DVD & HDTV Reviews

First off, this system can get L-O-U-D! It will be perfect in a standard household/apt and I would even say it could fill up a large living room with ease. I don’t even have the sub turned all the way up in fear of getting a noise complaint. That’s a good thing.
The system offers a lot of dynamic sound settings. Here are some of a few:
HEAVY – added bass/good clarity
CLEAR – More Treble/less bass
FLAT – All levels straight across
SOFT – More subdued/less treble/a little bit of added bass
The system also has a couple of Easter eggs that I was not expecting. There is a nice feature of being able to "re-master" the sound of any Blu-Ray/DVD to give it the user more control over the specific sound they want to hear. Additionally, one can manipulate the visual aspect to create a more refined picture.
The down side is that the system offers a limited amount of inputs, but in its defense, it is not a standalone receiver. The good thing is that it offers two optical inputs which can easily accommodate your XBOX/PS3/Wii and you Cable/Satellite TV receiver.
There is a nice smart setup feature which calibrates your sound from a specific device. In my opinion it worked quite well and the levels were automatically adjusted.
Extra features include the IPOD adaptor which has been done well and easily allows the user to access the IPODs songs/playlists etc. There is also a SD card which can play pictures/video files. The speakers are wireless capable.
Ultimately, I am a stickler for being able to manipulate every aspect of the sound/video to make my experience the best it can be. This system does not offer every little nuance, but for the money it comes pretty darn close with a lot of extra features. Most importantly, I have been quite impressed with the sound and visual clarity of the system and have been quite pleased with the purchase. Give it a look!!

I searched at brick and motor stores and on-line and bought this LG unit for several reasons.
1. I have several LG products and like the quality and features
2. My new HDMI 1080 TV is LG- I was hoping that the remotes would be cross compatible (they are to an extent)
3. I want as few devices to deal with so having Blu-ray and an HDMI amp and switcher all in one is great.
The setup is easy and comes with almost everything you need. I replaced a sony DVD amp combo and the rear speaker cables with the LG are a little short. However unlike some systems with proprietary speaker connections this is just bare wire so replacing it with speaker wire is no problem. The quality of the picture and sound are great. The internet features are easy to use and setup and are allot of fun-We have been catching up on all the TV shows we don’t get that are series offered on netflix.
Some minor drawbacks
1. It does not default to the last input used. (If you have a disc in it always assumes you want to watch the disc. Maybe there will be a software update for that.
2. The remote does not allow for programing of devices. It allows you to turn the TV on and off but not mute the sound on the TV ?
3. Some people don’t like the blue glow around the volume knob-the night mode allows you to turn this off however.
4. ipod works great with audio and shows your playlists and songs but no video. This may be an Apple thing. You need to plug an AV cable into the TV and select a different input. Kinda clunky.
These are minor in my opinion and do not decrease my enjoyment of this product. I highly recommend this unit. Oh and it was delivered a day earlier than promised.

S. Bae sent us his review of this Plasma HDTV.

If you’re in the market for a HDTV then the Samsung PN50B650 is worth a second look. Externally, the attractive Touch of Color design incorporated into the clear beveled edged glass exudes sophistication and class. Internally, the Crystal Full HD Engine and Samsung’s e-panel technology translates into a blur free clear vibrant picture perfect for sports and movies alike.
Truthfully I started off in the HDTV market looking for a 52" LCD panel with 1080p and 120hz specs. After a month of searching I realized that a name brand set with the above specs was out of my budget. I wasn’t considering a plasma because I thought it was outdated technology, fear of image retention (IR), cost of operation, and plasma’s heavier weight difference. However, as I researched more into plasmas I learned that my fears were they themselves outdated. Plasma was not outdated technology, many companies were still pouring money into plasma R&D. IR for sure is still a concern but with some simple basic precautions and use of the built in pixel shifting option, IR has become a very minor concern. This set is also Energy Star compliant using 40% less power than prior years plasmas (as per Samsung’s website) and comparable to LCDs of similar size. As for weight, I wasn’t too concerned because my set wasn’t going on a wall. Regardless, the weight difference to a LCD is only about 15 lbs or so. Also, this set comes with an attractive stand that allows the TV to rotate for optimal viewing.
The cons I have so far are: Even with the FilterBright technology incorporated into the screen, glare is still a factor. I have my set in a room with no curtains but no direct sunlight and find myself changing the brightness control at times during daylight use. While the Media 2.0 is a fantastic feature (and the reason why I highly recommend this set over the B550 for a few extra $) it can be slow at times. Lastly, the speakers on this TV are marginal. Not bad in loudness but definitely no mid range or bass as one would expect. You will eventually need something externally powered.
I will not bore you with pros and cons of this set’s internal specs, you can interpret them anyway you want but for a non HDTV expert that was merely trying to get the best value for the money, with great picture quality and technology (e.g. Cinema Smooth 24p frame rate), in an attractive looking TV, this Samsung was a clear choice for me. Lastly, the other plasma I was considering was the Panasonic G10. It has slightly better reviews but esthetically IMO the Samsung was a clear winner. For the non HDTV expert like myself, the image quality differences were unnoticeable. On a side note, as the post above had mentioned, standard def cable channels are pretty darn good on this set compared to my old 37" LCD.
*I do not have the buzz or the pinkish hues some others claim on their sets.
Update: After 5 months of use, my Samsung tv is is still going strong with no issues. Picture quality is still bright and vivid. I have either found the most balanced setting for day and night time use or my eyes have gotten used to this set because I longer find myself adjusting the picture settings. Burn in is not an issue and its not even on my mind (although I do not play video games on it).
Its great having a tv with online capabilities. While I don’t personally find myself using the "widgets" very often, I do appreciate the no hassle automatic software updates to the tv. This tv’s speakers are adequate for everyday use but for movies and sporting events an externally powered speakers are advised. I use a Sony sound bar that looks and sounds great with this set. My electric bill has increased about $10 per month. The set is on for 10 plus hours a day.

DVD players show movies and other content at standard definition resolutions, while Blu-ray players show content at much higher resolutions. At a mechanical level, all DVD players use red lasers to read the information on the disc, while all high-def players use blue lasers. The blue lasers can read more information on each disc, and this extra information means the movie can be shown in higher definition. Blu-ray players use special high-def discs that won’t play on regular DVD players (since the red lasers aren’t sharp enough to read them), but all of your old DVDs will play back on the new Blu-ray players.

After years of sticking to a single-tuner model (except for the DirecTv versions), Tivo has finally released a dual-tuner model. For the most part, the only difference between this model and previous Series 2 Tivos is the ability to record two channels at once.
The box keeps the look of the more recent series 2 Tivos, except for a black-accented faceplate. The connections in the rear are laid out largely the same as past versions, with the exception of an ethernet port that has been added for wired networking.
The software has minor changes, particularly slight modifications to the menu background images and the newer "tivo introduction skit" that appears when the tivo is powered on. The software and hardware work smoothly. There seems to be a faster processor included, as navigation through the menus is quick and smooth.
The dual-tuner functions work well. Having grown accustom to the single-tuner model, it took me some time to get used to the ability to change channels while recording (and that what is on screen is not necessarily what is being recorded). It was also pleasant to schedule 25 season passes without a single conflict-such is the benefit of being able to record two shows at once.
But the dual-tuner function needs some explanation. The people who benefit most from the DT function are those who have analog cable without a cable box (as I do). I simply plug in the coax cable into the tivo, and it is ready to go. (Note: there is only one coax input-the signal is split internally and sent to the dual tuners.) If you have a cable box or digital cable, things start to get a bit trickier. In fact, in order to use the dual-tuner feature, you MUST be able to receive at least some channels through an analog cable connection. This means that if you have purely digital cable that requires a digital cable box, you will NOT be able use the dual tuner functions, as there is only one connection allowed between the cable box and tivo. I suggest you go to tivo’s website and download the product manual for the DT tivo and read the part about connecting tivo to your cable. If it seems like too big of a hassle, you might want to wait for the series 3 tivos that will include cable-card technology (which allows you to use digital cable without the cable box).
One additional note, tivo has stopped supporting over-the-air antenna tuning with this model. If you hook up an antenna to tivo, it will only receive channels 2-13. Any broadcast channels above 13 will not be received.
And for those who are thinking of "upgrading" this tivo to a larger hard drive-the DT tivo is upgradeable in the same ways that past series 2 models were. I used the standard methods (which are published all over the internet) and replaced the 80GB hard drive with a 250GB one. Upgrading, however, voids your warranty (which is only 3 months anyway).
Overall, I am happy with the DT tivo, but that is in large part due to fact that I receive analog cable without a cable box. Many of you who have been using antennas, cable boxes or digital cable will likely be somewhat less satisfied with this model.

  JK posted this review and shared his experience with us.

I’ve own previous Sony HTIB systems and decided to upgrade to this system to increase quality and sound. You’d think the newer the model the better the upgrades, but I didn’t see any improvements to the last model. See the reviews for the hdx275, both systems are basically identical. The only thing Sony decided to do was give this line of product an aesthetic make-over, a tried and true marketing gimmick. Anyway, I just wanted to be the first to say that after a week of use, the receiver all of a sudden loss power in the middle of normal DVD play. It’s been sitting at one of Sony’s "certified" service centers for over 3 weeks while they’re still trying to figure out what went wrong. Pretty frustrating especially after having to pay postage out of pocket to send it there! I’m rating this system 3 stars because when it was working, it produced great sound and picture for the price you pay; budget system for a budget price. My only other complaint is that the sound level needs to be set pretty high for normal volume. On my older models of the same line, the sould level never needed to be set as high for the same amount of volume.

Unlike most of Sony’s DVD players which are produced by Sony, this player is actually a rebranded Phillips/Yamaha player. Nonetheless, the build quality is still just as strong as Sony’s own DVD players. I also own a Phillips DVD player with the same disc mechanism as this Sony, and so far, it has plugged along great for the last three years or so with frequent use. Overall, this player is ideal for use as a player for a bedroom or secondary tv, but if you are considering using this within a home theater setup, consider purchasing a player with an HDMI output to take advantage of HDMI’s digital video output capability. Overall, this is a great buy!

Got this from Amazon at a good price,though I’m sure it will drop a little more as the year goes on.
This tv is spectacular! Absolutely stunning,jaw dropping picture. I can’t say enough about it. Excellent blacks,infinitely tweakable to your liking.
When I first turned it on I had the "The Office" come on and I swear my mouth stayed open for a few minutes as it looked like Michael was in the same room as me! Lots of inputs and features to this set,internet connectivity,DLNA,home networking,wonderful subdued TOC which is grey instead of the red on last years 750. Very high gloss bezel,crystal neck stand which pivots. Screen is glossy,reflections are not an issue for me as I tend to watch in a darker room,but even with the drapes open, I don’t see myself! AMP seems to work better in this set,as I also have an 4071 Samsung which has a slight problem with AMP,which has been well documented over at the AVSForums.
Just like anything else it is not perfect,hence the 4 stars instead of 5.
Sound is bad. I mean,you’ll want to hook this up to a nice stereo system,or at the very least,a couple of powered computer speakers or some such set.
This tv attracts dust like nobodies business.Either that or my house is really dirty. Front panel controls (which would be rarely used anyway) are hard to tell where they are (lower right). Yahoo widgets,which are kind of cool when you first see them,are eh,no big deal. Maybe as more become available I’d be more excited.
There is no printed manual,it’s on a usb drive,called an e-manual,and no it’s not Spanish! There’s some uneven lighting when screen is dark,(no signal)not sure if that’s an issue for me yet,doesn’t seem to affect any picture quality,but something to keep an eye on.
It is a 5 star tv,but the sound is what drops it 1. All other issues are no big deal.
Amazon delivery was good,no issues.Overall,I am extremely happy with it!
Now,for a good blu-ray player!

High definition (high-def) is the highest resolution offered within the digital television category. As television programming and TV sets themselves are moving from analog to digital, it’s easier to deliver movies and programming in higher resolutions. High-def content is also more often displayed in widescreen, which is similar to how it looks in the movie theater. Between standard definition and high definition, there’s a range of resolutions, but the easiest way to explain the difference is that a high-def image holds more information than a standard-definition image. This means that high-def can be up to six times clearer than what you get on DVD, which lends itself to being shown on larger screens.

J. Riga (Columbus, Ohio) sends the following review.

Of the new model year ’2009′ Blu Ray players, we own the LG BD370, Samsung BD-P1600, and a PS3. By far, the BD370 is the nicest for Blu Ray content. Loading is FAST and the drive is completely silent (this is not the case on the BD-P1600 by Samsung). Piano Black finish on the face is plastic, and looks good. We have found that it does not scratch easily too! The rest of the case is black-ish metal and sturdy.
One of the great things about the LG BD370 is you can customize the look of the interface on your TV. There are 4 themes and all are in high-definition. The remote on the BD370 changed from the BD300, and I feel it was a step down. It’s got a faux-leather finish on it – why? No idea. The one improvement is buttons that don’t get used much are hidden behind a panel on the remote.
Netflix ‘Watch Instantly’ is very cool and the setup is literally 30-40 seconds if you already have an account. Just after we got ours, it alerted us that a firmware update was available! It added CinemaNow – we hadn’t used CinemaNow before, but a quick registration on their site and connecting was just as easy as Netflix. Rented a couple movies to try it out – VERY cool. YouTube is also available on the player and it’s AWESOME. I’d easily compare it with an AppleTV, though believe it or not, the BD370 is a bit faster at searching and playing YouTube videos – it also does them in Full Screen, no problem.
One odd thing we’ve noticed… with Netflix and CinemaNow and YouTube we have only watched 3 or 4 movies on Blu Ray. So much other content available that this player is really a STEAL – it’s a fantastic Blu Ray player (audio and video as good as you imagine it would be), but WOW is it awesome to have a player that does so much other stuff.
No wireless on this player, nor does it have built-in memory for using BD-Live. Neither of these items should be cause for concern – I haven’t seen a BD-Live feature YET that has been worth while… all the good stuff is usually already on the Blu Ray disk itself.
The thing that makes it just a bit better than our Samsung BD-P1600 is the front display. The circular button assembly on the front glows a soft blue when playing Blu Ray, soft red when playing DVD, and purple on certain Netflix, YouTube, and CinemaNow video. The main display is also helpful, showing ‘NETFLX’, etc and most importantly, you can SEE the display (the Samsung player’s display is so dim you wouldn’t believe it).
For the price and feature set, I don’t think there’s another player I’d even consider after having used them all!