Electronics

I'm just going to go ahead and apologize right now for this being sold out, which it inevitably will be by the time the Cheapskate newsletter arrives in your inbox. It doesn't seem to matter how many times I say so, but if you want to catch the deals while they're in stock, you have to visit the site in the morning. I almost always post before noon, ET, and more often in the 9-10 a.m. range. OK, end of rant.

Looking for an inexpensive media-center extender? Check this out: GameStop has the refurbished Xbox 360 Pro 20GB for just $99.99, … Read more

For long car rides with kids, nothing, but nothing, beats a portable DVD player. (OK, an iPad comes close, assuming you're willing and able to rip all your DVDs ahead of time--and pay $500+ for an iPad.)

If your minivan didn't come with a built-in player, try this: today only, 1 Sale A Day has the Haier PDVD9KIT portable DVD player for $59.99, plus $4.99 for shipping.

The player features a 9-inch wide screen that can swivel--which may not seem like a big deal, but believe me when I say it comes in handy--plus stereo speakers … Read more

Need an inexpensive set-top box that can sling Netflix movies and TV shows, play tunes from Pandora and Slacker, and stream the latest YouTube videos? The Sony BDP-S270 can do all that for just $49.99 (after applying coupon code OUTLETBDPS270 at checkout).

Oh, it's also a Blu-ray player.

Funny how priorities change, right? Think about it: if I showed you a Roku box for $50, you'd probably snap it up. Well, the BDP-S270 streams a lot of the same services (Amazon Video on Demand, Hulu Plus, Vudu). And unlike a Roku box, it can play those quaint … Read more

It's Friday. I'm on no sleep. Got a crazy-busy weekend coming up. My to-do list is as long as my arm. Computers and electronics are failing all around me. (Two desktops in two weeks, one Xbox 360, and one Novatel Wireless aircard, plus my Comcast Internet keeps flaking out at random intervals. Shall I go on?)

What does all this rambling incoherence (or is it incoherent rambling?) have to do with today's post? For some reason it seemed easier to write briefly about five deals than to write at length about one. I may regret that decision; … Read more

This is an update of a deal from last year.

Gear-hound that you are, I'm guessing you want to connect a TiVo, Blu-ray player, game console, Roku box, and maybe some other video goodies to your TV.

Problem is, your TV doesn't have enough HDMI ports. Now what?

Check this: Meritline has a three-pack of 6-foot HDMI cables and a three-port HDMI switchbox for $9.99 shipped. That's after applying coupon code MLCK5EIY8PNL1 at checkout.

(Note: This code expires after 700 uses, and it's impossible to tell how many times it's been redeemed already. But … Read more

Remember when a Blu-ray player all by itself cost $400? Talk about the bad old days. Thankfully, times (and prices) have changed.

Today, for example, Wal-Mart has the Philips HTS3251B/F7 Blu-ray Home Theater System for $198, plus sales tax and around $6 for shipping (or not if you choose site-to-store). That is one mighty fine deal.

Let's start with the Blu-ray player. You'll want to run an Ethernet cord to it so you can take advantage of features like BD-Live 2.0 and Netflix streaming. (The product description suggests that the player also supports Wi-Fi, but it … Read more

Well, yesterday was a bit of a disaster, no? After Amazon ran through its stock of Patriot X-Porter flash drives, the listing quietly changed to a third-party seller, the rebate offer disappeared, and shipping charges were tacked on. My sincere apologies if you ended up buying the drive at that point. I updated my post as quickly as I could, but I fear many people bought the drive thinking the rebate was still valid. I feel terrible!

Well, onward and upward. Regular Cheapskate readers know of my fondness for Logitech's Harmony series of universal remotes. One of the better … Read more

Anyone who owns an HDTV has no doubt discovered an almost universal truth: built-in speakers stink. Unfortunately, as I noted the other day, you can't just plug in a set of external speakers; usually you need a receiver to act as the go-between, and that gets expensive.

Note that I said "usually." Another option is a sound bar, a speaker/receiver combo that sits above or below the screen and does the work of two or more standalone speakers. Of course, these can be pricey, too.

Not today: TigerDirect has the refurbished Vizio VBS200 HD Sound Bar for $69.99 shipped. … Read more

A home theater isn't really a home theater unless it has speakers, preferably of the 5.1-channel surround variety. Of course, you can't just plug them directly into your TV; you need a receiver to act as the hub and amplify the audio.

Receivers can cost a small fortune, but here's your chance to score a killer deal: Newegg has the Yamaha RX-V367 5.1-channel digital home theater receiver for $149.99 shipped. That's after applying coupon code EMCKFJH22 at checkout. (Note: you must be a Newegg newsletter subscriber to use the code.)

The RX-V367 is … Read more