Popcorn Hour C-200 Networked Media Tank (Black) Review

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(More customer reviews)BUYER BEWARE!!! I bought the C-200 back in December 2009, it worked well for a while but died in August 2010, I had to send it back to popconhour for a new motherboard :( The device does play everything you throw at it and is faily versatile in that it can take an optional bluray drive and more internal store etc. Unfortunately it is an ugly addition to a home theatre setup. There is no offical support that I can see, most of the problems people have with playback seem to be addressed with firmware updates. It is NOT worth the price, there are many alternactive devices available now which do just as good a job, WDTV, PlayOn, ASROCK ION 330 etc. Trust me, it is a hassle to keep this thing working well. The forums over on networkedmediatank shows many uswers having problems which are NEVER resolved. Best steer clear of this box and all other popcornhour devices folks.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Popcorn Hour C-200 Networked Media Tank (Black)

It's Time to Unleash Your TVThe Popcorn Hour C-200 is the most powerful and versatile Networked Media Tank yet. It\'s blazing-fast processor, Blu-ray capability and storage options make the C-200 an ideal addition to your home theater or high-definition entertainment system. All Your Media in One BoxWith Popcorn Hour you can stream or playback digital media content from a variety of sources, such as your PC, network-attached storage, digital camera or USB storage (flash drive, hard disk, and DVD drive). Popcorn Hour also makes it easy to download and stream content directly from popular Internet sites like SHOUTcast\' Radio, Blip.tv, Revision 3 and dozens of others. Popcorn Hour even has a built-in download utility, eliminating the need to rely on your PC to download files from the Internet.Expand Your Possibilities\' The C-200 includes the most expansion options with a total of 5 USB ports and 2 SATA ports for all your storage needs.\' You can add a Blu-ray drive** to turn your Popcorn Hour C-200 into a full-featured Blu-ray player.\' You can add a hard drive to create a central library of all your digital media files, ready to play on your HDTV at any time.**Requires at least 1GB storage space (USB or Hard Disk) for full playback.

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Logitech Z680 5.1 Computer Speakers (5-Speaker, Silver) Review

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(More customer reviews)I have wanted to go digital for long time. My Logitech Z-5300 was an amazing set of speakers, however its lack of digital inputs/outputs isolated its potential to the home PC. Finally, the price of the Logitech Z-680 dropped to an affordable price.
I sold my Z-5300s to another student in my dorm, and purchased the Z-680 from Amazon.com. Amazingly, I received the set within 2 business days via UPS Ground. Needless to say, I am immensely satisfied with Amazon.com.
Thankfully, I had recently purchased a Philips DVP642 player as well, and after reading that the video coaxial RCA cable was the same as the digital audio coaxial, I was all set and ready to go.
So far, I have tested the DVDs Matrix: Revolutions and Lord of the Rings, The Return of the King. I was amazed by the quality of the sound. However, I agreed with the other reviewers that the bass was a bit boomy, especially in Matrix Revolutions. This can be easily remedied by lowering the level of the subwoofer.
When playing my DivX encoded AC3 movies, I saw that changing to Dolby Movie Mode 2 was almost the same as having true Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound. It did an excellent job of separating the audio tracks among the voice, music, and sound effects.
Edit 9/25/04: Please read my latest update which explains the difference between Dolby Prologic Decoding and Dolby Digital 5.1. Knowledge is Power!
I have yet to hook my Z-680s to my home PC, but there was very little hiss while my set was hooked up to my DVD player. The hiss was certainly not loud enough to warrant annoyance or disturbance.
Update 9/06/04:
I hooked the system up to my PC via coaxial s/pdif. There is no hiss at all. However, when using the analog connections, there was a very noticeable hiss. I could even hear it 3-4 feet away, which became very irritating.
Trust me, if you buy the Z-680s, do yourself a favor and use the coaxial connection. You won't regret it. I have decided to leave the Z-680s as my personal home theatre system as opposed to hooking them up to my PC.
Last note: the Philips DVP642 is the perfect complement to the Logitech Z-680s. You cannot go wrong with them. Having the two items has been a blast.
Update 9/16/04:
Still loving the Z-680s. I have it hooked up to my suitemate's Xbox, TV, and the Philips DVP 642. Since the Xbox and TV both use analog inputs, I used the handy RCA to 1/8 converter included with the Z-680s. I also purchased a 1/8 splitter. I am considering purchasing the Xbox Advanced AV Pack to utilize the optical connection on the Z-680.
Warning: the subwoofer has become ridiculous...after breaking in the speakers for two weeks, normal levels of bass not only shake my whole 5th floor, but the 3rd, 4th, 6th, and 7th floors-no kidding! Surprisingly, the 4th and 6th floors received the most impact--those vibrations go a loooong way! Remember, if you buy this unit, keep the bass at 20%, unless you are watching Star Wars...then pump it up!
Update 9/25/04:
There have been claims that Logitech has been falsely advertising their product as having true Dolby Digital 5.1 when allegedly, they only had Dolby Prologic II decoding.
Now, there is a big difference between the two. The Dolby Prologic decoding technology has been around for a looooong time; I can remember it since 1991 when my family purchased our first home audio set. Dolby Prologic takes stereo channels and converts them into a surround sound environment--to good effect, but nonetheless hardly comparable to true Dolby Digital 5.1, a more recent technology which directs its sound with far greater accuracy to all six channels, frequency, clear separation of effects and dialog, and clarity than Dolby Prologic.
I too, became a concerned consumer after hearing these rumors on forums and consumer reviews on Newegg and here on Amazon. My product box did not dictate clearly whether it had one decoder or the other or both, so I decided to call a Logitech technician. Thankfully, the the Z-680s came equipped with the ability to decode both Dolby Digital 5.1 and Dolby Prologic II.
So when you are playing a DVD you should see "Dolby Digital" appear on the LCD screen of the Digital SoundTouch Control Center. The Dolby Music/Movie Mode that you see when you are playing mp3s or watching a DivX movie is the Dolby Prologic II decoder at work and works very well to its credit.
In a side note, screw Dolby Digital and stick to DTS, the other digital surround sound option the Logitech Z-680 offers, when playing DVDs if the option is available. I have had a greater experience with DTS 5.1 decoding with the Z-680s in the 10 movies I have watched in comparison to Dolby Digital 5.1. DTS makes great use of the surround sound even in movies such as Zoolander [which otherwise makes very little directional use of the rear speakers]. Even my five suitemates agree that DTS has a richer, fuller sound and because of the variety of DVDs we watch during the weekends, it is difficult to say that we are influenced by placebo. There IS a difference :-).
New Setup:
Analog Input - from T.V. & Playstation 2 with stereo splitter
Optical Digital Input - from Xbox
Coaxial Digital Input- from Philips DVP642 DVD Player
Update 10/05/04:
Here is a brief comparison between Dolby Pro-Logic II and Dolby Digital 5.1 using two selected movies:
Dolby Movie Mode with DivX encoded movie Man on Fire:
Voice/Dialogue - mostly center channel with slight residual sound from front left/right speakers.
Music/Score - Evenly divided among front and rear left/right speakers
Sound Effects - Non-directional, evenly distributed. During the gun fight scene when the girl is kidnapped, Pro-Logic II simulates a surround sound effect of gun-fire, making it multi-directional.
Dolby Digital 5.1 for Man on Fire DVD collector's edition:
Voice/Dialogue - Isolated to center channel
Music/Score - Directional music: fades from front to rear speakers or vice versa, varying from scene to scene.
Sound Effects - Directional. Isolated use of rear speakers from rear left to rear right when cars drive by. During the gun scene mentioned above, distinct sounds of bullets "whizzed by" from front right to rear left speakers.
Dolby Movie Mode with DivX encoded movie Star Wars Phantom Menace:
Voice/Dialogue - mostly center channel with slight residual sound from front left/right speakers.
Music/Score - Evenly divided among front and rear left/right speakers
Sound Effects - Non-directional, evenly distributed. Surround sound lightsaber effects can be overpowering as a "large hum" especially with the Z-680's powerful subwoofer.
Dolby Digital 5.1 for Star Wars Phantom Menace DVD:
Voice/Dialogue - Isolated to center channel except in large rooms, echoes can be heard in surround speakers.
Music/Score - Directional music: fades from front to rear speakers and vice versa varying in scenes.
Sound Effects - Directional. Spaceship travel from rear left to front right. Close-up light saber swings begin from rear left and travel to front left, front right, and ends with the rear right speaker.
Update 10-24-05:
OMG! I finally got AC3 to work-but I don't know how! Well, I was playing the Casshern DVD back-up encoded with XVID and AC3. I didn't expect the AC3 to work, so I set the audio effect to Movie Mode. However, I suddenly was hearing discrete audio from my surround sound channels. Bewildered, I went up and listened closely to the center channel, and then the front left channel. Hmmm, either I was having a really good Prologic decode or this was playing in Dolby Digital! I glanced at my control pod and I couldn't believe my eyes--it stated it was decoding in Dolby Digital! Wow! Now I am going to check on all of my AC3 encodes...this is too cool.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Logitech Z680 5.1 Computer Speakers (5-Speaker, Silver)

The Logitech Z-680 gives you THX-certified theater-quality digital sound. Both optical and coaxial inputs provide for simple connection to nearly any audio appliance, and with the digital SoundTouch control center and the wireless remote, you can sit back, stretch out, and let loose.
The bass pumps through the Z-680’s 188-watt subwoofer. Four 62-watt satellites and a 69-watt center channel provide crystal-clear midrange and highs.
The Z-680 includes built-in Dolby Digital and DTS hardware decoding. Connect the Z-680 directly to a PC sound card, Xbox, PlayStation2, DVD player, satellite receiver, or other Dolby-ready source and get true surround sound. You can also get 5.1 surround sound from a stereo input through the advanced Dolby Pro Logic II system. You can also connect up to four audio sources simultaneously, while accessing each one at the touch of a button.

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Sony STR-DN1000 7.1-Channel Audio Video Receiver (Black) Review

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(More customer reviews)I bought the STR-DN1000 as an upgrade to my old Yamaha receiver that didn't have audio decoding through HDMI which I really needed since I've recently added a couple additional HDMI components to my set-up and needed HDMI switching. I bought it based on reviews of sound quality (anyone saying this amp has anything less than great sound doesn't know what they're talking about or doesn't have their amp set up correctly!), price, and features (4X HDMI being the most important). I am relatively pleased with my new receiver. Sound and video processing are both excellent, and aside from a few issues, this is a great receiver. Before I go into more detail, here is my home theater set-up:
1) 5.1 surround sound consisting of: Polk Audio TSi200 L + R speakers, a Polk CS20 Center Channel Speaker, and a Yamaha subwoofer and two Yamahah back channel L & R speakers.
4) A Sony DVP-NS700H/B DVD player
5) Toshiba 42" Regaza LCD
6) Comcast Digital Cable box
7) WD TV Live HD Media Player
All devices connected using Version 1.3 Category 2 HDMI Cables.
Setting things up:
Set-up is a breeze. Everything is laid out well enough, and the included wire-map which gives a blown-up overview of the connections makes things even easier. The wire screws for connecting the speakers are made of plastic and are not as easy to turn as I might have liked, but this was a minor issue at best. They do support Banana jacks if that's your thing. I had all my speaker wires and HDMI cables connected in about 10 minutes (all of them were already in place so it might take significantly longer if you are running new wire). Just a note for reciever set-ups: give yourself an extra 3-4 feet of wire for each speaker so you can connect your amp OUTSIDE your AV cabinet/rack. This will make things much easier because you can work on the amp with it's back facing you!
GUI (Graphic User Interface), Programing, and Auto Calibration:
The DN1000 comes with a built in GUI for adjusting settings. It is a rudimentary text based interface in black, white and blue, but it is easy to navigate and use even if it isn't pretty. I was easily able to program in radio pre-sets, assign inputs *More on that to come*, and run the Auto Calibration. Auto Calibration involves connecting a provided mic and placing it in the correct location and then letting the amp put out some test tones to each speaker and the amp. The whole thing takes about 30-40 seconds. The manual states that this will involve "very loud" sounds, so I was a bit worried what that would be like. Thankfully it wasn't loud at all, so don't get freaked out when the manual warns you to watch out for small children, dogs, and angry neighbors. The GUI could be a bit more intuitive; you are frequently required to git an 'option' button that is on the remote itself. It would have been much simpler to just have that button in the layout of the GUI itself.
Programing custom inputs and renaming inputs was my biggest complaint with this amp. First, you CANNOT re-map the TV, Satelite, DVD, etc., buttons to be linked with the HDMI inputs. Each time you re-map an input it asks for both an audio and video input. I wanted to re-map the DVD button on the remote to work with my HDMI DVD player. I was able to choose the correct HDMI in, but because the amp also requires an audio input, you are FORCED to choose from coaxial, analog LR channel or digital. Choosing any of these overrides the HDMI's sound, and gives you video but no sound! This is incredibly frustrating and very stupid on Sony's part since the amp supports HDMI sound processing natively and all they would need to do is tweak the GUI to allow the user to select either HDMI or 'None' for sound input! I called Sony tech support to verify this is the case and they said they have no plans to issue a firmware update to correct this issue. I was able to re-name the HDMI inputs to DVD, WD LIVE, and COMCAST so that the amp displays the correct input when one of the HDMI buttons is pushed, but that isn't ideal considering the layout of the remote:
The Remote:
On first glance, the remote appears to be well laid out and to have excellent built quality (no squeeks when you hit the buttons, feels nice and solid in your hand, responsive buttons, etc). It is solidly made, but functionally it has some major flaws:
1) Because there are nice big, well labeled "DVD, TV, Satelite, etc." buttons on the top third of the remote, it will be highly confusing to have to explain to non-tech savvy people "when you want to watch a DVD you hit HDMI 3, not DVD" or something similar due to the inability of the receiver to re-map those buttons! Basically the usefulness of having 'quick launch' buttons on the remote is destroyed by not being able to map them correctly!
2) The mute button location is horrible. It is at the bottom lower third of the remote on the left side. It is also the smallest button on the remote and a real pain to hit with your thumb since it requires balancing the very end of the remote in your hand or using two hands. In my opinion, the button you're most likely going to use more than any other should be easily accessible!
Sound Quality:
I put the amp through its paces with the following:
1) Comcast TV (College Football) with Dolby Digital Surround
2) Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (DVD) & The Matrix (DVD)
3) Various lossless audio files streamed over my WD media streamer
4) Battlestar Galactica HD streamed over my WD media streamer
Surround sounds is just about perfect. Crystal clear highs, nice punch with the bass (although my sub really isn't anything to write home about) and excellent, authentic reproduction of even complex sound files like Feist and Metallica playing from a FLAC (Free Lossless Audio Codec) file. I ran through a few excellent (in my opinion) surround sound movies and all sounded fantastic. Orcs screaming from behind me, thunderous sounds of war, the steely tones of Mr. Smith threatening Neo, all sounded lovely.
Video Quality:
HDMI video pass through was great. Suffice it to say that I didn't use this receiver to decoded low-res video files (something it does, but according to other reviews not that well). The video decoder in my WD media streamer does that job. I can confirm that the receiver did not affect inherent video quality to either good or ill.
Aesthetics:
This is a slick receiver and looks great on my AV rack. It matches my DVD player which I guess is a good thing, and even (sort of) matches my Toshiba TV. The LED screen is adequate if not amazing. It is easy to read from across the room (about 12 feet in my smallish living room). Text is clear and crisp which is all I really need.
Heat:
This unit does produce more heat than my old Yamaha, but much less than my friend's Onkyo (you could fry an egg on that thing!). In a well ventilated AV rack or cabinet it should never be an issue.
Conclusions:
For the price (sub $300 range) there isn't a better option out there as of this review. You could spend a hundred more and get a Pioneer (which does come with an ipod connect wire included in the price) but you're not gaining anything other than a few more connection options. Sound quality wise, this receiver is very, very good. If you can live with the crap remote and a few problems with the GUI, it's well worth the price. I'll probably just get a Harmony remote to make things simple for my family and friends.
4/5 Stars.
Thanks for reading my review. Feel free to ask questions and I'll do my best to answer them in the comments section.


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The STR-DN1000 7.1 Channel A/V Receiver delivers the Full HD 1080 experience to a home theater system. It features 7 HD inputs including 4 HDMI inputs with "Active Intelligence". In addition, the STR-DH700 is compatible with 24p True Cinema technology video signals and decodes uncompressed audio (LPCM via HDMI) making it compatible with Blu-ray Disc Player, the PlayStation 3 technology and other HD sources. Speaking of an enhanced experience, how about listening to music in a different room? Now share your favorite songs wirelessly throughout your home with ease. Simply plug in the optional S-Air transmitter and turn on the AirStation client (sold separately).

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Western Digital WD TV Live Network-ready HD Media Player Review

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(More customer reviews)After much anticipation, WDTV Live is finally here! I'll get right to the point, because I know there are a lot of questions from current Western Digital WD TV HD Media Player owners and those sitting on the fence about the capabilities of the Live in comparison to other media players on the market. I also considered the ASUS O!Play ($99) while waiting for the Live's release or the Seagate FreeAgent Theater+HD ($135). The WDTV is a proven quantity and for the Live, I had high expectations.
Cosmetically, not much has changed. Not even the box. The Live is nearly identical to the WDTV except in color, being matte grey instead of shiny piano black. Ease of setup and usage carries over from its forebear, so WDTV users will be right at home with the Live's interface and settings. At the rear, the ports have been slightly rearranged to make room for a LAN port and component out. HDMI is now 1.3 instead of 1.2, capable of a color depth of 12 bits per pixel. Batteries are included in the box, as are component and composite cables, but bring your own HDMI or LAN cable.
Building on the strengths of the original (and successful) WDTV, WD has made an already excellent player even better. They listened to users and addressed two of the biggest complaints of the WDTV, namely: lack of network connectivity and lack of DTS down-mixing.
I am pleased to report that on these two counts, the Live is a winner, packaged inside the same compact form factor as its predecessor and sold at a very reasonable price. The most exciting thing is network connectivity because the Live can be made wireless!
1) Network connectivity: out of the box, the Live connects via CAT-5. I have no interest in connecting USB hard drives to the Live because it limits my mobility. I have 2 NAS (Network Attached Storage) devices (D-Link DNS321 2-Bay SATA, RAID 0/1 Gigabit Ethernet Port Network Storage Enclosure and D-Link 2-Bay Network Storage Enclosure) and have been streaming movies wirelessly to my PlayStation 3, but I don't like the PS3's lack of MKV support and wasteful energy consumption. My PS3 can now go back to being a dedicated game and Blu-ray machine.
I was surprised to discover that my AirLink 101 AWLL6070 150Mbps 802.11n Wireless LAN USB 2.0 Adapter (purchased for a failed WDTV networking hack attempt) worked. I plugged it in, changed the Live's setting to wireless and it saw my wireless network with no fuss. I really have to hand it to WD for making the device open-ended, unlike the NETGEAR Digital Entertainer Live (Black) (which I tested and returned), which requires a proprietary $40 Netgear dongle. Other dongles will work too with the Live, and WD has a forum listing them.
2) DTS down-mixing: this was another shortcoming of the original WDTV. The Live down-mixes DTS to 2.0 so you don't need to slave it to an audio receiver anymore. Many of my MKV's are encoded with DTS, so this is another huge improvement. DTS Master Audio does not seem to be supported, but I am not very concerned as DTS MA is rarely encountered in the wild (though that may change in the future). All my files are MP3, AAC, AC3, or DTS audio streams, which all work on the Live. Many of the tested MKVs have multiple audio streams for different language tracks. You can also mux additional tracks and subtitles into the MKV file with the free and awesome mkvmerge GUI program. Subtitle files can be downloaded from sites like DivxStation.
DTS downmixing means now I can take a portable drive of movies over to a friend's house and not worry about compatibility, greatly increasing the versatility and value of the Live. The inclusion of both component and composite outs removes the worry about older TV's. And like the WDTV, the Live will downsample to standard def for non-HDTV's. However, if you have an HDTV and an AVR, you'll want to use them for maximum enjoyment.
But the most biggest selling point for me is wireless. After discovering WiFi connectivity, I lost all interest in using the Live as a wired device. With just $20 (cost of AirLink), I now have a wireless player that easily out-competes more expensive ones like the Popcorn Hour A-110 HD Networked Media Tank (EU), and can enjoy the freedom and convenience of putting this player anywhere in my house. I don't have messy and dangerous wires all the floor to trip over (I killed a 1 TB hard drive full of movies this way) and I don't need an audio receiver. All the 720p/1080i/p videos I had on my NAS played perfectly with the except of one 1080p .mp4 which had intermittent hiccups every minute or so.
The Live saw each device 2x on the menu, as a media share and a network share. With media share, the files are divided into 3 categories: video, photos, music. Only some of my movies showed up (WMV, MP4, AVI, TS), no MKV's. With network share, all the files are listed. This is the listing option to use if you have a NAS.
3) Additionally, third complaint on the WDTV was lack of support for 1080p24. This format now plays. VOB is now also supported, for those of you who make DVD archives.
USABILITY:
The WDTV had the most attractive and usable interface of any of the 10+ media players I tested over the years, and WD didn't mess with a winning formula. Graphically, the Live retains the blue cool-toned look and easy-to-use navigation of the WDTV. It adds a third listing option, Preview mode. Movies will now start playing in a smaller window on the right if you pause over the title for a second or two (with audio). Every movie I tested plays in preview. The remote control is the same as the WDTV. Navigation long directories is still somewhat of a pain because of no Page Up/Page Down button, but if you hold the up or down button down, it'll scroll by a page at a time after a second or two. Commands are fast and responsive. No spinning dials that plague the Netgear Live Entertainer.
For rewinding, the preview sometimes does not match the time-code. The timer was counting down, but the screen showed video from the opposite direction. If you stop rewinding and resume again, it'll show the proper preview. This is a small nuisance that I hope WD fixes soon in a firmware update.
Subtitle support via embedded or external still works great for Western and non-Western character sets because of Unicode. Embedded subs are pre-tagged with the language code, so the device will display "Subtitle 1/3 - English". For external .srt files, I discovered that if I name them the same as the movie and include a dash, then the language (e.g. "MOVIENAME - ENG.srt"), the WD will display the part after the dash as the language name.
INTERNET STREAMING:
For YouTube, the videos looked really good. The Live will select HD streams if available. I was surprised at the video quality of some of the ones I loaded, particularly one music video. Startup was fast, if not instantaneous, and I did not notice a buffering delay. Currently, YouTube is the only site supported, and searching is only in Western characters. The onscreen keyboard is arranged in row, A-Z, with 0-9 at the bottom. (Plugging in a USB keyboard did nothing.) I'm hoping for Hulu, Vimeo, and more in the future, like a WDTV Live Channels Guide or something like that, organized by interests (sports, history, science, news, etc), or regions of the world. It would be a very useful feature for people like my dad, who doesn't know how to use the web and he'd be able to watch shows from other parts of the world. Maybe in a future firmware update.
I didn't test Pandora or Live365 (internet radio) because I'm not interested in listening to radio/music out of my TV. Noticeably missing is NetFlix support, a feature prominent on some networked media players, Blu-ray players, and gaming platforms (Xbox 360), though word is that WD is at work on an update.
FINAL THOUGHTS:
Next on my wishlist is RMVB support. This is the last thing missing from the long list of supported formats, because then I can throw out the really crappy RMVB player I have. Sadly, it seems to be hardware related and cannot be added with a firmware refresh.
Lastly, if the Live came in new colors like fire engine red like the Western Digital My Passport Essential 320 GB USB 2.0 Portable Hard Drive WDMER3200TN (Real Red), or banana yellow, that'd be hot. I don't particularly care for the Live's matte grey exterior and prefer the glossy finish of the WDTV. It's not solid grey. It's sparkly like glitter, a rather odd choice for a finish.
To sum up, this is the device you've been waiting for! It is a great little player for the price. It now does everything I want it to (minus RMVB playback) and is truly the versatile and unfettered player that I have been hoping for. As a gadgets guy and early adopter, I wasted several hundreds of dollars testing out disappointing players and can say definitely that WD makes one of the best players on the market.
UPDATE 1: 10/24/09:
1. I logged into Pandora and it worked...Read more›

Click Here to see more reviews about: Western Digital WD TV Live Network-ready HD Media Player

The WD TV Live HD Media Player from Western Digital has everything you need to play your HD media collection and the fun stuff you find on the web in brilliant HD 1080p on your big screen HDTV. Because it supports a wide variety of file types, you can instantly enjoy all your home digital media, regardless of the file format. Plus you get direct access to a huge selection of video, photos, and music from popular internet sites like YouTube, Flickr, Live 365, and Pandora (U.S. only) right from the beautifully easy WDTV navigation screen. The WD TV Live HD media player is exceptionally easy to use so anyone in the family can do it and, because it\'s networked, you can easily access media from any PC in the home. Compatibility; HDMI, Full HD (1080p), AAC, MP3, JPEG, USB 2.0, H.264, SimplayHD, Energy Star, Dolby Digital, DTS, DLNA, Bonjour, AVCHD, Windows Vista. Box contains; Media Player, Compact remote with batteries, Composite AV cable, Component AV cable, AC adapter, CD with sample media, Quick Install Guide.

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Sony HT-DDW660 Home Theater System Review

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(More customer reviews)I will just say a few words that have not already been said about the system:
- This unit does not come with a digital optical cable so if your player needs one make sure to buy one.
- The provided coax cable is only 3feet long. So if you need a longer one, plan to buy one.
- I bought the Sanus HTB2 floor stands for it and it works very well.
- The remote has buttons for selecting between Video-audio and DVD-audio. This was kind of confusing at first since the audio from my digital optical cable comes through by selecting Video-audio. But at the same time the diagram in the manual suggests that you can plug another source into the analog Video-audio input. Turns out, if you read further into the manual, the system detects for signals on the digital input and analog input and prioritizes digital over analog. So if a digital signal is present, it will select digital. If it is absent it will select analog automatically.
- I like the fact that the satellite speakers all look exactly the same. The unit as a whole is well styled compared to the equivalent Panasonic system (SC-HT05), which looks cheap and gaudy. I originally wanted to buy the Panasonic to match all my other Panasonic components but after reading about the problems other reviewers were having with it, and after seeing how fragile it looked in the store, I decided otherwise. At the local store I noticed one of the legs on the Panasonic's subwoofer had broken off.
- It would have been nice to have a second digital optical input. Unfortunately the only way to get a Sony system with 2 digital optical inputs is to buy the receiver separately and the speakers separately, which would give you a 7.1 sound system but would also require an investment at 3 times the cost of this unit.
I looked at other competing systems (the Panasonic SC-HT05 and the Yamaha YHT-150) that had this capability at a small price increase. But online reviews indicated that some of the Panasonic units had a random squeeking problem with the digital audio input. The Yamaha looked very promising since it also had video inputs which would mean that it would be convenient to switch both the video and audio signals on the same remote. However the Yamaha only supports RCA composite video inputs, NO S-Video and NO Component inputs. Also the reviewers said it was difficult to install.
So weighing all those factors I eventually decided on the Sony. A simple, entry-level, no fuss unit that sounded great! I tested it on the Empire Strikes Back and it was awesome to hear the Star Destroyers rumble and the Snow speeders zip by around me. I had never realized until now just how many tiny little nuances of audio there were in the film....

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Sony's HTD-DW660 Home Theater in a Box System offers you the ultimate entertainment at home. Allow this 420 Watt Home Theater System to surround you with sound that is astounding.

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Sherwood RD-8601 6.1-Channel Home Theater Receiver with Dolby Digital and DTS Decoding Review

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(More customer reviews)I just set this unit up there are a few things that are different than the description, one being that there are 2 optical digital inputs and 1 Coaxial digital input and there is 1 digital optical output and 1 Coaxial digital output. That's fine with me as I would rather have more digital optical inputs if you actually could read the back of the unit in the picture you would see that I am correct. Setting the surround sound feature with the mic is awesome, I love this gadget. The only real issue that I have is that the unit I received does not have the Sherwood name anywhere on the product/ box or manual what it does say is QG-500AVR SLS I did find that the QG stood for quick gold but not sure about the rest as of yet I am still researching it. The remote was made for someone who works for Nasa but I was able to figure out the things that I needed to use, I still have a ton to learn about the remote. I did hook up the unit and it was very easy and has great sound, but I only use the optical inputs so I don't know the sound of the rest of the inputs. I only have 5 speakers and one sub set up so I can only use the 5.1 speakers but I have another speaker on the way so that I can hook it up to use the 6.1, when I do I will update my review again.
*********UPDATE*********
Here is the responce that I got from the company on the Name not being Sherwood:
Thank you for your Amazon order.
This SLS branded receiver is a Sherwood RD-8601 receiver, it is rebranded with an SLS name. It is exactly the same as Sherwood RD-8601 except for the logo.
SLS is a high end audio company who contracted Sherwood to build these receivers for them to sell as a home theater package. You can see this home theater package here : [...] LineHomeTheater
We have no control over the pic on Amazon, it is just a listing, our listing does state that this is a rebranded receiver. We have sold hundreds and all our customers are very happy with the quality, especially seeing the low price they paid.
Let us know if you need additional assistance, we will be happy to help.
Best regards,
The Av Express Sales Team
[...]
I am still very happy with this product it has great sound and does a great job with Blueray and digital TV.

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Item #: G66750. With most audio brands, you'd expect to pay a lot of money for a "flagship", top-of-the-line receiver. In fact, it's possible to spend upwards of $5, 000 to get the best receiver some brands have to offer.Sherwood is not playing that game. For less than one-tenth that amount it offer the Sherwood RD-8601. It decodes all of Hollywood's latest movie formats including DTS-ES (both Discrete and Matrix) and Dolby Digital EX. It has fully adjustable Dolby Pro Logic IIx to turn broadcast TV, VHS tapes and even 2-channel CD's into 6 channel magic; Dolby Headphone for amazing private surround listening and Dolby Virtual Speaker to reproduce full surround effects from only 2 speakers.With six 100 watt per channel, high current, discrete amplifiers on board, sound quality for the 8601 is superb. So is ease of use. The RD-8601 not only has switching for 3 audio/video source units, 3 for audio only and 2 for high-def signals, it is one of the few receivers in the world with Universal Video to change all video signals to a single component video output. It even offers automatic speaker set-up, complete with supplied microphone, to minimize the hassle normally required for initial operation. Control is possible using the built-in On-Screen Display, from the front panel or via the 8-unit preprogrammed remote control.Additional conveniences include the capability for 3 Macro remote command sequences, one-touch operation of Sherwood DigiLink III components, display dimmer, sleep timer and more. Product Description: Sherwood RD 8601 - AV receiver - 6.1 channelProduct Type: AV receiverBuilt-in Decoders: DTS-ES decoder, Dolby Pro Logic II, Dolby Digital Surround EX, DTS Neo:6, DTS-ES Matrix 6.1, DTS-ES Discrete 6.1, Dolby Digital, DTS decoder, Dolby Pro Logic IIxSurround Sound Effects: Virtual Dolby SurroundSurround System Class: 6.1 channelRadio: Radio tuner - AM/FM - 30 preset stationsRemote Control: Universal remote control - infrared

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