Acoustic Research AWD210 Wireless Digital Stereo Headphones Review

Acoustic Research AWD210 Wireless Digital Stereo Headphones
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
I have now purchases 3 sets of the AWD210 headphones and 2 out of 3 have eventually broken at the left ear piece swivel joint (where the wires go through) under normal usage! I read another review from a guy who said that his headphones broke at the same location. Also, 1 of the 3 sets did not always go into charge mode and completely charge the batteries reliably every time and I only get an hour or so before they'd shut off. I tried to communicate with Acoustic Research Customer Service about the weak swivel joint plastic problem but I got only rudeness and denial out of the jerk I talked to about it. I sincerely hope they fix these problems for the next model as I will NOT buy another pair of the 210's, which is too bad, because the headphones sound GREAT in spite of the technical and quality issues. Hope my final set lasts longer than the other two did...

Click Here to see more reviews about: Acoustic Research AWD210 Wireless Digital Stereo Headphones

AR 2.4ghz Wireless

Buy Now

Click here for more information about Acoustic Research AWD210 Wireless Digital Stereo Headphones

Read More...

Sony KV-30HS420 30-Inch FD Trinitron WEGA HD-Ready Widescreen CRT TV Review

Sony KV-30HS420 30-Inch FD Trinitron WEGA HD-Ready Widescreen CRT TV
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
Contrary to popular opinion, you don't have to buy an expensive plasma or LCD (liquid crystal display) TV to get a great high-definition picure. In fact, many experts (including Consumer Reports) assert that high-definition TVs using traditional cathode-ray tube technology -- as this high-definition Sony does -- currently offer a sharper picture than plasma and LCD TVs, plus they are much less expensive and more reliable. This widescreen HD Sony TV has a very good picture with standard broadcasts and an outstanding picture with HD broadcasts and DVDs. If you'd like to get a widescreen high-definition TV now but your budget is limited to a thousand dollars or so, please consider this 30" Sony.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Sony KV-30HS420 30-Inch FD Trinitron WEGA HD-Ready Widescreen CRT TV

Bask in the widescreen glory of Sony's panoramic, high-definition-ready KV-30HS420 FD (flat display) Trinitron WEGA television. The 30-inch set offers analog and digital high-definition inputs, great audio features, and a suite of picture-enhancing technologies. Whether you're watching VHS tapes, DVDs, or high-definition (480p, 720p, 1080i) broadcasts, your programs will look breathtakingly good.The set's 16:9 aspect ratio, Hi-Scan 1080i display, and picture-improvement circuitry let you view a mix of sources at high resolutions, up to 1080i. DRC--Digital Reality Creation MultiFunction circuitry--upconverts standard interlaced (480i) video sources to 960i or progressive-scan 480p, while inputs as high-quality as 720p (720 lines, progressively scanned) are upsampled to full 1080i. Because DRC processes video signals in real time, it creates an image with 4 times the density of the original signal. Sony's MID-X (Multi Image Driver) maintains the integrity of a converted signal by minimizing image loss in the scaling process.Progressive scanning, referred to as 480p and 720p for the number of horizontal lines that compose the video image, creates a picture using twice the scan lines of a conventional DVD picture, giving you higher resolution and sharper images while eliminating nearly all motion artifacts. The set's auto 16:9 enhanced mode detects anamorphically encoded widescreen program sources and offers full picture resolution on the video program, wasting none of its usable lines of resolution on the black bars at the top and bottom of the screen.The KV-30HS420's high-voltage regulator maintains consistent image size, despite variations in brightness during scene changes and channel changes, while magnetic quadra-pole technology reduces "beam spot" distortion and improves corner-to-corner focus and picture sharpness.ClearEdge VM wideband velocity modulation improves the definition at picture edges, creating sharper images by slowing the CRT (cathode-ray tube) beam's horizontal scanning during demanding work--say, when rendering transitions from light to dark parts of an image--and speeding it up when scanning easily rendered sections, like broad dark areas. The set's 3D digital comb filter compares each horizontal scanning line with the lines above and below it, as well as with the corresponding lines on previous and subsequent video frames. This results in higher horizontal resolution, higher vertical resolution, and reduced video noise.The KV-30HS420 also employs CineMotion Reverse 3-2 PullDown technology (often called 3:2 pulldown), a handy feature for watching progressive-scan movies in their native 24-frame format. Digital video mastering introduces a common distortion when adjusting 24 frames-per-second movies to 30 fps video; 3:2 pulldown digitally corrects this distortion, removing the redundant information to display a film-frame-accurate picture.Finally, Dynamic Focus circuitry automatically adjusts the picture during each scanning line for consistent corner-to-corner sharpness.Two high-definition component-video inputs grant optimum connection with a DTV decoder and progressive-scan DVD player, while standard composite- and S-video inputs accommodate all DVD players. The set's HDMI interface provides a digital connection with your DTV receiver. HDMI supports standard-definition (SD), enhanced definition (ED), or high-definition (HD) video, plus multi-channel digital audio--all using a single cable.Choose between rear AV inputs and a set of front AV inputs for extra convenience. A rear AV output offers a switchable fixed- and variable-level analog audio output for hookup with a surround receiver or integrated amplifier.The set features stereo speakers (with 15 watts per channel) and BBE sound enhancement. You can label the set's video inputs and channels for easy selection. If you don't have Dolby Pro Logic processing or a surround speaker system, the TV's SRS TruSurround will simulate surround sound through any 2 speakers.Other video technologies include auto white balance, Dynamic Picture Processor circuitry, Trinitone color temperature control, and vertical aperture compensation. An optional accessory for the set is the Sony audio/video cabinet SU-30HX1.What's in the Box TV, remote control (RM-Y188), 2 AA batteries, a user's manual, warranty information.

Buy Now

Click here for more information about Sony KV-30HS420 30-Inch FD Trinitron WEGA HD-Ready Widescreen CRT TV

Read More...

Harman Kardon HKTS-18 High-Performance, 6-Piece Home Theater Speaker System (Black Gloss) Review

Harman Kardon HKTS-18 High-Performance, 6-Piece Home Theater Speaker System (Black Gloss)
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
I'll just confirm and add a little bit to what everyone else has said about these truly great speakers. They sound great, first and foremost. They feel very solid, like they are made entirely of metal (a good thing!). In fact, while many systems sport satellite speakers weighing around 2 pounds (USA), these weigh closer to 3 pounds.
The image on the Amazon page for these speakers does not do them at all justice! The base speaker is very big, looks like a fine price of furniture, and could possible sub as a side-table (but don't do it...hehe)!
I have mine connected to a Denon AVR-1908 receiver. I mention this because it took me a few days to figure the best setup for these speakers, and I want to mention some pointers. My receiver allows choosing between 'small' and 'large' when it comes to the front, back, and center speakers. For these speakers, set them all to 'small'.
But, most importantly, be sure the sub-woofer is turned on on your receiver! I used the system for a couple of days before I realized the bass speaker was not on! That's because the front speakers were set to 'large', so they took up the task of filling in the missing bass (so it was hard to notice the bass wasn't on). I figured out how to turn the bass on in the receiver, and - WHOA! - the entire room shook!
Which brings me to a special pointer - you can tell if the bass speaker is getting a signal by the COLOR of the light on top! If it is off, there is no power. If it is yellow, it is on, but no signal (or too low a signal to register if low volume). Blue means on and there is a signal!
So, in conclusion, these speakers are awesome for the price! Speaking of which, the price of Amazon fluctuates for this item more than the stock market! I have seen it go up and down on the same day as much as fifty or even two hundred dollars! So monitor the price and strike when it is low (I got mine for LESS than four hundred dollars!).

Click Here to see more reviews about: Harman Kardon HKTS-18 High-Performance, 6-Piece Home Theater Speaker System (Black Gloss)

The Harman Kardon HKTS 18 is a beautiful black lacquer speaker system with a powerful 200 watt 10" subwoofer.It is a 5.1 speaker system which can be expanded to 7.1 with the optional HKS-9 satellite speakers. It has a 3/4" tweeter for excellent high frequency response.It is magnetically shielded so it can be put next to your TV. It comes with all the speaker cables and shelf stand and wall mount brackets for the satellites.

Buy Now

Click here for more information about Harman Kardon HKTS-18 High-Performance, 6-Piece Home Theater Speaker System (Black Gloss)

Read More...

Belkin AV20000-06 PureAV Digital Optical Cable (6 feet) Review

Belkin AV20000-06 PureAV Digital Optical Cable (6 feet)
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
As an owner of five of these cables that are hooked up to my sound system, I thought I'd write a quick review for two simple reasons. First off, I initially decided to write my review because the only-other-review (at the time I'm writing this) is for 1-star?!? I'm hoping the law of averages washes-out the 1-star review simply because this is NOT a 1-star product...The only way to beef-up the number of stars this product deserves is to speak up, so I am! :-)
That said, my second reason for the review is so I can let other prospective buyers out there know that the quality of the cable is Excellent. In fact, I'd compare the craftsmanship to that of a Monster-branded cable at a much more reasonable price! Belkin has stayed in business all these years because they are a top-maker of A/V and Computer cables and it shows here.
If you're looking for a High Quality Optical Cable at an Affordable price, then Belkin's definitely a solution worth your consideration. Happy A/Ving!!

Click Here to see more reviews about: Belkin AV20000-06 PureAV Digital Optical Cable (6 feet)

The Belkin PureAV Digital Optical Cable is ideal for DTS and Dolby Digital surround sound home theater setups. It uses polished optical terminations and optical fiber to transfer digital signals, which prevents electromagnetic and radio frequency noise, leaving you with greater sonic accuracy and a more detailed, natural sound. The precision-molded, corrosion-resistant connectors help produce a natural-sounding midrange, and the cable is manufactured to stand up to extended use.

Buy NowGet 63% OFF

Click here for more information about Belkin AV20000-06 PureAV Digital Optical Cable (6 feet)

Read More...

Sony DR-GA500 PC Gaming Audio Headset (Black) Review

Sony DR-GA500 PC Gaming Audio Headset (Black)
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
Pros:
- very comfortable, i can wear these for hours and i have a big head and ears, it does make a difference how you wear then, i have to keep the band forward close to my forehead. they're also very light, you can barely feel them.
- they are open air, so your ears will not sweat (it is winter, we'll see in the summer)
- mids and highs are great, the best i've heard, too little bass but it's very clean, talking via vent sounds like people are there next to you, very good quality
- they look very cool
- don't have to use sound processor, you can plug in headphones directly to pc
Cons:
- little bass.....there is a switch on the box that it comes with which is on FPS by default, this setting will remove any remaining bass and most mids so that you can hear foot steps easier, switching to surround mode will play all frequencies
- There is occasional popping, no big deal, it may be something with my onboard soundcard or pc static related.
- using EQ that comes with soundblaster causes bad static that makes them sound like they have broken speakers especially when bass plays, so you have to leave it off/flat
- price
You do need a decent sound card with 7.1 connections to get the surround sound. Now the surround itself is not all that great but i have to say that it's the best i've heard, the sounds behind you sound like they're coming from the bottom of your ear. I've had true 5.1 headphones before and i have to say that these are far better with surround effect and sound quality. You can plug in the headphones directly to the pc bypassing the sound processor box but i haven't tried that yet. I've listed to Sennheiser PC 350 which sound alot like these with the soundprocessor in FPS mode (highs only) i have to say that these are much better since you get an option of getting full sound reproduction. They're also a lot bigger than they look on the picture, the pads surrounding the center speaker will go around your ear and the center speaker will touch you ear but only front center of the ear so wearing then does not hurt at all.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Sony DR-GA500 PC Gaming Audio Headset (Black)



Buy NowGet 41% OFF

Click here for more information about Sony DR-GA500 PC Gaming Audio Headset (Black)

Read More...

SONY KDF60XBR950 60-Inch LCD Projection TV Review

SONY KDF60XBR950 60-Inch LCD Projection TV
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
I bought this Sony LCD over the Samsung DLP. The picture is sharper and brighter. Also, sony accepts 480 which almost all of the channels on cable support. The Samsung doesn't support 480, therefore you will see pixelation especially when you watch sports.
I saw the super bowl on the Sony and it was magnificent.

Click Here to see more reviews about: SONY KDF60XBR950 60-Inch LCD Projection TV

Looking to expand beyond the limitations of a CRT TV without losing resolution or clarity? Check out the Sony KDF-60XBR950 60-inch LCD rear-projection TV, which features 3.28 million dots of resolution (1,092,168 for each of the three LCD panels) for a crisp, richly colored picture that looks terrific wherever you sit (if offers a 130-degree viewing angle). The TV includes an integrated ATSC tuner that receives high-definition content, along with a high-contrast, double-AR-coated screen designed for compatibility with the 16:9 enhanced aspect ratio. Unlike many projection TVs from the past, the screen and LCD panels ensure clear focus from the center to the corners, a flicker-free image, and no annoying phosphor burn-in.
The unit comes with Sony's proprietary WEGA engine, which is engineered to deliver a better picture, and employs Direct Digital II Circuitry (with an integrated 3D comb filter) for rich, natural-looking images from any source, along with the smoothing effect of Digital Reality Creation MultiFunction VI technology. Meanwhile, the TV's Multi-Image Driver (MID-X) and twin NTSC tuners let viewers watch two programs from different sources (480i, 480p, 1080i, or 720p) either side by side or in an inset window.
Other features unique to the KDF-60XBR950 include CineMotion reverse 3:2 pulldown, which automatically converts film content to the new TV source to deliver smoother-looking DVD images; enhanced Memory Stick playback, so users can view digital photos and MPEG movies and MP3 audio through the TV; and such convenient user features as a sleep timer, multilingual onscreen display, Speed Surf rapid channel scanning, auto channel programming, closed captioning, a two-event clock/timer, V-chip parental control, and favorite channel.
A movie's audio will sound particularly good through the KDF-60XBR950, which features a 30-watt speaker system (5 watts x 2, plus 20-watt subwoofer), along with your choice of Virtual Dolby (Pro Logic surround sound), TruSurround (adds a 3-D effect to stereo broadcasts), and simulated surround sound (delivers multichannel effect to mono programs). Viewers seeking the highest possible clarity from their movies can hook up their DVD players through the two component video inputs, while HD users can take advantage of the DVI-HDTV interface. The TV also includes one front and three rear S-video inputs, one front and three rear composite inputs, one front and five rear audio inputs, one front and two rear i.Link inputs, one optical output, one Control-S input and one output, one optical audio output, and one subwoofer output.
What's in the Box TV, remote control, two AA batteries, user's manual.

Buy Now

Click here for more information about SONY KDF60XBR950 60-Inch LCD Projection TV

Read More...

Panasonic DMR-E65S DVD Recorder with SD Card Slot (DVD-RAM & DVD-R) Review

Panasonic DMR-E65S DVD  Recorder with SD Card Slot (DVD-RAM and DVD-R)
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
Very happy that I got to archive my old home VHS to DVD with great results.
Great features:
This is an excellent entry-level DVD-recorder. The TV Guide feature is the reason to past over Panasonic cheaper brother the E55s which just have the VCR-plus feature. TV Guide is a simpler and free version to TiVo. It has an on-screen menu of the channels including title, time, info and the option to record. Sadly, TV Guide feature only work for antenna broadcasting and basic cable. Digital cable and satellite users might have to invest more money into a TiVo recording device (lack of component input here).
The recording quality is great, which is almost the same or lesser then the original, but never better. I transfer old VHS home video to this device and it was easy with excellent quality. Recording TV programs through the antenna is simple, but the quality depends on your reception. DVD-r is more common then DVD+r. I use XP or SP mode (1-2hrs) for VCR transfer, and LP or EP mode (4-8hrs) for TV program.
This is one of the most intelligence video devices I have own yet. There are so many option and setting to configure base on your needs. The SD card reader is a nice extra for this device. I have a Panasonic digital camera with a SD card so it is just plug and play. The manual is simple to follow and understand to figure this complex device.
The have not:
As an entry level recorder would mean this device have less of the advance input features. There are no component inputs which mean you can't recorder from higher quality image. No DV(firewire) input for newer digital camcorder. No hardrive for mix and match recording. The recorder is a 4-stars but the DVD playback is a 3.75-stars. The progressive scan has a lot of settings to customize from, but my Toshisba's DVD is a little smoother. The basic DVD-playback feature is just basic and limited. The old Toshiba has many features as zoom, slow forward, display length of the DVD, which I have yet figure/found. Slow boot time, but that is true to most recorders.
Panasonic quality is great. I have a Panasonic's HDTV for almost a year, a digital camera and they all are working fine with great results. I like Panasonic's pricing which is producing great quality for the price, but they leave out some of the more fancy features and style that Sony has that will jack up the prices. I use Verbatim's Digital Movie DVD-r at 4x and Panasonic's DVD-RAM, anything faster like 8x does not seem to work.


Click Here to see more reviews about: Panasonic DMR-E65S DVD Recorder with SD Card Slot (DVD-RAM & DVD-R)

The Panasonic DMR-E65S is an affordable entry into the world of DVD recording, enabling you to watch TV programs at your leisure as well as easily archive precious home video memories. The DMR-E65S features compatibility with both DVD-R and DVD-RAM discs, MP3 audio playback, an SD memory card slot for viewing images from your digital camera, and simultaneous recording and playback functionality.
The DMR-E65S's joint support of DVD-RAM and DVD-R media provides the best of both worlds: DVD-R for the highest compatibility (letting you share video recordings with virtually anyone with a DVD player) and DVD-RAM (for rewritability and benefits like Time Slip, chasing playback, and simultaneous play and record). In addition to DVD-RAM and DVD-R compatibility, the DMR-E65S also plays DVD-Audio, Video CD (VCD), and CD-R-RW discs. It has a built-in SD memory card slot as well as a PC Card slot that reads CompactFlash and other memory cards (with an adapter). It has 3 composite A/V, 3 S-video, and 1 RF input connections; output connections include 2 composite, 1 component, and 1 S-video. Other features include optical output for DTS and Dolby Digital surround sound, cinema mode that improves the visibility of details in dark scenes by automatically adjusting picture contrast, and a dialogue enhancer.
Panasonic's Time Slip feature lets you replay a scene recorded earlier while a program is still in progress, without disrupting the recording process. And chasing playback makes it possible to watch from the beginning a show while recording is still in progress. It's also simple to transfer favorite VHS tape recordings to space-saving discs, and personal movie libraries and family videos can be archived, preserved, cataloged, and accessed. With instant recording onto a DVD disc, you don't have to find blank space, as with a VHS tape. Just press record and the unit will automatically find space on the disc, much like a computer's disk drive.
With the Playlist Playback function, you can perform simple nonlinear video editing, such as rearranging the order of scenes, skipping over unwanted scenes, or copying selections, to create custom playlists of favorite scenes on a disc. The Direct Navigator feature makes it easy to find a previously recorded program on a disc. A list of recording dates, times, channels, and (user-entered) titles are shown onscreen, and you can quickly manage program deletion, protection, and title input. It can handle up to 99 titles at once.
What's in the Box Panasonic DMR-E65S DVD recorder, remote control, batteries, and printed instruction manual.

Buy Now

Click here for more information about Panasonic DMR-E65S DVD Recorder with SD Card Slot (DVD-RAM & DVD-R)

Read More...