Features

• 6-inch shielded PolyPlas woofers; 4-inch shielded PolyPlas drivers; 3/4-inch shielded titanium-laminate dome tweeters
• Straight-Line Signal Path crossover network divides signal with minimal processing
• 100 watts continuous, 400 watts peak power handling; 200-watt maximum amplifier power
• Gold-plated 5-way binding posts for strong connection
• Each measures 8-3/8 x 36-1/2 x 13-1/2 inches (W x H x D)

Product Description

JVC is one of the world's leading developers and manufacturers of sophisticated audio, video and related software products. Building upon a wealth of technologies the company is moving decisively to offer appropriate solutions for the multimedia age. To remain at the forefront of the audiovisual industry in the 21st century, JVC is marshalling its resources to create the ultimate in appealing, cost-competitive products. ... Read more

Features

• 5 preset EQ patterns and hyper-bass sound system
• Backlit LCD and headphone jack
• Plays CDs, CD-R/RWs, and MP3s with text display
• 3 9/16¿ full-range cone speakers
• Hyper bass sound system

Reviews (7)

Good MP3/CD/Radio for the price
Hey this isn't a high def player, but for $70 bucks, it works very well. Remote is handy too. Sound is good, but there are not bass controls. You are limited to the jazz/rock/classical presets. And max volume is rather low.

I'd say for the price, its a good deal.

Very Disappointed
please do not buy this item because sounds very bad, poor sound quality, no even good for a kid this not worth it, pay few more money and buy Sony or Panasonic not that one, if you want a buy it anyway do not waste your money its a crap no good boombox at all.

For the price, a one-of-a-kind WINNER
A boom-box MP3 player with remote control?Hard to find a product like this at any price let alone this bargain.I payed $66.49 with free amazon prime shipping. I'm listening to it now--playing one of my 90+ song "jukebox" cds of high-quality mp3s--the sound quality is fine.Sure, the cd-door feels mushy and cheap and you can't fast-forward mp3s, but again, at this price, I highly recommend this product.

Not Dual Cassette.
Note to those who are expecting a dual cassette unit, as this boombox is described in its listing--this has a single cassette only.The sound quality for CDs is somewhat acceptable (for a small boombox) at medium to higher volumes, but it is annoyingly "tinny" at lower volumes.On the other hand, it does offer lots of MP3 features (not tried by me).

No "boom" in this box
I bought this on a friday and returned it a few days later.Very nice to look and and alot of good features like the MP3 capability, but extremely poor audio makes for a big disappointment.Despite the claims of "Deep, rich bass" made by the manufacturer, the unit has a low volume that maxes out at 29.The extra bass button and jazz, classic, and rock settings make very little difference in the sound.It's definitely meant to be kept indoors inside a quiet room because I seriously doubt it could be heard outdoors, or in a noisy environment.This would be a good deal if JVC had installed better sound capabilities. ... Read more

Features

• Supports both 11b and 11g at 2.4 GHz
• Speeds of up to 54 Mbps -- up to 5 times greater than 802.11b
• Shared access to Internet and resources
• Double Firewall with SPI and NAT
• Highest-level WEP encryption

Reviews (12)

Simple to use and hookup
Let me say that I know absolutely nothing about home networking. I had dial-up for so many years because it wasn't available in my area (and I live in Silicon Valley!). When our cable company started to carry it, we signed up immediately.

I found the Netgear router and card to be very easy and simple to use. I just plugged the router in, followed the instructions and off I went. The card was just as easy to set up. My desktop is running Windows XP and the laptop has Win98.

The only problem I had was running the "test" button after logging into the router's setup page. After inputing the router's settings on the setup page, you're supposed to hit a "test" button to see if you're router is setup correctly. It takes you to a Netgear web page where is says you're successful and you're now protected. For me, the success web page would never appear. After surfing the Netgear web site (and several tech support articles), you have to disable any popup blockers you have. When I did that, the success page finally appeared.

For research, I went to www.practicallywired.com where there's a lot of good, basic info for newbies like me.

Good luck!

Easy setup
First of all, I woould like to commend Amazon.com on their fast delivery. I ordered it on Monday morning and I got the package delivered to my front door the next morning. That was with the free shipping option, which was suppose to take about five days.
Now about the Netgear WGB511 802.11g wireless networking kit...I was able to get the router running with default settings in less than 10 minutes after I took it out of the box and that includes the time that I used to figure out how to use my old Linksys HPRO200 router as a bridge to my HPNA network. Upon inspecting the firmware version, I noticed that the version posted on Netgear's web site is newer and includes WPA-PSK so I quickly downloaded it and burned the new firmware. Except for the slow download from Netgear the whole process went very smoothly, however, the instruction for setting up WPA-PSK is minimal and it took a bit of guessing on my part to set it up (had to guess what needs to be done on my Windows XP, but only took couple tries.) The range of the wireless network is good and I was able to get excellent strength readings throughout most of the house. Over all, I am extremely pleased with the Netgear router so far, I just hope it won't quit on me prematurely as my Linksys wireless AP did right after warrenty expired.

Did not work with IBM ThinkPad and Windows XP.
The following is a recount of my personal experience with this Netgear product as well as my own opinions about the products usefulness.

My background:

I am a computer programmer with about 10 years of work experience and a 4.0 grade point average from an Ivy League school.

I was not able to get this product to work with an IBM ThinkPad T22 running Windows XP. I got the infamous "Code 10" problem that many others are seeing with this product. (...)a google search for 'netgear wg511 "code 10"' to see more.

Besides the problems that users are having, the technical support requires that you traverse "Bangalore Hell", from which you will probably not receive the information necessary to fix the problem (which, from the above posts, seems to be a driver software problem).

I tried various versions of the drive software downloaded from Netgear, including the latest 2.7.0.0 driver. This was the latest software available as of July 17, 2004. I was never able to get my laptop to properly recognize the card. No combination of removing and reinstalling drivers, removing and reinserting the wireless card, or clearing out Windows registry keys helped.

There is a reference to this problem on the Netgear website. However, it is terse and does not seem to offer a solution -- none of the approaches listed helped solve my problem (...)personal "solution" to the "Code 10" issue was to pack up the Netgear router and card and return it to Amazon. I have since replaced it with a Linksys combination which worked right out of the box. I didn't even need to install software -- Windows XP's built in Wi-Fi support was all that was needed.

Please note that this is only my personal experience and the experiences of various other anonymous posters on the Internet. It may not reflect every user's experience (or even the most common experience), and must be taken with a grain of salt.

Thanks for reading all the way through! :-)

--(...)

Very Easy Setup--Up and Working <15 minutes
I have an "ancient" Windows 98SE laptop. The setup and configuration for this device could not have been simpler. I was astounded by how automatic everything was. The only problem (not Netgear's fault, really), that I encountered was that I already had a machine on my home network that I statically gave 192.168.0.1 and so there was a conflict. That was easily resolved.
I haven't had much chance to play with the security features of the router and haven't tested the range yet. So far, so good.
I was also pleased that I got a 4-port 100-Mbps switch in the deal, too. I had been thinking about retiring my 10-Mbps passive hub, and lo-and-behold the wireless router has 4 100-Mbps ports on it. How cool is that!

Works well with other wireless cards, some trouble XP
I bought this WGB511 Networking Kit just this week (compliments to Amazon.com for fast shipment, BTW) after much consideration of different companies (Linksys, Belkin, etc.) and models (like the 802.11b wireless networking kit from Netgear). In the end, I decided buy this product because it seemed to give greatest bang for the buck (and reviews were up and down for all the products--for some people it worked great, for others, not at all). So far, it works great. My roommate has a Belkin 802.11g wireless card, and the router works just great with his computer--no spotty connections, and Internet connection as fast as connecting to the modem directly. As for me (with the included Netgear WG511 wireless card), the connection was somewhat spotty at the beginning. I think the problem was XP's (I'm not a great fan of M$) automatic wireless network configuration. It must have done something that increases (apparent) signal strength but makes the connection unstable. But, after configuring the router channel to the one with least interference (you can see which channels are in use by other wireless networks using Netgear's configuration utility--Site Survey) and setting up everything using Netgear's utility, it's working fine. So, five stars for working as expected, no points lost for the failings of the other company (er... M$?) ... Read more

Features

• Merriam-Webster Dictionary with 100,000 words
• Thesaurus with 500,000 synonyms
• SAT Words, Plus spell correction
• My word list, games, clock, databank
• 8-line display

Amazon.com Product Description

Philips' widescreen, 15:9 aspect-ratio 23PF8946A TFT LCD television brings you 23 diagonal inches of PC convenience and home-theater style. Perfect for use just about anywhere--living rooms, dens, offices, bedrooms, kitchens, dorms, you name it--the TV offers high brightness (450 cd/m2) and high contrast (500:1), as well as an integrated TV tuner for cable or broadcast reception of all your favorite programs.

This is an EDTV display, which means it's a step closer to high-definition or HDTV than standard TVs. When used with a progressive-scan DVD player (or 480p-output DTV set-top box) you'll get seamless, razor-sharp images from your favorite movies and concert videos.

LCD technology allows screens to be thinner and televisions to be lighter and more energy-efficient than ever before. The result is television that not only fits on a wall, but fits in places conventional televisions cannot. The 23PF8946A's comes outfitted with Digital Crystal Clear III technology, a suite of picture innovations including Dynamic Contrast, green/blue stretch, and a 3-line digital comb filter. The comb filter removes blurred edges between colors and reduces dot crawl (tiny, moving dots of color along a sharp color separation in a vertical line, as in a depiction of a character's striped T-shirt).

A feature called Active Control continually adjusts picture settings at over 60 times per second for all inputs, correcting both sharpness and noise reduction. Auto Picture lets you change--at the touch of a button--the picture settings (color, tint, contrast, etc.) for various types of programming, including sports, movies, multimedia (games), or weak signals.

Auto Sound allows you to select from 3 factory-set controls and a personal control that you set according to your preferences. Use the factory-set controls (voice, music, and theatre) to enhance appropriate programs. Virtual Dolby surround simulates enveloping surround sound from any 2 speakers.

Inputs include 1 component-video, 1 S-video, and 2 composite-video connections, as well as a VGA computer input, which accepts signals up to WXGA (1,280 x 768, from 60 to 75 Hz). Side-panel AV inputs accommodate a camcorder, gaming device, or VCR hookup, and a headphone output (minijack .125-inch) lets you listen in private.

What's in the Box
TV, stand, remote control, remote batteries, and a user's manual. ... Read more

Features

• 23-inch widescreen active-matrix LCD television with built-in NTSC tuner; 27.7 x 14.7 x 3.6 inches (W x H x D)
• Accepts 480i/480p video inputs and up to 1,280 x 768 pixel resolution
• Includes auto channel setup, stereo NTSC reception, and 6 widescreen viewing modes
• Digital Crystal Clear III technology and antireflective coating ensure high (400:1) contrast, high brightness
• Built-in FM tuner with 40 presets; headphone output affords private listening

Features

• 100 Watts x 6 channels
• Dolby Digital EX, ProLogic IIx, DTS-ES
• 2 HD Component Video inputs
• 3 digital inputs (2coaxial 1 optical)
• Kenwood System Remote Control

Features

• 1,280 x 1,024 maximum resolution, 0.294 mm dot pitch
• Analog RGB and digital DVI-D inputs
• 170-degree horizontal and vertical viewing angles
• 250-nit brightness, high 600:1 contrast ratio
• PC compatible; 1-year warranty

Reviews (2)

Great Color
I first noticed this monitor at one of those computer stores where they place all the monitors on the same shelf. This one really stood out for color and very sharp focus. I watch movies and play some games and I haven't noticed any ghosting. The only thing that I wish I could do is rotate the screen for word processing (kind of a minor complaint). Otherwise this is a very good monitor and the price is good for a 19 inch LCD.

Colors are washed out
This monitor is way too light (everything appears faded out), and adjusting the contrast and brightness controls don't help. No matter what brightness contrast setting is used, everything is either way too dim & gray or way too light. The monitor's brightness & contrast controls seem to have the exact same function - contrast setting appears to actually be adjusting the brightness and nothing seems to be actually changing the contrast. This will probably be returned soon, unless someone can tell me how to get the correct brightness/contrast setting. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

The RTV5532 personal video recorder, or PVR, delivers the ability to pause and replay live TV while recording and storing a whopping 320 hours of digital, tapeless audio and video--nearly two solid weeks' worth of entertainment. Enjoy a broadband or phone-line connection to the ReplayTV service and convenient home networking through a built-in Ethernet port--there's no extra hardware required. Subscription to ReplayTV service is available either as a $12.95 monthly fee or one-time lifetime fee of $299.99; a discounted $6.95 monthly fee is available for consumers with more than one active unit .

ReplayTV's 5500 Series is the most powerful and flexible PVR yet.

With the RTV5532 and the other models in the 5500 Series, ReplayTV has made major revisions, enhancing its feature base while removing certain contentious features found on previous models. ReplayTV's 5.0 software adds four powerful features: recording priority, which identifies recording conflicts and lets you decide which shows to record; network recording, which identifies conflicts and automatically assigns recordings to a home-networked ReplayTV with available hard-disk storage; pause and resume, which lets you pause a movie in the living room and finish watching it in the bedroom; and First-Run Recordings, which records only the new episodes and skips the repeats.

A PVR makes it simple to record favorite shows without the complicated programming requirements of VCRs and without videotape hassles. A PVR frees you from fixed TV schedules so you can watch what you want, when you want. Because ReplayTV uses digital recording to store television and/or cable broadcasts on a hard drive as you're watching, you'll also be able to control live television. You can pause live TV to take a telephone call, rewind to see a scene again, use instant replay to jump back seven seconds, or watch a scene in slow-motion.

Remote is well laid out and easy to read.

ReplayTV connects nightly to the ReplayTV Service to download the latest channel-guide information. Use this intuitive guide and the main system menu to follow simple--and in many cases, one-button--prompts. A feature called theme record automatically records shows using keywords or themes that you supply. You can also search for programs by keyword, helping you discover programs you might not have known about otherwise. If you forget to program your receiver to record a show before you leave for vacation, no worries: you can access your ReplayTV over the Web and program it from anywhere using MyReplayTV.

With multiple ReplayTV 5500-series models in a home connected via their built-in Ethernet ports, you can bounce programs around the house to different PVRs or to send digital photos between your PC and your ReplayTV units. And, like the 5000 Series, the 5500 Series still offers the option for broadband connectivity, which at this time consists of the future potential (via upgradeable firmware) to send non-copyrighted material across the Internet to other ReplayTV units and, possibly, to computers. The 5500 Series units network seamlessly with 5000 Series units.

And while ReplayTV has removed the Send Show and Automatic Commercial Advance features, the 5500 Series retains the QuickSkip and high-speed fast-forward buttons, so you'll still have considerable flexibility in your playback viewing. At the touch of a button, QuickSkip hops through a recorded program in 30-second increments--great for news features you don't care to watch and, yes, for bypassing the less interesting commercials out there. The fast-forward button scans at up to 20 times normal speed.

Built-in Ethernet port allows for convenient home networking.

Other features include room-to-room streaming between networked ReplayTVs, a progressive-scan output (for seamless, flicker-free displays on high-definition and HD-ready TVs), an optical digital-audio output (for direct connection with a compatible AV receiver), parental control (including channel blocking), show organizer, manual record, show extender (which lets you manually extend the start or end times of a recording).

What's in the Box
One ReplayTV RTV5532 PVR, a remote control, remote batteries, a user's manual, a coaxial video cable, a composite-video/stereo analog audio interconnect, an IR blaster cable, a 9-to-15-pin adapter, an RJH-to-9-pin adapter, and an RJ-11 phone cable. ... Read more

Features

• ReplayTV service subscription is either a $12.95 monthly fee or $299.99 one-time lifetime fee; discounted $6.95 monthly fee is available for consumers with more than one active unit
• 320-hour personal video recorder with theme record for capturing programs based on keywords or themes
• Built-in home networking capabilities via Ethernet; no extra costs to network
• Pause live-action TV shows, jump back 7 seconds for instant replay, enjoy high-quality slow-motion and fast forward effects
• Send programs between ReplayTV units in your home; blaze past annoying ads in 30-second increments with QuickSkip

Reviews (64)

SIMPLY AWESOME!!! Great service, support, ease of use.
I picked up a ReplayTV for $150 in a major big-box retailer. The signs were CLEARLY posted about the $12/month service fee. I easily set up my unit, used customer support a few times, which was very helpful, and have the entire system up and ready to go in about 2 hours. It's awesome, and I saved over 1 hour of time watching a football game due to skipping commercials!

The recording features are fantastic, and I'm going to buy another one for the bedroom so I can shuffle video around the house.

Connect hte ReplayTV to your computer and you can send photographs to ReplayTV and display them on your TV screen. Very cool.

Also, you can record movies and burn them onto DVDs on your computer. Again, very, very cool!

ReplayTV can be plugged into a phone line or a typical "ethernet" type of cord (if you have high speed internet).

Make sure to plug the IR blaster all the way in. My remote appeared to not work due to the plug not being all the way in.

Simply put, this machine with this capability is amazing. It's going to change the way I watch TV, and I am very happy with the price of $150 with some extra monthly service.

29 Days
29 Days.. that is how long our 80 hour replay tv unit lasted. Set it up on April 9 and on May 8th we came home to find it stuck on the 'Please wait one moment' screen. Since the 8th was a Saturday, ReplayTv's customer support was not open. After extensive research on the internet we believed the problem to be hard drive failure, and apparently fairly common. On Monday a call to ReplayTv's support group confirmed it was HD failure and we were told to return it to the point of purchase (Amazon.com in our case)

We had already signed up for the lifetime subscription. In order to get a refund you must submit to Replay proof that the item was sent back. Amazon's return system is automated, and since it was 1 day out of the 30 day return time (from waiting the weekend) I couldn't print the shipping label from the Amazon website. A call to amazon fixed that.. but the whole refund process took several weeks for both companies, numerous phone calls and was a huge hassle.

After having the unit for a month we were really hooked, and I can honestly say it changed the way we watched tv. It was great to be able to sit down and watch the things we enjoyed, without being subject to what was on at the moment. So when it broke, it was very frustrating to not only be without the unit, but to have lost all of the shows that were on the drive.

Outside of this problem we had some difficulties setting the unit up, that to this day we still don't know what the problem was. Calling customer support was of no help. They were clearly going through a script, that had no relationship to the problem we were having.

Once up and running, we found it very easy to use and reliable, although the search function was limited. The best example I can think of is that a search for 'Law and Order' did not turn up all or even most instances - and there is no '&' on the onscreen keyboard. Searches must exactly match the title in the listing and keyword or partial matches are not possible.

We spent alot of time reviewing and comparing different units prior to making this purchase. Picture quality was very important - the picture on even the low and middle settings is very good. Also important too us was that Replay units have component video (and composite and S-video) where Tivo only has S-video and composite. Replay's have built in ethernet (you need to buy an adapter for Tivo), and until recently Tivo charged for the 'Home media option' which has always been free on Replay.

Personally, I was upset that the unit didn't even last 30 days and that this was a common problem. One that you can cure yourself by hacking it, but it voids the warranty, which I couldn't justify because the warranty wasn't up. Add to that the lousy customer service and their lousy hours. So we are going to try a Tivo unit.. the selling point for us being that for $150 they will replace the unit if it breaks after the warranty period, they have better support hours and the some of the user features are better. We will miss the component video though :)

Love it
I only have one complaint and that is when you hook up with DishNetwork you have to make sure that your ReplayTV doesn't go to a channel that you don't subscribe to because the ReplayTV won't be able to switch away from it. But I've been able to avoid the problem and have been a big fan of it since. I have it networked with my brother's ReplayTV and we can use both to record and I can watch my brothers recorded shows through my box. Pretty cool.

Set up isn't too difficult, and barring any whacky issues you can be up and running in less than 10min.

Subscription is still cheaper than Tivo, but I don't know how long ReplayTV will be around. I'm not saying it is a bad company, I just see Tivo commercials more than ReplayTV.

I haven't had a problem with it but....I hope ReplayTV would make a change so you don't have to use the Infrared blaster to change channels on DishNetwork boxes. Hopefully they'll make a back of the box wired connection for it in the future.

I recommend this box.

Serious Quality Issues
I have had a TiVo for more than a year and have been very pleased with the ease of use and quality of the guide service. The only reason I considered a ReplayTV was for the ability to do video extraction and the ease of networking the ReplayTV which is not readily performed on my Series One TiVo without spending more than the cost of a new TiVo or a ReplayTV. I have yet to get more than 10 minutes of use out of my ReplayTV 5504. While watching live TV, the picture would stutter and freeze after 5 or 10 minutes of use. A scheduled recording would be almost unwatchable due to the stuttering of the video and the audio. I spent several man-hours with tech support trying to resolve this problem. Finally, ReplayTV offered to exchange the unit. I installed the replacement unit and went through the setup screen, connected to the internet and downloaded all of the appropriate software from ReplayTV. I thought that this replacement unit would finally fulfill my expectations about ReplayTV. Imagine my disappointment when I started having essentially the same problems over and over again. Now, I can not even get the ReplayTV to set up from a cold restart. I think that ReplayTV has some serious build-quality issues with this unit. I am not an uninformed user. I have successfully installed both wired and unwired networks for myself and others. I have built my own computers for more than 10 years. The frustrating part is that some ReplayTV owners seem to be trouble-free. This may be the luck of the draw. But, what are the odds of getting two bad units in a row? If the problem is resolved, I will amend this review.

ReplayTv 5404
Very happy with the 5404. Added this baby to my network router with broadband connect. Install was simple.

Already hacked it with 160gb harddrive. $139.00 for the hardrive and $111.00 for unit itself. Total cost for 160 hour PVR $250.00. Works perfect. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

The i5803 is an accessory handset for use with VTech expandable phone system models i5853, i5857, i5866, and i5867. The i5803 utilizes the 5.8 GHz frequency and digital spread spectrum technology to provide clear, accurate reception with less interference than traditional 2.4 GHz and 900 MHz phones. Caller ID/call waiting compatible, the i5803 has a 50-number caller ID memory as well as a 50-name-and-number phone directory to help you keep track of important contacts.

You can select among eight ring tones and 12 musical ringers, while the supplied audio patch cord allows you to record custom ring tones. An intercom feature lets you communicate with other handsets on the same system, and a handset-to-handset call transfer feature lets you route incoming calls to another handset location. The redial function lets you dial any of the last 10 outgoing calls, while an any-key answer feature allows you to answer a call by pressing any button on the phone.

The NiMH battery has an eight-hour talk time, with a standby battery life of up to five days. A handset speakerphone and headset compatibility also provide convenient methods of hands-free communication. The i5803 comes backed with a one-year warranty.

What's in the Box
Handset, belt clip, charger stand, AC adapter, battery cells, battery cover, user's manual, special features guide, audio patch cable

Note: This is not a standalone telephone. It requires a base system (sold separately) to function. ... Read more

Features

• 5.8 GHz digital spread spectrum signal
• For use with i5853, i5857, i5866, and i5867 expandable systems
• Caller ID/call waiting, 50-call memory
• 50-number phone directory; distinctive ring detection
• Multiple ringers plus custom-recordable ring tones

Amazon.com Product Description

Whether you're looking for a stylish portable alarm clock radio or anMP3-capable CD player to accompany you on the road, Grundig'sEt&oacute;n Ego 4000 Plus may be calling your name. The compact unituses Grundig's proprietary detachable speaker docking system, which letsyou remove the speakers from the exterior of the folding lid andposition them apart, like your home speakers. Or, you can leave thespeakers attached and play the unit like a small boombox. In any case,Grundig also provides a pair of lightweight street-style stereoheadphones to bypass the speakers altogether for private listening.

The Et&oacute;n Ego 4000 Plus plays not just audio CDs, but recordableCDs filled with MP3 files, too, with ID3 tag capability (for artist andtitle display) and the benefit of 40-second shock protection (or anamazing 120 seconds for MP3). Bass boost and a selection of five presetequalization curves help you tailor the sound to your personalpreference, and you can listen in various random or repeat modes orprogram up to 20 CD/MP3 CD tracks to play in sequence.

The player's fold-up top section puts a backlit LCD in clear view,especially handy when using the built-in alarm and/or calendar features.The clock offers a date indicator, 12-hour time mode, dual alarms (withsnooze), and local/world time. You or your partner can wake to theradio, a CD, or a buzzer. For power, use four AA batteries or the unit'sAC power adapter (both included).

Choose from 15-, 30-, and 60-minute sleep settings, or rely on autopower off to shut the player down at the end of a disc. The FM/AM radiocomes with 30 station presets (20 FM, 10 AM), auto scanning, andantennas.

Grundig's design-driven Et&oacute;n line of portable-audio offers agraceful combination of form and function. Unique product design is thebasis for all models, as well as functionality above and beyond otherproducts in the same category. With features that satisfy high-tech,style-conscious listeners, Et&oacute;n products have an added flare thatwill attract people seeking distinctive portable audio.

What's in the Box
CD unit, speakers, headphones, carrying case, an AC power adapter, fourAA batteries, and a user's manual. ... Read more

Features

• Portable CD-radio with MP3/ID3 tag compatibility, 40/120-second anti-skip (PCM/MP3), and detachable stereo speakers
• 30 FM/AM station presets, includes FM and AM antennas
• World/local time settings, dual alarms and snooze button; wake to radio, CD, or buzzer
• 5 EQ presets, bass boost, auto power-off, and 20-track CD programming; 15-, 30-, and 60-minute sleep timer
• Includes 4 AA batteries, an AC power adapter, and stereo headphones

Reviews (6)

not worth the price
I received this as a gift and know the Grundig name typically as a quality product. The sound was so poor I decided there must be something wrong with the unit. I called the Grundig tech support and explained that I heard a very tinny sound with no bass at all. The tech without pause said "Thats typical with all of those units." He further continued to say "you'll get some bass response with the headphones but thats as good as it gets." I couldn't believe something with a $150 price tag was known to sound so bad. Do not waste your money on this product.

Garbage
Unfortunately, my husband bought this piece of junk well before I'd had a chance to read any reviews. I think it's all been said before, but this CD player is a complete rip-off, and an expensive rip-off at that! We were wondering why we only got a couple hours out of a set of batteries, but apparently it's not just us; the problem is inherent in this poor excuse for a CD player. And if you still think you might like to buy one, you can have mine. I'm going to buy something that works.

Anti-shock makes CD worthless
I purchased this to wake up to a CD. It takes 40+ seconds to fill the buffer for the anti-shock system. During this time, the CD stutters. Extrememly annoying. You can shut the anti-shock system off, but only after it begins playing. By that time I'm awake and irritated.

Other than that, I like it.

Stay away, far away.
This thing ain't worth the [money maount]+ asking price. You're better off getting a portable CD player with the same options (minus the clock) and some mini-speakers. The speakers have no bass and and are very tinny. The CD player worked for about a week and now it stutters almost all the time, usually less when you turn the anti-shock setting off. It's all eye-candy.

Most Disappointing Product I've EVER Purchased!
Right off the bat, let me say that this Grundig CD player isn't worth [money], let alone [money]. The reviewer that said he got 5 hours of listening on a set of batteries is lucky. With the first set, I got 1 hour, with the second set I got 14 minutes!! I'm not exaggerating -- I timed it.

Granted, you can skip the batteries and use the AC adapter, but even then, the sound quality is terrible. Cheap and tinny. The speakers are worthless. I am astonished that Grundig is charging so much money for this. Do yourself a favor and avoid. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

Audiovox's affordable and portable D1501 features a 5.8-inch, 16:9 widescreen aspect ratio LCD and compatibility with DVD-Video, VCD/SVCD, audio CD, CD-R, CD-RW, and MP3-encoded discs. Take your favorite movies and music on the plane, on the bus, or even in the car for the kids--a supplied adapter lets you power the unit right from your dashboard cigarette lighter, and the unit sports two separate headphone jacks for tandem viewing. The unit also includes a full-function remote control for hassle-free operation in tight quarters.

Composite-video and stereo analog-audio inputs and outputs let you hook the player up to your other audio/video gear for viewing on your TV or--as with video games--through the D1501's own screen. All audio and video inputs and outputs are of the minijack .125-inch size, so compatible adapter cables are required (one stereo analog audio and one composite-video cable and one AV cable are supplied).

The included rechargeable NiMH battery pack provides up to three hours of playback (power consumption depends on the operations of the player, such as screen brightness, volume level, etc.). The battery pack features high storage capacity and low susceptibility to degradation, as the NiMH batteries don't have a "memory effect," making it safe to recharge them regardless of whether they're fully or only partially spent. Generally, the batteries need about five hours for complete charging.

Playback options include frame-by-frame slow motion, zoom, and multiple-angle viewing (with applicable discs). Headphones are not included.

What's in the Box
DVD player, AC to DC adapter, remote control with battery, instruction manual, 1 audio cable, 1 video cable, 1 audio/video cable, cigarette lighter adapter, andrechargeable NiMH battery. ... Read more

Features

• 5.8-inch LCD screen with 16:9 widescreen aspect ratio; 8.07 x 1.98 x 5.92inches (W x H x D)
• 3-hour rechargeable NiMH batteries accommodate up to 2 movies between charges
• Audio/video input and output let you use the player with your home TV or with external video game consoles
• Plays DVD, SVCD, VCD, CD, and MP3 CD
• Includes car kit with DC power adapter and remote control

Reviews (7)

Look out! Not reliable!
It was fun while it lasted. Bought it last Father's day, and by this Father's day, it was already broken--won't load, freezes, won't play DVD (apparently the lens needs replacing). A local TV repair shop says it will cost more than the player itself with labor involved. Audiovox will charge a flat rate of 93.75 plus the cost of shipping it to them to fix it. So basically a year later I'm having to buy the player all over again. Pretty steep considering it is only one year old, and that I took impeccable care of the player (cleaned often and kept in padded case).

Terrific DVD Player for the money!
I bought this for a planned cross country road trip that did not happen. Now I use it often if not for movies, to listen to music.The picture is great, sharp and clear. The sound is great as well.It is lightweight and it comes with the things you need to either use it in a car or to hook it up to your tv at home. The battery holds the charge well. Things that are important to me in a portable. Do not let the price fool you. Yes it is lower than most other portables but the quality is outstanding. I would and will someday buy another.

Gift for husband
I bought this for my husband's birthday (50 - so I splurged a bit). He absolutely loved it! Our two teenage children were fascinated. My husband's co-worker wanted to see it - and then ordered one for herself. My husband loves to watch dvds that I don't really want to see so the portability of the dvd player is very useful to us. It has a great picture - extremely clear. I highly recommend this player.

Great little DVD player!
This is a great portable dvd player! I bought it for a trip, and found it never skipped or had any trouble, even when the plane went through quite a bit of turbulence! Also... I bought two dvds while on the trip, only to realize that they were in a foreign language with English subtitles. I was afraid of how the subtitles might appear on a 5.8" screen, but they were just fine - very readable!

Fantastic!!
I am so pleased with this little dvd player.. the picture quality is clear and the sound is great. I took it on a recent trip and it charged up perfectly and played just as I expected. No surprises! I can't help but compare this one to another portable dvd player I had to send back recently as would not work correctly - the audiovox was even less expensive! I would recommend this to anyone who would like a lightweight, dependable portable dvd. ... Read more

Amazon.com Review

Though it may look like a computer peripheral, Philips's gleaming silver Streamium SL300i multimedia receiver is a perfect fit for your living room or bedroom. Amazingly compact, the hardcover-book-sized device is WiFi-enabled to stream audio, video, and Internet-based entertainment from your PC to your television, stereo, home theater, or other platform at a remove from your computer. Wireless transmission requires integration with a home network, but we found setup a snap. If you don't have an existing network, you can also run a special crossover Ethernet (Cat5) cable (not supplied) between your computer and the SL300i--an immediate and affordable alternative.

Without bogging down your PC's resources, the SL300i gives you access to your complete library of digital photos, MP3 music, and computer- and Internet-based movies and video content. Use it with your PC or Mac (Windows 98, 98SE, 2000, ME, and XP and Mac OS X; Mac wireless networking available starting fall 2004). If you plan to connect the device to an existing network, make sure your hardware (router, wireless cardbus adapter, etc.) is WiFi-compliant (802.11g/b). While the product claims 802.11b compatibility, we strongly recommend using 802.11g or, if 802.11b, devices made within the last year or so; we experienced only intermittent success with a 2002-vintage 802.11b router.

With broadband Internet access and a compatible wireless home network already in place, setup should be delightfully simple: plug in the SL300i, hook up the audio and video outputs to your TV or surround receiver via composite- or S-video jacks, and turn it on. In our system, the SL300i "found" our network automatically and allowed us to get right to Internet registration (at my.philips.com) so we could listen to any number of Web radio stations while installing the Philips Media Manager software (or PMM) on our computer. You'll need to disable your Microsoft or other computer-based firewalls, relying instead on the firewall built into your wireless router. (Otherwise, open ports 49152 to 65535 for the SL300i.)

The value of the Internet audio and video should not be underestimated. You can use the many theme-based radio stations from Live365.com, Andante, MP3.com, Playhouse Radio, or Yahoo's LaunchCast (among others) to sonically coordinate a dinner or dance party, and there's plenty there to entertain the kids, too. Yahoo and iFilm.com provide high-quality music videos and film trailers at up to 700 kbps. For radio, sound quality proved remarkably listenable, with most but not all stations broadcasting in stereo, free of the swishy artifacts that plague much online audio. Online services also include Internet gaming.

With respect to streaming your media files, the SL300i sees only the files or folders you've selected for it. Within the PMM--and right from your living room--you can sort music by artist, genre, album, or song, or select slideshow mode for viewing your JPEG digital photos. Full-screen mode expands JPEG images and video streams to literally fill your screen, a nice change from JPEG-friendly DVD players that render a digital photo as a tiny box within a huge black frame.

Unlike the pricier SL400i, the SL300i has no display, so you'll be dependent on your TV and the unit's onscreen display for navigating to available content. But you can manage, right from the well-designed remote, all Internet content and even programming from multiple networked PCs. Coolest of all--while one person is remotely accessing content from a PC's hard drive or the broadband Internet connection, the home PC remains fully usable by other members of the household. A total of two analog stereo audio outputs lets you feed a tape deck or CD recorder in addition to your TV or audio receiver.

Philips is actively updating its services and its software, and the SL300i will periodically update its firmware--a cool feature designed to keep the unit technologically shipshape, running ever more smoothly and accommodating ever more formats. --Michael Mikesell

Pros:

• Affordable
• Straightforward setup and installation when used with compatible hardware
• High-quality streaming audio and video
• Full-screen and slideshow options for JPEG image viewing
• Quiet operation
• Includes access to a wealth of online AV content
• Supports music playlist creation
• Fun, colorful, content-modulated screensavers
• Emits cool blue light when powered

Cons:

• No on-unit display
• Finicky performance with some 802.11b hardware
• Incompatible with computer-based Internet firewalls

What's in the Box
The SL300i, a remote control, remote batteries, a user's manual, a composite-video/stereo analog audio interconnect, a stereo analog audio interconnect, an installation CD-ROM, a power adapter, an AC power cord, and warranty information. ... Read more

Features

• Wireless interface to let you enjoy PC multimedia--music, movies, and photos--on your TV and stereo system
• Easy access to Internet entertainment, including online music, movie trailers, photo collections, games (requires broadband Internet access)
• New features, functions, and media formats readily available through Internet upgrades
• WiFi 802.11b/g compatible for existing home networks (does not include wireless access device)
• Measures 1.8 x 7.3 x 7.1 inches (W x H x D)

Amazon.com Product Description

This 2.4 GHz DSS telephone offers call waiting and caller ID, a 50-name and number phone book directory, handset speakerphone, and headset compatibility. The best news of all is that it is expandable, allowing you to place cordless extensions in rooms without the need for a phone jack. Each VT2421 system accepts up to two additional VT2420 accessory handsets, giving you a total of four. The ergonomic design also makes it a hit in both form and function. This factory-refurbished unit is backed by a 90-day warranty.

What's in the Box
Base unit, two handsets, remote charger stand, two AC adapters, one telephone line cord, two battery packs and covers, instructions

Note: This model is no longer in production, so you may have difficulty finding additional handsets that are compatible with the phone's expandability feature. ... Read more

Features

• 50-name-and-number phonebook directory; headset compatible
• Factory-reconditioned to like-new condition; 90-day warranty
• 2.4 GHz digital spread spectrum signal
• Expandable to 4 handsets, 2 included; handset speakerphone
• Caller ID/call waiting, 50-call memory

Amazon.com Product Description

The Kenwood HTB-307 home theater in a box has all the basics you need to set up a home theater with outstanding sound. With an A/V receiver, five speakers, and one subwoofer, you can enjoy movies at home with cinema-quality sound. A digital tuner is also included, with 40 station presets, and automatic and manual tuning.

The receiver provides Dolby Digital, DTS, and Dolby Pro Logic II 5.1-channel decoding for both movies and music. Bass management, bass boost, and audio DSP listening modes give you control over the sound so you can tailor the settings to your needs. The five speakers pump out 100 watts each, and the subwoofer (with 100 watts power) gives richness and depth to music and movies.

Connect a DVD player, satellite tuner, or other components with the variety of input and options. Audio connections include two coaxial and one optical digital audio in, six stereo analog audio inputs, and a pre-out for the subwoofer. Three composite video inputs, one composite video monitor out, and one composite video record out round out the video connections.

What's in the Box
Receiver/tuner, 5 speakers, 1 subwoofer, remote control, 2 AA batteries, user's manual, and warranty information. ... Read more

Features

• Home theater system with an A/V receiver, five speakers, and one subwoofer
• Digital tuner with 40 station presets
• 2 coaxial and 1 optical digital audio in, 6 stereo analog audio inputs, 3 composite-video inputs, 1 composite-video monitor out, and 1 composite-video record out
• Dolby Digital, DTS, and Dolby Pro Logic II 5.1-channel decoding
• Five speakers and one subwoofer for 600 watts total power

Reviews (1)

Awesome
There is not a think lacking from this system if you already have a DVD player. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

The sleek XV-N512SL DVD player from JVC produces a remarkably vivid picture and lifelike sound, making it a versatile addition to your home theater. This all-in-one player eliminates the clutter of components in your home audio and home theater set-up with its wide variety of playback formats. The JVC XV-N512SL supports DVDs (including DVD-RAM and DVD-audio), VCDs, CDs, and digital files including MP3, WMA, and JPEG formats.

JVC's digital direct progressive scan technology yields high-resolution visuals with eye-popping colors and a minimum of on-screen distortion. The XV-N512SL features a 12-bit/108 MHz video digital-to-analog converter that brings realistic warmth to the picture. The XV-N510BK looks great on the outside as well. This sleek player measures only 1.7 inches high and the blue-lit illuminated panel compliments the attractive silver case.

In addition to looking great, the XV-N512SL sounds great, too. A built-in Dolby Digital/DTS decoder, combined with JVC's 3D-Phonic sound processor, provides a virtual surround sound experience. Enjoymovies and recordings made in the DVD-Audio format to the fullest with JVC's 192 kHz/24-bit audio digital-to-analog converter, which translates digital audio data into a natural, high-fidelity sound.

The player offers a wide variety of viewing tools and options, centered around an easy-to-use, graphical user interface menu. The XV-N512SL offers variable speed search, slow motion, freeze frame, 6-step digital zoom, and a bookmark function that automatically returns you to the point on the DVD that you last viewed. You can also create a slideshow on your TV screen with a JPEG viewer that allows you to add visual effects to the presentation of your digital photos.

The player includes optical and coaxial digital audio outputs with Dolby Digital & DTS pass-through for easy connection to any system.The XV-N512SL features component video, composite video, and S-Video terminals, and an analog audio out for front, center, rear, and subwoofer connections.

What's in the Box
JVC XV-N512SL DVD player, remote control, and owner's manual. ... Read more

Features

• Playback formats include DVD, DVD-RAM, DVD-Audio, VCD, CD, MP3, WMA, and JPEG
• Progressive scan, high-performance digital-to-analog converter, slim stylish design
• Optical and coaxial digital outputs and component-, composite-, S-video outputs
• 3D-phonic simulated surround sound, Dolby Digital and DTS decoder
• Measures 17.1 x 1.7 x 10 inches (W x H x D)

Product Description

Special Purchase! InFocus ScreenPlay 4800 Simply amazing! We proudly present InFocus’ 1100 Lumens SVGA Projector – the ScreenPlay 4800. Capable of creating visions that are indescribably magnificent. All from a beautifully designed and deliciously compact machine. This refurbished projector shines vivid, bigger-than-big images that are perfect for watching TV and DVDs or playing games. More than just a pretty image-maker, the ScreenPlay 4800 presents art-of-the-industry features like 2000:1 contrast ratio, award-wining DLP technology and DCDi by Faroudja processing.Broad Connectivity. Home Optimized! Connect the InFocus ScreenPlay 4800 to anything n your home, including your satellite receiver, DVD, VCR or gaming console! When it’s time to play, this phenomenal projector shines brightly. And it’s home optimized! Unlike typical business projectors the ScreenPlay is specially designed for video. So you get the smoothest, most film-like experience imaginable. Don’t pass up this opportunity to purchase the amazing InFocus ScreenPlay 4800 for our incredibly low price. ... Read more

Features

• Multiple video sources—use it with your satellite receiver, DVD, VCR, or games console.
• Faroudja DCDi™ processing—produces images with ultimate fidelity and clarity.
• Factory reconditioned to like-new condition; includes One Year Limited Warranty
• Amazing and affordable theater experience—costs a fraction of the price of plasma, big screens, and other projectors.
• Award-winning DLP™ technology—for the most lifelike images and brilliant colors; 2000:1 contrast ratio—for vivid images, even in a lit room

Amazon.com Product Description

The Netgear FR11P ProSafe firewall/print server is a true, broadband-capable firewall that provides you with the utmost in business-class security--Denial of Service protection and intrusion detection using Stateful Packet Inspection (SPI), URL access and content filtering, logging, reporting, and real-time alerts. VPN pass-through maximizes network security with access control and encryption. And a built-in print server removes the bottleneck of a dedicated PC print server and supports multiple print jobs simultaneously. With four auto sensing, switched LAN ports and Network Address Translation (NAT) routing, up to 253 users can access your broadband connection at the same time. There's even a 100 Mbps WAN port for future high-speed broadband services. Smart Wizard and Install Assistant get your network up and running in minutes, and a complete antivirus software bundle is included at no extra cost to shield your network with additional protection. ... Read more

Features

• True Firewall with Stateful Packet Inspection (SPI) and Intrusion Detection
• Denial of Service (DoS) attack protection and VPN pass-through
• Built-in Print Server and Network Address Translation (NAT) Routing
• Easy-to-Use Smart Wizard and Install Assistant
• Free, complete antivirus PC software bundle

Reviews (26)

No Brainer Installation
I read the other reviews here with some dismay before I bought this unit. I decided to go ahead with the purchase because I had spent a lot of time researching router/switch combos with print server capability and true SPI firewall capability. There are not a lot of reasonably priced options out there. In summary this unit has performed like a dream. I had two PC's, a NIC laserprinter, and a parallel port printer (via print server) all plugged in, configured with my DSL service, and all up and running in less than 30 minutes. Please note that BEFORE I purchased this unit I made 3 separate "pre-sales" calls to Netgear tech support and received what I considered to be good information in each instance (I even placed a call at 3am one morning to check if they really were 24/7). Read the installation guide from cover to cover BEFORE you actually DO anything and you will probably find (as I did) that this is a no-brainer deal.

Firewall/Router work fine - Print Server a project
The router & firewall functionality of the FR114P are fine. Print server took hours of effort with varying error messages but no printing.

Netgear offered to send me a new box for $15. Charge even though I am well within the warrantee period. New box seems to be working fine, but it has only been a few days.

This box has a documented issues with HP printers. They are (now) clearly addressed on the Netgear web site. Be sure to look there before you try to use this with an HP printer. It will not work if you follow the instructions in the manual.

As for the other features, I followed the instruction manual to the letter. On line with 3 computers in no time. Networking between the computers worked out of the box. But no printing.

E-mailed back and forth with Netgear tech support. Reasonably prompt replies, but nothing more that pointing me to the same material I had already reviewed on their web site.

Called tech support. Typical 30 minutes on hold. Tech rep was very professional, but unable to get the printer printing after about 45 minutes of trying. Then offered the replacement box.

worked OK for maybe 18 months then "pop" and smells bad
Never could hook up the printer, but it worked OK for a while until it started making erratic connection with the cable modem. Then "POP", a bad smell, and I'm out $100!
Serial FR14A278A011564

Good featureset, but reliability and performance concerns.
I've owned two of these routers now -- my first one died after about a year and I replaced it with the same model because I was fairly happy with it and it worked.

Configuration is easy and yet powerful. Pretty much all of the features I could want come built-in and work (make sure you get the latest firmware from the netgear site!)

In general the router has Just Worked for me -- I configured it, and left it alone. My DSL is up 24/7 and fairly heavily used, and I never ever have to touch the router.

On the other hand, I'm about to replace this router with the BEFSX41 -- my DSL line speed has recently been upped to 3mbits, and I'm now finding that the netgear box is the bottleneck on my network. Do a little bit of googling and you'll be able to find some comparative throughput tests (this router was by far the slowest)

Rock Solid, Quality.
Excellent product. Perfect for the home or small office. I've been using this router for over a year and it works perfectly. I've recommended this product to several clients and none have reported the hardware failures that others have posted about. The print server is a very nice bonus. I have six computers behind my router and the performace is outstanding. ... Read more

Features

• Customized interface cables make system connections easy
• DVD/CD Player with convenient top loading disc mechanism -playback capability for DVD - CD, CD-R/RW, MP3 CDs
• A/V FM-AM Tuner / Processor with integrated DTS, Dolby Digital, Pro Logic II + synthetic soundfield effects
• Center channel crossover & power amplifier in third component
• 5 channel satellite speakers + dual active subwoofers

Reviews (1)

Impressive in performance and design
A favorite pastime is to visit audiovideophile stores and listen to home theater set-ups. Well the prices are coming down. No longer the $15K or more set-ups. At least until I get a large plasma screen or something. I bought a mere 32" Toshiba HD TV and I realized the sound fell short of what it could be. Oddly, I saw demo'ed at Sam's Club a Nakamichi SoundSpace 8.5 speaker system (with A-V receiver-DVD player). The whole set-up was totally impressive. When the price dropped further, I couldn't resist.

This system is now set-up with 5 satellite speakers and TWO sub-woofers plus the electronics. This have been beautifully designed components (and compact). I don't think I could enjoy the sound any more in a theater -- I know I wouldn't. The only thing now lacking is a huge screen. The sound and spaciousness of 5.1 audio is impressive. I've listened to "Return of the King", "Kill Bill, Vol. 1", and "Terminator 3". The exploitation of the dimensionalty is simply awesome. The sharpness of the sound is impressive. I just finished adjusting the system for time delays based on positions of the speakers (manual is very clear and straight-forward) and even my ears heard (and felt) improvements. I found that my old DVDs had new life and interest. It's difficult to tell whether it is the sound alone, or the quality of the DVD player that is part of SS8.5 that made such a difference.

I do not have perfect pitch or especially good ears, but the experience of this system is remarkable. My family has been wowed by the set-up. Sounds on the discs are momentarily mistaken for real sounds in the room. In "Kill Bill", breaking glass sounds like real breaking glass. Together with the increasing cable offerings available in HDTV, many new choices are appearing. These do not have the impact of the DVDs that I've played, but nevertheless well executed.

I am one VERY satisfied Nakamichi customer. ... Read more

Features

• 3-Speed Turntable (33, 45, 78 rpm)
• 3-CD Drawer Type Changer
• Dual Cassette Decks
• Quartz PLL Synthesized AM / FM Stereo Tuner
• 20 FM, 20 AM Station Preset Memory

Product Description

Brace yourself for the resounding connection of style and substance with Rave-MP's ARC2.5 digital audio player. With design in mind, the ARC2.5 crosses the sound barrier and bridges the gap between attitude and magnitude.

• 2.5GB Built-in Memory (Up to 83 Hours of Music)
• Plays for 10+ Hours with Included Rechargeable Li-ion Battery
• USB 2.0 Connection for Hi-speed Music Transfer
• FM Tuner with 20 Presets
• Records Voice, Live Sound & FM Radio

Features

• Plays MP3 and WMA Digital Audio files; FM Tuner with 20 presets; Records voice, live sound, and FM radio
• Includes 90 day warranty, 76 tracks with bonus music and free downloads from eMusic.com, Earbuds, USB Cable, Carrying Case, and Battery Recharger
• Special Bonus: When ordered from Amazon.com, item comes with free DJ-style headphones valued at $49.95
• Stores up to 83 Hours of Music at 64 kbps; Plays for 10+ Hours with Included Rechargeable Li-Ion Battery
• USB 2.0 Connection for high-speed music transfer

Reviews (6)

WORST thing on the market!!!!!!!!!AWFUL!!!!!!!!!
We bought this product in April 8, 05 for my brother. It was cheap, had a lot of memory, why not. Well in less than a month, the little sad face with a bug appeared on the screen. Called into customer support, who gave NO support, said to fax in a copy of the confirmation order, then send the product back to get it replaced. First of all, i don't have a fax machine in my house, and i have to spend money to ship it back in again. RIDICULOUS! Either that, or go to costco and exchange it, and where i live there is no costco. The worst of all, i can't even return the junk.

All this process is waste of money, time consuming, and inconvenient. If you can spend 120 on this thing, you wont get your money's worth. It'll die on you in less than a month, then you have to deal with the poor customer support. The funny thing is they consider their support "award winning customer service professionals".

Take my advice. BUY AN IPOD!!!!

Awful, Awful, Awful and...Awful.
The only thing that is more of a joke than this product is their customer support.

After three weeks I started to get sad face and bug icons(Now its all I get). You email their technical support with the problem and they send you their e-mail FAQ to you.

I called the technical support line, which by the way is 877-772-8367-You'll be needing it) and waited for at least 25 min. before hanging up (It also took a good 4-5 min to navigate thier automated phone system).

I paid $119 new, and I paid $119 too much.

Buyer beware.

Good price/performance but some weaknesses
With WMA recording and 64K encoding, you can get 80+ hours of recording.With MP3, you get a little less, it seems.(I mostly put MP3's on first and switched when I saw that the file size for WMA's tends to be smaller.I used mostly 64 K encoding, and at that rate, WMA sounds no worse than MP3 to me.YMMV.)

I found the controls and menus easy to master.It's not an IPod, of course.An IPod is certainly easier to get through the menus.I don't like the feel of IPod earbuds, but they do sound better than these, which are, to me, even less comfortable.The large headphones are more comfortable, but aren't particularly good.Then again, you get both in the basic package.Both distort badly at higher volumes.It also comes with an on-belt plastic holder, which it's hard to get into and out of, and which doesn't fit on any belt I own.

The basic package also includes a few songs and 50 free downloads from e-music.They have lots of stuff, but not much that I was looking for.Getting 50 was a great bonus, though, and since I paid just $100 in combination it made it an excellent deal.

It does take a while to get going on startup.Once going, though, I had no problems.I've never had to reset it.It charges either through USB cable or charger, the charger is much faster.I use the player for maybe 2 hours per day, and it needs to be recharged only after about 5 days.

A collateral benefit of this unit is it's a great pocketable backup over the USB port.I put an entire tax program on it and transferred it from one computer to another -- no problem.Later I found I could run the program off the ARC player.It's more than fast enough for backups.

For this much recording time, a strong battery and easy operating controls it's a good deal.I'd suggest planning to get rid of the earbuds or headphones and replace them with a better setup.(You can get Sennheiser 202's for about $15.Better sound, more comfortable, and they handle the volume better.)

If you have the money, an IPod is probably a wiser choice.For half as much cash, though, this is a price/performance leader.

Good at first
I have owned Rave Mp Arc 2.5 for at least 2 months. It was a really great buy fo the first month, but then every thing went downhill. First it took FOREVER to turn on. Later the head phone jack wouldn't let you hear music unless pressure was applied. then after three weeks of Hell it finally gave me a little message with a
Unhappy face followed by a little bug pic. I've tried everything resetting, charging and then resetting again. My Advice If you want an MP3 player go all out don't settle for a cheap one like this.

Peace an GOOd luck.

Decent item for the price -- but not as good as iPod
I got this package upon its release because it had much more space and features than the iPod Shuffle (at the same price), and was significantly cheaper than the iPod mini.

Good features:
+ Built-in radio tuner is well integrated and works
+ Voice recording is a neat option if you want it
+ Included earbuds and headphones are decent
+ Sound quality is below average but decent for a portable device.
+ Driverless, no need to use proprietary software like iTunes.

Bad aspects:
- Since it uses the computer directory rather than building its own index via proprietary software, be prepared for a lengthy indexing wait each time you change something on the drive.
- User interface is "iPod-esque" but much clunkier and harder to use
- Battery life is significanly less than the 10 hours in the specs
- Doesn't charge through USB, requires a largish AC adapter

I could overlook the ergonomic and usability weaknesses in this item if the battery were just a bit better. As it is, I find myself wishing I had held out for the higher priced and higher quality iPod from Apple. ... Read more