Computer Reviews

I believe that the Advent AV570 is the same as the Acoustic Research 570 Powered Partners that were made from 1984 until Advent gobbled up AR. I have one of the older 570s. What a great product! AR570s were invented well before every house had a computer sound system. "Bookshelf speaker" wasn't a widely recognized concept either. The AR570 was invented as a compact and tough package to monitor or reinforce sound in recording studios. It has exceptionally clear and linear acoustic performance. The thick cast aluminum housing is both rugged and dissipates heat from the internal amplifier quite well.

That this design hasn't been copied by every speaker manufacturer is a mystery to me. The AV570 is a unique combination of ultra clean sound quality, high output for size, and rugged construction. Buy 'em for your bookshelf, home theater, computer, or ANY application that calls for accurate and powerful sound reproduction in a compact package. I use mine as an acoustic guitar amplifier. I use an adaptor to go from my guitar's 1/4" mono jack to the AV570's RCA input. It sounds better than guitar amps that are twice as expensive and 10 times as large.

Highly recommended (IF the Advent AV570 is the same product as my Acoustic Research 570s)!

I had a pair of these for a couple of years that were recently stolen. These puppies kick ... . I used them with a portable Sony CD/FM player on big exhibit set-ups in So. Cal. These speakers would fill a whole hall in the Anahiem convention center with wonderfully clear music. They are awesome and everyone who heard them would comment and want some. The only draw back I found is the wieght. They are small but they are heavy. The volume, tone and base controls are a must.I bought some Bose roommates to replace them but they do not compare. I just ordered another pair of 570's and I can't wait to hook them up to the 40 gig Nomad Jukebox 3 that I have since picked up. You won't belive the sound that cranks out of these babies.

I have had these speakers since 1988. They are the best sounding speakers on the market. More expensive than your normal computer speakers but well worth it. These are designed for people that really appreciate quality sound and with todays computers having better and better sound capabilities. These go hand in hand.

I have tried a few other brands to see if I could get better sound and have yet to find a better sounding system. You can use these speakers with a portable MP3 player, CD player or a walkman and power an apartment or a room with these puppies. Add an additional subwoofer and have a audio system that sounds great.

Many people come into my computer room and can't believe that my computer is putting out sound like that. ( I run a Mac Computer )

Take your favorite CD's to the store and listen to these speakers. Sit back and enjoy. Advent has a great product on thier hands.

The DVD Copy Cruiser Dual supports all popular DVD formats and you can duplicate DVDs at speeds up to 4x as well as compile your own custom audio CDs using the DVD Copy Cruiser Dual and no computer is needed.

The DVD Copy Cruiser Dual is two systems in one. Not only is it a powerful stand alone DVD and CD duplicator, but it is equipped with a USB 2.0 connection so that you can connect its state of the art 4x DVD Recorder to your computer, load the powerful software included, and create your own custom DVDs. The advanced features of the DVD Copy Cruiser Dual make it the right choice for your computer room, entertainment center and your office or business. Its distinctive "Professional Black" look fits anywhere and is available only from Alera Technologies.

More and more business, government and education offices, musicians, record publishers, audio and video professionals, software and game developers, graphic artists, churches and other private organizations, are looking for a cost effective means to create and duplicate DVDs and CDs to distribute to customers, clients, employees, students, organization members, etc. The need to duplicate DVDs and CDs in your own office, where you have total control of the schedules, quantity and content has been growing since the first CD Recorders came on the scene. Until now, the necessary equipment has been cumbersome, hard to operate, and very expensive
Alera Technologies, the leader in desktop optical disc duplicator technology, has established a reputation with its 1:1 duplicators as being the company that offers duplicators with the performance and features required by professionals, at consumer prices. Applying our experience, with an in-depth understanding of the needs of the home and office user, Alera Technologies has developed the DVD Copy Cruiser Dual with the speed and control features needed in a professional environment and the stand alone power to duplicate DVDs and CDs at high speed as well as compile custom audio CDs, on a platform that can be connected to a computer and used for DVD and CD creation.

The DVD Copy Cruiser Dual l is equipped with a powerful software suite for DVD/CD creation and playback including:

Ulead DVD MovieFactory

Ahead Nero Express and Nero Vision Express

MusicMatch Jukebox

DVD Movie Player

With the DVD Copy Cruiser Dual and this powerful software suite, you can create custom video and music discs and share those discs with friends and family. You can create your own DVD movies with crystal-clear digital sound and with the unsurpassed quality of digital video. You can transfer analog or digital video directly from a camcorder or VCR to a DVD disc that can be played back in almost any set top player. And you protect your creations and memories on DVD discs that can last up to 100 years unlike videotape that deteriorates over time. You can store large amounts of data on either CDs and DVDs. You have the choice of creating permanent archives with DVD±R media or you can use DVD±RW media that can be overwritten, and reused.

With the DVD Copy Cruiser Dual you can record up to 4.7GB of video and move instantly to any of your DVD video scenes without fast forwarding or rewinding. You can store up to 4.7GB of photos, music or data files on one disc.

The new DVD Copy Cruiser Dual solves the DVD format dilemma with all new format flexibility. The DVD Copy Cruiser Dual can use either DVD-R/RW or DVD+R/RW media in making copies or DVD creations with up to 4x DVD recording speed.

The audio/video elegance of DVD is yours with the DVD Copy Cruiser Dual and its easy-to-use software that allows you to transfer digital and analog video from your camcorder or VCR and then quickly view the scenes on DVD. (Analog video capture requires a video capture card in addition to hardware included with the DVD Copy Cruiser Dual)

In the standalone duplicator mode, the DVD Copy Cruiser Dual incorporates a back lighted LCD readout that reports the % complete and other status elements of the copy process. It is important to be able to see this information as the process is taking place so you have an idea of when it will be completed. This is particularly useful when copying difficult to duplicate DVDs and CDs.

With the ease of operation of the DVD Copy Cruiser Dual there is no concern as to who can operate the machine, what skill level the operator possesses, or how much training will be needed. No special computer, multimedia or mastering experience is needed to make copies. For the normal copy job, you simply load the disc to be copied in the DVD-ROM drive, load the a blank disc in the DVD Recorder, Select Copy, Select the copy speed and in a few minutes you have an exact copy of your source CD

Even though the DVD Copy Cruiser Dual is easy to use, it includes powerful, professional copy control features normally available only on much more expensive systems. For complete control and copying flexibility , the DVD Copy Cruiser Dual has an array of powerful control features including:

Copy

Test Copy Disc

Edit Track

Close Disc

Quick Erase Disc

Full Erase Disc

System

There are many reasons why it is convenient and cost-effective to have access to your own high performance DVD/CD duplicator, especially an Alera Technologies DVD Copy Cruiser Dual.

A stand-alone CD/DVD duplicator comes in very handy. However, CD/DVD duplicators have traditionally been very pricey, and hence remained the domain of large businesses or professional studios (and even then they were only to be found at dedicated duplication departments). Thankfully, the technology has now become much more affordable, so that also smaller businesses, non-profit organizations and even consumers may consider obtaining one of these devices.

In the past, DVD duplicators were usually based on DVD-R technology due to its traditional market position in professional DVD duplication and publishing. This means that people already owning DVD+R/+RW equipment and at the same time wanting to use such a machine had to make sure that the source drive was capable of reading the DVD+R/+RW media they want to duplicate, and that they had to buy different media (DVD-R instead of DVD+R/+RW) instead of the ones they are used to and which they probably already bought in larger quantities for their normal recorders. Especially when noticing the current trend towards lower and lower prices for "plus" media, especially for DVD+RW compared to DVD-RW, and the generally wider availability of DVD+R and DVD+RW media in retail stores in the US and Europe, such a "DVD-R limited" duplicator might not be a smart choice to make nowadays.

Alera promptly reacted to this situation by offering a series of CD/DVD duplicator devices which are among the first to include full DVD+R and DVD+RW recording support. They still allow for DVD-R and DVD-RW media to be used for recording as well. The Alera DVD Copy Cruiser Dual machines are able to make duplicates of DVD media on either DVD+R or DVD-R media at 4x speed (resulting in a copy of a fully recorded DVD to be completed in around 15 minutes!), or by using rewritable DVD+RW or DVD-RW media at 2.4x or 2x speed respectively. What's more, the devices are also capable of recording all kinds of CD-types (including CD-Audio, Video-CD, Picture-CD and CD-ROM) on CD-R or CD-RW media.

A rather unique piece of equipment is the Alera 1:1 duplicator. It has the most impressive looks of them all, finished in a stylish black case, with the display and operational buttons conveniently placed on top of the device.

On top of the device, we find a bright, backlighted LCD display, and 4 operational buttons. All copying, track selection, erasing and audio playback operations can be performed from this display, no computer is required. The main function of course is copying. Just put the source disc in the top drive (either a CD, CD-R, CD-RW, DVD, DVD+R, DVD+RW, DVD-R or DVD-RW disc), and place an accompanying destination disc in the bottom recorder drive. Select the copy function, confirm writing speed (if, for any reason, you want to write the disc at a lower than its maximum allowed speed), and the copying process will start.
Copying DVDs works as straight-forward as copying CDs: just put the source DVD (of any format) in the source drive, and the recordable DVD (of any format) in the recorder, and start copying.

Then there is the Edit Track option. This can be used to make a compilation of various Audio-CDs. You can select the tracks you want to copy, and then these will be written to the destination CD. You can even determine the order of the tracks from a single CD that you want to copy. This operation can be repeated with several discs.

Now, there's one function of the DVD Copy Cruiser we haven't discussed yet. Besides using it as a stand-alone CD or DVD duplicating unit, it can also be used as a full featured DVD recorder drive when connected to a PC! On the back of the device, there's a USB 2.0 connector, and a switch to toggle between stand-alone use and PC use. Alera even provides a USB 2.0 cable in the box, to directly get you started. Once connected to a PC, it will automatically be recognized by the operating system. You may use the drive to burn CD-R, CD-RW, DVD+R, DVD+RW, DVD-R and DVD-RW media, and use it as a CD-ROM or DVD-ROM drive as well. This is why Alera refers to it as an 8-in-1 device.

Alera not only offers this PC functionality of the duplicator as a bonus, it even provides a remarkable set of software with the unit to get you up and running.

The Alera DVD Copy Cruiser's set of features really surprised us. We never expected a CD/DVD duplicator unit priced at consumer level to offer this much functionality. Next to simple 1-on-1 copying of both CD and DVD media, the backlighted LCD display opens up a lot of extra functions, all of which can be used without connecting the device to a PC. Think of the Edit Track feature, to allow you to create your own music CD compilations, or the extensive CD playback features that are available, to use the device as a stand-alone music player when it is not copying a CD or DVD. And of course, we fancy the fact that Alera has brought the DVD+R and DVD+RW formats into the duplicator field as one of the firsts in the industry, by offering a device that's capable of writing all popular DVD formats. And if all of this is not enough, the unit can also be used as a state-of-the art 4x DVD recorder drive when connected to a PC. It will get you up and going immediately, as it comes bundled with an enormous amount of software to let you do anything from burning data backups to creating full featured DVD-Video titles.

We wonder how this offer can be beaten by any other manufacturer, and for sure we think this will not happen anytime soon. This product not only flawlessly does what you expect from it, but also adds a lot of functionality on top. We proudly present it with a DVDplusRW.org Editor's Choice Award.

The new DVD Copy Cruiser Dual solves the DVD format dilemma. Now you can use DVD-R, DVD+R, DVD-RW, DVD+RW, DVD-ROM, CD-R, CD-RW and CD-ROM discs all with one product. The new Alera Technologies DVD Duplicators are based on Dual Standard 8-in-1 DVD±R/RW Technology. The DVD Copy Cruiser Dual supports all popular DVD formats and you can duplicate DVDs at speeds up to 4x using as well as compile your own custom audio CDs using the DVD Copy Cruiser Dual and no computer is needed.
The DVD Copy Cruiser Dual is two systems in one. Not only is it a powerful stand alone DVD and CD duplicator, but it is equipped with a USB 2.0 connection so that you can connect its state of the art 4x DVD Recorder to your computer, load the powerful software included, and create your own custom DVDs. The advanced features of the DVD Copy Cruiser Dual make it the right choice for your computer room, entertainment center and your office or business. Its distinctive "Professional Black" look fits anywhere.

I copy Video DVDs that I have created and CDs, both audio and data, at top speeds and get great copies. A DVD with a full 4.7 GBs copies in about 15 minutes. Speeds are selectable. I can even compile custom audio CDs right on the machine without having to go to a computer. Great Product

The DVD Copy Cruiser Quad CD Duplicator incorporates the latest Alera Technologies 4x DVD recording and duplicating technology. DVD Copy Cruiser Quad's are the professional, yet simple, solution for creating CD copies quickly and easily; For example, at 4x DVD speed, the DVD Copy Cruiser Quad can make copies of a 4.7GB DVD in about 15 minutes!

Alera Technologies, the leader in CD and DVD duplicator technology, has established a reputation with its 1:1 duplicators as being the company that offers duplicators with the performance and features required by professionals, at consumer prices. Now Alera Technologies has developed the DVD Copy Cruiser QUAD with the capability to duplicate DVDs at up to astonishing 4x speeds and with the control features needed in a professional environment such as mine.

The DVD Copy Cruiser QUAD can also be used as a powerful 4x DVD Recorder when attached to my PC via the available external USB 2.0 connection.

A Quick List of Reasons the DVD Copy Cruiser Quad is at the top of my Wish List Include:

Alera Technologies has developed the DVD Copy Cruiser QUAD with the capability to duplicate DVDs at up to astonishing 4x speeds and with the control features needed in a professional environment

Simple one touch operation, no set up required, Plug it in and start copying immediately

Powerful Control Features with intuitive menu maximizing copy control, flexibility, and output

Back Lighted LCD display shows status/% complete of Copy process and other functions

4x DVD recording speed for high volume copying

Unique "Edit Track" feature to extract specific audio tracks from Source CD to create compilation discs

No Hard Drive required, image caching done on the fly to multiple recorders simultaneously

Completely Stand Alone, no computer required

Powerful features usually found only in the most expensive duplicators

Manufacturers Published Preliminary Specifications:

Data Writing Speed: DVD-R 4x (5.54MB/s), DVD-RW 2x (2.77MB/s), CD-R 16x (2.4)MB/s), CD-RW 8x (1.2MB/s)
Data Transfer Speed: DVD-ROM 16x (2.4MB/s), CD-ROM 40x (6.0MB/s)
Average Access Time: DVD-ROM 16x 140ms, CD-ROM 130ms
Data Buffer: 2MB
Supported Media Types: DVD-R, DVD-RW, CD-R, CD-RW,
Supported Formats: DVD-ROM, DVD-Video, CD-ROM (Mode1 & Mode2), CD-ROM/XA (Mode2 form1 & form2), CD-DA, Mixed-Mode, Video CD, CD-I, Photo CD (Single & Multi-session), CD-Extra, CD Bridge, ISO9660
Includes an external USB 2.0 port for easy hot pluggable connection to your computer for DVD/CD-Creating and Recording
Extensive Award-Winning Software Suite included for DVD Authoring, DVD/CD-Recording, and much more
Duplicates or Records DVD-R and DVD-RW discs that can be played back in most Set Top DVD players and DVD-ROM drives

NOTE: The DVD Copy Cruiser QUAD will NOT duplicate copy protected DVD materials such as DVD movies

I went from a standard laptop case from IBM to this backpack and I couldn't be happier. My T20 fits fine in the padded slot for the laptop and I still have lots of room for accessories and books, etc. It is also so much more convienient to carry around on the train to work than the bulky IBM case. Good construction and pretty good looking too!

Terrific bag for a mid-sized laptop. It holds my IBM 1200 I-series with a 13.3 inch screen just right, if the laptop was any larger, the bag would be too small. There are plenty of pockets for CD's, the ac adapter, an external mouse, cable lock, plus room for books or manuals.

Other good points, it looks like an ordinary backpack, it isn't advertising to the world that you're carrying $2000 worth of electronics with you.

This bag is a great flashy color that is cool for any high schooler. It holds your laptop plus has room for books, papers, etc. A great price for a bag that will last 4 years of school!

Before this SLK1600 case, my computer got problem on modem. It always hang-up by itself. After I moved to this case, the problem is gone. This is probably because my old PSU provided unstable power or the case was too hot inside.

The only problem of SLK1600 is you cannot put a CDROM into the 3rd 5.25" space since the rear is too close to mainboard. If you want to fully use the 3 spaces, go with SLK2600 or SX630II. Other than that, this case is very good, very quiet (I don't know if Antec TruePower is really quieter than SmartPower), and PSU is powerful enough. Don't save 10 or 20 bucks on some cheaper cases. You'll regret.

One thing, you might need 2 fans for rear and front.

Although it is not built to the "tank" standards that the higher end Antec cases it's certainly no cheapie by any stretch of the imagination. The 300W power supply rivals many rated at 400W and higher. Interior is just right for a mini ATX motherboard but really no more. I've built a few systems with this case and for systems without many additional drives it delivers great value.

I've used many cases building for friends. Some cheap cases are band-aid dispensers: their sharp edges are just waiting to cut fingers. While this case may not be up to the standards of the more expensive Antec cases, for a vauleline case, its great.

**PROS**
Holds 8 drives in three drive cages. At the top it'll hold three 5.25" drives (such as CD-ROMs, DVD drives). In the middle it'll hold three 3.5" drives (i.e.: a floppy or Zip drive)of which, 2 are accessible to the outside. In the bottom cage, it will hold two 3.5" drives that aren't accessible (i.e.: Hard drives). Both the middle and bottom cages can be unscrewed and removed from the case which makes putting in drives that much easier.

Its very easy to mount a motherboard in the SLK1600, mostly because you can remove the drive cages first.

There are two spots for 80mm fans, one for a fan that bolts directly to the back of the case and the other is a holder in the front of the case. No fans are included however.

There are two front USB ports that one can use provided your motherboard had the necessary headers. Most newer boards will have them.

The 300W Antec SmartPower sounds like it may be too small, but its a quality power supply capable of providing power (280W with the 12V connector) at the level of many cheaper 400W supplies.

Easy to get into. There are two thumbscrews on the back. Once those are off, the top comes off and both sides simply lift off.

**CONS**

Its not the best looking case around (personal opinion).

Distinctly cheaper feel than the bigger (and more expensive) Antec cases

Power supply has only one fan. I would liked to have a power supply with a fan that draws air in from the case and exhausts it out the back.

Does not ship with a case fan. You'll have to buy at least one 80mm fan.

i was worried it may be noisy, but it's not. i have a pentium 4, 17" monitor, two hard drives, etc. and it says i'm using 158-170 watts of power. this thing can handle a lot more than that. very happy with it.

The UPS is simple, easy to install and the software is a delight, you can view and configure everything.

With the included USB cable, you can configure min and max normal voltage, view the UPS log, disable audible alarms during certain hours, and more.

Definitively, the best UPS I ever had.

This UPS worked right out of the box as advertized. I am running Windows XP Home so I had to download the software from the APC Web Site. Installed without a hitch. Software is very easy to use and tells you everything that you would want to know about the status of the UPS. I am running my tower, monitor and all peripherals from the UPS. This draws an average of 185 watts which gives me 12 minutes of backup. I setup the software to 'shutdown' my PC after 3 minutes of a power outage. During a test it did exactly as advertized. Great product

I use this phone at work. It works great. Volume, caller ID, redial are all working well. Battery stays charged even when I forget to put it on the base when I leave at night. The battery life display is very helpful! We do not have a wireless net work so I can't speak for that type of interference but it sits next to my printer, under the copier/fax and next to my desk with my computer and it's clear as a bell. You can't get too far (go outside to the parking lot) away from the base but isn't that true of all of the portables?

Bought this phone several months ago, and now I'm ordering more of the expandable handsets as my other 2-line phones wear out. It works great....and I really like how the handsets take up little space and only need an electric outlet. You can even put them in the bathroom!!! Great product.

We have three of these handsets to go with the answering machine/base. We use them all over the house as phones and intercom. You can call any handset from any other handset. Has redial memory like a cell, use the arrow keys to find the last few numbers you called from that handset. Easily listen to messages from any handset. All this and we didn't read the manual! Who knows what other features are lurking...

This seems like a very good microphone, but there were NO directions in the box! NO website on the box, NO phone number on the box. A google search brings up the website for Audio-Technica, but why should a customer have to go through that to find out who they are???? There are a few sketchy directions on the box.....Only complaint so far: when you put in the battery and try to replace the little plastic lid over it, it is hard - maybe impossible - to get the lid to close securely (may have to tape it over the battery) I played with it for an hour.....So they need a better-fitting, easier-to-replace lid over the battery compartment......Otherwise, I would recommend this.

This microphone is uniquely designed and lays flat on your desk. It doesn't have to be near your mouth to pick up the sound clearly. Unlike other microphones, especially the kinds with stands and a stick, this microphone does not get knocked over, turned away, or have to be adjusted. I use this microphone to have voice conferences while playing games like Planetside. So far, this is the best microphone I've ever had!

This is the best mic! It is a good shape, easy to use, simple, small, good quality and perfect for any home mic use! I LOVE mine!

I've read lots of reviews that said after a few hours the screen shut down, and you could hear the movie, but not see it. The back of the Audiovox screen gets hot after 3-4 hours (which I think is normal) so we would shut it off for about 30 minutes, and hoping it would be fine. We have had it for a month, taken several 3-4 hour trips and two 19 hour trips and it is working great. It is easy to use, my 7, 9, and 10 year old kids can work the controls on the player to start the movie, and they like being able to go through the special features on their own now. They all claimed to have a great view while watching in the backseat of our truck. The player also has a contrast adjust which really cut down on the amount of glare on the back window, compared to the TV/VCR we used to use. We used the car adapter the whole time in the car, but I have used the battery for small periods, just to finish up the movie they were watching. I have hooked it up to a TV and it worked as if it were a regular DVD player, with quality sound and picture. I plan to set it up as our second DVD player in the house.

We purchased this DVD player for our children last year and it has been a life saver. We have two boys and travel a lot. We purchased a splitter and two head sets and off we go. Our DVD player has been dropped, stepped on, sat on, you name it, it's been done and it's still going strong. We love the slimline and the size of the wide screen. The clarity and color is so clear. Another plus about our Audiovox, after looking at several other name brands we found that the sound on this brand was great. Others you could hardly hear turned all the way up, even with headphones. This has become a staple in our home...if it broke I would be going to find another (Audiovox)!!! You will not regret it!!!

Great dvd player I got it for my 11th birthday. It is very nice has tons of features and has a 7 inch screen. LCD is very clear at an affordable price. Would buy for double what I payed! Alot better than the Poloried for a certain price and the guy at Best Buy said that he did not reccomend it. I love this player!!

Easy setup, I received this package and was eagerto install. Sharring a printer. One thing to mention it does require on regular printer cable and TWO male to male cables to hook two pc's up to one printer. So order an extra cable with it. Easy set up again, didn't have to install any HW for the printer. Seems to take jobs very fast.

The Bitronics Autoswitch works just as you'd expect. I boughtit at amazon.com to switch between a HP Laserjet 6L and an HP Officejet scanner/printer/fax... the Laserjet is my main printer, but occasionally I use the Officejet to scan pictures and the like. (And note that there's no problem using bi-directional devices like scanners.)

It works like a champ. No need to install the (optional) software, no need to plug it in-- just hook up the cables and you're good to go. You just press a button to switch between the two devices.

Only thing to know is that there's nothing "automatic" about this-- you need to do the switching yourself. The word "automatic" refers to another way you can use this switch-- to hook two PCs up to a single device. I don't need this capability, so I haven't tried it.

Good product.

I bought this model last year to switch between my HP Laser and Canon color ink jet. It's great -- very easy to switch back and forth, easy to hook up. I would recommend, however, purchasing the extra AC power plug (information on ordering should come with the AutoSwitch) -- without it I occasionally had problems with glitches in the data sent to one printer or the other.