Showing posts with label digital cameras with video recording. Show all posts
Showing posts with label digital cameras with video recording. Show all posts

Wednesday, November 19, 2014

RCA RP5007 Digital Voice Recorder

RCA RP5007 Digital Voice RecorderThe RCA RP5007 is a good little voice recorder, but it has its flaws. I give it four stars because, for certain applications (long dictations in a quiet room, or short interviews and speeches in louder situations), it's very handy indeed, and much better than a mini-cassette recorder.

Its major flaw is the lack of storage for high-quality recordings. The included 4MB SmartMedia card only holds 17 minutes of HQ sound -so I'd recommend buying at least an additional 8MB card. Unfortunately, that's as big as you can get, since the unit doesn't accept cards bigger than 8MB, or 34 minutes HQ. The SP (low quality) mode lasts a long time (nearly 1hr 40min with the stock 4MB card), but the sound is highly compressed and very hard to understand unless there is no background noise at all.

It is considerably less expensive than other digital voice recorders, so compromises have been made, but they detract little from its good basic features and usability.

Here are the pluses and minuses:

GOOD:

Small and light

Reasonably easy to use

Sound quality quite good in HQ mode

Every clip is time and date stamped

Button lock prevents accidental activation

Both manual and voice-activated record modes

Dictation (close) or Conference (distant) modes

Sound clips can be stored in folders

Sound clips can have annotations appended

Rudimentary editing (insert/delete segments) possible

Quick preview mode plays 3 sec of each clip

Uses standard AAA batteries, and lasts a long time with them

Standard SmartMedia card storage included (4 MB)

Standard mini microphone and headphone jacks

BAD:

Sound quality in SP (low quality) mode barely usable, especially if there is any background noise at all

17-minute limit on included 4MB card in HQ mode (1hr 40 mins in SP mode, but as I said, it's barely usable)

Cannot use SmartMedia cards bigger than 8MB (34 min in HQ mode, 3hr 20 min in SP)

Record button pauses, but does not stop recording a clip (which requires the separate Stop button) -can be confusing on the fly

Deleting clips is confusing at first -RCA even includes a separate addendum to the manual clarifying how it works -but once you get the hang of it, it's simple

Fast-forward and reverse features are choppy and rather slow

Plastic case seems a bit fragile

No included AC adapter (but there is a plug for one)

The RP5007 is about as portable as a voice recorder can get.

To me, its most useful feature is the ability to have different memos in individual files, so that a quick listen to the first few seconds of each is all I need in order to track down a particular piece of information that I know I have stored. An "append" feature lets you listen to the start of a memo and then add further notes, which will automatically appear at the end of the existing file. The total recording time is relatively long for recorders in its price range, and the number of different files (297, I think) seemed adequate for almost any purpose. I liked the capability to add my own microphone and headset, or to use the built-in mike and speaker. Press the "lock" button after you turn the unit off, and the unit won't start up accidentally (which could run down its batteries).

Limitations? * For me, the most serious problem is that I have not yet been able to get the Rp5007's SmartMedia card to read on either a PCMCIA reader or a Clik! (Pocket Zip) drive's reader, so my original hope to transfer voice files to my PC has not been possible. * RCA appears to have discontinued the unit, so availability may be limited.

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I bought this player on clearance at a local... store, hoping to use it for notetaking in school. The Recorder works fine for this purpose, but with marginal audio quality, as it must be used in the low quality setting to record any more than 18 minutes. There is no built-in memory on this recorder, all memory is through SmartMedia cards, which would not be a problem if they could be over 8 MB. (This recorder will not accept any SmartMedia Cards over 8 MB), and comes with a 4 MB. 8 MB and below cannot be found anywhere that I have seen, and the recorder formats the cards for storage in such a way that they cannot be read by Card Readers and transferred to a PC. Therefore, this player is only good for someone looking to record once, listen, and delete. Nothing else can be done with the recorder that I have seen.

Read Best Reviews of RCA RP5007 Digital Voice Recorder Here

It is a great recorder with many revolutionizing functions, but with revolution comes mistakes. It is found that with many of the RCA DVR'S that there seems to be a short in the system and very often it will shut off when trying to use the DVR and makes it very unreliable to when it is actually going to work. So if you have patience then this is the product to use, if you don't then i would recomend a different DVR..

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I purchased this digital voice recorder about a week ago and I can say to this point I am impressed with its ease of operation. Compared to the old minitape recorders, it is less than half the weight and provides a superior quality of recording. The only thing my unit doesn't have is the backlit screen. Most of the promotional info indicates this unit is backlit, but the users manual for the 5007 makes no mention of this capability. Overall this recorder should prove to be a useful item.

Saturday, October 18, 2014

Panavise 809 Camera Window Suction-Cup Mount

Panavise 809 Camera Window Suction-Cup MountDue to the low price and generally good reviews, I bought this item. The suction grip is very strong; there seems to be no risk that this will fall off a window even with a small camcorder attached. Mine did not come with the extension arm, so my camcorder had to be mounted upside down on the windshield. The image can easily be rotated 180 degrees within Sony Vegas Movie Studio Platinum 9 editing software, so being upside down is not a problem for me. Furthermore, having an extension arm might likely result in less stability, so it's probably best to use the shortest/sturdiest mount possible. (I haven't tested that claim so it might not be true.) My camcorder, with optical image stabilization, zoomed all the way out for the widest view (also the least sensitive to vibration), and driving on a reasonably smooth paved road even as slow as 20mph exhibited very noticeable vibration. The vibration is too great to use the video. Much smoother video is obtained by hand holding a camcorder in a moving vehicle; your body and arms act as shock absorbers and dampen vibration preventing it from reaching the camera. With this mount, small vibrations from the moving vehicle are transmitted directly to the camcorder and it seems to be amplified by the time it gets there. Furthermore, my high-definition camcorder, with a CMOS image sensor (which uses a "rolling shutter"), exhibits noticeable skewing artifacts from frame to frame as a result of the vibration, so there are not just blurred frames and jittery motion, but distorted frames as well. Consequently, even using a motion stabilization algorithm during post production won't produce acceptable results.

This mount should be excellent for situations where there is no vibration and no need to pan or otherwise modify the camera settings or view during exposure, but seems useless from a moving vehicle unless it's moving very slowly on smooth pavement.

---------IMPORTANT UPDATE -----------

I just noticed a few recent reviews that mentioned they received a knock-off, rather than a genuine Panavise 809. After studying the Panavise picture on this page very closely, I see that my unit is not a genuine Panavise 809, either. (There is no manufacturer or product ID on my unit or on the packaging, so I have no idea who manufactured it or what its true model name is.) I purchased my unit from Vangoddy through amazon.com. Perhaps that explains why so many other reviews are so good (especially the video review left by Thomas which shows, though at slow speed, how good his unit works) and my results are so bad -and I mean BAAAD, truly unusable. There is no comparison between the results I obtained and those that Thomas showed in his video.

This clearly is designed to be a CCTV mount. As such, with most CCTV cameras having top mounted attachment, I have no doubt that it works flawlessly.It is very well constructed and does indeed have amazing suction power and solid construction without any "wriggles".

I bought it hoping that I could use it on the fairly steeply raked windshield of a late model Civic to film driving routes with my digital camera. Even though I have a low profile "ultracompact" digital camera, there was not enough room between the windshield and the mount to allow me to mount the camera unless I mounted it upside down, which I obviously could not do because of the inability to rotate the resulting movie.

FORTUNATELY I discovered that the Civic has a flat non-porous ( i.e. plastic ) top gauge cover, and was able to mount it on that. But the vast majority of cars have curved top gauge covers, so I don't think this will be suitable for any but a few car models for the purpose I'm using it for.

If Panavise could come up with the same assembly and a U shaped holder for mounting a camera with a standard tripod screw thread from the bottom, BELOW the mount now that would be far more useful.

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The product is really awesome.

The only thing you need to be careful is the extension arm.

If you have an oversized camera or a camcorder, you'll definetely

need an extension arm which originally doesn't come with the product.

Please see my user photos after January 8th, 2010.

The user photos showing the extension arm are a little confusing.

I bought a geniune one directly from the Amazon, and it doesn't have

the extesion arm which I later got directly from PanaVise. The guys

over there are terrific, and extremely helpful. They said the model

with the extension arm should be called as 809-X.

The video was recorded with Xacti 1010

I passed over two railroad crossings (at 1:44 and 3:33), the road

was terrible. The vibration and shaking is acceptable.

Read Best Reviews of Panavise 809 Camera Window Suction-Cup Mount Here

When I first got into highway videography, I purchased a small Aiptek camera Aiptek IS-DV2.4Blue MPEG-4 Digital Camcorder with Video Stabilization (Blue) and I was looking for a windshield mounting option. I purchased this unit but the angle of the mounting arm made it unusuable with my truck windshield. So I sent it back to Amazon and opted for a Sunpak Clik n Stick mount Flexpod Click N' Stick Suction-cup Monopod. I recently upgraded to a Panasonic SDR-H40 videocam Panasonic SDR-H40 40GB Hard Drive Camcorder with 42x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and needed something a little more substantial to hold the bigger, heavier camera. I originally thought that this unit, attached to one of those GPS friction mount pads that can be placed on the dashboard, would be perfect, but then I found out that Panvise now includes a mounting arm extension with this unit. (See the customer photo that shows the extension arm and a camcorder mounted in a car). So I bought another one. This appears to be just the solution for mounting a video camcorder in a vehicle. If you order one and the extension arm isn't included, just contact Panavise directly and they will send you the extension arm for free. No instructions for installing the mounting arm extension were included, but it's pretty easy to figure out how to install it. This unit holds tightly and seems to be pretty stout and secure. The mounting arm extension Panavise now includes makes all the difference in the world. I think the company realized that there is now a market for sturdy vehicle camcorder mounts. I recommend this highly! Can't wait to try out this setup and see how it works!

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Purpose brought: Used to make mounted vehicular videocam.

Pros: When set properly, this device sticks like glue!

Cons: Small swing arm limits mounting positions.

The suction seal is very strong and after two weeks I still can't physically remove it unless I use the pressure release lever.

The small arm limits the placement and use of a camera (ie: camera is inverted when mounting on a windshield), but it is perfect for holding small camcorders and digital cameras on a smooth, non-porous upright surface.

If you already have a small handheld videocam and wish to use it as a vehicle cam, Use this and a 90mm mounting pad mounted on top of the dashboard as a cheap alternative to buying a dedicated vehicle camera.

Great product but only 4 stars due to the small swing arm.

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Wednesday, August 20, 2014

Aiptek DV-S ISDV32B MP4 Digital Camcorder and Still Camera with Built-In MP3 Player (Blue)

Aiptek DV-S ISDV32B MP4 Digital Camcorder and Still Camera with Built-In MP3 PlayerI have had this video camera for over a year, originally purchased to record my dance practices. For $, it has definitely done the job, and with indoor lighting the quality is surprisingly good. The most amazing thing about this camera though, is it is tough. A couple of months ago I dropped it from a height of almost 5ft, which cracked the back casing but the camera still works as well as ever! You can see my Belly Dancing video at to see the video quality after I dropped the camera. The colors are a bit off but for $50 I didn't really expect much, the colors were not affected by the drop. I am upgrading to another camera though, because this does not do well in the bright sunlight. At noon and other very bright times this camera does not hold details on faces well at all from a distance of more than 12 feet. Still, I am giving this camera a very high rating because it is tough, inexpensive, and more than met my expectations.

Got it for my 14 year old for his birthday and he loves it! I am surprised at the clarity of pictures and video. He has made lots of "movie" clips and has had a lot of fun with it. It is small enough to take everywhere, but big enough to handle easily.

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I am really disappointed in this product. I read reviews from others that seemed fairly positive. I purchased this for my 8 year old son as a Christmas gift and felt the price point was great and the features seemed enough for his use. From the time we got it, it seemed to have poor battery life. It almost seemed as if closing the screen didn't turn the camera off. I decided to invest a few more bucks and get the best batteries I could. I bought Energizer ultimate lithium and loaded them up. Almost immediately the screen displayed "low battery" despite the fact that the battery meter showed it as full. I tried other batteries and the same thing happened. I tried everything I could think of to get it to work; nothing helped.

So off I went to e-mail tech support. The only response was "remove the memory card" and "use nimh rechargeable batteries". What? Nowhere did I see that this camera only supported rechargeable batteries, and one would assume that if it has a memory card slot it supports memory cards, right?

Unfortunately I am beyond my 30 day return policy so it looks like I have a blue and silver paperweight. I would stay away from this camera and maybe spend a little more to get a brand name that is more reliable.

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The batteries do okay unless you are in record mode. Then they will drain in about 2 minutes! Unless you have several rechargeables on standby, I would not recommend this item. There is NO built in battery with AC power cord!

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I gave this to my teenaged grandson for Christmas along with a memory card. No complaints yet but it has only been a few weeks.

Saturday, August 16, 2014

Thursday, August 14, 2014

Canon USA BP-512 Directional Stereo Mic DM 50 for Camcorders with Advanced Access Shoe

Canon USA BP-512 Directional Stereo Mic DM 50 for Camcorders with Advanced Access ShoeThe build quality is better than expected. It feels solid in your hand and well put together. The DM-50 fits well onto the camera and is nicely balanced. It runs a little less than the length of the camera, so it does not overwhelm the camera's profile. This is not a big issue, but it does mean the microphone should not get in your way under normal shooting conditions.

The microphone itself has some play, presumably to cushion it from camera noise. If so, it does not do a perfect job more on this below.

To discuss the audio quality, I have to discuss the three modes, "Shotgun", "Stereo 1" and "Stereo 2".

"Shotgun" mode captures audio primarily from directly in front of the camera. While I have done no scientific tests I would guess it's main balance is at about 35 or so degrees. This mode captures sound in mono from a single element at the front of the unit. In this mode the audio quality is not great. There is little low-end response and the quality and the sound has, for lack of a better term, a slightly plastic quality to it. It is surprising when compared to the sound recorded from the side elements, which seem warmer and more dynamic.

"Stereo 1" mode seems to capture sound at about 90 degrees, combining both the front element and two separate elements along the side. The overall perceived quality of the sound is much better than using the shotgun alone. There is more warmth and richness in this mode, and it provides a nice balance of front centered sound, with some ambience from the sides.

"Stereo 2" mode captures sound at more than 180 degrees. The rear facing element seems to be designed to capture nearby sounds, but not more distant sounds. This could only be my perception, but if not, it seems like a nice way to allow commentary from the camera operator. However, the "Stereo 2" seems to be a little too weighted towards capturing sound from the sides at some expense to the front element. As a result, the sound quality itself is a little better, but the mix appears slightly off.

In all three modes, the isolation of sound it not perfect. Because the provided documentation says almost nothing about how the DM50 is designed, it is difficult to know how many elements are present and in what combination they are recording sound in each mode. It seems that even in "Shotgun Mode" the left and right front elements are still slightly present, but mixed in mono with the front facing mic.

In terms of eliminating motor noise, the DM50 does a better job than the on-board microphone, but the sounds of the motor and any manipulation of the controls are still present. In "Stereo 2" mode, the motor noise is cut in half from what you hear from the on-board microphones. In "Stereo 1" mode the noise is down to about a quarter and in "Shotgun" I would estimate it is about an eighth.

With the Canon HV20, the most common sound issue I find is with clicking the function button while shooting to gain control over exposure (usually a three click process). The DM50 does not eliminate this sound. In "Shotgun" mode the DM50 does the best job of reducing the problem, but even with the rubber rings in which the microphone rests, some of that sound it transfered up the camera.

The DM-50 promises "near professional" quality sound and that is what it provides. For professional sound you will need to find a more dedicated microphone, such as the VideoMic or Stereo VideoMic, or perhaps both if you wish to have coverage for the same theoretical range as the DM-50. However, the DM-50 provides excellent flexibility that it's competitors do not, so you should consider what your shooting needs are. The DM-50 also does not use batteries, but draws power from the Camera's battery. This can be either an advantage or a disadvantage depending your preference, but it is something to keep in mind when purchasing.

The DM-50 is best suited to users who want a single, trouble free microphone that can carry them through a variety of situations. In "Stereo 1" mode, the microphone is at it's best, providing a good balanced sound, though I wish sound from all around the microphone were captured in even quality. This disparity is perhaps the biggest problem with the microphone.

I recently bought a Canon HV30, and after reading the reviews, I determined that I would need some sort of external mike. It's too easy to pick up the sound of jiggling controls with the lightweight plastic housing on Canon camcorders. I had trouble picking a mike from the various candidates at first, but after doing a little research, I realized that the Canon DM-50 is the best choice. Here's why...

First and foremost, this mike doesn't add much size to the camcorder itself. The other mikes I looked at were as big or bigger than the camera. With a camera like the HV30, size is important. If you put a giant furry mike on top of it, you'll never get away with casual shooting in a public place. Everyone will see your camera from a mile away and either hide or mug for the camera. I like to keep my camera tucked in a big pocket in my jacket, so I can pull it out to shoot inconspicuously. This is the only mike that comes close to allowing me to do that.

Secondly, one type of mike doesn't cut it for all purposes. For dialogue, you need a mono shotgun. For ambient sound, you need a stereo wide dispersion mike. It makes no sense at all to get a mike that only serves one purpose. You just need to carry two mikes around with you and switch all the time. The Canon DM50 does either or both with a simple flick of a switch.

Thirdly, this mike is self powered. No need for an additional battery. This mike puts very minimal drain on the camera's battery. That is much better than carrying around the added weight of a bunch of AAs or a 9 volt.

When I got this mike, I did some tests, shooting in difficult situations... I shot music at a loud piano bar, ambient sounds at a quiet coffee house, and dialogue above the clatter of dishes at a busy restaurant. The Canon DM50 performed well under all of these conditions. There isn't a terrific amount of bass in this mike, but that is to be expected for a microphone of this type. It's enough, however, to put across music well without sounding too tinny. I experienced no camera noise in any of my tests. This mike does the job.

If I was a pro shooting movies for theaters, I'd want a really good mike on a boom. But I'm not a pro, and the Canon HV30, good as it is, isn't a pro camera. I'm shooting off the cuff vacation movies and documenting panel discussions for my work. This mike is perfect for that. No need to hesitate to get this mike if you can afford it. It's all you need.

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I've been using this directional mic for almost three years and have never noticed camera noise. It's compact and provides a good reach for most ambient sound situations.

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Nothing worse then dropping a chunk of coin for a high dollar 1080i camera and the sound is crap... (see Canon HG10). The DM-50 in the hot shoe cured that woe and nicely I might add. I use the #2 setting (Stereo forward).. #1 is Mono forward and #3 is stereo wide 180 degrees.

The sound quality of my live music recordings is important to me and the camera mic alone left me with tinny sounding flat audio. This mic adds clarity and bottom end. Warning this sucker is driven off the camera's battery.... BUY a bigger battery, but 2 just in case.

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DM50 works as advertised. Voice clarity is very clear and the windscreen makes a dramatic improvement over the internal microphone on the Canon HV20. This unit does add some weight to the camera but the improved sound quality justifies the additional arm load.

Some other microphones may work better and less expensive. Operating off the accessory shoe with no extra cables makes this unit worth the price.

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Monday, August 4, 2014

RFSPACE SDR-IQ

RFSPACE SDR-IQDoes everything claimed for it and does it well. The supplied program, SpectraVue is quite complex and takes a while to learn to use

properly.

RFSpace designed and built the SDR-IQ. The device is connected via the IF-out on my K3 and , thus, isolated from any xmit power which, in other situations, may damage the input of the SDR-IQ. This issue though is not new as it's the same issue as with mast mounted Gaasfets for EME, etc. Just make sure you use some sort of T/R if using an external antenna directly into the box, as the antenna.

Well built; extremely great, and easily accessed, Internet support with near-instant responses.

What can I do with it? Well, briefly, when into the K3, I use CWSkimmer to watch/scout for/decode CW signals on whatever band the K3 is on. If I change bands on the K3, I can have the program 'cwskimmer' change the SDR-IQ band, or leave it where it was.

If I put an external long-wire into the input of the SDR-IQ, I can see down around 20kHz all the way up through the HF bands. It is fun to scout for the VLF signals, then turn-on Demod and hear the signals too.

Now I find myself noticing band activity and clear spaces .... far too many possible uses for this extremely sensitive device to mention here. ..._._ ..

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Thursday, July 10, 2014

Sony ICDB300 - 64MB Digital Voice Recorder

Sony ICDB300 - 64MB Digital Voice RecorderI needed a new voice recorder and decided to try sony since it is usually a good name. Unfortunately this unit is junk. It is poorly designed, the erase button is where the record button should be and the record button requires you to look at the unit to find it every time since there is no tactile feel to it. Recording is absolutely silly, whoever designed this unit clearly never tested it. You have to find the record button by looking at it, press record then when you press record to stop it only pauses so you wind up with a long message. If you press the big stop button by the record button it plays your message back to you which is very annoying. You have to press record then press this tiny stop button in between the forward/reverse buttons. It is unbelievably poorly designed. There is no way to use it for notes without becomming frustrated. Then when you do press the tiny stop button instead of the big stop button it pauses for 3 seconds before it beeps to acknowlege you stopped recording? Why? Another annoyance feature. The manual makes a big deal about 'you do not have to hold the record button' but that should be a user selectable option. I want to hold the record button and release it to stop. That is a common sense feature for a digital voice recorder but this unit will not work that way. Next time sony should test their product before selling it.

I bought this item to record speakers at a convention. The playback is not as clear as I had hoped. I am disappointed in the product.

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What is the use of owning a digital recorder if it comes with more "hiss" than a tape? This unit has VERY loud background noise and as stated earlier...won't erase individual files.

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THE ITEM YOU SEE IN THE PICTURE IS OF Sony ICDSX46 128mb voice recorder MP3 NOT THE SONY ICD-B300 AS LABELED. if you are buying this item becuase of the way it looks this is not the item you will get. you will recieve an item that looks like the SONY ICD-310 OR 320/330. I was mislead myself. hope this helps

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The item ICDB300 I received was not as pictured. I received something entirely different than the ICDB300 that was pictured. Not sure if it was an earlier model or what. The item pictured showed it had a stereo mode and the model I received was a cheaper model that I could have bought at Walmart for $4.00 more. I was disappointed but I needed it for work so i kept it. I felt i got screwed and that amazon put up a picture of a different higher priced model. When i placed the order it showed it was in stock, after i paid for it i recieved and email saying it would be shipped approximately 2 months after the order was placed. It did arrive in 2 weeks though. Not sure what to think of amazon. The item and shipping was way off of wack. Not sure i can trust ordering from amazon again.........not sure what i will get or when it will arrive.

Thursday, June 19, 2014

BestDealUSA 1280x960 Mini Key Camera HD DVR Cam Surveille Pinhole

BestDealUSA 1280x960 Mini Key Camera HD DVR Cam Surveille PinholeThis camera is good for the price, which is why I am giving three stars. However, it is NOT HD! The ad states that the Video Resolution is 1280x960. That is just not true. Its 720x480 at 30 frames per second. That is just 480P. Quite misleading / dis-honest of the seller.

Sorry, this product is not worth it, the directions are useless wrong language (no English).

It will not stay running either.

They did give me my money back which makes the seller tops!

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Still haven't been able to update the date and time signature. I followed the instructions but it would not display current date and time.

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bought two,,one for wife and one for myself for R/C aircraft for inflight video...wrks excellent..great audio and video...weights roughly one gram..micro aircraft can haul it aloft..takes a hdhc micro sd card and nodropped videoframes..

highly recoomend seller andthe camera

wife loves it as well

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Saturday, June 7, 2014

Schiff/Bio Foods Glucosamine

Schiff Glucosamine 2,000 mg TabletsI bought this in a local drugstore when it went on sale (2 for 1). At 60 years old and starting to ride my bicycle again after a long lay off, I noticed the very positive effect after only a little over one week. I consider it an essential daily supplement now.

Regardless of what some people say about what some clinic said about this type of glucosamine not being effective, I can tell you from experience, it works !

I had orthoscopy on my left knee 20+ years back. For the longest time, it never bothered me but for the past several years now that knee has been getting more and more sensitive and painful and I found myself favoring it with a slight limp. I took a daily does of ibuprophen to keep the swelling down and for temporary pain relief for a long time, then I finally tried this. I just finished the first bottle taking 3 tablets per day, 2 in the morning and 1 in the evening, instead of the recommended 2 tablets per day. It took about 2 and ½ weeks to first notice a difference and my knee has continued to improve since. As of today I have no limp and my knee feels very good, no pain and no creaking when I walk haven't felt like this in a very long time. Today I bought the Schiff glucosamine + MSM 1500 mg each per 3 tablets and will take these at the recommended 3 tablets per day. This stuff works just stay with it and don't be expecting overnight results.

I also want to point out that very clearly on the label it says 2000 mg per 2 tablets. One reviewer thought it was supposed to be 2000 mg per tablet but that's not what the label says.

I highly recommend this to anyone suffering from joint pain, it really helped my knee.

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It was recommended by our Orthopedic Surgeon for joint pain. Don't know if it really helps but since a specialist said it could help, we are taking it! This is for minor joint pain and nothing that needs surgery.

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WE HAVE RECEIVED THE PRODUCT ON APR 23 WITH EXPIRY DATE JUNE 2013 LOT 129231A IS APROX 40 DAYS TO SWALLOW 150 TABLETS IN THIS PERIOD OF TIME. 3 TO 4 TABLEST DAILY. DIRECTIONS: 1 TABLET TWICE DAILY OR 2 TABLETS ALL AT ONCE WITH A MEAL.

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In the first week my wife and I are feeling better. Joints were getting sore, a friend recommended this, just so happy!

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Sunday, March 23, 2014

Push Video All-in-One HD IP Camera

Push Video All-in-One HD IP Camerasometimes works sometimes doesn't.

Trouble with both Android and i-phone.

Live is too short to figure this out and the manual is no help.

AVN80X IVS 1.3 Megapixel Network Camera by AVTECH

Little IP Camera with many features and ability to provide easy simple security

Solution for Remote Surveillance on Multi platform. Ipad/Ipod/iPhone and other smart

networking/WiFi/3G/4G devices user. Device does supportWindows and Apple OS,

Few web browsers, and all of the major mobile device operating systems.

It can stream the live video inHDTV720p, H.264, MPEG4, and MJPEG and micro SD card support for video storage

TheAVN80X IVS 1.3 Megapixel Network Camera by AVTECH is all in one personal or corporate security solution, for security conscious consumer or company CEO,who want to keep eye on his kid's/employees, pet's, home or business.

It do require an available network connection via router, or a 3G / WiMax dongle for Internet access in your house

And for access on the go availability of the mobile internet

InEuropeAVN80X getting raving reviews

DEVICE SPECIFICATIONS

Network

Network Compression H.264 / MPEG4 / MJPEG

Multiple Video Streaming

(Encode Modes,IPS, Resolution)

3 (H.264, MJPEG, MPEG4)

LANPort YES

LANSpeed 10/100 Based-T Ethernet

Supported Protocols

DDNS, PPPoE, DHCP, NTP, SNTP,TCP/IP,

ICMP, SMTP, FTP, HTTP,RTP, RTSP, UPnP

Frame RateNTSC:30,PAL:25

Number of Online Users 10

Security multiple user access levels with password REALLY GOOD OPTION FOR CORPORATE SECURITY MANAGMENT

Web management

(1) Web browsers, such as Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox,

Google Chrome, Safari & Opera for single device access, or

(2) FreeCMSsoftware, Video Viewer, for up to 16 networks

cameras control simultaneously FREE SOFTWARE EXCELLENT OPTION AS AFTER PURCHASING CAMERA YOU NEVER HAVE TO PAY AGAIN FOR ANYTHING)

Camera

Image Sensor 1.3MP Live MOS image sensor

Video Resolution SXGA, SXVGA, 720P, VGA, QVGA

Min Illumination 0.1 Lux / F1.5, 0 Lux (LED ON)

Shutter Speed 1 / 60 (1/50) to 1 / 100,000 sec.

S/N Ratio More than 48dB (AGCoff)

Lens f3.8mm / F1.5

Viewing Angle 75°

White LED YES (1W, 10 meters)

White BalanceATW

AGCAuto

IRIS ModeAES

PIRSensor

DetectionRange76° wide angle with 5m long distance at 2m

Height (under 25°C)

MicroSDCard Slot YES

External Alarm I/O YES

Microphone YES

Speaker YES

Power Source (±10%) 5V / 2A

Operating Temperature -0'~40'

Others

Mobile Surveillance iPad, iPod, iPhone, BlackBerry, Windows Mobile, Symbian & Android

Push Notification YES

Audio Detection YES

RTC(real-time clock) YES

Motion Detection YES

Digital Pan / Tilt / Zoom YES

Event Notification FTP / Email

Minimum Web Browsing Requirements

'Pentium 4 CPU 1.3 GHz or higher, or equivalentAMD

'256 MBRAM

'AGP graphics card, Direct Draw, 32MBRAM

'Windows 7, Vista & XP, DirectX 9.0 or later

'Internet Explorer 7.x or later

My first impression of this camera solid metal body with baked white paint on the device and mounting parts

Well engineered and designed.

Small but solid build not really heavy... if you compare it to the Smart Phone

Shipped out in nice little box with a lot of the information and setup info all over the box...

Here is few pick of the box

Items inside

Included: AC Power Adapter forNorth America,AVN80X IVS 1.3 Megapixel Network Camera by AVTECH ,

Manual (easy to use well worded and simple with a lot of the information),

Basic mounting hardware: mounting bracket with screws in the white box.

Here is few picks

Manual is well written, and includes all necessary information for easy simple setup on

PC with access the default IP address of the AVN80X with different OS.

Screen shots and diagrams instructions gives easy and

Simple way for new pc/Mac user to set up IPCAM with out any need to call Tech Support.

Here is picture how it would look assembled

AVN80X Megapixel IVS IP Camera is smaller than my Smart Phone, butAVN80X rich on the features:

Easy network setup with your laptop / PC, and iPhone

1.3 Megapixel live MOS sensor withHDTV720p quality, allowing users to

notice minor details more easily

SD card support for video storage

Push Notification support to send an event notification to your iPhone and Android phones immediately

once the specified event type is triggered, and play video recording once you confirm the receipt.

White LED built-in to illuminate the scene manually, scheduled by a timer, or triggered by a motion, an

alarm, or an audio event

External alarm I/O device connection

Microphone & speaker built-in for two-way audio transmission

Complete Remote Surveillance Compatibility

-2 major computer operating systems, Microsoft Windows & Apple Mac

-5 commonly-used web browsers, Internet Explorer®, Mozilla Firefox®, Safari®, Google Chrome(tm) and Opera

-7 mobile platforms, iPad®, iPod®, iPhone®, BlackBerry®, Symbian, Windows® Mobile & Android(tm)

(with their built-in web browsers, or our self-developed mobile program, EagleEyes)

-For multiple device control, our self-developed program, Video Viewer, is provided for free for Windows-based

and Mac-based operating system

For Dimension please take a look at the pick where AVN80X is in the middle between two smart phones... Front of the AVN80X

Back of the AVN80X

I connectedAVN80X to my network via SAPIDO Wireless 3 in 1 Pocket N+ Broadband Router (RB-1602), logged in and configure.

AVN80X have very easy to use simple user interface and it do works well with Safari, Opera and IE9... Remind me of my first router install, simple and easy.

AVN80X do support both ActiveX and QuickTime format, as with all IP camera's video

Do get a bit of lag but it around but in my opinion it less than one second barely noticeable...

In my company corporate security environment I testedAVN80X (as extra add on to our layer of security) with Ipod touch 4th gen and Android based Smart Phone

easy simple Apps install (Check (monitor/streaming) + Control theAVN80X for Ipod Touch and smart phone.

I like the quality of the pictures and videos/audio

I can control the digital PTZusing my fingers. Also I could clearly hear the audio, so I have a fully functional mobile HD video/audiosurveillance system in the palm of my hand.

if the option DPTZ spark your interest you could see more on YouTube AVTECH introduction for EagleEyes on mobile device.

really good video

I tested and monitor my Co. cubical area when I was away (to see who is using my pen) and I did try it on my family and family pets Detection & Tracking and assess control for the front door pet door sensor.

I could see theAVN80X automatically locate the brother face in the frame, zoom in, and follow it. good safe option to monitor guest or family member even under low light condition the quality of the picture and video pretty good as Live MOS Sensor gives you an extremely clear and detailed picture. The quality of the picture was great even in a low-light setting. Even with out any light in the room -AVN80X built in White LED on the front produces an enough light that can illuminate objects in total darkness at least twenty feet or more in front of it.

I did try to enabled Digital Smart Zoom, this feature did allow me to leave the controls, and the AVTECHAVN80X could zoom in on the dog movements as motion got detected...(also I used the option with pet door sensor attached to the back of theAVN80X)

Also you could use it as security camera with remote monitoring plus option to attach compatible sensors to monitor door/or windows opening away from the camera viewing angle... (Excellent option for Home/Corporate Security)

Myself as visual person I would like to mention few options I really like:

LED Status Indicators gives me visual ability to check the current Internet &LAN connection status easily

SD Slot (micro SD)

PUSH VIDEO, 5-sec Event Video Call excellent for today's world emergencies

External I/O Devices Support as sometimes event do happens away from the camera viewing angle but you could still hear the audio and call police if need it...

here is more info about this excellent optionOn the final note: AVN80X IVS 1.3 Megapixel Network Camera by AVTECH is good home or corporate security solution for anyone... I do recommend it as a best IP camera total security solution at the present time...

In the future I would like to see upgrades at lease 2 Megapixel or more, option to order camera with Kevlar fibber body and shatter proof glass dome for military applications.

The Price of theAVN80X IVS 1.3 Megapixel Network Camera by AVTECH will be announced soon I think it would be around $200 $240 USA more or less but do not quite me on the price) if you interested please keep checkingFew years ago it would cost you at least $1000 or more... (ButAVN80X IVS 1.3 Megapixel Network Camera by AVTECH you could get it for much more less but with more user friendly futures)

Here are few reviews from othersthis camera available in USA and Canada now

Buy Push Video All-in-One HD IP Camera Now

My Review of the AVN801 -Push Video All-In-One HD IP Camera with Push Video Alert to your Iphone or Android phone

DISCLAIMER: My review based entirely on my personal opinion and not influenced by AVTECH. Or any other third party...

My Review of the

AVN801 -Push Video All-In-One HD IP Camera with Push Video Alert to your Iphone or Android phone

As Network Security/IT Security from time to time

I able to get my hands on latest and Greatest Security Gear new AVN801 -Push Video All-In-One HD IP Camera for security budget minded consumer or CIO/CEO of the large company...

Little IP Camera well built and well designed with many features and ability to provide easy simple security

Solution for Remote Surveillance on Multi platform. Ipad/Ipod/iPhone Android WiFi/3G/4G devices user. Device does supportApple and Android OS.

Few web browsers, and all of the major mobile device operating systems.

It can stream the live video in HDTV 720p Quality (Progressive Scan), Real-time, 16:9 10 MB built-in memory for video storage.

new AVN801 -Push Video All-In-One HD IP Camera is all in one personal or corporate security solution, for security conscious consumer or company CIO/CEO,who want to keep eye on his kid's/employees, pet's, home or business. Quality for a competitive price...

It do require an available network connection via router, or a 3G / WiMax dongle for Internet access in your house

And for access on the go availability of the mobile internet

Here is a review from regular consumer

Now let take a look at what this IP camera could deliver:

PUSH VIDEO Yes

Human Detection Yes

MIC. Yes

Alarm I/O Yes

Event Record (duration) 5, 10, 20, 40 sec. Selectable Yes

Some one could say oh NEW AVN801 -Push Video All-In-One HD IP Camera is economically priced but trust me it could deliver and outperform more expensive models by D-link and others...

(End User or Corporate CIO/CEO when looking for Security Solution should take a note with new AVTECH AVN801 -Push Video All-In-One HD IP Camera AVTECH OFFERS FREE SOFTWARE (INCLUDING FUTURE UPDATES)EXCELLENT OPTION AS AFTER PURCHASING CAMERA YOU NEVER HAVE TO PAY AGAIN FOR ANYTHING)

Rich Features:

High End/Quality Image Sensor 1.3MP Live High End/quality image sensor (sensor is produced by a famous manufacture)

Video Resolution SXGA, SXVGA, 720P, VGA, QVGA

Viewing Angle 62.7°

Detection Range 76° wide angle with 6 m long distance at 2m Height (under 30°C)

My first impression of this camera solid quality strong but light plastic body with white color on the device and mounting parts

Take a look at the picture...

Well engineered and designed.

Small but solid build not really heavy... if you compare it to the Window Smart Phone

Shipped out in nice little box with a lot of the information and setup info all over the box...

Here is few pick of the box

Items inside

Included: AC Power Adapter for North America, AVN801 -Push Video All-In-One HD IP Camera by AVTECH ,

Manual (easy to use well worded and simple with a lot of the information),

AVN801 Manual:

Basic mounting hardware: mounting bracket with screws in the white box.

Adapter for Security Alarm/Monitor

Network Cable...

Mini CD with drivers and information

In my opinion AVTECH gives you total solution for the economical price

Just install/set-up, plug and go you are protected with your own personal security...

Manual is well written, and includes all necessary information for easy simple setup on

PC with access the default IP address of the AVN801 -Push Video All-In-One HD IP Camera with different OS.

Screen shots and diagrams instructions gives easy and

Simple way for new pc/Mac user to set up IPCAM with out any need to call Tech Support.

Here is picture how it would look assembled

AVN801 -Push Video All-In-One HD IP Camera Camera by AVTECH is smaller than my Smart Phone but

AVN801 rich on the features:

Easy network setup with your laptop / PC, and iPhone

1.3 Megapixel sensor (sensor is produced by a famous manufacture) with HDTV720p quality, allowing users to Notice minor details more easily

10MB built-in memory storage for video storage

Alarm event notification to your iPhone and Android phones immediately

Option for External alarm I/O device connection

Microphone built-in for one -way monitoring audio transmission

Complete Remote Surveillance Compatibility

2 major computer operating systems, Microsoft Windows & Apple Mac-based operating system

most of the commonly-used web browsers, Internet Explorer® and others

most of the mobile platforms, iPad®, iPhone®, Android(tm)

Since AVN801 is all-in-one type. I do recommend for users to use AVN801 with EagleEyes software to do all setting, operation, and backup.

For Dimension please take a look at the pick where AVN801 is with smart phone by it side...

Front of the AVN801

Back of the AVN801

I connectedAVN801 to my network via SAPIDO Wireless 3 in 1 Pocket N+ Broadband Router (RB-1602), logged in and configure it.

AVN801 have very easy to use simple user interface and it do works well with Safari, Opera and IE9... Remind me of my first router install, simple and easy.

AVN801 do support both ActiveX and QuickTime format, as with all IP camera's video

Do get a bit of lag but it around but in my opinion it less than half a second or less for me it was barely noticeable...

In my company corporate security environment I tested AVN801 (as extra add on to our layer of security) with Ipod touch 4th gen and Android based Smart Phone

Easy simple Apps install (Check (monitor/streaming) + Control the AVN801 ) for Ipod Touch and Android phone.

I like the quality of the pictures and videos/audio

Here is sample when I try to use camera outside security camera with Push notification:

If the AVN801 spark your interest you could see more on YouTube AVTECH introduction for EagleEyes on mobile device.

I tested and monitor my Co. cubical area when I was away (to see who is using my pen) via Push Video notification anytime someone entering my private cubical area

I did try it on my family and family pet my Bird Detection & Tracking and assess control for the door of bird room via attaching external door I/O to the back of the AVN801

Take a look at the picture.

Also you could use it as security camera with remote monitoring plus option to attach compatible External I/O to monitor door/or windows opening away from the camera viewing angle... (Excellent option for Home/Corporate Security)

In my case I use door external I/O to see if any one troubling my bird with opening and closing door away from the camera viewing angle while I'm away...

When my wife open door

Door Alarm External I/O get triggered and I get Push notification on my phone all happening in real time as event infolding right before my eyes on the screen of my Android phone...( I could see my bird is safe in the cage it my wife came to feed her.)

Also I could hear my bird screaming demanding clean water...

Myself as visual person I would like to mention few options I really like:

Event Record (duration) 5, 10, 20, 40 sec. Selectable and 10MB space to store important events inside camera

Option to have Alarm I/O sensor attached

Mic builds in for one-way communication.

On the final note: AVN801 -Push Video All-In-One HD IP Camera is good home or corporate security solutions for anyone... who want Security for the right economical price. I do recommend it as an economical IP camera total security solution at the present time...

Soon this great camera available in Canada

The Price of the AVN801 Push Video All-In-One HD IP Camera Camera by AVTECH will be announced if you interested please keep checking AVTECH The retail price of AVN801 should be around $150 USD in USA. But do note -price of the AVN801 may vary from different country due to the currency exchange rate or variation of the prices at your local stores or your local supplier.

At the present time Official AVTECH distributor in Canada is CPCAM Co. here is the link

Also do take a look at AVN801 DEMO SITE:

Few years ago it would cost you at least $1000 or more... (AVN801 -Push Video All-In-One HD IP Camera by AVTECH you could get it for much less but with more user friendly futures.)

AVTECH AVN801 -Push Video All-In-One HD IP Camera able to deliver Security solution for economical price with out compromising quality.

Furthermore, you can acquire more information on the websites below:

AVN801 Manual:

AVN801 DEMO SITE:

Scenario Application Video for Push Video:

EagleEyes:

Youtube:

Facebook:

Also I would like to mention againDISCLAIMER: My review based entirely on my personal opinion and not influenced by AVTECH. Or any other third party...

Read Best Reviews of Push Video All-in-One HD IP Camera Here

Saturday, March 22, 2014

AmpliVox SL1039 - Portable Four-Station Listening Center Audio Cassette Recorder

AmpliVox SL1039 - Portable Four-Station Listening Center Audio Cassette Recorder
  • Post-Consumer Recycled Content Percent [Nom] - 0 %
  • Pre-Consumer Recycled Content Percent [Nom] - 0 %
  • Recycled Comments - N/A
  • Total Recycled Content Percent [Nom] - 0 %

The rewind button does not automatically pop up when finished. This is a problem in a busy classroom. The sound is somewhat distorted. I wish I hadn't spent the $ on it.

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Friday, March 21, 2014

DVD Video Bluray Player Shelf Wall Mount Bracket Cable Box Adjustable

DVD Video Bluray Player Shelf Wall Mount Bracket Cable Box AdjustableStraightforward to install, this glass shelf is ideal for wall mounting a cable box/DVD player underneath a wall-mounted television. The installation took about 15 minutes, with the longest part finding studs to secure the shelving unit into. The height of the shelf is adjustable, and the shelf is wide enough for a cable box or DVD player and remotes to fit alongside. Happy with product

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Tuesday, February 25, 2014

Hunters Specialties I-Kam Xtreme Video Eyewear, Flat Black

Hunters Specialties I-Kam Xtreme Video Eyewear, Flat BlackFor starters they were not I KAM at all but an inferior imitation. They had been used (images already on the card from the previous owner). The instructions were almost indecipherable. They did not work about 3/4 of the time. Sometimes would not turn on. Sometimes would not turn off. Worthless at half the price.

If I order by name I expect to get what I order, not a cheap knock off.

I have returned and await a refund.

I ordered Hunters Specialties I-KAM Xtreme Sport Video Sunglasses Flat Black from DB Roth for about $50 + shipping.

What I received, instead, were "Eagle-I video sunglasses" which are an earlier obsolete model with significantly worse (cheaper) specifications from a completely different manufacturer. On top of that, the "new" unit I received from DB Roth appeared to be defective, and would not record video clips. Additionally, it did not come with an AC charger or clear lenses as advertised. The product manual included with the Eagle-I glasses clearly indicates this device was not the "Hunters Specialties I-KAM Xtreme Sport Video Sunglasses" I thought I was buying. I contacted DB Roth about this and they promptly sent a prepaid return label and say they will refund all charges when the item is returned. I have subsequently ordered the HS I-KAM Xtremes from a different provider, cost= $85 + shipping.

Buy Hunters Specialties I-Kam Xtreme Video Eyewear, Flat Black Now

The Eagle eye glasses are very low quality. I sent mine back and ordered the a real pair of I-kam extreme 3.0 Cost me $35.00 more but well worth it.

Read Best Reviews of Hunters Specialties I-Kam Xtreme Video Eyewear, Flat Black Here

SON IS EXCITED TO USE THEM FOR HUNTING AND FISHING. BOUGHT TWO PAIR, ONE FOR HUBBY AND ONE FOR SON. LET THE COMPETITION BEGIN ON WHO WILL GET THE BEST HUNTING VIDEO

Want Hunters Specialties I-Kam Xtreme Video Eyewear, Flat Black Discount?

I bought these with the expectation that the video quality would be terrible at more then 5 feet but it's pretty much the same as my iphone 4S which is great for what it is. These are so much fun to play with and the one touch on/off make it so easy to capture things that happen fast. Granted these arent like a camera crew following you around which seems like what other reviewers were expecting, but if you want to walk around without your phone taped to your face then these are perfect. I'm thinking of changing the lenses out to the clear ones that were included and wearing these things at Christmas.

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Saturday, February 22, 2014

eForCity Digital Optical Audio TosLink to Mini TosLink Cable, 6 FT

eForCity Digital Optical Audio TosLink to Mini TosLink Cable, 6 FTI wouldnt use these to set up my home theater system again they do not provide the best quailty to your sound as people say they do. I have moved on to a different set up because of it.

Don't bother wasting your money on an expensive connector. The data is digital so it makes no difference as long as the signal can make it across. These cables worked fine connecting my MacBook to my audio receiver.

Buy eForCity Digital Optical Audio TosLink to Mini TosLink Cable, 6 FT Now

Yes it's cheap, yes it works, yes it has covers, yes it fits in the holes fine.

Read Best Reviews of eForCity Digital Optical Audio TosLink to Mini TosLink Cable, 6 FT Here

I use this cable to connect my Mac Mini (2009) to my AV receiver. It outputs digital sound and can handle surround sound as well. The mini-Toslink fits right into the headphone jack and the computer knows to output digital sound. The cable is on the flimsy side and you can tell it costs under a dollar, but the sound is digital so it still sounds pristine.

Want eForCity Digital Optical Audio TosLink to Mini TosLink Cable, 6 FT Discount?

This does exactly what it's intended to do and it does it well. The cable feels of good quality and the end caps are a nice addition. For the price paid for this cable, and the fact that it's a digital signal, there's no reason to buy anything that's more expensive. I use these with my Macs and Airport Express to create a lossless link for crisp, clear sound. Definitely recommended!

Saturday, February 15, 2014

Mini DV MD80 DVR Video Camera w/4GB MicroSD

Mini DV MD80 DVR Video Camera w/4GB MicroSDWe purchased this camera (Mini DV MD80 DVR Video Camera) for our son this past Christmas with the hopes that it could be mounted to his model RC airplanes. It was a gamble, but for the price (we paid around $15 w/memory card) it was a gable worth taking. This little video camera has turned out to be a fabulous addition to his model airplaning experience. We were able to very easily mount the camera clips (provided) to the underside of the airplanes with some heavy duty Velcro and it works out great.

The Good:

* Price we paid only $15!

* This camera takes fair, not great video. But for the price it took far better video than I was expecting. Plenty good enough for my son's hobby needs.

* It is small and light. About the size of two stacked USB thumb drives and weighs only a bit more due to integrated battery.

* Charges over USB.

* Standard mini USB plug. No need for a special cable.

* Included a wide variety of mounting clips and brackets. Enough to meet our needs.

* Includes a lanyard and lanyard clip right on the camera. This is great for our needs as we tie the lanyard to the planes as a back if the mounting bracket gives way during flight.

* Removable/replaceable memory (standard MicroSD). This is very handy for a long day out at the air fields when one gets full we simply drop in another memory card.

* Acts as a mass storage device. Thus no drivers needed on your computer and simple file copies are all that is needed for video file management.

* Comes with rechargeable battery

The Bad:

* No display screen. This turns out to be a good thing for us, as a screen only adds to its size and weight. But for some this might be a pain as you must down load your video to a computer to view it.

* Controls are a bit cramped and confusing to understand how to use. But that is expected for something so small and for its price.

* No zoom. But what do you expect for $15? That said the current angle of the view is pretty good for our needs. If you desire a zoon this is not the camera for you.

* Battery is fully integrated and non-replaceable. But that is expected for this price point. Even if it were replaceable the replacement would surely cost more than the $15 I paid for it.

The Ugly:

* The video contains embedded date/time in the lower right hand corner of the video. I can't figure out how to get rid of it. It took me many hours on the internet just to figure out how to get the date/time set accurately. I am not a dumb guy when it comes to tech related things but this was a royal pitb to figure out. Most of the ways called out online did not work.

* The documentation is horrid. I had to spend a few hours with the internet to figure out how to configure this thing. I don't care how cheap it is it doesn't cost much to print some documentation or at least print the URL to where good documentation can be found online.

Conclusion:

This is a great little camera for our needs and the price. If you are looking for something small and self-contained that takes decent video for an unbelievable price this is camera for you. I'm giving it four stars due to the difficulties for configuring the date/time and poor documentation.

I am really impressed with this little unit. It puts out really good video for its size. It is by no means so small that you can place this unit anywhere and no one will notice, but it is small enough to be missed by most people. The unit works well, but it is difficult to press the little bitty buttons with big honking fingers. You will get into the habit of using some form of stylus to turn the unit on and get it recording. It also took me a little practice to understand what the blinking lights mean am I recording or not? In the end, there is no limit to what I want to do with this unit. Now, if only I can find the time to use it like I want to. I have used this unit to record golf swings for further analysis (its small enough to fit in a golf bag pocket and to be used without making the subject totally uncomfortable), recording helmet video from my daily bicycle ride (attached by Velcro to my helmet), and as a dash cam for my car (attached by Velcro to the back of my rear view mirror pointing forward) to record idiots and trash throwers. I did quickly break the spring loaded clip provided, but find Velcro is a more stable means of attachment.

This is a great unit for use where a full size video cam will be in the way.

Buy Mini DV MD80 DVR Video Camera w/4GB MicroSD Now

We now have at least 5 of these cameras used by our campus safety dept. well worth the price as they have really cutdown on the "he said/she said" problems that occur between security and students. Great asset when when used properly.

Read Best Reviews of Mini DV MD80 DVR Video Camera w/4GB MicroSD Here

I thought that it took very good video for the price and purposes I got it for.

The only drawback is that it is difficult to see where you are aiming it at times

Want Mini DV MD80 DVR Video Camera w/4GB MicroSD Discount?

Paid a cheap price to get a very cheap and barely functional product. Bought 2, one wont hold a charge and the other wont let me access the memory....lesson learned!

Saturday, January 11, 2014

Sony Professional Digital 2GB MP3 Voice Recorder with Memory Card Slot, Noise Cut Technology Reduci

Sony Professional Digital 2GB MP3 Voice Recorder with Memory Card Slot, Noise Cut Technology Reducing Background Sound, USB Port, Built-in Speaker and an Easy-to-read Display ** Batteries Included ** + Additional Vertical in-the-ear HeadphonesTone quality is superb in this product. Ease of use is acceptable, but difficult for those who are not "technically savvy", particularly our older clients. When the memory card is downloaded and erased from one computer, it seems to work fine, but we have multiple computers in our business and multiple customers. This is not a good product in this situation. I would advise more research before purchasing this product for anything other than personal use.

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Tuesday, November 26, 2013

Emedia My Piano Win/mac Cd-rom

Emedia My Piano Win/mac Cd-romI had very high hopes for this software. My almost 7 year old daughter is very excited about learning to play piano. But I guess she doesn't watch enough cartoons because she and I both find the talking piano character a little ridiculous. But that's not the problem. The problem is that the volume for the narration cannot be adjusted separately from the midi keyboard output through the computer speakers. Our keyboard does not have internal amplification. (MIDI only) so there is no option to adjust keyboard output. This makes the software all but unusable for us. We had high hopes but it looks like we'll have to look for another solution.

Wednesday, November 6, 2013

Samsung LN55B650 55-Inch 1080p 120 Hz LCD HDTV with Red Touch of Color

Samsung LN55B650 55-Inch 1080p 120 Hz LCD HDTV with Red Touch of Color
  • 55-inch LCD HDTV with full HD 1080p resolution for the sharpest picture possible and red Touch of Color design
  • Side-mounted USB port for displaying JPEG/MPEG files and listening to MP3 audio
  • Inputs: 4 HDMI-CEC, 2 component, 2 composite, 1 PC, 2 USB, 1 Ethernet, 1 optical digital audio output
  • Includes removable stand; measures 51.6 x 35.2 x 12.1 inches with stand; 15-watt x 2 bottom mounted speakers with subwoofer
  • SRS TruSurround HD

I now own three LCDs. Two of which are Samsung. I've always liked the fact that Samsung packs in a lot of features and quality for a reasonable price. For the past two years, I have been putting off replacing the TV in our family room, a 7 year old Sony 36XBR800, which is a mammoth of a set. However, our finally caved in for a number of reasons: (1) pricing on flat screens dropped, (2) wanted a television that supported HDMI, and (3) wanted a set that would help with the glare on the TV.

The glare on the TV was, believe it or not, the tipping point. Our family room has lots of windows, and the blinds don't block out all the sun, so with the old set I would get a lot of glare in the middle of the day coming off the TV. It was bad enough where sometimes I would just give up trying to watch anything. I did some research and LCDs do the best job cutting down the glare because of the matte finish on the screen. Plasmas tend to have a glossy finish, which reflects more sunlight. Plasmas also tend to eat a little more energy than LCDs. Those two points sold me on the LCD.

Although I will have to say that overall the Plasma, in my opinion, does a better job of handling moving images than an LCD. LCDs have been known to have issues ("judder") with fast moving objects onscreen, which is something you may typically get while watching sports or playing video games. To correct this issue, TV manufacturers have introduced refresh rates, which you'll see advertised (60 hz, 120 hz, 240 hz). These refresh rates help to cut down the noise you get around the edges of moving objects. However, you'll notice that while watching some programs without fast-moving action the onscreen content can sometimes looks like a cardboard cutout. It's always a good idea to use the higher refresh rates for sports and games and save the lower refresh rates for all other programming. With that said, I looked at some sports programming on both 120 hz and 240 hz sets and the improvement was marginal. At the time of my purchase the cost to go with a 240 hz set was almost $500 more (over 120 hz), which was not worth the marginal gain. If the gap came down between the two refresh rates I would definitely reconsider, but remember that you are paying for a fix by the manufacturer to the technology.

So, after all my research between the two competing technologies I still went with the LCD because my main concern was glare and here are the breakdowns of my pros, cons and "somewhere in between" for this set.

=====================

PROS

=====================

+ Price: At the time of my purchase it was hard to find many other sets offering the same quality with the same feature set.

+ Inputs: With 4 HDMI, 2 Component, 2 Composite, 2 USB and 1 PC input you'll have enough to plug in all the most popular components (e.g. video game systems, DVD/Blue-ray Player, DVR, etc.). You'll be able to hook up a card reader and browse pictures on the TV, watch movies from your camcorder and anything else you can think of doing with all those inputs.

+ Picture Quality: The quality of the picture at 1080p is simply amazing. You will not be disappointed. At this size of a screen and with such a high-quality of picture you'll see things you've never noticed before in your favorite movies and shows. There were times when I felt like I was watching a movie live. It felt like a theater performance.

+ Ability to Combat Glare: Mission accomplished. On a number of occasions I have been able to switch picture options in the middle of the day to be able to see what I am watching.

+ Options: If you like tweaking than you'll like this TV set. You can tweak settings by input, which means that you can get an optimal picture and sound all the time no matter what source you are using. The menus are also easy to navigate and understand. I've used TVs in the past where all the options were buried, which wasn't the case with this set.

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NEUTRAL

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= Internet Connectivity: This is what I would classify as a "nice to have" feature. It's nice to be able to browse YouTube, view pictures from Flickr, check sports scores, read news and more all using Yahoo! Widgets. However, there's a bit of a lag with all these features between the remote and the onscreen menu. For example, you'll notice that if you're searching for a video on YouTube, you won't be able to crank out the search text in a few seconds. It may take you some time, but nonetheless it beats crowding around a small computer screen. In short, I'm not going to stop using my computer to watch videos on YouTube or read the news, but it's nice to occasionally have the option to do it on my TV.

= Speakers/Audio: Nothing amazing here. I would say it's slightly better than average. Then again, I am using the TV with a home theater system, so the sound on my set is turned off, but I did test the sound for the purpose of this review. If you sink this much money into a TV you should do yourself a favor and get a decent home theater system to complement.

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CONS

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PIP: I was disappointed with the Picture in Picture options. I was hoping that the Picture in Picture would allow me to select an input other than the cable or antena hooked up to the TV, but that was not the case. On my old Sony I was able to play a game on a console, while having HD programming via my cable box on the PIP display. Basically, I was able to use any input for the TV as the source for the PIP. Samsung limits this option.

"Judder": I mentioned this earlier in the review and I have to say that I did notice this when watching sports and playing video games. I did notice an improvement when setting a higher refresh rate, but you'll still notice some noise. Part of it may be psychological as well, since I know the issue exists. There's also a game mode under the picture settings that further corrects this issue, but you lose some crispness from the picture. Again I want to mention that this was a minor issue and I almost classified it as neutral, but though it was worthwhile to point out.

Overall I would give this set an 8.5/10. If I had the opportunity to go back I would still have gotten the same TV. If the price difference between the 240 hz and 120 hz was somewhere around $200, I would have made the jump to improve the picture slightly for gaming and sports. However, I am still amazed by the quality of the picture and it's the best TV I've owned to date. I love to tweak and this set meets that need very well with an endless array of options. I'm enjoying all the same programming as before, but with a much bigger smile.

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UPDATE

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Amazon.com recently announced that with their Prime Membership there was now access to free streaming movies and TV shows. While this not available for my TIVO I looked through my Samsung Widgets, which I previously glossed over, and found out that with a quick firmware update I can now stream Amazon.com VOD. I have never had a need to use any of the widgets or any of the Internet features, but 2 years after my initial purchase and the TV is still proving to be current.

Buy Samsung LN55B650 55-Inch 1080p 120 Hz LCD HDTV with Red Touch of Color Now

This LCD is the best of both size and quality. With the additional 300 off that amazon was offering a couple of weeks ago, it was a bargain for what you get. Samsung is top quality in my opinion right now.

Here is the good:

Great picture. 3 extra inches worth more to me than 240 hz

Glass screen makes picture more vivid and handles glare with ease.

Touch of color makes it look really nice hanging in my living room.

Could be better:

Sound is average at best. Most will hook it up to external speakers so it doesn't matter that much

Remote is decent but needs more quick buttons to control PIP and other tools that you have to navigate through a couple of menus to change

Bad:

Nothing. You will not be dissapointed with this bad boy!

Read Best Reviews of Samsung LN55B650 55-Inch 1080p 120 Hz LCD HDTV with Red Touch of Color Here

I'm surprised that more people aren't buying this set, or at least reviewing it (which typically is indicative of sales). Really with this set there are only two things that may bother your run-of-the-mill average TV watcher, and that is 1. Glare, 2. Flashlighting/clouding (backlight shining through).

On 1 I can honestly say the glare doesn't bother me at all. Some people may not be able to deal with it because they are picky and/or have a really bright room this TV is going into, but that is not an issue to me. Just personal opinion. I would never let that be a factor to me unless it truly bothered me, and it truly does not with this set.

On 2 I can say that I did have some initial problems with clouding and it being visible. I used settings posted on Cnet for this TV. They are kind of dark, but you get used to it. This prevents clouding from being as noticeable, but some backlight will bleed through, and it's especially apparent on large TVs. How apparent is it? I am very picky and although I can notice it on a completely pitch black screen, it really doesn't bother me that much during normal TV watching. I have my backlight set at 3 (out of 10), standard mode leaves it at 8. This is way too bright and you will most definitely see some bleed through.

There are a few recommended fixes if you have clouding that is poor around the edges. Wiping the entire TV side to side and up and down with a microfiber cloth has worked in limited cases, as well as loosening a few bezel screws along the TVs edge to loosen the pressure and keep the backlight from shining through as brightly. Also limited success stories on this method and I even tried it with no such luck. Changing my settings was the action that gave me the best result. Photographs have proven even TVs that appear as if they have no apparent clouding to the naked eye actually do have clouding, so don't stare at your TV for hours looking for this imperfection, simply find a setting that seems to remove it upon a glance at the TV and move on.

Some other cons to point out that you may or may not know about and/or normally wouldn't think they will bother you but might actually. The off angle viewing of this TV is not good. You will see the TVs contrast change dramatically even moving your head 2 feet from the center of the TV sitting 10' away. How big of a deal is that to you? Depends. Some experts have said that this TV is best for one-person and adding multiple people with different viewing angles renders this set to not be preferred. Do I believe that? Not really. I think for most families sitting an appropriate distance from this set probably won't be too irritated at the slight off angle viewing issues. However, it is noticeable and the best angle by far is directly in front of the set. Keep this in mind--maybe check it out in action at the store first if you are buying this set for a family.

Another thing to keep in mind is that the TV has an included rope you screw into the back of the TV and tie off on a screw in the wall. Very silly design and completely retarded to put on and even easy to look over when you purchase the set. But guess what? Use it. This TV is top heavy like mad and easily could tip over. I've also heard some complaints on the PIP and remote and audio as well on this TV, but I don't use any of them so I won't comment. I also don't play games so I won't comment there, although I hook my computer up and it looks just fine.

People like to hear potential negatives in reviews more than positives I think, so there is my list. I consider myself pretty picky but overall I think this TV is an excellent buy at a sub-$2,000 price point. If you can afford a $5,000 LED LCD with the latest technology, why are you even considering this set? While the PQ might be comparable to more expensive TVs (truly this TV looks that good), lesser auxiliary issues like tying a rope to a wall to keep the TV from falling shouldn't even be something you should care about. PQ is great from cable to blu-ray to PC on this set and I really don't think you're going to be disappointed if you purchase and this is your price range (or a little above).

Another big debate is whether or not to go with the 52B750 with a higher refresh rate. The truth is that your eyes will never tell a difference between the two refresh rates. I have read that there are lesser cases of backlight bleeding with the 52", but that's probably partly due to the fact that the 52" is 3" less in size. I'm still in the return period and I could get the 52" if I wanted, but I simply think that's not the best buy. This TV is.

Lastly I will point out that the LCD panel used in this particular set is a CMO Panel and not a Samsung panel. Approximately 60% of Samsung's don't use Samsung panels, so don't worry that you aren't getting an authentic Samsung; it is pretty common. The CMO panel a lot of experts complain about, but they also complain about the S-PVA panel used in the 46" version of the B650 or the 52" version in the B750. The difference between the two is negligible to the everyday user, not to mention side-by-side the two panels are almost identical in specs. If you've heard about this before and it's concerned you, or if you are hearing it now for the first time, consider it extra information and nothing else that should sway your opinion on purchasing this set. Lastly I will say that if you are someone who thinks 42" or 46" is fine, just buy this TV. The price difference is insignificant and very rarely have I ever heard of someone buying a bigger TV than what they wanted and complained about it later. My dad likes to complain it's too big, but that's because his TV is best for viewing under a microscope and he's not used to watching things bigger. Bigger is better. Overall I give this TV a solid A.

Want Samsung LN55B650 55-Inch 1080p 120 Hz LCD HDTV with Red Touch of Color Discount?

I just got this yesterday and was immediately blown away by the picture quality, especially when compared to the 50" 720P LG plasma it replaces. The difference was as astounding for me as the plasma was over regular def TV. For live HD such as CNN and local news, the Samsung easily matches the sharpness and clarity one sees in the big box showrooms. I'm not so sure about other HD broadcasts. Some shows seem too bright, but when I adjust down the contrast and brightness, other shows are too dark. The colors also seem to vary more from one show to another than was the case with my plasma. I hope to be able to sort this out over time through the many easily accessed menu adjustments.

I have had this item approximately three weeks and it has met all of my expectations. As a Plasma TV owner, I wanted to replace and older TV with an LCD since they use less power and create less heat. I did a good deal of research but this TV was too new to have been rated. I trusted in the quality and ratings of Samsung brandmates and was not disappointed. It has a bright and beautiful picture; more adjustments than anyone could ever need; and many other features (such as internet connectivity) that I have yet to try. I especially like the media viewer, since I shoot only digital photos when traveling. This TV is so good, it shows up the flaws in my cable HD service that I never noticed before. I highly recommend this TV to anyone looking for a large screen TV in the LCD format.

Monday, October 28, 2013

JVC GR-D770U MiniDV Camcorder with 34x Optical Zoom

JVC GR-D770U MiniDV Camcorder with 34x Optical ZoomI bought this camera at Fry's and it was a deal that came with a tripod.The camera is great this is my first camcorder it was easy to operate and easy to learn the controls.i hook it up to my macbook pro an start up idvd and it transfer almost with out touching anything.It is easy to control and the zoom is very good .If you move fast the camera takes 10 secs to refocus the only drawback so far.I wish there was a car charger for it but i have yet to find one if it exist

I recently purchased the GR-D770 MiniDV Camcorder to replace an eight year old JVC VHS-C camcorder. I did a bit of research online, and the JVC had to most features for the cost. The audio is excellent, as is the picture quality. The zoom is smooth, and all the controls are conveniently located; the menus are easy to navigate with the thumb stick. Also, synching is up to my laptop was a snap, after I bought a 4-pin to 4-pin DV cable (I didn't see any in the price range that included one).

Buy JVC GR-D770U MiniDV Camcorder with 34x Optical Zoom Now

But the key phrase here is "entry level". It's true that it has numerous features and a great zoom on it. But the picture is a little bit lacking in my opinion. The colors seem a bit pale at times, and in low light situations like in a room there is picture noise (grain). But that's to be expected for most entry level cameras. This is my first digital camcorder and I wanted something inexpensive to capture memories of my two year old and vacations. And really it does that just fine. But if you really want something that that reproduces color well and keeps the amount of picture noise down, then you should look to get something that costs a few hundred more.

Read Best Reviews of JVC GR-D770U MiniDV Camcorder with 34x Optical Zoom Here

Although this camcorder is relatively inexpensive, it does have enough features to make it a perfect video camera for anyone. No one will know you only paid a little over $200.00! Very small footprint, fits in the palm of your hand. I have another camcorder that I paid about 3 times as much for and unless you are a professional, there really is no difference!

Want JVC GR-D770U MiniDV Camcorder with 34x Optical Zoom Discount?

I've only had the JVC GR-D771(U) for about 3 hours and I'm already sold that this is the model for my family! There's still plenty of time to discover the quirks of this device, but at this present time I only have positives to say. First off, the A/C adapter is dual voltage. That's an absolute must if your traveling (or stationed) overseas. The camcorder comes with a USB cord in the box, BUT also has a firewire port that can be utilized to transfer video to a computer or recording device. It's extremely easy to use (which in most cases means limited capabilities)EXCEPT in this case...

*it's got wind noise cancellation,

*a stability feature (called DIS, but I don't know what it stands for)which comes in handy when your using 900X digital zoom

*16:9/4:3 formating

*270 degree rotating LCD so you can see what you look like while recording

*2 or 4 channel stereo sound recording

*a blinding LED to illuminate subjects in the dark (there's also a night recording option but I haven't tested that yet)

*you also have the sweet ability of dubbing images from the miniDV tape to the SD/MMC in playback mode

*There's B/W, sepia, strobe, and mirror options as well as fade in/out effects

* You can also use this as a webcam with at least windows messenger, I haven't tried yahoo or aim...sorry

I'd say the only bad thing about the JVC GR-D771(U) camcorder is that there isn't enough time in the day to play with it!