Polk Audio I-Sonic - Mini system - radio / DVD Review

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(More customer reviews)This is an incredible sounding radio. It's highs are crystal clear, and it has very surprising bass even at high volumes. It's pretty easy to use and also looks very nice. There are 2 problems with this product, however. One is minor and can be lived with, but the other is a major flaw (in my opinion) that caused me to return the system.
The minor problem is that the dimmer doesn't dim automatically when the room gets dark. This is a simple feature that competing products have. It's needed because if you use this as a bedroom radio/alarm clock, you have to set the dimmer to low every night because the display is too bright otherwise (if you leave it on low during the day, you can't see the display, so you have to set the display to high every morning). This gets annoying after a while, but can be lived with if it was the only problem.
The major problem that I found is that the sound of the CD spinning was VERY LOUD! This was so annoying, especially if you like to use the sleep feature going to bed. The CD spin sound can be heard even at moderate levels. You either have to listen to your music very loud to drown out the CD spin noise, or you have to not be fazed by it. I tried to adjust to the sound by moving the unit further away from my bed, but the noise was still intolerable.
I really wanted to keep this product because of all the features packed into it and its incredible sound, but I had to return it because of the loud CD spin noise. Now I'm looking for a replacement unit (maybe the Boston Acoustic or Cambridge Soundworks CD 745).

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Polk Audio's I-Sonic is the first all digital format entertainment system featuring the latest digital technologies - HD-Radio with multicasting, DVD player, XM Satellite Radio & Sirius Satellite Radio capability, iPod & MP3 Player Dock inputs and a high performance audio system in a convenient compact tabletop configuration. With an I-Sonic entertainment system you will be able to enjoy the widest range of music, movies, news, information and entertainment available today and tomorrow. XM and Sirius require purchase of a tuner module and subscription sign-up. I-Sonic offers the best sound.Plays DVD, CD, Picture CD, Video CD, MP3 CD and other formatsiPod and MP3 players, cassette decks or any stereo audio source devices hook up to I-Sonic via one of two Auxiliary inputs -a stereo mini jack connector on the side and a pair of RCA jacks on the back Dual-alarm clock radio wakes you to your choice of radio station (broadcast or XM) or your favorite CD or DVD Wireless remote control. The I-Sonic entertainment system can also be easily used with onboard controls should the remote be misplaced or disabled Compact dimensions (14.5 x 9.75 x 4.75) allow the I-Sonic entertainment system to fit anywhere

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RCA RD1000 Kazoo 32 MB MP3 Player Review

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(More customer reviews)After about a week of researching about 25 mp3 players I finally settled on the RCA Kazoo. I wanted the smallest mp3 player possible, but didnt want to sacrifice great sound. My Kazoo delivers for only $... After much research I decided I needed a unit that had: lock (so buttons dont get pushed accidentally), bass boost/ equalizer, digital volume control, big clear display, & fast transfer rate (2.4Mb/sec). You'd be supprised many more expensive units dont have all of these features. I also didnt care about other formats since mp3 is the standard & all formats can be converted to mp3 via software. The included software Music Match & Real Jukebox are excellent. I just dragged & dropped my mp3 files from explorer into real Jukebox. Real Jukebox lets you set the bit rate you would like and automatically lowers bitrate on files to bitrate you choose to save memory/size. This brigs me to the 1 of 2 drawbacks. ALthough 32 mb is common w/ mp3 players it isnt enough (at 128k bit rate). I plan on ordering a 64 MB MM card (dont pay more than $1/mb if you decide to buy memory). I did find out that at 56k the sound was still awesome & I can hold about 75 minutes of music w/o extra memory. The second drawback doesnt apply to me but I read in one review that this doesnt support Mac. If you are a windows user you will be very satisfied!! I can't see why anyone could buy a player w/ a slower transfer rate; USB is the way to go.
One last note: The display is large & easy to read. It shows track, time, bit rate, volume, battery, & dsp. It does not show the name of the current song that is playing the way larger mp3 players do.
Hope this helps & good luck in your search.

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Take RCA's RD1000 Kazoo digital audio player on the go and listen to MP3 digital audio files. With the 32 MB internal flash memory, you can enjoy over half an hour of near-CD quality, skip-free music (there are no moving parts). You can also use the MultiMedia Card (MMC) memory slot and insert up to 96 MB of additional memory for even more songs. (See our selection of MultiMedia Cards.)
Connect the Kazoo to a PC with the USB connection and transfer songs from your computer or directly off the Internet at speeds up to 2.4 Mbps. You can specify playlists and what songs to transfer using the included MusicMatch Jukebox and RealJukebox software. Also included are headphones, batteries, a carry bag, wrist strap, and neck strap.

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Dual Electronics XDMA6855 AM/FM/CD/MP3 Car Stereo Review

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(More customer reviews)I bought this about 3 years ago, and it's pretty good. It's been durable, and I use the iPod compatibility with no hitches. It doesn't have a great EQ system (only controls for bass and treble), but aside from that, it's been a pretty decent player.

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Dual XDM-A6855 200-watt CD/MP3/WMA receiver features a motorized detachable face and outputs 50 watts peak x 4 channels. XDM-A6855 also features 5 selectable EQ curves and is iPod and Bluetooth ready with seperate purchase of interface module (BTM60). Includes 2-pair of preamp outputs, 1-pair of auxilary inputs (RCA), iPlug interface cable, and remote.

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JVC KD-BT11 Single DIN In-Dash CD Receiver with Built-In Bluetooth (Silver) Review

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(More customer reviews)Let me explain this product in one sentence: A steal for the price. The deck is comparable to most on the market right now other than the fact that it has bluetooth built in. I was using the bluetooth with my phone in seconds - making calls, streaming music. I have read reviews elsewhere that complain about navigating through the menu, I find these complaints unsubstantiated. Although not purely intuitive they were graspable without picking up the manual and looking things up - the only thing I had to revert to instructions for was setting the clock. The sound has been good, no objections there - and the equalizer functions are minimal but in my opinion adequate (I've had decks with crazy equalizers that have gone unused so this one was a good switch for me). I intend to add the ipod interface ($30-$40 on amazon) as well as the HD radio tuner (not on amazon at the time of the review but available for around $100 if you really look around). So, for about $300 I'll have a bluetooth, HD radio, that can control and charge my ipod (through the stereo). Try to find anything that can do all that for the same price and I'll give you a cookie.
A quick note about the bluetooth quality (in regard to talking on the phone). There is a mic in the stereo that picks up your voice as you hear the person you're speaking with through your speakers. As an artifact of this setup at times the person will hear their echo (one must deal with it). People will know they are on speakerphone, but conversations can be had with ease. So far all the calls I've made have been successful, in other words no one has said 'you've got to get me off speakerphone'. All in all I'm happy with the quality and I assume if my car were more airtight the person would hear me much better.
One potential problem: there is only one set of pre-outs, so those of you with big ideas about expanding drastically should look into a deck with front, rear, and sub outs (3 total). I however am doing a downgrade and the single pre-out worked fine for me.

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Leave the cables behind. JVCs Bluetooth functionality provides sophisticated and useful features for your drive. Pair up your Cell phone and enjoy hassle-free hands-free calling with crystal clear voice transmission and no echoes. Stream music wirelessly to your stereo from your iPod, Cell Phone, or Digital Audio player with outstanding sound quality. Enjoy more music, less distraction, and stay connected when youre on the road with JVC.

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Pioneer MVH-P8200BT Multimedia AV Receiver with Built-in Bluetooth Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I received my MVH-P8200BT yesterday, and installed it. Installation was as normal as any other stereo, except the additional parking brake wire if you want to use the photo or video portion of this radio. Let me first start out by saying the AM & FM portion of the radio work pretty good, you can relatively easily seek to the next or previous station by pushing the knob left or right, or bring up your presets by pushing it up. The radio displays the RDS nicely as well. Changing sources (Radio, ipod/USB, or Aux input requires pressing the SRC button and rotating the tuning knob to the right or left to highlight the source and then pressing the tuning knob in. This in all is relatively easy to do in a timely manner.
Where the problem comes in, is using the ipod interface. it will start playing I believe the last song you had playing, but if you want to jump to another artist or lets say a podcast, be prepared to take your eyes off the road. You have to hit the Home button, and then rotate the knob one to the right and then press it in, and rotate the knob to highlight Songs or podcast or artist, and in my case lets do podcast, then the lost of podcast comes up and you have to rotate to the podcast and press the knob in, then it shows you the episodes, then you push it in. But on top of doing this, the tuning knob which is a 5 way control (left, right, up , down, and in) is very sensitive and plan on registering the wrong menu choice, and then having to hit the previous button on the display to pop out one menu and continue. You have to do this anything you want to change songs that are not the next immediate song that you can just press the right commander button to jump to next track.
So, I thought, well the nice remote has a left right up and down, and in feature as well. I will do this from the remote with a little more precision, well turns out 70% of the buttons on the remote don't even do anything. any function that requires you to turn that knob on the radio, still has to be done that way. the up and down will not allow you to scroll through menu items. the only real think I was able to do with the remote was volume, next track and previous track, and radio tuning.
If you thought it would be nice to be able to play videos from your ipod or photos, it requires a $40 cable with a usb and aux cable now hanging out of the front of the radio per the manual. I did put some photos on the SD card, but you cannot play music from SD while you do your slid show, and again its a cumbersome use of the scroll wheel to jog between music and photos on the SD setup. You are able to play the slide show while listening to the radio.
Now for the real good, I think the best integration with this unit is the bluetooth with the iphone or probably many other phones, I was able to easily pull up contacts, and you can quickly choose a letter of the starting letter of the contact and click through to dial the appropriate name and if you want to call mobile or home. And the audio with the included mic is excellent. it will mute your music and continue it when your call is done.
The radio looks really good and thats what lead me immediately to this model, but I am ever so sorry I did not test it out before doing the install. I for sure thought the short comings would be overcome by using the remote, but you had no way to test it that well in the store. The remote is useless for iPod navigation or navigation or any SD media. I did get a chance to watch many tutorials online on the Alpine receiver 305 which was made for iPod and it has the navigation the way I would prefer it, thought it does lack characters and you have to scroll most titles, this pioneer was able to display a good character set. Oh and speaking of a feature that Alpine has, it has a nice readable clock. The clock on this is small, there is a feature you can turn on to show a nice clock, but you have to turn it on every time, it doesn't stay on as an option. Even with the radio in off mode, it should show the nice larger clock IMHO, but it doesn't you have to fight menus again to call this up.
To summarize, much fighting with a poor jog wheel to drill through menus to make common settings to what you want to listen to. They made it simple to change source and volume and next and previous track everything else gets deep in menus that will take usually 6 to 10 seconds to drill through menus to do, this is not safe in a car and the remote which could have assisted in this matter has much less ability. I think if you can do a double din the AVH-P3200 double din touch screen, is sooo much easier to navigate and for not more then $120 more in general, very upgradable and the addition items you get (CD/DVD slot and DVD playback, you wont be trying to convert stuff to Divx, and you can burn your stuff or bring along your DVD's and you have a bigger screen.

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"Mech-free" receivers are all the rage lately, as more and more consumers migrate their music and media collections to hard drives rather than physical media. The MVH-P8200BT from Pioneer is one of the company's first mech-free receivers, and has plenty to offer the digital-centric crowd. Make and take hands-free calls with built-in Bluetooth technology. Enjoy direct control of your iPod, with simple navigation and search features. Play back MP3/WMA/AAC audio files, DivX video, and even JPEG images from USB devices or SD memory cards. You can even tag songs heard on the radio for later purchase. It's all conducted via the simple "Rotary Commander" control and simple user interface displayed on the unit's three-inch display.


MVH-P8200BT Features
Built-In Bluetooth The MVH-P8200BT features built-in Bluetooth technology, which allows you to take incoming calls through your vehicle's sound system. Connecting your Bluetooth-enabled phone is a snap, and gives you access to all your contacts. Best of all, you can make or take a call without a headset.
Smart Interface for Quick Access Pioneer's new user interface has a minimal yet powerful design, and scales to accommodate modern media sources easily. Tailor it to your own preferences with the customizable home menu, putting your favorite features right at your fingertips.
USB Input / SD Memory Card Slot Connect USB thumb drives or other devices and enjoy playback of your digital audio and video files. Ditto for SD memory cards. This makes it a breeze to quickly grab some media from your computer before a big road trip, and enjoy hours of entertainment on the road.
iPod Direct Control (CD-IU50V required) Connect your iPod directly and experience exceptional sound quality while easily navigating through music, videos and album art on the AVH-P5200BT's screen. Say goodbye to the annoying static of FM transmitters and other iPod half-solutions.
Simple Search for iPod lets you quickly search your iPod/iPhone with alphabetical search by Song, Artist, Album or Genre categories.
MP3/WMA/AAC Playback Play back three of the most popular digital audio formats:MP3, WMA, and AAC. The MVH-8200's screen displays track info, and makes navigating directories/folders a breeze.
Video/JPEG Playback for Non-Stop Entertainment The MVH-P8200BT features a three-inch color display designed to take full advantage of all of your media. Play music videos and more from your iPod/iPhone, or from SD memory cards/USB devices. The MVH-8200 can decode Divx (AVI or DIVX extensions) video. You can even display JPEG photos using the Digital Photo Frame feature.
Auto EQ Automatically tailors acoustics by fine-tuning frequency bandwidths plus front/rear speaker digital parametric equalization. Result: smooth sound full of subtle nuance and clarity. Requires optional CD-MC20 microphone.
Customize Your Colors The MVH-P8200BT will accommodate your taste or mood. Select from six colors (blue/violet/red/amber/green/white) for the display, and 112 colors for key panel illumination.
Connect, Tag, and Download Have you ever heard a great song on the radio, but couldn't remember what it was called or who sang it when you went to go look for it later? Now you don't have to worry about missing out on great music. iTunes Tagging gives you the power to "tag" all of your favorite songs without having to scramble for a piece of scrap paper in the car, then later preview or purchase music at iTunes Music Store. Works with stations transmitting RDS data.
Bring Your Music to Life with Advanced Sound Retriever This year you can hear the detail, warmth, and clarity the way the artist intended it, from all of the highly compressed MP3, WMA and AAC files playing on your CD player. By restoring data that tends to get lost in the digital compression process, we can make your music sound close to CD quality.
Supertuner IIID AM/FM Tuner Pioneer's legendary Supertuner IIID combines the best of digital and analog tuner technologies to reduce distortion to bring you exceptional FM and AM performance. If you live in an area where reception is weak, you'll hear a big improvement in signal strength. And when you're near tall buildings, Supertuner IIID reduces the effect of multi-path noise, which occurs when the signal is reflecting off of the buildings.
Always have your favorite stations at hand with 18 FM and 6 AM user presets. And when you're somewhere new, let the tuner do the work for you by activating the Best Stations Memory (BSM) function. The tuner will seek out the 6 strongest stations in the area and set them into the tuner presets.
MOSFET 50W x4 Amplifier for the Power Hungry Compared to conventional power supplies, the MOSFET amplification circuit is smaller and more efficient, delivering power with less distortion and absolutely zero on/off switching noise. And that doesn't just mean a boost in volume: it means that your music will be cleaner at higher volumes because you're not pushing the limits of the amplification circuit. Clean, efficient power that will rock your vehicle.
For those who'd like a bit more power, three 4V RCA preamp outputs are also included for system expansion (front/rear/sub).
MVH-P8200BT Basic Specs

What's in the Box Pioneer MVH-P8200BT Receiver, Wiring Harness, Installation Hardware, Owner's Manual

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Brand NEW Sony Xplod Cdx-gt630ui Amazing Car Audio Cd/mp3 Receiver with 52x4 Watt Amp and Usb Input and Detachable Face + Ipod Interface Built in + 3 Sets of Pre-amp Outputs *Free $20.00 Mp3/ipod Cable* Review

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(More customer reviews)This increaesd my audio quality superbly. Everyone who comes into my car like the product. what i realy love about it is that i dont have to wory about sratched CD or music skipping when i turn up the base on my epicenter, thanks to the usb imput.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Brand NEW Sony Xplod Cdx-gt630ui Amazing Car Audio Cd/mp3 Receiver with 52x4 Watt Amp and Usb Input and Detachable Face + Ipod Interface Built in + 3 Sets of Pre-amp Outputs *Free $20.00 Mp3/ipod Cable*

BRAND NEW SONY XPLOD CDX-GT630UI AMAZING CAR AUDIO CD/MP3 RECEIVER WITH 52x4 WATT AMP AND USB INPUT AND DETACHABLE FACE + IPOD INTERFACE BUILT IN + 3 SETS OF PRE-AMP OUTPUTS*FREE $20.00 MP3/IPOD CABLE*Features: * CD player with built-in amplifier * 17 watts RMS x 4 ch * 52 watts peak x 4 ch * plays CDs, CD-Rs, and CD-RW discs, including discs loaded with MP3 and WMA music files * detachable fold-down face with LCD display * ID3 tag display * Displays artist, song, title names on display * switchable red/blue illumination * remote control * EQ3 (seven preset tone curves and a 3-band parametric equalizer) * DSO2 soundstage organizer * 24-bit digital-to-analog converter * high- and low-pass filters * built-in iPod controls and connection cable - no other equipment needed * front-panel USB input * front-panel auxiliary input * 6-channel preamp outputs (front, rear, subwoofer) * compatible with most factory steering wheel audio controls (adapter required) * CEA-2006 compliant amplifier * Display color: black/white * Key button color: blue/green * 2 volt pre-amps * HD Radio Ready * Free Aux cable included only when purchasing from us!

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Dual XHD7714 AM/FM/CD player and HD Radio Built-it iTunes Tagging Review

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(More customer reviews)I've had this product for a few weeks now, and find it to be okay...I wouldn't rave about it, but it's not a bad product, either. I bought it because it has lots of bells and whistles. Here's my critique of each of them:
HD Radio
Works great - when I can get a signal. The radio receiver seems much weaker than the radio I replaced. I had to buy an antenna booster to get the quality up to where the old radio was - and that's just the analog stations I'm talking about. If you are in or near a big city where there are lots of HD radio stations, it works great. If you're out in hilly countryside like I am most of the time, it's not so great and most of the time the radio keeps switching between the analog and digital signal for the radio station I'm listening to, which can be a bit annoying.
IPOD Control
It works. I wish I had more positive feedback about this, because this was a primary reason for me purchasing this unit. In between songs, you can hear the ipod disk "spin up" to access the next song - it's faint, but still audible. Also, control of the ipod from the head unit is not very easy. You use the volume knob to scroll through songs/artists/etc. on the head unit - no fast scroll like the ipod has, so it takes some time to get to the artist/song/album you want if you have a LOT of music on your ipod like I do. It has tagging capabilities, but I haven't used it so I can't say how well that part works.
Bluetooth Integration
This part I like. It works really well with my Blackberry Pearl. Every time I get in the car, it finds my Blackberry, whether it's in my hand, pocket, or backpack. If I get a call, it mutes whatever is playing, the call rings on my car speakers, I press the little phone button on the head unit, and the caller is talking to me through my car speakers. People on the other end have no problem hearing me through the built-in microphone - even while zipping down the highway at 70 mph (with windows up, of course). And when I'm done, it goes right back to where I left off with my ipod or CD or whatever. Really cool. Dialing could be a bit easier, though - you have to use the remote control to enter digits. I use built-in voice dialing on my phone anyway, so no big deal for me.
One other thing this unit does is streaming audio via bluetooth. I tried to use Pandora on my Blackberry using the bluetooth streaming audio, and it's okay, but the sound quality can be a bit "choppy". I get much better performance using a cord between my Blackberry and the aux input jack on the head unit for Pandora. I'm not sure if the choppiness is caused by the head unit or my Blackberry - it's definitely something to do with the bluetooth connection, though.
I haven't used the USB functionality yet - probably won't since I have an ipod. But you can apparently listen to MP3's and such on a memory stick through the USB port. I have used the CD player a few times - works fine.
Faceplate is all plastic - feels a little cheap when you're pressing the buttons, but hey, it is a cheap unit considering all the stuff you get. That's what got me to buy it. Installation was a snap.
Bottom line - if you're not that concerned with quality and would rather just have all the bells and whistles, this unit is definitely for you. If you want really great quality, you're not going to get it with this unit.

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AM/FM/CD player , HD radio Built-it iTunes Tagging

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Dual BTM60 Dual Btm60 Bluetooth Interface Module - 1 Pack - Case - Carrier Packaging - Neutral Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I have to admit, I'm a big fan of Bluetooth. Since Apple's iPhone firmware 3.0 announced A2DP support (stereo Bluetooth), I've bought 3 different pairs of Bluetooth headphones, and this, the BTM60 for my Dual XHD6425. This is probably my least favorite of the bunch.
Installation was a breeze. You plug it in to the back of the unit, then run the wire behind the dash, making sure the microphone is clipped to the visor. Pairing was also pretty simple. You hold the "phone" button down on the dash unit for a couple seconds, enter the password "1234" on the handheld device (my iPhone), and you're set.
Then I started finding some little annoying things they didn't bother to include. You can't change the EQ presets in Bluetooth mode; you can change bass and treble, and "loud", but not the "rock", "dance", "pop", etc. You also cannot display the clock while it's in Bluetooth mode; it shows "AV MODE" while it's connected, and when you play music, "AV STREAM". Why?? I know it's supposed to support AVRCP (Audio-Video Remote Control Profile) which allows you to play/pause, fast-forward, rewind, skip tracks, etc., but I am only able to play/pause. Not that big a deal, and I actually think this is a problem with the iPhone, not the BTM60. And the sound quality of the music, I have to admit is terrific. After shutting the car off, the iPhone doesn't realize the connection is lost for about ~15 seconds and continues to "play" with no audio. I usually hit pause on the dash before shutting the engine off, just so I don't lose my place in the song.
The call quality, I think, is pretty poor. I have to turn the volume WAY up to hear people through the speakers, and practically yell for anyone to hear me. Granted, there is a fair amount of road noise in my car, but I thought this was able to cancel it out. It's certainly not the location of the microphone; it's almost directly in front of my mouth. I don't make a lot of calls from my car though, so this is not such a big deal for me. I bought it mainly to stream music. An incoming call seamlessly fades out and pauses your music and sounds the ringer (an escalating series of tones). When the call is done, it automatically unpauses and fades in your music.
All in all, it's about what I was expecting, and my complaints are minor but numerous. It's still a huge step up from my FM transmitter with the factory stereo. I never even have to take the iPhone out of my pocket. Just wait for it to connect (~30 seconds after starting the car), and hit play on the dash.

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Dual Btm60 Bluetooth Interface Module [Wireless Phone Accessory]

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Grace Digital GDI-IRA500 Wireless Internet Radio Adapter Featuring Pandora, NPR and SIRIUS Review

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(More customer reviews)The Grace Solo internet radio does a great job connecting the world of internet radio to my home stereo.
The Solo is good looking and connects simply out of the box. Plug in the power, connect the standard rca cable to your stereo, turn it on, choose your home network and within 5 minutes you are listening to Pandora or one of the 17,000 radio stations. While Grace has many models of standalone table top radios, I like the Solo because it connects directly to my home stereo (or even powered speakers). The solo even has a headset jack.
When you first take the Solo out of the box, you see the Solo internet radio tuner, a power cable, manual, remote and rca cable to connect to your stereo. It uses WiFi to access the internet. Make sure you have Wi-Fi in your home, and that it is strong in the area you put the solo. The Solo does have a built in Wi-Fi signal meter to see how strong your Wi-Fi is. So if you put it on the bottom shelf of your stereo system and notice a weak signal you may want to put it on a middle or top shelf. The Solo works with any 802.11b,g or n router and has a built in 802.11g receiver.
After you connect to your wireless network (you will need your wireless WEP or WPA password to do this) and set the time zone on the clock, the Solo remembers everything (including station presets) when you unplug it. That is nice because no one wants to type their wireless password in more than once.
Once you are set up you can start searching for stations by genre or location or type the call sign of the station directly into the radio. You can do this via the remote control or directly on the unit itself. I like Pandora. In order to listen to Pandora you have to register your radio at Grace's web site [...] . After you create a Grace account you enter in your Pandora user name and password on the Grace site and the radio is linked to your Pandora stations. Within a minute your Pandora stations are on the Grace radio in the `personal radio' folder. Pretty cool. You can create stations on the Grace Solo, although I prefer to do that on the Pandora web site. Grace plays SIRIUS and Live365 as well but I do not have SIRIUS or Live365 VIP accounts so I can't comment on that.

I really love the Grace unit. I get all my local radio stations #my FM reception is bad at my house but my favorite FM stations - most do these days - broadcast over the internet .. so I get those, Pandora, NPR and I even started listening to the BBC 4 which is kind of cool#.
Obviously I give this a 5 star. The only negative I would say is that on a few random stations they do not show the song metadata (they all show the station metadata). I'm not sure if that is because the station is not sending it or what. You get the station and song metadata for Pandora which is the most important for me. Oh - you can even thumbs up or down Pandora songs .. very of cool.

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Convenient Access to Online Music in Your Home AM and FM radio stations all over the world stream their audio content over the Internet. Grace Digital Audio's "Solo" product line of Wi-Fi Receiver and Media Streamers allow you link this massive amount of free content, as well as a variety of pay Internet radio services, conveniently and efficiently to your stereo or home entertainment system. Setup is simple, all you need is access to a broadband Internet connection and a wireless router. Acting like any wireless device, once configured to the Wi-Fi signal(s) available and its security, if any, the Solo Wi-Fi Receiver provides quick access to literally thousand of Internet radio stations and podcasts from your home stereo without having to fire up a computer. In addition, users can listen to the hottest premium online music services like Pandora, Live365 and Sirius*. Easy access to thousands of free and premium Internet radio content streams without using a computer. View larger.

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JVC KD-HDR60 USB/CD Receiver w/ Built-In HD Radio Tuner and iTunes Tagging, USB 2.0 for iPod/iPhone, and Bluetooth/Satellite Radio add-on capability Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)You can't beat this product for the price.
The FM quality is very good, very clear.
I can pick up stations that I was unable to receive before (too weak of a signal--maybe my other head unit was going bad?).
The HD is very cool; crystal clear and a wider stereo effect.
Downside to HD is that it drops out when signal is weak.
4GB usb thumbdrive worked flawlessly.
The overall sound is very good, in my opinion.
I have the option to upgrade to bluetooth and sat radio as well.
I am very satisfied.
On the downside, I find the menu and buttons cumbersome.
Some of the buttons are too small, the menus are not intuitive, etc.
The remote is VERY basic.
Still, I am very satisfied.
I give it a 5 because of the price and options.

Click Here to see more reviews about: JVC KD-HDR60 USB/CD Receiver w/ Built-In HD Radio Tuner and iTunes Tagging, USB 2.0 for iPod/iPhone, and Bluetooth/Satellite Radio add-on capability

JVC's KD-HDR60 gives you HD Radio and plenty more. It plays back CDs, MP3/WMA files from disc or USB devices, offers direct control of iPods/iPhones, a front-panel auxiliary input, and then some. You can also easily add satellite radio for more entertainment options, or Bluetooth for hands-free calling and other benefits.

Discover More Content and Listening Options With HD Radio HD Radio is a Digital Broadcast technology that enables high-quality sound with crystal clear reception, low noise, and no audio distortion.

Multicasting allows more accesible stations that contain additional music format, genre, and talk radio options that have, until now, never been heard through other radio broadcast mediums.

HD Radio is being broadcast in over 200 major U.S. Markets and growing. It is completely free of charge--all you need is a HD Radio-enabled stereo.
And of course, you can still tune into your favorite AM and FM stations.
iTunes Tagging iTunes Tagging lets you "tag" songs you hear on local HD Radio stations so you can purchase them later from the iTunes store.
Separated Variable Color The KD-HDR60 features a Full-Dot LCD with JVC's Separated Variable-Color. Personalize your stereo to match your vehicle's interior illumination colors. Separated variable color lets you use two separate colors from a choice of over 30,000 options to create your own color scheme.
CD and USB Audio Play back your favorite CDs and CD-R/RW discs, or go with a USB thumb drive or other USB device for enjoyment of your MP3 or WMA audio files. You can also pop in a CD-R full of digital audio files if you'd prefer that route.
An advanced multi-bit analog-to-digital converter provides a solid sound base, and you can perfect it with the seven-band EQ. For quiter listening, a Loudness function is provided, to ensure you still get some low-end and dynamics.
USB Audio and Video for iPod/iPhone The USB connection for iPod/iPhone provides clear digital sound directly from your iPod or iPhone. While your device is in use, it also receives a charge, so it's ready to step out of the car when you do. Since the KD-R810 features two USB ports, you can connect two different iPods, or a USB device along with an iPod.

With External Mode for iPod, you can also enjoy sound from your favorite iPod/iPhone apps in your vehicle, such as Internet radio, games, video, or navigation apps.
MOSFET Power You'll get plenty of volume with the built-in 50W x 4 MOSFET amplifier, along with clean, efficient power and performance. 2.5V front and subwoofer preamp outputs are also provided,
Auxiliary Input A 3.5mm front-panel aux input lets you connect most any device, such as MP3 Players or iPods/iPhones, for enjoyment through the receiver.
SAT Radio Ready If you'd like to add still more entertainment options to your vehicle, add an optional SIRIUS/XM Satellite radio solution from JVC.
Bluetooth Ready You can also add the JVC KS-BTA200 Bluetooth adapter to enjoy hands-free calling, voice recognition, phonebook transfer, and other great features for your cellular device.
What's in the Box KD-HDR60 Receiver, Wireless Remote, Sleeve/Trim Ring, Wiring Harness, Installation Hardware, User's Manual/Intallation Manual, Warranty Info

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Zune HD 32 GB Video MP3 Player (Platinum) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Between me and my husband we've owned more MP3 players over the years than I can count, including Sansas, iRivers, iPods (classic & touch), the Ibiza Rhapsody, etc. But, the last few years I've settled down to one line of players. Why? Because I was happy to discover how well-designed and fun to use the underappreciated (and widely mocked) Zunes are.
I'll gear this review to 2 types of people: current Zune owners who are considering an upgrade, and people trying to decide between a Zune and an iPod. (There are other players worth considering out there, like the Sony Walkman X, but I hope this gives you enough info to make an informed decision of the Zune vs players other than the iPod line as well.)
Zune and iPod: Most people compare the Zune to the Touch, but after seeing how slim and surprisingly small and light it is, I consider it to be a rather unique hybrid that combines qualities of both the Touch and the Nano. It's very colorful and lovely OLED screen is slightly smaller than the touch screen, but the player itself feels quite a bit smaller and lighter. It weighs about 2/3 as much, and is noticeably smaller in width and height, while being just a hair thicker.
Points of comparison:
- Brighter OLED screen with more vivid color and better contrast
OLED screens can wash out in direct sunlight more than others, but in almost any other situation they are clearly preferable, and have a marvelous eye-catching picture that needs to be seen to be appreciated. The screen has slighly lower resolution than the iPod Touch, but is also slightly smaller, so in the end video looks a little less pixellated when viewed closely, and very vivid.
- HD Radio
If you live within the reception area of some HD radio stations this can be a surprisingly nice feature. For me it's not so much the slightly better sound quality as it is the additional streams of content that make this fun. For example, if you tune into an FM station, then it's playing what you here, and if you don't like it too bad. With an HD station, you may tune in and it will be shown with up to three signals to chose from labeled HD1, HD2, and HD3. HD1 may have whatever is playing on the FM version, HD2 may be news, and HD3 might be some alternative music w/ a different theme. For example one of our oldies station in the Boston area broadcasts a love-song themed selection on HD3. One caveat: if you don't have a strong enough signal, these HD versions can cut in and out, making them frustrating to listen to. But, when the signal is strong enough it's very enjoyable.
- 720p video output via (an over-priced) dock. When transferring video content to the Zune you can specify if it should be sized appropriately for playback on the Zune or TV, so if you do plan to just watch on your Zune you won't have the video taking up huge amounts of storage.
- Zune Pass subscription service
This is my favorite feature that will keep me using a Zune until it's pried from my my desperate grasp. For $15 a month I get 10 DRM-free MP3 songs to keep, and unlimited access to millions of songs. As long as you would have bought at least 10 songs anyways that means you're paying only $5 for that access. It's better than Pandora, Slacker, LastFM or other services because you can listen to full CDs, specify playlists and tracks in the exact order you want, AND can either stream this music or store it on your Zune to listen to later, even if out of wifi range. Lots of people present subscription services as something you do INSTEAD of owning music, but at this cheap a price there's no reason you can't use this as a supplement to whatever purchases you make. It's not either/or, it's a wonderful "AND", especially if you're the type who likes to explore and enjoy a broad range of music.
Apple now has Rhapsody as an app, which is a great start, but it is currently hampered by the inability to store locally on your iPod, and has a dismal 64kbps bit rate. If this changes, then it will somewhat negate this advantage for the Zune, but the 10 songs per month will still be a big plus in Zune Pass' favor.
- Wireless sync
In addition to wireless net access, you can sync your Zune to your PC wirelessly, which can be quite convenient on occasion. The new Zune HD seems to have better wireless reception than my prior Zunes.
- Smart DJ
Rhapsody first popularized a playlist construction service with its 'Channels' feature, and Apple followed with its 'Genius' feature. The idea is that you specify a song or artist, and the service will construct a playlist of similar music of both familiar and new artists for you to enjoy. The prior Zunes had a 'Channel' feature too, but I found it lacking in sophistication and accuracy. The 4.0 Zune Marketplace upgrade (the Zune equivalent of iTunes) now has a 'Smart DJ' feature that is a much improved version of the old Channels. I actually find it very useful now, and what's even better is that if you have Zune Pass you can specify whether it should pull music exclusive from your collection, from the Zune Pass selection, or from a combination of both. It's wonderfully flexible and lots of fun.
- Web Browsing
The new Zune browser is surprisingly good, but not as good as the iPod's. It works well, but isn't as fast as Safari, and has a clunkier interface. If you occasionally plan on using the web browser that's not an issue, but if you're planning to browse the web alot from your PMP then the iPod's larger screen and better browser may be important.
- App Store
Hands down, Apple's app store wins by a mile. It's a huge selection of all sorts of apps vs a rather sad selection of a handful for Zune. Microsoft has plans, especially in the realm of games, but I'm not sure I'd want to bet on the future if this aspect is important to you. The iPod is a much better choice in that case.
- Zune Marketplace and iTunes
This is getting a bit more subjective, but I much prefer the Zune Marketplace. The interface is colorful, has more flair, and some cool features like 'Mixview' that let you quickly see related albums, songs, or other users related to what you're listening to. Clicking on one of those will center on that item, and another set of "neighbors" will come into view, allowing you to navigate around exploring by similar artists, songs, or users. Speaking of users, the Zune "Social" is also great fun, letting you find others with shared tastes and becoming friends with them. You then can listen to a playlist created based on an amalgamation of what all your friends are listening to, which is also enjoyable. Those concerned with privacy will be relieved to know you can prevent the public from seeing your personal listening habits if you so choose.
- UI
The HD's UI was a bold move that paid off. It may look cluttered and overly busy in screenshots, but to see it in action is to appreciate the design. It isn't always obvious, and the provided documentation is sparse, but a little experimentation will show you a UI with lots of flexibility, like a menu of favorites, newly added music, and a user-definable set of shortcuts to your favorite playlists, artists, HD Radio stations, etc. One quibble: it takes one too many clicks and touches to bring up the now playing screen after the display has 'gone to sleep' while you're listening to it. Other than that, the UI is delightful.
- Summary
The Zune concentrates on being a Portable Media Player. Not a web browser. Not a game machine. Maybe in the future it'll do even better in those areas, but for now it's a fantastic way to organize and listen to your music and videos, and is without peer in that regard. The iPod's strengths are its web browsing and apps. If those sound more compelling, perhaps it is your best choice.
If you're still on the fence: grab your favorite earphones, head down to a Best Buy and ask to plug them into a Zune then an iPod and see which one sounds better to you, and which interface makes you smile more. Then you'll know which is right for you.
- Current Zune Owners
(See, I didn't forget you!) I think owners of any of the older flash players will be delighted at the upgrade, as long as money isn't an issue. Don't hesitate. Those who value the higher capacity of the 80gb or a 120gb will have a tougher choice. If you can't afford both, then you'll have to weigh the ability to be able to have all (or at least most) of your music stored on the device vs the HD radio, better display, and sleeker than a seal UI. As I said before, this new Zune is surprisingly small and light, and you should find one to get a feel for in person too, because then you can really evaluate how compelling those new features are to you. Oh, and don't forget it has an Equalizer if that matters!
Keep in mind: Microsoft has made it clear that the HD line is the future. They were great about giving new features to the older models in the past, but we're seeing a clear signal with the 4.0 Marketplace. Most of the cool new stuff is only going to the new kid on the block, and I think that will continue to be the case. They won't cut you out entirely, but if they're going to concentrate on making the HD succeed, then I suspect that is where most if not all of their future focus and effort will go.
Sorry for the huge review, but I'm really loving the new Zune, and hope this, as well as the excellent reviews some other people have written, will help you decide if it's the right choice for you.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Zune HD 32 GB Video MP3 Player (Platinum)

Zune is the premium digital experience that gives you access to the latest in entertainment and technology, allowing you to enjoy, connect, and discover content in a whole new way--the way you like it. Browse, stream, buy, and play all you want, including music, HD video, podcasts, games, and much more. Gain the freedom to enjoy your entertainment; Zune brings your content up front, so you're always in control.




Instant Entertainment that You Control
HD Radio Technology: More Stations, better sound, no fees
HD-compatible Video: High-quality video on the go or on your HDTV
Internet Browsing: News, email, traffic? It's all in your pocket.
OLED Touchscreen: Wide view with a special touch
Games: More games, more fun



Zune HD
Portable perfection The new Zune HD wireless media player takes you closer and connects you to a whole new world of entertainment. With built-in HD Radio receiver, HD-compatible video, multi-touch navigation, OLED screen, and games, Zune HD delivers the next level in music and video experiences.

Zune HD 32 GB: Holds up to 10 hours of high definition video; 48 hours of standard definition video; 8,000 songs; or 25,000 pictures. Available in Platinum.

HD Radio Technology

The new Zune HD gives you access to many local HD Radio stations with crystal-clear digital sound at no extra cost. Receive additional channels from your local stations and get more of the content you love, including sports, news, and music, in various genres and formats.
Like something you hear on HD Radio? Song tagging technology allows you to buy the song if you are connected to a Wi-Fi network or to tag it for later purchase.
Click here for more information about HD Radio.

HD-compatible Video

Watch HD movies, TV shows, and more on your HDTV directly from your Zune HD. Just connect via the Zune HD AV Dock to your HDTV (both sold separately) to watch 720p HD video. The Zune HD also will play your videos on the go in its sharp, brilliant OLED screen. Videos on the player are downscaled to fit the screen at 480 x 272--not HD resolution.

Quickplay

Get instant access to your stuff with shortcuts to favorites, recently downloaded or played music, videos, and more. Quickplay cuts through the clutter and brings up front the content that you care about most.

Games

Loaded with multi-touch and accelerometer, the Zune HD player makes portable gaming even more exciting. Download from Zune's catalog of free games and popular titles--play them all to the sound of your favorite music.

OLED Touchscreen

Get instant access to your content with multi-touch navigation. With a 3.3-inch size and vivid 16:9 display (480 x 272 resolution), truer and brighter entertainment is at your fingertips.

Wireless

Zune HD allows you to buy, stream, and update your music--and download free games--wirelessly via a Wi-Fi connection. Feeling entangled? Wirelessly sync your Zune HD to your home PC via your home network. You also can stream millions of songs over Wi-Fi directly to your Zune HD and turn it into a portable digital jukebox.

Internet Browsing

Surf the web anytime, anywhere you have a Wi-Fi connection. Enjoy your favorite websites with a well-featured web browser, including tap-to-zoom technology, built-in accelerometer, and touchscreen QWERTY keyboard.

Zune Marketplace

Download free Zune software to access Zune Marketplace from your PC. Download or stream new music, rent the latest movies, buy TV shows, and watch free trailers and previews--plus thousands of audio and video podcasts. You also can download from our catalog of free games including classic and other popular titles.

Expand Your Entertainment with Xbox 360

Zune features movies, TV shows, and more in both high and standard definition. Browse and watch from thousands of titles for rent, or purchase available instantly through Microsoft's Smooth Streaming technology. Buy videos once and watch on multiple screens: on your Xbox 360, Zune player, and PC. See www.xbox.com/live for system requirements. The convenience of on-demand, only on Xbox 360.



Accessories (Sold Separately)
Zune HD AV Dock This all-in-one package enables Zune HD players to charge, sync, and play supported 720p HD videos on HDTVs. Send music to your home audio systems and control it all via a wireless remote.

Zune Premium Car Pack Charge and play music, podcasts, and HD Radio stations from your Zune HD while you drive. The FM transmitter/car charger auto-seeks the best available frequency on your car stereo. A USB port located on the transmitter/car charger allows you to charge a second Zune player simultaneously.

Zune Sync Cable Charge your Zune player and sync with your collection on your PC.

Zune Charge Pack The Zune AC Adapter fast-charges your Zune player up to 70% within an hour. Folding blades make it easy to travel with. Use the included USB cable to sync with a PC.

Zune Power Pack Connect your AV cable to your docked Zune HD to play music, HD Radio broadcasts, and audio podcasts through your home audio system. The HDMI cable connects your docked Zune HD to HDTVs to view movies and videos. Also includes Zune AC Adapter; Zune HD player and Zune HD AV Dock sold separately.

Zune Sync Dock Connect to your PC and sync your collection while you charge your Zune in style. Control from a distance with the included wireless remote, which gives you full access to your Zune player from anywhere in the room.

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