Neoya Wii2HDMI (converter for Wii console)

The good: Successfully outputs Wii audio and video over a single HDMI connection; additional 1/8-inch audio-out jack; no extra power required; simple setup.

The bad: Adds 3 inches to the back of Wii console.

The bottom line: Though it won't improve the picture quality had on a current Wii component connection, the Wii2HDMI adapter successfully carries audio and video over a single HDMI signal.

Review:

Believe it or not, the Nintendo Wii seems to be one of the only major electronics out there that doesn't offer an HDMI-out port. Sure, the game console is only capable of outputting a 480p resolution, but since the HDMI standard has become so pervasive in the last few years, at the very least we assumed an updated model with such accommodations would have seen the light of day by now.

At any rate, E3 2010 came and went, with nothing new in terms of Wii hardware. Those wishing to connect their Wii console to an HDMI AV receiver ... Expand full review

Believe it or not, the Nintendo Wii seems to be one of the only major electronics out there that doesn't offer an HDMI-out port. Sure, the game console is only capable of outputting a 480p resolution, but since the HDMI standard has become so pervasive in the last few years, at the very least we assumed an updated model with such accommodations would have seen the light of day by now.

At any rate, E3 2010 came and went, with nothing new in terms of Wii hardware. Those wishing to connect their Wii console to an HDMI AV receiver or HDTV are still left with a maximum quality connection of component wiring.

We've been clamoring for some sort of Wii HDMI adapter for the longest time and just got our hands on the first third-party attempt at doing so. The Neoya Wii2HDMI converts the Nintendo Wii into an HDMI-compatible device, successfully carrying audio and video over a single signal. There isn't much involved in setting up the Wii2HDMI adapter; it simply plugs into the Wii's video-out port.

The adapter adds about 3 inches to the rear of the Wii console, so keep that in mind if space might be an issue. The attachment not only converts video and audio into one signal over HDMI, but also offers a separate analog audio out via an adjacent 1/8-inch headphone jack. We found this especially useful with receivers that don't necessarily allow for simultaneous audio and video over HDMI.

 

Believe it or not, the Nintendo Wii seems to be one of the only major electronics out there that doesn't offer an HDMI-out port. Sure, the game console is only capable of outputting a 480p resolution, but since the HDMI standard has become so pervasive in the last few years, at the very least we assumed an updated model with such accommodations would have seen the light of day by now.

At any rate, E3 2010 came and went, with nothing new in terms of Wii hardware. Those wishing to connect their Wii console to an HDMI AV receiver or HDTV are still left with a maximum quality connection of component wiring.

We've been clamoring for some sort of Wii HDMI adapter for the longest time and just got our hands on the first third-party attempt at doing so. The Neoya Wii2HDMI converts the Nintendo Wii into an HDMI-compatible device, successfully carrying audio and video over a single signal. There isn't much involved in setting up the Wii2HDMI adapter; it simply plugs into the Wii's video-out port.

The adapter adds about 3 inches to the rear of the Wii console, so keep that in mind if space might be an issue. The attachment not only converts video and audio into one signal over HDMI, but also offers a separate analog audio out via an adjacent 1/8-inch headphone jack. We found this especially useful with receivers that don't necessarily allow for simultaneous audio and video over HDMI.

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The Wii2HDMI provides two options for audio-out.

In terms of performance, we couldn't detect any noticeable difference in picture quality using a component connection as a means of comparison. Because the Wii console is only capable of outputting 480p, the adapter is not upscaling the image, but rather converting it to an HDMI signal. That said, if you're currently using the composite cables that come bundled along with the Wii, an upgrade to this adapter or component cables would net you an obvious increase in overall image and video quality.

Overall, this product simply provides a means of convenience. Those wishing for a better picture should not expect the Wii2HDMI to provide one. However, if you're more interested in the luxury and simplicity that having another HDMI device provides, the $40 Wii2HDMI is the way to go.

(CNet).

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Sony VAIO L Series VPCL117FX/T Review

The Sony VAIO L Series VPCL117FX/T is a pricey All-in-One PC. What do you expect from $1,999 AIO PC? At least it is under $2,000. Unfortunately Sony only give you a PC bundled with a 64-bit version of Windows 7 Home Premium. With $1,999 price i think they should give us the ultimate version.

There is an entry-level VAIO L Series with more-friendly price. It comes in at $1,299. It comes with an Intel Pentium E5400 dual-core processor (2.7GHz), Nvidia GeForce G210M graphics, 4GB of DDR2 memory, 320GB hard drive, and a Blu-ray drive.

This pricey PC come with 2,66GHz Intel Core 2 Quad Q8400S, 6GB DDR2 memory, and incredibly huge 1TB hard drive. Sure it has a lot of horsepower inside. The Optical drive is Blu-ray burner/DVD±RW burner combo, so you can easily burn a Blu-ray or DVD disc. The graphics card is 1GB Nvidia GeForce GT240M.

The glossy 24-inch LCD monitor came with 1,920x1,080 native resolution. It's a touch screen LCD monitor, and it's a multitouch one.

When we're talking about multimedia features, we can trust Sony. The speaker located at the bottom is very good. The sound is loud and clear.

There are five USB 2.0 ports. Three on rear and two on left side. There are RCA connectors and an HDMI port available.

Internal TV tuner is one unique feature because people watch internet TV these days. With its internal TV tuner you can even play PlayStation 3, Wii, or XBox 360. Of course you can record TV like on the ordinary TV tuners available.

This L series should be good enough to do heavy office jobs like 3D design. Even you can make this AIO as a server for not-too-large amounts of clients.


Specifications:
Processor: 2.66GHz Intel Core 2 Quad Q8400S
Memory: 6GB DDR2
Storage: 1TB hard drive
Optical Drive: Blu-ray burner/DVD±RW burner combo
Monitor: Integrated 24-inch LCD monitor (1,920x1,080 native resolution)
Graphics: Nvidia GeForce GT240M (1GB)
Operating System: Windows 7 Home Premium (64-bit)

See more pictures of Sony VAIO L Series VPCL117FX/T here.

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SRS MyVolume HDMI Review

SRS MyVolume HDMI is an innovation for home theater lovers.

The small black device will make your ears healthy while you're watching your favourite TV show on a home theater system. Simply attach your source device to its HDMI input port and connect the output HDMI connection to your TV. The SRS MyVolume HDMI will automatically equalizes excess volume noise.



There where times when you are watching your favourite drama movies on TV and feel sleepy. The loud commercial ads make you awake and jump from your chair. Luckily you don't have heart attack. With $100 SRS MyVolume HDMI it will never happen again. If you choose analog instead the HDMI, there's also an analog version for $50.

SRS MyVolume HDMI volume leveler supports HDMI 1.3, HDCP 1.1, and DVI 1.0 protocols. In terms of resolution, it can carry a maximum signal of 1080p at 60Hz.

It's not cheap. But it's good for your ears and heart.

See more SRS MyVolume HDMI Pictures here.

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MSI X420

This brand new MSI X420 notebook is stylish. This $799 MSI X420 is powerful with 1.3GHz Intel Core 2 Duo SU7300 processor. Unfortunately the memory is only 2GB of RAM and the storage is 250GB. We can see some competitors with cheaper price, 4GB of RAM and 320GB storage. You will be happier to have 4GB of RAM than 2GB of RAM if you're using Windows 7. This notebook bundled with Windows 7 Home Premium 32 bit.

The MSI X420 have less RAM and storage than its competitors. But it has more powerful graphics card. 1GB of ATI Radeon HD 5430 is onboard. It surely will help you to play some 3D games, but not the the games that need a very powerful graphics card like Farcry.

The interesting feature is switchable graphics. If you need a 3D power to run some heavy graphics software you can switch to ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5430 GPU. If you need a longer battery life to do some office work, just switch to the integrated Intel GMA solution.

Like some low level notebooks, this MSI X420 doesn't have an optical drive and Expresscard slot. In equipped with a 1.3-megapixels Webcam, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, a card reader, and two USB ports, HDMI and VGA video ports, an eSATA/USB combo port, headphone and microphone jacks, and an Ethernet port.

It weight 4.1 pounds with 0.9x13.8x9.2 inches dimension. The screen is 14 inch and has maximum resolution of 1,366x768 pixels with 16:9 aspect ratio. Large enough for average home and office users. The screen delivers sharp picture and displaying 720p HD video beautifully.

The touchpad is good. But the keyboard is noisy and a little bit flimsy. With its battery you can watch video streaming for above three hours.

If only MSI X420 has an optical drive, it will be a good deal for $799 notebook with 14 inch screen and switchable graphics.

See more pictures of MSI X420.

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Acer Aspire M3802-U9062 Review

Acer Aspire M3802-U9062

Acer Aspire M3802-U9062 is $649.99 midrange desktop computer.

With 2.5GHz Intel Core 2 Quad Q8300 and 8GB of DDR2 memory make the Aspire powerful enough to do hard works. The processor is not latest generation of Intel Core processor. It's neither Intel Core i5 or Core i7. The 8GB memory is huge but it's DDR2,  slower than DDR3 memories.

The graphics card is 1 GB Nvidia GeForce GT220.  The hard drive is 1TB. It means a huge collections of documents, pictures, and even movies. But unfortunately the hard drive is only 5,400rpm which is slower than 7,200rpm hard drive. 


There's also a 16x DVD±RW drive, 802.11b/g Wi-Fi card, a 14-in-1 flash memory card reader and 7.1-channel audio. This system is not coming with any monitor, but it comes with Windows 7 Home Premium (64 bit). Unfortunately the Wi-Fi doesn't support 802.11n. There are 10 USB 2.0 ports. There are a lot of trial software comes preloaded. Acer also give you a laser mouse and a multimedia keyboard.

The case is bold and stylish. There are a Gigabit Ethernet, digital audio, six analog audio, and two PS/2 ports. The graphics card includes DVI, HDMI, and VGA connections. There are six Serial ATA connectors.

If you're looking to purchase an under-$700 desktop, this is the right choice for you. The Acer Aspire M3802-U9062 is available exclusively on Newegg.com.

Picture Gallery

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Dell Inspiron i1545-4742JBK Review

The $649.98 Dell Inspiron i1545-4742JBK is nice 15.6-inch notebook with dual-core Intel CPU for home users. It has a 2.1GHz Intel Pentium T4300 processor and 4GB of system memory.

It supports 1,366x768 resolution and 16:9 aspect ratio. No full HD 1080p support. This Inspiron only support 720p. The 15.6-inch screen is bright and has good image quality.

There are one USB port, an ExpressCard slot, a multiformat DVD drive on the right side. On the left side there are 7-in-1 card reader and two audio jacks, two USB ports, a VGA output, and an Ethernet port on the left side.

Unfortunately there is not any HDMI and eSATA ports. And don't expect 802.11n wireless networking with this Inspiron. It only supports wireless b/g.

This laptop is really good enough for home users.

More Pictures of Dell Inspiron i1545-4742JBK

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HP Pavilion p6234f-b Review

With 12.1-inch wides-creen monitor, which is capable of true 1080 HD (1,980 by 1,080 resolution graphics) with VGA, HDMI and DVI connectors., The HP's Pavilion p6234f-b is relatively inexpensive. With $750 you will get Intel Pentium Dual Core E53400 processor and 6GB of memory and 640GB hard drive.

The features are: 15-in-1 media card reader, DVD burner, six USB ports, one FireWire port, standard wired keyboard and wired mouse. The slots available are a PCI card slot, PCIe x16 graphics card, two PCIe x1 expansion cards, and one DIMM slot.

The Pavilion comes with Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit. It included 60-day trial subscription to Norton Internet Security, ads for eBay and Snapfish, ads for dial-up Internet services, Wildtangent's pay for play, Microsoft Office 2007 60-day trial edition, and HP MediaSmart Software Suite 3.0.

The hardware configuration is more than enough for average home users. If the price is cheaper the p6234f-b will be HP best seller PC.

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