Friday, 15 April 2011

Linux Compatible - epson, scanner


I just got this and have been trying it out. As I surmised, it is identical to the V300 except there is no negative holder in the box. The driver CDROM and all documentation lists both models. I'm using this with Photoshop and Indesign to make personal studies for portrait drawing practice, using art book and magazine images for source material. I was holding my breath to make sure the TIFF file type is included with this version, and it is (in the professional scan mode.) Fabulously smooth images made from ordinary newspaper color ad inserts using only 800 dpi. You can select various destination image types, including up to 48-bit color and up to 12,800 dpi (in professional mode). TIFF files are rather large, but I plan to dump them as soon as I print the cropped images. (After I draw, I no longer need the images.) Of course, also does jpeg format (default) and has a tremendous range of custom formatting before saving, as well as ultra simple 'point and shoot' scanning. Also has customizable presets for home mode (email scanning, etc.) and office mode (RGB value settings, for example). I haven't tried this yet, but it makes PDF files in all but full auto mode, without purchasing Adobe Acrobat, unbelievable. (I have a Fujitsu document scanner that outputs to PDF, but it cost several times more.)



There is the same user selection option for film as a document type as on the V300 so I don't see why you can't scan slides and negatives, using a homemade holder or even just guessing where to position film in the center strip of the scanner bed. I don't plan to scan many film images or I would have gotten the V300, but it was not available for prime shipping. I do have some favorite Velvia slides I will eventually try to scan and see what happens. Will let you know how it goes when I get a chance. Superb scanner, incredible price, and arguably unbeatable Epson reliability, per my previous experience with color inkjets going back to windows 3.1 that just never stopped working well. I based my purchase on all the high praise for the V300/V200 and the assumption that this one uses the same scan engine and software, which it does, the only difference I can tell being the missing film holder. If anything, the V30 is more recent and probably has higher specs than the V300. If you don't need a film holder, or if you just need to update your flatbed scanner, this is a total no brainer. Forgot to mention, top is hinged and lifts/flips back out of the way. Epson Perfection V30 Color Scanner

...the placement of the usb and power ports is such a glaring design flaw. If you don't use the buttons, or you expect to have this only on the right side of your desk and against the wall, it might not be a big deal. Maybe that's being picky, but it bugged the heck out of me.



Image quality was solid for this type of slimline (CIS) scanner, I'd say a touch better color rendition than a Canon Lide 30 I tried. Also seemed a bit faster, probably due to needing it's wall wart (power brick), vs the Canon which is USB powered. Software installation no problem (Mac OS 10.5), and I think Epson's drivers are much better than Canons on the Mac.



Ultimately though, these simple standalone scanners need be be priced less. After all, one can routinely find refurb or even new Epson All-in-one devices for not much more. Hence, value for money isn't quite there, in my opinion.

received package in 3 days, free shipping. box was light, since scanner was light. hooked up scanner to power outlet and connected USB cable to laptop running linux ubuntu 8.04 Hardy.



download drivers for the Epson Perfection V30: Google for "epson linux driver", find the site "Linux driver | Avasys Corporation"; go to Download Epson scanner; select "Perfection V30"; Distribution Ubuntu; Distribution version 8.04; Country/region; Connection environment for using printer: Scan with local scanner; Location for the product; click Next. found 2 debian 32-bit packages: iscan_2.20.1-1_i386.deb (362,624 bytes) and esci-interpreter-gt-f720_0.0.1-2_i386.deb (156,404 bytes).



UPDATE, 3 May 2010: The iscan program had a newer version iscan_2.24.0-4_i386.deb; the esci-interpreter-gt program remained the same, i.e., esci-interpreter-gt-f720_0.0.1-2_i386.deb.



installed these 2 .deb packages on laptop. no problem.



launched command iscan to start the scanner; worked. tested by scanning a hardcopy color photo with the default 300 dpi; the scan (in .png format) looked great; file size about 5 MB. tried higher resolution 1200 dpi; file size was much larger, but not better quality at regular photo size. scanned write-on transparencies written with color marker pens (black, green, red, blue) as color documents; results (in .png format) were great. even at 50 dpi, the scans of these transparencies were nice. the file size was small, about 300 KB, allowing for quick upload to mediawiki.



it appears that there is no option to scan into pdf under linux; a work-around approach would be to use openoffice, import the .png files of the scans, then export the resulting openoffice file into pdf format.



UPDATE, 3 May 2010: Actually, you can scan in 5 different formats: Run iscan, place document on scanner, click Preview, click Scan, another window pops up, then you can select the "File Type", i.e., file format; there are 5 different formats: PNM, PNG, JPEG, TIFF, PDF. The difference between iscan and the Epson scanning software under Windows is that you need to concatenate the separate pdf files into a single document later, using pdftk for example. You can write a script to do that. You can also scan into PNM format, then convert to DJVU format, which is more compact than the PDF format for the same resolution.



painless and relatively quick installation even under linux.



there were more choices of resolution (under linux) than with the CanoScan 8600F (which was used under Windows XP, not linux compatible). an annoying problem with the CanoScan 8600F was that the scans were often skewed (rotated) by a few degrees, i.e., not straight up and parallel to the margins; the problem had to be corrected by skewing (rotating) the original in the opposite direction to straighten up the scans. did not encounter any such problem with the Epson Perfection V30; all scans were perfectly straight up.



have not tried to install and use this scanner under Windows XP in dual boot with linux ubuntu yet; will do in the future. expect no difficulty (should be even easier than under linux); scan into pdf format should be possible under Windows XP.



UPDATE, perhaps Oct-Nov 2009: i also installed the scanner software under Windows XP; real easy, no problem.



when not in use, scanner can be disconnected from laptop to place on a shelf to save space.



was torn between the Canon LiDE100 scanner (a little less expensive, NOT linux compatible) and this Epson (a little more expensive, but linux compatible); now i know i made the right decision. the scan quality of the Epson was also better, with more choices of resolution.



excellent product; painless installation; easy to use; excellent quality. - Linux Compatible - Scanner - Epson - V30'


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Car Chargers - cell phone


I bought one and really liked it so I got two more, one for each car.

LESS THAN A YEAR LATER ALL THREE HAVE BROKEN!



I only used them randomly so it isn't as tho they were high-use items. On one the housing on the fitting broke open, another had a bad connection in the wires, and the third the attachment simply did not fit my phone (same piece that fit in the other two sets.) It is a great idea and I really like the design of it but save your money, it is a stinker! Today I threw them all away and bought a standard car charger. Cellet Universal Retractable Car Charger With 7 Different Connectors

Okay, I should've listened to the warnings before I bought it.



I bought this to charge my iPhone 4 while driving from OK to NY 3 weeks ago, so I can use my TomTom GPS on the phone.

Yeah, that didn't happen.



First, it did not charge at all while TomTom or Pandora was on. It worked for a few minutes while I was at a rest area and my phone was simply plugged in.

Then, it started not charging at all after 6 hours into driving. I stopped at a gas station and left my car on so I could charge the phone. Nope, that didn't work. My phone died soon.



The plug-in part became weaker and less "fit" as I kept trying. Now, it doesn't even stay in. If I held it at just right angle and strength, it would charge the phone on and off (5-10 seconds interval).



Who can do that while driving?



Can anybody recommend a reliable car charger for iphone please?

I rarely need a car charger for my cell. So this will not get a lot of use from me. I did use it once to make sure that it worked. The retractable cord is great. I only used one of the connectors. This product worked well. I don't have any complaints and I'm happy to have in my car.

This charges both my personal phone with the Samsung adapter and my work HTC phone with the micro-USB adapter. I just keep the other adapter in a little compartment in my car when not in use. When I'm in the car I'm usually charging one of them (free electricity), but when I'm not, the retract button is a great feature.



Someone else gave this a 1-star review because it wouldn't charge an iPhone. If you have something as picky as an iPhone, feel free to spend triple the money on a charger at the Apple Store. Also, someone else gave it a 1-star because the housing broke. Keep in mind that some people can break anything and do break everything they have.



The charger works. Buy it.

I wanted an affordable charger that charges our mobile phones and apple ipod, when we are on the go.



This takes care of the purpose pretty well...and I am pretty happy that all the research was worthwhile. - Cell Phone'


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Dvi To Hdmi - monitor extension cables, cable


I bought this to hook my computer to my new HD TV, so i could not only watch video from my computer to my TV, but also so i could sit back on my couch and do my internet and word processing work. I am using this right now and it's great have watched some TV and music videos through this and the sound quality is good but not great I think that a movie experience would fall a bit flat. This is a must have for anyone who likes to compute and integrate their technologies within a room. Premium 25ft HD15 M/M VGA / SVGA / UXGA with AUDIO Monitor Projector Cable Stereo 3.5mm Audio - Double Shielded UL Listed

This item does what it is supposed to do. I use it to link an older desktop PC to my HDTV in another room. The tv acts as a second monitor, picture and sound. I can now watch internet movies and tv episodes from the comfort of my recliner.



The cable works as expected. It's just a stupid cable; what more can one expect? Note: If you intend to use this cable for such a purpose, I highly recommend that you also order the 1 Male to 2 Female Video Splitter Cable, available from Amazon. This setup enables both monitors to operate simultaneously.

This cable has proven to be worthless for me. Every time I connect it to a PC I get all sorts of sound and video noise. It says double shielded, but that appears to be untrue, at least for the cables that I purchased. I will be trying to find a better set of cables.

I got this to hook up my desktop (Intel i5 650 @3.20 GHz) to my Samson 42" LCD HDTV. The cord is great and the audio and video are 100% PERFECT. We love to watch our movies and play our pc games on the big screen. Using a wireless Xbox 360 controller is perfect for pc games. The cord was like $11.50 (USD) and I got FREE SHIPPING with my order of +$25.00 (USD). You will probably not find a better deal on this cord. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS CORD!!!!!!!!

I ordered this item because the seller stated that there was a full 18 inches of audio cord coming out of each end. After reading a review lamenting another sellers short cord, I got a VGA cable that was much longer than I needed hoping it would simplify the rest of my cords. This seller also comes up way short at a mere 10 inches. These companies need to do some homework and have their "engineers" actually attempt to use them on a computer before they produce them. Another 8 inches would make the world of difference. I give it more that one star because it does still work as a VGA cable.

This is a very heavy-duty cable for the price. Unfortunately, for a desktop monitor, the 25-foot length caused too much reduction in video quality for me. I would recommend this for video projectors where the loss in signal stregth is not so apparent.

Heavy duty cable does the job with clear picture, but for my Dell Inspiron15 Laptop, where the SVGA conn is on the left side, and the Headset/audio out jack is in the front of it, the audio 'pigtail' wouldnt reach--had to add a F-F conn and 3'ft cable I had laying around to reach (was about 2" too short alone)

Signal degradation (in a noise free environment) over the length of cable is too high for proper use with an HDTV at 1080p settings. My laptop was able to successfully recognize the tv using a much shorter VGA cable, but when replaced with this one the laptop no longer can recognize the brand of TV and adjusts to 'generic LCD' with poor resolution settings. Even at the available low resolution settings the signal quality is very poor, with ghosting around the edges of the display area and audio buzzing.



Save yourself money and/or time and avoid buying this if you are doing an HDTV setup.



Update: Moved my rating from 1 star to 2 stars because I was able to get it to work at 1280X720 (effectively 720p) resolution after playing with settings for a while. Text font is still difficult on the eyes, but for gaming it's 'good enough' considering it's only a $10 cable. - Vga Cable - Cable - Cables - Monitor Extension Cables'


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Mustache Trimmer - trimmer, beard trimmer


Some reviewers harshly criticize this product and if I'd read their reviews before buying the Wahl 817 I probably wouldn't have purchased it. But my experience with the Wahl 817 beard and moustache trimmer over the past eight months - from initial trimming of a new beard to preparing to shave it off for the summer - has been quite positive.



The basic trimming functions work well. Just the basic adjustable beard thinning head and the straight trimming edge without any plastic head attached has met all my needs. A plus is that the batteries hold their charge a long time which allows the trimmer to be taken on trips without the hassle of carrying - and potentially losing - the recharging device.



Some people complain the plastic attachments are difficult to put on and remove and break easily. Take it easy and be patient. They will loosen up a bit and none of mine have broken in almost a year. There probably are too many attachments. But so what? Just use the ones you need.



The only shortcoming with this trimmer in my experience so far is that the instructions don't provide examples or directions for using the various attachments and their intended use is unclear to me. But, again, most guys probably will just use the basic head to thin beard growth and the cutting edge to keep their moustache edge neat.



Recommended to anyone who wants an inexpensive, basic, reliable beard trimmer that holds a battery charge well.

This trimmer is nice and gives a nice cut. I mostly use the pre-installed adjustable guard, so I cannot say how well the other attachments work. For the way I use this trimmer, it works great.



The battery life is great also. I use the trimmer on my beard 1-2 times per week. I have had the unit for three months and have only recharged it once so far. My old Conair unit required a recharge every week or two.



The safety button on the on/off switch is a nice feature if this ends up in the hands of a little one.



The plastic stand is a little cheap. I keep my trimmer in the cabinet, but personally it is not something I would want to look at every day. This does not take away from the performance of the trimmer, so I cannot lower my rate because of this.



Other units have a nicer base. My old unit required the base for recharging which was extra item to bring when traveling for long periods of time. With the undependable charge length, I did bring it with a few times. This unit only has a plug which is not tied to the base.

I have had either a beard or goatee for the last 28 years, and for most of this time I owned a Wahl trimmer. My first Wahl lasted 10 years, my second Wahl lasted for 8 years. I took a 3 year break using a Norelco (which was a Christmas gift), however, I was never satisfied with the cut at longer settings. I ultimately went back to various Wahl trimmers, yet they all gave out (battery, motor, etc) in less than 2 years.



Deciding to give Wahl one last chance. I purchased the "All-in-One Trimmer Kit," given that it had a 5-year warranty. The battery quit recharging after the 3rd month, and Wahl's position was since I failed to keep my receipt, there was no warranty coverage. Please note that my failure to keep the receipt was definitely my fault. However, I can say, through personal experience, that Wahl's quality and performance has SIGNIFICANTLY declined over the years (based on my last four purchases), and this was the last Wahl trimmer that I will ever own. If you cannot purchase any other trimmer but a Wahl, my advice is that you hold fast to your receipt...because I fear you will need it sooner rather than later. If any other option is available to you, I would strongly urge you to consider it, rather than purchasing a Wahl.

I have to say i am disappointed, Having used a trimmer from wahl with same model number 9916, which i felt gave me a good trim, i immediately sought out to buy same model off amazon.



the one i received was much cheaper in quality. The plastic guide IS cheap junk which felt like it would break eventually, which it did within 3 weeks from being dropped. The guide shattered. There is no replacement for the 5-position guide for the 9916 I can find.



Now i am torn between buying another of these and treating it like a precious heirloom, or finding a razor that can survive real world use.



On the plus side, the battery life on this razor is incredible.

Excennent Trimmer, i use it for mustache & hair trimming, thid is my second one, i tried others, and this one has the best Blade, the Batteries went bad in the first one, i kept the Blade for a back up.

I use this trimmer without the guides to bring my beard down to use a razor. I've tried other brands only to return them becuase they simply wont get as close. The precision is that good. Keep your receipt, however, my blades dulled in under a year using it about every two weeks. I do however replace the guide to protect the blades when not in use. the removal of the guides are difficult but became simpler with more use. I've read complaints of them being too cheap, but if they were sturdier (thicker) they would not work as well. It just takes a little patience for the first few uses.



I was interested in this trimmer because it has blades you can replace instead of purchasing a new trimmer when it becomes dull. When it came time to replace them however the cost averaged around $18 (with S/H) for new blades. Target (as of Aug 20, 2006) has this exact razor (complete set) for $17.99 in the store. Tax is usually less than S/H, so be cautious of the prices you find!! - Clippers - Mens Grooming - Beard Trimmer - Trimmer'


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Energy Efficient - cfl, dimmable


Really what can I say? I've purchased 4 packages of these over the last six months, replacing all the incandescents in the 2800 sq ft home I'm renting. I'm sure I don't have to get into the benefits of CFLs vs. regular light bulbs but suffice it to say, we even use them over the vanities (where we have rows of 4-8 bulbs) and everything is brighter and cooler. They're inexpensive and work just as well as the pricier one at the store. GE 13-Watt Energy SmartTM 60 Watt Replacement - 2 Packs of 8 Bulbs - 16 Total Bulbs

I was a bit hesitant as i've heard 15W replaces 60W incandescent but these 13W's GE 13-Watt Energy SmartTM 60 Watt Replacement - 2 Packs of 8 Bulbs - 16 Total Bulbs are just as bright as my 100W's and there's no delay or dull period when the switch is flicked...haven't received my electric bill to say what the savings are yet tho.

These are great, energy efficient light bulbs at a price that most brick-and-mortar stores cannot come close to matching! The packaging is easy enough to handle and the light bulbs work great! They don't need any time to 'warm up' to full brightness, either. At least, they don't in my house! I don't know what else to say except that I bought 2 sets of 2 packs of 8, for 32 bulbs. They all are doing great! No complaints!

We have used CFLs in the past, but still had many older incandescants, so I purchased this 16 pack of GE 13-watt GE lightbulbs. As almost every light we were replacing it with was previously a 60 watt, we seemed to be able to judge the light output comparison well. I can tell you that in every instance, these 13 watt CFLs were brighter than the old 60 watts. In addition, my wife actually asked that we go to a lower wattage in a few cases because these were just too bright.



These bulbs also appear to power up more quickly than our other, older CFLs.



Overall, we are very pleased with every aspect of our purchase...most of all, price!

This product as stated by the previous reviewer as no delay! Which for most of us is extremely important because we like to walk into the room and actually SEE where we're going. It does start at slightly less bright but it is more than bright enough to continue using and in about 10 to 20 seconds it is up to its brightest setting. I'm sure that with time this will probably change because I will burn in the lights as they say which usually fixes almost any delay if it is at all possible to fix. The price isn't bad but it is only about $2 off of the price of buying the sylvannia lights at our local BJ's warehouse. Besides that they seem to be in working order without a delay which is great!

I bought these to replace all my bulb's in a house I had just purchased. These do not take time to warm up like other energy smart bulbs that I have used before. Got these at a great price with quick free shipping from amazon. These are just as bright as a 60W and 100W bulbs that I used to have.

All the bulbs work pretty good, except that there is one broken come with the package. But amazon has very good customer service, as soon as I contact them, and tell them, they agree to give me partial refund. I am very happy shopping here.

I wholeheartedly agree with other buyers of these GE 13-Watt that state these bulbs give very decent light and at a fantastic price. I was also pleased to have them delivered to my front door instead of stuffed in a PO Box/Locker that we have here at my Townhome community. I purchased qty#2 of these packages and not only did every one of them work, there wasn't any 'warm-up' time with any of these bulbs.



I read one review that stated the bulb was too long to fit into one of their fixtures... same here. I have a ceiling fan downstairs that has a light in it. The shade cover it has is too shallow in height to accept these GE 13-Watt bulbs. I'll have to keep searching to find a CFL bulb that does the job for this fixture.



The front door delivery 'sealed' a 5-star review from me. - Compact Fluorescent - Compact Fluorescent Bulbs - Dimmable - Cfl'


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Green Housecleaning - green housecleaning, green cleaning


Karen Noonan Logan has put together an extremely useful, honest recipe book for green cleaning products. It is honest in that she rates the effectiveness of each formula provided, and not all of them are 95s or 100s (comparable to commercial cleaners). In fact, there are several in the book that aren't that effective, but at least they don't poison you.However, the majority of her recipes *are* effective and very easy to make. Logan writes matter-of-factly, but with a positive style. It's not like reading a textbook or cookbook at all; you are entertained as you read.There is a broad enough range of recipes that you can clean nearly anything, but not so many that you can't figure out which recipe to make for which cleaning job. In contrast, I found that Annie Berthold-Bond's book "Clean and Green" was too cluttered by a confusing array of recipes, some of which are so specialized many people will probably never use them. Also, her writing style is far too dry to really be enjoyable. If you really, really need a weird stain out of your clothes and don't want to reach for the bleach or stain stick, you may want to pick up "Clean and Green." But for just cleaning floors, tile, windows, etc. it is *much* easier to use the simple, multi-purpose recipes in "Clean House, Clean Planet." Clean House Clean Planet

While I recommend buying this book and trying out all the recipes, I don't recommend going wild all at once like I did.The basic message of the book is this: Clean your windows and mirrors with plain club soda. Clean everything else with one or more of the following: baking soda, vinegar, Dr. Bronner's soap, or distilled water. The trick is to scent your baking soda or vinegar with a few drops of your favorite essential oil.The cool thing about the book is that it gives detailed recipes for exactly what proportions of these main ingredients (plus a few others) work best to clean each different thing in your house, and it goes into some detail about what spray and squirt bottles work best, too. It's very practical and useful and I learned some new things from reading it (did you know that in the United States, you can't legally say that tea tree oil is a disinfectant?). Unfortunately, she does repeat herself a lot, and she encourages you to buy more than you really need. WAY more. You won't save any money at all if you buy all the things she suggests you buy! I would say start out with one gallon of vinegar, one or two boxes of baking soda, one or two essential oils, some distilled water if you don't already have it, and maybe some Dr. Bronner's if you can afford it (you can use regular hand dishwashing liquid for most of these recipes). Spray bottles are nice, too, but I had a hard time finding the right size.Back to the merits and un-merits of the book: The Table of Contents and the Index are well organized, but the book itself isn't quite so much. It would help so much if the topic headings on each page pointed to what was actually on that page instead of giving a general chapter name. If you're trying to look up a particular recipe, it can take a long time to find.In conclusion, this is a good book that I definitely recommend buying. I love being able to clean nontoxically and this book is a huge help. I just wish I had bought a lot less stuff at the outset.

I stumbled upon this book when I was searching for recipes for homemade cleansers that were also inexpensive. Truthfully, the whole toxicity issue didn't even cross my mind until I took a closer look at the book and reviews. I don't have children, but I do have a very curious dog who tracks in all sorts of dirt and loves to smell and (usually) lick everything he explores. It's very comforting to know that the cleaners I am now using are non-toxic. I also often wondered, "if *I* think this stuff smells strong and nasty, imagine what my dog and his superior sense of smell thinks of it!"



The book was fun and interesting to read. It's amazing that commercial cleansers don't have to list all of their ingredients. I also appreciated the author's honesty--pointing out things that are suspected and not proven, and even rating how well her cleaners work when compared to those you buy at the store. I agree with other reviewers that the recipes could have been laid out differently and can be hard to go back and find.



The recipes are very easy to put together and use ingredients that are easy to find. They also work!! Who knew that vinegar and water in a spray bottle would make cleaning the bathroom floors a million times easier and more pleasant. Or that baking soda would make my sinks sparkle. I've truly enjoyed reading the book and using the author's recipes.



Update (1/28/07): It's been nearly two years since I wrote my original review and I wanted to add that I'm still using the recipies, and love them more than ever!

My friend and I made most of the major recipes in this book in the course of a few hours! We found all the ingredients at the market, health food store and Target. We both went home and cleaned our houses top to bottom and were amazed at the results. I thought for sure the glass cleaner wouldn't work - boy, was I surprised! I have since bought several copies of the book to give away to friends and family. My friends with young children really love the recipes! Most importantly for me, these products smell divine! I feel like I am perfuming my house rather than cleaning. My kitchen smells softly of lemons, and my bathroom has a lovely, light, lavender aroma. From now on I'm cleaning the natural, non-toxic, better smelling way!

Clean House, Clean Planet by Karen Logan is one of the best books I've read recently! Ms. Logan discusses why you should switch, what is in the commercial cleaners found in the store, how to put together the essentials for green cleaning and how to make your own homemade cleaners. However, she goes above and beyond most authors. Ms. Logan explains the recipe's effectiveness and compares the costs of the particular recipe with the commercial alternative. What I like most about this book is the recipes -they are inexpensive, easy and *effective*. Moreover, with or without the use of the essential oils she recommends, they leave your home smelling fresh! Perhaps the most effective suggestion I've tried is "Hollywood Bowl" and a pumice stick. Together, they elminated a toilet bowl ring that has plagued me for months. Now, if Ms. Logan could help me wipe out the mold and mildew on my bath tiles, this book would be perfect!Overall, Clean House, Clean Planet is a must for every home. Fun to read, easy to implement, and refreshing to use! - Cleaning - Green Cleaning - Household Hints - Green Housecleaning'


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1080p Upconverter And Dvd Recorder - dtv converter, coupon eligible dtv converter bo


I purchased this using one of the government coupons to upgrade one of my TV's that does not have a digital tuner built in. The short of it is that it does work; just not as good as I had hoped.



The positive is that the picture using the RCA outputs is good. Almost as good as a decent DVD player. It has an onscreen guide that will show you what is currently on a selected channel as well as what is on for the next few hours. The set up was easy using the onscreen guide and it found all the channels my other digital TV with the built in tuner found.



Now the bad. For some reason it has this kind of high-pitched buzz on every channel. It increases with the volume. It is there with both outputs and is incredibly annoying. It does get hot as noted in other reviews but not so hot as to pose a threat or hazard. The remote is terrible and is not always responsive and the unit takes a minute to boot up.



The bottom line is that this unit would work great for a TV in the kitchen or a guest room, but for your main TV, spring for a better unit. I am looking at the Samsung 260F for the living room.



Cheers! Access HD 1080D NTIA-Approved Digital to Analog TV Converter Box

At first the converter did not get many stations and I saw some frozen images - but I noticed the message that the signal was weak. I called Access HD to complain. It turns out the FCC's own data shows at least 30% of TV owners will need a new antenna to get a good picture. Access HD identified the correct antenna using a zip code look-up plus a verification using Google Earth (look at surrounding trees and buildings). It was awesome. Got the new antenna and I get more stations than I have ever received before - with DVD quality picture. I am sure most of the complaints you hear about converters of all brands are not converter problems at all, but antenna problems! The before and after performance with a good antenna is amazing.

I went out and picked up this beast from the local drug store using my government coupon to save some bucks.



It does work well, even giving me several channels I didn't have before... some cool features as well and easy to set up.



BUT...



It gets burning hot!!!!!!!



The first night the screen started glitching badly and I went over to play with the converter box. BURNING MFing HOTTT!!!!!!!!!



These idiots put the ventilation holes on the bottom! I've had to flip it upside down for better cooling to get it to be reliable.



It doesn't have an auto off like some other units; thus to avoid burning down my apartment building I have to turn it off manually when I leave the home.



Get a brand you've heard of.

Got one of these using my coupon and it was defective out of the box - no picture and no sound. The company customer service is a joke - phone off the hook when they are suppose to be open and their web site doesn't allow you to send an email. This is a rip off company that is just trying to get the coupons and run. Don't waste your time or coupon. It does get very hot and if left plugged in, it is a fire hazzard.

The Access DTA 1080 is totally unacceptable. Sorry I can't identify mine as a D or U version as none of the labels the manufacturer put on the box identify the version. I assume that it's the D as it's the small box. The remote does not control volume when connected for RF (channel 3 or 4), only the RCA jacks are controlled. There is LOUD buzzing audio leakage into the audio whenever there is white lettering appearing on the screen. The display for channel and menus has tiny lettering, hard to see across the room. I also have two versions of the Zenith converter which actually work as they are supposed to on exactly the same setup. Stay away from Access products.

I bough SIX Access HD 1080D converter boxes and spent months trying to get antennas that would allow me to get good pictures. Because all six performed the same, I assumed it was the antennas. Others said the boxes were essentially the same. I tried to complain to the tv stations and my representative in Washington.



Then someone gave me a couple of coupons and I went to [...] after doing more research and they sent me two ChannelMaster boxes. I replaced two of the Access units and almost fell to the floor when I saw the results; I thought we had hooked up to cable TV. The pictures came on fast and the was no freezing or no signal alerts. These Access people are selling garbage and I am finding others have the same complaint.



The attorney general is my next move. Unbelievable.

The box works much better than some of the other reviewers have claimed. For one, it has vent holes on both the top and bottom; the other reviewers might have had an older model. It didn't seem hot to me at all.



I live in an area with very limited over-the-air reception, and the box grabbed all the digital signals just fine. It is trivial to set up, and the manual seemed quite clear. - Converter Box - Dtv Converter - Coupon Eligible Dtv Converter Bo - Dtv Converter Box'


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Sony Camera Case - sony, sony camera case


I just purchased the new Sony DSC-W50 and wanted a case to protect it. This is a great case in my opinion. Soft and plush inside, but firm and protective on the outside. The camera is held firmly in place from the moment you first slide it in the pocket. The additional small zippered pocket on the outside is handy for extra memory sticks, or maybe even an extra battery. The belt loop is very handy, and there is even a metal ring so that you can attach it to a carabiner or something of the like if desired. However, what I like most is that it will protect your investment and look good doing it. I think it's one of the best buys out there. It can be had for less than $15 delivered from several sellers through Amazon. Sony LCS-CST General Purpose Soft Carrying Case for Slim Cybershot Digital Cameras

I bought this case for my Canon SD300 that I had recently purchased. I was looking for a small compact camera case that still have some type of padding or support. While at the store, I compared the case meant for the Canon to many others. I picked up this one mainly because it had much more protection compared to the Canon case, and it came with an extra zipper in the front, perfect for that extra memory card/battery you need to carry around. Even the inner lining of the case is exceptional, with fuzzy material soft enough not to scratch the LCD screen. My SD300 fits perfectly in the case, and although they may not be the same brand, it definitely was a great buy.

I bought this for my Sony N1 digital camera. Buying online I was worried that it would be too small or too bulky but it's absolutely the perfect size. The price is great especially for something that is Sony. I like the fact that it has a strap that you can snap onto your belt. There's also a small zippered pouch on the inside front that you can put an extra memorystick or even battery. The only thing that could make this case even better would be a clip for those who don't wear belts but still wear pants.

I bought this case for my wife's new Sony DSC-W70 camera and she loves it. It is pretty slick and fits the camera just tight and right. Its plush interior foam pad offers plenty of protection. I'd say that the camera would suffer litlle damage when dropped. The exterior case is made with a high quality material that not only looks good but will also last for years. The whole thing stays small enough to be carried in my wife's purse easily. Keep in mind that its overall thickness is about 1.5 inch (while the camera is just 0.5 inch) so it won't fit comfortably in any pant/shirt pocket though. If this is what you want, then probably get the leather case model without foam instead. On the other hand, we like the extra protection, zippered pocket, the handy belt loop and the unbeattable price/quality/look.

I bought this soft case for my recently acquired Sony DSC-T100. The case fits like a glove. It has a velcro front tab closure that works (no surprise). There is a belt loop on the back that fastens with a stiff snap at the bottom (can go through something stationary like a belt loop). It's got a convenient D-ring for attachment to a pack clip or carabiner, and it has a tiny zippered compartment capable of holding a few spare memory cards or a spare battery (both would be tight). The case is padded lightly but surely all over. The top flap is wide enough and sturdy enough on the edges to protect the case's contents if it should fall on something hard like tile or concrete. And it looks OK, too. I'm of two minds about the Sony logo on the front -- sometimes I think it's safer to not advertise what's inside a case, but, hey, it's their product and they seem really fixated on getting their name on EVERYTHING possible. It seems like it's only a matter of time until Sony and Starbucks duke it out in a takeover battle.

Ordered this right along with my Sony T-9 digital camera from Amazon. Read all the reviews prior to selecting my case, and this was rated best! Now that I have mine in hand... I have to AGREE with everything I read! Works great!!! Fantastic size, and plenty of padding for protection of my expensive pride and joy! If you aren't sure about which case to get your T series digital camera; trust the reviews as I did. This one is a real keeper!!!!!!!

The previous two reviewers failed to see that more than one seller offered this case. I bought it after the first complaint-about-shipping-review for under $13 from antonline through amazon.



I was worried about buying it since the other reviewers failed to confirm whether or not you can fit the battery in the front pouch. I can fit a spare battery, with plastic case, inside there with a Cybershot DSC-T9 no problem (and yes, you can squeeze a memory stick duo in there, except you might want to keep the battery's plastic case off for that).



The case felt a bit large for me and I just don't like carrying things on my belt so I added a hook to the other end of the case (very easy to do) and then a strap from another camera case. This thing fits perfect with the strap around my neck and the case comfortably at the side, or however anyone wants to wear it.



I uploaded photos of the battery fitting and my added strap to amazon's customer images for those curious. If you find a seller without the $50 shipping problem (which you will on amazon) then go ahead, you can't get a better case for the DSC-T9 and maybe entire DSC-T series. - Case - Cybershot - Sony Camera Case - Sony'


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Headphones - cables, audio splitter


Just received this splitter for a trip I am about to take, but upon testing of this splitter I'm very disappointed. This splitter does not give 'stereo' audio to both headsets, it gives left channel to one and right channel to the other, each with one ear only. Unless you somehow need this, stay away get a different one. Apple IPOD Speaker Headphone Splitter

The ipod touch has a jack that accomodates a microphone. This splitter does not work with that jack. If you plug it all the way in, you only hear out of one side, and that's muted. To make it work, you plug it only part way in, and it falls out easily.

Nice product.

the product does what it is supposed to.

Although the male input of the headphones do not fully fit inside the splitter's female - this is ok becuase it is not loose and both headphones play the music fine.

It does what it's supposed to...but it's very cheaply made. Wire's are THIN! Would not use this if you will be plugging and unplugging a lot. If you use it backwards for two sound inputs, the volume will be lower if you have both plugged in, unplug one and the sound volume should go up.

Okay so here's the deal,



This product has no flaws in relation to function or quality of sound. However, in order to insert a headphone jack/auxiliary cable ect. you must apply more force than most split headphone jacks - you have to man handle it a bit. Fast Shipping and great product! - Cables - Earphones - Splitter - Audio Splitter'


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Replacement Water Filters - water filter, replacement water filters


The Brita faucet filter does an excellent job of filtering out impurities from tap water -- that is, when it manages to stay attached to the faucet. However, in my experience with it (two years and two different models), a tremendous amount of my valuable time was wasted trying to reattach the filter after it would repeatedly fall off. Although I have no direct experience with the Pur faucet filter, my understanding (drawn from other reviews) is that it suffers from the same problem.



Happily, after purchasing the CULLIGAN Faucet Filter several months ago, I can now report with confidence that it is plagued by no such similar defect. In other words, once attached, it remains firmly in place, and works every bit as effectively as rival brands. So for anyone who has tried those other brands and encountered endless frustration in endeavoring to keep them attached to the faucet, my advice is: Don't give up just yet! Try the Culligan model. It's solidly built, competitively priced, and replacement cartridges are readily available from Amazon. For me, at least, the Culligan at last put an end to the gratuitous, time-wasting burden of having to continually reattach a recalcitrant water filter.

At first, I did experience what a few of the other reviewers mentioned: after a short while the filter didn't appear to have any affect on the taste of the water.



The problem, I discovered, is that if you run the water through the filter too quickly (by opening up the tap all the way) the charcoal filter just can't do its job. As a rule of thumb, only allow enough flow through the filter so that it takes about 10-15 seconds to fill up a glass of water, and you'll have great tasting water. So, if you have high water pressure, make sure you don't open of the faucet all the way when filling a glass. There's just no way a filter as small as this can do its job properly at the max flow rate of most faucets. You really need a large in-line filter for that.



Note that this only applies to the filter's odor and taste removal properties, because this involves a chemical reaction of sorts where activated charcoal pulls chlorine (and other chemical) out of the water by binding to them. This is a completely different mechanism than what you normally associate with filtering, such as particles being caught in a mesh (which is essentially how the rest of the filter works in these, and so it's really only the odor and taste that is affected by the rate at which you let water through the Cullgan).

Buy one at a time, and not too far in advance. Filter works well, but Culligan only warrants for 30 days from date of purchase. If you buy several (as I did) and one is defective (spurting water all over kitchen!), no real way to obtain a replacement.

I wanted a simple but effective economical water filter for my apartment. I did considerable research (including purchasers of various products at Amazon) and at Consumers Reports as well as various internet sites. What appeared to be the best solution for me was a filter that attached to the tap. Simple to attach and effective water filtration. I've been using the Culligan FM-15RA level 3 filter for over a year now and besides being economical it is easy to install and to replace filters (every few months). Since purchasing, we had our water professionally checked for chlorine, bacteria and contaminents (metals etc) and it came through with fjying colors. We are very pleased with the unit.

Finally, after wasting a couple of hundred dollars in Pur products, I moved to Culligan and have not been disappointed. It DOES NOT LEAK, the filter life is twice as long, and is much easier to replace.To top it, the subscribe & save pricing of amazon is amazin !

I was researching water purifiers and was most interested in the Culligan, until I noticed that the filter is made of polypropylene, which is itself a suspected health hazard ( liver and respiratory). I would recommend reading more from the Environmental Working Group or other scientific literature readily found online before purchasing something that may pose its own risks while protecting from other contaminants. I don't know if there are safer alternatives (still looking), and maybe this is the same for other brands, but thought this is worth mentioning.

We have water with strong chlorine taste, these filters take that away well. It's easy to install, cheap, and surprisingly high quality!!! We also use them for longer than the recommended 2 months, it still filters it just gets slow.

I have no experience with the Pur system, but I did switch to this Culligan faucet filter from Brita. I had switched after my 3rd Brita mount had broken. My Culligan filter does a nice job, the water taste is definitely improved. I do want to remind people that you will not get the higher level of filtering you do with the slower pitcher filters...but this is very convenient. My pets and plants also get the benefits of fewer toxins in their water. They have not mentioned if they prefer the taste.

Replacing the filter just takes a couple of simple twists. I do miss the indicator light on my Brita, but I have put my Culligan filters on auto ship to make it easy to remember when I need to pop the new one in. - Replacement Water Filters - Culligan - Water Filter - Culligan Water Filters'


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Digital Voice Recorder - digital recorder, mp3 recorder


Just like the customer above me, I have a fairly early model (serial 2211). I don't imagine them having any revisions or anything, because this unit is really solid. Let me start by saying that this device should not be considered a Mic in its own right. Sure, it has two condenser microphones stuck on top to record in stereo, but I wouldn't use these mics in any studio unless I had nothing better. This unit is for those people who want to record in the field, and be able to capture 4 tracks of audio in a handheld device.



First, the build quality. Obviously Zoom took a lot of criticism to heart from their first H2 and H4 models. The H4n sports a "rubberized" hardshell design that's easy to grip, and seems to stand up well to surface scratches. (Mind you, the rubber texture can attract greasy fingerprints which can get annoying if you're a gadget freak like me). The top of the unit where the mics are is metal. There is some plastic on the unit, but definitely better designed than the previous two recorders from zoom. The buttons are easy to press, and the screen is large, allowing you to see everything you need to very easily.



The poster above me wondered why there was no metal cage protecting the microphones (like the previous H4 had). The answer to this is the switchable pattern on the microphones. Each mic can be twisted and swiveled to change the directionality that the mic pics up. In its native position the mics pic up at a 90 degree angle, giving a pretty good stereo image. But when you twist them, the mics are then a 120 degree angle. This is good for picking up sources that are farther away, or even ambient sounds for a wider stereo image. If there was a metal cage over the mics, you couldn't reach your fingers in to twist them. Overall, I would rather have a switchable pickup pattern, than a protective cage. Just don't drop a $350 recorder.



Second, the packaging. Inside the box, the unit came with a hardshell plastic carrying case, usb cable, foam windscreen, ac adapter, mic stand adapter, manuals and cubase le software, and a 1gb memory card. This is leaps and bounds above the competition. Most other recorders won't come with any of this. Other companies will even make you buy your own ac adapter and memory card. And Zoom went even further and added a plastic carrying case (for those of you worried about dropping it). They were definitely thinking about the customers on this one.



Third, and most importantly, the sound quality. This is why you buy the unit right? The sound quality has to be good or nothing else matters. Overall I was surprisingly impressed with the sound quality. I am an audio engineering student, going to school for sound reproduction, and sound reinforcement. Needless to say, I know my way around a microphone. I was expecting this unit to sound average, just like a pocket (or handheld) recorder usually sounds. But in fact, the H4n sounds pretty decent. The high end is nice and defined, the microphones built into the unit sound really clear. The one thing I can say about the sound is that it is accurate. I have recorded a few tests using my voice, a guitar, and some other misc. elements. I did notice that the microphones gave off a little bit of condenser hiss when the input gain was turned up. This could probably be solved or lessened if you were to get closer to the object and turn down the recording level. But still, it worries me to have a little bit of noise floor coming from the mics, especially if I were to use the recordings for post production video work.



The other thing I noticed was a lack of bass response. This could have been because I was a foot or two away from the microphones, but the bass on the microphones was a little lacking. My voice sounded a little thin. My guitar sounded fine, but guitars don't really have a lot of low end in the first place. Also watch out for handling noise. If you think that you're going to carry the unit around and do interviews while holding it, forget it. All handheld recorders suffer from this (I've read), but its true for this unit as well. Anytime you hold the H4n and move it around, you can hear low end rumbling and handling noise. Just use a tripod, or the included hand/mic clip adapter and you should be fine. (Also get a better windscreen if you're going to use it outside, the one included doesn't do anything outdoors for wind noise. You should buy a fuzzy or "hairy" windscreen if you want to use it outside)



Overall I think this recorder is the best on the market right now. Although there are a few units that have better sounding built in microphones (sony), it's only marginally better. Plus the H4 is cheaper (by about $150) and has more build in features/functionality. Like the fact that the H4n can record with two built in mics, and two XLR mics simultaneously (4 tracks at once). This means that you can record with the built in mics, but also use your own microphones if you want to add variety, redundancy, etc. You can also just use the unit for a preamp if you only want to use your own microphones to record in the field. I won't name off all of the features, but some included features weren't even necessary and Zoom was nice enough to add them in anyway (guitar tuner, audio interface, stamina mode, MTR mode, 96k recording, etc).



Needless to say, if you need a recorder for any reason, even if it's just for a school project, or for recreation, don't buy the cheapest recorder you can find. Spend a little extra money and get the H4n, it's seriously worth the extra cash for something that will last you much longer. It's simply the best value for a handheld recorder on the market right now. Zoom H4n Handy Portable Digital Recorder - Mp3 Recorder - Digital Recorder - Zoom H4n - Digital Voice Recorder'


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Frustration-fre - memory card, frustration-fre


Well, it was great while it lasted. Unfortunately, it did not last long.



Like other reviewers, after <20 use cycles the device failed and I got a "lock" error when, in fact, the write-protection lock was not engaged. Oddly, by engaging the lock (i.e. entering read-only mode) I was able to remove the picture files from the card. Obviously, further use in the camera was impossible; I was also unable to reformat the card (either with my camera or with the SD Associations free software [..]).



This card has a high average rating but I would urge customers to consider the number of 1-star ratings due to complete product failure before they purchase this item. Transcend 16 GB Class 6 SDHC Flash Memory Card TS16GSDHC6E

Transcend 16 GB SDHC SD Class 6 Flash Memory Card TS16GSDHC6E [Amazon Frustration-Free Packaging]

I have 4 of these cards that I use in my Panasonic HMC-150, a professional grade video camera. I've run read/write tests on all of them and they get about 14 MB/s write speeds and 17.5 MB/s read speeds. Never encountered any errors! These cards are the best bang for your buck, and the frustration free packaging is awesome.

I recently ordered this card as an accessory for my Acer Aspire One netbook PC. The card took a little while to ship, about 8 days, but that wasn't a big deal. The card has lots of space, and the read speeds are quite impressive. I mostly use it to run and store portable software, and it does a very good job at that.



My only complaint is that when I first inserted the card into my PC it attempted to install some adware. The program was from a company called RelevantKnowledge, and they gather your information for market research purposes. Luckily my spyware software picked it up immediately,so I was able to delete it. Afterward I formatted the card, and now I'm happy as can be.

This was a great fast card while it worked. I used it several times during one month period, and then it crashed and now Windows says "delayed write failed" everytime I insert it into my SDHC reader (tried diff readers on couple PCs). It is ok to use this card for fast transfer of copies of your data (like play images in digital picture frame), but should not be used as a primary storage for images/video (e.g. used in digital or video camera on a vacation of a lifetime).

This 16GB HC SD card works wonderfully in my digital camera. It arrived fast and the Amazon frustration free packaging is just that - easy to open, less waste to dispose of, and less annoying! What can I say, so far, the card works wonderfully and even Best Buy and other stores don't have SD cards this big yet. They only had 8GB when I looked and they wanted as much as a 16GB here on Amazon.



Like all SD cards, the back side's vertical, blue plastic pieces are delicate. I wouldn't use these, or any SD cards, in a card reader. Just plug your camera into the USB directly to transfer images, much safer for the card.



Great deal!

I bought this memory card for my Canon SD1100is, it works great and at 8MP can hold about 1,900 pictures. If only I would have waited until they came out with the frustration-free packaging for this! That was by far the most annoying part, trying to get into the thing. Do yourself a favor and buy the one with the new packaging! --> Transcend TS8GSDHC6E 8 GB SDHC Card (SD 2.0 SPD Class 6) [Amazon Frustration-Free Packaging] Oh, I should also add that amazon is the best place to buy any kind of memory card. I've compared prices with stores and they're always about twice as much there as on amazon. The money you can save is worth waiting a day or two to get it.

I would not recommend this card for any use where you can't afford to lose data. The card although quite speedy, failed on reading out images and movies on it's third use. The card now shows only 11 GB and the only way I was able to get some of my images back was with a data recovery software which read the low level blocks. I suspect one of the banks on the flash failed taking about a quarter of my images with it.



My experience does not seem to be unique. Unfortunately, I didn't read the other reviews before I placed my order. I have an 8GB Transcend SDHC which has worked flawlessly for over a year, so I thought I could extrapolate form that experience :-(



Hopefully, I'll be able to get my money back. Even if Transcend replaces it, I doubt that I would ever use it out of fear of losing valuable pictures.

I bought two of these to use in my Canon XSi and I ordered both of them with Amazon's frustration-free packaging, which is a wonderful idea. I thought the price was reasonable even though they were more expensive with the new packaging, and they both seem to be good cards. Both worked upon arrival and I formatted and used both without a problem. I was hesitant at first to purchase them because I didn't recognize the brand. I have always purchased memory cards from Kingston and SanDisk. These seem to be fine and they were cheaper than the other brands. - Memory Card - Frustration-fre - 16gb - Sdhc'


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Zune Accesories - cables, aux cable


I like to hook up my iPod to whatever vehicle I'm driving when I'm at work, and twice I tried the more convenient retractable MP3 audio input cable, I think the brand might have been Belkin or Realtec or one of the big brands that make iPod accessorys. However, both times the hardware falls short- within weeks of use, it was necessary to twist the cable around because it was losing contact, and within months it just quit.

This Monster cable is solid and well built. I don't forsee any of the same problems that I had with the more cheaply-made retractable cables. Monster makes quality products that are built to last- I still use Monster cables from my first surround sound system at home that I purchased in 2000. Monster iCable 800 MP3 Player to Auxiliary Input Cord (3 Feet)

I originally tried the "Griffin" Aux cable that sells for $15 at AT&T retail locations and was not satisfied so I figured I'd try these given the low price on Amazon.



There is a night and day difference in quality. This is the best quality that I've found in terms of not having a factory installed iPhone/iPod adapter.



There isn't too much else to say. Definitely a solid purchase after being skeptical from the previous cable I tried.

I just bought a new Subaru with an auxiliary port, so I wanted to get a cable. This works perfectly and the Ipod sounds great on the stereo! The length of the cord is perfect - my port is in my console between the front seats, so I store it right there.

Monster makes top quality products. I purchased a different brand before I bought this one and it sucked. First it didn't fit my iphone and I had to buy another attachment that fits my iphone and the AUX cord too. Then when I plugged it into my car, the sound quality was horrible. The connection from my iphone to the AUX cord didn't fit properly and the cord would come out all the time. When I purchased the Monster cord it was perfect. The sound quality is excellent and I never lose the connection. It definitely a great purchase.

Cable seems to be very durable and probably wont short out like some of the cheaper cables. However whenever the cable is moved there is popping, crackling and other distortion noises. Even small movements like whenever I make a turn or brake makes these popping noises. I might have just gotten a defective unit, who knows, but for $14 for a 3 ft. cable I expected much more. You can probably find a equally durable cable for cheaper and don't have so much distortion, it is only a 3.5mm aux cable after all; hard to justify the $14 price tag.

I made the mistake of buying a cheapo cord to play an iPod through our Bose Wave radio. The darned thing wouldn't work! So, I bought the Monster cord which I should have purchased to begin with. You can always expect that a Monster cable or cord will work and work perfectly.

3.5mm audio patch cables are quite common, easy to find, and most importantly -- cheaper. Shop around. Don't buy into Monster's marketing nonsense about their "highest quality" cables. If you must go with Monster, find the one with rough tough connectors, and find it cheap.



BUT ONE IMPORTANT NOTE....



Monster's Mr. Gibbins' claim that this is the "best possible sound" is inaccurate. The best sound quality you can get from an iPod specifically, is a DOCK CONNECTOR to 3.5mm cable, like this Cables To Go iPod-Compatible 3.5mm to Dock Connector Audio Cable. Cables like this utilize the un-amplified, pure LINE-OUT audio from the iPod and lets your stereo do the sound control and amplification. (Your model may vary, but iPods' Sound Check and EQ settings are in effect for line-out audio, so it's best to disable those when you play it on other than straight headphones.)



If you don't have a charger/audio combination, look for integrated solutions, like SendStation's SmartCharge w/PowerCord or similar (look for products which use the docking connector, and feature an "audio out" jack). In the case of these products, they may NOT come with the 3.5mm audio patch cable, in which ... consider a high quality audio patch cable like this. (If this sounds like a contradiction, remember that you're connecting cleaner sounding line-out audio that comes through the docking port, NOT through the Headphone jack.)

I had two other cables that wouldn't quite fit into the hole in my iPhone 4 case. I searched and searched for a cable with a design that would work and one that wasn't 6 feet long. This was perfect. The connector is designed to work with a case and the length (3 feet) is perfect. I may have paid a little more for this one, but it is worth every penny.

The cable provides exceptionally clear sound quality when hooked up to my car stereo, and even though it is not explicitly mentioned, it DOES work with the recessed iPhone 2G audio port. The length is just right for my Audi A3, since the Aux In port is in the center console, close to the cup holder, so there is not a lot of excess cable left. All in all a very good, sturdy product. - Cables - Ipod Accessories - Aux Cable - Monster Cable'


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