Audiovox DV1531 200-Watt 5-Disc DVD Home Theater System

Audiovox DV1531 200-Watt 5-Disc DVD Home Theater System
Manufacturer: Audiovox
Product Type: CE

Editorial Review:
Amazon.com
The five satellite speakers, powered subwoofer, and integrated DVD/CD player/surround receiver that compose the Audiovox DV1531 combine to deliver immersive surround sound in rooms where compact size or discreet appearances are essential. The five cube-style speakers (left, right, left/right surround, and a slightly larger center-channel speaker for critical dialogue and other sounds) are easy to place on shelves, stands, or wall mounts (no fixtures included), and the subwoofer can be positioned in a corner or behind a couch without damping its power.

The DVD player decodes and amplifies discrete surround mixes from Dolby Digital 5.1 and DTS surround sources, drawing on 200 watts total system power--the better to render stomping dinosaur feet and full-bodied orchestral crescendos. The system includes a built-in FM/AM tuner, a wireless remote control, and all necessary speaker cabling and interconnects.

What's in the Box
DVD player/receiver, five cube-style satellite speakers, a subwoofer, a remote control, remote batteries, a user's manual, and all requisite cabling.

Average customer rating: 3.5

Actually a great monitor, but...
Sony GDM-500
Beautiful
Sony GDM-F500
The Greatest

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Sony GDM-F520 21" FD Trinitron CRT Monitor

Manufacturer: Sony
Product Group: CE
Binding: Electronics
ASIN: B000058AN8

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Product Description

The F520 is ideal for the demanding CAD and graphic professionals. The virtually flat, high resolution FD Trinitron CRT combined with a 0.22 mm aperture grille pitch sets a new level of performance with superior image clarity and brighter colors making it perfect for detailed 3D renderings and graphic design work.

Amazon.com Product Description

The GDM F520's short-neck CRT design squeezes an extensive 19.8 inches of viewing area into a unit less than 19 inches deep, allowing for increased space in close quarters. A cathode-ray tube that's 50 percent shorter than conventional CRTs places the entire 21-inch screen comfortably on any desktop. Image clarity is maximized with a 0.22-millimeter aperture grille pitch, and Sony's Enhanced Elliptical Correction System automatically corrects picture deformation for sharper video. The GDM F520's large screen area packs a full palette of resolutions to adapt to a variety of video memory freedoms and constraints. A maximum resolution density of 1,800 x 1,440 dpi at 80 Hz can accommodate your applications' most demanding video requirements, from DVD to CAD design.

Sony's GeoLock circuitry erects an impervious barrier between the CRT and any stray electromagnetic field the GDM F520 may encounter, resulting in consistently stable, uniform image projection. Active Signal Correction eliminates the need to manually adjust the screen settings by instantly optimizing the basic picture controls for largest viewing area. All digital controls are available, however, at the touch of the keypad below the screen. The GDM F520 is intended for Windows NT/98 platform communication with PCs but is fully Macintosh compatible. Dual input control allows for simultaneous connection to two computers, including both Macintosh and PC at once. International Energy Star compliance ensures limited emissions and more efficient power consumption. Four active USB ports are built into the base for lightning fast transfer rates.

Customer Reviews:

Actually a great monitor, but..........2006-06-12

...only when it has been new.

I bought mine in the end of 2001. The superb technical data and the extremely positive reviews you could find in that time were the reasons for spending that much money (about US$ 1600). And indeed, the picture quality was just great (using 1600x1200 at 85 Hz and working mainly with text based applications), I was very contented with it.

But at the beginning of the year 2005 (i.e. only a few months after the expiring of the 3-year warranty!) the problems began:

- Whenever the CRT is cold, it flickers extremly bright red and sometimes also blue, but no problem when it has once warmed up itsself (that means after about one minute or so).

- This phenomenon has at first started only a little bit but has gotten worse day after day. Now it sometimes even powers off due to self-protection (so I have to repower it a few times) during its "warm-up phase" because it flashes up too bright.

- For a few weeks now the picture has been getting blurrier every day. Reading small letters for a few minutes is now causing me a headache. I have to switch the resolution down to 1280x1024. Also the edges are now sometimes in strange colors instead of white.

I've also looked into the device, cleaned it from dust and it seems very much that the tube itsself is the cause of the problems (perhaps sparkover between cathode and the heating?). But due to the blurry picture repairing will most probably mean to exchange the tube which I cannot do at home. So it's too expensive and therefore not whorthwhile anymore.

After only about four and a half years it seems that I have to dispose it - I just can't use it any longer, mainly because of its blur that I don't want to expose my eyes to.

Now I am planning to buy a TFT screen very soon. I am thinking about a Samsung 214T (21") or 204Ts (20").

In conclusion I can say: As long as it functioned it was really a great monitor, great picture, great colors, great focus. But I am very, very disappointed by its low lifespan. I've used it about four and a half years, about 10 hours per day which makes about 16500 power-on hours (up to now). The problems began the first time after about 11000 power-on hours.

Although I have used it a lot - in my optionion this just may not have happened with a device that expensive. To have an ultra focussed high quality device for at least the next six or seven years was one of my main considerations before buying it.

I don't know if Sony is manufacturing this monitor anymore. But if you think about buying one you should also take these negative quality and lifespan aspects (and meanwhile there are quite a lot of negative reviews of this monitor throughout the internet) into your considerations, not only the very impressive technical data.

Sony GDM-500.......2005-09-15

Have had the monitor for 5 years. Excellent up to a month ago....after being on for 5 minutes, blurry to the point where text is unreadable. For $2000 USD, I was hoping it would last longer....the issue I'm sure exists with the 520 model....

GR, Windsor, Ontario, Canada

Beautiful.......2003-11-12

Had it for a year. Perfect and problem free, and it's on almost all the time. Rock solid, sharp, even color. Flawless.

Sony GDM-F500.......2003-10-31

Re two of the above comments, the OSD shows the current refresh rate when you press "menu." And any yellowish areas ("stains") in the corners can be fixed by tweaking the LANDING controls.

The Greatest.......2003-10-24

This monitor has one the best CRT monitor award in more than one magazine. is grille pitch is yet to be challenged and it has good refresh rates at high resolutions. one problem is that there are 2 wavy lines that go down the screen but only some people notice them and most people just ignore them. I recommend that you at least try this out if you are going for a high end CRT.

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