Sony BDV-E770W: Top Notch Home Theater System

After extensive research I recently purchased a Sony BDV-E770W Home Theater System,  and I am thrilled with it. I strongly recommend this system if you are considering the purchase of a "Home Theater In a Box".

"Home Theater In a Box" is a collection of components designed to work together that are often purchased separately at much greater expense. It includes surround sound, a Blu-ray, DVD and CD player (compatible with music and photo files) and an FM radio receiver.  Newer systems include Internet streaming media such as Pandora Radio, YouTube and Netflix Movies. The latest improvements for these systems are wireless Internet connection so you can access Internet features wirelessly via your home network, wireless rear speakers so you don't have to snake wires from the unit (located with your TV in the front of the room) to their location at the rear of the room, and, most recently, 3D video capability.

The Sony BDV-E770W has all of this!  The sound quality is phenomenal!  And the DVD player up converts standard DVDs to 1080p HD.  You can easily spend thousands of dollars for such a system. During my prepurchase research I received an estimate of $3500 from a professional installer for a similar system. The BDV-E770W lists for $600 on the Sony site. I purchased mine on an Internet site for under $450, delivered with no tax!

CNet gave the Sony BDV-E770W an "Excellent" rating, saying it is "one of the best Blu-ray home theater systems we've tested." Their review opens with the following (Check out the full CNet Review):

The Sony BDV-E770W is the company's flagship Blu-ray home theater for 2010 and it's outfitted with just about every feature you could think of. It can stream media for a ton of online sources (including Netflix, Amazon VOD, Pandora, and Slacker) and it comes with a USB Wi-Fi dongle so you don't need Ethernet in the living room. A wireless rear-speaker package is also included, which is a welcome plus now that many manufacturers don't include this even on high-end systems. You can connect an iPod directly to the BDV-E770W's USB port, and browse your music using the onscreen display. The built-in Blu-ray player is even 3D-compatible. 

Netflix Interface: Click for Larger Image

I've had my BDV-E770W for a month, now, and I can't imagine any better performance from a $3500 custom system!  You can view your photo slide shows and listen to radio and music CDs in fantastic high quality stereo. Watching TV shows and movies with Dolby 5.1 surround sound on your HD TV is like going to the movies in your own home!  And, when you get your 3D capable TV sometime down the road, this Sony Home Theater System will be ready for that too!  So, pop some popcorn, turn the lights down, and put on your favorite Blu-ray movie.  You'll never need to go the movies again!

Important Note:  Be sure the system you purchase contains a "W" in the model number.  Sony sells a BDV-E770 which does not include wireless capabilities.

Traffic Pullover Life & Death Video

Law enforcement is very risky. Our police officers never know what is in store when they pull a vehicle over. The police video, below, from Hamilton, MT shows how a routine traffic pullover can instantly and unexpectedly lead to a life or death scenario.

A coroner's jury ruled that Police Officer Ross Jessop was justified in killing a man during a late night traffic stop. It took a six woman jury an hour to rule that Officer Jessop justifiably shot and killed Raymond Thane Davis after Davis shot at him. The 5 hours of testimony included this chilling video recording of the shooting made by the police car dash camera. Davis first tried shooting Officer Jessop in the face from a few inches away. The click of Davis' revolver's hammer hitting a previously fired round was audible on the tape. Davis then shot again as Officer Jessop retreated and drew his own weapon. The outcome would have been much different if the first round in the cylinder had been a live one. Davis died of wounds received when Officer Jessup returned fire.

[My thanks to Tom Nick for this article and video]