Guy Low Price Electronic: 28 Aug 2010

Saturday 28 August 2010

sata cables - sata power cable adapter, sata cables

i had recently bought a second dvd burner for my desktop computer and the only cable it came with was the one to connect to the motherboard. this order came pretty quickly and was able to install product quickly and easily. SATA Power Cable 4-pin to 15-pin

This connector has changed my life. I haven't actually used it yet because I don't have the hardware to mount the CD drive, but I feel so much better now - knowing that if I can ever find the hardware - that this device will connect it all up. I just sleep better now. - Sata Power Cable Adapter - Sata Cables'

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Hiking Pants - hiking pants, bicycle accessories

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These pants (2 pairs) worked out excellent for our 2 boys 8 and 10. We hiked, played and hung out in them while on vacation in Maine. The easy on/off bottoms worked great. No complaints and the price was good. Columbia Boys 8-20 Silver Ridge II Convertible Pant, Blade, 14

After making a trip where my husband wore both pair of convertible pants for 11 days, he decided the perfect gift for his grandson would be convertible pants for his upcoming trip to Cancun. Our grandson loved having pants that can be worn as shorts or long pants, just like grandpa's.

The pants are stylish cargo pants, will easily pack in his backpack, air dry quickly and have easy zip-off pulls. The fabric is lightweight, solid construction and the easy fit pulls inside the waistband made the fit perfect for my slim kid.

I would recommend these pants to anyone with kids who travel and want something multi-purpose that dries quickly, is easy to pack and the kids love to live in them.

Took my kids backpacking in these - they both tend to prefer shorts, but were willing to wear these because they're so lightweight, and I appreciate that their legs are protected better than if they were wearing shorts. - Convertible Pants - Bicycle Accessories - Hiking Pants'

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Document Scanner

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My old HP scanner (actually, it wasn't that old) died a few months ago and it was time for me to get a new one. I accidently came across the predecessor to the ScanScap S1500 (the S510) last week while I was having my taxes done and was amazed at the speed and compactness of it. My tax person also gave it glowing reviews. As I wasn't aware that Fujitsu manufactured scanners, I thought I'd do a little research which led me to reviews of the S510 here on Amazon. Rather amazingly, I was very surprised to find that the S510 had so many extraordinarily high reviews (something that I don't believe I come across too often, especially with items such as scanners). One of those reviews mentioned that a new model (this one - the S1500) had just been released by Fujitsu. After some more research (it wasn't yet listed on Amazon), I found that this scanner was available and that it had many new features. As it turns out, I was the "first kid on my block" to acquire one and I'm glad I did! This machine is incredible!

The speed is absolutely blinding - an incredible 20 pages per minute but, because it scans both sides of a page at the same time, double sided documents scan at 40 PAGES PER MINUTE! Wow! As with previous models, this scanner is very small and appears to be well built: it's quite heavy for its small size and fits very nicely on my small computer desk. The scanning quality is equally spectacular - it scans up to 600 dpi in color, grayscale, and black and white and mine came with a good assortment of software (Adobe Acrobat 9, Rack2-Filer, and ABBYY FineReader). It scans documents beautifully! While I've been too busy scanning the billions of pieces of paper that have cluttered my life for years (this scanner will actually do that quickly and efficiently - something I've always just dreamed would be possible), I haven't yet tried to scan photos; I suspect that this scanner will do a good job but that another type of scanner would probably do better for archival purposes).

The only problems I've had were with Acrobat (I already have Acrobat 9 Pro on my computer) - I found that importing previously scanned documents into Rack2-filer were always listed in reverse order (ugh!) and Fujitsu tech support replicated the problem. They suggested, however, that I completely uninstall (not just repair) Acrobat and reinstall it. That did the job. BTW, I received great tech support from Fujitsu.

One interesting thing is that this scanner does not come with TWAIN drivers. Because of this, it is not possible to use it to the same extent as other scanners. Just the same, my reason for getting this scanner was to create .pdf files and this scanner does it like no other.

Overall, I'm thrilled with the Fujitsu S1500 - there is no question that it is the best one I've had (and I've had many) and is well worth the money (the S1500 is also the most expensive scanner I've ever purchased). I would recommend this to anyone who needs to scan documents. Fujitsu ScanSnap S1500 Instant PDF Sheet-Fed Scanner for PC

I have never had a dedicated document scanner before. In the past, I used the Auto-document feeder on my all-in-one printer/scanner/fax machines to scan documents into adobe acrobat. That meant for each batch of papers, I needed to set the color/resolution/paper size/quality settings and then work through Acrobat in order to save each file. It worked, but it was slow going.

Then I bought this new scansnap 1500, based on the ratings of the earlier model (the scansnap 510). I installed only the main program to my computer (the software also includes OCR programs, organizational programs, and acrobat 9, which I already have). I hooked up the scanner and stuck in a stack of old notes I took from some college courses--some notes were in color, some were b&w, some on two sides, some on one side, and some of the pages were upside down. I hit the only button on the machine (SCAN), and to my sheer amazement, it started flying through the stack of notes without any additional prompts or effort. It then automatically saved my file as a pdf--all of the pages were in order, color pages were in color, b&w pages were in b&w, etc. The only issue I noticed was that if there were any marks whatsoever on the back side of my note papers, it included those blank pages in the file.

I repeated this process with any papers I could get my hands on. I even tried sticking in papers of varying sizes, and it sped through them all without a problem. I am officially hooked. (In a moment of either stupidity or genius, I sliced the spine off of an old book and scanned that in too.)

I did notice a few things that are worth mentioning specifically: 1) This scanner is much smaller than it looks. I was expecting something the size of a inkjet printer, but it is actually about the size of a loaf of bread. 2) You have to place the papers GENTLY into the scanner or it will jam. If I push the papers in too far, it pulls through several pages at a time and the software warns you to start over. 3) I am running the software on Windows 7 RC1, so I can tell you that, at least in my case, it will work on Win7.

I purchased this scanner as a first step in creating an electronic filing system for a home office. As I accumulated 20 filing cabinet drawers of paper documents going paperless seemed to be an answer.

Purchase of the Fujitsu S1500 was based on the numerous 5 star reviews. I am reasonably tech literate and have used the scanner for about 2 weeks. Here are my initial impressions:

Pros -

1. Speed: This scanner seems blazingly fast. Not a resource hog. Will scan duplex 20-25ppm at default settings on Win2K/1.8mhz/1gb platform.

2. Scan quality very good at all settings.

3. Size and looks: Small desk footprint. Looks great open or closed.

4. Excellent paper feeding as long as documents are same size and 20# or greater paper weight.

Cons -

1. NO TWAIN DRIVER. I knew this going in but did not appreciate how much this would cripple the device in day to day use. Let me explain. I had envisioned creating a virtual file cabinet in my computer using Windows Directory/Folder/File system then scanning my paper documents into this system as pdf files. The problem is that the native Fujitsu software does not let you append an existing pdf file!!!

As an example take a file for utility bills. D:/Home Expenses/Utilities/Gas_Electric.pdf. You can easily scan in all prior bills(limited by 50 sheet ADF)and a pdf with one page for each bill will be created. But if you had more than 50 prior bills or when next months bill comes then the next scan you perform to include these new documents will create a new pdf and does not allow the option of appending this current scan to the existing pdf. As you can see one could easily end up with 1000s of individual pdf documents in your filing system. The work around is to launch Adobe Acrobat (not reader) and use it to open the old composite pdf and use Acrobat to append the newly created pdf to the prior file. This work around takes longer than scanning in a 30 page document. Twain based scanners easily work with existing windows file structure and allow you to append an existing pdf without invoking Acrobat.

2. Paper catch tray very fragile and ADF paper support does not stay up (also reported by other reviewers).

3. Double feed sensor: stops scan and reports. This is good. However you cannot retrieve the double fed sheet and place it back in proper order because the next sheet is already in the scanner and cannot be backed out. You have to either cancel the scan and start over or put the unread sheet back in out of order and then use Acrobat to rearrange the pages in the resultant pdf document. If you choose to cancel the scan the document that is halfway into the scanner will not be ejected and you need to perform an new scan to retrieve that sheet.

4. A scanning run will only handle one size document at a time. In my experience if you have a mix of paper sizes you will need to do a scanning run for each paper size. Each run will generate a separate pdf file with you will then need to deal with.

5. I paid extra for the scanner bundle with Rack2File software thinking it would help me create the filing system I envisioned. After loading and spending several hours with this software I don't understand how it works or what it is supposed to do. I consider the extra $30 dollars I spent for the "bundled" scanner money poorly spent.

6. Other minor annoyances are:

While the scanner and snapscan software will run on older platforms the bundled software Rack2file and Acrobat require XPpro SP3 or newer. This is not clear from specs.

ADF will hold 40-50 sheets but output tray will start to jam after 20-25 sheets.

Documents printed on less than 20# paper and with printing on both sides the back side printing will show up on the front side scan. Many commercial invoices are printed both sides on thin paper.

Cannot set several default scanning profiles. You need to reset the scanner parameters each time you want a different profile.

Bottom line:

This would be a 5 star low end document scanner if it only offered a twain driver. As it is I can recommend it only to prospective buyers who understand the full implications of this limitation. I thought of returning this scanner and getting one of the twain based models like the Epson GT S50 but at this point I have learned enough of Acrobat to quickly append my pdfs retrospectively.

I strongly recommend avoiding the "bundled" product since I don't see what added value the Rack2File software brings.

I considered giving the scanner a one star review just to get people's attention but the hardware is so good 3 stars seems about right.'

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Pneumatic Floor Nailer - hardwood floor nailer, pneumatic floor nailer

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The 2" cleats were great floor nailing down the bamboo flooring the we had. We could not be happier. We had no problem with the cleats going in straight and feeding throught the nailer. The porter Cable nailer is also an awesome piece of equipment. I would reconmend it to all. The price of the cleats was very fair and reasonable. Bostitch FLN-200 2-Inch Flooring L-Nail, 1000-Per Box

As to quality---they are nails. Good nails. But buy them through Amazon. They cost nearly twice as much in the home-center type stores. And the smaller hardware stores often do not carry flooring fastners. I am using these in a Ramsond floor nail gun and they work fine.

I used these to secure down 3/4" thick Bruce Oak hardwood floors, they penetrate the flooring and the 3/4" subfloor with approx. 1/4" protruding below the subfloor. They hold very tight which is perfect. No complaints with these nails.

I used these nails to install 3/4" maple & brazilian cherry hardwood floors at my house. I've used about 1.5 boxes so far and no jams. Only one nail was bent and didn't go through the cherry. That happened to be the last nail in the nailer so I think that's more of a problem of the nailer instead of the nail. Now I put a new row of nails in before it runs out in the nailer. No bent nails had happened since then and it also protect the nailer from dry firing.

Great product.

It's cheaper at amazon than my local HomeDepot.

I used these nails to install a tongue and groove pine floor. As far as a nail goes they are pretty typical. I guess one way to evaluate them would be to say that they didn't jam my nail gun, which is something that frequently happens with my air stapler and some types of staples. The floor is about 6 months old and the nails seem to be holding fine.

Bought these Bostitch nails at the same time I bought the Bostitch Pneumatic floor nailer on Amazon. Nails came very quickly but nailer never came. Lots of excuses from Amazon and CSN but never got the nailer. Notified price of nails went down after order came. Price of Bostitch nailer went up $300. Can not say as to how they work as I have no way of using them without a nailer. Looks like the best use for them might be a paper weight. Amazon has went down a little bit in my eyes as they did not respond to what I thought was a "Bait and Switch" scheme. Just a lot of different excuses from Amazon and CSN.

This is by far the best price I have seen for these nails. I did have to return the first shipment because it wasn't packaged properly and the nail strips were all broke apart, but they paid for return postage and shipped a new box out right away. - Hardwood Floor Nailer - Pneumatic Floor Nailer - Fasteners - Hardwood Flooring Nailer'

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Griffin Technology - usb audio, adapter

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Like many others before me, I bought this unit to digitize some old audio cassettes. (In my case, old radio shows from 1930-1950.) I initially tried this with a cassette player and the analog audio input on my Mac but the results were disappointing; there was a tremendous amount of humming in the finished audio. My friends at Tekserve recommended this device instead.

Installation is just a matter of plugging it into the USB port; the Mac required no drivers and saw the device as another audio device. QuickTime Player, GarageBand, iMovie, the Sound preference panel and Griffin's own "Final Vinyl" application immediately recognized the device.

I connected my tape player to the iMic, launched Griffin's "Final Vinyl" application, and got to work. The results were stunning, like night and day when compared to the analog recording I'd previously made. There was absolutely no hum to be heard. I experimented with other audio cassettes and detected no hum, static, or other problem that could be attributed to the iMic device.

The device has two standard mini stereo ports (audio in and out), and a switch on the side to change between line input and microphone input (this is important -- if the switch is in the wrong place you will be disappointed with the results). It also includes a mini-to-RCA adapter cable which I thought was a nice addition. The USB cable is rather short (about one foot long) and is hardwired to the unit so don't break it.

As was previously pointed out, the "Final Vinyl" software needs work and is inarguably the weakest part of this package. (Truthfully, if Griffin DIDN'T bundle "Final Vinyl" with the iMic I would have given this a five-star rating.) It is a COMPLETELY bare-bones application. I get the strong impression that "Final Vinyl" started life as a quick hack that a programmer wrote up in a couple of hours so that they could test the iMic device, but someone in Griffin's Marketing department saw it and decided to make it part of the package. It is not very intuitive (highlighting a segment of audio and hitting the DELETE key does nothing, forcing you to go into a menu to select DELETE which also has no keyboard shortcut), offers almost nothing in terms of audio editing capabilities, is surprisingly slow, and it crashes quite a bit. (Although I think Griffin knows this; when you relaunch the app after it crashed, it remembers the audio you had previously recorded and offers you the option of using that data or starting from scratch.) Fortunately the app doesn't crash (*knock on wood*) when importing audio; the crashing seems to happen when you're trying to open or save a file AND do something else with another application at the same time.

The only other thing about this unit that bugs me is its awkward design. It's about the size of a silver dollar and perhaps 3/8" thick. The short cable means you can't keep it plugged into the back of your machine and be able to easily access it, particularly if your machine is on the floor (like mine is). The rounded shape of the unit means you can't set it on edge and tuck it into an otherwise unused bit of space, and you can't easily attach it to your computer (i.e., with a zip-tie). I have mine plugged into the front USB port on my computer with the cable looped over the handle but it's an awkward placement at best, and I have to move the cable over whenever I want to open the CD drawer. It's not REALLY horrible since I'll likely rarely use the iMic once these tapes have been digitized, but I think Griffin could have done a little more to make this unit a little more elegant. Griffin Technology iMic USB Audio Device

I have a large collection of yodeling songs (yes...yodeling) on LP's and wanted a way to record them onto my computer and transfer them to disk and to my iPod. I searched around the internet but most applications require you to connect your turntable to your stereo (or other amplifier) and then to your computer. Since my stereo and my computer are in separate parts of my house, I didn't really want to relocate either of them. Other solutions were far too advanced (read expensive) for my purposes. I stumbled on the iMic and it sounded like just the thing.

According to the Griffin website "iMic allows you to connect virtually any microphone or sound input device to your iBook, PowerBook, PowerMac or other Mac or PC systems with a USB port. iMic supports both mic and line level inputs via a selectable switch, as well as a variable level output for connecting speakers or headphones" All you do is connect your turntable directly to your computer. It works perfectly! Combined with the free recording software Final Vinyl it make recording your LP's a breeze.

RC adapter cables are included. iMic is compatible with both Mac and PC but Finyl Vinyl works only on Mac's. You can use other recording software for PC's.

(Note: iMic and Final Vinyl work great for those who simply want to record to their computer. You can do some fine tuning, but you will want a higher level of technology if you also want to "clean" the sound of your old recordings.)

It should go without saying that the iMic is not a professional recording device. It might also go without saying that it is just fine for the purposes for which it is intended: recording from vinyl or other similar mic or line level to your computer. I bought mine because my MacMini doesn't have an audio in (what was Apple thinking?!). Generally speaking, it does its job of getting sound into the computer, and is fairly transparent while doing so, acting much like a piece of built-in equipment would.

What should not go without saying, though, is that there is no ASIO driver for the iMic. So, it is incompatible with any recording software that requires an ASIO driver, particularly Steinberg's Cubase. As far as I have been able to find out, neither Steinberg nor Griffin have any plans to do anything about this. Note that Griffin does produce an ASIO driver which only works under Mac OS9, and there is a third party driver which will make it work, but it costs more than the iMic itself.

For the price, you can't beat the iMic. In fact, it's the lowest priced external audio interface I was able to find. And there are precious few bits of gear that fill the void between its price point and the $100 mark. Just be aware of its limitations before buying. I ended up spending another $180 on a more apropriate piece of equipment, and now my iMic is lying on my office floor. - Microphone - Griffin Technology - Usb Audio - Adapter'

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18 Volt - dewalt, battery

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What a bummer to try and start a project only to find that your cordless drill's battery no longer holds a charge. Yes, I did resort to using my old electric drill with a 100-foot extension cord, but how much easier it would have been to use my wonderful DeWalt cordless drill. Despite the name of the vendor "bestcutleryandcookware.com", I ordered it from this company because its price was competitive with other online sites and because of its Amazon affiliation. My DeWalt cordless drill replacement battery came quickly and is now powering my drill. DeWalt 18V Compact Battery DC9098 - Battery - Dewalt'

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40 Inch - 1080p, samsung

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I received my LN40B750 this past Friday and have now had all weekend to kick the tires and be amazed at its capabilities. I had already submitted a review, but not sure where it went.

As I had stated in my now missing review, I am very impressed with this set's image quality and ease of use. Setup was pretty easy and only required me to fasten 4 screws to mount and lock the base to the bottom of the set. Connected the optical out to my receiver (Yamama RX-V750) and ran my DVD player's component cables right into the set. Now, I can finally enjoy progressive scan mode. What a HUGE difference that made! One thing I have to address is a negative comment made by another person who was complaining of stereo output from the optical out jack, instead of 5.1 surround sound. This is 100% contingent on what the broadcaster is pushing out, NOT the TV. Yes Jimmy, the evening news ONLY needs to be in plain vanilla stereo, not 5.1 surround sound. I can confirm that it does push out L/R stereo on the evening news and certain other broadcasts. Some broadcasts caused only my center channel to push out audio while others gave me L/C/R output so don't blame Samsung at all if you're getting stereo or 3-channel output. Watching ZOOM last night made all 5.1 channels on my receiver light up like a Christmas tree. I am so thrilled to watch some of my favorite shows in 5.1 now.

So, one of the main reasons I bought this was because of the 240Hz processing and 2ms response time, and, on my wife's recommendation, the panel design. 240Hz processing it is both neat and surreal. Other reviewers have stated that it give the picture a sort of Soap Opera-like effect but I would have to say no to this assessment. When I think of Soap Opera, I think of very apparent action happening on a stage/set with poor or harsh lighting and shadows: sort of campy. I can see where people liken it to that but it's not quite accurate. When enabled and set to its "Standard" mode, 240Hz processing makes certain fast-moving scenes seem very fluid, almost as if it were a live feed/broadcast not too dissimilar to reality TV. It gives motion a more smooth appearance as it is being displayed on screen. When I turned this Friday's episode of Numb3rs on, there was a bus chase scene that looked like it was coming from a live TV broadcast. Turning off 240Hz processing made it seem like "produced" TV does. I am now convinced and a convert to what 240Hz processing can do for TV. I decided to try it out on a DVD: Princess Mononoke. Wow! Some scenes looked like real-time 3D without 3D glasses. I am impressed. It takes a bit of getting used to but even my wife commented on how 3D some scenes appeared and how almost TOO real it makes the image look. She admits she is now addicted to this set. Also, I happened to turn the channel to see an old episode of 1960s Batman and it looked like a live broadcast! Neat but a bit weird. Overall, I think 240Hz processing is just an augmentation to what is already there.

I also have to discuss blockiness with certain scenes and fast moving action: I have thus far encountered NONE. When I have watched football or some other fast-moving stuff on other people LCD panels, all I saw was blocks and digital artifacting and that always turned me off to LCD. I get none of that with this set so far. I put on a baseball game, Olympic re-run highlights, smooth as silk. Not sure if it's because I am running RG6 cabling throughout my house but I am here to attest that the blockiness I hate on LCDs is not present on this set. A+ for that Samsung.

I was also worried about screen glare and reflection with this set as it DOES come with Ultra Clear Panel. I have a large window that faces opposite the set and when off, I can see a reflection. BUT! When the set it on, it's all business and NO glare. Try as I might, I see no glare or reflection. That is impressive. Kudos to Samsung (and the 150000:1 contrast probably helps too!).

The Touch of Grey is cool, no more illuminated border. I was also happy to play around with the widgets and other little built-in goodies. The built-in Ethernet jacks lets you plug it into a router or whatever to perform firmware updates and download new stuff to the widgets section. My wife LOVES the Art widget that displays Monet images to serene piano music. Some think this is gimmicky stuff, I think it's a GREAT example of convergence. A+ to Samsung for this stuff. I was also pleased to receive the full LN40B750 manual with my set. I wonder if people were upset by Samsung going green and putting the manual on a USB stick and built-in to the TV? I think it's smart as opposed to trying to dig up where the manual went.

My only gripe with the set is not being able to cycle through the inputs (Video 1, Video 2, Component 1, HDMI 1, etc.) by just depressing the button. While the TV's GUI menu system is nice, I hate using a GUI to navigate to the input I want to use. I'm old-school and like to cycle through the inputs. It would be nice if changing input methods (GUI versus multiple button depressions) was an option in the settings somewhere. The remote is pretty standard and sleek and doesn't have the dial that I have heard so many complain about. It may be that Samsung went back a bit and just kept things simple with a standard button layout you'd find on most any TV remote. On a scale of 1-10, this set is a solid 9.5 for me. You would be happy with its many options. 240Hz may not be for everyone but it is cool in my book. If you are considering the LN40B650, you will be happy spending the extra $ on this set for the 2ms response time and 240Hz processing.

Just a couple things I forgot to mention in the original review. Although Samsung's web page says there are no USB ports, mine has two on the right side labeled USB 1 (HDD) and USB 2. It IS an Ultra Clear Panel but Samsung's page says it is not. It was printed right on the box. Although the Samsung firmware upgrade guide says to download and extract firmware to a USB drive and plug it into the back of the TV, there is no USB on the back of the TV, only the right side. Someone asked if the remote is backlit and yes, it is. There's a button on the top of the remote that illuminates the buttons in the dark.

UPDATE: 8/3/2009

After downloading and installing the 1008 firmware update (my model shipped with the 1006 version), I feel the TV is a bit more responsive for channel switching. The widgets and goodies load up a bit faster too. I cannot find any concrete info on what the new firmware contains. Updating to the new firmware does allow you to revert back to the old firmware in the TV setup. That's VERY important in case of a firmware bug. Way to go Samsung! I will update this review if any future firmware updates improve this already great TV.

UPDATE: 9/8/2009

TV is still working great. I have to add that I do not experience the so called "blue-ish blacks" that some others have reported. I have properly calibrated my contrast and brightness levels so I get deep blacks on many of the shows I watch. Also, I have to add that when I did a channel scan, the NTSC tuner was still grabbing things out there. It picked up a couple of music channels broadcasting over NTSC so that was kind of a surprise. I guess the NTSC and ATSC tuners work in tandem.

UPDATE: 9/18/2009

Today I updated the firmware to revision 1011 and a few new features were added. The "HD Conection Guide" is new which shows you the inputs and connections. And there is a menu item called "Contact Samsung" which has web site info and phone numbers along with model code and software version. Sadly, this firmware erases all your settings so make sure and write them down before you update!

UPDATE: 9/22/2009

On 9/18 I updated to 1011 firmware via the Internet. I just went to the Samsung web site and saw that 1012.3 is available. Going to update and see what new stuff got added or fixed.

UPDATE: 9/25/2009

I have to say that when I updated to the 1011 firmware, I felt that the image quality somehow suffered or was reduced because I noticed a lot of jaggies and such when material was 480i, 720p, and sometimes 1080i material, whereas it used to be smooth or fairly sharp in general. After the update to 1012.3 firmware, I feel like the picture has returned to being very sharp all around no matter what the source material. Seems channel switching is also a tad bit faster with the 1012.3 update. It also didn't reset my settings to factory default which is nice. I've written my settings down just in case. Glad Samsung continues to fine tune the performance of this TV. Keep it coming.

UPDATE: 10/14/2009: I successfully played an XVid movie using Media Play and it functions *almost* like a TiVo---not that I own one but have seen them. Very cool! I didn't realize it but there are firmware release notes! Never noticed they were there before but if you visit Samsung's site and find your model TV, click Support & Downloads, click Firmware, and then click the "Upgrade File" link under the description, it tells you what's been fixed.

For 1012.3:

a. This Firmware will support some strange resolution or Codec.

. Resolution : DTV 320 x 240

. Codec : MPEG2 - TS (on Media Play)

b. Samsung launches new widgets for Internet@TV

. Blockbuster on Demand, Rally Cast, Ebay, and many more. To get more information, visit ''News & Alerts'' on [...]

c. Add some menu on Media Play

. ''Repeat'' Menu (on Media Play)

d. This Firmware will correct the following phenomenons some units may experience.

. When viewing 1080i formatted signals through the Component Input, the picture is intermittently jumping up and down.

. Intermittent No Sound on 1080p when connecting with some Unit through HDMI.

. When viewing 720p or 1080i formatted signals through the Component Input, the picture is intermittently flickering.

. When viewing some resolution (720 x 1440i) signals with Set-Top Box, ''Not Supported Message'' may appear on the screen.

UPDATE: 10/16/2009: Updated to firmware 1013 today via Internet. No info about it yet on Samsung's site. Will update if they post release notes.

UPDATE: 12/4/2009: Updated to firmware 1016 today via Internet. No info about it yet on Samsung's site. Will update if they post release notes.

UPDATE: 1/12/2010: It seems all traces of the LN40B750 have been pulled from Samsung's site. I was there last week and today gone. WTF? If you type in the keyword LN40B750 in the site search it down show a link to the Downloads section where you can find manuals and such. Not good Samsung, not good.

UPDATE: 1/21/2010: Updated to firmware 1017 today via Internet. No info about it yet on Samsung's site. Will update if they post release notes.

UPDATE: 2/1/2010: Ok, in my original review I stated that glare was not a problem. In my case, this was in mid July and my red maple was providing shade behind my West-facing window so noon and setting sun were not so bad. Being that it is now midwinter and the tree is bare, I had the experience of the setting sun full on in my TV room and yes, there was glare IF I sat perpendicular to BOTH the TV and the window. However, when I sat a few feet to either side, the TV was more bright enough to overpower ANY glare (and I have my contrast and brightness turned much lower than factory settings). To be fair, if there is REALLY bright light, yes you may experience glare. The 32" Sony that this TV replaced was unwatchable for us during this time of the year or at least until the sun set. Still very impressive.

UPDATE: 2/8/2010: Since the new Blu-Ray 3D standard (via HDMI 1.4) will be here shortly in the form of the Samsung BD-C6900 (HDMI 1.4!), you'll want to know that Blu-Ray 3D REQUIRES a TV with, supposedly, a minimum of 120Hz processing for it to work but I read it was 240Hz. Can't find the article now though. So even though the LN40B750 is HDMI 1.3 compliant and true Blu-Ray 3D requires HDMI 1.4, it WILL work with HDMI 1.3 but at 1080i (from what I can tell (high quality Category 2 cables are also a requirement)). Seems most Blu-Ray 2.0 players, if firmware upgradable, can support Blu-Ray 3D but at the HDMI 1.3 spec level. Can't remember if response time helps though. The Samsung 3D Blu-Ray player is right around the corner and I would not be surprised if Avatar 3D (Director's Cut?) comes out around the same time. Again, 100% glad I spent a few extra dollars on my set to be able to take advantage of this new standard! After all the years of 3D failing on lo-def analog TV, I think today's HD TVs will finally get us over the hump. To be continued...

UPDATE: 3/9/2010: In response to a negative review of this TV with respect to audio sync issues, I for one have never experienced this issue and in all fairness, who knows what the person who wrote that comment had in terms of connections and hardware. The reviewer also references the A750 series, not B750 and this alleged audio sync would have been MUCH more widely reported. I have not heard of any such problem. It's unclear if the person tried to update their firmware either.

UPDATE: 4/12/2010: Haven't seen any firmware updates in a few months. I hope Samsung hasn't stopped supporting this awesome set. You know why? Because last night I discovered yet ANOTHER amazing thing about this TV. I had been waiting for months to see a foreign film by a director I love and it was recently released but not subtitled in English. I found the subtitles online in the form of an SRT file. On a whim, I named the subtitle file and the movie file the same thing (minus the extension of course) and copied them to my USB drive and plugged it in to the TV. Guess what? I got to watch the movie and the subtitles were recognized and worked PERFECTLY. THAT is AMAZING! I wish I could give 6 stars because now I no longer have to waste blank DVDs! Yet another A+ to you Samsung.

UPDATE: 8/3/2010: I was very disappointed to see some idiot give the set a negative review because it didn't have Netflix built into it. Jeez, do research much?

UPDATE: 8/28/2010 #2: Looks like firmware 1018 added MKV support. FINALLY! Another reason why this TV rocks, rocks, rock!

UPDATE: 6/2/2011: TV is still going strong. Mine has not died like others appear to have. What are these people doing to this set to kill it so early?? To the reviewer who cried about a 240Hz picture (Auto Motion Plus) being fluid (like "Copy"), he's obviously been living in a cave with his $40,000 analog monitor and clueless about 21st century technology. Please. Just because something costs $40k doesn't mean it's actually worth it. Too bad he didn't read the manual as he would have known that you can turn off Motion Plus and go back to 60Hz-land. But why?

UPDATE: 8/7/2011: So you never got around to getting yourself a Samsung WiFi adapter for this TV but you think the cost of the Samsung WiFi adapter is outrageous? You ain't alone. Samsung's WiFi adapter is just a rebranded adapter with two specific WiFi chips in it: The Ralink RT2870 Ralink RT2820. It is now well know in the Samsung community that all you need to do is buy a WiFi adapter with those two chips in them and it will work at 1/4 the price. Here's a list of WiFi adapters that have the Ralink RT2870 Ralink RT2820 and should work just fine:

EnGenius EUB-9701 Ralink RT2870 Ralink RT2820

AboCom WU5200 Ralink RT2870 Ralink RT2820

Aceex NU22 Ralink RT2870 Ralink RT2820

Airlink AWLL6080 Ralink RT2870 Ralink RT2820

Airlink AWLL7025 Ralink RT2870 Ralink RT2850

Allnet ALL0233EXT Ralink RT2870 Ralink RT2820

Alpha Networks WUS-N02 Ralink RT2870 Ralink RT2820

Alpha Networks WUS-ND02 Ralink RT2870 Ralink RT2850

AmbiCom WL600N-USB Ralink RT2870 Ralink RT2850

Asus USB-N11 Ralink RT2870 Realtek RT2820

Asus WL-160N Ralink RT2870 Ralink RT2820

Belkin F5D8051 v3 Ralink RT2870 Ralink RT2820

Belkin F5D8053 v1 Ralink RT2870 Ralink RT2820

Belkin F5D8055 v1 Ralink RT2870 Ralink RT2820

Buffalo WLI-UC-AG300N Ralink RT2870 Ralink RT2850

Buffalo WLI-UC-G300HP Ralink RT2870 Ralink RT2820

Buffalo WLI-UC-G300N Ralink RT2870 Ralink RT2820

Buffalo WLP-UC-AG300 Ralink RT2870 Ralink RT2850

Cameo WLAN-1501 Ralink RT2870 Ralink RT2850

Cameo WLN-1502 Ralink RT2870 Ralink RT2820

CenDyne JR300N Ralink RT2870 Ralink RT2820

CNet CWD-905 Ralink RT2870 Ralink RT2820

Conceptronic C300RU v1 Ralink RT2870 Ralink RT2820

D-Link DWA-110 rev B Ralink RT2870 Ralink RT2820

D-Link DWA-140 rev B1 Ralink RT2870 Ralink RT2820

D-Link DWA-140 rev C1 Ralink RT2870 Ralink RT2820

D-Link DWA-160 rev B1 Ralink RT2870 Ralink RT2850

DrayTek Vigor N61 Ralink RT2870 Ralink RT2820

Edimax EW-7718Un Ralink RT2870 Ralink RT2820

Encore ENUWI-N Ralink RT2870 Ralink RT2820

EnGenius EUB-9701 EXT2 Ralink RT2870 Ralink RT2820

Gemtek WUBR-208N Ralink RT2870 Ralink RT2850

Gigabyte GN-WB30N-RH Ralink RT2870 Ralink RT2820

Hawking HWDN1 Ralink RT2870 Ralink RT2820

Hawking HWUN1 Ralink RT2870 Ralink RT2820

LevelOne WNC-0600USB v2 Ralink RT2870 Ralink RT2820

LG-Nortel UAP300N Ralink RT2870 Ralink RT2820

Linksys WUSB600N v1 Ralink RT2870 Ralink RT2850

Netronix W423B Ralink RT2870 Ralink RT2820

Newer Technology MXP802NU2C Ralink RT2870 Ralink RT2820

Planex GW-USMini2N Ralink RT2870 Ralink RT2820

PRO-NETS WU81RL Ralink RT2870 Ralink RT2820

Rokland RokN Ralink RT2870 Ralink RT2820

Rosewill RNX-N1 Ralink RT2870 Ralink RT2820

Rosewill RNX-N2X Ralink RT2870 Ralink RT2820

Samsung WIS09ABGN Ralink RT2870 Ralink RT2850

SIIG CN-WR0212-S1 Ralink RT2870 Ralink RT2850

Sitecom WL-329 Ralink RT2870 Ralink RT2850

SMC SMCWUSB-N Ralink RT2870 Ralink RT2820

SparkLAN WUBR-505N Ralink RT2870 Ralink RT2850

TRENDnet TEW-664UB Ralink RT2870 Ralink RT2850

U-MEDIA WUB-370L Ralink RT2870 Ralink RT2820

Unex DNUR-81 Ralink RT2870 Ralink RT2820

Z-Com XN-790 Ralink RT2870 Ralink RT2820

ZyXEL NWD210N Ralink RT2870 Ralink RT2820

ZyXEL NWD-211AN Ralink RT2870 Ralink RT2850 Samsung LN40B750 40-Inch 1080p 240 Hz LCD HDTV with Charcoal Grey Touch of Color - Samsung - 1080p - Samsung Lcd - 240hz'

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Dlp Projectors

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I just upgraded from my old Dell mp3200 (ultra-portable business projector) to this one. The obvious goal here was to move to 1080p projection and streamline to just HDMI cables between all components. The Pro8200 does do that. I've been impressed so far, though I haven't really tested it thoroughly. Some people have complained about being able to see the color wheel at work -- if I really make an effort, I can see it -- but I could also see it with my old Dell. This is a silly critique, but it does kind of bug me -- the ViewSonic logo (bird) on the splash screen does not appear to be a pixel-pixel image!!?? So, it looks fuzzy/out of focus on the screen, which seems really silly to me. Everytime I start it up, I feel like I have to focus it. So, I just pull up the MENU and it's clear as day, confirming my focus setting has not changed. The projector does put out good light. Seems to keep up fine with BluRay. Overall I'm happy with it, although I expected a bit more than I'm getting from my upscale DVDs -- the old Dell seemed to do a bit better with those. Not sure why that would be.

Worth it for $800, for sure (which is what I got mine for). Obviously cheaper is always better, but I was waiting until SOMETHING came out with a nice warranty and from a major seller than was priced under $1000, and finally it has happened -- after 7 years of waiting. ViewSonic PRO8200 1080p DLP Home Theatre Projector

After two months of use, I feel I did not make a good choice. Horizontal movements are not smooth at all. It hurts the eyes, especially when watching sports programs and action movies. After buying, I found that it is a 24 frames per second projector instead of a 60fps one. Eco mode must be set every time you turn the projector on. The good things of the Pro 8200 you read from the manufacturer are true and plenty to consider, but the extremely annoying horizontal juddering or shaking effect must also be considered.

We absolutely love this projector. We bought it for our home theater and my husband has it projecting onto a 102" screen in a 12' x 18' room. The picture is amazing and we could not be happier. My husband is a techy, so we a surround sound, Direct TV, PS3, iPod station, computer, etc. hooked up to this projector. My 3 and 4 year old love watching movies on the big screen with their daddy.'

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Western Digital - hard drive, storage

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Made better than some internal power cables for sata. Thick in the right places. I had some cheaper extensions break because it was thin and cracked after a few insert/pull situations while swapping parts during troubleshooting situations. Connectland CL-CAB40021 Molex to SATA Power Cable

I bought this molex to SATA power cable adapter to use in a Gateway PC when the power supply failed. I searched the web to find a replacement power supply but the sites I visited, including eBay, was asking anywhere from $47 with $10 S&H to $70 with $12 S&H. I pulled a power supply from an old Dell Optiplex tower. However, it has an IDE adapter so I search the Internet for a molex to SATA power cable and I found it here on Amazon for a mere $2.10. Needless to say, it worked like a charm and I saved nearly $50!

Got it, installed it, works fine. Only had one sata drive to use with it but works fine. I don't know if the other connector works cause I dont need it but the one I am using works great. Good product if you need some extra sata power connectors.

Very pleased with the quality of this adapter cable. Works flawlessly and the price is fantastic. Allowed me to power up my new Sata hardrive and DVD drive to my older Dell desktop. Don't hesitate this is a very good value.

Received the product in record time. Price was cheap. Product is 1st rate. Moved my WD 1TB USB external drive to become the DishNetwork's media drive (HD eats up space in a hurry) and choose to buy another internal drive for my computer. Now I have spare power plug for a future add-on.

Bought a couple of these to have as spares when working on client machines. Works well providing two extra serial power. Just to avoid a blonde moment ensure the motherboard you intend it for has enough serial ports or else the cable will be rendered useless. - Storage - Hard Drive - Internal Hard Drive - Western Digital'

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Bose Sounddock - speakers, ipod speakers

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Between my wife and myself we own a JBL On stage, an InMotion IM3 and this Bose SoundDock. They each have their advantages and purposes:

The Bose SoundDock has, by far, the best sound of all three: Absolutely beautiful, clear and rich, with powerful base. Note that it's too big to easily throw in your suitcase for a 2 week vacation, but is small enough to easily move between rooms. If you want great sound, are OK with generally leaving this home, and are OK with the price, this is the one to get. IMO the remote is just the best for these kinds of systems: It has an instant off button that will turn off your iPod backlight and screen while it continues to charge (this issue is a bit of a hassle on the other systems), as well as buttons for next/previous track (or scan within track) and volume control.

The InMotion IM3 is the only one I have which will play on batteries, is extremely portable and includes a decent remote. It's the most cost effective and portable of the three, and it has really decent sound.

The JBL On Stage is a nice compromise. The sound is quite noticeably better than the InMotion, most significantly in the low end. For a very small room, this unit is so good that you might not miss the Bose. It's small and light, so it's very portable, but unfortunately does NOT play on batteries, and has no remote. Note, we did have a problem with this unit as others have described (don't put your iPod in its cradle while the sound-stage is powered on.) It went bonkers, and the nice people at the apple store replaced it on the spot. No problems since. If you want this kind of portability and sound but feel you need a remote, you can buy the $50 navipod remote, which works with the on-stage for switching tracks. (It works with volume too but not if you put your ipod in the dock cradle, instead you'd need to use the on-stage's separate audio cable.)

I think one could be happy with any of these, depending on their usage and need for portability.

Pete Bose SoundDock digital music system for iPod (White)

I did my own field review of all Apple iPod speakers (inMotions, JBL, etc)

Sound quality wise, the Bose clearly outperformed all other speakers

However, this unit is pretty big, so for portability, I wouldn't recommend it, in comparison to many others

However, if you're looking for a stereo replacement, then look no further - this unit will provide you with sound that rivals most stereos

The price is pretty high, but if you're big on music, then its well worth it

Despite user complaints, I have found the remote to work pretty well

And yes - iPod Minis work great in this thing

Before I write anything here, I'd like to say that I believe people should buy what they want, especially when it comes to sound systems. I've worked in a music store for over five years. What people do or do not hear musically varies widely from person to person.

I have to say my experience with the Bose SoundDock was not good. After about two weeks of owning mine, the speaker was rattling and the bass was (literally) nauseating even at low volume. I was told by a rep that it was broken and the frequencies were obviously out of whack. They promptly shipped me a new one.

Strangely, the imaging was actually better on the first one, the one that was broken. The bass was still overpowering, and changing the EQ settings on my iPod did nothing but make the overall sound quality worse. My Peggy Lee album sounded like it was recorded in the early '30's. I tried a Delius piece that's almost entirely for string orchestra -- all midrange frequencies. I heard static over the strings. I tried a flute piece. The highest notes actually broke up. A U2 remix from four years ago sounded one-dimensional.

To make a long story short, after spending an hour talking to Bose and Apple, Apple kindly gave me my money back. (Bose refused.) I was told by both that the problem was my iPod Photo. I have a hard time believing that. I know of people who have used their iPod Photo with the SoundDock and have not had problems, and there are published articles with quotes from Bose reps saying the iPod Photo will still work without the still-awaited new plastic adapter. Draw your own conclusions with that information.

After all that, I bought a new Sharp shelf system to replace my dying Aiwa (The loss of a stereo had been my motivation for buying the iPod). I bought that backup stereo *and* a pair of HK II Soundsticks for *less* than what I paid for the Bose. The sound quality of both betters the SoundDock, especially the HK's.

If you're a parent looking for speakers for your teenager's IPod, I genuinely recommend investing in the HK's. There is no reason to spend $300 on the Bose SoundDock when there are better speakers for half the price, unless you fall for the convenience factor and the design, which I did. So much for that.

Or if you've got line-out jacks, just buy an RCA Y-plug and hook up your iPod to an existing stereo. You'll be spending only $3.00 as opposed to $300.00. - Ipod - Ipod Speakers - Bose - Speakers'

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Jim Broadbent - drama, jim broadbent

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Based on an autobiographical memoir by Blake Morrison WHEN DID YOU LAST SEE YOUR FATHER? is a finely wrought exploration into the delicate issues that both separate and bind fathers and sons. It is difficult for viewers whose fathers are gone not to relate to the profound tenderness and at times difficult reminiscences of their own relationships that remain as both warm and haunting dreams. David Nicholls' adaptation of Morrison's book stresses the character development of both father and son (and the rest of this British family) allowing us to understand the dilemma that faces the main character as he is asked the question that forms the title of this film.

Blake Morrison (Colin Firth) is happily married to Kathy (Gina McKee) and is a successful writer/poet who is preparing to receive an award for his contributions to literature. Present at his ceremony is his father Dr. Arthur Morrison (Jim Broadbent) who is a unique egomaniac whose personality traits affect everyone around him - both positively and negatively. After Blake's acceptance speech his father cannot even manage to say 'well done', instead furthers his comments about Blake's silly decision not to go into medicine and strive instead for the poor life of a writer. A medical emergency tosses Arthur into the hospital, he is diagnosed with terminal cancer: the remainder of the film is a series of vignettes of Blake at his father's bedside accompanied by his mother Kim (Juliet Stephenson) coupled with flashbacks to Blake's childhood (Matthew Beard plays Blake as a teenager) memories that contain moments of confusing father/son incidents as well as Blake's long standing loathing of his fathers affairs with other women such as 'Aunt Beaty' (Sarah Lancashire) and others. As Arthur falls more deeply toward dying, Blake attempts to confront his father with his lifelong perceptions and grievances and the manner in which Blake comes to grips with his feelings for his father completes this film.

Director Anand Tucker orchestrates this story beautifully, blending the gorgeous English countryside with just the right timing between momentary flashbacks and flash forwards to make this film flow and glow with nostalgia. The musical score by Barrington Pheloung wisely incorporates a lovely rendition of Bellini's 'Casta diva' from 'Norma', Bach's G Minor Piano Concerto, and a Schubert trio, which add a timeless dimension to the mood of the film. Jim Broadbent brings off this challenging role with great artistry, as does Colin Firth with his role as Blake. But then the entire cast is well selected from some of England's finest actors. This is an emotional film, a film that will touch men especially, but will also bring resonance with women. Grady Harp, November 08 When Did You Last See Your Father?

Based on a true story from Blake Morrison's autobiographical account of his relationship with his father, When Did You Last See Your Father? becomes a near-tear jerker in the final act. It's a gorgeously shot film that never calls itself out, as the film is subdued and restrained in its approach. Even with rain and mist, the English country sides have never looked prettier.

Colin Firth and Jim Broadbent are superb as the film's anchors. Broadbent's playfulness as the father is offset by Firth's turn as the son, who is introvert and a bit stuffy. The film balances scenes with them, with scenes of Blake as a by growing up. Blake's misunderstanding of his father is played out in a kaleidoscope of memories.

I like the film a lot; with the way it handles how the son never fully understands his father. Through his eyes, he is bold and silly, forcing him into situations he'd rather not be in, like camping or embarrassing him when he's with a girl. The film feels too much like a series of scenes that are only strung together by the appearance of Blake and his father. It isn't until the middle section when it starts to come together in a sad but intelligent way.

His father is quickly dying from cancer and seeing him weak and immobile, Blake asks if he can have one good talk with him soon. He agrees. Will Blake ever have it and settle the issues he has with his father? The film tackles haunting subjects and re-examines the film's title in an interesting way. When was the last time Blake (or us) really seen our father? Was it at the funeral or his sick bed? These questions are answered and are quite emotionally charged.

Even memories are examined again as the director uses some interesting angles captured within mirrors, crafting subtle ways in which to view things from different points of view. When Did You Last See Your Father? is a gripping, soft, subdued film, worthy of your time if you are looking for a well-made drama that isn't afraid of exposing truths within its characters or even perhaps within yourself.

Read more at www.killerfilm.com

Having recently lost my father, I hoped that this film would help me to look into our relationship, to grieve, to let my feelings come to the fore in private, for myself beyond the (very helpful) rituals we have of letting go. Although the film relationship was of course very different from the one I had with my father, it brilliantly addresses the universal issues between fathers and sons: there are so many memories - of fun, perceived slights, love, and anger - that swirl in the mind for the rest of the son's life. The son, Blake, has questions he wants to resolve, yet they can't really talk about them, even as his father lies on his deathbed. Blake struggles with disappointment in his charming and manipulative father, whose flaws and strengths, whose caring and occasional carelessness, remain present in his imagination every single day, with the specificity of recall you would expect of a poet. It is so primal in love, so raw in striving and competition, as the son takes his own path and the father is left behind yet still living within him.

The father's last days are also portrayed with painful intimacy. Unless one has experienced it, it is hard to comprehend what it is like to watch a parent slip away as the body fails, yet this film portrays it with realism and empathy, with fabulously nuanced acting.

You see the father as a great spirit, as a selfish jerk, as a charmer of "other" women, as a joker indulgent of his son's desires, as the only person who can give certain things, as full of his own needs yet caring. It is funny, sad, enraging, and loving all at the same time. These emotions washed over me as I watched this film, truly a cathartic experience that reduced me at times to tears.

This is a mature film, a masterpiece that approaches the complexity of life. Blake too is a flawed character, though his life is more or less on track. THe film ends with a wonderfully ambiguous optimism, summing up the exasperation and love all at the same moment. The mother is also subtly present, though not at the center of the story. In my view, the balance was right.

Warmly recommended. But do not expect a comedy - it is painful and uplifting realism at its best. - Drama - Fatherhood - Sons - Jim Broadbent'

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