HP 2711x 27-Inch LED Monitor - Black

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $399.99
Sale Price: $269.99
Today's Bonus: 33% Off

The HP 2711x has exceeded my highest expectations. I upgraded from an HP w2207h which I'd had for a few years and was also very happy with it as well. It's still working fine on another computer now. My primary use is for the 2711x is the post processing of photos with Adobe PhotoShop CS5. The monitor is very bright and can be set between 50 to 60 % brightness and 60 and 70 % contrast without any problem and I find the color reproduction to be the best I've seen in this price range. I've found most monitor on display in local retailer set to there highest brightness settings just to achieve the same color impact I'm getting from the 2711x in the mentioned ranges on this monitor. In terms of sharpness it's fantastic the gloss type Bright View screen makes all the difference for me as most other monitors on the market are semi-gloss which I have found detracts from a good image quality when dealing with photos. I use the monitor in a private office environment which allows me control over the ambient lighting in the room so glare is not at all a problem with the bright view screen. The quality of the construction is fine and again is as good as any monitor in this price range. It's LED, it's light weight it has all the connectivity you could really need and its 27 inches. No dead pixels, No stuck pixels, It's worked just fine from the moment I took it out of the box. I'm glad I pick it up and I would recommend it to friends. Blu-Ray play back at 1080P looks great on it as well. I can't imagine anyone being unhappy with the purchase.

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Apple MacBook Air MC505LL/A 11.6-Inch Laptop (OLD VERSION)

Customer Ratings:

I have a somewhat interesting take on the 11.6-inch MacBook Air. I chose the 13-inch model for myself, but my father who is always on the go for business, chose this 11.6-inch model. He wanted the extra portability, and I wanted the extra performance of the larger machine.

Visually, the machines look different. My 13-inch model does not look significantly different from the front or rear compared to a full featured MacBook Pro. In other words, on the 13-inch model, which I love, the footprint of the device is basically the same as a 13-inch MacBook Pro. The difference is the slim side profile, and the two missing pounds.

This 11-inch model is not only light and thin, but has a smaller footprint too. It is striking to see. It looks small, and it's gorgeous. I do have some envy for the portability of this model compared to my own, which is light, but yet takes up just as much space so to say as a MacBook Pro.

The drawbacks to this model and the reason I chose the 13-inch? The processor included in this 11-inch machine is a fair bit slower. Comparing some online benchmarks, this entry-level 11-inch model with the 1.4 GHZ Core 2 Duo brought in about 70 percent of the processing speed of the entry level 13-inch model. While other parts of the machine are equally as fast, such as the graphics processor, solid state storage, and memory, the processor performance difference is not insignificant. You do feel a slight performance difference between the 13 and 11.

The included storage on this model is 64 GB. This will be plenty to store text documents and a moderately sized photo library. However, you will not store much video on here. However, the storage is solid state and fast, which enables fast startups and allows the machine to still feel snappy despite the slower processor.

Apple specs the battery in this model at 5 hours, whereas the 13-inch model has a quoted 7 hours. Apple is using a new battery testing procedure, which is said to more accurately predict real world battery life. Nevertheless, the battery life edge does go to the 13-inch model.

The display is no slouch despite its 11.6-inch size. Indeed, its resolution is similar to the Mac Book Pro's 13-inch display, so there is no question that the display is gorgeous.

iLife 11 is included and already installed on this device, so you will be able to take advantage of the latest iLife software right out of the box. Two USB ports and a mini display port allow for expandability and compatibility with external devices. Connect an external hard drive for expanded storage, or sync up your iPhone. No problem. Indeed, believe it or not, this small 11.6-inch MacBook Air can drive the 27-inch Cinema Display that Apple sells. That shows the impressive graphics performance this small machine offers.

I was able to spend another hour today with the 11.6-inch model. I am nearly beginning to question my decision to choose the 13-inch model. The 13-inch asks you to take fewer sacrifices in terms of performance and storage. However, this 11.6-inch is oh so portable. Honestly, it's surprising when you see it in person. This 11.6-inch is probably destined to be the "cool," choice.

Overall, it is clear to see there are several drawbacks to the 11-inch model. Less storage, shorter battery life, and slower processor. However, there are several benefits: a smaller footprint, lighter weight, and therefore easier portability. Plus, there a cool factor that makes jaws drop when you pull this 11-inch model out of your bag. Despite its diminutive size, it's a quality product. Make no mistake about it, while it might be less powerful than other Mac notebooks, the 11-inch Air is no net-book. The quality and performance far outshines any net-book. This machine will serve your word processing, consumer photo editing, music listening, email writing, and web surfing needs without issue. I might caution its use as one's sole computer only due to the limited onboard storage (64GB) and somewhat slower performance (1.4 GHZ Core 2 Duo Processor). Highly recommend product for the correct application/use.

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Tamron 70-300mm Di Macro Lens with Hood + UV Filter + Accessory

Customer Ratings:

Overall a decent lens, I use it on my Minolta Maxxum 4, mostly for nature photography. You do need to remember to support the lens when shooting or you will end up with blurry images. If you can remember to hold the lens steady(even when using a tripod), the photos turn out fine.

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Archos 80 G9 8GB - Classic

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $269.99
Sale Price: $141.35
Today's Bonus: 48% Off

This is the best Archos tablet I've ever used and almost as good as any other tablet on the market as well. As with cell phones, choosing a tablet is a very personal endeavor. It all depends on what you like personally. Well, I like Android. Over the past year, I've had several Android tablets (I work in IT and test new devices to better help my users and being a geek, I like to play with new equipment). Up until the G9 released, my day to day tablet was an Archos 70; last year's model from them. It was a very good tablet for the price but not a top of the line product. I reviewed it on Amazon; go read that review for more info if you like. The single biggest problem with the 70 was that it didn't have enough RAM which resulted in lackluster performance; basically, it was a little sluggish and at times, very sluggish. But overall, I liked it very much and used it all the time.

Well, this new one from Archos is great! Archos increased the RAM by 50% (Archos, you need to go to 1GB or more!!!) which greatly improved the responsiveness of the device; add in the dual core CPU and you end up with a very nice product. The overall physical design is basically the same as their last generation tablets and they take a lot of hits from reviewers on the design that I think are undeserved. Their design is different to be sure but they still build a quality device. Hint to Reviewers: not every tablet needs to look like an iPad!!! The screen on the G9 is bright and of better quality than the last generation and works well.

I've found the G9 to be pretty stable; that wasn't true of Archos' last generation of tablets. Their last generation were somewhat unstable initially but were improved upon with firmware updates to the point where my 70 was about as stable as any other tablet I've ever used. My G9 was stable but did lock up twice on the first weekend I had it. I know that doesn't sound like the definition of stable but after that first weekend, it worked for quite a while without another lockup. There have been a couple of updates since the initial release and after the last update, I have had a few more lockups. I expect Archos will fix that issue soon; judging from their track record with such fixes. When it locks up, sometimes the screen freezes and I have to reboot it to get it going again; this usually happens on the lock screen. And every now and then, the screen won't come on when the power button is pressed and requires a reboot. This does not happen every day or anything like that; probably more like once a week maybe... After the first firmware update, it was rock solid, no freezes, but the last one created a bug somewhere that causes these freezes. I fully expect that Archos will fix this soon.

UPDATE: I received another firmware update from Archos not long after writing this review and my tablet has been extremely stable ever since; several weeks now.

Overall, I find the Archos 80 G9 to be a very good value. There are definitely areas where it can be improved though. I've read reviews where it was criticized for button placement; in my opinion, the reviews I've read have unfairly weighted this issue. The buttons could certainly be better placed or better designed (they need to be designed so that they aren't pressed accidentally) but once a user begins to account for where they are, the buttons cease to be an issue. The speaker on this model is in the back which means you can't hear it as well as one in the front. My 70 has two speakers, one on either side of the screen on the front and sounds great but the 80's speaker is not as well placed. I rarely use the speaker though; being a mobile device, it is used with ear buds most of the time. The camera in every Archos tablet I've ever used is horrible. I don't buy them for the camera but there is definitely room for improvement there. On the 70, the SD card rested flush with the side of the tablet; on the 80, it sticks out a little. It doesn't get in the way but I would rather it fit flush. Archos tablets have a built-in kickstand which is a nice feature but I like the one on the 101 from last year better than the one the 80 has; it's still a nice feature though. This device plays video and music very well. I was pleasantly surprised to find that the Netflix app works on it out of the box; that wasn't true of previous models. And lastly, the battery life is as advertised. I haven't actually tried to run the battery down to get an accurate test of the battery life but I use it daily for hours at a time and have yet to run it out of juice. So, I estimate that the battery life is as advertised. Also, previous Archos models had good daily battery life but didn't manage the battery well when it was idle (they actually improved on this in later firmware releases); this model shipped with a good battery management system and performs well enough to compete with other tablets I've used and tested.

In comparison to other tablets, I think the 80 competes very well, especially considering the price. My 15 year old son has an Asus Transformer and that is a very nice Android tablet. I would say the Transformer is a better tablet (better screen, a little faster and designed to compete with mainstream tablets) but because it costs so much more, not necessarily a better buy. I have an iPad as well and the Archos 80 isn't quite as responsive as an iPad and the iPad has a better screen; but for the price, the Archos 80 G9 is a very compelling alternative. I think the most useful comment I can make about the Archos 80 G9 is that even though I have other tablets (including an iPad) and though I'm in a position that I can literally have any tablet I want, I use this tablet as my primary day to day device. I think that should speak volumes to anyone considering purchasing this tablet.

I won't speak to the specs on the tablet, you can find those facts here or on Archos' website; but the reasons I like this device are that it fits in my pocket (back pants pocket; ladies it will fit in many purses and bags as well), it does everything I need it to do and at a price that is more in line with where I think all tablets should be. It's a little heavier than I had hoped it would be, when compared to the Archos 70 I had previously been using, and slightly thicker as well but still comfortable to use. The size factor is one of the biggest advantages to me. Most tablets are 10 inches and that makes them less portable in my opinion. I like being able to slip the tablet into my back pocket when I'm on the move.

Well, I could say more but I've probably said enough. So I'll close by saying that this is a tablet I'd feel comfortable recommending to anyone. The only major shortcoming I see today for this tablet is that you can't get the 3G card for it in the US yet (probably other countries as well but I'm in the US so this is the one that affects me). I did ask their support if they plan on releasing the 3G card for the US and they confirmed that they do, but didn't know when we would see it. But for a Wi-Fi only user, this is a very good value!

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Cinemizer OLED multimedia video glasses by Carl Zeiss

Customer Ratings:

I was excited to give the new Cinemizer OLED a try, having been watching reviews of it, along with some of the emerging competition in the HMD market. Once received, I made all the connections to my PC and checked for any updates in firmware. The un-boxing and connecting were not difficult. These slip on and off like glasses. I put them on and adjusted the optic wheels to focus each eye. Unfortunately,there was a dead pixel in the corner that shined a bright blue light from just outside of the picture. Other than that, the picture was perfect. Crisp, clear, with a size equivalent to sitting and watching my 42" TV from 6 or 7 ft away. I did notice I was having difficulty in focusing, and thought I may just need to "get used to them." After trying to watch a movie and moving the glasses around, from side to side and up and down on my nose, came to the conclusion that one eye was always going to be out of focus due to a lack of ability to adjust for pupil distance. I contacted the seller and requested a return and was offered the option to exchange or for a refund. If it were just the pixel, I would have exchanged, but since there was not an adjustment for pupil distance, I requested and was granted a refund.

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Samsung LN32B550 32-Inch 1080p LCD HDTV with Red Touch of Color

Customer Ratings:

I have traditionally been a fan of the Sharp, or Sony TV's, however, I was looking for a TV to fit in a cabinet in my bedroom. I wanted to get the largest one that would fit my space restrictions. The Samsungs, in general, seem to sit lower on their stands than most other brands and really provided the only 32 inch option that would fit my height restrictions. I sure am glad this was the case.

This TV is wonderful. The best part is the picture. It just looks great. The swivel stand is a very nice touch too. I hadn't been looking for it, but it is quite useful as the TV is not directly in front of the bed. The settings and adjustments available are plentiful and adequate. The menus to access them are clean and intuitive.

Another wonderful feature is the energy saving modes. One can set varying levels of energy saving which controls the intensity / brightness of the light for lower power consumption. There is even an auto mode that will adjust the intensity based on what is currently on the screen. This is perfect for the bedroom. When it is late and I am starting to fall asleep I don't like the TV as bright. Energy saving mode is perfect for this and it saves power.

Another feature that I have been wanting in a TV and didn't have until now is a volume moderator. The TV will increase or lower volume automatically to make up for varying source volumes.

The TV seems performant. I haven't had a chance to plug my gaming laptop into one of the 4 HDMI inputs, but with heavy action scenes on TV I haven't seen any ghosting of images. Blacks look black and colors are sharp. No noticable artifacts of any kind.

All in all I am very happy with the purchase.

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AmScope 3.5X-90X Digital Zoom Stereo Microscope with 144-LED

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $2,800.00
Sale Price: $689.98
Today's Bonus: 75% Off

In order to analyze the traces of writing, buy this microscope. It has good optical and camera with 10 mp give appropriate image to present a report on the case studies. The offer would have been better microscope with incident and transmitted light, in spite of this, research is done well with AmScope 3.5X-90X Digital Zoom Stereo Microscope with 144-LED Light + 10MP USB Camera.

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Polaroid Studio Series Ultra Wide Angle 8mm f/3.5 Circular

Customer Ratings:

I've had the lens a few days, which is a Polaroid-labeled Samyang lens that comes in a number of other brands and camera mount systems. On the Canon EOS Rebel T2i, it has a 167% lens angle, which gives a clear and wide fisheye image. Like the other Samyang lenses in this class, it produces a rectangular image without vignetting, which I prefer over a circular fisheye view.

The lens is solid, although the lens cover feels a little gimmicky. The aperture ring feels a little loose, but it's not a problem for it to stay put. The mount works perfectly with my Canon T2i. The images are clear, and while the lens is strictly in manual aperture mode on the T2i (and manual focus!), the camera meters the light very well through the lens. The results, in Tv mode or full manual mode, are excellent as long as one pays attention to the meter or uses the LCD view on the camera when setting up the shot. After a a few indoor and outdoor shots, I'd say that the lens is more useful for longer-range shots, but I did did some shooting in a large cathedral and got some stunning results.

Most wide-angle DSLR lenses will cost at least twice this much. This lens requires more work in determining shutter speed and setting the focus, but most photographers serious enough to add a wide-angle lens already know how to handle this. It's a fun entry-level choice for wide-angle shooting, and I'd very happily recommend it.

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Sony DSR-PDX10 Professional 1/4.7" 16:9 3CCD DVCAM Compact

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $4,999.95
Sale Price: $2,999.95
Today's Bonus: 40% Off

Quite often I notice many reviewers associate the word "professional" with this camcorder, which is frustrating since this camcorder is not "professional"; it is a professional consumer (prosumer) camcorder. I own this camera by the way, but I am neither a consumer (respectively) nor am I a professional; I have been to Radio-Television-Film school, which has allowed me to become a photojournalist, but I would never consider myself a professional I have chosen to be this way because becoming a truly professional videographer slash cinematographer requires some extensive knowledge and experience two things which I don't have, and two things which you probably don't have either since your on Amazon's website looking at the Sony DSR-PDX10, and reading a review on the camera from someone who is on the job, but obviously has nothing better to do at the moment.

Nonetheless, I will attempt to divulge your wonders about this camcorder. As of the current, I have owned a PDX10 since the spring of 2004 which I suppose is something like a year and-a-half to be not exact. And since I am much better at noticing negative things, I will start with those bad things about Sony's little three-chip camcorder, the biggest problem being the chips themselves. The three charged coupling devices in this camera are all 1/ 4.7 inches in diameter (almost 1/5 inches in diameter) making these chips the smallest ones in the prosumer market. What does this mean exactly? Well it means that the camera is absolutely terrible in low light shooting conditions. It also means that the image is highly susceptible to noise a thing which wouldn't seem so bad if it were as aesthetic as film grain, but alas, this is interlaced digital video the farthest thing from celluloid. Small CCD's also mean that the range of optimal exposure levels for this camera is about as narrow as the mind of a narrow-minded person; thus, the image will yield the best quality when the lighting is bright and even. Because of this, the PDX10's image will look its best when the camcorder used for outdoor shooting situations (except at night).

This seems like a terrible camera now doesn't it? Not very professional at all, you say. Well, before you write this camera off, I must mention that the PDX10's image at its best is quite incredible for this amount of money. And to mention the unmentioned, this is the only camera in its class that will record in true widescreen (16:9) ratio the PD170 (Sony's next-best prosumer DV camcorder [$3,500]) can't even do this. Most cameras which claim to record in 16:9 either crop the top and bottom of the 4:3 image, or they squeeze the initial recorded image by electronically changing the aspect ratio (but not the physical aspect ratio) of the pixels, which will later be "stretched" out when viewed on a 16:9 television this process is physically degrading to the recorded image. Personally, I always record in 16:9 because when viewed on a 4:3 ("full screen") TV via DVD, the over-sampled image looks great, and is also future proof for viewing on 16:9 televisions in "full screen". In fact, the PDX10 has been a choice camera for underwater photographers who want to have the ability to shoot in 16:9 while keeping a small form factor; because of the ambient lighting found underwater, this camera will yield an exceptional image in such conditions (during the day, of course).

When I purchased the camera, I also purchased both wide angle and telephoto lens adapters that thread on to the front of the camera's fixed lens quite annoyingly. With the 2x telephoto lens, there is serious chromatic aberration (a condition which is best described in words as blue-ish slash purple-ish hazes of light around subjects displaced in the depth of the image) that worsens the further you "zoom" in. This condition is not so apparent, if at all, wile just using the fixed lens, but then you will be limited to a 12x optical telephoto range. Digital zoom is available, and is broken up into two areas of intensity; the first level is 24x, which isn't so terribly bad as other digital zooms, mostly because the CCD's have roughly one million pixels scattered about each of their tiny 1/ 4.7 inch surfaces, and the resolution of NTSC DV only asks for about half of those pixels to show a proper image. The second level of digital zoom is available also, but I wouldn't advise using it unless you're spying on somebody whose one eighth of a mile away from you.

A wide angle adapter is nice to have, but I wouldn't suggest using it if you are planning on zooming in a lot, otherwise you will have to be constantly adjusting your focus. Particularly helpful when using these fixed-lens cameras is an auto focus feature, or more importantly, a push-auto focus feature. For example, you may set the camera to manual focus, and if you don't feel like messing with the focus ring on the front of the camera, you may push a button on the side of the camera that will automatically adjust the focus without having to switch into auto focus mode. There is even a third way to focus, and that is via the LCD flip-out screen, which happens to be touch-sensitive. Just hit tap the screen in the area you want the camera to focus and it will do so makes rack focuses easy as h-e and two hockey sticks. All three modes of auto focus are very fast; Sony is known for having the best auto focus for video cameras, and this camera is no exception as it was originally designed to be Sony's flagship consumer model. Probably my second overall disappointment with the camera is the manual focus ring that has a naturally sluggish feel to it; I much prefer the precise auto controls found on Panasonic's fixed-lens cameras, which closely mimic the feel of a mounted lens. The PDX10's focus ring gets even more sluggish in cold weather, as the back side of the metal ring is coated with an anti-abrasive lubricant whose viscosity decreases congruently with the clime's temperature.

Since I'm on the subject of temperature and climate affecting the performance of the camera, I'll have you know that even the most extreme conditions for humans will not affect the performance of the PDX10. It is known that both altitude and temperature affect electronics in general, and when exposed to the most extreme conditions, they might cease to even operate. Such was not the case when I went skiing in Colorado during late December of last year. I decided to take the PDX10 on the slopes one day, and mindful of the temperatures, loaded the camera with a DVCAM cassette just to test what the medium was all hyped up to be. Somewhere between 12,000 and 13,000 feet at single digits Fahrenheit, I blasted down the slopes holding the small camera close to the ground with idle-as-possible hands; it was fun. Sometimes when you're skiing, within all of those layers of clothing, you kind of loose perspective on how cold it really is outside. Well, looking down at the PDX10's flip-out LCD, I noticed that something was wrong it looked like the shutter speed was low. But after skiing a little bit more, it finally hit my mind it was so cold that the pixel refresh rate had increased, or the liquid in the crystal display was getting too cold. That's cold. One of my friend's digital cameras wouldn't power up that's cold. I began to wonder whether or not my footage would come out ok, but when we all got back to the lodge and played the tape, it was just perfect. Maybe DVCAM does have some redeeming properties whenever you're 12,000 feet above sea level, freezing your rear end off, and happen to be taping something.

On other issues of durability, I would like to in fact mention more issues of durability. It just so happened that this camera, in an unfortunate series of events, was catapulted to the ground in such intensity that the lens hood became permanently distorted, the corner of the LCD flip-out panel gouged a scar into the side of the camera body, the original shotgun microphone was rendered snapped-in-half, the high capacity battery was dislocated from the camera body, and the optical sensor for the focus ring was knocked out of place from the impact. Fortunately, I was able to re-attach the battery and continue filming. I was able to fix the focus ring problem myself by taking apart the camera and doing some rudimentary drilling. I don't have any problems with the camera to this day (this happened a year ago). I have worked with other cameras of the like, and can say in confidence that the PDX10, and all Sony prosumer video cameras, feel more durable than the Canon GL series cameras, as well as the Panasonic prosumer cameras not to say that it is more durable, it just feels durable and has proven to be so. So if you have any doubts of durability, I can tell you in all honesty to not have any doubts of durability when considering the PDX10 and its durability.

What you are buying when you in fact buy a PDX10 is a very high-end consumer camcorder that has the ability, in some applications, to be a quasi-professional video camera. If you are interested in filming extreme slash outdoor sports, I would highly recommend this camera for its durability, portability, great auto features, great image stabilization, and better-than-consumer results which will impress the people who see your footage, and might even trick them into thinking that it was a professional camera. If you're in the market for a camera to use for event videography, I would suggest investing in a camcorder that is shoulder-mounted (Canon XL series are a bit front-heavy by the way) and looks good in various lighting conditions (look for a rating of 1 lux or lower), and has readily accessible manual controls. If you're just a very wealthy or eccentric person who would like a video camera to document their own realities, you'd probably be attracted to the new HDV camcorders. If you are buying this camera to make a bloody film or documentary, find out how much it will cost to rent a professional camera and hire a professional to operate it that will give you the best results. Final word: the Sony DSR-PDX10 could be akin to a very large sink with a disproportionately small drain, if that makes any sense.

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Panasonic TC-P65ZT60 65-Inch 1080p 600Hz 3D Smart Plasma TV

Customer Ratings:

As a consumer who actually bought the ZT60, I think I can put a few things into perspective. Back in '09 I saw a demo of a 50" Pioneer Kuro plasma (the industry reference for black level quality until now) at a store with the lights switched off. Yes, I was impressed. Blacks looked visibly black. A couple of months ago I went to a Magnolia (Best Buy) store to see if the ZT60 could live up to its hype. The ZT60 was not in a controlled demo room but was placed on a wall directly under a VT60 with a lot of ambient store lighting. Under such lighting conditions, I honestly couldn't see the difference in black level between the VT60 and the ZT60. The main advantage of the ZT60 under bright lighting was somewhat less reflectivity/screen glare. I asked for a demo in the dark demo room but only a VT60 was in the room. I checked out the blacks using night scenes off my own "Taxi Driver" and "American Werewolf in London" BluRay discs. Blacks were inky black. Since I couldn't do an A-B comparison between a VT60, ZT60, or the Pioneer Kuro TV for black level using the same material the best I can do was base my comparisons of black level on memory. Given the Kuro's already impressive performance, can anything else "blow it out of the water", as some posters on CNET put it? I'll just say that the Kuro has finally been laid to rest. But let me say that when a black screen appears on the VT60 it looks extremely dark already.

When looking at a black screen on my ZT60 at home at night with the lights off, it appears that the unit is practically turned off (really). At that level, it's just an exercise in futility to compare it to a Kuro and split hairs. It's plenty good enough for me.

In overall performance it handily beats the very best LED backlit LCDs I've seen, including the current Ultra HD 4K sets (except in resolution) I've seen (since all of them use LED backlighting). At this point, you may be wondering why I would compare a 1080P HDTV to a 2160P (4K) set. Based on the demos of 4K sets that I've seen on 60 to 65-inch screens, the difference (really just resolution) between 1080P and 2160P is only visible when you are standing several inches in front of the screen. Most people would rather view from several feet away in a living room setting. Also, the 4K demo material is video-based. I can't imagine seeing any more detail even from a transfer of a 70mm film print when seated at a normal viewing distance in a living room. In terms of 4K sources, the Blu-Ray format does not support that resolution, leaving Sony to offer a $600 4K media box that only works with their own brand of 4K TVs. There's another alternative in the form of an even more expensive source component. But all this points to a shaky start for yet another format that provides little benefit to consumers. In fact, 4K is just a transitional format for the 2nd tier of the Ultra HD standard, 8K. So why buy 4K at all? Anyway, I digress.

Back to the subject of overall picture quality. With all the statements about black level, you'd think that that was the only important picture parameter. I'll say that one of the first things I noticed about both the VT60 and ZT60 were the great reproduction of different shades of gray (maybe better than the Kuro set which had a tendency to crush dark shades of gray to black). On the ZT60 there seems to be, if anything, also a noticeable advantage in the reproduction of red. Reds are reproduced with a natural purity I've never seen before. I can't comment on the 3D performance of the ZT60 because I don't have a 3D BluRay player but I briefly converted a 2D Blu-Ray to 3D. The motion seemed to appear with the "soap opera" (video) effect. That said, 3D performance is not important to me so I consider the feature to be a "throw in" anyway.

My only pet peeve about all the professional reviews I've read about the ZT60 is the statement that SD sources look great. While it's true that DVDs appear extremely good on the ZT60 when using an HDMI connection, the aforementioned statement is obviously based on the reproduction of DVDs (which occasionally look like HD sources) and broadcasts. I say this because there is no support for legacy sources that use the S-Video connection. I've seen so many professional reviewers trash this connection by saying that making an S-Video connection was awkward (well, you don't do it often, do you?). Yet, there is no criticism of the old composite video connection's quality. I don't think a professional reviewer would mind putting up with the minor inconvenience, given the composite connection's dot crawl from inherent crosstalk between the luminance (black & white) and chrominance (color) signals. As expensive as the ZT60 is, you'd think that an S-Video input would be included. How much can such an input cost? I make a big deal about this because I have a lot of S-VHS recordings of material I simply can't buy or don't care to buy again in another format and I also have some laserdiscs. The composite input of the ZT60 rolls off the high end of the video signal. Looking at an S-VHS recording of a standard definition Snell & Wilcox resolution test pattern through the composite connection shows a horizontal resolution of well under 300 lines. Yet looking at the same recording through the S-Video input of my old old SDTV shows roughly 410 lines. So what to do? The receiver connected to my ZT60 doesn't have S-Video inputs either so I can't use it for any handshaking between the S-VHS VCR and the ZT60. Fortunately, I have a D-VHS machine that has S-Video inputs and HDMI outputs so I can either play my S-Video recordings through this machine or use its S-Video inputs for my S-VHS VCR (which does a better job playing S-VHS videos) along with the HDMI outputs to the receiver. Result? The 410 lines of resolution appears on the ZT60 and the recordings closely approach DVD quality.

Despite the S-Video omission, I still believe the ZT60 is a 5-star product. Its reduced screen glare/reflectivity, its practically perfect black level, the great reproduction of shadow detail, and extremely accurate colors have seduced me already. In fact, these performance parameters are unrivaled. As I've already mentioned, the first parameter cannot be matched by the current generation of higher resolution Ultra HD TV sets, given their use of LED-backlit technology.

To make the most out of the ZT60, I switch to the THX Cinema mode, load a Spears & Munsil Blu-Ray calibration disc then adjust the black-level, contrast, sharpness according to the disc's test patterns and set the color temperature to the normal setting. I didn't find the recommended picture adjustments of CNET reviewer, David Katzmaier, helpful. In fact, the settings seem to appear way off when looking at the results when using my OPPO BDP-83 Blu-Ray player as a source.

In a nutshell, I'd list the Pros vs. Cons as follows:

Pros:

Unrivaled picture quality

Extremely accurate colors/color temperature in the THX mode/EBU modes right out of the box

Beats The Pioneer Kuros black level and gray scale reproduction

Low screen glare/reflectivity compared to all other plasmas to date

Cons:

Expensive

No S-video input to make the most of S-VHS sources; composite video input rolls off high-end and makes SD sources appear duller than they are

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Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 (10.1-Inch, Wi-Fi)

Customer Ratings:

Updated Review: October 25, 2013 For over one year now, I have been totally enjoying this excellent Tab 2 10.1 WiFi tablet and I continue use this very dependable tablet for hours each day. Since I am a techie, I tested this tablet thoroughly and I have found it to be excellent for my everyday basic computer functions at home and on the road. And it is much easier to travel with than my heavy laptop. For you the reader, my goal here is to give you everyday and practical uses regarding the Tab 2 10.1 WiFi model.

In August, 2013, I updated to 4.2.2 as it has many improvements and my tablet is running perfectly and it is up to date. The update did remove the screenshot, however, I use the Power Key and Volume key and this takes a screenshot when needed.

PROS:

EXTERNAL SLOT FOR MICRO SD CARD What a great feature! It is set to accept up to 32g SD, however, you can add a 64gb SD card, however, you will have to format it inside the Tab 2 and it will then be ready to add files. For me, I placed a 32g in mine for music, files etc. Note that this was one of the deciding factors that sold me on this tablet. *Keep in mind where External SD cards are concerned: They are JUST for your personal files: music, videos, photos, and other files. When you install apps from the Playstore or other sources, they store either in INTERNAL SD Card area or the main internal area.

WiFi Connecting/Speed of WiFi This I tested using my home router and on the go at many hotspots with WiFi. What I discovered: The Tab 2 connected very quickly to my home router and has a high rate of speed no matter where I am located in my home (of course the closer to the router, the faster). Other hotspots: No problems at all connecting and staying connected on these. And I found the speed still high at home with several devices connected to the router, no loss in speed. **Note that I had other tablets before this one and for me, none gave me the quick connect and overall speed over WiFi as the Tab 2. **Newest observation--Today, I tested ALL my WiFi devices (phones and Tablets) and discovered this: Using my home router I noticed that the Tab 2's that I own (7 inch and 10.1 ones), connected faster and have far greater distance to my router than even my Android phone did as it seems to have the HIGHEST signal strength and longest WiFi distance). Then I took the Tab 2 outside and even in my back yard (furthest from router), still got a signal, moved in to back porch and got a very good signal. The same holds true when I travel, I am able to connect to many free WiFi hotspots, easily with great signal strength.

Internet & Webpage & Video Viewing The stock browser does a great job, however, I use Maxthon Browser and installed archived flash so I have great internet flash video viewing results and it renders webpages quite fast for me. And I suggest the free app called Pocket from the Playstore so you can read internet articles later offline. Even TODAY after almost ten months of ownership, I still enjoy using this tablet for viewing internet pages, videos and more.

Reading/Creating/Editing Word, Excel, Text Files and much more on this tablet: This comes with a OK app for reading Office documents, however, I prefer Kingsoft Office which is a free app from Playstore. It is the best I have ever tried and I am very picky about so called Office programs. It is very compatible with MS Office as it reads, edits and creates Office files and reads PDF files, and it has more features of any other Android Office program that I tried. This app is a MUST have for tablet owners in my opinion.

Printing Using the Tab 2 Yes, even with my older home printer, I print documents, photos, etc that are on my Tab 2 using the app Cloud Print and PrinterShare Mobile (both free from Playstore. In addition, there are many apps in the Playstore that will allow you to print using the Tab 2. (If you have questions about printing using the Tab 2 or any question, please ask in the comment section and I will answer).

Watching Online Flash Videos Directly From Maxthon Browser (regular one not the tablet one is best) If archived flash is installed and Maxthon Browser or other good browsers, I can play videos online. All videos I have tried have played just fine. ***Please ask me in the comments if you need more details regarding watching online videos of any kind on the Tab 2 and also instructions on archived flash,etc...

Home Videos The stock video player is OK and plays MOST home videos, however, may I suggest QQ Player (Free App from Playstore and the ONLY one I recommend as it plays every home video I tried).

Music Player/Sound Quality Stock player has clear sound through the outside "speakers" and very clear using headphones. To sync easily with Windows Media Player may I suggest the Playstore app free) WinAmp for the tablet as it is very highly rated and the sound is SUPERB!

**** SUGGESTION: If love watching videos and listening to music, may I suggest that you invest in a Bluetooth Speaker. There are many out there on Amazon most are OK and many low it cost. However, for me I use the EasyAcc Second Gen Bluetooth that Amazon sells and the sound is SUPERB! Also, it plays stand alone SD card music and Flash Drive music as it has the ports for that (the Flash drive and LARGE STANDARD SD cards play directly from the ports the music as stored on the Flash drive of SD CARD).

Battery Life Excellent! This is what I have found: When I am on WiFi, I go to the websites I need and then as soon as I am done (reasonable time), I exit the browser (or YouTube, etc) and TURN OFF WiFi. However, I run my brightness at 100%. So on an average day, I get at least 8-12 hours using the tablet before I charge it (depending on how long my WiFi is connected).

OTG USB Compatible You can add an optional OTG (On the Go adapter cable to the Micro port for copying files to your flash drive and from your flash drive to the Tab 2). You can also plug in a mouse, I tried it and it worked. *Note that portable external hard drives and portable DVD/CD drives will not work using OTG in the Tab 2 because these both require a lot of power to be compatible with the Tab 2 and most tablets that have the OTG. However, it is still good to know that you can easily plug in your flash drive and copy files to the Tab 2 and from Tab 2 to PC--what a time-saver.

On-Screen Keyboard For me, I prefer to use the large keys on the on-screen keyboard so this one is PERFECT for me to type on. However, there are many great Bluetooth keyboards out there for the Tab2.

The tablet is very well constructed, however, to secure it better, I bought from Amazon a MoKo adjustable stand/case that I set it up in landscape mode and it has 3 positions.

Bluetooth Speed and Performance The Bluetooth paired quickly with several devices and copied files at a great rate of speed. Speaking of Bluetooth: Also there are many great Bluetooth keyboards out for the Tab2. (Just make sure you purchase one for JUST THE TAB2 10.1).

SPECIAL FREE OUTSTANDING APPS I SUGGEST FROM THE PLAYSTORE:

* Pocket App (This is a must app you can "save to" Pocket and read text later when offline so you can read text articles (you must be online to watch videos or view pictures however).

* Cloud Print and PrinterShare Mobile (both free lets you print right from your tablet).

* TV SHOW APP (free) is US TV & Radio Free and also get TV Guide app to go with this. This is an app that lets you watch many TV shows (but they are live so you will need TV Guide app to see what is on). These apps I have tried and the tablet plays the shows wonderfully in full screen. This app also has great radio stations on it. (Note that this app is HUGE almost 33MB but you can watch most cable TV shows on it LIVE).

* Netflix (free in Playstore), You really need this app if you plan on watching Netflix using this tablet. * Hulu Plus, I recommend for movies and more.

* TV.COM gets SOME TV shows and some networks, but you can watch pre-recorded shows.

Also great FREE apps: WiFi Analyzer (lets you know how strong your WiFi is), QQ Player, QuickPic (better than the Gallery), Maxthon Browser, AVG Antivirus Free, and I list more in comment section.

Wonderful Kindle Android App is pre-installed, and I downloaded several Kindle books with no problems. Kindle loads fast and this Tablet is a joy to read a book on either Kindle or any eBook or PDF booklet.

CONS: (Just one con I found, however, this con is NOT the fault of Samsung)

New Adobe Flash is not supported, however, I found that archived flash gets the online videos to play. So I downloaded the older archived flash which gives me the ability to view many internet videos.

*****Update August 30, 2013 ***** There is an AUTO UPDATE for the new OS that will be starting up the next time you turn on WiFi or very soon. It is best that you are aware that you MUST has at least 60% battery, or better yet 100% battery as this update takes up LOTS of space and take a long time to complete. (You can also turn off the auto update to prevent this from happening). Note that the update removes your soft key for the Screenshot and moves the soft keys into the center and lots of other changes. So you may want to take a look at the comment section as there is quite a bit posted these on this)...

Bottom line: Would I buy this WiFi only model over again? Yes I certainly would, in a heartbeat! So if you are looking for a superb Samsung 10.1 inch tablet and you have great access to WiFi, this is the one to buy. Also, since I am somewhat of a techie person, I will be happy to answer any questions you may have through the comment section.

Hope this review has assisted you and thank you for reading it.

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Samyang SYCV85M-C 85mm T1.5 Cine Lens for Canon VDSLR

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $399.99
Sale Price: $349.00
Today's Bonus: 13% Off

I've tried all of the other Samyang/Rokinon Cine lenses available and own the 24mm as well (which is not nearly as sharp as this one). This 85mm is the sharpest of the set, and even wide open it is not bad at all. The build quality is the weakest attribute and is probably a 7/10 and doesn't really compare with other cine lenses (that are also much much more expensive), but the colors and details that the lens captures are on par with lenses in the $4,000 range. Contrast ratio is also comparable when intercut with more expensive lenses, but I haven't done any proper tests. This is really the only Samyang/Rokinon lens in the set that is a no brainer buy for video work (based on the performance to value ratio), but I would not recommend this to a buyer who often lets others handle his/her gear. I don't think this lens will last long with any level of abuse. I would absolutely recommend it to others, but I wouldn't expect to get a lifetime of work out of it like the other cine alternatives.

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IOGEAR GW3DHDKIT Wireless 3D Digital Kit with Full HD 1080P

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $279.99
Sale Price: $186.99
Today's Bonus: 33% Off

My configuration and why I purchased this:

All of the televisions in our house have a single HDMI connection over 2x ethernet to an HDMI matrix switch in our basement, which is where all of our A/V components live. The matrix switch is controlled via an iPhone app, so we can easily change sources in each room. This setup works great, didn't break the bank, and is easy to use. We've since added a television in our master bedroom and unfortunately don't have 2x ethernet there. Running ethernet to our bedroom would require a lot of drywall repair which I wasn't excited about. When I saw the IOGear product at Best Buy Magnolia tonight, I purchased it. I expected it to fail, as most wireless products never live up to expectations. I can honestly say I'm not disappointed with it.

Installation experience:

First, I attempted to install the IOGear transmitter in our basement, directly connected to the HDMI matrix switch. (Read the instructions) After connecting the device and getting the transmitter and receiver to connect with one another, some of the components including the TiVo Premiere at 1080i worked flawlessly over this very long wireless connection (40ft through two floors). Other components including our Apple TV at 720p didn't work at all, frequently loosing signal. I can't really explain why these components behaved differently. It's odd that the components negotiating at higher resolutions performed better. That seems counter-intuitive.

Modification to original setup:

Due to the issues I experience above, I moved the IOGear transmitter to our family room which is on the first floor of our house and is closer to the master bedroom. All components stream flawlessly now, at near-hard wired quality.

Final thoughts:

I'm impressed with the IOGear unit. Wireless technology is so often disappointing. I can honestly say this product lives up to its claims. I will say, however, that the 100ft distance it has is presumably within line of sight. In my installation, I'm getting about 20 feet through a floor, walls, carpet, wood, etc.

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Elite Black 70" Pro-70x5fd Flat Panel 3d LED Hdtv

Customer Ratings:

I purchased a 70" Elite form a local High End store. The set up was easy for two adults . Fresh out of the box the picture quality was beyond fantastic. The screen does have some glare that someone might find annoying, especially if you have allot of windows. The first evening we watched some "NATGEO". It knocked our socks off. It was if we were on location viewing it live. I have looked at, played with and researched many displays. Would I buy an Elite again? Absolutely . After viewing all the heavenly glory this TV can display, the buyers remorse that sometimes come with a large purchase was nonexistent . In this particular case , I believe you deffinetly get what you pay for . The sound quality is excellent. The 3D is the best I have ever experienced and it comes with a nice bundle of APPS. This TV looks great even when its off? It is NOT just another Sharp product with an Elite badge. It is a culmination of years of development between sharp and pioneer technicians. The bar has been raised to a new height with this one.... MERRY CHRISTMAS & HAPPY NEW YEAR

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CAMTREE G-51 Gripper Car Suction Mount

Customer Ratings:

This equipment is amazing! Before I bought this equipment, I've done many research on which suction car mount I should get for video. I was concern about 3 things, 1) The Price, 2) How stable would the video be, 2) the stability of the suction mount itself, how long would it last without falling off when driving...

I've came to my decision to buy the CAMTREE G-51 Gripper Car Suction Mount. When I bought it, I tested it out when shooting a friend's film. We've placed the mount on a side of a truck (shoot with T2i). The suction mount lasted for about 5 hours. It did not fall, (we took it off). The video was wasn't shaky AT ALL. It would also depends on how you place it.

It would take you some times to set up the Suction Mount on the car (depend on where). And if you set it right, the CAMTREE G-51 Gripper Car Suction Mount for Photography/Videography is worth the Price.

I've also used the same suction mount to test out the Opening (title) sequence for my upcoming short film.

Here is the link to the video, shot on T2i. vimeo.com/54955675

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Epson V11H561020 PowerLite Home Cinema 2030 1080p 3LCD Projector

Customer Ratings:

Ok I hardly ever write reviews but I thought about this quite a bit and read a lot before making this purchase so I thought I'd do my best to help others. I was one of the earliest adopters of the whole home cinema projector idea. I inherited what was at the time a $5000 state of the art Epson machine in 1999. We bought it for our dot com start-up. Afterwards I took it home and bought a screen. I figured out how to connect it to my cable and surround sound and it has worked great for nearly 15 years. recently it just died I think it was the fan blades. So it was time to upgrade. I was all excited to find out I could replace it for as little as $400-$500 bucks. But then I found out there was a big divide between office powerpoint projectors and home cinema. When I originaly bought mine there was no difference. The guy at Office Depot told me that if I wanted it for movies that I'd be better off going to Best buy. I went to Best Buy and they only had like three choices in Home Cinema. I had rapidly figured out that in order to get true HD i.e.. 1080 P the cost was like $1500 on up ugh! I didn't want to spend that much. So I went on a crusade to find a 1080 P HD projector for under $1000 so I naturally went to Amazon. I read all kinds of reviews and went to sites like http://www.projectorcentral.com which was very helpful. I finally narrowed it down to four all found on Amazon and studied at Projector Central:

Optoma HD25 $949

BenQ W1070 $884

Mitsubishi HC 4000 $949

Acer H6510BD $740

These were all very highly rated. I was really tempted to get the Acer for the price but the machine did not seem to be compatible with as many formats as the others. I was really torn and couldn't decide. Then I read about the brand new machine from Epson the 2030 with full HD 1080 P and it was and LCD not DLP like all the others and most people I spoke with seem to think LCD is superior. It even is 3D capable and even though I don't watch 3D movies yet I figured it couldn't hurt to have the latest technology. Plus after 15 successful years with Epson I wanted to stick with the brand. In fact I really wanted to buy the 2000 (not the 2030) which is the internet version and retails for only $899 instead of $999. But it wasn't available and I needed a replacement of my broken machine. But even at $999 this was significantly cheaper than other Epson machines and it is clearly seen as a superior brand in this category which they basically invented. If you can get the 2000 for $899 that is the way to go as the specs are nearly identical.

My expectations were high on what the image would be like but they were met in spades. The quality is truly crystal clear sharp like HD television. The one criticism is that the projector's zoom is too good. By that I mean it can project to an enormous image. But since I only have an 80 inch screen and I am using this in a 15 foot room it created a little problem for me. My old projector needed to be quite a distance away to fill the scrren, but the new projectors are much more powerful in terms of zoom. To get it to fit my screen properly, the projector needed to be only about 6-8 feet from the screen. This is a little bit of a pain because I wanted to put it in the cabinet at the back of my room. But from 15 feet or so it can't make an image of "only" 80 inches. In fact at that distance its close to twice as big. I've sorted this out but you may want to study the dimensions of your room and where your wires are. There are projectors know as "short throw". This may be the way to go but you will have to study this further. If you do a google search or check out the manufacturer's site you can find out the distance need to create x sized image. Basically there is a manual zoom on the projector like on binoculars this can only do so much up or down the rest is accomplished by distance. The further away you are the bigger the image the closer the smaller.

Overall I am very pleased and I'm definitely keeping this machine. Its functionality and menus are far superior to my old machine and it is really easy to work with. Movies are awesome and so is football. I'm totally satisfied.

PS I also went out and bought Apple TV to be able to view all my photos and other content. Its only $99 and allows your lap top to connect wirelessly to the projector but I learned you have to have Mountain Lion only a $20 upgrade and that now make the projector even more functional for me. Its cool to surf the internet, Netflix, Amazon prime movies on your laptop and then push play and have the projector play the movie wirelessly.

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StackShot Automated Macro Rail Package, US AC Adapter

Customer Ratings:

This macro photography automated rail system adds a new dimension to those of us who do macro photography. The company that produces this product is very helpful and prompt when responding to user questions. I highly recommend this product and company to anyone who is eager to enhance their macro photography efforts and appreciates quick assistance from company technicians when questions arise. I can't speak highly enough about the support I've received from this company or the quality of pictures I've been able to take using their product.

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