Alpine IVA D310 - DVD player with LCD monitor and AM/FM tuner Review

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(More customer reviews)Good unit with great sound. Great with radio and CDs. But the main reason I got it was to use it with my iPod. This is where this item falls flat. First off, you have to buy an adapter (KCA-420i) just to get the iPod controls to the head unit.
Once you've done that, you'll find out (I did the hard way) that the data transfer b/w the iPod and deck is ungodly slow. Not music wise, but music info wise. It's extremely sluggish scrolling through songs/artists/albums. So I've basically been playing it on shuffle.
But now and then, you feel like listening to a specific song/album. You can do that with this deck, but be prepared to take time to scroll to the item.
I will be switching this deck for the IVA-D106 which is much faster.
Cheers.

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KWorld PlusTV High Definition USB TV Box ATSC QAM USB PC TV Tuner NTSC HDTV Review

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(More customer reviews)I bought this unit to get an ATSC tuner cheap and to be able to record shows. Well, it kind of works, but nothing is great. The remote control is terrible. Its credit card sized and gets lost real easy. It also doesn't control much. The television guide is generic and comes from (...). You have to sign in and scroll on the internet with your mouse which is a nuisance to me because it should work with the remote, but it doesn't. You can't even click on a show and go to it. The remote control has to be directly in front of the box to work, also. This unit is cheap and you get what you pay for. I thought it would pause and rewind live TV, but it won't for me. There are so much better products than this out there so pay a little more and be much happier.

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ButtKicker BK-LINK RF Wireless System Review

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(More customer reviews)I have to add my .02 cents here. First of all, the rambling review quoting transducer frequencies is wrong. He did give the unit 5 stars, however he tries to defend the unit by attempting to invalidate the reviews of the unit when used with a subwoofer rather than the BK shakers.
Guitammer clearly states this unit can be used with a standard subwoofer which is specifically what I needed it for. I read the reviews here and decided to keep looking but after a fair amount of research, I found no other devices claiming the (sonic) frequency range of the BK-Link. Other wireless units were offered in sets and were intended for use with rear surrounds. Along with being more expensive, they also claim 20Hz to 20KHz audio which is standard speaker range. It's also the range of human hearing (generally) but subs are also about feeling. Both of my subs go well below 20Hz and I wanted to be sure I would get all of the performance out of them that they are capable of giving.
The operating frequencies of the BK-Link unit start at 5Hz. The upper range is stated to be 350Hz. Much higher than anyone should need for the intended uses.
So... I went ahead and got this and figured I could return it if it was unacceptable.
I was prepared to chase down any hum, something I'm quite experienced at. But, there was no hum to chase. I plugged it in, hooked it up, and it worked.
I played one of my favorite sub tests, the crash sequence from "Flight of the Phoenix(2005)", as I am very familiar with my sub's performance with this material and I see, or should I say hear, no difference between a line and the BK-Link.
No discernible delay was added nor was any loss of volume or tone obvious. This held true for music tracks also.
Testing for speed and accuracy, I reached for "Fade to black" which has a prolonged rapid double bass kick at the end that will trip up inferior subs even with direct connection. Again, no difference with the BK-Link compared to a direct line.

The send unit sends, the receiver receives, the woofer woofs. End of story. It also does so out of sight and out of mind. Which it should.

I realize hum is a genuine issue in a lot of systems. I also know it can almost always be remedied. My $5K component pre/pro and amp had their share of (humming) gremlins when added to my somewhat extensive HT setup and that's with balanced interconnects. After working through my system, I resolved all issues one-by-one.

After seeing and now using the BK-Link, I think it is no exception. Although my system is already quite settled, the BK-Link brought no NEW issues to the party. Meaning, most likely, if you're having issues, it's with a system that was already prone to have issues. You may run into problems adding ANY new device to your system. You just need to do some homework and you will, with very few exceptions, be able to work it out. An added bonus is, you just may find your system sounds better after resolving your newly found latent electrical issues.
P.S. Audio (dot com) has a great essay on hum busting on their website. It is really a great piece with lots of great ideas for fixing these issues. Perhaps if some who've reviewed this item poorly happen to read this, they can take another shot at it armed with a little more information.
If you're having a problem with the BK-Link, I wouldn't be so quick to blame the unit. ALL HT components are susceptible to some extent. The BK-Link is no different.
As my Mama always said, "don't throw out the baby with the bath water".
The BK-Link DOES work with Subwoofers. It works as well as I could possibly have hoped and I am extremely pleased with it.

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If you have the ButtKicker LFE low-frequency effect system you already know what a powerful bass effect it adds to your home-theater entertainment or other audio system. Now you can add the ButtKicker LINK RF Wireless unit to your system's design, allowing you to expand the locations where your ButtKicker LFE units can go and remove the unsightly tangle of connecting wires.
The ButtKicker LINK RF Wireless package uses a transmitter and receiver that transmits radio-frequency waves, allowing your ButtKicker LFE unit to communicate wirelessly with the rest of your audio system. Set-up is simple, with the transmitter unit connecting to your subwoofer or audio/video processor, such as your stereo or television, via an RCA cable, and the receiver unit attaching either directly to your ButtKicker LFE or your ButtKicker Power Amplifier via another RCA cable.
Operating on the 900 MHz bandwidth with a frequency range of 5 to 350 MHz, these two units can communicate over several dozen feet -- even through walls and ceilings. Enjoy the amazing effect of the ButtKicker audio system anywhere in your home or business at ease by utilizing the ButtKicker LINK RF Wireless package.
What's in the Box Transmitter unit, receiver unit, two AC adapters, and two 1.5-meter RCA male to male cables.

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Magnavox MPD820 8-Inch Portable DVD Player Review

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(More customer reviews)The MPD820 is a widescreen rather than "full screen" unit, which means most DVDs will play without black bars over and under the image.
The TFT LCD display is crisp, with good horizontal (side-to-side) viewing angle, which is a real-life advantage for backseat passengers in a vehicle. Predictably, vertical (up-down) viewing angle is rather less, so you may find yourself tilting the screen occasionally to find the best picture if you change your viewing position (e.g. slouching down or sitting up straight). You can adjust the color and brightness, but the factory settings are subjectively optimal.
Screen size: To my eyes, an 8" screen is noticeably bigger than a 7" screen. Sure, it costs more, but the xtra real estate is worthwhile, especially when you figure how many hours you will spend peering at the thing.
Sound: You would expect the tiny stereo speakers just below the screen to buzzy, but they are surprisingly clear. Obviously, the laws of physics have not been repealed and they produce nothing approaching bass, but the articulation of dialog is crisp (which is much more important for movies). Another pleasant surprise: There was no buzzing or harsh distortion at their relatively polite "top volume." The sound through either of the two headphone jacks is excellent.
Other observations: The aluminum and plastic case feels solid, and the screen feels securely attached by the two hinges. The removable battery (included) clips onto the back of the unit. The power cord is a little over seven feet, so you can't range too far from an outlet when using AC. Thermally, it stays cooler than a laptop, which is a plus on long flights.
A couple of gripes: 1.) The remote's white-on-gray lettering is hard to read (though the slide out battery drawer is a nice touch); 2.) While you can change scenes with the push of a button, you need to dig out the remote to fast-forward or skip back within a scene. Doh! This omission alone costs a full star; 3.) The disc handling mechanism is buzzy getting up to speed, then settles down to the barely-audible whirring common to DVD players everywhere. Sound-deadening adds cost, weight and thickness, so this is a logical and defensible design tradeoff.
As another reviewer noted, this unit is clearly sourced from the same manufacturer in China that makes the entry-level players for Mintek. One might read Mintek reviews for hints about reliability.
I have enjoyed watching movies on the MPD820 and find this is one entry-level DVD player that doesn't seem cheap at all.

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Watch movies the way they were meant to be viewed with the MPD820 portable DVD player from Magnavox. This lightweight player features an 8-inch LCD display with a theater-like 16:9 aspect ratio. A rechargeable battery can run the player for up to 3 hours, and you can plug it in anywhere for longer viewings. The MPD820 plays DVDs, CDs, MP3s, and more, so you can bring along all your favorite videos and music.
The screen on the MPD820 is a thin-film transfer (TFT) display that generates clear images without adding unnecessary bulk to the portable player. While you can enjoy movies everywhere you go with the built-in screen, you also can connect the player to any television to watch your DVDs on a bigger screen. The MPD820 features both composite and S-video connections to link the player to another TV.
The MPD820 plays DVDs and CDs (including discs burned on a computer), as well as VCDs. You can also play MP3s from CD-Rs and CD-RWs, and view digital JPEG photos. The MPD820 features built-in stereo speakers and dual headphone jacks for either private or shared listening. For even fuller sound, hook the player up to an audio receiver through the digital optical audio connection to experience rich surround sound.
The MPD820 can go anywhere you go. Use it at home by plugging the player into a wall outlet, or run it in the car with the DC power adapter. After watching a movie, the battery can be quickly and easily recharged with the included charger.
What's in the Box Portable DVD player, remote control, AC/DC power adapter, car power adapter, rechargeable battery pack and charger, audio/video cable, owner's manual.

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Yamaha YHT-150 600-Watt 5.1-Channel Home Theater in a Box (Silver) Review

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(More customer reviews)We wanted an HTB (Home Theater in a Box) for less than $300 for our Master Bedroom, to go with the new small HDTV. We already had the other components (DVD, etc.), so we wanted an HTB without the DVD but with plenty of component connections for future expansion. After some shopping we purchased the Yamaha YHT-150.
However after purchasing this product, I struggled for 2 weeks to like it, but in the end I finally did. I debated about taking it back and I looked at several other systems during these 2 weeks, but really couldn't find anything better in this price range.
Both the receiver and the powered subwoofer are excellent, but my 2 week struggle was with the other 5 speakers (NS-AP-1500s).
After setting the system up, I tried the DVD movie "Twister" (always a good HTB test movie), but the sound was "flat", "hollow", somewhat "tinny" and low volume (IOW, had to turn the volume way up). The speaker sound reminded me of being at the drive-in theater (remember what those speakers sounded like). This is when I entered my 2 week struggle with the system.
To start sorting it out, I tested 2 of the speakers on another system, and quickly discovered that they are not very efficient (it takes power to get sound out of them), but I also discovered that the sound they produced was very clear and clean, unlike the YHT-150.
So back to the YHT-150, I realized that the speaker wire that came with the system was only 22 gauge wire (though it looks heavier) which I used to set it up. So I theorized that this wire was too small for the power required to drive these speakers, and that this might be responsible for the unwanted sound effects. So I bought $5 worth of cheap 16 gauge speaker wire at Home Depot for a test, and rewired the front 3 speakers. Then I turned on the local classical FM station, and WOW, what a world of difference the 16 gauge wire made! I could hear richness and detail in the piano solo, and even people quietly moving around in the background of the recording.
However at the new more powerful and cleaner sound levels, I could now hear that the speakers had no low-end bass (which is noted in the manual specs), but the subwoofer was not filling in the bass correctly to compensate for this. There would be a sound from the speakers (like a voice for example) that should have a bass component, but only a rumble from the subwoofer. This problem turned out to be the cheap subwoofer cable that came with the system.
So I ordered a 100ft roll of good quality 16 gauge speaker wire and a good quality subwoofer cable, both for $38 total (I caught both on sale), and both of these have transformed the system. The speakers now deliver good clean clear sound at significantly reduced volume settings. The required volume settings are still higher than I'd like due to the speaker inefficiency, but the receiver has more than enough power to drive them in a bedroom setting, so this is not an issue. The excellent subwoofer is now very clean and tight, and it accurately fills in the bass for sounds that have bass.
In the end, I've come to like this system, and it does a really good job for the reasons we bought it. I'm not sure I'd recommend it for a large living room as I don't think it has the power to fill a large room, but it can fill a bedroom or a smaller living room just fine.
I have a couple of other issues with the sytem. First, the remote looks a little cheap, but it works fine. Second, the system was a little complicated to figure out and setup, and I think this system needs to be setup correctly for it to deliver its excellent sound potential.
All in all this is a nice system, and I recommend it.

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Hunting for exciting, dynamic surround sound on a budget? You've landed at the right system. It's no mirage: Yamaha's affordable YHT-150 includes the 5-piece NS-AP1500 speaker ensemble, a YST-SW010 subwoofer, and Yamaha's HTR-5730 home theater receiver, which pumps 100 watts per channel x 6 discrete channels (at 1 kHz) and offers a host of options for rendering the type of surround sound best suited to your taste or programming.The powerful HTR-5730 receiver accepts the DVD player's Dolby Digital, Dolby Pro Logic II, and DTS 5.1-channel surround signals and routes each channel to its designated speaker. Additionally, the receiver's Silent Cinema and Night Listening modes enhance headphone and low-level listening, respectively, while Yamaha's 32-bit Cinema-DSP processing gives you an additional 24 surround effects to enhance your movies and music. With the HTR-5730's 5.1-channel analog inputs, you're ready for high-resolution DVD-Audio/SACD playback, too, whether from your current disc player(s) or from any future devices to which you might upgrade. The receiver offers a total of 4 AV inputs, and its tuner section offers 40-station AM/FM preset tuning.The 6-speaker complement includes the 5-speaker NS-AP1500 for the front, center, and surround speakers and Yamaha's YST-SW010 subwoofer for deep bass, which is important for effective home theater sound. Each speaker in the NS-AP1500 ensemble uses a sealed, acoustic-suspension design with dual 2.5-inch pulp-cone woofers. The center speaker is specially configured for TV placement and--as it handles upwards of 70 percent of a movie's audio, including most voices--it's engineered for slightly more full-bodied sound than the other speakers.The 100-watt, 6.5-inch subwoofer uses a spruce-cone driver and Yamaha's patented Advanced Active Servo Technology (Advanced YST), generating incredible bass from its small enclosure. Advanced YST uses negative-impedance feedback in the amp and a Helmholtz resonator in the speaker to provide strong and accurate bass.QD-Bass (Quatre Dispersion Bass) technology uses a down-firing driver with square, pyramid-shaped reflective plates to radiate sound with equal effectiveness in all directions. The sub's individual volume control permits the perfect matching of the sub's output to the overall volume of the system. The sub has a signal-sensing circuit, too. When it detects an audio signal, it powers right up. When it senses no signal for several minutes, it shuts itself off.All speakers included with the YHT-150 feature magnetic shielding, so they can be placed near a TV or monitor and cause no picture degradation.What's in the Box Surround amplifier, 5 speakers, a powered subwoofer, a remote control, remote batteries, a user's manual, all requisite cabling.

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15FT GOLD HDMI to DVI-D CABLE FOR SONY PLAYSTATION3 PS3 LCD HDTV PLASMA Review

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(More customer reviews)Used it to hook my PS3 up to my 22" computer monitor, playing games absolutely no problem. Cable saved me tons of money.

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Sony RK-G138 Audio Connecting Cable for Headphone Extension (3 meters) Review

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(More customer reviews)I had previously owned a different brand of headphone/speaker extension cable for my computer speaker system and it worked well for about 6 months. After that, the female connector started getting loose, and I would only hear sound coming out of the left channel unless I wiggled the connector around to 'fix' the problem. I would have to repeat this process almost every day, and it started to annoy me to no end.
Alas, I came across this Sony brand extension cable, and I thought I'd give it shot.
I was pleasantly surprised when I heard a 'click' noise when I connected my speakers to the extension cord, a very snug fit. It gave me the sense of ease I was looking for - I knew that I didn't have to worry about a bad connection again.
So far, I've noticed better sound quality coming out of my speakers than before (most likely due to the fact my older extension cable was junk), and I have yet to worry about a bad connection/poor sound quality. It feels good to have my speaker system sounding right again.
BOTTOM LINE - great solution for extending the distance for your headphones or computer speaker system! Gold plated connectors, 2.5mm to 6.3mm adapter, Sony-quality, 9.8', good stuff :)

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Syntax Olevia LT42HVi 42-Inch HD-Ready Flat-Panel LCD TV Review

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(More customer reviews)I've had this TV for two weeks now, and I love it. The picture quality is outstanding. My panel has no dead pixels that I can see, which is great. They put a lot of thought behind the design of this TV. The input panel is on the back of the tv, but on the side, so you don't have to get behind the set to hook up components. They also have a built-in light to light up the panel. The set has two HDMI ports, which is nice so you can hook up a DVD player as well as your satellite or cable box.
The HD broadcasts are beautiful. The picture is smooth as glass, and the increased resolution of the LCD over a plasma screen is obvious to my eyes, anyhow. Watching "LOST" in HD the other night, I thought I was sitting on the beach with all of them. The Standard Def picture off of the DTV satellite is fair, but the local off-air broadcasts look pretty good even in Standard Def.
The other unique feature of this TV is the sound system. They include two 25w speakers, which really sound great. It has a virtual surround sound setting which really works well for concert DVD's. Although they don't equal a top-notch surround sound home-theater system, they are MUCH better than anything I've seen included with other TV's in this price range. I was going to buy a home theater system with the TV, but I'll hold off and save up some money first. It's really a great value for the money.
The two downsides to the TV are the remote control, which seems to be very finicky and needs to be pointed right down towards the lower right hand corner of the set, in order to work. The other minor downside is that while the viewing angles on LCD sets have improved dramatically recently, and the viewing angles on this set are much better than those I've seen on projection TV's, it still doesn't quite equal a plasma TV. But, you really have to move off to a severe angle to notice a difference.

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Time to update your old-technology CRT TV? Zoom into the future with the technologically advanced yet still affordable 42-inch Syntax Olevia LT42HVi flat-panel LCD TV. It includes both built-in high-definition (ATSC) and 181-channel standard broadcast (NTSC) tuners. With the integrated ATSC tuner, you'll be able to receive off-air high definition broadcasts without the need for an external set-top box. More than just a high-quality TV, the set's PC inputs also make it equally suitable for home offices. It includes detachable speakers that can be mounted either on the bottom or on the sides, and it comes with a table-top stand (optional VESA-compatible wall-mounting kit available).
This LCD TV provides a 1366 x 768-pixel native resolution for a 16:9 widescreen aspect ratio for optimal letterbox movie watching and compatibility with 1080p/720p/480p/480i HD formats. It also offers an extra-wide 178-degree viewing angle, super-fast 8ms (millisecond) response time that's great for watching sports, 800 cd/m2 (candela per square meter) brightness rating, and 1200:1 contrast ratio. (The higher the contrast ratio, the greater a TV's ability to display subtle color details and not get washed out by ambient room light.)
The LT42HVi performs 3:2 pulldown detection and reversal, too--a handy feature for watching progressive-scan movie programs in their native 24-frame format. To adapt 24 frames-per-second movies to 30 fps video, frames in the original movie must be duplicated; 3:2 pulldown digitally corrects this duplication by removing the redundant information to display a frame-accurate picture. A 3D Y/C digital comb filter further enhances resolution by removing blurred edges between colors and reducing dot crawl (tiny, moving dots of color along a sharp color separation in a vertical line, as in a depiction of a character's striped T-shirt).
The 50-watt stereo audio system (two 25-watt speakers) delivers ample sound for sports and movies. The iDIVA virtual surround sound provides you with several easily adjustable settings that simulate an array of audio environments. It offers an HDMI connection, which provides an uncompressed transfer of high definition video from a digital video source to a digital display device, as well as the following input connections:
Composite AV (RCA): 1
S-Video: 1
Component (Y, Pb/Cb, Pr/Cr): 1
PC In (D-Sub 15-pin): 1

What's in the Box TV, remote control, remote batteries, 1 VGA monitor cable, 1 composite-video/stereo analog audio AV cable, an AC power cord, warranty information, and a user's manual.
Syntax's iDEA Technology (Innovative Digitally Enhanced Architecture) delivers an exceptional solution to digital display complexities commonly associated with color, contrast, sharpness, motion, noise and audio lip-sync. iDEA's suite of built-in and user-selectable video/audio features delivers precise colors, sharp resolutions and audio synchronization through its advanced Digital Sound Processor (DSP). Dynamic Brightness & Contrast Controls

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Onkyo HTS590 5.1 Channel Component Home Theater Audio System Review

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(More customer reviews)I purchased this system based on reviews I read at a major retailer's website and here at Amazon. I wanted a home theater system without a DVD player which would offer flexibility. This system certainly offers performance and flexibility for the price. Many features and easy setup.
There are some easy and economical things we did to improve the sound. First, because this system allows you to upgrade the speaker wire, we bought 16 gauge speaker wire from a major discount chain for the center, front and rear channel speakers. We got 14 gauge speaker wire for the subwoofer (thicker wire passes more current to the sub and has improved the performance of the 8-inch woofer). We spent $14 for a coaxial cable at another discount store which carries the digital signal from the DVD player to the Onkyo receiver--this improved EVERYTHING--movies and music. We found speaker stands at a major discount chain for $78--speakers sound much better when they have a strong/rigid support. This may sound like stuff an audiophile would do to a $5000 audio system, but it all is cheap, easy and effective. Sound improved by about 45%.
We were surprised at the tuner in the Onkyo receiver--we're using a small Terk powered FM antenna and getting very good FM stereo reception in our hilly river community. All in all, for the small cost of this system, we're enjoying home theater greatly. We might spend a little to get a new sub at some time, but for now we're really happy.

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Onkyo 6 Channel HTIB HTS590

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OmniMount CCH1B Center Channel Speaker Shelf Review

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(More customer reviews)This shelf seems to work fine when you use it as recommended however I found a trick that makes it look even better. Mount it upside down using the front lip of the shelf hooked over the front of your TV instead of the 2 pegs. It looks way better this way and functions about the same. When you do this, also be sure to mount the rear legs not in the normal spots, but just behind in one of the vent holes. That way, the screws will not protrude upwards. I also recommend using a bit of sticky tack mount between the center speaker (or other device) and the shelf, to provide a bit of further protection from the speaker being able to slide during an earthquake of if the shelf should get bumped.
My TV stand would only allow my center channel speaker to be placed on it's bottom shelf, not on the shelf directly below the TV. I tried it like that for a while, but the sound was no good. Having the speaker down by the floor made male voices sound muddy and when they spoke low or whispered, I couldn't even understand what they were saying-the sound was just lost with the speaker down there.
Although the look of this Omnimount shelf is not ideal because it detracts a bit from the beauty and sleekness of the TV, you do get used to it pretty quickly. I got the black one and it matches my TV (Sony SXRD 60a2000) and installing it upside down looks way sleeker than having 2 pegs in the front of the TV.
The sound from the center channel speaker is worlds better having it on top of the TV, than down by the floor. While I wish my TV stand allowed for placing the speaker on the upper shelf, this Omnimount shelf is the next best thing.
Be extra careful when installing this shelf so as not to scratch the front or top surfaces of your TV. Once it's on there, it should not scratch anything if you don't move it around. Also, this shelf really cannot support more than 30 pounds so be sure to weigh your speaker or device (or look in the manual for the weight specification).

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Yamaha YSTSW012 8" Front-Firing Active Subwoofer, Black Review

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(More customer reviews)This is a great deal for $59 delivered. I don't know what I was expecting. Maybe some hollow sounding computer type sub-woofer that pops when I turn it on and off. This sub has a 50-watt RMS amp at 5ohm. It has a decent .5 inch MFD box with an internal space of almost 10.5 X 10.5 (small!) External is about 11.4 x 11.4 x 11.5 height. It's much better built than the Sony's on this site. They even made a small attempt to support the box with 1-inch corner braces on all 6 sides. The sub sounds great at lower volume. It maxis out fast though. In a small room or apartment, you wouldn't need it any louder. It's the quality of sound that's important, and that's where this delivers. Up to it's distortion point, it sounds like a true big sub-woofer. This is the perfect sub for anybody who is not allowed to shake the foundation. This sub plays deep! It just hits its max excursion fast. Either the amp is more than 50 watts or the speaker can't handle much wattage. Speaking of the speaker, it's about 5lbs. They seemed to have glued a smaller magnet onto the larger one at the base. I've heard of some seedy speaker manufactures doing this, but this speaker seems to deliver pretty good quality. I swapped out the stock speaker with a Dayton and secured the walls with cross braces and then covered the inside walls with carpet. Foam would take up to much space and there isn't much inside already. This setup was a pleasure to work with. The grill pops right off. The speaker is held on by 4 screws in the standard speaker hole location. (making it easy to replace) The amp is held on by 8 screws. The port is held in place mostly by a tight fit and some glue that easily breaks loose. The amp is connected to the speaker with standard removable connectors. That's it. It takes about 3-5 min to take apart. As for the Dayton, it performs about the same as the stock one. It was made for a little bit bigger box, but I wanted to know if the stock speaker was unable to handle much or was it the amp that produced the power. It seems to be the amp. It can push a stronger speaker. If I had a 100 watt 8" speaker with a high SPL, built for a small-ported box, and good excursion level (that's the amount of movement on a speaker), then I would really need the extra bracing. Problem is, that would cost much more than this whole system. That, and I wouldn't use a .5-inch thick box. Where am I going with this... anyway, this sub is worth every penny of $59. If you have a set of decent bookshelf speakers and a sub-woofer out jack on your amp that you're not using, you would be a fool not to get this. To cut costs, it has no auto on/off, and no pass through signal. If you must have auto on/off, buy a remote control on/off power supply from someplace cheap. I had one left over from my X-mass lights. (or use the power connection on the back of your receiver if you have one). This sub doesn't pop at all when turned on or off and its amp is inside the box. This sub is much better looking than a Sony I have. If the person before me didn't didn't give this 4 stars, I wouldn't have tested this out. So thanks! I'm very happy I purchased this. I think its so cheap people are afraid of it! I don't know how they make money on this. (update 1-11-08) to clarify the wattage on these: output power on the spec sheet is rated at 5ohms. 50 watts to 5 ohms RMS and 100 dynamic. It has a 6ohm speaker in it. That means it's probably pushing about 45 watts RMS to the speaker. The frequency response is -4db at 40hz, -10db at 30hz, -15db at 25hz. It has a decent flat response from 45hz to 120hz at 90db. It then tapers off to -5db at 200hz. Not bad for $59 !!! Update 1-15-07 Here's a FYI given to me: The second magnet glued on the back of the driver magnet is for shielding. It is not there to deceive. The second magnet is attached in polar opposite to the functional magnet, canceling the magnetic pollution it would normally give off. (Thanks Kevin!)

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AudioSource Amp 5.1A 100-Watt Monoblock Power Amplifier Review

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(More customer reviews)AudioSource is well known for providing good value for the price and they don't dissapoint with their 5-series amps. There's nothing in its price-range that has similar quality.
The output isn't quite as rich a Bruce Moore 70, but at 1/20th the price, it's a great deal.

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The Amp 5.1 stereo power amplifier from AudioSource is a powerful and flexible addition to your home theater. You can use this monoblock amplifier by itself, or combine it with a series of Amp 5.1 units to power an entire home theater and drive speakers throughout your home.
The clean design houses a high-power amplifier that is easy to set up and easy to expand as your home theater grows. AudioSource amplifiers deliver accurate, rich sound, combining high sound-pressure levels and a clear reproduction of even the most subtle details of sound. The Amp 5.1 provides up to 100 watts per channel with total harmonic distortion of less than 0.1%.
Depending on your needs, you can place and replace several monoblock amps in one system. It's easy to connect power sources, audio and video inputs, and speaker outputs with the expansion-friendly design. Balanced inputs allow the Amp 5.1 to connect to audio and video components with XLR outputs, and unbalanced inputs handle RCA output connections.
The front panel of the amplifier has a simple array of LED displays that signal both operating status and potential warnings. A protect warning helps you avoid overloading or overheating the unit, and it will reset the unit to the initial settings once the problem is addressed.
A phase control button allows you to switch the polarity of the speaker outputs to compensate for occasions where speakers are out of phase and sounding hollow. A low-cut control feature filters the lowest frequencies from your small speakers, preventing distortion and protecting the speakers. In the heart of the amp, the torodial power transformer generates a big sound while reducing distortion by shielding the sound from stray magnetic fields. You can control the volume directly on the unit or by adjusting the signal source component (such as your receiver, preamp, etc.).
What's in the Box Amp 5.1 stereo amplifier and owne'rs manual.

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Harman Kardon HKTS-15 5.1 High-Performance, 6-Piece Home Theater Speaker System (Black Gloss) Review

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(More customer reviews)I'm very satisfied with this system. Spent a couple of weeks searching electronics stores and the internet. Was a little leery because I couldn't view the system in real-life before purchase, but have no regrets. Rocks my world with plenty of power to spare, and the box contained EVERYTHING to hook it up. One drawback: The mounting brackets for the satellite speakers have no adjustment for tilt and are designed for the speakers to rest on top. You may have to pop for speaker stands or dream something up to aim them at the listeners position. A minor imposition once you have a chance to hear them.

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The Harman Kardon HKTS 15 is a beautiful black lacquer speaker system with a powerful 100 watt 10" subwoofer. It is a 5.1 speaker system which can be expanded to 7.1 with the optional HKS 6 Harman Kardon surroung speakers. The system uses a 3/4" tweeter for great high frequency performance. It is magnetically shielded so it can be put up next to your TV. It comes with all the speaker cables as well as brackets to either wall mount or shelf mount the satellite speakers. The subwoofer automaticaly senses when a signal is present and turns on at that time.

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Sabrent TV-PCIRC TV Tuner PCI Card with Remote Control Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)only a few channels worked and were fuzzy,
sound never worked,
remote worked once then never again
cheap product dont buy it

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PC Wireless 4 Camera DVR Security Surveillance System Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)when properly installed work exceptionally good
have a little flicker sometime
great color and able to select from 1-4 cameras with the base control
see very well with little or no light, easily hidden and most of all
you dont have to open the door to see who is there but they dont know they are on camera
no mistaken who is at your door you see them about 50 feet away,
best thing i bought for security for my home and garage

the only thing i dont like about them is the hard wiring of them i recommend them for anyone that is looking to keep an eye on things and door
its amazing how good they work at your doors, some one knocking at the door late at night, all you have to do is look at the screen and see exactly who it is then decide if you want to open it

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Pioneer In-Dash Navigation A/V Receiver with CD Player and Built-In Bluetooth (Model# AVIC-F7010BT) Review

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(More customer reviews)Verrry disappointing purchase.
The unit boots slowly, so no music, GPS or video for some number of minutes! This is after the latest SW upgrade that supposedly fixes this problem, I can't imagine earlier versions.
The display is not visible in sunlight and/or with polarized lenses. (Does anyone at Pioneer test this junk?)
The GPS can only be programmed after the car is started and while the car is in park and the e-brake is on! I guess passengers manipulating the nav system is a rare thing.
The USB memory stick must be unplugged and re-installed after the car is started to access the contents!
The volume/main control knob is very difficult to grip and operate, what were they thinking? (They were probably thinking everyone has small fingers)
The user interface is not consistent. The positions of the same functions move around from display to display for no good reason.
The bling noise cannot be turned off for the steering wheel controls. Come on guys, this unit is computer based, there's no reason for this type of inflexibility.
If the devil is in the details this unit is, unfortunately, be-deviled!!! In my opinion, this system was slapped together with little thought for the customer by people that do not understand or care how a nav a/v system should perform.
I am certain there are better units out there for this price point. If I were seeking an in dash nav a/v unit, I would keep looking for some other Manufacturers comparable system.


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Toshiba SD-5980 Progressive Scan DVD Player with HDMI Output Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I now have either owned or own 8 different DVD players and am very familiar with idiosynracies of each. This is the second Toshiba that I have owned and partially decided to purchase this one because I had a very good experience with another much older Toshiba that is still running strong.
-Decision Making Process:
I bought this for the HDMI Up-Conversion after just having purchased a Panasonic 42" HDTV Plasma (Awesome TV). I had heard the HDMI hook-up was stellar and wanted to find out. The decision was between an LG, Toshiba and Saumsung. Although the Toshiba was priced $30 less at Best Buy, I initially opted for the LG due to its good looks and slim profile. Bad move on my part. The LG was not compatible with my TV (There are disclaimers saying this can happen. I tried every kind of hook-up (component, composite and HDMI) and none of them would show me a picture. After reading some poor reviews of Samsung and having another Saumsung DVD player die on me previously, I decided to go with the Toshiba. It's not a great looking player, but not horrible either. I'm glad I did!
Positives:
First of all, the positves way outweight the negatives.
1) Stellar picture with HDMI output. I'm using the freebie HDMI cable that came with the player and the picture looks significantly better than my other player with Component (a solid Panasonic DVD recorder).
2) Free HDMI cable. These things are expensive and even if it's not the greatest quality cable, it's good enough to reap the benefits of HDMI outputs and notice a difference.
3) Great sound. The sound might even be a slight improvement over my Panasonic, which I love.
4) Card reader is an very nice extra that Samsung does not have. Looking at pictures in "HD" with HDMI is awesome!
5) When you press "Display" it will display the time surpassed and the total time of the movie so you have an idea of how much longer you have to go in the movie. Too many DVD players do not let you know how much longer you have before the movie is over.
Negatives:
1) It's a little complicated. Like most players, you need to read the manual to make sure your audio outputs are correct so you will be able to hear your audio in Digital. This is standard on most players I have dealt with.
2) Pay close attention with which mode of HDMI you are in (there is an HDMI button on the remote that toggles between 420p, 750p and 1080i. I was trying to play DVD+R's that I had burned and finalized from my computer and the picture kept flashing on and off. The sound was fine, but the flashing was unbearable. I thought it was because they were burned DVD's and it wouldn't read them, but I didn't have that problem on either of my other 3 current DVD players. As it turns out, the shows I was watching are not able to be viewed in either the 420P or 750P mode and can only be viewed in the 1080i mode. Once I switched to 1080i, those DVD's worked great.
3) When I was using the card reader, I had the picture in 1080i and it blinked on an off again. Once I switched it to 420p, it worked perfectly.
4) The player itself is not really that attractive and the display is downright ghetto. I'm not sure what Toshiba was thinking when they designed this thing. Perhaps they really wanted to keep the price down, but the display literally only shows you the minutes that have surpassed on the DVD you are playing in archaic looking number. For example, if you are 31 minutes and 29 seconds in, the display will read simply "31." The chapter is not listed nor are the seconds nor can you change it to display anything else.
In summary, I strongly recommend this player to anyone that is looking for an upgraded picture via HDMI cable. The HDMI up-conversion IS for real. THe picture is great and so is the sound. Having an digital card reader is cool and the player overall is fairly likable. If you have the patience to work through some of its quirks and don't mind the so-so looks and absolutely horrible display, you should make this one a purchase.

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A treasure trove for videophiles and techno-mavens, Toshiba's feature-loaded and amazingly affordable SD-5980 single-disc DVD player upconverts standard DVD-Video content to full high-definition resolution--either progressive-scan 720p or interlaced 1080i. Further, the sleek, silvery player offers a cutting-edge High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) to foster a direct digital hookup between the SD-5980 and a compatible HDTV or HD-ready TV/monitor. The player spins DVD-Video movies, of course, and also handles recordable CDs loaded with MP3 or WMA music files and discs filled with JPEG digital photos, letting you make the most of your digital media.The unit's 9-in-2 flash-media card slot supports Secure Digital, Mini Secure Digital, Memory Stick, Memory Stick Pro, Memory Stick Duo, Memory Stick Duo Pro, XD Picture Card, Compact Flash, and Multimedia Card. By taking advantage of these different media formats, the player lets you enjoy JPEG images and music files in both the MP3 and WMA and formats.Even better: Thanks to the SD-5980's specialized chipset (MPEG decoder and scaler) and its HDMI interface, you'll see megapixel JPEG images with enhanced resolution.The SD-5980 is outfitted with 10-bit/54 MHz video DACs (digital-to-analog converters) and ColorStream Pro progressive-scan component-video outputs for seamless, flicker-free images when viewed through high-definition and HD-ready TVs. Progressive scanning, referred to as 480p/720p for the number of horizontal lines that compose the video image, creates a picture using a minimum of twice the scan lines of a conventional DVD picture, giving you higher resolution and sharper images while eliminating nearly all motion artifacts. For compatibility with traditional SD (standard-definition) televisions, the SD-5980 sports composite- and S-video outputs.HDMI is a lossless, uncompressed, all-digital audio/video interface supporting standard-definition (SD), enhanced definition (ED), or high-definition (HD) video, plus multi-channel digital audio--all using a single cable. It transmits all ATSC HDTV standards and supports up to 8-channel digital audio, with bandwidth to spare to accommodate future enhancements and requirements.The SD-5980 also performs 3:2 pulldown reversal. DVD mastering introduces a common distortion when adjusting 24 frames-per-second movies to 30 fps video; 3:2 pulldown digitally corrects this distortion. The "expanded" mode in the player's black-level setting produces richer, deeper black tones in every image. PLUGE (Picture Line Up Generation Equipment) delivers black as well as below-black signals to a television.Digital picture zoom is an interactive DVD feature that lets you select and magnify an area of a picture you want to zoom in on. Enhanced digital processing during moving video or freeze-frame playback produces high color fidelity and resolution, even when you're zoomed in. You can also use this feature to expand letterbox-only films to full-screen (4:3 aspect ratio) dimension.For audio, choose from 2-channel analog audio outs (which benefit from 24-bit/192 kHz digital-to-analog audio converters) or either of 2 forms of digital-audio output, optical or coaxial, for transmitting discrete, multichannel surround signals--either Dolby Digital 5.1 or DTS 5.1--to a compatible audio/video receiver and speaker system. (Both Dolby and DTS signals can be transmitted via HDMI as well.)Listening in surround sound puts you right in the middle of the action, whether you're playing an action movie, a concert video, or a period drama. Not set up for surround yet? A special 3-D Surround circuit simulates surround sound from any 2 speakers.What's in the Box DVD player, remote control, remote batteries, a user's manual, a stereo analog audio interconnect/composite-video cable, a 2-meter HDMI cable, and warranty information.

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