MacBook Air - 11"

An ultra slim and super light weight laptop from apple. It is powered by Intel dual core i-series processors and features an 11 inch HD display. With this MacBook Air, you enjoy blazing speeds with its WiFi connectivity and an exceptionally responsive laptop thanks to the OS X Mavericks operating system and its all Flash Drive storage that is 9 times faster than an ordinary 5400rpm Hard Disc Drive.  

To read an updated article go here.

Attractive features on the MacBook Air 11"

• Ultra responsive OS X Mavericks that has over 200 new features including some of my favorite AirPlay, Airdrop, iCloud, Multiple display support, App & Power Nap, Compressed memory and of course facebook integration.
• The LED Back-lit HD display makes this MacBook Air's display screen comfortable for reading for long hours. 
• The 1.4GHz dual-core Intel core i5 CPU (with Turbo boost to 2.7GHz) together with the Intel Graphics 5000 GPU makes this MacBook Air ultra responsive to gaming and video streaming and movie action.
• For those of us that love taking selfies, the 720p Face time Camera comes in handy with stunning image quality.

Full tech specs of the MacBook Air 11"

• OS X Mavericks Operating system
• Crisp 11.6 inch 1366 x 768 LED-back lit display screen. It supports dual display and video mirroring with full native resolution on the built-in display and up to 2560 x 1600 pixels on an external display.
• 1.4GHz dual-core Intel core i5 CPU with Turbo boost to 2.7GHz
• Intel HD Graphics 5000 GPU
• 4GB RAM of 1600MHz LPDDR3 RAM upgradeable to 8GB
• 128GB PCIe-based flash storage memory upgradable up to 512GB.
• Built-in 38WH Lithium-Polymer Battery
• 100-240V, 50-60Hz 45W MagSafe 2 power adapter
• 720 pixel HD face time camera
• Thunderbolt mini Display Digital Video output port
• MagSafe 2 power port
• 2 USB 3 ports up to 5Gbps link speed
• 1 Thunderbolt port up to 10Gbps link speed
• 2 Stereo Speakers
• 1 headset port
• Dual Microphones
• 802.11ac Wi-Fi  LAN backward compatible with IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n
• Bluetooth 4.0 Technology
• Ultra-thin, at 0.68" thick and ultra-light weighing just about 1.08kg.

Buying tips

• The MacBook air -11" has no HDMI, VGA and SD or SDXC card ports. However, the mini DisplayPort to HDMI adapter can be used to output HDMI AV (Audio and Video) signals. The adapter is not supplied along with this MacBook air, it is sold separately. Similarly a Mini DisplayPort  to Video Graphics Array(VGA) adapter is sold separately. To me, these two adapters are a must have since I use a laptop for movie and music playback with my home stereo and TV.

•  The MacBook Air is a fantastic tool for photography use and organization, ebook reading and document organization.  It is supplied pre-loaded with iWork suite featuring softwares such as Pages (for word processing), Numbers (for spreadsheets), Key Note (for presentations), iPhoto, Photo Booth and iPreview (for photography).

• If you are a traveler this MacBook Air suits you because it is ultra thin and light weight at only 1.08kgs.

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Kindle Fire HDX Tablet - 7"

Amazon digital services has been tweaking its Kindle Fire devices over the years and the Kindle Fire HD series is a result of this work. Kindle Fire HDX is the new 7'' Tablet that replaces the old 2012 Kindle fire HD. Among the improvements from previous versions is the CPU and HDX display screen. The Kindle Fire HDX features a 2.2GHz Quad-core processor and 2GB RAM tailored for a flawless fluid gaming action and video. The 7" HDX display is a high pixel density screen that reproduces life-like images with impeccable clarity. HDX tablets are sold in three variants, 16GB, 32GB and 64GB of which you have an option of choosing WiFi models only or WiFi + 4G models.

For an updated article go here 


Attractive features on Kindle Fire HDX

• Powerful and fast CPUs

The 2.2GHz quad-core processor and the Adreno 330 GPU make resource intensive gaming possible without annoying "buffering effects" experienced on slower tablets and with exceptional console quality.

• Mayday button

The availability of 24x7 free tech support for all Kindle Fire HDX tablet customers is a plus. You can connect to a tech expert anytime, anywhere for quick help.

• HDX Display

Kindle Fire HDX's display is a 323 pixel per inch screen display which makes it reproduce stunning images with more than HD quality.

• Over 100,000 games and apps

Like all other Kindle Fire tablets, you have access to over 100,000 apps from the amazon app store which are downloadable to your device.

Full tech specs of Kindle Fire HDX

• 2.2GHz quad-core processore
• 7" 1900 x1200 display screen
• 2GB RAM
• Adreno 330 GPU Video graphics processor.
• Front Facing HD camera.
• MIMO WiFi
• 4G LTE
• Dolby Audio
• Dual Stereo Speakers
• Built-in microphone
• 64GB internal memory
• A single battery charge gives you 11 hours of mixed use
• Mayday button 
• Micro USB port for data transfer and charging
• 3.5mm audio for a headset jack 

Buying tips

• The Kindle fire HDX has been priced at a starting price of $229. At this price you get a 16GB model with WiFi only and in addition ads always display on your lock screen. If you are a heavy data user, the WiFi only model can suffice but special ads showing on your lock screen might be annoying! So you might want to pay $244, which is a little bit extra to get rid of the ads.

• Heavy downloads require bigger memory space, so you might choose a Kindle Fire HDX model with 32GB or 64GB of internal memory instead of a model with 16GB memory. 

• WiFi data access charges are generally lower than 4G LTE data charges. For heavy online gamers, the WiFi only Kindle Fire HDX model might be an appropriate choice since most of the time you will be using WiFi access.

• Battery power consumption is hard to estimate because it depends on the tablet usage. But in general, a 4G LTE data access, display ads on lock screen, consume the battery more rapidly.  

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Acer Aspire Switch 10

The Acer Aspire Switch 10 is a super light weight budget laptop that can be used both as a tablet and laptop. You can flip or rotate it through virtually 360 degrees about its snap hinge or detach the screen completely to use it as a tablet. It is powered by an Intel Atom processor and features a 10.1" HD multi touch anti glare screen built with scratch resistant Gorilla glass. It is supplied with Windows 8.1 OS. If you are not a heavy laptop user, this laptop provides the best two-in-one solution. At a starting price of $429.99, it rivals Microsoft's surface pro 3.
To read an updated article go here. 

 Attractive features on Aspire Switch 10

• HD multi touch anti glare display screen

 It features a wide XGA HD display LCD screen built with IPS technology. The multi touch screen and LCD are fitted almost seamlessly together to produce an anti-glare and vivid display suitable for working outdoors. where there is too much light.

• Scratch resilient screen

The screen is built with scratch resistant Gorilla glass 3 that is three times as resistant to scratches as ordinary gorilla glass.

• Acer snap hinge

The snap hinge let's you transform your Acer Aspire switch 10 laptop into a tablet. You detach or re-attach the screen to the keyboard easily with this hinge and the display is held in place by a magnetic force.

• Ultra-slim and ultra-light

The Acer Aspire switch 10 is very thin and light. At 1.17kg and 8.9mm thick in tablet mode, it is one of the slimmest two-in-one laptops on market right now.

• Acer Lumiflex display

The Acer Aspire switch 10 features a Lumiflex display for optimized color control well suited for displaying images and watching videos everywhere and whenever.


 Full tech specs of Aspire Switch 10

• Pre-loaded with 32-bit windows 8.1 Operating System
• 1.33GHz/1.83GHz Quad-core Intel processor and Chipset family from Intel corporation.
• Expandable 2GB DDR3L SDRAM
• MicroSD and extended microSD card support
• 500GB Serial ATA HDD
• 10.1" 1280 x 800 WXGA Active matrix color LCD screen.
• In-plane switching(IPS) and LED backlight screen technology 
• Multi touch screen
• Intel HD Graphics controller chipset
• 64GB DDR3LM SDRAM shared Graphics memory
• 802.11a/b/g/n WLAN
• Bluetooth 4.0 + HS
• HDMI port
• micro USB
• Stereo speakers, HD audio
• Built-in microphone
• Built-in Webcam
• 5910mAH 2-cell Lithium Polymer Battery that lasts up to a maximum of 8 hours.
• 18W AC power adapter.
• Weighs approximately 1.29 pounds.

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Philips Surround Base - HTL4115B/F7

The Philips Surround Base is a 2.1 channel integrated subwoofer sound bar system from Philips aimed at boosting the output of your MP3, disc palyer, gaming console or TV. It is an easy to use surround audio system that provides a fantastic sound output. Equipped with a one touch Bluetooth feature, you can play your favorite tunes from your smartphone directly to the surround base. It is a low cost space saving surround sound system with all speakers integrated in one unit.  At $199, it is value for money.
For an updated article please go here.

Specs of the Philips Surround Base

• Loudspeakers

It is designed with 2 woofers, 2 tweeters and 1 subwoofer rated at 20W, 4ohm all integrated within the main unit. The total music output power is rated at 80W, 4ohm @ 30% THD.

• Sound features

It features sound enhancement features like Virtual Surround Sound (Dolby Digital), Treble and Bass control, Audio Sync and Night mode all focused at enhancing user experience.

• Connectivity

The Philips surround base supports Bluetooth and NFC(Near Field Communication) Integrated connections for audio streaming. In addition, it supports smartphone(Android/iPhone/iPad/iPod) connectivity via bluetooth or a 3.5mm audio in jack. Other connections include Audio in and USB at the front face while at the rear there are four conector types; Digital Optical in, Digital Coaxial in, AUX in and HDMI output(ARC).

• Audio Playback formats 

Supports only two audio playback formats; MP3 and WMA.

• Power consumption

The Surround Base draws a maximum of 20W from a 120V, 60Hz power source. At standby, it draws only 0.5W of power from the mains.

• Easylink feature (HDMI-CEC)

Philips EasyLink uses the HDMI connection. It supports HDMI Audio Return Channel (ARC), automatic audio input mapping, One touch play, One-touch standby, Audio pass-through, and System standby.

• Net weight

The main unit weighs 6.5kg net.

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Sony Muteki STR - KM7 specs

The Sony Muteki STR-KM7  has been around for quite some time and party lovers like it because it delivers on power just as promised. For a full review click here while for a full system specification, continue reading.

Please go here for updated article

Amplifier specifications:

• 7.2 Channel Analog Amplifier; Total power output - 2012W RMS (6 Ohms, 1kHz, 10%THD)
• Stereo Output mode(6 ohms, 1kHz, 1%THD), Output (L+R, 120W + 120W)
• Surround mode output(6 ohms, 1kHz, 10%THD), Output FL/FR /C/SR/SL/SBR/SBL = 216W. Subwoofer (4 ohms, 100Hz, 10%THD), SW = 250W.
• 4 Sound fields (Movie, Game, Music) and without lock.
• Falcon 1.1 DSP
• Bass/ Treble equalizer
• Speaker level (dBm) control; +/- 10 for Centre, Subwoofer and Surround speakers, L+1 to 8/R+1 to 8 or BALANCE for Front speakers.

Decoding format:

• LPCM (2Ch, 5.1Ch, 7.2Ch) through HDMI
• Dolby Prologic II
• Dolby Dual mono
• 96kHz/24bit PCM
• DTS 96/24
• Dolby Digital
• Dolby TrueHD 
• HD Digital Cinema Sound

Inputs and outputs: 

• Analog Audio in/out : 5/1
• Optical digital in/out: 2/0
• Coaxial in/out : 1/0
• Component video in/out: 2/1
• Composite video in/out: 2/1
• HDMI in/out: 3/1

Video features:

• 1080p HDMI Quality and 1080/24p
• HDMI Quality - 3D pass through and 3D over HDMI
• HDMI Quality - HDMI pass through
• HDMI Quality - Audio Return Channel (ARC)
• LPCM for HD surround from Blu-ray Disc.
• A/V Sync
• HDMI Quality - Deep colour/x.v.Color

 Tuner and general specs:

• FM/AM mode, Station name input, Direct/Auto tuning, Preset channel tuning
• Sleep timer(up to 2hrs), Auto standby, Union jack display
• Power requirements; 110-120V or 230-240V, 50-60Hz, 180W depending on region
• Power consumption standby: 0.3W
• USB Playback option located at the front of the system unit.

Speaker system:

• The system is supplied with 9 speaker boxes; 1 Centre(CN), 2 Front speakers (FR/FL), 2 Surround Back, (SBR/SBL), 2 Surround speakers (SR/SL) and 2 Subwoofers (SW).
• Bass reflex Front, surround, Subwoofer and centre speaker system.
• Metallic cone speaker system,
• Magnetically shielded speakers
• Subwoofer system 250mm cone type
• Speaker weight: Front R/L -15kgs, Centre - 3.3kgs, Surround R/L -13kgs, SBL/SBR - 2.4kgs, Subwoofer(SW) - 8.5kgs 

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Nook Glowlight eReader

Nook Glowlight eReader is a second generation eReader from Barnes & Noble. It is built with a 6 inch crisp E Ink pearl display that is built with 60% more pixels than its predecessors. Its fonts and GlowLight technology have been optimized for digital reading. With its battery lasting up to 8 weeks, the Nook GlowLight eReader is the real deal.
To read an updated article please go here.

Key Features

• Massive digital book Selection

Get spoilt with choice! With over 3 million titles to choose from including 1 million FREE titles, magazines and newspapers, it is certainly all you can ask for. You are definitely bound to save a great deal on hard copy texts.

• A laminated anti-glare high resolution E ink display

The new anti-glare screen display has 60% more pixels than its predecessors (like the nook simple touch) to provide crisper text images suitable for reading wherever you are. The lamination ensures the screen survives whatever you throw at it; be it keys, coins,etc.

• Long battery life

Amazingly, a single charge can last up to 8 weeks. This makes it suitable for traveling; and the best part is that you don't have to carry a charger.

• Large Memory Capacity

Nook GlowLight holds up to 2,000 books. So you can shop and download your great read with the in-built Wi-Fi whenever you like.

• Nook optimized fonts and  GlowLight technology

Nook GlowLight's fonts have been carefully selected and optimized for easy reading. This coupled with the new GlowLight technology, which provides evenly dispersed light, ensures a  pleasant reading experience in dim and total darkness.

• Ultra-slim and ultra-light eReader

Nook GlowLight is ultra-slim and 18% lighter than Nook Simple Touch - its predecessor, with a soft-touch trim and rounded corners that fit naturally into your palms.

• LendMe Feature

With Nook GlowLight you can borrow books from your local library for free. In addition, you can share your favorite books with other Nook owners through the LendMe feature. 

• Free Nook Support

Nook support is available at all Barnes & Noble outlets. So you can always get free support from your nearest Barnes & Noble book sellers available country wide.

 

Technical specifications

• 6 inch 758 x 1024 E Ink Pearl Display with infrared touch technology, built-in anti-glare screen film and adjustable text sizes and font styles.
• 4GB Memory  Capacity: 2.5GB for content, of which 2GB reserved for Barnes & Noble content.
• Built-in WiFi (802.11b/g/n ): Enjoy free WiFi in all Barnes & Noble stores, plus 30,000 AT&T hotsports.
• Micro USB connector for USB charging and PC connection.
• Supports PDF, JPEG, PNG, BMP, ePub file types.
• Heavy duty Battery lasting up to 8 weeks on a single charge. This is based on 30 minutes of reading per day and a single page refresh per minute.  
• Lightweight Nook: It weighs only 176gms or 6.2 ounces.It is very convenient and comfortable to carry.

As a final note, unlike all previous nooks, the Nook GlowLight does not support a micro SD card and out of the 4GB on-board memory, only 500MB is available for personal digital books download. The 500MB might appear small, but considering the average ebook size is about 600kB, 500MB gives 800+ copies of digital downloads. 

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Smartwatch Devices at a Glance

The smartwatch device market is gaining momentum. A number of players are joining the race. Among them include Sony, Nike, Seiko, Garmin, Motorola, LG, Hyundai, Pebble, Samsung and others. Samsung,  Sony and Pebble have the lion's share of the market. Innovation and development in the smartwatch is taking shape and today's smartwatch is equipped to do much more than when the first smartwatch was introduced by Seiko in 1982. Pebble's smartwatch for instance can;

• Monitor and track body health: You can track your body activity using apps such as, Runkeeper, Runtastic, Movable, and Let's Muv installed on your smartwatch, for information about steps, sleep patterns, calories burned and so much more.
• Text messaging: The e-mail to SMS app takes advantage of email-to-text services by cellular providers  to deliver short emails to mobiles as SMS messages. The Email to SMS app enables users create a few pre-written texts—such as "In a meeting!" or "Driving now. Will text you later"—that can be sent directly from your smartwatch. 
• Check sports scores: The ESPN Pebble app makes it possible to get a quick glance at NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL, NCAA Football or NCAA Basketball scores.
• Act as a remote camera shutter: Your smartwatch can quickly be turned into a camera shutter for smartphones and cameras using a Pebble app. Similar features are also available on smartphone cameras through watch apps like PebbleCamera, Pebble Snap and PebbCam, among others.

•  Shake to get Yelp recommendations: If you're looking for loads of Yelp listings to evaluate, you'll still want to use your phone or laptop for that. But when you need a quick pick for a restaurant or bar, just open the Yelp Pebble app and shake your arm for a nearby recommendation. 

Samsung smartwatches have taken the market by storm. Realistically the gadgets are sleak and with a very beautiful cosmetic look. Samsung's recent Gear fit, Galaxy Gear and Gear 2 Neo smartwatches are the hottest selling from the Samsung brand.

With Samsung Galaxy Gear Smartwatches you can make phone calls, see messages as they arrive, take photos, Track your fitness and so much more.

If you plan to acquire a smartwatch, be ready to part with anything between $100 and $500. To read a full updated article, please go here.

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9.2 Channel Network AV Receiver - Onkyo TX-NR929

The Onkyo TX-NR929 is a state of the art AV receiver from the Onkyo corporation. It's built to impress and will turn a 'big room into a small one' by virtue of its output. It provides an 11 speaker jack configuration for a 9.2 channel output. It can be connected in a 3-zone installation, in which Zone 1 enjoys a 5.1 channel movie, Zone 2, a movie with stereo audio and Zone 3 stereo audio. It provides Infrared, Bluetooth, LAN/WLAN and RS-232 for interconnection with compatible devices for automation.

 

Amplifier Section

• All Channels: 160 W (6 Ohms, 1 kHz, 0.7%THD, 2 channels driven)
• Front L/R: 160 W (6 Ohms, 1 kHz, 0.7%THD, 2 channels driven)
• Center: 160 W (6 Ohms, 1 kHz, 0.7%THD, 2 channels driven)
• Surround L/R: 160 W (6 Ohms, 1 kHz, 0.7%THD, 2 channels driven)
• Surround Back L/R: 160 W (6 Ohms, 1 kHz, 0.7%THD, 2 channels driven)
• Dynamic Power: 300 W (3 Ohms, Front), 250 W (4 ohms, 1 Front), 150 W (8 ohms, Front)
• THD+N (Total Harmonic Distortion + Noise): 0.08%THD (20 Hz-20 kHz, Rated Power)
• Damping Factor: 60 (Front, 1 kHz, 8 Ohms)
  
• Input Sensitivity and Impedance: 200 mV/470 Ohms (Line), 2.5 mV/47 k-ohms (Phono MM)
• Rated RCA Output Level and Impedance: 200 mV/470 Ohms (Line Out)
• Maximum RCA Output Level and Impedance: 4.6 V/470 Ohms (Line Out)
• Phono Overload: 70 mV (MM, 1 kHz, 0.5%THD):Frequency Response 5 Hz-100 kHz/+1 dB, -3 dB (Direct Mode)
• Tone Control: ±10 dB, 30 Hz (Bass), ±10 dB, 20 kHz (Treble)
• Signal-to-Noise Ratio: 110 dB (Line, IHF-A), 80 dB (Phono MM, IHF-A)
• Speaker Impedance: 4 Ohms–16 Ohms or 6 Ohms-16 Ohms
• 9.2 Channels (11 speakers)
• Power Watts/Channel: 135W (8ohms 20-20kHz, 0.08% THD, 2 Channels Driven)
• THX Certified: Select2 Plus
• Continuous 6-ohms Rated and Certified 4ohms performance
• All Discrete Circuitry
• 3-Stage Inverted Darlington Circuitry: (All Channels)
• PUSH-PULL Design
• Independent Power Supply
• Bi-amp Capability For Front

Video and Audio Processing

• DTS Neo:X
• DTS Decoder: DTS-HD Master Audio
• DOLBY Decoder: True HD, DolbyDigital Plus, Dolby PLIIz
• ONKYO GAME Surround Modes
• THX Processing Mode
• Audyssey DSX
• Audyssey Dynamic EQ
• Audyssey Dynamic Volume
• Music Optimizer: (Advanced)
• 192K/24 Bit DACs:  (Burr-Brown)
• isf Certified Calibration Control

Connectivity

• 3/0 in/out Audio
• 1/0 in/out Phono
• 3/0 in/out Optical Digital
• 3/0 in/out Coaxial
• 5/1 in/out A/V 
• 0/1 Video
• 2/1 in/out Composite AV connection
• 1/0 in/out USB
• 9/2 in/out HDMI I/O
• VGA - PC Input (15 pin D-sub)
• 0/9 channel pre-outs

Features 

• HDMI Support for 3D, Audio Return Channel and CE
• HDMI Support for Deep Color, x.v.Color, LipSync 
• HDMI Support for DVD-Audio, SACD, Multichannel PCM 
• Analog To HDMI Upconversion: (from 480/576i) 
• 1080p Upscaling: (Marvell Qdeo) 
• 4K (up to 4096 x 2160) Upscaling: (Marvell Qdeo) 
• 4K Passthrough
• Powered Zone2 and Zone3 
• Zone 2 Line Out and Zone 2 Video Out 
• HDMI Zone 3 Line Out 
• iPod Ready:  (via optional DS-A5) 
• Airplay Ready: (via optional DS-A5) 
• Supports Onkyo Remote App: (iPod touch/iPhone and Android-Powered Devices) 
• Internet Radio Capable: (Pandora, Spotify, Rhapsody, Sirius/XM, Slacker, last.fm, Aupeo!, TuneIn) 
• Streaming Audio From PC / Network: (DLNA, Home Media) 
• Streaming Audio Formats Supported: (MP3, WMA, WMA Lossless, FLAC, WAV, Ogg Vorbis, AAC Stereo, Apple Lossless, DSD, LPCM, Dolby TrueHD 
• Wireless Network: (Wi-Fi-Certified) 
• Bluetooth: (Built-in) 

Networking and Integration Access

• IRS-232 
• IR Input 
• Ethernet 
• ONKYO-RI System Control 
• 12V Trigger: (Zone 2/3)

Video Input Sensitivity/Output Level and Impedance

• 1 Vp-p/75 Ohms (Component)
• 0.7 Vp-p/75 Ohms (Component PB/CB, PR/CR)
• 1 Vp-p/75 Ohms (Composite)
• Component Video Frequency Response: 5 Hz–100 MHz, -3dB

Tuning Frequency Range

• FM: 87.5 MHz–107.9 MHz
• AM: 530 kHz–1,710 kHz
• FM/AM Preset Memory: 40 stations

Power Supply

• AC  input: 120 V, 60 Hz
• Power Consumption: 9.1 A
• No-Sound Power Consumption: 120 W
• Standby Power Consumption: 0.1 W

Dimensions and Weight

• 17 1/8" x 7 13/16" x 17 1/4" (435 x 198.5 x 437.5 mm) 
• 40.8 lbs (18.5 kg)

Miscellaneous

• Learning Remote
• On Screen Remote Programming
• Activity Based Remote
• Color-Coded Speaker Terminals
• Auto Speaker Calibration W/Mic.: (Audyssey MultEQ XT32)
• OSD Out:  (Advanced "Home" GUI)
• Solid Aluminum Front

If you liked this article, you can read a full updated article here.

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19 inch Ultra Slim LED TV Phillips HDTV

This is the most coveted low cost HDTV from Philips. This TV screen can be got from as low as $120 USD. It is suitable for use in small living rooms. It's sound output is almost flawless and picture quality unrivaled achieved by Philips Digital Crystal Clear technology. The Perfect Motion Technology ensures that motion picture images remain undistorted while enhancing viewing experience. I bought this screen for my parents recently to replace their 20-year old Sony Trinitron CRT screen which they had refused to give up.They loved it what it can deliver! It's value for money! Some of it's features are listed below;

Video and Display features

• 19 inch LED HD Screen
• 1366 x 768p Screen resolution
• Aspect ratio: 16:9
• Screen Format Adjustments: 4:3, 16:9, Unscaled, Zoom 1, Zoom 2
• 1000 page Smart Text  Teletext feature
• Brightness: 300 cd/m²
• Digital Crystal Clear
• 100 Hz Perfect Motion Rate
• Supports Computer inputs up to a resolution of 1920x1080 @ 60Hz
• Supports Video inputs at 24, 25, 30, 50 and 60 Hz, up to 1920x1080p (Full HD)

Multimedia Applications

• Video Playback Formats: Containers: AVI, MKV, H264/MPEG-4 AVC, MPEG-1, MPEG-2, MPEG-4, RealMedia (.rm, .rmvb, RV8-10), Motion JPEG
• Music Playback Formats: MP3
• Picture Playback Formats: JPEG

Sound

• 2 speakers with total RMS Output power of (2 x 10W)
• Auto Volume Leveller
• Clear Sound control
• Treble and Bass Control

Connectivity

• 1/1 in/out HDMI connections 
• 1/0 in/out component (YPbPr) connections
• 1/0 AV connections
• 1/0 USB connection
• 1/0 in/out RF Antenna IEC75
• 1/0 in/out PC-in VGA 
• 1/0 in/out Audio L/R
• 0/1 in/out Headphone out
• 1/0 in/out USB Service connector for firmware upgradeable

Tuner/Reception/Transmission

• TV system: NTSC, PAL
• Video Playback: NTSC, PAL, SECAM

Power

• Mains power: AC 220 - 240 V 50/60Hz
• Ambient temperature: 5 °C to 40 °C
• Standby power consumption: < 0.5W 
• Power Saving Features: Auto switch-off timer
• Power consumption: 35 W

Dimensions

• Set Depth: 38.3 mm
• Set Height: 302.9 mm
• Set Width: 453.3 mm
• Set depth (with stand): 128.5 mm
• Set height (with stand): 343.7 mm
• Set width (with stand): 453.3 mm
• Product weight: 2.4 kg
• Product weight (+stand): 2.6 kg
• Compatible wall mount: 75 x 75mm

Accessories

• Included accessories: Remote Control, 2 x AAA Batteries, Table top stand, Quick start guide, Legal and safety brochure, Warranty Leaflet.

You can read a full article here.

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9.2 Channel Pioneer SC-1523-K AV Receiver

The SC-1523-K AV Receiver has a magnificent metallic look with unexpectedly fewer manual controls and a beautiful screen display. The makers of this box promise a lot and am anxious to "get them busted" as I have added this system on my list of must have! Quite frankly, going through the manuals, you get to expect a little too much because it is loaded with fantastic features as you will discover shortly.   

You can read a full article on the SC-1523-K here. 

  

Facts about SC-1523-K

• Powered by Class D amplifiers: Class D amplifiers though complex in design and implementation, deliver efficiencies close to 100% and as such do not dissipate a lot of heat; thence consuming less power.
• It delivers a staggering and constant 135W per each of the 9 channels(for 8 ohms speakers at 1kHz, 0.08% THD) irrespective of the number of speakers installed. It is also possible to deliver 175W x 9 (for 6 ohm drivers at 1kHz at 1% THD).
• The SC-1523-K permits up to 4 zone configuration. 5.1-channel in zone 1, and stereo in the remaining zones. This means 4 media sources can be enjoyed in the different zones simultaneously and controlled via a smart android/iOS app iControlAV2013.
• The SC-1523-K is capable of decoding HD audio signals of codecs namely; THX surround EX, Dolby TrueHD, Dolby Digital plus, Dolby Pro logic IIz, DTS-HD MA and DTS Neo:X. This means it can deliver a stunning High Definition Audio experience from HD sources.
• 4K Ultra HD pass through, up-scaling to a compatible TV or other display; 3840 x 2160 (24/25/30Hz) or 4096 x 2160 (24Hz) pixels. The system uses Qdeo video processing technology from Marvel to upscale virtually any video source while preserving the aspect ratio of the source.
• Supports nonstop playback and a myriad of  file formats including but not limited to flac, mp3,wav, aiff, wma, aac etc. So whatever you have got on your PC or Smartphone, the SC-1523-K is ready to play it.
•  Employs the high performance 32bit ESS-DAC Sabre on all channels to deliver high fidelity sound with minimal harmonic distortion. An SABRE-ESS DAC is a 32-bit DAC chip which comprises of a 2-channel audio Digital to Analog  converters. The SABRE-ESS DAC are a series of high-performance video and audio semiconductor chips from ESS technology Incorporation, designed specifically for use in high end home entertainment, mobile phones, digital music players, consumer applications such as Blu-ray players, audio pre-amplifiers, A/V receivers, as well as professional applications such as recording systems, mixer consoles and digital audio workstations.
• The SC-1523-K is Windows 8 Certified meaning you can stream media content from a windows 8 PC over the network.
• It features a vTuner^® for internet Radio enthusiasts. Get ready to listen to your favorite radio stations across the globe.
• The "spotify connect" feature lets you control and play media sources on connected sources through the SC-1523-K receiver.
• The system features a Mobile High Definition Link(MHL 2.0) that lets you connect, charge and play high definition and 3D content from a mobile phone.
• Play or stream media content on PC, iPod, iPad, Mac, iPhone, etc wirelessly via the AirPlay^® feature. It is possible to send different content to different zones with Airplay.
• The PQLS Bit-stream jitter reduction technology, helps to reproduce realistic sound by utilizing the master audio clock in the AV Receiver for playback in lieu of the video clock in a compatible BD player. 
• Immersion Perfection with Full Band Phase Control: This unique feature helps to eliminate phase disruptions and better synchronize the output between multiple speakers for a stunning surround sound experience.  
• With the MCACC (Multi-Channel Acoustic Calibration) feature you are able to automatically fine tune and optimize the sound field for a given room using a supplied microphone to monitor the sound environment and an equalizer to optimize the parameters. 
• 63 Channel AM/FM tuner 
• DLNA Certified for Network streaming.

Inputs and outputs 

• HDMI input/Output: 9in/3out (Main Zone & Zone 2)
• iPod/iPhone input (Audio only)
• USB input: 1 Front for memory input, 1 rear for WLAN
• MHL 2.0 input: 1 Front
• Ethernet input: 1 back
• Headphone output:1
• Wireless adaptor port: 1
• Front AV inputs: 3 (MHL,HDMI&USB)
• Component video input/output: 2 in/1 out
• AV input/output: 4 in/ 2out
• Pre-Amp output: 9.1Channel or 11 speaker terminations.
• Audio input/output: 0 in /1 out
• Video/Monitor input/output: 0 in/ 1 out
• Optical input/Output: 2 in /1 out
• Coaxial input/Output: 1in /1 out
• Bluetooth Adapter port: 1
• RS-232C  Port.
• Infrared serial remote input: 1 in/ 1 out

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MHC-GN1300D - Mini HiFi Component system

The MHC-GN1300D is a mini DVD HiFi component system powered by a massive transformer and consumes a staggering 365W while delivering a total of 905W RMS power. It offers USB video playback and recording. The MHC-GN1300D certainly has a place among top mini HiFi audio systems. I happened to own one several years back and I really loved it.

A thorough review of the MHC-GN1300D is available here. 

It delivers impeccable sound quality particularly while playing from DVD/CD/MP3 and USB sources. Ability to resume playback from last known playback point while playing your favorite disk is a plus. Though the MHC-GN1300D is with a single subwoofer, it does well in delivering a heavy punch with majority of the sound sources complemented by the two front speakers. The centre speaker adds extreme clarity to the sound output making every instant of action very enjoyable. 

The MHC-GN1300D, consumes way too much power while delivering very little to the speakers in comparison. It is falls short on volume. You cannot compare it to some loud systems like the STR-KM7 nominally rated at 180W input power and 2012W RMS output music power. It is not however fair to compare the MHC-GN1300D to the STR-KM7 AV receiver because the MHC-GN1300D is component audio system with DVD/CD/MP3 run by a series of motors! 
The absence of HDMI terminations makes the MHC-GN1300D unsuitable for most enthusiasts because the best media devices today have HDMI jacks. However, S-Video and component video output jacks seem to be an adequate substitute to HDMI in terms of output quality. Though I'd still prefer an HDMI connection(but that's just me). Additionally, the MHC-GN1300D USB playback option is limited to playing MP3/AAC/WMA/Divx and MP4 files only. The USB device must be FAT formatted(NTFS not readable) and only a few files; 150 per folder, and not more than 200 folders on the root folder are playable which is adequate for an average user. Large USB devices like portable HDD sizes are not supported. 

Generally, the system scores fairly well in terms of output and I would rate it at 3.5 overall. 
A complete specification list of this system is as follows;

Amplifier section:

• Total RMS power output : 905W RMS
• Subwoofer power output: 210W RMS(8 ohms, 100Hz, 10% THD)
• Center speaker power output: 85W RMS(6 ohms, 1kHz, 10% THD)
• Front speaker power output: 2 x 215W RMS(6 ohms, 1kHz, 10% THD)
• Surround speaker power output: 2 x 90W RM(6 ohms, 1kHz, 10% THD)

Video features:

• 3 DVD/VCD/CD Changer with Divx and MP3 playback.
• NTSC/PAL Progressive scan
• 12bit/108MHz Video DAC
• DVD-R/-RW, DVD+R/+RW, DVD+R DL, MP3/JPEG, MP4 - Simple Profile
• USB Playback and recording (Divx, MP3, MP4, JPEG)

Audio features:

• MP3 Booster +
• Karaoke scoring
• Digital Cinema sound Multi dimension 
• Dolby Digital
• DTS
• Dolby Prologic II
• S - Master Digital amplifier 
• USB Playback and recording (MP3, Divx, MP4)    
• Single deck audio tape playback and recording
  

  Inputs and outputs:

• 1 Audio in and 1 Audio out
• 1 Video out
• 1 Commponent video out
• 1 S - Video out 
• 1 A/V in
• 1 Mic in
• 1 Head phones out
• 1 USB in

   General features:

• Power requirements: (120-127V, 220V, 230-240V), 50/60Hz: Power consumption: 365W(active), 0.5W(standby)
• Digital FM/AM tuner, Preset tuning(FM20/AM10), Direct tuning
• Magnetically shielded speakers
• 20cm front speaker woofer with 2.5cm tweeter horn
• 25cm subwoofer speaker

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