4/04/2012

Epson PowerLite Home Cinema 6500UB 1080p 3LCD Home Theater Projector Review

Epson PowerLite Home Cinema 6500UB 1080p 3LCD Home Theater Projector
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After many years of wishing and slowly peicing togther the parts for a home theater I have finally achieved this lofty goal. This is my first projector so bare in mind my relative experience. A few things to note. I use this projector solely for movie watching and usually at night in a completely dark room. I am not using a blu-ray player but an HDMI equipped Sony DVD player with "upscaling" on a 106" screen.

This machine is AMAZING. The picture quality is first class! Being as this is the format Blu-ray is designed for I was a bit worried about the regular dvd quality. However I can happily say even with a regular player a well made DVD(well made as in the Studio actually went in there and really digitally mastered and maxed out the DVD capability) the image quality is superb. At 720P with a A-class DVD transfer such as a Lord of the Rings, Wall-E or Kingdom of Heaven, u will happily enjoy every crevice and wrinkle of you favorite actors face, knick knack and chink in metal and the little hairs on the fabric of their blanket or cloak. With lush vivid colors and crisp fluid action and movement with no jaggies. Again this will vary depending on the DVD itself. Some DVDs(usually older and or obscure movies) the studio in question just didn't give a damn and basically just transferred a VHS image onto a DVD. In those cases you will notice the lack of razor sharp clarity we've grown accustomed to but in such cases it pretty much feels like an old movie theater anyway and generally doesn't detract from the experience. In the rare case I will come across a DVD(usually one of my kids cheap noggin cartoons) so poorly transfered u will even have some jaggies. Again this is the DVD not the projector. It should also be said that the DVD transfer issue is a problem in both formats. There are many Blu-Ray dvds in which a given studio simply took the old print and through it on Blu Ray. I recently read a review on Terminator 1, where the guy had the regular DVD and the Blu ray and the quality was indestinguishable for this very reason so be careful. Format is not necessarily indicative of image quality.
The calibration options are especially in-depth and allow for a broad range of variation depending on your viewing environment and personal preference. I read and observed that the default color range ran a little warm and was able to easily and quickly cool it down to obtain a slightly more balanced hue. I should also note that this is a rather nit-picky thing and other people might find the default hue fine. The vertical and horizontal lens-shift also offer great versatility. I personally don't find manual focus and zoom bothersome, so these features are more then adequate and up to the job for me.
Fan noise is negligible. The projector is a rather meager 6 feet above the top of the couch and when there's silence in the movie there's silence in the room. Boot up speed is also quick taking no more then 30 seconds to a minute tops. (just enough time for the screen to roll down and grab a snack).
The only flaw I could point out is lack of apsect ratio. All the images are projected in widescreen format. Now the Aspect ratio CAN be changed(there's even a button on the controller) but apparently not when using the HDMI feed. If your confused its ok, so am I. I have to say that this problem may be my fault and not the projectors and since except for some of my older movies which were shot in the older 4:3 format all of my movies are widescreen anyway. And I haven't carved out the time to call the support line to try and sort it out. So the combo of a few factors including my own potential ignorance, my own laziness and limited hindrance by said problem, all should be noted and taken into account in respect to this issue. For this and the fact that it is my first projector I give only 4 out of a possible 5. But really for me it's perfect.
Hmmm that's about it. This things rocks and I'm in cinema heaven.

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The Epson Home Cinema 6500UB takes Home Theater entertainment to a whole new level, featuring a rich, vibrant color and details that's sure to win a rare reviews from friends and family alike. With 1600 lumens and the deep, dark blacks, crystal clear detail of Epson 3LCD technology, this mega star will make your home the hottest ticket in town. Experience movies, games and sporting events like you never have before. As stylish as it is entertaining, it is the perfect performer, adapting well to virtually any scene, whether you mount it on a ceiling, shelf or table. Designed by the world leader in home theater projectors, the Home Cinema 6500UB is your choice for amazing home entertainment that all are sure to enjoy.Contrast Ratio (in Dynamic Color Mode) -Up to 75,000 - 1 Color Processing -Full 12-bit Terminal Inputs -2 HDMI 1.3a, 1 RCA(Composite), 1x3 RCA (Component), 1 Mini DIN (S-video), 1 D-Sub 15 pin (AnalogRGB), 1 D-Sub 9pin (RS-232c)Dimensions (W x D x H) -17.7 x 15.5 x 5.4 (excluding feet)Weight -16.5 lbs Manufacturer's 2 Year Limited Warranty, 90 days Limited Lamp warranty

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4/03/2012

LG Flatron L1951S-SN Liteview 19" LCD Monitor (Silver) Review

LG Flatron L1951S-SN Liteview 19 LCD Monitor (Silver)
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This is my first flat-screen LCD monitor, so maybe the images and type aren't supposed to be as crystal-clear as my old NEC Multi-Sync CRT monitor. Or maybe it's because everything's enlarged to 19 inches.
Also, the Auto-Brightness setting button seems a little limited. The eight choices are either too bright for me or too dark (and that was AFTER following the calibrataing instructions). Makes me miss the old-fashioned manual turning-wheel dial.
However, the price was right and it will do.

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LG Electronics (L1951S-SN) 19" 1280x1024 Lightview LCD

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4/02/2012

PowerLite S6 Multimedia Projector (V11H283420) Review

PowerLite S6 Multimedia Projector (V11H283420)
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We have been using Epson PowerLite S5 for a while now, and it seems to be pretty good. We buy the new version S6 because it has USB support; however, the technical description did not bother point out the the USB display is for Window only while we use Mac. The product is still good, but we wish it has the support for Mac also.

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4/01/2012

Sony BDP-S301 1080p Blu-ray Disc Player BD/DVD/CD Playback Review

Sony BDP-S301 1080p Blu-ray Disc Player BD/DVD/CD Playback
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I gotta admit it: when it comes to electronics, I'm about as brand-loyal to Toshiba as they come. Nevertheless, for me, the whole history of the Blu-ray vs. HD-DVD wars has unfolded on the software battlefield. Sony has simply come up with a better DVD. By the time HD-DVD catches up, we'll all either own two fine DVD players, or one that can play both formats. After haunting a few electronics showrooms, and seeing and hearing the decks in my price range, this latest Sony player just became a no-brainer.

If you're wondering what's the difference between this and the BDP-S300, so am I. The operating manual that came with my S301 listed both model numbers on the cover. I got mine at a price $50 cheaper than I could have got the earlier model, and I didn't pay shipping. That's the only reason I have one and not the other.

Blu-ray Discs are awesome in every way. I use an optical 5.1 connection, and even though there are better connections in newer systems, the sound quality is still noticeably deeper and more dimensional than standard DVD's, due to the greater bandwidth available on the discs. Colors are far more stable, especially with Blu-ray Discs, but also with standard DVD's. My taste in films doesn't run perfectly parallel to the titles currently available on Blu-ray, so the rest of my comments really pertain to the quality of this deck as a player of standard DVD's.

I have found the transition blip between layers on DL-9 discs to be almost imperceptible. The bit encoding rate of "up to 40 Mbps" is probably the single most important spec this player has to offer. That is slightly higher than the Toshiba decks in this price range, though I doubt few people have eyes good enough to appreciate the difference. The point is, you are going to see a picture that contains every bit of information encoded on whatever disc you're watching, with gradations of color and depth of detail that make the disc the weakest link--and that's a good thing.

The fan motor on the S301 is whisper-soft, another factor that gives this deck superiority over its Toshiba counterpart.

All of that said, it should be noted that Sony is going for complete vertical integration, with all the studios (save Universal) behind Blu-ray, and with this and the S300 designed to work optimally with a Bravia monitor and audio system. They want world domination, and I guess we'll just have to trust the marketplace to sort things out. But for now, this is about as good a player as you'll find in this price range, and it works adequately with systems not designed by Sony.

"Adequately" is about as high a complement as I can pay it, though. Each disc has a certain amount of futzing around that is necessary to get the aspect ratio and video specs right. In other words, this doesn't just magically read the disc you put in and know where the settings should be. It does have a very handy video control center that allows for six picture settings, three preset to "standard," "theatre," and "light room," and three that allow you to make custom presets. By the time you've gone through a few discs and tweaked the color, white and black balance, etc., you'll find yourself flipping through the six available settings and finding one that suits each disc you're watching.

All of this extra "trouble," I should add, in reality arises from the far greater picture fidelity you will be seeing.

Some minor annoyances: 1) although this plays music CD-R's, it won't recognize data CD-R's. So, for example, if you have your jpegs stored on CD-R's, prepare to move them to DVD-R's, if you want to use this player as a slide viewer; 2) note the dimensions of the unit, especially the depth, which becomes about 16.5 inches once you've connected everything up--my player is hanging out about 2" from my other components; 3) there is no true "fast-forward," only a multi-speed "scan" feature that, even on the slowest speed skips over frames of significant action you may be trying to spot; 4) there is no "off" button on the unit itself, which, if you don't want to hunt down the remote, will shut itself off after about 25 minutes; 5) the "on" button on the unit doubles as "open" and "close," which is fine, I guess, but it takes exactly 32 seconds between the time you turn the power on and when the "Blu-ray" insignia appears on your screen. Once it is powered up, though, I found the loading times to be reasonable.

Finally, I would want to mention the aspect ratio issue, namely that it sometimes has to be changed manually, by changing the resolution. Some of this may be due to the fact that I am connecting to my monitor using an HDMI-to-DVI cable, but I rather doubt it. I suspect Sony simply did its best to make a good player, but loading it with electronics that would enable it to decode a wide variety of commercial discs would have made it prohibitively expensive.

Funny thing, though. It reads Universal Studios discs perfectly and without any tweaking necessary. Kind of makes you wonder if they weren't putting in a little more effort to win over the one Blu-ray hold-out.

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3/31/2012

Epson Powerlite 1705C Wireless Multimedia Projector- 3.7 lbs Review

Epson Powerlite 1705C Wireless Multimedia Projector- 3.7 lbs
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The Epson 1705c projector does not work wirelessly with Leopard (MacOs10.5) on the Mac, but it does using Tiger. The unit works with a wired connection of course. Fortunately, I have a MacBook with Tiger (and an Intel Mac with Leopard). The projector is very light, but quite bright. It is supposed to show video at 30 fps, which it probably does, but quicktime projected from the Mac was jerky. I have only had this for a couple of hours so I will learn more. Wireless projection of powerpoint was very good. So far, I am pleased.
Later, Boris Balley, artists, gave an 1.5 hr powerpoint presentation of his work. He had three 1MB images per slide projected wirelessly from a Mac using Tiger as the operating system. It was flawless. March 2008: Now Epson has an update for Leopard on the Intel Mac that works wirelessly. It is great.
James Baird
Professor, Brown U.

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Item #: EPSV11H231020. PowerLite 1705C Multimedia Projector Wireless capability, compatible with 802.11a/b/g-compliant devices. During pauses, A/V Mute Slide feature covers lens, mutes audio, powers down the lamp. Display Resolution: XGA (1204 x 768). Brightness: 2200 ANSI lumens. Contrast Ratio: 400:1. Customers also search for: EPSON;Multimedia Projector;PowerLite 1705C, 010343858237

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3/30/2012

OMNIMOUNT OL125FT 23-Inchto45-Inch OmniLite Tilt Flat Panel Mount Review

OMNIMOUNT OL125FT 23-Inchto45-Inch OmniLite Tilt Flat Panel Mount
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Omnimount OL125FT bracket was used to wall mount a 40" Sony Bravia KDL-40EX400 LCD television. The television weighs about 30 lbs. Sony recommends you use their SUWL500 bracket, which is outrageously expensive...over $200! The Omnimount bracket is a suitable affordable alternative.
The bracket is heavy duty and supplied with four 2-1/2" long lag screws intended to screw into wall studs. The package also comes with an assortment of screw sizes and spacers for attaching the bracket to the back of the television. I used four of the supplied screws, with some washers I added so that the screws did not penetrate too far into the television body.
The bracket can be set to a limited number of fixed angles so that the TV angles correctly to your line of sight.
Directions provided with the package are pictorial only and quite minimal. Took some trial and error to figure out how the locking bar was to be installed (keeps tv from being lifted off the wall mount). Reviewing directions on the manufacturer's website was helpful.

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3/29/2012

Konica Minolta Dimage X1 8MP Digital Camera with 3x Anti Shake Zoom (Cradle Included) Review

Konica Minolta Dimage X1 8MP Digital Camera with 3x Anti Shake Zoom (Cradle Included)
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I've had this camera for about three weeks now so this is not a complete review. This is a replacement for the Canon S100 Digital Elph which I had for almost five years. That broke and I got the Konica Minolta here in Asia before it was released in the US.
There are several shortcomings with the Konica Minolta:
1) Flash is limited to about 6 feet or so. TERRIBLE!
2) Lowlight picture taking is quite poor. The lense has difficulty focusing and there is no manual adjust. AGAIN, TERRIBLE.
3) There is a big lag time between shots due to long processing time. YOU WILL MISS LOTS OF PICTURES!
4) LCD has very large pixels which makes it difficult to see details.
5) The camera is pretty large and bulky.
6) Shutter speed is limited to 1/250 sec.
7) No manual controls.
There are good things:
1) Battery lasts about 90 minutes of continual use.
2) Macro photography is pretty good - UNDER PERFECT CONDITIONS.
3) Controls are very intuitive - it is SIMPLE to use.
4) The Anti Shake technology is effective.
5) The video is good.
6) Despite the sheer heft and size it is a sleek design, but only the back of the camera.
7) Overall picture quality is ok under PERFECT conditions.
I needed a camera quickly. If you are not in a hurry, it may pay to shop around.
UPDATE - I have sent four emails and left three voicemails to KM over a one month period and have yet to hear back from this company. DO NOT BUY THIS PIECE OF JUNK!!!
If I could, I would re-rate this camera as one star since zero is not an option.
UPDATE #2-
1) You will miss lots of pictures due to the long processing time. You'll attempt to take a shot but by the time the camera actually records the image from the time you press the button it's SEVERAL seconds later. I can't tell you how frustrating this is. I can't believe they put out a camera like this. It's really unbelievable.
2) My old Canon took much better pictures than this. Pics are extremely "noisy" and forget low-light pictures. Get the 1 GB card, because you'll need to take about 20 shots to make sure you get one that turns out. Again, unbelievable.
DO NOT BUY
DO NOT BUY
DO NOT BUY
DO NOT BUY
DO NOT BUY
DO NOT BUY
DO NOT BUY

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MD) CL) AA) DIMAGE X1 DIGITAL CAMERA

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