Showing posts with label cheap digital voice recorder. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cheap digital voice recorder. Show all posts

Sunday, September 14, 2014

Fujifilm HDP-L1 HD Player and Remote

Fujifilm HDP-L1 HD Player and Remote
  • Card reader to play back HD movies and photos on your television
  • Easy to display photos and movies on your HDTV HDMI output device
  • Remote Control

being owner of a finepix real 3D w1 camera and v1 picture frame and a samsung le46c750 3D tv i would have liked to watch my photos taken with the 3D camera on the 3D tv. quite obvious, one might think. but it doesn't work. samsung doesn't support fuji's native mpo file format for stereoscopic images, and even the side-by-side format can't be switched to 3d in terms of pictures, whereas with (converted) videos from the same camera this works.

so as the finepix hdp-l1 was announced to be able to play the 3D photos on a 3D capable tv via hdmi, i thought, this might be a handy solution. ok, it works. but one might expect it to work a bit different, maybe:

1. it only supports 720p, which still looks good, but as the photos have much a higher resolution (2x 10 megapixels), i would prefer downscaling to 1080p to get the best out of it. it seems that hdmi 1.3 doesn't support the higher 3D resolution, and so doesn't the item. and i'm not sure, if it even is a native 3D format taht runs across the hdmi, as switching to 3D just presents a side-by-side image, which then on the tv can accordingly be translated to 3D in the 3D settings. actually there is a 3D protocol for real 3D and i'm quite sure the tv should recognize this automatically, if it really were the right format.

2. there are no menues available when 3D mode is switched on.

3. there is no sort of file-browser available.

4. 3D fotos cannot be shown in 2D (and you don't even see that they're there in 2D mode), whereas 3D films can (???)

5. there are NO slideshow options: you can't choose different time-spans for the pictures to be shown, and there's NO transitions offered. i don't need those fluffy transitions with all kinds of sliding and rolling effects. i just want one image to softly fade out and the next one to fade in. or the first fading to black, and the second fading in from black again. pictures only show one after the other.

6. you can't even switch off the annoying beep, except by muting the tv

7. the device refuses to read 16gb sdhc cards

most of those issues could be solved easily by providing some sensible software (firmware) for a piece of hardware, that obviously could do all the tricks.

i really wonder why companies do this. same with the samsung tv, although there's not that much missing.

open your code to at least let enthusiasts do the job you should do! there' a bunch of people out there who would be most eager to develop really cute functions for the devices you build. (as there have been firmware hacks for previous samsung models, it seems. but they just secured their code better to prevent intervention instead of opening it up)

it's so frustrating to have a piece of hardware that you know is capable of doing so many cute things, but it just won't, because some programming departments refuse to do their job properly (or are on too tight a budget).

pleeeaaase!!!

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This device is surprisingly small, about the size of a deck of cards maybe. It worked right out of the box and is really pretty great. It displays photos ofF SDHC cards in great quality and has a few options like a slideshow and the ability to rotate photos. Videos from non-fuji cameras don't work on this, but photos from any camera do. It quickly loaded and displayed my 16GB SDHC card. A pretty good alternative for cameras that can't hook directly to a TV.

Read Best Reviews of Fujifilm HDP-L1 HD Player and Remote Here

1. Movies filmed in 3D cannot be shown in 3D, just 2D

2. Photos taken vertically can be rotated but only in 2D. When you view the same photo in 3D it is again shown on its side.

3. When you push a button the machine doesn't like it shuts itself off.

Helpful but very frustrating

Friday, September 5, 2014

4GB 4G UR-08 USB Pen Drive digital Audio Voice Recorder 70 Hours Blue

4GB 4G UR-08 USB Pen Drive digital Audio Voice Recorder 70 Hours BlueI've only used this a few times and its worked fine for me. Sometimes the back and the front pieces disconnect and you have to place them back together but that isn't that hard to do (as long as you don't lose any of the pieces). Also, the switch that turns on the recorder likes to turn off and on with the slightest touch so you have to keep it in an area that this won't happen (i keep it in my backpack in the clear part where your ID is suppose to go and haven't experienced any problems since i started storing it there). The voice recordings themselves are what i expected, a tad muffled. However, i sit in the back of the class generally and can still hear what the professor is saying on the recording. An unexpected feature that i enjoy is that the red light that turns on when you flip the recorder on, turns blue when it starts actually recording. I like this because it tells me when it starts and i know that its not dead (if the blue light goes out, i know it died). When you plug the stick into the computer, the red light also comes on. The memory part works great for me, just like any other USB memory stick. Overall, the product was a great price and works perfectly for me, just have to be careful on where you store it and that the 2 pieces don't come apart.

Used this to replace a prior instrument that did not work. This works very well. Easy to use. Appreciate the recharging light for the battery.

Buy 4GB 4G UR-08 USB Pen Drive digital Audio Voice Recorder 70 Hours Blue Now

I've been waiting to have one of this and..finally it's very useful..it's like multi-tasking..

You never knew that you are being recorded with this thing..

Read Best Reviews of 4GB 4G UR-08 USB Pen Drive digital Audio Voice Recorder 70 Hours Blue Here

Monday, September 1, 2014

Bell+Howell Take2HD T200-BK Camcorder with HD Recording, 1x Optical Zoom and 2-Inch LCD Screen (Bla

Bell+Howell Take2HD T200-BK Camcorder with HD Recording, 1x Optical Zoom and 2-Inch LCD ScreenThis was such a great price I had to try this camera out. I had problems with it from the time I took it out of the box. The power switch was very unresponsive and even worse was the record button. Sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn't and it was very frustrating when trying to film to not have it respond. Now I will say the few videos I took were wonderful and the others that I missed because I couldn't get it to record at all would have been good, too! After about 10 days the power button just quit. It wouldn't power on at all. It wasn't the battery or anything else, the little button was just stuck in the down position and it wouldn't release -or turn on.

I contacted Amazon and they were VERY responsive and I got a full refund -after taking the camera to the post office and paying the expense to ship it back. SO I was out the camera and the cost of shipping. My Flip arrived yesterday! Should have gone with the camera I really wanted and that had tons of great reviews.

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Monday, August 25, 2014

Naxa NX-980 Dynamic DJ Studio Recording or Karaoke Microphone

Naxa NX-980 Dynamic DJ Studio Recording or Karaoke Microphone
  • Stylish Super Lightweight Design
  • Detachable Cannon-type Connector
  • 16.5 Ft. Long Cord

I purchased this mic with some hesitation realizing that at this price it would not be a GREAT one. But I thought it would be at least usable as a back up when our regular mic went out or if we had to travel. Taking it out of the box it was very light and had a cheap feel. But I still had hopes that the sound would be ok. Upon plugging in the mic it immediatly gave lots of feedback. It hissed and popped. When you are touching it, the sound gets even worse, so it seems as though there is a short in it or just very badly made. I am returning this mic today and have learned my lesson on buying cheaply priced items for in the case you definitly get what you pay for.New Pro Dynamic DJ Studio Vocal Recording Microphone NR

Buy Naxa NX-980 Dynamic DJ Studio Recording or Karaoke Microphone Now

I was pleased to see the microphone provides an XLR connection which will come in handy on a mixer or more professional equipment. The microphone comes with a cable that attaches to 1/8" which is good if your connecting straight to a computer or laptop.

Read Best Reviews of Naxa NX-980 Dynamic DJ Studio Recording or Karaoke Microphone Here

We got this for a child for Christmas. He loves to sing and really liked this we got it with a little amp and he stayed in his room most of the day singing. We tried it out before giving it to him and it produced nice sound! Great deal!

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The suggested selling price is to be ignored, when you can buy the Naxa NX-980 all day long for twenty bucks. That said, you get what you pay for.

It doesn't sound bad, but the microphone has noticeably lower output than a Shure SL-57 or other common studio/recording/entertainment mike. You'll need to crank up the gain on your PA or board.

The XLR connector is not made to standard dimensions. The mike and cable plug (provided) fit each other nicely enough, but wait 'till you try to plug a different cable into it (as entertainers do all the time, on the fly). It is next to impossible to stick a standard XLR plug into the mike, and equally difficult to get it out.

When you need to change a mike or cable in the middle of a set fast, this could be really bad news. Standard and mini phone fittings at the other end of the cable (provided) are poorly made too.

Overall, on a scale of 1 10, I give the NAXA NX-980 less than a five.

this is like best priced microphone on amazon its $8 it does the job and works fine last 2 weeks ive had it and naxa makes good wireless mics also have with have karaoke nights with friends

Friday, August 8, 2014

Samsung HMX-U20 Ultra-Compact Full-HD Camcorder (Black)

Samsung HMX-U20 Ultra-Compact Full-HD CamcorderI purchased this May 28th, on sale for $170. I did not purchase a memory card as I had a 2 gig SD card at home and wasn't sure that I would be keeping this camera. I charged the battery, put in my memory card and went out in the yard and shot some video and some still photos. It was a bright sunny day. I hooked up the camera to my 50 inch plasma TV with the included composite video cable and looked at the photos, which were really great quality and detail. I was pleasantly surprised that they were the equal of my Olympus 10 mega pixel digital still camera. Next I looked at the video that I shot at 1080P and heard this clicking noise throughout the video. My commentary was recorded just fine but the clicking was a deal breaker. The video quality was also not what I expected for the 1080 P setting. I loaded the CD into my PC and started to read the manual. As another reviewer noted you must us HC SD memory or data will be lost while the memory is trying to keep up with the high data rate of this camera. That night I bought a recommended SDHC card and put it in the camera. The next day I went to a WWII era air show and brought the camera. I shot about 40 minutes of video at 720P 60 frames per second and about 24 photos at the 10 mega pixel setting. There were lots of action videos as the old fighters streaked overhead as well as some newer jets. I hooked up the camera to the plasma TV and viewed the photos, which were really sharp and clear with great detail. You could read the serial number and min/max blade pitch on one of the props. This is using a low quality composite video cable between the camera and TV. The videos were terrific and no clicking noise. The use of the correct memory card improved all the quality levels of the photos and videos. My family was impressed that this small package could do so much. I next loaded the software on my PC and transferring the videos and photos was simple and the while not a high end package there is more than enough functionality to edit the videos, convert them to other formats and upload them to different online services. The only thing missing is the ability to burn them to a DVD, which I can do with Nero. On Memorial Day I went to the Daytona Prototype races at Lime Rock Park and shot a lot more video and photos. All came out terrific. I will purchase a monopod as it is difficult to hold this small camera steady for a long period of time. I will also be purchasing the optional HDMI cable to further improve the quality of the image when watching on my 50 inch plasma. This camera is a keeper and the quality is outstanding. I've shown the results to others with Flips or RCA and they rated the quality of the Samsung output to be superior.

I am surprised by the early negative reviews. I never owned a pocket HD cam before (like the Flip Mino, Creative Vado, or Kodak Zi6) though I've seen them compared online (Tekzilla), so when I pre-ordered this camera I had a good idea of what I would be getting. I've had it for 3 days now and it is exactly what I expected it to be for the price and size. It is not a replacement for larger, heavier higher-end digital SLRs or camcorders with better lenses and imaging chips. It's a convenient, cell phone sized FunCam. The smaller size and lighter weight means it's harder to keep steady, a reported problem with all the pocket HD cams. Another known problem is they don't do low light well. This camera is no exception.

Pros:

I found the 1080/30p video quite good outdoors in daylight, again considering the size of the chip and the quality of the lens you can expect at this price.

The Smart Auto feature does a surprisingly good job of detecting what you're shooting and adjusting accordingly. Hold the camera close to an object and it automatically goes into macro mode. Shoot a back-lit subject and it automatically goes into Backlight mode. It does have an Action mode for fast moving subjects but I haven't had it activated yet so I'm not sure how well it works to smooth out camera shake, if that's even what it's supposed to do. (There is no camera shake correction feature in the included software as another reviewed suggested.) I suspect Action mode may just increase shutter speed to minimize subject blur and not be an image stabilization feature. At any rate, this is a consumer point and shoot camera. These modes are not manually adjustable.

I've tried the time-lapse feature (the main reason I bought this camera) and it works very well, though I'd prefer more choices like 2 and 3 frames per second.

The 3x optical zoom works better than digital zooming though it does dim the image on the LCD screen when you zoom in.

It has a user replaceable rechargeable battery.

It uses SD cards you can swap out for more recording time.

The included video and picture editing software is basic but works and the fact it's included on the camera is very convenient. You can also install it onto your PC if you like. I have higher end programs so I won't be using it but it's always there if you need it away from home.

My cons would be:

1 The lens does not have a cover and I have already smudged it a couple of times. A sliding door or even lens cap seems like a no-brainer but there isn't one. To be clear, the actual lens is deep inside the camera and there is a protective piece of glass (or plastic) over it. I did clean the smudges off the glass with a photo lens cloth with no problem. The other pocket HD cams don't seem to have lens covers either.

2 The still photos are not great. Much better than what my 2 megapixel Razr phone can do but obviously far below what my 8 megapixel Canon Rebel XT can deliver. It's not just the pixels; it's the lens and chip that make a quality image. This cam is not good for important photos and, again, the pictures are much better with a lot of light. With moving video images the grain is not as apparent.

3 I'm not crazy about the USB dongle all these pocket cams have but I understand its convenience. An additional USB port would have been nice.

Other than that I am pleased with the purchase. My camera does not exhibit any of the mechanical noises during recording others mentioned. The only noise is when you use the zoom, as with every camera. You can even set it to mute audio recording during zooming if you like.

Of note, this camera will not take a Compact Flash card and if you're buying an SDHC card for this camera Samsung recommends only three brands: Panasonic, SanDisc, and Toshiba. Other cards are not guaranteed to work. They also recommend a card with a transfer speed of at least 5MB/sec for video recording. It can take up to a 32GB capacity card. That's approximately 225 minutes of 1080/30P recording.

Buy Samsung HMX-U20 Ultra-Compact Full-HD Camcorder (Black) Now

I suffered from the flip's limited storage (8GB) and short battery life.. So, I switched to the Samsung HMX-20 for the following reasons:

1) SDHC support: I have a couple of 16GB cards that I take with me when traveling; a computer is not needed.

2) Full HD.

3) Can be charged with bundled electric charger or when plugged to USB.

Cons:

1) Poor low-light performance

Read Best Reviews of Samsung HMX-U20 Ultra-Compact Full-HD Camcorder (Black) Here

I would say.. not bad...Here is the pictures I took under different kind of condition-. All are shut in SMART/AUTO mode and there is not much night view cause it doesn't work well without enough lighting. I don't expect 170USD could have a professional sharp quality. But this one is compact and light, easy to carry on.

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Yes, you need a steady hand for all video recording. Just because you stink at taking video doesn't mean it's the camera's fault. Videographers all over spend lots of money on stabilizing equipment for the already skilled hands and already top of the line cameras. This camcorder takes great video, especially in proper lighting. Outside video has amazing rich detail and the TIME LAPSE feature is incredible. A+ product.

Friday, July 18, 2014

VideoSecu DVD DVR VCR Wall Mount Bracket for DVD Player DSS Receiver Blu-Ray Media VCR Stereo Cable

VideoSecu DVD DVR VCR Wall Mount Bracket for DVD Player DSS Receiver Blu-Ray Media VCR Stereo Cable Box - Adjustable Electronic Component Shelf Holder 1XUi received the first one that was torn to shreds.....not sure what happened there but it looked like someone fed it to a pitbull and then threw it in a box. i contacted amazon and they sent a new one out

FAST! the 2nd one was in excellent condition. we ordered this along with a couple other items to mount my 2 1/2 year old daughter's 32" tv, dvd player and dvds. installation was very easy and unlike other people have said, the wire cover does stay on if you do it right. so if you need a quick,cheap, sturdy fix then this is for you. i also liked that there is no glass because this is being used in a playroom.

this was easy to install and you just place the whatever box DVD etc on top. simple as that. the only downfall is that the plastic paret that hides the wire does not click in and hold very tight, but it does hide the wires.

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This item was purchased for a DVR mounted on a brick wall on our patio. It was easy to install and very sturdy. My husband searched many items both in stores and on-line. This one was the best price. He was skeptical because of the price but was very pleased with the construction and durability of the the item.

Read Best Reviews of VideoSecu DVD DVR VCR Wall Mount Bracket for DVD Player DSS Receiver Blu-Ray Media VCR Stereo Cable Here

I bought two of these for my DVD player and my DVR. Because I mounted my TV on two studs and I wanted my components centered underneath, I decided I'd try out their wall anchors so I wouldn't have to find a stud. Big mistake. Once I read through their instructions (the pictures did not correspond exactly to the product or mention anything about the anchors), I proceeded to mount the shelves. I made sure the anchors were tight in their holes and completed the project in about 15-20 minutes. The problem came when I put my components on the shelves. As soon as I did, the shelves sagged and pulled the anchors out of the wall, leaving a giant mess behind. Luckily, the shelves came with plastic covers that connect to each other, and I had some of the high-quality, screw-in drywall anchors, which I should have used at the beginning. I was able to shift the whole system down an inch, use the better anchors, and hide the huge holes in my wall. Now, everything looks great, but some day, I will have to fix that mess behind the shelves.

Things to know:

1. If you have a DVR that is deeper than a normal DVD player, your DVR might stick out way past the arms of the shelf.

2. When installing, the plastic covers will stay on if the plate above the shelf is cupped out. That is not mentioned or pictured anywhere in the instructions.

3. If you're going to mount on drywall with no stud, use screw-in drywall anchors with the screws that come with those anchors. Do NOT use the anchors that come with the shelves.

Once the shelves are mounted, it looks fine. I wouldn't buy this product again, but it'll work for a while.

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Good construction quality and easy to install, but make sure to place on a stud if putting more than 10lbs of equipment.

It certainly does the job and hides the cables behind the equipment.

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Sunday, June 8, 2014

Canon XL-H1 3CCD High Definition Camcorder with 20x Optical Zoom

Canon XL-H1 3CCD High Definition Camcorder with 20x Optical ZoomThe Canon XL-H1 is king of DV and live video productions!

The low light quality is unmatched on any camera in it's class.

The ergonomics are spectacular, making the camera excellent for smooth handheld shots.

The buttons are accessible in awkward positions and are easy to use, plus there are programmable buttons that can be personalized.

This is a serious camera for any serious job.

All Canon HDV cameras has an important issue: if you record in 24F or 30F modes, the tapes can only be played back in the camera itself. Canon records those signals in a proprietary mode that is not HDV compliant. YOU CANNOT PLAYBACK THE TAPES IN ANY DECK OR CAMERA other than Canon.

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Tuesday, May 20, 2014

Livescribe 8 GB Echo Smartpen Pro Pack (APX-00007)

Livescribe 8 GB Echo Smartpen Pro PackI got the LiveScribe 8GB with the Pro Pack and I had some skepticism, given some of the reviews here. After testing the product for a few hours I am in love! I am able to take digital notes with or without audio recordings, the stylus ink works fine (still, I bought replacements from a swiss pen company, just in case the reviews are correct after some use), and the MyScribe managed to recognize 90% of my terrible handwriting (the other 10% I sometimes struggle to recognize as well). I am about to go to Grad school and this pen will allow me to preserve every single note in searchable format digitally (in my industry that means a lot). As a side benefit, the pen has a number of cool apps I can use to convert my notebook it into a tablet for my computer, create digital tables, calculate units, etc. Thank you, LiveScribe! (I will keep posting updates if anything changes)

Think of this as note recorder + scanner + biro in a fountain pen look-a-like shell with a hand writing recognition software included to boot. When you add up all these features for the price being offered on Amazon, it's quite reasonable. I found the recording sensitivity excellent especially with the 3-D recording headset provided in the Pro-Pack. Great for recording in a lecture theatre. I can't recommend this enough for the university student. I always found it difficult getting down all the notes in time in my university lectures. It comes in handy when you can point to a particular place in your notes and the recorded notes takes you to that exact point in the playback. You never have to be afraid of missing out on an important point from a lecture or speech.

When you plug in the smartpen to your Mac, each page is an exact scan or "pencast" of your written notes. By using the included MyScript software, you can also convert your handwritten notes to digital text. Admittedly the handwriting recognition software isn't perfect but it's 80% of the way there depending on how neatly or how legibly you write. It's better than having to retype out your handwritten notes from scratch. You just have to review the digital text and amend the words that weren't recognised correctly. If you're a student, all this cuts down your notetaking and prep time by half, leaves you with more actual study time. You can use these pencasts to more easily edit your notes to form your final review notes for your exams.

The pen might look a bit clunky and unwieldly but surprisingly is much easier to write with in the Echo version. This is due to the better grip on the Echo as compared to the Pulse. The biggest design flaw I think is the "smartpen cap" that is used to cover the pen nib and ocr hardware at the pen tip. Once this cap is taken off, there's nowhere for it to be placed on the pen so could easily be lost. In normal pens, a pen cap or lid can usually be placed on top of the pen for the duration that the pen is being used to write with and then taken off to replace the cap back on the tip. But this is not possible with the smartpen as this is where the mini-USB connector and phone jack is located. So I guess just be careful not to lose the pen cap when you've taken it off the pen.

The software that comes with Livescribe is relatively easy to use and quite apparent even without reading the user manual / guide. The smartpen also comes with some apps that can be loaded up on the pen. The apps are really basic but you at least get about 10mins worth of fun out of them. My favourite are the language apps. For when you're bored just repeat some travel phrases, comes in handy when you're ready to travel abroad. Overall, I found the pen and software easy to use, pretty straight forward. If you're a student, the smartpen will be pretty handy especially for those that want to capture every single word in a lecture or tutorial. If you're in a profession that requires notes to be recorded as exactly as possible, the smartpen will deliver on that requirement.

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I bought a Livescribe Echo 8 GB on special and was very excited about using this technology to post solutions to problems for my chemistry class. First, it would not synch. We finally traced this to the fact that the USB cannot be plugged into a hub, which is something they don't tell you.

The next problem is that the pencast pdfs created from the pen are very quirky. Specifically, the ink that is supposed to be light gray (and darkens as you write) is already dark in random spots when you start the pdf and it doesn't change as you write over it. This makes the presentation very confusing.

Another problem is that they claim you can re-order pages in a pencast using "Custom Notebooks" feature of their desktop, and when you export them to a pdf the pages should remain re-ordered. This is essential if you mess up, say, page 1 of a two-page pencast, and then want to re-record only that page. It becomes page 3, but can be re-ordered in front of page 2 in a "Custom Notebook." However, in the pdf, the pages are NOT reordered.

I had four e-mail exchanges with their support and sent them all sorts of files as requested. I probably spent 6-8 hours helping them to troubleshoot this problem. In the end, they are not responding, probably because they can't fix the problems. Worse yet, I bought extra notebooks, pen tips, a case, and an extra USB cable.

I strongly suggest avoiding this product until they have fixes for these and other bugs. It is a slick idea with a very amateurish execution.

Read Best Reviews of Livescribe 8 GB Echo Smartpen Pro Pack (APX-00007) Here

I did quite a bit of research before buying this pen. I read reviews on the Livescribe site, Amazon, and others. I was concerned about what people were saying about the ink in particularly. I decided to buy the pen anyway as an Xmas gift to myself.

So far, I have not been disappointed. The ink that came with the pen flows nicely which was surprising since I expected something worse (because of the reviews). I can see that the cartridges are smaller than a typical pen cartridge, and that is probably not by accident :-) Livescribe could still make good money from a regular sized cartridge. They seem pricey as well. Their bean counters should check their math and read up on economies of scale: They'd sell more cartridges if they were priced better. Right now it seems like a lot of folks are looking for alternatives and have come up with some creative solutions, just to save a few dollars. Livescribe pay attention to your extremely loyal base--someone will come along soon enough and see a new marketing opportunity for either 3rd party cartridges or a new brand of smart pens.

As for the pen itself--remarkable. I like the small portfolio with A5 notebooks. Small footprint when I am taking notes at work, meetings, etc. Audio recording is very good, even without the binaural headphones. I love using the calculator, too. Livescribe connect is a snap to use. I frequently email my notes to others. I do wish eventually a wifi transfer method were added, but that could lead to a larger pen and the echo is large enough!

Myscript works great, too. Flawless handwriting recognition. I've let it transcribe a few dozen pages into MS Word and so far not a single problem.

I use OneNote as well, and when I import the notes into my table PC's copy of OneNote, it also does handwriting recognition flawlessly but that is also because my tablet has been trained on my handwriting for well over a year.

I bought the text to table app and it works fine.

Learning curve wasn't steep. If you set an hour aside when you get the pen you can update the firmware, watch the exercise videos, and learn the app functions. It's not that hard at all.

Things I'd like to see in the next version of a Livescribe pen:

1. bigger ink cartridges, for the same price or cheaper as the current ones.

2. Ability to track or even deactivate a pen if it gets stolen or lost. These are both easy in today's technology.

3. Wireless transmission of notes. This is the pen's greatest weakness.

4. A narrower design, if possible. I'd pay more for the pen to have that feature alone.

I would have given it five stars, but the size of the ink and the price of it forced me to knock off one star. Overall I am very pleased with my purchase.

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The pen itself works fine, the audio is what you would expect, you can hear the speaker but there is background noise that you can't really get rid of without running audio filters. The actual digitization of your handwriting works quite well and syncs nicely. The problem is and this seems to be a wide spread problem if you look at their support page is that pens will not transfer the audio to your computer so you can't archive notebooks and their associated audio. I am not sure about other but that was why I bought the product so this is kinda a deal breaker for me... Also their support is quite lacking, I have spent 2 weeks waiting to hear anything what so ever from their customer service department...

Monday, May 5, 2014

Sony ICDLX30BLK Digital Flash Voice Recorder

Sony ICDLX30BLK Digital Flash Voice RecorderIf you're old enough, you may remember the thirty dollar cassette recorders they used to sell for recording basic audio stuff at home. The fidelity was decent, and the operation was as simple as can be. Turn it on and press the red button to record. This little Sony is the modern equivalent of that simplicity. Except it uses standard SD cards instead of cassettes, and it records a whole lot better.

Most portable audio recorders have tons of setup options buried in multi-level menus. This unit is very basic. Insert the batteries and the SD card, and there's nothing to set up. Turn it on, press the button and you're recording using the built in mikes. You really only need the menu to set the date or switch to the external mike port.

The unit records full fidelity standard mP3 files at the 192K data rate, which is more than enough for perfect voice recordings, and nearly as good as CD audio for music. It has AGC, which is automatic gain control. This boosts the sound levels a bit to pick up voices across the room. If you talk loud, the AGC reduces the volume so the sound does not distort. There is not too much AGC pumping, and the AGC transitions sound quite natural. If you are looking for an audio recorder to produce studio quality recordings, this is not the tool for that job. It's the fact that you can't disable the AGC or change the data rate that makes this unsuitable for professional recordings. The recording quality is certainly good enough. But if you just want a great audio recording of a lecture, some dictation or a family sing-a-long around the piano, this is what this unit is designed for. With an external mike, it's good enough for recording radio interviews and narration for your home or corporate videos.

The unit does what it was designed to do, and it does it simple and well. It will record 22 hours on a 2 gig card and run 22 hours on two AAA batteries.

This recorder was purchased to provide backup for written minutes of charitable foundation meetings. Sitting unobtrusively on the table, its twin microphones pick up voices from all over the room, and its speaker reproduces them with lifelike accuracy. The controls are simple and intuitive and the recordings are catalogued by date for easy retrieval. This is my first experience with a digital voice recorder, and it is much better than a microcassette recorder. For the purpose it was purchased, I don't think I could find anything better for a comparable price.

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This digital recorder works well and easy to use. It saves files based on date though and it would have been nice if you could save as a file name for future easier finding.

Read Best Reviews of Sony ICDLX30BLK Digital Flash Voice Recorder Here

Been looking for a pocket-sized voice recorder to go with me each time I attend seminars and conferences and this one fits the bill.

The sound is clear and the operation is easy. Love it ! And YES, it comes with an A/C adapter.

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I bought it specifically to record commentary for music performances, however it did not recognize the SD cards provided by the festival. It caused me to have to buy another more expensive model from a local store. I will keep it, but I will likely have to buy SONY SD cards. That was inconvenient.

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Monday, February 17, 2014

Canon FS300 Flash Memory Camcorder w/41x Advanced Zoom (Silver)

Canon FS300 Flash Memory Camcorder w/41x Advanced ZoomThis camera is small enough to easily fit into your jacket pocket. The automatic lens cover means not having to worry about the lens, nor any extra pieces to carry around and keep track of. The long battery time, large capacity of a SD card and small size adds up to a very convenient camera to keep with you translating into a greater likelihood of actually having the camera with you more often to catch those interesting moments of our lives. This is a very easy camera to use while shooting video.

There is a little more labor involved to edit video and transfer footage. Although it can be done without too much difficulty. And I am reluctant to be critical of that aspect since the technology has advanced so much in the last decade. I remember a time when videotaping our personal lives was much more limited by the technology.

The picture and sound quality are good. The price is right. I recommend this camera for the convenience and price. Unless of course the best picture and sound available is what you want, then more expensive cameras are available worthy of a five star review. For most purposes, this camera can't be beat for its convenience and therefore the greater chance of actually having it on hand when needed.

Canon seems to have taken a step down from the comparatively-excellent FS200 with a range of features that fall short in so many areas. As others have mentioned, the software included is practically useless, but more importantly the video quality just isn't there. There are major compression artifacts that appear whenever there's significant movement or any zooming used, it handles low night very poorly, resulting in grainy video, and the single-shot feature produces low quality shots comparable with those you would see on a cell phone.

Inexplicably, Canon has removed the audio in jack that came on the FS200, meaning there's no way to use an external microphone to capture any sound. Consequently, there's camera noise in every video, which is surprisingly loud considering it has so few moving parts. Combined with the fact that it comes with no memory (contrary to indications in the manufacturer's own product description), the FS300 feels more like a budget version of the 200 rather than an upgrade. As for documentation, I agree with other reviewers I wouldn't normally notice a poor quality manual in electronics but I needed it to find the power-in jack, which is superbly camouflaged on the unit.

Overall, it's small and easy to carry around but falls short of the quality I've come to expect from Canon products. I can't use this for pro-sumer video capture as I had planned to, and apart from the decent zoom function there's not much to separate from a Flip at half the price. Let's hope the FS400 fixes the plethora of faults, though I'll be waiting to the see the reviews before parting with my cash so hastily!

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As stated by others the software included with the camcorder is terrible. It has no editing ability. I ended purchasing a third party software for $50, so in the end, with the memory card this is more like a $400 camcorder. Video is as good as it should be for an SD camera, sound is okay. Overall a good camera.

Pros: Small, light, quickly charges, long battery life, decent enough video

Cons: Poor video in low light, okay sound, software

Read Best Reviews of Canon FS300 Flash Memory Camcorder w/41x Advanced Zoom (Silver) Here

This is a fairly inexpensive, basic, camcorder. Probably the best selling point versus its competitors is the excellent wide ranging zoom lens on this camera. The LCD screen is also good sized and seemed bright and clear. You'll definitely want a 16GB or (better still) 32GB SDHC card to get full use from the camcorder. I found the image quality to be only so-so, though certainly in line with other inexpensive camcorders (and far better than a Sony "bloggie" that I had the misfortune of trying a few months ago). It's a small camera (would fit in a pocket), easy to handle (controls right by the fingers), and those controls are clear and straightforward. You'll want to get your hands on the actual camera before buying though, some folks complain that their hands are too big around the unit. Check that out yourself.

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To say this camera works seamlessly with a Mac is a joke. It's very spotty at best and I've spent literally hours (today for example) trying to get iMovie '09 to recognize the camera even though the camera icon shows up as a drive on the desktop. Yes, I've downloaded video in the past, but it's always a crapshoot. So buyer beware.

I had NO idea Canon would even release a camera that didn't work seamlessly with the Mac Platform. Disappointed to say the least. Help!

Thursday, January 9, 2014

Motorola V220 Unlocked Cell Phone--U.S. Version with Warranty (Silver)

Motorola V220 Unlocked Cell Phone--U.S. Version with WarrantyIt is a light weight handy phone. The camara works very well. There are several useful additional features in the phone. The only problem I encountered is, since it is a triband and is supposed to be carried to other countries where there are varient power supply, it should have a universal charger with it. The one that comes with the phone works only in 110V power outlet.

I bought this phone beause I didn't want to swtich my current service.

This is a great, easy to use phone. It is perfect for someone who's looking for something easy to work with, it has a simple and in detail user's guide, the battery has a long life span, and it has a good size screen.

I read many negative reviews on this phone on various webpages but I still decided to buy it. I have no regrets. A lot of people said this phone has a bad camera quaility. From the pictures I've taken I see no worse quality in this camera phone than any other. A lot of other flip phones have a longer display screen inside which tends to strech the picture. This phone is a perfect screen size that keeps the picture to the right dementions.

The caller ID is simple and shows on the outside of the phone when someone is calling. You can set your option to show a picture and where you have to open the phone to answer it.

The speaker phone is another good feature on this phone. It is very loud and clear and is perfect for when you are driving or need your hands free.

I've already dropped this phone and acidentally smashed it underneathe my chair. There are no sratches on it and its still in perfectly good working condition. A lot of people said this phone was like a toy as was fragile. I don't understand how it can be fragile if I can put a metal chair on top of it; unless the person that said that was throwing this at the wall repeatly or beating it with a baseball bat I see no problems with it.

Over all I give this phone a 5 star rating. I've had no problems with it and it is well worth the money you are paying for.

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I had this phone for over 2 years, the phone worked great until it died recently. However, I used a belt holster and although it did get dropped a few times, it wasn't very often. I thought the camera worked great, the address book had over 500 numbers in it when I last backed it up. I couldn't ask that it did much more. I presume the others that rated it poorly had more rugged use of the phone, but I used it every day for business. The talk time was very long compared to most of the newer phones. I would talk on average 2-3 hours per day on the phone, and I only charged it every other day or so. It is small and lightweight and fits nicely in the hand whether you are a man or a woman.

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I payed extra money for this phone when I got a new plan, and I've been regrettig it ever since.

First and foremost, the reception is lack-luster at best. I'm in the Los Angeles area and this phone drops calls left and right. I will be standing next to someone with the same service, and they'll have 2 more bars than I do.

Also, I take good enough care of my phones, the occassional drop, but I do treat them well. After a year, my camera stopped working for no apparent reason. No drop or major trauma induced this. Now, and 1.5 years, my screen is glitching or turning off and it is a constant annoyance. and I'm not the only one. of the handful of friends that also have this same phone, they *all* complain of the same problems.

I dislike giving harsh reviews, but I am just so dissatisfied with this phone that I hate thinking that other people would still buy it. There are better phones at better prices. Do not waste your money on this one.

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If you want a phone with camera because you actually plan to use the camera this phone is not it, it's rare to get a clear image w/it! It's compact and that's nice for purses and junk. You can find many accessories for it, and if you like musictones they sound great on this phone! I have never had any problems w/reception. I think that the best thing about it is that it is durable. I have dropped it too many times to count on cement and tile, and I didn't break any part of the phone or camera. Seriously though, had it not come free w/my plan I would have NEVER gotten it. It's really not worth paying for.

Tuesday, December 31, 2013

Motorola KRZR K1 Unlocked Phone with 2 MP Camera, MP3/Video Player, and MicroSD Slot--International

Motorola KRZR K1 Unlocked Phone with 2 MP Camera, MP3/Video Player, and MicroSD Slot--International Version with No WarrantyThe phone works great. Inserted the SIM card charged up the minutes and it works good. Good sound and easy to use.

This was actually the second cell phone that I purchased from this company. The first one broke with everyday use. I then purchased another because of the appearance. The second phone was a 'dud'. It worked for a few days and then stopped. It would not charge, make or receive calls. At that time, I had both of the telephones in my possession and returned them both. The two cell phones were placed in their individual boxes and both shipped back in a larger box (to avoid paying two shipping charges) and returned. I received confirmation that the 'phone' had been received and immediately send a clarification that there were actually two phones. I heard nothing. I followed up to inquire as to what was going on and that is when the unbelievable happened. A representative named Chris informed me that they only had one phone. I explained that if the received one phone then they had to have received two because they were both returned at the same time (in the same box). The response...we can't find it and we are not going to return any more of your money. That is the short version, this actually went one for several weeks. They refunded only one of the phones. When asked to speak with someone else who could resolve this issue I was essentially told by Chris that he/she was the last line of appeal and that this matter was considered closed. I will never do business with this company again and would not recommend it to anyone. They were unresponsive and ripped me off.

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This new unit replaced my wife's Krazr (same model) purchased in 2007. The phone has performed flawlessly but it was dropped and damaged. We saw this selling for less than 1/3 of the original purchases price , so we ordered it. Phone arrived quickly. Charged the battery, after which I transferred the data from the damaged phone into the new unit via "Motorola Phone Tools" software (provided with the phone). Works great!

Read Best Reviews of Motorola KRZR K1 Unlocked Phone with 2 MP Camera, MP3/Video Player, and MicroSD Slot--International Here

The phone is snazzy (if that's a word!)looks good and functional.. but nothing great about it. Texting on this phone is VERY difficult.

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I'm so glad to have been able to get this phone. Had a silver one of the same model for six years before something broke in it, so was accustomed to the ease of use and loved it. Keep in mind though, that if you're into texting, it's not the greatest for seniors instead of those with younger fingers and thumbs. It can be done if you have the patience for the small key pad, has a great camera too. I think the web capabilities with the phone are somewhat outdated, but I've been offered a software update for that. I passed on it because the remote area I live in only offers about 2G instead of 4G capabilities anyway.

I talk more than anything else, tried a more up-to-date phone for a while which didn't suit me, so am really glad to have found this phone available, and the speaker works great on it too. The vendor gave me great and timely service, staying in communication with me from the first email I sent through the delivery of it.

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Tuesday, November 19, 2013

BestDealUSA DVR Hidden Clock Camera Cam Camcorder Remote Motion

BestDealUSA DVR Hidden Clock Camera Cam Camcorder Remote MotionDude. plastic cover broken on side. cant get it to record any thing. cant save or load files. cant cant cant!!!!!!!!!!!!! I was getting this becouse a watch was missing from rm. after a week I gave up. Did it the old fash way banging some heads till I got my answer. Im not even sure i can send this back

The best deal ever the USA DVR Hidden Clock Camera Cam Camcorder Remote Motion is a great gadget to purchase and it is not as hard as it seems to program and work it.

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Monday, November 18, 2013

JVC XVN310BK Progressive-Scan DVD Player , Black

JVC XVN310BK Progressive-Scan DVD Player , Black
  • Plays DVD-Video, DVD-R, DVD-RW (video format), CD, CD-R/RW, VCD, SVCD, MP3, JPEG, and MPEG-4 (Simple Profile) formats
  • Digital direct progressive-scan output, high-bit-rate/high-sampling-rate D/A video converter, express play start
  • Video outputs: component video, S-video, composite video; audio outputs: coaxial digital outputs for PCM, Dolby Digital, and DTS; AV CompuLink
  • Dolby Digital, DTS, and PCM with direct digital (coaxial) output
  • Measures 17.19 x 1.7 x 7.9 inches (W x H x D)

Although a good DVD player, it is NOT a region-free (multi-zone) DVD player, despite technical descriptions posted on various seller internet sites (the official JVC website does not provide any useful technical information on which you can rely). I bought this player (XV N310B/312S) but figured out that it plays only DVDs with the following encoding: ALL, 1, 1-2, 1-2-3-4, 1-2-3-4-5-6. It does not play DVDs that do not include code "1". When I asked JVC about the discrepancies between technical information provided by seller websites and the player's real technical configuration, I received the following e-mail reply on January 6, 2005: "The information you have seen on the internet is incorrect. All DVD Players manufactured by JVC-America can only play Region 1 or discs that are Multi-Region discs that include "1"." THE SOLUTION: If you plan to buy a DVD player, first ask the manufacturer directly about technical details (do NOT rely on any other websites).

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The first one I received, my cable man installer told me the video and audio output on the unit were defective. So I returned it, got a second one, and on the 2nd one, the audio worked fine, but the video output was defective. I am not trying for a 3rd time. If I decide a need a DVD player, I will spend the extra bucks to get a decent one. Don't waste your time and money on this product.

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I paid $49 for this player. Great product for theprice. Great flexibility in what it can play. Picture quality was just fine.

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Based on the reviews here, I wasn't expecting much. I purchased this item on 8 June 2005 and have been waiting for it to crap out on me. My Sharp TV is dying out before this thing.

I haven't had a chance to try out all the different formats but it plays DVDs and Music CDs just fine.

I put this thing through hours of constant play and it's performed very well considering. When I say constant, I mean "I left it on Repeat Play all night and all day long" constant. Pretty good for the fifty bucks I paid for it.

As I recall, I also got very fast delivery too from Crutchfield(?) Electronics. I'll certainly check out JVC in the future.

I bought this player on 05/27/2005 and was very happy with it. Unfortunately, as of 04/29/2005, it has stopped working. I typically watch about 5~10 DVDs a month and I don't consider that very heavy use. NOT pleased.

Monday, November 11, 2013

FULL HD 1080P HDMI Video Scaler and Signal Converter PAL SECAM NTSC, Designed for use with all USA

FULL HD 1080P HDMI Video Scaler and Signal Converter PAL SECAM NTSC, Designed for use with all USA LCD/LEDs/Plasma TVs Blu Ray Playersarrived in time, i took it overseas and it is working perfectly with my Samsung led HD TV,

the remote control is not of a good quality, one has to press the buttons firmly to make it work, otherwise it works perfectly

Thursday, October 24, 2013

Match Box Media Player. The Perfect Gift, Crystal Acoustics MM-BOX-US Ultimate Performance Portable

Match Box Media Player. The Perfect Gift, Crystal Acoustics MM-BOX-US Ultimate Performance Portable Media. The only one with Realtek 1055 chipset and HD Audio, in credit card sizeI purchased the MediaMatchBox for when I go traveling. Hotel TV's are always a gamble; you can end up with a 37" HD TV showing everything under the sun, or an old 20" tube TV with nothing but adverts. I stumbled on the MediaMatchBox entirely by accident when I saw it pop up at the bottom of my Amazon homepage. I have a Western Digital WD TV Live Streaming Media Player WDBHG70000NBK-HESN which gets used at home and I love. All the streaming features and networking are perfect for home use. However, it's a little bigger and because it's wired up to all my equipment at home, disconnecting everything whenever I want to take it places is just too much of a chore.

Enter the MediaMatchBox, which is tiny and fits perfectly inside the AmazonBasics Universal Travel Case for Small Electronics and Accessories (Black) which I also purchased at the same time. Everything fits perfectly inside the case:

* MediaMatchBox

* Remote

* HDMI cable (not included)

* Composite leads (comes with the MediaMatchBox)

* Power cable

* AmazonBasics 32 GB USB 2.0 Flash Drive (Gray Blue)

* AmazonBasics SDHC Class 10 32 GB Secure Digital Card

I was really pleased to see the composite cables come with the MediaMatchBox. Not many hotels have old tube TV's, but it's nice to know I can use it with them if I have to. I purchased the HDMI cable myself, I got a 3' one which seems like it'll be long enough to get round the back of any TV while still fitting inside the case.

The menu system is basic, but functional. There wouldn't be many ways to reduce the number of clicks needed to start playing video. I really like that you can control everything from the unit itself, rather than having to rely on the remote. It's one less thing to have to carry if you don't want to. Also, it won't render your player useless if the battery in the remote dies. Speaking of the remote, it's fine, but sometimes the buttons register two presses rather than one. It's easily fixed by one of the countless $10 "learning" remotes you can buy on Amazon or in stores, but it doesn't bother me, as I use the D-pad and "OK" button on the unit itself for almost everything.

As for file compatibility, it plays everything I've thrown at it. Feel free to ask about file formats in the comments and I'll do my best to get back to you. I've also tried it with 1tb and 500gb hard drives, as well as the 32gb USB stick that I generally use and they're all fine.

If you want the short review: It's really excellent value for money and matches the AmazonBasics case nicely.

I hope this review answers any questions people have. Feel free to ask me things in the comments section and I'll get back to you promptly!

Happy travelling!

I was informed by my friend that a gadget is available, which could play any damn video format. First I did not believe it, then after reading abt the product, I decided to purchase it and voila, there it is as promised it plays any damn format u throw at it. I am slightly disappointed by the remote, really need to press hard to get to function, overall the product is great.

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I received my MediaMatchBox last week and I love it! All you need is an external USB flash drive or HDD to plug right in and you're in business. I recommend a plug & play drive such as a 1TB WD Passport or any size flash drive. I currently use a Kingston 64GB flash drive. It plays any file format I throw at it and it's small and compact. It even plays BD-ISO! I'm quite impressed by it's performance. My only criticism is with the remote. It sometimes takes multiple attempts at pushing the buttons for the MediaMatchBox to respond to it's commands. However, that could be due to the where the placement of the MediaMatchBox is exactly. I've used WDTV, Boxee, Dune HD and Roku before and I've enjoyed those as well, but they're quite big and bulky and a bit of an eyesore in my opinion. Those media players may offer wifi connectivity to Netflix or Hulu, but if you own a PS3, Xbox, Wii or Blu-Ray standalone player that offers those very same streaming applications then it isn't necessary. This is a simple inexpensive media player.

Supported file formats:

VIDEO FILES: DVD ISO, Blu-Ray ISO, MKV, DIVX, AVI, M2TS, WMV9, MPG1/2/4, XVID, TS, VOB, FLV & RM

AUDIO FILES: MP3, FLAC, AAC, WMA, WAV, APE, M3U & OGG

I give the MediaMatchBox a 4.5 because it's fantastic. It's very easy to use with any plug & play drive, it's great for any file format and it's really affordable.

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I searched all over the internet for a way to loop a 4 minute video on a display we host at conferences. Other solutions I found cost in the $300-$600+ range (Usually calling for the purchase of a bulky PC to drag around). The Media Matchbox 2 loops our video straight from a USB Drive, which we can easily hide behind the monitor. At $75, we worry less about it being stolen. It ended up being the perfect solution to our problem.

As a note, there was one issue I had with it at first, which we found a solution to. The repeat function displays a small 'play button' on the screen at the beginning of each loop. After poking around a bit, we discovered a 'repeat title' option which does not display the icon. After changing to this setting the looping is seamless.

Seriously though, A+ overall -small, light, valuable for the cost; runs off USB (or SD card) with a HDMI (and coaxial) outputs.

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Great piece of equipment. It would be nice to have a larger remote control that worked with this unit, but once you learn the position of the keys, the remote works well. It also seems to handle all types of files used by most media enthusiasts.

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Seagate SV35 500 GB 7200RPM SATA 6-Gb/s NCQ 32MB Cache 3.5-Inch Internal Bare Drive ST3500411SV

Seagate SV35 500 GB 7200RPM SATA 6-Gb/s NCQ 32MB Cache 3.5-Inch Internal Bare Drive ST3500411SVMy DVR failed and I opened the DVR box to investigate. To my surprise the hard drive was the same as my computer hard drive. I proceeded to remove the HD to swap with my computer drive, and the DVR worked. However, I notice my computer hard drive Id's were not the same the the DVR Id. So I searched amazon browser with the same Id of the DVR HD and I founded this one. I love the 500GB upgrade because it allows me to record up to a month of data as opposed to two weeks my 250GB HD gave me. So far I love this device, because it is the correct device for a 24/7 DVR.

HAD TWO DRIVES BEFORE THIS, BOTH FAILED. SEAGATE BETTER PRODUCT LAST LONGER. OTHER DRIVES WERE NOISY. THIS ONE SEAGATES V35 500 GB SMOOTH AND NOT NOISY.

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As an IT pro, I know a fair amount of information about hardware and as such, I am very particular about the products I purchase. Being old school, I don't care much for Seagate due to past issues but was impressed with the specifications of this drive and the fact it was optimized for video surveillance, which is the purchase of purchasing the drive.

I've had the drive in for about a week and do notice considerable differences between this drive and the Western Digital Caviar Black line which is my preferred drive. For the most part, it is performing well and has quicker access times over the Caviar Black. I knocked a star off because as fate would have it, my experiences in general with Seagate are returning. I am hearing the drive while accessing data and that bothers me. Time will tell if the drive will continue to run quiet or it is starts chattering again.

Read Best Reviews of Seagate SV35 500 GB 7200RPM SATA 6-Gb/s NCQ 32MB Cache 3.5-Inch Internal Bare Drive ST3500411SV Here

Wednesday, October 16, 2013

Pioneer DV-120K-K Region Free DVD Player with USB - Karaoke - and DivX playback

Pioneer DV-120K-K Region Free DVD Player with USB - Karaoke - and DivX playback
  • CD Ripping - Without the need for a PC, you can directly record songs from CDs to USB drives.
  • USB Terminal - This useful feature allows the playback of DivX videos, JPEG photos and music files from USB mass storage class devices
  • Pure Cinema 2 - 3 Progressive Scan for PAL and NTSC world center
  • Auto switching of region code
  • WMA (Windows Media Audio) / MP3 Compatible from encoded discs
  • The data is stored in MP3 format with the choice to choose the bit rate from 128/192/320 kbps. You may copy the whole album or select tracks.

I bought this DVD player this week and its quite sleek and plays all those DVDs which were not playable on my samsung DVD player...so very happy about the performance. The only draw back is that it doesnt have HDMI but connected it with the component output cables. Picture is crisp and sound quality is good...controls are easy except that the batteries seem to be a loose fit in the remote so make a rattling sound. I have yet to try out the Karaoke, USB and CD ripping functions..will discover it at my leisure. For now, im quite satisfied with the output.

Cheers

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I checked the reviews for this product and was excited to purchase it because it seemed to do everything I wanted it to do. Setting it up was easy and the DVD player itself looked sleek and attractive. I popped in a Japanese DVD to test it for about a minute and it seemed to work just fine. However, when it came time to actually WATCH the Japanese DVD, the disc would inexplicably pause randomly and the remote control would become unresponsive. This happened every few minutes when playing the Japanese DVD. The screen would literally freeze with no sound. I then put another Japanese DVD in the machine to see if there was a disc problem, but the same random pausing happened again. This product might be advertised as being able to play DVDs from all over the world, but that might not be entirely accurate.

When packing up this DVD player to send back to the seller, I saw an interesting warning on the box. It says in English and Japanese: "NOTICE FOR FOREIGN TOURISTS IN JAPAN: THIS PRODUCT IS NOT FOR USE IN JAPAN." I don't know if that means it won't play Japanese DVDs or if there's a voltage issue that will prevent the DVD player from working properly.

I was very disappointed with this purchase. I don't know if I got a defective product or if this DVD player really is not "region free" despite its advertising.

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i ordered this dvd player because it was a pioneer, region free and priced well. i was slightly skeptical when i first opened the box there was a symbol for region 4 on the box. but it really does play dvds from all regions, no problems so far ( i'm playing mostly regions 2 and 1 ). the picture and sound quality are excellent as well.

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This excellent product is one of the few quality DVD/cd players that will play media from all world regions.(zone 0 6)

This pioneer DVD player is nice. It works great and has features that I like. I am a mobile VJ and keep 2 of these for backup. The screen has a red display and looks different. It will play many formats including DVD karaoke but not CD+G karaoke. It has a mic input with echo that is controlled on the remote. It has composite and component outputs but not HDMI and the power cord is detachable. **One great feature is the defeatable screen icons, meaning you can turn off ALL screen visuals so when you press play, pause etc, it will not display on the screen. This is very important for mobile VJ use. It does show "PIONEER" on the screen when not in use and you cannot turn that off.

Overall a nice player for the price but no HDMI output. This is the only non-professional player that I have found that has defeatable screen icons, so its great for VJ use.

Friday, October 4, 2013

Philips 1GB Flash Audio Player- MP3-WMA-FM Radio, SA2315/37

Philips 1GB Flash Audio Player- MP3-WMA-FM Radio, SA2315/37
  • Plug and Play data storage
  • Direct USB - no cables needed
  • simply drag and drop your songs - no software needed
  • Enjoy up to 10 hours of playback
  • More music with Digital FM Radio with 10 station presets

This is my first mp3 player. I wanted something inexpensive to try out. It's very easy to use and I only paid $30 for mine. But once you get the hang of it you will want something a little more advanced. But beware, my light went out in about a month and the earplugs were uncomfortable, I bought new ones.

Buy Philips 1GB Flash Audio Player- MP3-WMA-FM Radio, SA2315/37 Now

It stopped working less than a week after I got it, and Philips customer support wants me to pay $30 shipping/handling fee to get it replaced.

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I got this for free from mycokerewards, rewards program. It doesn't have the best playback, but it is not that bad. What I mean by this is that some of the musical detail seemed to be lost, when I ripped the songs from cd to mp3 format. However, for a cheap product, I think it's pretty good. The only beef I have with it is that it seems the battery isn't rechargable, and it says you only get 10 hours out of the battery. Unless I can purchase a longer lasting battery or charge it in some unknown way, I will not use it. I am not willing to keep paying for batteries. However, I have not had the technical problems others seem to have had.

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there are three peices that fly off and get lost. the battery lasts for about 20 minutes and its shorts itself off. Do your self a favor and stay away.

Sunday, September 29, 2013

Zinwell ZIN-5005HD 'ZinTV' 3-in-1 Networking-Ready 1080p Full HD Multimedia Player/Streamer/Torrent

Zinwell ZIN-5005HD 'ZinTV' 3-in-1 Networking-Ready 1080p Full HD Multimedia Player/Streamer/Torrent Downloader
  • The Ultimate" Media transformer" that decodes all - The ZinTV (ZIN-5005HD) is tough. MPEG1/2/4, .MKV, H.264 and Real - you can throw them at this baby! & DTS and Dolby digital ready
  • Up to 3 Torrent downloads simultaneously - Torrent downloading with ZinTV (ZIN-5005HD) is as easy as 1-2-3* : Just save your favorite torrents to the USB storage device
  • UPnP streaming send CNN, ESPN, CBS and Hulu your way - Install 3rd party applications such as PlayOn and TVersity on your computer and connect the ZIN-5005HD to the same network - now you're ready to enjoy internet and PC content in the living room!
  • Full 1080p HD hightens your sense - Are you a movie snob who can't stand anything that's not Blu-ray quality? The ZinTV (ZIN-5005HD) will meet your high standards and satisfy your taste. Dive into a sea of high-definition pleasure!

I have the Zinwell and a pair of Western Digital TV Live so I'll compare and contrast.

Setup is super easy with both. Connect to your TV or receiver via HDMI cable, attach an external hard drive (not included) and go into the menus to configure your audio and video option. You can also connect these to a wired network and Western Digial has certified a number of USB wireless adapters that require a bit more knowledge to setup. The documentation from both companies could be a lot better so I'll call this one a tie.

The WDTV Live is a bit slower to start up but directory changes are much-much faster than the Zinwell. I suspect because the WD indexes and caches directories of any external drives while the Zinwell has to reread it each time. The difference in speed is absolutely huge. Basically performance wise the Zinwell feels really-really doggy to me. Advantage WDTV Live.

The WD has a much cleaner and better looking interface compared to the Zinwell's ugly menus over a /Linux/like/file/system/. I can live with ugly as long as it works but in 2011 I shouldn't have to. Advantage WDTV Live.

The WDTV Live outputs 5.1 audio in DTS format over HDMI, toslink or coax; the Zinwell outputs raw bits or stereo over HDMI. If your Receiver supports DTS then advantage WDTV.

The Zinwell's remote is a tad better but much larger. Both media players work seamlessly with Harmony remotes. Advantage Zinwell.

Both play nearly every popular audio and video format either from your own external hard drive or across a wired network. However both struggle trying to play hi-def video across a network connection. I find that hi-def vidio from an external hard drive works pretty well with the WDTV Live but never could get the Zinwell to output anything but stereo without the sound breaking up. Advantage WDTV Live.

The Zinwell promises access to the full DVD/BD menus but I never could get menus to work and found the separate audio selection button to be stubborn. With the Western Digital you do have to get used to using the "options" button to access audio and subtitle choices but they work. Slight advantage WDTV Live.

Bottom line the network media player market is still immature with many newer products coming down the pike but for now I consider the Zinwell a no-go for my needs.

Buy Zinwell ZIN-5005HD 'ZinTV' 3-in-1 Networking-Ready 1080p Full HD Multimedia Player/Streamer/Torrent Now

I own the Zinwell unit (not the brite-view or the viewsonic that look exactly the same).

Good for:

-Home HD Videos (Havent run into a file that it wont play yet)

-Playback DVD image files w/o burning on to DVD

-Karaoke Files (it has a left/right channel shift key)

-Picture viewing with background music (you choose what song to play)

Pros:

-2 USB ports that work with Hard Drives (Only tried NTFS) and USB flash drives (Only tried FAT16, FAT32, NTFS)

-lots of codec (rmvb, avi, mkv, iso, vob extensions all work fine)

-1080p output

-both bitstream of decode DTS and Dolby Digital sound (DTS ES 6.1 and DD EX both work fine, dont have anything to test high bitrate audio format though)

-Network capability (never used it)

Cons:

-video/audio glitches when switching subtitles or audio tracks in a video file, easy fix by rewinding a second then play, then will play flawlessly till the end

of the file.

-Stewart

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Won't see my wireless. I hooked it up wired, and it will see my network, but fails to log on. I hook up my external hard drives to it, and it will play dvd image files fine, unless they are blu-ray. They play, but it seems there is too much information for it, because after a few minutes, the sound will crackle, then stop. The movie plays on, but no sound. If I pause it, I can get sound again for a couple seconds, but then it does it again.

If it was just regular DVD image files, it works fine, but it is suppose to be an HD player, and Blu-Ray is HD. It will not work with Blu-ray image files.

And the internet radio/tv stuff is a joke, it took me like a century to update the firmware and still shows logon fail message.

one star for some media player basic features, but there are plenty better choices (some of them are even cheaper).

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The Zinwell is adequate. Plays all the files I threw at it. IMO, the bonus internet features are not ready for prime time. Not being NetFlix ready is a big disappointment. Build quality is above average. User interface is below average. Responsiveness is below average. I tried it with an 801.11n wireless adapter and had mixed results. Sharing files with others was spotty but it could be due to my older N router and network setup.

Other Media Players I Own

WDHD Live Plus is above average since it is the only media player I own that is NetFlix ready. Also the file sharing works both ways and is pretty reliable. However, it is the only media player I own that didn't play a handful of my ISO files. These files were ripped several years ago so maybe I just need to rip them again with the program I'm using now. This device seems more prone to locking up which is frustrating. The remote is also too small w/o much functionality.

Argosy HV335T with internal 1TB hard drive (self installed in minutes). Pros: build quality, response time, internal hard drive (one less power cord to worry about), semi-reliable file sharing (only when the internal hard drive was installed). Cons: not NetFlix ready, average user interface.

Finally, I have an Asus O!Play HDP-R1 (w/o wireless). Pros: Plays all my files. Sold user interface. Responsive. Picture viewing best of all players because it has the Ken Burns effect for transitions. Cons: Not NetFlix ready. When wired to my network it only file shares in but doesn't file share out as far as I can tell.

All were under $100 and worth every penny for basic ISO playback on an attached or internal storage device for one TV only. Because I want to share one storage drive among three TVs I was looking for something with excellent file sharing. I couldn't find it in the media players listed with my current 801.11n router so I have ordered a dual band router (Linksys E3000) which has a NAS USB port. I hope that by separating out the N signal on the 5ghz frequency, I will be able to stream to all my media players w/o an issue.

All of these devices are firmware upgradeable. If NetFlix is added these devices will be really cool.

If you are looking for a general purpose, functional network media player, then consider this device as an option.

While all of the devices of it's class may leave something to be desired from the user interface point of view, this one has been highly compatible, and easy to configure. I use local files (via USB hard drive), and LAN resources (both file share and UPnP DNLA Servers, in this case PlayOn and Orb) and have been pleased. I stream both raw files as well as access DVD images across my LAN (Wired and Wireless N).

Everything I have thrown at it has worked and I recommend it highly.

Pros :

Plays almost everything

Cost efficient

Decent remote both for access of files and playing DVD images

DNLA compatible so using a Transcoding server (in this case PlayOn from MediaMall) works to get me access to Hulu, Netflix, and a boatload of other online media

Cons:

User interface isn't exceptional