Sony DVP-S7700 DVD Player

• Component and S-Video outputs
• Dolby Digital (AC-3) and DTS outputs
• 10-bit, 27 MHz digital-to-analog video converters
• 96-kHz/24-bit digital-to-analog audio converters
• Dual discrete pickups with separate lasers for CD and DVD

This is a great DVD player. Only one problem really: This DVD player only supports 96khz/24bit ANALOG output. It downsamples on the DIGITAL output. Sony did this to prevent piracy.

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The best DVD player I have ever seen. Expensive but worth it! Superb picture and sound quality. Dual discrete lasers. Precision Drive System enables this player to play discs that are warped or otherwise less than perfect. The Quick Access Drive allows very fastvirtually instantaneous access to DVD chapters and CD tracks. Great remote control that glows in the dark. The Sony is vastly superior to the Panasonic DVD player I also (unfortunately) own.

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There are many similar purchasers of the Sony S7700 that are extremely disappointed in the sound quality of this unit and have had another piece of equipment previously who's audio was far superior and cost less money. For example, my previous player was a Sony S-530D which had within 6 months lip-sync problems, an audio that would periodically cutout, and a picture that froze and broke-up into pixels (similar to satellite broadcast problems), however, its' audio was excellent when it worked. Now that I have moved to the top-of-the-line in Sony DVD players, I am again disappointed and am of the opinion that they can not make a quality product that is complete. Thus far, I have contacted Sony to see if they are willing to do anything about the situation and to determine if the reported down-sampling of the digital output from 97 MHz to 48 MHz is the cause for the poor sound quality or, if not, whether they will do something about this issue. At this point I am not very optimistic about Sony satisfactorily addressing this issue and offering a fix via a service center. Unfortunately, out of all the buyers who have this same issue and want good sound quality, none have posted results of pursuing the down-sampling fix by MSB to address this issue-does it work or is it something else. This unit was supposedly designed to be a top quality audio player since it has dual discrete pickups with separate lasers for CD and DVD at the optimal frequencies, however, the audio output is dismal at best for both. If I were the manufacturer of this product, I would be so embarrassed about my top-of-the-line product, I would move heaven and earth to rectify this issue, we can only assume that they are either incapable or don't care.

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I set out to purchase a DVD player to complement my already in place home theater setup. I previously had a second generation, yet ~2 year old Panasonic DVD player with the DTS output. I finally found a dealer with the S7700 in stock and bought it. Once installed, I was thoroughly impressed with everything but the sound. I purchased, along with the player, a 36" Sony XBR WEGA TV, and, as expected, the picture quality was incredible. Unfortunately, I soon realized that I had a problem on my hands. After connecting the player into my sound equipment, there was something missing. The sound on my older player was much better than the Sony. Caveat emptor: If you are looking for a top-of-the-line player, purchase the DVP-S7700. It's ease of use and picture quality are great. If you have already invested a lot of money into a sound system that works great with your current player, beware... you are in for disappointment.

After exhaustive comparisons with the best DVD players out there, only one player could deliver the goods, with no digital artifacts, fastest and smoothest scanning, and for anamorphic widescreen, the chosen format for today and the future, the Sony DVP-7700 is the absolute reference. Not even players at twice the price could reproduce home theater sound without harshness, and bring all the dynamics and excitment like the Sony DVD player. This was well spent money, and defining what I want out of DVD.

Palm LifeDrive Mobile Manager

I got the Lifedrive one week ago to replace a sony Clie. The following comments are based on one week experience.

Pros:

1. New lifedrive manager software which in most cases obviate the need for hotsync. This is truly revolutionary.

2. Larger hard drive. Finally we are catching up with the rest of the world. You may be able to replace your iPod mini with this more versatile handheld.

3. Good voice recorder. I just got back from a meeting and recorded one whole days worth of talks from the back of a room with 60 people and record quality was quite good and no software bugs were noticed. In addition to the time allocated under your voice memo section, you can directly record to your hard drive allowing you to record more stuff.

4. This machine can store an enormous number of powerpoint presentations. This is a big plus for if you do any teaching e.g. quick review of a topic with a med student before a surgery.

5. Nice metallic finish. Looks better than cheap looking T5.

Cons:

1. Poor battery life. After a whole day of heavy use, the battery dies without warning.

2. Repeated powering down of the hard drive causing a few second delay in opening new applications. Annoying as hell!!!

3. No way to customize turning off the screen after a short period of inactivity. If you play chess on this machine, it becomes annoying. By the way, Hiarcs chess engine runs quite well on this machine(Downloadable for 39.99).

4. Adobe reader formats most documents well, but some with complex formatting turn into incomprehensible amorphous text.

5. Price. I don't understand why a piece of cheap looking electronics made in china should cost this much money.

6. No integrated cell phone or camera.

7. Some applications don't run on this device. I signed up for audible.com membership to get a $100 rebate. But so far I have been unable to make the audible manager recognize this device and download audiobooks to this device.

8. It is very disappointing palm decided to put the cheaper and slower WiFi. I suspect their next device will have the faster version.

9. Size. More bulky than other palm handhelds. Not a true shirt pocket device.

10. No headphone provided. Why can't they throw in a $10 headphone for this $499 device. I am using my old sony clie headphones which works fine.

Overall, 4 stars. I am sure I will find a lot more annoying problems as I use it more.

I've had my Lifedrive for about 3 mos. now and have been very pleased with it. There seems to be quite a few negative reviews about the Lifedrive so I was a little wary at first. Many of the complaints seemed to stem from running older Palm software that didn't operate on the new Palm OS or from people who weren't used to using Palm PDA's. Although Palms are very easy and intuitive to use I think the Lifedrive is a little more complex due to the integrated hard drive, which at first doesn't seem integrated at all.

I didn't reuse any of my older Palm OS software which must have spared me from some of the re-starts and lock-ups some people experienced. Once my unit was charged I started with a new user name (so a new synch profile is created) and then immediately installed the 2.0 software update. I've only had 2 restarts on the device since I started using it, but I use it quite a lot. One restart was apparently due to a poor wireless connection and another I think was caused by Versamail while downloading an e-mail with an attachment. Other than that the device has been very stable and the restarts haven't been repeated.

At first I wasn't very pleased with the new Graffiti II but now that I'm used to it I'll concede that maybe it is an improvement over the older version. Handwriting recognition on Palms has always seemed far superior than on Pocket PC's to me and the Lifedrive's no exception.

Some reviewers have mentioned a "lag" problem when starting a new program. I was a little worried about this before I purchased the Lifedrive after reading it in several reviews. However, I tested a couple of Lifedrives first at electronic stores and didn't really notice any lagging or hesitating. It might have been 3rd party software issues as I haven't noticed this problem-and I'm very impatient.

www.palmfocus.com has a list of Palm software rated for compatability with the Lifedrive. Before installing older Palm OS software it would be a good idea to check this list rather than struggle with your device. (Any software written for the new OS isn't an issue as far as I know.)

Pros:

+Wireless works well and connects easily.

+Being able to store, view and edit MS Word and Excel in their native format is a plus. (no conversion step as on Pocket PC)

+Store tons of videos, music and photos and take it with you everywhere.

+Synchrone entire folders from your desktop computer (Only folders on the root drive of your device can be synchronized so nested folders won't be synchronized unless you spread them out in the root directory of the drive. This will change the folder heirarchy on your device but not your desktop if you want to keep all the folders synchronized)

+The USB synchronization and connection has been flawless. (This hasn't been my experience with Pocket PC's)

+Very powerful yet elegant PDA!

Cons:

-Battery consumption high when using wireless. Don't leave on any longer than you have to.

-It's a little big and bulky to hang on to compared to older Palm PDA's. (Wish it had a place for a lanyard)

-Working with other applications while listing to music causes interuptions in the music playback.

-Versamail synch setup didn't go very easily for me. Make sure your default e-mail profile on your desktop is Outlook before you even get started with mail sync setup.

I've installed Dataviz Smartlist which is an excellent and fairly sophisticated database application which can sync with Microsoft Access. It works very well on the Lifedrive.

Also installed Mapopolis and it also works well. You must install maps to RAM or on a SD card and not the hard drive.

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I had the pleasure of reading some of your reviews, and quite frankly, I don't know if I should feel fortunate or laughing out loud, not to be rude, but literally, given that there is absolutely nothing wrong with mine.

After you received your LifeDrive, the unit turned on ok, the jacks don't fall out, the screen is not scratch etc, then, folks, there is nothing wrong with your unit. I can say with 99% confident that it is all software related.

Here's some advices for you that might help:

1). You should not use the operating software come with the CD; instead, you should download the latest version from the Palm site. And you should install the update 2.0. Then you need to know how the unit works, there are two storage areas in the unit, the internal memory and your 4 GB hard drive. You need to understand how backup works, and how to backup your cache as well as the files in the hard drive. Use Drive mode to backup your hard drive to your pc, and resync often for backing up the other portion. There is no need to use LifeDrive manager come with the CD.

2). You must have some sort of Uninstall software installed in your unit, because chances are you will installed something and want to get rid of it. I am using Uninstall Manager from Palm, and it works great. Oh, and for the one who complaints about the unit turned itself off after 3 minutes of inactivity ... There are softwares to prevent that, check the web.

Now here is the truth. This unit by itself may be over-priced; however, the synergy this unit can provide after you cleverly match it with well chosen softwares will give you a return on investment that is completely unmatched even at 2 to 3 times their combined price point. It's like having an assistant working for you 24/7 and you pay him/her 50 cents a day.

My LifeDrive is a powerful breast after I mate it with the following personally chosen softwares: Uninstall Manager, DateBk5, ShadowPlan, DayNotez, Supernames 2.0, Repligo PDF Mobilizer. Doc to Go 8.0, SmartList to Go, MyBible, etc. You get the point. (alternatively, you can replaced Datebk5 with Agendus, and Supernames with Beyond Contact, ShadowPlan with ListPro, or Life Balance etc). I don't play games, watch videos, or listen to mp3, but you can if you like.

I have not had one single reset that I am not aware of. Perhaps the only down side is that the unit does take an extra second to load, but after a while, I hardly notice it. It doesn't have a camera which some of you might prefer. Other than this, great unit.

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I purchased this in june and had to return it. I use it as a physician and have had a Tungsten C, and Visor and Palm V, each of which represented continuous improvement in speed and usability. The lifedrive was so slow switching between applications, up to 2 minutes and usually thirty to 90 seconds that I couldn't function. Also the programs I used ran more slowly (10-20 seconds for steps that were instantaneous before) than before or than on the T|X with which I have replaced it . Iuse a prescription program and it links to epocrates which meant every time it would take several minutes to perform a task that took 10-20 seconds previously.

On the plus side the multimedia and PIM functions worked well if you waited for them to start. It has a sharp screen and pictures. The dictaion feature was great.

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I purchased a Life Drive PDA because of the large memory capacity. I upgraded from Sony Clie. I have been unable to get any help from Palm, since my Life Drive crashed after a long holiday weekend. I guess the battery ran down and it will not recharge. A $500 device that is now useless. I have now returned to using my Sony Clie which continues to work. If I were you I would think twice about buying such an expensive PDA that does not contain replaceable batteries. Take a look at Palms website where they tell their customers that sending the device back could cost you more than the amount it would cost to buy another. "Let the buyer beware!"

Olympus VN-120 Digital Voice Recorder

I have to admit that this is the first Digital Voice Recorder I've ever owned so I am not an experienced reviewer. I did some research prior to purchasing it and pretty much decided this was the one I would start with based on price and features. While I would have preferred one a bit smaller, I'm really happy with this recorder. I have a pretty small hand and it almost fits into my palm. It does everything I need it to do. It has three "folders". I use one for making quick reminders, etc (that will be deleted later) for myself, the second for gift ideas for others, and the third for secret shopping.

I've used all three of the quality settings and prefer to use the best one as it picks up GREAT even in noisy areas. That makes the time to record less, but I don't use it for lectures or anything like that and have yet to fill it up (even when my 7-year-old nephew got his hands on it and recorded himself singing songs and telling stories during a road trip). I think in a quiet classroom you should be able to still get pretty good quality on the medium setting and prolong the time some.

I got very lucky and found the very one I wanted, clearanced out at Target when they updated the packaging for this model, so I got it for an amazing price of $20. MORE than worth the price I paid. The only thing now is that now I REALLY would like to have the PC model that plugs into your computer (VN 240 PC) so you can save your recordings. Now that my niece and nephew have played with it, I want to save some of what they said to play for them when they "grow up". However, that model runs a bit more than I was prepared to pay, so for the money, this one is awesome.

I recommend this model if you are looking for an affordable but quality digital recorder that doesn't have to be "spy sized" or connect to your PC. I'm very happy with it myself.

The VN-120 works well enough for audio notes to myself, but I can't say that I really like it. I bought it to replace an Olympus VN-900 that went missing, and really like the older VN-900 much better. The VN-120 is larger, really a bit bulky for the storage space I use for it in my car. The VN-120 is also much more cumbersome to operate. On the VN-900, one can delete a memo by clicking delete twice. On the VN-120, it's necessary to click delete, toggle to yes, and then press enter; these are three separate buttons, and so eyes-off operation is inconvenient.

I'd send it back, but it appears that Amazon no longer carries the VN-900.

****[Note added 7 years after purchase]

This thing is still working fine after seven years. I've adapted to the size, and drive a different vehicle with a slightly larger space in the driver's side door armrest. Deleting is slightly awkward, but I'm upgrading my rating to four stars from three because of durability.

It works fine with NiMH batteries.

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This was my 1st digital voice recorder purchase and it is easy to use considering I am a veritable technological idiot. I could figure out for myself how to use every feature and that is a huge accomplishment for me. Don't get me wrong, I'm not mentally challenged, graduated college Magna Cum Laude,

I just didn't grow up with this stuff.

Back to the Recorder, every time I use it I find myself thinking how wonderful it is. Living a hectic life, I don't have time to stop and write down every new thought, now I don't have to, I just record it on the go. If you choose to purchase it I hope you get as much pleasure out of it as I do.

Read Best Reviews of Olympus VN-120 Digital Voice Recorder Here

Perfect for note-taking. I use it when taking pictures (at the zoo, for example) to indicate what the subject is, conditions, etc. If anything, the microphone is TOO sensitive: even at the low setting with the VN-120 in my shirt pocket, it picks up enough ambient noise so the VCVA function doesn't work. Still, it's simple enough to press Record/Stop to take messages.

The first thing the instructions should tell you to do is, peel off the clear plastic from the display ! It took me a while to figure out why the LCD display looked funny. Once past this hurdle, you hardly need the instructions.

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This recorder worked OK for the first 6 hours of recording. At that point it would shut off in the middle of the lecture and flash "Full" when I tried to record in another file. The erase function did not erase. I also did not like the dual function buttons, and I felt that the instructions were not as clear as they could have been. I eventually took it back and got my money back.

Marantz AV8003 Networking Preamplifier

• Brand New Cosmetics, derived from Reference.32bit DSP.
• XM HD Ready with discrete IR commands.HDMI (v1.3) Repeating: 4-In / 2-Out.
• Dolby TrueHD, DD Plus, Dolby Digital EX, Pro Logic IIx,
• dts-HD Master Audio, DTS 96/24, ES (Discrete 6.1/Matrix6.1)
• 192 kHz/24-bit D/A & A/D converters for all channels

Although presented as an audio/video controller, the AV8003 shines brightest on the audio side. The newest uncompressed codecs from DTS and Dolby are simply phenomenal when played through this unit. I'm using a Marantz DV9600 and an Oppo Digital BD-83 for my front end and they both sound awesome. I'm using an Anthem A5 connected to the AV8003 using balanced cables for amplification. Speakers are Paradigm Reference Studio 100 v2 L/R. Paradigm Servo 15 subwoofer. Paradigm Reference Center and surrounds.

If you are looking to use this unit to do video scaling, look elsewhere. Fortunately for me both the Oppo and Marantz players have excellent video and the Oppo has a plethora of video scaling options so that I just set the AV8003 on pass-thru. The AV8003 uses Anchor Bay's video scaler which is the same one used in DVDO products so its not a bad choice. Its just that the audio is what grabs attention.

Using the Audyssey MultEQ® setup is a breeze and the results are terrific. The Audyssey system creates multiple equalization curves that you can toggle through and select the one that pleases you most. Each channel can be manually calibrated and equalized if you like tweaking things. You can even display the curves on your TV which I found entertaining, especially comparing my settings to those of the Audyssey system. If equalizers leave you queasy, just choose source direct and bypass the tone controls completely. I personally believe that this is the way to go for stereo sources in particular. The DV9600 has some really good DACs so I play my CDs using the analog connections to the AV8003. I'm no expert on analog stages, but the 8003 trumps the SR19 by a small margin and to my ears, equals the sound quality of some expensive 2-channel only controllers I've listened to. Where images wavered from side to side with the SR19, the AV8003 locks each instrument and voice into place and holds them there. The depth and width of the sound stage equals that of the SR19 which also had the ability to make it seem as though the sound is coming from somewhere beyond your speakers.

I replaced my Marantz SR19 receiver with the AV8003 after spending many a night agonizing over the prospect of retiring the SR19. It was absolutely the best sounding receiver I've ever listened to. The opportunity to reduce the cable clutter behind my equipment rack was the straw that tipped the scales in favor of the AV8003.

My only gripe with the AV8003 is the remote controller. If I had been unable to find a suitable replacement for it, I would have sent the whole unit back. It is that bad! There is not enough space on this web site to describe the frustrations I experienced trying to program and use that thing! It is, by far, the worst remote I've ever used. Nothing about it is intuitive. Programming it to control your system is an exercise in futility. If you decide to purchase the AV8003, do yourself a big favor: Buy a Logitech Harmony remote control. I'm using the Harmony 890 and I love it.

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g8 two piece pre/power amp first I'm using onkyo 989 I want to upgrade the system for today hd formet first I chose denon avcai hd and select for the demo nice but the sonic performance is not so good my ears and mind still have question after denon I chose yamha z11nice sound but not what I'm looking for yamha don't have basic. For today recever auddsey setup also hd format not impress my ears .I'm bit confuse which system I chose then one of my friend confirm me about new marantz two piece system I search the dealer and fix the time for demo my first reaction after first look of av8003&mm8003 wow killing look and when we on the system with DTs 7.1master audio blue ray the performance and the sonic of the marantz twin system blown me the sound is so smooth just like some one put hot burning knife on the butter..after spending 2hrs in demo I decide to purchase the system .now I'm using marantz pre/power av8003 in my home theater with jamo d6thx

speakers & results you are in a heaven after this setup

my speakers have new life if ur are serious movie lover this system is right choice the sonic performance of the system is far far far far better then denon and any other receiver of this class really GR8....

one thing first propely auddsey mic setup and used best brand 1.3hdmi cable and use blue ray player who forward all hd formet in bit stream to marantz twin system u realy amazed and I'm sure you will spend most of time in your home theater

Singel Adjustable Wall AV Component Shelf with Black Glass and Aluminum Body Shelf for DVD or blu-r

We got this shelf to hang in our home gym to have the DVD player out of the way so it wouldn't get whacked while we are exercising. I put the shelf up high over the TV so I can actually see the underside of this shelf where I stand. The smoked glass shelf looks very stylish and is quite sturdy. There is a silver support arm underneath which isn't pictured here, but it actually looks stylish in an industrial sort of way. It doesn't wobble even if bumped. Mine is up high so it wouldn't be bumped but even if yours was down at shoulder level it would withstand a light bumping. Though it says it could be attached to a wall with some dry wall anchors, I hung mine on to a stud just to be sure.

The shelf is compact, doesn't stick out too far. It perfectly fits my compact Blu-Ray player, but if you have a standard size piece of equipment, it's going to hang over, so check the dimensions before you buy it.

This unit has cable management so you can run your cables directly into the wall if needed so things will look nice and neat.

Good shelf. Stylish. Modern. Sturdy. Good price.

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Canon ZR40 MiniDV Digital Camcorder with 2.5" LCD, & Digital Still Mode

I'm always been fond of the Canon line of consumer DV cams. They always have great optics, electronics, and durability. But what really sets them apart is thier menu systems! It's totally disgusting that on most any other brand, including ones as prestegious as Sony, that they lump all the menu options into a hoard of small, finger nail sized, buttons for most of thier consumer models. For Canon's you simply press the menu button then scoll and press a togele wheel. This way, once you get the hang of the wheel, you now understand how to use the whole menu system for any function. This is a great improvement over those that require the manual to find that "secret button combination". This is a consumer camera but I use it for many large applications. It has been sized down from it's Optura and Ultura ancestors but pretty well all the functionality and then some. It has other sister cams such as the ZR45MC and ZR50MC. These pack the all-in-one memory card digital camera and mini Dv. I have friends who love these models dearly. Personally I go for a seperate camera with larger resolution. Whatever your needs are ...

I've noticed a large number of reviews that say something to the affect of "I pulled it out of the box, plugged it up, and the image was grainy" or "I turned on steady shot and nothing happend".

This might be old news for most but to explain for those of you that might be concerned by this ...

Video cameras these days still thrive on ample lighting! This and other cameras have a sort of slow motion low light mode (accessible from the menu) that works by slowing down the frame rate and sucking every bit of image data off the CCD. THis is ok for an emergancey but if you want good image, turn on an extra light or two. Human eyes are so adaptable that you might not even notice if the lighting is more subdued than usal but it will make a mile of diffence for the camera. Secondly, get to know the manual menu and exposure system. The auto functions can't always guess what your trying to do.

About steady shot... this only takes of the headache inducing shock that occurs when you jar the camera. It's extremely useful in it's own right but it won't keep you from waving the camera around.

This is a great cam that I fully recommend. THere is one issue that doesn't dampen my five star rating but is noteworthy. To size this camera down to an even more portable size, the engineers made it with the DV cassette loading from the bottom instead of the top. THis is fine except that if you are a true believer in tripods, as I am, then you have to take the camera off the tipod or tripod plate every time you need to swap tapes. Just a minor concern...

Expecting a baby, I did research for about three weeks before I ended up with this Canon ZR40. Couple of features that I wanted to have were external mic input, analog input, no still images since I already own a nice digital camera, and most of all, affordable price tag. Amazingly, ZR40 had this all! 18x zoom is nice and its compact size is pretty neat. Still, I have minor complaints after extensive tests.

1. As pointed out by many people previously, the picture is somewhat grainy specially indoors. Because this is my first digital camcorder, I don't know if this happens for other high-end models, but I suspect it may stand out somewhat more for ZR40 with only 480K CCD pixels.

2. What has also been noted was the motor noise, which is my primary concern for now. Maybe, I would not been able to tell if I had not read those reviews, but I could certainly hear the noise when recorded in a quiet environment. I tried to use an external microphone to remove the noise, in which case the noise is gone, but the external microphone does not match the internal microphone in sensitivity. (I used a low-end microphone for the test with the sensitivity of -75 dBm, though.)

3. This is a really minor point, but the camcorder automatically shuts down if I don't start recording within 5 minutes.

Overall, I think ZR40 has great features at such a price and is certainly worth owning if you are looking for one in the price range.

Buy Canon ZR40 MiniDV Digital Camcorder with 2.5" LCD, & Digital Still Mode Now

This is really the ideal entry-level camcorder for someone just getting into digital video editing. The optical image stabilization is far better than the electronic kind, and the picture quality is pretty good. It has a tendency to overexpose in bright sunlight, but you can easily adjust the exposure down half an f-stop. It's small and light, the viewfinder and flip-out screen are both color, battery life is pretty good with an add-on high capacity battery. Best of all, you can connect your old analog camcorder to it and import all your old videos to DV! Works great with Apple iMovie.

The one downside to this camcorder is the audio. It's a problem with most tiny cameras, and this is no exception: motor whine. DV requires a high speed rotating head, which means fast motors--and because of the small body, they're too close to the built-in microphones.

My solution was to spend an extra $99 on a Sony WCS-999 Wireless Microphone kit. It's a clip-on belt pack with a "tie clip" style mic, operating via 900MHz wireless. Just like professional TV presenters use, but at a fraction of the price. After that investment, I got great sound.

Read Best Reviews of Canon ZR40 MiniDV Digital Camcorder with 2.5" LCD, & Digital Still Mode Here

Unfortunately I had a very bad consumer experience buying this camera. I had borrowed a ZR20 from a friend the year before and liked it, so when the ZR40 came out I wanted to buy it. I read online that some people were complaining about motor noise with this camera, but I figured I try it anyways. I bought it at Best Buy (should be called Worst Buy), and when trying it out found that it does have super bad motor noise. You can't hear it while recording it's when you are watching a tape you recorded playback on your TV etc that you hear it. The motor noise is recorded in with your audio, so you hear a loud hummmm in the background. It was too loud for me to live with. If I was recording something with no background noise (like my baby playing), then it was as loud as his voice! ... I have now ordered the Panasonic PVDC152 which is supposed to have good sound. We'll see...

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I did extensive research on this model (the whole ZR series) and I must say, a lot of things are positive for this little camera.

* light weight, * small, * bright outdoor pictures, * PRICE.

And some negative points raised by many so far, which of course I have not been able to test as I have not bought this item, is the motor noise being recorded and the night shots being grainy.

I will not discuss anything about it as they have been beaten to death by now.

What I want to talk about is the smaller CCD resolution on the ZR series camcorders.

As we know, the US spec ZR series have the 460K pixels, out of which only 290K pixels are used for video (effective pixels). We need about 420K effective pixels to get a 500 line video resolution on the TV. Most of us know that, the VHS format (video tapes) allow upto 240lines of horizontal resolution. The S-VHS tapes allow upto 400 lines and the Digital Video format goes to 525 lines (really crisp and sharp pictures) on the TV/visual media.

So now, with mere 290K effective pixels of video resolution being recorded on the ZR40/45/50, the best lines of resolution would be around 300. Now, not everything is bad. If you intend to transfer your videos into VHS tapes for storage and future viewing, you will not have any complaints as VHS tapes store at 240 lines of resolution. But someone like me, who wants to store the video digitally, by burning them into DVDs or storing them in DV tapes, I would like to get the best resolution that I can, right?

In simple words, I want 500 lines of resolution for my video, full stop! Even though ZR40 is a DV camera, its resolution is very poor for real digital quality video.

By the way, the resolution has got everything to do with what we call SHARP, crisp and colorful pictures. It is the same difference you see between the movies played from the VHS tape and movies played from the DVD.

Oh by the way, if your TV doesn't have a 500 line horizontal resolution capability, you are not getting the money's worth by renting DVDs. The TV I bought about 4 yrs ago, a proscan 32 inch, has 700 lines of horizontal resolution. So I can assume most TVs in our houses have capable enough TVs. Going slightly off topic, do you know why the picture quality of HDTVs are so sharp? Bcoz their resolutions are almost double than the 500 lines I am talking about.

Philips 9397 Digital Dictation Starter Kit (LFH9397/00B)

This is a great product. Everything you need to begin digital dictation/transription is included and it was so easy to use. I had it installed and testing it within 20 minutes. I use the recorder in a large room with up to 50 people in attendance and it picks up great. I would highly recommend this product to anyone who needs to dictate and transcribe meetings.

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Panasonic DMR-EH75VS DVD Recorder / VCR Combo with 80GB Hard Drive, HDMI, SD Card, and DV Input

• DVD recorder with 80 GB hard drive for PVR functionality; measures 16.9 x 2.3 x 13.9 inches (WxHxD)
• Up-converts to near high-definition resolution via HDMI; easy one-touch dubbing of DVD to VCR and VCR to DVD (non-copy protected sources)
• Records onto DVD-R/RW, DVD+R/RW, and DVD-RAM; plays back dual-layer DVD-R/+R and CD-R/RW
• Connections: composite (2 in, 1 out), S-Video (2 in, 1 out), component (1 out), HDMI (1 out), RF (1 in, 1 out), Firewire (1 in), SD card slot
• Optical digital audio out for Dolby Digital and DTS surround sound

I have been holding out on buying a DVD recorder until one came out with VHS, DVD, and a hard drive (HDD). This unit finally delivers! It definitely has some cons, but this unit is the best you'll get if you want to record onto a hard drive first, edit out the commercials, and then transfer to DVD. The advantage to this method is that you can record say 2.5 hours in SP mode (2 hr mode), edit out a half hour of commercials, and then transfer to DVD. If you have to record directly to DVD before editing out the half hour of video, you would have to use a longer recording mode and therefore reducing the video quality.

Some of the things that can be improved upon:

Consistency of auto-chapters: When copying directly to DVD, I've gotten chapter stops at 5 minutes and 8 minutes. When copying to the hard drive, there is no rhyme or reason. Why is this not consistent?

Chapters are not maintained when copying from HDD to DVD in different recording mode: After copying to the hard drive, you can set your own chapter stops. These chapter stops are maintained when the video is copied to DVD in high speed mode (and therefore at the same video quality setting). However, if you record to HDD say in XP mode, edit out commercials, and then copy to DVD in a mode where it fits onto one disc (say, SP mode), it makes the DVD without any chapters! It should maintain the chapters that it allowed me to create. (The reason you would use this method to make a DVD is because you might not know how long the program is without commercials prior to editing them out. So you would want to copy to HDD in the highest quality mode possible)

Loss of sound when "shortening a title": When you edit out a section of video, I have sometimes noticed a loss of sound for a few seconds before and a few seconds after the edited section. It also pauses briefly during the removed section.

Can't copy a VHS to HDD or DVD and edit commercials on the fly: I should be able to easily play a VHS tape and record it to DVD and press the PAUSE button at the start and end of a commercial to edit it out. My old Go Video VHS to VHS deck has this simple feature... why wouldn't a brand new $500 VHS to DVD unit be able to do this? Are you listening, Panasonic?

TV Guide built in DVR is not easy to navigate: If you want to skip ahead through 3 days of listings, it's not so easy to do. But for a DVR with no monthly fee, I can't complain too much here.

Need to use both coax AND RCA cables: Most combo units allow you to use only the coax connections in case you have an old TV. With this unit you are REQUIRED to use both, which doesn't make any sense.

Bad remote layout: The 'Function' and 'Navigator' buttons are too close to the directional wheel which is used for editing your videos and typing title names. The result is that you will often hit the wrong button by accident and leave the screen you were working in.

There were a few other basic features that you would expect to have, but I can't think of any other drawbacks right now. Overall, this is actually a really GOOD UNIT, certainly the only one of it's kind... I just figured I should tell you of the drawbacks to make sure you can live with them before buying it.

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I've been using the DMR-EH75VS recorder for about four weeks now and I love the quality of the picture, the ease of copying from HDD to DVD, and the quality level of VHS transfers (recorded LP) to HDD or DVD. This is with the unit connected to a 20 year old Sony Trinitron television with an RF Modulator. I've also used the fire wire connection to connect my Sony MiniDV camcorder to transfer footage to DVD and it worked beautifully. I would give the unit 5 stars if the manual were better and if I had successfully installed the included feature of the TV Guide listings.

First about the manual: I work as a television editor and even I had trouble with the manual. The terminology is vague and the procedures often assume a level of knowledge that is unrealistic. The glossary should make up for the terminology problem, but does not. I did email questions to Panasonic and received satisfactory answers, but the manual should be self-explanatory.

Regarding the TV Guide listings I have yet to get them. I followed the procedures from the beginning and the unit searched for them, but after the prescribed 24 hours of having the unit off (I did this several times), the unit kept telling me that it could not find the listings. I have talked to Panasonic several times, have changed configurations, then tried getting the listings a few times (which is annoying because I can't record anything during the 24 hours it's off), and finally Panasonic did a software diagnostic that they are sending off to TV Guide and they said they would get back to me.

To be fair, I started off when I first got the unit with Cablevision and a Scientific Atlanta cable box, and last week I switched cable services and now have Verizon Fios fiber optic television service with a Motorola cable box. With both boxes, Panansonic had me reset the unit, adjust the settings and turn the unit off for 24 hours. I still don't have listings, but I hold out hope.

In the meantime, in between testing for TV Guide listings I have done many manual recordings direct to DVD and direct to the HDD, and am very happy with those functions. If you have problems manually setting up a vcr for programmed recordings and you can't get the TV Guide listings either because of the type of cable box or satellite service, think twice about getting this unit, because manually setting up programmed events might give you trouble.

Previous comments about the remote and the menus are ligitimate. It takes a little getting used to them, but if you're not a techno-phobe they shouldn't be a problem. Getting rid of the commercials can be tedious, but once again when you get how it's done, that's not a big deal.

Though free Panasonic help has been available online and by phone, the technicians I've dealt with have ranged from fairly knowledgeable to not so much.

In closing, after all these problems with the listings and the manual, why don't I give this unit a lower rating? The reasons are because the quality of the picture is really fabulous, the ability to record to a hard drive and delete commercials as well as come in on a program that's already started and watch from the beginning while the machine tapes the whole show is really great and I'm getting a big kick out of that, and I love that I can do all this without paying a monthly fee.

So even if I never get the listings because they are not available with my service, I'm still happy with the unit and will either manually set up recordings or attempt to use the VCR+ option. If I finally do get the TV Guide listings, I'll write a supplement to this post, but overall the DMR-EH57VS is a really great unit.

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Several people have written excellent reviews of the Panasonic's ability to edit and record TV, in addition to VCR-DVD archiving, and I suggest looking at those reviews below. I would just like to add a few comments on my, so far limited, experience with this deck.

-HDMI upscaling is very good, and in my opinion is as good as my stand-alone Toshiba DVD player with HDMI upscaling. In addition, all video is upscaled to the format of your choice, and is a nice feature. Because of this, I found video playback of recorded shows to be of excellent quality. Very close to actual broadcast, if not the same on certain channels.

-TV Guide setup was simple, and asked for your postal code. The deck takes around 24 hours to get guide data, and I recieved 2-3 days of programming after about 18 hours. You must also periodically place this unit on standby in order to recieve updated TVGOS content, which is sent over the cable during late evening, and early morning hours, from my observations. My setup: analog cable directly fed into the Panasonic deck (no cable box), HDMI out to HD-ready TV. After reading the manual, TVGOS is not available to everyone, please be sure to check with your local cable co. just in case, if this feature is important to you. In additon, do not autotune this deck for channels, doing so loses the TVGOS capability, unless you do not want TVGOS.

-DVR capabilities: excellent video quality, TVGOS does a decent job of organiziation of channel listings and recording que. Recorded shows are shown as thumbnail videos and is a very nice feature of this unit. You can watch any thumbnail video saved on the HDD. The deck also has VCR+, but I do not use this feature, however some you propective buyers may like this feature.

-The deck is silent. the fan is quiet, there is little to no noise (just HDD noise at startup) emanating from the unit at all. very nice to see imo.

-The deck can record when in standby mode, thereby conserving power consumption, again a nice feature.

-The manual is not an easy read. Very technical, however this deck is not for the average user. Be prepared to spend some time reading certain parts of the manual in order to setup this deck properly.

-You can watch a DVD movie or VHS movie while simultaneously recording on the HDD, in additon to watching HDD content you have previously recording while the deck records. Nice feature, and for me, was a must have.

-This deck has high speed DVD burning built in, and allows for 1h-2h of content to be burned in 20 min or so. One caveat: For example, if you have high speed recording set to "on", you can burn a DVD fast, but you cannot record in dolby audio, nor widescreen. Therefore if you are recording a show (say CSI in widescreen) and you have this unit set for high speed recording, the picture will be in 4:3 format on the DVD. Something to consider.

-This deck cannot simultaneously output digital audio from HDMI and Toslink. you are made to chose one or the other. If you want Toslink, the unit disables Audio from HDMI, and vice versa. Not a big problem, but an annoyance when I want to watch a DVD movie through my DTS decoder (that does not have HDMI inputs).

-This deck has component inputs for recording, but only supports 480i (normal NTSC) and 480p (enhanced TV). so if you wish to record HD content, you are out of luck. I recorded OTA HD content in widescreen into this deck and found it to look and sound excellent, even though it was recorded in 480p.

-Last but not least, This deck is not constantly recording to the HDD, therefore TiVo-like features such as pausing live TV is not possible with the touch of a button. You must first record what you are watching to use the pause feature. I own a TiVo box and I love its capabilities, and the fact that anyone from young to old can use the TiVo interface within 30 min to an hour, but I don't like the monthly fees. If you are like me, and wanted to break free from the monthly fee, then I highly recommend this deck.

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It is a good VCR-DVD video recorder, by far its working ok...Good image on VHS, fast and easy one touch recording.

The manual is awful. I own a Sony RDR-HX900 which has a much better owner manual, and even so, it is not as good as expected.

It lacks an eject button on the remote, but do we need it? Anyway you have to stand up and go for the DVD or VHS...

It is quite slow in activate TV functions, and its TV Guide panel and Setup tabs and steps are a little tortuous with sub menu and sub-sub menus anywhere.

Anyway it has one of the best image available on DVD and VHS. Dubbing to DVD a VHS is a breeze and the image obtained is superb

Recommended

The instruction manual is complicated and poorly compiled, lots of symbols and page re-directing, illogical order, etc. At first I was very frustrated. I found Tech Support to be extrememly patient, if not impressively knowledgable. I appreciated their assistance. But mostly I just spent several hours at a time over the course of a couple weeks to learn each feature one at a time. Some things do make sense and can be learned through playing and trial and error.

But now that I've got the hang of it I love it! Granted, this is my first DVD recorder and I've never had TIVO so I am extra impressed with how easily and well the TV Guide works (again, after some initial frustration to set-up). I had originally bought the step-down version of Panasonic's DVD/VCR recorder, but as I had been warned by other reviews, it ate my VHS tape within the first week of use. So I returned that Amazon's customer service was exceptional and opted for the new improved and w/ hard drive version. I am so glad I did!

I also am using it to record old home videos from VHS to DVD; I love being able to set-up chapters with titles. Too bad it doesn't let me record my old store-bought VHS movies onto DVD, but those are copyright-protected so I guess that's only fair.

I have to confess, I haven't even hooked it up to an HD TV yet I'm saving to buy one in the next few months. So for me, picture quality is fine but nothing to rave about. If I had to nitpick, besides the terrible manual (there are multiple typos in confusing context!), I really wish I could watch something on TV while recording another channel. And I wish I could watch DVD RAMs on other DVD players without finalizing the disk so they can still be recorded over after. As is, I have to watch everything that I may want to record over on this player and TV. And I think the price is a little steep, though i couldn't find any cheaper alternatives available. I also really miss my multi-disk DVD changer since this is just a single but, again, I couldn't find any comparable options that featured that.

All in all, a terrific purchase!

UPDATE: 9/14/07 Like so many other Panasonic reviewers warned me, it's off to the repair shop. The DVD stopped playing or recording on DVDs. Luckily it's still under warranty, but after unhooking everything, sending it in, waiting 3-5 weeks, and having to go through the complicated process of re-setting it up, I don't feel confident that it will working in stellar condition. Starting to regret this purchase though I had mostly postitive experiences with it until recently. Bummer!

Magnavox DV200MW8 DVD/VHS Combo Player

We bought this machine 4 years ago. My oldest son at 18mo could use it by himself. It has with stood my kids abuse and the abuse of my daycare kids. The DVD tray no longer works properly... But I had a child hang from it so really I am not bothered. The VHS portion is still going strong. I am planing on replacing it this year and yes I will be buying this one again.

We did not receive a remote that worked. I contacted the seller and sent the non-working remote back, but never received a working remote. This was wasted money when I could have bought a brand new one for a little more money.

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i was very disappointed the dvd side stop working after a week and a half..i threw away receit so i got stuck this time..

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Sony GV-D200 Digital 8mm Portable Video Recorder

• The Sony GV-D200 is an ultra portable VCR for recording and playing Digital-8 format videocassette tapes
• Also plays Hi-8 and regular 8mm videocassettes
• Integrated 20-segment assemble editing allows editing of up to 20 assembled scenes at a time
• Built-in IEEE1394 FireWire iLink interface port allows easy and direct connectivity
• Composite ports allow tapes to be viewed on any TV

If you are like me and have tons of old 8mm (or Hi8) tapes lying around, this 8mm Walkman is perfect. I upgraded to MiniDV but forgot to transfer my old 8mm tapes before giving my Canon 8mm camcorder away, so with this I'm not stuck with useless tapes. It plays back regular 8mm, Hi8, and also Sony's Digital8 formats. You can hook it up to a VCR or TV, and even to a DV-savvy PC. I capture my 8mm videos to my Fujitsu LifeBook C2210 laptop, using Windows Movie Maker 2 (download for free on Microsoft's website). I'm now about 40% done with transfering my old tapes, but I also enjoy hooking this up to my TV and playing back old tapes and re-living old memories. Ah, how time just flies...

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I am in the middle of a project to get all my many "old" Regular 8 and Hi-8 recordings onto hard drives and thence onto DVD's. In the midst of all this old my Sony CVD-1000 died on me, and I have, over the years, spent too much on repairs for it. This led me to the Digital 8mm Walkman. I have NOT used it, and will not use it, for RECORDING (I do not record in Digital 8 format). But for playback it is superb. I am very pleased with what it does. very. I suspect that some of my satisfaction comes from the Sony introduction of video-processing circuitry, which evidently cleans up the images remarkably. However, there is a price: some of my "pans" now involve a degree of blurring, which I do not think are present when played "unprocessed". But I have decided I am more than willing to accept this negative in face of the excellent video I am now capturing. So my five stars are based SOLELY on playback. One can cut out the video processing if one wishes; it is quite easy. Incidentally, the small size of this unit is a welcome plus; my workbench is already quite crowded with equipment, and I appreciate the Walkman's very small footprint greatly!

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This device has at least prosumer level recording and playback capabilities. I hooked it up to my 3CCD camera and the results were extremely satisfying when using the Digital 8 mode. It hooks right up to the computer with the 1394 connect and I can extract capture points, fast forward, rewind etc. by clicking the mouse. It supports 625 Horizontal lines of resolution which exceeds my hi-end camera and I can not express enough the clarity of the image. No specks of colored snow or artifacts dancing in the dark areas of the image as I previously had with my pro level SVHS recorder, only crisp, smooth, detailed image rendering. The sound quality is also excellent. For what I wanted it for,, it is better than perfect and for what I will also use it for it is a blessed device.. I highly recommend this recorder/player to anyone needing portability, quality, and professional results for mastering to video tape and of coarse for playback.. The only thing that scares me about this device is how light and small it is,, but at the same time, it's exactly what I need. Hope this info helps someone out there in deciding. Peace..

Want Sony GV-D200 Digital 8mm Portable Video Recorder Discount?

Of the many reasons one might purchase this item, I bought it for just one. To transfer my Hi8 & 8mm home video to a hard drive before my tapes deteriorated any more. With its built in Time Base Corrector ( TBC ) and Digital Noise Reduction ( DNR ) I was able to output a DV signal "FROM THE DECK" and get ( in my opinion ) the highest quality transfer available.

There are other options available to do these transfers. One is to buy a Digital 8 camcorder that will output your analog tapes to DV. However, I'm not aware of any of these cameras being built anymore so you would need to buy a used camera. Many people go this route with excellent results. It certainly is a cheaper option than buying the Sony deck but you are buying a used product and can't be sure of it's condition. I bought the more expensive NEW deck choosing to pay for peace of mind. Either way you go you can sell your transfer deck or camcorder once you've finished your project and recoup some of the original expense. Another route is a transfer service which has the potential to be very expensive. My research into this tells me most services would not be using equipment of any higher quality than the Sony or even the camcorder option. Those few that do use hi end transfer decks are using older machines since they haven't built new ones for some time now. Even if they are well maintained and up to spec they will be outputting an analog signal before going through an Analog to Digital converter. I'm not sure quality wise they could do any better than the Sony and again it could be quite expensive.

If there was a down side to the Sony it would be you can not view the menu from your computer. You must use an extra monitor for that. I did not find this a big deal. Also, it seems every time you put in a new tape you have to turn off the deck for about 5 seconds for the computer to recognize it. Again, once you figure it out it's not a big deal. Other than that it was real easy to use. I spent a lot of time researching this. I transferred almost 1 terabyte worth of video. I was very happy with the deck. Some of these tapes were 20 years old and although some gave me trouble I was able to transfer every bit of footage. I did purchase a Sony dry type head cleaner and used it. About $30.00. I hope my research and review helps someone out there. Thanks, Steve.

May be the last of its type to play both analog 8 and digital 8. Have been told Sony's newer digital8 camcorders are not backward compatible! Only drawback to this item (our business now has 4 of them) is that as they age, the circuit boards start to give the wrong instructions, i.e., our oldest model will often go into record mode when hitting "play." Suggest you always close record tab (why did Sony reverse the record tab procedure that other tape formats use????) before hitting play and the problem will not occur. This has been a vital item for our video transfer business, but not necessarily an item the average consumer needs.

Pioneer DVR-2910 Internal SATA DVD/CD Writer 20X, Black

This drive works as advertised. sturdier than the drive that came with the computer. The E-SATA connections couldn't be any easier. No having to figure out and deal with the jumpers was a nice surprise. Just plug it in and turn the computer on.

This is a great DVD drive. It is fast and does what I needed it too. It did not come with a SATA cable so your going to have to buy one, it came with some software, but it pretty much was useless. I opted for my own software. I did like the burn DVD, CD software that it included; however my MOBO had better software included in its package.

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Pros: Quiet when operating (can't hear it at all over my PC fans). Works at speeds advertised. Works with every media I've tried it with so far (multiple brands of CD-R's, DVD-R's, and DVD-RW's). Not a single bad burn so far. Reads all CDs and DVDs so far with no problems.

Cons: Somewhat slow to spin up upon first inserting a disc. Eject button on the front is extremely flimsy, so much so that I feel I need to be careful not to bust it off whenever I press it. Very lightweight compared to my old one, which makes me wonder how cheap the internal parts are, however doesn't seem to be an issue so far based on experience.

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Q-See QT4516-1TB 16Channel DVR Real Time CIF/D1 Resolution H.264 Replaces QT426-1

got it delivered at 3pm and had it setup in two hours. Works great, can watch and record from my phone or tablet. Very straightforward setup and intuitive user interface.

do what it is suppost to do. so far all is good. need to read instructions and be patience.

call for assistance when first set up, did not read instruction, call customer support they were very helpful and they solve the problem. thanks.

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Sanyo Xacti VPC-CG9 9MP Flash Memory Camcorder with 5x Optical Zoom (Silver)

Very happy with the picture and movie quality, using it mostly for family and recreation. The battery last about an hour, depending on the use, which is not quite enough for a whole day. I will have to get a car charger, an extra battery or both.

But I have some more remarks about USB, batteries and recharging.

Looking at my RAZR cellphone, I have a standard USB plug, the phone recharges over this very same cable when connected to the computer while transferring some pictures and contacts etc., and car chargers with standard USB connecter are to be found in almost every store which offers car chargers, i.e. Walmart for $8. And to recharge, I don't have to take out the battery from the phone: just plug in. And the AC-charger is still in the box, never to be used, and not cluttering any power strip.

Not so the Xacti: it has a propriatary USB cable, which requires me to bring this cable with me if I want to connect this camera to some other computer, let's say at friends or relative's house, or an internet cafe. Furthermore: it doesn't recharge over the USB connection, which means if I return home with an empty battery I have to first take out the battery and recharge, then replace the battery, connect to the computer, and then I can watch my stuff. Also I have to get an extra car charger, of which I have already quite an assortment in my glove department.

So I'm going to buy an extra battery (original Sanyo $49), a car charger, and an SDHC reader, which will hopefully ease some of the restrictions. But unfortunately it will just add to all this electronic clutter, which I actually try to get rid of.

I love this camera, the price is great for what you get and it's the perfect camera to carry around for those spontaneous "Kodak moments" in life. The reviewer who compared this to an HD camera I think was expecting a little too much bang for their buck. You get what you pay for. I also like this camera because at this price if something happens to it I wouldn't be too devastated which is just what I'm looking for in something that is in my purse on a day to day basis.

The size and shape of this camera are very nice. I bought a small padded camera case and keep it in my purse all the time. It also takes nice still pictures so it's the only camera I carry now.

Inside performance is pretty good. I had to adjust the ISO on a few occasions and sometimes the white balance, but the fact that these options are even available on a camera at this price is enough to recommend it. There are also pre-set modes for using in florescent light, fireworks, etc. in case you're not comfortable trying to adjust these yourself.

Outside performance is excellent. You can see a little pixelation on tv playback if you look for it, but nothing that's distracting. Focus works very well using optical zoom, and as long as you don't zoom too far in you can even get a good enough picture using the digital zoom (I have digital zoom turned off). Play back on the camera lcd and on my computer screen is excellent.

The camera also has wind roar reduction and image stabilization. I did notice some shaking in my videos even with image stabilization on, but nothing major. Wind roar reduction seems to work very well. I shot some video near the construction that is going on at my job on a mildly windy day and both the roar of the wind and the construction was cut considerably, yet I could still hear myself and my subject talking.

I am using my camera with an 8 gb sd card and set for the highest settings (9mp for stills, you can set it to fake a higher setting but why?). I can record about 2 1/2 hours of video on an 8 gb at the highest quality setting and take about 2,000 stills. These numbers will both vary as you record video and take stills on the same card. You can also take still while you are filming but this will cause a little lag in your filming according to the manual (I haven't tried this yet so I can't say how bad it is). Focus sometimes takes a second or two to catch up as you pan or zoom in and out but nothing too disappointing and to be expected with a cmos sensor.

At this price I would definitely recommend this camera. The price has actually gone down by about $25 since I bought it (wonder if I can get a price adjustment *smile*). If you are looking for something to record the kids or to carry around on vacations, this is a great little camera. I just wish it had come with a wrist strap and a carrying case. It would also have been nice for them to include more internal memory on a camera that has such high resolution for video and stills.

Buy Sanyo Xacti VPC-CG9 9MP Flash Memory Camcorder with 5x Optical Zoom (Silver) Now

I was looking for a camera to replace my Handycam DVD803 which didn't work with Vista or Mac leaving me with a $900 useless camera. I had several criteria for the new camera I wanted to buy:

1) Longer recording time than 30mins (one disc on a Handycam)

2) Battery life more than 90mins

3) Can film in 60 fps

4) Can also shoot sequential stills

5) Be portable

6) Be under $400

7) Work with Vista

8) Good sound recording

As I bought the Sanyo, I really wondered how it would do considering the price tag. Here is how it worked for each criteria:

1) With an additional $50 at the store I got a three year accidental warranty and a 4GB SDHC Card. In 30 fps best quality I can film for 2h 40mins. Already a plus.

2)The battery life is about 110 mins but the battery is so small and cheap it's easy to get and carry a spare. Also a plus.

3)This camera can film in 60 fps. Yet another plus.

4)There are two modes for sequential shooting. 8MP but not so fast and 2MP but you get ten pictures after two seconds.

5)This thing is tiny!

6)Price is way under $400

7)The camera acts as a card reader so even if you don't have one on your PC you can easily transfer files. WARNING: If you want to use Windows Movie Maker as an editing software DON'T buy this camera. Although I blame it on windows, the MPEG-4 format does not work with Window Movie Maker on Vista so you'll need to get another editer. That was just about my only disapointment so far.

8) When in a quite room, the sound is crystal clear.

Also, this camera has loads of features from Macro to Timer to Voice recording. Don't listen to people who say it's a begginer camcorder, you can do a lot with this thing.

Overall great camera for the price you're paying. The video quality is so good I wonder how amazing the HD1000 must be.

If this is your first camera, go for it. I strongly recommend it.

Read Best Reviews of Sanyo Xacti VPC-CG9 9MP Flash Memory Camcorder with 5x Optical Zoom (Silver) Here

I'll try to add some details to this review later, but I wanted to provide everyone with my evaluation after agonizing over these 2 cameras (and others).

Now remember, I've been a Sony video enthusiast since the mid-80's, but nothing compares to these 2 Sanyo cameras in the consumer video category in my opinion.

The main reason is that you have to be crazy to record anything but MP4 directly to flash memory / media cards today. It's just TOO easy to download and play your video on your computer or Youtube, etc. (as easy as downloading and using photos from your digital camera). This is NOT the case with other video cameras and their recording formats.

I originally purchased the CG9 because it was so small I knew I would carry it everywhere. After some questionable indoor videos with the CG9 I purchased the HD1000 even though I didn't really need high definition.

Before the pros jump all over me, I will admit that both of these cameras have shortcomings. For example, there's no question that Sanyo's image stabilization can't compare to the optical stabilization of the Sony. And yes, when the HD1000 records at true HD (1920) you need to get a special version of Quicktime (v7.16, H.264 component only) and you need a kick-a__ computer if you want to edit those big files. Get over it. So for most home videos record at 720 HD, or even at 640 the quality from this camera is outstanding.

Also, it should be obvious that the HD1000 ($650) will come with features that are superior to the CG9 ($250), including a better lense, higher resolution, etc.. These differences should be expected when you pay an extra $400.

Here's what you really need to consider when deciding between these 2 cameras (and any other video camera on the market right now):

MP4 file format straight from the camera is a must. If you agree, then read on:

CG9:

The CG9 takes GREAT video, and is DECIDEDLY more "pocketable". I mean this baby will fit in your pocket just like a cell phone, and you'll carry it wherever you go. The HD1000 is still small, but the extra 3/4" thickness and bigger lense makes it surprisingly less "pocketable".

The quality of low light indoor video, as well as image stabilization is questionable.

HD1000:

The HD1000 takes GREATER video, and is MUCH easier to operate and hold steady that extra size fits in your hand better and the controls are much easier to use without jerking the camera. Don't underestimate this just because you think maybe you have a bigger or smaller hand. I was as surprised as anyone how much easier it was to hold steady.

The HD1000 takes much better video in low light (e.g. birthday party with indoor lighting at night), and the image stabilization is surprisingly better than the CG9.

The bottom line is they're both great but even though I really hate to give up the small pocket format I'll be returning my CG9 on Monday morning and looking forward to hundreds of instant shoot and play MP4 videos from my HD1000!

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The Sanyo Xacti CG9 is a solid 'Entry Level' camcorder for the beginner or average user. The camcorder shoots nice video actually when its on the 60 fps mode. Keep in mind that its always good to shoot with a good amount of light. The digital camera shoots really nice high-rez images st 9 megapixel maximum.

Just remember that this camercorder is NOT HD and not meant for the advanced user. Its basic. Very easy to use. Great for everyday use taking pics of the kids, videos etc. Works great with iMovie 06 and 08.

Great job Sanyo!

HP Pavilion DV7-6b78us Entertainment Notebook/ 2nd generation Intel Core i7-2630QM Processor 2.00GH

I own a couple of this model ,for 2 months now ,got it from office depot for $700.00 a piece ,Pros good quality build, i7 quad cores 8 treads is more than capable on any task I put this machine through,keyboard is very responsive,dual harddrive compartments ,screen quality better that my 17 inch toshiba satelite, 6 gig ram is big enough memory I push this computer to the limit and it will only use a bout 4 gig of ram space so no need to waste your money on upgrading your ram to more than 6 gig ,also the i7 quadcores 8 hypertrades cores is alot of cores if your doing basic stuff your only ganna use about 3 to 4 treads at a time ,unless your using it for photoshop CS5 ,photoshop ligthroon 4.0 or gaming then 4 to 6 threads will start to kick in ,but if you used any 3D programs like ZBrush or Maya ,then you will start to used 6 to 8 threads but still it wont even used more than 60 percent CPU power because you have 8 cores spreading the load ,so unless your into 3d stuff you really dont need the i7 ,the i5 will do great and youll save some of that hard earn money ,even the AMD A8 quadcore series APU models will also be powerful enough ,the way I see it i7 quadcore 8 threads models are for people who have money to waste or for people who thinks its really that much of a defferent when it comes to power ,but I believe its all about tricking you people to spend more money ,beware do not spend more money on things that you dont even need ,the reason why I bought this computer is to test the power and because I work on computers to be familiar with latest stuff,Cons the hard drive is only 5400rpm having 7200rpm would be better ,the harddrive tend to heat up because of lacking ventalation holes and the harddrive is pack so tight in the first comparment,simple fix take the harddrives cover drill bigger holes ,also transfer the harddrive from first to the second compartment because it has more space to cool down,also be careful on taking out and put in the harddrive Ram cover back ,its very fragile almost impossible to take out and put back in with out damaging the pigs that hold it in place ,to take the cover out push the battery release to the opposite side that will help push the harddrive-Ram cover out then just grab and pull slowly ,installing it back in , the last part that came off is the first one to go in if your not sure what your doin dont atempt or youll just damage the cover pigs and it will never stay back in ....

I've owned this computer for about a year now.

Primarily, I'm a gamer... Why didn't I purchase an Alienware? overpriced. The graphics card in this system is a 1 gig dedicated card. Once you figure out how to lock it to this graphics... you will have a much better experience.

The only thing I wish I did was install an ssd drive for a boot drive. My kid and Fiance decided to upgrade my memory to 16 gig... Didn't make a big deal. i'd go 8 if I had ot do it over, and spend the balance on the SSD. Other than that... I'm completely happy with this system. Fast, I7, Good size HD/ Enough ram to not need anything.

Don't worry about the system. It will handle almost vertyhing thrown at it.

Buy HP Pavilion DV7-6b78us Entertainment Notebook/ 2nd generation Intel Core i7-2630QM Processor 2.00GH Now

HP has very good customer service. I bought used laptop and found that the battery doesn't work. I called HP and they helped me to solve the problem. Now I don't have any complains. It works fast and doesn't overheat.

The only CON is the bottom cover you must be VERY careful removing it. Pins are very fragile and it's easy to break them.

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Im having to replace the charging cord already replaced the battery, the webcam cord was loose, the computer was scraped on the top. all in all im pissed but I guess I will live!

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I have owned this laptop for several months and it has a wonderful i7 processor, plenty of memory and a large hard drive. The 17 inch monitor and keyboard is great for editing Excel, Word and PowerPoint presentations along with watching movies. The speakers are good, too! Most importantly, the battery life gets 8-9 hours of continuous use depending on what is running. Overall, I highly recommend this laptop if you want a powerhouse, portable computer.

Memorex 4.7GB 8x Printable DVD+R (100-Pack Spindle)

I have had a lot of luck with Memorex DVD+R in the past but unfortunately my luck ran out with this 100 pack. Memorex discs are made by several different companies. Some disc manufacturers are known for quality and some are known for putting out useless garbage. The Memorex 4.7GB 8x Printable DVD+R (100-Pack Spindle) that I received was made by CMC, a company well known for it's garbage. I thought about returning the spindle right away but I thought I would try them to see how well they worked. Well, their reputation of making garbage is well deserved. So far I have gone through 30 of the 100 discs and have had 25 coasters that did not pass Nero's verify disc process and produced lots of errors in Nero's scan disc. It didn't help to burn these at a slower 4x, they were still garbage. The last spindle of Memorex printable DVD+R that I purchased right here on Amazon was the 4x 100 pack. They turned out to be made by MCC, a company well known for its quality. I didn't have any problems with them at all. Some of the Memorex non-printable discs I have purchased were made by Ritek, a company with a decent reputation. I had very few problems with them as well. So if you're looking for some DVD+R printable media I'd have to recommend avoiding this 8x and sticking with the 4x Memorex for now. Hopefully Memorex will go back to using quality manufactures to making their products for them.

I wish I had seen the other review before ordering this. He was right on the money! Unfortunately I used these DVD+R's to make some Christmas gifts and already gave them out. I have had such good luck w/ Memorex CD and DVD products in the past I guess I just started taking it for granted. I'm sure I'll have friends calling me in the next week or two asking why the DVD's don't work for them. Maybe I'll just point them to this product on Amazon's site and wish them a Merry Christmas. I'll probably order the 4x pack today and try to get them back out between Christmas and New Years day.

A statement well made, stick with the 4x DVD+R from memorex. I have gone through many of them and have had no problems. I have a HP300i 4x internal burner and a LiteOn external 12x burner and neither have had any media related issues w/ the Memorex 4x products.

Hope this helps!

Buy Memorex 4.7GB 8x Printable DVD+R (100-Pack Spindle) Now

All the previous reviews need to be updated. CMC Mag's 8X or speedier media have improved significantly since the 4X. As long as your burner is not one of those 1st or 2nd generation (AKA 2.4X or 4X) burners which do not have the writing strategy for the faster media like the 8X (requires firmware update); then you should have no problem with the new CMC media. Anyway, it is still not worth 70 cents a piece, maybe 50 cents.

In general, the quality of newer media starts from 8X is much better for all manufacturers, but I still don't want to touch Optidisc, Princo, and An32 media code discs.

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Like other poor victims that bought this 100 dvds like me, I had a good experience before with Memorex DVD-R 4x not printable surface, so I thought WOW memorex DVD+R in 8x !! but I waste my money, I got it and try 2 DVD in 8x and it give a lot of errors in my dvd player, so I have to burn them in 4x to make them work in my dvd player...SO DON'T WASTE YOUR MONEY IN THIS PRODUCT....SOUNDS GOOD IN THE BOX BEFORE YOU TRY IT !!!!

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DON'T DO IT!!!!

THINK AGAIN!!!!

In truth I insult good garbage. These discs are worse.

Over the past year I used over 500 4x printables, and in thaqt time I had 1 Coaster. 7 out of 7 with these. Discs always gave disc dirty error in player. Defects in the media itself. Visible to the naked eye on 3 of them.

Returned the rest of the spindle for a refund.

If you need your media to work the first time, you cannot trust Memorex.

Coolerguys 120x120x25mm USB Fan with Grill

I purchased a new PS3 for my kids to play games and for me to watch Bluray movies. I've been told that the PS3 runs hot and it might be a problem if kept in an enclosed TV cabinet. I purchased this USB fan with mounting kit. I cut a hole in the back panel of my cabinet to install the fan, then plugged it into the PS3. It turns on and off with the PS3. For a while I kept a digital thermometer in with the PS3, and the fan did a great job.

Product Description:

-1200 RPM

-Appox. 4-3/4" square x 1" deep

-This efficient little fan moves 44 CFM using only 1.15 watts of power.

-It's rated for 50,000 hours at 40C or 104F, (That's over 17 years @ 8 hrs/day)

-The USB cord is 20" long.

FYI A standard USB port supplies 5 vdc.

I mounted one of these in the top of an electrical motor control cabinet to eliminate heating issues.

A 4-1/2" holesaw works well for this application.

If you're planning to plug this fan into a 120v wall outlet, you'll need a 120v/usb adaptor.

These adaptors are also available from amazon and they don't cost much.

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First off I needed a fan to cool some components in a auido/video cabinet.

So I bought 2 of these and also 2 of the thermaltake usb Fans.

Bottom Line The thermaltake fans are cheaper and work much better.

i hooked these up to a powered usb supply which then was on a remote, so both fans are on a remote. otherwise if you plug them into your xbox they will always be on. They sound alittle louder then the xbox fan

With the cooler guys fan I could not feel any air coming out, noise level was alittle less then the thermaltake, but with thermaltake lower the adjustment and it made it the same noise level with alot more air coming out. The cable is very short when compared to the thermaltake and not adjustable.

So overall Go with the thermaltake fans, you will be much happier. Thermaltake fans Noise Level is great for the amount of air they push. These fans are adjustable so if they are to loud you can turn them down abit and you can still feel the air coming out. These fans are awesome for the price, they get the job done and the fans are well made, they have a stand that is removable if needed and cable is long if needed.

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Have had three Coolerguys USB Fans running in my entertainment center for over a year. Still running. Sound is very quiet. I love the USB fans. They do a great job of keeping the electronics cool while it is running. I would highly recommend.

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I was looking for a 120mm USB fan that I could pair with my older model Roku XDS Streaming Player 1080p.

They are the exact same size, so this fan sits on top to pull hot air out of the unit (picture above).

The fan is quiet and provides sufficient airflow to keep the Roku cool.

I also considered Thermaltake AF0007 Mobile Fan 12 USB Fan * 120 mm Diameter 4.7 Height x 4.7 Width x 1.0 Depth but decided in favor of this one because:

1) The Coolerguys fan has a UBS passthrough plug, so you can still connect your external hard drive or other USB device without disconnecting the fan.

...(Thermaltake instead has a retractable cord).

2) The Coolerguys fan has all-black construction and doesn't stand out from the rest of my equipment.

...(Thermaltake instead has bare metal attachments).

3) The Coolerguys fan comes with 4 rubber feet that you can stick to bottom of the fan when it is mounted horizontally.

...(Thermaltake instead comes with a vertical stand).

4) The Thermaltake fan comes with a speed adjustment knob, but I decided that I didn't need it because I figured that either fan would already be quiet enough without being slowed down.

I also considered buying a standard 120mm computer case fan + USB or wall adapter, but the pricing in either case was comparable to the above.

If I could change one thing:

The sticky rubber feet -they are fine if you do not intend to move the device, but a better solution would be one that uses the pre-drilled holes in the corners (such as the rubber pushpins or gaskets that are normally used to reduce vibration when mounted to a computer case). That way you wouldn't have to worry about the feet falling off and getting lost (happened once during setup).

Marantz CD5004 CD Player

• Analog audio circuits featuring HDAM®-SA2, High performance Cirrus Logic stereo D/A converter, Current-buffered headphone output
• Audio EX mode for super-quiet performance
• MP3/WMA playback capability, Variable pitch control, Adjustable Quick Replay, CD-Text, MP3/WMA tag data display
• Independent gold plated analog output jacks, IR Flasger Input, IEC type detachable power code
• ELNA Silmic Cerafine Series High Grade Audio Capacitors
• Multiple repeat, random, program, edit play modes
• Pitch control for CD-DA
• Plays CD and CD-R RW, MP3, WMA, CD DA
• Super audio CD grade 192kHz 24-bit cirrus logic CS4392 DAC

Let me start by saying that I am more of an analogue fan (I like the warm natural sound of lps). I also play bass so I like systems which can reproduce this instrument well.

I needed to replace a Carver 490t which after 20 years of use was starting to fail. I wanted something that sounded pretty good and that the kids could abuse.

This unit fits the bill. The Marantz CD5004 does not quite compare with my previous CD which has tubes and which was an exceptional unit for it era. I must say it however comes pretty close. The Carver was $1,200 when I bought it so I did not expect the Marantz could match it and it does not. Doing a side by side test reveals that the Carver is more musical and that it offers a larger sound stage. Its highs are also more natural and less sizzling. The bass is richer and more profound. The overall tone is warmer and more musical. All this is easy to notice with jazz or classical music. When it comes to rock and dance music, the Marantz does quite well because it actually beats the Carver for dynamics. The CD5004 is a hard hitting unit without being fatiguing to the ear. Doing a blind listening test, I could easily sort the Marantz from the Carver with jazz but not with rock.

I guess it speaks volume for Marantz that a $350 unit would come close to a $1,200 unit that was well rated for its era. Note also that the differences I describe can be heard if you pay attention and if you listen to this CD player on a good system. I tend to believe that anybody short of an audiophile would be quite satisfied with this CD player. It offers an amazing value for its price.

I added this review because there is very little written on this CD player.

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I've had the player a little over two weeks now and each time I play a CD for the first time with it I appreciate it more and more. With this grade of D/A converter you of course expect natural high end and great overall imaging, but the thing that continues to impress me the most is the fullness of the center low frequency image. It's tight and full and doesn't waver at different frequencies. I listen to many different types of music and this player brings out the best (and the worst) of all those recordings.

I highly recommend this product for anyone who has a good sized collection of standard CDA's.

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I needed a CD player with headphone capability, but more quality and refinement of sound than the excellent $108 Teac CD-P1260. In the $300 to $500 price range there is no competition, so I decided to try this Marantz CD-5004 (a recent upgrade of the CD-5003). It is a beautifully operating machine with a more refined sound than I had previously heard. The high degree of resolution results in sound that is more detailed and thus more sensuously beautiful and true to the original sound than I thought CD was capable of. And the headphone output using AKG K701 phones is stunning. Unless you want to spend a lot more, or get involved with external headphone amplifiers or preamps with headphone jacks, this beautifully operating player is my recommendation. The supplied manual (in English, French and Spanish) is clear and complete.

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OMG! OMG! I'd been listening to distortion all these years and had thought that it was music. This is an exceptional instrument which won't become obsolete in the near future. Every CD I've played with it has surprised me with details I hadn't imagined were there before, but its strong suit is presence. The mid range is pure and defined to an extent that I didn't think was possible in a unit costing less than $400. In short, this player is an outstanding value!

Update, November 2012: I still love it!

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This CD player offer a absolutely great value for it's price.

I also used it directly with headphone (Grado SR325i) and it deliver a nice and balance sound.

The internal circuit headphone is very good.

So here you get a very good CD player plus a excellent headphone amplifier.

Details are precise and the overall is really musical. For it's price I can assure you that any difficult audiophile like me

will be really happy. The construction is well made and it looks very nice.

This CD player can easy be compared with much more expensive units.

Strongly recommended if you are looking for the best deal in town.