Sony DVP-NS715P Progressive-Scan DVD Player

• Full 3-2 reverse conversion faithfully reproduces the film's original frame structure as transferred to DVD
• 12-bit, 108MHz noise shaped video D/A conversion delivers smoother gradation and more realistic recreation of DVD video
• Block Noise Reduction removes unwanted information blocks that cause picture anomalies
• Dolby Digital and DTS output for outboard surround processing
• Precision Drive 2 eliminates read errors due to imperfect, scratched or warped DVD discs

This is my third Sony DVD player and was bought to replace a poorly chosen Phillips DVD621 (see my related review.) As I had expected from my previous Sony purchases, (S550D, S330) the NS715P continues to meet my needs. The 715 comes with new features, the strongest being Progressive scan. If this will be your first purchase, it may be the best choice you could make in this price range. Features aplenty allow you to set-up playback for most any home theatre. Expect ease of use from both the onscreen display and remote. Fast search and startup time will satisfy the most impatient of us. The only general complaint I have would be for the 5.1 crowd, as the 715 lacks 5 channel output connectivity. However, since I myself personally left 5.1 for optical, have only the gripe that it does not come in a black chassis. This is a fantastic unit at a great price and I would recommend the NS715P to anyone.

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This player is one of the best DVD players out there for the price. Not only does it feature options that high end players have: such as progressive scan and multi-format playback, but at this price it's a STEAL!

That being said, there is one thing that SONY should have added to this DVD player: the ability to read ID3 tags. Although the player allows you to navigate through an on-screen menu to the song you want, it only displays the title that you give your file on-screen. It does not display the info from the ID tags such as genre, track numbers and artist. However, the player does have the ability to scroll the file name of your song on its front display.

By the way, for those of you who are having problems with playing CD-Rs with MP3 on them, be sure to burn the CD as an ISO 9660 format, level 1 or level 2 or joliet. So far all the media i've placed in the player worked flawlessly.

I've searched the internet and found that Amazon and [their partners] have the lowest price for this player.

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For {$$$}, this DVD is what all DVD players should be. AWESOME picture using the progressive mode. I have the Philips 30" widescreen and the pictures is simply out of this world. Crystal clear details and I find my self watching all my favorite dvds to see what I have missed before! You have done it again Sony! Thanks.

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I just bought this as a replacement for my Toshiba that was a few years older. I bought this mainly because I just got a 36in HDTV widescreen and wanted good progressive scan capabilities and optical sound output to my new receiver. This DVD is fantastic I have yet to experience any of the problems I read about, the anamorphic conversion is great, the letterbox edges are crisp and smooth the picture is wonderfull. The numerous jacks make it possible to get this up and running on any system but if you have the choice use the optical sound because it is amazing.

I purchased this DVD player from a local retailer in 2001 and I have been very impressed with the picture quality it displays on my 36" Wega HDTV. The video has absolutely no scan lines that I can see within a reasonable distance from the HDTV.

The audio outputs allow you to have either optical (my preference) or coax digital out. The player also offers a switch on the back to choose either Progressive, Interlaced, or Auto select video signal. The remote is very easy to use and has all the functions you would need to operate even the most feature rich DVD. The remote will also allow you to operate any Sony television but notably lacks some important more complicated functions (just enough to force you to have your HDTV remote on the coffee table 'just in case').

All around great player and considering the price is currently less than half what I paid for it (but so is the HDTV--oh the price of cutting edge technology that becomes outdated in a year), it becomes economical as well.

Oh, one last thing, it is also one of the few DVD Players that Sony made at the time offering MP3 playback (maybe Sony's softening up on their anti-MP3 stance) as well as VCD. Both of which I use on a regular basis.

If you are looking for a multi-disk player I would recommend the Denon 5 disc carousel. I currently use that DVD player on my larger T.V. in the family room.

D-Link 32MB MP3 Player

• 32 MB MP3 player and digital voice recorder
• Expandable using SmartMedia memory cards
• Customize sound with 5-band equalizer or choose one of many presets
• Scrolling LCD display provides track information including song title and artist
• Requires a parallel port connection to the PC

I purchased this MP3 player cheap. It's a great deal. It has a voice recorder, good quality, large buttons, the EQ adjustment. There are only a few downsides to it.

1. The parallel port connection. The downloads are a bit slow maybe about 15 seconds for a normal song. Plus, you may have your printer hooked up to the parallel port. 2. On my songs, the lengths of the songs show up completely wrong. Some songs are reported to be "00:00" long, some are about "15 minutes long." But the playback is correct. 3. They need a backlight for the LCD display.

Overall, the player is great and cheaper than most. If you're not too picky, go ahead and get it. You won't regret it.

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The D-Link DMP-100 is a good mp3 player for the price. Voice recording is very useful and sound quality is great! The only downside is the 32 megs of onboard memory. I suggest buying another 32 mb or a 64 mb SmartMedia chip with it. Also goes by the name Pine d'music SM-320v. Great product!

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While the sound quality coming out of the devise is okay...the devise its self (...).

First, The battery cover on the back, is only held shut by a little plastic tab, easily broken with moderate use.

Second, There is no USB support for this product. The only way to transfer music is via a slow serial connection.

Third, While it takes only two batteries, it ought to take more. This thing is a major battery drainer, I can only get 3-4 hours of one charge.

Fourth, No backlight LCD screen. Makes it somewhat hard to see what song is selected in the dark.

Fifth, Only 32mb of space on the player, and while you can get more space with smartmedia cards, a 64mb smart media card costs almost as much as the mp3 player its self.

I would not recommend this player to anyone, unless you are sort of pressed on money. But there are other mp3 players under 200 dollars that are a lot better quality and have more features.

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When I first bought the device, I couldn't figure out how to download songs into the player. I spent 30 minutes on hold with the customer service dept. before they explained how to set the parallel port to "ECP MODE".

After that, downloads were not a problem. I was a bit disspointed that 32mb's translates to about 8 songs (max.) But the sound quality is TERRIFIC. One of the nicer features is the built-in equalizer.

When I bought my new computer with Windows Me, I encountered major conflicts with the D-link software. Their customer service suggested I download the D'music software that was tailored for Windows Me. For some strange reason, I could only download music with the D'music software once, before my DELL computer had conflicts with their software. Despite all the trouble I've gone through with this little device, I give it FOUR STARS because D-Link's website now features downloadable software for all platforms (i.e. Windows Me, 2000 etc...) I download a fresh set of songs into my mp3 player daily now.

But if you're thinking about buying an MP3 player, buy one with MORE built in memory although the cost may be 50-60 dollars more than this one, you should consider the cost of a compact flash card 32mb... Wouldn't it be easier to just have it built in? The choice is yours!

I just bought this D-link MP3 player. My friend had one of those cheap ones that didn't always work. Then I showed mine and he went out to buy one. I think this is the greatest ever. It is very powerful. And was very easy to use. The buttons are large so it is easy. I would really reccomend this!

Sony CMU-BR100 Camera and Microphone for Skype

This is an awesome camera. The only thing that would make it better would be if it swiveled. Its on the top of a TV that is mounted on the wall so the view is a bit awkward, looking down to the floor. I think the ultimate Skype TV camera would have a swivel of some kind and a remote so we can pan back and forth across the whole room. Anyways, this one is the best you can buy today and we are very happy with the purchase.

This is your only choice for a webcam, for Skype, for your Sony Internet TV (check compatibility before ordering). It can also be used as a regular webcam on a computer.

This small cam/mic is about 6 inches long and 3/4 inch wide. The mounting instructions are pretty much incomprehensible. Once I ignored the helpful little pictures, I was able to get it stuck to the top of my TV. A product at this price point might be expected to have a better mounting system, e.g. a matching peg system that better mates the webcam to the TV. Once you have it stuck to the TV, plug it into the USB port on the TV and you're good to go. Just fire up the Skype app, found under "Internet Video" on your Sony TV remote. You will not be able to text message nor will you be able to send files using the internal TV app, but you may not need to do either. In a typical family room/entertainment room setup, you won't.

If you are using the TV as a computer monitor, as I am, you can plug the Sony webcam into a USB slot on your computer and use the regular Skype app in Windows or iOS (where you are able to select the microphone array under Tools/Options/Audio Settings).

This is a good product for its intended use, and I see that it is approaching a reasonable price after a number of price reductions. If you are looking to maintain the look and feel of your TV, it does the trick. Picture quality and the microphone array are very good, although I would wish for a less wide-angle view. It's great to have Skype video on the "big screen."

I sit about 4 feet from the screen and I find myself to appear on the smallish side due to the wide angle lens. If you were 15 feet away, I fear you might be a mere speck, but that is not my setup and you should look to other reviews on this point. It would do a good job of getting the whole family into the picture, and I guess that is the trade-off.

I use my Sony 32" Bravia Internet TV as a computer monitor, and I use this Sony webcam as a computer webcam (i.e. plugged into the computer's USB port, not the port on the TV). That is pretty much plug and play as well you just have to go into Tools/Options/Audio in Skype to set the microphone to the microphone array in the Webcam if you wish to use that (mic quality is excellent).

If you decide, as I did, that you don't need to actually plug the webcam into your TV, your choices widen considerably and the price point falls. Here is a 4 1/2 star Logitech 720p webcam sold on Amazon that sells for $40 and uses Zeiss glass. It appears that product would be easy to mount with Velcro to the back of your TV/monitor, but it must be plugged into a computer, NOT the back of a Sony Internet TV:

[..]

Summary: This is a snazzy webcam with a crisp picture and a great mic (a 4-mic array) that you can plug into certain Sony internet TV's. It's a bit pricey and the wide angle view may not be ideal for all settings. You can also plug it into your computer and use it like any other webcam, in which case there are other, less expensive choices. It's your only choice if you want to run Skype video on your Sony Internet TV using the built in USB connector and Skype application. That built-in Skype app is easy to use. You may find the process of attaching it to the top (or bottom) of your TV to be annoying, as the visual instructions are unclear.

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This is what you'd expect. It's a webcam. It works fine with my Bravia TV. The downside is that with Skype the image quality isnt super great in general. This uses a wide fov camera to capture the room since it doesnt know where your face is. So unlike with a laptop webcam where your face is really big fillign up the screen with this you appear really small in it. Could be good if a crowd wants to skype, but not so good if it's a single person to a single person. It is fun to be able to see the other person on the big TV though. What it really needs is some kind of zoom/tracking option but that would be more expensive...

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The camera itself may be high definition, but...

All Bravia TVs are limited to 640x480 resolution (), which is standard definition. Confirmed with Sony support staff.

Furthermore, even though Skype debug consoles indeed show 640x480, the picture quality on the other side will be of 320x240 quality. Terribly upscaled.

Checked with ideal network conditions (same room), and confirmed through Skype own debug consoles.

Actually if you go into "see myself" function on the TV, the picture will be suspiciously small... Measured heigh shows a little bit less than 1/4 of the screen height, 320x240, indeed!!!

To sum up, the cam itself may be high definition, but what your Skype counterparts will see will be of very low quality. Regardless of network and TV model year (my is 2011).

Beware.

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At first I was quite annoyed at Sony for restricting the type of cam you could plug in using propriety firmware to prevent third party products but the quality of this cam and its sound system combined with the quality of Sony's TV made up for the, seemingly, inflated price tag. We have had wonderful hours of quality reception from all over the world and a noticeable difference from other cams used through the computer, the quality would, I think, match that of any top-line computer cam available and surpassed that of the Logitech cam I previously used on my Mac through the same TV, which is a Bravia LED, another superior product.

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Lorex LW2311 Digital Wireless Video Recording Solution

First, I actually own a small IT/Telecom company in northwest Arkansas, and install much more expensive systems for customers. These systems are way more complicated to set up, and usually require some training to be able to use.

This setup is actually as good as, if not better than some of those systems. It's also a fraction of the price of any of them. Good resolution, good frame rate, and VERY easy to setup and use. I actually ran power through my attic so I could mount this on the edge of my roof where I have a blind spot of the house (no windows or way to see out) and it still only took a couple hours to install and have up and running. Comes with a 2GB SD card which isn't really big enough, but an 8-16GB (which you can buy fairly cheap) is plenty. I've gotten over 3 days of motion detect recording onto 11GB, and that's with this camera being triggered by traffic on a semi-busy street. Also, to answer a few questions I've seen, and to elaborate on a few other reviews I've seen. I have this thing mounted on the side of my roof with nothing over it. As I said, I live in Arkansas, so it's been rained on, blown by strong wind, and went from sitting in 100+ degree weather this summer, to sitting in below freezing weather this winter, and the only thing I've had to do to it since I put it up was take a broom and wipe cobwebs and stuff off of the front of it now and then. It's been on and functioning since I bought it in May, it never gets turned off.

Here is a tip though. If you intend to set this up using a TV for the monitor, and an SD card to record, my review ends here.

If you want to get more out of this system search for iSpy software. It's free but with a subscription you get more features. I use the free version with this system, and have the receiver hooked up to a PC. The iSpy software allows you to record to your hard drive on your PC instead of having to use an SD card. It takes snapshots and provides much better motion detect recording than otherwise, since you can select actual areas in the camera's view that you want to motion detect while leaving others not to be worried about. Rather than using Skype which is actually kind of a pain, you can use iSpy on your own network to view from any PC in it, or you can purchase a subscription and view your cameras live from anywhere, even your smartphone, using a browser. I highly recommend checking out iSpy for any surveillance system since, from my experience, the software that comes with them is usually terrible. I've used iSpy for a while now even with other systems and always been a fan. There's a lot of other software out there too that's free, but I can't vouch for any of it. So for those of you who are looking at this system thinking it won't function as well as a more expensive DVR setup, there's how.

We had an issue with a pre-teen neighbor boy liking to destroy property for no apparent reason, so we looked into getting security cameras. I didn't know they were this affordable. It was important that there was a storage option included as we really didn't have a DVR or anything we could hook up to it. The picture is okay, it's not awesome but I didn't expect awesome at this price. The night vision is good, you can still see quite well. I like that it has a motion-save function so it doesn't fill up the SD card super quick.

Also, an important note... it says its meant for outdoors, which is what we wanted but when you open it up it says it can't be put in direct rain. Um.. isn't that what outdoors means? We put it under our overhang, hopefully that will suffice, we've only had it up about a week so far. I figure if you advertise something to be an outdoor product, one should expect for it to come in contact with direct rain.

If you need something small just to keep an eye out, this does the job. Don't expect it to be crystal clear, though.

**UPDATE AFTER USING IT FOR 4 MONTHS**

It's still working quite well! The motion sensor seems a little finicky, especially at night. It doesn't catch ALL motion ALL the time, but I'd say it catches it about 80% of the time. I think it's the way it's pointed or something... honestly, haven't investigated it thoroughly enough to determine the cause there. Also, a note about the weatherproof/no direct rain issue... it works just fine under our overhang, even in the rain/snow.. so I guess that means it's out of direct rain. :)

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Samll and light, easy setup, strong signal through the walls. But really not designed for outdoors for the following reasons:

1. Not wide-angle lens. I ended up monitoring a samll spot on my drive way.

2. It does not really sense movement (meaning it does not compare frames) and rely on the IR sensor, I have to get really close to the camera to trigger recording.

3. Because the short range (unless it's a larger object) and narrow field of view, by the time it starts recording, there's very little to be captured anymore.

4. The IR sensor does not seems to be pointing at the same area the camera is pointing to, but it's not adjustable (it's triggered by cars going by, which is not seen by the camera).

5. It only captures "after" the trigger point, unlike the Logitech 700e that I also installed, which record 5 seconds before the trigger and 5 seconds after the trigger. (If you wonder, this can be done by continuously retaining the last 5 seconds of video, if there's a trigger, this "history" becomes part of the recording).

These shortcomings is not a problem if I only do continuous recording or remote viewing. In this case, my only complaint is the picture quality on the TV. 640x480 video should look better than what I see.

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I just received this system and after reviewing the manual and inspecting the equipment I've decided to return it. NOTE: I did not install it or plug it into power.

It came nicely packaged and looks like it would be a good purchase for a small business with one room to observe or for installation on a front porch.

I will return it for several reasons:

1. It is designed primarily to be used with a television monitor as a stand-alone system. There IS a way to hook it up to your computer via a supplied USB cable, but you need to use Skype & their supplied software. After reviewing the instructions, I decided the system is too restrictive. Another reviewer suggested using iSpy software instead of the supplied software to increase its capabilities, which may work for you. I researched the iSpy service and it is $8/month for full remote access. I decided I did not have the time to investigate that option any further.

2. The camera appears to have a built in microphone AND speaker, but there are no instructions on how to use a speaker. A diagram in the manual labels a speaker on the camera but there are no inputs for a microphone on the base. The manual even states "speaker for two way audio" but there are no other references to that in the entire manual. I don't have the time to figure out if it actually has that capability or not.

3. The manual states that motion activated recording will only work within 21 feet of the camera. I need a camera that will be activated by motion further away. This is the main reason I am returning it.

If this last limitation were clearly stated in the "item description" I would not have purchased it. Thus, 2 stars for having to purchase it to determine its capabilities and for time therein wasted.

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Honestly, I should have known better -these systems are extremely complex -to expect anything but abysmal performance from this product at a cost of $170 US D.

To make things worse, Lorex has chosen to build their products in China. The Chinese have the capability of making a quality product but the company in charge of manufacturing the item has to closely ride herd on their engineering and quality control down to the sub-component level or the customer ends up getting a piece of garbage like the Lorex LW 2311.

The images produced are very small, picture quality is atrocious, objects at virtually any distance are so blurry that positive identification of a particular individual, for example, would not be possible. The motion detection range (20 feet at best, despite their claim) is so limited it is useless. I had the unit aimed at our elevated back deck and walked directly next to the deck on the grass within the camera view but since my head was about a foot further away from the deck surface, the motion detection did not trigger even with the sensitivity set to 90%. Set any higher sensitivity, which does not necessarily increase the range, and the unit will start recording if a gnat flies by. I am not an entomologist.

Add all this to the fact the unit looks cheap and flimsy and the receiver starting acting erratically. When I powered the receiver on it would sometimes go through its diagnostics and sometimes not it would sometimes recognize the camera and sometimes not. My experience is when a complex product has intermittent problems when brand new, it's only down hill rapidly from there you won't be waiting long.

The final straw was the receiver would not respond to either the remote control OR the input buttons directly on the receiver itself. I called Lorex tech support who put me in an electronic queue and then an Indian gentleman, Marish, called me back about an hour later only to explain HE was not tech support, his job was only to ask what the issue was. Tech support would call me back. That was 48 hours ago and no call.

Bottom line, I deemed the product defective and I'm returning it for a refund what a huge waste of time: buying, setting up, testing, trouble shooting and now... returning. Anyway, it's always a craps shoot when buying electronics that you may get a bad sample but as I stated earlier the likelihood goes way, way up with Chinese products that are not stringently engineered and manufactured.

The harsh reality is in order to get a good, reliable system capable of reasonably good quality images; A. it will not be wireless and B. you will have to spend in the order of $ 5-600.00 or more to get one.

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Olympus LS-7 Linear PCM Voice Recorder (142670)

Four weeks ago I bought an Olympus LS-7, and I have to get this off my chest before I explode the thing rocks! Here's is what I have found.

I have been comparing it to the earlier Olympus LS-10 which I also own, and before that a recorder from a different manufacturer. The other manufacturer's recorder sounded good, but the menu was the most confounding, confusing menu I have ever seen. And that is why I bought the LS-10. It was way easier to use.

The LS-7 sounds better than either of the other two, and the LS-7's menu is every bit as easy to use than that of the LS-10. But the LS-7's sound and functions go much beyond the older LS-10. The LS-7 has a better frequency response on the low end because of its middle microphone. And you can turn off that mic when you don't want the low response. The LS-7 also has an additional frequency in the low cut filter off, 100 Hz and 300 Hz. What a difference this makes for keeping out air conditioner and furnace fan noise when recording a seminar. I ran side by side comparisons in a large room where I teach workshops, and the 300 Hz low-cut filter did the trick.

The specs on microphone sensitivity are better on the LS-7 than on the LS-10 and the sound level difference it quite noticeable. The LS-7 comes in at a -70 dbv compared to the -59 dbv of the LS-10. The "high" mic sensitivity setting on the older LS-10 seems to be about the same as the "Mid" setting on the LS-7. And with the LS-7's mic sensitivity set on "High," I can talk in a fairly soft voice from 2 feet away and it "pins" the meter.

The battery life is astounding! I've been using the LS-7 every day, and it still has battery life on the original charge I gave it right after I opened the box. My LS-10 would have long since run down the batteries.

Olympus, thank you. You've done it again. This is a great product for musicians, public speakers, students and anyone who ever wants to record a concert, a seminar, a class, or a workshop.

Don Schenk

I purchased the LS 7 recorder instead of the LS 10 based on a review written by another person. When I called Olmypus for advice re: buying a memory card, I was told that this is not the best recorder for recording meetings & speechs. They did assist me in setting the recorder so I wouldn't require a memory card. I now have 67.5 hours of recording time without a card. I'm perfectly happy with the recorder and the price I paid. The Olmpus tech rep said this is a good recorder for the recording of music. I am very impressed with the help I got from Olympus.They really know their business.

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Small but easy to understand interface. Most important, the sound quality is excellent for interviews and focus groups. I haven't played much with the various mic settings or the software that comes with it but since it works so well out of the box, I haven't felt a need to. Build quality good as well. Feels like it will last.

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There is quite a bit of mis-information, or a clear lack of understanding of what this little beast can do. Aside from the specifications that are readily visible here on the Amazon website, and elsewhere, the LS-7 is clearly capable of a whole lot more. The two biggest points are;

1. Yes, it is capable of line level recording. Most people only see that it has an ext MIC input, but this connection serves the dual purpose of ext mic input AND line level input. The manual clearly indicates this. I have tried it for myself, and it works great. One only needs to watch the level of your source, and the LS-7 does just fine. I suggest the following settings: In the Record menu, set the REC Level to Manual, and Limiter/Compressor OFF. Then adjust your recording level manually to "0" on the LS-7. Phono line level output from my receiver works just fine, and the LS-7 does not peak out.

2. Secondly, there is plenty of information out there in audio forums that say that when an external mic (or line level input) is used, there is a frequency roll-off at 70Hz, basically filtering out anything below 70Hz. This is completely false. Using a precise noise generator tuned down to 20Hz, I have recorded directly into the mic input and verified that this input IS NOT rolled off.

I continue to be impressed by this unit's capabilities. The sound quality is exceptional. My intended uses for this device are to record ambient nature sounds when I'm photographing in the field. I'm also going to record on this device, while simultaneously using it as an external microphone into my Canon 7D camera. I've yet to try this aspect (waiting for a separately ordered mount), and I'll update this review when I do, but I've no doubt that it'll do just fine.

I also intend to capture sermon / conference / meeting audio, as well as use it for field notes. These are all things I have quickly tested, and the early results I've achieved have left me completely impressed.

One final note there is one thing that I'm not too pleased with, and that's the Power / Hold switch. While the rest of the device seems sturdy and well built, I'm concerned about the longevity of this switch. While it works fine, the tactile feel of it seems rather cheap. It's not enough to make me return this device, but it does have me wondering if I'll have a problem with it later on.

I will definitely update this review as I continue to evaluate it before the return policy expires, but after using it for 4 days straight, it definitely looks like a winner.

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Real good mics. Have a couple of things that kept it from 5 stars. You cannot erase just a portion of a track. It's all or nothing. I f you are recording(flute clarinet, sax) it's impossible to see the levels while playing other than the clipping activation light, this thing is tiny.There are many different effects like reverb and such but you can only add them on playback, you can't record with them. So if you go with earphone out to a computer the sound goes in raw and you have to add effects in garage band or the enclosed software which I never uploaded. Another feature which would be handy would to be able to use this recorder as a mic and pre amps for my garage band, the mics are good and the pre amps are fairly quiet. Be sure to print out the full directions from the web or CD, the little book that comes in the box isn't much help. Great rechargeable batteries last very long and recharge from a standard USB cord from a computer.

Logitech WiLife Digital Video Security--Outdoor Master System Camera

I like the ease of set up, the video quality; however it does not work consistently and I find this frustrating. I can not make sense of when it works and when it doesn't. I don't know if it's because my home's wiring is older or if the product is faulty. When it is working it is great. Another thing to be aware of is that it's very tedious to get rid of video footage that you no longer want. Each tiny segment has to be deleted one piece at a time. I haven't found a way to delete large chunks of time; such as deleting one day.

OK, I like the camera, seems to work most of the time but something keeps taking the cameras off line and requires a power cycle to get them back on-line. It could be the building power (Historic district, 80 year old house) and I'm running two cameras 300' from the main panel. Not the level of reliability I was looking for in my business, but finding a way to make it work. I went with the Pro upgrade and it needs more features. I should be able to control all aspects of the command center remotely but cannot change brightness (for example), but what is there seems to work fine.

I'm using snap shot alerts sent via multi media to my blackberry, they are slow and not considered useful in catching someone in the act. Sometimes I get the multi media alert 24 hours later. Could be AT&T, but haven't figured it out yet.

You really should have a dedicated computer to run more than three cameras, it chews up disk space and bandwidth fast. We noticed a serious slow down of our database applications when the cameras are on.

Super easy to install, software is easy to understand.

Great monitoring tool, not a great alarm system.

Extra cameras are too expensive when compared with other systems.

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When I first got the system and installed it, I was excited. Installation was easy. It started right up. It was sending me email alerts. I could access my cameras from the internet. How cool was that!!

But now 3 months later the bloom is off the rose, and I am ready to scrape it or send it back. It is just too unreliable. I have my system at a location that I only visit once a week. I would estimate that less than 25% of the time does it make through an entire week with all three primary functions (local recording, email alerts, internet viewing) all working, all week. And it's not just one thing. It's multiples. Logitec's help system always has suggestions but reliability never improves and the same problems continue to repeat.

So unless you can physically access the system daily and/or are ok with parts of the system going down for periods of time, I would stay away from this product.

Great idea. Flawed execution.

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I purchased one outdoor camera to monitor my driveway. The 15-minute setup is not likely to occur, in my opinion. It took me about a half an hour. I had to change my firewall settings. Once it was determined that it worked, it took another hour to mount the camera outside. For this price, I am impressed. I asked my alarm company what they would charge and they say $4,000 or more. The quality is good, it is recording based on motion detection. The software is easy to use. I am not interested in remote features so I can't speak to them. I think this is a great product, and am considering to add another camera.

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I initially bought this camera system in Sept. 09 to mount on the front of my house to figure out who was walking their dog late at night and letting it poop up and down the sidewalk on my block (was an on-going regular problem for months). I was able to adjust the brightness and contrast under the camera set up options in the command center to get a good night picture on a dimly lit city block. With the adjustments, the picture was good enough at night to see who was passing by, and it even captured opossums at night. There was a lot more activity on my street than I was aware of. I was able to set the camera recording area and sensitivity to not pick up movement across the street, just on my side of the street. And I caught the culprit...

After figuring out who the inconsiderate neighbor was, I moved the camera next to my raised pond in my backyard, where my turtle (Stephen Colbertle the Turtle) lives. I've wanted a turtle cam since building the pond! Stephen is a red eared slider, so I hardly ever get glimpses of him out of the water. Now, I can see him up close and personal whenever he gets out to bask in the sun. I've adjusted the camera sensitivity so it doesn't record (video on my computer) when the wind blows the pond plants a little, and I've set the brightness and contrast to auto-adjust (which works with the sunlight changes thoughout in the day). I've set up a free account on the wilife website so I can even log in and check on my turtle when I'm at work. It doesn't make for super exciting viewing but its pretty cool (okay, has been called geeky).

When the camera was in my front yard, it was close to my computer inside the house (just one wall between camera and computer). Now that it is in the backyard, there are three rooms between where the computer and camera are, and some yard space, and there are no problems with the picture.

I haven't had any problems with the camera, and I think the software program with command center is very easy to use and intuitive. If my camera dies, I will buy another one (if out of warrantee), and I am considering buying some additional ones to add to my system (watching for price drops).

One thing I would recommend to anyone purchasing, rather than using the CD that comes with the camera to load the software, go to the wilife website and download the most up to date software for the system.

I didn't expect the camera to work as well as it has (but I was tired of the dog poop on the sidewalk, and stopping that was enough motivation to give the camera a try). So far, it has worked great for me and I am very pleased with this product.

EDIT 12/1/11: I bought a second outdoor add-on camera in Dec. 2009, and both of my cameras are still working two years later.

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Sony ICDTX50 Digital Voice Recorder + Samsung 8GB MicroSD Memory Card + Accessory Kit

I used the device for the first time for an assignment I had at school. I am in a PhD program and I needed to record a professional business coaching session. I am no techno-geek and this device was so easy to set up and operate. The clarity of the recording was outstanding. I just placed it on the table between my client and myself. I made an "A" on the assignment :-). This is a terrific product that I will definitely recommend to others!

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Mustek PD77C Dual Tablet Portable DVD Player

• Dual tablet display portable DVD player
• Video: DVD playback, MPEG4, Kodak picture CD and JPEG
• Audio: CD, CD-R, CD-RW, MP3 playback
• Enhanced optical pickup system for Disc stability and compatibility
• Built-in decorder for Dolby Digital (AC-3)

First let me say I am in fact very pleased with this unit. It includes everything you need for two kids in the back of the car. And unlike a couple other portable units I've had it seems to be pretty well built. We just finished a 5500 mile road trip vacation and it performed flawlessly. Now that said there are a few things to note.

First, I got this specific unit because it has a) two screens and b) a video input. One goal for our trip was to be able to bring the Xbox along for the ride. The issue here is that while the main unit will pass the DVD signal via it's video out to the secondary unit's video in, it will not feed the video input from the main unit back out to the scondary screen. While not a major issue it did require me to pick up some Y cables and an extra RCA to 3.5mm cable to split the signal at the Xbox and feed it separately into each unit.

Second, the AC adapter can only power the main unit. Again not a major issue as we don't plan to typically use it outside the car, and on the one occasion we did, using just the main unit was fine. (The 12v DC adapter for the car has two power cords running from it so you can easily power both units in the car)

My last complaint is that there does not seem to be any way to attach the battery to the main unit while using the straps that attach it to the headrest. Maybe there's a way, but if so it's non-obvious. Every way I tried the straps cover one of the slots that the battery attaches too. This makes no sense to me since in the car attached to the headrest is the only place I would normally use the battery. Fortunately the battery pack has a short cord that attaches it to the main unit so I just wedged it in between the main unit and the headrest. You really do need the battery pack because on restoring power the DVD will not resume to the place it left off as some portable DVD players do.

All in all I'm happy with this DVD player. If it weren't for the issues listed above I would have given it 5 stars instead of 4.

Buy Mustek PD77C Dual Tablet Portable DVD Player Now

This is the best Portable DVD player I have ever had. There was no problem with volume, or the picture quality. I could not be happier. It was great for the 10 hours of driving time, plus the stop and go driving once we arrived. Since we have been home, I have not taken it out of the car, and I have had no problems. I wish I had found this player before I Purchased the one on sale last year for $99.00. That one stopped working before we got back from our trip.

Could not be happier!!

Read Best Reviews of Mustek PD77C Dual Tablet Portable DVD Player Here

This machine player broke in less than 5 months with only being used on long car trips (maybe 5-6 trips). The customer service rep (whatever middle eastern country they are from) were of no help (once you understood what they were saying). No repair place in this large city were able to help either because this is apparently a no name brand. Don't bother with this product. THere are much better ones out there with I'm sure, much better assistance offered in the event that their product bites the dust.

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My kids love it! Only complaint would be the cord connecting the two screens needs to be longer... a lot longer! I had to buy an extension for it and only could find the extension at Radio Shack. The screens do scratch easy so keep the protective stickers on them and you should be fine. We keep the main screen on our center console so we do not have any trouble changing DVDs. If you have to put the main console on the back of a seat you might have some trouble. This is a great product, and would recommend this to anyone!

REVISED-It stopped working (playing discs) after 11 months. Luckily we bought the extended warranty. We got the full price back and bought the 9 inch Philips dual DVD player from Best Buy for the same price ($150.00). I like Philips more except for the fact that the Philips does not have a remote control. OLD REVIEW-Portable DVD players are very easily broken. This one has been good to us. Pros-inexpensive, decent picture, alright sound. Cons-picture quality on second screen is reduced (very common with these things) and volume control is a manual dial (no volume control on remote). I have an infant and a toddler. One faces forward, the other back. What's nice is that I can have a screen for each one. You can get a screen for a rear facing seat otherwise.

LG BD530 1080p Network Blu-ray Disc Player

• Blu-ray, DVD and CD disc playback
• Full HD 1080p output makes the most of your HD TV
• Standard DVD up-scaling to 1080p makes your existing DVDs look great
• Access internet services YouTube, Picasa and Accuweather without your PC
• Access real time Blu-ray extras via BD-Live

This Black Friday, Blu-ray player was on my agenda, I have a 46" Samsung LCD HDTV with internet options. I did not want to go for internet enabled Blu-ray player to play netflix or Picasa or Youtube as I already have it in my TV. I wanted a best to the price and awesome quality Blu-ray player which has a brilliant blu-ray as well as DVD upscale conversion for HDTV resolution.

I bought this LG BD530 and Sony BDP-530 at the same time because Sony had the highest ranking in terms on voting on many sites including bestbuy,com. After connecting both players to my TV i used Bly-ray and it played very well on both player, I tried same Bluray disc on both player couple of times alternatively and could not see the difference. Bluray played brilliantly

When i came to DVD playing, after couple of runs with same DVD on same TV (with same settings) I found that LG has a excellent DVD upconversion as compared to Sony, Sony pics were a little more blurr as compared to LG BD530. I tested 2 different DVD movies (lord of the rings and American beauty) to check the DVD quality and I have to admit, LG was awesome. Also somehow I felt the LG remote is much user friendly than Sony remote, but that's a matter of individuals preference.

After carefully reading Sony's review I figured out that it;s sony blu-ray players internet abilities which took it;s rating so high and not the DVD upscale conversion qualities. If you have an old TV with no internet on it and want internet connectibility to watch netflix online, then probably Sony is your candidate. But if you have a new internet enabled TV and have a huge collection of DVD which you wanna keep it for a while and wanna enjoy over and over again, then LG is your best candidate.

I am returning back my Sony BDP-370 player tomorrow to Bestbuy. I hope this review helps to reader.

Santosh Gaikwad

Buy LG BD530 1080p Network Blu-ray Disc Player Now

I got this at sears when it was $65, it will be on sale again, try walmart if amazon doesn't lower price. It plays all my discs and most of my multimedia files. It will not play wmv files and doesn't seem to like my AAC files (plays MP3's okay), but will play H264/mov files if you rename them as .mp4, a common trick with these cheaper players. It powers my two external portable hd's and will play one of my two pen drives, but not both. Its upscaling of 420p material from the usb side not as good as my WD or my PS3, but plays native 1080i/p files with very impressive results.

It does have the BD live function if you want to plug a pen drive into it since it needs external storage. It has limited internet options right now, who cares about accuweather? LG updates their firmware online and my other LG equipment has seen third party hacks that improve it so I look forward to when this is hacked to provide either Netflix, or better yet Playon support.

It did freeze on me at least once as other reviews have noted, have to pull the plug to reset it.

Only 4 stars since it did freeze for no good reason, and I too will need to keep my WD Media player for awhile, but it this had netflix would have given it 5 stars, as for the price it just can't be beat. I will update when I have played with it a bit more, only had it the week so far.

Read Best Reviews of LG BD530 1080p Network Blu-ray Disc Player Here

I have used this Blu Ray player for more than a week and it plays the following without any issues directly from Blue Ray disc as well as DVD, CD and USB:

DivxHD (Divx HD 720p and 1080p profile that create files with Divx extension) NOTE: DivxHD Plus profile creating mkv files seems not working

AVI ( I haven't tried all codecs but whatever I tried worked without any issues)

MKV

AVCHD

I was successfully able to play couple of 720p 4.35 GB mkv files with that's encoded with H264 & DTS audio with subtitle without any issues. Subtitle worked perfectly fine.

Files with DTS audio plays flawless directly on TV speakers without requiring any additional DTS receiver.

Very responsive remote control.

Played lots of MKV files of size 8GB and greater with h264 and DTS audio from an external USB drive and they all played very well. Subtitles were supported and no jitter in playback.

MKV playback is awesome and Up-conversion works great.I can clearly see the difference between regular playback and upconversion (the files I have used were IMAX HD documentaries and Disney Pixar movies i.e. quality of the original file was good to start with).

I tried Verbatim LTH some very cheap media from Meritline and Optical Quantam BD-R burned using IMGBURN in my LG WH10LS30 Blue Ray burner and everything worked flawless.

I tried about 20 of dirt cheap DVD media Dynex, Teon, Playo etc. which had avi files with variety of codecs recorded about 5-6 years ago and they all played without any issues.

Blu Ray disc loads really fast the picture quality is crystal clear. Also quality of You tube and picasa is great.

Overall, it's great inexpensive player that played many media from various sources. It played various file formats not even supported by Philips 5982 Divx player but I still can't retire my WD Live as its picky about codecs i.e. not all mkv files plays flawless and MOV doesn't work at this point.

UPDATE: I was successfully able to play Blu-Ray video files (m2ts) directly from hard drive via. USB connection. Menu is not supported but the files played successfully.

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I bought this player (despite my future purchase of a Playstation 3) mainly because I wanted a Blu-Ray player that could play MKV files. That let's me store a ton of content on an external hard drive, high definition content, and play it "on demand" without ever having to change a disc.

As far as MKV playback goes, it's hit and miss but for the most part MKV files work. It doesn't matter what size it is.

For MKV files that did NOT play I (and others) pinpointed the problem: if a file is encoded with level/profile 4.2 or higher it will NOT play on this player. If you get a file that does not play, run it through MKV2VOB. It has to transcode a lot of movies which takes time but there are a few that don't need transcoding. Playback is good and depends on the speed of your external hard drive. Controlling files can be hit or miss; some let you control things such as speed/fast forward/rewind etc while others will not. I have noticed a few lockups at times.

As far as Blu-Ray playing goes, once you get into the movie it's great. Other than that I think there are some options that were leftout of this player and its remote control that I would have liked such as title program (for discs and files).

The main problem with this player is its frequent lockups and freezes. There is also considerable lag with the remote and sometimes it takes over a minute for the player to respond in certain menus.

The internet connectivity is weird with this player. I have tried WB (Warner Brothers discs) and BD-Live does not work. Universal discs do work but you have to have the internet plugged in before you start the disc. If you do have it plugged in, it takes over two minutes to load up to the disc's menu.

I will update with other things I think of but for the price I think it's a good blu-ray player. It's actually better in a few respects (MKV file playback, DVD up conversion) than its older brother the BD550. On LG's website and the manual this player is referred to as the BD551 so if that tells you something.

UPDATE 1: As far as BD-live goes, a forum member on AVSforum found a method to get it to work. Welcome to a whole new world of commercials and unwanted trailers.

DJPOJACK:

"I was getting all those messages like the player needed to be hooked up to an internet connection or "coming soon"...etc..

This is how I got BD-LIVE to work:

-format USB thumb/drive (fat 16 or 32)

-boot up your LG 530 (without disc and without USB inserted) so it goes to main on-screen menu..

-go to setup

-go to others

-go to initialize

NOW...insert USB drive/device

You should notice that "BD Storage Clear" is now selectable...Select it and confirm "yes"...It will do a momentary "clear" (even though your USB drive is already empty).

Now, you leave that USB drive in there and load any Blu-Ray movie with BD-Live, and when you run the BD-Live features, it should work....

At least it did for me....

If you leave the USB drive in the slot, you can eject and load different Blu-Rays and BD-Live should still work (until your USB drive is full, which then you can initialize it again!)...

P.S. If you format or use this USB drive on any other device, it will probably corrupt/overwrite the BD530 BD-Live data....So, it's probably best to have a dedicated drive just for the BD530 (I.E. Just leave it in the USB slot FOREVAHHHHH!)

good luck

-drew"

I am not sure what are the negative reviews on here are all about, its possible some customers may have received a defective product from LG but mine has been working great! First off let me say I am not going to complain about the player not having Netflix, Rhapsody, Facebook ect. My TV has wifi built in that allows me to access Netflix so I had no need to shell out the extra money for a fancy player that could surf the full extent of the web. Those who wanted a player like that should have looked for something else. This player clearly states that its features are limited to Youtube, Picasa, and AccuWeather. To buy it and expect otherwise is poor shopping on the consumers' part. As far as video quality, I don't own a vast collection of Blu-rays so my experience has mostly been with upconverting DVD's, which the player does an excellent job with. Unlike the Memorex I own, this player minimizes almost all of the DVD grain and blur to the point that it almost looks as good as a blu-ray. The Blu-rays I have played also have shimmered in pure 1080p HD with this player. The real attraction for me though, is the USB drive. All you have to do is pop in an external hard drive or memory stick and the player is ready to play the contents whether it be video, picture, or music. I have watched two movies this way, one MPEG4 and the other AVI, and both played without a hiccup. Some reviewers have reported freezing and locking up, but I have experienced neither with my player. I haven't updated the firmware, though, so who knows if the new updates may actually be the cause of the problems. The player does take a little time to initially boot up, but I hardly consider waiting a few seconds to be an inconvenience. Overall, the LGBD530 is a great value and a player I recommend for anyone who's looking for a solid player to watch movies on via DVD, Blu-Ray, or USB. If you want something to play your Netflix with, look elsewhere.

SanDisk Sansa Clip 4 GB MP3 Player (Silver)

• Tiny, ultra-portable 4 GB MP3 player
• Plays MP3, WMA, secure WMA, and Audible audio file formats
• FM tuner with 40 preset channels
• Up to 15 hours of play time with internal rechargeable battery
• Voice recording with built-in microphone

I was leaving my bulky 80 gig video iPod at home all the time because it was just too large to comfortably stick in my pocket. I wanted something small that I could use for both music and audio books (I use Audible.com).

It has achieved that and a LOT more. I never even use my iPod at home anymore! I'm actually thinking of returning it (Costco gives cash back forever) and buying four or five of these to give away as gifts!

I initially bought a shuffle and returned it the same day because it had no way of bookmarking in my audio books-a chapter is often more than an hour.

Next I bought the smallest Sony Walkman mp3 player... it was very sexy and sleek, and about twice the size of the Sansa clip... but I couldn't load my Audible.com files onto it, so that was returned the next day.

After what seemed like a full week spent in BestBuy I finally settled on the Sansa 4GB Clip and could not be happier.

It's ridiculously small, AND (unlike the iPod shuffle) it has a display. I don't know about you all, but bookmarks aside, not being able to choose a song now and then, or confirm who is performing one when I am unsure, that would drive me crazy!

It is PERFECT for my Audible content. It actually asks when you first hook it up to the PC if you want to sync with Audible Manager. You can also simply go to the Audible Manager and "add device" and follow the steps to activate the Sansa. That way you can just add the specific books you want and not attempt to sync your entire library if you have a lot. I've been a member of Audible.com for nearly ten years and getting two books a month you can imagine the size of my library by now.

I loaded five large unabridged books (average ten hours each) and then nearly 1000 songs and I still have plenty of space left to add more as the spirit hits. Transferring files to the Sansa is VERY smooth and fast. Best of all, it resumes where you left off in a book when you turn it off.

There are other nifty "extra" features, as well! The FM radio is pretty special, and I get excellent reception both in San Francisco and out in the sticks around Santa Rosa and Sebastopol. Even near the airport! Pretty impressive for such a tiny thing, huh?

It has a voice recorder that I have not really tested out properly, but i know it works, just from speaking into it. I will try to record a lecture or some other more demanding application before giving the recorder feature the same accolades I have bestowed upon the rest of the amazing little player.

A lot of people have posted excellent, detailed reviews, and I agree with almost all they have said, so I'll try not to repeat it all.

I will just say that I LOVE THIS LITTLE DEVICE!

It's tiny. Yes, it is almost twice the size of the ipod shuffle, but seriously, still small enough to put in the "key pocket" of Levi's 501s (you know, the tiny useless pocket inside the right hip pocket).

It has good sound, easily on par with my video ipod. If you replace the earphones with something better it has the potential of VERY good sound.

So, how does it compare to the iPod shuffle? For only $20 more this has:

~ four times the capacity

~ a visual display

~ a voice recorder

~ an FM receiver

~ drag and drop functionality in both PC or Mac format (no iTunes or other software needed)

~ standard USB cable, so easily replaced.

~ can be rapid charged using the same AC (wall) or 12v (car) adapters that came with my Motorola RAZR phone!

~ can be used as a regular portable drive (like a thumb drive) for any data

~ seamless Audible.com audio books loading and listening

~ clip on the back is removable, if you don't want to use it, making it even smaller

One poster complained that it was "Difficult to tell when it is fully charged I charged it for 5 hours and didn't see any indication that it was fully charged yet"

I found the same thing happening, the first time I charged it right out of the box it took several hours using the USB cable. Later, much by accident I stumbled upon this: when it is plugged in to your computer (I use a PC, not sure if this will work on a MAC), right-click on the Sansa drive icon and choose PROPERTIES, it will tell you the % of the battery charge.

I also discovered the car and wall chargers from my Motorola RAZR phone work for it, and MUCH faster than the USB cable. When charging I also found that when I unplugged it from the cable I had to power the Sansa off and back on to see the battery indicator register the "full" status.

Hope that helps.

Buy SanDisk Sansa Clip 4 GB MP3 Player (Silver) Now

The Sandisk Sansa Clip accomplishes all that I wanted in an MP3 player which I intended to use at work, to use while riding on the subway and to use while working out at the gym.

Pros:

Small, compact, light-weight, and better looking than pictured (as is the case with the 1MB, 2MB and 4MB versions). The 4MB has a very cool, beautiful mirrored finish. But I would recommend you buy a silicone case or something to protect this finish and the player itself.

Crisp, bright display but as mention in other reviews, because of the mirrored finish it can be a bit hard to see in the sunlight

The clip in the back, hence the name, which makes it easy to attach the player onto your pockets, an armband, or anywhere you want to clip this unit.

Awesome sound coming out of this little player. The better the headphones you attach the better the sound. But even with the included headphones, very nice sound.

Better value than the 4MB iPod nano that I was considering purchasing. Way more features and most importantly, it has a radio. Not sure why after all these years Apple never seemed fit to put FM tuners on their players.

I like that there's a mute button for the radio as opposed to having to turn the volume all the way down.

There's radio broadcast recording.

A voice recorder

The unit has an on-the-go playlist. You can compile all your favorite songs at an instant.

You can drop and drag songs and create playlists right onto the player itself. You don't have to use another program such as iTunes or Winamp. You will find out once you get the Sandisk Sansa Clip that Sandisk recommends that you use the Rhapsody player program, which you can download and use for free and works best for editing the songs and playlists on the unit.

Just another note about creating playlists on the Sansa Clip. I found through trial and error that it's best to first create playlists on the unit itself, meaning when the player shows up in My Computer on your desktop, double click on it and add songs to your Music folder, then select and right click on the particular songs you want to make a playlist. Click the option to "Create Playlist". By default, you will see, "New Playlist" in your Music folder. When you double click on it, you will see all your songs you made into a playlist. You can rename "New Playlist" to whatever you want ex. Playlist 1. You then cut and paste your newly created playlist to the Playlist folder. This method is preferable rather than doing it through programs such as Rhapsody, Windows Media Player, or Winamp. In my experience, when doing it with these programs the playlists either didn't display correctly or didn't show up at all. Once your playlists have been created successfully on the unit then you can go into Rhapsody(recommended) or any other MP3 player program and edit or add songs to your playlists.

Cons:

For some reason certain songs are unable to show up on the list of songs on the playlists I create even though they are on the unit. In other words, say you put, "Elvis Heartbreak Hotel" onto the player and that's in "Playlist 1", the song will be there and you will be able to play it, however when you look through the list of songs in "Playlist 1", all you see is a blank space where the artist and title should be. Even when I edit the tags and type in the artists and titles of the songs, it still doesn't display. This can be a problem when you are looking for a particular song via the list. Strangely though, when you are playing the songs within the playlist and you manually scan through the songs, the artist and title that was not being displayed before shows up. I haven't figured out why this happens. Very weird.

As far as design and function, I think it would be easier if the Power/Reset button slid down as opposed to up.

As said by other reviewers, I don't like that the volume toggle switch is under the headphone port. The headphone plug gets in the way. If the headphone port was at the top of the unit, this wouldn't be a problem. Because of the location of the headphone port, having headphones plugged in and sticking out increases the width of the player.

Overall, even with the minor gripes I have, the Sandisk Sansa Clip is a solid MP3 player and a great value for the price.

Read Best Reviews of SanDisk Sansa Clip 4 GB MP3 Player (Silver) Here

(2008 HOLIDAY TEAM)I'm a big fan of the Sansa Clip. I have a few of them, some I have my workout music on and one I use to take notes. At CES in January 2008, Sandisk has introduced this new 4GB version in a limited addition silver color. The Sansa Clip was a great value in 2GB; at 4GB it ROCKS! It has four times the capacity as the iPod Shuffle for about the same price. It also has a screen, FM Tuner, voice recording and more. You can get the 1GB version for $35 Sansa Clip 1 GB MP3 Player or the 2GB for about $60 SanDisk SDMX11R-2048K-A70 Sansa Clip 2 GB MP3 Player (Black). But by coming out with the first 4GB clip MP3, Sandisk has raised the bar. Now with MacWeek next week, can a bigger iPod shuffle be far behind? We'll see.

Pros -

+ good sound

+ nice capacity for a decent price

+ light-weight

+ FM tuner with 40 presets!!!

+ voice recording

+ nice design and color options

+ Nice format compatibility (MP3, DRM WMA, WMA, Audible)

+ USB 1.1 and 2.0 connectivity

+ Can be used as a USB drive / mass storage

+ Can sync music with drag & drop or via software

+ 15 hours battery life is better than Creative Zen Stone Plus or iPod Shuffle

Cons

larger body than the 2nd and 3rd generation iPod shuffles

The new Sandisk Sansa Clip has the advantages of the iPod shuffle with some of the compatibility, feature, and price benefits of other MP3 players. Unlike the Sansa Express, which you can plug in directly into your USB port, the clip uses a standard USB B cable.

The Clip is definitely a little bigger than the iPod shuffle, but not by much. It has a great feel and a nicer clip. It is also priced right. It fills the market for a starter MP3, workout unit, or gift.

The rechargable battery seems better than the Creative Zen Stone Plus and gives you a respectable 15 hours. The sound is nice. The earbuds are passable for beginners but most people will replace them. As for durability, only time will tell; so far my units are holding up nicely.

I definitely recommend the larger sizes, whether 2GB or 4GB. For those needing more space, you will have to explore the CreativeZen, Sandisk Sansa, Sansa View or new iPod Nano. All of those units have higher price tags.

SanDisk Sansa View 8 GB MP3 Player

SanDisk Sansa View 16 GB MP3 Player

Creative Zen 8 GB (Black)

Creative Zen 16 GB (Black)

SanDisk SDMX4-8192 Sansa e280 8 GB MP3 Player (Black)

Apple 8 GB iPod nano AAC/MP3 Player Black (3rd Generation)

Overall, an awesome starter unit that deserves a try. Enjoy!!!

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Pros:

-It's tiny yet still has a display, albeit a basic one

-Holds a lot of music, especially for its size

-Clip is convenient for the gym

-Pretty eye-catching with that 2-way mirror reflective coating

-Drag and drop file transfer (no software--i.e. iTunes--needed)

-USB cord is of the same type as my Canon digital camera, in case I ever lose it

-Amazing sound quality (really--the sansa clip line has garnered accolades from audiophiles)

Cons:

-That sexy reflective coating? There's a trade off: it makes viewing the screen pretty much impossible outdoors on any but the dreariest day. There's supposedly a firmware update coming out soon to make the display brighter so as to counter this effect, but I doubt it can be remedied completely

-Poor FM reception, even in the big city

-could go a little louder (though you can tweak the EQ settings for this)

I love this little thing and highly recommend it to anyone looking for a small mp3 player with a high capacity. It does have a few shortcomings but, then again, at least it has a screen & FM Player, unlike another, very popular, more expensive small player. Also note that even though the navigation pad is round, it doesn't function as a scroll wheel; rather, its a 4-way directional with a center button (still works fine).

First off, it's really great, the sound is very good, the price very fair. I tried as best I could to compare it against my PC with a top notch audio card playing through an HK amp, and couldn't detect a difference, but that could be related to the medium. And, do you think they can make these things any smaller? Kidding, but actually I could do without the "clip". I had no problem with the FM, programmed it in less than a minute, it even picks up the college station about ten miles away. Of course, FM in Seattle isn't worth a cup of warm p**s anyway.

Okay, minor gripe number one. The earphone output is in the wrong place for offset plugs, they rotate around and cover the volume rocker. Probably not an issue for other brands, but my UE's (love 'em) cost 4 times the player, so it should be the one to conform! Very minor gripe.

Minor gripe number two is that it's a pain passing over my Winamp playlists, which I've spent years and years assembling. You can do it, but it's hardly drag and drop. Curses, but of course that could be Winamp's issue, eh? Oh well, I need to spend a few weeks with a tag editor anyway to recast the mp3's for my Samsung phone, so no biggie, it will be fun. Yeah.

Anyway, great player, very easy to use, took all of five minutes to get some songs on it and play. For 4GB, gotta be the state of the art right now, unless you want to be in the clutches of Evil Empire Jr. (Apple).

PS: Look for the dual charger/silicone case package here, great deal and the clear case works perfectly, it's on there for good.

PPS: Okay, two more minor gripes with two redacted. First, yeah, you can't read the bloody screen outside. That's more annoying than I thought it would be.

Second, 4GB turns out to be too small. Yes, I would like to have my total music collection on my fingernail, but 4GB is what I paid for and 4GB is what I got, so this gripe isn't even fair. Anyway, I'll redact this gripe because of the superior ease of moving subdirectories in and out of the "music" folder through the PC. I haven't even bothered with my Winamp playlists, so I'll redact that gripe as well. I just copy files into new directories on the PC, hit them with a tag editor, and kazaam, instant Clip playlists that can be moved in wholesale. That's just fine, applause to the Sansa software people, who got that right.

PPPS: A word of explanation regarding Clip music organization. There are three ways to access music aside from playlists, and in fact I find myself using "artist" the most often, fits my mood. If you use "artist" it will break up the songs into "albums" automatically. Therefore, in tagging a directory for the Clip, plan accordingly. For example, my goth playlist is best tagged with "goth" in both the "artist" and "album" tags, which is trivial with something like MP3tag. You could also use the useless "genre" tag as a quasi playlist via tag editor. That's not how you want your archived music tagged of course, it loses information, which is why I keep a separate set of Clip subdirectories. Additional hard disk space (so?), but you want to trim your archive anyway to save space on the player. Very rarely will you listen to all the songs archived for an artist, usually you just go with your favorites. Anyway, you can go simple or complex to please yourself freedom of choice, I like that.

TDK SA 90 minute Super High Resolution Type II Audio Cassette Tape

• Type II / High Position
• Super Avilyn Cassette

TDK SA 90 competes with Maxell XLII 90. The recording quality of both is excellent. The mechanism in the TDK SA 90 is superior to the one in the Maxell. The Maxell mechanism has too much drag, which negatively affects the consistency of recordings made on Class A cassette decks. For years, l had routinely purchased a five-pack of SA 90 tapes at about the same price as a five-pack of the Maxell. The price of SA 90 has recently increased to an extraordinary high level. The Maxell XLII 90 five-pack is currently priced at $13.20 on Amazon, but the Amazon price for TDK SA 90 is $4.95 PER TAPE, which is $24.75 for five tapes. Amazon's vendor for TDK SA 90 is Burlington AV Recordings of Oceanside NY.

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These type cassettes are hard to find, and that is what works with my 4 track recorder. It came fast and works great. Thanks

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This audio tape is great for recording even the most intense and powerful cds from the 80s. Of course, if you are listeing for it, you can probably tell the difference between the cd and the audio tape. However, the VERY SLIGHT difference is easy to tolerate considering the fact that by using tapes when you travel, you are protecting your cds from cd rot. For those of you who don't know about cd rot, it is caused by heat and moisture. Basically what happens is that heat and moisture corrode the cd. It turns the cd purple and renders it unreadable. In extreme cases, tiny holes are also present. The best way to combat cd rot is to keep your cds in a cool dry place. (A drawer if possible.) Keep your cds safe, and use this great audio tape to make travel friendly copies.

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TDK Super High Resolution tape is just about the best. The price was very reasonable and it was delivered in a flash. I am just sorry that I did not respond with this review sooner! I look forward to my next transaction and will recommend this company to my friends.

Zmodo 4CH Real-time Security DVR CCTV Surveillance Camera System With 4 Night Vision Outdoor Securi

I was pleased with the product. The daytime image is great but the night time vision isn't the best but it does the job. As soon as I get my lights up around the house it will work great. For the price I paid I am pleased witht he product so far but its only been a week so we will see.

the instructions are hard to follow. once up they work very well. my parents use it for ppl trying to vandelize my grandparents home. i hope it catches whoever is responsible. still trying to access it from a different computer wirelessly tho.

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VideoSecu 4 of Outdoor Built-in Sony CCD Bullet Security Cameras Weatherproof 3.6mm Wide View Angle

I love this camera, and it was a great deal at just $59.99 which included a 100 foot power/video cable and BNC to RCA connectors, everything needed to get started. Picture quality is better than I expected, I am very satisfied. I would recommend this set up for anyone, especially for the beginner, it is the easiest set up possible.

Mike F.

in Florida

VideoSecu Indoor Outdoor Bullet Security Camera Built-in Sony CCD Weatherproof 3.6mm Wide View Angle Lens Camera for CCTV DVR Home Surveillance System 1CNIf a surveillance camera does not have the resolution required to easily ID the perp then why buy it? Is the picture on this camera clear enough to ID the perp? And, what is the maximum distance that still allows easy ID? To be fair, I do not have this camera, so this is not a comment but a question!

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Coby Electronics TF-DVD8107 8-Inch Portable DVD/CD/MP3 Player,Silver

• 8" widescreen TFT LCD Color display
• LED backlight
• DVD/ DVD-R/RW , CD, CD-R/RW, Jpeg, and MP3 compatible
• anti-skip, dolby digital decoder, digital and analog AV output, audio/video input jack for video games, VCR or other AV sources, headphone jack

Initially I was happy with this item. Decent picture quality and sound for our needs (travel entertainment for child on long trips). Beware of the swivel! Though it does turn all the way around, I'd advise against it. After less than 5 months, ours stopped working in the first hour of an eight hour drive. Brother is an electronics geek so he took it apart. Wires were shredded in the swivel mechanism. I'll stick with the better brand names from now on.

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Ownership: 1 year

8.5" fold & swivel widescreen

Pros:

-Lightweight

-Good picture, good resolution

-Play almost everything

-It comes with many accessories you need. Cassette adapter, earphones, car cigarette adapter, etc.

-Swivel screen is pretty convenient. You can fold it flat on itself to only show the screen

-Comes with a rechargeable battery. It is flat and sits at the bottom of the unit.

-My unit comes with a power adapter that is small & light. Input is 100-240V which works in many countries.

-Has A/V inputs to hook up your video games on the road

Cons:

-The rechargeable battery can easily get loose and detached while in use

-Noticeable whirring noise while playing DVDs

-Battery is good for a couple of hours

We have dropped it from a sofa (15 in) to hard floor while playing and still working good.

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We have had this portable dvd player for a year now. We use it for longer car rides and keep it plugged into the charger while driving. It has excellent picture quality and the volume is loud enough. We never have to turn the sound up all the way. It plays burned dvd's and also came with a handy case that straps to the back of the seat headrest. Many of the other players did not come with this feature or they had to be purchased separately. I was skeptical buying Coby at first, but now I am glad I didn't spend the extra money for a brand name. With most electronics like this, we only use them for about 5 years anyway. Then, my hubbie wants to buy something else they have come out with that is "better"! LOL

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So far this portable DVD works great. Sound and picture quality are good and my son is happy with it. He uses it all the time.

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Coby player sent as a gift to a grandson. He is very pleased with it.

First Alert D575 Digital Wireless Security Recording System

This wireless camera w/dvr recorder is very easy to setup and use. I own a similar Lorex system and this budget red alert is almost as good. The range is great and pairs up easily additional cameras.

I use it at a small business to keep an eye on customers and employees as well and works perfectly even at night. Since it's a digital system it virtually gets no intereference, not even from the wireless router.

Cons

Doesn't record from 2+ cameras simultaneously.

SD cards won't hold much recordings, but then again no DVR SD system will.

Summary

I've read other reviews and it isn't bad as they say. I mean sure this first alert is a budget security system but i still believe that for the price is a great deal.

I purchased the First Alert D575 Security Camera System for at my seasonal campsite. I've had problems with a neighbor lady that has mental problems spraying my bushes with grass & weed killer. The camp grounds manager hasn't done anything about it. So my wife and I decided to catch her doing it on video. Then I plan on calling the State Police and filing charges!! I found the system fairly easy to install. I had it installed in a matter of a couple of minutes. When it came time to set it up; this was another story!!! First Alert advertises it as having "motion activated technology". I had a real problem trying to get it set up for motion activation only!!! There's a setting for X-15sec-10sec-15sec blasts. I couldn't get it to record without being in one of these settings. They sent a 2GB SD Card along with the system. It filled the card up in no time!!! I played around with it for about 3-4 hrs the next day. Still I couldn't get it set up to "motion only". I figured I had better get a larger SD Card if this was going to be the case. The next day I called First Alert to see what the largest size card was I could put in it. The guy at First Alert told me that he thought it was a 2GB SD. After I spoke with him I checked the "Users Manual" and watched one of First Alerts sales videos. The manual said up to a 16GB SD Card will work and the video also said the same thing. I explained my problem of not being able to set it up on "motion activated only" to the guy at First Alert. He told me that there was a "icon" about 12 o'clock that indicated it on the front of the reciever. At the time I only had my "Users Manual" in front of me and that there wasn't any thing like that on the front of the reciever. I was calling him from home at the time. He told me to call him back when I had the unit in front of me. I also told him that there were things like a "Power Saver" mode mentioned in the "Users Manual" but actually I couldn't find that setting on any of the settings!!!! He couldn't tell me what was with that!!! I returned to my camp site. Called this guy back at First Alert but thre was no answer at his office. I decided to play around with it for another hour or so. I found that the "camera" on the remote control has to be clicked on and the red "REC" and the red counter will flash across the TV screen when the motion sensor is activated!!!! When I first clicked this on it appeared that it was video recording all the time. So other users "Be Ware"!!!! First Alert needs to review or revise their "Users Manual"!!!!

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So the system itself works great for the price, the motion detection only has about 10ft of range so it's hard to put the camera in an inconspicuous location. The major issue with this system is that it advertises that it won't interfere with your wireless Internet connection it actually dramatically slowed down our Internet. We tried moving the camera, reciever, and Internet routers away from each other... As soon as the camera is on and communicating with the reciever, we lose 15mbps of speed, effectively cutting our Internet speed in half.

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Rode Smartlav Lavalier Microphone for iPhone and Smartphones

• Frequency Range:20Hz - 20kHz
• Acoustic Principle:Pressure Gradient
• Polar Pattern:Moni

(Disclaimer: I've reviewed more than fifty audio adapters for the iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch and compiled all my discoveries in an article on my website, Life is a Prayer--if you want to read more, search for it on Google :).

For a long time, I've carried around an Audio-Technica ATR-3350 lavalier mic and a special adapter (TRS to TRRS) that allows the 3350 to be plugged into my iPhone, and this works pretty well, but doesn't give me the audio level I would like for a radio-quality audio recording, and it's slightly inconvenient, since I need to carry the 3350, the adapter, and some spare batteries.

The smartLav is pretty much exactly what I've been looking for since I first started recording videos and podcasts on the iPhone. It is well-built, matches the input impedance of the iPhone's headset jack (~600 ohms) well, and it fits in the pocket without requiring a little bag to hold any extra adapters/batteries.

** Sound Quality **

The sound is very good--as good as I get with any other mic through the headset jack. Listening to a recording with this mic and a Shure SM58 through a VeriCorder XLR adapter cable yields almost no discernible difference (from 6-8" from my mouth). It's much better than the built-in iPhone mic (which is only useful if you're within a couple inches of the iPhone... which is awkward if you're giving a speech and holding the iPhone right by your mouth!).

** Build Quality and Physical Characteristics **

The cable feels solid, as does the mic capsule and connector. The only downside to the cable is its length; it's only really long enough for recording with the iPhone in your pocket, or, for video, being pretty close to your iPhone. I like how other lavs have longer cables that let me mic talent on-camera 5-10' away, comfortably.

If you want to extend the length of this mic's cable, you can use the StarTech 2m TRRS Headset Extension Cable. (There are different lengths available on Amazon. I've used one, and it causes no degradation in the mic signal quality.

** Software **

I use FiRe 2 (Field Audio Recorder) for most of my audio recording, and either FilMic Pro or the built in Camera app for video recording. This mic works with all of these apps, as well as Rode's own recording app (which is just a derivative of the FiRe app), equally well (though some apps don't allow you to change the input level). Since it uses the headset jack, you should be able to use the mic with pretty much any audio/video recording app. You don't need any special kind of recording software or hardware to use it.

One note: If you don't want your recording interrupted by a phone call, make sure you switch your phone to airplane mode before you start recording!

** Price and Recommendation **

Finally, the price. It's a little high, I think, for a microphone that can only really be used with certain smartphones (especially since the headset jack's input has a reduced range, compared to what you can get through the dock/lightning connector). But it's not outlandish, and for the convenience, I'm fine paying $60. If the mic were closer to $40, this would be a no-brainer.

I'd definitely recommend this to anyone who's trying to mic someone with a smartphone for podcasting, interviews, at a wedding (have each of the main participants clip one on and record with the iPhone), etc.

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Best $60 I've spent lately! The Rode app that goes with it should be free, but there is a free lite version if you don't want all the bells and whistles the paid version has to offer.

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I REALLY wanted to love this mic. I'm using it with an iPhone 4S and the Rode app (paid version). The mic is just so tiny and perfect and looks well-built... but I have to return it because the sound quality is not good at all. YES of course it's better than the phone's mic without a doubt but in a completely silent room recording dead air, the recording sounds like rain. I've tried the 'hiss reducer' option on the app as well as most of the other settings, but the hiss reducer makes me sound like I'm talking underwater. SO SAD this doesn't meet my needs... would have been a brilliant product if the sound quality was decent.