Showing posts with label gaming. Show all posts
Showing posts with label gaming. Show all posts

5/25/2012

Klipsch LightSpeaker System 5.2.2 Wireless Sound and Efficient LED Lighting Review

Klipsch LightSpeaker System 5.2.2 Wireless Sound and Efficient LED Lighting
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
The first thing that struck me about this product is the quality of it's manufacture. These speakers were solid and well made. Below I will address the various information that is important to know.

PACKAGING AND INSTRUCTIONS:
As with any product what we first see is the packaging it comes in. This speaker system was no exception.
An expensive product, should be well packed and these speakers were in separate boxes within the main box, well cushioned. The various components were also well packed and obvious to find. The overall box when you open it, the first thing you see is the setup information. This card was the full length of the box and succinctly told you the steps you needed to complete installation. I thought this was all well done. Under that was the user's manual that if you had issues you could refer to.

INSTALLATION:
First of all you need to be sure you have the right spot to install these. They go into 5 or 6" recessed lighting tubes. The manufacturers provided two size flanges that could go on the end of the speaker/lights that would work with either of these sizes. One thing we found while installing these, is you could actually not get them properly seated in the light socket(not deep enough) and they would not work. It was the user's manual that alerted me to this and we resolved the issue. Another thing I found was, we could not use the metal arms spread out to stabilize the speaker in the recessed outlet, as the spread was too far. We had to keep them pulled in.

I liked the fact that the instructions warned me upfront that most recessed lighting fixtures had adjustable depths. I didn't know that. In telling me that I knew enough to adjust them and that is what took to get the speakers installed deep enough. You have to finesse this a bit and get the proper mix of deep enough while holding the flange flush to the ceiling and properly engaged to work. It took us about an hour to get both speakers properly installed. It was somewhat fatiguing as these speaker/lights have some heft to them. But, not a major problem.

Once installed properly the main unit quickly detected the speakers and they worked well. You can control the volume of the speakers and the brightness of the lights. You also have the abililty to choose two inputs. There is also a remote provided and this mimicked the controls on the base unit. Handy if you are not easily able to reach the base unit.

USAGE:
Once we had them up and synched to the base unit, everything worked fine. We are now planning on having these hook both to the radio as well as an ipod and you can do this as there are two inputs as well as the appropriate cables. I was pleased with the sound quality, but I'm no audiophile. Since the speakers were small and not only behind the lights but the light lens a more discerning listener might have concerns. I did not.

RANGE:
I have noticed that these speakers do not have much in the way of bass, so your music can sound a bit tinny. Not surprising due to their size.
OTHER POINTS:
Since we used these units in our kitchen on recessed lights over the countertop, which has 4 lights, in order to work you need to have that circuit on. This means the two lights that don't have the speakers in them need to be on all the time, that we use the speakers. The lights in the speakers can be turned off independently. At this time, I don't think that is a problem, as I kept the ones over the primary work area as non-speakered lights.

The speakers have convex covers on the LED light inside. This makes the light they shine down a bit different than the lights in the recesses. I find this light is more diffuse. Another reason why I did not put these lights over the primary work area. I would have to make it very bright to be the the most useful. The LED lights can get bright enough, but it seemed almost too bright in order to get the proper coverage. Too bad there was not a concave lens option for these speaker/lights to address this.

SUMMARY:
All in all we are pleased with this system. I will write more as we use it more.


Click Here to see more reviews about: Klipsch LightSpeaker System 5.2.2 Wireless Sound and Efficient LED Lighting

Wireless speaker system installs in minutes like a ceiling light bulb and allows enjoyment of music anywhere while saving energy & money

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9/14/2011

Sony BRAVIA KDL40EX720 40-Inch 1080p 3D LED HDTV, Black Review

Sony BRAVIA KDL40EX720 40-Inch 1080p 3D LED HDTV, Black
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
UPDATE 3/30/2011: Amazon has removed the 240hz tag from the product title but not the "whats in the box" section. As this 120hz product is no longer being incorrectly advertised as 240hz, I am re-adjusting the rating.
WARNING: Possible Deal breaker concerning this TV.
NOTICE: As of 3/24/2011, I noticed via the Sony Style website that they state the EX720 is now only 120hz, not this advertised 240hz. I hope this is a typo on Sony's end but if it is not, there is a serious case of false advertisement going on. I was specifically on the market to purchase a 240hz HDTV, as the price tag warrants it, and thus this may change the satisfaction level of this review. Before you purchase this product, make sure you know there may be a case of false information taking place regarding the refresh rate.
Update: It is confirmed that the this HDTV is NOT 240hz as advertised. It is only 120hz. The rating has been adjusted purely because it is false marketing and reveals little improvement over previous models which cost much less. One of the main reasons to get a 240hz HDTV for 3D is that you get 120hz per eye as the image flickers back and forth. If the refresh rate of the TV itself is only 120hz, this means you are only getting the 60hz experience when watching 3D. 60hz is what we are trying to get away from.
There is absolutely no excuse for false advertising, higher costs for features not present. If you are looking to get a 3D TV, make sure it is absolutely 240hz or else you are just wasting your money. If you want a TV but dont plan on using the 3D features, then this unit is ok but there are cheaper and better alternatives in that case.
***
Updated - Old Review:
The Sony Bravia 40EX720 is a decent 3D HDTV.
I was originally on the market for a HDTV in which to use as a computer monitor/gaming screen and after Sony revealed its 2011 lineup at CES 2011, I knew I had to get one.
The first thing I can tell you is that this TV is solid. I felt quite satisfied with the build quality (a bit of cheap plastic on the back, but I have yet to find a LED LCD HDTV that didnt have that feeling). Unlike the previous EX series HDTVs, the bevel on the bottom which looks grey in some pictures is actually a dark black. This was actually a downer for me as I kind of liked the grey strip on the bottom as seen in some EX7xx pictures. I love the menu system, it is a modified version of the 2010 menu system. The 2010 line of Bravia HDTVs made use of the Playstation 3 and PSP menu system to the point where they were practically identical. The EX720, and by my guess all the 2011 models, opted out of the PS3/PSP menu design in favor of a more streamlined version. It grows on you and generally I find it much more visually appealing and easy to navigate.
The remote is perhaps the best thing this tv has going for it. It has some handy buttons that work better than one would expect. The 3D button on the remote turns the tv into stereoscopic 3D mode, one more press and it turns it off. You can watch anything in 3D as the Bravia will emulate the 3D effect for non-3D content. Other remote buttons include a quick netflix toggle, internet video, Qriocity as well as a very handy HOME button.
The internet video works like a charm as well. I managed to watch youtube videos straight from the TV as well as browse online music libraries, though it was a tad sluggish (High Speed Cable).
Plugging in a USB drive with some short films on it worked as well. The TV will recognize the USB device and then you can go ahead and access what you wish to watch or listen to from it. There is no demo built into the tv for video, but there is one music track and a few pictures automatically installed on the TV.
No dead pixels. Lighting is even across the entire screen. Great black levels. Semi-Glossy screen (the mix between a glossy and matte). Color a bit faded, low bright levels. Certain colors seem washed out, and even at the most vivid settings, the color is a bit lack luster. This may have to do with the back lighting being minimal.
The EX720 may not be the best HDTV Sony has to offer for 2011, but for its features and capability... I would say its a competitor for sure.
Note: The North American EX720 was assembled in Mexico and the current LCD panels are the same Samsung uses. This may or may not be a problem for some TV buyers.
HDTV is NOT 240hz as advertised, but 120hz. In 3D, you will only get a 60hz experience (120hz divided by 2, 60hz per eye for stereoscopic).


Click Here to see more reviews about: Sony BRAVIA KDL40EX720 40-Inch 1080p 3D LED HDTV, Black


3D Technology Checklist
This product is 3D-related. To help you get a great 3D experience, use the checklist below to ensure you have everything you need. 3D viewing requires:


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