Swarovski Spotting Scope HD ATS-65 High Definition Glass

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $2,043.33
Sale Price: $1,649.00
Today's Bonus: 19% Off

This listing is only for the "front half" of the scope that contains the objective lens. You must also purchase for an additional $500-600 the the eyepiece. The photo shows a complete scope, and the one (1) review is for a complete scope. A complete scope will cost you $2,200!!!

Don't bother shopping for lower prices EVERYBODY has the same selling price. I thought the government ended "Fair Trade" pricing 40 years ago. Apparently not.

Sorry, Amazon, but you do not provide a "Contact Us" option so that I could point out the problem with this listing directly; at least not one my searching found.

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Canon EOS Rebel T3 12.2 MP CMOS Digital SLR Camera with EF-S

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $849.99
Sale Price: $489.98
Today's Bonus: 42% Off

So Im a professional photographer, at my studio we use a nikon, But I recently wanted to start branching out on my own, so I wanted to buy my first dslr. :)

After much thought and deliberation I decided on the T3! Its a wonderful camera, and is more then enough for me, and the family, senior, weddings etc Ive been doing!

This kit was the perfect price, I couldnt have found a better deal! I love everything in this kit. except 1 thing, its a minor thing cause it doesnt really affect me, but the Tri-Pod is Very Flimsy and when I went to put my camera on it, the tri-pod was broken, even if it wasnt broken I wouldnt trust putting my camera on there. Luckily I have a better durable tri-pod! :) Like I said nothing that affects me :) Definitely a purchase I will not forget!!! :) if you would like to see some examples on how the camera photographs for portraits.. you can visit my website.

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Sony VAIO Tap All-in-One Touchscreen SVJ20215CXB 20-Inch Desktop

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $999.99
Sale Price: $819.99
Today's Bonus: 18% Off

First: The hardware

I have been in computing for my entire career (35+ years) outside a stint in the military. I have watched as computers continually shrunk while their power has continually increased. I still clung to the notion of a minitower as the basic unit of computing until this arrived i was able to clear a mid size tower out of my bedroom and take up less space with this unit than my previous monitor.

It is every bit as functional indeed it is speedier than the older tower was. Very solid build not something you would normally disconnect and trek with you through your house but with a built in battery (that supposedly lasts 2-3 hours) this unit can be picked up and transported to show visitors or other people things you want them to see without their need to trek into my bedroom. Very solid build, and very snappy performance although serious gamers might not be satisfied needing that millisecond advantage on their opponents.

Sony provided usb ports, etc. that are eminently useable and this unit can be expanded with peripherals (not quite to the extent of a minitower with expansion slots) but certainly more expandable than most people would want or need. Five stars for build quality and performance. Five stars to amazon fast delivery and decent price.

2. Windows 8

Regarding Windows 8, I honestly didn't think I'd like it much but I really, really like the new interface it's so easy to jump from desktop to metro to desktop app to metro app i am going to sell my ipad2 it really is a clunker compared to Windows 8 of course one has to have a basic windows experience behind them to appreciate the integration of metro/ipad style apps with a windows desktop but I guess I qualify there. Corner hovers with mouse or side/top swipes allow the easiest navigation that I could imagine. For experienced windows users there are a few irritating moments when you know exactly what you want to do but haven't a clue how to do it usually corner hovers with a mouse or taps bring up menus that contain the items you're searching for such as task manager. Use google liberally at first to find how to do what you want within 30 60 minutes you will have mastered the vast majority of those things you tended to do on windows in the past and the metro apps are such a bonus, cheap ( I haven't spent a cent yet ) and in the case of the included mail app so much nicer than a traditional windows experience. well done Microsoft!

3. Response to Other reviews:

Regarding slow response (unit vs Windows 8) in prior review I have not experienced this myself the unit is crisp and responds quickly to swipes or mouse clicks and app processing is normal one possibility might be using wireless in a weak spot but I quit using wireless after configuring my machine and moving it to the bedroom where it has a gigabit wired connection.

Regarding hang-ups losing apps / data as stated by another reviewer. I have not experienced this at all it is solid and runs perfectly haven't needed to reboot since I finished configuration about two weeks ago. Perhaps a defective unit that needs replacement? Amazon will accomodate this quickly also if done right after a purchase (I think within 30 days).

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Canon PowerShot SX160 IS 16.0 MP Digital Camera (Old Model)

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $199.00
Sale Price: $127.69
Today's Bonus: 36% Off

For the past 2 years I looked at the Canon SX-series cameras, but being a person who can only be happy with a lithium-battery camera, I shied away from these. So I finally went for it after reading the AA battery life is getting better. If you buy some rechargeables, preferably Eneloops, you will be happy enough.

PROS:

* Takes EXCELLENT CRISP, SHARP photos with TRUE COLORS, and also GREAT MACRO (close-up) shots. (I have taken some grainy photos while playing around with it, but they were my fault due to low light without the flash being up).

* Larger than an ultra-compact camera, easy to grip, yet not so large where it's a drag to carry with you this camera feels comfortable if you have larger hands or fingers, you won't accidentally push the wrong buttons, plenty of room I have short, stubby fingers and short nails as I do a lot of typing, those ultra-compact cameras were wrong for me!

* Very pleased with battery life; I've taken over 250 shots and a couple of videos with the Eneloops, they're still going strong (the alkaline AA batteries included w/camera did not last long) for Eneloops see my link below.

* The Image Stabilization turns off automatically when you attach the camera to a tripod, something I always forget to do with other cameras (AUTO mode).

* When you have this zoomed out to 16X, the stabilization seems to work better than other cameras I've used (the more you zoom out, the shakier it is); normally on other cameras I'd have to use a tripod.

* You can optically zoom during a video, audio does not cut out during the zooming function. Zoom motor is VERY quiet once you press the video/movie button, it becomes almost silent the way it does this amazes me.

* Easy for anyone to use in AUTO; and this also has full P/A/S/M manual controls, so this is a camera you can grow into if you are a novice.

* Has a Mode Dial some cameras, including Canon's cheaper models, are removing the dial on top of the camera and changing to a menu-only format.

CONS:

* Shutter response time is a little slow, probably due to the AA batteries (I'm using a Class 10 SD card, so it isn't that). Not sure if you would be happy with this camera if you are trying to capture fast moving kids or pets; if you can get them to hold still for a few seconds, it's fine.

* Build-quality: It's plastic, but if you are careful with your cameras you should be OK. The battery compartment door seems a little more robust than cheaper Canon models I looked at, it has a spring, unlocks and slides out to the side. Plastic tripod mount (ugh!, why couldn't they use metal?)

* This camera can't be put into your pocket, it needs a case. Also, a camera this size needs a neck strap, not a flimsy little hand strap like the one in the box.

* The 230,000 pixel LCD screen doesn't impress me, I've purchased cheaper cameras that have 460,000 pixels. You may be unhappy with photo quality when viewing it on the LCD, and pleasantly surprised after you upload the photo to your PC.

RANDOM THOUGHTS:

1. My camera was made in JAPAN! Not to say yours will be; I know with Panasonic cameras sometimes the same model will come from different countries. I don't know about Canon.

2. I've yet to find a P&S digital camera that is perfect. This one isn't perfect either, so it got 4 stars. You have to weigh the pros & cons for YOUR specific needs in a camera. I've tried other cheaper, basic Canon's, and I either returned them or re-gifted to friends.

3. There are strap openings on both sides of this camera, but they are so small they will only accommodate those small loops like wrist straps have. I think I found a neck strap that will work, see my link below. I've got one on order now.

4. I uploaded a short video to YouTube, I am Yarii41 on YT; if you do a search for "Canon SX160 Video Test" you should find it. I can't put the link here, since links to other sites aren't allowed in our reviews.

ENELOOP BATTERIES: Sanyo XX Battery Powered by eneloop, 2500mAh typical / 2400 mAh minimum High Capacity, 4 Pack AA Ni-MH Pre-Charged Rechargeable Batteries

CANON CASE: Canon PSC-3300 Deluxe Soft Case for Canon SX130IS Digital Cameras

CLASS 10 SD CARD: Transcend 16 GB SDHC Class 10 Flash Memory Card TS16GSDHC10E

NECK STRAP: OP/TECH USA 2201021 Bin/Op Strap-QDfor Compact Cameras and Binoculars -Neoprene (Black)

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HP Pavilion Sleekbook 15-b123nr 15" Laptop with AMD A6-4455M

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $599.99
Sale Price: $389.99
Today's Bonus: 35% Off

I bought this as my budget machine. It wasn't meant to compare with my custom desktop that I dumped a ton of money in just to be a way to surf the web and work with clients at their office. It meets my needs. WiFi doesn't always work when it wakes from sleep you have to put it in airplane mode then take it out. It hiccups and hangs up now and then, but it's an AMD so it does the best it can. Overall, a good bargain laptop that I won't cry about if it's lost or broken.

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Nyrius ARIES Pro Digital Wireless HDMI Transmitter and Receiver

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $399.99
Sale Price: $249.99
Today's Bonus: 38% Off

First off...I do consider myself a professional photographerVideographer. I make a pretty decent living doing so. I shoot still photography wirelessly through wireless transmitters and allow my customers to view images immediately.I have been asked to provide video wirelessly to monitors throughout venues many times. I started investigating various products that could allow me to do just that. Teradek,Paralinx and several other companies had products that just appeared to pricy for ME. I shoot with high end canon 5d mark lll, canon 7d and canon xa10.I read about paralinx and while investigating them I ran across another review of this Nyrius Pro Aries. Well for the price I figured I would give it a try. I connected transmitter to my Canon xa10 and connected the receiver to my flat screen. When I selected hdmi imput, the camera was already connected!!!! Excellent picture quality.I walked through my home and loss signal briefly when I went downstairs into my garage (cinderblock) , at first it appeared to be a 1/4 second lag, I adjusted in camera settings and fixed that.I purchased a battery charger also to power the transmitter. I would recommend this product. Those units $1000.00 and more are going to need to change their pricing structure.

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Olympus OM-D E-M5 Micro 4/3 Digital Camera & 12-50mm Lens

Customer Ratings:

I recently purchased this for myself for Christmas and boy I'm glad I did. I've upgraded from a sony cyber-shot. I've only used the camera for less than a day but I can't seem to put it down. I've used mostly the auto settings so far and they've been absolutely fantastic pics. I've sent a bunch of pics out to my friends and most have asked what kind of camera I purchased because they couldn't get over the clarity. I look forward to really exploring what this camera can do. I'm a kid in the candy store again with this new gadget. Worth every penny. I'm also glad I purchased the bundle of goodies to go along with the camera. The case is excellent but if you need more than one lens your going to have a space issue. Other than that its great for what I need it for. The tripod is nice and light but built with good quality. It folds down to 16" and extends to 50" which is more than enough for me thus far, since I'm a novice for the time being. I hope this helps someone purchase this amazing camera. I cant say enough about it considering I just received it in the mail last night. You won't regret your purchase. Time to get clicking!!!!!

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Denon AVR-X1000 5.1-Channel Networking Home Theater AV Receiver

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $499.99
Sale Price: $449.00
Today's Bonus: 10% Off

The Denon AVR-X1000 is the successor to last year's 4-1/2 star rated Denon AVR-1713. Most features are the same as the AVR-1713. Like the AVR-1713, the AVR-X1000 is a 5.1-channel surround sound receiver that accepts a total of six input sources, plus TV audio as a seventh input source.

Over the past few years Denon has been gradually improving the look of their receivers. The AVR-X1000 has the look of a very high-end receiver, comparable to Marantz and Pioneer Elite receivers, yet it sells at a mid-range price. The photos above don't quite do it justice.

What's new?

* The AVR-X1000 has a longer warranty (3 years) than the AVR-1713 (2 years).

* The speaker connections on the back of the AVR-X1000 are color coded for easier setup. Last year's model did not have color-coded speaker connections.

* The AVR-X1000 supports both AM and FM radio. Last year's AVR-1713 only supported FM radio.

* Both models support Apple Airplay, Internet radio, Sirius XM, and Pandora, but the AVR-X1000 adds support for Spotify, too.

* Both models support MP3, WMA, AAC, and FLAC audio formats. The AVR-X1000 adds support for the Apple Lossless Audio Codec (ALAC) as well.

* The AVR-1713 used up and down buttons to select the input source. The AVR-X1000 uses a more attractive dial on the left-hand side.

* The AVR-X1000 has updated setup software.

* Denon's list price for the AVR-X1000 ($499) is $50 higher than last year's AVR-1713 ($449).

Comparison with the step-up Denon AVR-X2000:

* The AVR-X1000 supports 5.1 audio, while the step-up AVR-X2000 supports 7.1 audio.

* The AVR-X1000 has 80 watts per channel, while the AVR-X2000 has 95 watts per channel.

* The AVR-X1000 does not support Ultra HD (4K) upscaling, but the AVR-X2000 does.

* The AVR-X2000 has more HDMI and analog audio input jacks than the AVR-X1000. They have the same number of digital audio input jacks.

* The AVR-X2000 supports one component video input, while the AVR-X1000 does not.

Comparison with the step-down Denon AVR-E300:

* Both models support 5.1 audio.

* The AVR-X1000 has 80 watts per channel, while the AVR-E300 has 75 watts per channel.

* The AVR-X1000 has a 3-year warranty, while the AVR-E300 has a 2-year warranty.

* The AVR-X1000 supports a zone 2 line out, while the AVR-E300 does not.

* The AVR-X1000 supports the high-resolution Audyssey MultEQ XT room correction software with 6-8 measurement positions, while AVR-E300 only supports the medium-resolution Audyssey MultEQ. Both models support Audyssey Dynamic Volume and Audyssey Dynamic EQ.

* The AVR-X1000 has better-quality speaker connections. The AVR-E300 has new "Easy Connect Speaker Terminals" which work best with bare speaker wire and seem aimed at novices.

I have two complaints about the AVR-X1000. First, it doesn't support Wi-Fi. The network connection requires Ethernet. For Wi-Fi, CNET likes the Onkyo TX-NR626. Second, it is stingy with its digital audio inputs. The AVR-X1000 has only one coaxial and one optical digital audio input. By comparison, the competing Yamaha RX-V475 and Yamaha RX-V575 each have two coaxial and two optical digital audio input jacks (but fewer total device inputs). Aesthetically, however, Onkyo and Yamaha receivers have a utilitarian look that can't compete with this year's Denon line.

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Xbox 360 Pro 20 GB

Customer Ratings:

*NOTE AGAIN THAT THIS WAS PURCHASED FROM AMAZON, NOT ANOTHER SELLER*

A checklist that should tell you exactly why you want this.

-This is a Microsoft refurbished console. That means it will be in 360 packaging with resealed cords, controllers, and headset (I'm tempted to say that my headset was brand new, and maybe even my cords, but I don't want to claim that without knowing. Regardless. There is something nice about not opening a clamshell sealed 360 that smells like lung cancer.) The condition is pristine. NO dirt or smudges. One sticker on the bottom that says refurbished. Mine left a bit of sticky when I took it off. Nail polish remover will get it off without pain if you are worried about that.

-It will come with the new power-brick that is vented, it also has the new Jasper chip. This means: Even though you are getting a refurbished console, it is technically more sound than a brand new 20 gig from Microsoft's original batches. Rest easy my friend. This console was not made to break. It's like it got a tune up. These two features paired together will fight overheating and RED RING OF DEATH.

-It does have HD

-Mine came with 2 controllers, which at the time wasn't advertised (so it was a nice surprise). Cross your fingers about that if it's not openly included.

-If you don't already know, because it has a hard drive you will be able to connect to Xboxlive out of the box, though for online play I would recommend buying a 12 month live subscription. You can easily find them online for 35ish dollars. If you pay more you didn't look hard enough. :)

Hope this helps in your decision.

As for my console it runs like a charm, for long periods (when I say this I mean as I waste my whole day away) without any heat at alland I can really tell the difference because I had a 60gig a few years backthe difference is black and white as far as heat output. I took it on a road-trip (to update it back home) for over 30 hours in total in a backpack that I threw around (gingerly) as I used the bag day to day. Came back home and it was still fine. DO IT. DO IT. DO IT NOW.

Happy Buying

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DNP 10UPC-X34 3.5" x 4" Self-Laminating Color Printing Pack

Customer Ratings:

This product was just as described and shipped quickly. We print passport and visa pictures at my office and this was the best price I could find. Will order from this company again. Thanks!

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Nikon D3000 10.2MP Digital SLR Camera Body (Kit Box no Lens

Customer Ratings:

I bought this camera refurbished because it was by far cheapest option at the time to get a real SLR. Well, a few months later and I've learned a LOT about photography. It took me a while, but now I see its limitations as well (no bracketing, no autofocus motor). However, I still think it's a great camera for someone that wants to get their feet wet and see if they like photography without too much of an investment. I've taken great pictures with it so that's what counts for me.

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Panasonic HC-V520 HD Digital Camcorder with 80x Zoom and Wi-fi

Customer Ratings:

I work with baseball players and bought this unit for its 60P capability and long zoom. The zoom is more like 58X or 62X, but that's still VERY powerful. The image quality is good, even at max zoom and the image stabilizer seems to work well. This video-camera also seems to work very well in lower light conditions (it's at least one stop better than my other cameras, I assume due to a bigger sensor). It has a full range of manual controls that seem to be available in all modes. It's also VERY small and light. Battery life on the included battery seems better than average (compared to my Canon HV-30).

The only downsides -and the reason why I gave it 4 stars instead of 5 -are that I literally can't buy another (or really two or three) battery for it, which is an issue for me because I am a semi-professional photographer and film entire baseball games and like to have 2 or 3 batteries in my bag just in case. Panasonic also charges a ridiculous amount for accessories like batteries and an external battery charger. They are pricing the camera low and then getting you with the accessories, so understand that the effective price of this camera is more like $500 or $600 if you need more than just what comes in the box.

P.S. The BIOS is buggy. I am getting increasing numbers of card write/read errors, despite using premium, high bit rate Sandisk cards.

P.P.S. The size of the sensor is quite small, due to the small size of the camera, so beware that the image won't scale well. That won't be an issue for most consumer users, but power users might notice some image quality problems if they try to blow up the image.

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Canon TS-E 24mm f/3.5L II Ultra Wide Tilt-Shift Lens for Canon

Customer Ratings:

After years of missing large format cameras with their swings and tilts, and of course their wonderful large film size that together produce incredible images, I think I have found something that will lessen my longing.

This tilt-shift lens combined with a high-pixel DSLR (like the Canon EOS 5D Mark II) enable a photographer to produce images that can rival the best from medium format cameras and even can under the right circumstances push image quality into 4 x 5 inch sheet film territory.

I got this lens, snapped it onto my camera and got excellent results right away. It helped to spend some time refreshing my memory about how to use tilts and shifts but aside from that, there was nothing mysterious about this lens other than the magical quality it possesses for producing sharp, colorful images that can be free of converging lines or offer incredible field of focus control.

Other's have described various technical qualities of this lens and most online reviews describe the several improvements this lens offers over it's predecessor.

The big ones are better control over chromatic abberation and the ability to independently control the axes of shift and tilt. Closer focus is also a bonus.

Opinion varies about sharpness in the corners but all agree this is perhaps one of the sharpest lenses in Canon's line-up. My example delivers sharp corners so perhaps my copy is better that some of the reviewers?

I had to choose between this lens and more traditional ones (I was looking at the 70-200mm) and decided that this lens offered me the things I could get with no other lens a lens great for interiors, exteriors (architecture) and new landscape dimensions. I can get the zoom later! This lens is unique. I wasn't sure how much I would like it but now that I've had some seat time with it, I could never think of being without it.

Usual L quality beefy, precise, and consistent behavior for all controls!

Not a bargain price but it's the old adage you get what you pay for!

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Canon EOS Rebel T3 Digital SLR Camera (1100D) w/ 18-55mm IS II

Customer Ratings:

The T3 is wonderful, and you can decide for yourself if it's more worth it to you, to spend another $150 for T3I. For me, the T3 is all I needed. (This seller also has a T3I 5 lens package.)

Everything came in this package. Everything was new, and packaged well. After reading SO many complaints by other sellers, about camera bags being too small, and tripods not holding up anything but maybe a filter, I have to say this seller is true to their word. Even the table tri-pod is wonderful. I haven't had a chance to test the full size one. The picture doesn't show a car charger, but I received one as well. This bundle is wonderful. The only small thing I would say, is to get an additional cleaning kit (a brush and blower), since this one comes with only a cleaning solution. I love the filter kits. They both come in hard cases. The filters are all 58mm (which fit the 18-55, and the 55-250 lens), so you will want to order an additional set of 52mm filters that will fit your 50mm lens. Or atleast spend a couple of dollars on a UV filter for it. The 50mm lens is wonderful! I'd also say to maybe get a backpack if you're looking to do more long distance adventures, since this camera bag is great to hold your camera, but maybe not the best for exploring. The 32GB of memory is also wonderful, they sent me 2 Patriot LX series memory cards. I'd definitely say to get this package. It's a wonderful deal for $777!

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Optoma PT100, WVGA, 50 LED Lumens, Gaming Projector

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $199.00
Sale Price: $111.99
Today's Bonus: 44% Off

I recently purchased this projector as a replacement for my near-vintage Sharp XV101TU, whose bulb decided to blow out on me. In the process of shopping for a replacement projector (or trying to decide whether to just replace the bulb nothing but love for my 25 lbs projector from the early 90's..) the Optoma PT100 caught my eye.

I admit my main draw to this projector was the price which was less than a mere bulb for your average projector and the fact that THIS bulb would never need to be replaced, as it was powered by LEDs. I dove headlong into purchasing the projector knowing full well LEDs couldn't replace the luminescence of a metal-halide bulb, but the lure of never having to shell out $300 every year or two couldn't be denied, and I was willing to take a chance on the 50(!!) lumen output.

Now here, we get to one of the main points I uncovered from doing projector research: ALWAYS be extremely wary of no-name projectors. You probably already knew that, but pay particular attention to the "brightness" department. Many list their brightness as 400lm, or sometimes even 1000+ lumens, or worse yet, not at all. This isn't very scientific, to be sure, but if in doubt, try and see if you can find a Youtube video or the like demonstrating the projector. After seeing various nameless LED Chinese projectors on Youtube and comparing them to legit 1000 lumen projectors, it seems pretty obvious their brightness stats are a little inflated (not to mention, if the typical Samsung or LG LED projector projects at 200lm... you gotta wonder). I say this because I noticed that with a 50 lumen output, this projector really seems to be a lame duck when considering no-name eBay projectors have an alleged 1200 lumens for the same price. But I can assure you, no-name projectors almost never live up to their descriptions, so do your homework! Better go with a lower lumen projector from a reputable manufacturer than a knock-off claiming a million lumens, in my opinion.

That said, 50 lumens is no sunbeam of light, but I currently have it set about 14 feet away and for watching a movie at night, the 80+ inch image is awesome. Of course, you do want to be conscious of what you will typically be using the projector for before you purchase. Yes, the ability to be satisfied with a given brightness is subjective, but only to a point. If your primary purpose for getting a projector is watching Dark Knight over and over again, 50 lm will inarguably be a little dark for your needs (pun intended) most LED projectors probably will be. For your average movie or Wii game, however, this projector performs brilliantly. Keep in mind though, nighttime use or with a good set of blackout curtains. If you're looking at daytime gaming... again, add blackout curtains to your financial calculations (or start moving your gaming chairs to the basement). On the positive side, the projector is extremely portable, so if you have a room that's naturally darker than others, it's easy to move.

A note about screen size: like many inexpensive projectors, there is a fixed throw ratio in other words, for you camera savvy folk, no zoom lens the screen size is in direct proportion to how far the projector is placed from the screen/wall.

Many of you probably have concerns about the resolution I certainly did. Yes, 480 is pretty old-school tech, no getting around that the projector IS $199. Keep in mind though, that it is 480p (all LCDs, DLPs, and Plasmas, to my knowledge, are progressive scan), so it's a squeak better than standard definition (I believe it's formally called "enhanced definition"). Additionally, to offset what many might consider to be low res for today's standards, the projector's native resolution is 854x480 pixels, which amounts to widescreen plus (a native DVD film resolution is 720x480, widescreen format is 704x480, and 4:3 format is 640x480). What this means, at the end of the day, is that if you watch a widescreen DVD, the image doesn't have to be shrunk down to fit or cropped, like it might otherwise have to be on a projector with a native 4:3 aspect ratio (i.e. 640x480). Also with regard to image quality, 3LED DLP is known to have nice vivid color and as far as I'm concerned, it does.

Unfortunately, there is no remote for this thing all adjustments are made with buttons on the body itself.

Speaking of body, the build quality is excellent considering the price tag nice solid plastic housing; a possibly random aside: when I first took it out of the box, I thought it very much resembled the look and feel of a typical wall-powered radio alarm clock, both in size and weight (and color). It is a bit lighter than one would expect from a projector, even one of this size. Is it as tank-like as my old Sharp? Definitely not, but no modern projector really is. Will it stand up to a fair amount of abuse from an average child? I imagine so.

Adjustments in height are made easy with an odd spring-loaded front leg that pops out with the push of a button on the side, and one of the rear legs can be adjusted to level the image. Keep in mind, there is no keystone, so set it in a good spot where you won't have to tilt it too much.

A little annoyance on this projector is the lack of connections. While on the one hand, it keeps the projector simple, as I'm sure was the intention, it also means you need additional cables if you want something better than the yellow-plug composite video. Granted, it's a fairly easy and inexpensive endeavor to acquire a component > 15-pin RGB cable (or s-video > 15-pin if you like), but it would have been helpful had they included a little adapter dongle or something of the sort.

Bottom line, if you know what you're getting, this projector will not disappoint. Don't be discouraged by the name "PlayTime" it is actually a very capable little machine. If you go in expecting it to be one of those you've seen in your giant lecture halls or rich friend's home theatre, your expectations will probably be let down. If, on the other hand, you're looking for an inexpensive alternative to a humongous screen TV that uses less power and is much more portable, this is an excellent projector.

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Samsung UN55EH6070 55-Inch 1080p 120Hz LED 3D HDTV with 3D

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $1,649.99
Sale Price: $1,516.02
Today's Bonus: 8% Off

-August 2013 Update--

TV developed audio sync problem with latest firmware update but was able to reset and resolve it.

-------

Original review

Note, this TV uses "direct lit" technology from Samsung. To reduce cost the EH6070/6000 models use fewer LEDs than traditional full array backlit or edge lit displays of the higher end slim models. And it is 120Hz, not 240Hz. 240Hz CMR is just a Samsung marketing label. That does not really matter though since 120Hz is pretty good.

To my surprise and inconvenience it took me a few days to calibrate this screen. The options are limited but not too bad and certainly easy to work with. But I initially had a consistent problem fixing blown out yellows/limes/cheddar cheese colors. At first I was alarmed thinking that perhaps the new and cheaper direct lit technology sacrificed digital dynamic range. And I also had to deal with a seemingly old school 1990's overly red flesh tones problem. I tried multiple EH6000 calibration settings posted on avsforum and multiple review sites but was not satisfied. I was considering returning it.

So I pulled out my Disney WOW calibration Blu Ray. It seemed like I hardly changed a thing, but somehow that calibration did the trick. Everything looks pretty close to perfect now. In the past I never spent more than 10 to 15 minutes calibrating a new TV or projector.

Initial impressions are that our older Vizio SV472XVT has higher end components with full backlit array versus Samsung's new direct lit. However, despite something slightly inferior with the Samsung in overall screen micro-light management appearance, the Samsung beats the Vizio in depth of color rendition. The Vizio might win for watching standard TV dramas and news. But the Samsung wins clearly when watching high depth modern animation like Toy Story movies etc and video games.

The direct lit technology uses fewer LEDs to reduce cost by quite a bit. There is a small price to quality which I can see but is hard to describe. Less micro management of light I guess. More like the first LCD's. When you bring up the all white screen on the Disney WOW calibration tools you can clearly see each section of LED lighting with grey gaps between each section and slight grey blotches in the upper left and right corners about 4 inches from the edges on the 55 inch model. I did not try this on the Visio, so nothing to compare this to. Whatever I see in difference is small enough that I don't really care however because the overall image produced on the screen during normal viewing is quite beautiful. I probably would never have noticed all this had the EH6070 been better calibrated out of the box.

That is my only beef with this TV. It took me 15 or 20 minutes here and there over a few days tweaking settings to get it to look right. Kind of an inconvenience.

So in the interest of helping others, here are my hard earned current beloved EH6070 calibration settings.

Backlight 19

Contrast 100

Brightness 44

Sharpness 12

Color 47

Tint G51/R49

Advanced

Dynamic Contrast Off

Black Tone Off

Flesh Tone -1

RGB Only Mode Off

Color Space Auto

White Balance G-Gain 26, all others 25

Gamma 0

Motion Lighting Off

Picture Options

Color Tone Standard

Digital Noise Filter Off

MPEG Noise Filter Off

LED Motion Plus Off

By the way, the reason I bought this model (and you might) over ES6500, ES7100 or other?:

-No need for an edge lit slim TV since this is a corner installation in my family room. Also I can see the edge lit uniformity issues on the Costco showroom floor if I stand and stare long enough. The bleeding and torchlight problems with those higher end edge lit screens would not bug me very much, but I really do not feel the need to pay extra for it.

-The EH6000/6070 TV has a mostly (but not a pure) matte screen. Plasmas and edge lit screens are almost entirely glossy to improve black levels. Glossy creates strong reflections. I can't watch anything when there is a light reflection on the screen. I just stare at the light and lose focus of what I am watching. We have kitchen lights in the distance behind one sofa and my wife likes to keep a light on around the sofa. The matte screen on this TV works very well at avoiding reflections. The black levels on the EH6070 are great. Black is seriously black. So don't worry about that.

-3D for the kids! I had never before seen 3D on a TV. And while not a fan of 3D except for kids movies, I was impressed with Hugo and the Lorax. It's no more slightly distorted/weird than viewing in a movie theater. It is actually quite high quality and pretty cool in your home. Modern 3D is still for kids, or kids at heart. While I have nothing to compare to but movie theater 3D, this TV seems to do a good job with 3D. I also watched a quarter of NFL football in 2D to 3D conversion mode and it was kind of cool. You see the depth somewhat as if you were at the stadium so you can better tell the height and direction of movement of the players and the ball. But the you still have the slight weirdness of 3d and realistically you would want to watch your sports in 2D. For serious viewing I still classify 3D in the gimmick category. I would much rather watch a good non-kid's movie in 2D. The 3D glasses must go though. Glasses are annoying and inconvenient for making sandwiches in the kitchen and watching a movie at the same time!

Can't comment on sound quality. I have never used the TV speakers, in favor of my AV receiver and speakers.

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Tenergy 40-pack Propel CR123A Lithium Battery Ptc Protected

Customer Ratings:

UPDATE -how good are these in actual use?

Just as good as the $8 cell!

I had to change out an alarm system that used 8 CR123 cells and was calling home to complain about its batteries being low. So I've used 1/4 box so far. Factory new they measure 3.23V and I've also run a set in a surefire E2D with equal runtime to the factory cellls. Have no fear cheap CR123's are here!

(review)

The cr-123 cell is an amazing primary (disposable) battery. It's high energy capacy, 3.0 v output, and compact size combined with 10 year shelf life have led to its design into alarms, flashlights, weapons systems, night vision, basically anything that needs dependable power for a long time or at a high rate.

The box comes with 4 strips of 10 cells shrink-wrapped for protection. They measure 3.23V open circuit out of the box indicating they are fresh manufacture (the ademco alarm components signal a low-battery indication at 2.8V so there is a narrow band of usefulness) I tested 2 of these in my surefire e2d on high and low without any problems.

Tenergy makes 2 versions of the CR-123 the 1300 mAh and the 1400 mAh, this is the 1400 mAh spec on their website.

When the CR-123 cell first came out it was a photographic cell and sold at drugstores for as much as $8 ea. Even the best pricing on Duracells CR-123 is 1.89 in large quantity. To get 40 batteries for under 40 dollars is a great feat. All of my ademco wireless sensors use the CR-123 and need to be changed about every 6 years, which is now so this was a great find at the right time.

While some people will swear by a brand (e.g. I always use surefire/duracell/xyz brand), I'm finding that the CR123 is much like gasoline yes there are subtle differences between arco and shell but both will run you car down the road. Do I want to spend another $36 dollars to get a different wrapper to replace all of my alarm sensors and load up my flashlight. Not now. If for some reason these go dead ahead of time I will update my review, but just getting them I can find no reason not to give them 5 stars as compared to other 5 star 1400 mAh cells on the market. Stay tuned it may take a while to find out how long they really last due to their long shelf life of 10 years.

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