Sonos BU130 Digital Music System Bundle Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)This is the absolute best digital jukebox out there, period. As an added bonus, it's flexible, scalable, multizone, wireless... and systems costing twenty times as much do not even come close the ease of use: Sonos currently has the highest Wife Acceptance Factor of any techno-gadget out there, only equaled by TiVo.

Although some amount of technical savvy is required for the initial setup, anybody can pick up the beautiful remote and immediately figure out how to use it (it's a bit like an iPod).

This bundle contains the wireless controller and its charger (but no charging cradle, more on this later), a ZP80 and a ZP100. The main difference between the two zone players is the ZP100 has a built-in amplifier so you can hook up speakers directly to it, whereas the ZP80 doesn't but it offers digital output (coax and optical) which the ZP100 lacks. Both zone players feature an analog input (you could use it for a TV or a satellite radio receiver, for instance) as well as analog line output. It's the perfect starter kit for a two-zone system; you can always add more controllers and zone players later as needed, and seamlessly integrate them into your system.

Sonos has been relentlessly adding features since its initial release: Rhapsody, Pandora, Napster, Sirius Satellite Radio (no antenna needed, you get the feed over the internet). Reliability has been exemplary.

The price may seem a little steep for a music system, but the nearest competitor (Logitech Squeezebox Duet Network Music System) is nowhere near as fully featured (no amplifier, no audio input, no Sirius) and doesn't cost much less for a two zone system. It also seems to be a lot more complicated to setup and use, but I must admit not having any first-hand experience with it.

The only blemish on the Sonos is that they sell the charging cradle separately for a ridiculous amount of money (it's just a dumb piece of plastic) when it's an indispensable part of the system. Considering the fairly high price of the system, I fail to see the rationale behind excluding it from the bundle... It must be the brainchild of some marketing moron. Other than this minor but irritating point... This is just the most enjoyable, reliable, easiest to use system out there.

This NAS box is a perfect complement to your Sonos system and will host the music files so you can turn off your computer and keep the music going: D-Link DNS-323 2-Bay Network Storage Enclosure

The infamous cradle (don't forget to order it): Sonos CC100 Charging Cradle for Sonos CR100 Controller

Edit: the Logitech Squeezebox Duet now supports Sirius.

[Edit August 2008] Sonos released new ZonePlayers, ZP90 and ZP120, part of the new BU150 bundle which replaces the BU130. Don't buy the now obsolete BU130 bundle unless you can get it at a significant discount over the BU150.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Sonos BU130 Digital Music System Bundle

Product Description:
Sonos BU130

Want to read more honest consumer review about Sonos BU130 Digital Music System Bundle now ?

Logitech Z680 5.1 Computer Speakers (5-Speaker, Silver) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I have wanted to go digital for long time.My Logitech Z-5300 was an amazing set of speakers, however its lack of digital inputs/outputs isolated its potential to the home PC.Finally, the price of the Logitech Z-680 dropped to an affordable price.

I sold my Z-5300s to another student in my dorm, and purchased the Z-680 from Amazon.com.Amazingly, I received the set within 2 business days via UPS Ground.Needless to say, I am immensely satisfied with Amazon.com.

Thankfully, I had recently purchased a Philips DVP642 player as well, and after reading that the video coaxial RCA cable was the same as the digital audio coaxial, I was all set and ready to go.

So far, I have tested the DVDs Matrix: Revolutions and Lord of the Rings, The Return of the King.I was amazed by the quality of the sound.However, I agreed with the other reviewers that the bass was a bit boomy, especially in Matrix Revolutions.This can be easily remedied by lowering the level of the subwoofer.

When playing my DivX encoded AC3 movies, I saw that changing to Dolby Movie Mode 2 was almost the same as having true Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound.It did an excellent job of separating the audio tracks among the voice, music, and sound effects.
Edit 9/25/04: Please read my latest update which explains the difference between Dolby Prologic Decoding and Dolby Digital 5.1.Knowledge is Power!

I have yet to hook my Z-680s to my home PC, but there was very little hiss while my set was hooked up to my DVD player.The hiss was certainly not loud enough to warrant annoyance or disturbance.

Update 9/06/04:

I hooked the system up to my PC via coaxial s/pdif.There is no hiss at all.However, when using the analog connections, there was a very noticeable hiss.I could even hear it 3-4 feet away, which became very irritating.

Trust me, if you buy the Z-680s, do yourself a favor and use the coaxial connection.You won't regret it.I have decided to leave the Z-680s as my personal home theatre system as opposed to hooking them up to my PC.

Last note: the Philips DVP642 is the perfect complement to the Logitech Z-680s.You cannot go wrong with them.Having the two items has been a blast.

Update 9/16/04:

Still loving the Z-680s. I have it hooked up to my suitemate's Xbox, TV, and the Philips DVP 642.Since the Xbox and TV both use analog inputs, I used the handy RCA to 1/8 converter included with the Z-680s.I also purchased a 1/8 splitter.I am considering purchasing the Xbox Advanced AV Pack to utilize the optical connection on the Z-680.

Warning: the subwoofer has become ridiculous...after breaking in the speakers for two weeks, normal levels of bass not only shake my whole 5th floor, but the 3rd, 4th, 6th, and 7th floors-no kidding!Surprisingly, the 4th and 6th floors received the most impact--those vibrations go a loooong way!Remember, if you buy this unit, keep the bass at 20%, unless you are watching Star Wars...then pump it up!

Update 9/25/04:

There have been claims that Logitech has been falsely advertising their product as having true Dolby Digital 5.1 when allegedly, they only had Dolby Prologic II decoding.

Now, there is a big difference between the two.The Dolby Prologic decoding technology has been around for a looooong time; I can remember it since 1991 when my family purchased our first home audio set.DolbyPrologic takes stereo channels and converts them into a surround sound environment--to good effect, but nonetheless hardly comparable to true Dolby Digital 5.1, a more recent technology which directs its sound with far greater accuracy to all six channels, frequency, clear separation of effects and dialog, and clarity than Dolby Prologic.

I too, became a concerned consumer after hearing these rumors on forums and consumer reviews on Newegg and here on Amazon.My product box did not dictate clearly whether it had one decoder or the other or both, so I decided to call a Logitech technician.Thankfully, the the Z-680s came equipped with the ability to decode both Dolby Digital 5.1 and Dolby Prologic II.

So when you are playing a DVD you should see "Dolby Digital" appear on the LCD screen of the Digital SoundTouch Control Center.The Dolby Music/Movie Mode that you see when you are playing mp3s or watching a DivX movie is the Dolby Prologic II decoder at work and works very well to its credit.

In a side note, screw Dolby Digital and stick to DTS, the other digital surround sound option the Logitech Z-680 offers, when playing DVDs if the option is available.I have had a greater experience with DTS 5.1 decoding with the Z-680s in the 10 movies I have watched in comparison to Dolby Digital 5.1.DTS makes great use of the surround sound even in movies such as Zoolander [which otherwise makes very little directional use of the rear speakers].Even my five suitemates agree that DTS has a richer, fuller sound and because of the variety of DVDs we watch during the weekends, it is difficult to say that we are influenced by placebo.There IS a difference :-).

New Setup:

Analog Input - from T.V. & Playstation 2 with stereo splitter
Optical Digital Input - from Xbox
Coaxial Digital Input- from Philips DVP642 DVD Player

Update 10/05/04:

Here is a brief comparison between Dolby Pro-Logic II and Dolby Digital 5.1 using two selected movies:

Dolby Movie Mode with DivX encoded movie Man on Fire:
Voice/Dialogue - mostly center channel with slight residual sound from front left/right speakers.
Music/Score - Evenly divided among front and rear left/right speakers
Sound Effects - Non-directional, evenly distributed.During the gun fight scene when the girl is kidnapped, Pro-Logic II simulates a surround sound effect of gun-fire, making it multi-directional.

Dolby Digital 5.1 for Man on Fire DVD collector's edition:
Voice/Dialogue - Isolated to center channel
Music/Score - Directional music: fades from front to rear speakers or vice versa, varying from scene to scene.
Sound Effects - Directional.Isolated use of rear speakers from rear left to rear right when cars drive by.During the gun scene mentioned above, distinct sounds of bullets "whizzed by" from front right to rear left speakers.

Dolby Movie Mode with DivX encoded movie Star Wars Phantom Menace:
Voice/Dialogue - mostly center channel with slight residual sound from front left/right speakers.
Music/Score - Evenly divided among front and rear left/right speakers
Sound Effects - Non-directional, evenly distributed.Surround sound lightsaber effects can be overpowering as a "large hum" especially with the Z-680's powerful subwoofer.

Dolby Digital 5.1 for Star Wars Phantom Menace DVD:
Voice/Dialogue - Isolated to center channel except in large rooms, echoes can be heard in surround speakers.
Music/Score - Directional music: fades from front to rear speakers and vice versa varying in scenes.
Sound Effects - Directional.Spaceship travel from rear left to front right.Close-up light saber swings begin from rear left and travel to front left, front right, and ends with the rear right speaker.

Update 10-24-05:

OMG!I finally got AC3 to work-but I don't know how!Well, I was playing the Casshern DVD back-up encoded with XVID and AC3.I didn't expect the AC3 to work, so I set the audio effect to Movie Mode.However, I suddenly was hearing discrete audio from my surround sound channels.Bewildered, I went up and listened closely to the center channel, and then the front left channel.Hmmm, either I was having a really good Prologic decode or this was playing in Dolby Digital!I glanced at my control pod and I couldn't believe my eyes--it stated it was decoding in Dolby Digital!Wow!Now I am going to check on all of my AC3 encodes...this is too cool.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Logitech Z680 5.1 Computer Speakers (5-Speaker, Silver)

Product Description:
The Logitech Z-680 gives you THX-certified theater-quality digital sound. Both optical and coaxial inputs provide for simple connection to nearly any audio appliance, and with the digital SoundTouch control center and the wireless remote, you can sit back, stretch out, and let loose.
The bass pumps through the Z-680's 188-watt subwoofer. Four 62-watt satellites and a 69-watt center channel provide crystal-clear midrange and highs.
The Z-680 includes built-in Dolby Digital and DTS hardware decoding. Connect the Z-680 directly to a PC sound card, Xbox, PlayStation2, DVD player, satellite receiver, or other Dolby-ready source and get true surround sound. You can also get 5.1 surround sound from a stereo input through the advanced Dolby Pro Logic II system. You can also connect up to four audio sources simultaneously, while accessing each one at the touch of a button.

Want to buy Logitech Z680 5.1 Computer Speakers (5-Speaker, Silver) at other amazon sites? Click the corresponding icon below:

Gyration GYM1100CKNA Air Mouse GO Plus with Compact Keyboard Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)*******HOW LONG HAVE I OWNED THE GYRATION GO AIR MOUSE & COMPACT KEYBOARD?*******

I have owned this Compact Keyboard and Go Air Mouse Combo for well over a year. I bought it to replace my IR (infra red) Silitek SK-7551 compact keyboard + pointing device for my Home Theater PC (HTPC).

*******WHY DID I NEED IT?*******

Since I have an HTPC it's connected to my HT receiver in my living room and its used to play back DVD, music, stream online video (YouTube). And usually in an HTPC setup the the actual computer case is next to the TV and HT Receiver while you sit a couple of feet away (11ft in my case) from the set up. So you need a wireless keyboard/mouse and remote to work everything.

I have had some sort of an HTPC for about 6 years and in these years the MOST used device (besides the universal remote) is the MOUSE. The SK-7551 retailed for $25 but is no longer made. The OLD mouse was a pointing device in my Silitek Keyboard which meant I had to cradle the weight of the entire keyboard just to use the mouse. So I realized that I need a separate mouse and keyboard but did not want to spend on high end stuff like Logitech DiNovo. Plus the Silitek Keyboard was IR which means I needed to ALWAYS point to the receiving station (placed under the TV) for me to make it work. *******SO HOW WELL DOES IT WORK?*******

Note the OLD keyboard on my HTPC was an IR or infra red keyboard which means the two sensors MUST be in the line of sight to work. That was the bad news, the good news was that it was immune from interference. Any RF product that run at 2.4 Ghz (like the Gyration Keyboard&Mouse) will have some interference. Even a microwave can cause some interference.

Here are some observations:
1) The Gyration KEYBOARD is a compact 88 keys RF keyboard and it's very light. But I do have some delay between initial keystrokes and them appearing on screen. But once the letters start appearing on screen the delay is minimal. But it can get irritating but you get used to it.

2) If you plan to use this as the ONLY keyboard & mouse connected to your PC you need to enable USB mouse and keyboard in your BIOS. The RF receiver that comes with the product plug into your USB device. Otherwise you cannot use the mouse or keyboard when you are in the BIOS.

3) The RF USB receiver seems to work better when plug it in the front USB ports. This could be because my HTPC has 802.11G PCI card with antenna in the back and plugging it in the back with both devices on 2.4Ghz may not be a good idea. But if you have a toddler in the house like I do, that's not very feasible to put it in the front USB port. So I bought 3 ft USB extension cord and plugged one end in the rear ports but the actual RF receiver is safely hidden in the TV cabinet. Since its RF it works through walls.

4) The STAR of the system in the Gyration GO Air Mouse. It can be used as an optical mouse and if you pick it up it becomes an gyro controlled air mouse. It works "pretty well" most of time. The Go Air tools software controls hand gestures and they work well too. But I cannot get the back and forward swipe motions for Firefox to work. Every time I gesture to go back in the FireFox browser it will do it but it will also open ANOTHER Firefox window. The solution is to open an IE window, minimize it and then use Firefox. When you do this the back and forward motion in Firefox works fine. This is a Firefox specific problem...its irritating but I have learned to live with it.

The above problem only happens with back and forward gestures in the Firefox browser, if you use IE you wont have to deal with it. The short cut to programs are really cool and they work well.

The other problem is with the battery. It does not hold charge that long (and I mean like a standard on your table bluetooth or wireless mouse), the solution is pretty simple keep the mouse + charger as close to your couch as possible this way you use it and when you are done put it back on the charge and its always on the charge till you need it. It will hold a charge for about 2-3 hours enough for you to get through a DVD movie.

*******OK OK...DO YOU RECOMMEND THAT WE BUY IT?*******

I did NOT buy this from Amazon, there was a very very slickdeal for this combo and it cost me about 1/4th of it's current Amazon Retail (at the time of writing).

Do I think its a great product for $100 + ? No, go for a Logitech DiNovo Mini for a little more.

Do I think its a great product for $50-100? Meeh, it depends.

Ok so is it a great product for under $50 ? ABSOFRIGGINGLUTELY :-)

Click Here to see more reviews about: Gyration GYM1100CKNA Air Mouse GO Plus with Compact Keyboard

Product Description:
With Gyration-s intelligent Air Mouse GO Plus featuring MotionSense, the world just got easier to navigate. No strings, no wires, no trick, no gimmicks - just better technology that allows you a more comfortable and versatile mouse to operate in the air or on the desk. Take control of your presentations, entertainment, and Internet browsing with natural hand movements. You-ll wonder how you ever did it any other way. Experience the patented MotionSense technology inside the Air Mouse GO Plus that delivers precise in-air cursor control and convenience. Ideal for any desktop computer user, the Go Mouse features an ergonomic ambidextrous design that is comfortable to use. Use natural and comfortable wrist movements to take in-air control of your computer. Trigger activated MotionSense technology translates your hand movements into on screen cursor motion for in-air operation. Unleash yourself from strain-inducing surfaces. Interference free 2.4 GHz RF technology allows you to take mouse control from up to 100 feet (30m) away with no line of sight restrictions. Initiate application commands with Gyration MotionTools software. Get to grips with customize controls for a quick hand motion that control volume or skip music tracks with multimedia players, or highlight important points in presentations. The Gyration MotionTools software for Windows features over 80 dynamic tools including freehand drawing, highlighter, special effects, dynamic zoom, multimedia player controls, Internet hotkeys, Windows shortcuts, and PowerPoint and presentation tools. And with three additional programmable buttons, in-air application controls, features, and configurable functions are at your finger tips. Gyration-s compact keyboard has an ergonomic, portable design with protective cover. The keyboard features 88 whisper quiet keys plus 15 hotkeys for Internet, e-mail and media access. Technical Support - Phone: 1-888-340-0033 E-Mail: support@gyration.com.

Get 21% OFF

Want to read more honest consumer review about Gyration GYM1100CKNA Air Mouse GO Plus with Compact Keyboard now ?

Antec 380 Watt M-ATX Desktop Case NSK1380 (Black/Silver) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)This was my first build for a HTPC to put in my media cabinet. I decided on this case mostly because it was the only decent sounding (review-wise) case that would fit into my media cabinet. The build itself was such a pain (literally) starting with trying to put the clip-in motherboard standoffs in. The very first one sliced under my fingernail drawing blood. Once I got the mobo in the very first thing I noticed was that the cables come out underneath the PSU and connecting the ATX power made all the very short cables rest right on top of the NB heatsink. The only way to route the cables was to buy a 10" power extension and molex to 2x ATA adapter. This mess blocks the PCI-e slot and one HDD space. The OD screw holes don't all line up with the drive cage holes on two drives I tried. Once built it's now working like a charm but it's not at all attractive (too much plastic) and looks out of place in my A/V cabinet. To do it over again I'd choose different. It works for now.

Now I'd skip the whole HTPC self-build and get a Dell Zino HD but they didn't have those when I did this.Or, I'd look at mini-ITX and a ION board/build.

Pros:
- Silent
- Well made panels
- Fits in small spaces
- Stays cool with very creative cable routing
- Works

Cons:
- Clip-in motherboard standoffs difficult to put in and very sharp
- Cabling comes out bottom of power supply and with the GA-MA78GM-US2H mobo rests right on the NB heatsink
- Cables much too short - had to buy extension/adapters
- Power LED way too bright
- Difficult to install OD and HDD
- Poor fit and finish - not all screw holes align with OD screw holes for any drive I tried (3 of 8 max)
- Difficult to get top back on
- Not very attractive looking - too much plastic on the outside and it looks that way
- Doesn't look like it fits in with other A/V equipment
- Included internal fan takes up PCI slot and stays on even when the system is shut down.
- OD drive shield is flimsy and button doesn't reach OD button - I just ended up removing it
- No HDD LED (is it working or is it hung?)
- Not sure how I'll ever get a graphics card in here because of the aforementioned cabling issues but with the 780G chipset on my mobo I haven't found the need
- Expensive for so much plastic facade (the price hasn't dropped at all!)

Click Here to see more reviews about: Antec 380 Watt M-ATX Desktop Case NSK1380 (Black/Silver)

Product Description:
Antec NSK1380 380W M-ATX Desktop Case (Black/Silver)

Get 17% OFF

Want to read more honest consumer review about Antec 380 Watt M-ATX Desktop Case NSK1380 (Black/Silver) now ?

Creative Labs Sound Blaster Wireless Audio Transmitter Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Works great, but documentation somewhat lacking.Didn't know that you have to remember to insert USB device BEFORE starting itunes.AND that you can't operate both the wireless connection and the connected computer speakers at the same time.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Creative Labs Sound Blaster Wireless Audio Transmitter

Product Description:
The Creative Labs Sound Blaster for iTunes upgrades your PC or Mac to a premium wireless sound system. Simply plug into any USB port, connect an optional Creative Wireless Receiver to your powered speakers or home stereo system, and play your iTunes or other digital music wirelessly - no cables or networking required. You can add Sound Blaster Wireless Audio ready speakers with built-in wireless receiver and in the future wireless headphones to play music wirelessly in multiple rooms. Plus, Sound Blaster for iTunes features Creative-s award-winning X-Fi audio enhancement technology that improves the quality of iTunes media, MP3s and movies. Package Contents: Sound Blaster for iTunes USB Audio Transmitter, Audio cable (1/8" to stereo RCA), Installation CD, Quick Start Leaflet.

Want to read more honest consumer review about Creative Labs Sound Blaster Wireless Audio Transmitter now ?

Cyber Acoustics CA-5402 Platinum Series High Performance 5.1 Speaker System (Grey) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I can no longer listen to my laptop or mac computer speakers because this product creates such a high quality sound.The others sound too flat now.These speakers are great for the low price and can create a surround sound experience.The bass with these speakers is very good as well.I would recommend this product to anyone!

Click Here to see more reviews about: Cyber Acoustics CA-5402 Platinum Series High Performance 5.1 Speaker System (Grey)

Product Description:
The CA-5402 elegant platinum series high performance speaker system by Cyber Acoustics provides both stylish design and sound intensity. This versatile speaker system features a MP3 cradle and auxiliary jack so you can use it with a variety of music sources. The acoustically balanced wood cabinet subwoofer offers a bold, rich sound that beautifully delivers your music, movies and games.

Get 30% OFF

Want to read more honest consumer review about Cyber Acoustics CA-5402 Platinum Series High Performance 5.1 Speaker System (Grey) now ?

HDmi Detective Plus Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I was hesitant to buy this part mostly because of the price. As it is, building my Blu-ray HD HTPC ended up costing me about 3 times what I had originally anticipated! Here's yet another $100+ dollars ... "will it work and will it be worth it?" I wondered. Bottom line, I'm very happy I purchased this item because it does exactly what it is supposed to do.

I was having problems with my HTPC setup. I run HDMI carrying audio and video from my HTPC's motherboard to a A/V Receiver. Then, another HDMI cord goes from the Receiver to my HDTV.Before installing the HDMI Detective, the problem would occur whenever (a) my HTPC would go to sleep/standby and then I would wake it up; or (b) I would turn off my Receiver or HDTV and then turn them back on. In these scenarios, once I woke up the PC or turned on the Receiver/TV I would no longer have a video or audio signal via my HDMI cords. One solution was to do a hard restart on the HTPC, which isn't horrible, but certainly is a pain in the butt. The other solution was to leave all three components running 24/7, which I quickly ruled out as an option since cumulatively they consume about 1000 watts and we all know electricity isn't free.

So, I purchased the HDMI Detective and installed it between my HTPC and the Receiver. Plugging in the Detective was easy and the initial programing took about 5 minutes. This is a very easy-to-use device.

With the HDMI Detective in place between my HTPC and Receiver, now everything works more like a traditional PC.I can put my HTPC to sleep and when I wake it up the Receiver instantly sees the HDMI connection and sends the subsequent signal on to the HDTV.Also, when I turn off and turn back on my Receiver or HDTV, everything picks up on the HDMI signal as if nothing were the matter.

In conclusion, the HDMI Detective is an expensive item that you likely didn't anticipate needing to buy for your setup.But since you're reading this review you must be having HDMI problems.The HDMI Detective is 100% worth the price. I did some hefty research and I could not find any other items on the market that do the same thing that the HDMI Detective does, so that makes it even more worth the price. It is compact, easy to use, and most importantly, works perfectly.

Stop stressing, buy the HDMI Detective. It will solve your HDMI HARDWARE problems. Solving SOFTWARE problems is another story for another time. :)

Click Here to see more reviews about: HDmi Detective Plus

Product Description:
Marketing description is not available.

Get 44% OFF

Want to read more honest consumer review about HDmi Detective Plus now ?