LG 47LG70 47 Inch 1080p 120Hz LCD HDTV

LG 47LG70 47 Inch 1080p 120Hz LCD HDTV

The LG70 series is the ideal HDTVs for home theater enthusiasts. If they prove one thing, it’s that nobody demands more from LG products than LG itself.

User Ratings and Reviews

4 Stars Great bang for the buck
I’ve had this TV for a little over 6 months and really enjoy it. The picture quality is fantastic in HD and the colors really pop. The black levels could be better and if you have this tv on a shorter stand, the colors tend to wash out when your vantage point is looking down on the tv (standing up). The TV really needs to be at eye level or above to avoid the washing out. Also, you NEED to calibrate this TV. I had it for two months before I found calibration settings online, and WOW what a difference it made. You will get so much more out of this TV if you have it calibrated correctly. I like the matted screen because it reduces glare to almost nonexistent; however you lose a little clarity in dark scenes compared to other LCD’s. I previously owned a Samsung 750 and returned it because it had so much glare…but the darks scenes were very clear. I prefer not having the glare with my LG; it’s a tradeoff. All in all, i reccomend this TV because the picture quality rivals that of other higher end LCD’s, but the price doesn’t. Of course there are some drawbacks, but if you are willing accept those drawbacks, you’ll save some money and still get a high quality TV.

3 Stars 47 LG 70 TV
I cannot watch a movie full screen on this TV. The zoom 1 has to be used to enlarge the picture, and that cuts out part of the picture. There is such a waste of the screen when you watch a picture in 16:9 ratio.

Also, the clarity of the picture is bad on some channels. I get a motion delay when things happen, like a hesitation or shadow behind it. The colors in some channels shows green/blue lines in certain areas. I have called an LG service dealer, and they thought some may be due the cable providers signal being supplied. I am waiting to see if the digital transistion will make it better. If it does not I will be taking the tv back for warranty work or a replacment. I have been somewhat dissatisfied with the product so far. The model in the store did not show these flaws.

I hope these issues can be resolved.

4 Stars Very good TV-with sound issues.
Positives: Got it about 3 months ago. VERY nice picture. No glare, can see from all angles. TV give you lots of controls. I like the serial input. Have it hooked to PC, works very well. “Intelligent” brightness is wonderful feature. Remote is fine. I paid $1450 at local store.

Negatives: Their is a sound issue. Sometimes the internal speakers sound like they are being over-driven (even when volume set low). Not sure if this is TV or cable issue. Also, volume increments are to low.

Summary: I would recommend this TV. But, if you add a cable box, you end up loosing most of the neat features.

5 Stars Very nice TV.
I’ve only had it for a month, but I’m very pleased with the TV thus far. Picture is great, sound is good, and it performs well with my PS3 games and blu-ray discs. I researched LCD TV’s for hours and hours on the Internet before coming to a decision, and I was down to this LG and a compareable Samsung. The deciding factor was that there were less negative reviews for the LG even though I think the Samsung would have been fine as well. The Samsung model has had some power issues, but those may have been corrected by now. I would definitely recommend buying this LG TV.

5 Stars Great Delivery; Almost Great TV
The TV is as advertised. Great picture…good blacks, good color, good uniformity. Great features…120Hz, 24p “real cinema”, fast response time (LG claims < 4mS), good contrast, great veiwing angle, automatic backlight and picture adjustment with ambient light sensor, multiple video modes, lots of inputs/outputs, etc., etc.

I have been very happy with this and other LG products so far. The only reason for the “almost” is that on-screen feature menus are a little cumbersome, I have not figured out how to get full function out of the remote for my other key components (Receiver and cable/DVR) and the detailed manual came on a DVD vs paper. I prefer paper.

Amazon’s free delivery and setup/install service on this product (all large TVs?) is outstanding. Reason enough to choose Amazon over many other retailers and certainly over most mail-order retailers. I got a very good price for the time I bought, but prices are falling so fast I won’t share it…it will probably sound high now.

Overall, a great choice for this size TV with comparable features…but do your research…there are a lot of very nice TVs available and LG has already released its newer, “LH” series of TVs.

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Blink The Power of Thinking Without Thinking

Blink The Power of Thinking Without Thinking

Blink is about the first two seconds of looking–the decisive glance that knows in an instant. Gladwell, the best-selling author of The Tipping Point, campaigns for snap judgments and mind reading with a gift for translating research into splendid storytelling. Building his case with scenes from a marriage, heart attack triage, speed dating, choking on the golf course, selling cars, and military maneuvers, he persuades readers to think small and focus on the meaning of “thin slices” of behavior. The key is to rely on our “adaptive unconscious”–a 24/7 mental valet–that provides us with instant and sophisticated information to warn of danger, read a stranger, or react to a new idea.

Gladwell includes caveats about leaping to conclusions: marketers can manipulate our first impressions, high arousal moments make us “mind blind,” focusing on the wrong cue leaves us vulnerable to “the Warren Harding Effect” (i.e., voting for a handsome but hapless president). In a provocative chapter that exposes the “dark side of blink,” he illuminates the failure of rapid cognition in the tragic stakeout and murder of Amadou Diallo in the Bronx. He underlines studies about autism, facial reading and cardio uptick to urge training that enhances high-stakes decision-making. In this brilliant, cage-rattling book, one can only wish for a thicker slice of Gladwell’s ideas about what Blink Camp might look like. –Barbara Mackoff

User Ratings and Reviews

4 Stars fascinating, however…
This book was fascinating… Malcolm Gladwell can sure tell a good story and run a persuasive and provocative argument. As I was reading, I had some concerns about the implications, particularly about stereotypes and marketing, but Gladwell not only addressed them, but put them in a deeper context. An insightful read!

However…

I did get the uncomfortable sense that there may be studies or examples out there that did not agree with Gladwell’s hypothesis, and that he just ignored them. I assumed he just cherry-picked the studies that would help his case. I also couldn’t figure out enough ways to apply this personally to my own life and my own actions.Ultimately I am a very practical person, and I want to know what to DO with the information, not just have random facts floating around in my brain somewhere. I also was concerned about the marketing implications of this book, even after Gladwell’s discussion.

3 Stars interesting but…
A bit long on the anecdote and short on how to develop and employ this ability.

1 Star please
I didn’t finish blink, made it two-thirds of the way through. The whole premise is stupid to me, and the most bothersome part is that while the author tosses around buzz terms like thin slicing and this so-called built in ability to laser through the troublesome act of actually reflecting on a comprehensive picture, he never really touches on the fact that 9 out of 10 of his examples are the result of expert ability based on 20+ years of dedication to the respective discipline, or riding on the shoulders of the equally applied efforts of someone else. And what really bothers me is how many people flock to this *&% as this wonderful new way of thinking. I made it as far as I did because the anecdotes are entertaining, but c’mon gimme a break, and jeesh.

5 Stars such a fresh thinker
I have read several of Gladwell’s books and this is my favorite. I find his ideas fresh and interesting and I love the way he looks at the world. Mr. Gladwell certainly has many “sticky” ideas; my husband and I still find ourselves often saying, “So what’s your blink?” Meaning of course, What is your first impression? While we certainly believe the author is onto something when he says first impressions (often without even realizing you are having them) are accurate, there are certainly times when second and third and fourth are well deserved…and Gladwell does acknowledge this. Fun read.

5 Stars Been There, Done That
As I read this book, I could not help but feeling a sense of deja vu. Many of the concepts and examples that Gladwell presents have parallels in my own experiences. The knowledge that something is the right choice even before being able to consider all the circumstances can be both liberating and troubling in that you can spend as much effort second-guessing yourself as plodding through the decision process. In that manner, I really enjoyed the book as it seemed to reinforce that one could indeed experience effective thinking without thinking about it. However, I can also understand the negative reviews as well. The experience and enjoyment of the book can really be related in the old saw, “for those that have, no explanation is required – for those that can not, no explanation is possible.”

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Sony Bravia XBR KDL 46XBR6 46 Inch 1080p 120Hz LCD HDTV

Sony Bravia XBR KDL 46XBR6 46 Inch 1080p 120Hz LCD HDTV

Performance takes center stage with the KDL-46XBR6 BRAVIA XBR(R) LCD flat panel HDTV. Chock full of features including HD 1080p Resolution and Motionflow 120Hz technology that provide smooth, natural images. Plus, BRAVIA Engine fully Digital Video Processing enhances overall image detail making every scene sharp, vibrant and life-like. You’ll notice deeper blacks with Advanced Contrast Enhancer (ACE), while 24p True Cinema capability helps deliver the cinematic experience when used with 24p Output devices, such as a Blu-Ray Disc player. There are also numerous inputs including four HDMI connections, two HD Component connections, Digital Media Port and a PC input that offer you a wide range of Connectivity options. And with the gorgeous piano gloss black finish, you’ll be wondering if the view is nicer with the TV on or off. 10-bit processor and 10-bit panel combine to create allow 64 times the levels of expression versus 8-Bit panels, resulting in smoother transitions from Color to color and faithful reproduction of subtle color changes Live Color Creation technology with WCG-CCFL backlight uses advanced chroma signal processing to widen color fidelity Dimensions – 42-7/8 x 28-1/2 x 4 (1088.3×723.8x99mm) / 42-7/8 x 30-1/8 x 12-1/8 (1088.3×764.7x307mm) with pedestal Weight – 57.2 pounds (25.9 kg) / 66 pounds (29.9 kg) with pedestal

User Ratings and Reviews

5 Stars Sony KDL 46XBR6 from Electronic Express/Amazon
I received the HDTV on 27March09 from Electronic Express. It was delivered by Fedex and it arrived in fine condition. I have had no issues with it thus far (late April). We love the clear images and vibrant colors. I have not seen any dead pixels nor any clouding. It works fine with the kids’ WII and our DirectTV HDDVR receiver. The price was right for us and the shipping cost was free. I highly recommend the Sony KDL 46XBR6.

5 Stars Open box purchase of 46xbr6
Great delivery. No issues or scratches on ‘open box’ item. Has been working perfectly from the first day of set up. The TV itself is amazing! I have both the Samsung flat screens and Sony and while both are good, the Sony XBR6 really stands out in color, depth and black components.

5 Stars Great TV
This is a long review. Short Version: excellent TV, worth the price, compares favorably to alternatives.

I’d caution anyone buying any TV to check out a few other sites before making your decision: [...] will guide you better than any amazon review can. With regards to this TV, here are my thoughts:

This (now last generation) LCD TV is very, very good. LCD technology has progressed soundly and always seems to pass the bounds of what seems possible (at least, in my expectations). There is very little motion blur anymore for most applications, the image is crisp, SD images are getting better and overall things just look great. This TV is no exception and delivers top notch performance on every level, with only a few qualms.

The picture:

The picture is excellent with deep blacks (but not the deepest) and very good color accuracy. There are many different configurations you can change beyond the standard set that will make the job of adjusting the TV to the proper values a little difficult, but once it’s set, you should be good for most situations. Out of the box, the picture looked great as well, but was simply too dark for me. If you look around on AVSforum, you should be able to find some configurations for this TV set.

The Sound:

The TV comes with a removable sound bar to impart greater sound than a typical LCD set. This might be the case, I don’t know. I use a surround sound system that doesn’t go through the TV speaker. We used this tv’s sound briefly, but it doesn’t compare to a surround sound set up pretty much ever. Bottom line: if you’re using the TV speakers on any LCD/Plasma right now, these speakers will be at least as good as those.

The Remote:

Another “I don’t use this” section. I use a Logitech Harmony remote (550) to control all of my components, so I’m not sure how good the included sony remote is. It seems like it’s a fine remote, with all of the necessary buttons. I haven’t heard of the remote breaking on anyone, so I’m guessing it’s in the “good enough” category.

The Interface (the menu layout/control scheme):

Sony uses the cross bar interface on this TV which on first glance/first use really isn’t that great. The good news is that as you use the cross bar, you’ll like it more. It’s simple, easy to use, and fairly easy to find things. It’s not particuarly pretty, but not so ugly that you’ll want to avoid using it. It’s entirely functional, and what more can you really ask for? The included features and adjustments are many, and you shouldn’t have a hard time enabling or disabling any feature you like or dislike.

Some other notes:

120Hz: Personal opinion: looks bad. I’d recommend turning off this feature for most shows/movies/whatever. Some stuff does look fine though (sports, mostly), and I think people can get used to the weird effect it makes. This TV has 3 levels: High/low/off. Low works fine, but again, you’re better sticking with off.

LED Backlighting (“LED TV”): This TV doesn’t have this, and it looks like most of the higher end TVs in the new/current generation will have this. These TVs don’t really look that much better than this TV, and the viewing angle tends to be worse. For me, the price differential doesn’t make up for the supposed benefits of these TVs.

Plasma Vs LCD: both of these technologies are getting better all the time. At this point, it really doesn’t matter which you choose, both will look great. I chose an LCD TV because I wanted the longer lifespan, and no risk of burn in. The colors on this TV are already excellent and the motion blur on this TV is pretty unnoticable as well. If you’re hung up over this, try going to a store and comparing in person.

Shortcomings:

There’s really only been one issue with this TV, and that’s that it’s got a feature where the picture will adjust to the colors on the screen. If it’s a dark scene, the backlighting/picture will dim, and if it’s a bright scene the blacklighting/picture will get brighter. Sounds fine in theory, but this change is slow and noticable in some movies and shows. Most get used to this effect, but it’s a deal breaker for others. A firmware update in the future could correct this, but for now (as far as I know) it’s there.

Final thoughts:

As I’ve said before, this TV is very good and I would highly recommend this TV to anyone I knew that was looking for a new, topish of the line TV. With the current/new generation of TVs coming out, it will lose some of it’s luster, but the TV is still quite solid. The inevitable comparison will be against a Samsung A750 TV, and it compares quite nicely. A Samsung A750 S panel will probably look as good as this TV for a little less. Compared to the slightly lower Z series TV (Sony Z4100), this TV adds a little for a little more. Better contrast ratio, better sound, arguably nicer framing, potentially a few less issues overall for a slightly higher price.

5 Stars great T.V.
This is out third Sony XBR T.V. We believe it to be the best . Our first one is @ 10 years old and never gave any problems.

If you are looking for quality and a good picture this is the T.V. that you need or any other size in the XBR line. This is a XBR 6 The best is the XBR 8.for picture quality…..but also it is a lot more expensive.

So for an affordable T.V. this is the one to get………….

5 Stars Fantastic HDTV!
The image detail and color of this XBR6 is truly amazing. Another unexpected benefit is the anti-glare screen – we no longer are forced to turn off the overhead lights to watch a movie.

I was a little wary of purchasing an expensive HDTV and having it shipped to my house but it arrived in perfect order via FedEx. The installation was extremely simple; I pulled the base out of the box, screwed it to the shelf for stability, and the wife and I mounted the display. In all a 5 minute job. Hooking up surround sound, DVD player, etc was a snap.

I would have preferred to purchase locally to support our retailers but just couldn’t justify $1300 more.

Bottom line is great value, fantastic everything, just no down side to this purchase. My only regret is waiting so long to get it!

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Snowbound

Snowbound

When a blizzard strands Fiona MacPherson and her students in Oregon’s Cascade Mountains, their only hope of survival is to seek shelter at Thunder Mountain Lodge. Their host is John Fallon, a handsome, enigmatic war veteran haunted by secrets and scars that may never heal.

John Fallon never imagined he’d be playing host to this captivating teacher and her eight teenage charges. But when his solitude is shattered by their arrival, his world shifts on its axis. He needs Fiona–but does she need him? There’s only one way to find out. The ex-soldier must find the courage to reach out to the remarkable woman who has transformed his life…

User Ratings and Reviews

5 Stars A whiteout love story…
Albeit this is not a whiteout thriller but a blizzard love story it’s a good one. You’ll never expect that end and just for that is worth reading it. As many vet’s stories you can’t say this is a cute one but you can say is a good one.

If you want to read a whiteout thriller read “Whiteout” by Ken Follett or “Chill Factor” by Sandra Brown but mind you, although these are very good books you can’t compare them with this one ’cause these are thrillers. Not love stories

2 Stars Dull and derivitive
Too sweet for my taste. Too much page time with the teenagers ~ yet not enough for them to be other than stick figures in the background. Nothing new here on the stock wounded warrior hero. The type has been done to death. Imminently forgettable book.

1 Star Very boring!
Ugh, I just didn’t like this book. I could see no draw between the characters and found it difficult to finish the book. Save your money!

2 Stars Boring
Not a good story in my opinion. I just couldn’t get into the characters at all.

3 Stars pretty nice read
I got this book free for my kindle and was pleasantly surprised. It was a pretty quick read and while there were some slow parts, overall the character development was nicely done and I’d recommend it for those who want a tender romance.

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LG 19LH20 19 Inch 720p LCD HDTV Gloss Black

LG 19LH20 19 Inch 720p LCD HDTV Gloss Black

The LH20 Series is an entry-level LCD HDTV series featuring 720p native resolution and a 60Hz refresh rate. The series is ISFccc ready and includes two HDMI inputs for connection to high definition devices. The LH20 Series is available in a variety of screen sizes ranging from 22″ to 42″ for placement in both small and larger rooms. A feature-rich HDTV in a size for every room.

30,000:1 Dynamic Contrast Ratio
With a top-class contrast ratio of 30,000:1, this LG HDTV provides vivid images even in a bright environment, eliminating optical glare and minimizing light reflection.

Invisible Speaker System
Fine tuned by renowned audio expert Mr. Mark Levinson, LG TVs utilize a unique speaker system that delivers a clean, polished look and enhanced audio with a wider sound field.

AV Mode II
LG HDTVs include 3 AV Modes, preset to optimize picture and sound settings based on Cinema, Sports or Game content. AV Modes can be easily set with a convenient button on the remote control. Cinema Mode is pre-calibrated using ISFccc parameters for a film-like experience.

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