) Unit Weight -6.6 oz.

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HP Pavilion DV7-1270US 17.0-Inch Laptop Review

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Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I first saw this computer at Sam's Club (eventually where I bought it too) and was completely infatuated. This laptop delivers amazing value for the price. HP has definately brought their 'A' game on this model. There are a couple things you *need* to know before you buy this laptop.
First, the model I bought advertised a 500 GB hard drive. This is true, however it is 2 x 250 GB hard drives. Not that big of a deal, but I cannot believe it is not listed as such.
Second, the laptop comes preloaded with a ton of junk and is heavily integrated with Windows Live stuff. Messenger, Live toolbar, etc. It comes with a trial of Norton Internet Security and a trial of Office 2007. My advice: Get Norton off the computer ASAP and install another anti-virus product.
Third, no operating system CD's come with the package. There is a "Recovery" partition that contains about 12 GB of stuff (not 100% sure what exactly is on there). I do know that when setting up the computer it tells you you should create recovery CD's. I went through the setup to create the discs and here's the kicker - they want 21 CD's or 3 DVD's to create the recovery discs. Talk about stupid.
As of now, I have wiped the OS partition and loaded Windows 7 Beta. The driver recognition is fantastic on Windows 7 - both my wired and wireless ethernet drivers were install out-of-the-box.
The look and feel of this model is gorgeous. The 17" HD screen is amazing and the whole laptop has this slick look and feel to it. The bronze color scheme really stands out.
All in all, you cannot beat the price of this laptop. For what it comes with, a comparable model from another vendor would cost $600-700 more than what I bought mine for ($898 + tax).
Last, this is just my opinion and should be taken as such. Please do yourself a favor and do not install XP on this. This laptop is too great to go back to XP. AERO does look nice and this laptop should be able to run anything you throw at it. Even a clean install of Vista should not give you any problems. While XP works great for most people, do not fight change and try to give Vista/7 a fair chance. Hell, even try the newest Ubuntu (I think 8.10) because that should look great on this too.

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Offering an eye-catching modern look, the entertainment-focused HP Pavilion dv7-1260us notebook PC makes it easy to enjoy your favorite music and videos while on the go, as well as keep you productive with a speedy dual-core processor and 64-bit Windows Home Vista Premium operating system. The 17-inch high-definition BrightView display looks good even in direct sunlight, and the Blu-ray Disc optical drive (read-only) is compatible with the latest high-definition disc standard, enabling you to enjoy movies in crystal-clear resolution. You'll enjoy movies or music in seconds with the external DVD or music buttons to launch HP QuickPlay (which bypasses the boot process). Control playback settings from up to 10 feet away with the included HP remote, then store it conveniently in the Express card slot. Turn your next instant message into a live video chat with the integrated webcam and omni-directional microphone. Optimized for low-light environments, it's great for capturing short videos to share on your favorite social networking site.
It's powered by the latest Intel Core 2 Duo processor--with Centrino 2 technology--which boosts speed, reduces power requirements, and saves on battery life. The 2.4 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo P8600 includes a quick 1066 MHz front-side bus and 3 MB of L2 cache, providing an optimized, multithreaded architecture for improved multimedia and multitasking performance. HP's ProtectSmart Hard Drive Protection locks your 400 GB hard drive into place when it senses abrupt motion to help prevent data loss. The built-in eSATA/USB combo port enables fast backup to an external hard drive. Other features include 4 GB of installed RAM (8 GB maximum), Nvidia GeForce 9600M GT graphics with up to 1918 MB of available memory, dual-layer Lightscribe DVD±RW drive (which also burns CDs), ExpressCard 54 slot, quad-mode Wi-Fi (802.11a/b/g/n), and 5-in-1 memory card reader.
High Style Expanding on the sophisticated elegance of HP's notebook design from the past few years, the new DV series is defined by fluid, modern lines and metalized finishes. The HP Intersect Imprint finish in bronze and chrome encases all surfaces visible during normal use for greater durability. And the Intersect Imprint features an argyle-like pattern for subtle contrast to the liquid appearance of the metallic finish. The streamlined look is enhanced with a color-matched keyboard and touchpad. And touch media controls light up and become visible only when the system is powered on further enhancing the clean appearance.
The Basics
Processor: Experience improved energy efficiency, expanded wireless connectivity, and amazing battery life with the 45nm Intel Core 2 Duo P8600 processor featuring Intel Centrino 2 technology. This processor has a 2.4 GHz processor speed, super-sized 1066 MHz front-side bus (FSB), and a extra-large 3 MB L2 cache. (An L2, or secondary, cache temporarily stores data; and a larger L2 cache can help speed up your system's performance. The FSB carries data between the CPU and RAM, and a faster front-side bus will deliver better overall performance.)
Formerly codenamed Montevina, Intel Centrino 2 processor technology improves upon every facet of a laptop's main features, including performance and battery life via new processors and chipsets, faster draft 802.11n wireless, and new business-class manageability capabilities. The new hafnium-infused circuitry--which reduces electrical current leakage in transistors--conserves even more energy, giving you more time away from the wall outlet.
The Intel Core 2 Duo processor has two computational execution cores in a single processor, providing greater system response when running multi-threaded applications simultaneously with no significant increase in power consumption. It's optimized for multitasking and it can run multiple demanding applications--such as graphics-intensive games or serious number-crunching business productivity applications--while downloading music or running virus-scanning security programs in the background.

Hard Drive: The large 320 GB Serial ATA (SATA) hard drive (5400 RPM) offers a wealth of storage space, perfect for storing a vast multimedia collection or for editing digital video. This SATA hard drive also quickens the pace with a higher speed transfer of data--akin to Firewire and USB 2.0.
You'll enjoy enhanced hard drive protection with HP's Protectsmart, which includes a 3D accelerometer that safeguards your data by parking your hard drive if your notebook detects any range of motion, such as being knocked off your desk, falling or taking abuse.

Memory: The 4 GB of installed RAM helps boost the amount of available video RAM that's shared with this notebook's video card. This notebook has an amazing 8 GB maximum RAM capacity (4 x 2 GB). To receive the faster data transfer benefits of the dual-channel DDR2 RAM, any RAM additions require memory modules of same capacity and clockspeed.

DVD/CD Drive: This HP notebook offers the next generation of DVD entertainment with the Blu-ray ROM optical drive, which provides the superior image and sound quality of high-definition images and multichannel surround sound as well as backward compatibility with standard DVD movie discs as well as content burned onto DVD±RW. It also incorporates a DVD±RW writer that can also burn CDs, which is compatible with dual-layer (DL) discs that can hold up to 8.5 GB of data.

Keyboard & Mouse: This notebook has a 101-key keyboard (with integrated numeric keypad) and a touchpad with on/off button and dedicated vertical/horizontal Scroll Up/Down pad. It also includes two quick-launch buttons (HP QuickPlay Music and DVD).
Screen, Video & Audio You'll enjoy razor-sharp graphics and widescreen movies with the 17-inch WXGA high-definition screen, which has a widescreen resolution of 1440 x 900 pixels--perfect for watching DVD movies the way they were meant to be seen. Video is powered by the Nvidia GeForce 9600M GT graphics/video card, which provides 512 MB of dedicated video RAM and offers up to 2280 MB of total available graphics memory as allocated by Windows Vista. Enabled by PureVideo HD, movies come to life with outstanding picture clarity, ultra-smooth video and vivid color. The lifelike images have up to six times the detail of standard DVD movies. Delivering state-of-the-art graphics performance, The GeForce 9600M GT graphics card is sure to give you the power and performance you crave to play the hottest DirectX 9 and DirectX 10 titles. Its 16x full-screen antialiasing technology delivers superior quality along with astounding performance and since it's optimized for Windows Vista.
The Altec Lansing speakers provide exceptional sound, and it also includes SRS Premium Sound. You'll be able to privately share enjoyment of multimedia with a friend via the dual headphone jacks.
Networking, Connectivity & Expansion Be ready for the next platform in wireless connectivity with the integrated quad-mode Wi-Fi chip. Based on the draft 802.11n Wi-Fi specification, it offers up to five times the performance and twice the wireless range as existing 802.11g wireless. It's also backward compatible with 802.11b/g networks (commonly found in home routers and Wi-Fi hotspots) as well as 802.11a networks (which has a higher throughput, but more limited range--great for closed office environments). With the integrated Bluetooth connectivity, you can communicate and synchronize with Bluetooth-enabled peripherals such as PDAs and cell phones.
It also includes a next-generation ExpressCard 34 card slot (replacing the PCMCIA slot), which lets you take advantage of thinner, faster, and lighter expansion cards for even more advanced wireless, networking, storage, and security features. It comes with the following external connectors:
4 USB 2.0 ports for connecting a wide range of peripherals--from digital cameras to MP3 players (with 1 eSATA + USB 2.0 combo port)
1 HDMI output (for connecting to a compatible HDTV or home theater receiver for uncompressed digital audio and video via a single cable)
Analog video output: 1 VGA
1 ExpressCard/54 slot (also supports ExpressCard/34)
2 headphone jacks
1 microphone jack
1 Expansion Port 3 connector (for use with the HP xb3000 Expansion Base or the HP Notebook QuickDock)
1 IR receiver
5-in-1 memory card reader (Secure Digital, MultiMedia, Memory Stick, Memory Stick PRO, xD Picture Card)
10/100/1000 Gigabit Ethernet networking
56K modem (V.90)

Operating System The 64-bit version of Windows Vista Home Premium (with SP1) is the operating system for users with advanced computer needs, and it includes all of the Windows Media Center capabilities for turning your PC into an all-in-one home entertainment center for watching DVD movies and accessing your digital audio library. You can also use Windows Media Center to record and watch your favorite TV shows (even HDTV) and to access new kinds of online entertainment content. Computers that include Windows Vista Home Premium and an auxiliary Windows SideShow display will also allow you to access key data even when your computer is off. It is also easier than ever to share files between other PCs in your household and to manage your laptop computer settings to more securely connect via Wi-Fi.
Every edition of Windows Vista provides the essential tools and technologies to help protect you whether you are browsing the Internet, connecting to a wireless network, or just reading e-mail. All editions of Windows Vista include new tools that can warn you of impending hardware failures long before you have lost any important personal data. And, all Windows Vista editions include parental control features that allow you to manage and monitor your family's use of games, the Internet, instant messaging, and other activities.
Preloaded Software
HP MediaSmart Software Suite: Your one-stop multimedia and entertainment center to create photo slideshows, share personal videos, listen to your favorite music playlists and watch DVD movies.
muvee autoProducer Basic: Automatically create professional looking home videos and burn to DVD.
Cyberlink DVD Suite Deluxe: Automatically fix and edit videos and create CDs and DVDs. Edit, burn and archive data to discs.
Microsoft Works 9: Includes a word processor, spreadsheet, database and calendar.
Microsoft Office Home and Student Edition 2007 (60-day trial version).
Adobe Reader 8: Read and print PDF files.
Norton Internet Security 2009 protects your PC and your identity when you email, bank and shop online; 60 days of protection updates included.

Dimensions & Weight This notebook PC measures 15.6 x 11.22 x 1.31 inches and weighs 7.64 pounds.
Power It's powered by an 8-cell rechargeable lithium-ion battery, which has a battery life of up to 2 hours (depending on usage).
What's in the Box This package contains the HP Pavilion dv7-1270us notebook PC, rechargeable lithium-ion battery, AC adapter, IR remote control, and operating instructions. It is backed by a limited warranty for parts and labor for one year from date of purchase as well as technical telephone assistance for one year. Software is also covered for 30 days from date of purchase.
Reduce your impact on the environment with this Energy Star-certified system and HP's innovative take-back options, including trade-in, recycling and donation.

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Sanyo Xacti CG10 Dual Camera HD Flash Memory Camcorder with 5x Optical Zoom (Black) Review

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Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I picked up one of these locally, intending to replace my MinoHD with it. This camera ended up being a disappointment to me. I really want to like it, but the reality is that the picture quality disappoints compared to the MinoHD.
PROs: LOTS of really nice features
- Compact pistol-grip design that's comfortable to hold
- Large, easy to view 3" LCD screen with rigid plastic screen to protect it
- Uses SD/SDHC memory cards up to 32GB
- Stereo audio
- Standard h.264/AAC codecs compatible with Apple's iMovie '09
- 5X optical zoom, able to change zoom range while recording
- Focus auto-adjusts while recording (not all cameras do this)
- Ability to take decent 10MP still shots without having to switch modes
- Has a flash for still pictures
- Easy to navigate menu system with customizable shortcuts accessed by the joystick
- Easy to operate joystick with positive click feedback that doesn't intrude while recording
- Manual adjustments (full manual, shutter priority, aperture priority, noise reduction, auto-focus mode, exposure measure mode, etc.)
- Comes with a lens cap to protect the lens
- Tally light is on the top of the camera to the rear where the person holding the camera can see it and not where it's distracting to the person being recorded (VERY important when recording small children)
- Easily accessible battery compartment / Battery cover is tethered by a plastic tab so it can't be easily lost
- Standard tripod mount on the bottom
CONs: Picture quality requires a lot of tweaking in the manual settings to make it decent.
- Low light performance is poor even for this class of camcorder
- Electronic stabilization tends to soften the picture, sometimes to the point of making it appear to be out of focus
- Color saturation results in a visual pleasing picture but inaccurate color reproduction
- Focus and Exposure reaction seems to be fairly slow as well
- Proprietary USB/AV port (I hate it when manufacturers eschew standard ports in favor or proprietary solutions. I'd rather have the camera be a little bigger to accommodate a mini-USB port as well as a mini-HDMI)
- Proprietary HD Component cable NOT included
- SD slot cover seems a bit flimsy
- Camera cannot be used as a live camera with Macs, only with Windows PCs
- Camera draws power from battery when used in card reader mode instead of drawing power from USB
Before I bought this camera, I did a lot of research on it, including viewing uploaded footage from this camera on Vimeo.com. Even though I've only had the camera two days, I've done a lot of testing with it.
[...] Keep in mind that I'm not saying the MinoHD is the best camera out there, but it is certainly better in my experience overall. I simply compared the CG10 to the MinoHD, because the MinoHD is the incumbent.
I gave the CG10 3 stars because I love all the features that Sanyo put into it, but the picture quality is such a disappointment. One of the major features is the electronic stabilization, and I found it to reduce the picture quality more than it improved it.
I think that a camera's auto/program settings should produce a good basic picture that serves as the camera's baseline, and then any manual controls should serve to tailor that picture to your artistic needs or to make a good picture great. The Sanyo's auto/program settings produce a sub-standard picture that's soft to the extent that it looks out of focus, it suffers from serious motion blur, and in the end simply looks like widescreen standard definition. The manual settings only serve to make a bad picture look good if you can find the right settings for the shooting conditions. Having said that, I don't find this camera to be good for capturing those precious surprise moments that young children present us because you can't expect a good picture by simply pulling it out, turning it on, and starting shooting.
I think Sanyo should spend some more time with improving their stabilization, 9-pt auto-focus, and exposure measuring algorithms. Out of the box, it just doesn't perform, and the plethora of features simply cannot make up for that.
UPDATE: I still stand by my initial assessment of the VPC-CG10's picture quality, but after spending quite a bit of time playing with various settings, I believe I have found a good setup which probably should have been Sanyo's starting point in its auto/program modes.
1) Turn off the stabilization: While this helps a little bit in extreme tele situations, it actually seems to hurt picture quality otherwise, resulting in a blurry picture that appears out-of-focus. Turning off the stabilization does result in more shake and/or jitter, but the picture is quite a bit clearer. I personally do not believe that there is any decent alternative to optical image stabilization. They could drop this feature from the camera altogether, drop the price a little more, and then I would probably bump this camera up a star even.
2) Enable Single-Point AutoFocus: The 9-point AF algorithm spends a good deal of time "hunting", i.e. trying to find a focus point even when the camera is not moving. The single-point AF does a much better job of providing a clear focus. While still providing a softer picture than the MinoHD, it is a vast improvement over the 9-point AF's performance.
3) Set Exposure to Aperture-priority with f=3.5: This is the camera's widest aperture setting and will let in the most light through the lens. It will then adjust the shutter speed as necessary to provide a decently exposed picture. Fine tuning can then be adjusted via the EV adjustment, which can be assigned to one of the joystick shortcut positions.
With the above settings, I have been able to record some footage that I think is close to the MinoHD's quality, both in bright light and indoor lighting. If they either ditch the electronic stabilization altogether or replace it with optical IS, address the 9-pt AF's poor focusing algorithm, and either lock the aperture at 3.5 or put in a faster lens, Sanyo would have a very impressive camera on their hands.
One distinct advantage that the Xacti has over the MinoHD is its optics. At full wide angle, the Xacti has a much wider field of view than the MinoHD, whose fov is significantly narrower when compared even to its SD sibling, the FlipVideo Ultra.
After using this camera for a couple weeks along with the MinoHD and Sony's DSC-T900, I have to say that the Xacti VPC-CG10 is probably the best bang for the buck. I'd maybe bump up the rating by another star, but I don't think any of these pocket HD camcorders really deserve 5. And yes, I kept the Xacti and sent the MinoHD and T900 back.

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Conveniently capture life's important moments.The new Sanyo Dual Camera Xacti CG10 records High Definition video (720p, 30fps), and up to 10 megapixel digital photos with 5X optical zoom.All of these features are contained in a very stylish, sleek, upright design.Videos, still photos and the various settings / menus can be easily accessed with the user's thumb.The CG10 easily fits in your coat pocket and makes sharing videos and photos via social networking web sites, portable video devices like iPods, TVs and computers, easy.

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Belkin Wireless Network USB 2.0 Adapter N1 Review

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Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Since this was my first step into wireless computing, I was a little anxious. I had nothing to worry about. The Belkin adapter comes with a CD that walks you through the driver and hardware installation process.
The USB adapter has a stand with an adequately long cable, or you can plug it straight into a USB port on your desktop or laptop. I would recommed the stand if you have a desktop computer, as you can move the receiver out of the way.
After installation, it connected to my router immediately. You can use Windows to manage the connection or the Belkin utility that comes on the CD. I would recommend the Belkin utility. It has a graphical display of the status and settings that allow you to see other networks that might be in your area.
The only problem I have had is when I leave the computer on and connected to the network then go to bed for the night. When I come back, I have to disable and re-enable the adapter. I don't know if this is an issue with the adapter, the network, the router or Windows. It doesn't matter, as this is only a very minor inconvience.
The thing to keep in mind is that while this is compatiable with the G standard, the box indicates it meets the current DRAFT version of the N standard. It doesn't matter to me even if it ends up not being compatiable with the N standard when it is released, this device works just fine.
I would recommend this to anyone looking for a wireless USB adapter.

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The N1 Wireless USB Network Adapter easily connects your computer to a wider, faster network. N1 provides an excellent solution for efficiently transferring such large data files as video, music, photos, and documents among the networked computers in your home. The N1 Wireless USB Network Adapter easily connects your USB-equipped desktop or notebook computer to your wireless network for Internet and file sharing. Desktop users can now join the network with the ease of a USB plug-in, without opening their PC cases, laptop users can enjoy the benefits of staying mobile-while connected to the Internet.Belkin s N1 wireless products are based on the 802.11n draft, N1 Wireless enables multiple receivers and transmitters to send and receive data using Intelligent MIMO (Multiple Input Multiple Output) spatial multiplexing techniques. This smart-antenna technology builds upon the 802.11g standard by greatly increasing range and speed, transmitting at up to 300Mbps.

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Buffalo Technology 6x Mediastation Blu-ray/HD DVD/DVD/CD Combo USB 2.0 Review

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Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)The software bundled with this drive (Nero 8 Essentials) is completely worthless. When you insert a Blu-Ray Disc, it brings up a window that states that for proper playback, you need to purchase a High Definition plug-in from Nero. The problem is that Nero NO LONGER IS OFFERING this plug-in. When an HD-DVD is inserted, the software simply crashes.
What does this mean? To get full functionality out of this drive (i.e. to play HD-DVDs and Blu-Ray Discs), you will need to purchase either Arcsoft TotalMedia Theatre or Corel WinDVD 9 Plus Blu-Ray. This means that you'll need to spend a minimum of $50+ additional for playback. Once you install the additional purchased software, make sure to update to the latest service pack/software version.
After you've cleared this significant hurdle, playback works quite well (I'm using WinDVD 9 Plus Blu-Ray on Windows Vista Home Premium). It plays back every disc I've thrown at it, including the troublesome "007: For Your Eyes Only" Blu-Ray Disc, which has given numerous stand-alone Blu-Ray players fits.
The other issue with this drive is its massive size length-wise. It also has a gigantic power supply, further adding to the bulk.
Bottom Line: Good Overall Drive, Horrible Bundled Software

Click Here to see more reviews about: Buffalo Technology 6x Mediastation Blu-ray/HD DVD/DVD/CD Combo USB 2.0

Item #: Q07435. The MediaStation Blu-ray HD DVD (BRHC-6316U2) is the market's first external Blu-ray and HD DVD player. It is the first device of its kind on the market that allows users to both read and write Blu-ray content. It provides the ability to save high-definition content, giving users an all-in-one solution to meet their entertainment needs. Users can also connect the player to a notebook or other mobile device via USB and view their favorite video content while on-the-go. In addition the player allows for playback of HD DVD content.The MediaStation Blu-ray HD DVD has a convenient, external USB connection, allowing consumers to connect it to a laptop, desktop or other devices with a USB port. Buffalo's Blu-ray HD DVD player also comes with Nero's proven software for playback and burning, which allows for seamless integration with all recent versions of Microsoft Windows. With a stylish black exterior, the MediaStation Blu-ray HD DVD is also the perfect addition to any home entertainment PC. Product Description: Buffalo BRHC-6316U2 - BD-RE / HD DVD-ROM combo drive - Hi-Speed USBDevice Type: BD-RE / HD DVD-ROM combo driveEnclosure Type: ExternalInterface: Hi-Speed USBOptical Storage: BD-RE / HD DVD-ROM comboRead Speed: 40x (CD) / 16x (DVD) / 6x (BD) / 3x (HD DVD)Write Speed: 40x (CD) / 16x (DVD±R) / 4x (DVD±R DL) / 6x (BD-R) / 4x (BD-R DL)Rewrite Speed: 24x (CD) / 6x (DVD-RW) / 8x (DVD+RW) / 5x (DVD-RAM) / 2x (BD-RE) / 2x (BD-RE DL)OS Required: Microsoft Windows Vista / XPManufacturer Warranty: 1 year warranty Customers also search for: Discount Buffalo BRHC-6316U2 - BD-RE / HD DVD-ROM Combo Drive - Hi-Speed USB, Buy Buffalo BRHC-6316U2 - BD-RE / HD DVD-ROM Combo Drive - Hi-Speed USB, Wholesale Buffalo BRHC-6316U2 - BD-RE / HD DVD-ROM Combo Drive - Hi-Speed USB, 0747464115177, BRHC-6316U2, External DVD Drives

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LG Electronics BH08LS20 8x Internal Blu-Ray Disc Rewriter with LightScribe and SATA Interface Retail Review

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Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I bought the drive and installed it in a USB enclosure. It has worked great first time, every time. I have burned several Blu-ray discs and DVD's with no problems.

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Zotac ZBOX Intel Atom 330 1.6 GHz Dual Core All-in-One Mini-PC with No Memory, No Hard Drive and No OS Review

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Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I use the Zotac ZBOX as a file server at home, and also as a backup online disk for TimeMachine on my Mac. It's running Ubuntu Linux, which installed flawlessly.
I also use it as a DLNA media server for my PS3 and occasionally as a media player using its HDMI output.
Everything works perfectly, fits into any space and uses little electricity so you can keep it on all the time. I'm very happy with it.
Only little thing I could complain about is the "power on" light which is that big orange circle you see on the photo... I'd rather it didn't have it even though it's a neat trick... you cannot tell there is a light in there when it's off.. the piano finish attracts fingerprints but looks great.

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Experience premium graphics processing and energy efficient computing with the ZOTAC ZBOX HD-ND02 mini-PC powered by an NVIDIA ION graphics processor and Intel Atom processor. The ZOTAC ZBOX HD-ND02 mini-PC puts fun into energy-efficient computing with NVIDIA CUDA and Adobe Flash HD acceleration technologies.

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Samsung Story Station 1.5 TB USB 2.0 Desktop External Hard Drive HXDU015EB Review

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Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I have been using this drive for a few months and I have been very happy with the purchase. I've bought over a dozen external hard drive and external hard drive cases in my life, and this is the best USB drive I've ever used.
I no longer go the el-cheapo route of putting a cheap OEM hard drive in a cheap case; I've had too many short lived drives that way. That's why I was interested to see a large consumer electronics manufacturer like Samsung was dipping its toes into consumer level external hard drives. I've had a good experience with other Samsung products and that was good enough for me to try this new product line.
I am using this drive attached to an Apple Airport Extreme in my TV equipment cabinet. Given its usage, it has to fit into its surroundings, be quiet, and energy efficient. It's been there for 3 months and I've had zero problems with it. It doesn't get hot. It makes no noise I can hear from the couch. [Update: In the quiet of the night, I've realized that the drive makes an audible click when spinning up from low power idle. And there is a barely perceptible low frequency throbbing when in use, but this is only perceptible in the dead of the night; the clock on the wall, and the drive in my laptop are louder under these conditions.]
The big dial on the front allows me to turn down the activity light to a non-distracting level. The 1.5 terabytes are luxuriously large as I dump large media files for archiving from any computer in the house. I've no complaints about performance, but I doubt the drive would be the limiting factor in my wireless file transfers. Someone needing a more performant drive would be shopping for eSATA or Firewire 800 drives instead of this energy sipping USB drive.
The case itself is solid and well made. I would think the use of aluminum allows it to better cool the drive. In addition, I believe the drive uses less power when idle for a bit, again allowing the minimization of fan noise.
Not one to gratuitously give out 5 star reviews, I was considering giving it 4 stars, but really the only thing to say against it is its list price is higher than lesser quality drives.

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Mfr Part Number: HXDU015EB Features:Two ways of backup: Scheduled or in real-time SecretZone: Secure area for my private contents SafetyKey for protecting your precious contents Power Saving mode: Automatically going into standby mode if there are 5min of inactivity LED brightness control by knob switch: lighting pattern change by operation mode Smart Power On/Off: Easy to set up, easy to use Capacity: 1.5 TB Interface: USB 2.0 Max External Transfer Rate: 480 Mbps Operating System: Windows Vista/ XP Home/ XP Professional/ 2000 Pro; Mac OS x 10.4.8 or later Form Factor: 3.5 inch

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Hauppauge WinTV-PVR-150 PCI TV Tuner with Remote Control (1045) Review

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Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I wanted to put a TV in my child's play room, which also had a computer. This device enables me to use the computer as a TV. It works great, my 4 year old has no problem using it.
I installed the device in my only PCI slot, hooked my cable coax into it, started my PC, and the drivers automatically loaded. I have XP SP2. The whole process took about 10 minutes. The software then starts and after about 5 minutes, goes through the cable channels to store the channels. Then, you are ready to go.
The unit is equipped with a remote. The remote points to an "eye". The eye is attached to a medium-sized small cord that is attached to the PCI card (under the coax cable). You are able to position the eye where you want it, although the cord the eye is on is not long. If you have a desktop sitting on the floor, it will barely reach the top of a computer desk. I taped the cord just under my keyboard shelf, so the remote needs to be pointed low.
The functionality of the software is great. You can change the channel with the computer or remote. There is a button to enable "full screen" on the computer, but not on the remote. The picture is excellent. The ability to pause live TV, or record ad-hoc or timed works extremely well.
This is a great product.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Hauppauge WinTV-PVR-150 PCI TV Tuner with Remote Control (1045)

Item #: E92725. WinTV-PVR-150 puts TV watching under your control! Watch TV on your PC screen (in a window or full screen), digitally record your TV shows, or pause live TV and create your own instant replay.Create your own Digital Video Recorder! The WinTV-PVR-150 turns your PC into a digital video recorder. Record TV program or home videos to disk, play them back to your PC screen or burn them onto DVD. With data rates from 4.4MBits/sec up to 12Mbits/sec (or as low as 1 Mbit/sec with VCD formats), you decide how much hard disk space your videos will consume. At DVD quality, a typical one hour TV show will take 2 gigabytes of hard disk space.WinTV-PVR includes WinTV-Scheduler and WinTV-Editor. Trim your videos, cut out segments, put them back together, all without losing any video quality with WinTV-Editor! With WinTV-Scheduler, you can control your TV recording on a daily, weekly or random schedule. Automatically record your favorite programs so you'll never miss your TV shows again!WinTV-PVR's pause feature gives you control of what you watch in your WinTV window. Get personal "instant replay" to stop the action when you want to analyze a key scene. Instantly rewind and replay the action again. You're in control with WinTV-PVR!Ever been called to the phone, had to answer the door, or went for a snack and missed part of the big match? With WinTV-PVR, you'll never miss the action again. Just click on WinTV-PVR's "One Touch Pause" button to pause your TV program, click again to continue watching where you left off. Then fast forward to catch up to the live broadcast.Record your TV programs or home videos onto DVD or CD, and play them on your DVD player! If you have a DVD burner in your PC, use the WinTV-PVR's MPEG files with the included Ulead DVD MovieFactory to author your own home DVD's. Turn your TV shows or home videos into DVD movies!WinTV-PVR-150 contains a highly integrated MPEG-1/2 hardware encoder, plus a high quality video digitizer. WinTV-PVR-150 can

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Kenwood Kiv-Bt900 AM/FM/USB Receiver with Bluetooth(R) Review

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Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)It seems to me that some less that perfect early firmware has given this otherwise phenomenal HU a somewhat bad rap. Kenwood probably should have done more QA before release, but show me a software vendor that doesn't have the same problem. I've been running this guy for a week now and couldn't be happier, so I feel the need to do my part to increase its review standings! I had a lengthy list of mandatory criteria, and this was the _only_ HU on the market that satisfied all of them. Specifically:
- Rear mounted iPod an aux cables for clean installation. Contrary to what other reviewers have said, I think this is a huge win (especially vs. the Pioneer decks). Who wants a mess of spaghetti in front of their stereo? It took an extra hour to disassemble the center console and route the cables properly, but it was the "right way" to do it.
- Variable color display/buttons. This one really narrowed the field, and I'm surprised how many decks can't do this. I was replacing the factory stereo in a BMW, and for those who haven't been in one at night, _every_ lighted gauge, button, display, etc. is all the very same orangish-red color. A bright blue stereo would have looked hideous (*cough* Alpine).
- Integrated BT. As others have stated, this HU can't do streaming audio via BT, which is probably the only real con I'd cite. That said, my primary desire for BT was hands free, and it works great. Just in case Kenwood is reading though, I do think it would be super cool if they could pull the profile photos for my contacts and display them the same way they do album art from the iPod....
- Seamless iPod integration, including video. Check. Works great on both of my current and previous gen nanos. As another reviewer stated, you have to wait for the album art to skip to the next song, but there are several display modes available, some of which don't load the artwork and aren't affected if that's really a big deal to someone.
- Flexible, intuitive interface. The configuration options are very robust, and I found myself on several occasions thinking "geez, I wish I could do X", only to discover shortly thereafter that I could do X, Y and Z.
- Firmware updateable. With a deck this complex, this is mandatory in my opinion. No one is going to get it right on version 1.0, even with extensive in-house QA. I'm a software engineer by trade, and know from first hand experience how adept consumers at coaxing bugs out into the light. I used mine a few days before updating it and had some of the problems others have cited (mic drops, random source shifts, etc.), but absolutely no problems since updating it. It has the capability for a reason, so update the unit first thing!
- Good aesthetics and build quality. This is certainly subjective, but I'm appalled by how ugly some aftermarket decks are and how flimsy some of their control mechanisms are! Simple, clean lines and sturdy please.
- Good sound quality. I didn't do extensive comparison testing, but have been happy with previous Kenwood's I've owned this unit certainly outperforms the stock HU.
That's it! Love it!

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Kenwood Kiv-Bt900 Am/Fm/USB Receiver With Bluetooth(R)

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