Panasonic DVD-LA95 9" Portable DVD Player
by Panasonic
Average Customer Review:
Electronics
list price: $699.99
US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France

Editorial Review

Panasonic's DVD-LA95 offers the versatility of a portable DVD player alongside the performance of a sophisticated home-theater component--and you can use it as both. The player handles DVD-Video, high-resolution DVD-Audio, and DVD-RAM playback--as well as standard and recordable CDs, including MP3-encoded discs. Its slender chassis holds a massive, 9-inch widescreen (16:9) LCD screen and a built-in rechargeable battery (good for about 2.5 hours between charges).

Designed to take full advantage of both audio and traditional video DVD formats, the DVD-LA95 delivers the immersive six-channel surround sound of the DVD-Audio music format. DVD-Audio offers super high-fidelity (192 kHz/24-bit) sound, in both multichannel and stereo. Because the DVD-Audio signal is too high-resolution for the digital converters in current surround receivers (and also as an anti-piracy measure), the DVD-LA95 performs its own decoding of DVD-Audio signals, passing high-resolution analog, not digital, audio to your surround receiver. This means you'll need an audio/video receiver with multichannel analog-audio inputs to appreciate this feature.

Audio features include DTS and Dolby Digital decoding with 5.1-channel analog- and digital-audio outputs, built-in stereo speakers, and Dialogue Enhancer for DVD movie viewing (which boosts the center-channel level by 6 dB during playback of Dolby Digital 5.1 discs, since most of the principal dialogue is channeled there). Advanced Surround Sound (VSS) simulates surround effects from any two speakers or from headphones. Other features include chapter preview, high-speed smooth-motion scan in forward and reverse (up to 100 times normal speed), repeat mode, title/chapter search with marker function, skip forward/reverse, auto power off, and resume play.

In addition to playing favorite DVD movie and music discs, the DVD-LA95 also plays video recorded on DVD-RAMs. DVD-RAM lets you record high-quality MPEG-2 video on DVDs, offering fast data transmission, speedy random access to chapters, and rewritability up to 100,000 times. ... Read more

Features

• Sleek, lightweight portable DVD-Video and DVD-Audio player with 9-inch LCD screen
• Plays DVD-R, DVD-RAM, CD, and recordable MP3 CDs
• Widescreen 16:9 aspect ratio, 2.5 hours battery life from included rechargeable battery
• Multichannel analog and optical digital-audio outputs, built-in DVD-Audio, DTS, and Dolby Digital surround decoding
• Dialogue Enhancer, VSS virtual surround enhance surround sound and stereo listening

Reviews (31)

A MUST BUY!!!!
The 9" screen cannot be beat. Although I must admit that the sound and the picture quality on the Sharp 8" player (which is cheaper) is moderately better, the LA-95 is overall the best portable player. It also does not get any sleeker than this. It is very easy to use, extremely light, and has the best collection of portable accessories of any new players (many of the older Panasonic model's accessories work with the LA-95). After all - if I am going to watch a DVD movie at home - why wouldn't I watch from my big screen TV? I recommend getting the optional battery pack CGP-H501... and/or the the XTend airline power adapter if you plan on (as I do) using on long trips to keep your children occupied. I am not sure, though, if I will ever need to play any of those other formats (what exactly is DVD-RAM?). By the way - cartoons look the best and color sci fi the worst.

Still the best there is
Trust me when I say that I looked at just about every portable DVD player on the market before deciding on this one. Yes, this Panasonic is relatively expensive and you can find much cheaper alternatives. However, the Panasonic has the best picture out there and a very large screen size to boot. Plus, the external speakers on the Panasonic are head and shoulders above anything else out there, especially for watching and listening to the unit in the car. The unit is very thin and light weight so you must be careful with it as with any portable DVD player. I recommend the well-padded Targus bag which converts to a seat mount in the car. Very cool, although it costs about $60.

In terms of battery life, I would say that you can get about 2 hours out of this thing, but not if you have it at the brightest screen setting and not if you have the volume turned up all the way. You can also buy an external Panasonic battery which mounts to the bottom of the unit for an additional 2-3 hour battery life, but this things costs close to $200 so I haven't done that yet. For the car, you can either buy Panasonic's car adapter ($100+ for some reason) or buy a power inverter from Radio Shack, Best Buy, etc. for about $40. The inverter will allow you to plug the AC adapter that comes with the unit into your car's DC cigarette lighter.

After using this unit for a couple months, I can highly recommend it to anyone. Yes, it costs more than most, but you get what you pay for. This thing has been great for taking my 1 year old on long trips to visit relatives. It's also good to bring with you to restaurants in case the little one gets impatient. Plus, you will get a lot of compliments from the restaurant staff and other patrons who tell you it's just about the coolest thing they have ever seen.

Great Picture Worth the Price
I purchased the LA-95 last year for a roundtrip flight from NY to Hawaii. From the reviews, I knew that I needed something to extend the battery life if I wanted to use it for more than a couple of hours without recharging. I purchased the extended battery from Panasonic which worked beautifully, more than six total hours. I also purchased what was advertised as an adaptor for use in the car or with airline power outlets from J + R. It turned out to be incompatible. I was able to connect the player to tvs in every place we stayed but one, so we had dvd movies everywhere we needed them which was not very often since we were in Hawaii. I've taken it on every plane ride since and have hooked it up to tvs in many hotels and condos. As long as there's a compatible input, I can watch movies. One little glitch did develop a few months ago. The lcd screen got what looked like a black splash across the screen which obscured the picture. Since it was under warrantee, I had it fixed for $65. They replaced the lcd panel. Fortunately, I only had to drive to New Jersey. My other option was to ship it to Texas. I don't know how this happened since it had been stored for about 3 months in a padded case in the closet, not dropped or mishandled. It must be very delicate. I did not ask how much it would have cost to repair if it wasn't under warrantee; I was afraid to know since between the unit and the extended battery, I have a considerable investment. It is a LOT of fun, though and you're never stuck with airplane or expensive hotel movies. ... Read more

Asin: B00005OP2T
Subjects:  1. dvd-audio    2. 9-inch    3. DVD Player (Digital Versatile Disc Players)    4. Portable Digital Versatile Disc Player (Personal DVD)   

iRobot Roomba Pro Intelligent Floorvac Robotic Vacuum
by iRobot
Average Customer Review:
Kitchen (15 October, 2003)
list price: $229.99
US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France

Editorial Review

An intelligent vacuum that uses robotic technology to deliver barefoot-clean floors in-between more thorough cleanings, iRobot’s Roomba Pro follows in the footsteps of the original model (the first automatic vacuum available in the U.S.). But it also adds some great new features, including Spot Clean. Selecting this option sets the Roomba Pro spiraling around a small area up to three feet wide, great for cleaning up dry spills or extra dirt. Thirteen inches in diameter and lighter than your average bowling ball, this innovative vacuum will roam a room devouring dust, dirt, pet hair, and tidbits left behind from everyday living.

Setting up the Roomba Pro for its first sashay through the living room is fairly easy. First, the battery needs charging for at least 12 hours before its maiden voyage; simply plug the AC adapter into any outlet and it will shut off automatically when fully charged. After that, the indicator light’s different colors will show the battery’s charge status. The Roomba Pro can clean two to three medium sized rooms on one charge, approximately 60 to 90 minutes, depending on floor surface. Although it may look more like a Frisbee than a vacuum, the Roomba Pro cleans carpet, wood, linoleum, and tile, transitioning smoothly between those surfaces. It even senses and avoids stairs, and glides easily under beds.

Next, remove any clothing, papers, cords, and fragile items from the floor. You may choose to set up one or both of the fist-sized Virtual Wall units, which emit a beam to redirect the Roomba Pro, keeping it out of unwanted areas. Set the Roomba Pro in the center of the room, and press the green power button to turn it on. Then select the corresponding button for a small (10 by 12 feet), medium (14 by 16 feet), or large (15 by 20 feet) room. The Roomba Pro plays a few musical notes of greeting, then begins moving.

When the Roomba Pro starts cleaning, it travels around the floor in a spiral pattern. When its non-marring bumper touches a wall, the Roomba Pro follows the wall for a short time, then crosses the room in straight lines. It repeats this pattern until its cleaning time has elapsed, providing maximum cleaning coverage.

The Roomba Pro’s breakthrough three-stage cleaning system uses side brushes, two main counter-rotating brushes, and a high-efficiency squeegee to pick up everything from fine to large particles. The particle bin removes for emptying. The unit comes with an easy-to-follow manual and two replacement filters. Additional Virtual Wall units, battery packs, and a rapid charger can be purchased separately. Two D batteries (not included) are required for each Virtual Wall. The Roomba Pro is covered by a 180-day parts and labor warranty. --Rhonda Langdon ... Read more

Features

• Measures 13 by 3-1/4 inches
• Automatically vacuums floors without supervision
• Transitions between low-to-medium-pile carpet, hardwoods, tile, and linoleum
• 3-stage system cleans wall edges, under furniture, and concentrated spots
• Includes 2 virtual walls to keep Roomba contained; 1 rechargeable battery

Reviews (50)

Should have bought one sooner! Should have bought two!
Two words: It works. I think what I like best is how it keeps the wood floors "barefoot clean". It also does carpets well and since it has a beater bar also leaves that "vacuumed" look in the form of tracks on the carpet, although they are random patterns reminiscent of a Pollack painting.

At first it won't save you any time, because you'll spend a lot of time just watching it work because it's fun. After a while though you'll get a big kick out of turning it on and leaving the house and then finding the job done when you get back.

A couple of tips:

1. Buy an extra battery and definitely the quick charger. This way you can have one charging while the other is in the robot, vacuuming away.

2. Learn to prepare the rooms. You'll have to watch the robot the first time it does each room or area, just to get a feel for where to put the virtual walls and how to move the furniture around.

3. At a minimum, buy the pro model with the "spot" mode. You'll use it a lot.

4. You'll need to deep vacuum your carpets at least once every two weeks.

That's it. It is worth every penny. I will probably buy another one for the upstairs.

Is it possible to have FUN vacuuming??????
Short and sweet, It works, it's fun and it's limitations are easy to work around.

1. Buy the pro instead of the basic to get the extra virtual wall unit.

2. Buy the rapid charger so that you can do several areas per day

3. Clean out the dirt cups after each area...takes only 2-3 min

4. Not for use with shag carpets

5. Not for use in REALLY filthy areas (Like the work area in my basement unless you pick up the visible piles of sawdust, doghair blown in leaves, etc.) It's not that the unit won't work...it's just that the dirt cups are not big enough to hold it all. I use the shop vac to pick up the big stuff and the Roomba goes after the rest. In the other parts of the house...the Roomba works alone.

6. It REALLY works well along the edges of walls and cabinets and it is great with doghair.

Roomba works for me
Before i start my review let me explain how my house is set up. i live in a one bedroom apt with one cat and no rugs. i have been using the roomba now for about 3 weeks and i do have to say over all i am very impressed with it. it does however require a little bit of maintenance to keep it up and running in prime condition but nothing to complicated. and i do highly suggest getting the rapid charger you will need it because the battery doesnt really last long enough to get the whole house done on one charge. i cant really say how well it would work in a house with more then one pet or even with rugs....but for a single guy its worth it ... Read more

Asin: B0000AHROM
Subjects:  1. Vacuum Cleaners    2. Carpet Sweepers    3. Floor Care    4. Cleaning Supplies    5. (Vacs)    6. Upright Vacuums    7. (Vaccums)    8. (Vacumes)    9. (Vacums)    10. Handheld Vacuums    11. Hand Vacs    12. Housewares   

TiVo R24008A 80-Hour Digital Video Recorder
Average Customer Review:
Electronics
list price: $299.99
US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France

Editorial Review

Early Adopters Pick: November 2002. The only digital video recorder with a content ranking system, Season Pass program recording, and WishList program recording.

TiVo's Series2 DVR delivers more recording capacity at a lower cost and also offers the latest in networked home entertainment. TiVo DVRs record television programming directly to a digital hard drive, eliminating the hassles of videotape. The TiVo Series2 offers up to 80 hours of recording time in TiVo's small, sleek chassis (15 inches wide by 11.5 inches deep and 3 inches high).

TiVo automatically records your favorite shows.

The TiVo DVR Series2 is compatible with virtually every television available. It also works with VCRs, TV antennas, cable systems, and satellite systems. A patented remote control simplifies program recording and controls multiple TiVos within the home (two devices can share your existing phone line). Connections include three video inputs and outputs (S-video, composite-video, and RF coaxial), one set of stereo RCA analog audio inputs, and two sets of stereo audio outputs. A standard female RJ-11 telephone jack is the channel by which the Series2 accesses the TiVo service.

TiVo subscribers can pay $12.95 per month or a one-time product lifetime fee of $299. Benefits of TiVo service include, but are not limited to, Season Pass (TiVo automatically finds and records every episode of a series all season long, even if the network schedule changes); WishList (TiVo finds and records programs that feature your favorite actor, director, team, or even topic); Smart Recording (TiVo detects lineup changes for you and suggests programs to match your interests, if desired); and Showcases (exclusive entertainment plus recording shortcuts from some of the most popular networks on TV).

Now, you through your home network you can access TiVo's Home Media Features. This services provides remote scheduling capabilities from anywhere you have Internet access; MP3 streaming from your PC to your TiVo so you can listen to music through your home theater sound system; digital image viewing from your PC so that you can create slideshows on your TV; and multiroom viewing, which allows you to connect two TiVo Series2 DVRs in your home so that you can record on one and watch on another. ... Read more

Features

• TiVo service fee is not included
• Up to 80 hours of digital audio/video recording capacity
• Works with antenna, cable, digital cable, satellite, and combinations
• Everything required for installation is supplied
• TiVo service eliminates the hassles of VCRs and timers

Reviews (191)

I love my TiVo!
NOTICE: Most of this review relates to TiVo in general, not this specific hardware device, although they all pretty much work the same. I have a Sony SAT-T60 DIRECTV/TiVo combination receiver and a Hughes GXCEBOT DIRECTV/TiVo combination receiver. I've provided a few comments on these combo units because I highly recommend them if you are looking at buying a TiVo.

My wife and I became addicted to TiVo within 1 month after installing it. In fact, we bought a second TiVo for the bedroom about six months after purchasing our first one. We have gone from watching 90% live TV/10% recorded (VCR) to 90% Tivo/10% live TV! We hardly watch anything anymore at its regular time. We simply pull up the "Now Playing" menu, which lists all the shows I have previously recorded, and watch whatever we're in the mood for - drama (Law and Order or Boomtown), comedy (Friends, South Park), reality TV (Survivor, Fear Factor), or sports (Illinois basketball, cliff diving).

There are so many cool things about TiVo, but these are my FOUR FAVORITE things:
1) Season Pass, which once you set it up, will record a particular show EVERY time it's on or even all shows with a particular actor or subject,
2) Easy to record (simply choose the show, not the time and channel) and easy to find and play (scroll through "Now Playing" list of previously recorded shows and choose "Select" to play),
3) Record two shows at once (like Survivor and Friends, which both start at 8:00 on Thursday) with a DirecTV/TiVo combination receiver, which we have. The TiVo Series2 product you are shopping for will only record one show at a time, but you CAN watch a previously recorded show while taping a show that is currently being broadcast.
4) Replay button - skips back 7 seconds, which comes in handy whenever you miss something that was said, or you want to go back and pause something so another person can see it. We probably use this button more than any other on the entire remote.

HOW HAS IT CHANGED OUR LIFE?
Let me just give you 3 examples:
FIRST, we watch TV on our time. We never worry about what time, or even what day something is on. We have TiVo recording about 20 different shows for us each week and we watch them at various times, depending on our schedule. It doesn't matter when I get home from work, whether I'm out of town, or what time the kids go to bed. Our shows are on when WE want to see them.
SECOND, we have a Season Pass for three kids shows (Sesame Street, Clifford, Teletubbies). Every day, it tapes the new one and deletes the one from yesterday. So, there is always a fresh show to put on for our kids when we need to get them out of our hair. No bulky video tapes, and none of the stories get old. They're seeing and learning something new every day.
FINALLY, we pause and replay shows all the time. Want to stop and get a drink? No problem-pause. Phone call? No problem-pause. What did she just whisper? Replay it. Who was that behind Julia Roberts at the Oscars? Replay it, then pause or slo-mo. Use TiVo for a month and you won't believe that you ever watched television without it.

We started with the monthly subscription and moved to the lifetime after just a month (it's good for the life of the box, not you). I bought a 4-year warranty as a safety precaution (new technology and insurance against the lifetime subscription). DirecTV customer service is decent, but not great (they handle the TiVo side as well). The BEST resource for TiVo is the TiVo AVS forum, which you can link to from the Buzz section of the TiVo Web site. It's a "must read" prior to buying this unit (if my review hasn't answered all your questions). But I am not exaggerating when I say that this is the coolest, most liberating invention to come out since the World Wide Web. No joke! You will fall in love with your TiVo too.

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A note regarding DIRECTV/TiVo units: First, it looks like the Justice Department is going to block the Echostar-DIRECTV merger. So, any fears that subscribers might have had about losing TiVo service to Echostar's technology are likely overblown now. I've also discovered that DIRECTV/TiVo combination units rarely hold the number of hours suggested. My Sony advertises "up to 35-hour recording capacity." In reality, the data density of the DIRECTV signal is variable and you will rarely have even 30 hours of capacity. I have been maxing out at around 23 hours before things get deleted involuntarily. You can control the recording quality on stand-alone units and therefore, you can tell exactly how much capacity you're using. Recording quality is not an option with the combo units, but you should assume that you will NOT be able to retain more than 22 to 25 hours of programming before shows must be deleted in order to make room for new recordings. This doesn't change my enthusiastic view on TiVo or the combo units one bit.

Degradation in picture quality....
.... or, if you love something, set it free!

I have two children and only one TV. Tivo was the perfect answer for getting to watch the shows I wanted to see, when I wanted to see them -- namely after the final clip of Dora the Explorer was done and my kids were in bed. Imagine getting to watch the rest of the game (interrupted by bath time) or the Sopranos or Meet the Press, etc., at your leisure. You mocked us for years, TV, but now we are in control!

The good news... The unit was fairly easy to set up, the directions were clear and the service people very helpful. In fact, I was surprised to read of other reviewers' problems in this department. So far, I love Tivo.

So why am I returning it? (That is, as long as I can cram it all back in the box.) Well, the bad news is picture degradation. Tivo is hooked up to my very nice, new flat screen TV. DVDs look awesome on the new TV. Unfortunately, my digital cable, which goes through Tivo, looks pretty bad. Worse than it did on my dearly departed 27" Sony "round screen" TV. Tivo technology added in some very noticable loss of picture quality. The support person I spoke to said that this might be a slight problem, particularly with video that has movement. Of course, that covers pretty much all TV. Otherwise, it's called a still picture. When I want that I read a newspaper or one of those books where you flip the page and the image in the corner looks like it's moving.

So, for us, Tivo wasn't worth the overall loss in picture quality to get those few shows. Curses! Foiled again....

Another issue to bear in mind is the fact that Tivo adds in a slight delay when changing channels on your cable box. Tivo is not like another component that hangs off the TV, a la your VCR. It becomes kind of the central nervous system of the TV. Cable and your VCR must go through Tivo. This wasn't a problem, with the exception of the video degradation and the channel changing delay. My delay was not too bad but could be a problem for others.

If you can deal with those issues, then you will love the product. Hence my 3-star rating on a product I'm returning!

Waste of money~~~~Waste of time
Seriously folks, who wants to spend this much money on a device that turns you into a couch potato, doesn't work right, has a horrible guarantee and reduces your income and mental stability by watching crap like soap operas and other junk

Tivo should rename this product and call it The Automatic Income Reducer.

WASTE OF TIME AND MONEY. ... Read more

Asin: B00006LIQL
Subjects:  1. r-24008A, tevo, pause tv,    2. dvr, tapeless recorder, tapeless, ti-vo, tivoe    3. R240080, 80 hr, pvr, personal video recorder    4. r24008A, 24008A, r240080, 240080    5. TiVo    6. PVR (Personal video recorder)