Sony Mex 1gp The Next Generation Of Car Mp3 Players

For all of those MP3 music owners, the future of car audio is finally here for you. Gone are the days where you had to burn your MP3s onto a CD for playback in your car audio system. Sony recently released the MEX-1GP CD receiver, a CD receiver that also features a built-in 1 GB flash memory unit. So now your car audio CD receiver behaves in the same manner as your iPod or other type of MP3 player. The 1 GB flash memory unit can store up to 500 of your favorite songs, giving you plenty of playback time for your music. This little device will make even the longest of trips in your car smoother and more enjoyable, since you will not have to worry about changing CDs any longer.

Aside from playing MP3s, this CD receiver also plays CDs (as the name implies) along with burned CD-Rs and CD-RWs so that those who wish to play their old CDs can still take advantage of this nifty product. However, the real attraction to this new car audio head unit is the MP3 playability. The flash memory unit is located in the detachable faceplate. Here resides the USB port which allows you to connect the faceplate to your PC (similar to your iPod or other MP3 player). Once your faceplate is connected to your CD, you simply drag and drop the MP3 files onto the flash memory unit of the faceplate. Unfortunately the faceplate is only compatible with Windows operating systems, so all of you Mac owners will have to go to your buddy’s house to copy the MP3s to and from the Sony MEX-1GP.

The new receiver is also aesthetically pleasing to the eye as well. It is finished in a high-gloss black color and features a 13-segment LCD display for simple navigation of track and title information. The screen displays album, artist and track name when playing your MP3 music files. Users can shuffle or repeat tracks, albums or personalized groups through controls on the faceplate or with the supplied remote control. The MEX-1GP unit has a built-in 208-watt power amplifier and a three-band equalizer enabling clear, rich sound. The selectable rear/subwoofer preamp outputs, controls the frequency and output level of an external amplifier.

After installing this receiver and experiencing it for a little over a week, I must say that I am quite impressed with this product. For one, the sound quality when playing MP3s through this unit is nothing less than phenomenal. If you didn’t know any better, you would think that you were playing a CD with the crisp and clear playback quality of this head unit. While traveling on a three hour road trip (three hours each way, six hours total) I was able to listen to one selection of songs on the way up and an entirely different selection of songs on the way back, all without the hassle of changing CDs and enduring a pause in play. I’m just a little surprised it took so long for a product like this to hit the market, especially with the increasing popularity of portable MP3 devices such as the iPod over the last several years. While it may have taken awhile for a product like this to hit the market, I’m sure Sony will have plenty of competitors very soon, which will benefit car audio enthusiasts like myself.

 

How To Find The Best Home Theater System

Everyone wants a home theater system, but when confronted with the choices in buying one, you can get overwhelmed. No matter where you look for a home theater system, there are varying types of systems and varying prices also. So you are able to get the best theater system your money can buy here are a few tips.

When you are first shopping for a system, they all look the same, or relatively the same, on the outside. But how they work can be a completely different story. To make sure that the one you are looking at works well, try it out! You may not think the store will let you do this, but you would be surprised at the length a company will go to have your business.

If you are looking at using your home theater system as a gaming tool too, then you should take your gaming system to the store to test it out. If it isn’t compatible with your gaming system, it is better to know sooner rather than later.

So you have found the best home theater system for your needs and use. The next step is to compare prices. The biggest and most common mistake made when buying a home theater system is finding the perfect system, but not comparing prices before you buy. There is nothing more frustrating then buying a system at one store, then seeing it for less money, sometimes hundreds of dollars, at another store just down the street.

Don’t forget the internet when comparing prices either. Many stores offer discounts through the internet, and sometimes the companies that make the systems will have cheaper prices than the wholesaler. Make sure that you keep in mind shipping prices, but you could save money even with the shipping costs. The internet might just be the way to go.

 

Searching On The Web For A Lcd Monitor With Tv Tuner

Are you searching for a LCD monitor with TV tuner? Are you on a budget and looking for a decent LCD monitor with TV tuner that is in your price range? The internet is a great place to start your search for a LCD monitor with TV tuner. Here you can not only read reviews and get an idea of what kind of model you are looking for, but you can also comparison shop to find the best deal on the web for a LCD monitor with TV tuner.

A great place to start your search for a LCD monitor with TV tuner is through Consumer Reports. They will give you unbiased reviews of the LCD monitors with TV tuners out there. You can find Consumer Reports online at http://www.consumerreports.org.

If you are the type of person who needs to see in person what it is they will be buying, then it is a good idea to visit a store like a big box retailer in order to get an idea of what kind of LCD monitor with TV tuner you are interested in. Make sure you take a pad and pencil with you so you can write down the model numbers of the LCD monitors with TV tuners that you liked the best. This will give you a good place to start comparison shopping.

Here are a couple tips if you decide to buy a LCD monitor with TV tuner for yourself online as opposed to a bricks and mortar store. First of all, you need to take into consideration the cost of shipping and what that will add to the overall price. Let’s say you find the LCD monitor with TV tuner model you’ve been searching for online, it is in your price range and it appears to be a couple hundred dollars less than it would be if you bought it at a big box retailer. Shipping could easily add an extra couple hundred dollars to the total price, so you wouldn’t be getting much of a deal after all.

Another thing to consider when shopping for a LCD monitor with TV tuner online is that you should shop through a reputable dealer. Before whipping out your credit card you want to make sure that they are a reputable business and offer a warranty as well as everything else you would get from shopping at a reputable bricks and mortar store such as a big box retailer.

Prices and models change often, be sure and stop by our site to take a look at the latest models.

 

What Makes Lcd Flat Panels The Right Choice

When designing your home theater, there are many questions and decisions to be made regarding audio and visual elements. The type of television itself is usually one of the biggest of these decisions. Plasma, LCD, flat panel, rear-projection – these terms are thrown at us each day and many of us are just starting to understand the differences. The most common televisions being purchased in the United States are plasma televisions and LCD flat panels.

There are several pros and cons to consider before choosing a LCD television. While the reduced footprint and the flat screen are nice they certainly aren’t for everyone. You should carefully consider the various advantages and disadvantages of this TV versus a plasma screen before making a purchase.

The following is some of the basic information about the LCD and some advice to help you in making your decision. You should keep personal considerations in mind as well, and ask electronics and audio-visual professionals for their opinion if you still aren’t sure as to what you should buy.

Advantages of LCD Flat Panel Television Sets

LCD flat panel televisions have the most options available in regards to how they are installed. When including one in your home theater, installation can be as simple as placing it on a standard television stand or you can choose to mount it on the wall. Most LCD flat panel televisions are aesthetically pleasing because they are incredibly sleek and thin. They should fit in well with pretty much any home theater design, and they are relatively lightweight when compared to other televisions so that they can be moved easily.

LCD televisions are also considered to be good long-term television investments because they will run for 50,000 – 60,000 viewing hours. Most modern LCD televisions also support higher picture resolutions and high-definition display options are becoming more available as well. And unlike some brands of plasma televisions, LCD video displays do not but an image into the screen after a long period of time.

Disadvantages of LCD Flat Panel Television Sets

Because of the nature of the liquid crystal display in their screens, they are much more likely to be damaged if something hits the screen. LCD screens should always be installed by a professional; an incorrectly-installed wall mount will pull away from the wall over time and could fall. The cost of an LCD television set is generally higher than plasma or rear-projection televisions, as well. You should consider that while high-definition display options may be available, not all LCD flat panel televisions are HD-ready and even if they are additional components are generally required to allow HD programming to display. These must be purchased as an additional cost. Additionally, early models of LCD screens did not display black and dark images as clearly as a plasma screen. This differentiation appears to have been improved upon in newer models.

Deciding if LCD Is Right for You

While some of the disadvantages listed above are worst-case scenarios, they should be considered simply because they add additional costs to your overall home theater system. Be sure to consider exactly how much you want to spend on a television that fits your home, especially if you’re still in the process of buying your system and want it to be included in the home theater installation. Decide whether you need a high-definition system now or not. With the transition to digital television in 2009, many are preparing their household for HD now. The decision to buy HD ready televisions and components now is one you will have to make based on your budget and household’s entertainment habits. This is a major decision to make, and you’re going to want to make sure that you’re happy with the final result when you make it.