Yamaha RX-V365BL 500 Watt 5-Channel Home Theater Receiver Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I generally like Yamaha products but this receiver has one huge flaw. The HDMI outs do not support audio sound. I ran separate optical audio outputs from cable box and CD player. The one HDMI out on the reciever only worked with DVD not Cable box or DTV inputs. So don't plan on running a separate TV from the HDMI out on the reciever. The sound quality is good and the functions are easy to learn with the exception of the scene feature. Really not that well explained. I like the reciever and was able to work around the HDMI issue but think that this is a huge oversight on Yamaha's part. I hope this review is helpful.

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Yamaha RX-V365BL 500 Watt 5-Channel Home Theater Receiver

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Samsung HT-DB390TH Wireless Home Theater System Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I was skeptic when I bought DB390 because wireless rear speakers is a new technology implementation using bluetooth. I was pleasantly surprised when it took me little effort to set it up following the manual and the wireless receiver works well.
My main concern was that I have 802.11b/g router that uses 2.4Ghz also, and I have a wireless bluetooth headset, but so far everything works great! I haven't had any issue when using all my devices (wireless network, DB390, and headset) at the same time!

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Offering the elusive attributes of simplicity and convenience to anyone seeking quality home entertainment, Samsung's shining HT-DB390 delivers DVD and music playback in dynamic surround sound--without the need to drape speaker wires across your living room for the surround speakers. That's right: the HT-DB390 comes with a special high-bandwidth 2.4 GHz digital wireless transmitter that beams the data for the system's left and right surround speakers right to them, so you can enjoy enveloping multichannel surround sound without the fuss of drilling holes or hiding speaker cables.The front left, right, and center speakers all use cables, of course (supplied), but--being closer to the system's unified DVD player/surround receiver--they'll be relatively unobtrusive. The HT-DB390 spins DVD-Video, high-resolution DVD-Audio, DVD-R/-RW, CD, CD-R, CD-RW, MP3 and WMA (Windows Media Audio) CD, as well as JPEG image CD--great for living-room slide shows of your digital photos.The amplifier delivers 60 watts per channel to each of the system's 5 compact satellite speakers, while the stand-alone subwoofer packs a hefty 100 watts for wall-whopping bass. A built-in AM/FM tuner comes with 30 station presets for easy tuning to your favorite stations.All major movie and music surround signals are decoded and routed to their appropriate speakers: multichannel DVD-Audio, Dolby Digital, Dolby Pro Logic II (which generates 5.1 surround from any stereo source, whether movie or music), and DTS 5.1-channel surround sound. The system includes an AM/FM radio tuner with 30 preset memory settings, and a headphone jack for private or late-night listening.DVD-Audio discs offer super high-fidelity sound, providing 192 kHz/24-bit multichannel and/or stereo sound (depending on the disc), high storage capacity, and unique bonus materials not available on regular audio CDs. These discs often have compressed Dolby Digital soundtracks for listening on standard DVD players, but true DVD-A decoding such as this system provides is required for full sonic appreciation.The system's progressive-scan component-video output prepares you for the future, with the ability to use the system in conjunction with a high-definition or HD-ready television. Smooth progressive-scan images are free from even the slightest hint of blurring or distortion, bringing new realism to DVD movies and other selections.The HT-DB390 also performs 3:2 pulldown detection and reversal. DVD mastering introduces a common distortion when adjusting 24 frames-per-second movies to 30 fps video; reverse 3:2 pulldown digitally corrects this distortion, removing the redundant information to display a film-frame-accurate picture.Auxiliary audio/video inputs let you connect additional components like your VCR to the system.What's in the Box DVD player/integrated surround amplifier, 4 satellite speakers, a center speaker, a powered subwoofer, AM/FM antennas, a wireless transmitter, a remote control, remote batteries, a user's manual, all requisite cabling.

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Sony 15.5" VAIO VPCEB15FM/T Laptop 4GB Notebook 500GB Computer PC Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I was a desktop owner for over 6 years. This is my first laptop, but I did a lot of research before deciding on this one and I am overall very happy with the purchase.
I really love the new processor, is is very quiet and the laptop is much cooler, although I still use a cooling fan and recommend one. The keyboard is flat and quiet, but is prone to trapped dust and particles and super hard to clean, so don't eat or take this around food. I recommend the specially made for this laptop silicone keyboard covers, Sony offers them in a variety of nice colors including matching mouse covers for Sony mouses only. Another great feature is the blu-ray player, and lit LCD screen, I wish they would have included a light up keyboard and fingerprint pass-code device. The laptop itself is lightweight, sleek and shiny, but the attractive finish is also very prone to fingerprints and beware! don't wipe with any alcohol as it will damage the finish.
Windows 7 is a great improvement, I love the convenient and much faster start search tool and the customization options are wide (important for a artist and visual person like myself), but there is still a whole lot of room for improvement as far as security issues are concerned.
Positive+
Intel i3 Core processor
500GB/4GB space
Bright, light up LCD screen
Energy Star approved
Blu Ray player
Sleek and lightweight
Keyboard and mouse customization options
Windows 7
Negative-
Although it's much cooler than all my friends laptops, it still requires a fan
Very much prone to fingerprints on exterior and screen, use only cloth to wipe
No outer volume buttons/controls
3, not 4 usb spaces
Keyboard prone to trap small particle
No light up keyboard
No fingerprint password logon

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Acer Aspire AS8943G-6190 18.4-Inch Laptop (Aluminum) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I've had this laptop for 3 weeks now. I haven't even had time to really push it to it's potential because it has so much to offer. Don't know about any wireless malfunctioning. Mine works just fine anywhere I go, in an N or G WIFI environment. I use it at home using my DOCSIS 3 cable internet with gigabit wired network or WIFI N class whenever I want to move to an unwired room,and I have not had a problem at all. The HDMI 1080P HD output using the onboard blueray is simply fantastic when hooked up to my LED flatscreen TV. Simply put, this laptop is flawless. Just a beautiful machine, with a gorgeous screen, big sound and a great useable keyboard. You will not be disappointed buying this laptop. I am certainly very satisfied.

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Acer Aspire AS8943G: Ultimate Multimedia Center
Whether are used for creating multimedia content, watching movies or dominating the latest PC games, the Acer Aspire 8943G notebook PC (model AS8943G-6190) delivers high-end styling and world-class performance. It features a brilliant 18.4-inch CineCrystal edge-to-edge glass LED back-lit display with full high-definition (1080p) resolution. And it combines best-in-class Intel Core i7 processing power and stunning ATI Radeon HD graphics with a Blu-ray Disc drive for viewing movies in crystal-clear HD resolution and a Dolby-optimized surround-sound system for an immersive on-the-go cinema experience. And the Blu-ray Disc drive includes an integrated SuperMulti drive for creating your own DVDs and CDs.

The AS8943G's exterior sports an aluminum cover that not only looks sharp, but also protects the seamless, frameless display. Upon opening the lid, you'll be wowed by sharp design lines as well as a host of balanced contrasts, including glossy and matte finishes and silver and black accents. The new dual-mode touchpad combines Acer's multi-gesture actions with a touch-sensitive media console. And the new chiclet style keyboard (keys with straight edges vs. slanted sides) extends to a dedicated numeric keypad.

You'll be able to burn through the hottest new digital media, content creation and advanced 3D gaming with the breakthrough performance of the Intel Core i7 processor thanks to the combination of Intel Turbo Boost technology and Intel Hyper-Threading technology, which maximizes performance to match your workload.

Quickly retrieve and store all your media files on the large 500 GB hard drive, and with dual hard drive support you can add another drive for backups or up to 1.2 TB of extra storage.

Enjoy the next generation of video playback with the HDMI output, which allows a single cable to transmit uncompressed high-definition video and audio to your digital TV or capable external monitor. The 1.3-megapixel HD webcam presents vivid images even in low-light situations so you can go face-to-face in online chats and easily take still pictures and videos to share. And to make data transfer painless, it includes an eSATA port to speed up large file transfers while a FireWire port moves videos quickly from your digital camcorder.

This Aspire laptop comes pre-installed with the Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium operating system (64-bit version).

Key Features
18.4-inch CineCrystal LED-backlit widescreen display with 1920 x 1080-pixel resolution (native 1080p for Full HD viewing). Its widescreen 16:9 aspect ratio is designed to present websites without lots of left-right scrolling, as well as with a smoother line of sight. Specs include a 220-nit high brightness rating, 8ms response time, and 60 percent color gamut.
1.6 GHz Intel Core i7-720QM processor (with Turbo Boost Technology up to 2.80 GHz) delivers maximum processing power in response to peak demands. Intel's Turbo Boost technology maximizes speed for demanding applications, dynamically accelerating performance to match your workload--providing more performance when you need it the most. It also comes equipped with Intel HD Graphics--an advanced video engine that delivers smooth, high-quality HD video playback, and advanced 3D capabilities, providing an ideal graphics solution for everyday computing.
500 GB SATA hard drive (5400 RPM) with support for a second hard drive
4 GB of installed DDR3 RAM (1066 MHz; expandable to 16 GB)
ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5850 graphics deliver advanced technology to deliver cinema-quality audio and video with 1 GB of DDR3 discrete graphics memory. Using ATI Stream technology, it helps accelerate even the most demanding applications, enabling you to do more than ever with your notebook. It's compatible with the latest DirectX 11 games
Watch Blu-ray Disc movies in crystal clear resolution with the read-only Blu-ray drive; this notebook also includes an integrated 4x DVD±R/RW SuperMulti drive capable of reading/writing of CD-R/RW, DVD±R, DVD±RW, DVD±R DL, and DVD-RAM.
Dual-Mode Touchpad lets you switch functions between a Multi-Gesture Touchpad and a Media Console.Control the show with touch-sensitive buttons that take you straight to your favorite movies or music. In addition, the scrolling volume wheel puts sound management at your fingertips. (Learn more)
Bio-Protection Fingerprint Reader provides an extra level of laptop security safeguarding unauthorized users from accessing your PC at the touch of your fingerprint.
Wireless-N Wi-Fi networking capability provides up to five times the performance and twice the wireless range using 802.11n-compatible routers as you would with 802.11g networks. It's also backward compatible with 802.11b/g networks (commonly found at Wi-Fi hotspots and in older home routers). This laptop uses Acer InviLink Nplify technology that enables multi-stream input or output for faster and more reliable bandwidth, and it also offers Acer SignalUp technology for enhanced antenna efficiency.
Bluetooth 2.1 connectivity enables you to communicate and synchronize wirelessly with Bluetooth-enabled peripherals such as printers and cell phones.
Gigabit Ethernet (10/100/1000)
5 built-in speakers and dedicated subwoofer simulate surround sound with trumpeting clear tones and deep bass beats while Dolby Home Theater Audio delivers riveting sound from any pair of PC speakers or headphones.
Headphones/speaker/line-out with SPDIF support for true 5.1-channel surround-sound output
Multi-in-1 Digital Media Card Reader compatible with Secure Digital (SD), MultiMediaCard (MMC), Memory Stick (MS), Memory Stick PRO (MS PRO), xD-Picture Card (xD)
Four USB 2.0 ports
Next-generation eSATA port offers a transfer speed of 3GB/s, delivering enhanced scalability and doubling the bus bandwidth for high-speed data retrieval and saves. It allows easy sharing and transfer of entertainment content and digital media on external devices.
FireWire (also known as IEEE 1394 or i.Link) port for connecting digital video camcorders and other peripherals.
HDMI high-definition audio/video output allows a single cable to transmit uncompressed high-definition video to your digital TV or LCD. It also includes a standard VGA video output.
Windows 7 Home Premium makes it easy to create a home network and share all of your favorite photos, videos, and music. And you can watch shows for free when and where you want with Internet TV on Windows Media Center. Get the best entertainment experience with Windows 7 Home Premium.
Get more features with Windows Anytime Upgrade. It's the best way to add features to Windows 7, takes as few as ten minutes, requires no software or downloads, and you'll keep your existing programs, files, and settings. Windows will walk you through the simple upgrade process.(Learn more)
Pre-loaded software includes Microsoft Works SE 9.0 for word processing and spreadsheet work. Enjoy a 60-day trial version of Microsoft Office Home and Student 2007.
Up to 3 hours of battery life (8-cell battery)
Dimensions: 17.3 x 11.6 x 1.7 inches (WxDxH)
Weight: 10.1 pounds
Warranty: One-year parts and labor limited warranty with concurrent International Traveler's Warranty

What's in the Box
This package contains the Acer Aspire AS8943G-6190 notebook PC, rechargeable lithium-ion battery, AC adapter, and operating instructions

It also comes with the following software: McAfee Internet Security Suite (trial version); NTI Media Maker; Google Toolbar; Acer Recovery Management; Acer GridVista; Microsoft Works; Microsoft Office Home and Student 2007 Trial (60 days); Norton Online Backup

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The Acer Dual-Mode Touchpad
The dual-mode touchpad offers integrated, capacitive touch media controller icons that allows you to switch between multi-gesture mode to media console mode. At the flick of a finger, you can go straight to your favorite movies or music. Integrated into the touchpad, the backlit media console icons glow underneath the pad, providing a clean simplistic design. In addition, a convenient scrolling volume wheel directly under the touchpad makes it easy to control volume levels.

With built-in multi-gesture capabilities, you can pinch, flick and swirl your fingers across the touchpad for more natural photo and video viewing as well as intuitive navigation of websites. It also enables you to scroll, zoom in and out and flip through Web pages, photos, spreadsheets and more.

Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium
Pre-installed with the Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium operating system (64-bit version), you'll be able to easily create a home network and share all of your favorite photos, videos, and music. Windows 7 is the easiest, fastest, and most engaging version of Windows yet. Better ways to find and manage files, like Jump Lists and improved taskbar previews, help you speed through everyday tasks. Windows 7 is designed for faster and more reliable performance, so your PC just works the way you want it to.

And with Windows Anytime Upgrade, you'll be able to add new features to your PC in as little as 10 minutes. Windows will walk you through the simple upgrade process, it requires no software or downloads, and you'll keep your existing programs, files, and settings

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Marantz AV7005 Audio Video Pre-Processor (Black) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Update May 6, 2011
I lost the two front speakers again and restored them using the technique on page 115 of the User Guide. The speakers are now working but I'm curious why that is happening; I'm going to contact Marantz technical support and see if they can shed any light on it. If anything interesting emerges I'll post another update. I suppose the most important information I can share at this time is to please use the memory saving instructions on page 115; they're simple and can save a lot of re-setup in the future if you experience a problem.
Update March 14, 2011
A few days ago I experienced a complete loss of my two front main speakers, both left and right. That was a first so I started checking wiring etc. to try and isolate the problem but everything looked good. I then checked the settings on the Marantz and could find nothing suspicious there either. I tried using the tone generation feature but it too skipped over the front left and front right speakers.
In researching the mystery I got to page 115 of the User Guide and read the section on "Resetting the microprocessor." I decided to try that procedure and it worked and restored all of the speakers to normal operation. I had spent several hours on the initial setup and found that work could be saved to memory by following the "Memory Saving" procedure on that page.
I would recommend that you save your settings to memory by following the instructions on page 115 when you have completed setting up your AV7005. If you should experience a similar loss of speakers the resetting procedure described on that page worked well for me and may work for you as well.
I continue to be very pleased with the musicality of the Marantz; I have discovered the "Neural" setting amoung the surround options and have started playing back my two-channel CD's using that setting and am getting fabulous results. It's almost like hearing my older CD collection for the first time.Original review
I have owned a Krell Home Theater Standard preamp processor for many years now; the experience has been both rewarding and disappointing. Rewarding in the sense that the Krell has very good audio qualities, but disappointing in the sense that it was not future proof as represented. This Marantz AV7005 is replacing a Krell HTS 7.1 which has absolutely no HDMI capability and cannot be updated to offer it. This happens to be my second Krell, neither of which could be updated to utilize later developments although both were initially represented as being future proof.
It has been a delight to set up a piece of equipment which has all of the latest bells and whistles and can accommodate the latest cables. Of all of the things important to me, the only things lacking is the ability to decode SACD and DVD-Audio; this, however, is being supplied by the OPPO BD-83SE player which I've attached to the system. With those two correctable exceptions, the Marantz has done everything asked of it and done it very well.
The set up on the Marantz took some time but was not too complicated. If one uses only new equipment with HDMI capability the set up with the Marantz is virtually automatic. If you're trying to integrate some older equipment it takes a little longer but the flexibility is there to integrate most legacy equipment successfully.
I tried using the Audyssey auto setup but found the results were not really to my liking; I wound up using my trusty Radio Shack sound pressure level meter and adjusted the speaker balance and crossover frequency between the subwoofer and the other speakers to the THX recommended standards.
As one of the other reviewers mentioned, the primary use for my system is the reproduction of music; I happen to be a serious pipe organ fan and had the pipe organ in mind when I originally set up my system. As I've mentioned elsewhere, a system designed to reproduce pipe organ has an easy time with the crashes and explosions found in most action films.
With regard to musicality, the Marantz has provided very satisfactory results to date; I cannot clearly detect any major differences between the Marantz and the Krell which cost many thousands of dollars more. A direct A/B comparison might reveal differences but that sort of comparison is not possible.
As of this point I am very pleased with the Marantz which accommodates 3D as well as a first rate 1080P video image and reproduces first rate audio. For the price I have found it to be an outstanding piece of equipment.


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Marantz SR5004 Audio/video Receiver (Black) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)This beautiful new receiver is packed with high-end options and the sound quality is nothing short of exemplary. For a full listing of technicals and features, see the site at: [...]. As compared to Yamaha, Onkyo, Denon, and Pioneer, you'll notice a far more "natural" and "forward" sound, whereas the formers are more "punchy", "dark" or "processed". Marantz has been at the business of making receivers in this vein a long time and the 5004 is sure to please even the most discerning audiophiles. Of course, if you have $8K to spend, the Reference series is a nice upgrade. But for us common folk who still appreciate the performance and sound quality that a top-end receiver can produce, this is the one. On the "things to consider side", the SR5004 only has 3 HDMI outputs, so if you're in need of more such connections for your home theater, you might need to consider upgrading to the 6004. All in all, however, you can't beat this receiver for the money. This reviewer recommends pairing it with either Polk RTI or Bowers & Wilkins 600 series speakers.

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ASUS N82JQ-B2 14-Inch Laptop (Dark Brown) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I purchased this as a replacement for my (Asus ROG G73)as i needed a much smaller yet powerful laptop as I move around a lot overseas. I am very satisfied with it. The smaller form factor,USB 3.0 and dedicated video card is what sold me on this laptop.
Battery last a little over 2 hours when just surfing the web and chatting on low power settings.
Only 1 con for me and that is no backlit Keyboard but i knew that when i purchased it.

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HP Pavilion dv7-4295us Entertainment Notebook PC - Silver Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Bad
I bought this at Fry's for an equivalent price.
I'm now on my 3rd laptop after getting replaced for hardware failures. 1st laptop the video died on the laptop monitor. It was replaced after 2 days. The 2nd the fan failed after 3 days. I'm now on my 3rd laptop, hopefully its the charm.
Good
Ergonomics could be better. The battery extends below the body, creating a lift to the laptop. This is fine when on a table or desk, but rests just above my knee when on my lap. I'm surprised there is only one fan outlet, its blows out the back left and is also faces down, a blanket or thick rug can easily block the vent.
All ports are located on the left and right. I do wish there was at least 1 usb and the power in the back.
The HP logo also lights up when powered on, like Apple's. I'm not sure if there is a way to turn it off. I like to keep it running overnight and the light can be distracting.
Best
The laptop itself is fast as can be. The Windows performance index is only slowed by the speed hard drive, which is rare with a laptop, it's usually the video that slows down a system.
The software that comes installed is actually useful. Not much bloatware (except norton, sprint, ebay). The wildtangent games are fun and most are free. There are utilities to change how often the fan runs, and apps for bluetooth and wifi.


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Toshiba Satellite M645-S4070 14-Inch Laptop (Fusion X2 Finish in Slate) Review

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(More customer reviews)With 500 GB, a blu-ray player, 4 GB ram, Windows 7, a good graphics card and high quality luxury speakers, this is the perfect mid-range laptop. I purchased it at 699 at a brick and mortar store. It is fast, though not lightening fast, plenty of hard drive space, well built, great exterior feel, and meets all of the needs of the average user. Well worth any price under 800.

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HP ENVY 17-1011NR 17.3-Inch Laptop Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)At the end of the day performance is the most important measure of success to me and this machine lives up to expectations here - its definately snappy. In regards to games, I've installed Dragon Age, Borderlands, Crysis - all run great at maximum settings. I'm confident this machine will handle my gaming needs for the next couple of years.
Nice fit and finish. Lots of metal bits and overall solid feel. Its not exactly light but for a 17" its respectable. It looks good enough to leave out when company is over. I had some concern buying site unseen because I know the previous envy models didn't quite deliver in this are - but I think overall this version meets the bar. Its not a mac book - but it gets pretty close.
Battery life has been good so far - the extra 9 volt battery is an awesome bonus.
It does have a blu ray drive.
The screen is beautiful - super clear, detailed and bright.
So in the two primary areas that drove me to purchase this vs. other 17" gaming machines - performance and aesthetic - this machine delivers.
I have a few usability complaints though..
The mouse pad. The problem here is that the click buttons are also part of the touch bad - so when go to click on things your clicking finger will move the cursor. This happens often enough to be very frustrating.. maybe a patch will come out that will address. In the meantime I've been having to plug in an external mouse because I can't take it.
The PC does something strange when it sleeps - when you open the lid it will resume but the screen doesn't come back so you have to open and close the lid once again and that will make the screen turn on. Not a big deal but a bug that bothers me. And the lid is a bit of pain to open - no real place to get a good grip and its tight and heavy. Its more like prying it open rather than the nice smooth lid opening experience of the mac book.
Too much cluttering software pre installed and Windows disk not included making a clean install difficult.
The Beats audio is not that exciting - but i didn't expect it to be. Sounds like a laptop to me at the end of the day.


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Yamaha YAS-71BL Front Surround System (Black) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I've been searching for a simple budget out of the box home audio solution that had great sound, ease of use and set up, all the connections I needed and lastly esthetically pleasing and not an eyesore. I looked at all the recommended budget 5.1 and 7.1 system (Onkyo is the best deal for full 5.1 systems) and was frustrated by the price and the over engineered complexity of them all. Real surround sound would be cool but ultimately I just wanted a simple solution with strong, rich sound and any simulated surround would be nice too. I have a Samsung 630 and love the TV but the sound sucks. This YAS-71 sound bar and sub-woofer really have enhanced my home theater experience tremendously. I want to watch all the movies I've already seen in HD again now just to hear them in fuller sound. My wife even likes it, I don't think she's nearly as intimidated by it as much as 5.1 component systems would.
This unit has 4 audio inputs plus a connector for an ipod dock; 3 of the inputs are digital audio inputs (2 optical, 1 coaxial). 1 RCA audio input. I highly recommend using the digital audio inputs to get the best and clearest simulated surround sound. I have a PS3 (my Blu-Ray player), a Toshiba DVD player and my DVR hooked up to the digital inputs and the Yamaha ipod dock hooked up. The ipod dock works well and you can control the ipod to some extent with the remote, though the screen on the front of the bar gives you very minimal information and control for your ipod. There are times I'd rather just select my ipod manually on the ipod itself. My 3G iphone worked with it as well as a 30 gig ipod. They all sounded great.
I have a very boxy, enclosed small to medium sized living room (12' x 18') in an older home and it's perfect for that environment. At volume level 50 (halfway) it really fills the room up with rich sound, at the higher levels it gets surprisingly loud without distortion and blowout. Though If you have a very open or large contemporary living room I wouldn't recommend this system; I'd go with more powerful true surround system where you could space the speakers out to fit the room. This YAS-71 really works best in a room with defined walls to work off of. I wouldn't expect any true surround sound from the YAS-71 but there are times while watching 5.1 DVDs and Blu-rays I notice that some sounds really feel immersive and you can feel the simulated surround effect. Prices have dropped on these recently, they used to retail for $500-$600 and for around $300 this is an exceptional deal.
Positives:
* Easy to set up, there aren't a bunch of wires to run around your room.
* User friendly. Wife friendly.
* 4 audio inputs (3 digital) plus yamaha ipod connector
* Clear, surprisingly powerful, robust simulated 5.1 sound for such a contained unit.
* Great value for the money if you can find it at or under $300
* Looks nice in front of most HDTVs. It virtually matched my piano finished black Samsung.
* Great for enclosed rooms.Negatives:
* No onscreen information and controls on your TV screen, info is only on the soundbar screen. This does not have any video passthrough. (this hasn't been a problem for me though).
* It might not have have all the audio connections you need. Check your setup.
* All the inputs are on the sub woofer, so keep that in mind, you might need longer cables.
* Remote controlling ipod is very minimal.
* ipod dock sold separately ($50-100)
* Not so good for open areas.
Conclusion:
Powerful, clear sound and a good number of inputs for most needs. A simple solution for better home audio. I couldn't be happier with it.

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Yamaha RX-V863BL 735 Watt 7.1-Channel Home Theater Receiver Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I've had this receiver & its ipod dock for about 45 days. Picked this one over the 663 for its video upscaling. I use it mainly for watching dvds and ipod videos, streaming netflix, and listening to ipod and HD radio music.
Pros: Quality of sound and video output met my high expectations. (I'm biased toward Yamaha already FWIW). Surround fields are versatile & distinct. The enhancer modes are fantastic for low volume listening. Headphone listening is stellar. Config menus are straightforward. YPAO was easy to set up, though I wound up tweaking rear speaker adjustments up a bit as personal preference. The remote runs all our gear. I dusted off old concert and movie DVDs and this receiver makes them seem new again.
Cons: No macro mode on the remote to power everything on & off with one button. HD radio control is not intuitive. So far I haven't figured out if I can navigate a docked ipod's menus with my TV osd which would be nice.
Bottom line: I saved up and looked at a LOT of receivers before choosing this one, and I'm not disappointed at all. The RX-V863 is everything advertised and lives up to Yammy's top shelf reputation.

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The Yamaha RX-V863BL 7.2-channel digital home theater receiver delivers 735W powerful surround sound over 7 speakers (105W x 7).Full support for HD audio formats ensures maximum enjoyment of all high definition sources. Other advantages include full HD 1080p video upscaling with 3 HDMI inputs, an HD Radio tuner, as well as exclusive Yamaha features such as Pure Direct for the highest possible signal purity, YPAO sound optimization and 4 SCENE buttons for quick and easy browsing, selection, and automated setup of audio sources.

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Samsung HT-BD8200 Blu-Ray Sound Bar Home Theater System (Black) Review

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(More customer reviews)When my 10 year old projection TV finally died recently, it was finally a good enough reason to buy a flat panel TV. I ended up buying the Samsung UN55B6000 55" LED. Of course once I got it home it confirmed to me what I knew would be the case, the sound on flat panels isn't great. It's just hard to make speakers small enough for a flat panel that are big enough to be good.
So after all of my hunting, I found the HT-BD8200. I thought it would be perfect. I could get rid of the stack of stereo and AV components and replace them with this. In theory it can replace the Radio tuner, CD player, DVD player, Blu Ray player and receiver.
I received it, hooked it up and started admiring it (I discovered rather rudely that Samsung does not put an HDMI cable in the $800 box so had to go buy one). The wireless subwoofer is awesome and I was able to hide it out of view behind the couch. The unit itself looks like it was made for my TV. It's the same glossy black glass look with the red touch of color.
I had visions of wall mounting my TV with the HT-BD8200 wall mounted right under it (it comes with a wall mount kit).
The controls on the unit are super cool touch controls. No buttons, just symbols on the top of the disc drive area that light up. Just touch the glass over the control and a small beep lets you know it's activated.
It comes with a wifi adapter so that you can stream netflix, pandora, blockbuster etc. to it over your wifi network at home.
I could babble on forever about the cool things it does which is why it breaks my heart to have to list the bad things and ultimately why I had to return it.
Once I got over the thrill of having a new toy, I started to notice buggy behavior that makes me think Samsung rushed this out or cobbled it together without enough QA testing.
- "MODE NOT SUPPORTED"
Since I connected the unit to my TV with HDMI, it activated the Samsung "Anynet" feature which basically let's the TV and soundbar talk to each other and activate Samsung specific features. For example, when you put a disc in the soundbar, it'll automatically change the TV to the correct input and start playing the disc so that you don't have to go through the "source" menu on the TV. What I found was that from time to time I'd put a disc in the soundbar, it'd change the source on the TV but then the TV would just display "Mode Not Supported".
Nothing in the manual said anything about this error and a google search came up with a million unrelated postings about the error on various Samsung products. I was able to get around it by switching the HDMI cable to another port on the TV. When the error would come up again, I'd switch it back to the original port and it would work again. Pretty crappy for an $800 product.
- "Misbehaving Night Light"
Like my TV, the soundbar has a small accent light at the bottom of the center of the unit. You can set it to be on while the unit is on, off, or all the time. I set to to be on when the unit is on. When I went to bed I turned the unit off and the light went off. The next day when I came home from work the light was on and the unit was off. I checked the setting in the menus and it was still set to be off when the unit was off... but it was on. Annoying
- "Ghost in the machine"
The soundbar started to turn itself on by itself. The first time it happened I thought maybe I had left it on without realizing it. So I made it a point to verify it was off when I went out the next day and sure enough it was back on when I came back that night. I had to start leaving it set to an unused input before turning it off to make sure it wouldn't come on blasting the radio mid day or mid night.
- "Low Volume on TV"
The volume when watching movies or listening to CD's can reasonably loud. Don't get me wrong, you cannot ever go deaf listening to this unit on max volume because it just doensn't go that loud but watching TV, the max volume seems to be roughly one third lower than on movies. I found myself watching tv on maximum volume all the time. If it was loud outside or someone was making noise in another room, max wasn't loud enough.
I thought maybe the HDMI audio was the issue so I went and bought an Optical Cable (buy the AmazonBasics one, good price and decent quality). I hooked up the Optical cable to my TV and the result was exactly the same. I then hooked the optical cable directly to my cable box. Exactly the same. Nothing could make the soundbar louder while watching TV. The TV speakers themselves were often similar in volume or louder than the soundbar. The difference was that the soundbar had richer sound. Still not acceptable when the main reason I'm buying it is because I need more volume.
- "Anynet" annoyance
As this list grew and my patience thinned, I finally hit the last straw. I wanted to play a music CD while putting around the house. The TV and soundbar were off. I turned the soundbar on and dropped in a CD. The soundbar automatically activated the anynet feature, turned on the TV and switched to the HDMI input for the soundbar as if I was going to watch a movie. Apparently Samsung didn't bother programming the soundbar not to switch if it's an audio CD. "no big deal, turn off the TV" you say? I did... and Anynet promptly shut the soundbar off with the TV. ARRRRGH!
Could I just disable anynet? Sure! But losing a big chunk of functionality when I bought two Samsung products that are supposed to work together is unreasonable to me, especially when they are as expensive as these are.
So I resigned myself to thinking this was a defective unit and I'd give it another try. I boxed it up and sent it back to Amazon. I was ready to reorder a new one, but they weren't in stock. I decided this was a good thing as if mine was defective, hopefully I'd get a newer one from a newer batch.
I waited a couple of weeks and Amazon finally got them back in stock. I ordered another and it arrived. I connected it and found that only ONE of the issues above had gone away. The new unit didn't turn itself on by itself. All of the other issues were still there.
I finally had to give up and admit that this product is just not what I hoped for and the quality was not worth $800. I sent it back and am now looking for an alternative.

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Sony VAIO FW Series VGN-FW450J/H - Core 2 Duo T6500 / 2.1 GHz - Centrino - RAM 4 GB - HDD 320 GB - DVD?RW (?R DL) / DVD-RAM / BD-ROM - Mobility Radeon HD 4650 - Gigabit Ethernet - WLAN : 802.11 a/b/g/n (draft), Bluetooth 2.1 EDR - Vista Home Premium 64-bit - 16.4" Widescreen TFT 1600 x 900 - camera - titanium gray Review

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(More customer reviews)I'm not very computer savy. I own a Sony Vaio Desktop that has lasted me over 5 years, with only the power supply giving out. I figured it was time to buy a lap top and since Sony has yet to fail me, why not stick with Vaio. What drew me to this lap top in particular was the graphics card and blu ray player. Everything runs smoothly and the machine is wonderful. There are some minor issues with Windows Vista but if you buy a Vaio this year, you get a free upgrade to Windows 7, so it makes everything ok. I would recommend this product to anyone looking for a fine machine under 1k.

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Click here for more information about Sony VAIO FW Series VGN-FW450J/H - Core 2 Duo T6500 / 2.1 GHz - Centrino - RAM 4 GB - HDD 320 GB - DVDRW (R DL) / DVD-RAM / BD-ROM - Mobility Radeon HD 4650 - Gigabit Ethernet - WLAN : 802.11 a/b/g/n (draft), Bluetooth 2.1 EDR - Vista Home Premium 64-bit - 16.4" Widescreen TFT 1600 x 900 - camera - titanium gray

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Sony BDV-E580 Blu-Ray Disc Player Home Entertainment System (Black) Review

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(More customer reviews)I just purchased this system at Best Buy for around $500 last week and have to say, am pretty impressed. It's a bit more than I intended to spend but considering the upgrade from a garbage Samsung system I purchased no more than two years ago, this is hands down a massive upgrade. Since I spent about $300 on the Samsung unit, I really didn't expect much but a DVD player shouldn't stop working on you after less than 2 years of normal use. The piece of junk would automatically mute any DVD that it wanted to for no rhyme or reason. Some DVD's worked, most Netflix DVD's didn't. I would have to manually turn on and off the TV(!) while making sure the DVD player was still on (difficult because I use RF and all components are in a closet behind the TV) - and would have to do this multiple times. So after another failed attempt at watching a Netflix movie ("Knight & Day" - talk about waste of time), I got pissed and decide to buy another system.
First thing I noticed right off the bat was what I was missing in BluRay. Man, what a great picture and sound compared to normal DVD's - I bought "Inception" as my first BR DVD and it knocked my socks off! Sound was crystal clear, picture was amazing. Great movie to start the collection. But I digress, the Sony system was super easy to use, once I got the correct settings and speakers setup. My original setup was using two HDMI cables - one from the TV to the DVD player, the other from the TV to the DVR. For sound, I had an optical cable from DVR to the DVD/Surround Sound system. No more of that nonsense - after some odd hissing/echo sounds, I realized that there would be no need for the optical cable now. Just an HDMI cable from the TV to the DVR, then another HDMI from the DVR to the new Sony system. Viola! Sound is crystal clear, picture is still amazing. After watching my awful Mets and playoff Knick basketball, I am convinced that this was a great purchase. Add to the fact that Best Buy has a "no interest for 24 months" deal going on and I'm a very happy camper.

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Experience Full HD 1080p Blu-ray Disc movies and powerful 5.1 channel HD surround sound with the integrated Sony BDV-E580 3D Blu-ray Disc Home Theater System. Wirelessly stream movies, TV episodes, music and live sports events from Netflix, YouTube, HuluPlus, Pandora, and more. Enjoy even more entertainment using the included iPod /iPhone dock or by connecting additional HD devices using the two HDMI inputs. You can even turn your iPhone, iPad or compatible Android phone into a versatile remote control with search functionality.

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Sony VAIO FW Series VGN-FW460J/B - Core 2 Duo P7350 / 2 GHz - Centrino 2 - RAM 4 GB - HDD 320 GB - DVD?RW (?R DL) / DVD-RAM / BD-ROM - Mobility Radeon HD 4650 - Gigabit Ethernet - WLAN : 802.11 a/b/g/n (draft), Bluetooth 2.1 EDR - Vista Home Premium 64-bit - 16.4" Widescreen TFT 1600 x 900 - camera - black Review

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(More customer reviews)I purchased this notebook from Fry's on 9.25.09. I wanted a notebook with Blu-Ray as I have a player at home and over 100 discs. I wanted to be able to watch then on a notebook when I travel rather than dvd. I also wanted a gaming laptop to play some games on mainly Diablo 3 when it is released. The Blu-Ray playback is great and it looks good, obviously it's best when viewed on a huge hdtv, the smaller the screen size the less amazing it looks. The ATI graphics card is good not great I am able to run Bioshock at max settings but most other games are best at medium settings. The screen is big and perfect for movies as it's 16x9 and gaming as well. It's plenty fast and I am only using Vista Premium 64 as my Windows 7 will be shipped to me in the next few days according to Sony. Only complaints are price, you are paying for name brand so you may not get as much as the competition in terms of specs, but this is one sexy looking computer. The major problem for most would be the audio, it's just too damn low. Since I primarily use it with headphones it's fine as it's excellent when you use headphones. If you want to use it without I suggest getting an external speaker system to solve that problem. To sum it up if you are looking for a laptop with a big screen, Blu-Ray playback and able to play the occasional pc game this is definitely one laptop to consider.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Sony VAIO FW Series VGN-FW460J/B - Core 2 Duo P7350 / 2 GHz - Centrino 2 - RAM 4 GB - HDD 320 GB - DVDRW (R DL) / DVD-RAM / BD-ROM - Mobility Radeon HD 4650 - Gigabit Ethernet - WLAN : 802.11 a/b/g/n (draft), Bluetooth 2.1 EDR - Vista Home Premium 64-bit - 16.4" Widescreen TFT 1600 x 900 - camera - black

Click here for more information about Sony VAIO FW Series VGN-FW460J/B - Core 2 Duo P7350 / 2 GHz - Centrino 2 - RAM 4 GB - HDD 320 GB - DVDRW (R DL) / DVD-RAM / BD-ROM - Mobility Radeon HD 4650 - Gigabit Ethernet - WLAN : 802.11 a/b/g/n (draft), Bluetooth 2.1 EDR - Vista Home Premium 64-bit - 16.4" Widescreen TFT 1600 x 900 - camera - black

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Samsung HT-BD7200 Bluetooth Speaker Bar Home Theater System (Black) Review

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(More customer reviews)Okay, so first lets start with what has not been listed in the product listing:
Blu-ray Profile 2.0 compliant for playback of BD Live material on compatible discs(needs internet connection)
Upconverts DVDs selectable 480i/480p/720p/1080i/1080p output via HDMI
Plays Blu-ray discs, DVD-Video discs, DVD-RAM, DVD-Rs, DVD-RWs, DVD+Rs, & DVD+RWs
Plays CDs, audio CD-Rs, CD-RWs, CD+Rs, CD+RWs, & MP3 CDs
Plays digital picture CDs (JPEG) and DivX videos
Built-in decoding for Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby Digital True HD, DTS, and DTS-HD Master Audio (No DTS ES Discrete 6.1
DTS 96/24 DTS Neo 6)
3-channel amplifier (133 watts x 2 for front speakers, 134 watts for subwoofer)
Has a USB port for connecting an optional thumb drive or hard drive
Wi-Fi capable (needs optional USB adapter) and Ethernet port
Built-in support for Netflix movie and Pandora music services (you need to subscribe)
Has built-in iPod dock with audio, video, and iPhone support
Bluetooth-enabled (listen to your TV with a wireless Bluetooth headset)
No component or composite inputs
No coax input
No XM or AM radioSo, with all of these features, I can tell you that this is ok if you have a small space and no children. The finish is very glossy and shows every bit of dust and fingerprints and likely will easily scratch. The sound is a bit lacking when compared to a a true 7.1 system with a good (Onkyo) receiver. So, even though this decodes DTS-HD as well as DD True HD, it's kind of useless with this system. While it will decode those, you will not really get to appreciate it. Also, the sub is a bit weak. You have a 3 channel amp to run 2 speakers and the sub. So, if you simply do not have the room and you have to worry about neighbors, this is an okay system. I was thinking about giving this 4 stars, but after all, you can do better without spending that much more.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Samsung HT-BD7200 Bluetooth Speaker Bar Home Theater System (Black)

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