Batlacit's stats
- Review count228
- Helpfulness votes918
- First reviewFebruary 13, 2016
- Last reviewJune 23, 2025
- Featured reviews0
- Average rating4.5
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- Answer count55
- Helpfulness votes100
- First answerSeptember 21, 2016
- Last answerJanuary 21, 2022
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HP ENVY Desktop: Accomplish tasks efficiently with this HP desktop computer. Its Intel Core i7 processor supplies plenty of power for video editing and gaming, and the 16GB of RAM lets you run multiple programs at the same time without performance lag. This HP desktop computer has a large 1TB hard drive for storing files and the Intel Optane Memory is a smart system accelerator that adapts to your everyday computing activities.
Customer Rating
4
Solid midrange performer
on February 25, 2018
Posted by: Batlacit
from Madison, WI
Between my work and my hobbies, I'm used to working with very high-end computers that have usually been tweaked to get extra performance. This is the first off-the-shelf computer I've used in years, and I have to say I was quite surprised by how capable it is.
The case goes for an aesthetic that's clean and simple. The optical drive is hidden away behind an aluminum panel which could easily be mistaken for a purely decorative piece, the ports and card reader are located on the top of the tower behind a recessed area that keeps them from being immediately visible, and there are no unexposed lights at all on the front panel. The noise produced by the fans is a little louder than some I've heard but still very quiet, and the keyboard and mouse it comes with are both pleasant to look at (albeit not of exceptional quality.)
In terms of performance, the computer benefits from the latest featureset of the 7th generation intel chip that drives it. The biggest boost it gets comes in the form of 16gb of Intel's new Optane memory. This basically takes the place of the page file you'd get on the mechanical hard drive (which is essentially just overflow for RAM) to give you performance closer to what you'd get with an SSD. Of course there's no way around the fact that the relatively slow mechanical drive is a bottleneck when it comes to initially loading up programs into that memory, but once you're over that there is a definite improvement in terms of the overall performance.
The other surprise came in the form of the graphics performance. Unlike most higher end machines, this desktop opts just to rely on the integrated graphics controller on the i7 chip itself rather than using a PCI-E based dedicated GPU. Truth be told, I was expecting this to be a big problem, however much to my surprise the integrated graphics really are quite a lot more capable than I'd have ever expected. I was able to drive a 4K display, play some relatively demanding games, and edit video with only minor glitches to indicate that the integrated graphics were being taxed. It's not quite enough to handle the most graphically demanding out there, but it can handle the most graphically demanding games of five years ago, which is better than I can say for most older integrated graphics.
The only thing that keeps me from giving the unit a full five star rating has to do with the computer's expandability. The case itself is rather well set up to let you upgrade the machine to suit your needs - with easy access to all the parts and a sensible layout that provides good heat management and plenty of space for new equipment. The problem is mostly that some of the key parts don't seem up to the task of driving much more than what's already here. There's plenty of room for a dedicated GPU, for example, but with a power supply only capable of providing 300W you're going to be hard pressed to find one better than the integrated graphics that won't push the limits of what the power supply can provide. They also used an optical drive designed for a laptop to save space which is using a non-ATX connector for power, so dropping a new PSU in might mean giving up the DVD writer. So if I were to decide in a few months that I wanted to use this to drive a VR headset or play the latest games, I'd need to do a fairly major overhaul.
Thing is, I probably wouldn't even mention this if not for the fact that the unit comes so close to being a high-end desktop. Between the support provided for the latest USB standards, the very powerful CPU, and the enhancements provided by the latest memory standards this is probably more computer than most users will need for the next few years, which makes it a pretty good pick for an off-the-shelf desktop for the home or office.
My Best Buy number: 2187428738
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Enjoy superior sound and voice quality with these Jabra Elite wireless headphones. Integrated controls let you answer calls, adjust the volume or pause music with the touch of a button, while the included carrying case doubles as a charging station. External ambient noise keeps you aware of your surroundings, while a background noise filter delivers crisp, clear voice calls. With Bluetooth connectivity, these Jabra Elite wireless headphones are easy to pair to a mobile device.
Customer Rating
5
Powerful audio in a compact package
on February 19, 2018
Posted by: Batlacit
from Madison, WI
In the past few years, bluetooth earbuds have been transitioning more and more from being a luxury item to a basic essential. Ones that are actually good at what they do, however, have remained rather hard to come by. These aren't quite the perfect earbuds that we've all been looking for, but they're definitely my new favorites when it comes to travelling light.
They have pretty much everything one would expect from this particular style of earbud. A small pill-bottle sized carrying case serves double duty as a charger and an extended battery pack, which combine to give you enough longevity to last you pretty much all day. The headphones themselves support HD audio and feature passive noise cancellation. Four microphones offer not only clear audio on the phone, but also an app-configurable passthrough option to let you make use of the noise cancellation without completely cutting off the outside world or anyone you might be trying to carry on a conversation with. And they look about as stylish as something this size that hangs out of your ear can be expected to.
It's an impressive feature set to be sure, and I'm glad to say that after using them for about a week the earbuds do manage to deliver on most of those promises. Audio quality is great, and they're one of the few earbuds I've tried that actually manage to do a passable job handling bass tones. They're also surprisingly comfortable given how much heavier they are than most earbuds. In fact they fit so well that I'm at a bit of a loss to explain how it is that they stay in. And unlike many similar wireless earbuds I've tried, I've never run into an issue where the two get out of sync with one another or one fails to connect. They've even got sensors within the earbuds that can detect when they're in your ear and immediately pause whatever it is you're listening to when they're removed, which is a perfect example of one of those features no one really needs but we all get used to having far more quickly than we expect.
Unfortunately, I can't quite call these things perfect. To start, it is only using passive noise cancellation, which basically just means that they're designed in such a way that they block sound (or at least specific frequencies of it) rather than actively cancelling out the waveform of ambient noise like active noise cancelling headphones and earbuds do. It's definitely a step above most earbuds and headphones, but not really comparable to active noise cancellation. This is most noticeable when you're using the audio passthrough feature. It does manage to cut out most ambient noise, but the strange thing about it is that the specific acoustics also tends to amplify noises that you'd never expect. When I first tried them, I was rather surprised to realize that I could literally hear a "thump" whenever I blinked, and the pass through audio tended to clearly relay the sound of my shoes hitting pavement when I took them out for a walk. I was able to tweak it in the optional app to be more in line with what I was looking for, but even with that I'd say that the feature works best for more sedentary activities like trying to carry on a conversation while on an airplane. Otherwise I think that my current fallback of only using one earbud remains my preferred way of maintaining situational awareness.
Even if it's not quite the last pair of earbuds I'll ever want though, I have to say that overall I love these things. I'm sure that other people who demand the best from their headphones might find issues with them, but for what I use them for I'm really very impressed by the Elite 65t.
My Best Buy number: 2187428738
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Enhance your listening experience with these Plantronics headphones. They wirelessly connect to any Bluetooth-enabled device to eliminate the hassle of traditional corded models, and they work with Siri, Cortana and other virtual assistants for convenient control. A single charge lasts up to 18 hours, so you can listen to your Plantronics headphones worry-free all day long.
Customer Rating
3
Probably best to stick to the gym with these.
on January 24, 2018
Posted by: Batlacit
from Madison, WI
The first thing I noticed about these headphones is their build. It's rare to find hardware that can stay so light while also feeling solid in the hand, and the Backbeat FIT headphones definitely do that. Which is very appropriate given that the're very obviously geared towards workout use.
It was admittedly a little hard to get used to the idea of wearing them while working out at first. The biggest reason is that the headphones do a surprisingly thorough job of blocking out exterior noise, to the point that a friend of mine who tried them on actually mistook them for ones with active noise cancellation. Thing is, I'm not entirely convinced that's a good thing. Most of the time when I'm working out I try to be actively moving, usually on a bike or a trail of some kind. And in those circumstances I really don't feel that comfortable wearing something that blocks out that much exterior noise. If there's someone coming up alongside me, I want to hear it before it happens. Which is kind of a shame, because apart from that I actually really like these. The battery life is great, the big control buttons on the side are a lot easier to use than anything else I've tried, and it passes audio through to my phone's assistant well enough for me to rely on voice controls. Actual playback quality is somewhat lacking compared to some other headphones I've tried, but it's good enough for listening to when you're out and about. And unlike most over-the-ear headphones, the fit on these is surprisingly firm. I tried my best to shake them free running in place (which truthfully was closer to headbanging at some points) and they stayed right where they were supposed to.
Overall I think that these are really ideal for use in a gym where their ability to block out ambient noise becomes more of a feature than a concern. For everything else, as much as I like the comfort and easy to use controls on these, I think I'm going to have to stick with something with a bit more pass-through.
It was admittedly a little hard to get used to the idea of wearing them while working out at first. The biggest reason is that the headphones do a surprisingly thorough job of blocking out exterior noise, to the point that a friend of mine who tried them on actually mistook them for ones with active noise cancellation. Thing is, I'm not entirely convinced that's a good thing. Most of the time when I'm working out I try to be actively moving, usually on a bike or a trail of some kind. And in those circumstances I really don't feel that comfortable wearing something that blocks out that much exterior noise. If there's someone coming up alongside me, I want to hear it before it happens. Which is kind of a shame, because apart from that I actually really like these. The battery life is great, the big control buttons on the side are a lot easier to use than anything else I've tried, and it passes audio through to my phone's assistant well enough for me to rely on voice controls. Actual playback quality is somewhat lacking compared to some other headphones I've tried, but it's good enough for listening to when you're out and about. And unlike most over-the-ear headphones, the fit on these is surprisingly firm. I tried my best to shake them free running in place (which truthfully was closer to headbanging at some points) and they stayed right where they were supposed to.
Overall I think that these are really ideal for use in a gym where their ability to block out ambient noise becomes more of a feature than a concern. For everything else, as much as I like the comfort and easy to use controls on these, I think I'm going to have to stick with something with a bit more pass-through.
My Best Buy number: 2187428738
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Make your home a more welcoming hub with this Philips Hue white ambiance A19 starter kit. Whether you desire a warm natural glow or energizing color tones, customize it just the way you like with the accompanying app. For parties, easily sync your lights to music with this Philips Hue white ambiance A19 starter kit.
Customer Rating
5
Easy setup, great bulbs
on December 23, 2017
Posted by: Batlacit
from Madison, WI
The Hue bulbs have always been my go-to recommendation for smart lighting. They're easy to install, well built, compatible with just about everything, and rather fun to use. But I'd never tried their ambiance bulbs before, which ditch the color changing features to offer comparatively simple adjustable white lighting. And after using them for a bit, I have to say that they're just as good as you'd expect.
The only real setup that's required is the installation of the bridge, which is completely compatible with all Hue bulbs that have ever been released. Apart from that, it's all just screwing in light bulbs (and naming them after, if you need.) Which also made me realize there are a few difference between these and the white & color bulbs that are worth noting. For a start, these are much lighter, presumably because they dispense with the thick glass diffuser you need to even out the color for a much simpler plastic one. This means there are some places where you can install the white bulbs, such as in long necked adjustable lamps, where the color bulbs would be too heavy for the fixtures. These third generation bulbs are also a notable improvement over the ones that came before in regards to brightness. While the earlier ones tended to be about as bright as a 40 watt incandescent bulb, they've managed to boost the brightness up to a full 800 lumens (roughly a 60 watt equivalent.)
Another thing I feel I should comment on is the ease of integrating the parts into an existing Hue setup. I had a fairly well fleshed out 1st generation setup which had been starting to have some compatibility issues with the latest Google assistant, and getting the second generation bridge included in this starter kit swapped in was about as painless as it could be. All I had to do was plug both of them in, go into the app and tell it which ones were which, and then wait for all my existing settings and scenes to transfer over. Only downside to this is that I did have to manually add the four white bulbs that came with it back in afterwards, but fortunately it only takes a few seconds for them to sync up again.
I'm really not sure what else I can say about these. The Philips hue system is probably the most mature smart bulb product on the market. If you're not sure about or just don't need the ability to change the colors of your lighting but still want to outfit your house with relatively inexpensive smart lighting that won't require rewiring, this is the system for you.
My Best Buy number: 2187428738
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Stream music uninterrupted with this water-resistant JBL portable speaker. It delivers immersive, high-quality audio inside or outside, and it's compatible with your favorite music apps for straightforward streaming via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth. This black JBL portable speaker comes with the voice-activated Google Assistant, so you can control it hands-free.
Customer Rating
5
Okay Google, why don't they all have batteries?
on December 12, 2017
Posted by: Batlacit
from Madison, WI
The biggest problem I've found with having a digital assistant for the home is that the moment you get used to it, you start wanting to buy more. That only gets worse if you've invested in other smart home products that you use the assistant to control for you. Sure, you can buy one for each room of the house, as the makers of the devices probably hope you will, but how much use are you really going to get out of a smart speaker in the garage, or the bathroom?
Enter the Link. If a week with this doesn't convince you that a battery should be standard equipment for anything with a Google assistant built in, I can only assume that you live in a studio apartment. Not only is it portable, but it's rugged enough to survive the occasional trip into the bathroom, the garage, or the pool without leaving you having to buy yet another replacement speaker.
Even if we set aside the surprising utility added to the assistant features by not being tied to an outlet, this thing is a great little speaker. It's got quite a lot of oomph in its sound output, and while some might find it a little underwhelming in the bass department the audio is crisp and about as good as you can get from a Bluetooth link. It's also nice to see that they adopted actual buttons rather than the usual capacitive panels for the controls, which I find just work better for a portable device when you don't always know if you'll have to be operating it with gloves. It's also got one of JBL's rather clever charging cables which can plug into a charger or a computer in any orientation - the only thing that could have made it better is if it charged off of USB-C so you didn't have to worry about plugging in the micro-usb port upside down.
The only real downsides I found playing with it are largely theoretical. The waterproofing, for instance, only works so long as you remember to close up a rubber cap over the charging port. While the piece itself looks quite robust, I've seen enough of these break off over the years to think that if anything ever does end up killing the speaker this will probably be it. There's also a very bright and very visible WiFi indicator on the front that might make it a bit annoying if you're thinking of using it in the bedroom. An option to turn off these lights would have been a nice addition. Finally, I'll admit that with only five hours of battery life this might not be my go-to choice for a portable speaker unless I specifically want the functionality offered by the Google assistant. Personally it's rare that I ever find myself in such a situation, but it's worth considering regardless.
All in all, it's a solid choice for a home speaker, particularly if you don't want to have to get one for every room of the house.
My Best Buy number: 2187428738
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Go from hundreds of mystery folders to a visual view of your photos automatically sorted by date, subject, people, and places. See your best photos auto-curated based on quality, faces, subjects, and more. Make your photos look amazing with automated photo editing options, and create and share printed artwork, new dynamic slideshows, photo collages, and gifts for friends and family.
Customer Rating
4
Photoshop for the home
on November 21, 2017
Posted by: Batlacit
from Madison, WI
It's almost hard to know what to say about Photoshop. The program has been the standard for photo editing for ages now, and while each version of the program has come with minor upgrades and improvements the overall workflow has remained fairly consistent for several generations now.
The most important thing to keep in mind about Elements is that while it's got much of the same features as the full version, it's aimed much more at home users than it is design professionals. Many of the more advanced tools are omitted, for instance, as is the integration with other creative suite programs. You're hardly going to notice this for typical photo editing. In fact you might even find it to be an advantage, as in their place you have an abundance of automated functions to manage and edit your photo library. The spot healing brush, which can be used to quickly remove blemishes and damage to an image, is a surprising standout in this regard. Others, such as the perspective correction tool, are a bit more underwhelming, but still fun to work with.
The other big part of the package is the photo organizer. It's a very capable system, with automatic facial recognition, event and location sorting, and full integration with elements. But I can't really say that it does that much that you can't get with other programs these days, so it's more of a "nice to have" rather than a key selling point.
Overall, this is probably about as full featured a package as you can get for managing and touching up your own photo library.
My Best Buy number: 2187428738
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Use this splash-resistant Sony wireless speaker to skip a song with a wave of your hand. It comes with Google Assistant, so you can control it with voice commands, and its two-stage diffuser and bass port deliver rich, room-filling sound. This Sony wireless speaker has built-in Bluetooth for streaming audio from your smartphone.
Customer Rating
5
Great home gateway to Google!
on November 3, 2017
Posted by: Batlacit
from Madison, WI
Personal assistants are getting more and more ubiquitous these days, now that just about every smart phone on the market has the power needed to run them. And I think that most people who have ended up getting hooked on the convenience of being able to talk to them has ended up thinking about getting one for the home, and that goes double for anyone with smart home equipment. Currently just about all the options for the home are locked to a specific manufacturer though, with the exception of the Google Assistant.
Seeing as the device is basically a 3rd party alternative to the Google Home, reviewing it is a little tricky. How well it works, even just how it works, is subject to change. So I’m going to start with the one thing that doesn’t change, which is the hardware.
The S50G is built around an omni-directional speaker, a somewhat novel gestural control panel, and a 360 degree microphone pickup. As one might expect from a brand like Sony, the sound quality you get from the speaker and the mics are both excellent. The speaker really does fill the room, and has a surprising amount of volume for something this small. It’s also one of the nicer looking Bluetooth speakers of its type out there, with the tastefully understated cloth cover obscuring hidden interface elements until they’re needed. There might be just a bit more bass response than is ideal, but I’ve yet to really find anything that sounds bad on it, and the VR quality you get through the microphones is top notch.
The only area where I feel the hardware is lacking is the gestural interface. In practice, it’s a cool idea, particularly if you want to stick this in the kitchen where you might have things on your fingers that you don’t want on your very expensive home assistant. In practice, I found the controls to be a little hit or miss. The most basic commands, allowing you to bring up the assistant or play music, are very reliable, but the volume adjustment and forward/back commands often either required multiple attempts or were misinterpreted. This is pretty minor seeing as you can get much more accurate control with voice commands, and hopefully this is something that can be updated with software later, but it is a little disappointing.
Speaking of software, the google assistant itself works great on this, which is no surprise since the bulk of the processing is actually done in the cloud as opposed to on the device. It can cast content (video and audio) to a chromecast, control connected smart devices, and be hooked into IFTT to set up a variety of routines. It handles multiple users, sounds good, and will probably only get better as Google continues to update the software. The only real problem I had was with trying to control my smart lights. It appears that there’s some kind of issue connecting the first generation Philips Hue bridge to the software which required a somewhat clumsy workaround with another program, so if light control was one of your main reasons for wanting this (like it was for me) you might find that frustrating.
My Best Buy number: 2187428738
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Take control of your food prep with this Ninja food processor. Its two interchangeable attachments accomplish a wide range of kitchen tasks, including chopping nuts, slicing vegetables and pureeing fruit, and its auto spiralizer lets you make versatile vegetable noodles. This Ninja food processor has a drizzle hole lid for conveniently adding oils and other liquids.
Customer Rating
5
Big power in a small package
on October 17, 2017
Posted by: Batlacit
from Madison, WI
The first thing that drew me to the Ninja precision processor was, admittedly, its size. Counter space at my place is at a premium, and while I’ve wanted a food processor for a while I’ve never really been able to justify the counter space required. The Ninja has about a third of the footprint of a larger unit, and while the smaller bowl size does put some limits on the kind of things you can make with it there’s certainly no shortage of oomph in the motor.
The unit comes with two blade disks for the spiralizer, a processor blade, and a dough blade. So far I’ve tried everything but the dough blade, and no matter what I’ve thrown at it, the Ninja has powered its way through. Cleanup is almost as quick too – just about every part of this save for the motor is dishwasher safe, and it’s designed well enough that there’s a minimum of difficult to reach nooks and crannies for food to get stuck in.
It’s probably not the best unit to use if you regularly are making large meals for large groups, as a lot of recipes do assume a lot more volume than this one can manage. It’s possible to do, but it requires multiple passes and can slow things down. But for occasional meals for one or two or apartment-sized kitchens, this is a great tool to have.
My Best Buy number: 2187428738
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Enjoy all of your favorite shows in Ultra HD with this 55-inch Hisense smart ULED TV. Its built-in apps let you access popular on-demand programs, and its HDR technology brings out the dynamic, stunning quality of 4K content. Link multiple media sources to the four HDMI and three USB ports of this Hisense smart ULED TV.
Customer Rating
5
Best image I've seen from an LCD panel
on October 11, 2017
Posted by: Batlacit
from Madison, WI
I really wasn’t sure what to expect from the Hisense 55H9D+ when I first got it. While most of the high end 4K TV’s with HDR support make use of OLED or other similar display technologies to pull off the deep blacks and vibrant colors that the tech typically boasts, this one uses a more conventional LCD panel paired with a much less conventional backlighting technology they call ULED that I’d never heard of before. Coming in with little more than what I’d seen from the professionally calibrated and optimized TV’s in the store to use as a point of comparison, I really had no idea what the set would end up looking like in my living room and its unfortunate giant, glare-inducing windows.
After spending three days with it, I can say that it’s not the equal of an OLED set when it comes to displaying HDR content. But it’s also unquestionably the best image I have ever seen from an LCD based set. The ULED backlight essentially simulates the ability of OLED screens to precisely control the brightness of individual pixels by splitting the backlight into zones which can be locally controlled, so that darker areas of the screen have less light filtering through the LCD and brighter ones can be cranked up to really pop. When I first heard about this I was worried that the zones might turn out to be big enough to see through the LCD, potentially creating a distracting checkerboard like effect as they adjusted. But this hasn’t happened. Lines are crisp, text pops, and everything looks just as smooth as you’d expect from a high end 4K TV.
There is also the usual suite of image enhancements: digital noise removal, motion smoothing (AKA: the soap opera effect) and a variety of color options. While these all do their intended job very well, outside of watching sports I think they end up doing more harm than help when it comes to the viewing experience. 4K films in particular have an unnerving plastic look with the motion smoothing turned up, making me wish that manufacturers wouldn’t ship their sets with the enhancements turned up by default. Turning them off is a bit annoying, particularly as a lot of the menus do suffer from some awkward translation, but there’s enough customization here to let you get everything where you want it with enough fiddling. And when you are watching sports, you can always switch to a pre-configured sports mode and bring back the soap opera effect without digging into the settings again.
That said, there are two areas where the TV does disappoint. The first, and biggest, is in the smart functionality. Now, frequently the problem with smart TVs is that they stick underpowered processors and not enough RAM into the sets, resulting in very poor app performance. That isn’t a problem here. Response time is great, and there’s virtually no loading time for the apps. The issue is the software. Hisense opted to base all their apps on the Opera TV platform, which runs well but is notably lacking in developer support. They have support for Netflix, YouTube, Amazon Video, and Vudu, but that’s about it. There’s no HBO, Hulu, CBS All Access, or any of the other smaller but popular streaming services. As such I think that I’m pretty much going to need to rely on external streaming devices.
The second is the sound. TV speakers are almost never good, but the frequency response on these is all over the place. As much as I tinkered with it, I could never really get it to sound right. It was rather hard to pin down exactly what was going on here, but it seemed like I could either get good bass response or good treble – never both at the same time. With external sound though, the audio enhancements built into the system can come into their own and provide a very satisfying experience.
In the end, even with it's shortcomings, the 55H9D+ is still a very solid set with stellar image quality and an abundance of bells and whistles to tune it to exactly how you want it. Paired with a decent 4K streaming device and a good set of speakers, you have the makings of a top tier home theater experience.
My Best Buy number: 2187428738
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Display vibrant office presentations with this Epson wireless projector. Its Miracast technology lets you mirror photos, videos and apps from your portable smart devices, and it delivers 3600 lumens of color and white brightness in 1920 x 1080 resolution for colorful, crisp image clarity. This Epson wireless projector has HDMI and USB inputs for making quick connections with external hardware.
Customer Rating
4
Great image quality but only adequate software
on September 30, 2017
Posted by: Batlacit
from Madison, WI
Projectors are something that I usually feel mixed about. While I've tried several in the past, I've usually come to the conclusion that I greatly prefer using TVs or fixed projection systems for presentations, since they'll give a better image and require less tinkering with to get set up. But since not everywhere has these things, I've always had to keep on on hand anyway.
The Epson EX9220 is definitely the favorite one I've used so far. It's reasonably lightweight, runs quiet on eco mode, and much to my surprise really does manage to give image and color quality that's near DLP levels despite relying on LCD projection. It's very bright as well, working in full daylight on both screens and walls. But it hasn't exactly managed to convince me that it's better than a wall mounted screen yet.
Ultimately, the best and worst thing about this projector might just be the sheer number of features it has. It has ports for just about everything, a variety of color modes to help you project it on a wide array of different surfaces, wireless connectivity, and plenty of options for different setup configurations. And this is great. I particularly like the ability to quickly cast presentations straight off my cell phone if I need to, as that's one less thing I need to carry if I'm already making space for the projector. I was also rather pleased with the expanded 120 lines of vertical resolution - though presenters should probably remember that if they want to make full use of it they'll likely have to design for a 16x10 aspect ratio instead of the 16x9 their laptop most likely has. And keystone correction has been handled with a slider right behind the focus ring which lets you quickly adjust the image to at least roughly match whatever you're showing it on.
But the flipside to this is that the user interface you get to control all these features is extremely complicated. Unlike some units where I was able to work out exactly what I needed to do within a few minutes of browsing through the menus, I spent ten minutes feeling my way around the menus trying to find the exact setting I needed to get it to do what I wanted before giving up and going through the online instruction manual. After about a half hour of additional tinkering I had most of it down, but I'll admit that were I tasked with supporting this thing as a member of an IT department, I'd be somewhat concerned about the number of service requests this thing would generate.
In the end though, so long as you know that you're buying a feature-rich and complicated projector, I really don't think a poor interface design should send you looking elsewhere. And this would be absolutely fantastic for a permanent mount, where you can fiddle with all the settings once and then never worry about them again. Everything that a data projector should be able to do this thing does very well, even on the reduced power "eco mode." All in all, I'm very happy with its performance.
My Best Buy number: 2187428738
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Fly through the sky in ways that seem impossible. We never lost our passion for flying, and with DJI FPV, those passions have turned imagination into reality. With this immersive and intuitive aerial platform, get ready to go into the beyond. Sleek and aerodynamic, the DJI FPV aircraft delivers powerful propulsion, battery life, and wind resistance, making this system as capable as it is visually stunning.
Is the headset stereo or is it 2D only?
It's strictly 2D. The screens don't actually take up all that much of your field of vision, so it's more like having a very big monitor floating in front of your face than actually being inside the drone.
4 years, 3 months ago
by
Batlacit
Bose Sport Open Earbuds are true wireless earbuds like you’ve never seen or heard before. What makes them truly unique is that they are the first workout headphones of their kind that combine exclusive Bose OpenAudio technology with an innovative open-ear headphone design to produce high-quality sound without covering your ears. This allows you to hear your music and the world around you for an unbelievable, full-sensory experience. The city. The surf. Your running buddy. Hear it all and your music at the same time with these entirely new, entirely open sport earbuds. Sound is what motivates, and Bose Sport Open Earbuds deliver. The exclusive Bose OpenAudio technology produces clear, consistent sound that’s more authentic and comfortable than bone conduction. In addition, acoustic spillage is minimal thanks to speaker placement that’s closer to the ear. A comfortable and secure fit is crucial when exercising. These sport earbuds were rigorously designed and tested to gently rest on your ears while staying put no matter how intense your workout. Bose Sport Open Earbuds also offer up to eight hours of play time (with daily charging), an advanced mic system for crystal-clear calls, and IPX4 sweat and weather resistance. Now you can combine the environment that invigorates you with the content that motivates you.
can one earbud be used at a time to either take/talk on phonecalls?
Yes, this works fine. Though weirdly audio quality seems much better when you use both.
4 years, 5 months ago
by
Batlacit
Upgrade your entertainment setup with the Core Innovations 150” Home Theater Projector - White (CPJ600WHBY). With an adjustable screen size between 32”-150”, this projector is perfect for solo gaming marathons or an immersive movie night experience with the entire family. Stream videos, view photos or play your favorite games by linking your preferred device to this projector via numerous versatile connections, including HDMI, VGA, USB, Micro SD and AV.
Looking for dig projector for art projects. Is this good for photos off phone
I think that'll mostly depend on the art project. It can show photos, but the resolution is low enough that you're not going to get a ton of fine detail with them. It also needs to be pointed pretty much straight at the projection surface, as the keystone correction screws up the focus pretty badly.
4 years, 7 months ago
by
Batlacit
Upgrade your entertainment setup with the Core Innovations 150” Home Theater Projector - White (CPJ600WHBY). With an adjustable screen size between 32”-150”, this projector is perfect for solo gaming marathons or an immersive movie night experience with the entire family. Stream videos, view photos or play your favorite games by linking your preferred device to this projector via numerous versatile connections, including HDMI, VGA, USB, Micro SD and AV.
Does this projector come with the cords needed to connect to a laptop or do I need to purchase it separately,
It does not - you'll need to provide your own cables. And batteries, if you want to use the remote.
4 years, 7 months ago
by
Batlacit
Supreme stereo sound, impressive comfort and extended cross-platform compatibility – that's the ROCCAT® Elo X Stereo Wired Cross-Platform Gaming Headset for PC, Xbox, PlayStation®, Nintendo Switch & Mobile. Experience a weightless, dynamic fit thanks to a self-adjusting metal headband, superior memory foam ear cushions and ProSpecs™ Glasses Relief System for glasses wearers. Precision-tuned 50mm drivers produce crisp highs to thundering lows to help you seek out opponents with pitch-perfect stereo sound while a detachable noise-cancelling microphone featuring TruSpeak™ technology ensures your commands are heard perfectly with crystal-clear voice communication. Finally, the 3.5mm jack lets players go from PC to game console to mobile devices with ease.
Does it work for a Nintendo switch?
Yep, it'll work with anything with a 3.5mm headphone jack. The headset has a 3-pole combined headphone/mic plug attached to it and comes with a y-splitter that'll separate it out into discrete 2-pole connectors for the mic and headphones.
4 years, 8 months ago
by
Batlacit
Offering the ultimate true-wireless experience for any fitness-loving music lover, JLab Epic Air Sport ANC offers customized sound and active noise canceling plus industry-leading 70+ hours playtime. Transition from gym to calls or from work to a run, effortlessly, with features like wear-detect, movie mode, wireless charging and more.
1. Does leaving the buds in the charging case for long periods of time degrade the battery? 2. Is any operating system specific apps or drivers needed for use? My use case is running it off a Linux laptop without Windows installed
1. Technically, yes, but letting lithium batteries go unused for long periods of time is bad for them in general. Keeping them in the case is on the balance probably better for them than the alternative of letting them sit outside the case since it'll take longer for them to run completely dry, at which point they won't be able to accept a new charge.
2. Some of the proprietary features like the touch controls or EQ settings do require a mobile app to configure, but apart from that you shouldn't have any issues connecting it to your Linux machine as a generic audio device so long as you've kept the Bluetooth stack reasonably up to date.
2. Some of the proprietary features like the touch controls or EQ settings do require a mobile app to configure, but apart from that you shouldn't have any issues connecting it to your Linux machine as a generic audio device so long as you've kept the Bluetooth stack reasonably up to date.
4 years, 8 months ago
by
Batlacit
Refreshed and ready to take its rightful spot atop a new generation of consoles, the Turtle Beach® Stealth™ 600 Gen 2 is the successor to the best-selling wireless gaming headset for PS5™, PS4™ & PS4™ Pro. The Stealth™ 600 Gen 2 wireless gaming headset is enhanced with a host of upgrades, including a larger high-sensitivity flip-to-mute mic that delivers improved chat clarity and now seamlessly integrates into the headset when muted. The headband and hinge design have been reinforced for added long-term durability, and soft, glasses-friendly ear cushions provide plush comfort while refined 50mm speakers produce high-quality, immersive sound and are optimized to unleash the power of Sony 3D Audio on PS5™. A user-friendly audio preset button on the headset allows for easy access to customize audio, and gamers can still count on Turtle Beach’s Superhuman Hearing® for an audio advantage on the battlefield. Finally, connectivity is made easy with the included, mini-USB Transmitter that wirelessly connects from your PlayStation® console to headset.
would a usb type c to 3.5mm audio jack work for the headset so i could make it wired and will the mic still work as well?
No. it looks like the USB port is only wired for charging - audio either goes through the USB dongle or not at all.
4 years, 9 months ago
by
Batlacit
Refreshed and ready to take its rightful spot atop a new generation of consoles, the Turtle Beach® Stealth™ 600 Gen 2 is the successor to the best-selling wireless gaming headset for PS5™, PS4™ & PS4™ Pro. The Stealth™ 600 Gen 2 wireless gaming headset is enhanced with a host of upgrades, including a larger high-sensitivity flip-to-mute mic that delivers improved chat clarity and now seamlessly integrates into the headset when muted. The headband and hinge design have been reinforced for added long-term durability, and soft, glasses-friendly ear cushions provide plush comfort while refined 50mm speakers produce high-quality, immersive sound and are optimized to unleash the power of Sony 3D Audio on PS5™. A user-friendly audio preset button on the headset allows for easy access to customize audio, and gamers can still count on Turtle Beach’s Superhuman Hearing® for an audio advantage on the battlefield. Finally, connectivity is made easy with the included, mini-USB Transmitter that wirelessly connects from your PlayStation® console to headset.
Will this work with a PC?
Yes - though there are a few caveats. It doesn't respect system audio settings, so software volume controls are out and automatic gain control on the mic is hit or miss. But if you're willing to manually set the stuff up the user experience is decent.
4 years, 9 months ago
by
Batlacit
Capture high-quality videos with this Sony Handycam 4K camcorder. The 0.4-inch CMOS sensor delivers high-resolution 4K content with fast intelligent autofocus and enhanced audio, while the SteadyShot image stabilizer boasts clear detailed shots even at full zoom. This Sony Handycam 4K camcorder has a built-in Highlight Movie Maker that lets you create and share videos seamlessly.
Can I use a remote wireless microphone or lavalier microphone with this camera?
Yes - though depending on the exact model of mic it might require you to purchase some accessories that expands its input options. Out of the box it only supports external mics using a standard 3.5mm minijack.
4 years, 11 months ago
by
Batlacit
The Philips Hue HDMI Sync box adds premium surround lighting to your home theater by syncing your Hue smart lights with movies, music and video games. Watch, listen and play with more wonder and excitement as your lights dance, flash, dim and brighten with your screen. Requires Hue color capable lights and a Hue Bridge (sold separately).
Will this work with every generation of Hue bulbs?
Provided you've kept up with software updates, this should work with any Hue bulbs you may own.
5 years, 6 months ago
by
Batlacit