Bryan Hill's Blog

Product Review: Harbinger MLS-1000 Personal Line Array Speaker System

noreply@blogger.com (Bryan) — Wed, 24 Dec 2025 13:15:00 +0000

Well, I've decided to jump back into product reviews. We have bunch of equipment we have no had good and some not so good experiences while we have been gigging this past two and a half years as 2Bs Acoustic. With these reviews, I hope to be a helpful resource for others.

Let's start with one of the first items we purchased. We purchased this back in November 2023. We have gigged over 200 two hour shows with this Line Array from Harbinger. It is simple to use, sounds incredible and travels well. We use this in a variety of situations, from directly connecting (Two Microphones and one guitar.) to using a small mixer (LX-12) with a small monitor. We often get compliments on how this unit sounds, with it's two band eq & effects options. We purchased a second one to connect in stereo with our mixer when needed in a bigger space. If you're a musician that performs live often this unit is well worth its price. Quite honestly, this unit has turned me into a huge fan of Harbinger's product. This unit has traveled over 16,000 miles with us while being played through for over 500 hours. The quality of build, sound quality, durability and price is a no brainer.

Here is a link from where we purchased it:

Musician's Friend

It's also over here at Guitar Center and sometimes they have a better deal:

Guitar Center

Below are three images provided by HarbingerProAudio.com

These are images taken setup for live performances.

Things I See - WienerMobile

noreply@blogger.com (Bryan) — Tue, 05 Nov 2024 16:30:00 +0000

I travel thoughout Pittsburgh and the surrounding area in my service job and I see a variety of things. This was last week over near the strip district.

It's been a minute.

noreply@blogger.com (Bryan) — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 13:40:00 +0000

Boy, It's been a minute for a post on this old thing... Quite a bit has changed around here. From me being back to work and now Brenda and I are playing music out regularly as 2Bs Acoustic. Here is our November line up for gigs that are local and some that are not so local. If you want to follow our schedule, the events page of our website is always current. You can follow us over on Facebook, Instagram, X and Youtube. If there is a venue at which you would like to see us play, let us know in the comments. Moving forward I plan on using my blog for equipment reviews, sharing our journey, discussing marketing best practices, highlighting some of our venue partners and our local music scene. Stay tuned!

The Abandoned Dejarnette Sanitarium in Staunton, Virginia

noreply@blogger.com (Bryan) — Sat, 26 Oct 2019 19:37:00 +0000

Destination Moon: Apollo 11"Columbia"

noreply@blogger.com (Bryan) — Sat, 16 Feb 2019 12:33:00 +0000

A big thank you to the Senator John Heinz History Center in association with the Smithsonian Institution for bringing "Destination Moon" to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

"Stocked Up"

noreply@blogger.com (Bryan) — Wed, 26 Dec 2018 20:34:00 +0000

Shopped today, we are all stocked up for next year.

Product Review Extended: Aluratek ABC35F

noreply@blogger.com (Bryan) — Tue, 02 Oct 2018 20:08:00 +0000

I did a video Product Review a few months ago, and received an email asking to show how to connect and transmit to a blue-tooth device. So here it is:

*I do have a material connection regarding this piece of equipment or its manufacturer*

One of these can be had over here.

Music Review: Tori Kelly - Hiding Place #TKHidingPlace & #FlyBy

noreply@blogger.com (Bryan) — Sat, 15 Sep 2018 18:11:00 +0000

What a great cd I just received to review. It's by Tori Kelly and it's called Hiding Place. My two favorite songs are Never Alone and Psalm 42. Her vocals are crazy good! The layers of different instruments used to produce this is amazing as well. I love some of the lyrics in Psalm 42:

"I’m a stranger here Thirsty ’cause I know it’s not my home
Like a desert here I need Your living Word for these dry bones
Jesus fill us up again
With Your presence flowing deep within Now life begins"

This a great addition to my collection of music.

#TKHidingPlace & #FlyBy

A Church Adventure: Restoring Hardware

noreply@blogger.com (Bryan) — Fri, 10 Aug 2018 13:44:00 +0000

Several months back I was restoring some old hardware that was in our house. Some portions of them had rust and others had several coats of paint on them. It is a tedious process of wire brushing and scraping, but with time and patience they all come completely clean and then are ready for a fresh coat of paint. This reminded me of my faith walk with Jesus. I get through the day and inevitably I collect junk of this world, whether it be some cynicism, self doubt, or even the simple negative thought. I, as a follower and believer in Christ have to be willing to be stripped of all that junk and allow him to fill me with the Holy Spirit, let go of control and give it to Him. I struggle with many parts of this process, but often find that when I surround myself with fellow believers His will overcomes all of my struggles. I especially feel this balance when I am worshipping or in fellowship with our current group of congregants at our little Church in Mars.

We, as a congregation, are going through some pretty heavy stuff right now; decisions that will affect our community and our future of worship. But, I am looking up, along with my fellow followers and believers. In some of my previous Church Adventure posts I mentioned a few things, in short, to describe this campus. The building was mentioned in my description to set the story. But, the real part was that we felt comfortable and that comfort level had us returning for more. God led the four of us to be all in and to join this little Church in Mars. This was no accident. This was purposefully and perfectly orchestrated by God himself through God-led people. It had little to do with the "Building". Don't get me wrong, it has some great acoustics and great character for a worship setting. And yes, the Holy Spirit fills that space every Saturday night as we focus on Him through worship. But, it is still just a building. This wonderful event of worship, fellowship, and God-led relationships can happen anywhere. Our Church has no walls, it's built of people! He designed it this way. The great thing about the Holy Spirit, is that it has no limits. It will not be contained by walls.

As of August 25th, the parent church of our little church will no longer be supporting a multi-site ministry. Which means, that the Mars Campus will be closing. We, as a family, will be distancing ourselves from this particular Church as it has quite a different view on what a church should look and operate like. Its boards, and committees have unfortunately centered their focus on the wrong things, and have brought heartache in their wake. Please hear this; there are good people at the parent campus, and these fine people of God are not being listened to by leadership. Many of them, I fear, are just so busy checking their boxes on Sunday morning or just have their head so far stuck in the sand, that they can't hear the cries of their people. I have been praying for the parent "Church"; that the leadership will someday hear the God-led people and stand up and make sure that God's agenda is pursued instead of man’s. Sunday mornings are not supposed to feel like a country club, and until they understand that and start listening and looking for God's lead, they will just be turning their wheels within their own walls.

Our group at the Mars Campus have had a few things to consider, as things have been winding down. We are now at a point of figuring out where we will go next. I do believe, that this adversity has strengthened our relationships as a worshiping body of Christ. It would be amazing if we could all end up in the same place, to worship again together. I also know that if we can't continue what we have been blessed with, I will never forget the relationships that we have developed with God's intentions. With God's direction, we have had several opportunities to visit some local churches, and even to discuss what we have gone through during this painful process. I know that we all have been very grateful. It is refreshing for me to just get things off of my chest when things are feeling negative.

These past months have been, at times, exhausting. But, at the same time, I think we have all come to the agreement that we may not know what the future holds for us, but if we strip off all of this junk that we have been collecting (especially through this process) and allow Him to fill us with the Holy Spirit once again, in His hands we will all prevail to come closer to Him, and to spread the Good News.

If you have not read our adventure follow this link or the links below:

A Church Adventure

A Church Adventure: Week 1

A Church Adventure: Week 2

A Church Adventure: Week 3

A Church Adventure: Week 4

A Church Adventure: Week 5

A Church Adventure: Week 6

A Church Adventure: Week 7

A Church Adventure: Week 8

A Church Adventure: Week 9

A Church Adventure: Week 10

A Church Adventure: Week 11

A Church Adventure: Week 12

A Church Adventure: Week 13

A Church Adventure: Week 14

A Church Adventure: Week 15

A Church Adventure: Week 16

A Church Adventure: Week 17

A Church Adventure: Week 18

A Church Adventure: Week 19

A Church Adventure: Week 20

A Church Adventure: Week 21

A Church Adventure: Week 22

A Church Adventure: Week 23

A Church Adventure: Week 24

A Church Adventure: Week 25

A Church Adventure: Week 26

A Church Adventure: Week 27

A Church Adventure: Week 28

A Church Adventure: Week 29

A Church Adventure: Week 30

A Church Adventure: Week 31

A Church Adventure: Week 52

A Church Adventure: Reinstated

A Church Adventure: (with prayer request): “I love the horn!”

A Church Adventure: A Mini Break

A Church Adventure: Expect the Unexpected

A Church Adventure: A Return Visit

A Church Adventure: Found it...

A Church Adventure: Challenge

Customer Service Win: Reliance Products

noreply@blogger.com (Bryan) — Tue, 17 Jul 2018 21:18:00 +0000

I love posting positive customer service experiences.
This one is brought to you by Reliance Products. Enjoy!

Tech Tuesday: Random Technology Rant

noreply@blogger.com (Bryan) — Tue, 17 Jul 2018 12:22:00 +0000

Product Review Video: Jabra Elite Active 65t Bluetooth Headphones

noreply@blogger.com (Bryan) — Mon, 16 Jul 2018 20:30:00 +0000

I have to correct the price I mentioned in the video, they are $189.99 at BestBuy

*I do have a material connection regarding this piece of equipment or its manufacturer*

Go grab your pair over at Best Buy

Product Review Video: Aluratek ABC53F Bluetooth Transmitter/Receiver

noreply@blogger.com (Bryan) — Mon, 09 Jul 2018 12:49:00 +0000

Wow, so I have not done video editing work in a long time, so bear with me as I get back into the groove.

*I do have a material connection regarding this piece of equipment or its manufacturer*

A Church Adventure: Challenge

noreply@blogger.com (Bryan) — Fri, 18 May 2018 16:40:00 +0000

An adventure is not always fun times. Recently our Church Adventure has been a challenge. It's in these times that I have to remind myself, that it's not about us, that I need to keep looking up to find His direction, to find His will, and ultimately to find peace in those two things, together with fellow believers. These times remind me that with human failings, our road may not be a smooth ride, but will contain rocky ways of ups and downs. But if we conquer these challenges together, with Him and His will in focus, we will prevail in sending out the Good News! With a bit of anxiety, I look forward to the next phases of our Church Adventure. I feel that when a "Church" is not focused on being lead by God, it is time to move on. Looking forward to what's ahead, with a renewed focus on Him and His will.

If you interested in the rest of our Church Adventure. Here are some links:

A Church Adventure

A Church Adventure: Week 1

A Church Adventure: Week 2

A Church Adventure: Week 3

A Church Adventure: Week 4

A Church Adventure: Week 5

A Church Adventure: Week 6

A Church Adventure: Week 7

A Church Adventure: Week 8

A Church Adventure: Week 9

A Church Adventure: Week 10

A Church Adventure: Week 11

A Church Adventure: Week 12

A Church Adventure: Week 13

A Church Adventure: Week 14

A Church Adventure: Week 15

A Church Adventure: Week 16

A Church Adventure: Week 17

A Church Adventure: Week 18

A Church Adventure: Week 19

A Church Adventure: Week 20

A Church Adventure: Week 21

A Church Adventure: Week 22

A Church Adventure: Week 23

A Church Adventure: Week 24

A Church Adventure: Week 25

A Church Adventure: Week 26

A Church Adventure: Week 27

A Church Adventure: Week 28

A Church Adventure: Week 29

A Church Adventure: Week 30

A Church Adventure: Week 31

A Church Adventure: Week 52

A Church Adventure: Reinstated

A Church Adventure: (with prayer request): “I love the horn!”

A Church Adventure: A Mini Break

A Church Adventure: Expect the Unexpected

A Church Adventure: A Return Visit

A Church Adventure: Found it...

Music Review: Passion Whole Heart #PassionWholeHeart #FlyBy

noreply@blogger.com (Bryan) — Wed, 21 Feb 2018 19:01:00 +0000

I got an excellent opportunity to review the latest Passion Album called Whole Heart. Wow, I absolutely love the energy on this album. I would love to witness a Passion conference. Onto the album, I really love Ghost by Crowder. The lyrics, "Get Ready, there's an empty tomb, Get Ready, there's a ghost in the room, Get Ready, even mountains move, Get Ready, all the stories are True", are inspiring and the way he delivers it is amazing...
Another favorite is Great Are You Lord, by Matt Redman, I love to hear the gathered people singing along, all are there for one purpose, to Worship our Lord. It gives me goosebumps every time!

So all in all this particular album is great for myself as a re-centering or refocusing tool. During the week when I get bogged down or maybe experience a bit of negativity, I throw this album in my que on my phone, put my headphones in and in no time at all, I am re-centered and refocused on Jesus.

I would absolutely suggest this Album to family and friends. Thanks to FlyBy Promotions for the opportunity to review it.

Here is the list of songs and artists:

01. Whole Heart (feat. Kristian Stanfill)
02. Almighty God (feat. Sean Curran)
03. God, You’re So Good (feat. Kristian Stanfill & Melodie Malone)
04. Reckless Love (feat. Melodie Malone)
05. Heaven (feat. Sean Curran)
06. More Like Jesus (feat. Kristian Stanfill)
07. Hallelujah, Our God Reigns (feat. Brett Younker)
08. Ghost (feat. Crowder)
09. Ever Almighty (feat. Melodie Malone)
10. Great Are You Lord (feat. Matt Redman)
11. All My Hope (feat. Crowder & Tauren Wells)

* Material Connection Disclaimer: I received this music from FlyBy Promotions to provide a review on my blog. Stated above are my opinions and mine alone. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Product Review: Jabra Elite 65t True Wireless Earbud Headphones in Titanium Black

noreply@blogger.com (Bryan) — Mon, 19 Feb 2018 21:00:00 +0000

This model of true wireless headphones are a great addition to my "must have with me" items. Where Jabra stands apart from the rest of the industry is in it's HearThrough setting, found in it's Sound+ app. This enables you to hear your surroundings while listening to you music. I use it for while I'm shopping or walking. It enables you to be safe while still jamming out to your tunes. I think the bass response in these headphones is about par for their compact size. The specs of this set offers up 5 hours in the headphone and a extra 10 hours stored in the case. I tested several times at around 4.5 hours in the headphones with about 9 hours of standby power in the case. As with anything battery operated, every use case is different. I really appreciate the overall form factor of these headphones, they are comfortable and are not very big when they are in your ear. These headphones set themselves apart from several other brands with having a volume button on the left earbud. The three things I wish they had included, a little bit of grip or texture on the headphones themselves. I constantly feel like I'm going to drop them, A magnet in the case to grab a hold of the headphones when you are placing them into it to charge, I feel it takes a few seconds to make sure they are lined up in the case before closing the lid. Finally I also would like for the case to have a battery reserve indicator. It has a light showing when they are charging, but a set of four lights just giving you a quick idea of when you should charge the case again would be nice. These three things are absolutely just ideas maybe for the next version, I can live with the overall design of these Jabra Elite 65t True Wireless Earbud headphones.

I would recommend them to a friend or family member.

*I do have a material connection regarding this piece of equipment or its manufacturer*

Product Review: Acer 15 Chromebook

noreply@blogger.com (Bryan) — Wed, 07 Feb 2018 22:00:00 +0000

This Acer 15 Chromebook is my first of these types of devices. I love the form factor, it has an decent screen but is not super heavy to carry around. There are a few things I dislike, but let's talk first about what I like. I love the fact that it has a 3950 mAh battery, that specs out at around the 12 hour mark. I did get 11 on my first run down of the system. That is pretty impressive for a 15 inch device. I really appreciate the keyboard's chiclet layout, and the touchpad positioning. I also enjoy the stereo speakers that fire upwards beside the keyboard, they are not of superior quality, but they are great when you are watching Netflix or YouTube. I noticed that it does have an expansion slot for an sd card to provide additional storage if needed down the road. The fact that this unit has the same proprietary chargers as the three of my other Acer devices is convenient. I noticed also that Acer decided to embed a dual band, robust 802.11 AC Wifi radio. The price point of this device is where it got my attention, $199.99. That is a great price for a decent size all around computing machine.

Now onto the things I feel could be better, the screen is a little washed out, the processor is not a power house, but delivers for most daily tasks, the charger port as I mentioned above is the same as my other three devices, convenient, but really small and feels very fragile. The sd card slot as noted, is a nice feature, but don't plan on leaving the card in there during transportation, when plugged in, it does not sit flush with the side of the chromebook, it stands out about an inch, just waiting to be damaged. It is missing a USB type C port, with more and more equipment removing ports, but including the type c port, I have slowly been acquiring type C adapters that will not work with this device. With all of those downsides, I do have to remember that with the price of this unit those are things I can live with.

This Acer 15 Chromebook is a great unit to get everyday tasks done at an affordable price.

I would recommend this unit to family and friends, searching for a budget minded computing solution.

*I do have a material connection regarding this piece of equipment or its manufacturer*

Product Review: JBL - Free True Wireless In-Ear Headphones - Black (Amazing)

noreply@blogger.com (Bryan) — Thu, 25 Jan 2018 22:00:00 +0000

These JBL, Free True Wireless In-Ear Headphones in Black are a great addition to my go bag. I have been using them for my workouts, and general music playback and phone calls for almost two weeks. There are many points of importance when purchasing these kind of devices. For myself, these types of headphones need to be easy to use, have decent sound quality, a stable connection system, ample battery life, and a comprehensive form factor/design.

These are easy to use, they paired with several of my devices simply. They also turn on immediately upon removal from their case. As with most of these kind of devices, on phone calls you will only be using the right earphone. Navigation of the button system is pretty easy. A single press of the right earphone button will answer/end a call, or pause/play music. A double press of the right earphone button will activate Google/Siri voice assistant. A single press of the left earphone button will advance your song selection. A double press of the left earphone button will return to the beginning of your song selection and a subsequent quick press will go back a song in your playlist. A triple press of either the left or right buttons will pair each earphone to the other. Holding either the left or right buttons for five seconds will cycle power. That is a lot to remember, and it's quite frustrating that the industry as a whole has not adopted a standard. I find that every manufacture is slightly different. Dropping the earphones into the case will also shut them down. I wish they had volume control on the earphones themself, having to adjust it on my phone is kind of a pain. You can use your voice assistant to change the volume, but for me that only works if I'm alone, I don't want to be that guy, talking to my phone...

Sound quality for these headphones is above what I expected. It was after playing around with the different ear tips, that I found a good balance between good bass without complete immersion. In most situations where these will be getting used, like exercising, walking, or shopping, I like to be able to use a little bit of ambient noise, to stay on the safe side of things. But with that being said if I have the urge to completely jam out to some tunes there is a pair of ear tips that will completely isolate me from the world and let me escape. While those ear tips are installed the bass of these little units are incredible.

I have had mixed results with the connection system of these units. While it's main bluetooth connection between the right headphone and the phone is rock solid to both my Google Pixel and my Moto X(what I use for my media device). The connection system that connects the left headphone to the right headphone is up for debate. During it's first week of use, I had no issue. This past week the stereo connection has been horrible. I have been trying to figure out what may have changed as far as interference, maybe I am just retaining water more than I was in the first week of use (just call me a waterbag), When stereo drops in and out while listening to music, it can be quite frustrating...I will be seeking a resolution. **Update** - I just tested something, the connection issue I was having was when I was connected to the Moto X. The issue completely went away when I used them with my Google Pixel. I am guessing that it has to do with what version bluetooth is on the phone and the Pixel has a more current version. So that reinforces the fact that each individual may get different results depending on their environment and on the equipment you are using them with. I really wish that JBL would have included a NFC chip on the case, so that connecting would be even easier, especially when I connect to different devices with this pair of headphones.

The battery life on these headphones is sufficient, I got almost three and a half hours on my first charge, three and three quarters on my second charge, and again almost three and a quarter on my final charge. I then had to recharge the case. I am not sure it was fully charged, but all four lights were on. With that being said my results show that if I got just one more use cycle out of them, it would be close to the 20 hour spec that is on JBL's website.

Where all of this can be lost, is if the headphones don't have a comprehensive form factor. The JBL, Free True Wireless In-Ear Headphones win in this category. They are small enough that while in my ear, they don't feel heavy, or unbalanced. The silicon skin that JBL provides for the body of the earphone does in fact keep the unit from moving around in your ear. The construction feels durable without the added bulk or weight. The buttons are easy to push with out me feeling like I am trying to destroy my ear canal. The one point of their design that made me actually state "Yes!" outloud, was the connection between the headphone and it's charging case. They incorporated rare earth magnets that almost grab the headphones right out of your fingertips and sucks them into the proper orientation for mating with their charging pins. I appreciate JBL for including this subtle feature.

All in all, these headphones are well designed, and pass all of my important points of purchase. While they aren't perfect, but they are almost. The two things I wish they had, would not stop me from recommending them to a family member or a friend. One being the lack of direct volume control on the headphones themselves, and two being the lack of a NFC chip. Two minor things, but things that would have scored these JBL, Free True Wireless In-Ear Headphones in Black, a five out of five stars on my rating.

You too, can grab a pair of these over at BestBuy for $149.99

*I do have a material connection regarding this piece of equipment or its manufacturer*

Product Review: Epson - ProSense 307 GPS Heart Rate Monitor Multisport Watch in Black

noreply@blogger.com (Bryan) — Fri, 12 Jan 2018 22:00:00 +0000

The initial setup of this unit, the Epson ProSense 307 GPS Heart Rate Monitor Multisport Watch in the color of black, was a breeze to start recording my movements, heartbeat and physical activities. The architecture of the watch's operating system is super easy to navigate, starting an activity is quick and efficient while starting GPS tracking if it's an outdoor activity and not if it's an indoor activity. The specs mention that it has smart notifications, but to successfully make them work I found that you have to leave the Epson View app open on my phone, which consumes battery while maintaining a bluetooth connection with the watch. I have opted to not use it like that. I disable the bluetooth on the watch and only turn it on at the end of the day to retrieve all of my activities data from the watch, this also conserves power so I don't have to charge it every night. To view my activities on the Epson View app is simple and concise. I would love to use it to track my sleep, but it's footprint is just a bit big and uncomfortable, I have yet to last a whole night with it staying on my wrist. I can't wait to use it for some hiking and some bike rides. I would suggest to any of my fitness oriented friends, as a great addition to their workouts, but not as a true smartwatch. It is definitely geared to the fitness tracking realm of things

What I like:

Easy to use

High contrast and Backlit display

It's own GPS

Easy to sync

What I don't like:

Smart notification limitations

It's pretty big

I am using this device with a Google Pixel and only had one failed connection issue when initially setting it up. On the second attempt it synced and has been since.

*I do have a material connection regarding this piece of equipment or its manufacturer*

Product Review: Nest - Secure Alarm System & Connect

noreply@blogger.com (Bryan) — Thu, 11 Jan 2018 22:00:00 +0000

This Security system by Nest was a pleasure to install. The directions were very easy and concise within it's app, even while installing the motion detectors and other peripherals. I was not sure this unit would provide ample coverage without needing to purchase more motion detectors. We have several entrance points on our main level. But with it's sensitivity, everything with this unit was enough to cover our entry points. This unit came with one Nest base unit. two Nest sensors(for door/window open or motion) and two Nest tags. I love that the tags can arm or disarm without having to enter a code. To my knowledge there are no monitoring options for this unit, but that is to come in the future, which means there are no monthly fees for it to work, and work well. The moment it does not see motion for a period it notifies you that it looks like no one is home, and asks if you would like to arm the system. I appreciate the fact that it is pet friendly, or at least dog friendly, our 15 pound Bishon/Poodle mutt has not set it off yet. I am a little disappointed that there is not more integration into the Google Home interface. I found several things that interface with the Nest thermostat, but not the Nest Secure??? If you are looking for this unit to alert you that a door or a window has opened immediately, this is not the unit you need. The shortest option for notification of a breach is 30 seconds. I am not sure why they would not include a night feature to enable instant notification. If I were installing this in my daughters home, or my parents home, I would want that type of a feature to be available. I may be missing something, in the software, but I feel I have seen other complaints about this.

Why I would recommend it:
Easy to install, and no monitoring fee.

This unit is one I would recommend to a friend with certain security needs, but this does not fulfill every security need.

Nest Connect.

This Nest Connect peripheral, allows to extend your Nest Secure digital security footprint. Keeping you Nest Secure system online even in a larger home. It was super easy to install, and does exactly what it states. I have had no connections issues since I installed it.

Product Review: Hisense 65h9d H9 Series 4K UHD HDR Smart TV

noreply@blogger.com (Bryan) — Wed, 03 Jan 2018 23:00:00 +0000

If you're in the market for a BIG flat screen tv, with all of the latest bells and whistles, this Hisense 65H9D is quite the ULED flat screen. It's packaging is impressive, they spared no expense getting this thing ready for shipment. Delivery across the entire United States, and carrying it up three flights of stairs and there was no damage. When I found how how thin this screen and bezel is, no damage is a big deal. Setup was easy, minus our cable provided universal remote not having many codes for this manufacturer. With a little work around we are able to control tv, cable box and sound bar with one universal remote. We have been using this display since October, and it is incredible, HD content rocks but with 4K content it is simply amazing. Blacks seem pretty black even though it is not an OLED screen. The brilliant colors that this can display is jaw dropping. The smart options that are available are all that you would expect. The apps are easy to use and seamless when using the OEM remote control. I'm still adjusting to the size of this screen, it replaced a 52 inch flat screen. We just recently started to watch Stranger Things on Netflix, it is specifically shot in 4k using HDR, and it is incredible. Our teenage girls just love to play Halo on it. It's all around a great television. I would suggest this to a friend that is in the market for a state of the art television with a BIG screen.

*I do have a material connection regarding this piece of equipment or its manufacturer*

Product Review: Hoover - Rogue 970 App-Controlled Self-Charging Robot Vacuum in Black

noreply@blogger.com (Bryan) — Tue, 12 Dec 2017 22:00:00 +0000

I received this unit from Hoover, it's a lovely addition to take care of daily vacuuming in our family room that was once just an attic, on our third floor of our 140 year old home. This floor is all carpet and houses quite a bit of furniture and is oddly shaped. I did try this unit on our first floor that has hard woods with area rugs throughout, and it did not play well with the variety of surfaces, it would get hung up on the rugs while it was going over them and launch into the air, thus confusing it's position in the room, making the mapping of the room nearly impossible. I love that this unit will actually map out the floor plan giving you the ability to draw in smart walls keeping it out of where it may get hung up. It's mapping is not as accurate as I would like, and maybe it has to do with our family room and it's furniture. I do feel it would do better in a completely empty and regular shaped room, which is not realistic, but it tries really hard to get the mapping right. Due to this inaccuracy, it occasionally won't find it's home/charger and just quits in the middle of the room. It is my hope that it's mapping of our room will get better with time, as I have noticed it will modify the map data as things are moved, added, or removed. The vacuuming technology of this unit picks up well, the dirt cap has dirt in it every time it is run. I feel this is great for animal lovers, as it picks up the extra dirt, fur, and other stuff that comes with pet ownership. I appreciate that it has three different levels of cleaning, Stealth, Normal, and Beast, for a variety of situations. I initially used the Apple iOS app and was disappointed that Hoover's Android app was not ready for release. The iOS app was horrible, there were several parts of the app that just did not work. Much to my surprise, a few days into my review, I happened to check back on the Google Play Store and found that they had released the app and I am happy to report it is fully functioning and may only need a little work in the mapping and smart wall category. I feel I could recommend this unit to a family or friend, but with reservation. I think this particular design is on a case by case basis. It may work well for you home layout, and it may not. All in all it is a pretty slick design that needs a little work on it's mapping features. If it can't find it's home it's really no that smart. But with some updates in both the app software and the robots firmware it could really shine.

*Update*
This past week both the firmware of the robot and the app were updated, and I can say that it now finds it's home every time, and the app is much less buggy. Good job Hoover!!!

*I do have a material connection regarding this piece of equipment or its manufacturer*

Product Review: Arlo - Pro 2 Security Camera System

noreply@blogger.com (Bryan) — Mon, 13 Nov 2017 21:00:00 +0000

This Arlo Pro 2 Security Camera System is so easy to install and use. It's wireless/battery technology is amazing. These HD cameras provide stunning clarity. The ability to view, and modify this system via it's app and online portal is essential. The cloud recording makes viewing remotely and downloading important clips incredibly easy. Did I mention the CLARITY!!! Oh my, this unit is something I would suggest to a friend. If your looking for easy quick way to monitor something with high quality video, this is the unit you're looking for.

*I do have a material connection regarding this piece of equipment or its manufacturer*

Product Review: Honeywell - Smart Color Thermostat with Wi-Fi Connectivity - Silver

noreply@blogger.com (Bryan) — Fri, 10 Nov 2017 20:00:00 +0000

This Thermostat with WiFi connectivity, was pretty simple to install. I lost control of my fan independently but I will install an additional wire to gain what I lost. This unit is so simple to schedule, you can use the app that is downloadable, or even log into a website to program your schedule. It's user interface, with it's touch controls are very easy to use and navigate. Where this unit shines is it's ability to be controlled via my Google Home. I can adjust the temp or mode on the fly with my voice. The app gives you ultimate control as well, like having the thermostat in your pocket. I love that it has built alerts at high and low limits, alerting you of a malfunction with high and low limit notifications. I would suggest that sometimes the whole smart label in many industries is misleading. The "Smart" in this unit is basically identifying that it is WiFi enabled and you can control it via an app. It will not manipulate the temperature on it's own without you programming it to. As long as you know this going into this purchase, this unit will satisfy your programmable thermostat needs with a few neat extras.

*I do have a material connection regarding this piece of equipment or its manufacturer*

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Product Review: Sony WF 1000x True Wireless In-Ear Noise-Cancelling Headphones

noreply@blogger.com (Bryan) — Tue, 31 Oct 2017 22:00:00 +0000

I wasn't sure what to expect with in-ear noise-cancellation that these Sony WF 1000x True Wireless Headphones offer. I am amazed at how well they work. First, they come with several sizes and styles of ear tips, and fitting supporters, making them customisable to even my, goofy ears. At that they fit very well without coming loose even when cutting my grass. Second with the "Headphone Connect" App from Sony, the noise cancellation works very well, adapting to your environment on the fly as it dynamically changes. The mentioned app has some preprogrammed equalizers, allowing the 6mm drivers to adjust to your listening style. The bass these little buds deliver is pretty incredible for such a small footprint. The lack of volume control onboard these earbuds is the only shortfall for this unit. It connects easily manually or with the built in NFC Chip on the case, and it maintains that connection with uninterrupted streaming capabilities, though stream ability is device dependent, I was connected to a Google Pixel 1st generation. Phone calls work, but at times it would try to adjust to ambient sound and I would miss a couple of seconds of the conversation. That's a little annoying, but turning of noise cancellation resolved that issue. Only the left earbud works during a call which isn't ideal but manageable. I absolutely love the fact that there are no wires. The specs of the device is about three hours per charge on the buds and six hours of back up charge stored in the case. I would say that this spec is accurate. These will give me the ability to stream music and podcast everywhere I go. If you're looking for the freedom of no wires, with several bonus features, these True Wireless Headphones are worth looking into.

*I do have a material connection regarding this piece of equipment or its manufacturer*