First we needed to determine how the DVD player was connected to the AVR-1612 receiver. After reviewing the connections and cables the customer explained he was using the analog audio and composite video connections. No, using the yellow, red and white analog connections is not the best quality connection you can use with this receiver but they will work.

Once I knew how the equipment was connected I reviewed the connection and setup details outlined in the owner’s manual and found there were a couple of quick input assignment changes that needed to be made. The AVR-1612 receiver is set from the factory to look for the video signal from HDMI 2 input when you select the DVD source input. Using the composite or yellow video cable from his DVD player he needed to access the setup menu of the receiver and select ‘Input Assign’ and then choose ‘HDMI’. Next he chose DVD source settings and switched it from ‘HDMI 2′ to ‘NONE’ and wala! He can now see the picture from the DVD player on his TV.

The Denon AVR-1612 receiver is factory default set to auto detect the audio signal source which explains why he could hear the sound from the DVD player even without being able to see the video image on his TV screen. For more complete details this information is also available on page 68 of the Denon AVR-1612 owner’s manual.

Chad G

How long have you been working with OneCall? 5 yrs What do you think has been the greatest consumer electronic advancement that has come in your lifetime? Wireless internet What is your favorite thing about working at OneCall? Learning about new technologies.

“OneCall comes to my rescue. After six months of purchasing a Marantz ARC I needed assistance on programming the unit to run the sound from a new Kitchen TV through the Marantz. The primary application for the Marantz is for streaming music from iTunes on my Mac through the new Marantz. Even after carefully reading the manual I was unable to figure out how to set-up the TV audio via the Marantz. I decided to call OneCall for advice since I initially called when I first set up the Airport Express. Much to my surprise I was told OneCall provides on-going tech service for instructions on operating the Marantz. After a 10 minute call with Chad the tech rep the TV was playing quality music through the living room sound system. Chad in particular was very technically qualified, understanding, professional and most of all patient. He was a delight to work with in implementing the TV connection to the Marantz. Very impressive!” Bill

Holley E

Hi I’m Paige with OneCall.com and we’re going to be discussing the Canon PowerShot A3100 IS Image Stabilized camera.

This camera is very compact it would be very good to fit in even the smallest of purses, in your pocket or to take with you on vacation and the Canon A3100IS is currently available in blue or red. This 12 megapixel digital camera will help you capture very large and detailed photos.

Canon’s Smart Auto feature automatically will choose between 18 different scene modes, depending on the lighting, the motion or different faces in the picture to make sure you’re getting the best picture possible. It’ll really help you look like a pro.

When using Canon’s new Super Vivid mode you’ll notice very intense colors in the pictures you capture. Whether you’re printing your photos out or simply viewing them online, you’ll find that the colors are richer and more true to life. While the low light shooting mode helps you to improve your image quality in low light situations; like at a campfire, outside in the evening, or if you find yourself indoors in low light conditions.

The 28mm wide angle zoom lens is great for capturing more from the left to the right, and fitting more people into those group photos and with the 4x optical zoom you can really zoom in there and capture a little bit more of those images that might be just a little bit far away. Of course, if you’re shooting without a tripod the optical image stabilizer will help you reduce camera shake so that you don’t end up with a blurry photo. While the 2.7-inch LCD really helps you to know what you’re taking a picture of, it helps you to view that subject, and it’s also great for viewing pictures and works excellent in all lighting situations.

This is Paige from OneCall, if you’d like to learn more about this product feel free to give us a call we love to talk to our customers. And to find out more about our deals and offers you’re welcome to follow us on Twitter, Facebook or YouTube. Thanks for watching.

Matt P

Home audio/video enthusiast and merchandising specialist at OneCall.com

In high-fidelity turntable systems crystal and ceramic pickups have been replaced by the magnetic cartridge, using either a moving magnet or a moving coil. Compared to the crystal and ceramic pickups, the magnetic cartridge gives improved playback fidelity and reduces record wear by tracking the groove with lighter pressure. Magnetic cartridges use much lower tracking forces thus reducing the amount of wear and tear on the record grooves. They also have a lower output voltage than a crystal or ceramic pickup, in the range of only a few millivolts, thus requiring greater amplification.

Moving Magnet (MM) cartridges
In a moving magnet cartridge, the stylus cantilever carries a tiny permanent magnet, which is positioned between two sets of fixed coils (in a stereophonic cartridge), forming a tiny electromagnetic generator. As the magnet vibrates in response to the stylus following the record groove it induces a tiny current in the coils.

Because the magnet is small, has little mass, and is not coupled mechanically to the generator (as in a ceramic cartridge), a properly adjusted stylus follows the groove more faithfully while requiring less tracking force (the downward pressure on the stylus). There is a sub-category. Moving iron and induced magnet types (ADC being a well known example) which have the magnet fixed and move a piece of iron or other ferrous alloy in the field of the magnet to produce the signal within the fixed coils.

Moving Coil (MC) cartridges
The MC design is again a tiny electromagnetic generator, but (unlike an MM design) with the magnet and coils reversed: the coils are attached to the stylus, and move within the field of a permanent magnet. The coils are tiny and made from very fine wire, so are even lighter than the small magnet used in an MM cartridge, thus improving the tracking ability of the cartridge which can give extended frequency response as well as greater fidelity.

A disadvantage however is that moving-coil cartridges generate an even lower voltage signal than a moving-magnet type cartridge. This is because the moving coil cannot be large enough (it would be too heavy) to generate equivalent voltage levels. The resulting signal is only a few hundred microvolts, and thus more easily swamped by noise, induced hum, etc. Thus it is more challenging to design a preamplifier with the extremely low noise inputs needed for a moving-coil cartridge; therefore, a “step up transformer” is sometimes used instead.

Moving coil cartridges are extremely small precision instruments and are therefore generally expensive, but are frequently preferred by audiophiles due to their better performance.

Patrick G

Patrick is our most experienced sales person, and has worked at OneCall longer than any other sales associate. He is a wealth of knowledge in all aspects of the electronics business and is a great go to guy for those tough questions that come up on a daily basis. Patrick was born and raised in Washington State, growing up in the Bellingham area before relocating to Spokane where he has lived for well over 12 years….he is a true Washington State native. When he’s not selling Electronics and helping our customers at OneCall, Patrick enjoys working in his garden, cooking and playing video games on his Sharp TV. If he could have any electronics product available, at the moment, he would go with the 65” Panasonic 3D Plasma TV and if he could go anywhere in the world on an ultimate vacation he would go to Australia.

More than just an iPod or iPhone speaker system, the SC-SP100 features a USB connection for use as an iPod dock for charging and syncing to your computer. This means you can update your iPod with your latest favorite music while it’s docked and no more searching for USB cables.

With sound performance in mind for the SC-SP100 iPod speaker system Panasonic included a built-in subwoofer with dual passive radiators to deliver deep bass response from a compact design so it’s still small enough to fit on your desk or take with you on a trip.

If you’re looking for a good way to listen to your iPod without the headphones check out the Panasonic SC-SP100 ……and it will even work with your iPhone!

Learn more about the Panasonic SC-SP100 iPod speaker dock at OneCall

Michael C

This is a great question, and with the available configurations and setup options on the Onkyo TX-SR508 home theater receiver not an uncommon question.

7.1 Channel Speaker Setup
If you have 7 speakers and a subwoofer available to connect with your Onkyo TXSR508 receiver you can choose from the following home theater configurations.

5.1 channel plus Front Height speakers – front left, center, front right, surround right, surround left and powered subwoofer plus front left height and front right height speakers.

or

7.1 channel – front left, center, front right, surround right, surround-back right, surround-back left, surround left and powered subwoofer.

Once your speakers and audio/video components are connected as outlined in your Onkyo TX-SR508 owner’s manual you’re ready to start the setup process. Although the Audyssey 2EQ®room correction and speaker setup process is very intuitive and makes the process of calibrating your speaker system a breeze you still need to tell the receiver how your speakers are positioned in your room before running the Audyssey 2EQ process. The first steps in the Audyssey 2EQ® process will help you accomplish exactly that.

The first step in speaker configuration will be making sure the “Speaker Type” is set to “Normal” and not “Bi-AMP”. Since the Bi-AMP, Front High Speaker and powered Zone 2 modes all share the same amplifiers as the Surround Back speakers you’re not able to use more than one of these options at a time. After the “Speaker Type” is set as “Normal” you’ll move on to the “Speaker Terminal Assignment” where you can tell the receiver which function the speakers connected to the “Surround Back or Front High Speakers” terminals as well as the “Front High or Zone 2 Speakers” terminals. After telling the receiver how your home theater speaker system is configured you can run the Audyssey 2EQ®process which will allow the receiver to efficiently calibrate the speaker system for optimum performance in your room. Now the only thing missing are your favorite movie and snacks to start enjoying your home theater system.

During the Audyssey process you should have heard sound from each of the 7 speakers and powered subwoofer connected to your receiver and it’s important to note that your most likely will not hear sound from all 7 speakers all of the time. Depending on the audio format of the movie you’re watching you may only hear sound from each speaker when sound is intended to be heard from each speaker. By referring to pages 30-33 of the owner’s manual for your Onkyo TX-SR508 receiver and the different listening modes available you’ll have a much better idea of when and from which speakers you should be hearing sound depending on the listening mode the receiver is in.

Zone 2
With the Powered Zone 2 function of your Onkyo TX-SR508 receiver you can listen to music or audio from the source components connected to your receiver through speakers in a different room or even outside without the necessity of adding more stereo equipment; including the freedom to listen to a different analog audio source in each room or Zone. That’s right; as is common with most Powered Zone 2 capable receivers, the TX-SR508 receiver will allow you to listen to only those analog audio sources connected to your receiver so it’s important to plan ahead and connect not only the digital audio or HDMI cables as well as the Left/Right analog audio cables as well. I would also point out you won’t hear any sound from the Surround Back speakers in your home theater system while the Power Zone 2 is in use. Once you have the analog connections in place and the speakers from the other room connected all you need to do is press the “Zone 2” button on the front panel of your receiver and make your input selection within 8 seconds (reference pages 47-48 of your owner’s manual for complete details on Zone 2 operation).

If you have any comments or questions please post them here on the OneCallBlog.

Matt P

Home audio/video enthusiast and merchandising specialist at OneCall.com

See the OneCall Gift Guide for more great ideas!

	Denon In-ear Headphones with iPod/iPhone Remote I bought a pair of Denon Cell Phone Headphones Denon AH-C260RK, to use with my Droid X cell phone. They work very well, have good sound, and I liked the multiple ear-tip sizes. Simply by changing out the proper size to fit my ear, I could hear much more bass. I think anyone with a cell phone would enjoy a could set of headphones to listen to music. Jeff A., Interactive Video Producer
	Sennheiser Sport Headphones I really like the Sennheiser sport headphones I have, they are a great gifts for runners or anyone in general who wears headphones while exercising. Nikki S. Merchandising Specialist
	Canon PowerShot A3100 IS Camera I was looking at the Canon A3100 digital camera during the Black Friday sale and this is a lot of camera for the money and would make a great gift for a entry level digital camera user (like my mother . Nikki S. Merchandising Specialist
	Vitamix Pro 500 Blender A Vitamix Pro500 Blender has been on my list for about a year now. Nearly all of the foodie blogs and cookbooks I’ve been reading have at least 3-4 recipes that MUST be made using a Vita-mix. Any other blender simply won’t do! Brad S., Senior eCommerce Technology Manager
	LamsonSharp Earch Forged Cutlery LamsonSharp Earth Forged Cutlery 3 Piece Chef Set Some of my Sabatier knives are showing their age and the rivets are starting to corrode. This set of forged knives wouldbe a good way to start replacing my cutlery. Brad S., Senior eCommerce Technology Manager
	Canon PowerShot SX210 IS Digital Camera My father-in-law just bought a Canon PowerShot SX210 IS from OneCall and loves it. It has some great features… I knew about face detection but didn’t know it had ‘smile detection’ as well. Point at your subject and the camera detects when they’re smiling and takes the picture for you. Unfortunately, my wife has her eye on a new camera, so it may not make into my hands any time soon. Brad S., Senior eCommerce Technology Manager
	Breville Smart Oven Our old Cuisinart convection oven is showing its age and though it works just fine the Breville BOV800XL Smart Oven Toaster Oven would be a great replacement We use a convection oven for at least two out of three meals every day. Upgrading to a new shiny stainless steel smart oven would be really great. Plus it will match our Breville kettle! Brad S., Senior eCommerce Technology Manager

Matt P

Home audio/video enthusiast and merchandising specialist at OneCall.com

	The Breville Smart Grill is an excellent gift! I bought one for my parents and could not wait till Christmas to give it to them. They love it! Stephanie P., Sales Manager
	Canon PowerShot SD4500 Sexy color, sharp images, high power 10x zoom Carol K., Buyer
	MyMuvi Facecam good quality and price, small and easy to use Carol K., Buyer
	Fuji Finepix F300EXR 12-megapixel Camera new lower price, Huppin’s has a $ 50 Mail In Rebate through the end of the year, super wide angle lens and 15x zoom Carol K., Buyer
	Canon FS300 Red Flash Memory Camcorder Great price, easy to use, cool red color, uses flash memory Carol K., Buyer
	L5 Universal Remote for iPhone, iPod Touch or iPad. Not only can you extend the use of your beloved iPhone, you can delete the buttons you don’t need and remove the remote clutter from the living room. Rachel P. Marketing Department Manager
	I like the Klipsch Image S4 earbuds. I bought these and they are the best headphones I’ve had. Dax B. eCommerce Specialist

See the OneCall Gift Guide for more great ideas!

Matt P

Home audio/video enthusiast and merchandising specialist at OneCall.com

Hi I’m Thomas from OneCall. Are you considering purchasing a large screen TV from OneCall? Let me show you how we take care of each TV before it ships so it arrives in great condition. All of our large screen TVs are shipped on custom sized pallets. Each of our orders are scanned for accuracy of model and serial number. We apply ShockWatch tape to the box to notify the carrier your shipment is fragile and that we are using ShockWatch stickers. This is what the ShockWatch sticker looks like when it’s applied to your shipment. When your shipment arrives you want to be sure you inspect the ShockWatch devices, note the condition of the ShockWatch on the freight bill when you sign for your shipment. The small tube on the ShockWatch sticker will turn red if it’s been tripped. We apply a variety of stickers to your shipment to give the carriers instructions on handling. We also apply a very important sticker you want to take a close look at before signing for your shipment; this gives you instructions step by step on how to sign for your shipment. One of the last things we apply is an envelope with your packing slip enclosed. We also band your television set to the pallet to keep it in place so it doesn’t move at all during shipment, it also helps to keep it upright. I’m Thomas from OneCall, as you can see we take a lot of steps to give you the peace of mind that your television will arrive in good condition. If you have any questions give us a call, we love to talk to our customers. Thanks for watching.

You can follow us on YouTube, Twitter or Facebook, for the latest updates and deals from OneCall.

Shop for HDTVs at OneCall.

Matt P

Home audio/video enthusiast and merchandising specialist at OneCall.com

OneCall:The PowerShot A3100 is a great camera at a fantastic price. With the 12.1-megapixel and the image stabilization it does a great job in low light. Here is what is included in the box. You can find the information on the left hand side of the screen below the description tab. Here is what comes in the manufacturing package:

• Lithium-ion NB-8L
• Battery Charger CB-2LA
• Wrist Strap WS-800
• Digital Camera Solution CD-ROM
• USB Interface Cable IFC-400PCU
• AV Cable AVC-DC400

If you have any questions please feel free to give us a call at 1.866.919.1356.

Canon PowerShot A3100--available in blue and red

Rachel Plut