TrekStor i.Beat Classico FM 2 GB MP3 Player (Black and white)

• Sleek silver digital audio player with 2 GB flash memory and built-in FM tuner
• Supports MP3, WMA, and OGG audio formats; line-in recording to MP3
• Compatible with secure WMA-DRM9 music services; dual headphone jacks for 2 listeners
• 8 preset equalizer settings; 2-color OLED screen; 20 station presets
• Lithium-polymer battery; measures 2.7 x 1.1 x 0.5 inches (W x H x D); 1-year warranty

What made me buy the i.Beat Classico was its line-in recording capability. One of the headphone jacks doubles as a stereo line-in jack and you can record any audio source to mp3 at 320kbps. I've recorded one of my records to mp3 this way it works wonderfully. However, your audio source better be LOUD because the input for recording on the classico does not seem to be very sensitive...

The FM recording, on the other hand, is pretty awful. I have a hard time getting a good signal to begin with. When I do get a decent signal, if I press record, the static increases. Wierd.

The microphone recording works extremely well. I have randomly had very static recordings that were definitely introduced by the player somehow. But that didn't happen often.

Mp3 playback is decent, but riddled with infrequent problems like random static (solved by skipping away from the song, and then skipping back to it).

There's a loud *thud* when you turn it on, and another when you turn it off. Sometimes I have the player plugged into my car stereo, and the thud is extremely loud!

Lastly, it's very small, and I used my thumb nail to push most of the "buttons" on the player. That was kind of annoying...

Unfortunately, I can't recommend this player to anyone. It was cool when it worked (which was most of the time), but the fact that it wasn't 99% reliable hurt its reputation with me.

3.1MP (Interpolation Option) Digital Mini Video Camcorder Camera with 1.5" Display

i got this video camera here about 6 months ago and i am not plaesed with it. First of all, the battery life is about 30 minutes of straight video taking. Having to carry around extra batteries is annoying and just unnessessary in my opinion. Also, for some reason is takes up way to many MB's when i out together many different video clips that last about 3 minutes. A 3 minute video took up 250 MB's on my computer and took forever to upload. Overall, i would save up and buy a better quality camera

This thing does take vidoe, pictures and recordings. it just has crappy quality and it shutsdown for like 2 minutes. I also wanted a camera that would connect up toa tv and record things like vidoe games. But this just convert the tv screen into the camera screen wich is stupid because this thing neither play video by itself. If your looking for just looking for a ordinary digital camera, this is the most crappiest there is.

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this is a nice camcorder. it may not have a perfect quilty but its nice its easy to use, light weight, slim. but what thers one thing i dont like about this camcorder is. you have to have batteries im not big on bettery operated things ye and ather words a nice camcorder. its good for your teens firs cam yea soo like it oo and go to its a virural game

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1080P HD USB HDMI SD/MMC Multi TV Media Player RMVB MKV

• With a high-speed USB 2.0 interface, supports connecting with USB mobile hard disk, USB pen drive & cameras.
• Support video format: Real (RMVB, RM 1920 * 1080), H.264 (MKV, MOV, AVI 1280 * 768), MPEG1-2-4 (DAT, VOB, AVi, 1920 * 1080), WMV9/VC-1 1920 * 1080 , H.264 (AVI), DIVX 1920 * 1080).
• Support audio formats: MP3, WMA, APE/FLAC (lossless audio format), OGG, AC3, DTS, and AAC, etc.
• Support Reture, Track, Title select, Zoom, Play, Channel select, and Title colors functions.
• With a SD/MMC interface, supports portable memory drives such as MMC & SD Cards.

i have a patriot media player. This one is 1/3 the cost and i thought that I would try it. The media player arrive 11 days from China to my house.

This thing plays everything a patriot media player plays and more. There was one file that I test that does not play on my patriot media player but it plays on this one. But, Unlike the patriot, this one is made out of very light plastic case and looks flimsy. But it's not a big deal as long as it works. The good thing is that this one has buttons on top of the media player. I tested it and I was able to browse and navigate thru the files without the remote YEAH!!!. The patriot and the asus media player basically becomes useless without the remote. This one still works without the remote. A big plus.

The remote has all the buttons that i needs like ff, rev, play, pause, stop, zoom, etc.... it is a full function remote.

The manual is practically useless. I cannot understand a darn thing out of that manual. It looks as if it was originally written in chinese and then ran thru a free on-line english translator. Bad grammar that one could not understand.

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I'm in the process of asking the seller what they can do about the annoying humming noise when I plug the RCA connectors. Defending on their customer support that I will change my review to 2 or 5 star or return the product. (SEE UPDATE)

My order came after two days because I ordered it through my sons prime account. Yes, It does not support 5.1 but the picture quality is amazing. It plays MKV and a lot of other formats. I like the adjustable SRT font size and color which is hidden in the OSD button of the remote. Warning, do not do a default reset! I tried it hoping it will fix the humming but big mistake because every thing became Chinese character. Just got lucky pressing the right button on the setup.

It has standard features like FF, RW, Play, but NO advance features like slow motion or FF 2x with sound as patriot.

UPDATE (10-1-12):

The seller at the time when I bought it doesn't have any stock and recommended for me to just return it, so I did. I found exactly the same product same supplier different seller here at Amazon but cheaper for $29.xx so I tried that one. It came in two days, nicely packaged and plastic wrapped. HDMI worked just fine no humming but the RCA didn't work. I was ready to return it when I tried just randomly the video and viola the RED plug is the Video and no HUM! If they will only do a quality check!!!

I would change my review and change it to at least 4 stars because for the price you cannot find any better 1080P player but when I clicked the SETUP it is filled with letter "A". I accidentally pressed the button twice and it became Chinese characters, pressed the down arrow 3 times and it worked "English". I guess I can live with it. PROBLEM is if I unplug it it will go back to those letter "A's" AGAIN. So I'll give this at least 3 stars and I will keep it since it will only be used for my Treadmill TV.

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Bought this player to replace my xbox 360 / laptop as my media player since I travel alot. It's lightweight and portable. It has played virtually everything I have thrown at it(most of my files conform to commonly used media formats). My only complain is that the composite cable it comes with seems to cause a buzzing sound. I attribute this to trying to pass the lowest cost possible to the consumer, quality had to be sacrificed, e.g. composite cable. I solved this problem by using my own composite cable. This shouldn't be an issue for though if you are using an hdmi cable with an hdmi ready device. The software interface is somewhat unappealing but pretty straight forward. You can navigate the interface without the use of the remote, i.e. play movies, music, pictures, explore usb/media cards,. but some advanced options require the use of the remote while playing a media file. The device is really quiet.

Main reasons to buy:

1.Supports a variety of media formats, including support for external subtitles.

2.Supports hdmi output.

3.Cost is great, similar products cost $50+ and do the same thing.

3.Lightweight and portable.

This product is not for those who are looking to stream media files as the device is not intended for that. Mainly for those who like to take their media files around in a storage device and survive the weekend at a friend's place who has no internet access. xD

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This product can read many formats which I like it. Insteast I play my media on my computer, now i just transfer my movies to USB and then plug into this media player and watch on my big screen TV.

I have 4 friends that purchased these after they seen mine. Out of the 5 we purchased 3 were set for PAL and had to have settings changed to NTSC. The problem being the horizontal roll was so fast you couldn't read the screen. Fortunately my set will work with either setting.

Samsung SCD103 MiniDV Digital Camcorder

At the start of our vacation this year our camcorder was stolen! We picked up this Samsung at a local Costco one day before arriving at Yellowstone National Park for a once in a lifetime trip.

My husband took movies all day and we did not have to recharge the battery (although we are getting a backup). The pictures were great! Although, we did see them on 3 different screens and each one the quality of the movies were different. On the large (60") screen they did look grainy but on a 32" they looked great. And we were glad that we had purchased it.

The only reason that I am giving it 4 stars instead of 5 is that I have not been able to hook it up to my computer via the USB cable and am online to order the other one. If all goes well I will readjust the stars!

I had a very low budget and a newborn... (you do the math!)

I did my research and finally, I got it.

The features I love:

Can be used as webcam! I don't understand why they don't promote this feature. In fact, I went to Best Buy to see it and they had no idea about this capability.

Very light.

Resolution... it's ok. It's just for family memories... not to broadcast the SuperBowl in HD!!!

Built-in light.

Memory stick.

Night PIX

Good audio! Nice mic. Really.

A/V connectors in several flavors.

Things I don't like too much but I can live with:

Very low resolution in snapshots.

Included battery lasts... nothing.

The cover of the A/V connectors is very weak. Any bad movement... and It's broken.

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I bought this camcorder because we were on a budget just having a new baby and wanting to record some video of her growing up. I first was scared because I didn't think the quality would be that good after it was uploaded to the internet. To my suprise the quality was phenominal!!! This is a great camera for starters. I live in Houston and it snowed here on Christmas eve so I went out side and used the light and then I used the night vision to take pictures of the snow falling and let me say I was amazed at the quality. The only complaint I have is that the stabilazation is not that great but then again I was using myself as the trypod so can't really complain. Practice will make perfect.

Also the camera comes with all the software and the s-cable, audio/video cables to hook up to the tv as well as a usb cable to connect to the computer and upload. You can use firewire also to transfer data but have to pay extra for the cable 20 something dollars.

I hope that this is is helpful.

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When this digital camcorder works, it records a nice picture and captures a lot of sound. It has, however, some major drawbacks.

Our first main gripe is the substandard battery. We've charged it overnight and then would unplug thinking it was fully charged. After one week we'd grab the camcorder and head out the door to capture a magical moment...only to find the battery completely dead.

After our third use, the camcorder now has some type of 'mechanical defect' as the manufacturer's manual calls it. The warranty is recently expired and so we're still debating whether to repair this item or just get another more reliable brand.

If you decide purchase this camcorder, be sure to get extra batteries and always keep one on the charger. Hopefully you'll get more use out of yours than we did ours.

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This is an awful camcorder. While under warranty the camcorder was repaired. The warranty had ended and I am having nothing but problems again.

VideoSecu Mini DVR Motion Detector Digital Video Recorder Audio Video CCTV Security Camera Home Sur

I needed a small surveillance system at home and after a few hours research sellected this setup.

The CCD camera is a plus and has a very nice picture in daylight. Night time views are OK if the subject is within fifteen to twenty feet to be picked up by the infrared lighting. Farther away subjects can be seen but with less detail. Note that the camera does switch to black and white mode at night, doesn't seem to be a problem though.

The mini DVR is easy to setup and use. The manual is a little difficult to understand at points, but I was able to get enough out of it to finish the install.

The camera and DVR both come with BNC to RCA connector adapters, I was very relieved to find them in the box.

A small TV can be used with this setup to complete the system.

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Car DashBoard Video Camera Vehicle Video Accident Recorder DVR - 1080P Full HD Resolution Video, 2.

After much research and deliberation, I ended up with this. It was originally in Russian but the manual was great and it took 10 seconds to get it to English.

I use a 8Gb MicroSD card, record in 1080P with 5 minute loops and this gives me about 2-3 hours of recording before it erases the oldest file. Each 5 minute video is approx. ~140-150Mb. Some people might complain that it erasing so fast is bad and what if they need something later; well, if there is an occurrence that you need to keep lock the file and it won't delete it. Otherwise, this is an install & forget device. It's great to have and isn't a nuisance and if an accident or ticket arises, will help you out immensely.

I work in Insurance and this is exactly what people need. The inaccuracies with human witnesses are too unreliable to be helpful during a claim or ticket dispute.

During the day, picture is great, if the sun is directly facing the camera; obviously there is a glare but that's unavoidable.

Can read street names, license plates everything it needs to do.

During nighttime, I personally do not turn on the 2 LED lights in the front, they are bright and don't add much quality.

Nighttime recording is a bit less detailed, given it's nighttime. But at stoplights it will record license plates and street signs depending on the type of sign. It shows the stoplights current color great and reflective lines in the street.

Audio is a bit meh, but what purpose does audio serve? None. Insurance / police don't care to hear you singing the Top 40 on the radio prior to the accident / that stop sign ticket violation, they care about visual proof.

The car cord is like 10 ft long, so when unraveling it, I would recommend not un-bundling all of it, just what you need to adequately have the cable connected and the rest tied up.

Overall, I am completely satisfied with this product and would recommend it to anyone looking for a dash cam.

(...) Daytime

(...) Nighttime

There are rightfully many mixed reviews about this car-cam on here. At first, mine had stopped working too, but it wasn't the camera's fault. In fact, the car-cam works perfectly fine if it's configured correctly. Here's how: 1. Do not buy a Class 10 micro-card. It will stop working soon after. Amazon recommends it by default, but it is wrong 2. Buy a Class 4 micro-card instead. The car-cam works with an older technology, so you must use the Class 4 type of card. I bought and used this one: Kingston 16 GB Class 4 MicroSDHC Flash Card with SD Adapter SDC4/16GB and it works 100%. With the Class 10, mine stopped working after the card filled up, or thereabouts. After I read some detailed websites about car-cams, it's imperative you use the Class 4. I hope this helps both new buyers and older buyers as well, since Amazon is recommending the wrong type of card. Other than that, the camera works perfectly fine for $55. The playback is good enough for road use. The on/off with the car ignition is awesome too. Been working for a few months with no issues.

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I bought this for my car after watching to many Russian YouTube videos. I had problems with it at first but I figured out that this camera cannot handle a 32gb sd card like it says even a top of the line one. I purchased a 16gb class 10 top of the line sd card and haven't had any problems now. It's pretty awesome, it shows date time and so on, really good video recorded. Turns on and records automatically when I start the car. So for the price it's worth it just make sure not to get to large of a sd card, if it wasn't for that it would get 5 stars. And I wish that the windshield mount swiveled. But it's a really good suction cup. :)

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Decent dash cam, you can easily read license #'s when your within 15 feet of the car in front. Does not offer a very wide angle of view, but will cover the nose of your vehicle, so you can show if someone cuts you off then brake checks you. Within 2 weeks my mount melted off my windshield from the sun. So if you live somewhere south of Colorado, you have to remove the mount every time you stop, and replace it every time before you go somewhere. I am currently making a super glue mount to my dash to put it back in working order (I don't care about ruining the dash). The cord will reach from anywhere inside the vehicle. Make sure you order a large SD card, I have a 4 GB in and get about 7, 5 min "1080p" (note: not really 1080p) loops.

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I have gone back and forth, trying to decide which camera to get. I finally got this one. CHECK MY VIDEO and you will see that this was a GREAT investment. The Clarity of this camera is amazing. Dont be fooled by the quality, when uploading videos, the videos lose some clarity. HOWEVER, YOU WILL BE ABLE TO READ THE LICENSE PLATES from the video in its Raw being (but of course you have to be close enough).

There are people that complain about how this camera isnt great quality. Well seriously, for about $50, what did you really expect? If you want TRUE 1080p, then mount a digital camera or a Real camera to get that quality.

For those of you who only need this for insurance purposes or to save your own ass, buy this gadget!

My only complaint is the fact that the mount is a bit flimsy (NOT THE SUCTION--THE SUCTION TO THE WINDSHIELD IS PERFECT). It's the fact that when I lean in to push the Power button, or the Record button, the Camera comes off the mount. I dont know, maybe its just me? Maybe I am not mounting it in correctly...

Sony ICD-UX512 2 GB Flash Memory Digital Voice Recorder (Silver)

First, Amazon ROCKS! Their service and delivery is outstanding.

I use this digital voice recorder primarily to record meetings. It is amazing how well the recorder picks up voices from around the room. There is an option to "cut noise" which reduces background noise and provides further clarity. There is a playback option that allows you to slow down or speed up your recordings. This is very beneficial when typing meeting minutes. You can use either the device itself or your PC to playback recordings. You can transfer the recordings to your PC, which allows the option to share with others. The device allows you to create folders so that you can organize your recordings. I have imported recording from CDs onto the device. This has proven to be a good tool as now I can listen to teaching lessons on the go. I have not recorded or imported any music as of yet. The device is Windows 7 capable. It's easy to use and very compact.

This product is simply great. It works exactly as advertised. However, I would recommend the ux412 that actually does exactly the same and is cheaper. I own the ux312, the ux412 and the ux512. I highly recommend the 412 because of the relation quality-price. However this one (512)looks cool and is excellent too. By the way, do yourself a favor and don't buy the 312... Terrible recording in comparison to the other two.

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My wife bought this to be able to record meetings so the review is hers: I am amazed at how well it worked. I was able to pick up all the people in the room. The first meting I recorded, I listened to with an old set of ear buds and the voices were distorted. I was so upset but decided to try the ear buds that came with the recorder and the voices were clear as can be. I downloaded the meeting into my computer and it was perfect. I am amazed how it can pick up a voice in the back of the room and after the first syllable it amplified it so that it was as loud as the person sitting next to the recorder. The person sitting the furthest was about 12 feet away from the recorder. I don't know the range. I used the automatic meeting setting but there are 3 other settings and you can also set it manually. Oh, we also tried all talking at the same time & rustled papers and I could hear all the voices perfectly. I have only had it a week but am VERY impressed. And of course Amazon is the greatest place to buy from. I have bought from them for years and had a remarkably few problems that were handled promptly. Love Amazon and love this product.

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Very satisfied with the recording device, but disappointed with the sound organizer software. Did not install the software after reading the license agreement that requires allowing Sony to "control and/or monitor" my computer:

"SOFTWARE DATA COLLECTION AND MONITORING

The SOFTWARE contains features which may allow SONY and/or third parties to collect data from, control and/or monitor computers and devices running or interacting with the SOFTWARE. You hereby consent to such activities."

To verify, go to Sony's eSupport website and click on "Drivers and Software." Enter the recorder's model number (ICD-UX512). Once under "Drivers & Software" for the recorder, select your operating system. Then click on "Sound Organizer." You'll see product info and a "DOWNLOAD" button--click on the "DOWNLOAD" button (takes you to the "Sound Organizer Software" webpage).

Click "Download Now" at the bottom of the page, "Save File," Open the file and read the License Agreement. After finding the above excerpt (just over halfway down), you can cancel the installation.

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Although the supplier is not to be blamed, this model was different than the model I wanted to purchase. It seems that the Sony company made two models under the same label, with slightly different packaging but a very significant technical variant. The original model I had prior (picking up this second one from Amazon) came with a sleeve for the recorder and an 8 gig mini SD card. These trinkets were, of course, bonuses but the main difference was in the recording unit itself, which had a radio feature in my former model that the model I purchased form Amazon did not. It was a mild disappointment to receive this item instead of the former but still the item is a quality recorder and I love it very much. I recommend it as a practical and useful device but just want people to be aware of the variant of the products in case they were chasing a recorder with the radio feature.

Sony DCRTRV120 Digital Camcorder

Digital home video is the wave of the future, and this camera truly expresses it. This camera comes close to perfect. It offers EXCELLANT picture quality. The quality is so good I compare it to twice the quality of a full size VHS camera (no not VHS-C). This camera has everything you need. An explanation of the features: Video format: Digital 8: Digital 8 is a digital signal recorded onto a High Band 8mm tape. There is less degradation as the film is played over and over because it's all Digital. Audio: 16 bit PCM Stereo: This meaens that even with that little microphone on the front, you're getting much better quality than with a 8mm or hi8. And it records with 2 channels instead of 1. Maximum CCD Resolution: 460,00 pixels: Thats a freaking ton of resolution for a home video camera. Thats more than anything you've probably ever used. Other things this includes: Super Nightshot 0 LUX: This enables you to shoot in perfect darkness at a better distance than normal nightshot. The camera emits two infraed beams from the front of the camera. This beams scatter and bounce of objects. The camera detects the beams bouncing back, using them to see. i.link DV Interface: This is the new standard for high speed transfer of information, usually digital video. This way you can plug into your computer and edit with it, with out having to sell the farm on equipment to turn analog into digital. 450x Digital Zoom: This means you can zoom in 450 times what the camera normally sees. Perfect for football games or looking for people far away. Auto Focus: The camera focuses it self, so you don't have to do any focusing to shoot S-Video Output: Amazon.com claims it isn't there, but it is. This enables non-digital transfer of very high quality video, your DVD player probably uses this feature. There are other features, but there are too many to mention! Over all this is an EXCELLENT camera. It lives up to the name Sony.

I am only 13 years old and I purchased this camera because me and my friends wanted to make movies. I use it every day and have had it for 8 months! It can be used for stop motion animation with clay and legos at 8 FPS and is 30 FPS during normal record. The remote is great for seting up the camera and then starting it when your also in the movie scene. Slow Motion is cool to and the Night Shot feature is great! Night shot has a 10 Foot range out side and from personal experience it has over a 50 foot range inside because it can bounce off walls. Night Shot is even better with the night shot upgrade attachment (Sold Sepretly, boost to 100 feet outdoors and over 300 feet indors!) Also in playback mode the buttons light up orange, a bug plus! Also the 25x OPTICAL gives you close ups at great quallity. For example you can zoon into someones PUPIL from 10 feet away with that much zoom and then 450x digital degrades quality but is helpfull for those far away shots. Super Steady Shot is great image stabilization to! The Carl Zies lens can focus at only .5 CM away! If you press your finger on the lense you can see your fingerprint clearly! Photo mode is great and so is the 100 min battery life! LCD screen degrades life by 10% when on. The 480 min batter (8 hour) lasts a long long time and is sold sepritly .... Has IEE 1394, S VIDEO, LAN (For pictures) and RCA COmposit cables for output and RCA Composit cables, S VIDEO and MIC input ports. Also a HEadphone jack and inteligant accesory shoe. YOu can search for pictures, dates, and times on the film and has 14 picture effects like negative and Pastel. 2.5 inch color LCD screen and manual/auto focus and exposure. So many more features I cant list. Has been a great buy and VERY durable (Has been dropped at 4 feet, fallen in puddles, ect). GREAT BUY!

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I just recently purchased this video camera after deciding to upgrade from an old Hitachi 8 mm analog camcorder and I am really very pleased with this decision! This particular model is no longer being manufactured by Sony but Sony has a full line of parts and accessories for it and you can find some really excellent deals for a new or refurbished model if you do a little bit of web searching.

The cheapest digital camcorder far surpasses the best analog out there so if you are considering a new video camera, consider this one. I personally do not need, or want to pay for, state of the art features that many more expensive digital cameras have. This one has all of the features that I personally find important:

1.) Really nice resolution @ 460,000 pixels (Same as the 130,140,240,310,340,520,530 for starters)

2.) 25 X Optical and 450 X digital zoom

3.) Electronic image stabiliztion

4.) 2.5 inch swivel LCD screen

5.) Nite Shot and Super Night Shot modes (you can vid in total darkness!)

6.) Backwards compatability with my 8 mm and Hi 8 tapes

7.) Firewire (IEEE1394) output

8.) LANC interface for editing on pc

9.) Last, but not least, a reasonable price!

It has lots of special features that I don't use such as different fade options, titling and special effects but these also can easily be created by editing on your pc.

As a side note, Sony has put together a nice editing package called EZ Editor to go with their digital and digital 8 video cameras that contain the firewire card for the pc, the I-link cable for the camera's connection to the pc, Pinnacle 7 Studio editing software and a thick user's manual. It is so easy and so much fun to edit videos on the computer adding music and titles and voice over's along with different fades. I believe you can also edit analog video as well.

I am very happy with this camera and with the quality of the video that I am taking, especially at the price I paid! It is well worth the money and a high quality Sony product.

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I got one of these used a few years ago after doing some research into the features and reputations of similar cameras. I've had no problems with it.

Video quality is excellent, and it works seamlessly with iMovie, which I use for editing.

I disabled the digital zoom (which degrades the picture quality); 25X optical zoom is already impressive, especially with the SteadyShot camera-shake compensation.

The camera operates surprisingly well with low light, even without engaging NightShot.

The "digital still photo" feature on any video camera is essentially a gimmick, so I'm not counting this camera's poor still-photo quality in my rating. Even the cheapest pocket digital camera will take a better still photo than a high-priced video camera -so hey, buy a used DV camera and get yourself a cheap still camera to go with it.

I've found Digital-8 highly convenient, because I can get Hi-8 tapes in many stores that still don't carry MiniDV tapes.

I only wish the camera were super-tiny, but hey, it's not a cutting-edge supercamera -it's a good, solid camcorder. Works for me!

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I recently purchased this to replace my old Canon Hi8 camcorder. I've been always the fan of Canon camcorder but this is very solid and high quality camcorder. I have lots of old 8mm & Hi8 tapes and this is a great camcorder to transfer them to DVD or upload to PC (since this camcorder is Digital8). Being able to digitally transfer your old 8mm & Hi8 tape to PC is a great function to have. This also has amazing Zoom and very good video quality. I am very satisfied with the purchase.

Wireless Infrared Motion Night Vision Network Color Camera Pan & Tilt, 2-way audio

Software to set them up is pretty cruddy. If you do anything beyond the standard configuration, you're in for some frustration. You need a college degree in computer science to get these cameras to work through a home router's firewall so you can access the camera via the internet from anywhere. (I gave up trying.) You can't use it outside as any bush that moves in the wind seems to trigger the motion detection. Although I don't understand the motion detection as it will trigger video capture 25 times in a day, but it won't capture me walking directly in front of the camera and waving at it?! When I was setting it up, it seemed to work much better inside the house with the wireless camera unit much closer to my wireless router. So it you have simple requirements (watching a dog play during the day?) it would work for that.

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Hauppauge WinTV-PVR-150MCE Personal Video Recorder (1042)

This is among the least expensive hardware capture cards on the market (if not THE least expensive). The video quality, performance, and usuability are great with or without Windows MCE. I happen to use this card on my XP Home system and did not have any problems during installation or otherwise.

This is a "Hardware-based" capture card. Which means that the card comes with hardware onboard that handles all of the processing to convert your TV signal to a file on your computer. Software-based cards use your CPU for this. The advantage is that with a hardware based card you can actually use your computer while recording as the CPU usage is minimal (I actually don't see any CPU usage on my machine), compared to a software card which uses almost all of your CPU. This also means that you can use an older or slower computer to watch/record TV without suffering any performance issues. In the past, software cards were much cheaper than hardware, but Hauppauge's line has brought the cost down so that now there really isnt a reason to choose anything but a hardware card.

The MCE version of Hauppauge's PVR-150 differs from the "regular" non-MCE version because it does NOT come with *ANY* software other than drivers and it adds an FM radio tuner. The regular version comes with a remote and software to control the PVR-150, but no FM radio. There is only one TV tuner so you can only watch or record one channel at a time.

Since the 150MCE doesn't come with any software, you will have to control it with another program. Windows MCE can do this, but if you have XP Home or Pro you will need to use 3rd party software like BeyondTV and SageTV, or free ones like the open source MediaPortal. Since the card outputs MPEG2, you need to have installed a DVD player like Intervideo WinDVD or Cyberlink PowerDVD in order to watch TV (decode MPEG2). If you have an Nvidia card, you can use Nvidia's PureVideo Decoder which gives probably the nicest picture. Note that decoding (watching TV or your recorded movies) does take up some CPU, about 10% on my computer. If your computer came with a DVD player or burner you likely already have this software. And if not, most DVD burners come with it, so if you don't already have one you can get a DVD burner for around $50 and get the software thrown in.

For those with quality issues, check with the software you are using and try to increase the bitrate. This will lead to less "artifacts" (looks like a bad JPG), and smoother video. Obviously the filesize will increase per recording, but hard drives are so cheap now that you can afford to get a bigger drive to accomodate. You will have to adjust the settings to find what is an acceptable compromise between filesize and quality. Just for reference, I usually record with a variable bitrate with an average of 5000 and a max of 6000 which lets me fit about 2hrs on a DVD. In your decoding software adjusting the interlace method also gives good results (choose from bob, weave, or both). I rank the decoding software as Nvidia PureVideo, WinDVD, PowerDVD from best to worst as far as quality goes, but it is really a matter of personal taste.

Other options to consider are obviously the regular PVR-150 which adds software and a remote (but you lose the FM radio), and the PVR-500 which comes in both regular and MCE versions as well. The PVR-500 has two tuners so you can watch one program and record another or record two shows at the same time which is very nice. Just like the PVR-150MCE, the PVR-500MCE comes without software or remote control, but adds an FM radio. FYI, the PVR-500 is essentially two PVR-150 tuners on the same board, so quality is the same. There is also a low-profile version of this card.

I'm using the pvr 150mce with my home-built computer with p4 3.0, ati radeon 9600, win xp mce 2005. i connected my analog cable TV signal into the pvr 150 ... and i could not get a picture. then i went to the hauppauge website to download the latest driver (which has support for win mce). then there was an error saying that i didn't have the dvd decoder software. i downloaded power dvd 5 and windvd 6 to see which offered better picture quality. finally, i could watch tv and play dvds on the computer. windvd 6 gave better quality, making the picture quality about the same as cable tv on a regular tv.

in summary, if you don't mind tinkering a bit (eg, downloading drivers and installing new software), you'll be very happy with the end result. i also have tivo downstairs with a regular tv. mce 2005 is very slick, in some ways the menus and interface is slicker than tivo. however, tivo is still a bit more user friendly. for example, when fast forwarding past commercials, then hitting play, tivo will automatically start playing at a point several seconds before you stopped fast forward, knowing that people will overshoot the commercial. mce 2005 doesn't have this important feature.

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PROS:

Installed under Windows XP MCE in less than 10 minutes.

Picture quality is pretty good (using S-Video feed from my satellite set-top box).

Drivers installed with no problem at all and I was able to pause live tv as well as record TV programs.

CONS:

As an audio fanatic, I hold great value to good quality of sound and unfortunately, this is where this card failed my criteria.

As a satellite subscriber, all my audio is wired with optical cables and coax cables. This guarantee the delivery of digital audio accross the entire system as satellite is 100% digital.

for some reason this card (and actually all TV cards) offers 2 RCA inputs for audio. This means that whatever you record is converted to 2 analog channels NO DOLBY DIGITAL

I wonder why they are not using the audio card on the pc as a resource for the audio. most pc's today comes with digital audio input.

CONCLUSION:

While I would love to see TV cards with digital audio input I think for this price this card is an excellent value.

There's another detailed review by "Harvey Ramos" named: "Great Low Cost Option, November 1, 2005" that you may want to read as well.

P.S: This is the Windows XP Media Center Edition version of the card. You must have all your hardware (video card, CPU, Remote control etc..) supported by Windows XP MCE, otherwise this card will not work correctly.

Also this version comes with no remote control (the assumption is that you already have one) and a fairly simple installation guide.

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If you run linux and want to use this card... google for IVTV and enjoy. This card in addition to MediaMVP make for a media center of unparalled quality.

Have fun.

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I bought this card as the second card on my MythTV. This card works very well in Linux Fedora Core 5. It doesn't have a remote control. If you want a remote control with the card you will have to buy the full version of the card. This card is meant to be used for Windows MCE and for this reason doesn't have a remote included.

2.0 inch LTPS 720P HD Car DVR Black Box with Separate Rearview Camera/Sticker Mount/Night Vision/SO

• HD 720p high-definition video.
• Dual separate camera.
• SOS urgent file protection.
• Motion detection. Built-in G-Sensor (car accident case of emergency save, will not be deleted).
• Recorder will automatically start video when connect the power.

Dash DVR working good at day light,not so good at low-night-light,even when watch on pc,but have had use proved 2th when car accident happen in front of me witness,& when i*d been light hit in back!!!!!!rear camera!!!!

Creative ZEN Touch 2 8 GB Android Based MP3 and Video Player (Black)

• Wireless LAN (IEEE 802.11 b/g/n) enabled, which lets you connect to the Internet on-the-go within any Internet hotspot
• This means you can surf the net or log-on to your favorite webmail site and correspond via email.
• The intuitive 3.2" touch screen allows you to navigate with ease and responds to your every touch
• Android 2.1 web browser with auto rotate and double-tap zoom features.
• Built-in 2 MP camera lets you take photos and record videos.
• Bluetooth 2.1 Wireless Technology works with all compatible stereo Bluetooth speakers & headphones such as the ZiiSound D5 & Creative WP-300.
• * This means you can surf the net or log-on to your favorite webmail site and correspond via email.
• Wireless LAN (IEEE 802.11 b/g/n) enabled, which lets you connect to the Internet on-the-go within any Internet hotspot.

Addendum 1/29/13:

I've seen a lot of reviews for this MP3 player, where people are having trouble finding apps, since Google Play is not available with this product. Besides Amazon.com, I've discovered 1mobile.com. It's great and completely accessible with the Zen Touch 2 (as well as the ZiiO 7 & 10). The site offers free apps, many of which are on Google Play. They offer an app for the 1mobile Market, which gets you to the site quickly right from the Zen. I've found apps that I couldn't get anywhere else. And, they are the most updated versions (which is not always true with Amazon). Just remember, as pointed out in other reviews ... this is an MP3 player with internet access. It's not powerful enough to do what most tablets can do with the internet and various streaming sites. It will freeze and malfunction if pushed to those limits. However, if you enjoy it as an MP3 player with additional internet features, you should enjoy it a lot. The sound is fantastic, with wired headphones or with Bluetooth headphones/speakers. I also use it for reading ebooks (using the Bluefire Reader), recording conversations with ease and stealth (using Easy Voice recorder app), and checking out sites on the internet (as well as getting my email).

I have a lot of experience with MP3 players, having owned many Creative Zen players over the years. So, when it was time to upgrade and retire my older players, I wanted to find one with Bluetooth capability and the ability to play music saved on MicroSD cards. Using MicroSD cards allows me to carry all my music (hundreds of albums) with me while traveling, without having to put all the music directly into the MP3 player's internal memory. After checking the information available for Creative's Zen M300, I decided to give it a try. Although it had all the features that I wanted and more, it did something that was very annoying for me. Specifically, it played the tracks from my albums (each album in separate file folders) off the MicroSD card in alphabetical order. I experienced this problem once before (with the Creative Stone MP3 player) and have never understood it. Why would any player be programmed to play tracks alphabetically instead of by track number? I get the idea of playlists. But, sometimes, you just want to put an album in your player (so to speak) and listen in order (like a CD ... or even a record!). This is especially important if you listen to classical music and operas, in addition to all the other music that you like. So, I wrote to Creative tech support, and they quickly responded noting that this could not be changed with this player; they suggested looking into the Touch2 which uses the Android operating system. I liked this idea, owning 2 Creative ZiiO tablets (with Android 2.2) and enjoying them and their ability to play music in proper order right off the SD cards.

So, I sent back the Zen M300 and ordered the Creative Zen Touch2. Now, I'm very pleased. First, it was a breeze to set up. The Android 2.2 operating system is easy to navigate and works really well. Like I noted earlier, I have a lot of experience with this OS from the ZiiO tablets. There are a few differences, but nothing significant. The touch screen works very well, although it takes a little practice and time to get used to the feel and amount of pressure needed. It was very easy to set up the wireless connection and then to connect to the internet. I've worked around google play by using Amazon's App store in the past. It worked great with the Touch2 as well. Connecting the Bluetooth to my headphones and wireless speakers was simple and fast. And, as expected from Creative's MP3 players, the sound is fantastic. Oh, and I almost forgot to emphasize that it reads the tracks in order to track number, not alphabetically with the installed player. If I wanted something more elaborate, there are plenty of music players that I could download from Amazon or another site using the WiFi and browser. Battery life has been good so far; I own a Creative universal MP3 charger which allows me to use an electric outlet instead of my computer's USB. I read other reviews that spoke about the player freezing up a lot. My player initially was frozen after the first charge for some unknown reason; I used a pin to reset the player (next to the MicroSD card slot), and it started with no problem. There've been no other freezing up problems since. I think the updated firmware (which was already installed on my player) should help the earlier versions to fix this problem. Overall, I'm very pleased with this new Creative MP3 player, which now uses Android and allows internet access, in addition to playing my music properly.

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Mostly use it for gym, morning jogs, bicycling, etc. I've dropped it so many times and it has never stopped working. Had an ipod, dropped it once, died. If you are looking for a player that keeps playing, this is it. Plus, it's super easy to use and stores videos. So I can put my workout videos on here too.

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I bought this because it has Bluetooth, so I was willing to put up with just about anything so I could use wireless headphones excercising. The Firmware is really buggy so maybe there will be a fix later. The issue I would not expect is that it freezes up ALL the time. Powering down, at the end of an album, using the explorer etc. So much you need a permanent paper clip handy so you can reset the device every time you use it. When it freezes it will drain the battery so watch out.

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Our daughter wanted a "Touch" mp3 player, but Apple is outlawed in our house. (My husband is an IT mangager and will not allow iTunes on our personal computers.) We both own Android phones and love them, but don't want our 12-year-old to have a phone yet. So...this was the next best deal. This Android based mp3 player works great. There is some work-arounds we've had to do to get important components on it for her, but with our familiarity with Android we're able to do it easy enough. I found her a sleep timer app so it would turn off in the night. I also found her an app especially for listening to audio books. She loves being able to get to her email on the wifi. She can also read books via a Kindle app attached to my account. The cost was also much better than an ipod with the same attributes. The only trouble we have that we can't figure out right now is that once we upgraded the device using the file on the Creative website, her wmv files don't seem to work anymore. They play only the audio and not the video. They worked before the upgrade. However, I have contacted Creative and they helping us out. We are still in the process of finding a solution.

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I've had this item for about 2 months now. It's an adequate MP3 player, but don't expect too much. If you're expecting it to behave like an iPod touch or a higher end Android based device, then you'll be disappointed. Like other reviews have mentioned, the software is buggy and you'll have limited access to Android apps. I loaded the Android Market App from the web, which the device doesn't recommend, but it does give you more access. You don't have full access to the Google Play Store and some apps won't function correctly or at all.

WiFi capabilities is handy because a file manager app allow you access to local network storage. Mobile versions of the web is also available, but at times sluggish and the screen is not very big. Touchscreen response is also sometimes delayed or not very responsive.

The camera is not too spectacular, but it does have that capability of taking pictures and video (make sure you have plenty of lighting because it doesn't have a flash). The Micro SD expansion slot is a plus for storage.

Battery life is not like other MP3 players I've tried that only last for a couple hours, but it doesn't last for 24 hours if you use it continuously for any function whether for music or surfing the web. It does last about 8 hours continuously (more or less) as an MP3 player from my experience. Having Bluetooth and/or WiFi on will drain battery so it will shorten how long you can use it before charging again.

For my purpose as mainly an MP3 player with Internet and Bluetooth capability, it is adequate although some of the interface is at times cumbersome. Again, don't expect an iPod Touch replacement because you will be disappointed.

BestDealUSA Telephone Recording Adapter for Digital Voice Recorder Black

i bought this and i hooked it all up but when i picked up the phone it was shorting my line and holding the line open!

Worth every penny if recording c;;s is what you want to do. The quality of the recording was worse than I anticipated, but you get what you pay for

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Panasonic X900MK 3MOS 3D Full HD SD Camcorder with 32GB Internal Memory (Black) HC-X900M

This camera is a member of the 1080p/60fps club. I expect that in a few years, that spec will be pretty standard as the high end moves to 4K video. Until then, the X900M provides the most detailed and smooth recording available in amateur camcorders. If you plan to shoot it in a lesser video mode, it's advantages over other models diminishes. I plan to do all of my shooting at 60p. It has 32GB on board memory plus a 64GB SD card I have installed. It is sized nicely for my large hands. If you plan on recording mostly in 2D with the occasional fun 3D shoot, this camera is a good choice as it shoots superior 2D and decent 3D. Where the Sony and JVC 3D models have 2 dedicated lenses and sensors (one for each "eye"), this model uses an optional ($269) add-on splitter lens which feeds left and right info onto a single sensor array where it is either recorded as split screen 3D or recombined for AVCHD 3D (better). But is is NOT 2 full HD frames like a true dedicated 3D model (i.e. HDR-TD10 or GS-TD1). The effect is still quite good -just not class-leading. The problem with the dedicated 3D models is the typically poor 2D performance. So your purchase should depend on how much 3D you intend to take. I'll probably be 80% 2D and 20% 3D, so this was the right camera.

This little jewel should be called the "uber-light, do-everything-camera for the frequent traveler". Panasonic replaced all the chrome and high-impact shiny plastic housing found on the glamorous TM-900K with thinner and lighter plastic and reduced the weight by almost 2/3's to bring the 900X in at a tad under a pound. Amazing. The various control switches are a little funky but the end results are the same.... superb 60p video. After five years of lugging around my old Sony HDV (a brick) my shoulder starting aching from the get-go, but now I barely notice this camera is in the bag. THE CONS: As with every other camera on the market today the LCD is unreadable in bright light. In my opinion the image-stabilization doesn't quite live up to it's hype .... but I'll let Vegas 11 handle that. If you're just shooting scenery with added background music the built-in mic doesn't play a big role.... BUT, if you're videoing people talking to the camera farther than 10' away the built-in mic sounds tinny and almost worthless. Bite the bullet and plan on a wireless mic ..... no question. When shooting in 1080/60p (that's all I use) this sucker gets VERY warm and draws down the battery at a mighty clip. Get some bigger batteries and a couple extra SD cards. And finally, the author and editor of the user manual need to take a crash course in "Technical Writing for the Masses 101".... the manual is very poorly written. With all the nits I've just picked you might think there's something better out there for the same money. Could be, but I'm loving this little feather-weight.

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Bought this camera a few months ago. It shoots amazing video quality and decent stills (while rolling video). Very pleased with overall quality. Easily transferred to Mac and FCP. You can easily transfer via camera or via SDHC card. It has an external mic and earphone jacks which are nice features. You can add a light with the adapter provided. (I purchased a $35 LED light) Price has increased since I bought mine or I would have purchased another one!

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It is somewhat difficult to write a review on a camcorder with so many possibilities and so many functions which you have to learn to handle, when you received the camera only 20 days ago.

This is not my first camcorder and perhaps from this point of view the learning was faster then I thought, but I am still finding new functions after reading more carefully the instructions.

I like very much the LEICA Dicomar lens and enjoy the Superb Quality. On the other hand using the camera as a still camera with 16.0 Mega Pixels and flash included makes me think twice whether I should take my still camera along or not. With this camcorder you have All in One. The 32GB built in memory I am using for filming and bought another 32GB for still pictures.

I find it handy to use an external mic, cutting off the internal mic, for commentaries you may wish to make to your filming, because of the wind noise, although the camera has a "wind noise canceler".

It is wonderful to be able to choose between the LCD touch screen monitor, which in bright light is completely useless and the viewfinder. All in all, I am very happy with my purchase and as I go along, will learn a lot more about this camcorder, such as the manual use of shutter and speeds etc..

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I have to say that this is one of the best camcorders I have ever used in my life. The video quality is stunning and the low-light performance is extraordinary. I have to say that the three sensors this camera comes equipped with give it a huge advantage over other camcorders in the market right now. I don't know why so many people gave low ratings for this product .. to me it is excellent. I'd highly recommend buying this product if you're looking for an affordable camcorders with some great features and video quality. The only problem is that to manually control the setting you have to use the touch screen which I don't find very touch responsive.

DIGIMERGE DH204501 4 Ch H.264 DVR with USB, IR remote, 120 FPS 500GB HDD, CMS s

I have used a few different DVRs. The others have said that they you can access them on smart phones, but it has always been just a live feed and through a web browser. This one offers an app for every platform. I have only used the iphone/ipad app. The app is DYNAMITE! It works fast with playback and no glitches even over the Internet. It was so well put together.

Regarding the purchaser, you need to be careful where you buy them from. I called for tech support and they said that since I did not buy it from an authorized dealer, they will not support me. It does not state on their website that you must buy from an authorized dealer to be eligible for support, but the website does promise technical support. Setup was easy and I only called for help with an advanced function anyway. I have not fought the company over this and I am just using the DVR without any advanced functions because of this.

Even without the tech support and advanced functions, it is the best DVR that I have used and I have used a few DVRs both hardware and software based in the past.

Philips USA LFH0642/27 2 GB Digital Voice Tracer with Clear Voice

I haven't had this long, but so-far, I like it... The recording/playback quality is Very Good... There is a "learning curve" when it comes to control buttons; A "quick start" brochure is included, but it makes use of vague symbols in an attempt to convey info...This wasn't helpful to me. I Strongly advise going to the Philips.com site and downloading the 20-page Owner's Manual which is more helpful. (I think this would be true for any of the Philips LFH digital recorder series.)

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Sony Ericsson Satio (Idou) Quad-band Cell Phone - Unlocked

Excellent product, I'm glad to have acquired this cell phone, even though it was the first time I bought something through Amazon it was a good experience

Pinnacle PCTV USB2 ( 210100387 ) TV Tuner and Video Capture Device

i purchased this product, it worked great for 2 days and now suddenly no longer responds (reinstalled, rebooted etc no help). i looked for help by posting problem on pinnacle support forums and have received no answer for 2 days and counting... i have now been on hold with the non toll-free tech support for 55 minutes and still no answer... avoid my mistakes and look elsewhere...

I own a top of the line PC: Athlon 64 3500+, Nvidia 6800, WinXP Pro card, etc. etc.

Pinnacle PCTV crashed the WinXP Pro during the install phase and freezes the Windows XP ever since. Both Pinnacle Tech Support and Forums Suport do not read the questions and send irrelevant answers. They also suggested replacing my PC What a joke! Don't buy it unless you are SURE that you can get reimbursed in full if it does not work for you! Don't even dream on counting on Pinnacle's support.

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After reading a couple of negative reviews, I tempered my enthusiasm for buying one of these but did so anyway since the price was right (I received a $20 rebate). In short, the device has far exceeded my expectations. My intended use for it is on the road with my Dell 700m laptop (with XP SP2), which has a 1280x800 display resolution. Given some of the reported driver problems, I was a bit concerned that the laptop's rather unique screen size might pose a problem with the PCTV, but was wrong. Install was trivial. On system reboot after the install, the software runs a comprehensive diagnostic to make sure everything is in order. For me, everything worked as advertised. I also installed the software on my desktop just to see the comparison, especially since my desktop is a two monitor system. If anything, it works even better there, although I can't drag the TV window over to the 2nd monitor.

The image is far superior to the 7" LCD TV I have for use during power outages we may get in Florida courtesy of hurricanes, and at about 1/3rd the cost, not to mention at a tiny fraction of both the weight and the size. In fact, at full screen it is at least as good as any TV set at a comparable distance. This was a pleasant surprise, although I personally would consider it a waste to use my desktop as a full size TV. The fact that you can record using it is gravy. The (measured) power draw on my laptop's battery is nominal, almost no worse than running without it.

I would have rated this product a 5, except for the following annoyances, none of which is fatal:

a) as I'm sure Pinnacle is aware, the driver needs more work. In messing with the "fine tuning" controls, I blue-screened my laptop's system. While I have not experienced any spontaneous failures of this sort from the software (unlike my experience with products from larger companies ... hear that Sony?), it is something that shouldn't happen and indicates some elements of the driver are not quite right. I have now run the product for a number of hours with no other failures, and that includes bringing it up and down, plus competing with other processes for system resources.

b) you can manually set most channels, but the interface does not show Channels 2,5, and 7, one of which is used by one of our local stations (however, it does pick it up under auto-scan). It's a mystery as to why these channels are not present for manual setting. Perhaps more annoying, there does not seem to be any way to retain two sets of channel settings, say one for cable and another for antenna.

c) the system comes with a remote control, which I won't use, but does not come with an antenna. I would suggest to Pinnacle that it makes more sense to provide an appropriate travel antenna and skip the remote. I now have to locate a suitable antenna to replace the length of coax I've been using for tests (the coax actually provides a startingly clear picture on some channels).

Since my install was problem free, I can't say anything pro or con regarding Pinnacle's support for the product as I have no pressing reason to contact them.

All in all, I think this is a superior device, so long as you plan to use it with an appropriate machine (USB2 is a must, and your hardware probably should be of relatively recent vintage, for example). The device is very light and compact and so makes a nice addition to my travel machine, not to mention provide me with an exceptional emergency TV.

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If I could give it NO stars I would. IT'S A RIP-OFF!!

Those reviewers who found this product OK are only using it as a TV device, not for external video capture. Sure, it works adequately as a TV device (so the one star is probably justified after all) but it is emphatically NOT a video capture port as supplied. Pinnacle's own bundled software does NOT support video input (neither for live display nor for capture) via the temptingly-annotated Composite or S-Video ports. It only 'sees' inputs on the UHF (TV) antenna input. Pinnacle have been promising to include this functionality for over 6 months but, so far, NADA!! Of course, the only way you can get to see the deluge of negative feedback this generates is to purchase the product to gain access to the support forums. The public aren't allowed in...

Here's kicker #1 if you're prepared to spend the same money again Pinnacle will sell you their Studio 9 application which (I THINK) supports these external (non-TV) video inputs.

Now for kicker #2 alternatively you can buy (again for a comparable ADDITIONAL cost) a third-party app called ShowShifter which has absolutely no problem seeing, displaying and capturing the extra inputs in this Pinnacle-branded product but somehow Pinnacle don't know how to do it (or maybe they do but they prefer to force you to pay twice for the same horse).

If you're looking for video capture as opposed to just watching or recording off-air TV then DON'T BUY THIS DEVICE.

One final point (Amazon, are YOU listening?!) Pinnacle manages to get around potential accusations of criminal deception by cleverly avoiding any claimed Composite or S-Video functionality on the packaging IT'S STILL A RIP-OFF, the inputs are clearly shown on the box . What's worse Amazon are close to being duplicitous in this rip-off by clearly labelling the two offending non-functional inputs thus implying that they actually DO something. They don't, not out of the box, but they will if you're prepared to purchase additional software (if you must buy this product I'd recommend ShowShifter I know it works and besdies, I'd resent playing into deceitful Pinnacle's hands by paying them twice).

BUYER BEWARE !!

David Harte

United Kingdom

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It didn't work! The support people at Pinnacle is useless. My question number is 041007-000056 and since 10 days ago I am still waiting for some help from Paul (the guy at the support line).

Avoid this product, it has serious engineering problems.

Battery-Operated Analog Alarm Clock with Smartlite Technology

I purchased this clock about a year ago and was very surprised at how well it keeps time. It has never lost a minute until the batteries started going down. The one drawback is if you are looking to accurately set this for a specific time to wake up too, then this may not be for you. Since it is analog and not digital it is difficult to get it set to an exact time. I got it within two minutes of my wake up time at my best try by playing with it a few times. Over all this was a good buy and very happy with it.

Elgato EyeTV HD DVR for HD Cable and Satellite TV for Macintosh (10021040)

This review taken verbatim from my tech column... Overall, great product but requires some computing horsepower to really shine.

Last week, Elgato announced a new TV tuner/DVR solution for the Mac. It is called the EyeTV HD and pulls 720p HD cable content right from your cable box. The device was born out of the need to get television shows and movies out of the living room and on to the multitude of devices people are using to get their daily fix.

After one week of using the EyeTV HD, I have come to the conclusion that for Mac users, there is no better way to move content from cable box to computer. Initial setup time is less than 15 minutes and is very straightforward. As soon as the cables are connected and software installed, the little guy can be put to work recording content to your computer's hard drive. By using an IR blaster to control the cable box, cannels can be switched by the EyeTV software, thus enabling scheduled recordingjust like a standard DVR. The programming guide is powered by TVGuide and matched up accurately with my FiOS on-screen listings. This service is subscription based ($19.99/year) but Elgato includes one free year with hardware purchases.

Programs can be recorded manually, or by adding them to the record schedule. The EyeTV HD works just like a stand-alone DVR, but only one program can be recorded at a time. Content is stored in a proprietary EyeTV format that weighs in at about 5GB per hoursmall hard drives need not apply. To set up a recording, all it takes is a click on the record icon located beneath the show listing, the EyeTV software does the rest.

Once recorded, content is converted for playback on the iPhone, iPad, or both. In addition, recordings can be exported to all the popular formats, including DivX, Windows Media, and native H.264. The converted content is also automatically added into iTunes, complete with title, description, cast, rating, and more. This makes searching for specific shows or moves extremely easy and I found it to be a nice touch. Want to edit the recordings before sending them to you mobile device? That can be done within the EyeTV app as well. Users can trim out commercials and split up long recordings with a few clicks of the mouse. The process is very intuitive and also nondestructive, as original recordings are kept alongside the edited copies.

In addition to functioning as a DVR, the device can also stream both live and recorded programs to an iPhone using the optional EyeTV app ($4.99). My experience streaming over WiFi was flawless. Content streamed from a 2.66GHz MacBook Pro to an iPhone 3GS looked as if it were being played locally. Viewing over 3G also worked well, though video would frequently re-buffer, especially in congested areas. Current 3G speeds are not really designed to stream high quality video, but as the faster networks come into use, apps like this will really begin to shine.

Overall, the EyeTV HD works as advertised. The video quality is high, the conversion process works without a hitch, and the video editing is simple. One thing to keep in mind is the reality that you will need to have the HD set-top box near your computer for this all to work. Component video cables can easily be found in 10-foot lengths, but beyond that, the risk for signal quality loss comes into play. Bottom line, Mac users serious about their television will not be disappointed with Elgato's latest offering.

The good:

TV lovers' dream come true, only limited by the size of your hard drive

Setup instructions are clear, takes less than 15 minutes

Captures high quality 720p HD

Quickly converts video to iPhone and iPad friendly formats, about 5 minutes per half-hour of video

Editing is very easy

Can also record from S-video and composite video with included adapter

Ability to stream to iPhone over Wi-Fi and 3G (see below video for demo)

The bad:

Core 2 Duo Mac required, very processor intensive to run

Cable/Satellite box needs to be located near the EyeTV HD and computer

Annual subscription to TVGuide required after first year, $19.99

Decreased productivity levels resulting from 500 channels of television on computer and in pocket

Have this hooked up to an intel Mac Mini that meets the minumum cpu speed specification. I'm learning more about this product and have updated this review three times. Overall very happy with the product, this should not be considered a negative review, although I talk about the areas I am having problems.

The product provides an excellent picture up to 1080i and de-interlaces the output realtime. I used a higher quality component cable than the one that came with the unit, and was able to improve the DVR picture slightly but perceptibly. Could not find my cable box (Mediacom in California, Pace DC700X HD) listed, but was able to snoop around and found settings designed for another set top that worked without too much effort. TVGuide had a couple of the HD channels mis-scheduled or mislabeled for my cable provider. El Gato contacted TVGuide for me and had the schedule repaired. TVGuide was slow (took over a month) but El Gato was very responsive with keeping me updated and letting me know when the guide was fixed. Meanwhile the EyeTV software had the scheduling flexibility to work around the inconvenient annoying problems with the schedule guide once I understood them.

The remote that comes with the unit initially had a serious problem but el gato fixed it with a SW update. The supplied remote still seems to be a bit weak and highly directionally sensitive at about 18 ft. I prefer my apple remotes that came with my computers as they work better and control the EyeTV software adequately. These are $20 from Apple. Some important common functions however on Apple's remote require you to hold down a button, and if you forget you will get sent into FrontRow, Apple's bundled multimedia player software.

Overall the product is not idiot-proof, as other family members might get lost at times using the product. I found the pause, rewind and FF in live HD TV to be very smooth and useable. Programming the software to record favorite shows or movies is very easy. Watching Live streaming TV on the IPad in the house over WiFi worked well as long as the software was not trying to perform other tasks at the same time. I found the streaming HD video to the ipad a bit soft and not completely up the the capabilities of the ipad display. I actually transcode all my video to H264 and then stream it the the "Air Video" app on my ipad ($2.99 from inMethod avail on iTunes). Also found that the EyeTV software is multitasking, but does not use good judgement when scheduling tasks. The software would start tasks in the background (like exporting video for iTunes/iPod) when I was watching or streaming Live/Recorded TV, and the live/recorded video would become too jerky to watch (remember I have the slowest computer supported). One time when away for a week the system recorded a string of movies. At a specific point something went wrong and the video/audio began skipping and the sound was not synchronized don't know what caused it. This would have gotten fixed if I had been home checking on things, but once it occurred it did not self correct and destroyed about 10 scheduled recordings. So the system needs to be monitored a bit. Some families use DVRs exclusively when watching live TV. I will do that comfortably with this product, but other family members will prefer direct interaction with my cable box, foregoing the benefits of DVR. This is a bit of a problem, because they will end up changing the channel in the middle of a recording. Ideally if I were really serious, I would get another cable box exclusively for DVR.

Been eyeing a mac DVR purchase for years, and El Gato has now produced a product that I will buy. I have the ability to record all 200 channels coming out of my cable box including premium HD content. I am using the product to record 1080i video, then edit the endpoints of the recording, and export to 720p for TV and iPad. It produces a 5Mbps 720p that works on both the iPad and the TV. I move these recordings to iTunes. This process requires quite a bit of interaction with the software and I wish it was a bit more automated. Tried a FW800 drive and EyeTV Turbo H264 to offload some I/O / Processing related to exports. Transcodes video faster but does not release CPU for streaming video. Still exploring the capabilities, querks and limitations of the product, but overall very happy.

Wish List: EyeTV software should provide option to manually pause exports as well as automatically pause all exports / edits while recording / watching / or streaming video. Exports should also pause when the EyeTV software is quit, and resume then the software is restarted. This will add the fifth star.

Buy Elgato EyeTV HD DVR for HD Cable and Satellite TV for Macintosh (10021040) Now

The EyeTV HD is an outstanding little product.

I purchased the EyeTV HD after waiting patiently for several years for DirecTV to offer their DirecTV2PC service to Mac users. After using EyeTV, I realized that I wouldn't want DirecTV2PC even if it were available. EyeTV's DVR software is far better than TiVo or DirecTV DVR, granted that's mainly because it can be controlled with a keyboard and mouse, but also because of additional features like custom channel lists and advanced searching.

I originally thought I wouldn't be able to use the EyeTV HD as my computer was slightly slower than the product's minimum system requirements (2.26GHz Intel Core 2 Duo, I have a 2.16GHz). I contacted Elgato asking if it would still work, and received a prompt response explaining that I may not be able to use progressive deinterlacing, which is indeed the case (unless I have absolutely nothing else running). The motion-adaptive deinterlacing works just fine, though.

My only complaint is that the only audio in is stereo RCA, and does not support digital audio. I'd also like to see a dual tuner model, although I'd need a new competur before then.

I was skeptical of using component video (HDMI is not possible because of copy protection). I use a Samsung P2770HD display, so I can switch between EyeTV and my DirecTV reciever (HDMI direct to display), and EyeTV actually looks better.

This product does everything I need it to and more. Bottom line: EyeTV HD is a great product and value.

Read Best Reviews of Elgato EyeTV HD DVR for HD Cable and Satellite TV for Macintosh (10021040) Here

I've wanted to buy a TV tuner for my Mac for a long time, but because I subscribe to a bunch of extra HD channels from Comcast, I have to use their stupid cable box if I want to see them in HD. This means I couldn't use one of the older EyeTV tuner sticks that works with unscrambled cable. I thought I was stuck, until I read about the HD.

It hooks right up to the cable box and lets me record all my channels, in high definition. It comes with a little gizmo that you stick on the front of the cable box so it can change the channels too. I had no trouble setting it up (it includes all the right cables), and watching TV on my 27-inch iMac is amazing. I made schedules that find movies with actors I like and it records them automatically.

But the best part for me is the way it can put the stuff I record right into iTunes so I can take them with me on my iPad.

I finally feel like I'll be able to get my money's worth from my cable subscription.

Want Elgato EyeTV HD DVR for HD Cable and Satellite TV for Macintosh (10021040) Discount?

I've read reviews on how amazing eyetv is. I've read reviews on how it's the biggest rip off and to avoid it at all costs. So what's the truth?

The truth is eyetv hd is an AMAZING product for the "price." I use it with my i7 macbook air on 10.7. The eyetv application does quit randomly, but it's once in awhile.

Sometimes it display live shows at an increased speed. If I just unplug and plug it goes away.

Sometimes the screen will freeze while recording. Again, just stop, unplug and plug fixes it. But this is uncommon, it only happens maybe once every 3 hours.

Bottom line? IF this was 700 dollars i would give it one star. But the elgato eyetv is under 200 and for that price I am very impressed by it. If you can live with 1 glitch every two hours, buy it. If a glitch every two hours is going to be a problem, then pass. Hope this helps.

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