EdFromOhio
EdFromOhio's Stats
- Review Count3
- Helpfulness Votes63
- First ReviewNovember 21, 2011
- Last ReviewDecember 17, 2014
- Featured Reviews0
- Average Rating4.3
Reviews Comments
- Review Comment Count2
- Helpfulness Votes3
- First Review CommentOctober 16, 2015
- Last Review CommentDecember 14, 2016
- Featured Review Comments0
Questions
- Question Count0
- Helpfulness Votes0
- First QuestionNone
- Last QuestionNone
- Featured Questions0
- Answer Count6
- Helpfulness Votes0
- First AnswerSeptember 22, 2014
- Last AnswerDecember 14, 2016
- Featured Answers0
- Best Answers0
EdFromOhio's Reviews
Roku - 3 Streaming Player - Black
Roku 3: Access more than 1,500 channels in up to 1080p and view videos from Netflix and YouTube directly on your TV. Fast, powerful and loaded with features, the motion-sensing remote lets you play games or plug in headphones to watch late-night flicks without waking up the household.
Good picture, but "1500+ channels" is misleading
Customer Rating
3.0
This is a nice, small streaming player. It isn't terribly expensive and usually quite reliable. Picture quality is very good. Having a wired connection option is great.
What I do take exception with (and thus 3 star review) is the very misleading advertising. So many of the channels say they are "FREE!", but they're referring only to the app that you download. Many of the "free" channels charge you money per episode, movie, season, service, etc.
If you go in knowing what to expect, then it's a great device. If you drink the "I'm going to get 1,500+ free channels!" kool-aid, you'll likely be disappointed.
I would recommend this to a friend!
My Best Buy number: 0575210767
+2points
2out of 2found this review helpful.
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Boost Mobile - LG Volt 4G No-Contract Cell Phone
LG Volt No-Contract Cell Phone for Boost Mobile: Stay connected in more ways than one with this high-powered prepaid smartphone. The 4.7" display delivers sharp, vivid colors for streaming videos, browsing social media and more, while its 4G LTE speed guarantees a fast, powerful performance all day long. Connect even further by turning your phone into a universal remote for your TV, cable box and more.
A great phone for the price
Customer Rating
5.0
Picture Quality
3.0
Battery Life
5.0
Sound Quality
4.0
What's great about it: Price, speed, latest version of Android
What's not so great: Display quality, no HDMI capability, quality cases are hard to find
My son has this phone for Virgin Mobile and loves his, so I knew what I was getting with this. He paid $150 for his but I got it on sale for a little more than half that.
My employer gave me a Galaxy S4 on Verizon for work last year, but I wanted to keep my personal cell phone separate. Comparing the two, the S4 blows the display of the Volt out of the water. The lower resolution LED screen just can't compete with AMOLED, and the Volt has no way to play video via HDMI. Even with that being said, the display on the Volt is better than I expected given half the resolution of HD, and the price is a fraction of a Galaxy.
Even compared to the S4, this is a properly quick phone. One weird issue is that it stutters when playing stored MP3's (not internet streaming) via Bluetooth to my car stereo. Headphones work fine. I'm hoping that'll be addressed with an update at some point. The camera isn't great, but isn't terrible. Focusing is slow and even in moderately low light often fails. If you're thinking of using this as your only camera, you'll probably be disappointed. I have good dedicated cameras, so I view cell phone cameras as a convenience feature rather than a critical component of a cell phone. YMMV.
Being that the screen isn't AMOLED, battery life is drastically better than the S4 even with the brightness turned up to 80%. It'll easily last an entire day, where the S4 would need charged late in the afternoon.
Sprint coverage isn't quite as extensive as Verizon or AT&T, but it's still quite good in Northeast Ohio. In fact, I often have a better signal on Sprint than Verizon and call quality is usually better. That was surprising to me, but we've had a few phones on each carrier and Verizon always sounded like there's quite a bit more compression going on than with Sprint especially between two Verizon phones. Check your coverage before going somewhere like the Outer Banks, as there's no signal at all there right now.
If you're looking for a really good smartphone under $100 on a reliable cell network (Boost/Virgin), this phone is definitely worth checking out. I'm quite happy I got it, and my son still loves his even though he paid quite a bit more when it first came out.
This product is... Replaced my MP3 player, Easy navigation, quick response, excellent value, good sound quality
About me... Heavy apps user, Business Professional, developer
I would recommend this to a friend!
Age:45-54
Phone size:Just right
My Best Buy number: 575210767
+10points
11out of 12found this review helpful.
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Ooma - Telo VoIP Home Phone Service - Black
This hub works with your high-speed Internet and your home phones to deliver VoIP phone services and supports up to 4 Ooma Telo handsets. With easy setup, you can enjoy unlimited U.S. calling and low international rates.*
Impressive unit considering the service is free
Customer Rating
5.0
Posted by: EdFromOhio
from Niles, Ohio
on November 21, 2011
Ease of Use
5.0
Features
5.0
Performance
5.0
What's great about it: Easy to set up, good aesthetics, good voice quality.
What's not so great: Initial expense can cause some pain. Requires a fast internet connection. Can be issues if you have DSL and phone.
If you're looking at this, you're likely looking at alternatives to your land line phone. If that's the case, you're on the right trail.
After getting the latest AT&T phone bill with yet another increase in prices, I started looking for alternatives. I mean $82 for phone and "pro" level Internet access is significant. So I went to BestBuy and picked up this Ooma device and brought it home. On speedtest.net, my DSL feed showed 2.74mb download and 374kb upload. Hooking up the Ooma device was painless and within about 3 minutes, I had my new phone number to test things out with.
In doing some testing, there was a noticeable delay. It's similar to the delay most get on a cell phone, but this was bit worse. After doing lots of research, I came to the conclusion that my internet feed was too slow. Even with the delay, I decided that $38/month for my landline phone was too much, so I started proceeding with the "port" process to transfer my home phone number to Ooma. Then I hit a speed bump - if you have DSL and a landline phone on the same line, you need to call the phone company and have them separate your Internet connection to a "dry loop" so it won't get dropped when the phone company transfers your phone number.
I figured if I'm going to go through all that trouble and still be stuck with slow internet speeds, it's time to just throw AT&T completely out. I checked around and subscribed to RoadRunner's "up to 10mb/s" product. They came out a week later and hooked things up, and I was pleasantly surprised to find that I often get over 30mb/s download speeds and 960kb/s upload speeds. We tried Ooma again and the delays were greatly reduced.
The day after they installed the cable Internet feed, I continued with Ooma's phone porting process. Just 5 calendar days later (including a weekend,) my number was switched over with no hassles at all. Voice quality is great.
They tell you to put the Ooma "in front of" your router (which means between your modem and your router.) That will work with most homes, but not mine since I have some inbound traffic. So I have mine set up behind the router and even replaced my very old router with one that understands QoS packets (a Linksys wireless router with Tomato firmware.)
I don't think that most people will need to go through that much trouble, but I wanted to tweak it to be "just right" in my home. It is working fantastic for us, and I'm looking forward to saving over $40/month now and yet have an internet connection 13 times faster than I used to have.
Here were some cons that I found along the way:
*There are no handsets with this device and some of the "advanced" functionality only works with their handsets, and their handsets aren't the greatest. They're expensive and they feel cheap.
*For good voice quality, you need a good Internet connection. From what others have said, it should be a download speed of 6mb/s or more and an upload speed of 512kb/s or more.
*Ooma's technical support cannot answer more advanced questions and they made no effort to find out. They just kept pointing me to sites others made which did not address the very specific technical questions I had. I had to find out myself using trial-and-error methods.
*There are no handsets with this device and some of the "advanced" functionality only works with their handsets, and their handsets aren't the greatest. They're expensive and they feel cheap.
*For good voice quality, you need a good Internet connection. From what others have said, it should be a download speed of 6mb/s or more and an upload speed of 512kb/s or more.
*Ooma's technical support cannot answer more advanced questions and they made no effort to find out. They just kept pointing me to sites others made which did not address the very specific technical questions I had. I had to find out myself using trial-and-error methods.
With that extremely long write-up, the summary is: If "almost as good as your normal phone" is acceptable, then this is for you. The web page for setup couldn't be much more simple, and everything is extremely easy to set up.
In my case, the $38/month portion of my phone bill was reduced to $3.47/month (you still have to pay for 911 service and taxes.) Ooma's service is free, but Uncle Sam still manages to get his money.
I would recommend this to a friend!
+46points
50out of 54found this review helpful.
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EdFromOhio's Questions
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EdFromOhio's Answers
Escort - Max 360 Radar Detector for Most Vehicles - Black
This Escort Max 360 0100024-2 radar detector features USB connectivity, a smartphone app and connection to the DEFENDER database to provide you with up-to-date, real-time alerts. GPS AutoLearn technology isolates real signals from false alarms.
Does it work for commercial trucks too . I know it's illegal to use device like that in a truck . But if it works ?
If you have a 12 volt source, it will work. But as you stated, it is illegal to use in a commercial vehicle in the United States.
7 years, 5 months ago
by
Posted by:
EdFromOhio
Escort - Max 360 Radar Detector for Most Vehicles - Black
This Escort Max 360 0100024-2 radar detector features USB connectivity, a smartphone app and connection to the DEFENDER database to provide you with up-to-date, real-time alerts. GPS AutoLearn technology isolates real signals from false alarms.
I have a Rocky Mountain Radar RMR-8RDS It is getting older. It is hard wired front & rear I have been protected & no tickets in almost 3 years. It offers rear protection from Radar also. Will this Escort max 360 offer rear protection & what range?
If you're happy with that detector, then you'll be amazed by this one because Rocky Mountain Radar is known for not living up to their hype.
And the "360" in the product name isn't just a model number. It offers 360° of protection. Read up on the specs and other literature, and it will likely answer a lot of your other questions.
And the "360" in the product name isn't just a model number. It offers 360° of protection. Read up on the specs and other literature, and it will likely answer a lot of your other questions.
7 years, 5 months ago
by
Posted by:
EdFromOhio
Escort - Max 360 Radar Detector for Most Vehicles - Black
This Escort Max 360 0100024-2 radar detector features USB connectivity, a smartphone app and connection to the DEFENDER database to provide you with up-to-date, real-time alerts. GPS AutoLearn technology isolates real signals from false alarms.
Laser Function... Going to guess this detector only detects Laser Function once a laser device/gun is activated. Hence you are caught unless a vehicle in front of you gets laser zapped and the detector detects that activity. Is this a correct assumption?
You are correct. And given the more narrow band of light the newer guns are using, you might not get an alert at all.
7 years, 5 months ago
by
Posted by:
EdFromOhio
Roku - 3 Streaming Player - Black
Roku 3: Access more than 1,500 channels in up to 1080p and view videos from Netflix and YouTube directly on your TV. Fast, powerful and loaded with features, the motion-sensing remote lets you play games or plug in headphones to watch late-night flicks without waking up the household.
can one use only the Roku plus the TV (no phone, no DVD, etc.?
Roku is strictly a streaming device. There are no inputs for other devices to play through it.
9 years, 5 months ago
by
Posted by:
EdFromOhio
from
Niles, Ohio
Roku - 3 Streaming Player - Black
Roku 3: Access more than 1,500 channels in up to 1080p and view videos from Netflix and YouTube directly on your TV. Fast, powerful and loaded with features, the motion-sensing remote lets you play games or plug in headphones to watch late-night flicks without waking up the household.
how do I hook up my amp theater system to my ROKU /
hook up digital sound for my amp and roku
It depends on whether or not your amp has an HDMI input. If it does, just connect the Roku to the HDMI in port, your TV to the out port and you're in business.
If your amp just has the old fashioned RCA jacks, you might want to look at the output capabilities of your TV. My amp is very old, so I'm taking the 1/8" line-out from my TV and connecting it to my receiver. The TV does the HDMI to analog audio conversion (and rather well, I have to say.)
If your amp just has the old fashioned RCA jacks, you might want to look at the output capabilities of your TV. My amp is very old, so I'm taking the 1/8" line-out from my TV and connecting it to my receiver. The TV does the HDMI to analog audio conversion (and rather well, I have to say.)
9 years, 5 months ago
by
Posted by:
EdFromOhio
from
Niles, Ohio
Boost Mobile - LG Volt 4G No-Contract Cell Phone
LG Volt No-Contract Cell Phone for Boost Mobile: Stay connected in more ways than one with this high-powered prepaid smartphone. The 4.7" display delivers sharp, vivid colors for streaming videos, browsing social media and more, while its 4G LTE speed guarantees a fast, powerful performance all day long. Connect even further by turning your phone into a universal remote for your TV, cable box and more.
does this phone come with sim card already in the phone or do i have to buy it seperate
It comes with the SIM card already installed in the phone.
9 years, 8 months ago
by
Posted by:
EdFromOhio
from
Niles, Ohio