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Mvix's MX-780HD wireless HD media streamer gets reviewed

by Darren Murph, posted Jul 2nd 2008 at 9:05PM


If you've been putting off that impending HD media streamer purchase, you may have waited just long enough to find the one you'll be picking up "next week." Mvix's MX-780HD wireless HD media streamer was recently reviewed over at TweakTown, and aside from a few minor gripes, critics were overwhelmingly pleased with its performance. So much, in fact, that they stated the unit could actually take the place of a dedicated HTPC. All in all, the only thing really holding this format-lovin', HDMI-packin' device from approaching media streaming stardom is the relatively lofty price tag ($320), but if that figure is well within your budget, it seems the MX-780HD is a pretty safe bet.

Samsung's 46-inch LN46A750 Touch of Color LCD HDTV reviewed

by Darren Murph, posted Jun 30th 2008 at 5:11AM


Just a few months back, we had the fortune of reviewing one of Samsung's 650 Series Touch of Color LCDs ourselves, and now CNET has taken a look at the higher priced (and more decked out) 750 Series sibling. The 46-inch LN46A750 adds in a few swank extras including support for DLNA servers, network streaming and interactive news / stocks / weather feeds, but unfortunately, those novel extras come at a steep cost. In essence, reviewers were plenty contented with the picture quality (save for a few artifacts when dejudder modes were on), and the unique features were certainly swell for those who care, but critics couldn't wholeheartedly recommend paying the asking price for the small boost in features. Tap the read link to see if you agree.

Three more DTV converter boxes get reviewed, compared

by Darren Murph, posted Jun 29th 2008 at 4:36PM


Even though we just know you'll disregard this information until the last possible moment, we'd like to point out that three more digital-to-analog converter boxes have been reviewed over at Sound & Vision. The $60 Zenith DTT900 -- one of the very first DTV boxes to get outed -- was pit against the $50 RCA DTA800 and the $60 Digital Stream DTX9900. Believe it or not, reviewers actually found quite a bit of difference in the three units ranging from looks (clearly) to on-screen interfaces. If you're one to care about the minutiae (and admit it, you are), head on over to see which of these three most deserve your $40 voucher.

Westinghouse's budget-priced TX-52F480S LCD HDTV gets reviewed

by Darren Murph, posted Jun 22nd 2008 at 4:02PM


Money's tight these days, we get that. But we also get that your aging CRT is in dire need of replacing, and Westinghouse's sub-$2,500 TX-52F480S looks mighty fine on paper for the price. Thankfully, the cats over at UltimateAVmag were able to secure the 52-inch LCD HDTV for a review, and it proved to be quite the value overall. Yeah, you'll have to deal with quirks like HDMI 1.2 ports and a complete lack of 120Hz processing, but color reproduction, black level, and shadow detail -- you know, the important stuff -- were all deemed "excellent." It is noted that this set won't blow away any higher priced units, but potentially more importantly, reviewers felt that those on a budget would be thoroughly pleased with what this unit brings to the table.

Hauppauge WinTV-HVR-2250 TV tuner gets reviewed, loved

by Darren Murph, posted Jun 21st 2008 at 11:57PM


Just about the pull the trigger on that warmly received AVerTV Bravo Hybrid, are you? Hold your horses just a moment. Hauppauge's WinTV-HVR-2250 recently hit the test bench over at PC Magazine, and we'll just get right down to the dirt: it was called "the gold standard of home theater PC TV tuners." That's right folks, the gold standard. Said card boasts twin hybrid tuners, dual hardware MPEG encoders and integrated QAM support, and apparently, using it was a real joy. Setup and installation was "a snap," and image quality was "crisp and clear." Really, the only dig reviewers had was that the QAM plug-in was still a bit unstable, but given that it is still in beta, that really shouldn't come as a surprise. Of note, this card will run you a touch more than the aforementioned AVerTV at $129, but it just might be worth it based on this glowing review.

AVerMedia's AVerTV Bravo Hybrid PCIe tuner card gets reviewed

by Darren Murph, posted Jun 19th 2008 at 2:08PM


Judging by comments around here, AVerMedia's AVerTV Bravo Hybrid PCIe seems to be a pretty popular little piece. For those still wondering if it's worth the $80 price of admission, PC Magazine has the final word (hint: the answer is "yes"). Reviewers were pleased with the built-in QAM support and real-time output to iPod functionality, and of course, the relatively low price was certainly cheered. Installation was a snap, the bundled plug-in for enabling QAM support worked pretty much as advertised and the FM tuning was a welcome extra. If you've been looking to slap a TV tuner into your PC, it seems this one may be a very solid choice.

The Media Center Extender shootout

by Ben Drawbaugh, posted Jun 19th 2008 at 12:00PM Featured Story


Vista Media Center really sets itself apart from any other DVR solution out there, and the single greatest advantage Vista Media Center (VMC) has over the other options -- like the TiVo HD -- is the ability to have multiple Media Center Extenders. There really isn't any better way out there that will allow you to watch premium HD cable in every room of your house while at the same time centralizing all your media in one place. When VMC first hit the streets, there was only one HD extender: the Xbox 360. But the problem, of course, is that the Xbox is noisy and will always be a gaming console first and a Media Center Extender second. Well, things have really heated up in the extender market recently when both Linksys and D-Link released Media Center Extenders and HP upgraded its MediaSmart HDTVs.

Continue reading The Media Center Extender shootout

ESPN Ultimate Remote gets reviewed, panned

by Darren Murph, posted Jun 19th 2008 at 8:01AM


Apparently we aren't the only ones miffed by the WiFi-enabled ESPN Ultimate Remote. After peeling this thing out of its dumbbell-esque packaging, critics over at PC Magazine were simply unimpressed from the get-go. For starters, this thing actually belts out the network's theme song when you turn it on. If that's not reason enough to hold tight to your three Benjamins, you should also know that it "didn't execute any of its fancy web tricks gracefully," and setup was anything but simple. It gets worse. Reviewers stated that it was uncomfortable to hold, the buttons were too tightly packed and you're not able to send / receive emails from just any email address. If you really need more convincing that this thing probably isn't a good buy (particularly with all those other alternatives out there), check out the full review in the read link.

[Via ZatzNotFunny]

$50 JVC SXXSW6000 5.1 surround system gets reviewed

by Darren Murph, posted Jun 18th 2008 at 8:33PM


Sure, it's easy to get a great sounding system when money ain't a thang, but what if you're on the hunt for a 5.1-channel surround sound system from a company you've heard of in the last decade... and you've only got $50? Enter JVC's SXXSW6000, which is being sold now at Wal-Mart for a staggeringly low $49.88. The critics over at Sound & Vision actually took the plunge and decided to put the incredibly inexpensive system through the paces. Miraculously, reviewers found that the system wasn't nearly as bad as one might expect, even proclaiming that it was "definitely worth $50." Still, the kit had its flaws, particularly when trying to handle loud explosions, throaty voices and any manner of bangs / crashes. All in all, S&V couldn't really knock these guys considering just how cheap they were, but they still recommended that you hold off and save up until you could throw a few Benjamins on a real system.

Kaleidescape's overpriced upscaling DVD players get reviewed

by Darren Murph, posted Jun 18th 2008 at 6:01PM


Let's get real honest with one another here: if folks are legitimately arguing that a $700 Profile 2.0 Blu-ray player is overpriced, there's absolutely no way a DVD player is worth over four times as much. That being said, the folks over at Sound & Vision put the pricey pair through the paces, and they were actually quite pleased with the results. In a nutshell, it seems that reviewers found the best upscaling DVD players this planet has to offer, and while all the fawning over their pristine reproduction of colors was fine and dandy, it's the value proposition here that's absurdly out of whack. In fairness, it's good to hear that the bundled Sigma Designs' Gennum VXP video processor chip lived up to the hype, but all the upconverting in the world won't make us believe these things are worthy of the stratospheric prices.

Samsung SC-HMX20C HD camcorder review

by Darren Murph, posted Jun 17th 2008 at 11:05AM Featured Story


Shortly after spending some quality time with the world's most diminutive HD camcorder, we were able to corral another remarkably small competitor -- one that shoots 1080p. Samsung's SC-HMX20C wasn't built to fit into the average back pocket, but its array of features more than made up for the size. After a week of wrapping our palm around this critter and capturing clips from everything ranging from America's pastime to a leisurely walk in the 'hood, we're ready to disclose our thoughts on the matter. Interested? Catch the full review after the jump.

Continue reading Samsung SC-HMX20C HD camcorder review

DISH Network's DTVPal converter box gets reviewed

by Darren Murph, posted Jun 13th 2008 at 3:29PM


For those of you out there who have managed to hang on to your government-issued DTV voucher(s), this is probably the box you've been waiting for. CNET just wrapped up a review of the DTVPal (formerly known as the Sling TR-40), and overall, it couldn't find a whole lot to hate. The EPG was deemed "excellent," the analog pass-throughs were smiled upon and the "solid" reception seemed to delight. They did knock the "overcomplicated" remote and the lack of front-panel buttons, but in the end, those niggles didn't keep critics from calling it "a top choice" for folks on the hunt for a digital TV converter. Tracking one down before your coupon expires is apt to be the real challenge.

Toshiba's 52-inch REGZA 52XF550U LCD HDTV reviewed

by Darren Murph, posted Jun 12th 2008 at 7:15AM


We know, CES 2008 seems like it took place ages ago, but it was the springboard for a slew of new Toshiba LCD HDTVs. The flagship line (Cinema Series REGZA XF550) just so happened to include a luscious 52-inch flagship named 52XF550U, and the lucky souls over at Sound & Vision managed to get one in for review. The long of short of it is this: the set ain't cheap, but it delivers. Critics found the ultrathin design incredibly desirable, and the crisp, beautiful imagery was smiled upon as well. They did gripe momentarily about its subpar out-of-box color and "soft" picture when using component inputs, but all in all, it performed well enough to earn the coveted "Certified and Recommended" badge. Check the read link for the full writeup and even a few benchmarks.

Panasonic's DMP-BD50 Blu-ray player gets reviewed

by Darren Murph, posted Jun 11th 2008 at 9:44AM


Panasonic's pricey Profile 2.0-compliant DMP-BD50 can't really be worth that much more than the PlayStation 3, can it? According to a review over at CNET, the answer is likely no, but if you can somehow overlook the sticker, there's a really solid Blu-ray player behind it. Phrases like "excellent image quality" and "outstanding soundtrack support" dominated the review, but even though it was deemed the "most recommendable standalone Blu-ray player to date," critics still couldn't deny that the PS3 was simply "better and cheaper." After all, standard DVD performance was seen as lackluster and operational speed was "sluggish" compared to Sony's latest console, leaving us to wonder how in the world Panny justified such a price tag. Nevertheless, the full review (video included) is waiting just down there, but if you weren't sold already, we doubt this will sway you.

Sony's 46-inch KDL-46W4100 LCD HDTV gets reviewed

by Darren Murph, posted Jun 7th 2008 at 4:52PM


Barely two months after being announced, the 46-inch model from the wide-ranging W4000 series has hit the test bench over at CNET. To make a long story short, Sony's mid-range set performed right at the level one would expect it to, but folks looking for the best of the best will have to peer elsewhere (and bring along a few extra hundies). Reviewers were digging the deep black levels, accurate primary colors and expansive port selection, but a few notable niggles kept it from being atop the class. For starters, they were none too pleased with the convoluted menu system, and the below-average viewing angle, fluctuating blacks and disappointing image quality weren't smiled upon. From here, it sounds as if the 46W4100 is a set that shouldn't be purchased sight unseen, but check out the read link to hear from the folks who spent all the time with it.




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