Logitech Z Cinéma Advanced Surround Sound System--2.1 Speakers Review

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(More customer reviews)Logitech Z Cinéma Advanced Surround Sound System--2.1 Speakers

Logitech's Z Cinema Advanced speaker system is an incredibly designed high performance product.I own several Logitech speaker products, as well as others by Creative Creative GigaWorks T20 2.0 Speakers, Altec Lansing Altec Lansing FX5051 5.1 powered speaker system with USB connection, Klipsch Klipsch ProMedia 2.1 THX Certified Computer Speaker System (Black), Harmon Kardon Harmon Kardon SoundStick II 3 Piece Speaker System, and others.I can honestly say, this is a very impressive unit that is well designed for its task.If you have a media center PC setup, this set will make you very happy.Not only is the speaker system ridiculously powerful, the included software is a huge improvement over previous Logitech entries.The included remote rounds out the system and puts virtually all your audio and video applications at your fingertips.

This speaker system will fill a key market niche.The integrated satellite speaker and subwoofer design has more components than meet the eye.Each one-piece satellite speaker has an integrated mid-woofer and tweeter.So these are much more than traditional 2.1 bookshelf speakers.And when you position the speakers as directed and turn on the software surround sound, the sound quality coming out of these approach that of 5.1 systems.

Pros
+ Control your media center PC with a great all-in-one solution and awesome remote
+ Great performing speakers with a ridiculous 35 watts of RMS power per channel, 180 total RMS output
+ Beautifulblack and silver speaker and body design
+ Two tweeters and mid-woofers deliver surprisingly crisp sound with or without surround
+ 110 watt subwoofer is simply monstrous and easily fills large rooms with good acoustics
+ Awesome included remote with media center controls and great features
+ Nice integrated support for apps like iTunes, WinAMP, RealPlayer, Yahoo Jukebox, Pandora and Picasa
+ Remote can be configured to work with any multimedia app or to launch a different media player
+ Very sturdy cables and housing are designed to last a long time
+ Power converter integrated into subwoofer so you can connect with a regular power cable
+ Good looking orange back-lit volume and surround indicators on the right speaker
+ Very nice price point for fully integrated media center speaker system and controls
+ USB cable connection is clean and easy - requires on-board port connection
+ Included standard ports for headphones and auxiliary connections (3.5 mm)
+ Simple instructions and plug and play performance for basic use
+ Very modest hardware, hard-drive space and memory requirements for Logitech software
+ True 24 bit digital audio
+ hardware warranty

Cons
- Perhaps overly sleek minimal design could have been improved with physical power and volume controls
- Very heavy system requires extreme caution and should be installed with care and help if needed
- No simple volume controls on the remote, instead included in adjustment wheel
- Would have been ideal to include a few more ports, such as HDMI and S-Video, on the subwoofer
- Satellite speaker cables, while very thick, could have been longer for more configuration options
- No real expandability of the system is apparent; no obvious ports for other satellites or devices
- Many people still demand RF remote capability, this one is only IR
- Those who don't need the remote for Media Center PCs may opt for 5.1 systems at this price

Installation

Installing this guy is simple based upon the included quick start guide.What's cool is that even before the Logitech software is installed, once you make your connections and turn it on it's automatically recognized as a regular speaker system.You don't need Windows Media Center for this to work as a speaker system.This is awesome, and amazingly a lot of the Media Center buttons still work too.

But just note that in order to really take advantage of this guy you will want a Media Center capable PC, with either XP MCE Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005 SP2B for System Builders, Vista Premium Windows Vista Home Premium with SP1 or Vista Ultimate Windows Vista Ultimate with SP1 installed.

Installing the Logitech software allows you to have desktop control of the speaker settings, including enabling surround sound.It also allows you to see the options to toggle between the different media applications, including iTunes and WMP among others.You can change settings and really get some control over your MC PC.

Physically installing this guy can be a challenge.First of all, this is a very heavy unit, mainly because of so many integrated components built into the subwoofer body.This is probably a sign of good construction, but handle with care.

The satellite speaker cables are long but could have been longer.The included diagrams give you the impression this was really well thought out for desktop or workstation installs.However, if you have a component center or cabinet for your stuff, you need to be patient and creative to get this set up.

The speaker cables could have definitely been longer to accommodate more setup possibilities.However, in terms of durability and shielding, these are some of the thickest strongest cables I've had come with a speaker system.

The subwoofer body has a silver rimmed front-piece that is not flush with the body housing.It's not a huge deal, but you have to kind of set it up either with the front piece hanging off your component shelf or rested up at an angle.Perhaps this was intentional based upon the lower configuration location noted in the included diagrams.

Sound

The power level output of these speakers is sick, to say the least. Some will be hung up on the "simulated" surround sound feature, a gimmick that has been tried before.Still, even though I was initially unsatisfied, I learned that if you set these up in the right acoustical setting it does perform well.There are two possible setups.For the basic workstation setup where you are literally seated at your media center PC, it works awesome.For those, who like me, want to set this up at an entertainment center, you have to center the system in a somewhat square room with unobstructed walls.Then you can get the surround sound feature to properly bounce in your room.

The total RMS power of 180 watts includes a 110 watts RMS Subwoofer with each satellite speaker producing 35 watts of RMS output via the mid-woofer and tweeter pair.That means your total power output is something like 400 watts, which is really in AV power range.

But the sound is clean. The built in amplifier is well tuned for multimedia sound applications, including gaming.If you have a good on-board sound processor, you should be fine.If you experience any sound effects, definitely take a closer look at your hardware and setup.

Some may feel that you can only get surround sound out of 5.1 Logitech Z-5500 THX-Certified 505-Watt 5.1 Digital Surround Sound Speaker System or 7.1 Onkyo SKS-HT540 7.1 Surround Sound Speaker System systems.Still, I prefer 2.1 system with high quality components over 5.1 systems with small and disappointing satellites.There's a lot of nice 5.1 systems out there, don't get me wrong.I own several.Still, this system sounds better than a lot of those.Definitely have to test drive it to hear the difference.

Features

The power adapter is nicely integrated into the subwoofer, so you power up via a standard plug, no power bricks so many people hate.The speakers have right and left noted on the bottom.The right speaker comes to life when you turn it on with the remote.It has a nice orange read out that shows when it's on, the volume level and surround sound setting.The right speaker also includes jacks for headphones and auxiliary connections.

I really wished they would have also added physical volume and power control buttons and knobs.That way, when I want to hook up one of my MP3 players, I wouldn't need the remote to turn it on.

The Logitech software is actually vastly improved for them.I've not always liked some of the integrated software in the past, but this one was a huge improvement.The only minor negative I can give it is that it is automatically included in the startup folder even if you install the software with the option of not turning on at startup.So you have to manually remove it from your startup if you don't want it on all the time, a minor inconvenience.

The remote is the nicest part of this set functionally.For those with Universal remotes, you may wonder why you need this. This remote allows you to access your multimedia apps seamlessly.You can set up 4 presets, though it's less than intuitive.

You've also got some basic navigational buttons that allow you to go back to your previous app.There are included buttons for shuffle and repeat plays, and multimedia...Read more›

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Brother MFC-8860DN Flatbed Laser All-in-One Printer with Duplex Review

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(More customer reviews)I bought the 8860DN a couple weeks ago to replace my aging HP 3330.While I'm quite happy with much of the 8860DN, there are a few things that could use improvement.Some of these can be addressed in software, others I fear are hardware issues.

BTW, I'm on my second machine because I thought some of the issues with the first warranted a replacement.Now I know its a "common" issue.

1)The print engine creaks and makes popping sounds as the fuser heats and cools.Even the demo machine in Office Depot does the same thing.The creaking is really annoying if you sit near the machine.A Brother senior tech rep tells me this issue is common to many Brother lasers.Well, gimme a break because HP and others don't creak!**UPDATE**Brother Corporate office tells me the popping sounds are considered "normal" by the engineers and at this time they have no plans to fix.Pathetic if you ask me.I think most users will agree!!!

2)The scanner ADF head will sometimes make odd sounds when its scanning the last page of a multi-page scan.It sounds as if the motor or gears need lubrication.

3)I've had the COPY function lockup on me a couple times (other fucntions continue to work) and the only way to correct is to power cycle.Cause is unknown but the clowns at Brother support tell me to keep power cycling the resolve the problem.IDIOTS!

4)The IFAX feature is not very well explained and is somewhat odd in the way it works (or tries to work).I've yet to really figure it out.As an alternative I use the FAX FORWARD TO EMAIL function which works well.

5)A PC software bug:When scanning multiple pages its impossible to multitask since the scanner interface takes the focus away from whatever you are doing everytime it begins scanning a new page.Brother apparently knows about this issue and will correct in the next software version.

Other than the above isues, I'm fairly satisfied in the short time I've been using this MFC.If I may comment in response to one of the previous reviews, the beep sound is adjustable and I believe if the user took the time to read the manual, he'd be quite happy with the level of customization available on this machine (I rarely hear of people complaining about too many features).Oh, and yes as stoneaged as it sounds, some people still do occasionally receive faxes.

As far as I'm concerned, the print speed is excellent.Even complex pages print quickly with nearly no delay between pages.A huge improvment over my old HP.Also, I find the scan speed on non complex scans to be excellent.Complex and high res scans are somewhat slower, but they are with many scanners (and certainly about every multifucntion I've run across).Print duplexing is another very nice touch and I'm surprised it works as well as it does.The 8860DN gets the job done and it does them well overall.

Things about the 8860DN I prefer over the new HP 3390 I compared it to.

1) 8860 has a legal size scan plate
2) 8860 will fax forward to email
3) 8860 is $150 less with approx. the same cost per page in consumables.
4)8860 does duplex scan, copy

Click Here to see more reviews about: Brother MFC-8860DN Flatbed Laser All-in-One Printer with Duplex

Product Description:
The MFC-8860DN has a convenient flatbed design that accommodates either single sheets or bound documents for copying, faxing, or scanning. With the ability to function as a digital copier, the unit supports reduction and enlargement of documents from 25 to 400 percent in one percent increments, makes up to 99 copies, and includes sorting functionality. Copies up to legal size can be made from both the glass and the automatic document feeder. Print and copy speeds up to 21 pages per minute keep up with busy offices, while outstanding resolution of up to 1,200 x 1,200 dpi gives each document exceptional legibility.
The MFC-8860DN features two sided (duplexed) printing, copying, scanning, and faxing. You can take a typical document file and simply choose to print it as a duplexed document right from the MFC-8860DN's print menu, with the orientation you prefer. Your selection then happens automatically, without the need to reload the paper to print the other side. You can also copy or scan two sides of the same document and either print the copy or store the scan as two single-sided pages, or as a single two-sided page. Or, you can copy or scan two single-sided documents and produce a copy or store a scan as a single two-sided page. You can even scan a two-sided document for faxing with only one step and it will be received as two single-sided pages.


Print, fax, scan, and copy -- all from one powerful unit. View larger.
Send scans, copies, and faxes directly from the MFC-8860DN to colleagues that are listed in your network address book.
Choose the document feeder or the flatbed.
Single or double sided -- you make the call. As a full-function stand-alone fax machine, the MFC-8860DN supports up to 340 total speed dial locations, and also incorporates dual access and broadcast faxing features. It stores up to 600 pages for Quick Scan faxing or out-of-paper fax reception. Stand-alone fax and copy operation is standard, so no computer is required.
When operating as a scanner, the unit is capable of color scanning up to 9,600 dpi interpolated resolution (up to 600 x 2,400 dpi optical). For Windows and OS X 10.2.4 or greater based users, there is an easy-to-use "scan to" button for scanning directly to an FTP site, image application, OCR, E-mail application or file. Save time and reduce errors with instant direct access through your network connected MFC-8860DN to a virtually infinite number of e-mail and fax addresses stored in your LDAP network address books. Simply use the large, clear 5-line LCD display on the MFC-8860DN's control panel to view the contacts stored in your network address books and scroll to select the address you need. Then you can quickly send faxes and Internet faxes to your selection, and perform scan-to-e-mail-address functions.
The MFC-8860DN provides the ability for an administrator to set various levels of password protected access to certain features, for each of up to 25 different users per machine. Through this feature, you can restrict specific employees such as part-time workers or interns from access to scan-to-e-mail functions or other avenues for sending data outside your walls.
The color scanner function comes bundled with document management and OCR software. ScanSoft PaperPort SE with OCR software is available for Windows and Presto! Page Manager is available for Mac users. Meanwhile, The MFC-8860DN is supplied with built-in wired Ethernet networking. The unit is compatible with both PC and Mac operating systems (Windows 98/NT4.0/2000/Me/2000/XP and Mac OS 9.1-9.2, OS X 10.2.4 or greater). Standard emulations of PCL6 and BR-Script3 (PostScript3) are included as well. Brother provides a one-year warranty, covering parts and service.

What's in the Box
Multifunction unit, paper tray, multipurpose tray, TN540 Standard Yield Toner Cartridge (3,500 Pages), DR510 Drum Unit (20,000 Pages) CD-ROM with drivers and utilities, printed user's guide, warranty information

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Konica Minolta PagePro 1350W Laser Printer Review

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(More customer reviews)This was a great printer as far as print quality and speed... but what Minolta doesn't tell you in advance is that if you either refill the cartridge or use a non-new or non-factory cartridge, the printer goes into "deep cleaning" mode (permanently) while printing and slows down to about 6ppm. It won't go back up to regular speed unless you install a new Minolta cartridge.
This, of course, is a completely bogus excuse for forcing you to buy Minolta toner (which costs $130).
I called tech support to confirm that there was no workaround, and the woman I spoke with had received 4 complaints that morning on that issue.
So I sent it back and bought a Samsung ML-1710, which, although a little bit slower (17ppm instead of 21) can use any toner and seems like an excellent little printer.

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Product Description:
Konica Minolta PagePro 1350W Personal Laser Printer - When you consider a laser printer it seems more like an office device. Inkjets, however, can be inefficient when you're seeking lots of text output or even doing business at home. What about a personal laser printer? That's the nice thing about this PagePro. Sleek, small, and affordable, the PagePro 1350W from KONICA MINOLTA is a dedicated laser printer for professional and home-office use. The PagePro 1350W provides the convenience and privacy benefits only a personal printer can, with performance that matches many shared office printers. And its best-in-class quality makes printing memos, reports, and other business documents a stand-out affair. Measuring only 15" wide, the PagePro 1350W's small stature is a big plus for the space-deprived desktop. The printer's finishing touches include a fold-away paper tray to minimize desk space, built-in cable hooks to keep cords in place, and a quiet operation mode. The PagePro 1350W has more than an attractively low purchase price. Its high-yield supplies and plain paper printing make it a great investment for everyday use.8MB SDRAM included (maximum) Standard Paper Input - 150-sheet multipurpose tray Standard Paper Output -100-sheet face-down output trayManual duplex print capable Print Media -Plain paper, thick stock, OHP transparencies, laser-quality labels, envelopes, and Japanese Post Office standard postcardsDimensions (WxDxH) -w/ trays closed -15.2 x 11.5 x 11.1; w/ trays extended -15.2 x 15.9 x 13.7

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Brother HL-5370DWT Laser Printer with Wireless Networking, Duplex and Dual Paper Trays Review

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(More customer reviews)I've been using HP stuff since the first scientific calculator, the HP-32, that came out in 1973. It used to be rock solid, designed by engineers to be used by engineers. Sadly, it's now cheap junk. The scanners in HP's all-in-one's seemed designed to fail in the thirteenth month after purchase.

Some of HP's recent printers do not even implement their own Printer Control Language properly (HP PCL).

This Brother printer works. It implements PCL5 correctly, as well as its emulation of PostScript. I've networked computers for fifteen years, so setup went very easily. The hardest part was hauling the CD-ROM to the various computers on the network, since Windows did not have the driver built in. A no-brainer.

The supplies work out to 1.4 cents a page (toner and drum). Hard to beat that.

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Product Description:
The HL-5370DWT is a monochrome laser printer for offices or small workgroups. It offers a fast print speed of up to 32ppm and produces crisp, high-quality output at up to 1200 x 1200 dpi resolution. The HL-5370DWT features built-in wireless and Ethernet network interfaces for sharing on your network and automatic duplex printing for two-sided documents. It also offers flexible paper handling via its two 250-sheet capacity paper trays and 50-sheet capacity multi-purpose tray for printing custom paper sizes and letterhead. An optional tray boosts total input capacity to 800 sheets. For lower running costs, a high-yield 8,000-page toner cartridge is available.

Get 25% OFF

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