Guy Low Price Electronic: 17 May 2010

Monday 17 May 2010

Movado Fiero

I have this watch for a few weeks now. I use it as a daily time-keeping tool, so it is on my wrist regularly just like the cellular phone I carry in my pocket. I've had my eye on Movadoes for quite some time. The typical Movado watch design is ... unique? The characteristic one solitary dot, the Movado dot, at 12 o'clock on a blank dial has almost become a symbol for Movado watches and it may be attractive to some people, but to me it is not. The Movado Fiero Tungsten Carbide Chronograph however is a relatively new release and it is different from most of its kith and kin. This watch sets itself among the ones with the facade design that I am used to aesthetically. Besides the brand name, this Fiero has the features of a luxury watch as well: the styles, the workmanship, the quality of material and of course the cost too. The watch is heavy. As a matter of fact I don't particularly like heavy watches. Its heavy weight comes from the material that the watch is made of, tungsten carbide. This metal material is high in density and heavy in weight. You don't get the extra mass for nothing though. The tungsten carbide has brought with it the mirror quality luster and mind-appeasing scratch-resistance. If you enjoy these superiorities, just try to live with a few more grams that the compound naturally gives. This Movado Fiero 605992 counts 11 millimeters in case thickness. My shirt sleeve cuff can move up and down freely without having the watch getting in the way. I feel comfortable wearing this watch, the crown knob on the right side of it doesn't jut against the back of my hand when the wrist is stretching up. I can't tell how accurate this watch can get by number of seconds per month in deviation because I don't have an appropriate timing device to compare with. It is accurate enough for me, I should say, as this watch gives the same time reading as the broadcasting radio stations do every time I listened to them so far. After all it is of quartz movement, accuracy shouldn't be much of a problem, should it?

I have no major complaint thus far against this Movado Fiero. If any, maybe that concerns its waterproof level and the cost to own it. Water resistance with this watch goes up to 30 meters (roughly 100 feet) - only good for withstanding a brief water splash. Swimming with it is out of the question.

If you like this watch anyway but are baffled by the price for it, then go shopping around. Chances are that you may come across a merchant that can offer a very competitive price that you finally are willing and able to accept. Movado Men's 605992 Fiero Tungsten Carbide Chronograph Watch'

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Rechargeable Batteries - 2009 amazon frustration-fre, battery

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[Updated Dec 24, 2008]

I was only half-right when I boldly proclaimed that "Duracell Pre Charged AA are rebranded Sanyo eneloop cells" in my original review. It turns out that the first batch of Duracell AA cells I bought from Amazon are made in Japan, and those are identical to eneloop (both mechanically and electrically). But lately I bought some more Duracell AA from a warehouse club. Those are made in China, and they are identical to the Rayovac Hybrid.

[Original review follows]

Judging from similarity of technical specifications and physical shapes of (+) and (-) terminals, I am convinced that the Duracell Pre Charged AA is actually SANYO eneloop AA underneath a different wrapper. Therefore all the good things you heard about eneloop apply to Duracell 'Pre Charged', too.

My own testing has shown that the capacity of eneloop AA cell is slightly above the claimed 2000mAh, and it is able to retain at least 85% of its charge after 5 months in storage. The Rayovac Hybrid AA starts with slightly higher capacity at 2100mAh, but it 'only' retains 80% capacity after 5 months. For all practical applications, both are equally good. Just pick whichever brand (Sanyo, Rayovac, or Duracell) is on-sale, and you can't go wrong.

One small problem with the Duracell 'Pre Charged' cell is that: it looked too similar to the well-known 'Copper Top' alkaline cell. So there is a good chance that people may mistaken it for a disposable cell. Personally, I prefer the distinctive-looking white case of the eneloop cell. Duracell Pre Charged Rechargeable NiMH AA Batteries, 4-Pack

[Updated Dec 21, 2008]

I was only half-right when I boldly proclaimed that "Duracell Pre Charged AAA are rebranded Sanyo eneloop cells" in my original review. It turns out that the first batch of Duracell AAA cells I bought from Amazon are made in Japan, and those are identical to eneloop (both mechanically and electrically). But lately I bought some more Duracell AAA from a warehouse club. Those are made in China, and they are identical to the Rayovac Hybrid (see my scan in the Customer Images section). Note that the Rayovac Hybrid AAA has an average capacity of about 780mAh (compared to about 830mAh for eneloop AAA), so is not as good a value.

[Original review follows]

Judging from similarity of technical specifications and physical shapes of (+) and (-) terminals, I am convinced that the Duracell Pre Charged NiMH cell is actually Sanyo Eneloop underneath a different wrapper. Therefore all the good things you heard about eneloop apply to Duracell 'Pre Charged', too.

My own testing has shown that the capacity of eneloop AAA cell is slightly above the claimed 800mAh. The Rayovac Hybrid AAA is usually cheaper, but its capacity is slightly below 800mAh. Both brands are able to retain at least 85% of their charge after three months of storage. Just pick whichever brand is on-sale, and you can't go wrong.

One small problem with the Duracell 'Pre Charged' cell is that: it looked too similar to the well-known 'Copper Top' alkaline cell. So there is a good chance that people may mistaken it for a disposable cell. Personally, I prefer the distinctive-looking white case of the eneloop cell.

Pros:

-For a rechargeable battery, these batteries does not need to be charged before you use it for the first time; right from the packaging into your gadgets.

-They last a long time.

-Does not need special charger. You can use your existing NiMh charger.

Cons:

-You can confuse them with regular Duracells and mistakenly thrown away after losing charge.

-This later technology is still expensive.

I also like Eneloops by Sanyo. But they are not easily available at your local stores.

I have been using these for a few months in my camera, Logitech Harmony remote, and in my Wii remotes and they have been great.

However, I was looking at batteries at Walmart today and noticed their new stock of Duracell Precharged batteries are being made in China and no longer have a white cap. They shoved the Japan made white cap batteries to the back of the shelf. This makes me think they are no longer Eneloops. I am a little nervous to buy another set of these as the only reason to make that switch in my opinion is to save money yet charge the consumer the same. This usually leads to an inferior product. The originals I have are made in Japan.

Anyway, maybe the battery review guru of Amazon will do a little comparison test of these new China made precharged batteries vs the Japan made batteries that seemed awfully similar to the Eneloops. I really hope the new version stands up to the old.

Pros:

-For a rechargeable battery, they do not need to be charged before you use it for the first time; right from the packaging into your gadgets.

-They last a long time. I use it everywhere, portable speakers, Wiimotes, toys, Panasonic, Dect 6.0 phones, 2-way radios...

-No need for a special charger. You can use your existing NiMh charger.

Cons:

-You can confuse them with regular Duracells and mistakenly thrown away after losing charge.

- It has been several years and still the price hasn't really come down.

I also like Eneloops by Sanyo. But they are not easily available at your local stores.

These batteries are great. The new 'precharged' technology is great where it can sit unused for a year and still have most of its charge unlike the older rechargeable technologies. These 800 mAh actually last longer in my noise canceling headphones then the 1000 mAh (non-precharged) of the same brand.

I had previously purchased Energizer rechargeable batteries and found that after only a couple of weeks of non-use they would be dead.. so every time you went to use them they would be useless. After getting these Duracells and also some PowerEx batteries, I realize that the Energizer batteries are cheap Chinese junk. oh, the duracells are made in Japan and are very nice quality.

Anyway I definatly would recommend the precharged Duracells to anyone. - 2009 Amazon Frustration-fre - Battery - Duracell - Nimh'

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Olympus Digital Recorders

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I know I have to do this justice because I've been looking for a decent review of this product for the last hour. This is my first digital audio recorder and it's pretty amazing this simple gadget has so many functions.

I like the VOR function where it will automatically stop recording once the person stops talking. I'm using this for audio dictation so it's useful when the person talking will pause. It also has 534 hours of recording time which is much more than I can use but happy to have access to. For a first time user, this rocks because I used to use tapes and they suck. Now that I've gone digital I can have access to clear audio with all the cool functions I may need.

I promised I wouldn't go crazy over a fancy one because my needs were very basic and it didn't justify to over $100 price range.

The only drawback was lack of a USB port to connect to my computer but in fact I don't need it because I'm using it for my own dictation which do not demand a audio to text application. Also, the audio does not need to be shared through a digital file.

Overall, if you are looking for a budget recorder and don't want to buy into the salesman upselling you, then go for this one. You will not be disappointed. Sony ICD-BX800 2 GB Flash Memory Digital Voice Recorder (Silver)

I purchased mine at Walmart and after learning all it's features I have to say I'm extremely impressed.

1) This can connect to your PC via a mini male RCA pin on each end of the wire. The same wire you would use for an MP3 player.

2) Connect from recorder's earplug to your PC'S input on laptops (sound-card on Desktops) and Record "What You Hear". Of course you can control the bit-rate of the recording if you choose to.

3) You can also play it through your car stereo if it has an auxiliary input, many cars today do. Use the same wire you would use for an MP3 player.

4) You can make a recording and set an alarm to it to go off daily, weekly, etc. I made one screaming at myself to get out of bed and get to work. Even if it's off and the hold key is set to hold, the alarm still goes off daily.

5) I recorded a live 50's band just having the unit on our table and was really surprised how clear the recording was when I played it back in my car, the drums cymbal's were surprisingly accurate.

6) I enjoy the different folders and once you use them they're great to have.

7) You can also connect an auxiliary stereo microphone and record stereo and it will play back in stereo using an auxiliary source that's plays stereo. Make sure you have an RCA mini stereo plug.

8) When recording do not place it near anything that generates radio frequencies such as a PC or cell phone when transmitting, you will hear background noise if you do.

9) Batteries appear to last forever and in closing, I find this mini recorder absolutely amazing and considering all the features it has and its capabilities it truly is an amazing little recorder for its price.

This recorder is not the most sophisticated one on the market, but it does the job very well. I needed a basic recorder and this one is just that. The recordings are clear, even when the speaker is not a loud speaker. As long as you do not need to be able to load your recordings onto a computer, this recorder will be quite efficient for recording lectures, conversations, or what ever else you need the device for.

For several years now, Sony has offered several audio recorders in this style, and also more expensive versions like the ICD-PX820. One of the most important features has been a USB port that allowed you to download recordings to your PC using Sony software. It's a very logical feature, much the same as being able to download images from a digital camera to your PC. After I got the ICD-BX800 to the office where I use it, I was shocked to see the USB port was gone. This means you have no way to permanently store audio recordings. I can't imagine what the engineers at Sony were thinking. I may have to take this back and spend a lot more money for another recorder that allows me to keep copies of my recordings. This is really a critical flaw. Unfortunately, I cannot recommend this product at all.

Bought device to record conversation in meeting. Did not think would pick up other person's statements. Recording device was in side pocket of purse by me and on floor--in front of large wooden desk about 9-10 ft away from the other person. Obviously I am heard well, but can hear other person clearly when volume turned up. Surprising since the desk was closed on front and sides, and other person was not a loud speaker. Do not have volume turned up before recording. Tape player can come on when picking up purse if something hits play button---luckly this happened about 2 minutes after leaving that office.

I had one of these before and it was fantastic. I was so disappointed in this one. It does not connect to my computer and has no power jack - it only runs on batteries. The sound quality is ok for voice only, no music even though it is mp3. Does not feel sturdy, just thin plastic. If I had known I would have spent more money and bought a better one. I thought this was a good one, not worth the money.

If you need a great inexpensive MP3 recorder this is the one. However please know (as other reviewers have) that you cannot just plug it into your USB port and copy the files over to your computer. Instead you'll have to get a special wire that is like a earphones cord with the plug part on both sides ( you can get this at Radioshack or another electronics store for a few bucks) and get some software that will record it on the computer, they do have free software that will do this just go to CNET.com and search for MP3 Recorder. It's a big pain so be careful. Very lightweight which is nice and great sound!'

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Planer - planer, shop

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I was looking cheap, just to clean up some rough-hewn boards. The bottom-end Lowes had was the TP-305 (12.5" vs TP-300 12.0", otherwise EXACTLY the same) for $199, so I got that.

Into and Basics

First off, the TP-305 is single speed. Fine for my purposes. As someone else said, if you're doing "fine woodworking", you'll sand with high-grit before calling it done.

Everything is metal, and the handle on top doubles as a foam covered transfer roller. It's very solid and stable, you know, for a "portable".

The belt drive is about 3/4", versus about 2" for the Hitachi and DeWalt. Conversely, the belt on the Delta is fiber reinforced black rubber, like a fan belt, rather than being clear, plain rubber.

There is supposedly a chain-drive for gear reduction, but I haven't dismantled it yet to lubricate them.

Setup

Second, it was a snap to prepare. I pulled it out of the box. It's maybe 75 or 80 pounds. OK if you lift right, or 2-person lift otherwise. It included the planer assembly, a dust chute with 2 fasteners, a hex wrench which fits in a slot on top, a magnetic blade tool, and a crank handle with hex-head fastener.

I put it on top of a table. No LRF support, and there was a little flashing on the bottom, so don't unpack this onto a nice table. Something like this should be bolted down. The deck holes are 1/4", one on each corner. I used some washers and deck screws and that was more than enough to keep it stable.

SAFETY PRECAUTIONS

You NEED earplugs. Yes, it is "quiet" compared to some shop planers/jointers, it's still loud. Earmuffs should be OK, but I opted for spongy/expanding 33db earplugs. No problem there, but I was definitely deaf to the world.

Also, goggles are a must. These two things are silly and simple, but just in case you didn't know. This might not be so important if they ever get immunology and organ cloning down, but since you're limited to one set of eyes right now, best protect them from flying debris.

If you want to reach, adjust, oil, or perform ANY maintenance, unplug your machine. "I thought I was safe but something fell and flipped the switch" wouldn't quite cut it with your friends.

ALWAYS operate with the dust chute in place. The motor blows air into it and it sends the chips out the back. Without it, A) You'll be covered in vertically launched curls, and more importantly B) The top of the cutter head will be exposed, which is very not safe.

Keep distractions and horseplay away from this machine. This is not a toy, it's an 8000 RPM spinning blade of doom. No playing. Period. OK? JUNIOR!?!?! Are you LISTENING TO ME! NO PLAYING. Ok. Good. Serious machine.

SNIPER, NO SNIPING!

As a portable planer goes, the fold-out tables are fairly small. I tried using Skill brand roller stands on each side to help hold the workpiece, but this planer loves to snipe on ingress.

Tilt your board down into the planer about 5 degrees, and don't cut deep and you'll limit it. Even so, every board has a 2-3" spot that's maybe 1/32" thinner than the rest of the length.

Egress snipe is alleviated by lifting ever so slightly on the workpiece for the final stretch. If you don't get it, you'll hear the motor change speed as it chews into the end. It's really just the design of the rollers. I think you'd probably get snipe even if you made your own full-length table flush with the input.

With 12" boards, snipe was not very noticeable, whereas with 4" boards, it was always very noticeable.

Blade Lifespan

The blades that came with it do well, but it's only 2 blades. It goes through them fairly quickly. Newer wood is fine. I made several passes on both sides of rough hewn cedar. All was well. I sent through some 12" rough cedar with 25 year crusty paint, and it wasn't really happy with that.

It's 2mm per turn and on 12" stock with fresh blades you can do that. When you get to 1/3 turn and it still drops the RPMs significantly, you're past the life of the blades.

I got to this point after removing 3/16ths from each side of 40 feet of 4" wide cedar, and about 1/8th from each side of a 6' long 12" piece of paint encrusted cedar. It seems that the wider board heats the blades more, especially the old, rubbery paint, and once they heat up, the edge fades MUCH more rapidly.

Signs your planer blades are dull

The machine emits dust and not curls.

The machine leaves roller rubber on the workpiece.

The wood peels along the grain in very thin strip.

The motor slows down, but there is no output.

The rollers stop feeding.

The workpiece becomes polished, even glassy.

The workpiece is noticeably warm to the touch.

Running the workpiece through a second time at the same setting till slows the motor.

Blade Replacements

I'm thinking I'll see if I can design the same at http://www.emachineshop.com out of something harder under heat, but you know, since I don't REALLY have the skill for that, I picked up a couple sets of spare blades when I got the planer. The spares were $26/set and made of "High Speed Steel". I don't know the specific grade, but truly, they went south REALLY quickly on the wider, painted boards.

Blade Swap procedures

The swap is fairly easy, though they are initially installed with an impact wrench. Breaking the screws the first time gave off sparks on three. Freaky. Anyway, you access the six screws by:

A) Unplug the machine. Yes, UNPLUG IT. Switches have been known to fail in this universe. Don't risk it.

B) remove the two thumbscrews on the top.

C) Remove the dust chute

D) Turn the head with "the tool" such that you an access one side of the head. Adjust the machine height, or rotate the head such that the tool clears the handle/rollerbar.

E) Loosten the screws such that the black plate ALMOST comes loose. Test one screw for proper sizing. I think this is about a 16th of an inch.

F) Use the little split magnet tool to scoop under the blade, lift up off of the retaining pins, and pull out.

WARNING The blade may be hot if it's recently been used, especially if it's really dull.

G) spin the blade.

WARNING The sharp side of the blade is SHARP! I know this seems like an idiot thing to say, but if you aren't careful, I will mock you for your bloodletting experience. Yes, I'm secretly watching you.

H) Slid in, align such that it drops down properly (ie, the retaining pins are in the holes).

I) Tighten the screws, starting with the ends and working your way in. In generaly, thumb-tighten all of them, then torque them down afterward to make sure alignment is good.

J) Repeat for the other side of the head. (ie. always swap/replace BOTH blades at the same time).

Miscellaneous

Check your belt shroud, a burgundy curve of plastic on the top right of the machine. Mine had too much flashing in the channels and didn't seat properly. I didn't notice until it had been carved/sanded away severely.

The deck plate is polished steel. You can see the cutter head and rollers clearly in it. It's really cool, and might come in handy should something jam or clog. REMEMBER NOT TO TOUCH THE HEAD WITH YOUR FINGERS UNLESS YOU WANT TO BE CUT.

Yes, I used first and second person in a review.

Despite the warning that this is not a toy, etc., it's VERY fun, or at least satisfying, to see what a machine like this can do.

SUMMARY

This is cheap. Snipe will happen. Rollers, an assistant, or a full-sized and aligned table are greatly helpful. Blades dull quickly on older wood with old rubbery paint. DELTA ShopMaster TP305 15 Amp 12-1/2-Inch Portable Planer - Delta - Planer - Thickness Planer - Shop'

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17 Inch Laptop Backpack

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Based on the dimensions I was expecting a bag that was around 2675 in3. The only info on the net are the dimensions - 19.7 x 9.3 x 14.6. The card attached to the bag when I received it had the exact info: 1830.7 in3 - more than 30% smaller than expected. I was looking for a computer bag that I could also put clothes in for a weekend airline trip. This one is not quite big enough. My old bag holds a weekends worth of clothes but almost doesn't close with a 17.3 inch notebook inside.SO, if you're looking for a weekend bag that fits a computer, this isn't it :( Case Logic RBP-117 17.3-Inch MacBook Pro/Laptop Backpack with iPad/Tablet Pocket (Black)

So far, after 1 month of use, I like it. It isn't exactly what I wanted but it works well for now. The material and the zippers seem like they are made out of a low quality material. I do like the amount of room in the laptop area (not using it with a 17" laptop). The pockets are ok, I wish there was more area for pens, but I'm kinda a pen freak. Over all good not great.'

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History Of Air Pollution In The United S...

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This book provides a good foundation in air quality issues bringing together the basic meteorology, chemistry, biology, and political/regulatory information needed to understand the field. The book assumes some basic science background but Godish presents technical information clearly enough for environmental managers and nontechnical professionals to get a basic understanding of air quality issues. Godish could make the book more accessable to introductory students by spending more time defining and explaining some of the technical terminology in the book. As it is, some students may have to spend more time with the dictionary than they are used to. Air quality professionals will find this book a good refresher but those looking for a technically advanced book should look elsewhere. The treatment of regulatory issues emphasizes the US. Non-americans will still benefit from the bulk of the book. For an introductory student looking for a start in the field, I would give the book 4 stars, for an environmental manager looking to gain a better understanding of air quality or an air quality professional looking for a good refresher, I would give the book five stars, for an air quality professional looking for a technical reference, I would give the book 2 to 3 stars. Air Quality, Fourth Edition

I am writing to report that I was very satisfied with this company. They sent the book on time even before the semester started. I will buy books and other products from them in the future. Trust me they keep their promise.

very informational but a bit dry. This book was required for my Air Quality class in my MPH program. It's a text book and gives you the information that you will need. Sometimes a little over my head but my professor really loves it but he really loves air too.

The review I was going to write is almost exactly like the first review posted giving it 4 stars, so I will just second everything mentioned. Good air quality primer for the environmental professional, but if you are already an air quality scientist or specialist, you may find it a little basic. Excellent overall quality and information on all the air quality issues affecting North America today.'

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Screwdriver - drill, socket

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I needed an adapter to connect my sockets to my cordless drill. I came across these on Amazon for only $3.50. I really only needed them for one repair project I was working on, so I didn't care if they only lasted me for the one use. To my amazement, the are actually built really strong! My Stanley sockets and drive extensions snap on really tight. Actually almost too tight. I had to really pull to get them off. Which is fine with me. I would rather they be on tight then fall off every 30 seconds.

You get 3 adapters to fit sockets for: 1/4 inch, 3/8 inch and, 1/2 inch.

I am so glad I opted to buy this set vs. just the 3/8 inch one I found at our local Home Depot. Home Depot had the one adapter for almost twice as much as this whole set. In the end I ended up needing the 1/2 inch too so it was so worth buying the whole set.

The quality of these way surpassed my expectations. Now, instead of throwing them away after my project was complete like I expected, I am put them in my tool box with my sockets. I definitely will be using these more often! 3 Pc. Power Extension Socket Adaptor for Drills

Its just a set of cheap china set of Socket Adapter for Drills. Already broke four. They should work okay for the home owner. I knew what I was buying, its not the sellers fault. At the breakage rate I am having= craftsman. For a little more money= made in USA, forged, not cast cheap metal. The seller is great. Its just a cheap product.

Amazing how many items come through my house requiring assembly with sockets or hex keys. These guys take the socket wrench out of my hand and replace it with a drill ... They've gotten me back to the sofa ahead of schedule on many a weekend. Make sure to adjust the torque on the drill to avoid over tightening - can pretty easily damage what you're working on OR twist the drill out of your hand. Only concern I've noted is that the finish seems to have tarnished over time.

I have purchased two of these from the same seller via amazon. The first set was perfect and exactly like in the picture with one slot in the shaft for the bearings in the driver chuck to connect. I liked it, and ordered another to have one in a dedicated portable tool chest. The second set was ordered using the same link, but was not the same socket adapters at all. There were two slim slots in the shaft and got immediately stuck in my dewalt 18 volt impact driver. I had to rip it out with the assistance of vice-grips and persistent knocking with a second wrench. The first set is nice, but the second almost damaged my far more expensive tool.

For three of these in decent quality they are good for the price. Now I can use my cordless screwdriver for bolts on my car, going to be much nicer at taking things apart than using a ratchet that takes forever. I recommend these.

This served the purpose of exactly what I needed, to be able to use my drill with my many socket sets. And for only a few dollars, I cant complain. Obviously this was not made for impact wrenches, but then again neither are drills. :) - Socket - Screwdriver - Extension - Drill'

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Digital Camera - photo paper, photo paper premium epson

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If you own an Epson printer, Epson paper can't be beat. While specialty papers might be available from other vendors such as Red River, for most printing, the best results are on Epson paper. I have tried other major brands such as HP and Canon and have been disappointed. Using Photoshop Elements 9 you can find specific profiles for the type of paer you use and let Elements control the colors, but even with my Epson printer controlling it, the colors are true, it is instant dry, water resistant and does not fade. One recommendation is to wait 24 hours after printing before placinga print behind glass. Epson Ultra Premium Photo Paper Glossy, 4 x 6, 100 Sheets (S042174)

This paper is more expensive than the next grade down, but the quality is incredible when using Claria ink. I have an Artisan 810 printer and was skeptical about whether it could really replace a photo printing service, but the results are amazing. I tried a couple of non-Epson papers, and the results are not even close. What's really nice is that the ink comes out virtually dry right off the printer, so you don't get smudges. The transitions between colors are seamless, and the finish is uniform. It made a believer out of me.

If you take care in shooting your photos and then additional time in editing, why not make sure you can actually see what you've done? I've been using the 8.5 x 11 size of this paper for some time, printing with an Epson R800. I haven't found another paper that shows detail and color accuracy like this Epson paper. Gradients are smooth and edges are crisp. With careful calibration all around, what you see on this paper is what you saw when you made the shot. I usually print in larger sizes, but I still find that 4x6 is nice for portraits and proofs.

It's certainly true that making your own prints is notably more expensive than ordering prints from a lab. But no bargain lab or kiosk will give you this level of quality. This is the paper to beat.

I primarily use the brand Ilford for pictures I frame, but I use this Epson photo paper for my personal 4x6 albums and scrapbooks. It's absolutely one of the best photo papers I've ever used. Just try it. You'll be impressed!

Not much to add form the TITLE

The prints are just as good as you get from Costco or Walmart's film departments. True it is more money per print.

Consider the time you take to go to those stores

Consider the fact you will not just pick up your prints; you will indeed buy something else at the store you are at.

Consider the gas you will use going to same.

the convenience factor alone is worth it; when you do consider the above costs, the prints actual cost drops. - Photo Paper - Photo Quality Paper - Photo Paper Premium Epson - Epson'

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Album-oriented Rock - album-oriented rock, hard rock

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It seems rather evident to me that Ronnie Montrose was not too interested in repeating the rock classic of a year previous. He'd done it, and now he seemed to have the elbow room to pursue other textures (plainly even by adding keyboards to the line-up.) As imperfect as it is, the album in some sense is more rewarding than the first. Listen to the reworking of "Connection" by Jagger and Richard. Sung much more beautifully, the acoustics heartrending. "Spaceage Sacrifice" is "Space Station # 5" turned inward. More moody, atmospheric...even troubled. Then for sheer straight ahead Ronnie, you've got "I Got the Fire". It may require more patient listening than the first, but I believe you'll be amply rewarded. Kudos to Montrose for not repeating the formula, and branching out onto some new aural scapes in the sophomore effort. Paper Money

I don't think this album is better than Montrose's 1973 debut, so don't be mislead by the title of this review. I bought Paper Money on vinyl the day it hit the stores in '74 and remember my disappointment. The first album was a heavy metal freight train from the first song to the last - Paper Money did not pick up where the first album left off. Over the past twenty-seven years Paper Money was seldom removed from the old peach crate.However, over that same period of time I became a huge Ronnie Montrose fan collecting the CD's of everything he did from the early Montrose days to his most recent instrumental "guitar music." Recently examining a Ronnie Montrose discography, I realized I never bought Paper Money on CD. I bought it, and after all these years listened to it again. Even though I am no longer influenced by the anticipation of waiting for the second Montrose album, not to mention a more mature listener of music, I must say I still felt something was wrong with this album. I soon found the answer I was looking for, with a little help from what is called the Program Function, available on most CD players.What a differce it makes when you listen to this album in a different order. If I had the chance, I'd ask guitarist Ronnie Montrose and lead singer Sammy Hagar why "Underground" written by Rappaport, and "Connection", written by Jagger and Richards, were choosen as the first two tracks. They are both good songs, but all the momentum built up by the first album came to as screaching halt. Here is a suggestion, start off with track 8, the title track, a song actually written by Montrose and Hagar, but more importantly a song that gradually introduces the listener to a band that is evolving. Experiment from here, I like this order: 8,7,3,5,1,2,6,4. Come to think about it, I do think this album is better than the first.

What do you do after an amazing first record.Do you make the same record again or....Well Montrose kind of did. This record starts of with the least good tracks and it is kind of unfortunate because the the balance of this record gets all wobbly.The good tracks here are incredibly good and make this a great buy.This is pure Montrose-Hagar heavy.Another reviewersuggested putting these songs in a different order,I agree with that.I think I am walking in circles here,if you like heavy get the first one and if you like the first one get this one for sure.

I bought this album the only time I've ever seen it on the shelves... and this was at a book store no less! I loved the Montrose debut album and decided to give this one a go without even so much as hearing one song from it before hand. I was not disappointed! "Paper Money" includes more layers and complexity than its predecessor, but also has enough truly great hard rock moments to make it another classic. If you liked the debut, check this one out. I know some reviewers felt that this was a significant drop off from their 1st release, but I don't see it. Just listen to "I've Got the Fire" and the title cut for a jolt!

Montrose's sophomore recording appeared in 1974 and used the same partnership for production/engineering with Ted Templeman and Donn Landee. There was a slight change in the line-up with new bass player Alan Fitzgerald who also plays synthesizer replacing Bill Church while the three remaining members are the same: Sammy Hagar on vocals, Ronnie Montrose on guitar, and Danny Carmassi on drums.

Instead of cloning the pure hard rocking '73 debut, the band deiced to expand its range adding ballads, synths, and even a mellotron; all three appearing for the first time on this record. Although this may have led to Hagar's departure from the band, still this is an excellent album!

The experimentation is already apparent right from the beginning with Montrose's guitar being filtered through a leslie organ speaker on their cover of Chunky, Novi & Ernie's song called "Underground" that displays a pop sensibility that was not featured in the debut. I really liked the bridge with the 'one by one...' lyric featuring drummer Carmassi on lead vocals! For me, that bridge is more memorable than the chorus!

Next comes another cover, this time it's the Rolling Stones composition "Connection" from the 1966 "Between The Buttons" LP. While the original was an up-tempo rock/pop song, here the band turns it into a soulful ballad that lasts for about five minutes and a half. Well executed! The mellotron is played by session musician Nick DeCaro.

In the heavy rocker "The Dreamer" you can hear a Mountain influence giving off a "Mississippi Queen" vibe. In the middle it quiets down and it is Fitzgerald's opportunity to play a synth solo on top of an arpeggio. An unexpected turn follows with "Starliner" being the band's first ever instrumental. A very good one it is! The synths add a psychedelic touch to this up-tempo hard rock composition with Motrose delivering some inventive lead guitar and riffs. The hard rock continues with "I Got The Fire" which is the closes this album gets to the style in the debut with a scorching solo from Montrose in the middle. It was later covered by the metal group Iron Maiden for one of their b-sides.

"Spaceage Sacrifice" is a spacey number with fine vocals from Hagar, an atmospheric chord pattern on the guitar during the verses and a blues/rock groove in the chorus. Another ballad written and sung by Montrose himself follows titled "We're Going Home. This time the mellotron is much better incorporated here than it was in "Connection". Montrose plays the best solo in the album on this track too. The title cut brings the LP to a close. The highlight here is definitely the percussion from Carmassi and Hagar's vocals. Before the fade out, Montrose adds some tremolo arm feedback effects.

In conclusion, this sophomore recording may lack the hard rock quality of the debut, but it is a good companion to it. Get it and hear the experimental side of this underrated band called Montrose!

Thanks for taking the time to read!

Later... - Vintage Metal - Montrose - Album-oriented Rock - Hard Rock'

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Tachometers

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I installed this tach on a 2007 Toyota Yaris with manual transmission. Connection was simple, involving only 4 wiring connections (red wire to 12 volt "+" at ignition switch, black wire to chassis bolt under dash, white wire to dashboard lighting circuit, and green wire to Tach Signal wire at OBD-II connector). Product does not come with wire taps, you have to buy your own or use wire nuts or solder the splices. The tach mounts via a 1" square, flat pedestal that has holes for three #8 sheet metal screws, or you can use the included double-sided adhesive pad.

The movement of this tach seems to be very smooth and precise. At $68, it is twice as expensive as the equivalent Sunpro tach, but I wanted full scale of 6000 rpm, not the 8000 rpm that was the only type offered by Sunpro, so I went with this unit. Build quality seems very good, consistent with the $68 price.

The instruction booklet for connecting the tach is not very detailed. The instructions suggest that the product can be used on "most" types of electronic and CDI ignitions, and older point-and-coil ignitions. This tach can NOT be used on "magneto" type ignitions, which includes most recip airplane engines and smaller outboard boat motors (typically 25 hp or less). There is a three position switch on the back of the unit for selecting 4, 6 or 8 cylinders. This implies that the tach would probably give an incorrect reading on other engines, for example 3 cylinder Honda Insights, or the new-for-2008 5 cylinder Volkswagen Rabbit.

UPDATE: September 2010

Have now had this tach installed for three years in the Yaris, and it's still functioning perfectly. Auto Meter 2306 Auto Gage Black 2-3/4" 6000 RPM Tachometer Mini Gauge

The tachometer is pretty good. The actual gauge part works flawlessly. It seems accurate and sensitive and responsive. It was fairly easy to wire up. The reason that I gave it 4 stars is because of the mounting setup. There are two small screws that hold the tachometer onto the base. By the time I had the tachometer completely installed, the screws wouldn't hold the tachometer in adjustment. It kept drooping and aiming down. As a temporary fix, I grabbed a napkin from my glove box, wadded it up, and stuffed it between the tachometer and the dash. Now that I can see the tachometer, I love it and have no intentions of replacing the napkin with a more professional fix. Despite this problem, the rest of the tachometer works so well that I still gave it 4 stars.

5/5 stars because it's autometer quality, so it's dependable, accurate and affordable. The sun-pro gauges are cheaper but autometer's quality is far better and I have 4 other autometer gauges between my two vehicles. None have let me down so I'm sticking with this brand. This gauge fit perfect into my pickup that didn't have a tach. Wiring was pretty simple. One wire to ignition (fused), one to dim lights, one to ground, and one to tach signal.

I've had this gauge for about 2 months but have had my other autometer gauges for over 3 years and no problems.'

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