Advantages: Good quality, reliable, good picture
Disadvantages: none so far...

...Those who have read my reviews on other electrical goods may recognise that I have a lot of bias towards Sony products and my latest acquisition is the Sony GX300 DVD recorder. OK it is not a top of the range model with hard-drive recording, but at a price of £300 less 10 pence from Comet it is has proved a very reliable machine since we bought it last Xmas (2004). The installation of the machine was every bit as easy as the Sony video recorders, which I also own - in fact it took me more time setting up an aerial feed from my aerial booster box (a must-have if you wish to connect more appliance - the subject of another review I think) than it did tuning it all in. I plugged in the aerial lead to the aerial-in socket on the DVD. In the aerial-out socket, you can plug in the lead supplied and from there into the aerial-in socket... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful

Advantages: Slim Format; great sound (when properly set up)
Disadvantages: Brief manual; clunky menus

...This is a great looking system, and has a great sound but only after you have worked out how to get the best out of it. The manual assumes a certain level of knowledge regarding AV and Hi-Fi set up and terminology, which is not always useful. I certain amount of trial and error may be required but the Average Man in the Street. To compound this the remote is a clone of an old panasonic tv unit that appears to have been reprogrammed to handle the Celestion controls with little thought of ergonomics. However, if this unit finds itself in the hands of an AV officinardo, and the style and sound deserves it to be, and who has a unversial remote, then the owner should be presented with a rich and rewarding movie sound and sharp clear images. The component output was top of the line when the AVR300 was released and still is the best way... Read review

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Advantages: Action-packed, artistic, creative.
Disadvantages: Thoroughly unbelievable.

...Directed by: Zack Snyder Screenplay by: Zack Snyder & Kurt Johnstad Genre: Action - Drama - History - War Country: USA Certification: 15+ Language: English Released: 1st October, 2007 (DVD) MAIN CAST: Gerard Butler (King Leonidas) Lena Headey (Queen Gorgo) Dominic West (Theron) David Wenham (Dilios) Vincent Regan (Captain) Rodrigo Santoro (Xerxes) '300' is based on the epic graphic novel by Frank Miller, and is a ferocious retelling of the ancient Battle of Thermopylae in which King Leonidas and 300 Spartans fought to the death against Xerxes and his massive Persian army. Facing insurmountable odds, their valour and sacrifice inspire all of Greece to unite against their Persian enemy, drawing a line in the sand for democracy. This is not the first 'historically-based' movie this year to insert fantasy... Read review

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Advantages: Another Miller classic brilliantly brought to life.
Disadvantages: Errrrm..... there won't be a sequel.

...When I saw the trailers for this on TV, after having already enjoyed Sin City (also based on a Frank Miller graphic novel), I thought, 'wow, that looks really good!' I was not disappointed. THE HISTORY Based on the Battle of Thermopylae (Ancient Greece) of 480 BC this movie focuses on the stand of 300 Spartan warriors against the Persian army numbering over 1 million, not good odds. At the time the Persians also ruled most of the known world and seemed unstoppable having absorbed the warriors and technology of countries they'd conquered so becoming stronger with each conquest. The Spartans were no push over either. A tough warrior race trained from childhood in combat and survival, each and every one a dedicated soldier with a lifetime's training who lives to die a 'beautiful death' in combat! Despite this they are not simple... Read review

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Advantages: outstanding special effects.
Disadvantages: poor story, nude and violence

...Based on frank millers colour novel, the 300 have made it on big screen for the first time. We all know that it is now available on big screens and definitely we all had the interest on putting our eyeballs on the cinema, some on LCDs, some on HDs and some on the ordinary inch screen television all generated by the DVD machine during the period of the release. But a very big question still lies on the movie about the story, the settings and background of the movie and the soundtrack as well. Normally what entices most in movies is the story line based on the writer but in this case, is the story of the movie well detailed and planned. I my own option, I would have suggested that director zack sydner and his movie team would have abandoned the story and let it exist only on novel writings. Well I know that some movies are based... Read review

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Advantages: Simple storyline, special effects, execution
Disadvantages: Leaves many gaping holes, isn't fully historically accurate

...300, a movie based on the Battle of Thermopylae between the Persians and the Greeks is aptly titled. Based on Frank Miller’s graphic novel, the sepia tint, the breathtaking SFX and the exuberant locales do the trick for director Zack Snyder (whose earlier horror film Dawn of the Dead crawled at the Box Office). Though the real story did have many asides that lead up to this battle between 300 Spartans and 10 lakh Persians, there is more to this than meets the eye. Agreed the Persians under its very ambitious ruler Xerces (played convincingly by Rodrigo Santoro) are depicted as demons (they are made to wear savage masks) while the Spartans are depicted as direct descendants of Hercules with six-pack abs. But the fact remains that this eulogy of the whites is rightly so. There were indeed 300 Spartans sent out to delay the Persian army... Read review

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Advantages: Prints direct onto CD's/DVD's. Excellent printing direct from Memory card
Disadvantages: Poor quality printing from PC

...I bought the Epson R300 printer last week having decided I needed to print directly onto DVD's in addition to my other printing needs. Althought My previous printer (HP Deskjet 970cxi) is still functioning fine I was tired of printing labels and fiddling about attempting to centre them onto discs! The design of the Epson R300 is stylish, chunky and appealing and not a great deal bigger than my previous one. It has an LCD display which is useful for printing directly from Digital Camera Cards and works easily with the card reader making direct printing very simple. Connected by USB cable (not supplied) the first printer I installed did not work but a replacement was given and it now works fine. The printer takes 6 individual cartridges which saves throwing them away if only one colour runs out. The software that comes... Read review

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Advantages: Lots of options, print photos, make cards, play play play!!!
Disadvantages: Ink cartridge quality can be very bad! The size (its big).

....00 (Original). I'm not necessarily saying buy Epsons cartridges although it could affect your warrenty if you don't. I'm just warning you, perhaps searching Ciao for a review on companies that refill R300 ink cartridges is recommended. The end is near (phew!). So lets get back to the good stuff. The printer is easy to use and when you are running low on ink your PC alerts you. You can print photos without even turning you computer on, by using the screen on the printer, which offers you all the usual fuctions for example photo paper size, photo quality or you can even print an index card which prints all the photos in miniture with a number next to each print and you can decide from that which prints you'd like. Other great things about the printer is the opportunity to print cd covers with a cd/dvd tray included with the printer... Read review

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Advantages: Quality and Price
Disadvantages: none

...I was considering buying a DVD player and thought I would go for a cheap player such as an Alba or Goodmans. I read a review in a DVD Magazine and saw that for a few £s more I could get a Sony or a Toshiba both of which had excellent reviews. A little more research and I found I could get either of these machines at about the same price as a budget machine and they would be multi region players. I took the plunge and decided to get the Sony DVPNS 300 as my TV was a Sony and has been totally reliable. I ordered the Player over the internet from The Electro Centre for £170 and it arrived within two days. Christmas day came and I got the DVD player out of the box and connected it to the TV using a SCART lead (not supplied). I followed the instructions, which, for a change were quite comprehensive, and within 10 minutes or less we had... Read review

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Advantages: SIMPLE TO SET UP,
Disadvantages: NO EHERNET, NOT AS SOLID AS OTHER MACHINES

...from other machines. It goes short of the detail other players serve up, too. Bright, natural colours and whites aren't enough to make it up. Mind you, its a decent dvd machine and not a disgrace as a CD player, so there a case to be made of it as a all rounder. ut for what you really buy this sony for - playing blu-ray discs - it leaves a surprising amount to be desired. How it was for me? FIRST THOUGHTS. Sony never disappoints where pride of ownership is concerned - when you pull it from its packaging, the BDP-300 looks and feels the most covetable player I've seen. SETUP The menus are'nt quite as swish as those you'll find on the ps3, but Sony can still teach the opposition a thing or two about how to make a player simple to setup. ERGONOMICS More good work: the remote control isn't backlit, but every button is were... Read review

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