(Credit:
Denon)
When it comes to turntables, I prefer them in their natural, all-analog state.
That's just me. Mixing digits and grooves is a hot topic of late. My pal Chris Chiarella over at Home Entertainment magazine seemed to really like Denon's new DP-200USB turntable ($250). I reviewed another USB turntable last year and thought it was too much work to use.
I'm no expert in this area, but this Denon seems like a better way to go. First, you don't need a computer nearby to do the analog-to-digital thing. Chiarella just connected the turntable's analog cables to his receiver's phono input, after switching the turntable's internal Phono EQ to Off (so the Denon will work even if your receiver is phono-input challenged).
The DP-200USB's best feature is its front-panel USB port. The system's internal MP3 encoder converts analog signals to digital files. A blinking red light confirms that grooves are being digitized. Denon claims 30 LPs fit on a 1GB drive.
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I don't like to misuse the word "cheap," so I won't. Instead, I'll just say that the Asus VH236H is one of the best monitor deals out there.
(Credit: Josh P. Miller/CNET)I request a lot of monitors from various manufacturers without always taking into account their retail costs. Sometimes, I'm just much more excited about posting a review of the latest, greatest, coolest monitor, than I am about the cheapest.
Thing is, most users simply don't care about the latest, greatest, coolest monitor. Most simply want something that's low-priced and does what it does (shows pictures of whatever they're attempting to display) well enough that they don't notice any problems.
I've gotten plenty of feedback lately requesting such information. "What is the best monitor for normal office work and occasional movie watching? My budget is $175-$225. ByeiiiEE!"
OK, I added the "ByeiiiEE!" but, here today, to quench your penny-pinching thirst, are my picks for the five best monitors that won't run you more than $200 (before shipping/taxes of course).
Be sure to always check out more monitor reviews here as well.
On Sale Now: $199.10
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The new StorCenter ix2-200 from Iomega.
(Credit: Iomega)If you like the StorCenter ix2 NAS server, Iomega has some news for you.
The company announced Thursday the next generation of the server, the Iomega StorCenter ix2-200. This is a dual-bay NAS server that can be set up in RAID 1 configuration for data protection.
Like the previous version, the new server doesn't offer a quick way to replace the hard drive. You will have to use quite a bit of screwdriving work to get this done, which means no hot-swapping, either. Some other two-bay NAS servers, such as the QNAP TS-239 Pro, offer a tool-free way to do this. The new Iomega NAS server also lacks an eSATA port for external storage.
To make up for this, it has Bluetooth support, which has been the unique feature of Iomega NAS servers, and comes with three USB ports that can be used with both USB external hard drives and printers. The server is powered by EMC's Linux-based proprietary firmware, which offers a generous set of network storage features, including:
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(Credit:
Fujifilm)
With Polaroid killing off its instant-film business in favor of its Zink printing technology, Fujifilm saw a hole it could fill with its instant-film cameras. The first Instax camera arrived in November 2008, and Wednesday the company announced the arrival of the Instax Mini 7S.
The 7S features:
- Automatic built-in flash for low-light shooting
- 1/60-second electronic shutter
- LED exposure indicator
- Silken white finish
- Measures 5 inches by 5 inches by 2.5 inches (HWD)
The camera uses Fujifilm's Mini Instax 2-inch by 3-inch film with a printed area of 1.8 inches by 2.4 inches. It's an ISO 800 speed with a glossy finish and, at that size, hopefully very little visible graininess. A 10 pack runs $19.99, though, which is kind of prohibitive for regular shooting.
I'm pretty sure it's the same camera that was being sold at Urban Outfitters earlier this year, but regardless, this one will be available at more than one retail location in September for $95.99 (which again seems like a steep price for a niche market).
Lucid's Hydra allows for this kind of fraternizing to take place. An Nvidia and ATI card in the same system.
(Credit: Eric Franklin/CNET)Last year I reported on the Lucid Hydra 100. For details on what Hydra is and how it works, check that post.
This week Lucid is announcing an upgraded solution, the Hydra 200. Hydra allows two video cards to simultaneously be used in a single system.
Before clicking the Back button, yes I know Nvidia and ATI have been doing this for years with their SLI and Crossfire solutions, respectively.
The twist here is that the Lucid technology will allow you to mix and match both ATI and Nvidia cards. According to Lucid, you'll even be able to use cards from different manufacturers like EVGA and Sapphire. Lucid says that as long the cards are PCI-Express-compatible and support Direct X 9, they will work and provide an additive performance increase when paired together.
The first motherboard to implement the technology will be MSI's Big Bang in late October 2009, using Intel's P55 platform.
From there, we'll see how well it works out in the real world. With so many different configurations to test for, there are bound to be a few Lucid's testing team missed, as diligent as I'm sure they were.
Also, how much performance ncrease will you actually see? It had a demo PC running Bioshock and FEAR 2, but to be honest it was difficult to see a noticeable difference between using just one card or both.
It will be interesting to see how ATI and Nvidia respond to this as well, and can they get OEMs like Dell to adopt the technology?
The technology is exciting if it actually works in the real world and they can get enough support from manufacturers and OEMs. I guess we'll have a clearer picture in a few weeks when Big Bang drops.
(Credit:
Casio)
Casio's going full force after consumers shopping for digital cameras in the $100-$200 price range. First, the company announces the Exilim EX-Z450 and EX-Z90, $199.99 and $149.99, respectively. And then Monday, it announces the $179.99 EX-Z280 and $119.99 EX-Z33.
The Z280 (pictured right) is a 12-megapixel ultracompact with an f2.6-5.9 26-104mm-equivalent wide-angle lens with a 4x zoom, sensor-shift image stabilization, 2.7-inch LCD, and Casio's newest image processing engine featuring a dual-processor design for lower power consumption and better photo results. It also gives you 720p HD-quality video capture and the latest iteration of Casio's green-screen Dynamic Photo function. A very compelling package for what will probably street at around $170.
With a more entry-level feature set, the Z33 is a 10-megapixel model with a 3x optical zoom and a 2.5-inch LCD. It does the basics I expect to find on a camera at this price--VGA movie mode, face detection, lots of scene modes--but its also very thin at 0.7 of an inch and weighs roughly 4 ounces with SD card and battery. Plus, it has built-in compatibility with Eye-Fi's SD cards for wireless transfer of photos.
The EX-Z280, available this September 2009, will be offered in a silver body color (though Casio has photos of gold and pink versions so maybe those colors, too). The EX-Z33 will also be available in September in black, light pink, vivid pink, silver, and blue.
(Credit:
Hercules)
For this week's installment of the weekly Crave giveaway, we're offering up the Hercules ePlug 200 Duo. The product is an Ethernet-to-powerline adapter set, and it's ideal for anyone who wants to extend a home network into another room of the house without running extra wires or setting up complicated wireless bridges. Just plug one of the ePlug units into the electrical socket near your router, and put the other one near the destination device (a game console, DVR, set-top box, or any other networked product), and you should be good to go.
Normally, this package would cost around $150, but you have the chance to get the whole thing gratis.
So, how do you try to win a free Hercules ePlug 200 Duo package? Let me enumerate the basic rules. Please read them carefully; there will be a test.
- Register as a CNET user. Go to the top of this page and hit the "Join CNET" link to start the registration process. If you're already registered, no need to register again.
- Leave a comment below. You can leave whatever comment you want. If it's funny or insightful it won't help you win, but we're trying to have fun here, so anything entertaining is appreciated.
- Leave only one comment. You may enter this specific giveaway only once. If you enter more than one comment, you will be automatically disqualified.
- The winner will be chosen randomly. The winner will receive one (1) Hercules ePlug 200 Duo (which consists of separate source and destination modules). Approximate retail value is $150.
- If you are chosen, you will be notified via e-mail. Winners must respond within three days of the end of the contest. If you do not respond within that period, another winner will be chosen.
- Entries can be submitted until Monday, August 31, at noon EDT.
NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. MUST BE LEGAL RESIDENT OF ONE OF THE 50 UNITED STATES OR D.C., 18 YEARS OF AGE OR OLDER AT DATE OF ENTRY INTO SWEEPSTAKES. VOID IN PUERTO RICO, ALL U.S. TERRITORIES AND POSSESSIONS AND WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. Sweepstakes ends at 12 PM EDT on August 31, 2009. See official rules for details.
Good luck.
Although the technology debuted in 2006, for many consumers Blu-ray still feels like brand-new tech. That's why home-theater-in-a-box (HTIB) systems like the Panasonic SC-BT200 and SC-BT300 feel like such an incredible deal--with a street price as low as $450 for the SC-BT200, you get a 7.1 speaker system plus a slimline AV receiver with an integrated Blu-ray player.
The biggest knock against both of the systems we reviewed is that that competing HTIBs offer better streaming media options; both the Samsung HT-BD1250T and LG LHB953 have both Netflix and Pandora streaming, which we prefer to the Panasonic's YouTube and Amazon Video On Demand streaming.
On the other hand, both the SC-BT200 and SC-BT300 offer sound quality darn good for the price, with the SC-BT300 sounding slightly better thanks to more power and tall-boy front speakers. Although we haven't done hands-on testing with its competitors yet (coming soon), there's no doubt that Panasonic Blu-ray HTIBs are well-thought-out systems that offer a legitimate home theater experience on a budget.
Read the full review of the Panasonic SC-BT200
Read the full review of the Panasonic SC-BT300
On Sale Now: $369.97 - $599.95
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On Sale Now: $398.00 - $699.95
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Nikon 70-200mm VR II
(Credit: Nikon)Improving on two already-popular Nikon lenses, Nikon today announced the new AF-S DX Nikkor 18-200mm f3.5-5.6 ED VR II, and the new AF-S Nikkor 70-200mm f2.8 G ED VR II. One is a popular FX series lens, the 70-200 f2.8, which has long been a staple for working professionals due to its fast aperture and versatility. And one is a popular DX series lens, the 18-200mm f3.5-5.6, which is one of Nikon's best sellers for the simple fact of its amazing versatility in a single lens. Both new lenses share Nikon's latest image-stabilization technology, Vibration Reduction II (VR II) for reduced blur from camera shake. VR II is said to compensate for up to four stops, allowing the shooter to shoot handheld up to four shutter speeds slower. The VR II on both lenses has two modes: a Normal mode for general usage, and an Active mode for when there is constant vibration; an example given was shooting from a moving car.
Nikon 18-200mm VR II
(Credit: Nikon)The AF-S DX Nikkor 18-200mm f3.5-5.6 ED VR II with its 35mm equivalent range of 27-300mm offers amazing range, and is a lens capable of most everything. It now features two Extra-low Dispersion (ED) lens elements for enhanced sharpness and minimized chromatic aberration. There are also now three aspherical lens elements for improved image quality. The lens has Nikon's Super Integrated Coating for reduced flare and ghosting. Nikon has added a zoom lock, which allows you to lock the zoom ring when the lens is at 18mm to prevent the zoom ring from extending while carrying the lens, a welcome addition.
The AF-S Nikkor 70-200mm f2.8 G ED VR II lens is the latest improvement on what has long been a basic piece of equipment in most pro shooters' gear bags, with its fast aperture and telephoto range, and for much less than the 300mm f2.8. It now features a total of seven ED lens elements for improved sharpness and contrast, even at its widest apertures. It now has Nikon's Nano Crystal Coating for a reduction in flare and ghosting, on top of the SIC coating that it already had to minimize ghosting and flare in images. There is also Nikon's Silent Wave Motor for quick and quiet autofocusing, and it has the ability to take full advantage of Nikon's 3D autofocus tracking systems in cameras such as the D3x, D3, and the D700. To round things out there is a nine-bladed aperture diaphragm for a nicer bokeh, the softness of the out-of-focus part of an image shot at a wide aperture like f2.8.
Both of these lenses will be available in September 2009 with the 18-200mm f3.5-5.6 VR II going for $849.95, and the 70-200mm f2.8 VR II going for $2,399.95.
Multiroom in a box: The Bundle 250 retails for $999.
(Credit: CNET)
Sonos is back for 2009 with a new version of its signature Digital Audio System. Like earlier iterations of the Sonos product, the new Bundle 250 lets you wirelessly access your computer's digital music collection as well as a wide range of Internet radio and streaming-audio services (Pandora, Last.fm, and--with paid subscriptions--Napster and Rhapsody) in two rooms of the house, with the option to expand that up to a whopping 32 rooms. But the latest Sonos system adds a major upgrade: the CR200 touch-screen remote.
If that wasn't good enough--and the remote is excellent--it can also be controlled by any iPhone or iPod Touch running a free application that's available via the iTunes App Store. The result is a whole-house music system that's easier to control than ever before.
What's the catch? The system costs a somewhat pricey $1,000. While that may seem like a lot, custom-installed systems can cost as much as $5,000 per room and they aren't as easy to use nor do they offer the level functionality found in this system. We were always impressed by Sonos' capability to access your home music collection and a variety of online music options, but the addition of the slick new touch-screen remote--and the iPhone/iPod Touch integration--gives the luxury digital audio system a compelling leg up on the competition.
Read the full review of the Sonos Bundle 250.
Disclosure: Last.fm is a part of CBS Interactive, which also publishes CNET Reviews.
