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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Dolby TrueHD, dts-HD MA and Dolby ProLogic IIz decording, Audessey MultEQ&Dynamic Volume, Color GUI, Analog to HDMI scalling, Marantz MX-Port for Bluetooth transmission for iPhone/Mobile, M-DAX compressed audio expander

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ViewSonic PGD-150 Active Stereographic 3D Shutter Glasses for ViewSonic DLP Link 120 Hz/3D Ready Projectors, Black Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I intended to simply review the Viewsonic 3D DLP Link glasses, but I thought I would also share some things I needed to do to get my system setup to display 3D material.
I have a 2008 model Mitsubishi WD 65735 DLP television. In order to watch 3D programming there are a number of options that one can choose, each one of which requires a different type of setup. The "3D ready" TVs that Mitsubishi sold in 2008 (and a couple of other years) require the 3D signal to be formatted in what is called "checkerboard" format. This is one of three or four different methods in which 3D video might be formatted. I wanted to be able to view 3D video that is provided both by my cable provider (Brighthouse) as well as 3D video that is gradually becoming available on Blu Ray disks. Unfortunately, this required two different approaches to make the 3D source material compatible with the checkerboard format required by my Mitsubishi television.
1. The easy part - 3D video via Blu Ray disks: In order to view Blu Ray disks on my model Mitsubishi DLP television, I needed a 3D capable Blu Ray player that would output a 3D signal in the checkerboard format required my Mitsubishi. Panasonic makes three models of players that specifically support this format (the BDT 350, BDT 300 and the BDT 100 and its private model variations such as the BDT 105 and BDT 107. I chose the BDT 100 because it was the least expensive and still met all my connectivity needs. To set up the components to watch a 3D video, all I needed to do was to connect the player via HDMI, set the Mitsubishi to 3D mode in the setup menu, and set the Panasonic player to output 3D in checkerboard format via its setup menu. If you are using the Viewsonic 3D glasses, you can set the polarity in either the normal or the reverse mode in the television 3D setup menu because these glasses have the ability to switch polarity by simply pressing the power button once they are turned on and viewing a 3D image. You can tell which mode is correct simply by looking at the picture. If the polarity is not set correctly, the 3D image will look flat and somewhat blurry. Simply press the power button on the glasses a couple of times and to see what looks best. It will be pretty obvious
(NOTE: I discovered that it is critical to set the Mitsubishi in 3D mode BEFORE you choose the HDMI input through which the BluRay player is connected to the television or before you turn the player on. This is because the Blu Ray player communicates with the TV to determine whether or not it (the TV) is capable of playing 3D videos. If this communication occurs before you set the TV to 3D mode, the player will think that the TV is not capable of displaying a 3D image and will only play the video in 2D format. If this happens, turn the player off, set the TV to 3D mode, and then turn the player back on so the "handshaking" between the two occurs again. (You will not want to set the TV to 3D mode and keep it there, because when you watch 2D source material with the TV in 3D mode, the picture will look washed out and less bright.)
Once this is all done, start the video, power on the glasses, check the polarity and you will be enjoying great 3D video. There is no external emitter required with the Viewsonic glasses as the glasses automatically synch up with the TV using a burst of light that the TV produces This is what the "DLP Link" technology does and why these glasses will only work with at DLP television.
2. The harder part -- watching 3D video via cable: Although my cable provider does have a limited selection of 3D video available, the format it provides the signal in is not the checkerboard format required by the Mitsubishi television. To view this content, I had to buy the $99 Mitsubishi 3DA-1 adaptor. This adaptor converts a variety of other types of 3D signals to the checkerboard format required by the television. I did not buy the Mitsubishi starter pack (which also contains 2 pairs of glasses) because the starter pack with two pairs of glasses cost more than buying adaptor alone and three pairs of the Viewsonic glasses. Also, the starter pack does not use the DLP Link technology for the glasses. It uses "active 3d" glasses which require a separate emitter (which is included in the starter pack). While there are pros and cons to the different approaches, I chose the DLP Link approach because it is not possible to disable the DLP Link burst of light on the Mitsubishi television. This burst of light is not visible when using DLP Link glasses, but it has been reported that when using active 3D glasses (which do not require this burst to operate), the resulting picture looks more washed out because of it.
The adaptor is not hard to hook up, but it is certainly more complicated to get working correctly than is the Blu Ray player. This is because you have to set the adaptor for the particular format that your source material is being provided in (which can vary depending on the service provider) in order for it to be properly decoded into the checkerboard format that the TV requires. Once you have it set up and working however, the 3D picture quality is excellent as well.
This was supposed to be a review of the glasses so here it is: The glasses work great. They are reasonably comfortable and will work on top of regular glasses. While a 3D picture will always be less bright than the comparable 2D picture, I did not find the reduction in brightness at all objectionable. The 3D image is as good as the movie theater experience.
There are a couple of cons to these glasses. The first is that you may want to dim or eliminate any lighting behind you as it can result in an annoying reflection in the glasses. The second is that these glasses are not rechargeable. There is a second set of batteries provided with the glasses, but because they are button cells, you won't simply be able to replace the batteries with ones you may have around the house. The batteries are supposed to last about 70 hours, but I haven't had the glasses long enough to verify this. The glasses do turn off automatically, which should maximize battery life, however. Also, DLP link glasses are prone to displaying what has been called a "rainbow" effect when viewing bright backgrounds. I did notice this effect in certain scenes, but I did not find it very distracting, and if I hadn't been looking for it, I might not have noticed it. Finally, the glasses are "industrial strength" (the instructions make reference to them being used in classroom settings). While this may make them durable, they also don't fold up like regular eyewear, which makes them a little difficult to store.
Overall, I am very pleased with them. They are among the most inexpensive of the 3D glasses and work as advertised. I will be buying a couple of more sets so that I can enjoy 3D movies with company.

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The PGD-150 Active Stereographic 3D shutter glasses open new worlds of immersive learning possibilities. Molded in durable plastic, these glasses also feature water and dust proof design. Long lasting lithium batteries provide for up to 70 hours of usage before replacement. The three different sizes of custom interchangeable nose pieces guarantee a comfortable fit for each user.

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Sony DVPFX810 8-Inch Portable DVD Player, Black Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Review for the Sony DVP-FX810. Primary use: Aboard our boat and used
with second 13" flat screen.
Well, like most people we've all been looking at these portable DVD
players for years. Remember when they were 400-500 dollars or more? Now
we have a large selection available for far less. The Sony weighs in at
a bit under 200 dollars. If you read the reviews on these players,
you'll generally see some happy users and an almost universal amount of
folks whose units went belly up fairly soon. Here's the bottom line. Just about ALL of these players are built
cheaply. Speaking to a friend and a large retailer, I learned that
almost all see a fair amount of returns, including the pricier units.
No matter which unit you buy BE SURE to buy an extended warranty so you
can get a replacement if it dies. Now....on to the Sony. This unit appears to be better built than most
of the others. It has a solid feel and the screen hinge is more robust
than others. The unit is slim, black and looks more like a 400 dollar
unit when sitting next to entries from Toshiba or Magnavox. The screen
rotates 180 degrees in one direction and will fold back flat against
the unit creating a tablet type player/viewer. This is perfect for
headrest or wall hanging, but Sony has made no provision for this so
you'll need to improvise. Screen quality: Well....here's the meat and potatoes. Based on my many
years of audio and video usage on the higher end of the market, I'd say
the FX810 has average video quality, which is to say less than
stunning. Viewing the screen dead on makes for poor viewing. Tilt the
screen a bit and you get a more contrasty effect. Resolution is
passable, but nothing to write home about. Frankly, none of the small
screens are very impressive and offer less detail than a good notebook
computer. Still, the image is "just fine" for it's intended purpose and
watching a movie is no problem. Color and hue have that less than
accurate LCD look, but again, quite passable as entertainment. Sound quality: Pretty weak, as on every one of these units without
exception. A pair of headphones or even cheap external powered speakers
will help a lot. This is not a flaw, but a limitation due to the size
of the player. Sony did what they could with some very tiny speakers. Battery life: WOW! Sony's battery is a killer and ran my unit for two
whole movies, well beyond 4 hours and had power to spare. This may be
the best on the market in this regard. Charge times are somewhat long,
taking nearly five hours. The unit will charge while playing as well
and will work off the included AC adapter or 12 volt cigarette lighter
plug. Feature set: This is a pretty basic unit. It won't play DTS tracks and
it has only composite out. I feel that without S-Video and progressive
scan, Sony has focused on making this a more solid unit in other areas,
such as overall build quality. The FX810 ships with a remote that is
full size. It's a bit odd to have such a clunky remote for a portable
DVD player, but it's easier to use and won't have you hunting for
little odd batteries used by the credit card remotes. Video in/out
plugs are included with RCA's to connect to a TV. You can also send in
a video game or video camera signal in. A single switch toggles between
AV in/out. Another Bottom Line: Do YOU really need one of these? I have a DVD
player with 7.1 dolby in my van, but I wanted a small player for my 35
foot sailboat that could also feed a larger 13" screen. This fits the
bill. Features like progressive scan would be a waste on something like
this. The long battery life is nice and folks who fly a lot will
certainly appreciate that. If Sony makes a version with a 10" screen,
higher resolution and keeps the battery life they'll see quite a few
sales. In the end I still feel this is one of the better units, if not
the biggest, around. For under 200.00 it's fun and cheap, but looks
pricey. Just spend a few dollars more on the warranty and you'll be
good to go! Capt RB
35s5
NY

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Sony's DVP-FX810 8 Widescreen LCD boasts a rugged design with sophisticated features! The swivel and flip screen offers multiple viewing angle options whether you are in a car, train or plane, or at the beach. Watch a regular full-length movie with its up to 5 1/2 hour battery capacity (battery life may vary depending on usage conditions) or plug in the supplied car adapter for extended viewing.Includes remote control, batteries for remote, owners manual, AV cable, rechargeable battery pack, AC cdaptor, car battery charger, AV cable.

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Coby DVD-224 Compact DVD Player (Black) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I wanted to be able to watch DVDs from the UK that weren't available in NTSC. So far the Coby has handled everything I've put in it with no trouble. It impressed a friend so much he got one too.
I'm not expecting it to last forever - it is a mega-cheapie after all - but at this price, I can buy a new one every year, and consider it worth it. I haven't found any other box that does multi-region with on-the-fly PAL/NTSC conversion at any price.
UPDATE - I've had my Coby for two years now, and it is still working fine. I have found some commercial DVDs don't play well in it, but it is a fault of the DVD manufacturer, not the player (I work in the industry). Basically, Technicolor don't test for compatability with the software codec used in this box, and frequently the only way to play DVDs duplicated by Technicolor is to go to the Select Scene menu and pick the first scene. It plays fine from there. This affects many cheaper DVD players, who all use the same software codec.

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Forget thinking outside the box--now you can stop worrying about the box altogether. Coby's DVD-224 is about the size of a hardcover book, so whether you're ferrying the player between the kitchen and the bedroom or hooking it up for periodic use by the kids, the DVD-224's small size permits enjoyment of DVD programs and music CDs in just about any room you want. While not portable in the traditional sense--the unit has no screen and requires AC power--the DVD-224 is much easier to move around, set-up, and use than a traditional component DVD player.It handles not only your DVD-Videos (both NTSC- and PAL-formatted discs, depending on your TV), but it plays your music, too--everything from standard CDs to home-burned CD-Rs, CD-RWs, and MP3-encoded CDs. Further, you can load a disc brimming with digital photos for custom slide shows in the comfort of your home theater.An onscreen display simplifies setup and operation, and the unit comes with a compact, full-function remote control. Other features include parental controls (with PIN lock), frame-by-frame slow motion, picture zoom (2x, 4x), and multiple-angle viewing (with applicable discs).Like to travel? The DVD-224 won't hog space in your bag, and an auto-switching universal power supply handles inputs from AC 110 to 220 volts (50/60 Hz) for use in most countries. Accordingly, the unit's onscreen display offers a choice of 5 setup languages: English, Spanish, French, German, and Italian.A composite-video output ensures compatibility with nearly any television and many newer computer monitors. Both Dolby Digital and DTS 5.1-channel surround-sound signals can be routed through the player's digital-audio outputs (choose from either optical or coaxial) for direct connection to a full-featured audio/video receiver. A set of standard left/right RCA analog outputs simplifies hookup with traditional integrated amplifiers and most televisions.What's in the Box DVD player, remote control, remote batteries, a user's manual, and a stereo analog audio interconnect/composite-video cable.

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PowerDVD 10 Ultra 3D Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I have PowerDVD 5, which is great. I only got PowerDVD 10 Ultra 3D because 5 doesn't work well on Windows 7 and I wanted a PowerDVD version that supports Blu-ray playback. If you download the trial version you'll see all the interface problems this version has. Why should a $100 program have interface problems? Version 5 didn't and never cost this much. If you buy the full version of PowerDVD 10 Ultra 3D you can download the patch which fixes most of the interface problems, but not all. I agree that there's toooooo much commercialism packed into this program. It can be very annoying. The True Theater Video gives the picture quality more detail and it plays Blu-ray but the 3D feature won't work on regular computer monitors. The True Theater Audio gives the sound more clarity and is a very nice addition to the program, but as far as I can tell, they haven't improved upon it enough to warrant the high price tag. I wouldn't have bought this if I hadn't been able to get it at a much lower price.
If you have Windows XP or Windows Vista, don't have a Blu-ray drive, and don't plan on upgrading to Windows 7, get PowerDVD 5. It's way better and way cheaper and no commercialism. PowerDVD has definitely gone down the hill since version 5. I like PowerDVD 10 Ultra 3D but if you're gonna get a program this expensive, it has to be FANTASTIC, not just OK.

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CyberLink's most advanced movie and media player to date, PowerDVD 10 Ultra 3D delivers 3D and HD movies on the PC. PowerDVD 10 is a unique universal player that offers the best playback quality available. Whether it is 3D movie content, captured home videos, or your digital music files, PowerDVD 10 lets you access them all from the same convenient player software, enhancing your experience in all kinds of new ways.


The Universal Player for Upgrading Your Media Experience to 3D and HD
Brilliant Blu-ray
Experience Blu-ray movies the way that only PowerDVD 10 can offer: simply unbeatable quality. Optimized for the latest hardware acceleration technologies from Intel, NVIDIA, and AMD, PowerDVD ensures smoother movie performance. PowerDVD 10 launches your Blu-ray movies up to four times faster, too.

Blu-ray 3D*
Seeing is believing the kind of life-like imagery that Blu-ray 3D* can deliver, and PowerDVD 10 brings it to life on your PC. Offering the best-quality 3D movie experience possible, PowerDVD is compatible with the full range of 3D hardware on the market, including glasses, graphics cards, and monitors.
* Notice of Free Mark II Upgrade: Consumers who purchase PowerDVD 10 Ultra 3D will receive a FREE UPGRADE that enables support of the Blu-ray 3D format and 2D to 3D conversion of video files. Available summer 2010.

Play DVDs in 3D
Give your existing movie collection a new look and feel. PowerDVD 10 makes it easy to convert regular DVD movies into a spectacular 3D experience thanks to its advanced TrueTheater 3D technology. It's easy, too. With the simple click of a button, PowerDVD 10 transforms your favorite 2D movies into 3D. You can also customize the 3D effect by adjusting the depth slider. PowerDVD 10 takes you to new heights of visual excellence for standard DVD content.

Upscale DVDs and Videos to HD
Enjoy better movie playback quality for both your DVDs and video files with TrueTheater HD upscaling technology. PowerDVD 10 lets you output to an HDTV in a quality that looks noticeably sharper and clearer. Optimization for hardware acceleration ensures even smoother results.
Browse Titles and Chapters by Touch
Make your DVD searches more exciting with FancyView, an animated browsing mode for your DVD titles. Enjoy a unique perspective when browsing for movie titles, chapters, and special features.
Get a preview of chapters for those DVDs you've watched with PowerDVD's "flashback" thumbnails. FancyView supports touch technology so you can flick through movie chapters with your fingertips too.

Better Video Playback
Enhance your home videos during real-time playback with PowerDVD 10's TrueTheater Noise Reduction and TrueTheater Stabilizer. Simply select TrueTheater Noise Reduction to remove any "visual noise" from grainy videos, to give a much clearer, artifact-free picture. Apply TrueTheater Stabilizer to fix the shakiness in videos that often occurs when you take handheld camcorder shots. As a universal player, PowerDVD now plays even more formats, gives you access to online movie trailers via MoovieLive, and lets you upload files to YouTube.
Home Theater Music
Supporting the latest music library features of Windows 7, PowerDVD 10 makes it even easier to listen to music from the player you use to enjoy your movies. Create playlists of favorite tunes. Use TrueTheater Surround technology to optimize your audio for home theater and PC hardware. Sounds great!
High-Definition Audio
PowerDVD 10 lets your ears enjoy the ultimate movie experience too, with support for high-definition audio formats from Dolby Digital and DTS. Support for HDMI 1.3a delivers the purity of lossless HD audio via a single convenient cable to your home theater system.

Movie Reviews & Live Comments
Create movie reviews that other users can read and play using PowerDVD 10. MovieMarks combine bookmarks and review comments and can be shared online via MoovieLive.com. Meanwhile, Live Comments let you post your opinions to Facebook, Twitter, and MoovieLive while your movie is playing.

Key Features:
Universal movie and media player delivers 3D and HD movies on the PC
Offers the best playback quality available for 3D movie content, captured home videos, digital music files, and more
Delivers the smoothest Blu-ray playback; optimized for leading CPU/GPU technologies from Intel, AMD, and NVIDIA
Experience Blu-ray movies; optimized for the latest hardware-acceleration technologies
TrueTheater technology transforms 2D movies into a spectacular 3D experience
Compatible with full range of 3D hardware, including glasses, graphics cards, and monitors
Upscale DVDs and video files to HD quality with TrueTheater HD technology
Browse DVD titles by touch with animated browsing mode
Enhance home videos during real-time playback with TrueTheater Noise Reduction and TrueTheater Stabilizer
TrueTheater Surround optimizes audio for home theater and PC hardware
Create movie reviews and live comments that can be shared with others

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Samsung DVD-V9800 Tunerless 1080p Upconverting VHS Combo DVD Player Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Everything written about this unit in the other reviews is accurate. The combo player/recorder is an excellent example of a dying breed, is well crafted, and (I presume) performs to expectations. So why only 3 stars? Because no where in the description was the most important factor, that the V9800 is TUNERLESS. It must be used with another tuner source...like a set top box. Interestingly, I get cable from Time Warner through regular, in the wall, coax and all three of my HDTV's (Sony Bravia and 2 Sharps) have provisions for coax input. With separate DVD players and "traditional" VCR's this is no problem. Unfortunately I have not found any of the current combo players accepting of coax input for the VCR.
If you receive cable through a set top box this unit would be fine, and for under a $100 represents a nice value for the quality of build. My real gripe is with amazon for not being more diligent in spec'ing technical products that they sell. So 5 stars for Samsung and 0 stars for the amazonians!

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This versatile unit plays both DVD discs and VHS tapes, delivering crisp pictures and high-quality sound. Samsung's DVD-V9800 includes a 4-head Hi-Fi VCR with the added visual clarity of progressive scan output and allows MP3, JPEG and WMA playback.

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VIZIO VBR110 High Definition Blu-Ray Player with HDMI Cable, Black Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I have owned several Vizio TV's and have always been impressed with the quality, given the price point. I just saw this model of Blu-Ray on Black Friday, and given the incredible price at Costxx, I went for it.
I found out in the next couple weeks that it would play an older Blu-Ray release beautifully, but couldn't play two new release titles.
Tech support was very easy to work with and ended up recommending I replace the unit. While being skeptical, given the pattern of behavior, I complied and found that the new unit played the previously unplayable releases just fine.
So, an initial bad unit, but good customer service (both Vizio and the retailer) made this a small inconvenience and I'm very happy -- again, keeping in mind the price that I paid.
Also, note that this unit seems to load discs very quickly - something that is worth noting as a differentiator between competitors. Standard def discs were even faster...a plus in my book

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Maximize your High Definition experience by adding the VIZIO VBR110 High Definition Blu-Ray Player to your home theater. Featuring full 1080p High Definition playback, the VBR110 brings razor sharp images right into your living room, and with its 7.1 digital audio with built-in Dolby Digital via HDMI is sure to provide the sound experience that you, the home theater enthusiast, is looking for. In addition, he VBR110 is not limited to Blu-ray disc. Your current collection of DVDs can join in on the fun as the VBR110 is compatible and will upconvert DVDs to a higher resolution that better fits your screen. It is also ready to go, right out of the box with the included HDMI cable delivering the best picture quality and sound in a single connection. The VIZIO VBR110 truly gives you a whole new reason to watch those classics all over again.

Technical Specifications
Compatibility Add full 1080p high definition playback to your home theater experience. View larger.

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