Sherwood RD-8601 6.1-Channel Home Theater Receiver with Dolby Digital and DTS Decoding Review

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(More customer reviews)I just set this unit up there are a few things that are different than the description, one being that there are 2 optical digital inputs and 1 Coaxial digital input and there is 1 digital optical output and 1 Coaxial digital output. That's fine with me as I would rather have more digital optical inputs if you actually could read the back of the unit in the picture you would see that I am correct. Setting the surround sound feature with the mic is awesome, I love this gadget. The only real issue that I have is that the unit I received does not have the Sherwood name anywhere on the product/ box or manual what it does say is QG-500AVR SLS I did find that the QG stood for quick gold but not sure about the rest as of yet I am still researching it. The remote was made for someone who works for Nasa but I was able to figure out the things that I needed to use, I still have a ton to learn about the remote. I did hook up the unit and it was very easy and has great sound, but I only use the optical inputs so I don't know the sound of the rest of the inputs. I only have 5 speakers and one sub set up so I can only use the 5.1 speakers but I have another speaker on the way so that I can hook it up to use the 6.1, when I do I will update my review again.
*********UPDATE*********
Here is the responce that I got from the company on the Name not being Sherwood:
Thank you for your Amazon order.
This SLS branded receiver is a Sherwood RD-8601 receiver, it is rebranded with an SLS name. It is exactly the same as Sherwood RD-8601 except for the logo.
SLS is a high end audio company who contracted Sherwood to build these receivers for them to sell as a home theater package. You can see this home theater package here : [...] LineHomeTheater
We have no control over the pic on Amazon, it is just a listing, our listing does state that this is a rebranded receiver. We have sold hundreds and all our customers are very happy with the quality, especially seeing the low price they paid.
Let us know if you need additional assistance, we will be happy to help.
Best regards,
The Av Express Sales Team
[...]
I am still very happy with this product it has great sound and does a great job with Blueray and digital TV.

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Denon AVR790 7.1-Channel Multi-Zone Home Theater Receiver with 1080p HDMI Connectivity Review

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(More customer reviews)I bought this to replace my 2 year old Yamaha RXV-2600.
Pros: Excellent surround sound performance thanks to Audessy auto setup, perfect HDMI switching performance, great value
Cons: Muting the sound makes a noticeable "click" sound as the amps are turned off, cryptic manual, lack of THX certification
Despite a couple of minor cons, this is a fantastic receiver. It blows away my older (but much more expensive) Yamaha in terms of sound quality and HDMI switching. The Yamaha YPAO wouldn't automatically calibrate my subwoofer (but Audessy does!) and would give HDMI HDCP errors about every other time I turned on the receiver. The Denon has been working flawlessly for a week.
I would recommend going online and downloading some of the Denon setup guides from avsforum, they are *much* better than the weak excuse of a manual that comes in the box with the receiver.
Highly recommended for an entry level 7.1 receiver!

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Dolby Pro Logic IIz introduces a new dimension to home theater entertainment through the addition of a pair of front height channels. Compatible with stereo, 5.1 or 7.1 content, Dolby Pro Logic IIz provides enhanced spaciousness, depth and dimension to movies, concert video and video game playback while maintaining the full integrity of the source mix.Vibration-resistant construction has been reviewed to thoroughly suppress the adverse influence of vibration on sound quality. The power transformers, a source of vibration, have been securely mounted on the highly rigid bottom chassis.

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Defender Digital Wireless DVR Security System with receiver, SD Card Recording and Long Range Night Vision Camera Review

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(More customer reviews)Defender's Digital Wireless DVR Security System with receiver... etc., etc., if set up properly can and will record any movement within the camera view, day or night. The receiver can be connected to any device that accepts RCA video and audio inputs and it will produce an audible warning/alarm when motion is detected. The receiver can wirelessly control up to 4 cameras (one camera included) and, in turn, can be operated by the provided IR remote control.
I wish I could say 'for sure' that this is a bad product or that it's an Okay thing - the difference between 2 and 3 stars - but I can't. I will settle for 2 stars at this time but I am open to any new facts or corrections that would warrant one extra star.KIT CONTENTS
In the box, you will find the camera, the receiver, power adapters for both, RCA wire with plugs for video and mono audio, an IR extension wire, 4 window stickers announcing that the property is protected and the manual.INSTALLATION AND SETUP
I was disappointed to learn that the only way you can connect to a TV/monitor is over an ANALOG RCA interface - quite unexpected from a product that calls itself 'digital'. Our living room TV has 3 HDMI ports, 2 component video banks and the traditional coax for inputs. NO 'yellow' RCA for Video In. The solution was to go through a receiver and from 'it' to TV's 'component analog video' but I expected better and less complicated.
After that, the rest of the setup was quick and easy. The camera paired with the receiver automatically, the 2GB SD card was inserted into its slot, went through a couple of menus to set preferences and we were up and running.
We haven't mounted the camera on a wall yet but everything needed appears to be there: mounting screws, bracket, even drilling templates.FEATURES
The Defender (I will use this as the short name from now on) is advertised as an advanced, versatile, easy to operate security solution. I will briefly list its most important (to me) features and compare 'advertised' vs. my reality/experience.
- Optimal range of up to 100 ft. between receiver and camera - I placed the right outside the house with the receiver in the living room, easily less than 50 ft. between the two. I was surprised to notice that, even at this short distance the signal's strength will drop to 2 bars and occasionally drop altogether. Moving the receiver a few inches right or left or changing the antenna's position from vertical to horizontal would sometimes get me 3 or 4 bars. As a frame of reference, I have no reception problems whatsoever anywhere in the house or around the house with my DECT cordless phones or with my Wi-Fi. This is at odds with the advertised claim of 100 ft. combined with the claim that the system will intelligently search for and find some unused radio spectrum to use.
- Night vision at up to 40 ft - I am happy to confirm that this is indeed the case. On a moonless night I was able to watch activity (our dogs that is) up to 40-50 ft. from camera's location. It should be noted that the 'infrared' LEDs do have a visible dark red glow so this can't be a stealth night surveillance camera.
- Color camera - I can't tell if this is my receiver's inability to properly translate the one-channel analog RCA feed into 'component video' sent to the TV but what I get on my TV is honest to goodness black and white. This is strange because the recordings captured on the SD card are very much 'color' so either somewhere inside the Defender's own receiver or, possibly, inside my own, the picture turns to B&W. Strange.
- Clear sound and crisp image - No complaints about the microphone. The picture resolution is 640x480 (VGA) by default but you can take it down to 320x240 if you want. To me, the 'hi res' is barely adequate. In addition, the frame rate seems to be something in the range of 10-20 frames per second.
- Coverage - It should be clear that this camera does NOT move (it's fixed in one position) and the only 'zoom' capability is a so-called fixed 2X 'digital zoom' which isn't real any zoom at all because you aren't getting any extra detail.
- Motion detection - Check. It will detect motion up to 100 ft.
- Motion-triggered recording - It works but there seems to be a delay of about one second between the moment motion was detected and the start of the recording. Somewhat annoyingly, the screen goes blank for one second upon motion detection if you happen to watch this 'live'. In addition, if you set your camera to record for 5 seconds following the detection of motion, the recording will stop after 5 seconds while the motion continued. You can set the recording time to 15 or 30 seconds following detection though so this is no such a big deal.
- DVR capability - Indeed, the DS card will have folders named after the date YYMMDD and inside each folders you will have .AVI recordings labeled by 'time' HHMMSS' that can be easily played with MS's Media Player or just about any other app that plays video. You can set it to overwrite the oldest records when full so the 2GB card should get you several days, probably many days of motion activate records.
- Weather resistant - I believe the specs state a temp range from 14F-116F. The temps do drop to and below zero where we live. I hope nothing bad will happen to the camera when this happens. Other than that, it comes with a aluminum cover and, since it tends to run pretty hot, I would expect for ice and snow to melt quickly off it.
- Up to 4 cameras supported - Could not test that but the menus suggest that you could have all 4 camera feeds on one screen at the same time.OPERATION
We set the camera up outside to overlook the driveway and to start recording whenever motion was detected. Once we found a good position for the receiver where it would consistently get at least 2 bars of signal strength, the camera operated well, doing what was expected of it, seeing through the night, detecting and recording motion until... we closed the garage door at which time the receiver could no longer communicate with our camera, located about 50 ft. away, outside. Opening the door would restore communication but we are not planning to keep the garage door permanently open. Raising the camera - me holding it above my head - restored communication while the garage door was closed but this is not a long-term solution. We are still debating what to do with the camera at this time, like maybe mount it somewhere high, possibly on the roof. I can think of a mode of operation where the receiver isn't connected to any display and, if you only interest is to see who came near the house, you simply take out the DS card and watch the daily records independently.
The best use for this camera, if you aren't home during the day, is to be able to see who happened to be around the house in your absence. With 15 seconds of recording per detected motion all it takes is just a few minutes to 'see' the daily activity. I wish we had something like this a couple of months ago when, while we were on vacation, a package left for us in the driveway... disappeared.RATING
+ Good, almost great, DVR functions
+ Relatively simple easy setup
+ Night vision as advertised
+ Motion detection and motion-activated recording as advertised
- Range grossly overstated
- Terrible, antiquated analog interface to TV/monitor
- Low resolution, low frame rate
While this product comes with many good and useful capabilities, the shortcomings are quite serious - so serious, we are not sure we are going to actually 'use' it, now that the testing is done. Considering that this product isn't exactly 'cheap', while I still hesitate between 2 and 3 stars, I feel compelled to award it 2 stars.
--
>> Brush your teeth, it's the law!

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Defender's PHOENIX 301 system can be used to monitor and record video and audio in any indoor or outdoor space at any time of the day. This wireless plug and play system allows for easy set up in a matter of minutes and the included 2GB SD card can record up to 350 minutes of continuous audio and video footage. The wireless, weather resistant camera included with this system has 18 infrared LEDs that allow you to see up to 40ft away in the dark. This system includes a compact receiver that easily connects to any television in your home or business using the included A/V cable. Ideal for monitoring entrances, backyards, valuables and employees, this PHOENIX 301 system can be used in any situation you need.

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Pioneer Elite SC-07 - AV network receiver - 7.1 channel Review

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(More customer reviews)I recently purchased the Pioneer Elite SC-07 receiver. It replaced my old Elite VSX-72TXV receiver. Along with the receiver, I purchased the Polk RTi A7 front speakers, CSi A6 center channel, FXi A4 surrounds and DSW Pro 500 subwoofer. I have the Kuro Elite PRO-111FD display to compliment the set up. The result is just breath taking sight and sound.
When you first turn on the receiver without any calibration, you can hear and feel the raw power. After the full automated calibration and some manual minor fine tunings, I couldn't be happier. The first thing you'll notice is the clean, powerful yet natural sound output the receiver has to offer. If you're not into manual calibration, let the receiver do the full auto calibration. That'll make a world of difference. All of the video components are connected via HDMI, so I can't really comment on the performance of the Faroudja upconverting chipset. Just like the former Elite receivers, SC-07 comes with ipod connection (a USB port instead of a cable this time around). The GUI is much easier to use compared to Denon receivers. I like the fact that the menus are straight forward enough to navigate through the settings easily without referring to the manual every single time.
Initially, I was going to wait for SC-27 to come out. Then again, the major difference between the two are color GUI with the ability to show the album art work on the ipod and a different upconverting chip. Personally, I don't care about the extra bells and whistles. Amazon (3rd party retailers) probably have the best pricing I've seen so far. I have no regrets and I'm looking forward to enjoying it for quite some time.

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Yamaha RX-V1065BL 7.2-Channel Digital Home Theater Receiver (Black) Review

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(More customer reviews)I needed to replace a couple of old receivers so I found a great deal on the RX-V1065 and RX-V765 on Amazon. I ended up getting both of them for aboout what 2 V665's would have cost me a a Big Box store. I first setup my Main Theate Room with the 1065, I thought it was somewhat difficult to get everything the way I wanted it but the automatic speaker setup was slick and the sound is fantastic compared to my old Sony I had previously. The Menu system takes some getting use to but once you do it's not bad to navigate. All in all I was pretty darn happy with my purchase, My JBL's sounded much better then before and although I didn't really notice any difference in video quality, it was as good as before and now I had everything coming thru the same box. Surround sound was a huge step up from my old receiver also, you are almost looking behind you now because you'd swear someone is behind you, where on my old Sony it was more or less a quieter front speaker.
I then went to hook up my 765 in my cave TV room, first thing that I noticed was that is basically identical to the 1065, sure the menu system is not as polished but as far as the functionality that I need it is the same. I have a few year old Bose surround sound in this room with a JBL center chanel speaker and what a HUGE difference this receiver made over my old Onkyo, the Onkyo was really good for music but surround sound was sub par, but it was 10 years old I guess. Granted I'm only hooking up a Xbox 360, blue ray and TV in this room but watching Vikes beat up the the Packers in surround sound with this receiver was great, I haven't figured out which sound field I like best but there are a couple perfect for sports.
One of the coolest things was when I grabbed the TV remote from my Samsung LCD by mistake to turn the volume down and it says RX-V765 un the upper corner and starts to tun down the volume of the receiver from the TV, displaying the volume the whole time it's changing. I guess that Anynet capability on the Samsung TV's with a HDMI reciever gives you a few more bells and whistles. Also really cool is when I turn on the Xbox or turn off the TV the receiver will come on or off accordingly. I haven't setup the remote for additionaly devices yet, but it seems to be easy to use and is exactly the same for the 765 and 1065, I actually expected the remote to be better for the 1065 so i was a little disapointed when I saw it, but in using it it seems OK/
One thing I do not like is the Zone 2 ability on the 1065, I almost wish is was more or less a A/B speaker selector, I have a normal 5 speaker surround setup, in addition to that I have 2 speakers in the kitchen, right behind the TV room which are connect to Zone 2 that when I'm listening to music we like to have on so that you have more sound. The problem is that Zone 2 running the same input as the Main Room is off by a few fractions of a second and if you stand right between the 2 rooms, it sounds like the song is a half a second behind in the kitchen, I tried the lipsync thing, which only made it worse, I haven't given up on it yet, but it's not obvious how to fix this.
Bottom Line -
Both the 1065 and the 765 have more inputs than I know what to do with.
Neither have HDMI on the front, I didn't want it anyway, as I think it looks stupid to set all your equipment up and then have a big cable hanging off the front of your system anyway. That's why the put the jacks on the back, right???
May not have quite as many sound fields as some others out there, but I pick the 2 or 3 I like for movies, sports and music anyway and don't care about the rest.
The YPAO is cool and works great to setup the speakers.
The onscreen Menu is better on the 1065 but adequate on the 765.
HI-DEF Radio sounds amazing on both.
Don't think I will ever use the remotes as universal remotes, but they are adequate for running the receivers.
I cannot comment much on the video conversion, as everything I am running is HDMI and looks the same as it die running straight into the TV.
Sound on both of these is fantastic, even at volumes that start to hurt, the sound is clear, the bass is crisp not slow and there is no distortion, my old receivers would make my speakers start to hiss at a much lower volume, and these receivers never do.
Save yourself some money though get the 765, once it's all setup and you don't need to go into the menu anymore, you'll never notice the difference.
I read a lot of reviews and narrowed it down to Onkyo and Yamaha, at last second I pulled the trigger on Yamaha and for what I paid on Amazon for the 2 of them I am thrilled with my purchase

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Yamaha RX-V1065BL 7.2-Channel Digital Home Theater Receiver

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Sony DMXWL1 BRAVIA Wireless HD Link Review

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(More customer reviews)This product works great...when it works. The problem is since this is on the bleeding edge of technology it has a number of glitches. The largest problem you are going to run into has nothing to do with signal interference, but rather signal compatibility. I hooked up an Xbox360, Cable Box, PS3, and DVD player/sound system and sent the video signal to my projector and used the Toslink out for the sound which went to my DVD player/sound system. For the Xbox360 I could get video to get sent to my projector, but the sound wouldn't transmit to my sound system. For my PS3, which is made by the same company, I could get sound just fine, but no video. The only thing that worked properly is playing a DVD, but that was because the sound was localized to the system already otherwise I'm sure I would have gotten video only out of it. Bottom line, for video games and tv there was no lag, no contouring, and no pixilation. I ended up returning this product and opting for a hard wire run and just putting cable covers on to hide the cords. My advice, wait for the second generation of this product, and if you are going to buy make sure there is a good return policy...that's why I bought it on Amazon.

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Customize your entertainment experience with the BRAVIA® Wireless Link module. It's is a two-piece system that wirelessly transmits HD video and audio from your A/V equipment (like Blu-ray Disc players or video game consoles) to your BRAVIA HDTV1 - from up to 65 feet away2! Enjoy the benefit of a "professional installation look" without the need for in-wall wiring and multiple remotes. BRAVIA Wireless Link consists of two units - a receiver and a transmitter. The receiver attaches to the back of your BRAVIA HDTV1 and connects via HDMI while A/V equipment connects directly to the transmitter. BRAVIA Wireless Link enables control of up to 5 source devices - 4 HDMI and 1 component video - all controlled by one remote

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Universal MRF-350 RF Base Station Review

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(More customer reviews)Simply superb. I have two of these, the IR blaster alone nearly burns a hole in the wall :) I have it controlling in the home theatre a Onkyo NR905 7.1 system, XBOX 360, XBOX (Media Centre), AppleTV, HD TV Receiver, out of sight and in a Panasonic LCD HD Projector. Thats all downstairs and upstairs in the living room a Onkyo 5.1, XBOX Media Centre, LCD HD TV. No problems, at all, good price, simple & just perfect. That along with 3 MX-850's (which in themselves are just FANTASTIC, forget expensive Pronto's etc, these remotes are are simple, confortable and just WORK!!!
For a good comprehensive review have a look at http://www.remotecentral.com

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TCC TC-750 BLACK Audiophile Phono Preamp, Pre-amp (Preamplifier) Review

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(More customer reviews)I have a fairly large collection of operas on LP's and had been having a friend transfer some of them to CD's. Unfortunately he seemed to have trouble keeping system noises, humming and buzzing, from entering the recordings so I decided to try for myself. I have an old Technics direct drive turntable equipped with a Stanton pickup. I read another review on the TC-750 which impressed me, so since this preamp was relatively inexpensive I decided to give it a try. It arrived shortly after ordering particularly for Hawaii, and I hooked the turntable up to the TC-750 and that in turn to a VCR which is plugged into the sound card of my computer. Using Nero software that came with a Sony DVD burner I captured several of the operas and burned them onto CD's. I cannot emphasis to much how elated I am with the sound. It is absolutely clean and smooth. The sound reproduction is perfect. I am totally estatic with the performance of the relatively inexpensive TC-750 phono preamp, and highly recommend it to anyone wanting to connect a magnet phono pickup to a standard audio imput.

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RCA Extension Cord 10 ft. Review

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(More customer reviews)I ordered 6 of these yesterday...YESTERDAY! And they already came today. Once again Amazon is amazing (actually this ships from Parts Express, but close enough).
I hooked these up to my $50 logitech X-530 5.1 Speaker system and they work great. I hooked up 4 in a row to one speaker and did several tests by ear, and honestly I can not tell a difference at all. They may be a generic brand but for cheaper sound systems it doesn't matter. Only when you start spending over $250 will you ever need to get better sound cables, and even than you may only get about a 20% sound increase for a $50 cable (I've had this happen before).
Remember though that if your figuring to wall mount speakers your going to need more cord length than you think. In my case I should have ordered a couple more cords. I only factored in the length through the ceiling and forgot to factor in the cord coming from back of the receiver (which happens to be the subwoofer) and going up to the ceiling.
The only negative thing I can think of is that they might pull apart from eachother a little easily if they are in the ceiling and someone yanks on one side a bit. For that reason once I connect mine I'll probably glue them in place.
Overall, You can't beat the price. Best Buy's cheapest is $16 for a 12' cord!

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VGA and Audio to HDMI Converter Review

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(More customer reviews)I was searching for a way to connect laptop to my TV through HDMI port. This product is just what I was looking for. It is simple to use and does what it is purposed for. There are other devices that connect laptop to TV but are not through HDMI. I had also tried using cables with VGA on one end and HDMI on the other. Thinking to save some money but that won't work. Video signal will not send to TV. On the package for the cables indicates that it won't garantee the connection will work. It is best to use a converter box like this product. The connection through HDMI is much better than VGA. It works in full screen mode resolution on my 40" SONY BRAVIA.

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Audiovox Acoustic Research AW880 Portable Wireless Indoor Speakers (Black) Review

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(More customer reviews)These speakers, as you can see, look great. And the concept is a wonderful idea. However when plugged in they frequently lose signal with the transmitter and you hear an awful static. Even within a few feet of the transmitter they can't seem to maintain a good signal and frequently need to be reset- very annoying. If they can't maintain the wireless signal they should at least turn off instead of blasting that harsh static sound.
This was quite embarrassing when I had guests over, they would lose connection and my guests heard awful static. This seems to be a product made by Audiovox and licensed by Acoustic Research. I've used AR speakers for years and these are far below par for the brand. They are very light, for example, lacking the weight to produce a rich bass sound. The mid range sounds hollow and the highs sound clipped. They sound like a pair of those external PC speakers that typically cost about a quarter of the price.
There are nice features such as dual color LED, L/R control,removable speaker screens, and 3 channels. I tried all of the channels but none could resolve the nasty static sound problem that would crop up after listening for a while. I'd really love these attractive speakers if they didn't drop signal and play harsh static. They also need a much higher quality sound. My product reviews are usually positive but this was a disappointment. Hopefully they'll get re-engineered inside.

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Free your music from the confines of your entertainment center.Now it's easier than ever to take your music to any room in your home.The Acoustic Research AW880 portable wireless indoor stereo speakers deliver crisp audio with amazing clarity, while its sleek design pairs nicely with any decor.They're compatible with most electronic devices, allowing you to seamlessly transfer audio content from your stereo, computer, and more with the built-in stereo audio cable.Now you can enjoy your music where you want it.

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Sony WAHT-SA20 - Wireless audio delivery system for rear speakers Review

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(More customer reviews)I have a Sony HT SS370 Home theater system, and I wanted to have my rear speakers operate without wires running over the floor. I stopped by the Sony Style store and purchased the EZW-T100 transmitter. Unfortunately, Sony decided to wait 3 months before putting the matching WAHT-SA20 on the market in the United States. Once it was available, I snapped it up. The installation and setup were very easy. There are three frequencies that the WAHT-SA20 and the EZW-T100 operate on. Once the correct frequency was selected, the system synced and worked perfectly. It is fantastic to watch and listen to a HD BlueRay DVD with 5.1 Surround Sound.

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EasyCap Model 002 - 4 Channel USB 2.0 DVR Video Audio CCTV Capture Adapter Review

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(More customer reviews)Satisfactory product, hardware is great, software is weak. Would be nice if clearer to explain only records on one channel at a time, even though you can view all 4 channels. Attempted third party software solutions, but can only get other programs to recognize channel 2 as a record input. For the price, makes an excellent one channel video capture. If they redesigned the software for 4 cam capture I would be 5 stars satisfied! Compatible with both my XP and Vista 2.0USB computers, not compatible with 1.0 USB.

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Bluetooth Stereo Gateway DC800 Bluetooth Adapter for Home Stereo Review

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(More customer reviews)I was seeking a way to watch t.v. in my basement while running on the treadmill and lifting weights in the early morning hours. The T.V. had to be turned up way too loud so that I could hear it while on the treadmill. I started by purchasing an FM transmitter and using my arm-band fm "walkman" type of device. The reception was terrible unless I stood right next to the transmitter.
I bought the Motorola S9 stereo headset and the Motorola DC800 stereo adapter. These two paired easily and the sound is unbelievable. I can run on the treadmill and watch "loud" T.V. and there are no reception problems. I would highly recommend this set-up to anyone.

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ViewHD Multi-functional HDMI Converter Switch 8 Inputs (VGA + AV + Ypbpr Component + HDMI) to One HDMI Output Support 3D & Surround Sound for 1080P HDTV Review

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(More customer reviews)The only thing I would change at all is I would like to see SVideo inputs and perhaps two HDMI outputs. We use it in one of our court rooms to handle a varity of things brought in - we send it to a large monitor, but split it to go to the jury box as well. Works great!

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Pioneer AVIC-F700BT In-Dash Navigation Audio Receiver with CD Playback and Advanced Voice Controls Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Pioneer has acknowledged that the first release of this system had issues ... freezing up, parking break warning for no reason, lack of proper brightness, etc. But they issued an upgrade in July of 2008. THIS UPDATE FIXES EVERYTHING.
I have this unit, I used it before the update (lots of problems -- all clearly explained in multiple posts all over the internet). But I downloaded the firmware, installed it, and now it works AWESOME. I truly have to give it to Pioneer for acknowledging their error and spending time to listen to owners and fix it.
I love this unit. I hook up my Iphone 3G and watch podcasts, listen to music, and everything. I have SM radio for it and I use the GPS all the time. I use the bluetooth with my iphone and the call clarity is fantastic.
I'm serious when I say this is a great value and much better than the D3 unit it replaced, but you have to install the firmware. Do that and I'll love it.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Pioneer AVIC-F700BT In-Dash Navigation Audio Receiver with CD Playback and Advanced Voice Controls

The Pioneer AVIC-F700BT car stereo marries solid entertainment capabilities with advanced navigation. Its flash-based GPS system comes pre-loaded TeleAtlas maps of the US and Canada, featuring more than 12 million points of interest and robust user routing options.
Built-in Bluetooth allows you to make hands-free calls on compatible devices, and Pioneer's voice-recognition software lets you use voice commands to control your phone or iPod (with separate iPod adapter). Hugely expandable, with options for iPod connectivity, MSN Direct, HD radio, XM and SIRIUS Satellite Radio, and more, the AVIC-F700BT also includes a USB interface for quick connection to iPod music players, portable media players and USB memory device. Additionally, SD memory card support means you can insert cards filled with additional Points of Interest or compressed audio and video for your use and enjoyment. Link all your devices together into one seamless experience.
5.8-inch Widescreen LCD The AVIC-F700BT features a 5.8-inch widescreen color LCD with WVGA (800 x 480) resolution, perfect for navigation via GPS, or simply navigating your audio files.
A New Class of Navigation No more hassling with map discs. Now you don't have to worry about discs being misplaced, damaged, lost, or stolen because we've done away with them for the F-Series navigation line. Pioneer has taken the entire TeleAtlas Database that was previously on the two-DVD set, compressed it down, and stored it internally on flash memory.
Touch panel key operation--It is possible to operate the navigation and audio functions by using the touch panel key.
2D and 3D map view modes--Various types of screen displays can be selected for navigation guidance
A variety of Points of Interest (POI) information--More than 100 types of POI categories are included in the database. You also can create your own customized POIs and categories.
Auto reroute function--If you deviate from the set route, the system will re-calculate the route from that point so that you remain on track to the destination.

Freedom of Speech The AVIC-F700BT offers a new generation of voice recognition capability for controlling iPod playback and making calls hands-free via connected Bluetooth-enabled cell phones. The technology accepts and recognizes conversational phrases and language, filters out superfluous sounds and phrases, and if the user doesn't give enough information in the command, the unit will ask additional questions to clarify the request.
In Touch, Hands-Free The AVIC-F700BT comes with built-in Bluetooth. Now you never need to miss a call, even if your tunes are cranked up or your phone is buried in your bag.
Mobile Media Pioneer has created a line of Navigation systems that make it easy to play various digital and audio formats like: CD-R/RW discs, Portable Media Players like iPod, USB memory devices, and SD Cards. The AVIC-F700BT can play a wide range of files types as well, such as MP3, WMA, iTunes AAC, and MPEG-4 video files.
Make it Personal Personalize your drive. AVIC FEEDS freeware contains POI Creator, Driving Report, and Picture Editor Applications. You never know where the road will take you, but our POI Creator can help you get started on the right path.
Blending In Like its predecessor, the AVIC-D3, the new AVIC-F700BT allows you to change the illumination color to match your car. Select from among 32,768 different colors to match car interior and dashboard lighting.
Seeing Is Believing The old WQVGA displays that most Navigation units use are 480 x 234 pixels. However, the WVGA display is much higher quality at 800 x 480 pixels. Images become sharper and more defined, just like our maps and menus on these units. The display's enhanced GUI (Graphic User Interface) has also advanced, making system control and management effortless.
iPod Control Made Simple With the new CD-IU230V cable, you can directly control your music and videos from your iPod. Fast and easy control through USB, the AVIC-F700BT also features iPod Album Art display, Alphabetical Speed Search, and much more.
AM/FM Radio Always have your favorite stations at hand with 18 FM and 6 AM user presets.

Best Stations Memory Setting your radio presets can be a real pain while you're driving--especially if you're in an unfamiliar area. So, let the tuner do the work for you by activating the Best Stations Memory (BSM) function. The tuner will seek out the six strongest stations in the area and set them into the tuner presets.
Adding Another Set of Eyes For safer parking, try using the ND-BC2 or ND-BC20PA backup cameras. The system automatically displays images shot from a connected camera as the vehicle shifts into reverse.

AUX-In Connection Use the built-in AUX input for connecting any portable digital player or other external auxiliary devices. For extra-convenient access, the AVIC-F700BT has this input on the front panel.
What's in the Box Pioneer AVIC-F700BT, wiring harness, installation hardware, operation manual, installation guide, warranty sheet

Click here for more information about Pioneer AVIC-F700BT In-Dash Navigation Audio Receiver with CD Playback and Advanced Voice Controls

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ePVision PHD-205LE HDTV Tuner ATSC / QAM (HD) / NTSC (Pass-through Only) Tuner Receiver Box Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I purchased this ePVision PHD-205LE HDTV Tuner ATSC / QAM (HD) / NTSC (Pass-through Only) Tuner Receiver Box directly from the company which designed it, ePBoard. It arrived four days after I placed the order (California to New Jersey; see the first comment to this review).
I have a home theater in which I sometimes wish to watch television. My AV receiver, a Yamaha RX-Z9 - AV receiver - 7.1 channel, is able to output an HD image (made in 2004, it scales up to 1080i) and my PT-AE4000U LCD XGA 16:9 1600 Lumens HDmi Svid 16.1LBS Hdtv is able to project it.
This tuner is an excellent complement to my system.
It is very well-designed and operates practically intuitively. It is very sensitive and, as long as your antenna is properly installed and aimed, it will receive every HD Over-thr-Air broadcast available to you. The majority of the TV signals available to me have their transmitters located about forty miles or so from my house. To find what is available to you at your location, see the second comment.
It will allow an analog TV broadcast to "pass through" it should such broadcasts be available at your location. In addition it will accept a QAM (clear - not encrypted) cable connection.
The picture quality it produces on HD Over-the-Air broadcasts is nothing short of amazing. And its sound quality, both Dolby 5.1 and "standard," via its TOSlink (optical) audio connection is first-rate. I also tried, just as an experiment, its standard analog audio connection, The sound produced is equally fine though not, of course, "surround."
I do have three VERY small "nits" to pick. First, as some others have commented, its remote control is not the best; it must be aimed precisely and once in a while you must press a button more than once (especially, I have found, when changing channels).
Second, I think that there should be two input connections, one for an antenna and one for cable/satellite; if a user were to wish to use one or the other, he/she must physically disconnect one cable (F-connector) and physically connect the other one. I would also wish that a front-panel switch were incorporated to effect changing the source. (For us this is not a problem as we do not have cable/satellite television, but it might be a concern to some others.)
And finally, I wish that this unit had a coaxial audio connection in addition to the optical one. This is my biggest complaint. Frankly, I detest the TOSlink connection as it does not have a robust positive connection. The coaxial audio connector on this type of cable, which is able to carry the same audio information as the optical one, does indeed produce a good connection, just like any other RCA-type. (Today I have ordered this Cables to Go 40019 Optical to Coaxial Digital Audio Converter which should solve my "problem." I'll report, in an update to this review, my experiences with it.)
But all of these "nits" are VERY minor in a unit as well-designed as this one.
I believe that any purchaser will be very pleased with this unit - as I am.
I'm glad I bought it - I would buy it again! - and I give it my highest recommendation.
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Update: January 14, 2010
Here is a suggestion which may be of interest to some people. DROP your expensive cable/satellite subscription. Buy this unit and buy a Roku XDS Streaming Player 1080p. Then, if you don't already have one, establish a Netflix subscription (streaming-only, the least costly option, will do; so will the one-disc-at-a-time option, which is also very low in cost) as well as an Amazon Prime account (which allows free streaming of movies in addition to the free two-day shipping which has always been a part of Amazon Prime).
You will be able to watch just about any movie you might want to see and you'll still be able to watch network television transmitted over-the-air. Netflix's monthly charge is but a fraction of cable/satellite charges and Amazon's Prime charge is even lower than Netflix's.
You'll also be able, with the Roku unit (buy only the XDS model I recommend as the lesser models omit some useful features), to also view many free public-domain movies and TV shows. Plus you can also listen to thousands of free Internet Radio stations.
What will you miss? Cable channels, of course, and this COULD be a deal-breaker for some people, but you'll ALSO miss those ridiculously high monthly bills (will you really miss paying them?). You'll still be able to see local sports, news, and so forth. Don't forget that with the new digital broadcasting system, many channels now have two or more subchannels with completely different (and often very interesting) programs - all at no charge.
Plus, when you watch HDTV via this ePVision PHD-205LE HDTV Tuner ATSC / QAM (HD) / NTSC (Pass-through Only) Tuner Receiver Box you'll REALLY be seeing the full 1080i broadcast (if your local station actually transmits it - and more and more are doing so) rather than the SO-CALLED "HD" video, the highly compressed video actually supplied by most cable/satellite companies (and the difference in a side-by-side comparison is quite noticeable).
It's something to think about ...
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Update: January 17, 2010
I should mention that even 480i images, which are generally seen on the subchannels (for example, Channel 12.2 or 12.3), look VERY good via this tuner. A nice touch is that you can see the actual type of image (and the type of sound) being supplied by any individual broadcast station.
When this tuner is used with my PT-AE4000U LCD XGA 16:9 1600 Lumens HDmi Svid 16.1LBS Hdtv projector (I recommend that anyone interested read my review of it), the combination makes for absolutely fantastic images, far better than anything I have seen on either LCD and Plasma flat-screen televisions.
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Update: January 24, 2010
I received the Cables to Go 40019 Optical to Coaxial Digital Audio Converter the other day and I immediately inserted it into my system. It works perfectly. The Dolby surround sound is exactly the same whether I use the TOSlink cable alone or I use this converter to supply the sound to my receiver through a coaxial cable. As the only digital audio output from this ePVision PHD-205LE HDTV Tuner ATSC / QAM (HD) / NTSC (Pass-through Only) Tuner Receiver Box (Amazon itself should really sell this!) is an optical one (and, as I mentioned, I do not like TOSlink connections), if you want a coaxial (RCA-type plug) connection to your receiver, as I do, you need an optical to coaxial converter. This very inexpensive one fills the bill perfectly and I highly recommend it.
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Update: February 8, 2010
Last night, at the urging of my son, I watched the Super Bowl for about three minutes just to see what a totally uncompressed 1080i HD live feed looked like. (My son had told me that he had seen an article stating this was the first time this has been done, at least for the Super Bowl, though I do not know if regular television shows or local news broadcasts are compressed in any way: they don't look as though they are.)
(Why only three minutes? I am not a sports fan and I have absolutely no interest in the Super Bowl! After assessing the picture quality, my wife and I "reverted" to a 480p image and watched the DVD of "It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World.")
Obviously, if one were watching this broadcast via a cable or satellite hookup, the video would of necessity be compressed. And even fairly uncritical viewer can easily see this compression. Using this unit with a good antenna I was able to see how uncompressed video appears - while knowing for a fact that it WAS uncompressed.
Let me tell you - it looked VERY good! As a matter of fact, I have NEVER seen a television image look AS good. My home theater screen is 108" in diagonal (16:9 ratio) and the projected picture was quite amazing. (The sound, Dolby Digital, was also amazing.)
This is just another reason to buy this tuner. Even if you have cable in your home theater, if something like the Super Bowl is being broadcast on a local channel and you wish to view it with the best possible picture quality, the only way to do that currently is to obtain your television signal over-the-air with an antenna. As this tuner produces the very best picture (and sound) I have ever seen - period - you could temporarily disconnect your cable and connect an antenna to this tuner. (As this tuner passes unencrypted QAM cable signals, you can always leave it connected to your system; all you'd need to do is to swap...Read more›

Click Here to see more reviews about: ePVision PHD-205LE HDTV Tuner ATSC / QAM (HD) / NTSC (Pass-through Only) Tuner Receiver Box

Click here for more information about ePVision PHD-205LE HDTV Tuner ATSC / QAM (HD) / NTSC (Pass-through Only) Tuner Receiver Box

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