Audio & Theater Shop

Onkyo TX-SR607 7.2-Channel A/V Surround Home Theater Receiver (Black) Reviews

2009-12-20T21:10:00.000-08:00

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The TX-SR607 raises the bar once again in the competitive world of mid-range home theater. With HDMI 1.3a inputs for up to six components, it’s ready to handle all your high-definition video and audio needs. Whether it’s a Blu-ray Disc player, a cable or satellite box, or a gaming console, your video signals will be traveling first class. Lower-resolution analog video signals, meanwhile, can be upscaled to 1080i and fine-tuned by Faroudja DCDi Edge™. HDMI version 1.3a also transports the master-quality HD audio formats, DTS-HD Master Audio™ and Dolby® TrueHD. The very latest Dolby technology, Dolby® Pro Logic® IIz, enhances the spatial sensation

Technical Details

- 90 Watts per Channel at 8 Ohms, 20 kHz, 0.08%,2 Channels Driven, FTC; 105 Watts per Channel at 8 Ohms, 1 kHz, 0.7%, 2 Channels Driven, FTC
- Version 1.3a to Support Deep Color™, x.v.Color™, LipSync, Dolby TrueHD, DTS-HD Master Audio, DVD-Audio, Super Audio CD, and CEC
- Audio and 1080p Video Processing via HDMI (1 Front/5 Rear Inputs and 1 Output)
- Deinterlacer with Faroudja DCDi Edge™ (Directional Correlational Deinterlacing) Technology
- HDTV-Capable (720p/1080i) Component Video Switching (2 Inputs and 1 Output)
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"onkyo tx-sr607" 2009-12-13
By K. Stimpson (New Jersey)
Very happy with product, ordered from Amazon and received this receiver in 2 days at $379. Best price anywhere, quick delivery,I will continue to shop at Amazon. The 607 has 5 hdmi connections making it perfect for hi-def tv, bluray and future hi-def connections.Ran the hdmi out to tv and cable box[cablevision], bluray to hdmi in and works like a charm. Used the default settings for cable and bluray. Remote is a little tricky with the on/off capabilities as I need to go back to manual for proper set-up.Have the Harmony One coming in so i did not spend alot of time with this feature. Also can automatically set speakers with Audyssey feature but have not done so as I am still using htib speakers that i plan to upgrade soon.Like the capabiliyy of running my outside speakers through receiver. Now I can get rid of a/b switch.This receiver does run a little hot as others have reported and i have mine in a cabinet that has a glass door that i keep open. Wife doesn't particulary care for this. Might be those htib speakers which are 4&6 ohms.
Overall,I highly recommend this receiver to those getting started with a home theater set up as I am.

"Good Receiver for the price" 2009-12-09
By ShintoDragon (Salt Lake City, UT)
Initially I received a faulty unit with some soldering problems. The local Onkyo authorized repair shop fixed it all up and now it works like a charm.

Controls are fairly easy to use and the power output is great. The only part of the installation process I did not like was the screw down speaker connections, they have little areas to work the speaker wire into. The main reason I purchased this was so I can connect multiple components and then run one HDMI cable behind the wall to my flat panel tv. Works out great with the upconversion feature. I have to agree with previous reviews commenting on the remote usability. I do not like having to press the source buttons back and forth when trying to change volume etc on receiver, it should just default. I have placed this unit inside of a closed cabinet set up with an xbox360 and it produces some serious heat. I am going to install a separate cooling fan to keep the heat down while the cabinet doors are closed.

One thing I have noticed that when I have my tv on hdmi and then I turn the source on the reciever, it seems to take a couple seconds for the picture to show up. I am not sure if this is attributed to the processor for the upconversion or a slight lag on the receiver itself or a lag from my vizio tv.

All in all this is a powerefull receiver with some great features for the price

"Has all of the bells and whistles, just runs a bit too hot." 2009-12-09
By P. Bean (Hoboken, NJ)
I purchased this receiver at a great price through Amazon last month. I love the features that it has, including the many HDMI connectors, Zone 2, and easy set-up with on-screen menu. I have a 5.1 configuration with a combination of Polk and Definitive Technology speakers, and it sounds fantastic. The only complaint I have is that it runs extremely hot. Luckily I have the ability to give it a wide berth, but I have to keep the glass door ajar slightly for fear it will heat up too much. If you have a tight space and cannot give it much breathing room, this may not be the receiver for you.

"As good as it gets - but time for the AV receiver industry to grow a pair..." 2009-12-01
By Steven S. Wolf (Pelham, MA USA)
Do I recommend this unit: YES
Does it do all that it claims: YES (as far as I can tell)
Is it elegant in my living room: YES
Does it produce gorgeous sound: YES

The CEC system (the ability to link various components via HDMI) sucks. The Samsung plasma I have sometimes just turns off if I enable CEC. The instructions for this unit are like so many others I have owned: written to say what a given button does - but not how to use the unit effectively. So I can press a given "audio" button to select between audio modalities - but depending on the sound source, only some modalities are available, or none at all. But what does that mean? Does the system remember such choices by input? By incoming bitstream? Am I expected to choose every time I turn the unit on?

When I have a particular image on the TV that is being output from the Onkyo, how do I control its format? I can't seem to (choosing the video button while in receiver mode simply says "function not available". So... how do I control how the image is being adapted to my 16:9 widescreen TV? If I'm playing a 2.5:1 movie, how do I control how its displayed on screen? If I pipe the output directly to the TV, then the Samsung has a button for messing with the aspect ratio / display modality. But how does the Onkyo do it?

I suspect that the Onkyo can do it - if only they bothered to supply a genuinely useful users-manual (instead of a technical reference manual).

I'm a software engineer - well educated, considered bright by most. I spend my days sleuthing out software programming puzzles, working with computers, etc., and yet I find using an AV receiver to be a major pain in the but. Lots of possible functions, but the only way to really learn is to sit there and press buttons while watching different sources, and trying to figure out what the underlying patterns are: what's available when, what buttons really do what under what circumstances, and much more importantly, how to do what I want with the unit I bought.

Is it just me or is the state of home entertainment still lacking some basic user-friendliness?

I'm hugely excited to see the progress that has been made since around 2000 when I bought my first HDTV. But I'm very disheartened to see how that the different components are SOOO unintegrated and difficult to manage. I had hoped to go from 3 controllers to just one. But the reality is I have to have 4 controllers: the TV (for forcing it to have the right input, since the Samsung doesn't have any way to lock it to the HDMI from the Onkyo - and also to dismiss its retarded "DO YOU WANT TO UPGRADE THE SOFTWARE NOW" messages that pop the !@#$ up in the middle of whatever I'm doing), another for the Onkyo which controls some of my other components, but not enough to really put their controllers away, a TiVo controller (since the Onkyo controller HAS NO SETTINGS THAT CONTROL A TIVO), and my PS3's game controller since the PS3 cannot be controlled properly by IR remotes).

I love the good sound on the Onkyo, and I expect it will last many years. But I wish the various manufacturers would get off their sorry asses and come up with a PC like standard so they all work together reasonably well.

One final gripe: The setup menu that the Onkyo has is incredibly ugly and simplistic. Every other component I bought has a 1000x better interface - The Samsung TV, the old gen 1 TiVo, the PS3 - hell, even the crappy cable box I use has a cleaner, clearer, more user-friendly setup interface. And you can only see this DOS-ugly interface from the Onkyo if you're plugged into something via HDMI - yet the output is 480i!!! WTF??!

"Excellent HT Receiver!" 2009-11-29
By Nicholas D. Ford (Severn, MD USA)
Out of the box, setup is very easy as with most home theater receivers. I replaced an older Onkyo model. The main reason for my purchase was for all of the HDMI inputs on this baby! The automated speaker setup is very nice...takes the guess work out of speaker setup. As of right now, I am using the same speakers that came with the old receiver (until I can save some money for better speakers). After setup, I did notice a slight difference (sounded a little better -- more balanced).

I have an AppleTV, HD FiOS Receiver, HD-DVD Player, Xbox360, PS3, and a Wii connected to this thing. Everything is connected via HDMI except for the Wii which is component video. It's very nice to be able to have minimal cables running all over the place. Plus since the Component video plays through the HDMI out, I only need one cable to the TV! That is a big plus for me.

I'm a bit surprised that most (if not all?) receivers don't have built-in HD Radio tuners, instead are HD Radio "Ready"... Not a big deal though, as most of my listening isn't from the radio.

The receiver does get warm, but no warmer than most other units. So heat is not an issue, as long as you give it the required ventilation...

Overall all I am very pleased with the Onkyo brand and with my new TX-SR607 receiver.

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Zinwell ZAT-970A Digital to Analog TV Converter Box Reviews

2009-12-20T20:17:00.001-08:00

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Digital TV Converter Box with Analog Pass-Through

Technical Details

- Support Analog Pass-Through
- Convert Digital TV signal to Analog
- Multi-lingual support
- Digital Parental control
- Remote control included
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"sound sync problem with Zinwell ZAT 970A" 2009-12-19
By John Frederick Hill (Huntington Beach, Ca USA)
Had this ZAT 970A about a year now. Bought it becuse Consumer Report Said it was first rate. Worked fine for a week. Then I got a hic-up flash on the TV screen and the sound went out of sync on all channels. I am about 12 miles from the TV transmitters with a very good outside antenna. Over the next hour is got more and more out of sync. Tried to reboot it. no eefect. So I just let go to see what would happen. The sound sync started to get better and then no problem. Twenty minutes later got a flash on the screen and the sound was out of sync again. Tried to call Zinwell tech support over and over and gave up. Of late I have lost the sound on the ABC channel. I can get it back if I reprogram all the channels via the auto search mode which is EZ to do.

Let everyone know if someone knows how to fix the sound sync problem

"digital to analog converter" 2009-12-16
By Tom
The box works but audio is very low, I had to my TV volume up to 75% or more. Of course, I hear white noise. I missed the small print that this item is ( NO RETURN )I wonder why. Amazon offered me $7.00 credit on my next purchase or send my another converter to try. I recommend to just go digital TV.

"Zinwell converter works pretty good" 2009-12-10
By K. Dunkle (Florida)
Overall I am fairly happy with this converter box. Easy set up and easy to use but I still have to use 2 different remotes which is a pain.

"Up and running!" 2009-12-08
By A. Sanders (Chicago, IL)
It works just fine...easy installation...I know some people aren't having success with this box, sometimes reception is a problem, but, fortunately, ours is working just fine, my brother's luck wasn't as good with the same exact box!

"FREE IS GOOD!" 2009-12-07
By James Hicks
How could one possibly complain when getting these well rated units for free (I got two), thanks to Amazon's acceptance of the Government's "two [...] rebates/household" cards! I'll make someone a heck of a deal on both of them if anyone still watches tv in a fashion that they actually need them! LOL

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Logitech Squeezebox Radio Reviews

2009-12-20T20:16:00.001-08:00

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Logitech Squeezebox Radio brings a world of music—free Internet radio, subscription services, or your personal digital music collection—to any space in your home, over your Wi-Fi network.

Technical Details

- Listen to infinite music, news and sports from every corner of the globe with this easy-to-use, all-in-one Wi-Fi music playerall without a computer
- Start listening to free Internet radio stations, online music services, and your personal iTunes collection in minutesconnects easily to your home network via Wi-Fi
- Bring full, high-quality sound to any room with an ultra-compact design that fits easily on your night table or kitchen counter
- Just turn the dial to browse radio stations, music tracks and even album art, displayed on the full-color screen
- Recommend music to Facebook friends instantly right from your Squeezebox
See more technical details

"Great idea, poor wireless, missing features" 2009-12-19
By D. Barrett (Massachusetts, USA)
I *love* Squeezeboxes. I own ten of them. Unfortunately, the Radio is extremely disapppointing and I would not recommend it.

Out of the box, the Radio setup is more difficult than its predecessors. Previously, the setup program located my home SqueezeCenter server automatically, and that was about it. With the Radio, however, you must enter your MySqueezebox username and password, which is a pain with the little Radio dial. Why is this necessary? My home server ALREADY HAS my username and password. This is quite annoying, especially if you have a long, secure password with lots of nonalphabetic characters. I had to enter mine 3 times. My setup took 30 minutes (including the wireless problems below), and I'm a computer engineer!

Next, the Radio's wireless networking is of poor quality. From one room in my house, I managed to connect wirelessly. When I unplugged the Radio and moved it to a different room, RIGHT NEXT TO a wireless Squeezebox Boom, the Radio said it could no longer find my network, while the Boom could. When I moved back to the original room (where it had worked before), it still insisted it could not find my network. After several attempts, I gave up and connected an ethernet cable.

Next, I wanted to set a static IP address, since all my other Squeezeboxes have one. And... it seems impossible. I look under "Networking" in the Radio settings, and all I can do is choose a wired or wireless network. Sigh. So I hit Google and find out that you can set a static IP address only if you DISABLE DHCP IN YOUR ROUTER during initial setup. (Some Logitech documents say you can change this under Settings, but sorry, it's not there.) Since I'm not going hamstring my whole network while I set up an MP3 player, I gave up on the static IP address. Why is this complexity necessary? My other 9 Squeezeboxes make this easy. Argh...

So anyway, now the Radio is up and running, so I visit SqueezeCenter to change its settings. I visit the Player tab and look for the Menus settings... and it's gone! In fact, the Radio is missing a bunch of Player settings in SqueezeCenter. Eventually I discover a way to change the Home menu using the Radio itself.

Now the Radio is set up the way I like it, so I try using my favorite three plugins that work on my other 9 Squeezeboxes: The Synchronizer, LazySearch2, and Bookmarks. Only The Synchronizer works: the others won't even show up on the Radio. Since LazySearch2 is the most valuable plugin I've ever seen (it reduces search time by maybe 80%), and I use it for nearly every song I play, this is a big disappointment.

OK, the Radio is a pain to set up. How is the sound? Quite good actually, considering it's mono. I'm satisfied with the sound. The Boom is better, but it's also $100 more expensive. Also the Radio size is convenient for a bedside table.

Oh... did I mention there is no remote control? The Classic remote works fine, but you can't buy them from Logitech anymore. Logitech really seems to be getting it wrong with remotes: the Boom's remote omits all the useful buttons from the Classic.

And now, a final word... HELLO LOGITECH, this is your loyal customer base speaking. Enough with the useless features like "Buy from Amazon" and "Connect to Facebook." Give us reliable networking, bring back the missing settings, keep compatibility with plugins... in other words, get the basics right before you add whizzy & pointless features like wallpaper and album artwork display. If the upcoming Squeezebox Touch is limited like the Radio, I will give up on your new "color touchscreen" models, go to eBay, and buy up used Squeezebox Classics before they become impossible to find. You have a great product. Please keep it great by getting the basics right.

"Excellent product, works easily, looks sexy" 2009-12-18
By Nishant Agarwal (Calabasas, CA USA)
This radio looks and sounds great. This is the smaller one, there are bigger in their series. For me, I like this one as it's compact and light weight.

The build quality is superb, there is no cheap materials used here. The sound is good, but not mind blowing, which should not be expected from this size of radio anyways. The volume is decent, you shall not rock parties with it, but for home listening, and a trip to camping or garden, its cool.

The setup is easy. You have to make a squeezebox account, pretty standard procedure, username, password etc. As with any device needing to talk to your Wi-Fi, you need to know the name and password of your wireless account. The data entry method is simple, it only utilizes on pushable wheel button, but its intuitive, once you use it, you shall just know.

The device is fast, it does not lag or hang, it has never crashed upon me. Finding and adding internet radio channels is easy. I have not really tried applications, but it supports apps which you can download into the PC into this device.

It shows the information about station and song clearly on the bright LCD. There are 6 buttons to save as favorite radio channels. When turned off, the LCD shows the date time. There is a rechargeable battery pack which is not supplied with it, but from their website, it will be available soon along with a remote for 50 bucks. I think that will be really useful, and personally think that at this price, they should just include with the pack. Then the price is really justified.

For internet radio lovers, this is a great joyful sound machine. Logitech, throw in the battery pack and remote, and make this device a must have.

"Squeezebox Radio review" 2009-12-17
By M. L. Smith (Missouri)
I own two other Squeezebox products (a Classic and a Duet) that I primarily use for playing music from my server. I bought the Radio to use in the kitchen where it will primarily used for internet radio.

I've been very pleased with the other Squeezeboxes I have (I first purchased a SliMP3 back in 2001) to the point where I no longer have a CD player in my stereo. All music gets ripped to the server and played back through a Squeezebox.

The sound quality of the Radio is very good for its size and it is generally easy to navigate to find radio stations from around the world. However, unlike a normal radio, it takes 20 or 30 seconds for the unit to boot up when you first turn it on.

The main thing I'd like to see improved is the ability of the unit to hold onto an internet radio signal. The internet is subject to the occasional delay and this sometimes causes the Radio to quit playing a station. This usually involves having to turn the Radio off and then back on again which is a bit annoying.

However, the firmware of the Radio (and other Squeeze players) gets periodically updated as Logitech makes improvements, so I expect this situation to improve with time.

"An Excellent Addition to the Squeezebox Line!" 2009-12-17
By Scott Bright (Grayslake, IL USA)
I am very impressed with the Squeezebox line. I love the Duet, Boom, and now the Squeezebox Radio as well. I think the entire Squeezebox line is really great. At first I thought that needing the Squeeze Server software was a pain, but now after trying other brands that try to get by with just Unpnp or DNLA, I have decided that all the extra features you get by using their server software make it more than worth it. With the newest version, they have added apps like Facebook.

The Squeezebox radio is a smaller unit that fits nicely on a bedside table or in a bathroom. It has a full color display that can show album artwork. The sound in great from such a small unit. I love being able to access my playlists on all my Squeezebox devices.

I love the Squeezebox Radio and highly recommend it!

Notes:
- The Squeezebox radio will have a rechargeable battery available soon to make it more portable.
- It will also have a remote you can order. It's the Squeezebox Boom remote and the Duet remote works with all Squeezebox units.
- The big dial is also a button you push for enter.
- The unit is very solid and well built.
- You need to upgrade your Squeezecenter software to work with the Radio but it was easy to do.
- There is a Sirius Radio plugin but no official XM support so far.
- Wireless network setup was painless just like on the other Squeezebox devices.
- You can control it from the web just like the other Squeezebox devices
- The Apps feature is fun. You can link to your Facebook account.
- Logitech is constantly upgrading both the Squeezecenter application and the device firmware. This means bugs will get fixed and improvements made.
- Internet radio is very nice. You can get stations that are out of your area.
- There are websites dedicated to working with Squeezecenter and the Squeezebox products. These are very helpful. Start at [...]
- I can connect to SqueezeCenter running on my ReadyNasDuo. This allows me to stream all my mp3 files and playlists without using a PC.
- Menu can be highly customized from the SqueezeCenter application. Put the items you want first and take out ones you don't want.

Concerns:
- SqueezeCenter the software that must run on a PC or NAS unit in order for you to stream your own music collection can be a difficult to get working. I'm a computer geek so I was able to plow through it and tweak all the settings for the various plugins. Someone not as computer literate may find this very hard to do.

"Decent sound quality, and easy to set up, but overall... meh." 2009-12-17
By Kevin Nicholls (Milford, MI)
For some time now, whenever streaming media comes up, someone brings up the Squeezebox. And for good reason. As one of the de facto devices, Logitech has refined the interface quite well, and the Squeezebox's sound quality is surprisingly good.

Out of the box, it's possible (and in fact, not difficult) to get the Squeezebox on your network and streaming Pandora before touching your computer. However, using Logitech's site is essential to use most of the real features of the Squeezebox. And, while this isn't a big deal in and of itself, if the site's down, so is your Squeezebox.

I had this happen twice in the past three weeks. I'd turn the Squeezebox on, and get... nothing. Not even "dumb" streaming. Hopefully, Logitech will either improve their service, or tweak the firmware to let you keep the settings you have, when your device can't call home.

On the other hand, the Squeezebox site has an incredible amount of content, and is valuable as an aggregator on its own. Local stations that don't stream on their own sites are available on the Squeezebox, though I would have preferred to see the inclusion of an FM radio -- not only as something to use if your DSL / cable modem is out, but also to preserve bandwidth. The "coolness" wears quickly.

All things being equal, the Squeezebox is a middle of the road offering these days, if you know where to get your content, or are mostly interested in Pandora and / or Last.fm. Streaming audio functionality is getting bundled in to just about everything with a battery (note: except for the Squeezebox, which has an optional and ridiculously expensive battery). So at this price, unless you're dying for a tabletop streaming device, you have tons of alternatives out there from Xbox 360's to picture frames that can stream Pandora and Last.fm.

If you have been clamoring for a tabletop "radio" though, look no further. Logitech has that segment pretty well locked down with the Squeezebox line.

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Sony HTSS360 5.1 channel Home Theater System (Black) Reviews

2009-12-19T20:50:00.000-08:00

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A perfect complement to Blu-ray Disc format movies and advanced gaming platforms, this slim, surround sound receiver system offers simplicity in set-up and connectivity. Experience the full benefit Blu-ray Disc technology sound was developed for with three HDMI inputs. Connect HD sources with a single cable and directly access them through the systems remote contro. One button control is also available with BRAVIA Sync technology and the system cosmetically compliments Blu-ray Disc players and TVs.

Technical Details

- Surround sound home theater system optimized for HD
- 3 HDMI inputs with Active Intelligence
- Cosmetically compliments BRAVIA TVs and Sony BD players
- BRAVIA sync
- iPod and other sources playback, with DMPORT accessories
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"You can't beat the price for the sound you get!" 2009-12-20
By Skobeans (Fl, USA)
This HTIB is just what I was looking for. It offers enough punch in most fair sized rooms for a very good price compared to others on the market.
I had been looking for a system that would allow for HDMI video and sound and this unit has 3 HDMI inputs.
I was looking for a system that did not have a Blue Ray Player since I already have the PS3.
I was looking for a system that could handle my Satellite, PS3, and Xbox 360 and this one handles all of them like a champ.
I was hoping to get a receiver that would play well with my TV and this one syncs right to my Sony TV.
Hooked this thing up in under 1/2 hour and started playing Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2 and it really puts you in the action. There are sounds of bullets whistling by and bombs exploding and aircraft above and you are in the middle of it all. Awesome!!
The same goes for Blueray movies. You may wonder what all of the sounds are that are coming from your favorite movie. I never heard that before are comments you will be making with this unit hooked up.
It does a great job for HiDef movies from DirecTv as well.

Pros:
Great sound overall.
Syncs with other Sony devices.
Good price.
HDMI inputs for video and sound.

Cons:
Proprietary connectors.
No on screen display for adjusting the unit.
Sub, would have been nice powered.

All in all if you already have a Blue Ray unit and would like HDMI capabilities in your system than get this unit. You will be very happy.

"Goes perfect with my other Sony products" 2009-12-15
By D. Beattie (USA)
This system works perfect with my Bravia TV and Sony Blu-Ray player. Sounds great too. I had to manually go in and lower the sub-woofer volume as it was a little loud out of the box but no big deal. I also had to extend one of the rear speaker cables because it wasn't long enough by about 3-5'. Other than that I'm very pleased with the product.

"Good home theater solution" 2009-12-12
By Jerome Garrett
Sony product. Pretty much easy to set-up. The remote isn't 100% universal (as it was really designed for their Bravia TVs and Blu-ray DVD players) but nothing a true universal remote couldn't fix. Sleek, black, powerful. I would say good for a small to medium-sized room. Plenty of speaker wire for each speaker although it's kind of proprietary. 3 HDMI inputs, 1 Output, which is PERFECT for me (360, PS3, Dish Network DVR). Included microphone makes speaker setup easy but you can change each setting in the menu (which you can only see by looking at the front of the receiver). The only quirk I have (and this could be due to my Dish Network receiver) is sometimes it will forget that the program is in 5.1 and switch to 2 chan. I have to reset the receiver (But this only happened once). All in all, great product.

"Better than expected for the price." 2009-12-09
By Don Mitchusson (Denver, CO)
A lot of sound for the money.
Plenty of inputs/outputs and an excellent HDTV companion.

"Great System" 2009-12-07
By Michael L. (Zephyrhills, Fl)
We purchased this unit from a Sony retail store after returning the Sony HT 500 sound bar system. It should have been the one we purchased originally but we were steered to the HT 500 because of it's claim of virtual surround sound. The SS 360 is a nice compact unit that compliments our Sony blu ray disc player. We purchased all Sony products because of the Sony Bravia Sync feature which we are having trouble trying to figure out. Contrary to other reviews, we think the sound is great. We don't have an issue with the fact that the sub woofer is hard wired but we agree with most that it does have a little too much bass, we'll fine tune it and see if that helps. It definately needs longer speaker wires for the rear surround sound speakers. We love the auto calibration feature of the speakers. The sound coming from the unit is great. We found it interesting that both the Sony retail store and Best Buy had the system hooked up incorrectly and not complete almost as if to steer you away from purchasing it. The sound coming from it in the Sony store was horrible and we were disappointed in its performance. We took a chance and purchased it anyway, got it home and immediately we were pleased with it.

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Panasonic SC-BT300 1250W 7.1 Channel Blu-ray Disc Home Theater Sound System Reviews

2009-12-19T20:49:00.001-08:00

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HDTV is easy. Home-Theater sound systems used to be hard but Panasonic has made it easier than pie (ready-made pie). Blu-ray extends beyond HDTV in sound. HDTV has 5.1 channel ability but Blu-Ray offers 7.1 channels. The SC-BT300 boasts seven speakers to envelop viewers in a remarkably true-to-life surround sound experience. The front and center channel speakers are made with a bamboo diaphragm which provides a tightly intertwined fiber to deliver greater rigidity and accuracy, resulting in clear reproduction of sounds over a wide frequency range, from massive explosions to metallic clangs. The subwoofer features a Kelton system with a dual diameter structure to deliver a deep powerful bass. The Smart Set-up guide uses the help of GUI navigation to allow users to set up their SC-BT300 home-theater system for optimum performance. The result is being able to stay at home while enjoying a thrilling, incredibly lifelike audio performance that rivals a movie theater. The appeal of Panasonic Blu-ray products goes beyond the breathtaking pictures and sound; the networking functions open the door to new kinds of entertainment fun. The SC-BT300 can connect to the Internet for downloading bonus content available with Blu-ray Discs and for playing Internet games via BD-Live. This connectivity is further enhanced with the addition of VIERA-Cast. VIERA-Cast integrates the Amazon Video-on-Demand (VOD) online movie rental service. The Amazon VOD service joins other content options already available on VIERA-Cast, including videos from You Tube, access to online photos via Picasa Web Albums, financial information from Bloomberg News, as well as local weather updates. The possibilities are virtually endless. It comes with a Universal Dock for iPod, making it easy for iPod users to play their favorite music or video downloads. This system is also Green-friendly. It has a power-save mode to protect the green in your

Technical Details

- 1250 watts (1kHz, 3 ohms, 10% THD) total distributed among all channels
- Blu-Ray player also plays DVD and CD discs
- Component Video and HDMI connections
- Connectivity : VieraLink
- VieraCast Network HDTV's
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"Nice system, but beware of proprietary cable connections" 2009-12-16
By Pop (New York)
I tried to research this system before I bought it to see if I can use my own speaker cable (higher gauge, longer length, etc), and I didn't see anything to the contrary, plus I had the older DVD panasonic home theater which just had bare wire connections. So I bought this system and a 100ft of 16 gauge speaker wire (system comes with 22 gauge wire), and to make a long story short, I can't use the speaker wire because unlike Panasonic's older dvd home theaters, these have proprietary plastic end connectors which attach to the rear of the blu-ray player. However, they do give a lot of wire for the rear speakers, and I suppose if you were desperate for longer length, you can splice additional speaker wire between the ends of the stock wire, thereby keeping the connections intact and extending the wire at the same time. I just wanted to mention this, because in case someone was interested in this, it is here now. Other than that, the picture looks great with blu-ray, and I'm not sure how I can go back to regular dvds anymore!

"~*~*~*~ Incredible Sound, Especially for the $$$! Ipod Dock is Flat-out Awesome! Better Than Sony!!! ~*~*~*~" 2009-12-16
By J Luke
This is very similar to the DVD Home Theater version, but no comparison. This is better than being at the theater! The sound will literally blow the roof off your house!

Pros:
Ease of Setup; Small surround sound speakers; Great Quality Sound; Black color goes with any decor; Style; Ipod Dock (on screen, it allows you to control the Ipod as if you were holding the Ipod in your hand); Ipod Dock slides in and out (DVD Home Theater had a flap that you pulled down and pushed up; Wires are long enough to have the speakers anywhere, if you don't have the wireless box.

Cons:
No Open Disc button on the remote; Manual too difficult to follow for Setup (just went with instinct to setup); Does NOT include HDMI Cable; Does NOT include Wireless Box (looked online and it's like another $150 just for the box); Takes a long time to load once system is turned on; only single-disc player (DVD Home Theater had 5-Disc Player).

My Mom is very happy with this system. I would definitely recommend this to anyone. If you can get it less than $300, it's a steal. But for the current price, it's still a great deal! Best Buy is advertising it's original price is $650 and on sale for $599. That's insane! Buy it here, on Amazon! Definitely worth every penny!

"Great Home Theater in Box" 2009-12-16
By P. Gupta (Little Rock, AR United States)
Before buying this Home Theater I considered many including but this Home Theater is best for its price. Setup was very easy, just connect the speaker using color coded wires and insert blupay disk and everything works. Not like receivers where you have to connect so many wires and buy extra blu ray player. The sound quality is very good, I already have a DVD home theater from Sony and this player has far better sound. Picture quality is amazing, I have not tested BD Live.
Only thing I didn't like about this Home theater is, it doesn't have much flexibility to use it with other devices. It has couple of Optical inputs and that's it, no HDMI input.
It is a great buy!

"Best purchase in a long time!" 2009-12-13
By Bearcat fan0609
I have been shopping around for a HTS for a while now and spent a lot of time reading reviews. I finally decided to go with this system and WHOA; what a difference this has made! I already had a 50 inch Panasonic Viera so I was a little biased towards purchasing a Panasonic HTS and I am not disappointed. The longest part of the set-up was figuring out where I wanted to put my speakers and then hiding the cords. Sounds great, looks great, and EASY to use. I would definitely recommend this product.

"Outstanding home theater, decent hi-fi" 2009-12-12
By Sir B (TX USA)
Pros:
1. Excellent DVD picture quality (I haven't tried it with Blu-Ray yet).
2. Great sound quality when playing DVDs (I haven't tried it with Blu-Ray yet).
3. Decent CD quality sound.
4. Powerful/Loud. No distortion at high volumes.
5. Sleek, compact and stylish. I love the "tall-boy" speakers and the compact main unit.
6. Complete hi-fi system in one compact unit: AM/FM radio, Blu-Ray/DVD/CD/MP3 player, iPod player with integrated dock. It can display photos on your TV too, either from a CD, DVD or SD card......all at a reasonable price on Amazon.com
7. Smart setup system automatically adjusts the speakers in one easy step.
8. Several options for surround sound.
9. On-unit display can be dimmed. This is a really nice feature.

Cons:
A. Takes a long time (maybe 30 seconds, perhaps one minute) to boot up! Annoying.
B. Decent CD quality sound. I expected better.
C. Lack of a "custom" mode for equalizer.
D. On-unit display does not list track number during CD playback.
E. Lack of information about the unit on manufacturer website!
F. Ease of use could be better.

Summary: Very good all-in-one unit for HDTV, movies (DVD or Blu-ray), iPod, CD and radio. Fantastic movie/HDTV system, decent hi-fi system.

I have a Panasonic 42-inch plasma HDTV. I needed a Blu-ray/DVD player for the TV. Since I don't have a stereo, I also needed something for playing CDs and radio. In short, I wanted an inexpensive (and compact but good quality) hi-fi/video player. I read user and expert reviews on amazon.com and the CNET website, researched on the Panasonic website (and had to phone Panasonic to clarify some details), and physically checked it out at a local store together with competing models. [BTW, the SC-BT300 and the SC-BT303 are identical: the SC-BT303 is sold only in Sam's Club and comes with an HDMI cable included.]

The expert reviews on CNET rated the SC-BT300 and the Samsung HT-BD1250 very highly, prefering the Samsung. They found both models to have very good CD music quality, which is important to me. They preferred the Samsung primarily because of its Netflix and Pandora streaming when connected to the Internet, but connecting an HTIB to the Internet is not a priority for me, to put it mildly. I opted for the Panasonic because: I trust the Panasonic name more, its AM radio, the stylish tall-boy speakers, and better compatibility (as far as the remote control is concerned) with my TV.

I haven't played a blu-ray disk yet. DVD picture quality is excellent (whether with HDMI or the included analog cable) and the DVD sound is fantastic. The bass feels just awesome. I felt like I was in a movie theater; the DVD sound exceeded my expectations. Wow!

But I am somewhat disappointed with the CD sound. It's good, but I expected better. Compared to the sound I get from my car stereo (Alpine amplifier and subwoofer, and Infinity speakers), the SC-BT300 lacks something. I can't exactly explain it, but there's something subtle missing....the sound is just not as rich, and the bass, although loud and distortion-free, seems to lack some "punch" and isn't deep enough......this effect is more obvious when playing music with driving bass like reggae, hip-hop, and R&B. I suspect it has to do with the small speaker sizes of HTIBs. Given that it's among the best HTIBs as far as CD music is concerned (according to CNET), maybe I'm the one who has unrealistic expectations of an HTIB unit. Still, a 10-inch sub (instead of this unit's 6.5-inch) would go a long way in fixing the bass problem, and larger/wider midrange speakers in the tall-boy units would be great.
Other annoyances such as its long boot up time, absence of a track number display on unit, and limited choices in adjusting the equalizer all contribute to make it merely adequate/decent as a standalone music player. But my guess is that most users buy it primarily for HDTV sound and as a movie player....these users won't be disappointed.

[PS: No, I'm not contradicting myself. The sub/bass sounds awesome when playing a DVD, but just decent/adequate when playing CD music. You wouldn't think you're listening to the same sub.]

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Denon DHT-590BA 5.1 Channel Home Theater System with AV Receiver and Boston Acoustics Reviews

2009-12-19T20:47:00.001-08:00

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Combining Denon’s high performance AVR-590 A/V receiver with Boston Acoustics’ MCS 90 5.1 speaker system, the DHT-590BA home theater system features carefully matched components to provide thrilling surround sound for music and movies. Equipped with the latest high resolution surround sound decoders including Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio, the AVR-590 features three HDMI 1080p compatible inputs (repeater function), along with analog video conversion to HDMI, allowing a single HDMI cable run to the TV. System calibration is accomplished with Audyssey MultEQ to optimize the Boston speaker system performance for any room. Audyssey Dynamic Volume and Dynamic EQ help deliver smooth tonal balance at any volume level, while eliminating annoying jumps in volume that typically accompany television commercials. The five channel discrete power amplifier is rated at a robust 75 watts per channel, a perfect match for Boston speaker package. The MCS90 speaker system features four identical satellite speakers using 3" mid-bass driver sand 1/2" dome tweeter's and the matching center channel speaker uses dual 3" drivers flanking a 1/2' soft dome tweeter. All five speakers can be bookshelf or table-top mounted, and have an integrated "keyhole" bracket for wall-mounting. The powerful 100 watt subwoofer features a long-throw, Deep Channel Design 8” woofer that reaches all the way down to the lowest deep bass notes. The DHT90BA is a feature and performance packed system that delivers exceptional value.

Technical Details

- The 75-watt x 5 AVR590 surround sound receiver decodes Dolby TrueHD, Dolby Pro Logic IIz and DTS-HD Master Audio high definition audio formats
- Three HDMI inputs with analog video to HDMI conversion and 1080p 24Hz/60Hz HDMI repeating connectivity
- Audyssey MultEQ, Dynamic Volume and Dynamic EQ audio processing
- The Boston MCS90 5.1 speaker package features four matching sats and a center channel speaker using 3" mid-bass drivers and 1/2-inch soft dome tweeters
- The downfiring MCS90 subwoofer uses an 8" Deep Channel Design woofer powered by a dedicated 100-watt amp to deliver deep bass
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"Sounds Great!" 2009-12-09
By M. C. Bowler (Aiea, HI USA)
Good system if you care about sound quality over loudness. Sounds smooth and clear. Very happy I purchased this.

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Sony BRAVIA DAV-HDX589W 5.1-Channel Theater System (Black) Reviews

2009-12-18T19:47:00.000-08:00

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The DAV-HDX589W BRAVIA theater system boasts an integrated 5 DVD/CD changer, 1000 watts of room-filling power, and an included iPod dock. With the included S-AIR rear speakers with rear receiver and amp (WAHT-SA10), you can now hear powerful sound from behind you without running wires. Control a select number of BRAVIA televisions with BRAVIA Sync via the HDMI interface—and it all works through one remote control (included). And for amazing picture quality, the HDMI interface upscales DVD media up to 1080p. In as little as 30 seconds, digital cinema auto calibration automatically adjusts speaker settings depending on their placement.

Technical Details

- 1000 watts over 5 channels
- S-AIR multi-room capable ( AIR-SA10 sold separately)
- HDMI upscaling to 720p/1080i of DVD media
- IPod9 dock with music and video playback
- Includes wireless rear speaker system
See more technical details

"Average home theater" 2009-12-17
By DJ

Let me list the problems I found with this system which are not highlighted by others:

This home theater has very good sound quality when playing DVDs but when listening to Cable box audio thru digital optical audio input the sound levels deteriorate drastically even when the cable box feeds dolby 5.1 input.
Its not very user friendly to change the sound modes from the remote as you have to press multiple buttons to select the desired sound setting
The most annoying problem with this device is that it always processes optical audio input even you have something connected to the RCA audio inputs (For eg: gaming console). There is no option on the remote to switch from optical audio to RCA input other than physically disconnecting power to your cable box if you have to feed audio from your gaming console.

I have a 4th generation ipod and the system plays tracks from it without any issues but it does not display the ipod menu on the TV screen. You can navigate the ipod from the ipod screen alone (even though you can change tracks from the home theater remote). This is annoying as every time you have to change a track you need to go near your ipod and switch the track. A similar system from panasonic (SC PT760) beautifully displays ipod menu on the TV screen. I dont know if this problem exists with other generation ipods too. Sony has not mentioned this anywhere in the manual.

Finally the sony tech support for home theaters sucks big time. Dont waste your time trying to call them. They are not of much help.

"I am truely impressed" 2009-12-17
By Steven P. Bacque (Tacoma, WA USA)
For the price, I am blown away at the sound quality this system produces. I have it set up in a 15' x 20 ' living area & it fills that space & more with rich, full sound. Setup was a breeze also. The wireless speakers work perfectly, no distortion or dropped sound. This unit works flawlessly with my PS3. I have it hooked up to my 46" LG LCD hdtv, but they work very well together despite being different brands.

The only issue with this unit to me is the lack of inputs. For the price & sound quality though, this is not a hassle to me.

"Kelley" 2009-12-16
By K. C. Hambrick (Virginia)
What an awesome deal! I was thoroughly empressed with the setup and the sound. This is a great buy for the price! I highly recommend this setup. I am not technically savvy and it was easy for even me to put together. LOVE the ipod connection. It charges as well.

"Is Bravia a Bravo?.................." 2009-12-14
By Sameer Sharma
Good: Sounds very good. Crisp. Well developed components. Connection is a breeze.
Bad: To use rear speakers, you have to use wireless system. I had the whole house wired for surround sound, however, I can not use them as the system makes you use their wireless components.
Ugly: You can not control individual channel. REMOTE CONTROL. come on SONY. It has many functionality...But you need a SONY TV and everything to make use of them. It works only with SONY.

Satisfied...I guess OK....But have many reservations....For $325.00, is it worth the money.... I guess no....

"Wonderful sound system! :D" 2009-12-14
By Jesse B. Moen (Santa Rosa, CA United States)
This is my first Home Theater System purchase and I love it! I was considering the Panasonic SCPT670, but I heard there is a common issue with it so I turned to this one. The only problem I am having with this system is that it only has one Input, a coaxial and digital. I had to buy a digital cable along with this system to be able to have surround sound with my PS3 and XBOX360. But I can always buy a better receiver that has multiple inputs for convenience. Other than the single input, everything is perfect!. If you are considering on buying a Home Theater System, I highly recommend this one.

Pros:
+ Good sound quality
+ Wireless rear speakers
+ Easy setup, very intuitive
+ Sleek and stylish
+ Comes with an iPod dock, most HTS don't come with one

Cons:
- Only one input

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Ion TTUSB Turntable with USB Record Reviews

2009-12-18T19:45:00.000-08:00

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Amazon.com Product Description

ION has created the world's first USB turntable allowing you to convert your old vinyl collection directly to CD or MP3 with the included recording software. (NO SPECIAL DRIVERS NEEDED) The ION USB turntable includes Audacity software for Mac/PC for recording as well as a trial of Bias Soundsoap 2 for cleaning and restoring vinyl. This turntable also has line level output for connecting to any home stereo with CD or auxiliary (AUX) inputs. This product is compatible with any software that supports USB audio input sound cards.
The first USB turntable that lets you convert your old vinyl collection directly to CD or MP3, the Ion Audio iTTUSB is a must for people who don't want to deal with clumsy adapters or mismatched software when transferring formats. Requiring no special drivers, the turntable comes with Audacity, a recording application that works with both PCs and Macs, as well a trial version of Bias Soundsoap 2 to clean and restore vinyl recordings. As an alternative, the turntable also works with any other software that supports USB audio input sound cards. Once connected, the turntable transfers both 33-1/3 rpm albums and 45 rpm singles to digital formats in mere minutes. The iTTUSB also offers a few hardware extras, such as an adjustable anti-skating control for increased stereo balancing, an adjustable pitch control (+/- 8 percent), and support for high-speed vinyl recording. And thanks to the line-level outputs, you can connect to any home stereo with CD or auxiliary (AUX) inputs--no phono inputs required. The turntable comes with a cartridge and stylus, 45 adapter, and USB cable and is compatible with PCs running Windows 98, 2000, or XP and Macs running OS 9 or greater. All computers must also have at least one available USB 1.1 port.
The iTTUSB's master carton measures 20.27 by 6.85 by 17.16 inches (W x H x D) while the turntable itself weighs 7.7 pounds.
What's in the Box
Turntable, tonearm counterweight, platter with belt, slipmat, cartridge premounted on headshell, RCA cable, USB cable, software CD-ROM, 45 adapter, quick-start guide, user's manual.

Technical Details

- USB 1.1 turntable that makes it a snap to convert vinyl collection to CD or MP3 formats
- Includes Audacity PC/Mac recording software and trial version of Bias Soundsoap 2
- Adjustable anti-skating control for increased stereo balancing
- Support for high-speed vinyl recording; works with both 33-1/3 and 45 rpm speeds
- Line-level outputs for easy stereo connection; 1/8-inch line-level input; weighs 7.7 pounds
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"Nice turntable but..." 2009-12-16
By R. Schaefer (NY, USA)
I found this USB turntable relatively easy to set up and operate. The only complaint is that it doesn't include an automatic cue feature to prevent accidental scratching of our precious LPs. Otherwise this turntable has very good sound quality and recording capabilities.

"Ion turntable" 2009-12-15
By Henry K. Holcombe (Mililani, Hawaii)
What a simply outstanding product. The quality is the best and I can now turn my record collection into CDs

"Good transition tool for my vinyl collection" 2009-11-11
By Bob in Michigan
Easy to use - software that is provided is very helpful. Would have like it to have some sort of dust cover. My intial recording went well and I look forward to working with it more.

"Ion USB Turntable" 2009-11-10
By Eddy D (Clinton, MD USA)
Excellent product for saving your music to MP3 format from your old records (33'2, 45's, & even 78's). I Luv It! You just can't beat it! I Highly Recommended it! And the price is right! Brand New! Shipping was very reasonable.

"USB turntable" 2009-11-06
By Michele L. Shea (Brookfield, MA United States)
I finally found a way to save all my old, and precious albums. There were a few kinks with iTunes, but once those were ironed out, the turntable worked fine. I've recorded 10 of my albums to CD already, and plan to do them all eventually. This was very reasonable and a great value for the investment.

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Logitech Harmony One Advanced Universal Remote Reviews

2009-12-18T19:43:00.000-08:00

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Logitech knows who you are. You have a half-dozen remotes on the coffee table. And you're the only one in the family who knows how to use them. Logitech can help with the Harmony One Advanced Universal Remote. Enjoy a full-color touch screen. Intuitive button layout. And an ergonomic design. So easy to use, the whole family will love it.

Technical Details

- Easy Internet-based setup
- Dedicated on-screen activity buttons
- Color LCD touch screen
- Contoured backlit buttons
- Can learn IR codes from existing remote controls
See more technical details

"FINALLY!! This is the ONE!" 2009-12-19
By D. Hancock (Allen, Texas)
Woo HOO!! This is my third Harmony remote. The very first one I bought many years ago has been awesome and my dogs chewed it and gave me just the excuse I was looking for to purchase the Harmony ONE. I had bought another Harmony for the bedroom and it works great. It is a different model from my first one. Harmony changed the layout of the buttons and although it works perfect, the buttons are in bad places for one handed use. I am a little dissappointed with that model but it works fine. I was tempted (as you will be) to just get one of the many available older models found here for less. If you will check the Logitech website you will see that they no longer make anything but the ONE and more expensive models. I NEVER EVER thought I would spend $175 for a remote control (GREAT price BTW Amazon) but I did... and I am NOT SORRY!!!!

This remote is awesome! the buttons are in the right places. The lights turn on when you pick it up! No more searching for the "GLOW" button in the dark! The touch screen is great and this remote does everything you ask it to. The charging cradle is perfect and a welcome addition. My older remotes go through batteries like nobodys business! I transferred all the device settings from my old remote and away we go! NO SWEAT.

IF you have many devices in your entertainment center this is the ONLY remote that will do everything you want. Seriously, I have a drawer full of remotes that I have removed the batteries because they NEVER get used again, no kidding.

Hats off to Logitech and the Harmoy One, this is the best remote yet!
OH! By the way, this came with the reciever for a Sony PS3 and I can now control the game system with my Harmony One!! YES, It works perfect! I stream HULU and the internet via PlayOn from the computer to the tv and even my wife & kid can perform any function they need to. NO MORE "DAD...I cant get the tv to work!" WOO HOO!!!

"I Just Love This Remote!" 2009-12-18
By time-flies (Boston, MA)
I have had this remote for over a week now, and I just love it. My husband programmed it and it took less than an half hour. We have only three devices with a remote - TV, Cable box - PVR (blue-Ray). After programming it, he showed me how it worked and that was all there was too it. I have had no problems! All the other remote boxes are put away for good! It fits so nicely in my hand and the buttons are small and feel so good when I click on them. I use to have problems with the cable box - it use to stick or not connect to the program I wanted. I blamed it on the transmission of the program, but I can see now it was the cable remote that was the problem. I can not say enough good things about this remote and I would highly recommend buying it. You won't be disappointed!

"A major imporovement over older model Harmonys" 2009-12-18
By jray (usa)
I have owned 3 other harmony remotes including the 720 and 550. The Harmony one is not even in the same universe as those other models.

Many of the other harmonys have poor button feel, particular on volume/channel up and down. Not the case with the harmoney one. Button work great and have a nice pressure point. Also the layout on this remote is much better as far as button size and spacing. Vast improvement as well. Button issues are the most common failure of these remotes. Time will tell but the way these operate they would seem less likely to have issues with sticking.

Next the backlighting. Its motion sensitive like my 670 model but this backlighting is bright enough that you dont have to strain to see the buttons like the 720. My 550 had backlighting as well but not motion sensitive so you always had to find the light button first. The backlighting on the Harmony One is first class.

As for controlling multiple components it does that just fine although cheaper models from harmony also do pretty much everything a typical user would want to do. One button push and the activity is set up. I do think the harmonys signal is a little stronger than the other models I have used but thats just my feeling from the first several weeks of use.

Also, I have dropped this one a few times already on hardwood floors and no damage at all to the remote or touchscreen.

Now the touchscreen, it works fairly well but it is a little easy to hit the wrong activity. Think the best way to set the remote up is so that you most common activity is at the bottom of the touch screen as I find i ofter hit the lower activity by accident. Just an observation.

Lastly and the best recomendation of all is the wife and kids both after just one use said this remote is way better than the old 670 we had been using. Usually a remote takes getting used to but this one is almost instant.

"Fragile" 2009-12-17
By J. Naughton
The remote functions like a dream, however it is more delicate then an egg. It fell off my couch and onto a carpet and the screen went completely blank and now I can not see anything on it. What a waste of money for a product with no durability. I'll be looking to their competitors for a new one.

"GREAT PRODUCT" 2009-12-17
By TC
This remote is wonderful. I got rid of 5 remotes. It was easy to program and now with a touch of the screen I can change from Direct TV to cable, or watch a DVD. I had to use 3 remotes to do this before. Not to mention trying to remember what input each component was hooked to. I have 5 components and everyone of them was programmed, excpet my PS3, which I have to buy an adapter. I highly recommend this remote. I love it. I plan on buying another for my bar.

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Logitech Squeezebox Boom All-in-One Network Music Player / Wi-Fi Internet Radio Reviews

2009-12-18T19:40:00.000-08:00

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Logitech Squeezebox Boom all-in-one network music player with integrated speakers. Plug it in. Turn it on. Rock the house! The all-in-one network music player that combines award-winning squeezebox functionality with an integrated amplifier and speakers to deliver your digital music to any room in your home. Enjoy the music and content you love, with crystal clear sound.

Technical Details

- Built-in high-fidelity amplifier and speakers for crystal-clear, room-filling sound
- Mysqueezebox.com provides easy wireless access to thousands of Internet radio stations and music services
- Compact, all-in-one design with wireless networking for clutter-free audio in any room
- Included 3.5mm line-in cord works with iPod and other MP3 Players
- Seven-day alarm wakes you to your favorite Internet radio station or music playlist
See more technical details

"Didn't Live Up to Its Promice" 2009-12-18
By A. Antommaria
Having enjoyed a number of Logitech products and wanting to access HD radio, play Pandora, and listen to my Itunes library in my kitchen and living room, I was really excited with the Squeezebox Boom came out. The actual product, however, was a significant disappointment. It was hard to set up, had poor sound quality in such a large space, and had recurrent problems with insufficient buffering. I ended up replacing it with a netbook and some speakers which has worked much better.

"Squeezebox Heaven" 2009-12-15
By Sharon K. Walsh (New Mexico)
I asked a friend to do the shopping for me to giving the criteria that I wanted music in my house and wanted to be able to move it from room to room. I wanted good sound and access to a large variety of stations. He came back with the squeezbox boom and I am very happy. I've been using it for several weeks. I haven't investigated all it's uses yet but will. I have book marked many many stations and have more fun. I am dancing my 64 years away to the 50's 60's, 70's the 80's soft rock and 90's just didn't work for me. I love that I can play blues, jazz, bluegrass, whenever I'm in the mood for them (I prefer rock). Have a ball folks.
Thanks

"Great combination MP3 Player/Internet Radio" 2009-12-11
By Joe (Washington, USA)
Background: I used to own a MAC and have an old 2nd generation iPOD which has a lot of music on it. However, I've since bought a PC and gave the MAC away, so I can't connect my old iPOD to my current PC. I didn't want to buy another iPOD, but I wanted a system that would be mostly home-based and would allow access to my PC-based music. I don't have a stereo component system at home, so I wanted a new stereo also, anyway. Hence, this product fit the bill for my circumstances.

Set up: Plug and play. After I turned on the Squeezebox, it automatically found my home's wireless network and connected directly. The only delay was the need to set up an account with [...] and having it look for my music - which took all of ten minutes.

Sound: I put it in the kitchen, and for the most part fills that room well. It doesn't realy have much bass (despite the "boom" designation), but its doable for what I need it for, which is mostly lower volume background music. I wouldn't necessarily use it as the primary sound system for a party.

Music Sources: Easily accesses all of my music. Surprisingly, I've been using it mostly for Pandora now. I had a Pandora account before, but was confined to listening to it on the PC speakers. The Squeezebox has an app for Pandora (among other music sites) which allows access away from the PC. A nice bonus.

Operation: Very easy to use. The remote is fairly intuitive, and very comfortable. Volume controls are pretty broad (0-100) and it takes several seconds before volume changes can be appreciated - but this is a tiny deal.

Reliability: It has conked out on me a couple of times - not during playback, but when I leave it one for extended periods while paused, it sometimes loses the network, and I've had to turn it off and on to reset. Overall, though, it maintains its wireless connections and hasn't yet dropped a signal while in play.

Overall: A very good product, especially if you don't already have a stereo system. The sound is a bit underpowered to be a primary stereo system or to connect to a TV or something, but it provides good sound otherwise. The added ability to access Pandora, Last.fm, etc... really takes this product over the top. Thumbs up.

"JUST WHAT I WAS LOOKING FOR!" 2009-12-10
By Marilyn K. Kubalak (CENTRAL PA.)
WE LIVE IN A VERY RURAL AREA WITH POOR RADIO RECEPTION. THIS UNIT ALLOWS ME TO ACCESS LOCAL PLUS NATIONAL COVERAGE AND ALL THE TALK AND NEWS, MUSIC AND ENTERTAINMENT I AM USED TO RECEIVING ON MY CAR SIRIUS RADIO. I AM SO HAPPY. SUGGEST DOWNLOADING DETAILED INSTRUCTIONS TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF ALL FEATURES.

"Does not meet expectations" 2009-12-08
By James M. Earley (Iowa)
I purchased the Squeezebox Boom based on the product description that I would be able to listen to hometown internet radio stations while traveling in other states enabling me to stay abrest with local news while traveling. Unfortunately two of the three local stations I wanted to listen to were not available. Logictech explination: radio stations change their URL and our 3rd party provider is behind. Logitech anticipated time to fix: try it again in a month or so.

Kudos to Amazon for service and support on this issue

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