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forkboy
 
 
 
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  • Review count
    9
  • Helpfulness votes
    159
  • First review
    February 22, 2014
  • Last review
    November 7, 2016
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  • Average rating
    4.2
 
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forkboy's Reviews
 
Customer Rating
4 out of 5
4
A good remaster
on November 7, 2016
Posted by: forkboy
from SW Ohio
Verified Purchase:Yes
I'm often wary of remasters because too often the folks in charge get too heavy handed with the compression. However, this remaster (as well as the other ones for New Order) have been done nicely. Digitally remastering from master tapes helps grab that additional headroom missing from mastering for LPs and cassettes.
If you loved New Order, then it's definitely worth purchasing. The second CD also includes good stuff, but I'm more suspect of the source material and have read more than one comment on the Internet suggesting not all of the tracks are from original master tapes. But I don't really know.
My Best Buy number: 0322704785
My Best Buy number: 0322704785
I would recommend this to a friend!
0points
0of 0voted this as helpful.
 
Sony BRAVIA KDL48W600B LED HDTV: This Sony BRAVIA TV features a 1080p display and X-Reality PRO technology to showcase your movies, TV shows and sporting events with rich detail. Built-in Wi-Fi makes it easy to wirelessly stream shows, movies and your favorite songs.
 
Customer Rating
4 out of 5
4
Nicely priced, competent television
on March 12, 2016
Posted by: forkboy
from SW Ohio
Verified Purchase:Yes
Over the years I've continued to return to Sony for my LCD television needs. I know that some years Samsung seems to be making the better televisions. Then Panasonic. Right now it seems like LG is generally the better brand, but my satisfaction with Sony keeps me coming back.
I researched my options for about a month before pulling the trigger on this 48-inch for the bedroom. Moving up from 32 I was rather overwhelmed by the giant change. However, I have zero regrets.
As my 32-inch Sony was about 8-years old I was pleasantly surprised to find a number of changes that were very welcome. Deeper black levels, more consistent brightness across the screen and corners, and better colors right out of the box. I've made very few changes to any of the default settings the unit came with and I'm pleased with it. Mind... I'm not a videophile looking for the perfect gamma setting, etc.
Two big kudos for this model: the nice matte screen keeps reflections out of the way (Sony's have always done a good job at this) and the stand is very smart in my opinion. Too many of the models that have been coming out from all manufacturers over the past 6-12 months have frequently made use of 'feet' located at or very near the left and right border of the screen; towards the corners. I'm certain these are no better than the more traditional, centrally-located stands, but simply a design change.
My problem with them is that this means a wider television must have a stand wide enough to accommodate these more widely-spaced feet. A central stand means the television stand itself doesn't have to be very wide to accommodate a wide television. The metal, centrally-located stand which comes with this Sony is perfect. Centrally-located. Sturdy. And yet more delicate looking than many other stands.
I'd be happy and proud to call this my television room t.v., but for now it's in the bedroom and I suspect, if dollars and cents are kind enough, I'll purchase it's bigger brother for the t.v. room later this year.
I think that's a ringing endorsement.
My Best Buy number: 0322704785
My Best Buy number: 0322704785
I would recommend this to a friend!
+4points
4of 4voted this as helpful.
 
Samsung UN32J5003EFXZA/AFXZA/BFXZA LED HDTV: TV shows and movies are displayed in a wide spectrum of colors and with clear, sharp 1080p resolution. Plus, the screen can be viewed in bright or dark rooms, letting you place it just about anywhere.
 
Customer Rating
4 out of 5
4
Competent at its price
on January 29, 2016
Posted by: forkboy
from SW Ohio
Verified Purchase:Yes
While not precisely the model Samsung for which I was looking it was close enough.
At $200 it's hard to have any complaints. It's thin, light and quite well-suited to the bedroom in which it has been placed.
Picture quality is fine with streaming device, cable and Blu Ray sources.
While I wouldn't say it's solid, it never creaked or anything while putting it together and setting it up.
My only criticism, and it's tiny, is that the pictures for helping put on the feet aren't good. It's better to look at pictures of the tv so as to ascertain the proper method for their installation.
My Best Buy number: 0322704785
My Best Buy number: 0322704785
Mobile Submission: True
I would recommend this to a friend!
0points
0of 0voted this as helpful.
 
Panasonic TC-50A400U LED HDTV: This Panasonic HDTV's 1080p display presents your favorite movies and TV shows with crisp, clear detail. The USB port allows you to play back music and pictures.
 
Customer Rating
5 out of 5
5
Better than I expected
on April 30, 2015
Posted by: forkboy
from SW Ohio
Verified Purchase:Yes
Let me start by stating this was a purchase for my daughter as she moved out of the house and into her first apartment. I have been tracking this particular model line from Panasonic for a while and often thought it would be the right one for myself when it comes time to replace my existing television.
I've seen the television in action myself at her apartment and I was very, very pleased with the purchase. The picture quality was, to my eyes, incredible. Much better than I believed possible at a $399 price point (was on sale). And unlike my parents older Panasonic plasma television the speakers didn't totally suck.
My daughter has done nothing but rave about the television. According to her it was a breeze to set up (out of the box, put together, and up and running in 15 minutes). The remote is good. I quote, "I am more than happy with it! With the quality and price, I feel like we stole it."
She may not be a tech/gear head like me, but she knows what she likes and apparently this purchase, guided by dad, was spot-on.
My Best Buy number: 0322704785
My Best Buy number: 0322704785
I would recommend this to a friend!
0points
0of 0voted this as helpful.
 
The T15 are those bookshelf speakers whose high versatility is built to impress. Engineered with Polk's proprietary Dynamic Balance technology, they're primed to improve your home theater experience and take on your entire arsenal of tunes without fail. Think brighter highs, a wide-open mid-range and surprising bass response - the perfect entry into high-performance audio. What’s more, it’s easy to setup, supports Dolby and DTS, and connects to most home theater receivers, stereos or home theater processors. The best part is that it won't drain your wallet! Go big on great sound made for everyone. Add the T15 bookshelf stereo speakers to your home audio setup today.
 
Customer Rating
4 out of 5
4
Competent bookshelf speaker
on April 30, 2015
Posted by: forkboy
from SW Ohio
Verified Purchase:Yes
I purchased a pair of these for my daughter as she moved into her first apartment. I have owned various Polk Audio speakers over the past 25 years and they have always served me well.
These won't win any awards, but for the price they are reasonable sounding bookshelf speakers. She is using them principally for her television and PS4 (playing through an older Denon A/V receiver I gave her). They handle everything she throws at them just fine, but she concedes, as one would expect, a subwoofer is necessary to get better bottom-end sound.
A first pair of speakers for a child... maybe for a small stereo in your bedroom or office... these are quite fine.
My Best Buy number: 0322704785
My Best Buy number: 0322704785
I would recommend this to a friend!
-1point
0of 1voted this as helpful.
 
Canon PIXMA MX922 All-In-One Printer: Print, copy, scan and fax documents and create borderless photos with this all-in-one printer, which uses the ChromaLife100+ system to extend the lifetime of printed images. You can print directly from your smartphone using Google Cloud Print or Apple® AirPrint and add fun filters to your photos with the included My Image Garden software.
 
Customer Rating
4 out of 5
4
A competent all-in-one with a small footprint
on February 22, 2014
Posted by: forkboy
from SW Ohio
I use it for:Document printing
Verified Purchase:Yes
Disclaimer: this review is made after only 3-weeks of ownership/use. Clearly future issues could arise which would influence this review if they were to be known in advance.
First, began researching for new inkjet all-in-one printer about 3-months ago to replace older HP 7520 (good printer by the way - didn't have issues with it). While my subscription to CU strongly suggested another HP (same model line as my outgoing printer, but a modern one) I opted to look beyond HP. The PIXMA 922 is a recommended printer in CU's ratings. What I found when I went looking for customer reviews was I saw more issues with things like jamming and ink issues with the HP and Epson printers that were in my final round of choices. I found less of these reports amongst consumers for the 922 and its predecessor.
Let's get the what's not so great issues out of the way first. I don't need a nightlight. Can anyone make an electronic device with a blue LED light that doesn't light up a whole room at night? It seems to be the nature of things these days with all sorts of consumer electronics.
Second, the software installation could have been better. While I like the idea of installing the latest software right up front (the included CD directs your computer to the Canon website and doesn't install software directly from the CD, which may then need to be updated) the installation process was a bit slow and less than enlightening. There were a number of separate applications which could be installed, but very little information provided about what they were, what they did and why I might need them installed. In the end I wound up searching the web for descriptions and taking a guess at whether or not I really wanted or needed the specific software. For me personally I only need the software/drivers that make the thing work.. I don't need picture software, etc. It would be nicer if they set-up the software installation into two groups: one that just makes the all-in-one work (print, scan, copy, fax, etc.) and another group containing 'extras'.
Third in the not so great section is a WTF moment... at the end of the installation it asked if I wanted to be part of a plan that would send to Canon user information to better help them understand my usage of the all-in-one. I normally don't opt into these things anyway, but I'm not opposed to them on principal. But this time they wanted to collect information for something like 10-years. Absurd. A real turn off. If they really want to get my opinion and usage information why don't they e-mail me for it on a regular basis? They have my e-mail after I register the product and that would seem to be a less intrusive route.
Lastly, the main paper tray seems flimsy to me. Like it should be treated carefully. And there isn't any real backplate to it so paper installed in the tray doesn't really sit squeezed into place. It may work just fine for all I know in the long-term, but it doesn't exude confidence.
However, there is plenty I find to like about this all-in-one and thus far I'm very happy with my selection. It was well packaged: safe and secure. Set-up of the physical device was easy, straight-forward and the printed guide clear and concise. Everything went together smoothly. The software, once my choices were made, has worked as it should and I really appreciate the ability to initiate a scan from my computer (one of those features my previous printer couldn't do).
Regarding the actual functions I have tried everything except the faxing part as I don't have a phone line for such. The copy, scan and print functions all work as they should. The document feeder works as advertised (both sides), but I haven't yet tried two-sided printing. A paper saver to be certain, but I think there is probably where folks run into the issue of jamming more than anywhere else.
Originally printing on standard copier paper (like I use with my HP laser printer) I found the quality of the text and graphics to be such as they usually are on standard copier paper: ok at best. I did run out and purchase a higher quality (HP brand - go figure) inkket-oriented paper, which I have used in the past to much better results; especially with text. This different paper helps keep the ink from bleeding into the little valleys that exist on paper. It helps keep the text more crisp looking and a 500-page ream for $8 is quite reasonable and I highly recommend purchasing such.
While I have a dedicated picture printer I will make use of this 922 as well for quick prints. My text prints show generally good quality, but I find the colors (especially red) a bit muted. However, there are plenty of possible adjustments which can be made via the software to help get prints to be where you want them. This was not possible on my previous HP printer and I very much welcome this addition. With some adjustments and fiddling I have every confidence I will be able to get the prints to match my expectations.
Lastly, time-to-print... via wi-fi (I have not made use of any other connectivity option at this time) the printer wakes up and receives the data quickly. However, the printer goes through all sorts of machinations before it actually prints the document. I know this is common with inkjet printers, but this 922 feels even slower than my much older HP. But after the first page is printed and the printer remains awake the time to print any subsequent pages is much, much quicker. Clearly quicker than was my older HP. The printer gods giveth and the printer gods taketh away....
My Best Buy number: 0322704785
My Best Buy number: 0322704785
What's great about it: Price; text quality (see review); feature set
What's not so great: Software set-up could be better; slow-to-print first page; blue light of wi-fi too bright
I would recommend this to a friend!
Features
5 out of 5
5
Speed
4 out of 5
4
+132points
155of 178voted this as helpful.
 
Customer Rating
5 out of 5
5
Dramatic sci-fi at its finest
on February 22, 2014
Posted by: forkboy
from SW Ohio
Verified Purchase:Yes
I don't know if it's age or what, but this movie makes me cry a bit.
It's a touching story filled with generally great acting, sympathetic characters, touching drama and... well... everything that can help make a movie great.
It's sci-fi only in that it touches on aliens and life out there in the cosmos, but it's really a drama. And it's a drama where cheering for the hero comes so readily.
It suddenly occurs to me why I think so highly of this movie. It may be due to its similarity to another fave drama-intense, sci-fi movie: Close Encounters of the Third Kind. Yes... there are a lot of similarities between the two movies now that I think about.
My only criticism, and criticism is too strong a word, is a bit of the back story (family history) of our main character played by Jodie Foster. It just feels a bit trite, but it doesn't diminish the movie in any meaningful way. Maybe it was just one too many emotional buttons pushed and it's the one I could live without.
My Best Buy number: 0322704785
My Best Buy number: 0322704785
What's great about it: Acting; story line; empathetic characters
What's not so great: some trite moments in script/plot
I would recommend this to a friend!
0points
0of 0voted this as helpful.
 
Customer Rating
4 out of 5
4
It's a modern Bond film...
on February 22, 2014
Posted by: forkboy
from SW Ohio
Verified Purchase:Yes
Last year I had purchased the Bond movie collection and it included a slot for the as-yet-then-unreleased Skyfall. When I saw Skyfall pop up on Best Buy for $4.99 it seemed the time to purchase!
For the most part I have enjoyed the more recent Bond movies staring Daniel Craig. In many ways I think he is the best actor to portray Bond. I also very much enjoyed the cinematography of this film. A little darker and more brooding... not unlike Bond himself.
That said, there are a few issues I had with this movie. First, the villain is plain awful. While the acting was ok the character just falls flat for me. In some instances I thought the character almost comedic in that Roger Moore/Bond films day.
Second, I did not like the new Q at all. I don't know if this is a nod to modernity or trying to freshen the franchise with a hipster or what, but not unlike the villain Q fell flat for me.
Someone with a comedic bent should be playing that role, but not necessarily an outright comedian. While I may love John Cleese I didn't find him 'right' for the role either. Desmond Llewelyn really hit the spot in my mind. I'm thinking Q should be played by someone like Matt Damon, who can pull-off funny, but isn't a comic outright.
My Best Buy number: 0322704785
My Best Buy number: 0322704785
What's great about it: Visually beautiful movie; good plot
What's not so great: Villain seems thin & weak; new Q is awful
I would recommend this to a friend!
0points
0of 0voted this as helpful.
 
Customer Rating
4 out of 5
4
A good & campy sci-fi flick
on February 22, 2014
Posted by: forkboy
from SW Ohio
Verified Purchase:Yes
I like sci-fi, but in particular B-grade, campy sci-fi. While I think it was most definitely intended to be a serious movie, Logan's Run is clearly camp.
In general I enjoy the movie even if it does get a bit slow nearer the end. The actual plot isn't bad, the acting is reasonably good, Jenny Agutter is gorgeous, and it makes for a very, very good Saturday night flick with pizza and libations.
The only real down-side to this Blu-Ray release is that it shows the film's physical quality limitations, but hey... it's campy sci-fi so it's not an actual criticism, but more a heads-up.
My Best Buy number: 0322704785
My Best Buy number: 0322704785
What's great about it: It's camp; Jenny Agutter
What's not so great: Image quality
I would recommend this to a friend!
0points
0of 0voted this as helpful.
 
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