Onkyo TX-SR608 7.2-Channel Home Theater Receiver (Black)

• 100 Watts per Channel at 8 Ohms, 20 Hz¿20 kHz, 0.08%, 2 Channels Driven, FTC
• THX Select2 Plus Certified
• HDMI (Version 1.4 to Support 3D and Audio Return Channel) with Deep Color, x.v.Color, LipSync, Dolby TrueHD, DTS-HD Master Audio
• HDMI Video Upscaling to 1080p with Faroudja DCDi Cinema
• Audio and 1080p Video Processing via HDMI (1 Front/ 5 Rear Inputs and 1 Output)

Unlike a lot of CEs, Onkyo may have indavertantly cannibalized its own model lineup by pushing so much featureset into an entry level receiver that it might deter buyers from their higher end models. I recently did a thorough comparison of the Pioneer VSX-1020 and Denon AVR-791 and the Onkyo nudged out the Pioneer due to its beefier amp section and OSD capabilities. That said, I must caution users that its value is marred by what appears to be a bug with its ability to pass through HDMI video signals unmolested, even in "Through" modes. This bug manifests itself in two ways: 1. 24 bit sources (like cable hdtv) are upconverted to 30 bit when output on a display; AND 2. for some inexplicable reason, 1080p 24fps sources stutter intermittently as if a frame is dropped. The latter might be more noticeable to plasma owners whereas 120hz and 240hz LCDs might compensate for the frame stuttering with their interpolation software (ie the soap opera effect).

With that caveat, the Onkyo is a terrific performer offering strong power (power consumption is up from the 607 to a very grown up 756 watts), terrific flexibility (four speaker terminals can be assigned to wide, height or zone 2). The Denon is limited to merely 7 speaker terminals and the Pioneer has only a pair of assignable terminals. The Audyssey auto-callibration (2EQ) is a notch behind Denon, but the inclusion of Audyssey DSX (for wide arrangements) is a feature that the Denon does not offer. While it lacks the USB terminal for Ipod playback of the Pioneer and the Denon, it does offer a computer input which might resolve the HDMI handshake nightmare many face with htpcs.

Onkyo rather smartly included a fan atop of the receiver, which is silent and all but eliminates the historical Onkyo toaster oven effect.

I really enjoy this receiver, but found the HDMI video molestation issues to quite problematic and what mar an otherwise incredible buy. Hopefully Onkyo can issue a firmware update.

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As others have said, the two 1 star reviews do not review this new Onkyo 608 (makes no sense to me).

Anyway, I absolutely love my new Onkyo 608. I never review stuff, but I wanted to give props to this receiver. I was debating between this one and the new Pioneer 1020. However, I've heard that the amps in the Pioneers don't compare to the amps in the Onkyos. Though I cannot verify the truth of this, I do believe that the amp in the Onkyo is of a very high quality. I have already noticed a tremendous amount of power increase over my previous Yamaha receiver (the model that was included with the Yamaha 390 HTIB). This puts out a lot more sound, and I absolutely love the ability to take advantage of HD audio. I noticed a huge fidelity difference in the compressed Dolby Digital track for Dark Knight and the Dolby True HD. The track was intended to include a lot of bass, and the HD includes all of it. The regular Dolby did not compare. Thus, HD audio is definitely worth having if you own a blu-ray player. Just like video quality (some transfers are better than others; aka reference quality), not all sound tracks will have a huge difference, but to me, it's still worth it. Back to the Onkyo: I love it. There are so many settings that you can tweak. If you like the ability to configure your equipment, you will love this receiver! You can also bi-amp with this receiver, which is nice if you don't have 7 speakers.

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First and foremost, people that don't even own the "608" shouldn't even be posting here. Trying to compare the "608" that has a built in fan and the "606" that doesn't AND has the fact the "608" has 2x the amount of features is like apple and oranges. Enough said about that and onto a review by a person that actually owns the "608".... Pushes my polk audio speakers very very well (2 @ 70 monitors, 4 @ 50 monitors, 1 @ cs2 center, and powered psw505). Volume hardly goes past 1/2 way / 50,,, anymore and the neighbors start calling cops im sure.. Loads of options and can be tweeked untill you are blue in the face. Got sub set @ 80hz, front main 70's set @ 60hz, all 4 surround 50 speakers set @ 80hx THX, and cs2 center set @ 80hz THX. One really really nice thing about the onkyo 608 is how cool it is and stays @ room temp with the built in fan. I'm loving this receiver so far and would highly advise anyone to purchase without a 2nd thought. More receiver than I need with no need for seperate amp.

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The Onkyo TX-SR608 is an amazing receiver for the cost. One of the best aspects of this receiver is the way it handles the volume control. First of all you can set the volume level that the receiver on turns on so you are not overwhelmed with a loud volume right away. Also you can set a maximum level so you don't accidentally turn the volume level too high. Audyssey Dynamic Volume is perfect when you don't want huge fluxuations in volume so that dialogue, music and surround effects don't drown each other out. This means you don't have to constantly turn volume up and down during a movie as it maintains a more consistant level of volume. In order to use Audyssey Dynamic Volume you MUST run Audyssey 2EQ Acoustic Room Correction first. Place included microphone on a cheap tripod for this; DO NOT HOLD IN YOUR HAND as I have read some have;this can have an adverse effect on sound output. Set the Dynamic Volume to the Compression Mode you want(Light, Medium, or Hesvy as Off is Default) set Re-EQ function to ON as well. The instruction manual is very detailed and easy to understand. Default setings are underlined in the instruction manual.

I really love Audyssey DSX it really gives a much fuller sound to the movie soundtrack. I use the front wide setup as opposed to the front height channels.

This is my 2nd Onkyo AV receiver. Our old one TX-SR-503 is still working great, but I wanted something with HDMI inputs. This new model is a great upgrade. It was easy to setup with the included mike. Audessey Dynamic EQis a very nice feature. You do have to read the manual to tweek it. I turned off the video upconversion. (see pg 21 of the manual). When it was on, I noticed some very slight distortion on certain Tv channels (TNT, YES) I read some forums on it and it was recommeded to turn it off. Each input has its own audio & video setting.Right now I only have a Comcast DVR box & a Samsung Bluray player hooked up to it. One of the HDMI jacks is in the front, which makes it easy to connect my laptop to it.

The Audessey EQ feature will automaticly detect how many & what size your speakers are. It also sets up the crossover frequency. You can go back in and do it manually. There are also many other settings you can play around with, such as THX mode (if you have THX speakers) Dolby true HD & DTS-HD master audio,

Dynamic volume control,A/V sync , Intellivolume and others. You can reasign and rename the inputs. It is HD radio ready, SIRIUS sattlelite ready and THX select 2 certified.

Our family really enjoys the better sound. I currently have Kenwood HTIB speakers hooked up. The Onkyo makes them sound better.

I have replace the center channel speaker with a Definitive Tech ProCinema 1000. What a Difference! I hope to replace all the speakers with the Def Tech 1000 line. I'm sure it will sound great with the Onkyo TX-SR608.

UPDATE 8/27/10

I noticed a glitch in the HDMI THROUGH feature. When I activated the HDMI THROUGH feature, which is supposed to allow HDMI signal to pass through with the receiver on standby,it kicks off the 4:3 overide off on my Cable box. At first I thought it was the cable box, so I swapped it out with a new model, and the same thing happend. Yes, I actually don't have the stereo on all the time to save power and to watch the news @ 5:00a.m. After a factory reset,I finally narrowed it down to the "HDMI THROUGH" feature. Not sure what I'm going to do.Either take it back, or hook up cable direct to TV and optical to receiver.

I still like the way it sounds and the funtions. Any suggestions?

VideoSecu CCTV CCD Dome Security Camera 420 TVL f 3.6mm Wide Angle Lens for DVR Home Surveillance S

The description is not clear, and the photos are a bit misleading, the case on this is a light grayish color. The label on the box says "almond". I was expecting white based on photos.

Picture quality is ok, not up to the level of other cameras in my system, but it's only 420 lines while my others are 600, for the location/use it's in, the lower res is ok, it's on a corner of my covered outdoor patio to keep an eye on the dogs.

I have doubts about how long it will last due to the plastic construction, but for the price it's a reasonable value. The lens is very wide angle and gives a good viewing area, better than my usual bullet cams.

Listing says a power adapter is not included, though I didn't need it, mine did come with one. Perhaps they grabbed the wrong box off the shelf as there is another listing that does include the power supply for a few dollars more.

The camera is small, adjustable and affordable. The picture it produces is more than acceptable and it's easy to hook up.

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Excellent product. Fast shipping. Been using this for a while now and the picture is very nice. Color is a little bit off but for the price you expect this.Be sure to mount this high or out of the way as the bowl is easy to remove and camera moved... just something to keep in mind

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I purchased this camera to replace one that had died in my stores survellience system. I wasn't absolutely certain it would work but it did. My system is over 5 years old and this camera plugged right in and is working perfectly. In fact I just ordered another one for another spot in the store.

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I bought this Videosecu camera based on the price, the 420 TV lines of resolution, color video for daytime and super visibility than other security cams at this price advertise. Installation was trouble free, and aiming the camera requires no tools. I'm very satisfied with this unit and would not hesitate to buy another if the need for an additional dome camera arises.

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Panasonic HDC-SD1 AVCHD 3CCD Flash Memory High Definition Camcorder with 12x Optical Image Stabiliz

This is my first Amazon review. In the past I've had two Sony Hi-8 camcorders, a, Sony Mini-DV (DCR-PC1) and two Panasonic 3-CCD Mini-DV camcorders (PV-DV953 and PV-GS120) and now this HDC-SD1 will be my 6th model. Having had the last 2 weeks now to familiarize myself with the ins-and-outs of the HDC-SD1, I'd like to pass on what I've learned of this little dynamo. There are some limitations I had to accept in order to feel confident about making a smart $1100 purchase. First and foremost, be warned that the MPEG-4 H.264 Codec is not currently supported by iMovie HD, Final Cut Studio, Vegas, or any other popular NLE, though revisions and plug-ins are expected probably around summer 2007. If you can live with that for now, then be prepared for the output from this machine to knock your socks off.

Personally I was willing to live with not being able to edit the footage for now because I wanted to capture the first months of our 7-week old infant in the best quality available, and this meant either going AVCHD using mini-DVD (Sony HDR-UX1), AVCHD using a hard drive (Sony HDR-SR1) or AVCHD using a chip (Panny HDC-SD1). HD camcorders recording to DVD were the first to be taken off the list because of its annoying disc formatting and finalizing times and the brevity of recording length. I took the tape-based HD camcorders out early on due to my own experience with the frustration of locating footage using a linear recording format. More on this later. I also did not consider HDV-based HD camcorders as ingesting HDV footage (MPEG-2) is onerously slow and no piece of cake for one's hard drive. To be fair, HDV is a mature (more dated?) technology while AVCHD is still relatively embryonic with a huge upside still to come. So after lurking through a few forums and thumbing thru @500 page views of info, I gave the nod to the Panasonic. Absolutely no regrets. Even with the just announced HDC-SD3 coming in a few months stateside, it didn't look much better spec-wise to the HDC-SD1 and my baby might already be walking by then so I'm glad I got this now. I'm also in the process of purchasing an 8th or 9th generation plasma to match the output (1080i/60) from this little wonder as my current set doesn't support 1080i.

Unique advantages compared to other models in its competitive set:

+It has a high design aesthetic and is the smallest 3-CCD HD consumer camcorder on earth. It's as long as a dollar bill and just as wide. (I measured)

+With the Quick Start mode activated, the camcorder fires up and starts recording in about 2 seconds after the screen is opened. Never miss your baby's first steps with this guy.

+Built-in option of having virtual guidelines superimposed on the display for better compositions and more level horizons. The camera gives you three choices, horizontal lines only (my favorite) a big grid, or a small grid (egg crate) for the truly anal.

+German designed Leica Dicomar lens contains three aspherical elements that keeps chromatic aberration in check, with almost all surfaces multicoated.

+Simplicity of button layout and U.I., even though most advanced functions still there and easily accessible, like iris and shutter controls, fades, etc.

+Optional color bar indicator for tonal checks on your TV for calibration, normally seen only on professional broadcast camcorders.

+An option called 'zoom-mike' that focuses the sound on the area that you've zoomed into up 12X, great for surveillance work I guess. Or stalkers.

+Built-in HDMI to connect right up to an HDTV with no signal degradation, with one cable handling both HD video and 5:1 Surround Sound if connected thru an HDMI receiver.

+Weighs about one pound with media and battery. The girth and weight of the HDC-SD1 is almost exactly the same as a 16-ounce can of Coke.

+Package includes a 4 Gb SDHC class 2 media card that can hold between 40 minutes and 90 minutes' worth of footage depending on compression, when most camcorders don't even come with a $5 tape.

Unique disadvantages compared to other models in its competitive set:

-The multifunction joystick is on the small side and can be confusing in use. For some people I can see how this might hamper recording effectiveness. On the other hand, it's no better or worse than the joystick on the Panny PV-GS400/500.

-USB 2.0 is nice but the the lack of a firewire/iLink connection is a bit of a bummer.

-Camcorder battery will not recharge in-camera, nor will it recharge if AC adapter is utilized (plugged-in) at the same time.

-Included software that handles rudimentary editing functions works only on PCs.

-Resolution of still images taken is below par when compared to other models in its competitive set (like the Sony HRD-SR1 or Canon HV10/20)

-No tactile focusing ring if you like to verify the focus, a distinct advantage with the Sony camcorders in general and even its brother the Panny PV-GS500.

A quick vent. What bugs me with tapes, whether Hi-8, Mini-DV, etc is the time needed to peruse through vast amounts of media to get to a specific footage. It is entirely possible to spend up to 5 or 10 minutes jogging back and forth on an 60-minute tape to find the 30-second clip of something you're actually looking for. Recording to either HDD or an SDHC card, not only can clips be played at a glance in any order, erasing a clip is just as easy. For example, you have two 15 minute clips of primo footage with a 15 minute clip of some pointless recording in between. With a tape, it is much safer to keep all 45 minutes of footage to retain the good 15 minutes' worth on the end. With an SD card, the middle 15 minutes can be deleted like a photo in your digicam, and you're left with another 15-minute chunk of space for better footage. The analogy I can make between the HDC-SD1 and its HDV rivals would be akin to comparing an HD camcorder spawned from the iPod (flash memory) and an HD camcorder fathered by a Walkman (tape-based) and I personally would never go back to using my Sony Walkman when I can slip a Nano in my pocket. I probably sound like an anti-tape nut by now but it's only because I have over 50 Mini-DV tapes in our collection that nobody has touched in the last couple of years. I mean, why not settle for true random access if it's available? Good luck to all in your purchasing.

This camera delivers great picture quality and is very easy to use.

If you are looking forward to editing and publishing your videos taken with this camera please note, at the time of North American release, software packages that can handle AVCHD digital format encoded using MPEG-4 AVC/H.264 (m2ts) are only starting to show up.

The software included with this camera, Leadtools HD Writer Ver 1.0E for SD1, is capable of only basic operations such as scene preview, split, merge, and delete. Using this software you can backup your videos on a DVD-R disk, but you won't be able to play it back, unless you have one of the new Blu-ray disk players.

The software situation will improve with time, and there will be more high definition video options in the future.

To hookup this camera to a high definition display you can use provided component cables or the HDMI output (HDMI cable is not included). Standard audio, video output is also available for older TV sets (cable included).

The computer interface is USB (cable supplied); it works only when the camera is hooked up to the AC/DC adapter (included). By the way, the battery will not charge inside the camera; charge it on the adapter disconnected from the camera.

Videos and pictures are stored on an SDHC card (some SD cards can also be used, but SDHC class 2 or better are recommended). A 4 GB SDHC card (one included) is good for about 40 minutes of recording in the highest quality HF setting; this is also about as much as the stock VW-VBG130 battery can handle. For more power on the go an optional VW-VH04 battery pack holder can be used. You can use additional SDHC cards, or dump data to a laptop computer via USB cable, or use optional VW-PT2 or similar SDHC media storage device.

The battery is loaded from the bottom. When using the camera on a tripod, load the battery first.

In addition to videos, this camera can also take still pictures. The quality of still pictures is so-so with some digital artifacts showing up; but it is fine for occasional snapshots. On the positive side, the still picture trigger on this camcorder functions like on real picture cameras: you can pre-focus depressing the trigger half way.

Thanks to the powerful 3CCD sensor architecture and optical image stabilization the videos this camera takes are very good, even in sub-optimal light conditions. There is an automatic mode, and a manual mode for more advanced control. One of the features I especially like is the Grid that can be displayed for better shoot composition.

HDC-SD1 is one of the first consumer high-definition cameras from Panasonic, it's a great start and sure to please customers looking so save the moving pictures of unforgettable moments in life.

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This is an excellent piece of camcorder. I was blown away by the Video Quality of it. Here are some of the Pros and Cons

Pros

1. Excellent Video Quality and Auto White balance I can see the exact color in my video in good light. Low light performance is also not bad.

2. 3 CCD chip Excellent colors and saturation, I compared my old Sony HC40 and Panasonic SD1 side by side shooting the same scene at the same time in Auto mode mounted on Tripods and Panasonic has great colors & Sharpness

3. Leica Optics Optics are much better on this one

4. Manual Options Can set White balance, Iris, Shutter Speed to get more manual control, has separate option for backlit subjects.

5. High Definition I don't have a high definition TV, but video looks sharp on my computer and TV. I am completely satisfied with it.

6. Size Perfectly sleek and light

7. Comes with separate charger and remote control

Cons

1. No iLink inside the Camcorder

2. No View Finder

3. Video Outputs (except HDMI & USB) are not available outside without lifting/bringing the LCD Screen out. LCD screen can break if camera accedentaly falls and i want my LCD panel to be closed when I am watching the video

4. Comes with filter thread, but the filter hood should be purchased separately

5. HDMI cable is not presented

6. Only 40 Mins video at highest quality on 4GB SDHC Card.

7. I was not able to copy using media copiers to backup and download this card which i can use to backup my digital images while I am on the field.

8. Joystick on the camera can be better, You have to get used to it.

9. Less/Complex Editing options as this is AVCHD

Every camera has a drawback and is not 100% perfect. I consider Panasonic a very good buy for people looking for 3-CCD, and a little manual control.

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I have the HDC-SD3 model of this camcorder (which as of 6/30/07 is available only in Japan). The SD3 is physically and functionally identical to the SD1 except that the highest bitrate recording mode on the SD3 does full 1920x1080i (the SD1's three recording modes all top out at 1440x1080i).

As someone who works in computer graphics, I am particularly concerned about image quality and was a little wary that this camera's top bitrate of 13 Mbps would still be too low to achieve acceptable results using the AVCHD H.264 codec. I was pleasantly surprisedthe quality is surprisingly good! There are no obvious motion artifacts. The captured color is vibrant and accurate, especially in good lighting. (Low light performance is decent too.) I was very impressed at how nice the image looked connected to good 1080i and 1080p displays over component and HDMI. The image is a tiny bit more contrasty than I would have dialed in, but other than that, no complaints. The average tech-savvy family shooter buying this camera will be perfectly happy with the picture.

I'm particularly impressed with the excellent optical image stabilization, build quality and autofocus performance (which is important since there is no focus ring and only an awkward joystick-based means of focusing manually, should you ever need to do it). Like all consumer HD cameras, the flip-out LCD doesn't have enough resolution for fine manual focusing, and I plan to use the camera mostly for casual family use anyway. Although not specifically documented as such in most product listings, the zoom control on the SD1 is variable speed. It is very responsive. You can do subtle, slow zooms quite easily despite the lever's small size.

A few downsides: the running time is limited on the ONE size of battery this camera supports the camera can shoot for a little over an hour on a charge, less than the 83 minutes (at best quality) I can get on an 8GB SDHC card and well short of the shooting times at the lower bitrates. The SD1 also lacks a progressive shooting mode and a choice of framerates... 1080i is it (look into the HV20 if you must have a 24p mode). The audio quality is pretty good but not extraordinary (possibly due to the microphones being placed on TOP of the camera instead of in front... the 5 channel Dolby Digital it records is sort of cool (more of a gimmick, I think) but does make the footage more complicated to edit. I would have preferred a PCM 48 KHz/16-bit stereo mode. There is no accessory shoe on top. And finally, the editing solutions for the AVCHD clips this camera records are only now beginning to emerge (though with Nero, Ulead, Pinnacle and Final Cut Pro already supporting it, the situation is only bound to get better).

If you're looking at this camera, you may be debating between it and the Canon HV20. I'd urge you to go with the SD1. The image quality from both cameras is very similar, but with the SD1, you'll never lose a shot due to tape dropouts and you won't have to spend hours capturing footage in over Firewire (the SD1 appears to your computer as any other flash drive... just copy the files off, one per clip). The build quality and handling are slightly better than the HV20's, and the optical image stabilization is the same or perhaps slightly better too. I agree with those who believe MiniDV tape will be dead in a few years, as recording to flash memory offers numerous speed and reliability advantages, and we are hitting that crossover point where you no longer have to give up any quality to go with a flash-based product.

If you're debating between the SD1 and one of Sony's AVCHD cameras, be sure to compare picture quality and color accuracy before going with the Sony... Sony's cameras rated well behind Panasonic and Canon products in consumer HD camcorder shootouts.

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I bought this camcorder for a recent trip to Italy with the following reservation:

1) Price continues to drop.

2) No editing sw available yet.

3) Storing SDHD while traveling, and eventually archiving onto DVD.

4) Quality of still picture.

5) Its size, it's compact but not that compact.

I bought along 2 more 4GB SDHC and a 100 GB Woverine storage. After 2 weeks trip, here are my fbacks:

a) PQ relating to capacity: The "middle" shooting mode PQ is stunning when view on 50" HD plasma. The "lower or extended" mode show pixels occasionally. Due to the capacity constraint, I've learned to compartmentalize the content in shorter chunks. This is a change of mindset for me...

b) The pluses: size could fit into my pants' pocket so I dont stand out as tourist; I also use the SD1 for still pictures and ended up didnt use my digital SLR at all; The stills printed-out OK but not-HD quality when viewed; the built-in lens cap and the recess lens work great in dusty and or rain situations; operating firmware is intuitive; 2 lux is amazing for indoor and low light situations eg. inside the Panthenon without flash;

c) The minuses: Screen panel has to be in opened position when access component out/power outlets during playback; There is no MUTE while playback thus trying to review discretedly in quite areas is not possible eg. on a plane; There is no INSERT function to compartmentalize unwanted sections for deletion; There is delay in PAUSE thus the fadeout has few more seconds than needed/wanted;

Overall, this toy is probably one of the most-fun toys I've purchased. Eventhough there were reservation, I'm now satisfy, the PQ is so great that it overides all other insufficiencies. I re-live my experiences in Roma, Florenze, Milano, Venezia, Pisa, Zurich... and smile everytime I watch those moments in HD.

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Livescribe APX-00006 8GB Echo Smartpen EFIGS Voice Recorder

I am a consummate note taker. Note taking is also a memory builder for me as I am a visual learner. I am a tax and business consulting CPA, and I take notes in each client meeting either by phone or in person. This product allows me to keep a record of my hand written notes and save them to our computer network. I can access from any computer. I can also perform text searches on my handwriting! Yes, my beautiful, yet sometimes illegible writing. So, the neater you write, the better. Although I do not use the recording feature with clients, I do use it to track my notes from Sunday School class. The pen can track four different books, so my Sunday School class notes and the recordings thereof are in a separate book. An awesome pen system. Export to PDF or transcribe into text to Word. Upload to Evernote, Dropbox... I bought the 8gb. I synch every couple of days; recharge less frequently. Have never run out of storage memory or battery. Great little calculator built into the front of each book is very handy for an accountant. Just an incredibly useful product, and I have nothing but praise. Wake Forest, NC and Henderson, NC.

The Livescribe Echo pen has worked very well (after I performed a firmware update) and I have found it to be a very useful tool. I use it to audio record meetings with links to my written notes and to transfer my notes to my computer for future reference. I also sometimes transcribe my notes using the utility that they provide. While understandably the transcriptions aren't perfect I find them good enough to be worthwhile. I recommend this pen for others who have faulty memories as I do and could benefit from a way to refer to complete records of meetings.

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The 8GB Echopen has been immensely useful--especially the ability to playback the relevant portion of audio by tapping a section of the notes. I use it primarily to record notes and audio on conference calls.

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I have purchased three of these pens form Amazon and 10 from a local store. I have had a battery problem with one. That problem was solved by a replacement pen. Customer service was great. Before I bought the last two Echos I read all the comments on Amazon as well as the Forms site. It seems there is a repetitive theme that rate the pen as poor. Most of the problems are between the pen and the screen. Read the manual and work with the pen and its qualities. Its easy to understand the drop of the developer programs.Is the paper too expensive, only if your labor is cheap.Livescribe is a great product and better than any alternatives.

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I found the range, clarity, and ease of use to be exceptional; actually far more than I expected. The pen has proven to be invaluable tool for taking notes during meetings. The only thing I do not like about the pen is its cap; it is too easily misplaced and I can see losing it soon.

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Canon ZR45MC MiniDV Digital Camcorder with 2.5" LCD, Digital Still Mode & MMC Card Slot

After an extensive market review, I decided to buy this one. Recording quality is excellent when you have appropriate light conditions, and it works ok with poor light. Excellent zoom, and very good stabilization features. The digital still camera feature takes average pictures (640*480), good enough if you are just sending them to friends/family and the software included is quite easy to use. In order to download your movies, you must have a firewire connection in your PC. Consider to buy an extra battery.

The major problem I found is the fact that the microphone records the camera noises, making your movies have an annoying background sound. This is really unacceptable if you want to have good quality audio. If you are concerned about the sound, I would suggest you either to try another camcorder or wait until Canon fix this model or release a new one. Or, if you have the expertise (I don't have it) edit the film with your PC.

I got this camcorder for a few reasons. First, Consumer Reports loved it in their 2002 buying guide, and second, the size and capabilities.

The zoom lens on this is incredible, but obviously shouldn't be moved too quickly if you are zoomed in on something. I took it to an airshow and was able to zoom in on things other people were missing, and the digital recording allowed us to clearly pick out details when we paused a recording that were surprisingly sharp. The camera is easy to use, and having the LCD screen and onboard speaker is heplful when playing back.

The still camera will do the job, but it isn't as sharp as a normal digital camera, although the memory card in this camcorder is separate (the newer, smaller type) from the tapes used to record the movies. Also, the lower resolution still images can be stored in greater numbers, though, with an estimated 300 pictures possible on my 36 MB card.

The included software, USB cables, and cables to attach the camera to the VCR/TV are all easy to use, and I have had no problems. Those folks who have seen my videos thus far have been very impressed, and I have been very happy.

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Just got the zr45 and am amazed at the quality of the video. My kids just had a talent show in a large auditorium and we had seats in the very back of the room (about 23 rows back). It was dark except for the stage lights, but the zoom worked great. I was worried that it only looked good on the LCD screen, but when we hooked it up to the TV for playback, the quality was sharp.

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First off, this is my first digital camcorder/camera. I purchased this camera only 3 days ago and I'm already having too much fun with downloading pictures to and from the cam. It's capable of doing all this (and pretty easy I may add) to do all this even if you're a first timer. It comes with a CD with the necessary software and also a manual on how to install the software and how to use it for downloading/uploading pix. Very easy and informative. The MMC card can take as many as 100 pictures at a time, so it's more than enough for me.

As for the quality of the camcorder for "regular filming", I'm impressed. It has 7 or 8 different settings for different filming situations such as "sports", "portrait", "night mode", and others. Also, the buttons in this camera don't look as intimidating as some of the others I've seen/used. All buttons are nicely placed on the camera and I have no problems with any of them. Plus, this camera is pretty small for this price. The only ones that I've seen that are this small (or smaller) are the ones in the [price range](and above) range. I got this one for [price], and I'm more than happy with it's $ize ;-)

So far, I think I'll be enjoying this camera for a long time. I'm very happy with it and I recommend this for anyone who is just getting into digital cams/camera. It has more than enough features for someone who is just getting into the world of digital camcorders/cameras. The quality of the pictures are not excellent, but I think it's nice enough to even impress some people. I highly recommend this cam/camera.

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1) Solution from Canon's online tech supt website: CanonDv

Q. In quiet situations, I can hear the noise of the motor being recorded. What can I do about this?

A. Automatic audio gain will set the volume to capture any available noise. In a very quiet setting, this may be the sound of the camcorder motor. To correct for this, provide some 'white' background noise, such as a radio or television.

2) Solution from another user:

Open the mic housing and stuff sound dampening material b/w the mic and the motor. This user said that it works great.

3) Solution from yet another user:

Buy a generic external mic, or Canon's DM-50 Microphone. This completely eliminates the motor noice and improves audio recording, but adds size to the camcorder.

Hope this helps.

Toshiba IK-65WDA Analog Camera, 520 TV Lines, 24V AC and 12V DC, Wide Dynamic

I purchased this camera along with two of the Toshiba IK-6420A Analog Camera, 540 TV Lines, 24V AC and 12V DC cameras (non-Wide Dynamic). The 65WDA is 2x the cost, but its ability to resolve detail in poor lighting is excellent. Where the other cameras go muddy and dark, the extra sensitivity of the 65's sensors provided noise-free detail even in dark areas that may contain a bright point (spotlight in operation). For well-lit environments, you don't need this. But if excellent, non-IR, low-light performance is what you want, this is an excellent 12VDC/24VAC auto-switching SD camera.

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ARKON CMP220 8.5 Inches Flexible Windshield and Dash Mount for Cameras with 1/4 20 Screw Thread

After using four other mounts, this one has it all.

Pros: It attaches securely, the flexible arm is long enough, and it doesn't sag over time. The camera mounting head itself is also adjustable so that just the camera itself can be aimed precisely without moving the flexible arm. Even with sharply sloped windshields the flexible arm has enough reach to allow the camera to be positioned below the driver's line of sight.

Cons: This mount is very sturdy, so it is a bit heavier than some other mounts I've used. (That sturdiness is easily worth it; see below.)

Uses: Not just for windshields! I've used it at home on desks, mirrors, refrigerators and tables. It is used here on car dashboards, consoles, hoods, deck lids and even auto roof tops for videoing in and on cars. This mount is frequently attached to various places on the exterior of SUVs for videoing off-road travel, on sports cars while competing in races and on racetrack barricades for documenting each driver's technique.

Just like the pros, I always use a safety cord around the attachment base, but this is the first suction mount I've used that didn't droop with time and has never ever vibrated off. The secure attachment, sturdiness and pricing hits the sweet spot for camera mounts.

For the price this is a good mount. It holds my camera fine but I drive a lot of rough roads so with the flexible arm the camera bounces around. I found that I have to bend the arm so that the camera is touching the windshield to help keep it steady. I would purchase again if needed.

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I wish this was just a bit more sturdy. I got horrible camera shake when I used as a windshield mount for a small camera.

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I originally bought the Flex Mount for the windshield to record my drives, but the result was very shaky & bouncy (probably due to length, not quality). So I got myself a bulkier/more rigid ball joint mount and it solved the problem, thus rendered the Flex Mount useless. But for my trip to Hong Kong this summer, I grabbed the Flex Mount just in case & I found it pretty handy for still shots & night scenes with my point&shoot. It's definitely not my first choice for a camera stand/tripod, but it was portable & didn't break when I bent it in all sorts of directions (unlike my 2 previously broken Spider Pods).

The Flex Mount provided a good range of motion; it transitioned easily (with practice) from horizontal frame to vertical frame for my photos. And there are some tight places where the suction worked great where you can't get a tripod or spiderpod to stay. Overall, It is a good quality build Flex Mount & suction worked great, but a Flex Mount is just not right for the Car Windshield, therefore I give it 3 stars.

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I use this with the Grifiti-Nootle for iPad mini to make a passable adapter to use ipad mini as GPS in the car. Works well, but the ipad mini is probably just a little too heavy. The mini pulls off the suction cup if everything is not balanced just so, or you take a corner at speed. Luckily, no damage to the mini yet, and with a bit of extra caution, the spills should become pretty rare. I'd recommend a slightly shorter neck design, and don't even try it with a full size ipad.

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Samsung BD-E5400 Wi-Fi Blu-ray Player (Black)

• Wi-Fi Built-In
• AllShare
• Apps for Streaming (Netflix, Pandora, YouTube)

Had bought another Brand and had problems with it and had to return it. Then decided to Buy this one instead and did not have a single problem. works great and very happy with it.

Would recommend this item if you are looking for a smaler blue-ray player. This player does not take up a lot of space at all

Great service and fast shipping. i would buy from them again... 5 stars

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I purchased this Blu-ray to replace a broken PS3; that PS3 was the only Blu-ray player I personally owned and used for years. I purchased this Blu-ray player to play Blu-ray movies and DVDs, so I won't be going deep into detail about the apps.

This player does not come with an HDMI cable, if you're wondering. However, it does come packaged with a remote and batteries. You also get a user manual, which is only in English. There are two insignificant ads included, as well. That is all that is packaged, so it's fairly simple.

The Blu-ray player is very small. I didn't measure it, but it's a lot smaller than my original PS3 and slightly bigger than a Nintendo Wii. The surface/top of the player is glossy, so you can see your reflection and fingerprints. The player looks very sleek, overall. I really liked the small design.

The set-up was very simple, and lasted less than 5 minutes. I'm not sure what type of WiFi this uses, though. I used my Nokia Lumia 710's internet tethering to briefly connect to the internet, but had to turn off my password/security capabilities. There was an update available, but it did not state what it was for. I updated, regardless.

I briefly tested the YouTube app. It took a few seconds to launch and the videos loaded slowly; this is most likely because of the WiFi I was using. Navigating the menus was a bit sluggish, but eventually became a bit smoother. There are 5 apps available: Netflix, Pandora, CinemaNow, Vudu, and YouTube. I can only see myself using the apps on the Blu-ray if my Xbox 360 did not work; but, again, this is not an issue personally because I purchased this for Blu-rays and Dvds.

The Blu-ray player works as expected. I first booted up "28 Days Later", and I could barely hear it; my PS3 was noisy, and I recently heard a Panasonic Blu-ray player that was a lot louder. So, it's an almost silent Blu-ray player. There is very little lag when skipping chapter or navigating menus. I also tested a South Korean Blu-ray, Memories of Murder (also Region A, but wanted to be safe); this blu-ray also worked. However, I couldn't turn on the subtitles through the remote for some reason like I could on the PS3, which meant I couldn't turn on the subtitles at all because of the foreign language menu. I deducted one point from my overall score because of this. Performance-wise, the picture quality and sound quality is the same as the PS3, or any other 1080p Blu-ray player, I'd expect.

Overall, the Blu-ray player gets the job done; it plays the Blu-rays with very few flaws and looks sleek while doing it. I should also mention, the system and the movies boot up quickly without being loud about it, which is a big plus. It does everything I want it to do, and has exceeded my expectations.

I highly recommend this Blu-ray player.

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First off, there are a lot of misinformation about this device. I primarily needed a 2nd BD player that has the capability of web browsing, streaming and playing files from a USB flash memory. At first, it would have seem like this would have fit the bill. Amazon does not have the specs for this model in their Samsung Disc Player Comparison chart.

WiFi

You cannot connect this to a wireless network that has WEP/ WPA/ WPA2 security. It can only connect to WPS. I have an older router that works perfectly fine for my needs, but now I have to change the security (basically remove security and use MAC filtering).

AllShare

This device does not have the Samsung Smart Hub or AllShare Play. I have a NAS, Win 7, Mac and it was able to detect only my Win 7 machine but it cannot play anything from my media server. I tried installing the AllShare program and it still was not able to play anything. Because it does not have SmartHub, it cannot install any other application (Amazon Instant Video for one)

Web Browsing

This device does not have any web browsing capability

Blu-Ray

It performs well enough. It boots fast.

Media from USB flash drive

It works great. Read my MKV and AVI files, although my MKV looked very choppy on screen. The AVI files looked great and it also has a function to reduce sharpness/choppiness of the file. It stretched it to 16:9

I am very disappointed with the product because of the lack of information about this on the product page would have prevented me from buying it in the first place. In addition, the difficulty to setup with existing/older generation WiFi and to my NAS was also a let down.

I am returning the product.

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This is my first Amazon.com product review. I bought this item with a special Holiday Savings price of $67.99. I used $55.00 of Amazon.com gift card codes that I had won from on-line contests, so my out of pocket expense total for the BD-E5400 was only $12.99 delivered to my door! I have used the BD-E5400 Blu-ray player for about a week now to play a half dozen or so Blu-ray movies that I borrowed from the public library they have all run perfectly. I'm not sure if Blu-ray movies/players in general have an issue with allowing you to access the 'top menu' or not, but I have been unable to do this with the BD-E5400 Blu-ray player, so I dropped my rating to 4 stars. This issue also applies to trying to skip promos and ads on the disc once you put a disc in this player you have to watch all the intro stuff before you are able to access the movie menu with the remote controller. Maybe I am just not using the remote controller correctly, but using the 'disc menu' button gave me an error message. I found that the Blu-ray discs load quickly and quietly in the BD-E5400. My last Samsung DVD player (regular DVD only) sounds like it is grinding things up as it loads menus, changes between features, etc. the BD-E5400 player is MUCH quieter. I don't have a Netflix or Pandora account, but I was able to enter my wireless router code and watch You Tube videos using this Blu-ray player on my Panasonic HD 1080 television with no problem my only gripe is it does not seem to store the wireless code and if I turn my computer off, I have to re-enter the wireless code again. This really isn't a big deal for me, because I only bought this Blu-ray player to watch movies on disc (Blu-ray or regular DVD). I found that this product also plays regular DVD movies without any problems. The picture quality for Blu-ray, DVD and You Tube videos has been excellent. I hope you found this review to be helpful cheers! Update: After watching the new Disney film 'Secret of the Wings' on Blu-Ray last night, I changed my rating to five stars. The picture quality was amazing! The Disc Menu button worked fine for this film and also for 'Pirates of the Caribbean Stranger Tides', so the problem (accessing the movie menu easily) I had with the other films must have been the way those discs were coded! Update I have now used this for wireless Netflix and it works perfectly. No streaming issues or delays. This may be the best $12.99 I ever spent.

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I expect more than this from Samsung, When using Netflix I am almost guaranteed to have the movie lockup. I've tried updating the firmware, it can't be the Wi-Fi as it is only 4 foot away. It's just a great disappointment to have such low quality from such a big company.

Crosley Songwriter CD Recorder Turntable

I purchased the Crosley LP-to-CD from Brookstone and after I got it home I was astonished to discover how cheap a product costing several hundred dollars could be. The turntable is awful. If you bought a turntable for $25 you would expect it to be better than this. The tone arm is not properly balanced and worst of all the speed is not consistent and is not adjustbale. This product is virtually worthless for converting LP's to CD's if you have any senstivity to sound quality. Stay away from this!

I just received this item yesterday, and already found it does not work. The sound is poor, and when I tried to record a cd from a vinyl album, I found it did not work AT ALL! It records the first few seconds of the song, then skips all over the place. Very expensive piece of junk which will cost you an arm and a leg to return to whomever you buy it from!!!!!!!! (If they even take it back)

I bought it because I have a lot of vinyl that I want to put onto cd and into iTunes, but it's worthless for that. A BIG WASTE OF MONEY!!!!!!!!!!

Does not even deserve one star.

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We bought this because we wanted to be able to put our old records onto discs. It does this very well. It also will put cassettes onto discs, but we haven't tried that yet. It plays records, cassettes, discs, and radio also. It's a good machine with one exception: the sound quality of its speakers is quite poor. However, by turning off its sound and routing it through our own speakers, it sounds fine. Only other quibble is that the remote isn't so easy or intuitive to use, takes some learning to figure out. Overall, we are really glad we bought this item and it is doing just what we needed.

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It played okay. Definitely not going to stand up to the new stereo systems. The recording part of it didn't work at all. We are sending it back. A big disappointment

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We bought the Crosley Songwriter in October of last year at Linens 'n Things.The remote didn't work, but Customer Service at Crosley sent a new one, which worked fine.

As a fourth-grade teacher, I have many cassettes that I want to record onto CDs (stories from the reading series, old books-on-tape), so I used it to copy these over. All seven of the CDs I made worked wonderfully. Transferring albums was equally easy, although I only did one. In both cases, the most difficult part was being present to press the button that manually splits tracks.

After a month of use, however, the CD player would only play part of a CD--three songs--and then it would quit, locking up the unit. Powering off and back on freed up the unit, but didn't solve the problem. We have since returned the Songwriter to Linens 'n Things for a full refund. This is a great idea in an attractive package that just doesn't work.

Sony DCRTRV340 Digital8 Camcorder w/ 2.5" LCD USB Streaming, & Memory Stick capability

After looking at what Sony had to offer on their digital camcorder line, I decided to buy a TRV340. I was impressed with all the features it had to offer. After playing with the shelf model for a while I purchased the TRV340. Once I opened the product at home and inserted the tape there was a hum or buzzing noise while recording or playing back a recording. In a quiet environment, this buzz is also picked up in the recording. The location of the buzzing sound came from the tapes drive mechanism. I returned the product two times and all subsequent camcorders aired this buzz. If you are looking to buy this product play with a shelf model WITH THE TAPE IN. This way you can judge if this will be a problem for you.

I Bought this camcorder after moving to Florida. My biggest use for the camera is capturing video to use as backdrops and watermarks on documents. A lot of beach shots and some low light and night shots.

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The Camera: Super. Very simple and straight forward to use. Use of the "digit" zoom (700x) is a bit precarious without a tripod but the "optical" zoom (25x) provides excellent video. Its size makes it easy to manipulate and the features are conveniently located. Quality of the video on playback is near DVD quality.

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The Software: When you buy the camera grab yourself a copy of "Video Explosion Deluxe" (approx. [$$]) and throw away the software that comes with the camera. The supplied software is cumbersome, not well documented and provides little (I'm being generous) meaningful help via dropdown menus.... The "Video Explosion Deluxe" (VED) installs in just a very few minutes and is well documented, expecially with the online tutorial (extremely well down) and the dropdowns. VED allows for complete control of the camcorder via the PC during video capture by use of the Firewire. The granularity of the editing feature pretty much removes the need of a memory stick and the video can be edited (and images captured) on a "by frame" bases. A really terrific piece of software.... My hat is off to the developers....

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After trying and hating the JVC camcorder my Dad lent us, we decided to go with this Sony Digital8 camcorder. Easy to use, and loaded with lots extra goodies, this camcorder is fabulous. It has the following features:

*MPEG movie maker (w/ Memory Stickallows you to email

your videos to friends and family

*ILINK interface (to edit your movies on your PC)

*Super Steady shot (for even the shakiest hand)

*Super "Night Shot" (for low lighting and night taping)

*Digital Still Memory Mode (to load and send still pics via

email

We have been very pleased with this camcorderno complaints here. Once you learn how to use the editing and emailing features, you'll be sending your videos to everyone you know! A good investment, especially if you have young children.

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The first thing that I think you should consider is the weight and size of the camera. If you like a smaller camera, go with a MiniDV, but if size is not a big deal, go with the Digital 8, mainly because it is more versatile epspecially if you have older tapes. If you plan to use this for trips, i recommend MiniDV, however I bought this to make Short films with, so size was not a big factor. One great thing about this camera is that you pay ...for features worth over 1400 dollars on a MiniDV with the same quality. However this model of the Sony left me with mixed feelings. I have used both its older brother the 740 and its younger brother the 140. THey are both excellent cameras. The 140 is great, it skimps a bit in features, but for 500 dollars its a great deal. Also the 740 is great with its megapixel ccd, but you will pay an extra 100 for it. This is a nice balance between the two, however the picture feature was subpar. I decided not to return it because I got an excellent deal on it. Great features of the camera include:

The super night shot (people complain becuase it is green, but it will record in 0 lux, and seriously, who needs to record color in 0 lux?)

The night shot is great (Color in 4 lux!!!)

The super steady shot (GREAT!!! NO TRIPOD REALLY NEEDED IF YOU HAVE A DECENTLY STEADY HAND)

Memory Stick (decent pictures if you need to send on the internet?)

... The quality on still pictures cannot be compared.

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i've owned the Sony TRV-340 for a few months now and so far have no complaints whatsoever. i've taken quite a few videos with it in various circumstances and light situations and have been very pleased with it's over all performance.

the menus and controls are very user friendly and easy to handle.

it shoots with amazing brilliance and picture clarity.

it's unfortunate that others find that the built in microphone picks up some motor noise because i have not experienced any of it. infact, the sound quality was one of the first things that i found remarkable about this camera. the mic is very sensitive and yet free from any unwanted hum you normally get from a camcorder recording. and believe me, having worked as a proffessional in the advertising industry, i am not easily pleased.

perhaps my only regret is that they didn't include a built in backlight or pop-up flash with it. but, you can always buy one put it on the provided intelligent shoe. oh and the software that comes with it is useless. it's horribly primitive!! if you want to maximize use of this great camera, i suggest you buy software that will give it justice!

if you are thinking on getting the TRV-340, don't hesitate. it's a wonerful camera that's priced just right!

DC DXG-301V Digital Video Recorder with MPEG4 & Digital Still Capability

The most important thing to remember is this: What are you really expecting? You won't be getting a high quality do-all camcorder for $150. This is an interesting little gizmo that can store about 90 minutes of video on a 512MB card at 320X240. It's running about 25-30 frames a second, and the quality is somewhere between that of a camera phone and a low end tape camcorder.

If you that's all you're asking of the 301V, you'll be happy with it.

The controls take a minute or two to get used to them, as essentially you have one menu for setup controlled by one button, and another button for the camera function menu. Take the time to preset the focus range and white balance, it makes a difference.

It fits in your hand fairly comfortably, and it is recognized on a PC or Mac as a mass storage device to copy files over. They do record in an .asf format, which works with no problem in Windows but takes a few hoops for a Mac. (See the reviews below.)

A few things kept me from rating it higher: (And remember I rated based on what I expected, a cheap and semi-expendable video gadget)

There's no lens cap.

It has some knurled rings that look like focus/zoom controls and beg twisting or turning yet don't do anything. Somebody will break it trying to turn those.

It is built out of REALLY thin plastic.

Still, the LCD display isn't half bad and I can live with the video quality. I think the Musteks are more popular, but this one fits in your hand better (Comes with a grip strap and a carrying case) and it kind of grows on you after awhile.

A few people have said that this camera is awful when it isn't so before I begin this review i will say one thing: If you are looking for a high quality DV camera go and spend £600 on a brand new Sony camera. Do you honestly expect broadcast quality at this price?

When I decided to buy this camera I was actually looking for a simple point-and-click stills camera to take to music festivals with me. I chose this because the features are amazing for the price (£72 including postage from Ebay). (the cheapest brand-name camera i could find was closer to £150 and out of my budget range!)

In my experience the photos have been of a very high quality, the flash is bright, The LCD screen is also very clear (and it rotates 270 degrees and folds flat so you can watch the screen with it flat against the camera. This feature is normally only on really expensive cameras). 3.2 Megapixels is a very respectable maximum resolution and at full zoom (4x digital) there is only a very minimal loss in quality on still photos. As a point and click camera I have had excellent results both indoors and outdoors in varying conditions. The red-eye reduction and 10sec self-timer modes are also good features.

The video function is a great little bonus and the overall quality is very good, (and it's very easy to record through your video player onto VHS or DVD if you want to.) The best mode to use is 320x240 resolution at 30 frames per second. Please don't expect this to be as good as the really expensive cameras... that's not what it's designed for. I will say that is is as good as most fullscreen videos available on the internet. It is very watchable and it doesn't cry out as bad quality. I was actually very surprised at how good the quality was. (The video quality is much better than even the most expensive brand-named still camera's video clip output)

The camera is incredibly easy to connect to the PC. I have windows XP and it was simply a case of plugging it in. It opens as a USB Mass Storage device. I much prefer this to using clumsy software as with some other software. I am still yet to find a software program that actually makes it easier to organise your photos. i don't think they exist! :-)

There are a few extra purchases that i'd recommend to get that extra bit of enjoyment out of the camera:

1. Get some really good rechargeable batteries. I have heard that it eats alkalines for breakfast. I have never used alkalines with mine as i invested in some 2600mAh Ni-MH batteries and a charger. With these the camera lasts for a good 12 hours or so continuous filming, which I think is exceptional.

2. Buy a high-capacity SD card. I would especially recommend a 66x Ultra SD card. It'll cost you a tiny bit extra but makes the pictures load up much quicker. I picked up a 512MB one for around £30, and they are getting cheaper all the time. On my 512MB SD card i average around an hour and a half of video.

The problem with this camera is that it looks like a more expensive camera, so people expect far too much of it. Definitely buy this camera if you want an easy to use point-and-clicker. It is cheaper than every other stills camera without compromising on quality. If you treat the video function as an added bonus, you will be very pleasantly surprised.

I would definitely give this camera 10/10, as it gave me exactly what I expected from it and more.

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I researched a lot of inexpensive tapeless cameras and bought this one from Axes for around $150. For that price, it's an OK camera. I'm a Mac user so right away there were problems with the movie files the camera identifies as a mass storeage device so you can get the movies out of it, but they're not quite really MP4 compliant files. The're actually ASF (MS) an MP4 variant that plays in Windows Media Player for Windows, but not for Mac. The bundled software is Win Only (which I knew) but is quirky in XP. For Mac, Mplayer (from Sourceforge) will play the movie files with decent rendering, and ffmpeg (also from Sourceforge) can convert them (needs 2 passes) to real MP4 files that will import to Quick Time or iMovie if you have a G4 or better Mac. The movie quality is only fair visible blocking even on stills and pixelation when panning but about what you'd expect for a camera in this price range. 30 fps is only available in 320 X 200 mode. VGA size captures at 15 fps so fast motion is jerkey. The still photos are good for 3.2 MPixel, but saturation sets in early. Almost any 3 MP still campera will do better on stills, if that's what you're after. Invest in a set of four 2000 ma/hr rechargable batteries it chugs alkalines like a thirsty welder swigs beer, speaking of which, for the price of a couple of bottles of Lager the folks who market this camera could have ported the Windows movie file extraction and conversion software over to Cocoa so it would run in OSX. For a cheap, very small unobtrusive tapeless video camera, this one has a nice feel and fair quality. If you're a Windows user and don't mind software that mysteriously quits or freezes once in a while, the bunlded aps are OK and there's always Media Player if you just want to watch and not edit. Mac users can get it to work if you know what you're doing with ffmpg and Mplayer (free open source apps) but it ain't easy. If you have a NTSC to DV converter, you can play the files right off the camera using the video output, but you can't get rid of the data display, so you're stuck with the battery indicator and duration timer on screen. Also the audio rendering from the NTSC output is very distorted a result of the camera's crummy audio CODEC. Too bad, since the audio quality of the video files is actually pretty good. I travel with this camera and use it casually in my consulting work -I wanted something I wouldn't get too upset over if it got stolen. Nonetheless, I'm saving up to buy a Fisher FVD-C1.

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When I purchased this item, I was expecting a video recorder that can also take still photographs. Instead it is a still camera with video recording capabilities. The product name is misleading.

That does not mean that is a bad camera. In fact it is a great camera, if the user intends to use it primarily for still photographs. For video recording I would recommend something else. The resolution is only 640x480 and the results are heavily pixelated videos. The device also produces horrible monophonic sound recording.

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This is a great little camera and extremely easy to use. I took it out of the box and within an hour I was very comfortable with all the features. The video is good but you may need to edit the brightness from the viewer options to make it perfect. The stills, what can you say, it's 3 mega-pixels...very good. the 4x digital zoom was very clear. The Audio is a bit distorted on the camera but when you play it back from your pc it is crystal clear. Overall I am very pleased with this camera especially for the money invested.

Sharx Security VIPcella-IR SCNC2700WP Wired PoE IP network camera with MicroSD DVR and True Day/Nig

A friend recommended the the Sharx line of cams; I was impressed with the picture quality and very pleased with the comprehensive web-enabled features. All I'd need to monitor vacant property remotely over the 'net would be the cam, router, and modem -no local host computer was required. What really amazed me has been the speed and quality of Sharx support. I needed more than the average user -not because of the cam, but because of my admittedly ancient router. When a lot of companies would have said, "sorry, we aren't going to waste our time, YOU, customer, have to buy new equipment," Sharx stepped up and helped me get all the functionality: streaming, motion sensing triggers, email alerts, clip record and immediate export to another remote system. Doubly amazing is that I often got a support email reply back from them in 15 minutes or less. More than once they offered to call with voice support on their dime, but I felt guilty about using so much of their time so I kept it to email. Good cam, great folks.

We installed the SCNC2700WP this weekend at a remote location. We have a motion sensor installed and will get a message saying that it is sensing occupancy. With this camera we can see what is going on versus driving several hours to investigate. We considered several other models made by Panasonic, Imogen and Belkin; and after reading reviews on Amazon decided to buy this camera the night vision and the excellent product support really sold us. The picture quality is amazing for both day and night. The daytime picture is color and the night is black and white using infrared. We are able to see what is going on inside and on the deck 24 hours a day. We also tested the camera during the daytime by placing it in a window looking outside and were able to see clearly as if we were standing at the window. The picture is so clear you can identify the types of birds at the bird feeder. If somebody is walking in the camera viewing area, they are blurry until they stop moving. We initially installed the camera looking over a white counter-top but the bright white surface washes out the picture, especially at night.

The instruction manual is comprehensive but hard to follow. It mixes windows, android and apple instructions together and it is not always clear which one is which. It would have been much easier to use if each operating system was separate. If you are a savvy computer geek those instruction are probably clear, but we are not. This unit is not wireless and requires both a Cat 5 cable and a power cable to operate. To use POE (power over Ethernet) you need a special router or an attachment for the router to use; the POE allows you to eliminate the power cable. In hindsight, the wireless one would have been easier to install. It installed easily for viewing over the local IP network but we had trouble viewing using the external IP address. We contacted the company via e-mail and got excellent support and are now able to view externally. Their pledge is "We pledge that we will not let you fail. Contact us with any questions, no matter how simple or how complicated." So far their pledge is true to form. We will be setting up some other web applications later this week and will update this product review.

Update May 2013: We love this camera; it is still providing clear pictures day and night. We have not had any problems with it.

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This is a good choice for a camera of this type in this price range. I'm a novice user of security cameras, but I've tried out a couple models from other providers, like Uniden, and I really like the features and ease of use on this one compared to those.

The PoE feature is very nice to use for a couple of reasons. For one thing, wireless is nice but wired is preferable if you want a constant, reliable connection to your device. This is especially helpful if you're recording or uploading from the device itself, or looking to get a reliable connection to your camera from another location off the internet.

The picture is good when running over a fast network. There are three setting in the camera two for IP networks and one that can be used for viewing over the internet on a cell's data network. You can setup each of these streaming modes and then pick and choose which ones to use for any of the alarm or recording options.

Lots of options to use to capture motion detection, constant recording, snapshots, length of recordings, email and FTP uploads, etc.

Updates: my device, which I bought new, is running 4.45 (build 20120806)firmware which, as far as I can tell, is the latest. But I just don't know if there will be updates or where to get them. The Sharx website is pretty bare, and though I've heard their support is good, you have to email them to get them to get back to you. No support forums or chat or even phone support, unless they give you a number to call them. A little disconcerting, but I'm willing to go with it for the time being. I still have time to return this to Amazon if the tech support is lacking.

I'm waiting to see what kind of response I can get from support and just how stable this little thing is going to be over time. It's impressive so far...

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Sharx make great cameras if you are interested in getting a great picture. I have installed probably over 35 of their cameras for smaller firms looking for an inexpensive solution for their security. I have also installed Foscams, Lofteks, Panasonics...you name it and my personal preference are the Sharx units. I just installed this POE unit in my home so that I can monitor when I am away. And speaking of that, I have to give a shout out to a great little iPhone app named IP Cam Viewer...it makes monitoring you cameras as easy as pie and also provides sound. While many of the cameras I have installed depend on wireless, I really prefer Ethernet when possible and the Power Over Ethernet feature of this camera makes this installation that much easier. I have also found that powerline Ethernet adapters work wonderfully to extend the reach of a home or office network. The Sharx cameras come with free software to enable viewing up to 4 cameras at once...a really nice interface that allows you to view all cameras or switch easily between them. You will find that Sharx cameras cost more than the opening price point Foscams and Lofteks, but in my view, they are worth it.

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RCA VR646HF 4-Head Hi-Fi VCR

• VHS hi-fi stereo, MTS broadcast stereo
• 4-head, AccuSearch, HQ video processing
• Commercial advance, movie advance
• On-screen programming, VCR Plus+
• Auto clock set

I am buying his VCR today because of a review in the Dallas Morning News: "It's easy to see why this basic VCR received the seal of approval from Senior Friendly, a consumer technology group for older people. It's just the product to allay long-held (VCR) phobias. A user's guide explains each of the features clearly and offers solid trouble-shooting instructions...our volunteer had it humming and programmed to tape..(a future) movie..in minutes." I've always been VCR challenged....this sounds like the VCR for me. Finally.

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This is a good enough VCR, which I bought to replace a Sony in the same price range. The machine just arrived and I'm both happy and disappointed. Happy because the machine was a breeze to set up, works fine, and is blessedly silent in operation. On the other hand, recording quality is not very good and the construction is cheesy. There is no counter on the unit itself, which is an annoyance (especially since you can't hear the unit playing, rewinding, anything). I'm happy enough to keep it and it plays prerecorded tapes beautifully... but I liked my Sony better.

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I have this VCR for about two years. The commercial advance stopped working properly and I am starting to get error messages and the tape pops out for no reason. However, I record on a daily basis then watch the shows at night so the machine gets a lot of wear and tear and could probably use a good cleaning. My only real problem with the machine is it doesn't pull in the channels as well as it should. For that reason I only record shows I plan to watch and tape over. I use my SONY to tape any shows I wish to save and have a noce copy of. However, to dub tape to tape or watch commercial tapes, it is a great machine. It is very easy to use and I like that I never have to reset the clock, not even for daylight savings time. But I bought it to tape from the TV, and it is a very poor machine for that. It could use more insulation or whatever is needed to block out interference.

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This is exactly like the one I had which is what I wanted. I use it once a wk to tape a program I send to my son in FL. It is working fine so far & I hope it lasts for many yrs.

I think I could have gotten a better vcr deal from the incinerator. I know they are phased out, but this was really a piece of junk.

Hauppauge MediaMVP Digital Media Receiver (Model 1000)

What a great concept: Play the media that resides on my pc (music, videos, digital pictures, webcast radio) from anywhere and as many locations as I have wired network access.

The MediaMVP hardware appears very well conceived and implemented (see the Hauppauge site for specifications). Sound and video quality of streamed content are entirely satisfactory (providing your recordings are of good quality). Yep. Hardware appears to be Hauppauge's forte.

Their software, however, which manifests itself most noticeably as the user interface, is unforgiveably crude. File system navigation and remote control key mapping are noticeably misprogrammed. Even the most rudimentary MP3 playing capabilities are missing or broken. I would compare the display with the old Commodore 64 but that would be an insult to my C64. Sad to say, Hauppauge does not appear to be interested in fixing any of these deficiencies as they have persisted for at least the last 3 software releases and are still present in the current Beta release.

Service is a mixed bag. If you call them, they will replace defective hardware well enough. But don't expect much more support than what you can do for yourself by reading the FAQ on their website. And don't bother emailing a question to support. With the exception of the automated reply, they never answer email. The good news is that there is a large, vocal user forum for this and other Hauppauge products (hey, I said their hardware is pretty good) and, if you don't mind wading through web forums, you can get a lot of answers there.

I want to love this product but I can't. I purchased it primarily to play MP3 music throughout my house and this is certainly the thing it does worst of all (did I mention the LOUD inter-track popping?). So my dissatisfaction should be taken in that context. Certainly its webcast radio (which I use often and enjoy), picture slideshow, and video playback capabilities suffer much less from the UI's lack of sophistication. And people who use the MediaMVP as a front-end for their Hauppauge based PVR systems (personal video recorder think Tivo only no service charge) love these things.

One hope I hold out for my MediaMVP is the global community of private software developers that are hacking away, rewriting its software. I have no doubt they will eventually do what Hauppauge won't. But until they do this is a seriously crippled product.

If you own a ReplayTV then this is the thin client you've been waiting for. Out of the box this unit is able to play native ReplayTV videos when they are copied to a PC (I own a 5040 unit, so I'm not certain this would be true for owners of 4xxx units). To get things rolling, here's what you need.

1. A ReplayTV unit connected to a home Ethernet network.

2. A PC on the same network running DVArchive (free software)

3. The MediaMVP connected to the network and to a TV

Once DVArchive is installed, you need to configure it to download recorded shows from the Replay; a simple task that can be scheduled periodically. You then plug the MediaMVP in (power, network, and TV connections), install the software on your PC, and then set it up to point to the directory used by DVArchive to download the videos.

The MediaMVP will find all MPG video files in the DVArchive download directory and present them on a menu on the TV. Pick the video and you're off and running.

I have tested both Medium and High quality recordings and they play flawlessly almost 100% of the time. The few minor glitches I noticed were apparent 'stutters' in video playback. The only thing I miss on the MediaMVP (that is available on the ReplayTV) is commercial advance, variable speed FF/Rewind (only 2x is currently implemented), and 29 second skip ahead. But for the price, it can't be beat.

Check back in a few days if the product is shown Out Of Stock as Amazon/Office Depot seem to keep a low inventory.

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This product is in what I would call beta stage but will hopefully get better as Hauppauge releases new firmware and software for it.

It is missing vital features:

1) It does not have the ability to fast forward and rewind MP3s.

2) It will play an entire folder of MP3s or one MP3 at a time but it is missing is the ability to pick and choose MP3s you want to play. You have to go to the computer and create play lists, then the MVP will play those playlists.

Bugs I have found:

1) The MVP server software that runs on the computer and allows access to shared media has to be restarted once a week or more before the MVP will find the server.

2) When playing videos (mpg, avi, etc) you can fast forward and rewind but often after doing so the audio gets out of sync with the video.

Conclusion: Good, fair-priced device (under a hundred dollars) but it definitely needs some improvement. Also, be wary of wireless "Media Receivers." I have done some research on them and their biggest complaint is that they only work well when wired. That is why I bought the MVP, it is wired (only) so you are not paying for the wireless feature.

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I've been using this box for about a month now and love it.

The user interface, although very basic, gets the job done.

It probably has far fewer features than competing boxes, but

the price it right.

The software on the PC is very light. When the MediaMVP is

powered on, it will load its software from the PC. I have

downloaded a couple upgrades from Hauppauge already. Each

upgrade adds more features. Recently they added a skip ahead

15 seconds feature and jump to 10%-90% (1-9 buttons) of the

video. I did not expect such continued development from a

manufacturer for such an inexpensive box. Hats off to

Hauppauge. I think recent updates may have also fixed sluggish

response from the remote. I noticed that problem at first, but

I don't see it anymore.

I did need to upgrade my home network to 100Mbps. With a 10Mbps

network, I could not watch MPEG at a bit rate faster than about

2.5Mbps without problems. 100Mbps solved that problem.

I also bought the WinTV PVR-250 which I use to record TV shows

and then stream the recorded video to the MediaMVP. I can even

stream the video while recording. This allows me to pause

live-TV and the picture quality is great. Who needs Tivo? I

just wish they could integrate the 2 products together so I

could control the WinTV through the MediaMVP.

For MP3s, I usually create a playlist (Winamp format) on my PC

and the MediaMVP will just play the playlist. It shows the song

title down the bottom of the screen. I just wish it had a

shuffle feature. Maybe on the next software update.

I haven't used the photo album feature much, but it does work.

I have noticed the following bugs an occasional MP3 will

abruptly stop and go to the next song; after long periods of

pausing video, the box will sometimes hang and need to be

turned off/on.

In summary, the box is everything I expect and more.

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I recently purchased this unit becuase it was a lot cheaper than the other units and I was planning on hard wiring the unit to my network anyway. This unit also does streaming MPG1 and 2 when a lot of the other units only do audio and JPG. You can get this unit to work with a wireless bridge as well but some people have had problems doing so. All in all the unit works like it should. My only complaints so far are that the user interface could be better and you cant quue up a song. You can create playlists though. One neat thing is you can mirror the TV interface on your computer screen with a download from Hauppauge's website. This works good for me as I have speakers hooked up to my stereo that are out on my deck. I can take my wireless laptop on the deck, then remote into my server and control the music through the mirro image of the interface. pretty cool huh? I would recommend this unit to anyone looking for a way to stream MP3 JPG and MPG1 & 2 that does not want to spend a lot of money. There are probably better units out there but they also cost twice as much.

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