GadgetLiving

I’m still not quite sure if we’ve heard the death knell of the Compact Disc or not, but whether you want them around to listen to them, or just to keep them until they appreciate in value as antiques, then you need a place to keep ‘em.

This media vault will protect 120 discs from dust and scratches while giving you push-button access to your music and video library. To get the disc you want just slide the disc selector to the desired number and press the bar. The lid will raise and present you the disc you want without having to pry it from its case or wrestle it from a plastic sleeve.

Check price and availability at Hammacher Schlemmer.

“The cabinet features non-skid feet, a padded lid with pebble-grain faux leather, and includes archive software for PCs and Macs, index labels, a disc labeling pen, and a binder with clear plastic sleeves to organize CD liner notes. 10 1/2″ H x 16 1/2″ W x 6 1/2″ L.”

Get movie theater sound quality in your living room with the Sony Dream System. The system’s 5 satellite speakers and 100-Watt subwoofer mean you’ll music, TV, and movies like you never have before. You’ll be so loud you’re neighbors will hate you! Plus they’ll be completely jealous.

The system includes a 5-disk DVD/SACD/CD changer, a 6-speaker system, 5 satellite speakers, a subwoofer, an S-Master digital amplifier, Dolby Digital, dts and Dolby Pro-Logic Decoding, 500 Watts of total system power, and Digital Cinema Sound.

Check price and availability at Amazon.

“Also featuring CD-R/RW & Super Audio CD playback, a tuner with 20 FM + 10 AM station presets, a digital input for satellite TV, etc., color coded speaker connections, and 2 A/V inputs - 1 A/V output, this system is easy to set up and a dream to listen to. Utilize the pre-programmed A/V Remote Commander Remote Control as you fast forward into entertainment overload with the DAV-C450.”

This wireless iPod speaker system transmits music from your iPod or other audio source to remote speakers that you can place anywhere in your home or outdoors up to 150′ away. That’s 5x’s the range of devices that use Bluetooth transmissions.

The system has two 2.1 stereo surround sound speakers and can support up to four speakers. The base unit has a 3.5 mm audio port allowing it to be connected to a CD player, computer, or home entertainment system. And of course it comes with a remote.

Check price and availability at Hammacher Schlemmer.

“It uses FHDSS technology, a communications algorithm that will not interfere with WiFi networks or cordless telephones, and unlike Bluetooth or analog signals that mute or produce static in response to poor signals, the unit automatically corrects signal errors to prevent sound distortion or impedance. A patented technology developed from years of psychoacoustic research restores original audio data lost during compression of digital music files, a common characteristic of many iPo d® music file formats, resulting in CD-quality sound.”

The Sony High Def camcorder records 1080i video with Surround Sound directly onto its built-in 40GB hard drive. You don’t need any tapes or discs.

After recording, all you have to do is either plug the camcorder into the HDMI input of your HDTV, or burn AVCHD DVDs using the DVD burner - no PC needed! The Sony camcorder has a 2.7″ LCD screen, 10x optical zoom.

Check price and availability at Brookstone.

“The Sony® Handycam® HDR-SR5 camcorder has a built-in 40GB hard drive, so you can record directly without tapes or discs for up to 27 hours. Connect your camcorder to your HDTV to view your images, or connect to the DVD burner to burn an AVCHD DVD copy. You don’t have to connect with your PC—though software is included to help you use your PC for archiving.”

Update: The Soundmaster Photon Ball is no longer available at Discovery Channel Store but check out the DreamGear i.Sound Plasma iPod Speaker System below, for the same thrilling light displays and great sounds from your iPod!

The Dreamgear i.Sound Plasma iPod Speaker System lets you watch dazzling electric pulses that match the beat of your favorite iPod tunes. And it’s not only for iPod devices - the i.Sound is also compatible with any audio device that has a 3.5 mm headphone output.

Check price and availability at Amazon.

“Turn your iPod or PSP into an audio-visual sensation with the DreamGear iSound Plasma speaker system. The i.Sound Plasma is equipped with electromagnetic technology that’s synched to the rhythm of your music, in effect creating a dancing, pulsing light show that grooves to the beat. More importantly, the system’s four high- efficiency drivers provide superior sound quality with crisp highs and powerful lows. And even though the sleek white housing is custom designed to complement the iPod, the i.Sound Plasma works with any audio device with a standard 3.5 mm headphone output. The system comes with a form-fitting docking station designed for the iPod 3G, iPod 4G with click wheel, iPod color, iPod video, iPod nano (1G and 2G), and iPod mini, along with interchangeable plasma globes. It’s also backed by a 120-day warranty.”

It’s getting harder and harder to find turntables. So if you want to keep listening to your records, get this LP-Rpping Turntable that converts your vinyl LPs into MP3s.

Simply connect your Ion USB turntable to your PC or Mac. The included software records and digitizes your favorite music. You can also connect your cassette deck or other audio source to this ingenious USB record player and save that music, too!

You can buy the LP-Ripping Turntable with USB Output at Brookstone.

“Now you can enjoy all your older music anywhere with the newest technology
Turntable lets you play your old LP records and then save the sound as an MP3 file. Then you can play that file on any computer or MP3 player including Windows, Macintosh and iPods. Turntable also lets you play your cassettes through it and then save that music TOO!”

Connect this speaker to your iPod or MP3 player and watch it dance to the beat of the music.

The speaker raises its arms, moves its legs, and turns. It’s sound-activated, so you can set it to any type of music or sound. Lot’s of fun for kids!

You can buy the MP3 Dancing Speaker at Hammacher Schlemmer.

“The device produces crisp sound through its 1 1/2″ speaker. Includes three built-in melodies, a cable for connecting MP3 players, and three AAA batteries. Ages 8 and up. The manufacturer has confirmed that this item meets U.S. Federal toy safety standards for lead. 6″ H x 3 3/4″ W x 3 1/4″ D.”

Would you enjoy watching a 44″ TV from 9′ away? Would you like to lug that TV around with you so that you can watch it wherever you go? Not so much.

Instead check out this portable media viewer that wears like a pair of sunglasses, and uses two high-resolution LCDs and two removable stereo headphones to provide a viewing experience equivalent to watching a 44″ television from 9′ away.

You can buy the Personal Movie Theater at Hammacher Schlemmer.

“…a personal movie theater that allows you to watch video privately from a connected video iPod, game console, DVD player, media player, or television. Developed from U.S. military technology, the viewer generates 24-bit true color (16 million colors) and provides a 23 field of view for wide pictures with 3/4″ eye-relief (so you can wear your eyeglasses if needed). The LCDs provide 320 x 240 resolution, and may be focused individually from +2 to -5 diopters and tilted up to 15 for a custom fit; a soft, hypoallergenic adj ustable nosepiece and an optional head strap ensure comfortable viewing. Its rechargeable battery provides up to five hours of continuous operation and requires a four hour recharge. Includes AC adapter, A/V cable, iPod cable, head strap, and carrying case. (4 oz.)”

This dual cassette player allows you to convert your old school cassette tapes to MP3 files.

Just plug it into a laptop or desktop computer (PC or Mac) with the USB cable, install the recording software onto your computer, and play your chosen cassette. The music gets converted into MP3 files and stored on your computer.

You can buy the Cassette-To-MP3 Converter at Hammacher Schlemmer.

“The software detects pauses between songs and breaks them into individual tracks so you don’t have to stop the software and the cassette simultaneously, and the player has a metal/CrO2 and noise reduction settings. High-speed dubbing allows you to speed up conversion times. Plugs into AC. 5 1/4″ H x 16 1/2″ W x 8 3/ 4″ D. (5 lbs.).”

If you love Star Wars then you have to get this, and really, who wouldn’t want R2 in their home?

R2’s head houses a DLP projection system with superior 1,500:1 contrast, and can project movies, TV shows, images, and video games from his radar eye at 1024 x 768 resolution onto walls up to 16 1/2′ away. That’s the equivalent to an 80″ screen! He can also rotate the viewing angle up to 65 to project images onto your ceiling.

You can buy the R2-D2 Home Theater System at Hammacher Schlemmer.

“One of R2’s mechanical arm housings in the front of his body has a DVD/CD player that can play DVDs, audio CDs, and more. R2’s anterior louvred vents rotate to reveal a docking station that fits most iPods (including video iPods), so you can play music or videos through his two 20-watt built-in speakers, and an acces s panel adjacent to the docking station conceals slots for memory cards and a USB port, allowing you to project digital pictures anywhere in your house. His rear logic display has an LED message center that alternates between R2s current function and random light patterns, and a terminal panel in the the rear has all audio and visual connections for connecting headphones, external speakers, video game systems, TVs, and more. R2’s sensors keep him from falling off tables or down stairs while he moves forward, backward, left, right, and pivots; a mounted model of the Millennium Falcon conceals a remote that provides complete control of all R2’s functions.”

Get the experience of a home theater with the functionality of a watch. Long lineups won’t bore you anymore, why not watch one of your favorite movies while you wait?

The Home Theater Watch has a comfortable and adjustable rubber band. The 260k OLED True Color Screen measures 1.5″, with 128 x 128 pixel imaging. The watch supports MP3, WMA, and MP4 (NXV) formats. It also has JPEG image format support, 5 equalizer modes, super bass, 3-D sound effect playback modes, and has 2GB of built-in storage.

You can buy the Home Theater Watch at Unbeatable Sale.

“Imagine what it would be like if you could view your favorite full-length film while in the comfort of your office chair, riding on the train, waiting at the doctor’s office, or even while waiting in line at the coffee shop! Your colleagues will want to share the headphones with you on your next plane ride. Your friends and family will be eager to spend time with you so they can catch a glimpse of the coolest watch on the market: The Home Theater Watch.”

If you share your life with a gamer, or if you are a gamer, you’re going to love this black simulated leather video chair.

It’s been designed to hold up to the punishment of the roughest of gamers. The chair measures
20″ W x 32″ D x 34″ H. It’s also available in green beige and burgundy.

You can buy the Video Rocker from Kid Stuff in a Box.

“You will be in the drivers seat as you conquer even the most difficult video gaming challenges. It’s frame is made of solid hardwoods and plywood and will support up to 200lbs. Durabilty is built in through high quality fire retardent foams and fibers for hours of gaming comfort.”

I recently switched from regular cable to digital, it’s pretty good, except that there is no sound regulation. Some stations are so quiet we have to turn the television up to about 20, then the next station has to be turned down to about 4. And forget about how loud the commercials are.

I may have to get this TV Sound Regulator that automatically matches the volume of the show and the commercials to the volume level at which you’ve set your TV. Louder sounds are lowered and softer sounds are amplified. What a concept! Seems simple enough, but it’s taken us this long to come up with something to do it.

You can buy the TV Sound Regulator at firstSTREET.

“No more adjusting your volume control. You can stop constantly adjusting your TV volume; this innovative controller does it for you. Best of all, it connects easily to your television and other components using standard audio cables, so you just plug and play. The only requirements are that your VCR, DVD, or cable box has audio outputs and your TV has audio inputs (normally found on the back of your television).”

I’ve got this at the top of the “to-buy-for-my-husband” list this year. He has got a huge collection of LPs and it would surely be a good thing to get them all converted to CDs. The LP to CD Recorder Stereo System definitely sounds like it will do the trick.

“This combination recorder and stereo system allows you to preserve your classic vinyl records by recording them to CDs so you can enjoy your favorite music when traveling without damaging the delicate original medium, or having to manage an oversized protective case.

It takes a few simple steps to faithfully transfer an LP to a digital audio CD-R or CD-RW, and at any time during recording you can pause to select only certain songs, turn the album over, change albums, or make compilation recordings.”

Check price and availability at Hammacher Schlemmer.

Buy now.

Nostalgia time! There’s nothing like a mini-jukebox to get that retro party going, and the JukeMaster is a perfect choice. It’s a replica of a 1950s tabletop jukebox, but with fully modern technology. You get all the lights and sounds of an old-fashioned jukebox, but with today’s stereo sound quality.

With 100 preprogrammed 50s and 60s hits, plus the ability to play your own CDs, MP3-format CDs and songs from 20 preset FM radio stations, this jukebox baby will send you back in time:

“This jukebox plays a hundred hits from the 50’s and 60’s. You’ll shuffle through the pages of tunes by the original artists and select your song just like the “Good Ol’ Days” or play your personally recorded favorites for your “steady.”"

Check price and availability at FirstStreet.

Buy now.