Clark Synthesis TST429 Platinum Transducer Review

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(More customer reviews)This is one of those products that you are either crazy about or just couldn't care less about. I recommend this product for Any kind of audio or A/V application. With the correct amp this product adds a dimension to the enjoyment of music you don't even know is missing until you turn it off.
No denying it is expensive especially when you consider you still have to buy an amplifier. However, I have tried other tactile transducers, notably the Buttkick LFE, that cost much less, and there really is no comparison. Please note, this is a review of the Clark Synthesis Platinum, their most powerful tactile transducer. The effect produced by the Clark Platinum unit is immense. It's akin to pulling the switch on a low RPM power drill only to find that you have more torque than you need, Lots more! The Buttkicker unit never approached the output of the Clark Platinum and under the same levels of amplification tended to bottom out. Furthermore, I have had 4 Clark Platinum units in use for over 3 years now, (one of them over 5 years), without a single problem. The Buttkicker eventually gave up the ghost; after two years of use there was finally no dicernable output from the unit, at amplification levels that had the Clark Platinum units practically bouncing the couch off the floor, (which I suppose should happen if a T-Rex walked into your multi-media room/theater). In defense of the Buttkicker company, they make what might be the best tactile tranducer amplifier around. The amp is comparitively inexpensive, has Lots of power, and the added versatility of user controllable frequency response filters. I have two Buttkicker amps powering two Clark Platinums (wired in parallel) each with the gain control set at a notch below half power. This gives the amp plenty of head room for those particullary troublesome passages.
I suggest you try it. If you don't like the effect, try it at differnt levels. If you still don't like the effect, well...you won't have any trouble getting rid of it somewhere but I can pretty much guarantee that someone in the family is going to like it so mount it into the frame of their favorite chair, (see Clark Synthesis website for mounting suggestions). They'll thank you.

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Tactile Sound has been the leader in design and production of tactile transducers for over 10 years. Their unique products are designed to provide the best possible sensory experience, taking music and movie listening to another level. Utilizing the latest in engineering and materials, their products have continually improved into a complete line of one-of-a-kind transducers. Whether you are constructing a home theatre, building a garden sound system, or adding sound to your swimming pool, Tactile Sound has a product that can enhance your experience. Originally developed for military simulation devices, the home theater transducers were specifically designed to provide realistic reproduction of highly dynamic bass-- making explosions, gunshots, and any other bass impacts feel real. Tactile Sound transducers are an essential element of the ultimate home theater experience. The Platinum is the most powerful tactile transducer available in the market today. An enhanced neodymium magnetic structure provides twice the output of even the Gold series. Extended low frequency response and even greater fidelity give this unit added versatility and realism.Specifications: *Power handling: 160 watts RMS/400 watts max *Tactile frequency range: 5-800 Hz *Audible frequency range: 20-17,0000 Hz *Impedance: 4 ohms *Transduction force: 6.9 lb-ft/watt *Tactile force peak: 932 lb-ft *Dimensions: 8" dia. x 2.25" H.

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Sony DAV-FR1 5-Disc Progressive Scan DVD Dream System Review

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(More customer reviews)I was pretty skeptical about a home-theater-in-a-box until I got this new Sony system home and tried it out. I already had a really good component-based home theater, but this system was a promotional purchase along with my new Sony HDTV, and the price was too good to pass up. Set-up took about 45 minutes, but the resulting sound is awesome! The bass is wonderful - when the Norah Jones CD is playing, my living room sounds like a jazz club!
I had recently purchased the Sony NS-575P single-disc DVD player and was stunned by its video performance and slick operation. It looks as though the changer in the FR1 uses similar software, or atleast, the same user interface and it is great! I like how it displays the disc's artwork as a screen background. The reasons why I'm happy with this Sony changer are similar to why I am also so happy with the stand-alone player I had to move to the den - it decodes virtually EVERYTHING you can throw at it... mp3, SACD (!), and DVD-R/RW, DVD+R/RW, CD with JPEGS, etc.
And, the all-in-one package means a minimum of wires. Quite frankly, I'm really impressed with this "dream system"... it delivers big sound and convenience for much less money than I expected to have to pay! Thanks, Sony!
Update: Just listened to/watched the Star Wars trilogy on DVD and the sound (and video) is very impressive. In particular, the dialogue was always audible, even when the music and other sound effects were active.
Also: There is one thing that bugs me about this player - this is my first carousel CD or DVD changer (I've had a magazine changer forever), so I don't know if this is par for the course or not, but it takes a fairly long amount of time to load a disc into an empty slot... you can hear lots of stuff going on inside the box, but it's never clear WHEN it's OK to go ahead and load the disc. But maybe this is true of all carousel-style changers.
Just FYI: No color/saturation problems can be detected with my system. I use component video outputs with an HDTV widescreen monitor (see my other reviews) and I stand by the stunning images I see - my DVD collection, as I stated above, is BRAND NEW again!

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DVD Dream System with 750 Total System Power- 110 x 5(F,C,R) + 100W x 2 Subwoofer

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Infocus LP500 DLP Video Projector Review

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(More customer reviews)Our office needed a second InFocus machine and I lobbied for this unit. We currently use an LP280 but that was purchased for road use-which is why we need a second unit, the other's always out of the office.
I wanted this unit as this is the only product I have found in this price range that uses DCDi by Faroudja. Considering this technology used "to cost alot of money" this is an incredible bargain. Basically, it smoothes the jiggles of still AND moving images. We do a lot of process control work and use a lot of animation. This solves a common problem in many LCD and DLP projectors, and seems to make non-native resolution use much better (the LP500 is SVGA native resolution). It appears this model was a carryover from Boxlight before they were bought out by InFocus, and used an exclusive contract with Faroudja, who has also been bought out twice, but the model retains this critical technology that still leads the industry. The "money" more we spent on this vs. the LP280 was worth it for this feature alone.
This unit has a dual voltage/lumen feature that increases bulb life and reduces heat. (A big plus as changing bulbs on these puppies is a royal-and time consuming-pain.) This lower setting also increases contrast for blacks, which is helpful for theater use.
The unit comes with GOOD MANUALS! A lot of the time you have to sort of read the manual and intuit what the heck they are trying to say. That's not the case here. The manuals are clear, concise and complete!
This is a far superior unit stylistically-very modern and attractive, unlike the LP280 which, though a modern device, nevertheless always seems to project a 1950's feel sitting there in the middle of a meeting.
On the downside, the input are basic but adequate. The remote is just OK-it's small and clumsy to use in dark room situations, but once you get acclimated to it it's passable. The bulb's difficult to replace and-as usual with these things-relatively expensive. However, the aforementioned dual voltage/lumen feature should reduce the frequency changes overall.
I can't attest to this unit's traveling characteristics since it hasn't moved from the center of our conference table since it was unpacked. However, the case and accessories seems sturdy and well designed. Our LP280 does well and I'd imagine this one would as well.
The accessory package is fairly complete. There are some adaptors for more varied inputs available as well as other accessories, but we see no real need for them. My experience has been these things cost more than the value they add.
An excellent unit, especially if your presentation requirement border on "theatre" type conditions. A lot of value for the money with this puppy!

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The InFocus LP500 offers an unbeatable 2,000 ansi lumens of brightness that guarantees images are sharply bright under any lighting conditions and nearly any size conference room. Its small size--just 10 by 11 by 3.4 inches--and 5-pound weight make it easily portable, and a soft-sided carrying case is included to get you on the road instantly. The full-feature remote allows you to smoothly run your presentations with style. Digital keystone corrections keep graphics clear while the manual zoom provides you with plenty of attention-getting possibilities. Data compatibilities are offered through VGA, SVGA, XGA, Macintosh, and 1080i/720p HDTV formats, while the built-in 1-watt speakers supply you with the multimedia tools you need. The manufacturer includes a two-year warranty that covers parts and service.

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LCD VIDEO THEATER PROJECTOR, native 640x480 resolution, 1080i w/ HDMI (Wii, PS3, Xbox, DVD, & More) Review

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(More customer reviews)This was a gift for my mother for Christmas I haven't watched anything on it but she loves it. She can't stop talking about and it was delivered promptly, no delays

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LCD VIDEO THEATER PROJECTOR, native 640x480 resolution, 1080i w/ HDMI (Wii, PS3, Xbox, DVD, & More)

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Sima XL-PRO 480p Projector Bundle with 72-Inch Inflatable Screen Review

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(More customer reviews)This was a good buy for me, I bought this primarily because it said that it included a projector with a LED lamp which is exactly what I was looking for. It only goes up to 1080i but its good enough for under $500 it has to be used in a dark room but it still works good, compared to a 60in plasma for like $2000 I got this for under 500 and it is capable of going up to 100in or more, 50,000 hour lamp life, HDMI, composite, VGA and RGB connections makes it perfect for any system or player(I use a Playstation 3). Sorry but I'm not very good at writing reviews or writing in general. It didn't have the connection for cable or SDUSB even though it is on the source menu but its still a very good projector.

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Portable Indoor / Outdoor inflatable theater kit includes 6-Inch easy to set up sealed air screen inflates in five minutes, 2 sets of 16-Inch pontoon, 120V electric pump, Projector is LCD technology with LED lamp for 50,000 hours lamp life, remote for projector, AC / DC, storage bag

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Mediawise LCD Projector - FREE HDMI & XTRA BULB - Xbox, Wii, PS1, PS2, PS3, Gamecube Review

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(More customer reviews)I bought this project for my classroom after the bulb to replace my old projector was going to cost over $500. As a projector it works well, but I wish I had known some things about the item before I purchased it.
1) The projector is not very bright. As a result, the projection is not very sharp. This makes text fuzzy, so that everything has to be huge for my students to see it.
2) The settings on this projector do little to help the image. The manual is poorly translated from Chinese and is quite funny. So it's hard to figure out exactly what to do if you are having problems.
3) I have to start the projector twice before it will stay on. I have no clue why it needs me to do this, but I think it has something to do with the fuse that lights the bulb. I guess it has to warm up.
4) There is no zoom and if you can hang this from the ceiling you will be better off. Mine is stacked on 3 books on a cart. The screen is very low and the projector has to be close to project a big picture. I mean within 5 feet close, so if you want to use this with a SmartBoard make sure you have this mounted from the ceiling or be prepared for students to block projection when using the board.
On the reverse, for the price this is a good projector for watching movies at home in a VERY dark room.
I'm not unsatisfied with my purchase, but if I had it to do again, I'd probably beg for more money and get a better projector just because I'm using this for my classroom. At home, I think this projector would work great for movies and games.
The extra bulb and cords are a nice touch.
If you want to do some more research before you buy, search this:
HD66 LCD TV Projector 1080i HDMI
No where on that projector does it say Mediawise.

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This high quality projector is your ideal solution for any home theater, game system or personal computer!

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ButtKicker BKA300 Wireless Home Theater Kit with ButtKicker Advance and Power Amplifier Review

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(More customer reviews)I purchased the ButtKicker BKA300 based on prior reviews here. This is my first time owning one of these systems. The intended purpose of was for more immersive movie-watching and playing on a PS3. The kit was setup with a HDTV using the line out on the TV using a Y-adapter to split between it and a 2.1 (two satellites one sub) speaker set. The rumble unit was setup under one of the four rear legs of a three-person sofa.
Watching live concert music on the Palladia channel really gives the feeling of being there. I started noticing that on regular TV programming one can hear muffled sound on most dialog as if the sofa was the speaker. This is a bit distracting, and an annoyance that could be addressed by sound proofing the furniture a bit.
The blu-ray version of The Dark Knight has some loud low frequency passages that causes a loud metallic thump. At first I though it was bouncing against the furniture or floor, so I took a couple of mouse pads as a quick fix test and put them in between the floor and another between the rumble platform and the sofa, but it did not fix the problem. I then watched Pirates of the Caribbean, again on blu-ray, fortunately not much of an issue here.
Gaming on the PS3 was another issue. Playing Call of Duty 4 with the rumble kit really brings gaming to a whole new level. Unfortunately, once I went online, grabbed a sniper rifle and aimed at someone, every heart beat the game produces started causing the metallic thump. I had someone else play while I tried troubleshooting the problem and noticed it was coming from inside the rumble module as if it was bottoming out. A few days later a family member was playing Resistance 2 and the module was not working. It had stopped working within an hour of playing, and was very hot to the touch. Once it cooled it worked again so it appears that it disables to prevent damage. I tried multiple settings for several days, lowering the "volume" on the amplifier, selecting different modes (music,movie,game,) but was not able to fix the problem.
Ultimately, I decided to return the unit. Really disappointing, I recently learned from reviews of the bigger brother (400 watts min, 1100 watts max) unit also bottoms out; this one is 50 watts. I may still give it a cautious try.

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All new ButtKicker Kit with new 4 ohm ButtKicker Advance transducer, the new wider couch / chair mounting accessory kit, new BKA300-4 amplifier (115v) with integrated wireless option, optional vertical stand, and remote control with preset EQ settings, 6m of high quality speaker wire with banana plugs, 1m high quality RCA interconnect and high quality male to female RCA Y adaptor and a speaker level interface adapter for connecting to A/V systems without subwoofer pre-outs, and an illustrated Quick Start Guide.

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FAVI 16:9/84-Inch Fixed Frame Projector Screen (FF-HD-84) Review

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(More customer reviews)I recently replaced my manual pull down Accuscreen with the Favi fixed. On first inspection during installation I noticed a separating of the pleat where one of the rods go to help support the tension of the screen. Truthfully I nearly sent the screen back because of this!
I figured since it was here, I might as well give it a try and see if the Favi was worth saving. Well I'm happy to report the screen turned out to work well with my projector. I wasn't expecting the gain this screen has. I know it says 6 gain, but I find that a little unrealistic, maybe a lot unrealistic! lol
It does have a tremendous amount of gain though. My Accuscreen was 1.1, this has to be at least 2.0 or more..I'm guessing. Brightness as well as my contrast and colors had to be adjusted on the projector because the screen does have plenty of gain. The viewing angle is excellent for a screen with this much gain. The claims of 175 degrees off axis seem true to my eyes.
Up until I began searching for an inexpensive fixed screen, I had never heard of this company. After contacting Favi, I was pleasantly surprised with how great their customer service was. They sent me a replacement screen ASAP without question. For the money this is a very nice unit. The frame will last forever! If you want to use your favorite screen material in place of the standard screen, this could be a very good way to go. You may find that you are happy with the results of the standard screen and not worry about changing the material to something else.

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The FAVI fixed frame screen series pairs an elegant black velvet, aluminum frame covering with a tensioned, high gain screen gives any room a truly authentic movie theater look and feel.

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Optoma PT100 PlayTime LED Gaming Projector Review

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(More customer reviews)I recently purchased this projector as a replacement for my near-vintage Sharp XV101TU, whose bulb decided to blow out on me. In the process of shopping for a replacement projector (or trying to decide whether to just replace the bulb - nothing but love for my 25 lbs projector from the early 90's..) the Optoma PT100 caught my eye.
I admit my main draw to this projector was the price - which was less than a mere bulb for your average projector - and the fact that THIS bulb would never need to be replaced, as it was powered by LEDs. I dove headlong into purchasing the projector knowing full well LEDs couldn't replace the luminescence of a metal-halide bulb, but the lure of never having to shell out $300 every year or two couldn't be denied, and I was willing to take a chance on the 50(!!) lumen output.
Now here, we get to one of the main points I uncovered from doing projector research: ALWAYS be extremely wary of no-name projectors. You probably already knew that, but pay particular attention to the "brightness" department. Many list their brightness as 400lm, or sometimes even 1000+ lumens, or worse yet, not at all. This isn't very scientific, to be sure, but if in doubt, try and see if you can find a Youtube video or the like demonstrating the projector. After seeing various nameless LED Chinese projectors on Youtube and comparing them to legit 1000 lumen projectors, it seems pretty obvious their brightness stats are a little inflated (not to mention, if the typical Samsung or LG LED projector projects at 200lm... you gotta wonder). I say this because I noticed that with a 50 lumen output, this projector really seems to be a lame duck when considering no-name eBay projectors have an alleged 1200 lumens for the same price. But I can assure you, no-name projectors almost never live up to their descriptions, so do your homework! Better go with a lower lumen projector from a reputable manufacturer than a knock-off claiming a million lumens, in my opinion.
That said, 50 lumens is no sunbeam of light, but I currently have it set about 14 feet away and for watching a movie at night, the 80+ inch image is awesome. Of course, you do want to be conscious of what you will typically be using the projector for before you purchase. Yes, the ability to be satisfied with a given brightness is subjective, but only to a point. If your primary purpose for getting a projector is watching Dark Knight over and over again, 50 lm will inarguably be a little dark for your needs (pun intended) - most LED projectors probably will be. For your average movie or Wii game, however, this projector performs brilliantly. Keep in mind though, nighttime use - or with a good set of blackout curtains. If you're looking at daytime gaming... again, add blackout curtains to your financial calculations (or start moving your gaming chairs to the basement). On the positive side, the projector is extremely portable, so if you have a room that's naturally darker than others, it's easy to move.
A note about screen size: like many inexpensive projectors, there is a fixed throw ratio - in other words, for you camera savvy folk, no zoom lens - the screen size is in direct proportion to how far the projector is placed from the screen/wall.
Many of you probably have concerns about the resolution - I certainly did. Yes, 480 is pretty old-school tech, no getting around that - the projector IS $199. Keep in mind though, that it is 480p (all LCDs, DLPs, and Plasmas, to my knowledge, are progressive scan), so it's a squeak better than standard definition (I believe it's formally called "enhanced definition"). Additionally, to offset what many might consider to be low res for today's standards, the projector's native resolution is 854x480 pixels, which amounts to widescreen plus (a native DVD film resolution is 720x480, widescreen format is 704x480, and 4:3 format is 640x480). What this means, at the end of the day, is that if you watch a widescreen DVD, the image doesn't have to be shrunk down to fit or cropped, like it might otherwise have to be on a projector with a native 4:3 aspect ratio (i.e. 640x480). Also with regard to image quality, 3LED DLP is known to have nice vivid color and as far as I'm concerned, it does.
Unfortunately, there is no remote for this thing - all adjustments are made with buttons on the body itself.
Speaking of body, the build quality is excellent considering the price tag - nice solid plastic housing; a possibly random aside: when I first took it out of the box, I thought it very much resembled the look and feel of a typical wall-powered radio alarm clock, both in size and weight (and color). It is a bit lighter than one would expect from a projector, even one of this size. Is it as tank-like as my old Sharp? Definitely not, but no modern projector really is. Will it stand up to a fair amount of abuse from an average child? I imagine so.
Adjustments in height are made easy with an odd spring-loaded front leg that pops out with the push of a button on the side, and one of the rear legs can be adjusted to level the image. Keep in mind, there is no keystone, so set it in a good spot where you won't have to tilt it too much.
A little annoyance on this projector is the lack of connections. While on the one hand, it keeps the projector simple, as I'm sure was the intention, it also means you need additional cables if you want something better than the yellow-plug composite video. Granted, it's a fairly easy and inexpensive endeavor to acquire a component > 15-pin RGB cable (or s-video > 15-pin if you like), but it would have been helpful had they included a little adapter dongle or something of the sort.
Bottom line, if you know what you're getting, this projector will not disappoint. Don't be discouraged by the name "PlayTime" - it is actually a very capable little machine. If you go in expecting it to be one of those you've seen in your giant lecture halls or rich friend's home theatre, your expectations will probably be let down. If, on the other hand, you're looking for an inexpensive alternative to a humongous screen TV that uses less power and is much more portable, this is an excellent projector.

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The easy to use PT100 provides portable big screen fun when connected to game consoles, computers, video players and even hand-held devices. Project a 60" widescreen image onto a wall, screen or ceiling from less than 10 feet away. Instantly turns on and off and runs at a cool temperature so it can be conveniently moved from room to room. The PT100's low power consumption is about 10% that of a 42-inch LCD television. Take it with you wherever you go and let the fun follow. The PT100 is lightweight and compact and is ideal for use with video game consoles such as Wii and PS3.

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Sony BDV-E570 Blu-ray Player Home Entertainment System Review

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(More customer reviews)Where to start...
Nerd's notes:
First of all, for those that get the Sony BDV-E570 that was manufactured earlier in the year, it may have been before they fixed the issues with the software upgrade. I believe I received such a model. Being the overly concerned nerd that I am, I read the manual. It is not very specific, but does tell you to plug in the network cable to perform the upgrade. Read into this and you must assume to NOT PERFORM THE UPGRADE OVER WIFI. Well, you can take that a step further, (which of course I did), and you can download the update directly from Sony, place the files on a blank CD-R, then place the disk in the player and perform the update that way (it auto detects that the disk contains update files very nicely). This worked perfectly. No issues like the horror stories I have been hearing about this model (earlier this year), and the next model up the BDV-E770W. Due to the age of the model I received, there were two updates to perform, which I did, using two separate disks for each update. They take a while, so don't start one if you have somewhere to be. You do have to perform both, and the latter update is the more important one that enables the features that make this platform what most people are looking for, a 3D capable Blu-Ray HTIB with DLNA Features (both of these are why I got this model).
Now on to the good stuff.
Wiring: The room I placed it in is wired for 7.1, so connecting the rear speakers was not an issue. The speakers themselves have standard pinch connectors, so insert the wire and you are all set. At the reciever end, there is a custom connector, so you will have to splice it to your jack wires if you don't use the wire they provide (which looks a bit short for a larger room).
Network: Ok, I did manage to get this onto my dual band Wireless N network, although all of the settings had to be set manually, it did not seem to like the WPS (Wifi Protected Setup), which configures the wireless settings automatically. After the updates, all the network features work fine, Netflicks, YouTube, Pandora, Slacker, and so on.
Sound: Have a vaulted cieling in the room it is set up in, and it fills the room with plenty of sound. I am not cranking it and it is more than enough sound to provide a enjoyable home movie experience.
Video: Not much to say here other than....WOW. The upscaling is very good. BD is awsome.
Connections: If you are looking for a simple HTIB with a lot of features, this is the system for you. If you are looking for the HTIB to double as a receiver, look elsewhere, or make sure your TV has plenty of inputs/outputs. It does take audio inputs from digital coax from your settop box/satellite reciever, and optical audio from your TV (which is good if you have game systems, etc. plugged into your TV. NO HDMI IN. Bravia Sync works great. The TV and Player can be off, insert a disk, and it fires up the TV, kills the TV speakers, selects the correct input for the player, and you are off and running without having to monkey with the TV remote to select the correct input. The wife appreciates this feature more than anything else. USB works great, plays music on a usb thumb drive with no issues at all.
System Menu: Since we do have a Sony LCD, I became addicted to the XMB menu interface (Cross Media Bar), the same interface on the PS3. It looks great and is easy to navigate. This system has the same menu interface, and makes finding the extra internet content very easy.
Cons: There are not many, but aside from the lack of video inputs (does not affect me, but could be a serious issues for others), there are only a few things I would mention. First being a network feature that I selected this model/line for: DLNA. For some reason, it cannot see the DLNA server that I have setup on the network. I am looking into the reasons, and will repost if I find a solution. Speakers, while 1/2 the weight of my previous HTIB, they seem flimsy. The Sub is a passive sub, while that may disappoint others, it does not seem to punch any less than my last system that had a powered sub. The exterior of the system is a very plain shiny black (kid fingerprint magnet) on the front, although with a lack of knobs, and visible buttons, there is little in the way to attract their attention to twist/press etc.
Overall, this is an ideal system for those that are looking for an 'all-in-one' solution that also has all the internet content. It is powerful enough for a midsized room, and is simple to operate. It has a low profile receiver, and those that are space constrained will certainly appreciate that. The cost is very good (under 400), and for a system I don't see replacing for at least 3 years, it has all the features and functions I see myself wanting for some time.
Amazon: WOW. I ordered this system at 3:30AM on Wednesday with free supersaver shipping. The system was delivered THE NEXT DAY (Thursday).
UPDATE 7/25/10: Got DLNA working, my server just showed up one day, it was probably due to a reboot I did on the DLNA server. Streams music flawlessly across the network, Pictures as well. Still trying to figure out what digital HD file format it will play for movies, it will probably do DIVX files, but have to move those files to the server to see how they work. Very nice feature! Makes it very convenient when you want to play your digital library and dont want to plug in your iPod/iPhone or change CD's constantly.
Still very pleased with this system! I find myself watching more online movies and content from it than from my own collection or rentals.
I did some research, and this system looks identical to the BDV-770W, with the exception of the wireless S-Air rear speakers, which adds almost $200 to the price I paid.

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Bring your movies to life with this 3D Blu-ray Disc home theater system, which features pristine 5.1-channel surround sound and wireless streaming capabilities.Experience full HD 1080p and powerful 5.1-channel HD surround sound, and enjoy expanded entertainment options as you wirelessly stream Netflix, Amazon Instant Video, Slacker, YouTube and more.

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HDMI Video Theater Projector for Wii, ps3, Xbox, DVD, Notebook Review

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(More customer reviews)If you are looking for a projector to replace your 1080I HDTV, or are planning on upgrading to HD service with a projector, plan on spending a bit more money than this. The NATIVE RESOLUTION of this projector is 800x600. This means, even though it will accept a 1080I signal, it will DOWNSCALE(compress) the image to fit the maximum physical resolution of 800x600. Your resolution will be higher definition than if you were watching on a standard TV, but it will not be a true 1080I picture.
If you are just looking for a cheap projector to hook up for fun, like to a WII, or for kids movie parties or whatever, this is a great deal since it is compatable with just about everything.
I just wanted to give you all a heads up, please make sure whatever projector you are buying, meets your 'native resolution' (maximum true definition) needs.
[...]

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Great cost/performance ratio for home theaters, video games (PS2, PS3, Xbox, wii, etc.), Education & Business purposes. Features Remote Control, VGA Cable for PC or laptops, Multiple Connections includes HDMI/VGA/SCART & more, LCD Technology: 3.5" single LCD, 6000 hour average lamp life, supports VCR, DVD Player, Satellite/Cable TV, Keystone Correction, Image Reverse, Built-in Speaker, Built-in TV Tuner, Serviced in Chicago, IL Some units are ALL Black with No Silver - Shipping within 3-4 business days from NC

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FAVI RioHD-LED-2 Mini Projector Review

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(More customer reviews)This is the first projector I bought so I can't compare it with the other Projectors in the market.
I love it. For the price its worth it.
Before I bought this I did a little research and this is what I found out and my primary concerns.
I compared it with newsky-health led-2 and alanson led-2 and a bunch of projectors with the same input and shape. Are they all the same just with different names? all are made from china..
The brand PMC has the same shape but different inputs and usb so its not the same..
It has 1300 lumens brightness and to US standards 400 ansi only..
-> What is its life span?
Favi website and other website says 20,000 hours of life span while some and amazon say its 30,000..
Who cares five years from now this will be obsolete and its life is good for more than 10 years if you use it 5-6 hours a day..
With all the different information out there I really don't know what is the real specs of this thing..
-> Is it bright enough?
It is good enough to watch with the lights or windows open if you are projecting it around 3ft(25"screen) ft to around 5ft(42"screen) away from the wall. The reason I started with 3ft is because that is the nearest distance you can watch from it. This is because the projectors manual focus limit is only up to there anything nearer than that will be blurry. Yes this projector's focus is manual, by turning the lens to the right for near distance, to the left for far distance. Farther than that I think a dim light is required. The more distance the bigger the screen it projects the darker the room should be. Of course the darker the room the better.
-> Does it heat up?
Nope it remains cool. The built in fan is good enough to do this.
-> How loud is the noise fan?
Hmm I would say it makes the same noise as a desktop pc fan would or any 7 inch normal fan would make..
-> Image display?
More than satisfactory. I would say great..
I have only tried it using hdmi connecting it to my laptop and watching movies using kmplayer w/ 720p and it works great and also tried playing psp 480p using a component cable works great also.
With a dark room I have tried watchin with 120" screen more than 12ft away and no complaints w/ the image quality.
I dont advice it to be use for your laptops though for browsing or typing. In order for you to atleast read the characters clearly the resolution should only be 800 by 600(standard resolution nowadays is 1200x800)which really is annoying because you have to adjust you computer screen resolution and see a lot less on your screen.
Also the 16:9 option is not applicable using the hdmi/component.
keystone works great also for adjusting the angle image found at the bottom I didnt even know what a keystone was haha..
There is also a TV input with lots of channels in this projector. I haven't tried it though don't have an antenna cant put a cable, it needs an adaptor. I find it weird that It has a tv input when it doesnt say it has one.. I have the white one I think the black one doesnt have any..
-> Built in stereo sound?
umm next question.. Let's skip this..
yeah it has stereo sounds but my laptops built in speaker sounds better.. I use my altec lansing expressionist instead and viola good quality sound..
You are not buying this for the sound quality so c'est pas grave..
What I don't like about this projector is that inorder for you to access the menu and choose which output to choose hdmi/component/tv/video/etc you need the remote control so if you lose it then this projector is useless..
Overall I'd say I gambled on buying this product since there is no reviews out there yet on this and so far I am happy about this purchase.. :)
Hope this review is useful to you guys..


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LED projector as featured by PC Magazine. The RioHD-LED-2 by FAVI Entertainment offers the perfect balance in performance and affordability for business professionals, educators, gamers and home theater enthusiasts alike.Its revolutionary LED2 technology provides 20,000 hours or 14 years of lamp life (average of 4 hours per day). while boasting 4 times the brightness of a standard pico projectors.The quick connect VGA and portable design make it ideal for laptop presentations.At less than 3 lbs it easily travels with you to work.Bring your projector home for a family movie night or host the entire neighborhood for a drive-in movie by connecting it to your vehicle's 19V power source. *Recommend a FAVI floor stand projection screen for outdoor use.

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Epson PowerLite Home Cinema 705 HD 720p 3LCD Home Theater Projector Review

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(More customer reviews)I've never written an Amazon review before, but I've learned a lot about projectors over the past couple weeks, and thought I should share.
As prices have been coming down, I finally decide to get a projector. 720p was plenty good for me. After reading plenty of reviews here and the various projector websites out there I narrowed my search down to the Optoma HD66 and the Epson 705HD, both going for +/- $650 at the time of this writing, and both highly rated.
A bit about me - I'm not a projector or electronics nut, but I do appreciate knowing that I have the best (or better) of what's out there when I do buy things of significant $$$. Male, early 30's. Don't watch any TV, just the occasional movie at home.
After much fuss, I decided to order the Epson. It seemed to have more features, had longer bulb life, and in the end I figured since I'm no projector connoisseur I would be more than impressed with its performance. However, I was not blown away enough, so I ordered the Optoma. I am keeping the Optoma, and returning the Epson. I tested both using a connection to my old Mac Powerbook G4 laptop, projecting onto a white wall painted matte white.
Here is what I learned:
Epson 705HD:
-LCD technology really does display "little pixels" that are visible if you are up close. Not really a big deal with a movie where things are moving all the time.
-Significantly brighter than the Optoma.
-Better designed box, integrated lense "cap" that slides, easier to use adjustable legs, more friendly packaging/manuel, carrying case. Basically you get the feeling that Epson put some thought into its product. Feels more name brand and consumer friendly.
-Supposedly has ~1000 bulb hours more than the Optoma when in Eco mode (a touch less bright than normal mode).
-Has a speaker (I didn't use it).
-Definitely better for office or daytime use.
-Blacks appear grey when compared to adjacent wall.
-Compared to the Epson, has a larger "screen size" to "distance from wall" ratio (I think this is called "throw"). Plenty big. In fact I had to "zoom out" as the screen actually felt too large for the distance I was from the screen. The projector was propped up on a table immediately behind my couch. Once adjusted it was fine. The large size could be great for the gamers out there though.
Optoma HD66:
-Feels more "made in China" with less fancy stickers and design.
-Not quite as bright as the Epson.
-I have yet to try this one during full daylight, but guessing the Epson would be better here. But this is fine with me b/c I figure if it's bright outside, I should probably be there instead of inside.
-Much better colors.
-Throw ratio not as good as Epson, but more than adequate for my needs.
-DLP really does have much better blacks. The "black frame" around the movies is a far cry from grey, and I have a feeling if I fool around with it, I can probably get it to almost disappear.
-Better picture quality - this was apparent to me and all 4 of my non-professional projector testing friends, and more apparent the darker the room is. The Epson is great, but the Optoma is like "Whoa - I wouldn't think I would be able to tell, but I can."
-Harder (though still possible) to discern the "pixels" - feels more like film.
-I was worried about the "rainbow effect". My friends and I were all able to see RGB shadows if we shook our heads back and forth wildly, and maybe a flash of it once or twice during the movie when our eyes would flick across the screen. Not really a big deal, though I guess some people are more "susceptible" to seeing it than others. Both:
-Easily found my computer and displayed the correct resolution automatically.
-Amazing resolution.
-Plenty of adjustments to mess with color and whatnot. I only fooled around with these for 5 minutes or so. You can easily make the colors warmer or cooler.
-Have a small remote with plenty of functions. Batteries included.
-Do NOT come with HDMI, DVI, VGA cables. However, each does come with cable that allows you plug the traditional DVD player (the yellow, red, white "RCA?") cables into the VGA port.Like I said in the end I am sticking with the Optoma HD66.
Since the reason to get a projector, for me, is to have a really great screen to watch movies on, I figured I should lean toward picture quality over features. If I watched TV for a lot of the day, the brightness and bulb life of the Epson may have swayed me in that direction. I hope this is helpful and saves you all some time.

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EPSON PowerLite Home Cinema 705HD Home theater projector

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