Toshiba Satellite L655 S5065bn 15 6 Inch Notebook Picture

Toshiba Satellite L655 S5065bn 15 6 Inch Notebook Picture

Toshiba Satellite L655 S5065bn 15 6 Inch Notebook Photo

Toshiba Satellite L655 S5065bn 15 6 Inch Notebook Photo

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Toshiba Satellite A665d S5172 15 6 Inch Laptop Photo

Toshiba Satellite A665d S5172 15 6 Inch Laptop Photo

Toshiba Satellite A665d S5172 15 6 Inch Laptop Picture

Toshiba Satellite A665d S5172 15 6 Inch Laptop Image

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful.
Great buy for the price!
By Orland M. de Vega
I’ve had this A665d-S5172 for about 2 months now. So far I am well pleased with the performance of this laptop. I purchased this when Amazon had it for $599. With all the bells and whistles a high end laptop would have for the fraction of the price. I love the blu-ray! you simply just can’t go wrong!
Now the Graphics card is ok. If your playing games like Star Craft2 or some other high end graphics game it becomes to much for the graphics card which in turns becomes laggy and your fps lowers to the single digits. It helps that you don’t have anything running in the background to improve the performace of your games. Also updating your driver will make it perform a little better. luckily you can change the graphics settings to make it so it is not laggy.
Other then the Graphics card issue I am very happy. Sound is great with harmon/kardon speakers and HD quality screen. The raised tile keyboard and the Fusion(tm) X2 finish is very stylish.
A665d-S5172 has many features that you will love. This is the best laptop for the price and after researching for days I kept coming back to this.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful.
Great Laptop great price.
By J. E. Crockett
The keyboard works great. I have no idea what the reviewer that said it “requires great strength just to use the keyboard” is talking about. I find the keys as easy to press down as a standard desktop keyboard. Perhaps the system they received was defective.

I’m very satisfied with the system’s performance and it functions perfectly for both school and for streaming video from Netflix.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful.
Toshiba Satellite A665D-S5172
By ralph thayer
Toshiba Satellite A665D-S5172 15.6-Inch Laptop – Black

I have had this machine about one month now. It ran right out of the box as I expected and was not bloated with too much software to delete. I do find the keys to be a bit too slick and not indented enough which slows my touch typing pace. Two USB ports on the left are fine but I find the third on the right a bit tricky to use as I use a mouse 99% of the time and hit the sensor in so doing. It is also vibration sensitive and I usually get a message that the head has been moved to a safe position whenever I nudge the desk. I guess this is for my benefit though: I need a better desk anyway. The speakers are quite good for a laptop and the screen is very clear and bright. Overall I have no regrets about this buy. Windows 7 is very much welcome too. I have been using computers since the RShack TRS 80 came out 100 years ago and am amazed at the progress and how the prices have come down.

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Satellite Encryption John R Vacca Pic

Satellite Encryption John R Vacca Pic

Satellite Encryption John R Vacca Pic

Satellite Encryption John R Vacca Photo

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful.
Just what I needed
By Kenneth Walker
I fell into the category of “I know what a router is but I hope I never have to set one up.” Our routers were handled by another talented memeber of our team. When she left, I gave it shot using some manuals we had from cisco and some other informatin passed down from project to project. Completely lost, I decided to start from the beginning. This text was just the ticket to get me started!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful.
Firewalls : Jumpstart for Network and Systems Administrators
By Pramod Pandya
I have witnessed the proliferation of data networks over last fifteen years during which time
network security has grown to multi-million dollar business. I have taught and consulted on
design and implementation of network security.In today’s corporate and SOHO network, secuirty
is extremely critical to protect and safeguard data. Firewall technology provides a defense
mechanism against unautorized access to data networks. This textbook provides a comprehensive
treatment of firewall from introduction to management and advanced configuration. The appendix
has a list of current firewall vendors that should be of extreme helpful to any reader. I would
highly recommend this text to anyone before they decide to purchase firewall to secure their network.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful.
Start and end your firewall installation with this book !!
By William D. Watson
This book covers firewall implementation, configuration and maintenance with excellent references and examples. John Vacca starts with installation and setup and then moves into implementing and maintance. Along the way many real life experiences are used as examples. Before you start or before you do any updateing on your firewall be sure to read this book.

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Shakespeare Sra Satellite Radio Antenna Photo

Shakespeare Sra Satellite Radio Antenna Image

Shakespeare Sra Satellite Radio Antenna Image

Shakespeare Sra Satellite Radio Antenna Image

0 of 0 people found the following review helpful.
Great antenna
By Mesastuff
I installed 4 of these on various motor vehicles and they are low profile and work great. Much more stealthy than the giant fins many shops are using and the color matched the white vehicles on which they were installed.

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful.
Perfect for our boat!
By Barry
This piece of hardware was perfect for our boat, and the seller shipped as advertised. Quick, hassle free and perfect.

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What is a Receiver?

A receiver is that big, heavy thing that you plug your speakers and other constituents into (like a DVD player, TV, CD player, Xbox, PlayStation, iPod, and etc.). Its the “brain” of the show, really. The idea of connecting all your elements to a receiver is the conception of audio/video switching, permitting you to switch to dissimilar video origins (like TV, DVD, camcorder) on your TV

and thence altering the audio source hence – all without touching anything but the receiver.

Of course, the main intention behind audio/video switching with a receiver is to drive audio to external speakers, like surround sound or stereo speakers.

Most receivers have a plethora of inputs; up to 8 speakers and a subwoofer (more commonly, 5.1, or five speakers and a subwoofer), various video inputs, and even HDMI inputs. You could plug your Xbox, Plasma, and DVD player into the receiver and use one remote to switch amidst all the dissimilar video roots (games, TV, DVD video) and have your speakers pump out surround-sound. Let’s start out with inputs and outputs. If you don’t grasp something, read through the entire How-To as most of it will be explained in detail.

Keep in mind that a receiver is the hub of your entire home theatre, so this How-To will genuinely guide you through the fundamental principle of connecting your finish home theater.

So what the heck is all this ‘stuff’ on the back of your receiver?

I’m going to go over just in regards to anything that you would find on the back of your receiver. The one I’m basing this guide off of is a Harman Kardon AVR-247 I’m going to start out from the top left of the unit and work my way to the right, then I’ll get started at the left of the next row and so on.

The original three inputs are for antennas. An FM antenna cable would slide on to the primary jack while two speaker wires would plug into the remaining slots for AM. Of course, you don’t have to plug your antennas in, but if you’d like AM/FM reception through your speakers, you’ll want to go in front and do that. These are general connections, so if you lose one of your antennas, just go buy another for a few bucks.

You’ve probably heard of composite video. Its a very basic video connection used by most any factor (TV, DVD, VCR especially). Its mutual and it is cheap. As such, it is very low quality.

Composite uses an RCA cable for video (yellow) and two more RCA cables for audio (red and white, stereo). The problem is that a composite video cable combines luminance and chrominance in the same cable, reducing the quality of the picture. You lose a lot of sharpness, and the color begins to degrade from the primary source. Its utile when you need the extra input or the device you’re connecting only has composite video. Otherwise, use something else, like factor video. Sounds similar; very different.

S-Video is next in line after composite. It uses a dissimilar type of connector (five pins in a circle) and gives you marginally better video quality. It is likewise a video-only cable, so you’ll need to plug in audio separately. In this case, you’ll probably use a pair of red and white RCA cables for your audio inputs.

Next up: a ton of composite audio inputs. These inputs use left channel and right channel RCA cables, specifically red and white. They look just like the yellow composite video cable, and you could even use them for video and the yellow for audio, but let’s keep the color scheme how it is Composite audio is the bottom-of-the-barrel in audio. Its perfectly fine for most use, but if you’re looking for high quality surround sound, you don’t want composite. Game systems, like the Wii or Xbox, and very basic DVD players are a perfective match for composite audio.

The same goes to VCRs, CD players, and anything that only has a composite audio output. Plus, if you don’t have surround sound, or your receiver is only two channels (2.1, stereo sound), you won’t be competent to use anything but composite audio. Note that there is a composite audio input beneath each composite video input so that it is easy to match them up. Plug them in the wrong inputs and you won’t get sound when you’re on that queer video input.

Here we have one of the least-used features of a innovative receiver: 6 (or channel direct input. This is only used for two purposes: SACD or DVD Audio. SACD is an acronym for Super Audio CD. It is a proprietary audio format developed by Sony for particular CDs that are recorded in 5.1 surround sound. That means you need a CD or DVD/CD player that supports SACDs, a receiver with SACD aid (as in the picture), and of course Super Audio CD’s. DVD Audio is the same idea, dissimilar brand, dissimilar media (its a DVD, not a CD!).

DVD Audio discs are special DVDs that are recorded in 5.1 surround sound and may only be played by gimmicks with help for them. These CDs go all the way up to 7.1 surround sound, meaning you would need to have two front, two rear, two side speakers and a subwoofer to receive pleasure from full 7.1 surround sound. Most receivers support up to 7.1 now but you won’t find DVDs with that kind of capability for movies. 5.1 surround is still the defacto standard, so don’t run out and buy more speakers any time soon.

You could skip this next little item because it is distinguishable to this brand of receiver (Harman Kardon). The Bridge” is a proprietary connection they developed for you to connect

an iPod. You need to buy a distinguished element that includes a docking station and particular cables to connect the iPod. It completely integrates with the receiver, displaying

menus and songs on the front LCD screen of the receiver. This allows you to without apparent effort pump your tunes through your speakers, whether it be stereo sound or full surround sound.

Of course, the music on your iPod is stereo sound, so the best you may get is simulated surround sound or stereo surround; the same music playing in the front two channels

is put through the rear and center channels. Some receivers do this more intelligently than others, but more on that later.

Here we have our high-end sound inputs/outputs. Basically the same performance wise, you have fiber optic connections (with the square shape) and digital coaxial (just like an RCA cable).

Both of these are 100% digital, whereas composite is analog. The only way you may get true surround sound from any source is by using one of these connections (or the SACD/DVD Audio option)

Almost all DVD players these days have either optical or digital coaxial outputs (sometimes, both). Many high definition cable and satellite boxes likewise come with these

connections so you may receive pleasure from 5.1 surround sound on high definition channels. Choosing amid the two, there’s actually no dissimilar in audio quality, so feel free to use

what you’d like (or what you’re forced to).

I don’t think I need an effigy for the next plug. Its a pair of power inputs. One is for powering the receiver, the other for whatsoever you’d like. This way, when you turn

on the receiver, you give power to the other device (be it a DVD player, CD player, cable box, whatever). I don’t inevitably commend this unless it specifically suits

your needs. It is utile if you’re running low on outlets, of course.

Something else you’ll never use: D-bus RC-5 input/output. This is applied for infrared remote controls to take over your home theater system. Honestly, it is not something any of us will ever use. Some of the real high-end junkies might be using something for it, but I’ve never even come all over a device that uses this technology. Stick to the remote that came with your unit, or buy a quality universal remote control. There’s no need for this option. An alternate use for this may be a bit more common: if your receiver’s front panel is blocked (like inside a cabinet), you could get an infrared transmitter to latch on to the front of it. This transmitter would hook up to another device someplace in your room that will receive signals from your remote control. The receiving device then transmits the remote’s commands to your receiver (via the transmitter you’ve attached to the front over the regular infrared transmitter).

Pre-outs , located right underneath the Remote in/out. Pre-outs are used when you’d like to add an amplifier to your scheme to boost the power (and consequently volume/audio quality). Average

users will not use this for anything but the subwoofer preout. You’ll want to run a subwoofer cable from your subwoofer to the subwoofer pre-out to provide it with

the right frequencies. This is the proper way to connect your subwoofer to your surround sound system. The other inputs won’t be applied unless you plan on adding

an amplifier. This is highly unnecessary for home use. You might add an amp if you’re attempting to fill a room the size of a little house with sufficient sound, but you’re not, right?

Here we at long last get to the meat of the system: the speaker inputs! Harman Kardon receivers use bind posts for connecting speakers, as seen in the picture. They

work by being loosened up as your turn them counter-clockwise, then you sneak the speaker wire in beneath the caps and tighten them back up by turning clockwise. This’ll

give your speaker wire a nice tug fit that in all likelihood won’t loosen up on itself over time. Other brands may use other types of connectors, but bind posts are very common.

You might have been capable to tell this is a 7.1 channel receiver because of the speaker inputs.

You’ve got room for 2 front left and right speakers, 2 rear left and right speakers,

a center channel, and two left and right “surround” channels which are placed someplace in amongst your front and rear speakers (“side surround”, or 7.1). If you have enough

speakers, you may go in front and plug in those extra 2 side ones, but they won’t play any sound at all on a 5.1 DVD. You would need a DVD that supports 7.1

surround sound, and at this time, there just isn’t a market for it. CDs will gladly blast stereo surround through all 7 speakers, though, so for numerous more prominent rooms, that’s an

advantage.

Our final set of connectors for this receiver: factor video . The best video you may get next to composite or s-video. You’ll detect it is a set of three cables (all for video),

usually Red, Green and Blue. Don’t think that’s what the cable does, though – it separates the video signal by luminance and two distinguished color channels. In the past, component

did it in fact represent R, G, B (splitting the crucial colors in transmit and recombining them at the destination device), but that is not employed in current element video

connections. Component video may carry high definition signals, all the way up to 1080p, so it is the most cost effective and readily available high definition input.

Not seen on this receiver are DVI and HDMI, the two all-digital video connections.

HDMI is the newest, fastest, sharpest video and audio connection available today. Its the only cable that may carry audio and video in one – not to mention, in high definition.

HDMI ought to be supported by the source and the display you’re connecting it to to use all of it is features. Not all DVD players, cable boxes, or receivers aid both

audio and video in HDMI. Its getting more and more of a frequent now to help both. The vantage is clear: less cable clutter, higher quality audio and video. You may get up

to 1080p high definition video and 7.1 surround sound through an HDMI cable. Newer cable and satellite boxes, DVD players, high definition DVD players, and more highpriced receivers

support the full capability of HDMI. Its the best you may get as all-digital goes.

The last connection for this article is DVI. DVI is also all digital like HDMI, but it can not routine audio signals. HDMI may provide a technically superior image,

but I don’t think any individual could tell the difference. DVI supports high definition video all the way up to 1080p, just like HDMI. Its being applied less oftentimes now,

but if you’ve purchased a new computer or video card for your PC recently, it in all likelihood has a DVI (or two) port on it. Most computer monitors use DVI now and video cards

have followed suit. HDMI is edging it is way into the PC market, but it is dominance is seen in the home theater arena.

Now that you’ve familiarized yourself with mutual connections, let’s plug it all together.

This portion of the receiver How-To is going to guide you through hooking a 5.1 surround sound system(5 speakers and a subwoofer) with a high-definition TV, a high-definition cable or satellite box, a DVD player, and a 5.1 receiver.

Your TV & Components

Where you put your TV is dependent on how big it is, how big your room is, and where you will be sitting. If it is 50 inches, don’t sit more than 10-15 feet away; but no less, either.

A 60″ set is perfective for 12-20 feet. If you have a 32 inch set, undertake to sit no further than 8-12 feet away. Your receiver, DVD player, cable box, and other elements ought to evidently be close together, but don’t place them physically on top of each other. They all get hot, peculiarly your receiver. If you have no other choice, slide a thin piece of plywood amongst the parts to support dispense the heat.

Lay Out of Speakers

The firstborn step is to lay out your setup. Different rooms call for dissimilar locatings for your speakers and subwoofer. If your room is a typical rectangle, go in front and place your two front left and right speakers someplace flush with the television on that side of the room. Your left speaker goes toward the left corner, right speaker toward the right corner. Don’t bother with speaker wire yet (unless your speakers come with speaker wire attached already; in that case, just let them dangle for now). Note that which speaker is left or right is solely dependent on how you connect them to your receiver. Your speakers aren’t actually indicated “left” or “right”.

Depending on how you acquired your speakers, your front speakers could be more spectacular than your rear speakers. That’s how you recognise they’re for the front. Otherwise, all your speakers are the same shape and size, and you may use each for any purpose.

One exception: the center channel. Usually, a center channel is much shorter and wider than your other speakers. It ought to only be applied for the center channel. Sometimes, all 5 of your speakers could be the same, ordinarily on a very inexpensive setup. You may use any of these speakers for any purpose.

Your center channel will have to always go either directly on top or under your television set. However you have to do this, get it done! It’s not called the center channel for nothing, you know. Any movie will pump out almost 90% of the voices you listen and a majority of the rest of the sounds through the center channel. It is a vitally essential element to your surround sound setup.

Your subwoofer will have to always be on the floor. If it is out of the question to place it on the floor, get it as close to the floor as possible. Placing it behind objections or in closets will diminish it is effects. In a perfective setup, the subwoofer would be on the floor close to the TV (perhaps off to the left or right) in your line of sight. Nothing ought to block the side of the subwoofer that air will come out of (usually covered by a grill protecting the subwoofer speaker itself).

When it comes to finding a good spot for your speakers, you might want to mount them. You may normally buy compatible speaker mounts online or in stores. You may also

use existent shelving, buy a good deal of shelving, or place them on tables or other objects. No matter how you do it, undertake to keep the speakers as close to ear level as possible. A speaker mounted at the ceiling of your room isn’t going to give you the optimal aural experience.

The last thing to keep in mind with regards to layout is speaker wire. You’ll in all likelihood need at least 100ft of speaker wire, but you’ll many times find yourself using much more if you

try running wire through your ceiling, under carpeting, up through the basement, or around objects to conceal it. Take measurements and buy at least 10% more wire than

you think you need. You’ll in all likelihood use it!

Cabling

You need to recognise the dissimilar kind of speaker wire available to you before setting up your home theatre. If you purchased an HTIB (home theater in a box), it probably came with 100ft of horribly cheap speaker wire. You don’t want that! Do yourself a favor: buy galore high-quality, 14-gauge speaker wire. Anything higher than 14-gauge is just to thin and will be susceptible to interence, quality loss, and poor quality over longer distances. Fourteen gauge is a good thickness and suitable for most home theatres. Make sure it is also not too thick – a great deal of speaker wire merely will not fit in to the speaker wire jacks on a heap of receivers.

Some receivers use proprietary speaker inputs. Sony is one example. Many Sony receivers have particular connectors for speaker wire and will not receive a usual speaker wire. You’ll need to use either the Sony-provided speaker wire, take the ends off of Sony speaker wire and put it on your own, or buy a good deal of of these particular connectors from Sony directly to place on your speaker wire. My recommendation? Avoid any receivers with non-standard speaker wire posts/jacks/connectors. Look for bind posts or other jacks that grant you to slide in and clamp down on a typical speaker wire.

Once you’ve got your speaker wire sorted out, you’ll have to do a lot of cutting and stripping if you opted to buy your own. This is way posing no difficulty than it sounds, so don’t worry!

Measure out each length one at a time, cutting the speaker wire with either genuinely outstanding scissors or a sharp blade. Now you need to strip the ends of the wire. Use either a stripping tool or plain old scissors. You may place the scissors on the cable and gently utilize galore pressure as you twist the scissors around the cable, conservatively slicing into the plastic coating. Eventually, it’ll get weak sufficient that you may just slide it off by tugging on it with your fingers. You need at least 1/4″ of exposed wire.

Now you may connect your speakers. Note on your speaker wire the divergence amid the two ends. You’ll need to use one as your positive and one as your negative. Sometimes the coating is a dissimilar color among the two or there is text on one and not on the other. Keep track of this – whichever side you use for positive on your speaker, use it for positive on your receiver. Crossing the two may cause damage, either without delay or sometime in the future. It might work this way but you don’t want it to!

Connecting the speakers is easy enough. Front left to front left on your receiver, center speaker to center on your receiver, etc… Your rear speakers may be referred to as “Surround” or “Rear Surround” rather of just “Rear”, but keep in mind, if you have a 7.1 or 8.1 channel receiver, “Surround” may indicate side surround speakers, not rear speakers.

Subwoofers

Your subwoofer is going to be a little more complicated. There are a few dissimilar ways to do it and galore variations of inputs/ouputs on the back side of subwoofers. I’m going to go with the most ordinary and effective method first.

You will need a subwoofer cable for connecting your sub. If you don’t have one or don’t want to buy one, you may substitute it for a usual red or white RCA cable (or a pair, since they are commonly connected; just let the other cable dangle). It will work, but it is in truth not the best way to do it. You’ll also need what is called a Y adapter. On the back of your sub, there ought to be a left/right input (red and white). You plug the Y adapter in to these connections and then your subwoofer cable (or RCA cable) in the other end of the Y (note: if you don’t have a Y adapter, just choose the left or right input to plug into).

Now, take the other end of your cable and plug it into your receiver’s

subwoofer preout. Hopefully you have a powered sub, meaning it gets plugged into an AC power outlet. All you need to do now is plug that in and your subwoofer is good to.

If you don’t have RCA jacks on your subwoofer, or it only has speaker wire jacks (and it is most likely not powered), you’ll need to connect it the old fashioned way. Your front left and right speakers will plug into your subwoofer’s ouput jacks rather of your receiver. You’ll then run speaker wire from the left and right inputs on the subwoofer to your left and right speaker outputs on your receiver. This way, the subwoofer is powered by the receiver and will not work as well as a powered sub. You likewise take a lot of power away from your front speakers with this method. A good idea is to buy a new, powered subwoofer with line in RCA jacks.

Connecting the Dots

You’ve got the hard stuff out of the way. Now finish it up by connecting your TV, DVD, and cable/satellite box. Always undertake using the best choices first. If your DVD

has HDMI and so does your receiver, use it. If your DVD only has composite, s-video, and component, use factor video cable. When it comes to audio, you utterly need

to use digital coaxial (jacks are normally orange) or fiber optic (usually the jack is recessed into the unit and has a door on it; when the door is open, a red light is visible). If you do not use either of these two, you won’t get unfeigned surround sound! When all else fails, resort to composite (red and white) audio connectors.

Note: Look almost at the connections on your receiver. Everything is labeled, like the primary set of red, green, and blue element video inputs might be labeled “Comp 1″. If you’re using composite audio cablesfor your sound, you’ll need to plug them into the jacks that coordinate with “Comp 1″. This might not be clear by looking at the receiver, so refer to your receiver’s manual to figure out which video inputs use which audio inputs. Most often, you’ll be competent to configure them from the receiver’s internal menu using the remote control.

On a lot of receivers, all the element video inputs, for example, are linked to a single composite audio input (usually “DVD”), so if you connect more than one of the element inputs, you will be competing for sound when more than one device is active. This is why you’d want to configure the factor inputs to use dissimilar audio inputs.

Your manual is the only way to figure out how to go in regards to it. Composite video will normally match up to composite audio inputs with naming conventions like Video 1 -> Video 1, Video 2 -> Video 2, etc., but cables like element and DVI may not. You will have to likewise configure digital audio inputs to match up with the video inputs you’re planning on using. For example, if you’re using a digital coaxial input (possibly “Digital 1″), and you use factor video, you’ll want to match “Digital 1″ with “Comp 1″. Again, refer to your users manual for how to do this.

The Logitech Z-680 gives you THX-certified theater-quality digital sound. Both optical and coaxial inputs provide for simple connection to almost any audio appliance, and with the digital SoundTouch control center and the wireless remote, you may 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 may likewise get 5.1 surround sound from a stereo input through the modern Dolby Pro Logic II system. You may also connect up to four audio roots simultaneously, while accessing each one at the touch of a button.

Philips Channels Surround Multimedia Speakers Pic

Philips Channels Surround Multimedia Speakers Picture

Philips Channels Surround Multimedia Speakers Pic

Philips Channels Surround Multimedia Speakers Photo

48 of 48 people found the following review helpful.
Going digital has never been easier!
By Johnson Wei
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.

79 of 85 people found the following review helpful.
PLEASE READ
By Matt
If you are looking at any other home theater system in the range of $270, STOP! You have found what you are looking for.

This system is phenomenal, with features that rival home theater sets costing more than twice as much. The sound is amazing, and there is plenty of it; 505 watts RMS(continuous power). This system will rattle the china out of your cabinet, no doubt.

The sub is 185 watts, when most systems around $500 feature a 100-watt sub. It has all the inputs and features you could want, Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround, Dolby Pro Logic II, optical AND coaxial inputs for surround sound. I have my computer, tv, XBOX, PS2, and Gamecube all hooked up to this machine, and it wasn’t hard at all. I have yet to venture the volume control past 60% because that is when my head starts to hurt. Movies are immersive and music sounds awesome! This system really is incomparable to anything near it’s price range.

Recommended without reservation.

35 of 36 people found the following review helpful.
Wow! Talk about Value for Money.
By R. Ocampo
I’ve heard these speakers at my local computer store. These are the best sounding among all the brands offered. Klipsch didn’t sound as good and Creative Labs’ isn’t even an option.
The control center is the best design so far. The display and power button emit a cool blue light that is nice to see at night. Every component looks very sturdy. There are three possible connections – Coax, Optical, mini. You can use all for three different sources. Just press a button from the control center to indicate what source you would like to use.

How good are these speakers? I own a couple. It may not compare to my JBL HT system which are THX-certified for true home theater use, but these cost thousands. With the price you’re paying for the Logitech, it’s a steal. I have Harman/Kardon Sound Sticks for my Mac and these [are unacceptable] especially for the price. I had Sony Dream System DAV-C990 which I returned after two weeks because the speakers are not only dull, they seriously need some equalization.

Now for the cons:
1. The speaker cords are too thin and short.
2. The cord from the control center to the bass module is way too short and the manual warns against extending it. I want my bass in the corner of the room, and the control beside my PC.
3. The remote needs aesthetic improvement.

These speakers have good, powerful bass right out of the box. Bass lovers will adore these for their games and music. Just reduce the bass from the control center if it annoys you.

Best of all – these are THX-certified. You can’t beat the price and quality. Even Apple has adapted these speakers for their upcoming G5 desktops. And if someone knows good design, these people do.

Enjoy!

See all 133 customer reviews…

Looking for further and added ways to save cash in 2012?

“Cutting the cord” on your cable or satellite TV service may save you huge money. Your Cable bill is the one “utility” that you may live without! Whether you go with an Over-the-air TV Antenna, or the wide assortment of services for Streaming TV and Movie content (or both), good number of things from which only one can be chosen to cable TV are widely available.

Why I like Antenna TV

TV antennas provide the best “bang for your buck”. Once you’ve purchased and installed your antenna, all of the amusement it provides is altogether free! I save $85 per month* since cutting my cable TV! Your on a monthly basis savings could be as much as what you’d save on electricity if you expended thousands of dollars to buy PV Solar Panels on your roof!

*Your savings will vary based on your current Cable TV or Satellite on a monthly basis rate.

Many OTA broadcasts for the duration of prime-time hours are in uncompressed High Definition (HD). This means it’ll look better than what you are applied to seeing from your cable company. It’s all in regards to your proximity to terrestrial broadcast towers. An over-the-Air (OTA) HDTV antenna may connect you to local network affiliates like ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX, PBS and rather a few Spanish-language networks for news and national programming. Other content includes live sports coverage of College Football, NFL Football, Featured MLB games, Golf and more like the Olympic Games.

Streaming TV – Lots of choices

Whether you are looking at free TV on the internet through network websites, looking at YouTube video or streaming to your TV through an internet connected device you have lots on-demand content options. Subscription based content from Amazon, Netflix and Hulu is getting more and more compelling as these companies compete to broaden their offerings. Pay-as-you-go streaming and downloads from Amazon and iTunes give you choices for TV and Movies with no long-term commitment. All of these require high-speed internet access.

Streaming Devices

Many of the latest TVs and Blu-ray disc players are network enabled and help streaming content out of the box. a growing number of lowpriced set-top box appliances provide access to dissimilar streaming content. We like the Roku boxes for their price and access to lots of “Channels” of streaming content. The Apple TV is also lowcost with a simple interface to iTunes and Netflix streaming content and more. Do your homework and shop around, this is a competitory new buyer electronics category!

Streaming on the Go

These days we tend to be digesting more amusement content on our phones, laptops and tablet computers. One of our bestloved new widgets for enjoying streaming video content is the Amazon Kindle Fire tablet. At $199 is a outstanding value.

You have options. You may take control and save a lot of cash while still enjoying great TV and Movie content.

Loyalty Hd Picture

Loyalty Hd Image

Loyalty Hd Photo

Loyalty Hd Pic

113 of 128 people found the following review helpful.
A classic ROBIN HOOD
By Karen A. Fleming
I ordered this ROBIN HOOD after seeing only 2 episodes. I don’t usually do that; I usually read all the customer reviews before making up my mind to buy something. Why did I jump in so early? This looks like being a classic ROBIN HOOD.

28 of 32 people found the following review helpful.
Full of anachronisms, but fun
By J. Scheppler
If you want a gritty, truly medieval-looking Robin Hood, you won’t find it in this re-imagining. All the elements are in place: Robin Hood, Merry Men, Lady Marian, Sir Guy, the Sheriff of Nottingham. At first the costumes are guaranteed to drive purists crazy. The guys’ shirts look like they came from the Sherwood Forest Gap outlet. Sir Guy’s leather duster is right out of a Western (though hunky Richard Armitage wears it well). Marian’s costumes are mostly unflattering. Then there are the none-too-subtle current Bush-Blair political references. Robin Hood as terrorist? Hmm. Lady Marian as a feminist do-gooder? Okay. Maybe she’s meant to be a good role model for girls. Apart from Much and Little John, the actors playing Robin, Will Scarlet, and Alan a Dale are practically interchangeable, all too physically similar for any one to stand out. Both Sir Guy and the Sheriff are far more memorable.

All that said, the series steadily improves from the outset. Once you make up your mind to stop looking for realism, the episodes are fun and entertaining. For a truly imaginative take on the legend, however, check out “Robin of Sherwood” with Michael Praed as Robin of Loxley, which is finally available in the U.S. on DVD. Once you’ve seen Ray Winstone’s anger-fueled Will Scarlet, you will pity every actor who has taken on the role since.

59 of 72 people found the following review helpful.
More Whimsical Than Dangerous–A Very Modern BBC “Robin Hood” Can Still Be An Adventure
By K. Harris
I’ll be the first one to tell you–I’m sophisticated and classy. You know why? I watch BBCAmerica, and the Brits–they are the leaders of urbane and upscale entertainment. If you need any convincing, just watch an episode of “Footballer’s Wives,” “Mile High,” or “Bad Girls.” Of course, I’m kidding. These shows are brassy, bawdy, and loaded with bad behavior! But, you know what, they are also filled with life. They embrace their nastiness wholeheartedly and make no apologies for being pure popcorn entertainment. With language and nudity not permitted by American networks, it seems as if the genre of nighttime soaps has been revitalized by Britain. But that’s not all BBCAmerica has to offer, they are just the shows that helped the network grow in popularity. Some other intriguing entries that recently aired in the US are on their way to DVD–there is a new hip take on “Robin Hood,” the supernatural “Hex,” and the complex crime story “Conviction.” So beware! The British are coming, the British are coming–and it’s a good thing!

On preparing to sit through “Robin Hood,” it’s best to know what to anticipate. If you’re expecting any sort of historical insight or don’t want anyone tampering with the “classic” tale of Mr. Hood–then I’d advise you to take a pass. Do I need to say what “Robin Hood” is about? Robin is a former noble who becomes an outlaw and forms a posse to (duh!) rob from the rich to give to the poor. This version casts attractive actors, employs anachronistic language, and is firmly rooted in modern (and politically correct) sensibilities. The production is slick, stunts and camerawork exemplary–this is a well crafted entertainment. Most episodes move at a brisk and amusing pace, and even when things seem to lack real danger–the series more than compensates with humor. The plots aren’t particularly revelatory, but any lack of originality is likely to be forgiven due to the energetic and likable performances.

And the success of this “Robin Hood” rest squarely on Jonas Armstrong’s shoulders. Armstrong is a star! Perhaps a bit slight for a true action hero, Armstrong is wildly appealing and has great comic timing. His need to be loved by the people is a running gag and one that works exceedingly well–but, then again, who wouldn’t love this Robin? Keith Allen is a stellar Sheriff of Nottingham, this is comic villainy at its finest. Richard Armitage as Guy of Gisborne is the show’s real menace and does a nice job with a somewhat underwritten part. Lucy Griffiths plays an earnest Marion–updated to hero status herself just to be fair. At first, the show had trouble incorporating Marion into the main action and her tone was always more somber–but a balance is reached as the show progresses. The secondary players are a bit more sketchy, but are employed to good effect when necessary.

If this version of “Robin Hood” is guilty of anything, it might be a “too cool for school” mentality. It is so intent on being clever with ironic humor and modern attitudes that the sheer adventure is sometimes secondary. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed this updating–it just tries so hard to be “hip.” From the whimsical episode titles through to the inevitable laugh that ends just about every episode, “Robin Hood” almost defies you to take it seriously–and yet, its ultimate success depends on you doing so. I wanted to be blown away be this series, but the episodes end up being more of a lark than anything else. Fun, frothy and not very filling–I still give this 4 (maybe 3 1/2) stars. I see “Hood” having the potential to develop more compelling story arcs with greater ambition, let’s see if that happens when Season 2 rolls around. KGHarris, 04/07.

See all 139 customer reviews…

Sharp Lc 37d4u 37 Inch Hd Ready Flat Panel Image

Sharp Lc 37d4u 37 Inch Hd Ready Flat Panel Picture

Sharp Lc 37d4u 37 Inch Hd Ready Flat Panel Photo

Sharp Lc 37d4u 37 Inch Hd Ready Flat Panel Photo

32 of 32 people found the following review helpful.
Sharp Aquos is a good buy
By Michael A. Jackson
I read many reviews some positive and some negative, I went with the positive ones and my own experiences with other Sharp products. I have had a Sharp Aquos LD37D44U 37-Inch LCD HDTV for about a month and must say that I am very pleased with it so far.

The picture quality is very good and it has every connection that you may want on the back. I am using the HDMI connection from a HDTV Verizon FIOS Box.

I have no problems with any lines or dead pixels as some have written about. If you are looking to buy a solid TV and not over pay for a name, then consider buying one of the Sharp Aquos LCD TVs.

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful.
good for the price
By B. Allison
Easy set-up and great picture for the price. 6ms refresh rate makes the picture blur at times, but happens very rarely. Owned it for one month with no problems.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful.
Great LCD HDTV…
By Edgar R. Rodriguez
Excelent image, great colors. The software is a little slow (when you change channels) but it’s ok. If you just want it to watch TV 720p is fine. I would recommend this TV.

See all 18 customer reviews…

Directv Sl5s Slimeline Swm Lnbf 2 Pic

Directv Sl5s Slimeline Swm Lnbf 2 Photo

Directv Sl5s Slimeline Swm Lnbf 2 Photo

Directv Sl5s Slimeline Swm Lnbf 2 Picture

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful.
A wrong made right!
By Dayna
Although I was extremely dissatisfied with my purchase the seller made it right. He buys different parts of satellites from different vendors and puts them together to make one complete system. That’s alright but not what I thought I was buying. The system I bought had parts that weren’t new and didn’t fit together properly. Therefore it caused many problems. The professional installer had to manipulate the parts to make it fit together. When it was finished it didn’t look good but more important it didn’t receive a good signal. But after contacting the seller he apologized for his mistake and was readily willing to rectify the situation. He replaced it with a new more expensive satellite system that he bought in a complete set. He also sent me a return shipping label. He went over and above to satisfy. I put up the new satellite system and it works great.

6 of 8 people found the following review helpful.
Wow
By Ray Smithers
Now that DirectTV has 70 HD channels and is headed for 100 you will need this dish. Works great, spend some time aiming it and be sure you get the best signal you can.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful.
Wrong pictures!
By The Hillbilly Machinist
The middle picture is the AT9 also called the “Side-Car” model which performs exactly like the newer Slimline model. There’s no difference between the two other than one is a little more prettier than the other an the reflector on the Slimline model is slightly bigger which may or may not yield a better signal strength.

See all 11 customer reviews…

Kvh Tracvision R6st Directv Mobile Image

Kvh Tracvision R6st Directv Mobile Pic

Kvh Tracvision R6st Directv Mobile Picture

Kvh Tracvision R6st Directv Mobile Image

See all customer reviews…

Kef Kht2005 3 Subwoofer Satellite System Pic

Kef Kht2005 3 Subwoofer Satellite System Photo

Kef Kht2005 3 Subwoofer Satellite System Picture

Kef Kht2005 3 Subwoofer Satellite System Photo

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful.
Wow, amazing sound.
By D. Mohammed
After months researching of putting together a quality home theater system, I decided to go with the Kef instead of the omnistats. The main reason being the sub. The Kef is rated at 200 watts rms with a class d amp,while the only info on the omni sub is 74 watts rms, not sure if the amp is a/b or d. I paired these with Denon 4310 avr,oppo blu ray player and a 55 inch led sammie. Well the sound is far better than anything i have ever heard b4,. This includes Bose, which after hearing this, is in my opinion over rated. if price isn’t an issue ,take the plunge.!!!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful.
Crystal Clear
By Happy Manhattan Lady
I recently decided that I wanted to upgrade my very old sound system so I started searching for a new receiver and speakers. As everyone else that shops for stuff I researched for many weeks and finally gave in and purchased the KEF KHT2005 speakers along with an Onkyo 808 receiver. I don’t know much about electronics but I know that I want to hear every little ping. These speakers sound amazing they are CRYSTAL CLEAR you hear every piece of glass that is being shattered and every single drop of water in the movie Inception. So all action movies sound amazing. One thing I have noticed is that I don’t have to lower the volume when there is an action scene. It all blends perfectly without it being too loud. I am very happy with my purchase they are worth every dollar and I highly recommend them you will not be disappointed.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful.
Save Yourself Time and Money and Buy These And I’ll Tell You Why
By E. Byer
First off I will start by saying that these have always been my dream speakers. I first heard of the company when I was watching Santa Clause BluRay at Circuit City (before they went under) and let me tell you….I was SO IMMERSED in that movie that I literally had to know what the speaker brand and model was so that I could start saving up money to buy them. It was amazing to feel so immersed when the setup was in the center of the store with people walking all around talking loudly, etc. So now let me give you something to think about….these speakers don’t come cheap and with the amazing deals at Amazon…whether you pay $900 or $1200 for these speakers, you are getting them at a price that is a steal in my honest opinion. I have a 10×12 ft room so by no means is it big, so I was well aware that this system was going to overpower this room but I didn’t care. This system can EASILY handle a medium to large size room without breaking a sweat. The sounds are SO SO CRISP that when I was playing 192kbps songs, they sounded like garbage. You know you have a QUALITY speaker when you can tell the subtle differences between 192, 256, 320, and VBR bitrates! Movies are absolutely incredible and my intentions of forking over so much money was to have a ***REAL*** home theater system and I FINALLY have it! I use to have an Energy Take Classic 5.1 system that apparently came with 2 bad speakers on arrival, and it was paired with a $250 Pioneer receiver connected to my computer and Tv….my God this is night and day! I connected the KEF’s to my Pioneer and IMMEDIATELY saw a big difference from the KEF’s vs Energy. THEN I upgraded my POS Pioneer receiver (P.S. never buy a Pioneer receiver…just trust me on this…they are garbage…and even the top model that I tested at magnolia Home Theater at Best Buy sounded muffled…just go there if you don’t believe me) to a Marantz (which I 250% HIGHLY RECOMMEND….you just have no idea what you are missing until you have the Marantz receiver…brings out the crispness and quality sound you crave for!….and what’s great is that I paired it with an optical cable to my Windows 7 Pc and it works wonderfully and even switches to a special Dolby Digital Movie Setting when I play a Bluray or DVD) and I have no regrets! Initial setup costs with a good sound card for my PC ran me about $2000 but let me tell you all this…if you are on the fence about justifying the price…just take the plunge! Why suffer with a bad set of speakers and receiver for $250 + $400 = $650 like I did….and have to replace them because not only do they not sound nearly as good, but they didn’t last, when you can spend $2000 initially and have a KILLER sound system? These speakers feel very solid, very well constructed, and sound just incredible. $2000 was A LOT FOR ME TO SWALLOW, but I have absolutely no regrets other than I should have bought these sooner! I don’t know what the 3005.3 sounds like, but honestly….I am not dying over here with this model series if you get my point so for those of you that are like me and don’t have $1400 to spend on the 3005 series…this is perfect for us…I am sure they sound even more incredible…but I am enjoying my jaw-dropping experience currently with this setup. Do yourself a favor as well and go to Monoprice.com for speaker wire and save a lot…I needed 250ft so I only paid $50 for it instead of hundreds from other companies. Any questions….optomechesst@aim.com is my e-mail….send me an e-mail and I will try to get back to you whenever I can…I am busy but I like to help…I know when I have a quality product and this is it! I rarely review unless I am impressed so that should tell you something…and speakers don’t go bad if you buy quality. If I need a new system for a different room…KEF is my weapon of choice!

THANK YOU KEF!
Ed

See all 5 customer reviews…