Toshiba 40FT1U review and manual

Just got a new Toshiba 40FT1U at Costco. An excellent 40'' 1080p set! I liked the picture quality the most out of a number of comparable TVs. There is only one feature that this TV does not have, but I must admit that it's more a legacy device issue than anything else. There is no coaxial audio out, only optical. Probably fine for most modern home theaters, but not for mine. This means that I will not be able to feed surround sound broadcast audio into my home theater. My BluRay player has coaxial out, so I will feed it directly into the home theater system.

As usual, Costco tries to hide the actual model number of this television, for fear that consumers will find the same products for less at other stores. I only buy my TVs from Costco, because their no-hassle 2-year warranty is simply outstanding. But if you want to research 40FT1U some more you only need to know that this is pretty much the same model as Toshiba 40E200U.

Toshiba 40E200U pdf manual

Pandigital Novel black and white -- review and manuals

First of all, the black and white models of Pandigital Novel are not the same device. When given a choice, go for the white one. It has better hardware and a newer Android version.

I happen to have a black version. My first impression was not so great. Since I wanted an ebook reader primarily to read public domain versions of old books in PDF format, this was my first test. I loaded a file and quickly discovered that it was very difficult to flip pages. Eventually I realized that Pandigital creates an off-screen version of the next page every time a page loads. While this is happening, you cannot flip pages. Rendering PDF pages (essentially images!) can take a long time. Hence the problem. If you are simply reading the text, however, you will not be noticing much. So, that's the good news.

Of course, general responsiveness of the device is not ideal. I have seen this with many similar Android platforms. Basically, if you need something like an iPad, you will have to pay the iPad price. Also, at the moment Pandigital lacks font management. The fonts don't look all that great and I think that simply using different typefaces could improve things a lot. Again, I have seen similar issues with other Android devices.

The US version of Pandigital Novel is locked down. You cannot install any additional apps. So, it is not a fully-fledged Android.

The bottom line is that Pandigital Novel can be idea if you need exactly what it purports to be: a simple ebook reader. I wanted to be able to read more books in more locations. Having a device that can do too much would be counterproductive. I would end up doing something other than reading in most cases.

Download Pandigital Novel (white) Manual (pdf)
Download Pandigital Novel (black) Manual (pdf)

Sylvania NB500SL9 1080p Blu-Ray Player with HDMI Cable: Review and Manual

Just got a Sylvania NB500SL9 1080p Blu-Ray Player. It came with a high quality HDMI Cable, which is still not to be taken for granted. The price was right - $150 at Costco. At this point in time this is an excellent price and this purchase allowed me to cross over into the world of HD movies. Now I don't have to think twice about buying a movie. I just get the Blu-ray version!

Even on a 1080i Sharp SH12U the picture quality is truly impressive and better than I used to get from simple upconverting of regular DVDs. One particular feature I like a lot is noise reduction which can improve the quality of old grainy footage. But don't over do it! Shrek's skin can easily become smooth as a baby's bottom with very low level noise reduction.

It takes a little bit of time to load the BD videos. My guess is that this is caused by the heavy bandwidth requirements of Blu-ray DVDs and I expect that probably even better models have some issues in this area. I was able to connect the coaxial digital audio to my Philips HTS3544 home theater with great results.

One thing that this player was unable to do is play PAL DVDs (regardless of the zone). Not a very big problem for me, because I have other options and don't realy have a lot of PAL movies.

Sylvania NB500SL9 1080p Blu-Ray Player

Sony Reader PRS-700 product manual (user's guide)

For some reason, it was very difficult to find this manual:

Sony Reader PRS-700 product manual (user's guide)

The device looks OK, but I have not found any major improvements yet. Well, touchscreen is nice, but this is not so crucial for me.

Sony Bravia DAV HDX-274 home theater system

I may never be able to figure out the schemes and patterns that various manufacturers use in order to keep customers of such stores as Costco and BJ's uninformed about the actual models of TVs and home theaters they are selling through these distributors and how they compare to the rest of the crowd. It seems to me though that Sony Bravia DAV HDX-274 is very similar to Sony Bravia DAV HDX-275, which is offered at the same proce at SonyStyle.com. Here is what Sony has to say about this product:

The Sony® DAV-HDX275 BRAVIA® Theatre System includes an integrated 5 DVD/CD changer, 1000 watts of home theater power, and an included iPod® Dock. With the optional S-AIR® receiver/speakers system, you can now easily send your music wirelessly to another room in your home. Using exclusive Sony® Technology, S-AIR® brings the promise of multi room audio distribution that most anyone can set-up, it's that easy. DAV-HDX275 comes equipped with DIGITAL MEDIA PORT that works with various accessories (sold separately). The DAVHDX275 can control a select number of BRAVIA® televisions with BRAVIA® Sync via the HDMI™ interface. With "One Touch Play," operations that took several steps have been reduced to one. Also, HDMI™ interface upscales DVD media up to 1080p This BRAVIA® System optimizes speaker placement in just 30 seconds with Digital Cinema Auto Calibration.



The manual for HDX-275: http://akamaipix.crutchfield.com/Manuals/158/158HDX275.PDF

In my humble opinion, a very decent home theater system. Most importantly in my opinion is a digital-in port. Of course, this system is designed to perform at its best with a Sony Bravia TV.

See also:
Media room design: ideas and solutions

What is Blue-Ray Disc Matching? Sony HT-SS2000.

I you happen to leisurely search the web for an inexpensive Blue-ray disc player chances are you will come across an attractively priced ($400) unit called Sony HT-SS2000 - Blu-ray Disc Matching Component Home Theater System. Unless you do your homework you may end up with a decent home theater system, but without a Blue-ray player. How is that possible you may ask? Well, quite simply, just because this unit has the words Blue-ray Disc in its name does not make it a Blue-ray player. It is primarily an audio system, but because it is capable of processing high-resolution audio signal outputted by true Blue-ray players. In essence, that's all, folks. To make things even more confusing, Sony uses the same bluish color scheme for this unit as Sony's true Blue-ray Disc systems

Sony HT-SS2000 Manual



See also:
Panasonic Blue-ray home theater

Playstation 3 Manual

As I looked for a Playstation 3 on eBay, I was greatly surprised that one would ever sell ANYTHING there without a manual. Some people get nervous when they consider the prospects of dealing with electronic equipment without proper instructions. And sometimes they are right...

Playstation 3 manual (20 gb model)

Onkyo Introduced New Budget Home Theater

This just in!
http://news.digitaltrends.com/news/story/16431/onkyo_intros_new_budget_home_theater_sets

HT-S4100 and HT-S3100 will cost $479 and $379 respectively.

In case someone does not know, Onkyo is a very good brand when it comes to home theaters. Apparently, they finally decided to capitalize on their growing reputation.

Leading the group of new systems is the HT-S5100, offering 7.1 channel surround count, three HDMI inputs (with 1080p pasthru), and an iPod dock that lets users plug in (and, of course, charge) their personal media players. The S5100 also includes Audessey 2EQ room correction technology that can automatically adjust sound characteristics and delays for each speaker relative to active listening locations and accommodate low-level listening. The S5100 also sports Dolby and DTS surround sound, a 130 Watt per-channel amp (with a 290-watt subwoofer), and seven satellite speakers. The system is also ready for Sirius satellite radio, and integrates optimizer technology to make MP3s and AAC files compressed for headphone use sound better over a legitimate audio system.

Next up, the HT-S4100 and HT-S3100 dial back to 5.1 surround sound, but still offer DTS and Dolby Digital surround sound processing. The S4100 offers a 200-watt subwoofer and an iPod dock; the S3100 powers its subwoofer off the main amp and lacks an iPod dock.

The manuals are not available yet, but here is where they will be:

http://www.onkyousa.com/download/own_manuals.cfm?cat=Systems

Panasonic SC-PT753 Home Theater System Review + Manual

Panasonic SC-PT753 Home Theater System, 900 Watt, with 5-DVD Changer


Pros:

• Does 1080p conversion
• Wireless rear speakers
• XM radio ready
• iPod dock that can charge iPods.
• Multiroom wireless capability with an optional SH-FX85 unit
• Dialog enhancer mode makes it easier to follow movie dialogs.
  

Cons:

• Does not play DiVx movies
• The wireless rear speakers setup is somewhat cumbersome
• No digital input (you will not be able to enjoy surround sound from other sources)
  

Manual (same manual for SC-PT750):

http://service.us.panasonic.com/OPERMANPDF/SCPT750.pdf

Official specs:

Wireless Freedom
With a wireless rear speaker, you can place the speaker wherever you like without the clutter of cables. You can also expand your music listening into three additional rooms with the SH-FX85 wireless multi-room speaker kit (sold separately).

Amazingly Vivid Picture
To give you the astonishingly high image quality of today's HD technology, the 1080p up-conversion function converts standard definition (720 x 480 pixels) images from DVDs to high definition (1920 x 1080 pixels). That means you'll get the most out of your HDMI-compatible HDTV, with sharp and exceptionally detailed high-resolution images. And unlike ordinary video up-converters that produce images with thicker edges and decreased sharpness, the HD Enhancer keeps edges crisp and clear, for outstanding detail.

Intensely Rich Sound
Enhance your home theater system with an incredible combination of Panasonic sound technology and 900 watts of power. Super Surround puts you in the action with lifelike sound from every angle, and a Four-Step Subwoofer Level Control puts you in command, with rich sound effects you can hear and feel.

Enjoy Your Favorite Movies and Music
Panasonic home theater systems are great for watching movies, but that's only where the fun begins. They also come equipped to deliver exceptional sound quality from portable audio players and other new music sources. So go ahead and listen to your favorite music on your iPod^® by adding the Universal Dock for iPod^® (sold separately) or tune into your favorite XM stations¹.

Smart Theater with Simple Operation
It's never been easier to use both Dolby Pro Logic II and Super Surround — functions that create a multi-channel sound effect from disc media and other sources. One button is all it takes: simply press the DPLII/S.SRD button on the remote control and the system recognizes whether the source is a disc or not.

Olympus Stylus 820 Digital Camera - Manual and specs

A superb camera, except for one thing: image quality. I have read reviews about the bad quality of pictures taken by this camera and my personal experience from playing with it is just the same. Weather resistance is a big feature on many Olympus Styluses. Image Stabilization is a perfect feature to go with a slightly above average 5x optical zoom. I can only hope that Olympus will manage to improve the image quality. Their website now lists Stylus 840, but I haven't seen in in person just yet.

Olympus Stylus 820 manual

Olympus Stylus 820 specs:

• 5x Optical Zoom
• 2.7-inch HyperCrystal™ LCD
• Digital Image Stabilization
• All-Weather
• Face Detection

Nikon Coolpix s10 digital camera manual and specs

Some people advise against having too much zoom in a camera. My question is: how can you have too much zoom? Nikon s10 is a slightly older model, only 6 megapixels. Truly, though, this is enough, especially if you can zoom in at 10x.

Here is the manual:

http://www.nikonusa.com/pdf/manuals/noprint/S10_en_noprint.pdf

		Amazing 10x Optical Zoom-Nikkor Glass Lens that fits in your pocket
		Vibration Reduction minimizes the effect of camera shake
		Incredible, Bright 2.5-inch LCD offers 170-degree wide-angle of view, making it easy to show your pictures to family and friends
		Auto adjusts up to ISO 800 for sharp pictures even in lower light
		Nikon In-Camera Innovations which include: In-Camera Red-Eye Fix(TM) to automatically remove most instances of red-eye in the camera, Face-Priority AF Nikon's face-finding technology that automatically finds and focuses on face(s), and D-Lighting which lightens dark images, in-camera, for great prints right out of the camera.
		Pictmotion(TM) creates in-camera slide shows with your music.
		USB and Pictbridge compatible