Showing posts with label led. Show all posts
Showing posts with label led. Show all posts

8/07/2011

Feit Electric NL6/LED Theatre-Style Night Light with Sensor Review

Feit Electric NL6/LED Theatre-Style Night Light with Sensor
Average Reviews:

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Produces a reasonable amount of light that can be directed downwards with the fins so that it illuminates the floor without being blindingly bright when you look directly at it. This is a great choice for lighting a hall or doorway where you don't want to illuminate the whole room. It takes up enough space that it is difficult to use the second outlet for anything other than a small two-prong plug, so this is not a great option if you often need the second outlet for something with a power-brick. It looks good - very much like a theatre-style path-light and is not obtrusive. The sensor turns it on when there is a low light level but there is no on-off switch. Not a big deal as the LED should be using very little power. It does not generate perceptible heat when in use.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Feit Electric NL6/LED Theatre-Style Night Light with Sensor

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7/28/2011

Toshiba REGZA Cinema Series 55SV670U 55-Inch 1080p LCD HDTV with LED Backlight and ClearScan 240, Black Review

Toshiba REGZA Cinema Series 55SV670U 55-Inch 1080p LCD HDTV with LED Backlight and ClearScan 240, Black
Average Reviews:

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I have had this Toshiba 55SV670U for about one week. My decesion to pick this set over the Samsung 7100, Samsung 950, Sony XBR8 and LGH90 did not come without a carefull examination of the picture quality on all the sets. (I eliminated plasmas as they appeared rather dim to me.)

My desire was high brightness, sharpness and high contrast ratios. The weight and thickness was not that important as I only planned on moving this set once or twice. I will be looking at the picture more often than looking at the side view. This model Toshiba is now using a similiar front layer as Samsungs and it has improved the contrast ratio signifiantly. The blacks are much darker using this front material. I know it will reflect lights from behind me, but I'll block the window with a shade.... I would rather have that problem 10 % of the time than have the matte finish distort the picture 100 % of the time.The only way to improve contrast ratio is to locally dim. All the above do locally dim except the Samsung 7100. I questioned how the Samsung 7100 could have a single backlight and be able to make selected areas blacker. I found this Samsung set to have a slight blue hue over the whole picture. However, the Samsung 7100 would have been my second choice.
The Sony XBR8 and the Samsung 950 had the best pictures - just too expensive for the RGB backlighting and Just not worth
$ 1500 to $ 2000 more to me.


The Toshiba 55SV670U gave me the local dimming, an anti-reflective coated contrast window, 120 HZ scan rate and a bright long lasting LED display. I am completelty satisfied with this set.... and with and with its much lower selling price.
Drop in Mr and Mrs Smith in Blu Ray and you will ever regret purchasing this Toshiba




Click Here to see more reviews about: Toshiba REGZA Cinema Series 55SV670U 55-Inch 1080p LCD HDTV with LED Backlight and ClearScan 240, Black

The New REGZA Cinema Series LED TV is the most advanced, most beautiful TV we’ve ever produced. Our advanced FocaLight™ LED Backlight System with Local Dimming, and stunning new Deep Lagoon™ Design with Infinity Flush Front™, create the perfect combination of highquality and stylish appeal.

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7/16/2011

Micro Professional Projector MPRO110 Review

Micro Professional Projector MPRO110
Average Reviews:

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If you are considering the 3M MPRO110, my recommendation is that you fully understand your use and purpose as well as the limited capabilities of this product before you buy it. It is definitely NOT a replacement for the typical portable projector by any measure. It certainly looks impressive and is a very compact unit. It will suit the specific needs of some but generally does not compare well with the capabilities of other portable projectors.
In my situation I was only looking for a personal unit to use in my office in a darkened environment with a white projector screen and a laptop/notebook computer to display Windows WMV video files and Apple Quicktime MOV video files. It appears that the MPRO110 may meet my very minimal requirements since I will be the only one using it as a study aid. The picture at maximum distance, projects large enough (nearly as large as my 61" Sony rear projection TV) in my case, which may justify the use of the MPRO110. However what is displayed is not equivalent or even close to the original display output because the brightness and sharpness of the image are not sufficient for most purposes.
The good, the bad, the ugly:
1. The MPRO110 cable for PC/laptop/notebook connectivity is way TOO short and in my opinion should be at least 3ft-4ft in length.
2. The MPRO110 unit really does needs a stand or tripod to rest on at sufficient height to allow the greatest distance 1800mm (71") around 6ft, in order to achieve maximum picture size and to justify its actual use.
3. The MPRO110 power connector cable should have been at the back because it seems to keep pulling the unit off balance because of the short length of the VGA cable despite its own ability to swivel around at the contact point. The cables tend to make it hard to keep the unit flat on a surface.
4. Brightness of the MPRO110 is only marginally acceptable in a darkened room although it is reasonable to expect better than what it projects.
5. MPRO110 focus is limited and I found the focus control range and use to be not very acceptable.
6. The on off button and the focus control are small and that's OK but the plastics lack tactile feel and a nicer button or control using some hardened rubberized material that a user can grip more easily would be much better.
7. To insert, charge and use the battery a small screw must be removed to take the cover off and this is not documented in the Operators Guide or Quick Start Guide.
8. I like the display compatibility and support all the way up to WXGA but would love to see it provide at least 1280 x 1024 support or greater in the future. The Operators Guide does not show the support for WXGA as is displayed on the 3M website.
9. The 3M MPRO110 has an impressive form factor being extremely compact and lightweight.
10. Connecting and setting the MPRO110 is not difficult and it is easy to use.
The 3M MPRO110 is an excellent product in concept. It is very evident to anyone attempting to use the unit in its current implementation that there are significant shortcomings for usability. 3M obviously understands the need for a compact portable projector but the execution could have been so much better. With an enhanced engineering effort and greater output capability, a unit like this done right would have taken the projection market by storm. There is a very real and a very large demand for a unit like this that can deliver. 3M in my experience is a quality vendor, however this unit does not live up to the promise of what it should have been. It does have potential and I can only hope that 3M acknowledge its shortcomings by making substantial improvements to the next generation.

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Micro Professional Projector MPRO110

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6/29/2011

Samsung UN46C6800 46-Inch 1080p 120 Hz LED HDTV (Black) Review

Samsung UN46C6800 46-Inch 1080p 120 Hz LED HDTV (Black)
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Disclaimer: I actually purchased the UN46C6900 which is the exact same television with a different colored bezel, however all here applies to the 6800 as well.
After doing a great deal of research online and in the shops, this TV really seemed to make a lot of sense in terms of price vs. performance, and after my purchase I have to say I certainly agree. I am coming from a higher end 32" Samsung LCD from about 3 years ago, and have spent time with friends and their various Samsung, Toshiba, Sony LCDs and Panasonic plasmas. Hopefully this review will help you make a decision and also provide some insight into using it for various input sources, particularly with a PC.
The first question you need to ask yourself is if you want 3D... if you're like me, you'll find the added cost probably isn't worth it, particularly if you already have a Blu-ray player (given that you can get a better deal on 3D glasses with a Samsung Blu-ray bundle). For me it would have cost around $400-500 more to go 3D (for the added set cost of the UN46C8000 and two pair of glasses), and after seeing it in person, 3D will definitely get a lot better in the years ahead. Outside of the performance and illusion (which was pretty cool from my in-store demos), the two problems for me in particular were that the basic and advanced rechargeable glasses weren't comfortable with my prescription glasses, and the basic glasses use a non-rechargeable watch/coin style battery which sounds like a pain to deal with. That said I am definitely interested in 3D (particularly for games), in a few years I will likely upgrade looking closely at 3D sets to see if the quality and ergonomics have improved.
So anyway, actually on the topic of this tv! The main reason I chose this particular set was because I was interested in 120 or 240hz LED-LCD (mainly due to decreased energy consumption), and also some type of smart backlight technology to get better blacks. I've also had good success with Samsung sets, and they seem to offer the most models compared to Sony or Toshiba, so I could really dial in what features I wanted (or didn't want). So in terms of features, because many edgelit LED sets historically have been pretty horrible in terms of light uniformity, particularly in dark scenes, I was initially interested in the local dimming backlit LED sets such as the UN46B8500. Desire to save some expense and wanting to get a 2010 model year set (improved firmware considerations), I settled on this particular version given it's "precision dimming" functionality. Of course the challenge here is that the 6800/6900 set is edgelit, so while the same trickery in the B8500 was going to be impossible (turning off light directly behind the LCD), it pulls off a similar effect pretty admirably with a thinner profile and lot less cost. How this works is, first imagine a series of LEDs placed around the entire perimeter of the screen (picture a movie-star dressing room mirror with bulb lights all around it). These LED's can be turned on/off on the fly, dynamic to the content on the screen. For an extreme example, picture a game with a completely black loading screen, but with white text "Loading" in the lower right corner. In this scenario, all the perimeter LEDs are turned off, except for the ones in the corner, so the black areas are definitely black while the text is back/side lit. In some scenarios, where the solo text is in the middle of the screen, you get a bit of a projection of light from above and below, but this is very subtle and generally noticeable only from off center viewing. In dark scenes and places where pockets of black are on the sides of the screen, the precision dimming effect is really great. The design overall is a good compromise between the previous backlit LED sets in terms of price and form factor versus performance.
Regarding power consumption, I'll say I'm pretty impressed. Using a kill-o-watt meter on my complete system alternating both of my TVs (this and Samsung CCFL-LCD 32"), I did a test using identical conditions and watching the same video clip on my Playstation 3. While using this C6900, the system overall drew 80 less watts while watching the clip. I was especially impressed given that this set is quite a bit larger, so at most I was expecting the power savings from the CCFL would be offset by the increase in size. Actually saving power overall is a real bonus.
Regarding performance over different inputs... when using this set, I have the following items connected:
- Playstation 3 (via HDMI through Sony receiver STR-DN1000)
- Nintendo Wii (from component RGB to the Sony receiver, upconverted to 1080i and sent to TV via HDMI)
- PC (Windows 7 64-bit, slow fan spinning ATI Radeon 4850 via DVI to HDMI cable to HDMI1 port, designated for PC)
- Antenna (for over-the-air local HD, I don't have cable or dish, I generally just watch shows/movies through PC, Netflix streaming, Hulu, etc)
NOTE: If you are using a PC with this set there are many special considerations that I have discovered. As with many 1080p sets, to get perfect 1:1 pixel mapping at 1080p resolution, the TV and PC require proper configuration when using HDMI (or in my case DVI-HDMI).
First off, the PC should be connected to HDMI port 1 (labeled for DVI devices). Once you have the PC connected, turned on, it must be set to 1920x1080 resolution (note that if you have an ATI video card, you will also need to set the Overscan Ratio to 100% in Catalyst Control Center, with Nvidia or Intel graphics this is not required).
Second, the TV must be configured properly. There are two ways to achieve perfect 1:1 mapping (or close to it) that require separate settings on the TV and each have their own pros and cons. Both require changing the "label" of the HDMI1 input within the Samsung TV menu:
Method 1: Use the DVI-PC label. This method will provide perfect 1:1 pixel mapping and the sharpest possible picture from a computer. However, I have discovered the big downside is that in this mode, most the TV's bells and whistles are disabled including "precision dimming" and "auto motion plus" (the polarizing smoothing effect introduced with 120/240hz sets). Losing precision dimming sucks (particularly 4:3 content such as videos and emulated games) because you essentially get glowing bars and generally poor blacks, essentially making this TV in PC mode look like the Samsung C6500. This condition also exists when using the PC-VGA port, you lose most of the control over the set and most processing effects are disabled.
Method 2: The DVI Devices label. Initially this method scales the screen funny and does not appear to provide 1:1 mapping, but does enable all the whiz bang effects afforded by this TV (precision dimming, etc). However, much to my delight I recently discovered that by using the screen mode function (the method to toggle the screen between 16:9, 4:3, 4:3 zoom, etc), you can select a "screen fit" mode that effectively scales the 1920x1080 resolution to the total screen size with no over or under scan. The method provides an image that is probably only 98% (read: hard to notice) as sharp as method 1, but in my opinion getting precision dimming back well more than makes up for it. It looks great using this configuration with the PC when playing games (iRacing, Dirt2, colsole emulators), web browsing (text is plenty sharp enough in this mode), watching videos, etc.
Ultimately, because you need to configure the set in this way to get the most out of the PC connection (changing the input label), it becomes impractical to connect the PC via a receiver with all of your other gear connected to the TV via one HDMI cable. I was little disappointed by this initially, but running two separate HDMI cables and occassionally switching inputs on the TV is a pretty easy compromise. You COULD run just one cable, and change the label of the input each time you would switch between PS3 and PC for instance, but the way the TV menus are setup, it becomes a pain, particularly because each input type may have special contrast/color settings. In the end, I have found two HDMI inputs configured independently is substantially easier to deal with.
With all that out of the way, the other inputs via my PS3 and Wii via the Sony receiver look just as fantastic, I couldn't be happier. The color is great and the crispness is there particularly with HD signals. Since I'm a huge Wii gamer (Big props to Sin and Punishment 2, No More Heroes 1/2, Mario Galaxy 2, Zack and Wiki, Metroid Trilogy, and lots of awesome WiiWare games, Cave Story, Light Trax, You me and Cubes), I will concede I'm used to resolution compromises, so I bit the bullet with my old TV and got an upconverting receiver which takes the Wii component signal and upconverts to 1080i to the TV via HDMI. Obviously this doesn't do miracles to the 480p signal (or 480i in some games), but it produces a significantly sharper image than using direct input via component on this TV. Edges are sharper, but yet smoothed out quite a bit, and the colors really pop... Mario Galaxy 2 and Sin and Punishment 2 are particularly striking). I hightly recommend going this route if you're a Wii gamer who wants the most out of the systems's image quality. PS3 of course looks gorgeous via Blu-ray movies and various games I play such as GT5 Prologue, Street Fighter IV and Wipeout HD.
So far so good then, right? Well, the one small criticism I will levy towards this TV is that the viewing angles are not quite as good as was hoping for. I will say that my older Samsung 32", while not having the same black levels and brightness certainly, did hold it's image consistency better from an angle. If you're on center, it looks gorgeous, but move a couch cushion to the right or left (from 7' away), and...Read more›

Click Here to see more reviews about: Samsung UN46C6800 46-Inch 1080p 120 Hz LED HDTV (Black)

Samsung LED HDTVs combine breakthrough picture quality and advanced connectivity options that will keep you entertained 24/7. This UN46C6800 LED HDTV also makes it easy to be green, and will save you some green, by being ENERGY STAR compliant.

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6/17/2011

Toshiba 55UX600U 55-Inch 1080p 120 Hz LED HDTV with Net TV (Black Gloss) Review

Toshiba 55UX600U 55-Inch 1080p 120 Hz LED HDTV with Net TV (Black Gloss)
Average Reviews:

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I was a little leary of buying this because of other reviews on the net, from professional critics. However, none of them hold water. This is a fantastic HDTV, and the extra features with internet access make it perfect (pandora radio, even youtube). The picture is excellent from any angle, multiple inputs allow connections from any source. One thing that isn't mentioned is that the set will turn itself off after four hours if there's no input, that is set as a default. It was purchased for my elderly mom, and she loves it. Oh, and it's only a couple inches thick, and so protrudes from the wall even less than a picture frame!

Click Here to see more reviews about: Toshiba 55UX600U 55-Inch 1080p 120 Hz LED HDTV with Net TV (Black Gloss)

Enjoy a stunning picture bursting with color and clarity as well as a wide variety of on-demand entertainment with the 55-inch Toshiba 55UX600U HDTV with LED backlighting (54.6-inch diagonal screen size), which features a 1080p Full HD resolution. The stunning 3M:1 dynamic contrast ratio LED backlighting produces a clearer, crisper image and is supported by Toshiba's CrystalCoat high contrast screen coating and AutoView ambient room light analyzer. It also boasts Toshiba's ClearFrame 120Hz feature, which doubles the video frames from 60 per second to 120 per second to virtually eliminate motion blur--making this a perfect set for watching fast action movies and sports.
Toshiba's Net TV provides on-demand entertainment from such Internet sources as VUDU (with over 3,000 1080p HD movies) and Pandora for streaming of personalized music channels. You can connect the set to a wired home network via the Ethernet port, or connect to a Wi-Fi network using an included Wi-Fi adapter.

This UX600U Series HDTV provides a number of convenient home entertainment options and key picture quality features, including DynaLight dynamic backlight control for deeper black levels and four HDMI digital inputs for simple high quality connection to cable/satellite boxes, DVD players and more. Plus, the HDMI ports feature fast InstaPort switching for quick changes from one source to another. With the Gaming Mode function, you'll experience reduced game control delay and improved reaction time--perfect for PC gaming--and the Photo Frame capability with Auto Slide Show enables you to display slideshows of your favorite images when not watching TV programming.

Offering an ultra-slim Air Lagoon design that's less than 2 inches deep, this UX600U Series HDTV also features MP3 playback via the integrated USB port, a PC input, a removable stand, and Energy Star 4.0 requirements.



Toshiba Net TV
Enjoy a new level of on-demand, Internet-based entertainment with the UX600U's integrated Toshiba Net TV capabilities, which includes a wide variety of entertainment and social networking applications. It provides access to VUDU Movies, which offers true 1080p HD, 5.1 surround sound and gives you access to over 3,000 HD movies on demand. And you'll be able to listen to streaming music from Pandora.

Additionally, video and photo services such as YouTube, Flickr, and Picasa Web Albums let you share content with friends and family wherever they live. News services including the New York Times, AP, National Weather, and more, provide up to the minute information about the world around you. And, the customizable Ticker available at the bottom of the screen allows you to keep up to date with information from your Facebook friends and Twitter feeds as well as News, Weather, or Stocks.

In order to provide simple and instant access to the Internet, the UX600 Series comes equipped with its own Wi-Fi adapter (compatible with 802.11a/b/g/n networks), delivering the latest content right out of the box and eliminating the need to purchase additional accessories. You can also connect to a home network via a wired Ethernet port.

Key Features
1080p HD resolution (1920 x 1080 pixels)
PixelPure 5G 14-bit internal digital video processor increases gradation levels (4,096 levels, or 16x that of a standard 8-bit processor) to create smoother, clearer images.
ClearFrame 120Hz screen refresh rate virtually eliminates motion blur, making this HDTV a great choice for fast action movies and sports. Toshiba's ClearFrame 120Hz system doubles the frame rate of an LCD TV from 60 frames per second to 120 frames per second using superior Motion Vector Frame Interpolation technology.
Resolution+ super resolution technology upconverts and enhances 480i/p and 720p input signals for a more detailed picture.
CrystalCoat prevents ambient room light reflections from washing out the television picture, creating up to 30 percent better contrast in bright rooms and allowing you to enjoy a deep, high contrast picture in all lighting conditions.
AutoView helps ensure an ideal image at all times for the day by combining an ambient room light sensor with incoming video content monitoring. AutoView automatically sets most of the TV picture parameters for you.
DynaLight Backlight Control utilizes advanced image processing to monitor the brightness of each video frame, and adjust the backlight intensity accordingly. This precision creates seamless transitions with deep blacks for increased detail and depth analysis.
Photo Frame capability allows this HDTV to act as both a TV and a digital photo frame. You can showcase your favorite memories as a clear, crisp slide show on the high-resolution television screen--all controlled with just the TV remote.
Gaming Mode takes the gaming experience to a new level by reducing game control delay, thus giving the player improved reaction time and a more realistic playing experience. This is great when used with popular gaming consoles, or with PC games using the TVs PC Input.
Built-in ATSC/NTSC/QAM digital tuning allows for tuning of standard cable channels as well as off-air digital broadcasts, in addition to digital "cable-in-the-clear" broadcasts.
Native Mode restores the size of the picture by the 3-5 percent that is generally lost during the normal over-scanning that occurs on traditional sets.
Cinema Mode 24 fps (3:2 Pulldown): This HDTV performs 3:2 pulldown detection and reversal, too--a handy feature for watching progressive-scan movie programs in their native 24-frame format. To adapt 24 frames-per-second movies to 30 fps video, frames in the original movie must be duplicated; 3:2 pulldown digitally corrects this duplication by removing the redundant information to display a frame-accurate picture.
Color Temperature Control enables you to adjust white balance to achieve the best television picture possible in any viewing environment, or simply adjust the picture to suit your personal tastes. The "Warm" setting delivers a redder image that is ideal for display in a dimly lit room, while "Medium" and "Cool" provide a progressively bluer image for the best picture as room light levels are increased.
Three TheaterWide modes are ideal for displaying HDTV signals as well as enhanced for widescreen television DVDs.


TheaterWide 1: Letterboxed image is digitally expanded 33 percent horizontally and vertically. Useful for reproducing Academy Standard (1.85:1) formatted software.
TheaterWide 2: Letterboxed image is expanded 33 percent horizontally and 42 percent vertically. Particularly of use when viewing narrow letterboxed images originally filmed in Panavision or CinemaScope.
TheaterWide 3: Letterboxed image is expanded 33 percent horizontally and 24 percent vertically. Can be utilized when displaying letterboxed images that incorporate narrow bands at the top and bottom of the picture.



MP3 audio and JPEG image playback via 2 USB ports or SD memory card slot
REGZA-LINK (HDMI-CEC) allows peripheral AV devices such as a DVD player to be controlled by the remote control.
InstaPort fast HDMI switching between A/V components: Typically, when you switch HDMI inputs, there can be a five or six second delay. With InstaPort, as soon as you select an HDMI source, it will connect in a fraction of the time.
Ethernet port for connecting to wired home network.
Bottom-mounted invisible speakers integrated into stylish Horizon bezel design (20 Watts total power; 10W + 10W).
Channel Browser allows you to easily scan through the last 32 channels you have viewed, with screen images for the last five channels displayed, by channel, by favorites, and by input, at the touch of a button.
Channel Labeling allows you to put station call letters on the screen along with the station numbers, so you always know what channel you're watching
Input labeling enables you to name the individual inputs to denote usage, such as "DVD Player" (instead of having them display as just "HDMI 1" and "HDMI 2").
Removable stand for wall mounting (200mm x 400mm VESA mounting pattern)
Tri-lingual onscreen menu (English, French, Spanish)
Dual band Wi-Fi adapter (802.11a/b/g/n) plugs into USB port (security options--WEP64/128, TKIP, AES, WPA/WPA2-PSK, WPS, None)
Warranty: 1-year limited warranty on parts and labor

Connections
HDMI: 4 (HDMI-CEC) with 2 ports on the side
Component: 1 (on the side)
Composite A/V: 1 (on the side)
RF (antenna): 1
PC input (15-pin, D-Sub): 1
Digital audio output: 1 optical
Analog audio input: 3 pair (for each component and composite video input)
Ethernet networking: 1
USB: 2 (side)



Dimensions
TV with stand: 52.87 x 34.96 x 15.59 inches (WxHxD); 62.8 pounds
TV without stand: 52.87 x 32.95 x 1.96 inches (WxHxD); 53.4 pounds
What size TV should you get?



What's in the Box UX600U Series HDTV, remote control (with batteries), dual band WLAN adapter (WLM-10U1), removable stand, cleaning cloth, printed owner's manual
Toshiba 2010 REGZA HDTV Comparison
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Which Size HDTV is Right for My Room?

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6/06/2011

Sony BRAVIA XBR Series KDL-52XBR9 52-Inch 1080p 240 Hz LCD HDTV, Black Review

Sony BRAVIA XBR Series KDL-52XBR9 52-Inch 1080p 240 Hz LCD HDTV, Black
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
This is a very impressive TV. It replaces a 34-inch Sony WEGA tube-based high-def television that I bought in 2003, and I have an XBR6 in another room.
Picture quality is very good. I'm not an expert and won't quibble about technical details. All I know is that I can see the makeup that doesn't completely cover the news anchor's face, and I can examine his dental work. That's probably more than I really need to see. :-) The picture seems to pop out into the room, and that effect is enhanced by the TV's narrow frame. There's a little bit of what I guess is called "mura" when there is no picture on the screen, but it's hardly noticeable and vanishes completely when a picture appears, even if the picture doesn't occupy the entire screen. Not an issue at all.
Sound quality is also very good. I use a separate speaker and amp system if I'm watching something where sound is especially important, but the built-in speakers here serve their purpose quite well and are amply adequate for routine use.
For me the most interesting thing is the ethernet connection, though this is not for browsing the 'net. Sony is still in the process of updating its internet presentation, but I have used the TV to download high-definition movies from Amazon, and it worked very well. Some competition in that space would be useful. Why no NetFlix access? (8/4/09: After an automatic software update last night there's a NetFlix logo and a message that NetFlix access will be available in the fall.)
With movies and TV programs available from Amazon and others, with the Bravia's expanding internet access, and with local broadcast stations offering multiple digital channels with different content, this TV could compete with cable and DirecTV. DirecTV's limited selection of pay per view movies just cannot compare to this. Also, the increasing capability for "a la carte" purchase of program episodes currently available only through DirecTV (or other cable or satellite providers) will reduce the value of my monthly subscription. Really has made me consider my DirecTV subscription.
The XBR9 can retrieve photographs (or music or movies) from my computer via my home ethernet network, or from a flash drive plugged into a USB port, so I'll be able to make lots of people view my photographs and slide shows! (Of course, seeing your photos on this screen in superb color and detail will necessitate another visit to Amazon to upgrade your collection of photography paraphernalia.)
One little quibble: there's a panel of switches located on the right side at exactly the position where I put my hand to move the TV on its mount (Amazon shows an image). Sure would have been thoughtful of Sony if they could have provided some kind of protective device to make it a little harder to accidentally flip one of those switches when I'm trying to adjust the position of the TV.
Finally, and this is important: I installed it using a Sanus wall mount Sanus Systems VMAA26B Universal Articulating Mount with Extended Reach for 30" to 50" Displays (Black). The TV has a lot of mass, and if the cables reach their limit while the TV is still moving, something has to give. So be careful to leave enough slack in the connecting cables to allow the TV to move freely throughout its range. That's especially important with the coaxial antenna cable that screws into its connection and can't merely be pulled out, but it seems possible that you could also damage other connectors, including the HDMI connections.


Click Here to see more reviews about: Sony BRAVIA XBR Series KDL-52XBR9 52-Inch 1080p 240 Hz LCD HDTV, Black

16:9 Full HD 1080p Resolution Panel (1920x1080)16:9 Full HD 1080p resolution panel (1920x1080) accepts any high definition video signal and renders it with optimum resolution, so you can take full advantage of Blu-ray Disc™ players and Sony® PLAYSTATION®3 entertainment systems that can deliver 1080p content Motionflow™ 240Hz technologyMotionflow™ 240Hz technology is Sony\'s highest level of motion detail and clarity so you enjoy exceptional motion detail in sports, movies and games. Motionflow 240Hz technology quadruples the frame rate, resulting in a crisp fluid motion and a natural, realistic viewing experience BRAVIA™ Internet Video With BRAVIA Internet Video4 you can enjoy one of the largest collections of premium and free on-demand entertainment directly to your HDTV. Use your in-home broadband connection and the BRAVIA HDTV remote control to access online video, music, and more content from over 20 providers including Amazon Instant Video, YouTube™, Sports Illustrated, Sony Pictures, Sony Music,Slacker

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5/05/2011

Monster MC 1000HD-4M RT Ultra-High Speed Right Angle HDTV HDMI Cable (4 meters) Review

Monster MC 1000HD-4M RT Ultra-High Speed Right Angle HDTV HDMI Cable (4 meters)
Average Reviews:

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I bought this for its 90 degree end, as I have a wall-hung Panasonic V10, and the straight cables were bent against the wall. I know there are adapters available, but I didn't want to run one. Many argue that there is no difference in transferred signal between something like this cable and lesser-priced cables. I'm not here to comment one way or the other. I'll only say that the construction quality of this cable is significantly better than a $7 cable, and a $30 cable that I own. It also carries Monster's lifetime replacement coverage, which means if technology advances to the point of obsoleting this cable, they'll replace it. Don't care too much about that, but it's a bonus.
For applications where clearance is an issue, I highly recommend it.

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Ultra-High Speed High-Definition Digital Video and Multi-Channel Audio in One Cable

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4/26/2011

Samsung SSG-2100AB Battery 3D Glasses, Black Review

Samsung SSG-2100AB Battery 3D Glasses, Black
Average Reviews:

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technology innovations are going to cost more at the leading edge ... i have seven children at home, several grand children and grand parents who have all come over and watched the 3d movie (only one so far) ... we even watch some regular blue-ray movies in the simulated 3d mode, which is not as great, but it does add depth ... and no one has damaged the glasses, from age 2 (with parental supervision) to age 78 ... with lots of young hands turning the glasses on and off ... we have four of them, kid tested for over four months and all working and intact ... yes, they are not indestructable, they could be easily broken with carelessness, but you would think if something cost a hundred dollars, you would take care of them and not leave them to be sat on ... and for those who care, not one of us have had headaches or anything else after several hours at a time and over fifty hours over the four months ... and 3d is great ... the whole picture just has so much more realism (if one can have that in an animation film) ... just the individual hairs on the moth ... the many times you just put your hand out there cause you believe you can almost touch the picture ... just fabulous ... maybe not for everyone, but out of the sixty or so people who have watched at our house, not one of them was not impressed and everyone wants to know when we are getting our next 3d movie (more than likey meatballs this month) ... there has always been those who put technology down or believe everything should be indestructable and a cheap price ... well, the car, television, computer and many other advances have overcome those that are negative, (of course some advances have failed miserably) ... but my advice is to judge for yourself, i know a couple of box and department stores that have the tv and glasses for demonstrations ... take the time and see for yourself ...

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Battery charged 3-D glasses, no cable connection needed. Comfortable eyewear design with optimized size, design and light weight.

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4/02/2011

LG HS201 Slim LED Projector Review

LG HS201 Slim LED Projector
Average Reviews:

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As a retired professor volunteering in a senior citizen's program, I must tote what I need to teach cultural history. That includes equipment to show films and images and to play reasonable quality recorded music, as well as to lecture. The LG HS201 is ideal for my purposes. With 200 lumens it is the first LED projector that I have seen that is sufficiently bright and that has a usable built-in stereo sound system, although I do augment its meager 2 watts with external speakers. The USB port facilitates set-up and frees me from a tangle of cables, as I can easily put a couple of slightly compressed movies, an hour of MP3 classical music, and nearly 100 JPEG images onto an 8GB flash drive. The fan noise is barely audible--an estimated 29 DB--and at under 2 lbs. the projector is truly portable.
Most of its purported shortcomings are no more than compromises necessary to bring a lamp-free projector to market at a $500 price. For that figure, one should not expect a zoom lens, a tilt adjustment, or anything like a theater sound system. Incidentally, only the HS 200G and HS201G, neither of which is currently marketed in the USA, offer a standard carrying bag, and just the HS200 series, also not yet sold here, includes an FM audio transmitter. However, there is one LG HS201 defect that can and should be remedied at the earliest opportunity. The owner's manual is written in the unidiomatic English of a non-native speaker, and some of the manual's technical writing defies comprehension. A newly edited version would be helpful.
If you are interested in buying the LG HS201, I would suggest four accessories at first: (a) a USB flash drive of 8 or 16GB; (b) a lightweight tripod, rated at over 6 lbs; (c) a pair of small speakers; and (d) a carrying bag. With these, you should be good to go!

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LG LED projector 2000:1 contrast ratio 200 ANSI brightness 30,000 hours LED life various aspect ratios Divx player via USB 2.0 FM wireless audio HDMI 1.3 green technology - mercury freeWhat's in the Box : HS201 projector,Manual,Remote Control (Card Type),CR2032 3V battery (for the remote control),RBG cable,RGB to Component converter (adaptor),AD DC Adaptor (100~240Hz),Power Cord.

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3/28/2011

VIZIO XVT3D650SV 65-Inch Theater 3D Edge Lit Razor LED LCD HDTV with VIZIO Internet Apps, Black Review

VIZIO XVT3D650SV 65-Inch Theater 3D Edge Lit Razor LED LCD HDTV with VIZIO Internet Apps, Black
Average Reviews:

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So you know where I'm coming from, I'm replacing a 50" Samsung plasma. I have a number of various sized flat panels around the house and a home theater in the basement. I just had my 720p Mitsy projector replaced with a Sony (STR-DA3600ES) and Avatar on Blu-Ray blew me away (108" screen). I consider myself an enthusiast, but in no way an expert. Anyway, onward...
Out of the box experience - Fantastic. The box is gorgeous, the instructions on the top tell you how to easily (for such a big TV) undo the clips and sleeve-off the box.
Set up - Couldn't be simpler. Quick start guide is accurate. Instructions manual is in English only, not 7 languages, and is plainly written, not some computer converted Chinese. I couldn't get the Vizio remote to control the DirecTV box though. Will have to look for a code I suppose. Not a biggie. Will get it. (Edit: Thanks to AVS Forum, someone pointed out I must have my receiver set to RF mode in Remote Control set up. I changed it to IR, and voilà, all set. I had to "Try The Next Code" to get up to Code 4. All set). Luckily, my 2-year old receiver is 3D ready - HR21-700. DirecTV said just "plug it in, the receiver will walk you through the set up once it recognizes the 3D TV". Not quite right, for me anyway, but a restart of the receiver and I was up and running.
2D-HD - I started with Kill Bill 2 on TNTHD and it looked great. Some HD looks better than others, not surprisingly. For example, 30 Rock must use some type of softening lens.
AppleTV (720p) - YouTube looks a little better than I thought it would. From Apple's movie catalog, previews of 300 and The Bucket List looked sharp. Netflix streaming looked as good as it did on my 50" Sammy, and that's a good thing. Photos from Mobile Me via my iPhone looked great.
3D on DirecTV - Started with n3D, which I now realize is very analogous to Mark Cuban's HDNET back in the early days of HD. It's where you should go for the fun initial impression. A lot of scenic/nature content. It impresses right away.
Family take - 11-year old boy loves it. Despicable Me in 3D is wow-ing him. 15-year old daughter too. I prefer the premium glasses, but the kids like the basic ones. Daughter's friend was tickled the basic (flat) glasses fit over her eye glasses. Wife's first reaction was good, then made a comment about it making her cross-eyed, then backed up and liked it. She is also most impressed with Despicable Me and says it feels less gimmicky than past 3D experiences (where something just jumps out at you now and then).
3D sports - I downloaded the National Championship game (Auburn vs Oregon) via DirecTV and although I like it better than the active shutter, I'm not sure I wouldn't prefer a plain crisp HD for sports. I watch a ton of sports, and my initial reaction to sports in 3D with both passive 3D (this set) and active 3D (the other available 3D technology) is mixed at this point in time.
Vizio 3D Blu-Ray player - Started with Dinosaurs, IMAX Under The Sea, Alice in Wonderland, and Polar Express. The player is quick and intuitive with the Internet app screen as the main screen. Disney's Alice in Wonderland is fabulous and I'm most surprised by how pleasing the image depths are. IMAX Under The Sea has the cool IMAX 3D number countdown at the beginning - fun. The sea images give "whoa" reactions from the family. This is THE 3D Blu-Ray to throw in first - Jim Carrey narrated and beautiful. The tech of the whole thing falls away after a few minutes and the experience is immersive from then on. The player is snappy.
3D thoughts, as this set is passive 3D (vs active 3D)
Passive 3D gets everything right it claims, IMO. The glasses are light and easy. It's nice they are inexpensive (I bought10 pairs of RealD glasses from Amazon for $25 10 - Pairs - Brand New Sealed - 3D Circular Polarized 3D Glasses same as RealD for Disney Digital -Legend of the Guardians (10 Pairs) -they work great). Also easy to sit and glance down at my lap top now and then. I surely don't wish I was worried about the active 3D syncing, battery life, and if someone is going to sit on them. My brother-in-law walked in and I tossed a pair of glasses across the room. He slapped them on and said "Wow, that's awesome". He also has 3 kids under 6 years old. No way he ever buys $100 glasses (which is what the active version of 3D requires) for that bunch. ;)
The knocks on passive 3D are a little over stated for me. You'll find these concerns if you surf around the internet researching 3D TV options.
- Claim: "Black lines" - They are (barely) there, however, they only are appriciable if you get within 3-4 feet of the screen. I liken it to the screen door effect. If the TV is big enough and you get close enough, you'll see them. This concern ended up as a no-big-deal item.
- Claim: "Turning head sideways ruins the 3D" - nope. Not an issue.
- Claim: "The 3D-ness severely degrades with off-angle viewing" - Not for me. It does lessen a little though. Otherwise, walking around the room gives a yoyo-ing 3D image which follows you. Cool.
- Claim: "Half resolution" thing - Didn't even occur to me when watching it. No comments from family about less of anything as far as picture quality goes.
- Claim: "Cross talk" - Not seeing it. Maybe if some one pointed it out to me?
More thoughts...
It is high gloss and I can see where a heavily windowed room could be an issue. Fine for me with flanking windows and a (non-windowed)wall facing the TV.
Make sure your space can handle a 65-incher. I'd recommend being a minimum of 8 ft away, with 10+ ft being better. This thing is big.
I think I'm officially spoiled by HD and now 3D as standard def is getting harder to watch. Not sure if this is the TV or just me.
Final thoughts...
My ordered list of priorities when I bought this TV were size, price point, and then 3D. Well, the size is significantly (not just a little bit) bigger than my 50-incher - check. The price was right at 3G's - check. The 3D has definitely exceeded my expectations - check. The 2D has met my hopes in that I'm very happy with the black levels (although they are not as deep as a plasma). For me, this is a great gen-1 Vizio 3D TV. I'm sure future years will bring 4K2K and improved tech, but at a price. For today, this hit the spot and was an incremental improvement over my 2-yr old Samsung plasma.

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