Onkyo Announces Top-of-the-Line HDMI 1.4 3D Ready Network Receivers TX-NR5008 & TX-NR3008

Onkyo TX-NR5008 (left) and TX-NR3008 (right). Many additional photos are available on line.

Upper Saddle River, NJ (6/29/10) — Onkyo, a world-renowned innovator in home entertainment, has announced the release of two new high-end network A/V receivers, the TX-NR5008 and TX-NR3008, that offer a wide range of the most up-to-date and user-friendly home theater features, and have achieved THX® Ultra2 Plus™ certification. Both receivers support network audio streaming, various multi-room set-ups, iPhone/iPod playback over USB, and fully immersive, 3D-compatible home theater.
Each of these models features eight HDMI® 1.4a inputs, with compatibility specified for an Audio Return Channel and 3D video. Both mandatory video formats for 3D broadcasting—“Side-By-Side (Half)” and “Top-and-Bottom”—are supported. With 3D content on the rise, users will be able to take advantage of the unique visual dimensions made possible by this dynamic new format.
Dual HDMI outputs are also provided on these models, allowing users to connect two high-definition displays simultaneously. In conjunction with HDMI, HQV-Reon VX enables 1080p upscaling of all video inputs, regardless of source resolution. Both also feature advanced ISF video calibration, which allows users to make fine-grained, independent adjustments for each video source.
Audio networking and internet radio are common to both models. A rear-side Ethernet port enables easy firmware upgrades and links the receiver/controller directly to the internet or to a home PC. Users can access streaming internet radio through Pandora, Rhapsody, Napster, Slacker, Sirius Internet Radio, and vTuner, or play back a wide variety of PC-based audio files, including FLAC, MP3, WAV, Ogg Vorbis, WMA, WMA Lossless, AAC, and LPCM. The receivers are also Windows® 7 compatible and DLNA 1.5 certified to ensure optimal compatibility with other network-enabled equipment in the home.
With 9.2 audio channels, users have a great deal of flexibility in how they set up their home theater. The 9-channel configuration allows users to take advantage of the expanded surround dimensions of Audyssey DSX™ or Dolby® Pro Logic® IIz. The former adds extra height or width channels for greater spatial ambience, while the latter provides the option of extra height channels.
Naturally, support is also provided for Dolby® TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio™, the popular lossless codecs found on Blu-ray Disc. Furthermore, compatibility with DSD Direct means that users will be able to enjoy their SA-CD collections in all their pristine clarity. High-quality Burr-Brown DACs allow these Onkyo models to handle the heavy demands of multi-channel audio processing.
In a modern home theater, matching audio output to the acoustic characteristics of the room is all-important. Both receivers include a full suite of Audyssey room-correction and equalization technologies. These work to optimize audio performance, regardless of room shape and volume level. Audyssey MultEQ® XT, for example, uses information from up to 8 positions throughout the room to calibrate speakers for optimal audio balance.
Flexibility is the byword when it comes to multi-room set-ups. The TX-NR5008 and TX-NR3008 let users play a 5.1-channel source in the main room, along with fully powered stereo audio of two different sources in Zone 2 and Zone 3. On top of that, users also have the option of Zone 2/3 pre outs and Zone 2 video output.
The TX-NR3008 features a front-side USB port, while the TX-NR5008 has USB ports front and rear. As well as handling audio content from flash memory devices, the USB ports let users play music—and display album art—from a connected iPhone/iPod.
Build quality is highlighted by gold-plated audio inputs and PLL jitter-cleaning circuit technology on all models. These A/V receivers feature separate transformers for audio and video processing, with the TX-NR5008 also adding a massive toroidal transformer and 22,000 uF capacitors, a feature more typical of separate component amplifiers.
Other convenient features shared by both models include an analog RGB input for video content from a connected PC; a backlit and customizable remote controller; HDMI Thru allows children to still watch programs when the receiver is not turned on; and Onkyo’s new overlaid graphical OSD for seamless adjustment of settings during a viewing session.
These new releases keep Onkyo at the forefront of high-end integrated home entertainment, and demonstrate the company’s ongoing commitment to providing maximum performance at every level of the home theater market.
The Onkyo TX-NR3008 and TX-NR5008 will be available in August with suggested retail prices of $2,099 and $2,699 respectively.
Since 1946 Onkyo has been passionately committed to developing audio products that deliver uncommon performance, quality and value. Bundling proprietary technologies and innovations with other sound-enhancing exclusives, Onkyo continues to created award winning products that are lauded by many of the industry leading audio publications. The company's philosophy is to deliver products that are superbly designed and built to a consistently outstanding standard of excellence. Today, Onkyo is at the forefront of the home theater and digital revolutions. For more information about this and other fine Onkyo products, visit http://www.onkyousa.com/ or call 800-229-1687.

Bryston Defines New Product Category With BDP-1 High-Resolution Digital Music Player

Bryston Defines New Product Category With
BDP-1 High-Resolution Digital Music Player

Innovative design concept focuses on performance and ease of use

Peterborough, Ontario June 14th, 2010— Bryston LTD (www.bryston.com), builders of the world’s finest audio electronics has announced the introduction of the BDP-1 digital music player, a companion to the company's award-winning BDA-1 DAC (digital-to-analog converter). The Bryston BDP-1’s sole function is to give music aficionados the ability to enjoy their library of high-resolution digital music files (resolutions of up to 24-bit/192kHz are supported) residing on a USB storage device, which in turn is directly connected via standard USB cable or thumb drive to the BDP-1 digital music player. “The BDP-1’s feature set is unique and we have found that it is most easily defined by clarifying what it does not do,” stated Bryston’s James Tanner. “The Bryston BDP-1 does not contain an internal DAC, a hard-drive, a streamer, a CD player/ripper, noisy fans or switching power supplies. The BDP-1 connects to an external DAC for playback through AES-EBU or BNC digital outputs. Quite simply, the BDP-1 is an ultra high-performance digital music player when connected to an external drive and DAC,” said Tanner.

The face of the ultra-stable Linux-based BDP-1 is adorned with control buttons and a two-line display, making it a fully-functioning digital music player “right out of the box.” Optionally, the BDP-1 can be connected to a home network using a router and Ethernet connection solely to enhance operability via network-enabled devices such as a computer, Apple® iPhone™ or iPad™, which can then provide access to playlists, album artwork, etc. In this scenario, the network is only used to interface with your music library—Bryston’s design philosophy for the BDP-1 eliminates all of the challenges associated with streaming large high-resolution digital files over the home network.

"The BDP-1 is a technically sophisticated digital music player incorporating the finest solid-state electronics,” Tanner explained. “The BDP-1 has been designed to operate either all by itself or link up to your home network to be controlled by a variety of graphic interface devices,” he added. “The BDP-1’s graphic interface operates under 'open source' software protocols, ensuring long-term future proofing and compatibility with the widest possible range of user interface (UI) devices. We are also looking into developing our own web-based Music Player Daemon (MPD) client, which manipulates the database of digital files,” Tanner concluded.

Tech Talk:
· Out-of-the-box playability when connected to an external USB drive—no network required
· Supports 16 and 24 bit files with sample rates of: 44.1 KHz, 48 KHz, 88.2 KHz, 96 KHz, 176.4 KHz & 192 KHz.
· Linux operating system optimized to provide the highest quality audio performance
· Industrial quality motherboard uses only a small fraction of its computing power to optimize sonic performance
· Utilizes Bryston-modified top quality soundcard
· AES-EBU Balanced and BNC (spdif) output section for the highest possible performance
· Electronic isolation of audio components from computer components
· Galvanic isolation employed to prevent charge-carrying particles from migrating section to section

The MSRP of the Bryston BDP-1 is expected to be $2100 USD with a delivery date later in 2010. Warranty on the BDP-1 is five years parts and labor.

About Bryston: Bryston (www.bryston.com) first opened for business in 1962 as a manufacturer of blood analysis equipment, and was named (as an acronym) for its three founders, Tony Bauer, Stan Rybb, and John Stonborough. In 1968, NASA engineer John Russell, Sr. relocated himself and his family to Canada from the US and bought the company, where his son Chris set to work designing the first Bryston amplifier. The Pro 3 made its debut in 1973, and since that time, Bryston components have become legendary for their hand-assembled build quality, performance and reliability in both the pro audio and consumer audio market segments. Bryston amplifiers are utilized in some of the world’s most renowned recording studios and owned by many discerning music industry professionals. Bryston applies manufacturing techniques and materials in the everyday assembly of their electronic equipment that are more typically utilized by the military and aerospace industries. Bryston is now based in Peterborough, Ontario Canada, just northeast of Toronto, and sold through over 150 dealers in North America and 60 countries worldwide.

EVGA Announces EU30 USB 3.0 PCI-E Host Card

EVGA Announces EU30 USB 3.0 PCI-E Host Card
Brea, California - June 2, 2010 — The EVGA EU30 PCI-E host card adds an additional 2 USB 3.0 ports capable of up to 5 gigabits per second of data transfer, and is also backwards compatible ensuring all your favorite USB devices still work great. PCI Express x1 support ensures compatibility for a wide range of motherboards.Key features introduced on the EVGA EU30 USB 3.0 Host Card:• Supports up to 5Gbps of Data Transfer• Low Profile Design• Backwards Compatible for all USB DevicesEVGA EU30 USB 3.0 host card will be available through EVGA's network of leading Etailers, Retailers, System Integrators, OEM System Manufacturers and Distributors soon.Click here for more information on the EVGA EU30 USB 3.0 Host Card
About EVGAEVGA is the #1 NVIDIA authorized partner in channel sales throughout North America. Based on the philosophy of intelligent innovation, market knowledge, and the real time operation, EVGA continues to identify the need in the market place and providing the solution to that need. By offering product differentiation, 24/7 tech support, a 90 day Step-Up program, and other customer focused programs, EVGA is a clear leader in all categories: etail, retail, distribution, and system builders. With headquarters in Brea, CA, EVGA's global coverage includes EVGA GmbH in Munich, EVGA LATAM in Miami, and EVGA Hong Kong. For further information online about EVGA, visit http://www.evga.com/.

DeLorme to Preview Highly-Anticipated PN-60w GPS with SPOT Satellite Communicator at Teva Mountain Games

DeLorme to Preview Highly-Anticipated PN-60w GPS with SPOT Satellite Communicator at Teva Mountain Games

Unique new handheld GPS product pairing with Type & Send™ text messaging keeps you connected with family, friends, and emergency help when beyond cellular coverage, for peace of mind wherever you go.

YARMOUTH, ME - DeLorme, the innovation leader in mapping and GPS technologies, will demonstrate pre-release models of its eagerly-awaited Earthmate PN-60w with SPOT Satellite Communicator at the 2010 Teva Mountain Games, scheduled for June 3-6 in Vail, CO. Actual product release is expected in July of this year.





The Earthmate PN-60w is the world's first handheld GPS that enables Type & Send text messaging via satellite. A special interface on the PN-60w connects it wirelessly with the SPOT Satellite Communicator, which was designed exclusively for DeLorme. Messages are created on the PN-60w's internal keyboard, then relayed via satellite for delivery using established SPOT technology.

Because messages are conveyed via satellite, and are not dependent on cellular phone coverage, the PN-60w with SPOT Satellite Communicator keeps users reliably connected even in remote locations around the world. Both devices are designed to be ruggedized and waterproof and thus better suited than most cell phones for the rigors of outdoor use.

The Teva Mountain Games will be the first opportunity for the public to see the two devices together in action. The DeLorme and SPOT exhibits will be side-by-side in the Gear Town area, located in downtown Vail.

"We're excited to introduce the Earthmate PN-60w with SPOT Satellite Communicator to serious outdoors enthusiasts at the Teva Mountain Games," said DeLorme Product Manager Chip Noble. "The ability to navigate confidently in remote locations and stay connected with customized satellite messaging means peace of mind wherever you go."

Users can type and send text messages to individual email addresses, cell phones, buddy lists, and social networking sites like Twitter, Facebook, Fire Eagle, SpotAdventures.com, or Geocaching.com. In case of emergency, SOS messages can be sent with the user's GPS coordinates embedded. In addition, family and friends can track a user's progress via Google's free online maps.

The Earthmate PN-60w comes with DeLorme Topo North America GPS maps and desktop software included, with topographic and street coverage of the U.S. and Canada. It also displays high-resolution aerial imagery, official USGS and Natural Resources Canada topo maps, and NOAA nautical charts, all available from DeLorme via low-cost subscription. Navionics lake maps and marine charts (sold separately) can also be displayed.

The text messaging, track progress, and emergency SOS/911 features are all activated via subscriptions from SPOT.

About DeLorme

DeLorme is the longtime leader in innovative mapping and GPS solutions for both consumer and professional markets. Based in Yarmouth, ME, DeLorme offers a unique set of core competencies across the complex areas of map data creation and management, software development, and integration with GPS. The ability to develop all the critical components necessary to compete in the fast-changing navigation world provides a distinct competitive advantage. DeLorme is one of a handful of mapmakers that still own and produce their own content, and its Street Atlas USA, Topo North America, XMap, and Earthmate GPS products have introduced countless first-to-market innovations. To learn more, go to www.delorme.com.

ASUS’ Republic of Gamers Rampage III Extreme once again sets

ASUS’ Republic of Gamers Rampage III Extreme once again sets
the Performance Bar with new World Records


-- ROG design innovation and engineering leadership pushes the Rampage III Extreme motherboard to new heights in Futuremark’s 3DMark Vantage benchmark --


Fremont, CA (June 2nd, 2010) - Committed to uncompromising performance, ASUS’ Republic of Gamers group continues to set world records with the Rampage III Extreme motherboard. Combined with innovative graphics card technology featuring the ASUS ENGTX480 video card based on the NVIDIA GeForce GTX480 chipset and the ROG 5870 Matrix Platinum featuring the ATI Radeon 5870 chipset , the Rampage III Extreme recently set several world benchmarking records.

Winning with Superior Design
Based on Intel’s X58 chipset architecture and using the flagship Core i7-980X Extreme Edition processor, the Rampage III Extreme has reached previously unattained heights in Futuremark’s industry standard 3DMark 2003, 3DMark 2005, 3DMark 2006 and 3DMark Vantage benchmarks for a single CPU based platform and exceeded a dual CPU based platform in 3DMark Vantage. With the new Extreme Engine Digi+ power delivery system, enhanced bios controls and extensive adjustment ability utilizing the award winning ROG Connect hardware/software, the Rampage III Extreme has ushered in a new level of performance and usability for those wanting to set performance records or build an ultra stable and fast system for gaming. Lastly the Rampage III Extreme not only provides high quality component selections like an Intel Gigabit LAN controller and power design by CHiL but also the latest storage performance options featuring USB 3.0 and SATA 6G. Along with a cutting edge yet functional design, the Rampage III Extreme reaffirms ASUS’ commitment to the enthusiast who values quality, innovation, and workmanship and top tier performance.

Performance Leadership
The ROG Rampage III Extreme scored a mind-blowing 51,410 in 3DMark Vantage with the High Preset setting while the Extreme Preset benchmark hit an amazing 39,212. With a team of passionate engineers devoted to providing the best experience for Gaming, Overclocking or PC Enthusiast, it’s no wonder ROG motherboards maintain a noticeable lead in the industry when it comes to performance.

The ROG Rampage III Extreme’s world record details can be viewed here:
http://www.futuremark.com/community/halloffame/

Further details about Rampage III Extreme are available here:
http://usa.asus.com/product.aspx?P_ID=jy0uafxYBCrJwksC

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About ASUS
ASUS is a leading company in the new digital era, with a broad product portfolio that includes notebooks, netbooks, multimedia, motherboards, graphics cards, multimedia, displays, desktop PCs, servers, wireless solutions, mobile phones and networking devices. Driven by innovation and committed to quality, ASUS designs and manufactures products that perfectly meet the needs of today’s home and office users. ASUS won 3,268 awards in 2009, and is widely credited with revolutionizing the PC industry with the Eee PC™. With a global staff of more than 10,000 and a world-class R&D design team, the company’s revenue for 2009 was US$7.5 billion. ASUS ranks among BusinessWeek’s InfoTech 100, and has been on the listing for 12 consecutive years.

ASUS Motherboards: No.1 in the World
ASUS is the number one motherboard brand in the world, commanding the largest market share globally. Today, one in every three computers contains an ASUS motherboard. ASUS is the pioneer of numerous innovations that are now industry standards. Recent examples include the Hybrid Phase power design, Hybrid Processor, Hybrid Switch overclocking design and Protect 3.0 for safe operation. With decades of expertise and dedication to pushing the motherboard design envelope, ASUS is poised to continue leading the industry in performance, quality, innovation, safety and reliability.

EVGA Announces GTX 465

EVGA Announces GTX 465

Brea, California and Munich, Germany - May 31, 2010 —

Next-generation performance is now more affordable than ever. The EVGA GTX 465 gives your games an adrenaline shot with screaming-fast performance and futuristic, visually stunning graphics. Experience heart-pounding cinematic visuals on your favorite games with the combined power of DirectX 11, CUDA, and NVIDIA PhysX technologies. With the EVGA GTX 465, you can have it all.Looking for the ultimate gaming experience? Combine three HD displays in jaw-dropping stereoscopic 3D for the most immersive gaming around, and with full DirectX 11 tessellation support means pointy character heads are a thing of the past.New and Key features introduced on the EVGA GTX 465:• Microsoft DirectX11 Support• NVIDIA CUDA Technology with CUDA™ C/C++, DirectCompute 5.0 and OpenCL Support• NVIDIA PhysX Technology 9; NVIDIA PureVideo HD Technology• NVIDIA 2-way and 3-way SLI ready• NVIDIA 3D Vision Surround Ready• PCI Express 2.0 Support• Two Dual-Link HDCP DVI-I Connectors• One Mini-HDMI 1.3a connector• OpenGL 3.2 SupportEVGA GTX 465 will be available through EVGA's network of leading Etailers, Retailers, System Integrators, OEM System Manufacturers and Distributors soon.Click here for more information on the EVGA GTX 465
About EVGAEVGA is the #1 NVIDIA authorized partner in channel sales throughout North America. Based on the philosophy of intelligent innovation, market knowledge, and the real time operation, EVGA continues to identify the need in the market place and providing the solution to that need. By offering product differentiation, 24/7 tech support, a 90 day Step-Up program, and other customer focused programs, EVGA is a clear leader in all categories: etail, retail, distribution, and system builders. With headquarters in Brea, CA, EVGA's global coverage includes EVGA GmbH in Munich, EVGA LATAM in Miami, and EVGA Hong Kong. For further information online about EVGA, visit http://www.evga.com/.

ASUS Enables World's Fastest Certified Triple Channel

ASUS Enables World's Fastest Certified Triple Channel Memory Speeds at 2333MHz

-- Record-breaking certified triple memory speeds with Kingston HyperX memory facilitates consumers growing demand for high performance systems--

Fremont, CA (June 1st, 2010) - ASUS, one of the world’s premier technology companies and the leading maker of motherboards worldwide, today announced its P6X58D Premium motherboard has achieved the fastest Intel certified* DDR3 triple channel memory speed ever recorded. Designed for outstanding performance, the P6X58D Premium motherboard is able to support triple channel DDR3 at 2333MHz, certified using Intel XMP, or Extreme Memory Profile technology. This is the strictest memory testing standard in the industry, designed for dedicated gamers and overclockers, while becoming increasingly popular with more mainstream users for enhanced system performance. Few vendors pass XMP certification at these speeds, demonstrating the quality and capabilities of ASUS hardware.

ASUS boosts the fastest triple channel DDR3 on the P6X58D Premium motherboard
Rigorous Testing Leads to the Best Memory Performance ASUS routinely puts all its motherboards through strenuous testing to discover their utmost potential and ensure complete stability and compatibility. In another milestone, the Intel P55-based ASUS P7P55D-E Series of motherboards recently reached record-breaking dual-channel DDR3 memory clocked at 2.5GHz and above. The AMD 890FX-based Republic of Gamers Crosshair IV Formula motherboard has also gained from extreme testing and envelope pushing, featuring the first high performance dual-channel DDR3-2000+ memory speeds for AMD users. Whether on an Intel or AMD platform, PC users know ASUS' continued dedication to uncompromised testing allows them to reach the next level of performance.

ASUS Provides Tomorrow’s Technologies Today at Computex 2010

ASUS Provides Tomorrow’s Technologies Today at Computex 2010


-- Innovative Eee Pad and Eee Tablet extend ASUS’ leadership in Cloud Computing
while the Garmin-ASUS A10 Android™ smartphone lets user navigate the world --


Fremont, CA (June 1st, 2010) - ASUS’ leadership in innovation and design will once again be the focus at Computex 2010 in Taipei, Taiwan. ASUS will proudly showcase a wide range of products across five major categories: cloud computing, gaming, enthusiast-level PC components, multimedia and green computing. As a technological leader in cloud computing, ASUS offers a broad lineup of cloud-connected devices featuring on-the-fly data and multimedia sharing capabilities that consumers crave in today’s market.

The Notepad Goes Digital with the Eee Tablet
Innovation meets cloud computing at Computex 2010 with the ASUS Eee Tablet. With 2450 dpi input sensitivity, the Eee Tablet is one of the world’s most accurate and sensitive digital note taking devices that gives the user the feel of writing on paper. Users can select one of the built-in notepad templates and have the option to store, sort and tag, organize or browse through them. Real time text annotations can also be made on-the-fly. The Eee Tablet makes reading easy, with text file page turns taking just 0.1 seconds—nine times faster than the page turns of normal e-readers. Reading documents or books remains easy on the users’ eyes even after prolonged viewing periods.

The ASUS Eee Tablet features a built-in 2 megapixel camera that captures detailed images, letting the user grab screenshots of lecture slides and write notes on them instantly. It easily syncs up with a PC or notebook via USB or Micro SD to ensure that all notes, content, and calendars are constantly kept up-to-date. With up to 10-hours of battery life*, the Eee Tablet has enough power for a variety of tasks. At the end of the day, users not only have an electronic notepad, but a media player and e-reader as well.

Stay Connected Anywhere with the Eee Pad
Engineering excellence meets stunning design in the ASUS Eee Pad, an ultra-slim and light yet high-performance slate device designed to provide users with a real time cloud computing experience. The Eee Pad will be available in two configurations.


The 12.1” Eee Pad EP121 is a full-featured slate computer that serves as a multimedia player, e-reader, and compact computing device. Powered by a CULV Intel® Core™ 2 Duo processor and the Windows® 7 Home Premium operating system, it effortlessly handles multitasking tasks whether enabling users to check their email and calendars, have video conferences, or process Microsoft Word and Excel documents simultaneously. The ASUS Eee Pad EP121 offers two convenient modes of character input—an embedded virtual keyboard or an innovative hybrid keyboard/docking station design.

For users seeking additional mobility, ASUS is proud to present the 10.1’’ Eee Pad EP101TC that runs Windows Embedded Compact 7, which provides an engaging user experience and delivers instant connectivity to the Windows world. Powered by NVIDIA’s Tegra technology, the EP101TC provides a familiar full-featured user experience across various connected devices and cloud computing services. All of this power is available in a personal computing device that delivers up to 10 hours* of usage depending on configuration.

Navigate the World with the Garmin-Asus A10
Garmin-Asus’ newest Android™ smartphone offers powerful, precise navigation that brings people and places together. Like other Garmin-Asus Android-powered devices**, the A10 includes Garmin’s premium, turn-by-turn, voice-prompted navigation capabilities, making it an ideal runabout companion. The A10 integrates Google™ Mobile Services with one-click access to Google Maps™, Gmail™, YouTube™, calendar, contacts and Android Market™, where users can find more than 30,000 applications to personalize their phone.

ASUS’ Award Winning Republic of Gamers G73Jh Notebook

-- Seagate’s innovative Momentus XT Hybrid hard drive powers the new ASUS
ROG G73Jh-A3 notebook to new levels in performance --


Fremont, CA (May 24th, 2010) - ASUS presents Seagate Technology’s new take on hard drive technology, one that combines the instant access speed of solid state drives with the great value and mass capacities of a traditional high-performance 2.5” hard drive in the award winning ROG G73Jh notebook. This unique 2.5” drive, dubbed Momentus XT, features Adaptive Memory technology, an intelligent engine that learns a user’s data access and storage habits to increase system performance over time.

PC Wang, Vice President of the ASUS Systems Business Group, commented on the introduction of Momentus XT from Seagate: “With the Momentus XT, ASUS can provide gaming customers who prefer the ASUS ROG G73 with the capacity they need and the performance they crave. Seagate’s innovative Solid State Hybrid drive hands down delivers the best value SSD-like performance to a wide audience.”

Seagate Executive Vice President of Sales, Marketing and Product Line Management Dave Mosley added: “Seagate continues to invest in storage technologies that deliver more value for computer makers and end users alike. We see Momentus XT as a game changer, a product that heralds a new generation of hard drives that incorporate flash technology to help increase overall system performance.”

Getting in the Fast Lane
The superb balance of performance and capacity offered by the Momentus XT led ASUS to include the drive as a performance upgrade option in its new Republic of Gamers (ROG) G73Jh notebook. Like this drive, the ROG G73Jh offers incredible performance for the money. Powered by an Intel i7 720QM quad-core processor, 8GB of DDR3 memory, DX11 capable graphics via the ATI Radeon Mobility HD 5870, and the Seagate Momentus XT hybrid drive this gaming powerhouse delivers an eye-catching design along with class leading performance.


Balancing Cost and Performance
Seagate conceived the Momentus XT as a way to bridge the value gap between solid state and traditional hard drives. Solid State drives (SSD) typically offer better overall performance than hard drives but cost significantly more thus remaining beyond the practical reach of most consumers. As a 2.5” spinning hybrid drive, Momentus XT offers improved energy efficiency and quieter operation than other performance oriented hard drives.

The Momentus XT typically works as a standard 7200 RPM drive, the embedded 4GB of NAND memory and Seagate’s Adaptive Memory technology results in overall performance closer to that of 10,000 RPM hard drives along with read speeds near that of consumer Solid State drives.

The ASUS ROG G73Jh already offers incredible performance and it just became better. PCMark Vantage benchmark results* in the HDD Test suite indicate performance improvements in the Gaming test of up to 29% and up to 33% in the Productivity test over the standard 7200 RPM disk drive in the G73Jh. Microsoft’s Velocity benchmark showed a 44% reduction in system boot to desktop time while game level load times in Activision’s Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 decreased up to 43%.

Seagate’s Momentus XT is truly a new look at hard drive technology, improving performance across the board compared to current hard drive designs. Regardless of the application, users will spend less time waiting for data and content to transfer, allowing for better entertainment, gaming, and productivity performance in their ASUS ROG G73Jh notebook.

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* ASUS internal test results on similarly equipped G73Jh notebooks with the Momentus XT and Momentus 7200.4 500GB hard drives. Benchmark results will vary based on system usage.
The ASUS ROG G73Jh-A3 will be available shortly at www.newegg.com and www.amazon.com.
Specifications are subject to change without prior notice. Please visit usa.asus.com or for more information.

Integra Delivers its First 3D Ready AV Receivers for Custom Installation

UPPER SADDLE RIVER, NJ (5/13/10) -- Integra, the premier brand of audio-video components specifically engineered for custom installation, has introduced two 3D-video-ready THX Select 2 Plus certified home theater receivers. These include advanced technology that allows home theater owners to take full advantage of all the available dimensions of video and sound.

The new Integra DTR-30.2 and DTR-20.2 use the latest HDMI 1.4a A/V interface. This allows them to pass 3D video signals from a player to a 3D video display, and to simultaneously extract uncompressed full-definition studio-master-quality sound tracks using Dolby True-HD or DTS-HS Master Audio. These new receivers are also compatible with the mandatory formats for 3D broadcast content of “Side-By-Side (Half)” and “Top-and-Bottom” 3D video formats. Both have five rear HDMI inputs and one output, and the DTR-30.2 also has a convenient front panel HDMI input. Both support Audio Return Channel and offer a new feature called HDMI Through, which allows TV viewing even when the receiver is in standby mode.

The powerful Integra DTR-30.2 delivers 100-watts to each of seven loudspeakers that can be arranged for a variety of different surround modes, surround plus height, stereo bi-amping, or powered Zone 2 configurations. When used with included Audyssey DSX or Dolby ProLogic IIz processing, additional speakers mounted above front speakers can add height ambience to the sound above the listener. For those with more limited speaker needs, the DTR-20.2 has five power amplifier channels rated at 90 watts each.

These receivers include advance technology systems designed to ensure the best possible video and sound. Faroudja DCDi Cinema offers video upscaling to 1080p, and PLL jitter-cleaning technology ensures a clear sharp picture even with older video sources. On the audio side, there are premium Burr-Brown PCM-1690 192 kHz / 24-bit DACs for all channels. The power amplifiers use the company’s premium Wide Range Amplifier Technology (WRAT) with three-stage inverted Darlington circuits. Both receivers include Audyssey 2EQ automatic room correction, and Audyssey’s Dynamic Volume and Dynamic EQ processing. There are four DSP Gaming modes for rock, sports, action, and role-playing games; a Music Optimizer for compressed digital music; and a Theater Dimensional processer for sound-bar virtual surround.

Custom installers will appreciate the many “little” features on these receivers: three DC triggers, two IR inputs and one output, bidirectional RS-232, PC-input, Zone-2 capabilities, separate dealer settings for quick system restore, RiHD, Universal Port for connection optional iPod dock and HD-Radio modules, and optional rack mounting kit.

The Integra DTR-30.2 and DTR-20.2 are now available with manufacturer’s suggested prices of $800 and $600 respectively.

Integra designs and manufactures premium Home Theater receivers, processors, amplifiers, and DVD players that are specifically designed to meet the needs of custom audio/video systems installers. Systems integration and convergence technology protocols include RS-232, IR and on-board Ethernet for network connectivity and TCP/IP control. Integra has access to vast technical resources and bears a proud heritage of over 60 years of audio engineering excellence. For more information about Integra and its many fine products, visit www.integrahometheater.com or call 800 225-1946.

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Detailed features lists, specifications, and owners manuals can be found at www.integrahometheater.com.

Upgrade Time, and Your Cars Electrical System 101

Summer time means different things for different people. For some it is R & R time. For others it is playtime. Playtime can also mean different things for different people. If you car like me, it means tinkering with and maybe upgrading your car stereo. This upgrading could come in the form of new toys, such as a new subwoofer and a new amplifier to power that big subwoofer.
What many people don’t realize, is than in order to fully utilize that new amplifier and subwoofer, you may need to do some additional upgrading. Subwoofers need power and the bigger they are, the more power they need. So, you get a big amp. But is your car’s electrical highway big enough for your amp and sub? Many amplifiers will use at least 100 amps of power, especially if you are becoming a member of the 1K watt club.

This all starts with your alternator, then goes to your battery, and along your wiring before this power ever reaches your amplifier. Do you know how much current your stock alternator puts out? My little Honda Del Sol stock alternator puts out around 70 peak amps. So needless to say I put in a high output 160 amp alternator to provide the juice I need. Just 70 amps would not have been enough for my sub amp, let alone my 4 channel amp and also running the car! It would have been like having a turbo in the car, but also having a small wood block behind the gas pedal so I can only push the pedal down half way. Sure I would have a turbo, but with only being able to push the gas pedal down half way….what would be the point if I can’t use it. But we also do not want to forget the battery.

Having a capable battery is also crucial to the equation. You want to make sure you have a battery that will be able to output 12 volts constantly. For this I turned to Optima for their Yellow Top battery, which is well known as a top choice for car audio enthusiasts. Optima uses a proprietary Spiralcell Technology. They have a unique shape which incorporates six spiral-wound AGM (absorbed glass mat) cells that are tightly compressed into a sealed case which allows superior performance in both starting and deep cycling applications. Their technology provides many advantages over traditional lead acid batteries including:
· Up to two times longer life
· More than 15 times the vibration resistance
· Maintenance free
· Non-spillable, can be mounted anywhere
· Low self-discharge (longer shelf storage life)
· Faster recharge capability
· Optimal starting power, regardless of temperature

Unfortunately having a capable alternator and battery is not quite enough. You still need to get all that power to your amplifier. That takes us to our wiring. And with wires not all are created equally. You need to make sure you are using the correct gauge of wire. In other words, if you are using 16 gauge speaker wires to go from your battery to your amp, you definitely need to upgrade. I would use nothing less than 8 gauge from your battery to your amp. But that is only for low power systems, like having your door speakers running off of your deck, and a small amp that powers a sub. If your amp(s) will pull around 50 amps, then I would suggest going up to a 4 gauge wire, and for 100 amps and over I would jump up to a 1/0 gauge wire.

With that being said, you still need to be careful with what wire you buy. Not all wires are created equal. Sure Ebay or Craigslist is a good place to buy wires cheaply, but you tend to get what you pay for. Here is an example of a cheap wire bought on Craigslist. The wire on the left is an 8 gauge wire made by Rockford Fosgate. The one on the middle is a cheap 4 gauge wire made by Performance Teknique, followed by the one on the right which is a 4 gauge wire also from Rockford Fosgate. Does the cheap wire look like a 4 gauge? Remember you are purchasing the wire based on the needs of your system. If you are needing to purchase 4 gauge wire because that is how much current your amps will pull and you want to makes sure they get all of the current they need………….the Performance Teknique wire will probably not get all that power to your amp. At least not if you are needing 4 gauge wire and you are using their 4 gauge wire. Theirs is actually just a tad bigger than Rockford’s 8 gauge, but not by much. The Rockford Fosgate 4 gauge is almost twice the thickness of the Performance Teknique! The insulation is about twice as thick on the Performance Teknique, but we want a lot of wire, not insulation. For that reason I would suggest Rockford Fosgate. You know you are getting wire true to the AWG rated size. They also use a 100% Pure Crystal-Oxygen Free Copper (PC-OFC), with a high strand count for not only high performance, but for high flexibility for ease of installation. Their strand count is 735 for 8 AWG, 1,862 for 4 AWG, and 4,704 for 1/0 AWG.

For increased flexibility and convenience, Rockford Fosgate also offers amplifier kits. These kits come with the hardware needed to hook up your amp(s). The RFK1 is a great 1/0 AWG amp kit. It includes 17 feet of 1/0 AWG power wire, 3 feet of 1/0 AWG ground wire, ANL/Maxi fuse holder and fuse, 20 feet of remote wire, a 100 amp fuse, and misc. connectors. For dual amps, their RFK4D is a great dual amp kit. It includes 17 feet of power wire in 4 AWG, 6 feet of power wire in 8 AWG, 3 feet of ground wire in 4 AWG, and 6 feet of ground wire in 8 AWG. For your speakers there is 30 feet of 16 AWG speaker wire. Also included are 2 pairs of 20 feet twisted pair RCA’s for reduced noise and enhanced sound quality. Two 4 AWG distribution blocks gets the wire to your amps. And then there are also 20 feet of remote wire, a Maxi fuse holder, a 100 amp fuse, and more misc. hardware. For high power systems I would recommend both kits. The RFK1 retails for $233.99 and the RFK4D retails for $159.99. You may also opt for some high quality terminal rings, such as RFT1 for $18.99 retail.

Just as critical is your ground. For a smooth flow of power, you also cannot forget your ground and what is called upgrading the “Big 3.” The “Big 3” is known as the positive cable going from the alternator to the battery, the ground cable from the battery to the chassis, and the ground from the engine block to the chassis. If you have a poor ground, you will have poor power output from the positive side. And just the same, if you have a thick gauge positive cable and a smaller ground, your power on the positive side will be limited. If you are upgrading your wiring to 4 AWG for example, you will want to have 4 AWG all around (4 AWG positive from alternator to battery and from battery to your amp(s), and 4 AWG negative from battery to chassis and from engine to chassis). My suggestion is using the same location as your current stock wire. There is also no reason to remove your stock wire. Just add to it.

You also do not want to forget in line fuses. You should have one next to your battery. I would actually recommend a circuit breaker at that location. If you are ever working on your system, it is really easy to just flip the breaker. Also if it gets tripped you are not replacing fuses, so it is cheaper to maintain. It is also smart to have a fuse next to your amps.

So you thought upgrading would be easy. Well, it can be. But if you want to get the most out of your amp(s), you need to know what they need in the way of amperage. Then you know if you need to also upgrade your alternator and wiring. This often will show itself with the dimming of the headlights. If that happens, your amp is drawing too much from your alternator and showing itself through your headlights. The cheapest potential fix is upgrading the “Big 3.” If that does not fix it, then you could be looking at a new better performing battery and higher output alternator. It’s a little bit of work, but worth it in the end. In the meantime, happy upgrading.

And for more information and complete specs on the Optima Yellow Top battery, and Rockford Fosgate's amp kits and accessories, check out their websites below.

www.optimabatteries.com and www.rockfordfosgate.com.

Patriot collaborates with SandForce® to Introduce High-Performance Inferno SSD

Patriot collaborates with SandForce® to Introduce High-Performance Inferno SSD
Inferno SSDs offer exceptional speed and TRIM support using SF-1222 SSD Processor

Fremont, California, USA, May 13, 2010 - Patriot Memory, a global pioneer in high-performance memory, NAND flash and computer peripheral solutions, today announced the immediate availability of the Inferno series to its family of solid-state-drives (SSDs). The Inferno series of SSD offer blazing fast transfer speeds, improved system responsiveness, quicker boot times, and shorter application loading times over traditional hard disk drive storage solutions.
Patriot’s Inferno series, available in 100GB and 200GB capacities, is designed around the highly acclaimed SF-1200 processor series. Paired with specially screened MLC NAND Flash the Inferno drives deliver class leading performance with sequential read and write speeds of 285MB/s and 275MB/s respectively. SandForce DuraClass™ technology provides enhanced endurance and reliability by an average of 20x over traditional SSD controllers through innovative write technology and Wear Leveling.
“The Inferno series of SSDs are the fastest and most exciting that Patriot has yet brought to market,” states Les Henry, Vice President of Engineering at Patriot. “We have been pleased to work with SandForce to bring these enterprise level SSDs to the mainstream market at a fraction of the costs. We are very impressed with the performance numbers based on the SandForce SSD Processor. This solution fits well with our objective of offering the latest technology and best performance in our product lineup.”
“Patriot is well known for delivering high-performance memory and solid state drive solutions to the enthusiast market. It was natural for SandForce to work closely with Patriot in developing a SSD solution which offers incredible performance and reliability,” said Thad Omura, VP of Marketing at SandForce. “The SandForce SF-1222 SSD processor brings a level of performance sure to please the early adopters in the PC enthusiast crowd that Patriot caters to so well”
The Inferno family of SSDs are durable and reliable, with a unique aluminum housing to minimize typical wear and tear and with NAND memory at their core, there are no moving parts to fail, or be damaged from daily use in portable computing solutions. The Inferno family of SSDs provide incredible performance, reliability and a 5-year warranty. Each Inferno SSD ships with a 2.5” to 3.5” adapter simplifying installation into desktop PCs.

Family
Capacity
Model #
UPC
Controller
Read speed
Write speed
Warranty
Inferno
200GB
PI200GS25SSDR
0879699009591
SF-1222
285MB/s
275MB/s
5 years
Inferno
100GB
PI100GS25SSDR
0879699009607
SF-1222
285MB/s
275MB/s
5 years

For more information about Patriot’s products and solutions, please contact your Patriot Sales Representative or visit http://www.patriotmemory.com/.

GIGABYTE Unlocks Monster Performance with Latest UD9 Motherboard

-- GIGABYTE Unlocks Monster Performance with Latest UD9 Motherboard --
-- Redefining the X58 Platform with 24 Phase Unlocked Power and 4-Way Graphics Support –










Taipei, Taiwan, May 11, 2010 - GIGABYTE TE CH NOLOGY Co., Ltd, a leading manufacturer of motherboards, graphics cards and computing hardware solutions is proud to unleash their latest monster performance GA-X58A-UD9 motherboard, featuring a revolutionary new 24 phase Unlocked Power design, 4-way graphics support including NVIDIA® SLI™ and ATI CrossFireX™, as well as a host of unique GIGABYTE features such as 333 Onboard Acceleration and On/Off Charge.

“GIGABYTE set out to completely redefine what is possible performance and feature-wise on the X58 platform, and the GA-X 58A -UD9 truly delivers on both fronts,” commented Tim Handley, Deputy Director of Motherboard Marketing at GIGABYTE Technology Co. Ltd. “Providing the industry’s highest caliber CPU power delivery with our unique 24 phase Unlocked Power design and including all of the features which set GIGABYTE motherboards apart from the competition, the GIGABYTE GA-X 58A -UD9 fits into a whole new first class category all its own.”

GIGABYTE Unlocked Power
Power is the key to unlocking “True” performance, and nowhere is this more evident than with the unique power delivery system specially designed and engineered for the GIGABYTE GA-X 58A -UD9. Featuring the proprietary GIGABYTE Unlocked Power technology with all new 24 phase design, the GIGABYTE GA-X 58A -UD9 provides maximum power delivery for Intel’s latest 1366 socket CPUs including the new Intel® Core™ i7-980X Extreme Edition (6 core) CPUs as well as upco ming extreme performance CPUs from Intel, ensuring utmost system st abi lity and overclock abi lity.

Innovative Dual Power Switching Design
GIGABYTE Unlocked Power also delivers better dur abi lity and long er component lifespan due to the industry’s first Dual Power Switching design. When Dual Power Switching is activated, 2 sets of 12 power phases operate in tandem, automatically turning on one set of 12 phases and powering down the other 12, allowing the non active set to rest. By sharing the power workload between 2 sets of power phases, GIGABYTE Dual Power Switching effectively doubles the lifespan of the power phases. Additionally, GIGABYTE Unlocked Power features built-in Auto Failure Protection, so if one power phase is damaged or fails, the motherboard will automatically disable its group of 12 phases, allowing it to still operate using the other set of twelve, unlike a traditional motherboard which would be unable to boot.




Maximum CPU Power Delivery
When CPU loading requires more than 12 phases to be active, GIGABYTE Dual Power Switching temporarily suspends, and the full 24 power phases are automatically unlocked, allowing for maximum power delivery. For overclockers and power users, this means the full 24 power phases can be activated to deliver the highest amount of CPU power currently available on any desktop motherboard.

4-Way Graphics Support and GIGABYTE 333 Onboard Acceleration
Based on Intel’s highest end X58 chipset, the GIGABYTE GA-X 58A -UD9 offers a wide range of premium features tailor-made for PC enthusiasts who believe more is never enough. For those wanting to build the ultimate graphics monster machine, the GIGABYTE GA-X 58A -UD9 delivers with support for 4-way P CI Express 2.0 graphics (x16) for both ATI CrossFireX™ and NVIDIA® SLI™ technologies. The GA-X 58A -UD9 also provides the latest in data transfer and storage cap abi lities with support for GIGABYTE 333 Onboard Acceleration technologies including SuperSpeed USB 3.0, SATA 6Gbps support, including RAID 0 support for up to 4 times faster data transfer than the previous generation SATA II and GIGABYTE 3X USB power.

Unique GIGABYTE Technologies
GIGABYTE GA-X 58A -UD9 motherboards also leverage the success of GIGABYTE’s uniquely developed technologies including the GIGABYTE Ultra Durable™ 3 design, which features 2x the amount of copper of a traditional PCB design, as well as the innovative Smart6™ PC management tools, On/Off Charge with 3x USB Power for quick anytime iPhone and iPad charging, Dynamic Energy Saver™ 2 power saving utilities, and DualBIOS™ technologies. Of course overclocking is where the GA-X 58A -UD9 truly shines, with features designed for and by world-class overclockers including overvoltage controller ICs, real-time onboard Debug and System Alert LEDs and enough overclocking BIOS settings to push your hardware to its limits.

To learn more about the GIGABYTE GA-X 58A -UD9 motherboard, please visit the GIGABYTE website at: http://ud9.gigabyte.com.tw/ and http://www.gigabyte.us/Products/Motherboard/Products_OverView.aspx?ProductID=3451

HD Entertainment goes Mobile with the ASUS Eee PC Seashell 1005PR

HD Entertainment goes Mobile with the ASUS Eee PC Seashell 1005PR



-- ASUS launches the new Eee PC™ Seashell 1005PR featuring Broadcom®
Crystal HD technology for a rousing HD multimedia experience. --


Fremont, CA (May 3rd, 2010) - ASUS today announced that its multi-award winning Eee PC Seashell Series of netbooks — which include the Eee PC Seashell 1005PE and 1001P — is joined by the new Eee PC Seashell 1005PR. This multimedia centric netbook delivers a rich and smooth High Definition online viewing experience when watching your favorite streaming movies, television/news programs and user-generated videos.

Eee PC™ Seashell 1005PR
Extending the User Experience with High Definition Multimedia Playback
“Broadcom's latest Crystal HD technology puts HD multimedia in the hands of netbook users allowing them to access their favorite content anywhere at any time,” said Dan Eiref, Vice President and General Manager of Broadcom’s Consumer Electronics line of business. “The Broadcom Crystal HD solution brings a unique value to ASUS netbooks, providing a new level of performance and power consumption at a market leading price point.”

Exceptional Energy Efficiency and Cost Effective Performance for All-day Computing
The Eee PC™ Seashell 1005PR comes equipped with the Intel® Atom™ processor N450, 250GB Hard Drive, 10.1” LED Backlit screen with HD capable 1366x768 resolution, Broadcom Crystal HD Accelerator (BCM70015)*, 802.11b/g/n wireless connectivity, Bluetooth v2.1, HD audio, and up to 11 hours**of battery life. The Eee PC 1005PR also features ASUS’ proprietary Super Hybrid Engine. This technology tailors energy consumption patterns to suit any task at hand, optimizing energy efficiency and reducing power usage by up to 15%.

Excellent Features, Design and Ergonomics for an Unmatched User Experience
The updated Eee PC Seashell 1005PR features dual operating systems, enabling it to boot into Windows 7 Starter Edition or Express Gate. The latter boots up in just seconds, allowing users to surf the web, browse their photos, as well as chat and play games online almost instantaneously. For its superlative ergonomics, design quality, finish and innovation, the entire Eee PC Seashell Series was recently honored with a 2010 iF product design award.

The ASUS Eee PC Seashell 1005PR is available today at authorized resellers for an MSRP of $399.99.
###
* Full software support for Adobe® Flash® Player (v10.1) and Windows Media Player (v12) as well as other third-party media players for HD playback.
** MobileMark 2007 Reader Mode, battery life will vary based on usage and conditions.
Specifications are subject to change without prior notice. Please visit usa.asus.com for more information.

JVC TH-BA1 4.1 Channel Soundbar Review

For surround sound, you will typically use a surround sound receiver and multiple speakers. The surround sound receiver will decode the signal, and with the internal amplifier send the signal to the external speakers. There are a few problems with this set-up that is not ideal for some individuals. It takes up space, tends to cost more then some want to spend, and you can also suffer from wires going all over your room, unless you want to go to even more expense to hide them.

Enter the sound bar. The sound bar solves many of the problems listed above. Sound bars are relatively small and can be mounted on the wall right under your flat screen TV. Sound bars have less components so they will cost less. They come in multiple configurations, from stereo to simulated surround sound, to also including an external subwoofer. Since the speakers are built-in, there are also less wires going around your room .

For review today is an economical soundbar from JVC, model #TH-BA1. The system is a 4.1 channel 220 watt system comes with two components. The first is the soundbar, followed by an external subwoofer. The soundbar is a long narrow component that can mount onto the wall. The sound is projected by four 2 3/4" full range drivers each given 30 watts of power, and 100 watts going to the 6 5/16 inch 2.4GHz wireless subwoofer . There is an internal processor to take the signal and create a simulated surround sound from the four speakers, using Dolby Digital, DTS, Dolby Pro-Logic II, and PCM decoders. It can do this from a stereo or surround sound input signal. There is also a wireless source that sends the signal to the external subwoofer. A wireless remote controls the system.

The remote is small but functional. There are buttons for power, volume up and down, fade, muting and inputs for digital 1, digital 2, and analog. There are speaker level up and down for subwoofer, center and surround. There are buttons for surround mode 1, surround mode 2, off, dimmer, and DRC. The subwoofer was also very easy to set up. There is a button on the sub to press to sync it up with the receiver. And without any input cable, the sub can be placed anywhere in the room.

So far this may sound good, but surround sound from a single soundbar could sound too good to be true. I set it up in my bedroom where I did not have a surround sound system. The subwoofer went under my bed. While my expectations were not very high, the JV system still impressed me. They played louder then the internal TV speakers and also sounded much better. The sound was more detailed, cleaner and provided a fuller sound. The subwoofer, while not powerful enough to rattle my windows, did add nice depth and help with the surround sound effect. The surround sound modes 1 and 2 were for a stereo signal, and the other a surround sound signal like a DVD player or an HDTV channel broadcasting in 5.1 surround sound.

As I mentioned, I found myself impressed with the sound. The surround sound simulation from a stereo source was about what I was expecting. It sounded better than just stereo, but at the same time was not overly surround soundish. But when I switched surround mode and listened to something broadcast in surround sound, the simulation improved. The internal DSP made it appear as if there was sound coming from the sides.

For someone like me the system is perfect in my bedroom. I have a reference surround system in my theater room. But in my bedroom, I don't want all the gear or all the wires. yet I get to have sound that is better than the small built in TV speakers, and a dedicated subwoofer. This is all I need in my bedroom. this may be a perfect bedroom system for you, or maybe this is all you are looking for in a surround system. It is easy enough to set up, and performed well. For you, it may also be perfect. I've enjoyed quality JVC stereo components in the past. I'm glad to see the tradition has continued. If you are in the market for a soundbar, I would suggest giving the JVC TH-BA1 a listen. You may be glad you did. For more information and complete specs, check out their website at http://www.jvc.com/.

Corsair XMS DDR3 1600 4GB Dual Channel Memory Kit Review

A tried and true way of adding performance to your computer is adding additional memory. But whether you are just adding additional memory, or building a new computer system, you will want to choose wisely which memory go with. Up for review today is an XMS3 DDR3 1600 Dual Channel Memory Kit from Corsair. The kit features two 2 GB sticks of DDR3 memory running at 1600 MHz.

I will admit that in the past I have been tempted to buy the cheapest memory possible. After all, it is just the memory right? But what is not known by all is that with computer components are not always compatible with each other. Your motherboard manufacturer may have not checked for compatibility on cheap generic XYZ brand. What that means is that when you put in that cheap memory that you got on sale, it might not work. If it does work, the quality could be poor and effect the system performance.

The memory stick kit as previously mentioned includes two sticks of 2GB XMS3 DDR3 each running at 1600 MHz. This kit is part of their mainstream performance line. Intel’s new core processor’s run at a 1333 MHz front side bus, so 1600 MHz is a high performance speed. The Latency is 9, and the timing is 9-9-9-24, with a voltage of 1.65V, which is fairly typical at this speed and price point. The sticks also feature a nice aluminum heat shield to assist in dissipating heat. A lifetime warranty also helps to give peace of mind in a good product.

To give some idea of their performance, I included below a few benchmarks from SiSoft Sandra 2010, and PCMark Vintage.

As you can see, while not speed demons, the XMS3 series does deliver some decent performance. If you are in the market for some quality performance memory on a budget, I would recommend putting Corsair on your short list. While there is some cheaper memory out there that may look better on paper, you never know just how good the quality is. Corsair gives you a lifetime warranty, and just as important is a trusted name. For more info and complete specs, check out Corsair's website at

http://www.corsair.com/. Reference gear used for the review was an Intel I3-540 processor, Asus P7P55D Deluxe motherboard, and Powercolor HD5450 1GB DDR3 video card.

Onkyo Debuts Three THX Certified, 3D-Ready, Network Receivers with Audio Streaming and Multi-Room Functionality

Onkyo Debuts Three THX Certified, 3D-Ready, Network Receivers with Audio Streaming and Multi-Room Functionality

Onkyo TX-NR1008 THX Certified Network 3D-Ready AV Receiver (click on this or any photo below to open hi-res view in new window)

UPPER SADDLE RIVER, NJ, 6/1/10 -- Onkyo, a world-renowned name in quality home entertainment, announced the release of three new mid- and upper mid-range network A/V receivers for 2010: the TX-NR1008, TX-NR808, and TX-NR708. Each of these models is THX® Select2 Plus™ certified and offers the latest processing and user-friendly features to support multi-room set-ups, network audio streaming, iPhone®/iPod®-compatible USB, and fully immersive 3D capable home theater with multidimensional surround sound to match.
All of these models have seven of the latest HDMI® 1.4a connections, specifying compatibility with the new 3D video formats, which promise to bring an exciting new dimension to movies and games in the home. These new receivers are also compatible with the mandatory formats for 3D broadcast content of “Side-By-Side (Half)” and “Top-and-Bottom” 3D video formats.
HDMI is also the conduit for 1080p video upscaling of all video inputs, regardless of native resolution, via Faroudja DCDi Cinema™. On all three of the new Onkyo receiver models, DCDi Cinema works to remove jaggies during the video signal deinterlacing process, resulting in smooth progressive-scan video images.
Each of these network receivers includes a rear-panel Ethernet port that links it directly to the internet or to a home PC. Users can then enjoy superior fidelity from a wide range of audio file types, including MP3, WMA, WMA Lossless, FLAC, WAV, Ogg Vorbis, AAC, and LPCM. They can also access a range of different streaming Internet radio services, from Pandora®, Rhapsody, vTuner, and Sirius Internet Radio®, and newly expanded services from Napster, Mediafly™, and Slacker™ internet radio.
The Ethernet connection brings the added convenience of easy firmware upgrades, which enhance the unit’s functionality going forward. Each receiver is also Windows® 7 compatible and DLNA 1.5 certified to allow audio streaming from other network-enabled equipment throughout the home.
Audio processing on all three models includes the studio master-quality of the industry’s two leading lossless codecs, Dolby® TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio™. Complementing these are the expanded surround dimensions of Dolby® Pro Logic® IIz and Audyssey DSX™. The former provides the option of adding extra height channels for improved ambience, while the latter adds either height or width channels. With the 7.2-channel TX-NR808 and TX-NR708, these extra channels replace the surround rear channels. Meanwhile, with the 9.2-channel TX-NR1008, users have a host of different speaker configurations to choose from.
This flexibility extends to multi-room set-ups. Onkyo’s new A/V receivers open the door to distributed audio in up to three rooms in the home. With the TX-NR708, users can take advantage of a powered Zone 2 or a Zone 2 line out. Meanwhile, the TX-NR808 provides a powered Zone 2, along with pre-outs for Zones 2 and 3. Finally, the TX-NR1008 can deliver 5.1-channel surround sound in the main room, plus fully powered stereo audio of two different sources in Zone 2 and Zone 3.
Along with the two extra amplifier channels and one extra HDMI output, the TX-NR1008 offers further advantages over its two siblings. It is equipped with advanced ISF video calibration controls for independent optimization and fine-grained adjustments of every video source. And it sports an extra 192 kHz/24-bit Burr Brown DAC to handle the heavy demands of multi-channel audio processing.
Each of the three Onkyo models includes a full suite of Audyssey equalization and room-correction technologies to ensure optimal audio performance in any environment and at any volume level. Chief among these is Audyssey MultEQ®, which corrects for time and frequency-response problems caused by room acoustics, and which calibrates speakers for optimal audio balance throughout the listening space.
All three receivers have an iPhone®/iPod®-compatible front-side USB port that allows on-screen display of album art and navigation via the included remote. Other noteworthy features shared by this trio include an analog RGB input for video content from a connected PC; PLL jitter-cleaning circuit technology; and Onkyo’s new overlaid graphical OSD for seamless adjustment of settings during a viewing session.
The TX-NR1008 and TX-NR808 include Onkyo's bi-directional and customizable preprogrammed remote control to simplify the process of programming all the components in the system.
With these latest releases, Onkyo looks to consolidate its position as a provider of the most up-to-date home entertainment features backed by rock-solid performance and intelligent design.
The Onkyo TX-NR708 and TX-NR808 will be available at the beginning of July with suggested retail prices of $899 and $1,099 respectively. The TX-NR1008 will ship to dealers at the end of July and will have a suggested retail price of $1,399.
Since 1946 Onkyo has been passionately committed to developing audio products that deliver uncommon performance, quality and value. Bundling proprietary technologies and innovations with other sound-enhancing exclusives, Onkyo continues to created award winning products that are lauded by many of the industry leading audio publications. The company's philosophy is to deliver products that are superbly designed and built to a consistently outstanding standard of excellence. Today, Onkyo is at the forefront of the home theater and digital revolutions. For more information about this and other fine Onkyo products, visit http://www.onkyousa.com/ or call 800-229-1687