Mygica LDA-9000 Standalone Digital ATSC HDTV Box, 1080P With Hybrid QAM/NTSC TV Tuner, Watch TV, Game and Video on Your PC Monitor - IR Remote control is Included Review

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(More customer reviews)I got this so I could have a TV in my dorm room (I already had a nice computer monitor and didn't want to fully replace it). Works fairly well as a TV tuner, but it doesnt pick up some of the higher numbered digital channels clearly. I have a VCR plugged into it as well and it makes the movies from the VHS have a really terrible quality (I tested it and know its not the VCR's fault because I plugged the VCR directly into another TV and it looked as good as VHS can look). Those are my only two complains, other than I don't think it's 80 dollars. It's also nice because it doesn't take up much room and is easy to connect. It also comes with any adapters that you might need to use it, so that's nice because you don't have to figure out what adapters to buy.

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Denon AVR4310CI 7.1-Channel Multi-Zone Home Theater Receiver with Networking Capability and 1080p HDMI Connectivity Review

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(More customer reviews)I got this only 2 weeks ago, so this is a preliminary report:
From my testing so far:
Pros:
1. Great sound; drastic (positive) improvement over previous Denon 1508 I had in this setup.
2. Video: The upconversion from any source to HDMI is good and works without a hassle. (The worst case testing of standard cable to 1080p doesn't look good and is more grainy than I would have liked; but standard DVD looks fantastic on my Panasonic 1080p plasma with this receiver).
3. Audussey setup: was quite easy (just took some 10 minutes) and once done, had done a good job of measuring distances and capacities of speakers I have (Martin Logan Aeons for the front, Vignette for the center, ML Grotto for the sub, but a low end polk audio for surrounds in my 5.1 setup), and correctly set the relative power etc for the speakers. I can see the difference in one of the side chairs in my listening setup.
4. On screen GUI: Great improvement over my previous Denon/Marantz etc. Again this works flawlessly, and the GUI, while it can be improved, is good enough for most people.
5. The remote: the primary remote, after you get used to it, is great. Now I could dispose of my Panasonic TV remote as well as my DVD player's remotes and just use one remote effortlessly. I also have a Harmony remote that I stopped using long time ago, and this remote is better than the harmony remote in my experience (one simple reason is that harmony remembers the state of the equipment and expects you to use only the remote always; so if you do manual change, for e.g, walk up to the TV and switch it on, harmony gets confused!). Again a great improvement over previous/lower end Denon models.
5. Network access/firmware upgrade: just having these features is a plus (BUT...I had lot of issues with this - that I am covering below)
6. Ipod direct connectivity using front USB input: great again. (I was able to connect both iphone first gen and a ipod video 5th gen as well as a ipod nano 3rd gen and use them correctly using the onscreen menu). There is an audio improvement mode that improves the compressed mp3 music ("Restorer" - has 4 modes - off or no processing, 64, 96bit and HQ - high quality?)
7. Several inputs - 6 HDMI inputs there is even a set of front inputs - hdmi, composite,USB inputs for convenience.
8. Doesn't get too hot! I tried pushing this - a higher volume on my sub-4 ohm Martin Logans and no sweat! Receiver does get hot but not too hot that you will burn your fingers! This is one big reason I bought this receiver - my experience with other brand rececivers was quite bad - at 75-90 watt/channel, these receivers trip my house fuses frequently; Denon (both my old 1508 at 75 watts and 4310 now at 130 watts) does admirably well in this regard and I have no complaints - only superlative praises for the efficiency and power handling of Denon.
Now for the CONS and the problems I encountered:
1. Poor, unfinished, mediocre web access - while it does allow you to change the source, do the setup of components, control multi zones, volume control etc using [...] (browser) access), it looks very primitive - not one that you expect in a 2000$ receiver.
2. NET/USB and other network Modes: Several bugs here - let me try a few,, but I am not finished finding them yet!
a. Doesn't recognize any NAS drives in the home network; only sees Windows media servers in the network! So to play music in a NAS drive, I have to first add it to a WMP library and then I can play that from Denon. This is more a feature request than a bug.
b. While navigating through list of songs/albums etc, there is no page up/page down keys and so going down one entry at a time and lack of search is a pain when you have thousands of songs.
c. There is a minor bug in playing media server/USB files: while the display goes to sleep after a minute or so, the album art stays in the screen in the same place - this will be bad for plasma TVs!
d. Ipod troubles: I have a first generation iphone and so when I connect that, there is a warning on iphone that says this device is not compatible and so I should put the phone in airplane mode. Say no to this screen and it continues to work normally! Not sure if it is apple's bug or denon's bug! But Denon is recognizing older ipods to current generation.
Quite a few problems I saw with NET/USB/Media server/internet radio have been solved with the firmware updates over the last month..
I want to give 4.5 stars, only because most of the problems I saw can be fixed by software updates (I hope Denon will act fast), and the rest, the most important thing for me - audio quality, video quality, power handling - are worth 6 stars.
I haven't got to testing Audussey DSX - the height and wider channel features presented by this receiver. I will update this review as I test more features...
Update: July 2010: After almost a year and several firmware upgrades later, I still haven't tested the Audissey DSX feature. But the problems I noted with media server/Net are still there - in particular, the media server is still sooooo slow, I can't really use it. In fact, my Denon is wired to the wireless router. Sharing music between my systems using wireless on Windows 7 pcs/notebooks is reasonably (much) faster but Denon is quite slow - literally takes several seconds for each key press. Internet radio, napster, usb drives etc are quite useable (no issues there).
The http screens for this receiver are still primitive - no changes there. You will still need the on-screen menus if you want to make changes. The best you can do with http access is to change the input, change volume/mute (more like a simple remote).
Ultimately, the sound quality is great and audio performance of this receiver rocks - the sole reason for my buying this receiver. In spite of all the other small issues I mentioned, the sound quality and power performance (runs quite cool for the power it handles) is one of the best I have seen at this price range.
UPDATE: 11/26/2010: With the latest firmware updates, the network access and Ipod/USB access etc seem to have improved several fold. Now access to media on my NAS box in the home network is quite snappy, and I can play a song in a couple of seconds after selecting the song.


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The new AVR-4310CI is a technological tour de force, designed for consumers wanting to network their AV system. Ethernet connectivity opens up your AV system to host of exciting capabilities like audio and jpeg photo streaming and Internet radio. Additionally, subscription music services like Rhapsody and Napster are supported. The AVR4310CI packs a punch with 7-channels of onboard amplification producing 910-watts of total power (130 per channel). The amplifiers can be assigned for 7.1 channel surround sound, or a 5.1 channel system in the 'main" room and power a pair of speakers in a second 'zone". This only scratches the surface of the AVR4310CI Multi-zone (3) / multi-source (3) capability. Enhanced power amp assign features, second and third zone programming feature allow the AVR4310 to be the hub of a sophisticated whole house system. For video connectivity, the AVR4310CI is equipped with 1080p compatible HDMI 1.3a Repeating technology, delivering both audio and video to your HDTV with single HDMI cable. This HDMI connectivity supports the latest generation surround sound formats available on Blu-ray disc, including Dolby TrueHD and DD+, dts-HD and dts-HR. Also included is Dolby Laboratories new Pro Logic IIz Matrix decoding featuring front height effects channels that expands front soundstage. The AVR4310CI boasts a number of Audyssey technologies, and is the first to offer Audyssey DXS processing. DSX (Dynamic Surround Expansion adds front height and/or width channels to expand the soundstage. Advanced Audyssey MultEQ XT analyzes a speaker systems interaction with room acoustics at 8 positions, and then delivers custom tailored correction processing to optimize clarity and tonal balance throughout the listening space. Audyssey Dynamic Volume is an automatic volume-leveling system that tracks audio dynamics to eliminate the irritating volume swings between TV shows and commercials.

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Marantz SR6004 Audio/Video Receiver (Black) Review

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(More customer reviews)I have owned five Marantz SR6004s, only one of which is still working today. All were purchased from an authorized dealer and were brand new or A stock. I bought two units - one for my study utilizing a 5.1 setup plus heights and one for my bedroom - 5.1 setup with two in ceiling speakers in each bathroom configured as a second zone.
The four units that died all died in less than 30 days. The quickest died after 8 days, the longest made it about 26 days. The death always included a pop or thud from all speakers and then the Marantz entering into protect mode. Once in protect mode, it cannot be revived - even by leaving it unplugged overnight or trying to reset it via the front panel. It is completely fried.
In both rooms, all of my speaker connections are without isssue; the Marantzs have replaced Onkyos and a Denon that have operated in the same setup for over two years. The Marantz was well surge-protected in both rooms - even to the point i surge protected the coaxial feed from the cable box.
The failures occurred without warning or symptom of a problem. Of the four failures, three occurred while watching college football on a saturday, one occurred one evening with the tuner on only.
The surving unit is still working without issue in the same setup. Earlier this week I torture-tested it, left it on for three days straight without issue or excessive heat.
It is my contention there is either a faulty part or faulty design that causes catastrophic failure to these units. One other has reported an identical death to mine on his SR5004.
Marantz categorically denies a problem.
I would hold off on buying this unit despite my true affection for its sound. There is something wrong with some of these units.
If you do buy one, buy it from an authorized dealer who has a generous 30 day return policy (and will pay for return shipping costs if online). These units have generally died within two to four weeks of use, but I have not made it too far past 30 days with my working unit.
I really like this receiver and have been more than persistent and attempted to trouble-shoot the issues with Marantz. They were of no help at all and continued to insist the problem was only in my setup.
it's a great receiver when working. I can only hope that Marantz addresses the catastrophic failure affecting these units and issues a recall to those affected.

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USB port for iPod Digital connection, Dolby TrueHD, dts-HD MA and Dolby ProLogic IIz decording, Audessey MultEQ&Dynamic Volume, Color GUI, Analog to HDMI scalling, RX101Bluetooth Receiver included for iPhone/Mobile, M-DAX compressed audio expander

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Sherwood RD7502 100 Watt 7.1-Channel Audio Video Receiver with HDMI (Black) Review

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(More customer reviews)Currently using a Denon AVR 2807 in my living room, and a Yamaha HTR 5950 upstairs in my bedroom on the PC. Bought this Sherwood receiver for my parents to go with their new TV as a present on a tight budget. Best Buy carries their stuff - this is how I found out about Sherwood. Of course they stick their own "insignia" badges on the 5.1 units, not sure if they now carry the 7.1s or not. Anyway it's a decent company and a decent product. There is a little bit of hiss when there is no signal which is kind of weird, but everything is fine when you're actually using an input. The remote is a cheap piece of crap. The menu system is alright. Options are good, like the sub cut-off points and all that. Power seems low for what they claim but I can't compare since I also bought new bookshelves to use with this thing. It goes loud enough for a typical living room with normal efficiency speakers. The innards seem solid, the thing is quite heavy - on par with my 35lb denon. A good bunch of electronics with corners cut as far as controls and remote goes. If you're going to use a nice universal that's a moot point anyway. Note: HDMI is for video ONLY, you still need to connect the DVR and blueray/etc with the optical cables. Kind of a turn off, but not a deal breaker really. Optical cables are skinny and you only need one per device. So in this case one was DVR the other BluRay - two optical cables and two HDMI cords. Totally irrelevant if you're hiding your cables in the wall or elsehow.
So I give this thing an honest C+/B- as a whole, more like a B+ assuming you dno't need the remote or care about audio through HDMI.

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Monster High-Speed Three-Way HDMI Switch Review

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(More customer reviews)This device allows you to use up to three devices with HDMI outputs on a TV with just one HDMI input. It is an excellent product once you learn how to use it. There is a secret you need to get it to work though--you can't just manually switch between devices: you must use the "learn" function on the switcher with ANY remote and do that for all three inputs. (Even if you are only using two inputs.)
If you don't the device will switch between, say, your PS3 and satellite box without warning. It did that with me several times right as I was trying to do gnarly maneuvers in Grand Theft Auto IV.
Once I called customer service (it's not in FAQ on their website), and was provided that information, the device works flawlessly.
If Monster would take the time to do the manual properly or at least put the info you need to eliminate an aggravating problem on its website, this would be an excellent product.

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Monster Advanced for HDMI High Speed 3-Way Switcher - HDMI 3-In/1-Out 1080p Switcher

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LaCie LaCinema Mini HD Connect High Definition Media Player 301917KUA Review

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(More customer reviews)Media players are definitely the next big thing but there's still none out there that are close to being perfect. AppleTV is great but it's far too limited to Apple's own mp4 format and too focused on selling Apple's content. I've been through a couple others - the ultraportable MVIX and a 1st gen. Western Digital - and none have fully got it correct yet.
For the LaCinema:
Pros:
1. It's small, portable, and looks great.
2. Plays almost all files I've tried on it, and 720p video files look great (my TV isn't 1080p, or I'm sure it would look even better).
3. Easy to connect to a home network and stream files from the computer or transfer to the attached hard drive.
4. Has 2 USB slots.Cons:
1. No volume control - really??? No a huge deal, but it just means having to mess with a 2nd remote when turning on a movie and it seems like something to lazy to have missed.
2. Occasionally freezes up on me in the menu screens (not while watching a movie). Requires me to unplug the box and reboot it.
3. A/V cable that comes with it is HORRIBLE. Really, really horrible. I plug it in and make sure it's a good connection, it will play fine, and then occasionally lines will hit the TV from a bad connection before losing the connection altogether. HDMI is a necessity with this player, and it does not come with it. Make sure you have a HDMI slot to connect to and order a cable with it if you don't have one.
4. Only really good with compressed video files. Should have better DVD support.

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SANUS SYSTEM Flat Panel TV Stand Furniture ( Platinum ) Review

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(More customer reviews)Like most people, I was excited to buy a plasma TV just because it is wall mountable. But realistically, I didn't want to drill huge holes in my wall, nor pay $500 for it to be professionally installed. And I soon came to realize that even if I did mount the TV on the wall, I would still need to have a tacky looking AV stand for all of my other components. This stand solved all of my problems! It's sturdy, looks great, is reasonably priced, and it's easy to assemble.
When the package arrived, the box was trashed badly from shipping. I'm convinced that UPS was the one to re-tape the whole thing together because I found a box cutter inside the box. Though, to my surprise, because SANUS packaged the product so well (lots of styrofoam), nothing was damaged. Inside the package is the base, the shelves, hardware needed to mount the TV including allen wrenches (all you need to supply is a monkey wrench and a phillips screwdriver) and an extra set of black feet for the stand (the base comes with silver feet attached). The base is a glossy black, and the glass shelves are tinted.
Putting this stand together was easier than anything I've ever purchased from IKEA (takes no more than half an hour including unpacking the box). Every bolt and screw is labeled, and the manual is detailed. It looks intimidating at first, but you only end up using half of the supplied bolts/washers/etc. I recommend mounting the TV before screwing the glass shelves into the post and hooking up components for ease of mobility. An extra hand is helpful, but I was able to mount a 42" plasma by myself.
The mounting bracket and shelves are adjustable and can move vertically up and down the post, but must be done so by unscrewing the bolts that hold them in place. The TV can be tilted up and down, but not side to side (this can be done without unmounting the TV).
Just to give you an idea of how many components you can fit on the stand, I have a speaker on the top shelf, cable box and PS2 on the middle shelf, and receiver, TiVo, and DVD player on the base. I don't have room for any more though.
Considerations: There isn't much room inside the post to put all of your cables. And it's not the easiest task either - actually took me longer to thread the cables through than put the stand together. But realistically, the only cables that need to go inside are those that connect directly to your TV. The rest of your cables (ie. DVD to receiver etc.) will be hidden behind your components. Also, you should only have to do this once upon set up, so in the end it is well worth it.
Which brings me to my next topic - if you have a lot of components and a lot of wires, it becomes more difficult to hide them visibly because this is not an encased stand. It helps if you use HDMI to cut back on the number of cables you have, or if you have short cables and don't have a lot of bunched up excess wiring. Luckily, my solution was to put this stand in the corner of the room, so you can't really see anything from the side view.
All in all it was well worth every penny (and I was skeptic about spending $300+ on such a simple looking piece of furniture). The cheapest price by far was online through Amazon. I would by this stand again in a heartbeat. Amazingly, my TV looks bigger mounted on this stand than it did sitting on my old one. My only regret is that I didn't purchase this stand sooner!
EDIT: It is now nearing the end of 2008, almost 2 years later. I still use this stand and still think this stand is great. It even withstood a U-haul move. But, flat panel TV's are much more affordable and main stream than they were a few years ago. Having said that, when I was looking for a 'mountable' stand back then, I didn't have many options. Now, you can find a decent one at Walmart for $100 that even swivels. I do still think it's a great stand that looks much better than many I see today, but the steep price tag makes it less attractive now when there are cheaper alternatives.
But, you'll be glad to know I've also purchased a new TV since then, and this stand accommodated the larger size while still using the same brackets and screws from my last TV (both comply w/ VESA standards).

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Stylishly industrial, the Sanus Systems PFFP2B flat panel television stand securely holds your LCD or plasma television in place while also allowing it to tilt up and down for optimal viewing angles. It has a VESA compatible mounting bracket at the top that will accommodate the VESA 50, 75, 100, 200mm x 200mm and 200mm x 100mm mounting hole patterns. Once the TV is secured to the bracket, you can adjust the TV's angle by 12 degrees either up or down. The mounting bracket can hold TVs weighing up to 130 pounds (screens from 30 to 50 inches).
It features two adjustable, tempered glass shelves. With the TV bracket mounted in the highest position, you can move the adjustable shelves up and down within a range of approximately 2.5 feet. The top shelf measures 24.25 x 16.5 inches and the middle shelf measures 30.25 x 16.5 inches, and each can hold up to 50 pounds. The base shelf measures 43.25 x 23.5 inches for a steady footing. Audio/video cables can be concealed in the stand's pillar, so your setup has a clean, uncluttered look. Assembly required
What's in the Box Mounting bracket, base, pillar, two glass shelves, hardware

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Cablestogo 40446 HDMI Selector Switch (6-Port) Review

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(More customer reviews)Needed to have an HDMI switch with 6 ports (3 Sony DVD megachangers, 1 Sony Blu-ray megachanger, JVC set top blu-ray player and an HD-DVR from cable company). I had a four port Radiiant HDMI switcher that worked just fine, but I added the blu-ray megachanger and figured I might as well add the set top blu-ray player to HDMI 1 of my TV by getting a 6 port HDMI switch. To my surprise, only the HD-DVR worked on this switch. It would work on any port, and it took about 10 seconds to be recognized v/s 2-4 seconds on my old Radiiant HDMI switch. I tried all the cables on the old switch box and all worked. Nothing else HDMI that I owned would work on this switch. Bottom line is I know the cables were good and the devices were working. I returned the HDMI switch for a refund (which Amazon refunded at warp speed).
If Radiiant ever comes up with a 6-port HDMI switch, I'm buying that.

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Pioneer DV-220V-K HDMI 1080p Upscaling DVD Player Review

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(More customer reviews)This player is really small, so it might not stack well with your other components.
The converted picture to 1080p is really amazing! (I don't feel like I need to get a Blue-Ray player...)
One small complain: to change mode from 4:3 to 16:9 you need to stop watching, go into the setup menu and do it.
It would be nice to have a button on the remote to do this.
(We just finished watching a DVD that had been recorded in 4:3, so it looked squished on our HD TV until we figured out how to change that aspect ratio...)

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Pioneer DVD player for For the home theater enthusiast that has an extensive library of DVD titles, our Pioneer DVD player encompasses both form and function. Spectacular video and audio playback combined. Ultra-compact Design - 14-3/16" (360mm) Wide -HDMI 1080p Upscaling -USB Input for Compressed Music Playback -CD-to-MP3 ripping to a compatible USB Recording Device -Advanced Graphical User Interface

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Toshiba SD3750 Progressive-Scan DVD Player Review

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(More customer reviews)I spent all day yesterday and today researching DVD players online, and then went to three major electronics stores to try them out and figure out which one was the best. I knew I wanted the following features:
Progressive scan - even though I don't have a TV that can utilize, I may upgrade soon
Advanced Menu System
MP3/CD - with MP3, I wanted a navigational system, and most importantly I wanted to be able to random play the disc.
I took an MP3 CD to the store and popped it in each of the MP3/DVD players. I tried probably 20 or 30 of them in the end, and I was most impressed with the Toshiba. It loaded the disc the quickest, and random play worked like a charm. Scan time was the quickest when it had to jump around the disc. It has a navigation system online, but only supports the first 8 characters and ends with the ~1 characters.
It has S-Video output and the newer colorstream component output. I'm stuck with the A/V typical jacks. Regardless of me being stuck with the worst grade video output because of my older TV, the picture looked great. I watched O Brother Where Art Though, and as far as I could tell, it looked fantastic. Sound is hooked into my Sony receiver and it sounds great, too. I pop an MP3 disc in and hit shuffle and it works as expected. No support for tags...nor can you fast-forward through a song, though. When I got home, I compared this model to other more expensive models, and it had all their features and more...so I feel like I made a wise investment, and am very happy with the product. It also comes with an advanced remote which allows you to do angle shots, zoom in/out, record and loop frames, turn on subtitles, etc., etc.

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Toshiba's SD3750 progressive-scan DVD player has innovations not found in previous Toshiba DVD lines, such as Super ColorStream Pro progressive scan and 3D-DNR (digital noise reduction) picture enhancement, that together offer filmic, flicker-free video images. A built-in 10-Bit/54 MHz video DAC further enhances picture quality by contributing to an artifact-free picture during playback of fast-motion and highly detailed scenes.
A Spatializer N-2-2 sound circuit simulates surround sound through your TV or stereo speakers, while the player's 192 kHz/24-bit audio converter delivers superb sound quality from DVDs and CDs. It will play a range of media, including DVD, VCD, audio CD, MP3-CD, CD-R, CD-RW, and DVD-R. Optical and coaxial digital audio outputs with Dolby Digital and DTS 5.1-channel pass-through provide easy connection to any system. Other connections include component-video, composite-video, and S-Video terminals.
This player lets you customize picture settings with such features as 4x picture zoom, strobe picture viewer, and camera angle select. A remote control is included.
Toshiba's warranty covers parts for one year and labor for 90 days.

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JVC KD-AVX44 El Kameleon Vehicle Multimedia Receiver w/ 3.5" Monitor Review

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(More customer reviews)I was searching around trying to find something that I could use as my central "media" center without having to install a mac mini in my Pt Cruiser.
My needs were/are: Ipod integration (including video playback), Dvd Playback, CDs, Bluetooth and of course am/fm. After a long hard search of single-din units I choose this model.
[...]
What I liked about this unit is you have a video out. You can hook up your headrest monitors and if you have a game system (Xbox, PS, Wii...what have you) you can hook it up to the video in that it has to offer as well (with full playback to your headrests). This just allows you to have direct connection to your cars speakers.
Dvd Playback. It is very good. Turn the car off, it'll start right back up where it left off.
Bluetooth. My boyfriend has a Pioneer DEH-P9800BT which I installed as well (A great unit if you don't require Dvd play back). Unlike the pioneer unit there is no mic to install anywhere and the quality still sounds pretty good on both ends. Doesn't matter what source you are using Bluetooth will alert you when someone is calling by pausing your music/video and showing the caller Id. You can accept or decline.
AM/FM. I was a bit disappointed that the unit didn't have RDS. I have been using a factory unit that had it and kind of miss that feature. Seemed like a feature they could have added.
Ipod. Heres where I am on the fence. I had been using a fm transmitter for my ipod and finally wanted direct connect because I could not take the quality anymore. I purchased an Apple Composite AV Cable (THIS WORKS JUST AS GOOD AS A JVC KSU20 CABLE) Of course, The quality was 300% better than before. However, The Interface is a bit slow. I really hope that JVC comes out with a firmware upgrade that speeds it up a bit. When I go to play "The Killers" it takes me approx. 1 minute to get to the letter "K". But for the most part I keep it on shuffle. The unit charges the Ipod as well.
Ipod Video. This is a cool feature. With either the JVC KSU20 or the Ipod Composite AV cable. You can watch any video off your ipod and direct the signal to the headrest monitors as well.
Pros: Great Bluetooth, DVD, Ipod Video integration with a sleek (no button look). Love the 4 setting tilt screen (great for stereo units closer to the ground)And Love the Proximity motion light as well.
Cons: For a single din unit JVC did a decent job, Ipod interface is really my only complaint. I had looked at the JVC KD NX5000. But didn't like the look of the unit or felt the need for crappy navagation. The menu interface feels like it should be more user friendly (getting to the ipod artists list has to be done by hitting about 5 buttons)
I have not used satellite or the back-up camera (which I plan to install soon).
[...]
Good luck and have fun with this great little unit.*UPDATE*
A few new things.
Satellite Radio - Bought the Sirius Adapter through ebay. Though it's not as fast as a stand-alone unit, It sounds great and it's nice to have it integrated into the radio.
Iphone Compatibility - I was a little disappointed to see that, unfortunately, the Iphone does not seem to be compatible with the unit. Maybe with either an update from Apple or JVC this will change in the future. For now, I use my usable Ipod touch just as a music jukebox in the car and Iphone for everything else (gym, work, etc...). It's actually not a bad setup.
HD Radio - Buying the HD Adapter fixed my RDS problem. Any stations that send out artist info is now displayed. Without excellent reception, those extra HD stations are hit or miss. It's a nice feature to have. Quality can be exceptional at times.
I will keep those interested up-to-date if I come across any new info on the unit.
Have Fun,
Mary

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Toshiba DR560 1080p Upconverting DVD Recorder with Built-in Tuner Review

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(More customer reviews)This is a review of the Toshiba DR560 Upconverting DVD Recorder with built in high def tuner.
BACKGROUND:
I bought this unit to handle a few needs with one piece of hardware:
1. I wanted a high def tuner for my tuner-less Sharp Aquos 26" LCD TV (purchased in 2007 before the new rule requiring tuners in TVs!)
2. I wanted to be able to take old analog home movie footage and transfer it directly to DVD with no editing. My old VHS tapes were approaching their shelf life limit.
3. I wanted to upconvert standard 480 resolution DVDs to make them look better on the Sharp TV.
SETUP:
The setup of the device was simple. I hate the fact that manufacturers still don't include HDMI cables with hardware that costs this much. So I grumbled for a minute and then purchased an HDMI cable for it (don't get me started on how most electronics stores charge an obscene price for digital cables! I bought one at a large discount retailer). All I had to do was connect the HDMI-out from the Toshiba to the HDMI-in on my high def Sharp. That's it. No audio plugs needed. I like having just a one wire connection.
OVERALL IMPRESSIONS:
For the remote control I don't have many complaints. It does not appear to be capable of controlling my TV - I didn't see anything in the guide about programming other devices. Someone please comment and correct me if I'm wrong on that. The keys are not lighted.
When I first started the player I went through the simple setup prompts. The instructions said I might need to hit the HDMI button on the remote to match up to the display of my TV, but it automatically selected 1080 for me. (there are lighted 480, 720, and 1080 indicators on the player itself, so you can tell what mode it is in) If you are not connected via HDMI then these lights don't function. I initially tried a component video connection and noticed that the resolution selection was not available.
When I first opened the DVD tray I thought I had activated a paper shredder! It is the loudest, oldest sounding motor noise I have ever heard from a DVD player. To me it sounds like it is straining just to open the tray. I hope that holds up long term.
I found the disk read and startup time to be a little long.
SPECIFIC IMPRESSIONS:
UPCONVERTING DVD PLAYER:
I put in a DVD - "Star Wars Attack of the Clones" - to test the upconverting video quality. I was immediately concerned with how loud the motor was in spinning up the DVD. But my worry went away once I hit "play". Once you start playing the movie the motor noise goes away and is very quiet.
To test the upconverting quality I played a scene from the movie on the DVD player, and then switched over and played the same scene on an Xbox 360 connected to the same TV via a component video connection. To my untrained eye the upconverted picture was brighter and had a slightly higher level of detail. So I was satisfied with it.
DVD RECORDER:
I have only used DVD-R recording media. Once I try a DVD+-RW disk I will update this review. But using the DVD-R was very user friendly. You pop in a blank DVD-R disk and the machine has it ready to go in a few seconds. No interaction needed.
I then hooked up a VCR using the RCA video and audio ports (the recorder included RCA and S video cables). There's one set of inputs on the back and one on the front. I used the back ones because it was just as convenient for me.
Before recording I went into the DVD recording options menu and selected it to do automatic 5 minute chapter breaks.
All I had to do what hit play on my VCR and hit record on the DVD recorder. A little red disk of light displays on the panel so that you know it's recording. Going from memory I believe the recording quality options were 1 hour, 2, 4, 6, and 8.
I was able to record successfully from both VHS and a HI-8 Camcorder feeds (both using the RCA jacks).
Once the tape finished I hit stop on the recorder, and it finished writing the recording very quickly (less than one minute for 2 hours of recording). I then had the option to edit the title that appears on the menu, which is not the most intuitive process using the remote control. I had also expected it to create a DVD menu with chapters for every 5 minute break, but it only had one menu selection. When playing back the disk it did skip 5 minutes every time I hit the Chapter+ button.
As a final step I "finalized" the DVD to make it able to play on other DVD players. I tested the disks on a circa 1997 Sony DVD player, and also a 2005 Toshiba. DVDs that I created from VHS played fine on both players, but the DVD I recorded from the Hi-8 tape source would not play correctly on the 1996 DVD player. It played fine on the 2005 player. I still need to test more Hi-8 recordings to see it that was an isolated problem or not.
UPDATE 05/30/08: I think it's just my 1997 Sony DVD player that just can't handle DVD-R media very well. After replaying VHS source and HI-8 source videos, they are both hit or miss as to whether they play correctly. I don't think this will be an issue for most people with newer DVD players.
I still need to test recording from a mini-DV digital source.
HIGH DEF TV TUNER:
I have a large UHF antenna mounted in my attic receiving local HD quality broadcasts (see my other reviews for that). I ran a coaxial cable from that antenna down to the DVD recorder and connected it to the antenna-in port. Then using the same HDMI-out feed to the TV I was able to tune in and watch local digital broadcast stations. I watched the season finale of American Idol on it (David vs David), and the picture quality was excellent. Changing channels does take about 2 seconds, as another reviewer said. That is a little slow, but I am willing to put up with slow channel changing for free high def!
Overall I would rate this DVD Recorder 4 of 5 stars. It certainly does serve the three needs I outlined at the start of this review.

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Archos DVR Station Gen 5 for 405, 605, and 705 Players Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Yes, the station is a must have for the 05 series, but be seriously warned . . . . I have had three stations, 2 of the remotes have died so far, and both after the 30 day warranty, and ARCHOS tell me that since I did not purchase it from them it is not their problem and I am waiting to see if any Amazon merchants will source or sell the remotes only . . . . by the way, just in case you don't know, the station is all but useless without the remote.

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The Archos home DVR station provides a convenient way to record TV and most video sources in MPEG4 format straight onto any Archos generation 5 device for later playback with DVD quality resolution. You can even set a personalized schedule with the DVR station and a generation 5 device to record your favorite TV shows. For added convenience, the DVR station is compatible with WiFi-enabled generation 5 devices, which allows you to stream video files from a PC onto your TV.
What's in the Box DVR Station Gen 5, remote control, AC/DC power adapter, two 2RCA/2RCA cables, two S-Video cables, and owner's manual.

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Denon AVR-2809CI 7.1-Channel Multizone Home Theater Receiver Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Hi,
I had this receiver (Denon AVR-2809CI) for 2 weeks before I returned it. The sound is great and the remote is awesome. The video passed through perfectly fine as well. There was a problem though. It took a week researching on what could be the problem and it looks like others are having this problem as well.
If you have a Sony flat panel LCD that starts with the letters KDL (ex. KDL-52XBR4, KDL-Z4100, KDL-W3000) then you will have picture and sound dropouts. They will last for 3 seconds then picture and sound will restore. It'll happen anywhere between one to five times an hour and can get quite annoying.
I've spoke to Denon and there is no cure (firmware) or settings that can fix this problem with Sony LCD TVs. Those with rear projection Sony LCDs should be fine.

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A/V Surround Receiver featuring Dolby Tru HD, dts HD Master Audio and 1080p HD Video enhances your level of video and audio performances.

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JVC TH-BA1 Soundbar System with Wireless Subwoofer Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)You should know that a soundbar is not replacement for a home theater system. You are not going to the full impact bass and big room filling sound with a soundbar. What are you going to get? Convenience, simplicity and, if you set your expectations right, pleasing sound.
The JVC TH-BA1 delivers high value performance. It's an attractive, well built unit which provides sound that will probably put your TV audio to shame (it did mine - a Panasonic Viera plasma). The wireless subwoofer is a little muddy and undefined but does not overpower or boom. The unit has no variable crossover control but the factory setting sounds very balanced. You just plug it into a wall power outlet and follow the extremely simple pairing instructions and you are up in less than a minute.
The 2 surround settings are very subtle and natural sounding, avoiding that fake effect of many units. There are 2 optical inputs, so if you are not using HDMI this could come in handy for game consoles, disc players or DVRs. The small remote has the basic controls, plus the ability to control the relative loundness of the the center and surround channels, and the subwoofer. For you Tivo owners, the JVC codes work and you can control volume with your Tivo remote.
I choose this JVC unit over the Polk and Boston Acoustic offerings. I'd be curious to hear those units, but am very satisfied with the JVC. I recommend the TH-BA1 to anyone who wants to upgrade their TV sound without the expense and hassle of a full blown home theater system.

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Featuring a low-profile 4.1-channel front surround speaker, the JVC TH-BA1 Soundbar System is matched to a wireless subwoofer for a fully immersive sound for your movies and favorite music. The soundbar is configured to fit neatly under a TV or can be wall-mounted and its front surround technology eliminates the need for rear speakers and the placement problems, clutter, and extra wiring that comes with them. A single cable connects the soundbar to a source (DVD or Blu-ray player) or TV.

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Pioneer SE-A1000 Lightweight Audiophile AV Over-Ear Headphones (Black) Review

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(More customer reviews)These headphones do not cancel any noise from coming out or coming in, but they are not suppose to. The audio quality is the main focus here. The bass could be a little beefier but overall good blend. I think the best part about these headphones are the level of comfort. This set just lays on your head without any force and you can wear them for hours at a time. I would recommended these based off of sound and comfort. Just don't trip over the 6 m cable.

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Mirage Nanosat 5.1 Compact Home Theater Speaker System 5 satellite speakers and a powered subwoofer with black brushed aluminum finish and a Denon AVR-1611 7.1 Channel A/V Home Theater Multi-Source / Multi-Zone Receiver with HDMI 1.4a supporting 1080p an Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Best Buy's Magnolia room recommended this combination for me, but I found it bundled for much less money on Amazon (Electronics).
The Denon receiver comes with a microphone that you attach to a tripod and that takes calculations at six places around where you will sit. It then decides what is the best for the five speakers.The process is easy and straightforward. I went through it twice and was happy with both results. The subwoofer is discreet, not too booming, and the small multidirectional Mirage speakers are attractive and come with wall mounts that I attached to the front of bookcases in the rear and around the new Samsung LED TV in the front. The Denon AV1611 model comes with the capacity to attach 7 speakers, therefore two in another room.
The four stars are because all this is in a small room, next to an open two story staircase, so it's hard to really test the capacities of the system. But for what I have, it sounds pretty good. Everything went together easily.
The Denon also comes with a tuner and Am/FM antennas.

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Click here for more information about Mirage Nanosat 5.1 Compact Home Theater Speaker System 5 satellite speakers and a powered subwoofer with black brushed aluminum finish and a Denon AVR-1611 7.1 Channel A/V Home Theater Multi-Source / Multi-Zone Receiver with HDMI 1.4a supporting 1080p an