Autonet Mobile KT-ANMRTR-01 Automotive Wi-Fi Router Review

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(More customer reviews)Autonet Mobile KT-ANMRTR-01 Automotive Wi-Fi Router
I thought it was about time someone provided online access from the car so I'm a real fan of this product because it offers this very service. I love having full Internet access from the car. I can get on Mapquest to find alternate routes while traveling and what's especially valuable for me is being able to check my work email, work on projects and make use of travel time while a passenger. I haven't had any problems with the connections either.

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Autonet Mobile is a smart addition to any vehicle, combining 3G data technology and Wi-Fi, to turn your vehicle into a Wi-Fi hotspot. Autonet Mobile goes beyond in-car DVD players and mobile broadband cards by connecting multiple passengers and multiple Wi-Fi devices in and around the vehicle for hours of entertainment and productivity. With our wireless technology, it does not matter if you are in the car or right outside of it, you'll always be connected.

Road Trips just got Easier! Autonet Mobile will connect your entire family on the road simultaneously. Instead of watching the same old DVD, now kids can play with Webkinz, chat on Facebook, and watch YouTube videos--all from the back seat!
Stay productive on the Road Spend more time doing the things you love by working in your car. You will not spend another wasted second looking for a Wi-Fi hotspot, typing on the tiny keypad on your Smartphone, or fiddling with a broadband card. Autonet Mobile gives you back valuable hours of time by keeping you connected and productive in your car. Just flip open your laptop to send emails, make reservations, and buy last minute gifts--all from your car.
Internet: 150ft from your car Autonet Mobile not only turns your car into a Wi-Fi hotspot, but it turns your workplace into one too. You can connect to the Internet up to 150ft away from your car. This means that everyone at your job site can connect to the Internet at the same time, no matter what type of Wi-Fi device they use. Look up blue prints, upload photos, check your email, schedule appointments, and more--all from your vehicle.
TRU Technology TRU Technology is an innovation from Autonet Mobile that makes your in-car Internet experience a pleasurable one. As your car travels down the road at high speeds between cell towers, Autonet Mobile will keep you connected by managing your cell tower handovers seamlessly. As you move down the road at high speeds with a conventional cell card or cell phone, you may experience the "dropped call syndrome," often forcing you to restart your device and software. Our solution provides you with a constant connection, so you never experience the frustration of having to resend an email attachment twice or watch a choppy YouTube video.
Why Autonet Mobile is such a value Autonet Mobile allows you to connect just about any Wi-Fi device you can think of to the Internet, and what's better is that it costs just a fraction of the cost of a broadband card. Autonet Mobile only requires a one-year agreement and the entry-level monthly service plan is approximately 50% less than a broadband card. Autonet Mobile doesn't charge overage fees, nor are there taxes and surcharges in your monthly bill. The advertised monthly price is all you'll pay--no more, and no less.
Autonet Mobile offers two flat-rate annual plans, automatically billed monthly to your credit. With our affordable rate plan, you are not subject to taxes, surcharges or over MB usage fees.
Autonet Mobile Service Costs
Activation Fee: $35.00 1-Year minimum Service Agreement required: $29 per month for 1GB Plan $59 per month for 5GB Plan Click here for Autonet Mobile's Coverage Map

When your car is a Wi-Fi Hotspot you can:
Watch online videos in your car You can spend hours online in the passenger seats entertaining yourself with the millions of online videos. Thousands of videos are uploaded to You Tube everyday. Why watch a DVD in the car when there's always something new to watch online? Autonet Mobile's TRU Technology makes watching videos online a great experience.
Play Online Games Your kids won't be asking "Are we there yet," when millions of their favorite video games like Webkinz are free to play online. If they don't want to play an online game, they can always hook up their Wi-Fi enabled gaming device including Sony PSP's, PlayStation3 or Xbox 360 to play against their friends who are miles away.
Listen to Internet Radio With the Internet in your car, you will be able to stream your favorite online radio sites straight into your car! The best part is, Internet radio doesn't have commercials and it's free. If your car has an auxiliary jack, just connect it to your streaming device to enjoy your favorite music!
Social Networking in the car You will be able to keep your social network updated with your laptop or mini-PC no matter where you travel. Imagine posting updates about every stop on your journey, or uploading your vacation photos with your digital camera and EyeFi chip within seconds after they were taken?
Internet outside of the car too Autonet Mobile lets you connect outside of your car too. If you've stopped to camp for the night, or just to take a pit stop at a local cafe, Autonet Mobile works in and around your vehicle so you'll stay connected within a 150' radius of your car.
Professional Installation Recommended Installernet has a network of Autonet Mobile certified installers at thousands of locations across the country. To have Autonet Mobile installed by a certified installer, a separate Installernet install-card can be purchased for an additional fee.
Installation of Autonet Mobile is relatively simple, the unit requires just four screws, a power and a ground, and can be installed in any type of vehicle. A small percentage of Autonet Mobile customers choose to do the install on their own.
What's in the Box Autonet Mobile router, wiring harness, manual, quickstart guide

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Onkyo TX-NR3007 140 Watts 9.2-Channel AV Surround Home Network Receiver (Black) Review

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(More customer reviews)I researched my AVR choice for months, read plenty of reviews, both pro and consumer, and settled on this one. There are several home theater forums as well that were very helpful- although realize that on any internet forum you tend to concentrate those who are having problems with the unit. People who don't have problems don't tend to say as much- and that goes for any product.
For me, this thing works like a champ. I chose this over the 1007 for 1)better video processing (Reon chip), 2) independant power supplies (video/aduio/etc), and at the time, I found it for a great price, only a bit more than the 1007. It also has Dolby Dynamic volume, which the 1007 doesn't have- but I use the audyssey dynamic volume anyways. The backlit remote is nice too- although not a reason to buy this over the 1007. At first, I wasn't sure if the Reon chip was worth it, my projector suppossedly has the same chip, but I can tell a big difference upconverting my Dish 720p. The image looks much better when I let the Onkyo do the upconversion as oppossed to my projector. Likewise, it does a better job with DVD material compared to my BR which also upconverts DVDs, just not as well as the Onkyo.
There are plenty of comprehensive reviews about all the many, many features this unit has. I'll let you research those. Compared to other brands, this seemed to have the most bang for the buck. No other 9.2 recievers in this price range. Few THX Ultra certified recievers in this price range. More HDMI inputs than anyone else. I currently have a 5.1 setup with high quality quadrapolar surrounds, and to be honest, I don't think I'll be getting rear surrounds any time soon. I will probably add height next. From everything I've read height makes more of an impact than rear surrounds.
Plenty loud, plenty of headroom. Customizations out the wazoo. Audyssey microphone automatically sets up the unit for you. Mine runs warm, but after a full length movie with the sound cranked up it's not hot by any stretch.
I don't use the net features, can't comment.
So far I use it with my dish 622 box (HDMI), panasonic BR (HDMI), sanyo DVD (component), macbook (HDMI), airport express (optical) and hooked up to a samsung plasma (HDMI) and epson projector (HDMI) without any problems.

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Onkyo HT-RC180 7.2-Channel A/V Surround Home Network Receiver (Black) Review

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(More customer reviews)I've owned a lot of electronics, all makes and many models. I had not upgraded my core system for many years, and knew it was time for a change. I'm a fan of Onkyo (I have another Onkyo AV receiver in the living room) and was looking for one with network connection and more power. Man does this deliver. The quality, feel and look is all top-quality. This may be a 7.1 system, but it powers 10 speakers, two subs, and three different zones/rooms! That's 11 speakers plus two subs (13 total.) Remember that Frasier episode from a few years ago where he purchased a new soundsystem, and his living room looked like a speaker Stonehenge. Seemed farfetched at the time - but now it's clearly possible. If you use full sized speakers you would have a draw-dropping first impression. As it is, I have 11 speakers and one sub, varying sizes and makes - that's impressive enough.
The sound? Wow. I played Aero by Jean Michelle Jarre - a 5.1 audio DVD. It knocked my socks off. The audio resolution and depth were amazing. The receiver also has numerous listening modes - so many it takes over two pages in the manual to list them. Different Dolby modes, THX and many more. There's a diagram on the front panel that displays the speakers that will be used by each mode. As you change them, the speaker display changes - pretty simple. Want only two speakers? Four? Eleven? Simple.
So here's my experience, from unpacking to turn-on.
Packaging: Extra-heavy duty. Double-thick box, form fit foam. The box will take a lot of abuse in shipping. See my included photos.
Unpacking: Typical anti-static and foam wrap, tape and scratch protection. Heavy unit - will take two people to unpack unless you are comfortable moving heavy weight.
Installation: I find it easier to make a temporary platform at around the same height as the shelf the unit will sit on - I've always done this. In this case, two storage boxes put it at about the perfect height. This way I can attach all cables and simply slide the unit in place. When we're talking this many wires it's a big help. The RC180 includes a manual (thick!), quick start (handy!) and a sheet of decals to mark your speaker cables. At first I thought - "yes, like I'll need these!" Man did they come in handy! The labels were a real timesaver. Again, see the photos.
My BluRay player uses a network connection, and so does this unit. I had a single network cable in the room, so had to add a hub to split the connection. I can't use wireless in the home - it's an older building, lath/plaster/steel mesh. It works like a Faraday cage, and kills signals. The RC1800 uses a wired connection anyway, as does my BluRay player. If you already have a wired connection in the room, keep in mind you may need a hub to add more outlets.
It took around an hour to hook everything up, from unpacking to sliding the unit in place.
BEFORE I put the unit in place, I ran the speaker test. This allows you to verify correct placement. Again, it came in handy. I had the upper left front and upper right front speaker connections swapped (there are SEVEN speakers in front - Two Upper front, Two front, Two wide front, and one center!) Fixed that, then slid the unit in place.
Turned it on again, verified all the AV connections. You can customize pretty much all the connections. For example, I have my DVD set to use component in 1 and digital audio coax in 2. My VCR (yes, I still have a VCR) uses the VCR input, and I have the TV set to use optical in 2. This allows a lot of customization and personalization. Next I named all the inputs, so the display shows whatever text I want.
Then I ran the Audyssey setup. I love this system. My other Onkyo uses it as well, and it's great. The RC180 uses a more advanced version. It tests the standard three listening positions, and has an additional optional three positions for more fine tuning. I only needed three. This took around 15 minutes to run. It tests every speaker, including the subwoofer, then writes the data.
Next I customized the remote control. It's a universal remote with some cool options. There are programmable shortcut buttons (my music, my movies, etc.) as well as the standard controls for all your devices. It's interactive - you follow on-screen prompts (it uses your TV for the display.) Basically you enter the first three letters of your make, perform a search and select the make from an amazingly comprehensive list. You also select the category of the device - VCR, DVD, etc. You then go through a train and error selection process of codes. You're instructed step by step. My DVD took three tries for the correct codes. The BlyRay and VCR did it in one. After you are finished with that, you can program the shortcut buttons (My Movies, etc.) With one button press it will turn on selected devices, press play, etc.) Works perfectly. I press MyMovie and the TV turns on, the Onkyo turns on, the BluRay turns on and plays.
My only gripe is the net connectivity - the remote control takes a lot of getting used to, as the functions for net use are counterintuitive. The unit has built in support for several web based radio services. One of the included services, vTuner, is free. The others require a subscription (Sirus, Pandora, Rhapsody.) The instructions for vTuner setup were problematical. You're instructed to go to a URL and use the unit's MAC address to register. vRadio won't accept the MAC address - they want a unit ID. The vRadio instructions for finding the unit ID are not even close. Basically the Unit ID and Mac address are the same thing, but vTuner won't take it. Still fighting that. You can use vTuner without it, but you won't have favorites, playlists, etc.
Update: Figured it out. They do indeed want the MAC address - however, without any spaces, dashes, colons. Just the letters and numbers as one long string. Find the MAC address under the network setup - ignore the instructions from vTuner.
Streaming from your computer? The RC180 automatically detects the computers on your network with media servers running. I have three PC's running Windows media player - it found all three of them. I'll add more details on in-house media streaming in the future - I need some more hands-on to make an honest evaluation. My main PC is based on Windows 7. The instructions for connecting to the media player are for Media Player 11 (Vista / XP), not Windows 7. Windows 7 uses Media Player 12 - so you need to use the DLNA instructions, not the Windows Media Player instructions. One big mistake I made was attempting to connect to my computer before allowing access to the Onkyo. This stuck the Onkyo in a loop while it kept trying to connect. Eventually it gave up and I was able to get it all to work. You really need to create playlists to make it easy to use.
From what I see so far, I can't use my iTunes library. The Onkyo requires DLNA compliance, and iTunes is not - that's why you can't use iTunes with many devices over a network, including the PS3.
Followup: I can't stress how important a great center speaker is. I had an anemic speaker with a 4" woofer. It was basically a spare JBL studio speaker - great quality, but it was rated at 50 watts. I replaced it with a BIC center speaker that has two 6" woofers and a large horn - and handles 175 watts ( BIC America DV-62CLRS 6-Inch 2-Way Center Channel Speaker ). Wow! What a difference. With the old speaker, the Onkyo would not go past 70% volume - the Audyssey setup detected that feeble little speaker and limited the maximum output. Really annoying, since the rest of the speakers were pretty decent, but any more volume and that speaker would have been so much scrap. The center is mainly used for voice, but don't overlook it! Now I can crank to 100%!
More followup: It detects and streams audio from my Iomega StorCenter Pro ix4-200d 2 NAS (A network storage devide.)

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The THXSelect2 Plus Certified HT-RC180 combines the latest home-theater functionality with home-network capability to create a compelling mid-range centerpiece. A rear-side Ethernet port enables the HT-RC180 either to receive and output audio tracks playing on your PC, or to bypass your PC and directly stream internet radio stations such as Rhapsody and Pandora. The HT-RC180 provides five HDMI1.3a inputs to handle a range of high-definition video and audio sources. HDMI compatibility also enables the receiver to upscale any video input to 1080p via Faroudja DCDi Cinema. This 110 W-rated receiver also features Audyssey DSXand DolbyPro LogicIIz, two new surround-sound formats that expand the spatial dimensionality of games and movies. On top of all this, you also have Audyssey room-correction and equalization technologies working to create a well-balanced soundstage, no matter the volume level or the shape of your room. Among the other highlights of the HT-RC180 are a customizable remote controller and a proprietary Universal Port that enables single-cable connection of peripheral audio devices.

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Samsung Galaxy Tab (Verizon Wireless) Review

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(More customer reviews)As a current iPad owner who also uses the Droid X, I must say that after spending 15 minutes with this thing I absolutely love it. The size is fantastic in that its a signifcantly improved viewing experience over the 4.3 inch Droid X screen (which is also great) and it is easy to hold with one hand and navigate with the other - an added bonus is that it also fits in a suit coat pocket.
The Microsoft Exchange integration with email/calendar/contacts is seemless and allows for almost all of the functionality provided via a laptop. One of the drawbacks of the iPad is its poor integration with Outlook (couldn't delete, move emails while one a plane working offline - not a problem with the Tab).
The screen is gorgeous, speed is quick and the Google location services (GPS, Latitude, Maps, Place and the list goes on and on) are fantastic.
I would highly recommend this product.
Update - after 1 week of ownership, I love it even more. As someone who travels (4 cities over last 5 days), I'm considering leaving my notebook home on business travel with future trips. The benefits of the form factor can't be overstated - it fits in my jeans pocket when out casually and in my suit jacket during business. It also smartly switches from WiFi to 3G when a WiFi network is not within reach and vice versa (so that you don't unnecessarily consume data via your cellular carrier). I also watched a movie on my East to West coast trip - 3 hour and 13 minute move burned less than half the battery time. It's also great to be able to modify .xls documents when needed - seamless integration with outlook / attachments.
Absolutely love this thing...


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Enjoy a rich, brilliant viewing experience wherever you roam with the Android-powered, 3G-enabled Samsung Galaxy Tab mobile tablet for Verizon Wireless--a powerful, entertainment device ideal for home or on the go. Weighing just 1 pound, it features a vibrant 7-inch touchscreen display with 3D-like graphics, speedy 1 GHz processor, and the Android 2.2 operating system--all in a sleek and compact form factor.

Offering the fast speeds and reliability of the Verizon Wireless 3G network, you'll be able to connect to a wide range of streaming media choices and enjoy fast downloads of music, movies, and documents while on the go. Verizon Wireless customers can add a monthly access plan beginning at $20 a month for 1 GB. Additionally, you can share your 3G mobile broadband connectivity with up to five other devices--laptop, another phone, MP3 player, and more--using Wi-Fi.

With integrated Google technology, the Galaxy Tab brings one-touch access to the popular Google mobile services millions use every day, including Google Search by voice, Google Maps with Street View, Gtalk, YouTube, Picasa, and contacts/calendar synchronization. It also includes popular mobile applications such as V CAST Music, V CAST Song ID, and VZ Navigator from Verizon Wireless as well as Slacker Radio, Kindle for Android, and BLOCKBUSTER On Demand presented by V CAST Video.

Through Android Market, you'll get access to thousands of useful applications, widgets and fun games to download and install on your phone, with many more apps being added every day. Additionally, the Samsung Galaxy Tab will also feature V CAST Apps, Verizon Wireless' mobile storefront offering hundreds of applications for businesses and consumers.

The Galaxy Tab offers full support for Adobe Flash Player 10.1 for accessing Flash-enabled websites, watching video and playing games, and with built-in support for ultra-fast Wireless-N Wi-Fi, the Galaxy Tab's portable screen is ideal for watching the latest movies and entertainment.

Designed to fit in one hand, typing messages or notes is simple and easy with the Galaxy Tab's virtual QWERTY keyboard with Swype technology, which allows you to input text faster and in a more intuitive way with one continuous finger motion across the screen keyboard. It's outfitted with a rear-facing camera for photo capture and sharing as well as a front-facing camera for video chat. Other features include Bluetooth 3.0 wireless connectivity for hands-free devices and stereo music streaming, 2 GB internal memory, microSD memory expansion (with included 16 GB card), HDMI video output (via optional dock), and up to 13 hours of battery power.

Samsung Social Hub
Offering one-stop shopping for all your updates, the Samsung Social Hub all your social networking services, messages, personal and business e-mail, calendars and contacts. It's built around Messaging and Contacts, both of which initiate the sending and receiving of information--whether it is e-mail, instant messaging, social network updates or SMS messages. Additionally, calendar information from portal calendars, such as Google Calendar, and social networking services are displayed together in one calendar with two-way synchronization.

The familiar text messaging experience is enhanced with group messaging and "reply all" functionality for up to 10 contacts, a threaded conversations format, a consolidated inbox, and enhanced multi-media display.


Key Features
Fast 3G connectivity thanks to the reliable Verizon Wireless EV-DO, Rev A network
Powered by the Android operating system (version 2.2) with deep integration of Google services, access to thousands of apps via the Android Market, and support for Adobe Flash 10.1.
7-inch touchscreen display (1024 x 600 pixels, 16 million color depth) with 6-axis motion sensor and accelerometer.
1 GHz Samsung Hummingbird processor speeds up everything--from playing games to watching shows to opening files from work.
Virtual keyboard
Swype input system allows you to input text faster and easier by gliding your finger around the keyboard, moving from letter to letter in one continuous motion. The Swype technology then calculates what word you're intending to type (learn more below).
Samsung Social Hub provides one stop for all your updates integrates all your social networking services, messages, personal and business e-mail, calendars and contacts.
3-megapixel rear-facing camera with flash captures still images and video that that can be edited, uploaded, and shared.
1.3-megapixel front-facing camera for video chat
Multi-format media player compatible with MP3, WMA, and AAC music files plus DivX, XviD, MPEG4, H.263, and H.264 video files.
Ultra-fast Wireless-N Wi-Fi networking (802.11b/g/n) for accessing home and corporate networks as well as hotspots while on the go.
3G Mobile Hotspot capability allows you to create a Wi-Fi hotspot using your Verizon Wireless 3G EV-DO connection, which can then be shared among up to five Wi-Fi-capable devices. Just open the 3G Mobile Hotspot app in the Applications tray and turn on the service. (Note that 3G Mobile Hotspot sharing uses the device's regular data plan and does not require a Mobile Broadband Connect plan.)
Next-generation Bluetooth 3.0 connectivity provides faster throughput while minimizing on power requirements. It's compatible with new Bluetooth 3.0-enabled devices as well as backward compatible with older Bluetooth-enabled peripherals such as headsets and printers. It includes profiles for communication headset, hands-free car kits, and the A2DP Bluetooth profile--enabling you to wirelessly stream your music to a pair of compatible Bluetooth stereo headphones or speaker dock.
2 GB internal memory
Included 16 GB microSD card slot with support for optional cards up to 32 GB.
Blockbuster movie rentals and purchases
DLNA capabilities via AllShare
3.5mm headphone jack
Widgets including AccuWeather Clock, Daily Briefing, news and weather.
Support for personal and corporate e-mail
Text and picture messaging with threaded conversation messaging

Vital Statistics
The Samsung Galaxy Tab weighs 13.58 ounces and measures 7.48 x 4.74 x 0.47 inches. Its lithium-ion battery is rated at up to 13 hours of battery life, and up to 500 hours (20+ days) of standby time. It runs on the CDMA 800/1900 frequencies as well as EV-DO, Rev A 3G frequencies.

What's in the Box
Samsung Galaxy Tab, wall/USB charger, 16 GB microSD memory card, quick start guide


Verizon Wireless Services
Reliable 3G Network: With support for the EV-DO high-speed data standard, you'll enjoy fast access to the Internet and Verizon Wireless multimedia services (additional charges applicable), with average download speeds ranging from 400 to 700 Kbps and peak rates up to 2 Mbps. (Learn more about where EV-DO coverage is offered.)

VZ Navigator Capable: With this GPS-enabled phone, you'll be able to access the Verizon Wireless VZ Navigator service (additional charges applicable) for voice-prompted turn-by-turn directions, heads-up alerts, local search of nearly 14 million points of interest in the US (such as landmarks, restaurants and ATMs), and detailed color maps.

VZW Backup Assistant: Automatically back up your mobile contacts to your online address book. If your phone is lost, stolen, or damaged, or you decide to upgrade, easily restore your saved address book to your new phone. You can also add, delete, edit, and print your contacts online and send the changes to your mobile phone.


Pre-loaded Apps on the Samsung Galaxy Tab
Kindle for Android: Pre-installed on the Galaxy Tab, the Kindle for Android application lets you shop for hundreds of thousands of books in the Kindle Store, including New York Times Best Sellers and new releases from $9.99. Use Amazon's Whispersync technology to automatically synchronize your last page read, bookmarks, annotations, and more across your various devices --- including Kindle, Kindle DX, PC, Mac, iPad, iPhone, iPod touch, BlackBerry and Android phones.

Slacker Radio: With millions of songs from thousands of artists, Slacker is the best way to discover new artists and hear your favorite music. Listening to Slacker is as easy as selecting one of over 120 DJ-programmed genre stations or searching for your favorite artist or song. As you listen, you can tell Slacker what you like and don't like with the click of a button. Get the ultimate in music discovery while you listen with detailed artist biographies, in-depth album reviews and more.

ThinkFree Office Mobile: The award-winning ThinkFree Office is a Microsoft Office compatible application suite comprised of word processing, spreadsheet, and presentation graphics software--all usable online and offline. You'll be able to view, edit, and create Office documents (compatible with Microsoft Word, Excel and Powerpoint) as well as view PDF documents.

Let's Golf (Gameloft): Discover a fun atmosphere making golf accessible to anyone with 63 holes in 4 environments in 3D and 4 characters to customize. 63 holes in 4 distinct locations remodelled in 3D: Fiji Beach, the American Mountains, the English Countryside, and Scottish Lochs. 4 cool and animated characters customizable with your own style. Each player has unique strengths and weaknesses.


Swype Keyboard
An alternative to the Android virtual keyboard, the Swype virtual keyboard (seen at the right) allows you to input text by swiping the finger with one continuous finger or stylus motion across the screen keyboard. Based on testing, speed and accuracy are equal to or better than the traditional keyboard-tapping method. You can activate the Swype keyboard by pressing and holding in a text field, wait for popup to appear, click Input Method, and then select Swype.

In the image to the left, the word "quick" was generated from tracing the path shown above in a fraction of a second, by roughly aiming to pass through the letters of the word. A key advantage to Swype is that there is no need to be very accurate, enabling very rapid text entry.

Also Available for This Android Device

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Onkyo HT-RC270 7.2-Channel Network A/V Receiver (Black) Review

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(More customer reviews)I will preface this review by saying I am not a die-hard audiophile who's interested in the schematics of the circuit boards inside, and how discreet they are, and whether or not they use premium toroidal coils and all that other stuff. I merely like watching blu-ray movies, playing hi-def video games, listening to music, and making the whole experience sound good. So with that in mind if you're looking for an in-depth analysis of the output of this unit using reference loudspeakers that each sell for the price of a baby grand piano, you might want to search for a different review. ;)
It took a while for me to write this review. Mainly because this is one seriously complex piece of equipment. It's got more connections, more buttons, and more overhead with regards to setup than my home computer network. Don't let this scare you away though, it is an absolutely outstanding receiver. I'll try to relay the experience I've had with it so hopefully you can get some value from reading my wall of text review.
My setup:
I'm not using any spectacular speakers for this. I've got a somewhat hodge-podge of KLH for surround speakers, Panasonic for the rear channels, and a large sub I've had for years and don't recall the brand (it's a 10" sub though.) My main interest was putting together a system that would sound immersive, and not necessarily give a crystal-clear reproduction of the source material (again - not an audiophile, just your average listener.) This is why I didn't bother spending thousands on speakers, and chose to use what I had from my old 5.1 system. The receiver is paired with a Samsung 48" LED LCD TV. For Blu-ray and games I've got a PS3, as well as an Xbox 360, a PS2, and a Nintendo Wii. For cable I have a Comcast HD DVR. The TV, PS3, Xbox 360, and HD DVR are all hooked up with HDMI cables. The Nintendo is using RGB RCA connectors.
Ok with that out of the way, I'll move on to what I went through after unboxing this thing.
Initial setup:
Connections -
This is where the confusion starts. It's a 7.2 receiver, but it's has *more* than 7 channels that can be hooked up to it. However it can only output 7 channels at a time, and this is why it's labeled as 7.2. I believe the ".2" stems from the fact that it's got dual sub channel outputs, for people who think one subwoofer is not enough. Looking at the connections this thing has is intimidating. It's got an unbelievable amount. HDMI, component, S-video, composite, USB, 11 connectors for speakers (YES - ELEVEN!), subwoofer connections, low level audio outputs, antenna connectors, coaxial connectors, serial port connector, optical connectors, a CAT-5 cable input to hook the thing up to the internet/world wide web, and other connections that I don't even know what their purpose is. WHEW!
Tackling the manual clears some of these things up, to a degree. When you're making your connections you will notice that inputs are grouped according to their suggested purpose. An example is the Cable/Satellite section. It has an HDMI input, component video inputs, an S-Video input, composite video input, coaxial audio input, and two RCA inputs for audio (left/right). Not all groups have this many, and some have different options such as "Game" - it has an optical audio connection. This is for flexibility. You'll want to use the best inputs your device supports to get the best results, of course. It would be silly to have a nice DVD player with component output and optical audio and hook it into the receiver using composite and RCA audio connections. So with that in mind, stick to the best outputs on your devices, and you'll have to play around with what makes the most sense with your gear. I would highly recommend putting this all down on paper before you start plugging everything in, otherwise you'll wind up going back and shuffling things about when you find out what you were doing won't work.
The way the unit chooses which input to use is through the on-screen display in the setup menu. Inside of it you can decide which group uses which input. The caveat is you cannot do something like hook in a blu-ray player to the Game group's HDMI input, then use an Xbox 360 component output on the Game group's component input. One input per group. This is why planning ahead is important to avoid this mess. Hopefully this clears up a bit about hooking devices up. I don't want to go into more detail, because if I did this review would be more massive than it already is going to be!
MY RECOMMENDATION FOR SPEAKER LAYOUT: This is COMPLETELY subjective. You may find that your preferences differ. My goal was immersion when watching movies or playing games. You're "limited" to having 7 surround speakers active at a time. The receiver supports some very funky layouts and surround-sound encoding. The speaker positions it supports are: center channel, left and right, WIDE left and right, HEIGHT left and right, surround left and right, and rear channel (either rear left and right, or just a single rear speaker.) If you have a huge room and the money, there's nothing stopping you from hooking up every single output to speakers. Just remember - the system will only drive 7 powered channels at a time. The channels that are driven are decided by either you, or the source material you're playing. Since I don't have tons of money or a huge room to hook up all the speakers, AND from experience I've whittled down my speaker position preferences: I went with center channel, left/right, surround left/right, and rear left/right. This (in my opinion) offers the best experience and most immersion. When you play back media which supports 7.1, it sounds AMAZING. Stuff moves behind you. To your sides. And in front from left to right. You can literally hear things flying in a circle around you. I tried out the height position just to see what it sounded like... wasn't even really noticeable at all, and a complete waste. I have not tried out the wide left/right as my room doesn't have the space to support it.
On-screen menus -
I will touch on these lightly as there are simply too many menus, sub-menus, and sub-sub-menus. The most important ones are setting up the speakers, mapping inputs, and setting up the surround modes for each source. Start by setting up your speakers by going into the Speaker Setup/Speaker Configuration menu. Step through each speaker pairing and choose a frequency to cut off at, or set the pair to OFF if you don't have speakers in that position. Next go to the Input/Output Assign menu and step through each source you have and select the input it uses (this is where you choose, for example, if your game console uses the HDMI input or the component input, etc., depending on which input you plugged it into) Last you will want to set the Listening Mode Preset for each source. The last step can be confusing since there is a myriad of choices to choose from. I've typically found that for sources which can output different surround modes that selecting DIRECT for all modes is the best except for 2 channel signals - then it's up to your preference on what listening mode to choose. "Direct" allows the source material to select the surround mode to use, so you hear media the way it was meant to be heard. If you force a surround sound mode, the receiver does some fancy processing of its own to simulate the chosen surround sound mode, which will not be the way it was recorded. For sources that do not have multiple surround modes (for instance a VCR), it's up to your set up and listening preferences as to the surround mode you choose (my preference based on my set up is PLIIx THX Cinema for almost all sources that don't have the ability to play back in a surround mode.) I'd go through all of them while listening to your source material, and make your selection based on what you think sounds the best.
There are some other items, such as choosing how far apart your speakers are, and naming your inputs more accurately, but again trying to keep this review as minimal as possible here (too late!)
USE:
The remote. Lots of choices, and some odd groupings. There are two different groupings with regard to your sources. One group selects the input you wish the receiver to play from (Cab/Sat, Game, etc.) and the other chooses the mode the remote is in (TV, Receiver, etc.) The latter is so the remote can control the device. You can press TV for instance, and if you have a TV that can be controlled via the Onkyo remote, then you're in luck and can operate most of the TV via this one remote. The remote could be laid out better. Given how complex the receiver is, it's not too surprising the remote is so cluttered.
The cool factor. Look, you can hook the thing up to the web. Why would you want to do that? Because it supports streaming audio over the web, that's why! Whether you set it up to stream from your Windows PC, or directly off the web with Pandora/Sirius/V-Tuner, it's worth it. I have some very strange taste in music, and when I went on the web with the receiver using V-Tuner (which is free with your Onkyo by the way) I found dozens of obscure stations that played back exactly what I like. If *I* can find music on there that I like, I almost guarantee you that you'll have no problems finding hundreds of stations to listen to. It's simply awesome.
On screen display. For menus it's very nice to have them displayed on your HDTV instead of the tiny LED screen on the Onkyo. Makes menu options much easier to scroll through and select.
Video. Setting up the video can be confusing, especially when it comes to mixing HD 16:9 sources with standard 4:3 sources. All the different stretching and zooming modes to squish or pull a 4:3 source so it looks good on a 16:9 wide screen HDTV is a pain. I don't...Read more›

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If you're ready to take your first step into the world of networked home entertainment, let the HT-RC270 be your guide. This versatile A/V receiver sports a handy Ethernet connection that lets you enjoy streaming PC audio and internet radio in the comfort of your living room. When it comes to connectivity, the HT-RC270 handles virtually anything you throw its way. You get six 3D-ready HDMI 1.4a inputs (one on the front-side); 7.1-channel analog audio inputs for legacy components; analog RGB inputs for PC video; a Universal port for Onkyo peripherals; and a front-side USB input for Pod models and flash memory devices. Onkyo has a well-earned reputation for bringing advanced audio features to a wider audience. In the case of the high-value HT-RC270, that means low-jitter Burr-Brown DACs; lossless HD audio from DTS and Dolby; Audyssey MultEQ room-correction; and the expanded surround dimensions of Audyssey DSX and Dolby Pro Logic IIz. All of this connectivity and processing power earns the HT-RC270 the quality assurance of THX Select2 Plus.

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