Logitech Harmony 510 Advanced Universal Remote Control Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)My biggest problem was I had both a DVD player and A Blu-Ray player. I couldn't find a universal remote that would operate both, and most of them wouldn't operate my Blu-Ray at all. I knew that the Logitech remotes would, but I was hessitant to buy one because of the bad reviews that other harmony's have gotten. I haven't had this remote a long time but so far I've had no trouble.
The 510 not only operates both my DVD and my Blu-Ray independently, but has the ability to control all of the buttons that are on the original remotes. Thus making it so I don't have to go looking for my original remotes because I might find my self needing a key that this one won't perform. I'm now able to store away my other remotes.
Set up was actually easier than expected but still took a while. This is my fault. If you know how you want things set up it's fast and easy. The key is to make up your mind before you start. And, once you get esed to it navigation is quite simple.
However I do have three things I don't like about it.
1. It can only control 5 devices. Fortunatly for me I only need one that controlls 5. But, if i have to add another device, I'm stuck. I didn't get the one that controls more because I've read about too much trouble.
2. I don't care for the ergonomics. There's nothing wrong with the shape until you get to the bottom of the remote. There are four open buttons that can be assigned however you want. But, I need to use both hands to push them without the remote falling out of my hands. Now, even though this is trivial. it's still an issue
3. The help button. This is nice. It is used when something didn't work properly. When you push it. The remote will ask you a series of questions, and then fix the problem. Sounds simple enough, So what's the problem? The problem is I have to use it way too much. This remote would be most effective if it would do all that it should without needing to innitiate correction.
Over-all it's a great remote. And, even though it's not perfect, it's still the best remote I've ever had. But, because I believe there is still room for improvement I'm only giving it 4 stars instead of 5. But really it should be 4 and a half.

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Logitech Harmony 510 Advanced Universal Remote 915-000082 Universal Remote Controls

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Sony HTSS360 5.1 channel Home Theater System (Black) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I own a new 40" Sony Bravia LCD that I hooked this system up to. I was very impressed with its sound and its wide range of features for the price! However, there were a couple areas that I feel need to be addressed.
PROS:
- Excellent sound, especially the Movie DCS mode which adds a ton of depth to any movie
- Easy setup
- Excellent integration with a Sony TV. I can fully control my LCD from the receiver remote after hooking up the HDMI cables.
- Full HDMI switching makes initial connection and switching between sources a snap. I can switch between cable and my PS3 with 1 button.
- Wide range of format handling, including Linear PCM.
- Wide range of sound modes.
- No color distortion issues when switching between HDMI sources. This seemed to be a problem in older models.
CONS:
- I found the bass to be a little lacking due to the fact that the subwoofer is passive. I swapped the included one out with this: Yamaha YST-SW216BL Advanced YST II Front-Firing Active Subwoofer and it brought the sound to a whole new level!
- Uses proprietary speaker wire connections. Sony makes it very hard to swap the subwoofer like I described previously because the receiver uses proprietary plugs for the speakers instead of generic speaker wire attachments. The system comes with 4 thin speaker wires with plugs to the receiver on one end, and bare wire on the other to hook up to the satellite speakers. However, the subwoofer's is HARD WIRED, so it can't be detached at all. What's worse is that Sony only sells their speaker wires in packs of 5, for a whopping $55.
To use my new subwoofer, I simply found an aftermarket plug with a small length of wire on eBay, spliced it with some standard 18 gauge wire of my own and hooked it up to my new sub. Voila, it worked like a charm.
OVERALL:
Out of the box, the system is a solid 4/5. With a powered subwoofer and a little bit of handiwork to get around Sony's greed, it can be improved to 5/5.

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Take advantage of the advanced audio capabilities of Blu-ray Disc movies with this dynamic surround sound system. The HT-SS360 features a sleek, slim receiver with all you need to enjoy the dramatic sound quality you crave. A perfect complement to your Blu-ray player and advanced gaming platforms, this you'll appreciate this system's simplicity in set-up and connectivity. Three HDMI inputs are included for connecting HD sources with a single cable and directly accessing them through the remote control. One-button control is also available with BRAVIA Sync technology, maintaining the proper settings for each component and allowing you to focus on the entertainment.

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Sony DVP-FX930 9-Inch Portable DVD Player, Black Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I had been looking at the previous Sony model that had over 300 reviews and CNET had it as their choice in the portable DVD products in the 7"-10" screen sizes.
I am very please with the latest Sony model, what has changed is they made the screen an inch larger and placed touch buttons on the newer model. This FX 930 looks more modern, sleek although it is a little larger.
I am very pleased as I have played various DVD's, using full and normal settings that you can select for wide or standard screen formats. I have played many CD's from the actual artists to my own made CD's at home and played music files from my PC and taken along photos like a photo album when I want to share or have those close to me with me so to speak when traveling.
Sound is fine for the little speakers but 99% of the time I use really good headphones and you get two jacks so you can share when sitting with someone on a plane, train, or in the car as long as you are not driving. Had to toss that in! ;)
It is not too heavy compared to many, certainly much less than a laptop and still small enough screen size to know you are not luggin around a laptop. Battery life is standard, I have it run out yet but have not been on pure battery for 6 hours yet either. I try to have it plugged in most of the time during use and for the car you get a car charger included in the box.
Being it is smaller it makes it more mobile for your travels whether local or abroad.
I have been using this item non-stop almost without any issues. Could it be improved, yes, almost any product can be and as with any electronics they seem to improve with almost each iteration.
With this said, you can save $30-$40 by buying the previous model. It is an inch smaller but the screen resolution is the same and many of the features are almost identical.
Take it for a test drive and remember you've got 30 days to test it and if it is not what you like or expect, return it and try another, but choices on these products are quite limited since many use their PSP, iPhone, or iPods to watch movies/videos etc.

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Enjoy sharp, crisp images with the high-resolution Sony DVP-FX930 stylish portable DVD player. The DVP-FX930 features a nine-inch (diag.) screen and six hours of battery life, allowing you to watch your movies from virtually anywhere for an extended period of time. Convenient touch-screen keys and a 180-degree swivel and flip screen make it easy to operate and watch your favorite movies.

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