Sony BRAVIA KDL46HX800 46-Inch 1080p 240 Hz 3D-Ready LED HDTV

Customer Ratings:

I recently purchased this TV and wanted to give my thoughts. I went in looking for a 2D TV, thinking a 3D TV was out of reach.... fortunately the Thanksgiving sales were getting started, and I got this one for only a couple hundred more than what I had budgeted for a 2D TV. The reviews on this TV in 2D mode were good, so I figured 3D was almost free, and if I didn't like it, nothing lost.

The TV is quite attractive itself.... sleek and modern. It's not sporting the new "monolithic" look of the higher end Sonys, but it has a small bezel and won't looked outdated, if that sort of thng is a concern to you. It comes with a decent stand, and has all the connections you need. Some of the connections are on the back of the unit, so be advised if you plan to wall mount it.

The TV was easy to set up and get running.

In 2D, the TV is indeed impressive. SD pictures are very good, but the HD picture is pretty spectacular. Bright, crisp, great colors.... beautiful! If you're a videophile, you'll probably want to mess with the settings. I used some calibration settings a videophile friend recommended, and it does look good, but I'm not the most sensitive person to such issues.

Some reviews complain about limited viewing angles. I did notice some loss of contrast with off-angle viewing, but again, it doesn't really seem to be an issue with me, except at fairly extreme angles, where you can't see the picture anyway.

So how's the 3D? PRETTY DARNED IMPRESSIVE! I find the 3D very convincing. Unlike some other brands I sampled, I did not detect any crosstalk or ghosting. I'm really looking froward to seeing content developed with these kind of TV's in mind. The HX800 includes a 2D to 3D conversion mode which worked better than I expected, but I'll be honest and say this is mainly a gimmick to play with until more genuine 3D content is available. The glasses work well to block out ambient light, though I found them a tad tight, so I hope Sony makes a pair for goons like me with big heads. On the bright side, they include adjustment so I can get them to fit on my 8-year-old daughter and I don't have to spring for the kid's model.

The sound is only acceptable for TV speakers, but most people getting this TV will be using it with an external sound system, so no big deal. The included speakers are certainly OK for short term use, or in a small room where a home theatre set-up isn't practical. I wound up using Sony's CT150 sound bar system and I'm very happy with that.

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MobiCam Audio Video Baby Monitoring System

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $149.95
Sale Price: $89.99
Today's Bonus: 40% Off

11/27/09 Update: I have posted my original monitor review below. Before, my only complaint was that it was "staticky" and I had to move the receiver around to positions where it wouldn't interfere with other devices. After about six months of use however, it made a loud permanent buzzing sound whenever I turned the volume on regardless of where it was placed. It was so annoying it was unusable. The only way it was tolerable if I turned on the video portion only but kept the sound off which didn't work for me since I'm not always looking at the monitor, especially at night when I'm sleeping!

I called Mobicam to see if I could get a replacement but the length of their policy is something pathetic like a month.

I ended up buying Summer Infant Deluxe Day & Night Handheld Color Video Monitor with 2.5" Screen Blue (Infant Deluxe Day & Night Handheld Color Video Monitor with 2.5" Screen) as a replacement which I'm MUCH happier with even though it as it's own drawbacks. I will also write a review for that.

5/9/09: Love/hate relationship with this monitor (Original Review)

We had our heart set on a video monitor (not just an audio one) and it was between this and Summer. We decided on this one because of the Internet option so we could see our little guy from work.

When the monitor works, it works FANTASTICALLY. We can see our baby both during the day and at night due to the infrared. I like being able to see his eyes -if they are closed, I leave him be even if he's whimpering/crying because it means he'll be able to go back to sleep on his own. If they are open, I go to to see what's bothering him.

That was the love part. The hate part is that there is static galore. The monitor flickers and buzzes even if you place anything near it -it doesn't even have to be anything electrical in nature, the screen fizzes out even if you put your hand by the monitor. If you have a wireless phone, it will crackle louder than the TV in Poltergeist. It is super annoying and I spent a lot of time finding the perfect spot to place the monitor where it wouldn't be affected by anything and where I could still see it.

We have our unit on continuous video monitoring so we always plug it into an A/C outlet, otherwise, we would go through way too many batteries.

I wish we could purchase another video monitor so we can leave one in our room and put one downstairs.

As of now, we haven't really used the Internet option. If that feature isn't important to you, I would try the Summer unit instead since that's the one our friends recommend and it seems to have pretty good reviews on Amazon.

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Gateway DX4380-UR23 Desktop (Black)

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $549.99
Sale Price: $529.99
Today's Bonus: 4% Off

This desktop computer is very quiet and effortless in it's operation. The included keyboard and mouse is an after thought but you can easily upgrade to a better one of your choice. I do recommend this computer to anyone looking for a new desktop for their home or office that also performs at gaming speeds.

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Nikon COOLPIX S800c 16 MP Digital Camera with 10x Optical Zoom

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $349.00
Sale Price: $196.95
Today's Bonus: 44% Off

With the only review available, it was a little bit tough in making a decision buying the s800c, with it being the first phone with an Android operating system inside. Even though it is only running android version 2.3 (Gingerbread), it's smooth as hell, and sometimes you will forget that this was originally a camera. I caught myself treating it like my Samsung Epic Touch 4G, and with that note, taking pictures is so easy and once you take a picture, you can run any photo editing app (Instagram for one), and do whatever you gotta do right there on the spot. Why didn't they think of this sooner??? I think that cameras are deserving of an operating system, and in this case, the s800c runnign Android is a match made in Heaven!

Now that I have the camera, I do not know why the above reviewer got a 'grey market' item. Crutchfield.com makes a big fuss about how they DO NOT sell grey/gray market items, and this Nikon was up for sale on their site. So I took the plunge here on Amazon, and could not been happier. I was researching cameras for about a year before actually buying one, and the timing couldn't have been more perfect. I heard that the Galaxy Camera will come out soon, but I believe that it will be tied to a carrier.

In any case, as long as you are not an elitist photographer, this sexy little beast (mines white) will satisfy. Picture quality is good and especially in low light conditions. Lot's of fun modes, but now this is moot because now you have access to the Google Play store, in which a lot of photo editing apps are available. I really recommend Picsay Pro though. It reminds me more of photoshop than the actual photoshop app does lol!

October1 16, 2012 I can't leave this cammera alone!!! First time ever that I spend or put so much attention into a camera lol! This camera is a GO! Go get it!

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Pentax K-x 16203 Digital SLR Camera with DA L 18-55 and 50-200mm

Customer Ratings:

I have had this camera for four months now and am really impressed. It has a lot of bang for the buck. You can keep it as simple as you want or take advantage of all the manual settings. The menu is very simple to navigate. I bought this on a recommendation from my brother who not only sells cameras, but owns two of this model now. When I saw the red one, I knew I had to have it.

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Sanyo Eneloop AA NiMH Pre-Charged Rechargeable Batteries - 4 Pack

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $14.99
Sale Price: $12.45
Today's Bonus: 17% Off

[Updated Oct 24, 2008]

My original review on the Sanyo eneloop NiMH cells was written nearly two years ago. Since then, I have learned a lot more about the characteristics about eneloop and other low-self-discharge cells. So it is time to clear up some inaccurate information I wrote about eneloop's self-discharge rate.

1. I was told that the Sanyo eneloop cells were not 100% fully charged when they leave factory. This makes sense because new cells are fast-charged in the factory to save time. In order to avoid problem with heat and gas built-up, they cannot be charged to 100%. I have tested some eneloop cells that were manufactured 20 months ago, and they still maintained about 70% charge. On the other hand, cells manufactured 6 months ago contain about 75% charge. This confirmed that the discharge rate is much lower than I previously estimated.

2. The self-discharge rate of eneloop (and other LSD cells) is not linear! My own testing showed that a fully charged eneloop may lose 10% of its initial charge during the first month of storage, but in the second months it may lose just 2-3%. The rate becomes even slower after three months. In fact, my 5-month self-discharge test using various brands of LSD cells gave nearly identical results as my previous 3-month test.

3. When an eneloop cell is freshly charged, its capacity actually measures at about 5% higher than its rated capacity (2100mAh vs. 2000mAh). In my previous tests, I used measured capacity as base to calculate the percentage loss. This results in apparently higher percentage loss. Had I used the rated capacity as base value, the self-discharge rate would be about 5% lower.

Based on the above revelation, I believe Sanyo's claim about eneloop (maintain 85% charge after one year, 80% after two year) to be accurate. Therefore the title of my previous review ("The News of LSD Has Been Slightly Exaggerated") has to be replaced.

Over the past two years, I have tested several different brands of LSD cells available from Amazon.com, including Rayovac Hybrid, Kodak Pre-Charged, and Duracell Pre Charged. They have all performed very well practically no difference from the Sanyo eneloop. So the bottom line is: just pick which ever brand of LSD cell is on sale, and you can't go wrong.

[Update on April 21, 2011]

After testing and using various brands of LSD cells over the past four years, Sanyo eneloop cells have proven to be the most reliable and consistent of them all. I now have to recommend Sanyo eneloop over all others brands.

Recently Amazon started to offer the SANYO NEW 1500 eneloop cells, at around 25% higher price. In my testing, the improvement of the new eneloop over the original is hardly noticeable. So you'll have to decide whether it is worthwhile to pay the extra cost.

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Panasonic Lumix TS4 12.1 TOUGH Waterproof Digital Camera

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $399.00
Sale Price: $199.00
Today's Bonus: 50% Off

I have just purchased the Orange DMC TS4. It is a vast improvement over the TS3 in many respects. I appreciate the full manual mode in particular. I like to take shots of the night sky, the stars in particular... the option to set the shutter speed up to 60 seconds is amazing.

The time lapse is also a marked bonus as well. I am a bit worried when leaving the camera in one spot for so long as it may be stolen, but so far I have made some amazing short films.

The overall picture quality seems to have improved as well.

The only MAJOR PROBLEM is that the manufacturer suggests that the watertight seals be replaced to maintain the water-proof integrity of the camera. They have not established what I consider a reasonable pricing structure for this maintenance procedure. To replace the seal you need to unscrew two screws on the door and replace the seal. Yet the service department for Panasonic now charges $180 plus shipping costs (both ways) to do this. I have spoken with the service department and they have assured me new pricing is being considered..so BEWARE!

One minor limitation I see with the camera is, beside the repair issue, the menu is a bit quirky and takes a little while to get used to. Another is to keep your finger off the lens, and keep your finger off the mike. If you cover the mike even a little while recording you will record both your subject but also the internal whizzing and other sounds of the camera.

I have included some of my shots in the customer images section of the product page.

5/8/2012 UPDATE.. Panasonic parts department says you can buy the "water packing" kit for about $32. Part number VUMG 1978.. call 1-800-833-9626 to buy this part. They say this is the part that needs to be replaced each year to keep the watertight integrity of the camera.

6/17/2012 UPDATE... I have just come back from a trip to Japan. A nice Panasonic repair person told me that the lens is prone to come loose and rattle when off. This is weird but normal so he says. The rattle stops when you power up the camera.

**I also discovered a neat feature of the panorama function. When you play back panorama pictures on the camera, when you push the up button, same as when you playback movies, on the camera it makes a movie out of the panorama. It is like you are there. Amazing!!

6/26/2012 UPDATE... Just spoke with Panasonic repair person in TX, USA and they have confirmed that they now charge only $50 to change all of the waterproof seals. (down from $180)

***be warned however, they said they will also look for other things to repair and if they find something the price for those repairs (not covered by any existing warranty) will be $180+.

**8/10/2012NEW REPAIR POLICY. I just spoke with Panasonic repair person in TX again, a new policy has been initiated regarding ts models. They no longer will question camera leaks if under warranty. They told me, at least for now, that they will be replacing them with new, not refurbished, cameras of the same model and color. Good news!! It looks like Panasonic has listened to all the negative comments and decided to do something about it!!!

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Sony DSLR SAL30M28 30mm F/2.8 Alpha Digital SLR Camera Lens

Customer Ratings:

For an amateur photographer (like me) this is definitely a good value. The centerpiece of the kit is the Sony macro lens that delivers good results at a reasonable price. The other components of the kit are well chosen and together make a good set. As a hobby photographer who just bought the first non-compact camera (the amazing Sony SLT-A55V) I am neither terribly picky nor a super expert, but at least at my level this kit is a fully satisfactory combination. Delivery was on time and everything went as expected.

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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 Lumix SZ7 14.1 MP High Sensitivity MOS Digital Camera

Customer Ratings:

I have tried probably 10 cameras between $120 and $250 over the past few months, looking for myself and my wife each a new camera.

Through stores and by borrowing from friends and family, I understand what is out there, and let me tell you there are several duds and a few winners, but most are very competent outdoors, with decent indoor video if you dont compare to a $400 vidcam, and only passable for low light.

That being said, I now own a Lumix ZS15 (grade A-) and this SZ7 (B+) is for my wife who uses iAuto mostly.

This SZ7 beats Canon Elph300 (B) and SX160 (B+ but heavy), Samsung PL210(B or B-) Sony HX70(B-), and Nikon 6300 (B-).

PROS: Very good Auto results, good Program Mode (SZ7 calls it Normal mode ).

Very usable low-light no-flash with Auto, and even better if you use the "Scene" mode called "Hi-Sensitivity" set at 3mp... where you can get speeds set by the camera according to conditions speeds from ISO 2000 all the way to 6400!! Sure, some other cameras will push ISO (also at lower mp's ), but usually only with a single jump from 1600 to 3200, with no stops in between, and nothing above 3200! Granted, these high ISO pics will be grainy, but so were the old film cameras with pushed ISO. You will have a photo when no one else could get their under-$200 camera to capture any picture at all !

Very good outdoor video, and better than most indoor video, with no hiss.

Very good zoom better than any other camera in its price range by a lot very smooth and with no clicking recorded into the audio.

CONS: Flash underpowered. UPDATE 10-21-12 : This lil cam has a feature not found on many cameras at 2 or 3 times its price: It can use the +/exposure (on the top of the rear control ring) to make flash pics brighter and dimmer. It will change the ISO being used with the flash, even in Auto mode. You can therefore control the "output" brightness when using flash. I don't know of any other cam near this price that can do this, plus push iso to 6400 in special non-flash situations. What a combination !! A great camera for art and natural history museums.

The SZ7 has no A,S,or M settings for manual control. (Get the Lumix ZS15 or Canon SX260.)

Overall picture quality is nice in Auto, and better when you learn the +/and ISO properly. But the output is not for 8x10 or larger. This can be said for every cam in the price range, but I just want you to hear it from a real admirer of the SZ7 for what this camera CAN do.

SUMMARY: Best camera out there at this price and this slim....4.1 out of 5 stars.

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Sennheiser SK 100 G3 Compact Bodypack Transmitter CH A

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $419.99
Sale Price: $279.95
Today's Bonus: 33% Off

A bit pricier than what we would have liked, but hey, you get what you pay for. If you can't afford for your sound to be anything but crystal clear, here's a good place to start. Whatever you do, don't waste time like we did with the cheap stuff..it will bite your butt in the end.

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Canon EOS Rebel T3i 18 MP CMOS APS-C Sensor DIGIC 4 Image

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $1,049.00
Sale Price: $599.00
Today's Bonus: 43% Off

First time DSLR buyers might be a little scared at first when they start playing around with this camera. But once you get the hang if it, you will not want to use the Basic Controls, instead you will use the Advanced Controls all the time. The pictures are stunning and the option to add a slave flash were a plus for me. If you want to buy this camera as your first DSLR I recommend it 100%. If you have a little more knowledge of DSLR's then you are better off with the Canon 60D or 7D.

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Sigma 884101 F2.8-4 Contemporary DC Macro OS HSM 17-70mm Fixed

Customer Ratings:

I was looking for a multipurpose lens for vacation to mount on my 7D when I stumbled upon this one. I had seen the reviews for the new Sigma 35 f1.4 Art Series on canonrumors.com and was very impressed with what I was reading. So, I thought I should give this lens a try. After all, it was a mere $499 vs. $2100 for the Canon 24-70 f2.8 L II with which I have spent some real world time. You see, I have just under 100 weddings under my belt in the past 6 years. Yet I haven't ever owned a zoom lens, since I shoot weddings primarily with fast primes (Canon 24 f1.4 L, Canon 50 1.2 L, Canon 85 f1.8, and Canon 100 f2.8 L macro). At times, I have rented zooms when I knew a certain event would require shooting without carrying multiple bodies or changing lenses. I have shot with the Canon 17-55 f2.8 IS and the 24-70, and I must say... this lens competes very well with both of them at a much lower price!

The Sigma 17-70 f2.8-4 DC Macro OS HSM has a longer ranger than the Canon 17-55 IS, while still offering you image stabilization, which the 24-70 f2.8 L II does NOT have! And if it did, just how much would Canon think they could charge you for it? That lens already costs as much as my first car!

In conclusion, buy this lens if you are looking for sharp optics, fast focus, and a decent amount of aperture to boot. Check out my sample photo of my wife cutting the neighbor girl's hair... I took it from my desk, hand held at 1/60, 70mm f4, indoors with only ambient light, OS on, and at ISO 6400. Its not a great composition, but you can see the excellent color rendition and clarity of this glass.

Very happy.

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Voigtlander Ultron 40mm f/2 SL-II Aspherical Compact Pancake

Customer Ratings:

Both incredibly sharp for what's in focus, incredibly creamy and smooth for what's out of focus. It is the lens to beat for slightly wider than normal. Classic smooth Bokeh, sharpness comparable or exceeding a good 50mm prime lens. f/2 is a whole stop brighter than Nikon's pancake lens, so it's good for indoor existing light uses as well.

Construction quality and finish is excellent with lots of metal used. Smooth quick manual focusing. Nice experiences using it with my D300 and F4s.

The size is tiny. The screw on lens shade works very well and also double as a filter size adaptor.

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Canon PowerShot A4000IS 16.0 MP Digital Camera with 8x Optical

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $199.00
Sale Price: $122.79
Today's Bonus: 38% Off

I purchased this camera to replace a PowerShot SD780 IS ELPH that I have had for 3 years. The A4000 has decent reviews on other sites, so I bit. I wish I would have paid more and bought another Canon SD/ELPH.

One thing the A4000 only takes 720p video at 25fps. My old SD780 did at 30fps.

For my review, I am almost directly comparing the A4000 to my old SD780 which is 3 years old.

A4000 Pros:

1) Taking video with the steadyshot works very well.

2) Miniature effect and other modes are fun

3) Takes fast photos

4) Zoom is phenomenal. 8x optical + 4x digital.

5) View screen is large and sharp

6) Construction feels really solid

A4000 Cons:

1) Video seems choppy and heavily compressed (blocky) compared to the SD780

2) 720p is only at 25fps when most other models are 30fps

3) Photos don't seem as sharp as the SD780

4) Sound recording quality isn't as clear as the SD780

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Sony DSC-RX100 20.2 MP Exmor CMOS Sensor Digital Camera

Customer Ratings:

This review and the associated 4 stars are for the Bundle not the Camera. If you have gotten to this bundle you have already decided on the RX100 and are just trying to get some additional value as I was. I will not speak to the quality of the Camera as that has been done much better than I could do.

I managed to get the Camera today with the associated goodies.

What you get for your $11 premium over the camera alone are:

Spare battery -not Sony brand it says it is 1600mah vs 1240mah for the stock Sony time will tell if that is accurate

Tripod --------Zeikos brand its tiny-pocket size-it even has a clip for your pocket. Not complaints for what it is.

Cleaning kit --A small bottle of fluid, 5 q-tips, and a small microfiber snippit.

Camera case ---Vivitar brand Meh it will do nothing fancy better than letting it get banged against car keys in a purse.

Card reader ---Zeikos brand it will do the job and I suppose if you don't want to plug the camera into the computer its ok.

LCD protector -Zeikos brand a universal product you have to cut to fit, the cardboard squeege with it scratches it up:(

32GB SDHC -----Sony Brand item #SF-32NX this is what you are paying for. $23.20 with prime is the cheapest on Amazon.Sony SF32NX/TQ 32GB SDHC Class 10 Memory Card

So in summary in my opinion the only thing really worth the price in order of value are the Sony 32gb card-that alone is a steal. The tripod is nice I can see it being useful and who doesn't like a spare battery even if it is cheap and craps out quickly it is basically free. The rest are junk and if I would have known the lcd screen protectors would scratch so easily I would have ordered a good one already cut to fit with the camera.

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Nikon D3100 14.2MP Digital SLR Camera with 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G

Customer Ratings:

Great camera! Awesome package! One bottle of cleaner was broken in shipment, it was replaced immediately and with enough time to wrap it with the rest of the gift! Fast shipment! Great deal all around.

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