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Joseph T.

Joseph T.

Joined on 01/01/04

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Product Reviews
product reviews
  • 5
Most Favorable Review

Best HTPC remote

Adesso ARC-1100 MCE Infrared Remote Control
Adesso ARC-1100 MCE Infrared Remote Control

Pros: Works flawlessly with WMC, nothing to install. Has a mouse pad, which is great for those times you need to minimize or do something outside of the WMC interface. Buttons can be re-programmed (using the free LM Remote software).

Cons: None.

Overall Review: I have gone through several different Logitech universal remotes, and looked into several others, but all seem to miss the mouse control pad. Even with Logitech's new Harmony remote... they still have no mouse support. This simple, extremely easy to use control is a must have for any HTPC. I use it primarily with WMC, but also with JRiver Media Center. I actually bought 3 more once I saw how great this works. I still am waiting for a universal remote with mouse support, but since that will likely never happen, this is the next best thing.

Most Critical Review

Great Product (When it works)

Ceton InfiniTV 4 USB: Quad-tuner external device for Watching Digital Cable TV on the PC, USB 2.0 Interface 5102-DCT04EX-USB
Ceton InfiniTV 4 USB: Quad-tuner external device for Watching Digital Cable TV on the PC, USB 2.0 Interface 5102-DCT04EX-USB

Pros: Great HD tuner May be networked

Cons: Only compatible with WMC Can only connect one unit per PC

Overall Review: Of all the tuner cards I've tried (HDTV Wonder, WinTV dual tuner, Fusion HDTV, Hauppauge HD PVR), this is the ONLY one that actually works consistently and in HD. Having said that, I should note their support is sub-par and pretty much worthless. I was told when purchased (about 6 months ago) two of these devices could be connected to a single PC. It took at least a month to setup; their support played email tag with me for weeks (they have no support phone number); I somehow managed to get them both to work on my own. I recently had to disrupt my network, and when I reconnected, the devices again, would not work together. Support again played email tag for a week, RMA'd my devices (there was nothing wrong with them), and left me waiting for them to fix (been over 4 weeks now). They claim my setup is "difficult" (I have a modem, router, and PC... ooh thats unusual). I now have moved the second unit to another PC. Overall, this is an awesome product and has gotten me to love WMC (when combined with J River); you have 4 tuners in the device using a single multi-CableCard. There is NO stutter and quick channel change response time. There are restrictions on sharing recorded, premium content (HBO, Cinemax, etc), as this is only viewable on the PC which recorded those shows (this is a Digital Rights Management restriction, not Ceton), but all other channel shows can be played on any PC (or phone). I use one device for my server to record shows, and on the other device I use Ceton's Network Tuner software which allows me to distribute its 4 tuners to PCs throughout my house (you assign a tuner to a PC and it can only be used with that PC, until you reset the device).

10/26/2012

Poor quality

Hamilton Beach 67650 Big Mouth Pro Juice Extractor
Hamilton Beach 67650 Big Mouth Pro Juice Extractor

Pros: Great juicer, powerful, minimal foam, juices anything.

Cons: Cheap motor, had one which lasted a year. Replaced with another, which died in less than 2 weeks. Warranty service is a joke, wanted me to pay for shipping and had to wait 10 "business days" to process. I have had products from other major brands that became defective and never had issues with warranty replacement including Bunn and Kitchen Aid. I only wish they made juicers.

Overall Review: Buyer beware, its a cheap price for a juicer, but you are getting what you pay for. I had bought another as a gift, but will now be promptly returning because dealing with this company was that painful. I will never buy another Hamilton Beach product.

Great product

Ceton InfiniTV 4 USB: Quad-tuner external device for Watching Digital Cable TV on the PC, USB 2.0 Interface 5102-DCT04EX-USB
Ceton InfiniTV 4 USB: Quad-tuner external device for Watching Digital Cable TV on the PC, USB 2.0 Interface 5102-DCT04EX-USB

Pros: Full HD recording Multiple tuners

Cons: Poor customer service Limitations of Widows Media Center

Overall Review: It took a while, but I seem to have ironed out the bugs with my setup and now have two of these devices connected to my server. This is the device I have been looking to complete my HTPC over the last 8 years. By taking the signal directly from a CableCard, there is no quality issue as was with my HD PVR or with my SlingBox. Perfect HD. I don't like the limitation of WMC that won't let you share a tuner, but Ceton somewhat gets around this by letting you assign a tuner (permanently) to a PC. So I have 4 HTPC each with its own tuner, and then another 4 I use solely for recording. I was not a fan of WMC, but its beginning to grow on me, and with a few addons is pretty good. Definitely recommend to anyone looking to complete an HTPC, all others... wait for the Ceton Q (set top box, no PC needed)

Good idea

Ceton InfiniTV 4 USB: Quad-tuner external device for Watching Digital Cable TV on the PC, USB 2.0 Interface 5102-DCT04EX-USB
Ceton InfiniTV 4 USB: Quad-tuner external device for Watching Digital Cable TV on the PC, USB 2.0 Interface 5102-DCT04EX-USB

Pros: Great concept.

Cons: Does not work Poor customer support

Overall Review: I have tried and tried but can only get the unit to work briefly before something messes it up. At first I was told Norton, so got rid of that; then while waiting for the manufacturer's horrifically slow email only support, found a solution to another of my problems online (thx google). Then I changed my tuner configuration... oops, can't find my tuners again. Great idea, but unless you have the simplest of systems, 1 PC, its not worth it. And without the networking, you get the same thing for a $10/mo DVR fee; at this price and aggrevation... the InfinitiTV is just not worth it. Maybe someday CableCards and the manufacturers using them will improve but until then we must once again wait. (I've tried FusionHDTV, Hauppauge WinTV dual tuners, and Hauppauge HD-DVR, and now InfiniTV... I keep hoping and keep being disappointed!)