Can the Seahawks acquire the Grit to notify Holmgren a 2nd shipshape Bowl Winning Team?
Holmgren started out coaching and teaching at his high school alma mater in San Francisco. Now, after 36 years of coaching in high school, college and the pros, he begins his last season with the Seattle Seahawks in quest of a second spruce Bowl victory with a different team after winning clean Bowl XXXI (31) when his Green Bay Packers beat the recent England Patriots, 35-21.
For Holmgren, already acknowledged as one of the very best coaches in National Football League history, it would be the icing on the cake as no coach has ever won the shipshape Bowl with 2 different teams.
Holmgren is share of a rob group of only 5 coaches who have taken 2 teams to the dapper Bowl and won once but not twice. The others are Bill Parcels, Dan Reeves, Don Shula and Dick Vermeil. Parcels and Shula are kindly legends in their contain good.
It has been quite a slump for Mike Holmgren. His influence in the NFL is nothing short of awesome. He will be in the NFL Hall of Fame at some point in the future, the only quiz is will he be the first to coach 2 different teams to trim Bowl victories and world championships?
That triumph, should it happen in his final year as coach of the Seahawks, would be a long diagram from losing 22 straight games as a high school coach in San Francisco, a slide that almost led him to stop coaching. Thankfully, he continued on, not bright the success he would eventually accomplish.
Like touchdowns coming one after another when his West glide Offense hits its trek, his legacy will include:
Molding future Hall of Fame quarterbacks Joe Montana, Steve Young and Bret Favre (pronounced Farve) during his tenures as a quarterback coach with the San Francisco 49ers and head coach of the Green Bay Packers.
In 6 years with San Francisco as the quarterbacks coach and then offensive coordinator, the 49ers went 71-23-1 (75%) in the regular season and reached postseason play 5 of 6 years, won trim Bowl XXIII (23) over the Cincinnati Bengals and spruce Bowl XXIV (24) over the Denver Broncos. His offense was No. 1 in the NFL in 1989.
In 7 years as head coach of Green Bay, the Packers went 75-37 (67%) in the regular season, 9-5 (64%) in the postseason, had 2 elegant Bowl appearances and won shapely Bowl XXXI (31) over the unusual England Patriots. By winning at least 1 game in 5 consecutive postseasons, Holmgren joined John arouse as the only coaches to ever do so.
At his apex, he led Green Bay from 1995 to 1998 to an NFL-best 48-16 (75%) recount, finished 1st in the NFC Central Division 3 times, and had a 7-3 playoff note. He led the Packers to 6 consecutive postseasons, setting a franchise describe with a team that had impartial 2 winning seasons in 19 years prior to his arrival.
In 9 years as head coach of Seattle, he took the Seahawks to postseason play in his first year, breaking a 10-year playoff drought. Since then he has won an AFC West Division title, an NFC Wildcard berth, won 4 consecutive NFC West Division championships (2004 through 2007), an NFC championship, and taken the Seahawks to their first-ever shipshape Bowl appearance in 2005.
In Seattle’s stellar 2005 campaign, Holmgren’s Seahawks were 13-3 (81%) in regular season play (a franchise represent), won a team picture 11 consecutive victories, and won their first playoff game since 1984. He molded Matt Hasselbeck into a Pro Bowl and well-organized Bowl quarterback, and coached Shaun Alexander to the NFL’s Most important Player award and an NFL-record 28 touchdowns in a single season.
Holmgren is honest the 3rd coach in NFL history to lead his team to 7 straight postseason appearances (6 in Green Bay followed by 1 in Seattle), joining two all-time legends-Tom Landry and Chuck Noll.
In short, in 21 NFL seasons, Mike Holmgren has a 218-116-1 represent (65%), has 12 double-digit net seasons, made 16 postseason runs, won 3 clean Bowls and competed in 2 other trim Bowls.
Gone from Seattle’s 2005 desirable Bowl team are two mainstays-MVP Shaun Alexander and Pro-Bowl guard Steve Hutchinson. current arrivals include wide receivers Deion Branch and Nate Burleson, defensive backs Deon Grant and Brian Russell, defensive slay Patrick Kerney, and running backs Julius Jones and T. J. Duckett.
Seattle does not have a world-beater team. It has a few Pro-Bowl players-quarterback Matt Hasselbeck, tackle Walter Jones, defensive extinguish Patrick Kerney, linebackers Lofa Tatupu and Julian Peterson, and cornerback Marcus Trufant-and some seasoned veterans.
Seattle will not be picked in pre-season polls to rep the smart Bowl, and it begs the question: Is this a team that has the grit to voice Mike Holmgren another well-organized Bowl victory and aid him go down in history as the greatest NFL coach ever?
Muay Thai Boxing: An primitive Sport
If you’ve ever watched a match on television, you know that it is an extremely brutal sport. If you’re involved in martial arts at all, it is considerable to become familiar with Muay Thai, since it is a very accepted obtain. Here are some of the basics of the sport.
A Muay Thai match focuses as grand on ceremony as it does on beating the spit out of the opponent. Before each match, the two fighters do their opening rituals, which usually deem the training of their masters, or the schools at which they learned their fighting technique.
Since Muay Thai is often a deeply religious sport, some of the fighers will pray by themselves or with their coaches before getting started, in an anguish to increase their ability. Next is the Wai Kru ritual, in which the fighters circle each other around the ring, which signifies sealing it off for the fight.
Muay Thai focuses on 8 parts of the body that act as striking points. These are the hands, shins, elbows and knees. Most martial arts consume fists and feet primarily, so this alone sets Muay Thai apart. You often search for the fighters grapple immediately, locking their heads with each other. Then, they trade blows with their knees, striking each other in the stomach and chest. Sometimes they will trade blows for the entire match, leaving their chests bloody and tender, beaten to a pulp.
Besides keeping the entire Thai world captivated with matches and tournaments, Muay boxing has also provided a ample deal of entertainment for the western world. Many matches are broadcasted on channels in the USA, and the movies Ong Bak and The Protector have brought about even more heightened interest in the sport, with the Muay Thai master Tony Jaa.
Like most martial arts, you can gather training almost anywhere. But if you want to truly learn the sport and become the next ample Muay Thai fighter, you might need to go to Thailand and earn an authentic trainer to bellow you the stunning art!
Tailgating at Football Games
Tailgating is best at professional or college football games, but really, can be done anytime. Serious tailgaters work to attach the most explain setting for their party. Since I have done my section of tailgating, I concept it would only be appropriate to allotment my views on how to tailgate properly.
For a valid pleasurable tailgating party, you need the following items:
1. Barbeque Grill (charcoal, lighter fluid and grilling utensils)
2. Radio for pregame interviews
3. HD TV to peep the pregame
4. Folding Chairs and Folding Tables (depending on how many people are tailgating)
5. Ice
6. Plenty of icy Beer
7. Soda
8. Water (hydration is key)
9. Plenty of sizable food (you can resolve if you want to do it Bobby Flay style or merely dogs and burgers – but this is very principal – compose clear there is plenty of food and don’t forget the bread) . Also, don’t forget the snacks, all gigantic tailgates have snacks before the burgers and sausages are cooked on the grill.
10. Plate and napkins (optional)
11. regain and place on every bit of clothing you occupy with your team’s insignia on it
12. Decorate your car, SUV, truck with team magnets, flags or other decoration
13. Trash Bags (if you are going to party, you better learn to trim up after yourself)
14. Paper Towels and wet wipes
15. Generator (this really may be overdoing it, but you never know)
After writing that, is it tumble yet so I can procure my grill out for the football tailgate season? Can’t wait. Also, while tailgating, there is a unusual place called Sportsfananza that allows you to send text messages while tailgating (or any time for that matter) and also post your sports fan videos from tailgating.
Stream Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Online
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Stream Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Online.
Movie Title: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is available for streaming or downloading. Click Here to Stream or Download Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles |
I have always been a fan of the “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” cartoons at a very young age. I have a lot of the episodes on tape and love to still watch them. I had heard that there were three non-animation movies out on the series but was never really compelled to see them. But the other day while at the video rental store, I decided to rent all three out. And what a surprise I got when I saw the first film for I actually enjoyed and loved watching it!
15 years have passed since a rat named Splinter (Kevin Clash) found four baby turtles in a puddle of ooze in the sewers. Because of the contact with the ooze, Splinter and the four turtles became mutants. Naming them after Renaissance artists, Leonardo (David Forman), Raphael (Josh Pais), Michaelangelo (Michelan Sisti), and Donatello (Leif Tilden), Splinter teaches them the ancient secret art of fighting. When the mysterious evil Shredder James Saito organizes the Foot Clan formed of young teenagers, causing the city to be in uproar because of vandalism. With the help of reporter April O’Neil (Judith Hoag) and former athlete Casey Jones (Elias Koteas), it’s up to the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles to save the day!
The movie has an interesting story-line if not extremely cheesy and corny but hey, that’s how the original cartoons were! In fact, I would have found the movie unlikable if it hadn’t contained some of the cartoon aspects of the original series. Also a lot of interesting facts are revealed like how Splinter’s past is related to Shredder and the beginnings of the turtles.
Comparing the movie to the series, I was a bit surprised to find that movie usually centers on the character of Raphael. His character is a bit different from the series, a bit more hot-tempered, impatient, and more of a loner. Leonardo is still the leader, Donatello doesn’t get much chance to work with gadgets and computers, and Michaelangelo… well… he’s still his usual likable self! April O’Neal is also working for Channel 3 news instead of Channel 6 News. The adding of Elias Koteas as Casey Jones was an interesting thread to insert for he was a fun and likable guy.
The martial arts and fighting were well choreographed and was enjoyable to watch. I especially liked the fight at April’s place, the end fight with the Foot, and the last fight with Shredder. The movie is also sprinkled from beginning to end with funny parts, quotable lines, and humor. Jim Henson should also get credit for doing an incredible job with the turtles and Splinter.
To sum of the movie, whether you are or aren’t a turtles fan, I highly recommend this movie! Lots of fun and great entertainment, it’s terrific for the family. The movie is rated PG because of some language, the fighting, and since it has some dark moments. I also recommend the next two “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” movies. The second one, “The Secret of the Ooze” is my personal favorite of the three.
Back in about 1988, a phenomenon erupted. Nobody knew exactly what was so cool about this phenomenon, but every kid in the country had to have the figures, video games, board games, Halloween costumes, etc. The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles have unfortunately grown old, briefly resurrected by an unwelcome live-action Fox Kids television program a few years ago. But, oh, during the turtle hype… what a glorious time for kids it was. And when their first feature length film came out, kids dragged their parents to go see it. The kids (myself included) naturally loved the film. It was the hot topic during lunchtime in the school cafeteria. The Turtles were dominating EVERYTHING…
Ten years later, for me at least, the film is still as entertaining as ever. When I first saw it, I couldn’t have cared any less about the script or plot. I just wanted to see the four boys in action. Yet watching it now, I’m impressed at how well-made it actually is (the lighting, in particular). Is it technically five-star material? I think so. Some would disagree, but you simply can’t down a franchise that you grew up with. And you can’t expect a 40 year old movie critic to rave about the movie when he has no idea where it’s derived from.
What shocks me the most is how people talk about how bad the script is. I’m now 19 years old, and some parts of this movie had me cracking up. (”The only thing safe in the woods… would be the trees!”) And it’s not just the humor, either. The dramatic elements in the movie are much more tense and involving than they have any right to be.
The bottom line is that this film is VASTLY underrated. And people shouldn’t down it just because it was loved by millions of kids across the globe. If you ask me, children have the upper hand when it comes to watching a movie. They want nothing more than to be entertained, and are less demanding than adults are. Give the movie a shot and don’t be such a prude. If you’re expecting a “kiddie” movie sprinkled in abundance with watered-down action and stupid dialogue, then you’re in for a big suprise. This is one of the moodiest PG movies I’ve ever seen.
“I have always liked… ‘Cowabunga.’”
Stream Scooby-Doo! And the Witch’s Ghost Online
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Stream Scooby-Doo! And the Witch’s Ghost Online.
Movie Title: Scooby-Doo! And the Witch’s Ghost Scooby-Doo! And the Witch’s Ghost is available for streaming or downloading. Click Here to Stream or Download Scooby-Doo! And the Witch’s Ghost |
“Scooby Doo and the Witch’s Ghost” is better than the TV series, with a fun soundtrack, kooky characters, and the same, though slightly different formula.
Scooby and the gang catches two archaelogists and coincidentally meet Ben Ravencroft, a horror novelist, a la Stephen King, who is one of Velma’s famous horror novelists. Ben invites the gang over to spend a weekend with him at his hometown in Salem, Massachusetts. There, they meet a local group, the shapely trio Hex Girls, who insert two cool new music numbers in the movie. They are connected with the mystery about Sarah Ravencroft, Ben’s descendant, who he claims that her name is wrongly accused of witchcraft, that she was a Wiccan healer, leading to funny and unpredictable results.
“The Witch’s Ghost” is considerably a little more darker and scarier than it’s 1998 predessor “Scooby Doo on Zombie Island,” and contains the same formulaic plot that comes with the 1970s series, though it’s different, and is a must have for any Scooby-Doo collector.
The voices for the characters considerably match the ones to the ’70s show, though they could have used Scott Innes as Scooby only (he’s going to be the voice of the animated Scooby in the real-live movie with Sarah Michelle Gellar “Buffy” and her fiance, Freddie Prinze Jr., as Daphne and Freddy).
But Scott Innes does a terrific job of doing both roles. Tim Curry does a teriffic job as Ben Ravencroft, while Frank Welker more or less fits the voice for Freddy and Mary Kay Bergman (died last year, due to suicide) as Daphne and B.J. Ward fit the role as Velma perfectly.
All in all, a pretty good Scooby Doo movie, and worth a look.
I don’t have a problem with this movie. True it is not like the classic Scooby-Doo cartoons but it does include all the characters unlike the Boo Brothers. The only thing that I really did not like about this movie and Zombie Island is that is is kind of scary for very young children. My three year-old son is a big fan of Scooby-Doo and when he sees this movie and Zombie Island he keeps repeating the phrase “monsters aren’t real they’re just pretend”. So it is a little bit scary but like all the others they have good endings and are lots of fun.
Stream Quigley Down Under Online
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Movie Title: Quigley Down Under Quigley Down Under is available for streaming or downloading. |
Like many TV actors, “Quigley”’s star Tom Selleck gave much attention, during and after his small-screen career, to attempting to break into movies. If he’d been born in 1926, instead of 1946, he would probably have gained fame, not as Thomas Magnum, but in Western films and/or TV series like this one. Quigley is the role he was born to play, and in Quigley’s adventures he has made, to my mind, the best movie of his career.
This slam-bang actioner, though often labelled a “Western,” actually takes place, not in the American West, but in the Crown Colony of Western Australia, probably around 1875 (there are still convicts there). Selleck plays Matthew Quigley, a soft-spoken marksman from Wyoming, who answers an advertisement by Australian rancher Marston (Alan Rickman) for “the finest long-distance marksman in the world.” After three months on a sailing ship, he steps ashore at the port of Fremantle, where he promptly gets into a brawl with what turn out to be three of Marston’s men, come to meet him, and is mistaken by displaced “native-born Texian” Crazy Cora Cobb (Laura San Giacomo) for her husband Roy. At Marston Water he offers a display of his skill with his primary weapon, a customized Sharps .45 buffalo gun, and impresses everyone, including Marston, who describes himself as “a student of your American West” and is a fast draw, pinpoint-accurate, and quietly proud of it. Only now does Quigley find out that he was being hired, not to kill dingoes (Australian wild dogs) as he thought, but to clear Marston’s lands of the native Aboriginies. He promptly throws Marston out the French window of his own house, but is eventually overwhelmed by Marston’s crew and, with Cora, taken out to the desert to die. Managing to kill the two men who fetched them there, he recovers his rifle and big Stetson, but loses the buckboard and horses. Trying to walk out, he and Cora are found by a clan of Aboriginies, who take them in, and when a group of Marston’s men appears to hunt the natives down, Quigley takes up his Sharps in their defense. Eventually he eliminates Marston and all but three of his men in a sort of one-man “long hunt,” climaxed by a shootout in which, though wounded and battered and admitting that he “never had much use” for handguns (he doesn’t even carry one), he kills three men so fast that his shots sound like one.
Though there’s a good deal of violence in this video–in fact, it will probably be too intense for kids under the age of 12 or so–none of it is gratuitous: each instance either serves to further the story in some way or is portrayed as an inevitable result of the choices and character of the person acting or being acted against. Selleck’s Quigley is a ’90’s version of the classic John Wayne hero: soft-spoken, quietly competent, modest and unassuming (he “spent a night” in Dodge City once, and describes it as “a nice place to get some sleep”), chivalrous toward women and even a little unsure of how to react to them. (His early interactions with San Giacomo’s Cora, on the Fremantle docks and in their first outback camp, add a whimsical touch to the movie’s tone and should draw laughs from all watchers.) He also has an iron code of behavior, and he doesn’t hesitate to learn even from the primitive Aborigines: one of the most delightful sequences finds them teaching him to use a spear-thrower and to suck water out of the sand through a bamboo–after which he repays them by conducting a class in the making and proper use of a rawhide lasso. Rickman is the kind of villain you love to hate: smooth, silky, sneering, yet acting from what seem to him to be completely valid reasons. San Giacomo may be “touched in the head,” but she’s also earthy, practical, and fiercely loyal to Selleck and to the orphaned Aboriginie baby they find; her story of how she came to be in Australia is touchingly delivered.
And, like most of the best movies, “Quigley” can serve as a starting point for some penetrating family discussion. Parallels will quickly be seen between the Aborigines’ situation and, not only the experiences of the American Indian, but the “ethnic cleansing” through which the former Yugoslavia suffered, and which kids may have studied in school. Quigley seems not to be revengeful against Marston and his crew of 20-odd tough English and Irish until they act against the Aborigines who have been his and Cora’s friends, and even then a case can be made for his killing as many of them as he can hit: afoot and outnumbered, he doesn’t want them in the area and angry at him; after the second Aboriginie drive and the accidental killing of a storekeeper’s wife, he is simply resolved to keep them from doing any more harm.
Though action is the movie’s keynote, it is above all the story of how three people inspire one another to certain inevitable acts–in short, like all the best stories, it turns on character. And its characters will remain in the memory for a long time to come. (A side-benefit is the blood-stirring score by Basil Poledouris, which was one of the first CD’s I ever purchased.) The cinematography gives a powerful sense of the size and loneliness of the Australian outback (filming was done in Alice Springs and other Australian locations), as well as of how important it is that Quigley seems far better able to adjust himself to it than Marston’s men are willing to do. Director Simon Wincer, though not of American birth, has turned out a movie which, while not strictly a “real” Western, should become a classic of the genre. By my criteria, it’s definitely a 10–or perhaps even a 12.
An American sharpshooter (Tom Selleck) with a powerful, experimental rifle takes to the high seas in the late 1800’s and sails across the Pacific Ocean to Australia. His name is Matthew Quigley and he has been hired by Elliot Marston (Alan Rickman) to rid the wealthy landowner down under of the numerous packs of dingos (wild dogs) attacking his livestock. At Least that’s what Quigley thinks he’s being hired to do.
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Shortly after arriving on this foreign shore Quigley learns the horrible truth about his assignment. The cruel and despotic Marston doesn’t like Aborgines wandering through across his land and has decided to solve the problem by exterminating them. Quigley has been hired to carry out the job. His refusal to take the job marks the beginning of an epic battle between Marston and his men against Quigley as he fights to defend the indigenous population.
Action/Adventure in its truest tradition, with the lines clearly drawn between the forces of good and evil. You will find yourself rooting out loud for the “good guy” before the movie is through!
Buy,Download, Or Stream Quigley Down Under! Click Here
Along with the typical action sequences you expect to find in a good Western, there are also plenty of poignant and sad moments which center around both the plight of the aboriginal culture and the personal tragedy shared by Crazy Cora with Quigley in one of the most tender moments of the movie.
Great performances by all. Tom Selleck was born to play this role and anyone familiar with Alan Rickman knows that nobody is better at playing the “bad guy” than he is. And let’s not forget Laura San Giacomo as Crazy Cora who supplies both the comic relief and eventual love interest of Matthew Quigley.
This was a tremendously original concept for a film which was carried out to perfection. This is not only one of my favorite Westerns, but one of my all-time favorite films.
Brother MFC7420 Best Prices, Compare, Reviews
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Product: Brother MFC7420 Amazon Price: Too low to display Availability: In Stock |
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Here is my review for the sister model of MFC7420 (7820N), the only difference in 7820N is better scan resolution & Networking capabilities, the rest is the same, so my review should apply to MFC 7420 as well.
WoW ! This must be the best MFC out there. I have owned several canon, hp, lexmark MFC, photo printers, fax machines etc. This machine is it. All you need is this MFC & a separate photo printer. you are all set.
1. This is a laser MFC – scan(color), copy, fax, print
2. very fast for home/small office use
3. very compact – very space saving
4. Network ready – other computers on network can use all functions of this.
5. unlimited tech support. not just 1-year like HP/canon.
6. Machine feels sold & feels it will last long
7. All fax,copy, scan can be operated either from machine buttons or pc software interface.
8. installation was breeze
9. software is top notch. very intuitive
10. tested print, copy, scan & fax – AWESOME AWESOME.
11. they don’t outsource cust support to india
12. only regrets: no duplex, no separate output tray, but from a compact machine like this, you can’t expect output tray.
13. This MFC is clearly the winner. nothing else.
14. $50 cartride takes you upto 2,500 pages. not bad
15. Auto feeder works flawlessly
16. buy from local office depot store when they give $40 gift card with it.
17. you can connect any answering machine, so all you need is one line for phone callss & fax. this machine shows whether it is a phone call or fax. can use distinctive ring too.
18. backlit LCD menu
19. if you network with this printer, you don’t need to buy USB cable
20. 32mb memory for printing, huge memory for fax.
21. super fast fax speed
22. Excellent looks.
23. DEDICATED MAC SUPPORT, although i only used it for Windows.
why didn’t i know about Brother earlier ?
I wanted a sturdy machine that uses ink affordably, feeds paper accurately and reliably, and not too slow. I didn’t need color. This machine fit the bill.
I haven’t owned it long, so I don’t know about reliability. Paper handling is excellent. Printing is fast and looks very good — dark and precise. Ink costs will be much lower than an inkjet. It seems carefully designed and more solidly made than most inkjets. It’s Macintosh-friendly (I guess Brother makes a point of being friendly to Macintosh and Linux.) Scanning, faxing, printing all work seamlessly with OS X.
It’s got a flatbed scanner for irregular originals, and a sheet feeder for scanning, faxing or copying multiple pages. The sheet feeder seems to work very well. This is really an incredible deal, considering the low price. This is a perfect machine for the user who has office work in mind, more than printing photos and other “home user” needs.
Follow-up, six months later: This machine has worked better than I could have hoped. Paper feed is very reliable, print quality is excellent, the fax function is quite reliable, and the cost of ink per page is remarkably cheap. I haven’t experience a single problem with it.
My wife and I love this machine. I have had it for over six months and have had no problem with it. I had to replace the original toner cartridge after only six months of use, but they always give you less toner in the “starter” cartridge than in the replacements. It prints faster than the old dedicated laser printer I had and the copier, scanner, fax functions work flawlessly. I also found it relatively easy to set-up with an external answering machine so that I can always have the fax function standing by on the same line as my home phone. Unlike others, I had no trouble with the included software.
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Sony STRDG1100 Review, Compare, Prices, Discounts
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Product: Sony STRDG1100 Amazon Price: Too low to display Availability: In Stock |
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I spent about a week researching various AV receivers in this price range. As the owner of a Sony Bravia HDTV I was partial to Sony due to the Bravia Theater Synch Technology feature in order to eliminate a handful of remotes. And in this regard this receiver does the job perfectly. I can control all of my TV functions via the remote. As I upgrade my DVD player I am confident that I will also be able to control this device via the Bravia Theater Synch. Although I was able to program all of the functions of my 2 year old non-HDMI DVD player with no problems. The only issue is with a Direct TV HD DVR in that neither my television nor this receiver utilizes a code set that allows the Sony Remote to work with the Direct TV DVR receiver. So at the very least I am now down to 2 remotes.I contacted Sony Tech Support and they were of no help.
This is not a plug and play unit. You have to study the manual with care before even taking the unit out of the box. Do this and you will minimize frustrations with system setup, and be able to maximize your enjoyment of this piece of equipment.
Once the system is set up the auto calibrate feature sets up the speaker system audio levels. After this step I tweaked the system by ear and the sound was awsome in all modes. The decoder automatically decodes incomming audio and displays the mode on the receiver screen.
The system is provided with 3 HDMI inputs and one output for your TV as well as numerous other inputs (see specs) which if I were to fully utilize would allow me to quickly sink into a level of debt that would rival the national debt.
I compared this receiver with several of the ES series receivers also by Sony and for the money difference this was the superior buy, based on the functionality that I was looking for.
Sound on this system is truly awesome, you truly become part of the scene when watching a DVD. The audio whips around the room to the point where you actually twist your head expecting something to come at you from the side or from behind.
The receiver runs relatively cool when compared to other units out there which in my mind as an electrical engineer is critical in that heat is the greatest enemy of electronic components. In my mind cool running electronics equals a long life.
I’ve been upgrading my system. Started with Sony 60A3000(great tv). Next was Onkyo 605. A nice unit,popular, but I was not satisfied with performance at low and medium sound levels. Sounded “thin”. Decided to try Sony 1100. A dramatic difference in my setup. Sound was more full and deeper at mid level. At higher levels it was very impressive. I use Top Gun dvd as one of my test dvds. Both the 605 and 1100 picked up the ratchet noise made by the sled in scene 1, but it was more distinct on the 1100. At mid level the 1100 was nicer to listen to, at high volume it was also more “full” sounding and working with less effort.
Both process video from 1080i and lower up to 1080p if using hdmi. Again, video thru the 605 was impressive, but the 1100 was better-sharper, crisper and on the HD channels awesome.
In my view, the Sony 1100 is worth the money, I noticed both audio and video improvements.
btw-I upgraded my 8 yr old subwoofer and it was a dramatic improvement. I highly recommend using a quality sub.
Ok! I have a Blu Ray and a HD Player which used the HDMI ports. I also have a burner and a great old lasar disc palyer which I have hooked up into the componant section. No problem. My 50′ plasma plugs right in. This receiver up-converts regular DVDs. The picture resulting from the up-conversion is great. The receiver has plenty of power to drive my M&K left, right, center and sub-woofer. Two items that could be improved. One the speed that the receiver takes to switich from one source to another. In other words, it takes about 10-15 seconds to completely electronically switch from watching Blu Ray to watching the a TV channel and visa versa. I will not even get into the manual. If you went to school at MIT or Cal Tech you probably will have no problems. In conclusion, the 1100 does everything that I want it too do! But simply, isn’t that what it is all about?
Bushnell 36-4000 Best Price, Reviews, Compare
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Product: Bushnell 36-4000 Amazon Price: Too low to display Availability: In Stock |
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This is one of those products that can either be a great thing or can be a great disappointment… All dependent on actual need / intended use.
For me, it has been a great product that met my needs. I like to do a lot of camping and hiking in the middle of the woods and all I need from a portable GPS is just the basics. Let me mark locations, get me from the car to the camping site or marked locations and get me back. For this, I don’t really need advanced features such as street routing, a POI database filled with restaurants, gas stations, etc. For that, I use the navigation system on my car.
Having said that, pretty much, any of the portable GPS devices meet my requirements but what attracted me to the Onix 400 was the addition of the XM Weather receiver. That extra feature, for me was worth the price as it does come in handy to be able to see when storms are coming, their severity and to be able to estimate roughly when it will be on top of you and how long it will be before it passes once is on top of you.
While the GPS with the Weather feature has been great on my outings, I do have a few complaints, which I did make sure Bushnell knew so that they can improve the product.
1. While XM does seem to work during bad weather provided the device is out on the open, it is useless when one is stuck inside a tent while waiting for the rain to stop. The GPS does have a connector to allow peripheral devices to be connected, including an external antenna, but Bushnell does not offer such an antenna. The closest they have is a headset with an antenna, but is not designed to take the role of a real external antenna. Cable is short and because of it being a headset, I don’t believe it will be a good idea to leave it out on the rain for any extended periods of time.
2. The cost of extra batteries. Only Bushnell batteries can be used due to their design. These batteries are not cheap to be able to buy a couple of spares, so one has to trade real time info for battery life. Pretty much, to extend battery life, once you get to where you need to be (Camping Ground),turn the unit off and if the sky shows signs of bad weather approaching, turn it on, wait for the XM signal to update the Weather info, then turn it off again.
For me, this has not been a major issue, as turning the device off is what I would have done anyway with any other portable GPS without XM and turned it back on when on the move. Just thought other users may want to be aware of this.
In summary, if you are looking for a portable GPS specific to outdoor activities and would like to keep an eye on severe weather, this is a GPS for you.
If you want to use it as an MP3 player or for urban door to door navigation…
Have you looked at Tom Tom or Garmin?
I thought it was a great idea and I bought it to use on my boat in Lake Winnepausakee so it can guide me while cruising and I can listen to the satellite radio BUT I was faced with the following problems:
1-It took me 3 trials to activate the XM radio, after that it could never update the weather data. The radio reception was erratic eventhough I was using it in the middle of the lake,no buildings or trees blocking?
2- The software does not work with Vista,I kept going in circles and I had to use my old XP computer
3- I could not download any of the maps I was going in circles and I had to contact the support service, they were very helpful but they discovered that the unit was defective and they asked me to send it back to be fixed.
So far I dont have a functional unit to give a real review the only thing positive was the support technician who was very helpful.
Build
The first time I picked up the unit, it felt very natural in my hand. The construction was solid. The rubberized back and glassy front were a nice contrast. The first thing that popped into my head was that this was a military grade device. The bulbous head which houses the antennae and protruding battery pack were pronounced, but had a natural feel to it. After holding it a few times, the unit fell into my hand with my trigger finger wrapping around the battery pack while my thumb held the unit securely in place. It is very easy to navigate with only one hand.
Although I never plan on submerging it, I can see how the waterproofing can come in handy especially in navigating in the rain or getting to a favorite duck hunting spot. I have wiped it clean with a moist towel and there were no problems as expected.
The top access panel houses the port to the external antennae. This is used to connect headphones or more commonly an auxiliary cable from your car radio. The bottom port is used to connect a mini usb port and to charge the unit. Unfortunately the bottom port does not have a swinging hinge like the top port so any day now I will lose the plastic connector that must be removed to recharge the unit.
Grade: A-
Comments:
* It did feel very comfortable in my hand, but it is on the large side
* Including a protective plastic screen cover would be nice. I can see the screen getting scratched with continuous use
* The bottom port cover is easily lost
Buttons and Function Navigation
When navigating, the screen is far enough away from the controls, so there is no screen blocking when moving around the controls. I like how there aren’t too many buttons to get confused with. It took me a while to figure out that certain buttons needed to be held down to activate, but once I did, it was a breeze.
Switching between topographical maps and aerial views was easy. The scrolling function on the map was too slow though. It should have an increasing rate of scroll as you hold the button down. This is important if you’re semi lost or choosing between a Y in the road. If you want to see a mile to the east, it takes quite a while to scroll that way.
All of the buttons feel good and are easy to reach.
Grade: A
Comments:
* Easy to use
* Not cluttered
Satellites
As the directions note, it takes one or two minutes to acquire satellite locks. I commonly see 8-12 satellites once everything goes green and locks. It is very clear once the unit locks on as the satellites turn green and your exact location and altitude are displayed.
Geocaching
I am a novice geocacher, but when I entered the coordinates of 3 caches, I was able to find one. What I didn’t realize is that besides entering the coordinates, you should also read the description and hints which would’ve made me three for three. There is a geocaching mode or set of settings which I didn’t look too deep into. I believe that other GPS systems have a true geocaching mode with logging and cache maintenance. I’m not sure how important that would be for a casual cacher as myself.
Grade: B
Comments:
* It seemed to work fine
Off-Roading/Trails
This was my most anticipated use for the GPS. I recently bought an off-road capable truck as well as a guide for off-road trails in my area. These trails were very detailed and also included GPS waypoints for each trail. Since many of these back country roads are poorly marked, GPS waypoints are vital. I set the waypoints for each trail. It was nice to be able to have long names for these waypoints. For example, I can name 01 Switzerland Trail through 05 Switzerland Trail and then connect them all by using the route feature.
The aerial maps were a big help for off-roading as well. When there was a fork in the road, the aerial view showed me which way each trail went. I could then either follow to my waypoint or compare the coutours of the roads to the maps drawn in the book.
I could have used a louder beep when the way point was reached, but there may be a setting that I missed.
The downside was that my book listed coordinates in days, hours and minutes, while the Bushenell GPS companion required the coordinates to be input as decimal hours. I had to go online and convert all of my waypoints into the appropriate format before I entered them into the GPS. This can be very time consuming. There should be a feature to switch between the three coordinate types.
Grade: B+
Comments:
* Creating waypoints and linking them together was easy
* I need to see if I can increase the volume for waypoint arrival
Car Driving
Although this unit is not designed to be a driving direction assistant, it does have major roads on the base map. With the aerial view downloaded and overlaid, it can be helpful when driving in unfamiliar areas. The car mount would be needed so I don’t have to look down at the screen.
Initially I was disappointed to hear that there was not a rooftop car antennae adaptor so I figured it couldn’t be used inside a car. Although it is marketed as a handheld hiking and hunting device, it would be helpful to have an external antennae so that driving to a favorite hunting or hiking spot would be easy. More importantly for me is driving on off-road trails. Luckily I found that if the satellites were acquired outside of the car and I placed the unit on the dash, it would keep locked about 90% of the time. If I lost a signal, I would push it forward on the dash.
Grade: B
Comments:
* Not its primary function, but works well enough
* Need an external antennae
Maps
I do like the idea of downloading individual maps, but as I begun to do more of it, I found it to be a pain and tended to be quite expensive. Other models offer entire regions for hundreds of dollars, whereas this unit had the ability to only purchase what was needed. I bought $25 worth which equates to 25 map sections.
From what I can tell, not all areas have L2 and L1 maps, but it still allowed me to purchase them. On average, an off-road trail will take about 8 sections of L1 maps due to the meandering of the trail. Combine that with both topographical and aerial views and its $16 per trail. There are dozens of trails in the area so that can add up. Alternatively if I could download all of Clear Creek County for $40 that would be a bargain and save me a significant amount of time downloading and transferring maps.
Grade: C
Comments:
* Too expensive for downloading a lot of maps
* Relatively cumbersome
Firmware Upgrades
The upgrade process was fairly painless. My unit was a bit outdated and it took about 5-7 minutes to update it. With the update came a newer base map which was more detailed as well as some minor tweaks to the software. All that needed to be done was a two step process of dragging and dropping certain firmware files into the proper directories on the unit while it was connected via the usb cable. Although I was told it was normal, during the upgrade the screen flickered quite a bit which can be disconcerting.
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I’ll start with a short review since I just got the printer and have only run 5 prints through it. I will update in a week or so with more information.
Setup and installation was easy. I have it on my network for my Windows machines and it is connected directly to my Mac Pro. The install documentation said to get the latest driver for Leopard off of their site, which I did and installed with no problem. The latest Windows driver was on the installation CD.
The reason I called this review “State of the Art” is Epson developed Radiance, the new color-matching technology built into the R1900. This is the first printer with it, even the current Epson Pro printers don’t have it. Printerville.net has an article about it.
The few pictures I have printed are beautiful and they printed very fast.
I printed 3 on Epson’s Ultra Premium luster 8.5 x 11 paper using Photoshop CS2. I tried different settings for each print of the same standard color matching target. All three printed very nice and as expected, a little different. Using “Photoshop Determines Colors”, “Printer Determines Colors” and “No Color Management”, with appropriate settings on the printer driver. So it will be up to you to decide which settings you want to use.
Next, as a test I printed a photo, of my daughter, on plain HP Bright White paper. WOW, is all I can say. Plain paper and it looked great.
For my last test I picked a random paper size, 12″ x 12″, that I cut from a 13″ x 19″ sheet of matte paper. I changed the paper size in the driver and printed. No problem, it printed just fine and also was beautiful.
I plan on getting a roll of paper too. I’ve wanted to print some banners, something I couldn’t do with my current Canon I9900.
So far it is everything I expected it to be. However, I do plan on keeping the I9900 because sometimes I know I will want a dye (not pigment) print (and I still have Canon ink and paper left).
I will post more soon.
Update 3-10-08:
I have been playing with the settings on the driver to see which I like best. It is a good/bad thing that there are so many settings to play with. I figure I will eventually figure out which I like best. There are subtle differences in color, skin tones and gray scales on the gray scales. If you are interested in the test targets, you can download the printer test images I used from http://www.drycreekphoto.com/tools/index.html
I will start printing some of my real pictures to compare with the I9900 versions. So I will post another update in a week or two.
I tried a roll in the printer. It was surprising easy to set up and use. You put the holders on the roll, mount it on the back of the printer, then feed the paper into the printer in the slot on the back. The printer recognizes you are doing it, then grabs the paper to feed in to the proper starring point.
If you print multiple images, the printer spaces them 1″ apart. Unfortunately, Epson still has it’s artificial limit length of 44″. There are expensive RIPs (raster image processors) that will allow you to printer longer images, but unless you are going to do this a lot, it can’t be worth it. The cheapest I found is $500.
I’ve decided that I probably will not use the “roll” on the printer. I want to printer banners every so often, but to use the roll for one print wastes about 10″ of paper. That is the initial feed of about 4″ and when you cut it on the back to free it, another 6″. If you are printing many prints on a roll, then it will be worth it and easier. I suggest (and what I did in my second test), was just cut a 44″ of paper (from the roll) and feed it though the (normal) auto paper feeder and that worked fine for the banner without any waste.
As for ink usage, I’ve hardly made a dent with the 10 8×10s, 1 12×12, 3 8.5 x 44 prints I’ve made. The banners were not printed at high resolution to save ink for my testing. I love Amazon, but it’s ink prices for this printer are currently way out of line. Even the Epson store has them for way less. I hope that changes soon.
Update 3-26-08 (my last update).
After printing 25 more 8×10 high resolution (and in slow mode for better quality), I finally ran out of ink in one cartridge (and it was the gloss optimizer). After more reading, I think I used the wrong setting for the gloss and was wasting it on white area outside of the image. I’m still learning.
Some of the other inks are pretty low, so I have stocked up.
I still have not printed on a DVD/CD yet, but I’m sure that will be fine.
There is not much more for me to say except I am very happy with this purchase and expect to use this printer for the next 3-4 years, when I’m sure something else out there will get my attention.
Howard
I’d think seriously before buying this printer. I purchased this printer about 6 weeks ago after NAPP members were offered a discount. I purchased it directly from the Epson Store. I watched the video tutorials on how to get the best results using the R1900 and printing out of Lightroom that were provided on www.photoshopuser.com. I was DELIGHTED at the output and the quality. Never had my printer output so closely matched that of my calibrated monitor, and the 13×19 inch glossies were stunning. I was THRILLED…
UNTIL…about 5 weeks after purchasing the printer I had to replace the Gloss Optimizer cartridge. This runs out fairly quickly as it is applied to the entire photo regardless of colors. Fine, I had extra genuine Epson cartridges I had purchased from a national retailer. Even though it was the correct cartridge the printer would not recognize it, then remembering that Epson had sent an extra Gloss cartridge, I dug it out thinking I had indeed bought the wrong one. I replaced it with the one Epson sent and all was good. I confirmed I had the RIGHT cartridge, and chalked it up to a defective cartridge. No biggy, it happens…THEN the Cyan ran out. I replaced it with a cartridge that I bought directly from the Epson store and had the same issue. The printer says it’s an incompatible cartridge. IT is NOT. I called Epson support on Friday and they said they would send me a new cartridge and that it would be 3-5 days. Fine, but in the meantime I had prints that needed to be printed, so I again went to a retailer and bought a cyan cartridge. Not recognized. I googled the issue and found that other users had had the same issue, and that Epson had replaced their printers with brand new ones. I called Epson again. They said that they would only replace with a refurb since I was past the 30 day mark since I purchased, AND according to the Epson Warranty, I’LL be on the hook for shipping the defective printer to them. Problem is, I’m sure this printer was defective from day one, but since I didn’t print a WHOLE lot right away, the cartridges didn’t need replacing until after the 30 day return was up,and consequently I didn’t find the defect until then. I’m extremely upset. I now have a bunch of defective cartridges and/or printer, no way to print the work I need to get out, and the best I can hope for is to get a REFURBISHED printer to replace the BRAND NEW printer I paid for. Do yourself a favor, look at the Canon and HP equivalent printers. If you search for issues on Epson cartridges, you’ll find TONS. Not necessarily with the R1900, but with almost all Epson printers. This is the first, and LAST Epson I will buy.
I have had this printer for a week now and all I can say is WOW! I was concerned after I read the reviews here but decided to buy anyway because of past experience with Epson, and I am so happy I did.
When the box arrived I picked up the ‘Start Here’ booklet and within an hour and three prints (13″x19″) I was getting better results than the stuff I had paid a professional lab $15.00 each for! No more, I just fired my lab.
I am printing from Photoshop CS3 using Adobe RGB color space and ICC information. The prints are incredibly color saturated with great contrast to really ‘pop’.
I am absolutely in love with this printer!
Another week:
No change in my opinion, other than I like it even more. I printed 20 8×10 and 7 13×19 before having to add ink (Yellow and Cyan). Prints on Epson’s fine art paper are fantastic! This is my last review.