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harmfuljays
King of Men
Joined: 18 Oct 2007
Posts: 1507
Location: Djibouti
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 Posted: Sun Dec 23, 2007 9:15 pm Post subject: |
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As far as I know power consumption is incredible with a Plasma.....often consuming as much as a large appliance. LCD screens operate with 30-40% more efficiency.
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Bosc Ulrich II
OTP Resident Historian
Joined: 18 Oct 2007
Posts: 3477
Location: Sweetest lid in the league
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| Posted: Sun Dec 23, 2007 9:17 pm Post subject: |
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| harmfuljays wrote: |
| As far as I know power consumption is incredible with a Plasma.....often consuming as much as a large appliance. LCD screens operate with 30-40% more efficiency. |
I've heard that the lamps don't last nearly as long as an LCD, that Plasmas are far more expensive to fix, and that burn in on Plasmas happen more easily than on an LCD.
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harmfuljays
King of Men
Joined: 18 Oct 2007
Posts: 1507
Location: Djibouti
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| Posted: Sun Dec 23, 2007 9:23 pm Post subject: |
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1920 X 1080 is possibly overkill on screens smaller than 46".
Sounds like you got a good deal Jeff.
I looked at DLP and MicroCOS whatever rear projections but the viewing angle is horrible. On an LCD at least I get almost a 180 degree viewing angle which I find very important. I haven't noticed any difference in the Plasma viewing angle. I have seen that colors tend to be a bit bright and exaggerated on the plasma......
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Bosc Ulrich II
OTP Resident Historian
Joined: 18 Oct 2007
Posts: 3477
Location: Sweetest lid in the league
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| Posted: Sun Dec 23, 2007 9:26 pm Post subject: |
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| harmfuljays wrote: |
1920 X 1080 is possibly overkill on screens smaller than 46".
Sounds like you got a good deal Jeff.
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I like it so far for sure. Not only that, but the Sony store has a policy that they'll match any advertised deals on the same product for 30 days after the purchase, and the guy selling me the tv said it'll be another $100 bucks off on boxing day. Sweet.
Yup, from my viewing distance, 1080p wasn't really necessary and anything bigger than 40" was not only unnecessary, but also may not have fit into my wall unit.
What I don't like is that the TV won't accept a 120hz input signal. It takes the signal and re-processes it to 120hz. I'm sure it would look better if it was a native 120hz signal coming from my video card, especially with games.
I picked up a package with a center and 2 surround speakers on sale too, and I've got those hooked up. Just have to mount the surrounds on the wall behind my couch.
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the New Cunning Linguist
Like a good neighbor, only better
Joined: 18 Oct 2007
Posts: 1962
Location: I'm here, aren't I?
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| Posted: Wed Dec 26, 2007 4:01 pm Post subject: |
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The Man's Room welcomes...
Anyone have any feedback on the Slingbox Solo? Santa brought it for me, and for the life of me, I'm not sure how much I'll get to use it, because:
1) When I'm on the road on business, I bring my work laptop and we cannot install any software on them;
2) I have Dish DVRs in the Man's Room (HD), in the main floor and in our bedroom...
About the only possibility is using it to watch HD channels on my wife's laptop in the bedroom... But the Nucks games are rarely in HD on CI so... Maybe I should just hock the thing for another toy instead...
----------------------------------------------
The Man's Room also proudly welcomes...
Installed the Wii in the Man's Room using the VCR's front composite inputs for the time being. Will have to take everything apart in the cabinet and retire the old Gamecube for a more permanent solution. Also need to find extra AC outlets for the new 360 and Wii battery chargers, as well as the HD DVD player. I also picked up the Nyko Wireless Sensor Bar for $20 at Best Buy and it works great out of the box - for my rig, I needed a wireless solution for the sensor bar - the one that came with the Wii needed to be connected and only had about a 10' length - not nearly enough for the Man's Room, and people kept tripping over the little wire...
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... Because the old one, is well, old.
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Bosc Ulrich II
OTP Resident Historian
Joined: 18 Oct 2007
Posts: 3477
Location: Sweetest lid in the league
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| Posted: Wed Dec 26, 2007 4:39 pm Post subject: |
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I set my alarm for 5:30 this morning to get to Future Shop a little before it opens at 6. They had a doorcrasher Toshiba HD-DVD player with 2 flicks and an HDMI cable included on for only 99 bucks, regular $400. Well, turns out I set it for 6:30, so by the time I got there, all gone  At least I got the shoes that I wanted from National for 70 bucks off 
Maybe I'll pick up Bioshock for 30 bucks...
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Bosc Ulrich II
OTP Resident Historian
Joined: 18 Oct 2007
Posts: 3477
Location: Sweetest lid in the league
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| Posted: Thu Jan 24, 2008 3:29 pm Post subject: |
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Anyone ever used an Optical Audio switch before? I'm looking at getting one of those instead of buying a new audio/video receiver. I really like the one that I have, but it only has one optical input(6 years old).
Right now, I only have one thing hooked up to my tv: my computer. It's through a DVI->HDMI, so the audio is run optical from my comp to the receiver. I want to hook up more audio to the receiver, which I could do through HDMI connections to the tv and then to the receiver from the optical out. But I'm still stuck with only one optical input, so I can go new receiver, optical switch, or old stereo analog from any new components that I add.
The one with the remote is cool. 35 bucks on sale.
This one no remote or video, but I can get it for 26 or so after shipping with 4 optical cables on ebay.
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the New Cunning Linguist
Like a good neighbor, only better
Joined: 18 Oct 2007
Posts: 1962
Location: I'm here, aren't I?
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| Posted: Fri Jan 25, 2008 1:46 am Post subject: |
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I tried an optical splitter (it actually works both ways) before and it worked reasonably well - there does seem to be some signal 'loss', but nothing that couldn't be fixed by turning up the volume...  Anyway, it was a pretty cheap solution at the time.
This is the one I just installed: http://www.amazon.com/Pro-System-Selector-Silver-2-0/dp/B000FIS7J8
This cost me $55 on Amazon and was shipped free (I could have found it cheaper elsewhere, but the shipping wasn't free, and I was looking to get some other things on Amazon anyway - thank you, Santa for that generous gc!)
It's a fairly straight forward setup. It does no upconverting (say from composite to component), and strictly a pass-through system, but I don't need any upconverting anyway. I needed to simplify the connections and this seemed to be a good solution. With the addition of the Wii, I had to simplify how all the audio and video come together then get distributed to the a/v receiver and surround sound system. My a/v receiver does the upconverting (all inputs, analog or digital, get piped to the projector via HDMI), and the surround sound takes analog and digital audio inputs...
With this, I can have up to six inputs (five in the back, one up front) and one output. I have the Wii on Ch.1; 360 on Ch.2; PS2 on Ch.3; old school VCR on CH.4; it also has two optical inputs (currently, PS2, and 360) and one output; and three ethernet outputs and one input (I use an Xbox wireless gaming bridge and it currently uses LAN2 for the 360). I have an old school Gamecube, which I disconnected from the system, and will try it out in our car for those long road trips.
The remote that came with it, I really didn't use after the first day; my Logitech Harmony 880 remote works flawlessly with it. I still have some trouble getting the remote to talk to the a/v receiver properly, but otherwise, it all works much better now (I hope).
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... Because the old one, is well, old.
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Bosc Ulrich II
OTP Resident Historian
Joined: 18 Oct 2007
Posts: 3477
Location: Sweetest lid in the league
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| Posted: Fri Jan 25, 2008 1:52 am Post subject: |
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Nice, tCL. Thanks for the info, but I doubt that I'll ever have that many components to hook up
Luckily, my tv has a shitload of A/V inputs, 2 of which are HDMI not being used. I can also do the audio through there and then hook it from the optical output on the tv to my switch/receiver. It's too bad that the tv doesn't have any optical inputs, but all of the video inputs have their own audio inputs so I can see why they wouldn't add them...
I really should hook my record player back up 
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the New Cunning Linguist
Like a good neighbor, only better
Joined: 18 Oct 2007
Posts: 1962
Location: I'm here, aren't I?
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| Posted: Fri Jan 25, 2008 2:12 am Post subject: |
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I'm guessing that the logic for why there aren't optical inputs is because HDMI is a digital audio anyway - if you are using component or composite video, chances are your audio is also analog.
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harmfuljays
King of Men
Joined: 18 Oct 2007
Posts: 1507
Location: Djibouti
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| Posted: Fri Jan 25, 2008 12:18 pm Post subject: |
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Oooh that's a nice selector...........I've had the 46" XBR4 in my cart seconds away from hitting the purchase button twice this week. 
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the New Cunning Linguist
Like a good neighbor, only better
Joined: 18 Oct 2007
Posts: 1962
Location: I'm here, aren't I?
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| Posted: Tue Mar 11, 2008 9:39 am Post subject: |
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So my A/V receiver packed it in a couple of weeks ago; the good news is that I bot an extended warranty on it for four years, and the bad news is it packed it in after exactly one year...  It seems that the component to digital transcoding is fried - I can't seem to get any component signal to display - the HDMI to HDMI still works though; I can still watch Dish HD TV on it.
Service Net is buying out my extended warranty contract and they are giving me full price ($345) but not the cost of the EWC - so for the past year, using the JVC cost me $76... But I guess over the life of the system, that's not too bad.
I am looking to replace that A/V receiver with this one. From everything that I've read in AVSForum, it would be an upgrade on the JVC. It comes with all the unconvert-to-HDMI bells and whistles, plus a three-year warranty, HDMI cable, and free ground shipping for $350. The catch is that it is an 'Onkyo factory reconditioned' product.
Anyone have any feelings, good or bad, about 'factory reconditioned' products?
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... Because the old one, is well, old.
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Bosc Ulrich II
OTP Resident Historian
Joined: 18 Oct 2007
Posts: 3477
Location: Sweetest lid in the league
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| Posted: Tue Mar 11, 2008 9:46 am Post subject: |
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| the New Cunning Linguist wrote: |
Anyone have any feelings, good or bad, about 'factory reconditioned' products? |
I tend to stay away from buying refurbished electronis. I just don't like the idea of spending a bunch of money on something that was busted before. But it comes with a three-year warranty and my own dislike doesn't have anything to do with experience. Just don't like the idea.
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the New Cunning Linguist
Like a good neighbor, only better
Joined: 18 Oct 2007
Posts: 1962
Location: I'm here, aren't I?
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| Posted: Tue Mar 11, 2008 9:52 am Post subject: |
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| Bosc Ulrich II wrote: |
| the New Cunning Linguist wrote: |
Anyone have any feelings, good or bad, about 'factory reconditioned' products? |
I tend to stay away from buying refurbished electronis. I just don't like the idea of spending a bunch of money on something that was busted before. But it comes with a three-year warranty and my own dislike doesn't have anything to do with experience. Just don't like the idea. |
I hear you. I didn't like it either but some of the amazon and ebay guides recommend it; as well, someone I know here who buys a lot of refurbs recommends it - saves a lot of money, plus, if they indeed are recertified or reconditioned, it means that the product has gone through testing to bring it up to factory specs... The three year warranty is what warms my heart, though. It tells me they stand behind it. That's worth at least $70 in my book. And sometimes, 'refurb' means there's a dent in the shipping box that it comes in, or that there's a scratch on the front face of the device... I figure if anything will go wrong with it, it will be in the first year or two anyway...
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Bosc Ulrich II
OTP Resident Historian
Joined: 18 Oct 2007
Posts: 3477
Location: Sweetest lid in the league
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| Posted: Tue Mar 11, 2008 9:57 am Post subject: |
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| the New Cunning Linguist wrote: |
| Bosc Ulrich II wrote: |
| the New Cunning Linguist wrote: |
Anyone have any feelings, good or bad, about 'factory reconditioned' products? |
I tend to stay away from buying refurbished electronis. I just don't like the idea of spending a bunch of money on something that was busted before. But it comes with a three-year warranty and my own dislike doesn't have anything to do with experience. Just don't like the idea. |
I hear you. I didn't like it either but some of the amazon and ebay guides recommend it; as well, someone I know here who buys a lot of refurbs recommends it - saves a lot of money, plus, if they indeed are recertified or reconditioned, it means that the product has gone through testing to bring it up to factory specs... The three year warranty is what warms my heart, though. It tells me they stand behind it. That's worth at least $70 in my book. And sometimes, 'refurb' means there's a dent in the shipping box that it comes in, or that there's a scratch on the front face of the device... I figure if anything will go wrong with it, it will be in the first year or two anyway... |
As always, it's always good to do some research into the product and the company and see what other experiences people have with the refurbbed product.
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harmfuljays
King of Men
Joined: 18 Oct 2007
Posts: 1507
Location: Djibouti
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| Posted: Tue Mar 11, 2008 10:04 am Post subject: |
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I buy I a lot of refurbed gear and I don't usually have any issues...in fact I can't remember one issue I have had yet.
I get a lot of my Sony gear this way.
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Bosc Ulrich II
OTP Resident Historian
Joined: 18 Oct 2007
Posts: 3477
Location: Sweetest lid in the league
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| Posted: Tue Mar 11, 2008 10:07 am Post subject: |
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| harmfuljays wrote: |
I buy I a lot of refurbed gear and I don't usually have any issues...in fact I can't remember one issue I have had yet.
I get a lot of my Sony gear this way. |
About all of my A/V gear is Sony and I always buy it new. I love their stuff and I've never had any problems.
I used to have a Pioneer 25-disc changer but that thing crapped out, sent it out to get fixed, never got fixed, sent it again and eventually Sears stopped selling them so they gave me a Sony 5-disc in the same price instead. I hardly use the thing though because all of my music is on my comp now. The 25-disc was great when it worked.
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harmfuljays
King of Men
Joined: 18 Oct 2007
Posts: 1507
Location: Djibouti
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| Posted: Tue Mar 11, 2008 10:15 am Post subject: |
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I never had good luck with the large disc changers. Too many working/moving parts.
I think you're ok with it TCL.
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Tuzer
No longer Croozing
Joined: 18 Oct 2007
Posts: 973
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| Posted: Tue Mar 11, 2008 11:15 am Post subject: |
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| the New Cunning Linguist wrote: |
So my A/V receiver packed it in a couple of weeks ago; the good news is that I bot an extended warranty on it for four years, and the bad news is it packed it in after exactly one year... It seems that the component to digital transcoding is fried - I can't seem to get any component signal to display - the HDMI to HDMI still works though; I can still watch Dish HD TV on it.
Service Net is buying out my extended warranty contract and they are giving me full price ($345) but not the cost of the EWC - so for the past year, using the JVC cost me $76... But I guess over the life of the system, that's not too bad.
I am looking to replace that A/V receiver with this one. From everything that I've read in AVSForum, it would be an upgrade on the JVC. It comes with all the unconvert-to-HDMI bells and whistles, plus a three-year warranty, HDMI cable, and free ground shipping for $350. The catch is that it is an 'Onkyo factory reconditioned' product.
Anyone have any feelings, good or bad, about 'factory reconditioned' products? |
Is that the TX SR705 Model?? I don't know much about refurbished products but I have that exact model and it rocks,I also paid like 1700 bucks  for it so it looks like a great price for you,With a 3 year warranty,I can't see you going wrong,Even if you had to replace it every 3 years It would still be a great deal in my book  |
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the New Cunning Linguist
Like a good neighbor, only better
Joined: 18 Oct 2007
Posts: 1962
Location: I'm here, aren't I?
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| Posted: Tue Mar 11, 2008 12:24 pm Post subject: |
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| BurrTuzer wrote: |
| Is that the TX SR705 Model?? I don't know much about refurbished products but I have that exact model and it rocks,I also paid like 1700 bucks for it so it looks like a great price for you,With a 3 year warranty,I can't see you going wrong,Even if you had to replace it every 3 years It would still be a great deal in my book |
No, this is the '605; the 705 is a couple hundred more new, I think. I can pick up the '605 new for about $400; add another $70 for three-year warranty and this one looks better and better every day.
| harmfuljays wrote: |
| I think you're ok with it TCL. |
Thanks, Harmie, I'm going to go for it. 
On a side note, ServiceNet doesn't want the JVC receiver back; I think I may just hold onto it since it still does HDMI-HDMI switching pretty well. I just need to hook up some speakers and voila! I could have 7.1 channel surround sound in my bedroom!
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