Advantages: Simple to program, Powerful, Durable
Disadvantages: size? otherwise none

...In our house things like VCRs, DVRs, satellite receivers, and set top boxes are multiplying so we really needed a universal remote control; we tried three or four different models until we settled on the MX-500 because it was so powerful and easy to program With the hard buttons, joy pad, and editable LCD, Home Theater (USA) Master MX-500 was worth considering at £100 but is currently available new on eBay for around £45 Almost all audio and TV accessories can be controlled if they respond to infrared signals, although there are now a few things like gas fires using a radio link instead It is becoming more common for several functions to be combined in one unit e.g. VCR combined with DVDR so it can be quite hard to remember what the abbreviations signify. Using MX-500 you can define your own labels and place them on distinct... Read review

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Advantages: high quality/low price
Disadvantages: none

...We bought this dvd/home theatre system from indexshop.co.uk at a price of £99.99. The player itself is quite small as dvd players go but is quite heavy for it's size.It comes with speakers: front left and right,rearleft and right,centre and subwoofer, it also incorporates a dolby 5.1 decoder. Connecting the speakers is very easy, all the terminals on the rear are marked with the appropriate speaker connections and are colour coded to match the colour code on the speaker cables.The hardest thing is deciding where to place the speakers. The manual is very good, describing both verbaly and graphically how to connect everything together .It will play dvd,mp3,cd-r and jpeg(kodak picture discs).It plays dvd-r too.It does all the usual things,angle selection(if you can find a dvd with multi-angle). Sound is of a very good quality... Read review

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Advantages: Screen size, HD clarity, inputs, wheels
Disadvantages: Hard to see when viewing from extreme sides

...these large sets, and after delivery, decided to send it back because they cannot fit it anywhere in their room. One thing is for sure, even though they look big in the store, they look even bigger in your home. The stores have a lot of space, therefore causing somewhat of an optical illusion, as the set appears somewhat smaller until you try to get it through your door. So, you certainly want to consider your available space before deciding on the set to have delivered. I've tried putting the set in several different spots, and after several times of moving it, (which is quite easy since it is on wheels) I did notice that a corner seems to be the best place. When I put it flat up against a wall, it just does not work too well for a couple reasons. First, projection type TV's are best viewed when your view is mostly mid-screen. Being too... Read review

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Advantages: Price, performance, design, OSX 10.5, Windows with Bootcamp, HTPC, remote controll
Disadvantages: Limited upgradability

...I recently upgrade from a 1.5Ghz G4 stealth upgrade Mac Mini to the Core 2 Duo 1.83 Ghz mini and I am very impressed with the performance improvements. With Xbench the Core 2 Duo was approximately twice as fast as the G4 on many tests. The Mac Mini has a very small form factor 6.5"x6.5"x2" which makes it well suited as a Home Theater PC (HTPC) or for desktop use where space is at a premium. I primarily use the mini as an everyday computer with some HTPC use. The computer looks at home both on the desk and under a TV. The Mac Mini is an excellent entry level computer or an introduction to Macs. This is not to say the computer is limited in capabilities. The only real limitation over the mini's bigger brothers, the iMac and Mac Pro is the fact that it's expandability is more restricted. The stock laptop hard drive is slower than... Read review

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Advantages: All in one theater, music and entertainment system in one space-saving unit.
Disadvantages: -

...Buying a new Home Entertainment System is a daunting and potentially costly step for any household. With loads of brands, tradenames, technologies and formats its easy to see why some people don't take the step to upgrading (even though they might want to) or end-up getting a poor value system that some underqualified employee at an electronics shop (not mentioning any names ahem Dixons, Currys) got them to cough up for. Introduction to Home Theater Systems (HTS) ------------------------------------------------------------------- Sorry for going a little off-topic but I feel that such complex and expensive equipment deserve a little introduction. Basically in deciding whether to purchase such an item you have three choices: 1. Don't upgrade, bear in mind that these systems are expensive to buy and potentially maintain (it might... Read review

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Advantages: sleek looks, deep bass, crisp treble, clear midrange, easy to use
Disadvantages: cant set different rear speaker sound levels between surround modes

...for playing stereo music where the sound from the front speakers is copied and played at the same level out of the rear speakers. Ok, fair enough you get a much more exciting sound with CD's if you crank the rear speakers and hit Pro Logic II's music or movie setting. Still, once you set all the speaker levels to your taste (and aslo program in your actual distance between front and rear speakers - a setting that I cannot tell any difference between even at extreme settings, one for audio freaks I imagine) you get to enjoy the sweet, sweet sound of the Sony. At flat EQ settings the treble is crisp and tight, probably as good as you'd expect given the size of the speakers but I think the wattage speaks for itself here. The Sony always delivers with movies and TV and I'm starting to prefer the sound to that in my local theater. After prolonged... Read review

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Advantages: Mainstream whilst keeping their progressive sound
Disadvantages: Some duff tracks

...This is Dream Theater's 4th full length studio album, released in 1997. Dream Theater decided to go mainstream with this album, but this album is still very progressive and is a good one to go for if you're new to Dream Theater. The album kicks off with the psychadelic keyboard intro of New Millenium. This is a good song - Fairly upbeat, not very heavy. Takes a few listens to appreciate it more, but a nice start to the album. Don't get put off by the nest track, You Not Me. This is my least favourite Dream Theater track. It's mainstream grunge rock and is not what Dream Theater are like. Peruvian Skies is actually my favourite on the album. It starts off in clean, drums kick in after a bit, then after the second chorus, there's a big build up into an incredible solo then the intro riff, once played in clean, now in full... Read review

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Advantages: Price, Sound, Picture, Features, Easy Install
Disadvantages: Drawer, Volume Options

...Phillips HTS3357 The Phillips HTS3357 is a Up scaling DVD player and 5.1 Dolby Digital Home Cinema all in one, and for its price range you can't go wrong, In The Box: You get.. 1) Phillips HTS3357 2) Two Small Front Left and Right Speakers 3) 1 Long Center Speaker 4) Two Tall Left and Right Rear Speakers 5) One Bass Box Included Accessories: Remote Control, 2 x AAA Batteries, Scart Cable, MP3 Line-in cable, FM antenna, AM antenna, User Manual, Quick start guide, World Wide Warranty leaflet The system is very sleek design with an all silver colour and a front display glass cover in black, the speakers compliment this with all silver expect for the speak grills being black material, the front of the unit has controls for volume, Play, Pause, Rew and FF Source Input and all that is incorporated in two small jog wheels also... Read review

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Advantages: More headbanging riffs, awesome shredding solos, great vocal work
Disadvantages: Some solos go on for a bit too long

...This is Dream Theater's 7th studio full length album, released in 2003. This is much heavier than all their other releases, and probably isn't the best place to start with Dream Theater unless you're into Metallica, Megadeth etc. and hate stuff like Rush and Yes. The album kicks off with the prog-metal anthem As I Am. I think the solo in this song is John Petrucci's best Dream Theater Solo ever. This is a real headbanger and is a Dream Theater song that you can listen to at any time They try to lead As I Am into the next song, This Dying Soul, but they don't do it very well, but just ignore that. This Dying Soul has a really good first section, which is a real mosher. This is actually my least favourite song on the album, mainly because the middle section goes on for too long. The middle section features riffs from The Glass Prison... Read review

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Advantages: Brilliant album
Disadvantages: None

...This CD is Dream Theaters ninth studio cd and they seem to get better with every cd they make. One good thing being each dream theater cd has a new and different sound to the last and theres no exception here. In the Presence Of Enemies Part 1: This is part 1 of the epic that is In the Presence Of Enemies. Part 2 is the last song on the cd. This part of it is mostly instrumental and shows off how good dream theater are musically. Labrie doesn't come in till about 5 minutes into the song and then the song starts to pick up. This is a brilliant opener to the cd. Forsaken: This song is one of the softer, more catchy songs on the cd, much like I Walk Beside You from the previous cd in that it sounds radio friendly. The main riff of the song has to be one of the best guitar riffs on the cd. Song has a really catchy chorus, I would... Read review

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