Portable Media Player - fire, ebook reader

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--Sir Humphrey. The Yes, Minister episodes continue with Jim Hacker moving to #10 Downing Street, bringing along private secretary Bernard and, of course, reuniting with the newly promoted Sir Humphrey (whose sentences seem to get longer with each episode). The audio level is better on this set than on the previous one. The cover artwork is not as clean (there are scan lines through the images), but the back cover is very nice with new photos of the three main characters (no photos on the inside as there were in the previous 4-CD set). The 17 brilliant episodes begin with the 1984 1-hour Christmas special that illustrated the chain events elevating Hacker to #10. The special features include the Sir Humphrey's lengthy review of the Yes Minister Diaries, "Christmas at the Ministry" clip, a 1986 Paul Eddington interview, Jonathan Lynn interview, and profiles on the main actors as well as others. A touching biography of Paul Eddington (Nigel Hawthorne was featured in the first set) in also included. The bio includes scenes from 1950s Dixon of Dock Green, Adventures of Robin Hood, and many scenes from The Good Life and some insight on what Margaret Thatcher thought of Prime Minister Hacker. Eddington's wife, Felicity Kendal, Hawthorne, and Derek Fowlds are among those interviewed. It also includes very sad clips of one of Eddington's last interviews when he was suffering through the last stages of the skin cancer that took his life. He handled his illness with much courage and the interviews with his friends and family reveals how fondly he is remembered and how many lives he touched. This set is a must-have for Yes, Minister fans. I have yet to search for the "Easter Egg" the box promises, so happy hunting. Yes, Prime Minister Season 2

After watching all the Jeremy Brett "Sherlock Holmes" series, Ian Richardson in the "House of Cards," and now Nigel Hawthorne in "Yes, Prime Minister, I can truly say it will be difficult for an American not to become a (British) flag waving Anglophile.



The pure pleasure of this satirical comedy is not something that can be found on American TV. I enjoyed hearing the beauty of the English language the way it should be spoken.



This program will not be for all audiences, however, if one appreciates a sharp wit, clever irony, and a hilarious display of political chicanery, this DVD collection is a treasure.

The majority of people are falling over themselves to watch brainless, charmless and incredibly annoying AMERICAN comedy like Friends and Will and Grace. I've just watched the entire second series and half of the first of Yes, Prime Minister. This is a satirical, well-observed 80's comedy about the political machinations and workings of the British Parliment and the relationships between Minister's and civil servants. Nigel Hawthorne, Paul Eddington and Derek Fowlds are all superb in this. Great acting, script, and message that puts most comedy to shame and doesn't patronize the viewer or insult their intelligence. Highly reccomended

Absolutely wonderful. I dont think a political satire of this quality and wit has ever or would ever be produced for American television. In response to an earlier review, the "Yes, Prime Minister" and "Yes, Minister" series are not for democrats or Washingtonians alone. Anyone interested in political satire will appreciate and cherish these dvd's. The central theme fueling this wonderfuly written and performed series is the never ending conflict between the permanent unelected Civil Service(big government if you will)who administer policy and the elected, yet oh so temporary politicians(self serving populists if you will) who make the policy. There are valid and hilarious skewerings of all sides, all beliefs and all conceits. This is equal opportunity satire and well worth the rather high cost. Rather educational as well. A great way to learn about the basic workings of British democratic government. Many of the bits of humour and wisdom are as relevant here in the good old USA as they are over there.

"Yes, Prime Minister" is a wonderfully witty & devastatingly funny show, but I won't waste your time with a synopsis of the series - it is a delight & many reviewers have skillfully done so already. However, since no one else seems to have found it & I can't find it at imdb or moviemistakes or any other half-way competent sites revealing how the easter egg is to be accessed & what it contains, I feel it incumbent on me to do so here.



Go to the "special features" menu on disc 3 & move your mouse (if you're watching this on a computer) over to the line dividing the article on the left & the features menu on the right. Just to the left of the last item, "Trailers", a crudely drawn blue present will appear. Click on that & you will be given a clip from the "Christmas Morning with Noel" broadcast from 1987. It is of P.M. Jim Hacker bungling a holiday message to the viewers. Quite classic!

At almost 20 years old now, this award winning series still represents the finer aspects of great British comedy. Set in the 80's in which it was made, it satirically mirrors the politics of the era with a wry and subtle genius that is a joy to behold. All that said, a little familiarity with British politics, or the British culture in general helps tremendously. I am not surprised at the success of this series here in the States, but the uninitiated viewer may be being sold a little short on the finer aspects of the characters, and the dry humor. Jim Hacker (Paul Eddington) is the central character (following on from the Yes Minister series) thrust almost unwittingly into the limelight of the Prime Ministerial race, and sets about running the country with the same graceful ineptitude he applied to his previous ministerial post in the deparment of administrative affairs. Nigel Hawthorne is masterful as "Sir Humphrey" his "advisor" and head of the civil service who has his own agenda throughout, and plays all sides against the middle with varying levels of success. The final main Character is Hackers private secretary Bernard (Derek Fowlds) who often naively walks a middle line between helping the PM, but always being aware of his own allegiances to Humphrey (being a civil servant himself). This set begins with Hackers rise to power, and then contains all the subsequent episodes where the three characters play out some hilarious, and often thought provokingly satirical situations in a balanced and polished collection. Being a topically based political comedy obviously has its pitfalls, and those too young to remember the "Thatcher" years of British government, soviet spies, and the peaks and troughs of the economy during the 80's may view this a somewhat bland. I'm not suggesting for one minute that ANY viewer would not find great comedy in watching this collection, but it has to be said that it will almost certainly appeal to a narrower audience ultimately. Lots of extra's on the DVD collection and BBC video are to be congratulated on the excellent picture and sound quality of the presentation. Maybe not a "timeless" comedy, but a brilliant one none the less. Enjoy! - Amazon Kindle Fire - Android - Fire - Ebook Reader'

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Watercraft - advanced elements, inflatable kayak

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This is my third AE kayak (have the AdvancedFrame 10.5 solo & StraitEdge2 tandem) and after a 1 hour paddle, will probably be my favorite. The workmanship and high quality materials are top notch. I'm a decent sized guy at 6-2/215 and it fits very well. This kayak will work great for someone up to 6-6 or so due to it's large capacity and plenty of legroom. Tracking: very good.Stability: excellent. Speed: very good. Has a huge weight capacity of 450lbs so you can load it up with camping gear. Advanced Elements has some of the best kayaks in the market...regardless of price, and excellent customer service who will answer your questions immediately. Advanced Elements Advanced Frame Expedition Inflatable Kayak

I've done a lot of small boating like canoes and rowboats, but never kayaking before. I received my kayak yesterday and stared it all day until the air pump arrived today. Just for practice, I inflated it on my deck. Once I figured out how the spring valves and the twist valves work, I didn't have any problem. Be aware that not all pumps have the proper adapters for spring valves, especially those made by Sevlor and some other companies, so I would recommend only Advanced Elements pumps for this boat. Although the kayak is advertised to have 9 air bladders, only three of them are critical...the first and second side bladders, and the floor bladder. The first side bladder valve is outside the kayak and very obvious, however, the second valve is inside the kayak and I couldn't find it until I inflated the first bladder. These three critical bladders are the only ones that require any significant inflation effort, although that wasn't really much at all. I am 62 years old with lower back problems, and didn't have any trouble doing it. The other 6 non-critical bladders each require less than one stroke of the Advanced Elements pump to get to 1 psi. I found that the twist valves are tricky because starting to pump air into them tends to make them close unexpectantly and causes the pump to resist. I found that opening the twist valves only slightly, rather than full open, prevents this problem.

The only problem I had in deflating the kayak was in not being able to count to nine. Once I learned that, the kayak folded up neatly and fit into the canvas bag.

Tomorrow or soon after, depending on weather I'm going to take the kayak out for a spin on the Potomac

Like I promised, I took the kayak out on the Potomac River for a little over an hour today in 91 degree heat. Where I went, the Potomac is about a mile wide and very smooth. The kayak tracks very well and makes great speed. I tried to find some sports boats with big wakes, but there wern't any today. I guess the only problem I had was preparing the kayak in the heat. I had some trouble with the twist valves which caused me to spend a lot of time in the hot sun sweating bullets. I think that 6 of the 9 bladders could be inflated by mouth easier than by using a pump because the pump requires less than one stroke before the pressures reaches 1 psi. My 110 lb wife also tried it out and didn't have any trouble but says she wants to order the shorter version. So far, I'm really glad I got this product and can't wait to take it on a more turbulent river with rapids.

I took my kayak out on the Potomac today for three hours in 93+ degrees heat. The worst part was setting it up and packing it in the heat. Out on the water, it was wonderful. Several people at the marina asked my why I would want an inflatable when rigid kayaks are much less trouble. I just told them that when I travel by car, I don't want to have a boat on the roof of my car. It doesn't always make a great impression with business clients.

My wife got her 10.5 foot kayak today and we set it up on our porch. What a difference in weight! The actual differance may not look like much, but the smaller one sure feels a lot lighter when you carry it. However, I noted that the smaller kayak does not have anywhere near the internal storage room that the Expedition has.

Also, I've established a method of getting the kayaks back into the bag which works well for me. First, fold the kayak normally and place it so that part to go in the bottom of the bag is up. Then pull the bag down over the kayak as far as you can. Then flip the bag and kayak over and pull the cover up to its maximum extent. Then here's the real secret...put the bag on its side and kneel on it. You will find that the zipper closes fairly easily.

So far I've only done still-water kayaking (not counting boat wakes). I plan to take my Expedition on a river trip with class 1 to 3 rapids in the near future. I've done class 1 to 4 in rafts, so it should be interesting to see how it works in a kayak.

Since the above, I've been on the Potomac several times in various locations in this kayak...but not whitewater yet. Since the top fabric is definitely not waterproof, I suggest using a heavy application of Scotch Guard on it...that worked for me. However even the Scotch Guard will not prevent water from coming through the zippers. I encountered some rough water last week which broke over the bow quite frequently. No water came through the Scotch Guarded fabric, but I had a waterproof pack fastened in the front bungee area which created a depression. Obviously, the water tended to pool there and came right through the zipper onto my legs. It was not a big problem, but it was cold and uncomfortable. In spite of the 18-inch waves and 2-foot swells, I never had any feeling that the kayak might flip over, even when I was sideways to the waves.

I've also done some rigid kayaking recently and one big difference I've noticed is that my inflatable kayak has a much narrower cockpit because of the air bladders on either side. So if you've got a wide bottom, or simply like to twist around in the cockpit to access the rear storage area, you may want to stick to rigid kayaks. - Boat - Inflatable Kayak - Kayaks - Advanced Elements'

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Exercise Program - strength training, aging

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At 67 I had developed upper back pain associated with spinal arthritis. Upon the advice of a reviewer, I ordered the book, bought some free weights, and immediately began training to strengthen the muscles that support my spinal column. After a month of carefully following the recommended workout schedule, I found myself completely pain free. Although the results are proof of the pudding, I was particularly impressed with the authors' emphasis on safety and their guidance on how to find your point of beginning and to progress without injury.The photos and descriptions of individual exercises were essential in making sure that the exercises were done correctly and to the greatest benefit.In my opinion the price of the book is a gift compared to the feeling of well being derived from carefully following the given plan, which, by the way, is adaptable to each individual's capabilities and needs. Strength Training Past 50 - 2nd Edition (Ageless Athlete Series)

"Strength Training Past 50" provides the information you need to get started with a strength training program, including -* Reasons why you should strength train (this section is a great motivator).* What equipment to buy (if you're doing it a home).* Which exercises to perform. (This is the largest section. It has a two-page spread format: on the left, instructions for performing the exercises, on the right, photos of ordinary-looking people doing the exercises. It includes techniques using both free weights and machines.)* Building an effective program. (This section answered one of my questions: how to determine when to increase weights and how to do it.)You can read this book in one sitting. (I skipped the "eating for strength" chapter.)The photos show people using fancy Nautilus machines, which are a far cry from the equipment I use at my down-at-the-heels gym. Unless you have access to the machines pictured, you'll probabl! y need someone at your gym to show you comparable equipment and exercises to do.All in all a good reference book for strength training. I recommend it. (I'm 62.)

Strength Training Past 50 is a very good book and anyone past 50 who has an interest in fitness or has been directed by a physician to lose weight should read the book. The program in the book must be carefully followed, particularly the weight and repitition recommendations. This program was designed for a very broad age range and a broad range of physical fitness levels typically found in adults past 50. It's strength is that it is an excellent introduction to resistance training for those who have not lifted or have not lifted for a significant period of time. If you are 50 or older, male or female, and not an experienced lifter, you may expect to lose weight, gain muscle mass, energy, and a positive self image by following the program in this book.

Pros:



A very good intro for boomers who have never done strength training and want to get into it. A lot of other strength training books target an audience who are potential Incredible Hulk wannabees. Excellent recommendations for weight selection, exercise frequency, repetitions, etc. based on scientific studies. Also good training programs targeted for those in the 50+ crowd. But you must keep in mind that the range 50-90 is a very broad range.



Cons:



The discussion on equipment options is very light. I would say it is inadequate. The worst part of the book is the organization of the exercises. They are grouped by the area of muscle exercised - such as Upper Body. Within this group various exercises for machine, barbell, and dumbell are mixed in together. If you are using only dumbells, then when following the recommended training sequence of exercises, you are flipping all over the book skipping past the irrelevant exercises. And, no, the exercises are not indexed. I think a further organization of exercise by equipment (or at least a table or index) would have been helpful.



Overall, though, the book is a big help for someone like me (fifties) just getting into strength training. A couple of more good books covering equipment and a wider range of exercises, and you're all set.

I'm ordering a second copy of this book for my brother. I've shared my first copy with a number of friends. The introduction -- which outlines the value of weight training at any age -- is worth the modest price. I've followed the book for a year since I bought the book, and have seen steady gradual progress in weight reduction and increased strength. Not a quick-fix approach, but instead a well-written plan to incorporate weight training into daily life, for both men and women. Geared towards newcomers, but also has information that will those with prior exercise experience. It stresses safety and gradual improvement.

As someone who is both older and an experienced weightlifter I can tell you that there were many errors in this book. For one thing it did not warn the reader against the leg extensions if he or she has bad knees. They can blow your knees in a heartbeat.



It also gave odd weight recommendations. In one area it gave a starting weight of 60lbs. There are few older people who can or should lift 60lb, at least to begin with. But in other areas of the book it used such recommendations as 10lbs, more reasonable but too high for many fragil oldsters.



The nutrition area was not current either. But it wasn't bad.



Some of the studies it quotes are good and motivational. But you can read those elsewhere. They simply give the many benefits of weightlifting for all people --- especially older people. And that's a good thing.



I would recommend a book like Strength Training Anatomy or a book by Dave Draper or Clarence Bass, both oldsters and great bodybuilders. Beyond that, each person should adjust each exercise to his own limitations and health conditions and not follow any set guidelines. If it hurts, don't do it. There are hundreds of wonderful, powerful exercises you can do that won't hurt you. And you'll build all the muscle and lose all the fat you want.



And by the way, there is a wonderful ebook called "Lose the Fat Feed the Muscle" that I recommend to all ages. It's written by bodybuilder Tom Venuto and is about the best book on this subject I've read in a long time.



Save your money on this book and buy one that will help you. But whatever you do --- DO LIFT WEIGHTS! It will make you a new person at any age. - Fitness - Strength Training - For The Aging - Aging'

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Notebook Computer Stands

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This is a great inexpensive solution for a laptop stand. It is very sturdy with the mesh type bottom allowing good circulation and heat dissipation. The stand adjusts to several different angles, although the lowest one seems most useful. The only real negative I see is that if you use an Apple notebook, one of the front supports is directly in line with the CD/DVD insert slot. You have to move the notebook for disc insertion or ejection. Rolodex Laptop Stand (82410)

Adjustable, very sturdy and gives the laptop good ventilation. Can't beat it for the price. The cord keeper on the back makes it so that the power cord/usb hub cords don't fall off the back. Awesome.

Even though I run multi-monitor, having my laptop on this stand at the full 35 degree extension is BRILLIANT. Talk about an eye-saver... I'm also able to sit in my chair a bit more "properly."



I also appreciate Rolodex's inclusion of the rubber cable-organizer that makes hooking up my laptop every morning so much more convenient; I have 8 cables that I've got to plug in before powering up and this was a great addition.

This is a pretty nice stand as far as laptop stands go. It has a sturdy metal mesh design that allows plenty of airflow and has enough structural integrity to hold a laptop of any size (including my giant, 12lb Dell XPS Gen 1). You can also adjust it to a pretty wide range of angles. As others have stated, the cord organizer is a nice bonus.



Be aware that this is *only* a stand, and does not include a USB hub. There is a spot in the base of the stand where you can install a Rolodex USB hub module, but that is sold separately.



For $25, this would be a five-star steal if it was a stand/USB hub combo. Without the hub, it's basically a fairly cheap, decent stand that doesn't really stand out from the crowd.

This is a STURDY metal laptop stand. The mesh provides excellent cooling capabilities. As described, it has several settings and adjusts from 12 to 36 degrees. I was slightly concerned about it being made of metal, but found that there are four pads on the underside of it to prevent scratches to your desktop. There are two similar pads on the top, which provides a soft bumper for your laptop. However I purchased some clear self-adhesive silicone "polybumpers" to provide a little more protection (http://www.polybumper.com/products/). I have a 17" MacBook Pro and it fits nicely on this stand. The stand sits firmly on the desk unless you want to move it, and the laptop fits snugly in the stand.



This is not a "lap" stand in my opinion. I use a "Lapinator" for when I want to use my laptop on the couch.

This is an excellent laptop stand. I got the same one at wal-mart only it was branded by rubbermaid office solutions. In all other aspects, physical, cosmetic and functional it is identical. It even comes with rolodex branded instructions. So if you see this at wal-mart, it is indeed the same product. It also takes the same usb or power adapter accessories that fit into the back of the stand. I paid a bit less at wal-mart for it.



The build quality of the stand is fantastic. It is extremely sturdy. It's made of thick metal with mesh where the laptop sits for better ventilation. The bar that elevates the laptop platform is very thick gauge and will not distort easily. When elevating the laptop platform, the support bar fits very tightly into notches on the bottom of the platform. There are 5 positions including the flat position, which I find the best for general use. It puts the laptop at a perfect angle for typing and viewing of the screen without killing your back.



On the bottom are 4 dense foam rubber pads. These protect your desktop (or in my case, my coffee table) from scratches that would otherwise occur. There are two thick metal tabs on the front of the stand that hold the laptop in place and prevent it from sliding off the stand. These also have the foam rubber pads. Those, combined with most laptops' rubber feet of their own, make for a very stable, solid work surface. Note that the two tabs are on the far left and right sides of the stand so some laptops, like HP Pavilions, that have their microphone and headphone ports on one of the far edges will have their ports blocked. So make sure you either have a laptop with side or middle-front ports (like my Dell Inspiron 1525), or that you don't use those ports and it doesn't matter to you that they'll be blocked.



On the back is a rubber cord organizer that works well. Next to it is a placeholder for rubbermaid/rolodex's usb or power adapter accessories.



That about does it. I looked at a lot of laptop stands including some very expensive ones and decided on this after handling one in the store. The price was right ($16), the build quality was there and it had excellent cooling properties. That made it a no-brainer for me.

I was looking for a good laptop stand for my mom, because her computer overheated once and she uses rolls of quarters to keep it up. I saw this one and it had pretty great reviews so i sprung for it. She loved it! She has bought 4 more for all of her friends' children that have laptops! Although this product was supposed to include a USB outlet or something, I didn't have a problem with it not being there. It holds up her Toshiba Laptop nicely and it doesn't have a problem overheating anymore! And it also is a great angle to type; my wrists don't hurt anymore. Thank a lot!



The worst part is that this item is only $24.99 and you would need $25.00 to qualify for free shipping. So I felt that it really sucked that I had to pick something else [to buy] just so I could get free shipping which I would've qualified for if the price was just 1 penny more. I could've paid for shipping (probably $5.95) but if i could get another item for that $5.95, why not?



But all in all, the product itself is great!'

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Swimming Masks - goggles, swimming goggles

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what i like:

good seal that fits more like a face mask works better for little faces. easy to adjust so that you can loosen and put on over the eyes gently then tighten once in position on the face. my six year old can tighten his own.



We have been swiming every day for a month. we swam with these goggles for the last two days and their swimming has taken off! they are much more adventurous and independent, jumping in and paddling off on their own (they have a float vest on still.) these goggles are so pricey so i'm hoping we will be able to enjoy them for several seasons with care. i found mine at sports authority on sale.



fogging up is an issue eventually. i'm wondering if there is a goggle safe antifog treatment...



leaking is not an issue if the mask is pressed firmly onto the face and the straps are tightened once the mask is in place. eventually the straps slip down the back of the head and have to be readjusted (like after about 20 jumps into the pool)- unless there is a pony tail holding the straps up!

update: well they did not last all through the 2010 season as I had hoped so durability was an issue after 1 1/2 summers. The seal became warped on both pair so they are unusable now unless I can think of a craft project. Aqua Sphere KIDS Seal 2 Pack Swim Goggles - Clear Lens w/ Blue & Pink Frames

My kids love these. A much better made alternative to traditional goggles. Adjusting these tighter is done with a simple pull of the straps, and loosening the straps is done with just a push of the button. Couldn't be easier to adjust. And for those who care about country of origin, they're made in Italy.

Absolutely the best goggles I've found for my kids, ages 6 and 9. They don't fog up easily. They fit well and it's easy to adjust them. They don't press hard on a kid's nose (the way smaller goggles do), they offer a wide field of view and best of all, since my kids can see underwater they've become much more interested in swimming, diving and water play.

We bought those goggles for our 6 years old. She was scared to put her head underwater and didnt like to have water in her eyes until we bought those, they are great. Since day 1, the day she got the goggles she has her head underwater, she loves them. They are great for swimming classes. We bought this 2 pak for our nephews, 4 and 5 years old. After less than 30 minutes watching their cousin going under they went under for the first time, thanks again to the goggles. We really recommend those goggles, there is a little skirt inside the goggles that keeps water out of their eyes. If you get them get an anti-fog spray, they get foggy.

We received a set of these as a gift last year and are now giving them as gifts. The kids find them comfortable and the straps are easy to adjust (even while the kids are wearing them). When new they form a tight waterproof seal so the kids aren't constantly taking them on and off and asking you to adjust them. For some reason a pair we had last year lost it's shape around the seal over the winter and now doesn't seal as well, but we'll be purchasing a replacement pair.

I was looking for swim goggles for my kids. I have no experience with swim goggles. I chose these because they looked durable, and almost mask-like without the bulk of swim masks. Turns out, they are excellent. They fit well, and are incredibly easy to loosen or tighten - great for kids!!! I also liked the 2-pack since I have an 8 year old boy & 6 year old girl. Highly recommend them.

These were recommended to me by my children's swim teacher. She has been teaching swimming lessons for 12+ years, and has found that these are really the best for kids. I would have to agree! They work great on my 4 year old and 2 year old. The lenses are really large, which I think is great. They fit well. They are all one piece vs. the nose bridge piece. But by far, my favorite feature is the extreme ease with which they can be adjusted. Very easy to loosen them and tighten them. No yanking and pulling on the rubber trying to get it to slide. However it's designed allows the straps to click through very smoothly and easily. I love them and highly recommend them! Definitely worth the cost.

These goggles are perfect for my 3 year old. She's been wearing them to snorkel in the ocean lately and absolutley loves it! She won't wear sunglasses, so this is the perfect way to protect her eyes while at the pool or beach. The goggles can be adjusted to fit any young face and rarely leak.



Word of caution, though: read the care instructions before using. I made the mistake of trying to wipe out the fog from the inner lens with my finger and scratched them with my fingernails very easily. Good thing I bought the two pack.

These are wonderful for small children to adjust themselves. Several goggles I've looked at were very hard for even me adjust so when I bought these it was great! The kids can see better in them as well. - Aqua Sphere - Goggles - Lap Swimming - Swimming Goggles'

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240hz Refresh Rate - led backlight, vizio

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We have had this TV for three weeks. It replaces a Vizio 50" Plasma purchased 4 years ago that died.

- Picture quality is outstanding. Very dark black with no visible back-lighting. NFL games and fast-action video work great. Side-angle viewing is good with this TV.

- Tons of inputs.

- Vizio Support answers the phone promptly. They're helpful and courteous.

- Excellent matte screen surface with little to no glare from lamps, windows, and doors. Because of the matte finish, we opted to move our TV location perpendicular to a an 8ft sliding glass door out to the pool. We have had no problems with light or glare degrading picture quality. In contrast, this door would have caused extreme glare on the slick surface of the plasma, while also washing out the picture.

- Internet Aps are handy. Neflix is the one we use primarily. Because the TV is now the sound source, an Optical Cable is needed for connection to the Receiver. Once setup, sound and picture quality are outstanding. Getting to a list of movies with the VIA button on the remote takes only a couple of clicks. The NetFlix ap works so well, we barely use our media computer hooked up to the system.

- Remote Control and TV Setup menus on the unit are intuitive, easy to use, and graphically well done. The TV picture quality was great for us out of the box, requiring no adjustments. Remote control setup via the on-screen configuration automatically tries codes and only requires the user to click "worked" / "didn't work" in order to cycle through and find the right code. Best remote setup I've ever seen.

- Remote Control itself is nearly perfect. Well-spaced buttons that are easy to read and arranged logically and in similar locations to other DVR's. Physical size is ideal, Not too long like many remotes. Keyboard flip out is a fantastic addition.

- TV mounts to a wall without any problems. (We used the Vizio XMA 1200--worst user manual I've ever encountered) The unit is surprisingly light, given the TV's size. Still best to have two people when hanging the unit on the wall.

- Because our previous Vizio died after only 4 years, we bought a 4-year Square Trade warranty from Amazon (STAY AWAY FROM ALL WARRANTIES BY THE COMPANY "NEW"). Our Sams Club warranty was through NEW. A month of being hassled resulted in our TV being picked up and taken to a local shop. After another 10 days NEW gave us an undetermined ETA on Parts for the repair. We called SAMS CLUB and explained our warranty nightmare. Sams Club Manager told me to bring in the TV. NEW Refused to give the TV back. I found a phone number to the shop they contracted out and was able to get a address, then go pickup the TV myself. Sams Club gave us a full-refund! Avoid NEW (read reviews here on Amazon of New Warranties). Vizio also offers a similarly priced warranty extension. There is paperwork in the box for purchasing this product from Vizio.

- We're very happy with the TV.



Update 3/16/2011

We've had this TV now for approximately 6 months and are still happy with it. However, one complaint: I notice on very black screens where there is a an object that is brightly colored, you will see haloing. For example, credits on a movie where the screen is black and the text is white will show haloing around the text. Another example, the moon against a black background will have haloing. Seems to be a panel lighting issue. This issue can detract from your viewing experience in these high contrast scenarios. VIZIO XVT553SV 55-Inch Class Full Array TruLED with Smart Dimming LCD HDTV 240 Hz SPS with VIZIO Internet Apps

This TV is amazing. The only thing more incredible is the bargain. I have been shopping flat screens for about a year now. I almost pulled the trigger on a Samsung C8000 until I came across this TV. You get everything Samsung has to offer minus the 3D which, for me, is still too new to invest in. This model boasts a 10,000,000 to 1 Dynamic Contrast ratio compared to Samsung's 8,000,0000. Blu-Ray (Sony BDP-570) looks and sounds spectacular. DirecTV HD shines as well. The set-up was a breeze. The only problem I encountered was the actual wait-time to get this thing. It took about three weeks since it was on pre-sell. However, once it was released, the shipper contacted me and I had this thing in my house three days later. If you want a TV packed full of features that you can actually enjoy but don't want to drop $3,000....this is your set. Pair this thing up with a decent home theater (I have the Sony HTSS370-It blows us out of the living room.) and you will truly be able to enjoy movie night at the house! I can't wait for College/NFL football to crank up! Vizio has stepped it up big time with the new XVT series!!!

First of all my review is solely for the TV itself, and not Amazon, since we purchased this TV at Wal Mart.



- Start up and Set up -



With so many features offered I thought this TV might be overwhelming to set up out of the box - it ISN'T. It walks you through step-by-step on things such as synching up the remote with your cable/satellite box, receiver, setting up the network to use the "WIDGETS" (or apps), etc. I was up and running literally within 10 minutes.



- Picture Quality -



The picture qualioty is AMAZING. I Googled "XVT553SV picture settings" and used the settings found on a CNET discussion board [...], but added my own tweaks such as I turn the back light up some, and for my XBOX 360 input I turn color enhancement on "normal." The colors are very rich, the black levels are AMAZING so long as you've got the Smart Dimming turned on, and there is little, if any, "blocking" or pixelation when there is fast moving scenes like waterfalls, or explosions on movies.



- "Smart Dimming" local dimming -



While the picture is certainly great, it has some flaws. There is some "blooming" or whitish halos around white objects that are against black backgrounds. I only see this on slow, or fixed screens such as when changing inputs and there is an all black screen with a "No Input Selected" white message in the middle of the screen. It is also more evident as the viewing angles get wider. Evidently this is a by product of local dimming (Smart Dimming) but in all honesty I NEVER notice this when watching TV, playing video games, or watching movies. You quickly notice how BLACK the screen can be. I have an LCD 1080p TV and a DLP 720p TV and neither come close to the black levels on this Vizio with its Smart Dimming turned on. When the screen goes black it looks like the TV is OFF! Not so with the Smart Dimming turned off.



- Smooth Motion Feature -



With ANY 120hz TVs (this is truly a 120hz TV with a scanning back light creating a "240hz" like affect) the "smooth motion" feature can make cinematic shows/movies look strange. It has been described widely as "The Soap Opera" effect, and it makes even wonderfully filmed/edited shows/movies look as if filmed with a camcorder. Camera panning looks wobbly, peoples' movements are super smooth, but it really looks like you are there while filming, which is NOT good. Simply turn off the Smooth Motion feature if watching anything such as movies, or movie-like TV shows that are not reality TV, etc. Sports look AMAZING with Smooth Motion turned on high. Animation and CGI animated shows/movies look AMAZING with Smooth Motion turned on.



- Gaming on the Vizio -



I play an XBOX 360 console, and with some types of TVs delay can be evident when playing. Not with this Vizio. I play lots of first person shooter games, music type games requiring perfect timing for inputs from musical instrument type controllers, and motion-based Kinect games which also require perfect timing. Everything runs smoothly on this TV. The picture quality is the best I have EVER seen when playing XBOX 360 of any TV I've seen/owned.



- Sound -



Surprisingly such a thin set of speakers sound pretty darned good. I personally turned my speakers off, and I use the Vizio remote (I'll get to the remote itself) to adjust the volume on my receiver and use the larger speakers. This not only gives me better quality, but it saves me from blowing out the small Vizio speakers down the road like one of my other flat panel TVs has in the past.



- Inputs -



Inputs are abundant with this Vizio, with HDMIs dominating. I know component cables are on their way out, but only having ONE component in (the 5 wire input with red/green/blue video and white/red audio) might require one to buy a switching device that takes one component in and turns it into three such as the one in this link [...]which can be $45.00 or more depending on quality.



The ability to custom name inputs (rather than having generic "game" or "cable") is a nice touch. You can have "Cable Box" or "Direct TV" or "XBOX360" or "PS3" etc. etc. For those that have literally 5 HDMI devices plugged in it keeps things much more organized in the menus.



- Remote Control -



This might be a polarizing topic for this TV. I LOVE the remote. It does feel slightly "cheap" due to the slide-out portion not really staying 100% solid when not in use, but it doesn't bother me. The remote being bluetooh enables one to control the TV without pointing anywhnere near the TV, in fact, I can control the TV in another room altogether if desired. The remote also linked to my cable box and stereo receiver in a very simple menu that asks "what model" you have, then it auto scans and asks you to perform a funtion for the device, then click "yes it worked" or "try next code" and mine both worked on the first try.



The slide out QWERTY keyboard is not PERFECT, but it's great. The top row of buttons can be obstructed by the fixed portion of the remote, but it's better than not having a QWERTY keyboard at all. It seems like a NECESSITY when using WIDGETS/apps such as Facebook, Twitter, Netflix (makes searching easier) etc.



- Widgets/Internet Apps -



What can I say? I don't know how we did without these before. Right out of the box we have Yahoo! news, weather, sports, fantasy football (updates stats real-time while watching TV), Pandora internet radio, Blockbuster on Demand, Hulu Plus, Facebook, Twitter, Amazon movies on demand, and TONS more. I can check my local weather, or any number of custom-set cities around the world. It's funny to ask XBOX friends in England how they're enjoying their current conditions when we chat.



After another firmware update (second one since Christmas) we not only have MORE Widgets, but the interface for existing ones (Netflix for one) has been improved upon. It's nice to know that they aren't resting on their laurels when it comes to the apps.



The wireless connection is STRONG. It auto detected our wireless network, and it works so well I've not yet climbed in the attic to run a dedicated ethernet cable to the TV as I'd planned to. I can stream Netflix as smoothly (maybe better?) then I can with my ethernet-wired XBOX 360!!! I have not had it slow/pause a movie/playback due to internet/connection speed yet! This is also on a wireless G router too, and not the fancier N router.



***WARNING ABOUT THIRD PARTY/INDEPENDENT APPS!!!***



I have discovered that at least one third party, independent app was causing my TV to shut itself off and cause it to go in a "standby" mode. The entire issue is explained in the next section. I would steer clear of any apps not made by big companies. The exact app name is "1337 Pwn" and it's published by a company called BrickSimple.



- Problems and Vizio's customer service -



With all of the great things I've said about this TV, it did have a few bugs to work out. First of all the TV would shut itself off after 10:00pm (hey that's what it did!) and then the Vizio logo would flash orange/white just as it does when it receives a firmware update. After a few days of this I was about to exchange the TV for another just like it, but decided to contact Vizio customer support first. Through a series of messages with a REAL PERSON in a real time chat on Vizio's website, we set up a phone call with a "Level 3" tech to see if we could fix the issue. We did a "memory clear" procedure and the problem was FIXED. A real human being in AMERICA that spoke perfect English helped me not only fix the issue, but also walked me through resetting all my settings AND told me about some features I didn't know about.



***UPDATE***



I believe I have found the true source of my shutting down problems - BAD THIRD PARTY APP!!!



It was only AFTER I added a third party app for monitoring XBox Live friends (The exact app name is "1337 Pwn" and it's published by a company called BrickSimple) did the TV have the shutting off issues. I was able to figure this out when I finally re-added this exact app to the TV (I never added it after "fixing" the TV with Vizio Tech on the phone) this week, and what do you know? Random shutting off with the flashing Vizio logo! I deleted the app, and once again TV works perfectly as it should. When Vizio Tech walked me through the rest it deleted any apps not already on the TV, the XBox one included. THAT is why it "fixed" the TV!



- OVERALL -



I could not be happier with this purchase. I know nobody likes to spend lots of money only to say how crappy the product was, but if I were not 100% satisfied with this Vizio XVT553SV I would have easily exchanged it for something else. The fact is I cannot think of any other TV that offers the same features, picture quality, etc. for the price. Some top level plasmas might do the trick, but they put off more heat, and suck much more power. If this Vizio lasts for YEARS without issues I could call it the PERFECT TV, and would absolutely buy more Vizio TVs in the future. - Led Backlight - Vizio - 55 Inch Tv - 1080p'

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Grout Cleaner - multimaster accessories, razor blade

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Yes, you have to have a Fein oscillating sander to use the blade. The sander has a lifetime warrantee and can be used for hours at a time without problem. The blade turns out to be way cheaper than the multiple Dremmel 1/16" diamond grout-removal blades you can eat up on a large project (though I stll used one for small places). If you can swing it, the Fein sander is usually available for $290 somewhere-- plunge cuts, sands, rasps-- and is far safer than a rotary tool because of it's oscillatory motion (like a bone saw for cast-removal). It's not cheap, but is is the best tool I've found for this. Fein 63502118016 2-1/2-Inch Segmented Carbide Grout Removal Blade

This item, though not recommended for cutting ceramic tile, cut ceramic tile for new flooring. It made the job easier, faster and more professional looking. I have also used it to remove single tiles from the bathroom wall for replacement. When used as directed by Fein, it is an efficient and easy way to make repairs to ceramic tile walls and floors.

This blade is a must if grout is to be removed where a bad ceramic tile is to be replaced. First, use this blade to cut away the grout around the tile piece. Second, use a hammer drill or hammer and chisel to break the tile, working at the center and moving to the edges. Third, cleanup the mastic/thinset using any or all of these tools.

Blade never finished removing grout from the first tile. The blade was useless. The original blade that came with my kit worked 100% better, and it was almost completely worn off. I agree with most reviewers the cost of the blades are to high, I check e bay daily for deals and buy when available. Othrerwise the Fein Multimaster is a great tool for the home handyman

I borrowed the multimaster tool from a friend to remove the grout around floor tiles in my bathroom. The bathroom is 9x8 with 12 inch tiles, and it took 2 of these blades to complete the job, and I also had to use a manual grout removal tool to actual get all of the grout out. I can't say that the multimaster didn't help at all, but it is definitely no miracle grout removal tool. I used the multimaster to cut into the grout; then used the manual tool to scrape out the remainder of the grout. It took 6 hours to finish removing the grout, and I didn't waste any time.



Both of the blades ended up going from round to almost rectangular once I was done, and more importantly, the star shape where the blade attaches to the tool wobbled out to the point where the blade would not stay tight to the tool rendering it completely useless. I had to take the blade off and rotate it so that it attached via the remaining good points.



If you plan to use it for one tile at a time, then you might get 36 tiles or so use out of it. I my case ($.78 per tile or 2 blades @ $40+) it may have been a bit cheaper for me to just replace all of the tiles!



As a side note, my friend had already returned 2 DOA tools to Fein, and this one started making some not so encouraging sounds after only 4 hours of use. You would expect a tool that costs as much as this does to be a little more reliable.



Just be forewarned that you WILL be replacing the blades often if you plan to do a bunch of grout work. However, it will take some of the work out of removing the grout if you're willing to pay the price.

This is a great tool that does lots of jobs. Unfortunately the blades are not up to the task. I use this tool for my remodel and repair business. I have had several different blades that get hot, get dull and don't work for long. I used this blade brand new to remove grout from a 32x32 tile shower pan. Before the job was finish I noticed that ALL of the carbide was gone from the blade. I was not forcing the tool. I don't mind paying more for the blades but I do expect that they will last for several jobs, not several blades per job! Fein has a serious quality problem that needs to be addressed. - Razor Blade - Multimaster Accessories - Grout Cleaner - Fein Multimaster Blades'

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