Yamaha DV-C6660 5-Disc Progressive Scan DVD Changer

• 5-disc changer plays DVD-Video, CD, VCD, CD-R/RW, DVD+R/RW, and MP3 formats
• Independent heads to improve VCD, SCD, and DVD performance
• Antivibration system stabilizes unit from skips due to jarring
• Intelligent Progressive video output; component video, S-Video, and composite video outputs; and optical and coaxial digital audio outputs
• Mixed 2-channel audio output with 3-D surround sound

OVERALL: I purchased this for $70, which is probably what it is worth. It will get the job done, but not gracefully. I would not purchase another Yamaha DVD player, but I'm not rushing to get rid of this one either.

Video : good quality output, no problems here. Lots of output types supported.

Audio : Again, good quality, digital outputs are great.

Mechanical : This is where I have trouble. CD Switching is VERY SLOW. which makes shuffling (primary purpose of multi-disc player, in my opinion) painful. The Open-Close is equal slow. Poor mechanics. Only nice feature is "play-exchange" which means that you can switch discs without stopping the current DVD / CD.

Remote : ugly, poor button configuration, difficult to use, and the player responds to the remote variably (slow, or sometimes not at all)

User Interface: On screen is a nice feature, but ugly. Not very user friendly.

NAXA Electronics Portable MP3/CD Player, AM/FM Stereo Radio and USB Input (Black/Blue)

• Top loading MP3/CD player
• AM/FM stereo radio cassette player/recorder
• Built-in USB input
• Bass boost control
• CD & MP3 programmable memory

I ordered this to replace an older boombox that I kept in the workshop.

Noticed that it kept saying there was "NoUSB". even though there was a thumbdrive plugged in. The problem was that it takes about 5 to 10 seconds to read the drive and then the menu appears.

My old boombox had a remote, which was handy when placed on an upper shelf. This unit does not have remote capability so you will have to keep it nearby if you fiddle with the knobs often or want to skip to the next song.

For the price, it is a good quality boombox with a fairly good bass sound.

I also like the aux plug in to plug in my mp3 player through the earphone jack.

It does not come with the aux cable so you need to purchase that seperately. A cable with male earphone jacks on both ends.

My shop is dusty, so I don't use the CD player. The USB MP3 playback capability is really a very handy upgrade compared to my old boombox. Find yourself a low profile thumbdrive that doesn't stick up so much if you are going to use the carry handle often.

Since it is portable, the antenna should be a rubber type instead of the metal telescoping. Just my opinion.

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Decent sound. Bought it mostly for the ability to play from a USB drive and auxiliary input which it does fine

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I'm so mad that I bought this thing. The speakers are horrible and drowned out, it sounds like you are in a cave listening to them. I got it specifically for the USB input and mp3 compatibility but I would warn people to look at other systems. This is definitely not worth $40.00. Piece of junk...

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no complaints, so far. Easy to use, compact, and sound is good for what you pay. Much more attrative than last cd player. Most are pretty ugly to have around.

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100hz~13kHz is what the manual says for its frequency response. It only puts out 1.8 watts, but it can get loud. The volume dial is extremely sensitive, and the buttons on the front of the stereo make pretty loud clacking sounds when pushed. I wish I could say it was a click sound, but its a clack. Pretty annoying if you're trying to skip over a song at night, you will wake up others that are in the room. I got this for merely a night radio sort of thing, due to it having a usb port on it. Works very nicely for this use, not so much if you want any bass or treble. Mid-range is its primary ability. Had I known about the buttons clacking as they do, often louder then the music that's playing, I might've skipped this and opt'd for one with a remote, but, it works, its useful, and I no longer have to burn cd's; so that's pretty good, not above average.

Panasonic Pro AG-HMC150 3CCD AVCHD 24fps Camcorder

I received my 150 a little over a week ago. Bought it because I wanted to move up to HD and get out of the tape business. It did not come with an SDHC card. Bought an 8 GB to carry me over until my 16 GB cards arrive via Amazon. I am still on the learning curve on it. Especially liked the large comfortable color view eye piece. I was also amazed by the clarity of the video play back on my 48" LCD screen. Used the three cable output first, that came with the camera( Video, Lt. Rt. Audio )

Very clear video, much clearer than my trusty old Canon GL-2 It does not come with an HDMI cable. Bought one locally and tried it. Plugged one end into the HDMI out port on the camera and the other end into the HDMI port of my TV. I was blown away by how clear it was !! The video was clearer than some of the stations I view in HD.

On playback, you are given a thumbnail of the first frame of each scene you shot when you turned the camera on. On playback, you can skip around the scenes you want to view , or delete if needed. The focus assist is another nice feature. When you use it, it momentarily zooms in on the middle of your next shot so that you can fine focus if needed.

It has many other features that I have not tried yet. On editing, bought the Pinnacle 12 Ultimate because it is set up to handle the AVHCD format and a PC with the AMD quad Phenom processor with 3 GB of RAM. Waiting for a more powerful graphics card to arrive before trying to edit in this new format. The battery that came with it is small. Would recommend buying the larger battery as soon as you can to balance it out. Right now, it feels a little out of balance because of the smaller battery. Also liked the solid magnesium body. No plastic anywhere ! Overall, I am impressed with this camera.

Panasonic AG-HMC150

I shoot weddings and I have used The HMC150, the Canon AH1.

From the beginning let me first tell you where my opinion is coming from price tag: $3500

First off, neither of these cameras are brilliant in low light. They have 1/3 imagers. I don't care if they are made of gold and there are ten of them.

1/3 imagers are too small to gather enough light, even if you attached the Hubbell telescope to them.

To put such tiny sensors in a $3500 is poor, cheap engineering especially when SLR have larger sensors, shoot HD and don't cost this much.

Who are these camera angled at?

Videographers and indie filmmakers.

As a videographer what are you most concerned with Low light.

Why? Because you cannot control lights at weddings at parties, etc. So your camera has to be able to handle it.

As an Indie filmmaker what are you most concerned with The ability to look like film. It does, with 24p and film gamma, it's about all you need. But you are paying a premium. But for me, equally important to film look as 24fps is lens choice. Here you get none. While 24fps is what is ingrained in the everyone's consciousness as what film should look like, they also don't realize that shallow depth of field and variety of lenses is too. With these camcorders you get no choice, a 13x zoom with extremely wide depth of field at most every focal distance, because it's a zoom and because the imagers are tiny.

Good news The AG-HMC150 can handle most lighting situations.

Bad news AVCHD codec, is noisy in even bright sunlight afternoons. The image is made of blotch.

Measuring image integrity by zoom factor at 100% AVCHD compression is clearly visible. 200% the image is a swarming, infected mess.

Although the Panny can holdup in low light. I shot in a dark club and there was still something to see.

It has a very weird auto iris mode, that brings in more light, even when you do exact settings in manual.

Don't know if there is a magic switch, didn't have it long enough to work everything out.

The Canon uses HDV and instead of compression codec noise, you get digital noise; unpleasant grain (not like film), and washed out video at 100%. At 200% it's like looking at a digital still from a 10 year old point and shoot. And trust me, once an image is washed out and grainy, there is very little you can do (Some gamma correction will bring the shadows back to life, but that noise is there to stay. And the drop down to SD doesn't do it any favors.

Bottom line the Canon sucks in low light, especially in anything other than auto mode. I shot in a low light room and the image was garbage. Despite some settings tweaking, which leads me to Canon's second biggest problem and a problem with these camcorders in general.

The LCD and the Viewfinder are too small to see how your image is holding up. Everything looked fabulous on the Canon's 2.7 LCD...and then when you get it back to edit. Noise city. So you can only use the LCD for just basic image checking.

The HMC150 has a 3.5 LCD, but the brilliant engineers made it a 4:3 ratio! You have black matting in the image! The camera can only shoot 16x9 and they put a 4x3 LCD on it...so in the end you only get about 2.7" of real estate and you see as much as on the Canon, unless you are in focus assist mode which zooms in and uses the whole LCD.

So you have to know your settings and be shutter/iris paranoid, hoping for the best image. What you see is not what you get, you have to know what you want, like with film and set the camera accordingly, knowing which settings will get you want in the END, not what you are looking at through the camera.

The HMC150 definitely benefits from the higher rez. The Canon is 1440x1080. You can see the difference.

The Canon is more professionally built. Both plastic, but the canon feels more professional, and weirdly the HMC feels like a Tonka Toy, hard textured plastic, but like a light and chunky toy. I can hear the optical stabilizer clunking around in it. The Canon aesthetically looks more professional.

Audio on the Canon is better, it has much better limiter, I don't even think the HMC's is useful, but if you plug one xlr mic into the Canon...the onboard becomes unusable. HMC lets you assign channels for the onboard. Bad news is the onboard mic on both sucks, the Canon sounds better because the HDV format has higher rez than the compressed AVCHD codec.

The HMC and it's tapeless/AVCHD codec does not save much time, the transcoding takes almost as long if not longer than real time (HDV tape) and sometimes there are errors, especially transferring from camera, the footage speeds up, the audio remains constant and you have shorter clips. Happened constantly. My guess, USB and it's non constant data rate. Another cheap short cut by Panasonic. The Canon has a firewire, which speed is constant, and they need it for the HDV tapes.

The HMC wins out with higher rez, native progressive imagers, resulting in two true progressive modes, 24fps, the other mode/rez are wrapped in pulldowns. The Canon's 24f, etc modes are fake and you can tell. Everything is interlaced on the Canon. I hate interlaced.

This review isn't structured very well, but I don't have the energy, since I'm so unenthusiastic about both, so they're not worth more time. But I thought I would let potential buyers know, the ones who think these two cameras are the Holy Grail. They aren't, and they aren't worth the high price tag, they are worth $2000 not a penny more. But the problem is, what else is there?

I returned the HMC, and I didn't the Canon wasn't mine, but would have returned it too.

I'm going to try the Canon SLR route. The closest thing you can get to film without shooting it.

Annoyingly these two manufacturers and Sony...are all sticking it to us. Instead of advancing things, they are taking baby steps, giving us one desired function at a time for a price.

If Canon can put a full frame sensor in their 5d II and can give it 1920x1080 30fps shooting, why can't they put that sensor in a camcorder, with a SLR interchangeable lens mount, with XLR inputs?

Because they want to sell camcorders AND slr cameras.

These camcorders are just big consumer cams. They don't have enough image improvement to warrant $2500+ more in cost. You are paying for features, limited manual adjustments, not image upgrade.

But of course I didn't have it for very long, two weeks.

I just couldn't get over the price versus video quality, and workflow.

They don't justify the price, especially when I think we are very close to getting some real breakthroughs in HD imaging.

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One thing you need to keep in mind is that editing AVCCam/AVCHD is a P.I.T.A. I'm using CS4 on a 2.4 quadcore with 8gig of RAM and Vista64 and it's sluggish with frequent lockups. I'm getting Cineform ProspectHD v4 when it comes out to compensate. Vegas 8.0c and Edius works well I'm told, and FCP need to convert it to ProRes (or whatever it's called). I think Avid needs to convert it to a native codec as well. Panasonic does offer a free converter to DVCProHD on there website

[Update 6/5/09... Premiere CS4 4.1 update is out, and editing is much easier. Also, Prospect v4 is out, and editing with the demo I've been trying has been a joy]

That said... the camera itself is awesome. Really. I'm coming from the DVX, and this is leaps and bounds above that (which is saying something). The images I'm getting are beautiful. I'm planning on going out now on my days off to shoot just for the fun of it.

I really can't add anything that hasn't been said already by others. But if you're looking at the HVX200a or HPX170 (they all share the same chips, and the HMC shares the same glass as the HPX), but don't want to deal with the costs of P2 or need all of the features of the HPX or HVX, I would HIGHLY recommend buying this instead.

Just be prepared for some editing headaches at first (the problem with bleeding edge technology is sometimes you need to get stitches).

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I knew I would have to do it sooner or later. Even shooting Super 16mm is (a) too expensive and (b) too heavy. I have seen so many good documentary films that originated on HDV or AVCHD based camcorders that I thought I should really make an effort to go digital.

As it happened, I attended a Panasonic seminar that convincingly touted the value of a modern H.264 type codec for the "filmakers" vision. So the Sony and Canon alternatives were effectively eliminated as options by the smooth presentations given by Panasonic. This left the choice of cameras down to the HMC40 (cheaper and lighter) or the HMC150. Both can do the things I need to do (24P being a requirement)and both are designed to create a "film-like" look to the image.

My choice of the HMC150 was based on the feeling that 3 1/3" imagers are going to be less noisy than the 3 1/4" imagers installed in the newer HMC40 camera. I did not do any side-by-side comparison testing but I am guessing that I am correct in this assumption although the degree of difference may not be noticeable in the final image.

It has been about two months that I have been using this camera. What it can stuff into a tiny SD memory card is amazing to me. The images have been outstanding for a television camera and really not too bad for a cinema camera. I miss interchangeable lenses and controllable depth of field but I don't miss changing the magazine after a few takes and I dont miss heavy battery packs and Nagra sound recorders.

I did find that the manual iris control on the camera is impossible to use while shooting and that manual focus is also clumsly and can create sound noise while filming if you are using the on-board mic or even the mounted shotgun. The simple solution was a Vari-zoom remote and that fixed the two biggest operational problems I had.

The camera was packed with GVG's Edius Neo. That works a treat with AVCHD and as long as you have a decent modern laptop with sufficent speed and memory, it is fast enough to operate and to render out edit files to disk or SD card. I prefer to have the final finishing completed by a real editor (probably using FCP) but I can manage the rough edits with Edius without too many problems.

So, I am not sorry. This is the first digital cinema type camera that I have purchased and it will probably be the gateway drug to a Red One or something like that. I miss film but if you are not making a feature film with multiple rented 35mm cameras (paid for by someone else), why not use a camera like the HMC150? The cost of the hardware is more than offset when compared to running a S16mm camera to create 60 minutes of finished projectable film. SD cards are cheap. Digital projectors are getting better and DI from inexpensive digital cameras to 35mm film neg is possible if the content is good enough to justify the cost.

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Much has been said, but I'll add a bit. We use this camera for live events and produced videos. Here's what we've learned in 6 months.

1) Buy the 150. We also have the 40 which does what the 150 does, but for pro use, the features are slow and cumbersome to access on the HMC40.

2) Great if you use Adobe Premier C6. Not so much if you use Final Cut Pro 7. We have both. Premier is native to AVCHD. With Final Cut, the transcoding is almost worse than tape ingestion. With Premier, you can preview the videos easily, edit them easily, and you aren't so dependent on rendering.

3) Watch the errors. We had one interview error after 45 minutes and lost it. It's the first in 7 months of usage, but we lost about $4000 worth of footage. Panasonic has a recovery tool, but it didn't work. We were using a Transcend card (cheaper) on that shoot, so we won't do that again. We'll go back to Sandisk.

4) Low light is much worse than SD, but I guess all HD is. It works for us because we light everything. Wouldn't work if you don't have lighting control.

5) We really wish it had a 20x zoom. The 13x is a compromise from our old 100A's.

We'll probably buy another one, but we're waiting to see if Cannon comes out with an SD card based HD camera.

Sony MZ-R700DPC MiniDisc Walkman with Stick Style Remote

This is my first piece of MiniDisc equipment. Mine is is the metallic green version shown in the pic. I've never seen the silver in person, but I've seen the blue, and even if the thought of a green walkman turns you off, it's still a lot more striking than the blue, which isn't metallic like the green, but flat and dull. I think the lustrous sheen of the green gives it a much more expensive look. Anyway, I am mostly satisfied with this unit. It sounds great, although I have never used the bundled headphones with it, and I do wish the volume would go a little higher to compensate better for noisy urban enviroments. The controls are mostly easy to use, build quality is high. The MDLP mode is nice. Right now I only use it (LP2) for double albums and adding more remixes to the end of an album that would otherwise fit, but the sound quality is still really high and most people won't notice the drop in quality. Also, the remote is nice. While it feels a little cheap and doesn't have an LCD screen, the lever setup is rather clever. You'll probably want to upgrade to a better model of remote however, I aquired the RM-MC11EL for mine, which comes with the MZ-R900.

Some gripes I have is while the front casing is aluminum, the back is plastic, and loses its paint from friction on the edges rather quickly. Also, my unit does tend to skip from time to time, though I think the problem may be either dust on the heads or maybe just a defective unit. To access some commands, like the bass controls, you have to navigate through a menu system, which is sort of tedious. Lastly, the battery that came with it isn't the greatest... it gets the job done but you'll want to upgrade that too. The Xitel optical mp3 thingee is nice too, though to be honest I don't use it that much, instead dubbing CDs that I already own to MD.

Overall this is a solid performer, and much nicer to tote around (in your pocket) than a big clunky CD player.

I've been putting off buying a portable listening device since my last '90 Aiwa tape player. But after seeing the Minidisc in action it's a definite buy and constant use gem.

Sound quality? Can you say OPTICAL input. You cannot get any better sound resolution than this; any decent DVD player has an optical out; decent CD players too. RCA IN is a plus (not included) and the PC IN option is mediocre it is convenient with all the CD-R/PC/MP3 formatted music. It's got a two-stage added-bass feature that works quite well. The standard headphones are excellent an updated version with position detents for fixed fit. The remote fob device is essential for total playback+record control once your MDplayer is tucked away in the pocket. (look for the RM-MZR55 remote with backlighting if you want to upgrade)

The unit has never skipped even with major motion, jostling, or shock. I haven't done a drop-test, but I'll skip it for now. The biggest drawback is the lack of a custom case/holster for the unit; it does come with a bag, but it isn't adequate for protection or carrying with any confidence. Plus, the lack of backlighting on the main unit is a bummer.

It comes with it's own AA ni-cad battery and charger, and runs for a prolonged period of time ~ 6 hours playback, 1.5-2x as long on a regular AA. The half-sized ice cream sandwich form kicks the CD portable players to the curb. It isn't as ubiquitous as some MP3 players but why would you want to drop several dimes on something invisible. Personally, the anodized blue colored one has more impact than the silver, but the form and interface overall is a delight. The battery bulge just slightly cants the display up, the button separation and placement works great for easy access. I find excuses to block the world out and listen to high-fidelity music on the go.

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I just bought this player, and I love it! I sold my old player (Sharp MD-SR60S) because I wanted one with the LP modes and also one that would support digital recording. After browsing Sony's extensive line of MD players, I chose this one because I thought it was the best value. The price was a little high, but I found some good deals on refurbished ones online, so I was all set! I decided on this one for two reasons. First, it has digital PC Link feature, allowing you to record digitally from your computer's USB port. Second, it had LP modes, allowing me to get tons of music on a single minidisc. The features are great. It has the editing features that I liked on my old one, and it's small, lightweight, and extremely easy to use. I was actually surprised to see that it came with 2 rechargeable batteries and the charging time is a mere 3 hours. After looking over the manual, I hooked it up to test the features. Windows XP automatically picked it up and made it the default output device (instead of the soundcard). The manual says to use LP2 (160 Minutes) or normal stereo (80 minutes) modes for best sound quality, but I can't tell the difference between the mp3 files on the computer and the sound quality on the MD. The only downside is the way the synchro-record feature inserts extra track marks all over the place! I found at least 15 extra track marks that were inserted, but removing them is relatively easy, so I can't complain. The battery has a long life (7.5 hours recording/18 hours playback in LP4 mode), which allows you to create a playlist on your computer, set the unit to record, and walk off as the computer goes through the songs. It's awesome! This thing is fun! If you can't decide between an MP3 player and a Minidisc player, the ultimate decision should be based on how much you're willing to pay. Sure, you can get an MP3 player with 20GB of memory, if you're willing to pay nearly [a price]. On the other hand, you can buy this for [a price] or less (Yahoo! Shopping), and never run out of space! Need minidiscs? No problem. They're [inexpensive]! Bottom line: This is the best Minidisc player/recorder for your money. The higher-priced models don't have much else, except maybe a fancier bass boost system or something like that.

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This MD player isn't perfect. But it's close.

The duration one must hold the fastforward/rewind button in order to rewind was a bit unnerving at first, but I've quickly become used to it. And it definitely took a chunk out of my wallet, but it was worth it.

This model is so small that it seems like my pockets are drastically too large for just this device. The size is great -it is the perfect size for the hand: smaller would be too small, bigger would begin to be bulky.

Of course, having the different variations of recording options is very nice, too. For MP3s, I can record over 5 hours on LP4 mode and have a huge mix that will last a trip to Irvine and back. I record my CDs on LP2 mode without any audible loss of quality, sometimes having up to 6 albums on one disc. A couple classical numbers I've recorded on Stereo mode, to preserve every note, as classical music is a bit more fragile than rock and roll. And the best yet! I can easily record all my vinyl albums to MD and have easily accessible and transportible digital copies, edited and divided into tracks without breaking a sweat.

And who can forget the tremendous battery life? By using the AC adaptor when I'm at home and recharging the battery once it gets low (just hit one button, no extra bulky charger) -I have not drained even one battery in the innumerable hours I've spent listening to music with this.

No longer will I be annoyed when jarring motion causes my audio pleasure to halt. No longer will I be plagued by the demons that cause scratches on CDs. No longer will I have to carry a pocket full of spare batteries. No longer will I have anything in my wallet -well, not for a while, at least, but I'll tell you -it was definitely worth it.

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Well, like most of you, I purchased an MP3 player and returned it a week later, due to poor battery life and expensive memory.

Before making my decision on a decent music device to purchase (for the gym and air travel), I read all the reviews here and found it most helpful (Thank you all for writing these reviews!)

Anyway, the only flaws I can mention for this Mini player, is the 1:1 for time it takes to record (loved the MP3 for that!) and the volume is not loud enough!!! Thanks, Sony, for protecting my ears, but when I am in the gym (all the noise with wgts. and people working out) the volume needs to be louder!

The Sony MZR700DPC player has an option where you can record songs manually (to increase the volume during playback), but the menu is so damn cumbersome, I can never find the "recVolume" function to adjust my volume while recording.

One more problem....and this is a small one....Why didn't Sony include a carrier with this Minidisc, instead of having its customer's mail away for it? (...)

Overall, as the other reviews have mentioned, this is the best music device for your money and your time! I have never had a problem with skipping, and I get miles of hours out of a regular battery. Happy shopping!

SM06 DVR Sunglasses with Free 2GB TFcard provided

My first impression was these Sunglasses look great! After further looking at them, I started to think that man the plastics used on the frame was sub par but they only cost 32.20 shipped. They do pretty well in the sun light cutting the glare for me. My pc noticed them as a flash drive once I plugged them in & because I use many different flash devices there were no drivers needed to be downloaded & installed. I can't wait to see how the camera on them performs, I purchased them so I wouldn't have to depend on someone to record me flying my helis. I can have a first person view of what I'm doing & go over the video to see what caused any mishaps due to mechanical failure or pilot error. I can't wait to go flying, I'll post another review pertaining to the actual performance & video. I would recommend these at the present moment to anyone who needs a inexpensive means of recording with their hands free. If your not going to use these under sun light(in the house) just pop the lenses out, they look & feel like they'll come easily with a little persuation.

the recording was blur, colorr smear. sometimes it would record sometimes it did not. pictures that did come outhad a haze color

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This product stopped working after about 10 minutes worth of recording, and the video was TERRIBLE to begin with. If I'd payed any more than 20 bucks for it, I would have returned it. Do yourself a favor and do cheep-out on this one. Go for one of the 60-80 dollar models. I'm giving this 2 stars because I still use the micro SD card and adapter that it came with, as well as the glasses case and microfiber cloth.

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I followed all instructions for using the glasses but it does not work! The power button turns on the unit but it cannot turn the unit off, the unit does not take pictures or record at all. To turn off the unit I have to use the reset button.This glasses did not come with a CD, I went on youtube to get some help but to no avail. So far all i can do with this SN06 DVR is turn it on. What about this product tech support?

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OPPO BDP-103 Universal 3D Blu-ray Player + Roku Streaming Stick (Bundle)

• Roku Streaming Stick provides over 700 channels and hundreds of thousands of movies and shows. (MSRP $99.00; bundled with OPPO BDP-103 for $49.00)
• Universal Blu-ray disc player with Blu-ray, DVD, SACD, DVD-Audio, CD, VCD, HDCD, AVCHD, MP4, AVI, and MKV support
• Dual HDMI Inputs and Outputs, MHL-Compatibility, 3 USB Inputs, DLNA (DMP & DMR), SMB/CIFS, Wireless N, RS232 & IR, 7.1-Channel Analog, Coaxial/Optical
• Dual-core processor provides quick startup and fast loading times; Updated Qdeo Video Processor; Dolby TrueHD, DTS-HD Master Audio
• 4k Up-conversion, 2D-to-3D Conversion, True 24p Video, Vertical Stretch Mode, Advanced Picture Controls

I'd been looking to upgrade my BD Player and did a lot of web research. It seems the major manufacturers are not producing high end flagship models. I was willing to spend around $1,000 for a unit with forward-thinking features. I found it in the OPPO BDP-103. While it's not their most expensive model, I paid much less than anticipated and couldn't be happier. You will not believe the packaging this comes in: it makes Apple products & packaging seem cheap! Set-up was a breeze and the software controls are beautiful.

I immediately downloaded the OPPO Android App to my phone and tablet and began controlling the device from both. The YouTube pairing feature was very cool as was integration of the Roku streaming stick. I'm a 3D believer and know that 4K is around the corner. The BDP-103 supports 3D and 4K plus has discreet audio outputs! While I don't need them, it's clear they don't skimp on features or quality.

I know I'm glowing about this unit without having much negative to say. Sorry...it's just that good. Even the remote control is of higher quality than my new projector: feels great, and lights-up brighter than my Pioneer Elite remote for easy navigation in the dark. I can't say enough about this unit.

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First of all, I would like to start by saying that I bought this player not only for the reviews it was getting, but also because I am a sound fanatic. I would buy anything, within my budget, that makes my room and equipment sound better.

Oppo has really set the bar high with every product they put out on the market and the BDP-103 is no exception. Great picture and incredible sound from a player this price range. I was looking to trash my Pioneer Elite Blu-ray player because of the loading time. Don't get me wrong, I loved my Pioneer back when they first came out, but loading times have always been an issue. It would leave you hanging for at least 3-4 min. before you can even get anything going. Loading times on the Oppo are much better of course, as technology has improved.

I have not really pushed this player to its max, but I have downloaded flac files to an USB flash drive from HDTracks and run them through the player. The sound is out of this world!

As far as picture quality, I would say is about 20-30% better than my old Pioneer but I'm no expert by no means. Set up is easy and the Roku stick worked great from the first time I installed. Simple, one time set up.

Read Best Reviews of OPPO BDP-103 Universal 3D Blu-ray Player + Roku Streaming Stick (Bundle) Here

This is the finest Blu-Ray streaming player made on earth! The picture and sound quality that has gone into the production is remarkable. The service is great and it's made in America! I suggest you buy this over any other brand. It is that good!

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Have a top of the line Maranz Universal player which is older and has no blu ray, so we decided to buy the Oppo.

The Oppo is fine for Blu ray, but the Maranz has it beat in upscaling regular DVD's by a mile.

A good Blu Ray Player would have been perfectly fine to compliment my Maranz.

Motorola SLVR L6 Unlocked Phone with Video Player/Recorder--International Version with No Warranty

I have only had Nokia phones prior to this phone but decided to branch my wings out after my Nokia fell in a puddle. Purchased the phone off of ebay and it was easy enough to set up and use with TMobile....

Pros:

Sleak style

clear and colorful screen

loud speaker phone

Good camera

In car option

Bluetooth capable

Size

Cons:

Battery Life is horrible, lasts only a day.

Screen is small

menus are slighly confussing

no screen saver with clock only function

screen blacks out really quickly to save already bad battery life

texting with one hand difficult because phone is so skinny

weird predictive texting that is not as user friendly as Nokia

Dropped calls

Poor antenna

cant hold with shoulder and talk... muffeled voice

horrible manual

Overall, I think I am a nokia person. I like the look of the phone and the size is sweet and I like the ringtones and clearity of phone, but I was so disappointed with the batttery life and reception. My old nokia's battery would last for three days and could find a signal anywhere. Maybe its just because I'm not used to Motorola's but overall I'm underwhelmed.

I intended to purchase a true 4-band cel which I could use in any place, and I trusted Amazon description which states "Unlocked for use with your existing GSM 850 MHz, GSM 1800 MHz, GSM 900 MHz or GSM 1900 MHz".

But when I inserted the SIM of a 850 MHz network the cell did not work, after some searching in the cel menus I found out that Amazon description is wrong, since it is intended only for 900, 1800 and 1900 MH.

So be careful if you need to use it overseas..........

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This phone is awesome! All I pretty much needed was the blue tooth and it has it so that serves the purpose. Only thing I am dissapointed with is the fact that the phone service does not transfer over to AT&T. It only stays on for cingular so I often get dropped calls and no signal. That can be a problem if I am in an area where the phone picks up no signal and I have an emergency.

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only problem is that it is easy to drop and the scrren smudges easily

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I PURCHASE THIS PHONE FOR MY DAUGHTER FOR XMAS. AND IT WAS EXACTLY WHAT SHE WANTED.I ALSO WAS VERY PLEASE WITH IT.

Lorex LW2450 LIVE Video Baby Monitor with Pan/Tilt Wireless Camera (White)

This video home or baby monitor improved a lot in quality and functionality compared to its past models. I still have and use one of Lorex's older models (3 years old). That old one seems likes a really ancient tool now. It doesn't have pan & tilt, the screen is very small, the picture quality is not so good, wireless range is limited, and there are no extra functions, such as temperature meter. All these things are featured in this newer video home monitor, LW2450.

I've been using the new Lorex model for over a month now, non stop, for over a month, and I have had no single issue. The reliability of this monitor is just wonderful. I have more than 10 wireless devices running all the time at home, and this monitor has never interfered with any of my wireless devices. Unlike this one, my older Lorex monitor had some interference with my iPhone 3GS; therefore, I am rather pleased that interference has not been a problem.

The big LCD monitor (3.5") is good enough to identify what's going on in the scene. It is not super clear like the iPhone's retina display of course, but I can tell the picture quality has improved a lot from the past models. Night viewing is limited in color and range due to the nature of the technology, yet I think it's better than any other brands' I have tried. Also, the viewing angle from the lens seems wider than I had expected, and I prefer a wider angle than a normal angle. Pan and tilt is just as great. It works the way it should and as expected without an issue. Among the many features from this video monitor such as two way talk , recording, and expandability, my absolute favorite is the temperature sensor. The wireless camera senses the temperature and displays it on the monitor. This is very useful and the best feature for me personally.

Remote viewing is also a nice feature, and I like the fact that it's capable. However, setting up with Skype for remote viewing is not that simple and functionality is limited. It is not difficult to set up with Skype actually. I just had to make a new account just for the camera and changed the preference Skype to auto answer on the computer. It is not that big deal to go through, yet I can see there are many people just wanting something easy to install and simple to connect. And in my opinion, this is not the simplest solution for remote viewing. There's another way, still not the best, to use for remote viewing. Using iCam app on the smart phones and tablet allows slightly simpler setup with push notification on motion detection. I prefer using iCam app for remote viewing, and it's nice the wireless cam works with the application, not just Skype. But both applications are not able to control pan and tilt.

So my wish for this unit is for it to have a dedicated smart phone app for remote viewing with push notification and pan and tilt control. Lorex's other video monitor series have their apps for iPhones and tablets. This shows the company is capable with the current technology for more flexibility. I know it is nice and useful to have a separate viewing monitor unit, but we are living in a mobile era now, and we will probably never go back to old technology. So it's only reasonable for new Lorex to embrace technology and improve product functionality. The WIFI IP cameras are getting really popular these days because of the flexibility that one can use in his/her current smart phones, which do not need to be tied to a separate monitor unit. If you are technically advanced and have some networking knowledge, WIFI IP camera will be cost effective. If you want something simple and easy to use for monitoring home or baby with some nice extra features, this might be a good choice.

We have owned Lorex baby monitors in the past and they were awesome. This is no exception. It is a little pricey but you are paying for quality. The camera pans and tilts quietly so your little one won't be woken up. The screen is great and you can see everything really well. Everything seems to be solidly built and the monitor holds a charge for a long time. We had a similar baby monitor from Motorola last year and it went out on us after less than six months. It was almost identical to this Lorex system. Based on reliability and my past experience with Lorex I would recommend this video monitor set up over pretty much anything else. Lorex is top notch and worth the money.

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I like that this product comes with a hard copy of the user's guide. So many products these days only come with a PDF version. I prefer to flip through pages to find what I need. This product also comes with a Quick Start Guide, so getting started was really easy.

This monitor comes with one camera but is expandable up to 4 cameras.

This monitor can be placed on any flat surface. It is not the kind that can be mounted on the wall (unless you purchase the optional mount). It comes with 3 wire clips that are backed with an adhesive strip.

If you want to record with this monitor you will need to get a microSD card (not included). You can use up to a 32GB card.

You can also connect the monitor with a usb cable (provided) to monitor using Skype.

The video capture is good. It has a nice large screen. The colors are a bit muted. The camera pans up and down and side to side, which is a great feature.

What I find lacking is the audio capture. I have it turned up to the maximum setting and still I find it difficult to hear unless the sounds are loud.

Also, I seem to get the "out of range" message more frequently than I should. It goes in and out of range what seems to be randomly. (and I am only in the next room)

Read Best Reviews of Lorex LW2450 LIVE Video Baby Monitor with Pan/Tilt Wireless Camera (White) Here

Lorex LW2450 works well, as designed to be without zooming, and the 4-hour battery life seems decent, though insufficient for obsessive monitoring. The quality of the video functions is higher than of the audio. It is expandable and allows simultaneous views from many cameras. Skype works fine on Macs, as the Manual states. However, the personal Skype device needs a speedy downlink (4G) for smooth video reception outside home. Otherwise the connection may drop especially on small portables such as iPod Touch, iPhone 3GS, but unlikely on tablets or laptops connected via Wi-Fi.

The setup is easy and well depicted on just 2 pages of the Quick Start Guide & in the Manual on the enclosed CD; both also available from the Internet. The night video quality is at the top of those from the Internet searched for "video baby monitor night". The day video quality is good considering the max. 320x240-pixel resolution available. Video can be recorded with or without sound.

The operating system ("OS") of the home device sending video to Skype and connected to router/modem must be at least Microsoft Windows 7/Vista/XP SP2, Apple Mac OS 10.5.8 Leopard, or iOS 4 (free upgrade from iOS 3)the most popular now. It cannot be original (1st) Windows XP, Mac OS 10.5.7 Leopard or lower, Android, or else. Macs with PowerPC processors are NOT supported, only with Intel CPUs.

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I have two baby monitors. The Lorex LW2450 LIVE, and the Motorola Blink1 Wi-Fi Video Camera for Remote Viewing with iPhone and Android Smartphones and Tablets, Silver. I only bring this up because I feel the need to explain why I think this product (the Lorex) is going to be better for some people even though the Motorola Blink1 ran away with a big win for us.

Before I do that, I just want to say that the Lorex does everything intended well. The handheld controller/display is comfortable, has its own little 'kickstand' for tabletop display, and the thumb stick control is easy to use, and the camera responds promptly. The camera offers a quality picture whether the room is lit or pitch black, the motor panning and tilting the camera is quiet enough that it's not likely to rouse any sleepers. It is, by all measures, a fantastic product for people who want a self contained solution that they're going to use within the confines of their home.

And this is where the Motorola is different, why the Blink1 is a better solution for ME, but not necessarily for you. The Motorola doesn't have a dedicated device for viewing and controlling as it relies upon your iOS or Android device (phones or tablets). Because it relies on these devices, it offers an expanded range (quite literally) of options insofar as you can continue to monitor and control the device even when you leave your home. Wherever you are, you have the option of connecting and getting audio and video (the quality of which is commensurate, of course, with the quality of connection that device has wherever you are).

I loved the Lorex LIVE for what it was until we got the Motorola. And it's only because we're already toting around iOS devices wherever we are that the Lorex's control screen seems an unnecessary addition to us. That's not going to be the case for everyone else, however. So it seems a relatively simple equation for me, and that speaks to how you're going to use it and whether you'd prefer to have a dedicated screen for your monitoring or have it through a phone/tablet. The Lorex is a fantastic option if the latter isn't appealing and the mobility aspect isn't so important -which is why this is a rare case where I'm giving 5 stars to a product I've shelved because I've deemed a different one superior for my own needs. The Lorex is well designed, well engineered, attractive, intuitive, and smartly functional. It's self contained, you don't need or rely upon anything else, and it does what it sets out to do very well. I can say the same about the Motorola (and have, elsewhere), but even as it's the same type of device, serves the same purpose, they're still distinctly different enough in terms of HOW they do it that I'm cross reviewing each without penalizing or rewarding one or the other in the process.

Highly recommended if your needs are as described above -otherwise I'd take a long hard look at the Blink1. You're going to be very happy either way.

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Extech RHT10 Humidity And Temperature USB Datalogger

I like the feature set and it's well made, but it doesn't work with Windows 7 64-bit.

I bought this Data logger to log temps for Freezers, Ambient Car Temp (in the summer) and various other applications. Its very easy to use, Windows Interface works without complication for downloading and graphing Temp, Dew Point, Humidity. Software only works in Windows, but will work under VMWare Fusion (or Bootcamp / Parallels).

This unit was bought used and but was in brand new condition (it appeared it had never been used) very happy with this transaction and product.

Only drawback I saw was when you download the data, it quits logging new data. You have to reset the logger (and clear its previous logs) before starting a new log. You can't "spot check" the temp and then return it to keep collecting data... other than that, its an awesome product.

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This unit is good for remote monitoring as it has a built in battery that allows is to function without a PC. It does not function well as a PC connected unit as it does not use or charge from the USB port. Reading temperature requires downloading data, which stops measuring. The graphs, save to .xls or .txt are attractive features. The application is a minimal load for the PC as opposed to the EL-USB-RT which can put a disruptively large CPU load. There must be better options for monitoring temperature through a USB port for same room temperatures.

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As another reviewer commented, this doesn't work with Windows 7. I bought two of them originally, and of the two only one could be programmed. The bad one was replaced. I placed both in my test environment in November, with an hourly sample rate for a total of 2000 samples. This took us through February 2. One of the two downloaded its data, but the other refuses to communicate with my Windows 7 computer. Two months of sampling for nothing. Time to find another brand to try.

On the Extech website there is a software upgrade from late 2011, but this is only the PC software, not the software in the datalogger itself. I downloaded and installed the upgrade, but the logger still will not download its data to the PC.

There is a similar product available from Dataq (EL-USB-1), which I am going to try.

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Well built unit. Would love it if it worked. Win 7 64x system the drivers and software worked. BUT I can't get more than 768 readings any data after that is in error. Data download fails comnpletly if set for 2000 or more data points. Tech service a little slow but they walked me thru several possible problems, concluded my unit was defective and shipped another. 2nd unit arrived and performed exactly the same. More email tech support and attempts. Tried a second PC with Win 7 64x, than a Win 7 32x PC same performace. Tech support concluded second unit defective and sent a third. Same results. Used supplied CD software and also downloaded (same version) from thier website.

I found the apparent web site for the company supplying the drivers. Downloaded thier software development kit it had different driver version but same result.

I now have 3 units that work well if set up for 500 datapoints (or less). I wanted 2 to 10 sec data collection for my current project, but will settle for 10 minute data collection to get this job done. Will need to do a little bit of 2 sec collection to make sure I am not missing some short term variation. Lots and lots of extra work the only good side is I ended up with 3 units (no return requested for the "defective" units). When I get time I will build up a Windows XP on my computer to see if they will work with older Win systems.

The latest Extech software is version 5.6 as I write this its from early 2011. Win 7 64x driver is version 3.3. If you see later versions available than maybe they have fixed the issues.

Did I get three bad units or does software bug exist that prevents unit from working fully on Win 7 system? Either is bad if your system is Win 7. I think its a Win 7 issue and will continue to correspond with tech support, but regardless of future outcome the unit has earned a two star or less for me.

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Avertv HD DVR High Definition / Analog Video Capture Card PCIe MTVHDDVRR

Ok my system specs are:

Gateway DX4200 1.8GHz QuadCore with ATI Radeon HD 3200 video card with 4 gig ram running windows vista x64

The card installed easily, it takes a pci-e slot so make sure that you do have a pci-e slot available. I also made sure my ATI video card had the latest drivers installed.

First, there is no windows Media Center (mce) interface offered for this card, they advertise that fact so no surprise there but dont mistake their Avermedia Center software for any resemblence of proper gui experience if you have used other media centers (MCE, XBMC, Mediaportal, Boxee, etc). It works but its lack of windows media center capability, its garish and harsh colors that burns the retina and lack of documentation (the included on disk user manual leaves much to be desired) makes the experience awkward and puzzling at times. You can eventually figure it out via trial and error...this effort however is on your time and dime.

Avermedia's defense for no windows mce interface is that Windows MCE only uses tuner devices and this is a capture device, but other products seem to have jumped that divide quite successfully (ex. Monsoon Hava product, Hauppauge HD PVR). I also understand that not all customers use windows media center or have access to it. But to limit your market potential (because thousands of mce users out there are looking for a reliable and robust high definition capture device) for lack of mce capability and having to rely on their proprietary bothersome and totally lacking software, I have to drop them a star on the review.

When I installed the software and ran the application, Live TV is fine, but I beleive they just dump that video stream straight to the video buffer, however when recording at 1080i the software playback was slightly jerky especially on camera pans in the scene. I reinstalled the shark codecs for vista to see if that made a difference, tried various resolutions in both the software and in the set top box (STB) and even down to 480p the video was jerky on playback and played with these differnt configurations for a few hours, but no joy even at the lowest of resolutions. After a while, when I tried to change the resolution back to higher value it was stuck at 480p and eventually the application froze and I could do nothing more. Couldn't change it and trying to rerun the wizard it just wouldnt reset, the software has no reset to default settings, I was essentially locked out. So I uninstalled the software and reinstalled it.

Voila! It worked fine then after the 2nd reinstallation...

I did have to set the resolution down to 720p with this second reinstall and that seemed fine for my hardware. If you consider this capture card you really should ensure that you have a pretty strong cpu if you want to record at 1080i....like a dual core 3 Ghz. I plan on no timeshifting or PIP functionality so that doesnt require stronger cpu. As the video encoding is handled via software you must use fairly strong pc.

I tested recording scheduled program and it started recording within a few seconds of the set time...just a little off by a few seconds. So you can schedule a day, time and duration of recording. But with no tuner interface or channel changing capability you must make sure that your STB is pre-tuned to the desired channel.

Overall the card performs as advertised...if you have a powerful enough pc and can stomach their software. I think it would be easy enough for them to include a color change palette capability in a future release...and hopefully a generic non-proprietary api driver that can be accessed by other windows programs.

I think most purchasers of this product should expect to record in 720p resolution unless they really have the cpu with the guts enough to handle this card. For my own reasons, it was my initial intention to record only in 720p so I am satisfied with that capability.

Update 3/22/2010

Been using this card now for over a month and with the setting of recording at 720p its recording movies off my cable box just fine. It seems to interfere with the Windows Media Center (MCE) running so I must ensure that MCE is disabled when setting up a recording. And also you need to be sure when recording that you have the Avertv Media Center up and running or the recording wont take place. I take the recorded mpg file in 720p format and run it through Windows Movie Maker to create wmv format file, its smaller size and the picture looks great. I still wish for MCE integration but this works ok as long as I run either the MCE or the Avertv Media center but not both at same time.

Also as a hint you may want to use smaller bitrates...you can use the reference bitrate standards either in Windows Movie Maker or google on the web. For example, I record at 720p at 6900 bitrate which matches Windows Movie Maker XBOX 360 720p High Definition. With this bitrate I can stream via wireless G to some media center extenders in remote rooms that dont have wired ethernet (aways try to use wired ethernet for streaming hi def) and the picture is not too bad.

Update 3/28/2010

For some reason the Avermedia Center screen goes blank for the video source, you see the Avermedia center, you can access the controls and there is audio, but no video. Seems that I toggle the source selector from component to composite to s-video to component and so on a few times and that straightens it out. There is no rhyme or reason to this occurring, I have not installed any new software. Once I get it working again, it stays working, and is ok after that, but do not schedule a recording without confirming that you have video and are on the right channel, probably time for me to uninstall the software and reinstall it.

Update 6/30/2011

Still using the card and software, I dont seem to have the screen blank issue as reported above. If you get the card be sure to do get the latest software updates from Avermedia site, do not rely on the CD. Seems like there is an update that will allow the Aver MediaCenter software to change it from the glaring orange yellow colors to color you desire but I havent really looked for it. After win 7 upgrade, the software and performance leveled itself out and its become very stable. They fixed a lot of memory leak problems with win 7 so that makes use of the card more robust. Again even with win 7 you do need a reasonably powered computer. Do not expect to use this card with a Pentium 4 with any real performance. Also I see in the comments that requires a clarification, this particular card has no tuning capability. Its a capture card to capture the output from a source with either non-encrypted hdmi source or component hd output with 480i, 480p, 720p and 1080i. There is no channel tuning lag per se as if you are using a set top box its how fast your box changes channel. I dont think there is a lag thats at least noticeable, video output capture is video output capture...any lag is in your own set top box.

I do wish it still had MCE interface and/or at least Dvblink capability.

I really wanted to get better capturing capabilities than just standard def, being that my DVR is HD. After reading the reviews, I thought it was worth taking the risk to buy this capture card since the other options for HD capturing cost at least twice as much.

I plugged the card into a PCI-e slot and downloaded the drivers directly from the website. Didn't even bother with the CD. First off, I abandoned HDMI immediately since as soon as I chose HDMI on the Aver MediaCenter source list, a dialog box pops up from the software stating I don't have HDCP.

So I chose what the manufacturer recommended for most HD sources: use the component video. I was able to output standard definition from my DVR, and even std def widescreen and the card had no problems. Once I bumped it up to 720p, the video started stuttering. I couldn't understand why since the other reviewers were able to get at least 720p, and I would have been happy with just 720p. I also tried 1080i. Forget that, I thought, since as soon as I enabled it on the DVR, I get a black flickering screen.

I called tech support and I was given the standard things to try: download latest drivers and software for the capture card and video card, both of which I tried but made no difference. But the tech guy suggested to switch PCI-e slots. I have x1, x4, and x16 slots and I originally plugged the capture card on the x1. Then I plugged it into the x4 slot and bam!, no more stutter at 720p. Then I wondered, maybe 1080i? Bam!, clean, stutter-free video at 1080i. I can only assume that the card is moving so much data in HD that the x1 slot didn't have enough bandwidth. The card is now sitting comfortably on a x16 slot.

Now I can capture in full 1080i with no stutter. The Aver MediaCenter software is good enough for my purpose since I don't need anything fancy for recording or scheduling. All I want is an HD capture to file. I use Corel VideoStudio Pro X3 (utilizes multi-core and i7) for editing out the commercials and burning onto DVD.

Thanks AverMedia tech guy.

Windows 7 Pro 64-bit

Intel i7 920

6 GB RAM

nVidia GTX 260 (896MB)

Intel DX58SO motherboard

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I am using the AVerMedia AverTV HD DVR to allow me to view and record DirecTV satellite HD on my PC, something for which there are almost no other options (See my discussion of other options in the 4th paragraph). So far, it is working quite well just with the included AVer MediaCenter software. Surprised me a bit considering the many other reports of trouble posted here.

I'm using the component outputs of my DirecTV HR24-100 receiver into a breakout cable provided by AVerMedia. It's fruitless to try to use the HDMI output due to HDCP which would at least block recording if not viewing. That's not AVerMedia's fault. I might try it later just to verify this. [UPDATE 01/28/11: Well, surprise, I can view, timeshift and record my DirecTV via HDMI into the AVermedia card.] I'm using the R/L analog audio outputs into the breakout cable as well. Very little setup later and the AVerMedia MediaCenter is displaying a 1920x1080 image that matches the raw DirecTV output very nicely. I switched the recording option from the default MPEG2 setting to H.264. I see some complaints that the maximum bit-rate is too limited, but H.264 at 15000 kbps seems excellent. I checked the file properties of the recording and it shows 13,579 kbps for video. Even the running banner on CNN and FOX was rendered and recorded without any stuttering. Note that I have a fairly fast system based on an Intel Core i5-750 and an ATI HD 5770. While rendering live TV the AVerMedia software consumes only 7% of CPU cycles. Turning on timeshifting raises this to 20% at "best" quality. Recording to H.264 uses about 40-45% of CPU cycles at maximum settings and produces excellent recordings. Recording MPEG2 at maximum settings only consumes 20% of cycles but the recording showed some A/V synchronization problems. That might be relieved by other settings. AVerMedia also offers an XVid option for recording which produced a nice recording although the live image became jerky during recording and CPU utilization was 45%. Finally there is an "iPod" recording option producing a 320x240 H.264 recording at about 800 kbps and consumes no more CPU cycles than watching live TV (7%).

Over all the software is stable. I did manage to crash it once after doing a whole bunch of manipulations (changing settings repeatedly) while making the observations in the previous paragraph.

The options for watching and recording DirecTV or Dish satellite TV on a PC are limited. There are no PC-based tuners like there are for cable or OTA TV. Others have used Hauppauge's HD PVR 1212. I tried that. It's very good for recording from a set-top box via component and optical or analog audio, producing very nice 1080i hardware accelerated H.264 recordings. However, it's painfully inadequate for viewing live TV or timeshifting with limited and clunky Windows MediaCenter or Sage TV support. Another option is the Slingbox Pro-HD. This works exceptionally well for live viewing and timeshifting, and offers placeshifting as well, but there are no workable options for recording Slingbox to the PC. There are some third-party recording applications but none work with the new HD version. Still, Slingbox's SlingPlayer software is so good with its smooth included EPG and IR-blaster remote control, timeshifting and placeshifting, I'm tempted to keep it and only use the AVer TV HD DVR to record occasional shows to the PC. However, the AverTV HD DVR is more than adequate for viewing and timeshifting as well as recording, so it would be smartest to just buy that and be happy.

Read Best Reviews of Avertv HD DVR High Definition / Analog Video Capture Card PCIe MTVHDDVRR Here

The installation of this product was quick and straight forward. The initial use of this product went very well, but after a few days the software started to get a little buggy. I then tried the beta drivers available for download at the Avermedia website and that solved all my problems. It now works flawlessly. The picture is clear and crisp, not overly sharp and the product works without fault. I recommend this product, but remember HDMI is protected by HDCP so the use of a 3rd party program like FRAPS will be needed to capture protected content.

My PC Specs:

Dell XPS 9000

8GB DDR3

1TB HDD

i7 920

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I have a 360 that I connect through hdmi to my tv. My tv is rather large and I just don't like playing on it due to the position of the tv. Personally I like my computer so I figured what is a good way to play on the computer and at the same time be able to capture videos? I did some research and came across this card.

I bought this card for a few reasons beside the price. I feel that if I had to spend 200 I would but a big bonus is that this card is rather cheap. The importance to me was the reviews of the product. It appears many people use the product to not only capture, but play/watch regularly on their computer as if it's their "TV." Which is exactly what I wanted.

I also found that there were some negative reviews. One of the scariest of course is that the card stutters for some people. I also knew, based on the product description, that it won't play HDCP protected content, but that can easily be fixed by not using HDMI for these products. So this means that if you want to play something like PS3 through HDMI, you won't get it to capture anything.

When I got the card, I'm glad to say that it works beautifully. Here's the steps I took:

1) Download the drivers from Avertv website BEFORE you physically put the card in but do not install it until you put the device in. I feel that anytime a hardware comes out, I rarely install it with the cd that it contains. The main point being that the drivers are probably old and outdated. It's not only this product, but any product out there.

2) After downloading the driver, I turned the computer off, unplugged it, then I put the card into the PCIe x16 slot. I closed the case, put the power back in, and booted up. I then installed the drivers and rebooted the computer.

On my first opening of the application, my computer "froze" for about a minute and half. I read some reviews about freezing so at first I was a bit worried but my guess is that since the device was just installed some sort of initialization occurs. It only does this once for me and it only happened for about a minute and a half when I first launched the application. After that every start of the application is smooth and fast.

After that, I booted up my xbox, put the hdmi into the port, and started the Avertv capture software. I play it at 1080i, and to my amazement, everything ran smooth as silk. I loaded up Battlefield 3, and started playing right on my computer at full screen. No hiccups, no slow down, everything smooth as silk.

One thing I noticed though at 1080i, when you start the capture the screen, it stutters. So that is my only negative point about this but once you bring it down to 720p, it runs smooth when you capture. So now I am playing at 720p, but that is fine since it still looks great to me. I believe if you want to play on TV and record, you can get a HDMI splitter and watch it on your TV and record on your computer. If I wanted to I guess I can switch to 1080i when I'm not recording and switch to 720p whenever I want to record. That's too much trouble for me so I just keep it at 720p so it's smooth all the time.

I read a lot of negative reviews about the Avertv capture software, and I'm unsure what the negativity is about. The software does exactly what it needs to do: watch and record. It's not a all-in-one application and if you want to edit the video you need something else. When you record it records easily and wonderfully. I also like the simple design of the application. When you boot it, simply say you wan to capture hdmi and start your xbox and you can start playing. Whenever you want to record, you can just click on the record button that overlays the windows. The overlay disappears after a few second of play and can be brought up again by moving the mouse. I also like the fact that you can play full screen and you don't have to have an overlay. It's like you can look up resources on the internet, switch to your game, and play.

As far as capture, I captured about 30 seconds and that is about 300 mb. So it's not terribly bad, but some people reportedly use RAID setup. I'm not a big fan of storing things on harddrive and like storing media content on a portable harddrive. So I keep content on a 1tb portable hdd and carry it around. But the video size are fair and you don't have to worry about excessive space.

A con to me is that you have to boot up your computer to play. This means even if you want to just play and not capture you have to boot the computer up. However, if you have a hdmi splitter, this can be resolved rather easily because you can play like you normally would on your tv and only need to boot up the pc when you want to record or play on the computer. Personally for me I'm just playing it from my computer.

So overall this is a very good card. I rate it 5 because it does everything I want it to do. I can watch, play, and record things. I'm planning on hooking up the ps2 later to record some of my oldies and I'm sure I'm going to find many useful applications of this card in the future. I'm also going to try my NES later and see how that works. Should be funny.

My computer spec:

Asus P5N-D

Intel C2D E8500

8gb ram

GTX260

Sound blaster

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Toshiba DR430 1080p Upconversion Progressive Scan DVD±RW Recorder w/USB & HDMI (Black)

Have an earlier model from TOSHIBA D-R410KU that since early in 2007 to now has not given me any problems. The 1080p upconversion looks great on my 40inch HDTV, but knew that already with the earlier model.I guess that since the other model still works as good as new ,{and I have made a lot of dvds} is the main reason I stayed with TOSHIBA .I had other dvd recorders before TOSHIBA and none lasted as long as the TOSHIBA

The Toshiba DR430KU DVD Recorder does not work as advertised.

"With the DR430, converting and archiving your favorite home movies to DVD is simple. You can also experience your DVD movie collection in near HD quality with the DR430's 1080p up conversion via HDMI. Video up conversion up to 1080p resolution via HDMI takes your current DVDs to a new level, for an amazing viewing experience on today's HDTVs."

The above statement is a Great Deception.

There is only ONE input and that is A/V RCA, which is analog. The device does not have the technical capability to UP convert analog input to digital output. The HDMI output is just for show.

This DR430KU can not UP convert the analog 480i signal to Digital 720 1080. HDTV resolution starts at 720. This device displays 720 on its front, but it can not display any resolution greater then 480i because of the single input. I talked to a Toshiba technician and he confirmed that the DR430KU does not product HD UP conversion output as advertised. And He confirmed that the DR430DU is a vintage product.

SO if you want to convert Analog tapes to DVD, this product will give you a low quality DVD. If you want to convert DVR stored files to HD DVD, and you are using Direct TV or Dish Network, you are out of luck.

If you place this device between your HDTV and your HD Cable or HD Satellite receiver, you will get poor quality 480i output and the High Definition viewing of your "COSTLY" HDTV will be eliminated. And BTW, according to the Technician, Toshiba does not make any product that will take an Analog input and convert that input into a digital HDTV output. He suggested that I not bother looking for a Toshiba product.

I am glad that I purchased this through Amazon, and the return process is simple, but I still have the disappointment, the chore of repacking the product and the requirement to take the product to the post office. All of this because the website is deceptive about the capabilities of the Toshiba DR430KU DVD Recorder. What ever happened to "Truth in Advertising"?

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So far so good, still getting use to operating it. The first part was easy. Plug it in hook up an outside source and hit record. It did a great job on the recording now all I have to figure out is this titling and recording more than one thing on a disc. That might take a while. The only thing I would like it to do is record more than 2 hours at a time. Catching the disc change on time if you are recording a 3 or 4 hour is a little tricky. Hint: watch the volume level and don't do what I did, I turned the volume down on the source and guess what NO volume on the disc. Picture was perfect. "duhp"

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I bought this from Amazon today, it was $108 including tax. It replaced a Philips I got at Walmart in 2006 for

$150. I made a DVD every 2 days with the Philips, but it started to make coasters.

If you have a 75-ohm TV from the stone age, you'll need a VCR, which has an RF modulator (and a 75 ohm output) to see anything. I have a TV with RCA (the collared plugs) and s-video, but I've never gotten

either to work.

I put in a 1/2 done Philips DVD, just had to 'make compatible' then accidentally set it for the 6 hours

long setting, (it also does 8 hours). Usually I make it 4 hours, looks just like 1 and 2 hour to me.

At some point I stopped and 'finalized' it (they say it can take an hour, but I wasn't there), put it in

my DVD player, it plays.

It also has a USB flash drive input for playing jpg and mp3's, a digital camcorder connection, haven't

tried either. It also says it can do DVD-RW 're-writeable', which I didn't think was possible, would

use it for sports. Oh, it 'upconverts' to 1080 with an HDMI output, now I'll have to break down and get one of those I guess.

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I'm pleased with the DR430 after a couple months of recording programs from satellite broadcasts, especially movies. It is replacing a Sony RDR-GX355. One drawback of the DR430 compared to the Sony is the limited number of recording speeds if you are recording movies and maximizing disc space with quality. The Sony has 8 speeds and the DR430 has only 4. However the Sony takes only a standard RCA-jack input from my satellite receiver which limits picture quality.

Another drawback of the DR430 is in the area of playback General Settings. There is a setting for RGB Range to enhance detail in dark areas of a scene. The choice is normal or enhanced. In either setting in a few of my studio produced DVDs that were made from older VHSs, skylight coming through windows and women's white ball gowns appear like hundreds of tiny insects flying around a porch light. There is no way to eliminate this problem. Fortunately I have only a few of these DVDs.

But my Sony has a third Setting called "Personal" where I can adjust Color, Brightness, Contrast and Hue for each DVD to suit all situations. So I have both the Toshiba and the Sony Recorders connected in my system. The Toshiba for recording and general playback, and the Sony for customized playback.

Zmodo 8 CH CCTV Security Surveillance DVR Record System 500GB Hard Drive

CANT BEAT THIS 8CH DVR FOR THE MONEY WITH A 500GB HD, WORKS PERFECT LOVE IT. SHOPED EVERY WHERE BUT AMAZON WAS THE BEST PRICE AND THEY SHIPPED SUPER FAST.

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Sony Discman - SY-DEJ011

I'm one of the dying breed who still uses a portable CD player, and I knew it wouldn't be easy when my old one broke a Sony D-NE710. Overall I was happy with that it lasted several years, although some of the features were starting to go as far back as a year or two ago. This was the sole CD player available at my local electronics store, and I tried to do a little bit of research but didn't seem to get very far. Ultimately, I trust Sony despite hearing a few bad things about this item.

I've only had this for 2-3 weeks at this point (bought brand new off the shelf), but I will update this review if the performance of the device changes.

The good: So far, it operates as advertised. Doesn't skip, sound is (mostly) good, and it is pretty nice looking CD player as well.

The details:

Buttons: on my old unit, the location of the headphone jack was such that I could keep the CD player in my front pocket and easily reach the volume, stop, play, and navigation buttons. On this, in order to have the headphone jack accessible, the play and navigation buttons will be deep in my pocket and nearly impossible to reach. Hard to deny that you're behind the times if you have to completely remove the player from your pocket to change the song. Also, the buttons are a little stiff you have to push them with intent, although that could prevent them from being accidentally bumped. Assuming they hold up for a few years, I don't think it's a problem.

Display: one of my largest complaints about the item. The player is not capable of displaying the time remaining in the song or in the rest of the album! My old sony player could do both, and honestly I would expect this to be a staple feature. The other problem is the location of the display: if you are sitting at the table and want to read the display, you will have to lift the player up so that it's nearly standing vertical just to see which track you are on.

Features: There is no line-out port on this player, which is another disappointing omission from my old sony. The one nice surprise about this player relates to how it resumes play. My old player would start at the same position of the song after you pressed stop. This goes one step further you can press stop, change the batteries (which requires removing the disc!), and then resume and the player will be at the same point in the album, and the same volume. Nice!

Sound: My headphones are worth about $100; pretty decent but clearly not audiophile grade. That said, the sound seems mostly good to my ears. The one problem is that there is a soft hissing as soon as you press play. I briefly tried another Sony model which had the same problem (D-EJ001), but my old player certainly did not. It may not be terrible depending on the style of music, but for any sort of classical or ambient music it is particularly detrimental to the experience. (Edit the hissing was heard using my closed-ear headphones. It's barely perceptible using my open-ear headphones.)

All in all, a pretty mediocre device but there doesn't seem to be a huge number of options available. If I haven't edited this by a year from now, at least you travelers from the future will know that the CD player is reasonably durable. I use it for around 3-4 hours a day, and it spends a lot of time in my backpack while not in use, placed there unceremoniously but not recklessly. Hope this helps.

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EDIT: After using this for a few months, I have a couple additional complaints.

For one, although I haven't tested the exact battery life, I seem to change the batteries much more frequently than with my old player.

Secondly, the volume control is not very sensitive. At the volume I listen to it, often it will be slightly too quiet, but one click of the volume makes it too loud.

This is pretty frustrating considering the fact that the volume goes from 0 to 9, but with typical headphones you will set the volume around 4 maximum, even for older (non-remastered) albums.

I like this Sony CD player because I can put it into a little carry along personal case and play it all day if I want to. In my work, I am not disturbed often and I can listen to audio books every day. My beautiful library in Graham, Texas has a great stock of books to rent: classics, best sellers, and any readers favorite genre, so I read several books a week. I can reload new batteries without losing my place with my Sony Walkman, or just keep on going till I can finish the book.

Excellent audio player.

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I was replacing an older Sony CD Walkman that I loved (unfortunately it was no match for a drop to the concrete floor). This one works fine, however I do not care for the placement of the controls and display. They are on the side of the unit making it very difficult to see which buttons to select.

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I have had this cd player for just three weeks, and have had nothing but trouble with it !!! After playing a cd for w while it becomes all garbled. Have put new batteries in and now it only shows "hold" on the screen. Almost impossible to put batteries in, they are in a very awkward place. Had a gpx cd player that finally died, but it lasted longer than this one. Wish I had bought another gpx. This was a waste of money. Don't buy one.

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Cant find a good CD player. I use it to listen to audiotapes while on treadmill. This worked for about 30 seconds on my treadmill, then started to skip and then stopped working altogether within a few minutes. Now I can't get it to work at all. I thought the Sony brand was reliable. I had an old Sony walkman D FS601 that worked for years that finally gave out. Agree, there are not any options. I have tried several brands and all stopped as soon as I started to walk fast. If anyone finds one that works, would love to hear about it.

Zmodo 4CH H.264 Security DVR Video Surveillance System With 4 Outdoor Night Vision Security Camera

This does what it says it will, but I'm pretty computer savvy. If you're not, you will have a headache trying to set this thing up. Also, I recommend you purchase some longer cables with your order. This comes with four 60 cables, you'll probably need 100 ft extensions. I did, and I have an 1100 sq ft home

Initial IDM-830 8-Inch Portable DVD Player

• Portable DVD player with 8-inch LCD screen; measures 8.3 x 1.2 x 5.8 inches (W x H x D)
• Multi-aspect ratio playback capability (4:3 pan/scan, 4:3 letterbox, and 16:9 widescreen); multimedia zoom capability
• Plays DVD-ROM, CD-ROM, CD-R/RW, Kodak Picture disc formats, and MP3 and JPEG digital file formats
• Includes S-video, composite A/V output
• Dolby Digital and DTS output

I purchased this item in Albuquerque. I played a DVD in my hotel room and discovered that after about 30 minutes, multiple white bars appeared at the top of the screen. I took it back to Circuit City and looked at 4 other identical players and they were all defective. I tried different DVD's and the same problem occurred. I took my original unit home to Kansas City and took it to Circuit City there and tested another Initial player and had the same problem. I ended up buying the new 7" Sony. It was $200 more. Sometimes you get what you pay for.

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I've had this unit for about 2 months now and have never experienced the problems I've read on this site. What I like about the player is how light and portable it is..Not only can you use it in your car while traveling but you can move it to your other TVs in your house and hook up to the audio video input on your sets and your're ready to roll!! The picture is amazingly sharp compared to some of the other players I have seen and the screen is designed for widescreen DVDs..in other words the film fits perfectly in the screen!

It comes with a car adaptor and a really nice and thin remote control that works wonderfully! I highly recommend this unit!!

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We bought this product before Thanksgiving. It worked OK at times, but would get a bar across the screen at other times. We exchanged it for the same model. The second one didn't work at all. The DVD cover would not lock, ran loud and could not play the movie. We are returning it and looking for a different brand.

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I purchased the 853, it's the same unit with an 8.5 inch screen. The first unit I purchased had bright red pixels all over. I took it back and exchanged it for the same model, the second one played the DVD for about 30 seconds and then choked. So I turned it off and back on again, but all it would do is say "Disc Unknown". I took it back for a full refund. This company makes the worst DVD players I have ever seen.

This player did not work. The screen went totally black within 10 seconds after putting the first dvd in it. It had sound, but no picture whatsoever. Had to return and did not buy it again. Went with a Mintek instead and it is working fine.