It's very good, but it's got this strange buzzing/squeaking/screeching noise in video. Also, it doesn't seem to have flash for still pictures. Those are the only complaints that I really have.
Tuesday, November 11, 2014
Jazz DVX50 Video Recorder with Camera, LCD Color Screen, YouTube Ready, facebook, flickr, & myspace
It's very good, but it's got this strange buzzing/squeaking/screeching noise in video. Also, it doesn't seem to have flash for still pictures. Those are the only complaints that I really have.
Monday, November 10, 2014
Sony HDR-FX1 3-CCD HDV High Definition Camcorder w/12x Optical Zoom
Indie Filmmaker here, always looking out for a better camera!The Sony HDV series is an astonishing technology
Don't let people tell you that the footage is "too compressed" ---technically, it is, but once it gets on screen, it looks stunning!
I haven't done much filming with this camera ---but I have seen its footage and edited its footage
Both on television and the computer monitor, I was impressed with its 'look' ---very detailed and extremely clear
Editing was a BREEEEEZE with this footage! I edited on Final Cut Pro and could composite 5 layers all above each other, each with a different opacity, and FCP's real time engine kept up without having to render! Thus, the compressed footage makes editing EASY but Sony has managed to make a beautiful picture out of this stuff too
For the Indie Filmmakers out there ---test one out before purchasing..... I find the Sony HDV to be the most clear look out there --emulating a beautifully shot NFL game on HD..... but for cinematic looks, I still may stick with the Panasonic DVX100, as there is a more cinema feel to that one
hope that helps
HAPPY BUYING!!!!I am a student filmmaker and I just bought this camera from sonystyle.com. Its a great consumer camcorder. It does not offer true HD picture quality but it does offer true HD resolution. If you want a HD camera that rivals film cameras expect to spend 50 to 100 thousand dollars.
The best thing about the camera is its resolution and true 16:9 aspect ratio. If you hate the 16:9 squeeze mode on other camcorders this is the camcorder for you. some people are disappointed about the camcorder lacking a progressive scan mode, 720p. its debated if 720p is true HD. the HDR-FX1 shoots 1080i which is true HD resolution. If 1080i shot progressive scan it would go outside the bandwidth limit. So if you plan to transfer it to film one should get software with de-interlacing capabilities.
Over all the minor flaws will piss off professionals, but they have to realize at the moment true HD is only 1080i not 1080p. The lack of XLR inputs will also hurt the camcorder but there are ways around that to. One big worry is the amount of compression that occurs while shoot HDV on a MiniDV tape. From what I have experience the compression is not a major factor to worry about yet until I do more testing. Over all this is a superior camcorder compared to regular DV camcorders. 24p is not the only thing that give the film look. Aspect ratio and detail are very important as well. The resolution and detail is far superior to any other consumer camcorder. If detail and resolution are top of your list, than this is the camcorder for you, once the editing software comes out for it.
Buy Sony HDR-FX1 3-CCD HDV High Definition Camcorder w/12x Optical Zoom Now
Addendum 3/30: To correct the guy correcting me 2 reviews above. In regular mini-dv mode with widescreen, there is definitely a wider picture. Focus on one item and switch modes, you will see the picture get wider. HD mode is anamorphic 4:3 stretched to fit 16x9, but keeps the aspect ratio so everything doesn't look stretched. I've run tests and know what I am saying. Do you?Recently shot my Uncle's wedding in Widescreen, and played the video back on his widescreen TV. The aspect ratio of the image is accurate and not stretched. Yes, this shoots in widescreen, but not in hi-def at the same time.
Original review:
My first "prosumer" camcorder I ever owned and I love it. The color reproduction is phenomenal and has great features. A few caveats may scare away people looking for something more, but this is more of a VERY HIGH END consumer item. Not for the novice, but someone with more shooting talent than the average person. If you want a TRUE HD professional camera, spend 15+ grand and stop knocking this one.
A bother to me was that regular mini-dv can record in true 16:9 mode. While the HD mode is anamorphic 4:3. (Stretched to fit 16:9) The wide-angle lens can fix that for about $500 more.
But if you are transferring to regular DVD's, you can still shoot mini DV widescreen because DVD doesn't record in HD.
So, unless you are transferring to HD DVD, like blu-ray, you have the BEST consumer/prosumer widescreen camcorder available.
Rated at about 3lux, low light doesn't harm this baby much. I find the accessories can be pricey too, but that is the cost you pay when you go prosumer. Everything else is for beginners and amateurs.
Tip: Get a long life battery. Sony 970 is recommended for longest life, but the 960 served me well for a days shooting/standby with plenty time left over. Get the light too!
Did I mention women love men with big camcorders? {:-p
NP-970 Battery:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B0006G3BHW/ref=cm_aya_asin.title/002-0715528-1432846?%5Fencoding=UTF8&v=glance
Read Best Reviews of Sony HDR-FX1 3-CCD HDV High Definition Camcorder w/12x Optical Zoom Here
Hello, I bought my Sony HDR-FX1 about a month ago from amazon.com and let me just say that this camera is amazing. The resolution, when on a computer is 1920x1080. That right there is enough to sell the camera! Its great for me because i work with CG and CMI, the higher the resolution, the more accurate you can be. This is also great for blue/greenscreening as the high resolution, and the amazing color. There are several different modes to shoot in (all are customizable) you will mostly want to make sure you shoot in Cinemaframe30 or Cinemaframe24 because it will look just like film. You can also adjust how much color is allowed in, standard it is at "0" but you can up the color so much that its more vibrant then most movies. The new willy wonka movie has broad, powerful colors and this camera can easily achieve that. I would talk more about this camera but im out of time (great DOF). So dont get stuck in the Canon Xl2 fad where you pay 3,000 more dollars for a crappier camera.Want Sony HDR-FX1 3-CCD HDV High Definition Camcorder w/12x Optical Zoom Discount?
Sony HDR-FX1 3-CCD HDV High Definition Camcorder w/12x Optical ZoomJust one word of warning, the camera can get heavy, especially if you use the standard battery it makes the camera very front heavy, but oh well.
This camera is totally customizable in which it is either all auto, manual or some of both. It has 5 presets that are customizable. The cool features about these presets are that you can get a 24p, 30p (cineframe and cinetone), and 60i modes. The 24p and 30p refers to the "film" setting. You can record in true 16:9 widescreen or standard 4:3 letterbox. The high def mode will only do 16:9. I wouldn't listen to anyone who says the widescreen is a stretched 4:3, because its not. You can also hook in headphones, and an XLR adapter. This comes with a 2-hr battery. There are just 3 things I have beef with about this camera. One is the fact that it doesn't have XLR inputs you'd think that after spending 3K on a camera you'd get some. 2nd: It records in 1080i. Not exactly terrible. 1080i is not true HD, but nor is 720p. True HD is 1920x1080p. But, recording at this high of resolution means spending more money. 3rd: This thing can't record in 24p.
I'm a video production major and I love this camera. It not really just a consumer camera, but a professional consumer camera. I highly recommend it, its well worth your money. Yeah it has come cons, but I think every camera will. This is by far one of the best on the market.
Wednesday, October 29, 2014
Toshiba SD-P1400 7-Inch Portable DVD Player

- Plays DVD, CD, VCD, DVD-R/RW, CD-R/RW, WMA, MP3, and JPEG formats
- Lightweight, portable 7-inch LCD screen with versatile DVD player
- S-video and composite-video inputs, RCA and coaxial digital audio out
- Surround sound, stereo speakers, two headphone jacks
- Measures 7.9 x 1.1 x 6.4 inches (W x H x D), weighs 3.2 pounds
I use my player daily at work to listen to DVDs, CDs and MP3 CDs and even after well over a year, I have yet to have a problem. I've found it to be a durable machine, despite all the bumps and knocks it has taken. I've read other reviews that said the volume levels weren't loud enough. Through the speakers that may be true, but with a $10 pair of headphones from Walmart the volume was more than adequate, even on a plane. The dual headphone jacks are handy when you have 2 people who want to watch, the screen is bright and clear, and it's lightweight enough to put in a backpack or carry on. The battery life is great, charges up in a couple of hours and it lasts for 5 6 hours. It was a real lifesaver during the last 4 hurricanes here in Florida. If you're in the market for an affordable, dependable machine, this is the one to buy.
Buy Toshiba SD-P1400 7-Inch Portable DVD Player Now
I bought this dvd player few weeks back and last weekend was true test for it. We had a long trip to LA and had very good experience with it. Here are the good things and not so good things about it so far.Goods
1) Very good battery time. The battery has been lasting for quite long. I did not check the actual usage time, but it lasted on and off two one hour dvd and had charge left. I bought a power inverter for the car so that I can keep the battery charged.
2) Very clear and sharp picture.
3) I like the color combination and general style of the player. My 21 month old daughter likes the sharp color and design.
4) Plays mp3 ! The interface to play mp3 cds is great and quite intuitive.
5) Have not tried yet, but plays dvd-rw/r. Which is a big plus since lots of my daughters tv shows are burned on dvds.
Not so good:
1) Sound from speaker is poor. But then again you probably already knew that from other posts. However, the sound for headphone is also poor. I connected output from headphone to car stereo and often I had to really crank up the volume on car stereo and the dvd player to get decent volume.
2) It seems to be tempermental with older dvd and vcd/cd. A few of the dvds I tried to play were borrowed from public library. Those were a bit scratched. Sometimes the player played them fine and sometimes it just refused to play at all. It also for some reason still unknown refuses to play my original Matrix dvd. So in general it has problems reading DVD sometimes.
3) Does not play SACD, dvd+rw/r
4) Does not come with carrying case. Most other companies bundle a carrying case, but not this one. I bought one from walmart for 15$ which seems to be ok if not great. I wish they would suppply a carrying case for it in future that will truly fit it.
Read Best Reviews of Toshiba SD-P1400 7-Inch Portable DVD Player Here
I recently purchased this player from Best Buy. The good things about it: Slim design, easy to use, very good picture and just the overall look of the player. Bad things: bad speakers and easily lost battery cover. As for the speakers, another reviewer said they're bad because it's portable and they can't make great speakers for such things. Check out the sound on some of the tiny Sangean digital radios you can buy here on Amazon; remarkable sound quality and the speakers are even smaller than the SD-P1400! In the end, I think you'll do yourself a big favor by going with the Audiovox D1501: fantastic sound and picture; a bit more bulky but you can save yourself over $100.00. And a FULL 12 month warranty on both parts and labor.Want Toshiba SD-P1400 7-Inch Portable DVD Player Discount?
I picked this dvd player up at a best buy about a week ago, and I have to say i was somewhat impressed with it.First lets discuss the screen. This screen is very high quality for the money you pay because Toshiba has made laptops for many years and has experience im making lcd screens like this one. The picture quality is very sharp and can be fine tuned to your taste.
Next are the speakers. Many people conclude that these speakers are very low quality and too quite to use. While i would not deem them worthless, i would agree that they are very quiet and have no bass. But again there is a reason for this. Portable dvd players are made to be just that-portable. For something to be portable, it has to be small and for something to be small, it has to have small components. The reason for lack of sound quality and volume is that these speakers are small to make the dvd player small nand portable. As for me, this is not a problem as my family in the car would not appreciate hearing my movies and i would be using headphones anyway.
The dvd player itself seems to be very dependable, although it is somewhat noisy (again, headphones would keep this from being a problem too you as they would cover up the noise). Also, you have to make sure the disc as all the way on the spindle, as sometimes only two of the three push-pin thingys are holding the disc in place and it pops out when you start up the dvd player.
From what i've seen, the battery is compitant, although it is hard to review that because i have not actually used it for all three hours and timed it and i have only charged it once. Also, this player comes with all the cables you would need to hook it up to a tv/vcr or to get power too it. The remote is comveniantly small and has all the controls you would need, save the volume control because that is a little wheel thingy that you turn to adjust the volume.
Really the only complaints i have with this dvd player are minor-low sound quality,somewhat noisy spindle, and a few other things. At first i was planning on getting the polaroid but decided this one was worth the extra 50$ or so, and i am glad i made that decision after reading some of the reviews on the polaroid. Toshiba is a much more reliable brand with lots of experience in this type of electronic device.I would definately recoment this dvd player over any of the other ones in its class. Feel free to email me at Litdbo@yahoo.com if you have any questions.We bought this DVD player primarily to entertain our (toddler) son on long family vacations, but we didn't feel that spending $500+ dollars for a "top of the line" one was worth it. For the price ($250) this DVD player did the job. The battery lasts for the promised 3 hours sometimes more and recharges quickly. The screen is nice and clear and big enough. The speakers, as it's been pointed out aren't that great, they kind of remind me of an old transistor radio, no matter what setting you put them on (what do you expect for 2" speakers). But the sound is excellent through headphones (I've used $60 noise cancelling headphones and $5 off the rack at Target headphones and both provided excellent sound). The DVD player plays both prerecorded DVDs (even the Lion King that someone else said they had a problem with) as well as the DVD-R's that I've burned on my home computer. As it's been pointed out, the spindle is kinda loud during fast forward or chapter skipping, but who really cares, I'd rather have a noisy spindle than lug a 10 pound quiet DVD player around the airport? Haven't had any problems with skipping or restarting even though it's been bumped around a bit (we are talking about toddler use remember). We haven't used the remote yet as the player is usually within arms reach, nor have I hooked it up to another TV or audio device. My first thought when pulling it out of the box was that it didn't seem very sturdy but it's small, easy to trasport, and durable. The only reason I didn't give it 5 stars is that I haven't used all of the functions. For a basic unit this one seems to stand up to the toddler test!
Wednesday, October 8, 2014
Magnavox MPD835 8.5-Inch Multi-Region Portable DVD Player with Built-In Battery (Black)

- Multi-region playback
- Playback with DVD/CD/CD-R/CD-RW
- 2.5 hour built-in battery capacity
- 16:9 LCD widescreen
- Digital coaxial output and AV input/output
Buy Magnavox MPD835 8.5-Inch Multi-Region Portable DVD Player with Built-In Battery (Black) Now
This product would not work. Took over an hour just for the screen to turn on. Then I watched half a movie and the screen died. Obviously bad connection from the player to the screen. It was a piece of crap.Sunday, September 21, 2014
3.5 Inch Small TFT LCD Adjustable Monitor For Security CCTV Camera and car DVR with AV RCA video so
I originally bought this monitor because it says 640x480, which is higher than the typical 320x248 resolution 3.5" monitors for rearview mirrors you get that you can also find on Amazon.After hooking this up to the Raspberry Pi, I can tell you quite definitely that this LCD is NOT 640x480. In fact, it is the same resolution as every other monitor on Amazon, 320x248 (Not to mention the EXACT SAME PRODUCT. I am not kidding. The plastic shell, the buttons, the stand, the plugs, it is 110% the same thing as every other Amazon 3.5" monitor from the same Chinese manufacturer). This is ONE FOURTH of the the promised pixel count. It is nowhere near the resolution that it very clearly says in the specs. The voltage and amp requirements are also unclear, even when no adapter is provided. This means you basically have to roll the dice and connect it to a random power line (which you have do splice wires for) and hope the damn thing doesn't explode while you're doing it.
Product is below-average, specs are a lie, wiring is a pain, price is higher than other apparently exact same low resolution models on Amazon. Do not buy this specific product from this specific manufacturer, you can find the exact same thing on Amazon for $8 cheaper (e.g. 3.5 Inch TFT LCD Monitor for Car / Automobile.
I am extremely disappointed in these dime a dozen manufacturers who do not bother to write accurate specs and sell cheap knock-off goods and then steal cheap knock-off copy-and-paste descriptions.The title says AV RCA video sound input and the picture shows standard Audio, Video and Power conncections. There are no speakers and the Audio (white) jack is actually a second video input. Other than that it is a decent little screen. I paid a little more than similar products on Amazon because it had the audio. My first clue was that there was no volume adjustment. Then I tested, using my DVD player, to make sure. Picture was great but no sound. Other units only have the video and power so I wondered "What is the white jack for?" The description talks about auto switching between V1 and V2 with a special note about how to hook the power up. So, I put the DVR video output to the white jack. Yep, nice picture. Based on the power hookup description I'll guess that V1 is yellow and V2 is white. When V2 is powered up, then the unit automatically switches to V2. I didn't test that though. There are no brightness or contrast adjustments nor is there an on-off switch. I give it a 2 star for what it is compared to what is described. If the description was correct, I'd probably give it a 4 star since it doesn't have any video adjustment although they don't claim there is so maybe even a 5. I'm trying to replace a little 2 inch unit that has brigthness, volume, a little speaker and an on-off switch.
Oh, there are no instructions either. Just what is on the product page.Works just fine for adjusting camera's. Use a 9 volt battery to power it.
Also the menu works like it should.
Makes a good picture...1. I received it within 3 days.
2. It is a compact monitor, very practical to use in the car.
3. It automatically switches between two cameras. It seems like 'white' input is intended for rear view camera, and yellow for front view camera. By default, the monitor displays 'yellow' input signal, however, when you shift rear gear (which should turn on the rear view camera), the monitor receives 'white' input signal and displays rear camera video. Shifting back from rear gear turns off the rear view camera and since there is no 'white' signal, the monitor switches back to 'yellow' (front) camera.
4. Could run on 9V battery (this is how I tested it since it came with no power supply).
5. The menu has options for brightness, contrast, color adjustment, rotation...
6. Would be beneficial if it had a built-in speaker, however, in the car you would probably record nothing but noise.
7. Don't know how long it will last, but so far I would recommend this product.I should have read the reviews, didn't work and i'm very disapointed with it. i got what i paid for, a cheap non working peice of plastic
Thursday, September 18, 2014
NAXA Electronics Portable MP3/CD Player, AM/FM Stereo Radio and USB Input (Black/Blue)

- Top loading MP3/CD player
- AM/FM stereo radio cassette player/recorder
- Built-in USB input
- Bass boost control
- CD & MP3 programmable memory
Noticed that it kept saying there was "NoUSB". even though there was a thumbdrive plugged in. The problem was that it takes about 5 to 10 seconds to read the drive and then the menu appears.
My old boombox had a remote, which was handy when placed on an upper shelf. This unit does not have remote capability so you will have to keep it nearby if you fiddle with the knobs often or want to skip to the next song.
For the price, it is a good quality boombox with a fairly good bass sound.
I also like the aux plug in to plug in my mp3 player through the earphone jack.
It does not come with the aux cable so you need to purchase that seperately. A cable with male earphone jacks on both ends.
My shop is dusty, so I don't use the CD player. The USB MP3 playback capability is really a very handy upgrade compared to my old boombox. Find yourself a low profile thumbdrive that doesn't stick up so much if you are going to use the carry handle often.
Since it is portable, the antenna should be a rubber type instead of the metal telescoping. Just my opinion.
Buy NAXA Electronics Portable MP3/CD Player, AM/FM Stereo Radio and USB Input (Black/Blue) Now
Decent sound. Bought it mostly for the ability to play from a USB drive and auxiliary input which it does fineI'm so mad that I bought this thing. The speakers are horrible and drowned out, it sounds like you are in a cave listening to them. I got it specifically for the USB input and mp3 compatibility but I would warn people to look at other systems. This is definitely not worth $40.00. Piece of junk...no complaints, so far. Easy to use, compact, and sound is good for what you pay. Much more attrative than last cd player. Most are pretty ugly to have around.100hz~13kHz is what the manual says for its frequency response. It only puts out 1.8 watts, but it can get loud. The volume dial is extremely sensitive, and the buttons on the front of the stereo make pretty loud clacking sounds when pushed. I wish I could say it was a click sound, but its a clack. Pretty annoying if you're trying to skip over a song at night, you will wake up others that are in the room. I got this for merely a night radio sort of thing, due to it having a usb port on it. Works very nicely for this use, not so much if you want any bass or treble. Mid-range is its primary ability. Had I known about the buttons clacking as they do, often louder then the music that's playing, I might've skipped this and opt'd for one with a remote, but, it works, its useful, and I no longer have to burn cd's; so that's pretty good, not above average.Wednesday, September 10, 2014
Olympus VN-3600 Digital Voice Recorder
Yes it is a nice and small recorder, and certainly one with the best recording time in it's price. But the Olympus VN-3600 Digital Voice Recorder has a few frustrating flaws.First of all, forget about using low quality recording. You can hardly make out the voices. You can still get 2.5 hours of decent sound out of it at medium quality. That should be plenty for most users.
What's really driving me crazy is the joint buttons for skipping to the next file and for fast forward. Supposedly, if you hold the button, you'll fast forward, a single push will skip. But since both play/pause, next track, previous track and stop are on jog-dial-style button, you can accidentally press stop when you want to fast forward, or fast forward when you want to pause.
Why is this frustrating? Imagine you have recorded an one hour interview and are listening to it. Accidentally pressing next track or stop will skip you from the current point in the recording to the next track or make it stop. You'll have to fast forward to the point where you ended up. And since FF is really that fast, it take a frustrating amount of time. Seperate buttons for fast forward and fast backward would have solved this issue, although there isn't any space for them on the device (since it's so nice and small...)
Maybe this is less of a problem if you've got small finger, although I don't consider mine to be extrodinarily big.
Had I know about this issue in advance, I definately would have opted for another make/model!It's very good gadget. Before buying, keep in mind what the use would be. For memos/reminders/thoughs its great, and for lectures/interviews too. You can use the LP mode to have 6 hours available, but I recommend this mode only for memos, or things that you don't need to keep crystal clear; the recordings in LP mode are understandable.
Sunday, September 7, 2014
Digital Voice Recorder
I bought this recorder so that I could record lectures of my college classes that were harder. You get like 13 hours of playtime when you record on SP which is the best quality. I made a mistake and recorded on LP once and it sounded bad. I could understand it but there were times that there was too much static that I couldn't. The quality of SP though gives you plenty of recording time and it sounds as if you are in the room still. The overall recorder is small and you can plug headphones into it so you can take it on the go to listen. There isn't a USB port though so you can't plug it into the computer to transfer files but with all the recording time it makes it easier to just keep it on the recorder. I am very happy with my purchase.I ordered this to go ghost hunting. I am new at this so did'nt want to invest alot right now. I am very pleased with this little recorder, it has files to store your recording in and numbered playback so you can go right to something you want to listen to again. I am ordering an external mic for this to get a little more clarity.As the title implies, it is not a $300 recorder but it works wonderful for the price. No regrets
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I've done three interviews with this recorder, one with an external mic, and the results have been nothing but horrible. Unless I'm speaking with the recorder a few inches from my mouth, it's garbled. If you're recording yourself and are willing to have the recorder in your face, it's fine. Otherwise, don't waste your money.Read Best Reviews of Digital Voice Recorder Here
I have been very plesed with my digital voice recorder. For the price, it is a great purchase. I especially like the fact that it's lightweight and small. The sound of the recording is very clear, and it is easy to operate. I would highly recommend it.Want Digital Voice Recorder Discount?
I bought this recorder as my Dr. wants me to do some daily logs and I don't want to carry around a pen and paper all day. So, I did not need a professional type recorder.., but I did need one that would do the following:1) Be small and compact, fit into my purse.
2) Be easy to use.
3) Playback clearly enough for me to understand.
4) Record several messages, one after the other.
5) Have an hour or more of recording space.
6) Have an option to easily delete any one or more of the messages.
7) Have the ability to listen to a message in the middle without having to hear every message before it. And also be able to play a message over without having to listen to the rest of the messages that were after it. (My voice mail does that and I hate it.)
It does everything on that list. It runs off two AAA batteries. It's so easy to figure out that I didn't even need to open the instructions to figure out how to use it.
I've used it for a few days and I don't see anything negative at this point. It has a "hold" mode so you can save the batteries. It also has a time stamp feature.
If you need to tape long lectures from someone who is far away from the device you should consider buying a more expensive type of recorder.., that's not what this type is designed for. It may work, but if the sound quality you are recording is poor or echoed, and you're using the lower quality recording mode, (for more time), you might have a hard time hearing it when you play it back.
Wednesday, September 3, 2014
Yamaha DVC6760 DVD Changer, Black

- DVD-Video
- SA-CD
- Yamaha Patented PlayXchange
- 5-Disc
- Progressive Scan
The picture quality is great. I have a SONY HDTV and playing movie with progressive scan (480P) is just amazing. The sound, you know what Yamaha is good at. I am quite satisfied with its performance as a whole.
My only complaint is the boot time is a little bit long. When you power it on, it takes around 10 to 15 sec to open the tray, and takes another 10 to 15 sec to identify the disc. Afterwards however, it works like a champ. 5-disc changer is awesome. I can watch drama on VCDs without leaving sofa.
There were three DVD changers I was considering to buy. Onkyo, the same brand as my amp, is my first choice. But it turns out that it doesn't support DVD+R media (or -R, I forgot. I saw the review on Circuitcity's website and some people do prove this point). So I have only two brands left, Yamaha and Sony. The Sony one (DVP-NC875V) is about $30 cheaper than Yamaha. But Sony doesn't support DivX, which means it cannot play AVI files. Besides, Sony is well known to deliver so-so audio quality. Thus I think $30 is quite worthy to invest Yamaha. And Yamaha DV-C6760 is a NEW model. Yamaha can do whatever Sony can and do it much better, while Sony cannot. $30 is not a big difference, then why not pick up a better one?
By the way, if you own this machine, there is a trick to make it REGION FREE. I did it and it works.
1. open tray and leave it open.
2. pick up the remote, press 99990
3. "REGION 0" appear in left top corner
4. close tray DONE
The last digit is the region code. If you press 99991, it will become "region 1". 99992 is region 2. "0" means "region free". Just leave it region free then you can watch any imported DVDs.
Edit (8/12/2005):
1. This player also supports .srt (subtitles)
2. Eject from remote: Press "STOP" button of remote for 3-5 seconds.
Edit (4/11/2006):
One reviewer said this player can play MPG but only video, no audio. It's not very correct. Some MPG doesn't support digital audio output. Try analog output and you will hear the sound. :)
Buy Yamaha DVC6760 DVD Changer, Black Now
My take and things I've noticed about it:This player is slow to load a disk. However, it has played everything I have put into it with 100% dependability.
The inside of the tray doesn't seem to be as well made as the rest of the unit. It may just be that the tray is kind of huge when it is ejected; it seemingly makes up most of the unit.
The remote control lacks an eject button (that isn't too big a deal to me).
Thanks to another reviewer I am able to play DVDs from other countries (specifically, from the UK my Laurel & Hardy Collection). For some reason though, I have to reset the audio (via the set-up menu) everytime I play a non-usa region movie or I won't hear any sound coming through at all. Maybe it has something to do with my tv set and 'its' settings who knows. I do not have to reset anything if it is a good ole regular USA region 1 disk however.
It may be such an obvious point that it goes underappreciated, but the fact that it can hold and play up to 5 DVDs is really awesome! Believe me, it's a blessing! You don't want to have to take out and then load another disk every couple of hours if you don't have to! Especially if it is a movie that spans 2 or more disks. That can be enough to make you 'not' watch a dvd!
Conclusion:
I do not regret purchasing this. There are probably "better" multi-disk DVD players out there (not sure where though), but for the money I think I received a very capable multi-disk DVD player.
I recommend this unit to all of you!I pretty much agree with everything stated above. The tray IS a little slow to respond, but that's it. If this was my only player, I would have expected HDMI and upconversion (then it would earn the full 5 stars), but the ability to program the region and value for money won the day. Plus of course being able to load up hours of CD's. Btw, you can order real Brit (region 1) DVD's from Amazon.co.uk (same login, password, etc., nice job Amazon), and have them shipped here at a very realistic price.I live in Costa Rica and recently purchased the Yamaha DV-C6760. I am completely happy with it's performance as far as picture quality and sound. One of the reasons I purchased this particular unit is that it appeared to be the most format friendly on paper. Living in Costa Rica I intended to back up my library of Movies (DVDs) and store them in a mold free environment. I purchased a new computer with a DVD writer capable of copying to dual layer format DVDs. I did this with success using Nero and DVD Decrypter. Unfortunately the Yamaha DV-6760 has a hard time with copied dual layer format DVD's. The copies I made play fine on my older Sony changer and on a very inexpensive player of my friends. I rated this player with 3 stars only because of this flaw which was important to me.This is an excellent product. Installation was a breeze. The disk tray is a bit large but for me that was not a problem. Excellent image. Could play DVD's I received from Holland without any problem. Very good product at a very good price.
Friday, August 22, 2014
Cyberhome CH-LDV700B Portable DVD Player with 7-Inch Screen
For the price this player works well, but it has it's problems.Battery drain is an issue with this player. I've seen it publicized on the company's website that users should remove the battery when not using the player. It seems there's a problem with the internal charger and the shutoff switch. The shutoff switch does not completely shut off the player, and a charge still trickles through, and if the battery becomes completely discharged, the internal charger will no longer charge the internal battery. And I have had this problem, learning about it too late.
Cyberhome does offer an external charger dock and "reconditioner", but I have yet to try that, but haven't run into any situations where I needed battery power lately.
The screen seems to offer fuzzy resolution, normal for the players of it's price range, no better, or no worse.
But it's superior when hooked to a TV, I was very impressed with that.
So for the price, it's ok just get an external battery, or try the company's external dock.I was looking for a cheap portable DVD player that the kids could carelessly handle without real worries so I purchased the Cyberhome 700B. Right out of the box, the unit seems a little flimsy to me. The included options are pretty extensive which is why I'd give this unit 3 stars. The biggest issue, besides the battery problem that others have mentioned, is that when a DVD is placed in the unit, it begins to spin and it makes a strange noise. I figured out that the disk is off balance and the unit will not read the disk until it's balanced. I do this by tilting the unit slightly. It becomes quiet and then reads the disk. This is a minor problem. The picture is quite good when you raise the saturation and contrast levels. Probably would look elsewhere if I was buying again.
Buy Cyberhome CH-LDV700B Portable DVD Player with 7-Inch Screen Now
From day one it never worked properly. Would take several reboots to read a DVD. Had terrible problems blacking out or going dead if the power cord was jiggled. It was still under warranty, so we sent it back and the manufacturer sent us a new one. Same problems with the new one. Battery life is not long enough to play a movie all the way through. Very cheaply made. Don't waste your money on it.Read Best Reviews of Cyberhome CH-LDV700B Portable DVD Player with 7-Inch Screen Here
I bought this DVD player when I was on holiday in Florida in 2004. It packed up after a week and I returned it for a replacement. When I got back home the device packed up again after a couple of weeks.Unknown to me at the time these units were being sold with a known fault with the battery. Cyberhome thought by adding an addendum to the units they were STILL shipping out faulty that they would not have to fix the fault.
The problem with the battery was it became "dead" if left in the unit and allowed to drain. When this happened the battery could no longer be charged with the supplied charger.
Again Cyberhome provided a "fix" rather than recall the faulty units and give the customers a fully working model. They let customers know there was a battery conditioner which would revive the battery to it's normal glory BUT, it wasn't free, you had to pay for it!
As you can guess the customers weren't happy and caused a fuss which forced Cyberhome to provide them for free.
I still think the units should have been completely replaced but at least this was better than nothing.
As if things couldn't get worse, because I was a visitor to the USA, I had no rights according to Cyberhome to have my unit repaired. They wouldn't even send a battery conditioner to my address in the UK...their excuse?...."We cannot ship to the UK". Where have you ever heard such rubbish? Their products are made in Taiwan!
I put it down to lazy and bad customer service and I will not deal with this company again. I hope whoever reads this will have the same sentiments as me.
To this day, 2 years on I have had 3 weeks use of a device which cost me more than $200.
Thanks for nothing Cyberhome. I hope your company crashes to it's knees, where it belongs!
Want Cyberhome CH-LDV700B Portable DVD Player with 7-Inch Screen Discount?
The first unit I got did not work and Cyberhome replaced it within their stated ten days. The points I would like to emphasize is the volume is not loud enough, either watching it on the screen or through the television and utilizing the volume in this manner. We had the volume at the highest level on the television and still it was not effective for movie viewing. The key is not to use the battery or keep it in the player unless you are viewing through the player.My children and I took an Amtrak train over spring break and used this DVD player to watch movies for both trips. I like the sleek look to this DVD player, but too many options to figure out with the remote.
Monday, June 9, 2014
DISH Network HOPPER Whole Home DVR System
I was quite reluctant to upgrade from a 2 DVR (VIP 722K)system to Dish Hopper after reading all the reviews. But finally I decided to take the risk because I wanted HD viewing in all TVs and also be able to watch any recorded show from anywhere in the house. I didn't have to pay any equipment fee with 2 year agreement. It has been a month since I switched to 1 hopper and 2 joey system and to my surprise I've no issues so far. Very happy with it. They keep on fixing the bugs as they find I guess. I also use sling adapter. And we also have external media with many recorded movies over last many years.Only complaint so far is that we can't see shows on external media using sling anymore (that is why 4 out of 5 stars). This feature was available with VIP 722k. With hopper, you need to move your shows from external media to hopper in order to watch it via sling. Other than this, I love the new hopper !! Waiting for their wireless Joey to come in the market...**UPDATE 12-12 I'm dropping this down to three stars from my original four stars because of some glitches that seem to be cropping up. There are issues with these units. The joeys do go black all of a sudden and have to be reset but that happens maybe once every one or two months. It is an electronic device and they are almost all prone to some glitches. While it is annoying at the time, it doesn't happen often enough for me to be really frustrated. However, Dish just did a recent software/interface update and added some nice visual benefits. I still really hate the DVR listing screen. Just tell me the name of the show and drop the show icon. I still have trouble seeing what I'm looking for. But the sort methods and color keys on the remote have become a little easier to use.
The biggest thing lately is that the DVR seems to drop recorded shows. It doesn't happen with any pattern but it will display that a show has recorded and when you to watch it, there is nothing there. Or it will show that it recorded and then it disappears from the listings the next day. Gone. And even though DISH added a 'deleted recordings' folder that holds them for a day, it is not in there. This seems to be picking up in frequency and has probably happened about 5 times in the past two weeks. Given that we recorded at least 100 things in that time period (including the prime time anytime recordings) it is a lower percentage. But if it is your show, it is frustrating. I'm not sure if this happens with other systems, perhaps it is just part of having a more complicated DVR. Overall, I'm still pleased with the system but it has a set of flaws.***
We had DirecTV for years and switched to Dish about four years ago. We just updated to the HOPPER and two Joeys. So far it's all going really well.
In the past, we had two receivers for three TVs. One was a dual DVR and the other a stand alone. So the stand alone didn't have access to anything recorded nor did it have the ability to pause live TV or record. The dual DVR had HD ability on one TV only since the other transmitted via UHF signal.
But we lived with it. But when it started to crap out, it was time to either replace it with the same unit type or change to the Hopper. It was a no brainer. With only 50 hours of high def recording available on the old receiver (350 hours standard def) it was silly not to change to the Hopper.
The Hopper has (from what I can calculate) 250 hours of high def recording it's a 2TB hard drive. The Joeys are small and allow you access to the main DVR at any time. Even though we have two Joeys, you can put up to three on the Hopper. For each Joey, you can record another program. So, we can record three programs at a time one for the DVR Hopper, and one at each Joey.
One of the things I really like is the availability of Prime Time Anytime. This acts similar to On Demand. If you chose to turn it on, it will automatically record all major networks (NBC, ABC, CBS, FOX) or whichever ones you choose, for all prime time hours (8:00 pm 11:00 pm) and store it for as long as you set. It defaults to 8 days but you can keep it for less if you want. You can also dictate which days of the week including weekends. This setting takes up one of your recording slots so now we can only record two other programs at any given time. Since I tend to record a lot of prime time network shows, this is a great feature for me. I don't have to set a timer for every one of them and because it is recording all networks, I'm not taking up two record slots if I want two shows in one night.
You have the option of selecting a program and permanently saving it as well, treating it like any other recording. If you don't want it, it will automatically disappear after 8 days.
I also like that you can create folders for recordings. I created a "kid's movies' folder, one for me, for each child and for my husband. You can set a timer to record directly to a folder so that you don't have to sort it later. You also have the option of viewing all recordings by genre, network, or by program title.
What I don't like is the lack of options. I am very used to looking through the DVR recordings as a list. On the Hopper, it shows icons. This makes it awkward to go through a list and find a show. If you're looking from across the room, the text can be small to read. The only way to get a listing is to look by show title and then open that folder. So if you record every episode of Pawn Stars and you open the Pawn Stars folder, then you can look at a listing instead of an icon. I really don't like the icons and I'd prefer to have the option to go back to all listings but there are very few ways to personalize the DVR interface.
I do like that it shows how much has been watched in a clear green bar. You can still personalize favorite channels and the interface for doing that is great since it is clear to see what the channel is that you are selecting. You have to set up favorite channels for each Joey though.
Transferring content from an external hard drive was easy and as before, you can add an external hard drive for additional recording storage. There are some apps available (which run through your internet). We connected to the internet via WiFi using the provided antenna. There are games, Pandora, Facebook, MLB Network, Photo Sharing, etc all via the internet. You can access regular On Demand via your internet as well.
If you have caller ID and hook up your phone line, you'll get a listing on the screen (if you set it on) that a call is coming in and who it is.
So overall, we definitely upgraded. I am really pleased with the quality of picture and flexibility of the Joeys not to mention the Prime Time Anytime.
We got all our equipment and installation for free since we renewed a two year agreement. And even though Dish dropped AMC (a bone of contention with my husband) overall, we are really pleased.
Buy DISH Network HOPPER Whole Home DVR System Now
I've had Dish for many years and was very satisfied with all aspects of their system. I foolishly signed up for Hopper about 3 months ago. I have four TVs (two Hoppers and two Joeys).There are many things I like about Hopper such as;
1. Being able to record three programs at once.
2. The 2 terabyte DVR (I've been recording like crazy and haven't made a dent in it
3. The ability to attach my 2 terabyte hard drive giving me a total of 4 terabytes
4. Having HD on all my TVs
5. The many functions on the Main Menu
Things I don't like;
1. ICONs of programs I have recorded are difficult to read (do away with these or make them larger)
2. The text of all screens are too small for no reason
3. The gray text on a gray background sucks (all text should be black on white)
4. The old Dish allowed me to list 4 channels on Guide which made the text larger (restore this)
I believe the programmers were more concerned about creating a more modern format at the expense of functionality. The old Dish text was easy to read, so why fix something that wasn't broken.
I'm sorry I ever went to Hopper and am locked into a two year contract. Don't sign up until they fix the text problem (look at someone that has a TV the size of yours with Hopper installed and you will see what I mean). I guess I am fortunate, in that I have not had any of the problems others have mentioned such as black screens and lost recordings.
I would have rated Hopper five stars if it wasn't for the text problem. If you have difficulty reading what is on the screen, then what good is it?
Read Best Reviews of DISH Network HOPPER Whole Home DVR System Here
What a mistake. 5 seconds between each channel change. A menu system of icons and illegible titles. the same with dvr menu. On a 50" tv sitting 8 to 10 feet away impossible to read. Channel guide is even worse! Only one sickly, gray screen which is near impossible to read. When all TVs are off and I turn on one I have to read a warning that this will interupt viewing at another location and then selct from an offering of 2 choices. This thing is a piece of crap and I hate dish for beta testing me for $120 a month. I could gripe more but what's the use.Want DISH Network HOPPER Whole Home DVR System Discount?
I switched to Dish in December 2012. Direct TV wouldn't add the Pac 12 network so all of the football and basketball games were unavailable. No provider in my area other than Dish offers the Pac 12 Network. I was concerned over a number of the posts here and elsewhere regarding quality and issues with the Hopper Software and Joeys. So far, after more than 2 months, find the quality to be at least as good as DTV. The process for recording is different but equally as good. The wireless connection is a radical improvement over DTV and the menus(etc.) are different but much better and more intuitive than DTV. Also, I have the Sling Box option which is far superior to DTV's "anywhere" or whatever option they have. DTV only lets you use devices that are logged onto a network which is that same network as your TV. The remote itself is less intuitive than the DTV remote but manageable. If you are getting older like me and having issues with reading in low light or smaller print, the remote will be a little bit annoying. I know where all the buttons are now without looking so no problem.Perhaps I am later coming to Dish than others but it is equal or better quality at a substantially better price. I also get way more content than DTV for a way lower price: as many or more HD channels than DTV for sure.
Good luck and I hope your experience is as good as mine. I recommend Dish and the Hopper wholeheartedly.
Sunday, March 9, 2014
DXG 581V High-Def Camcorder (Silver)
Great Camcorder for the price. Video Quality is great, however the mic pretty much sucks for anything other than the guy holding the camcorder, tho this is to be expected, so if you want to record anything with good audio you'll need a separate mic.It records with the h.264 (mp4) codec inside of a .mov container, but the file extension may be changed to .mp4 or .avi to play it on almost any pc.
Battery lasts about 45 minutes, I picked up some extras here on amazon for about $4 with shipping, and they work just as well as the manufacturer's battery.
Get a tripod, Magix Movie Edit 15 Pro, and set up a green screen for the ultimate camcording fun! Check out YouTube's demo video's by searching DXG-581v if you haven't thought of that already!Really can't do better for the ~$100-120 price range. Very small, portable... only cons is that it doesn't have image stabilization and better zoom and wide angle.. but for the price you can work around its weaknesses.. you can easily carry this and a flashlight in the same pocket to overcome the need for a light.. A tripod helps for long recordings..
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i want to go in detail like some people does but i dont have the time @ this moment. i honestly did not have the cash to spend $600-$1,000 or more so i went cheap and specially an unknown brand. but man i was impressed. i have and HD TV w/ auto motion 120hz and i guess that what also made it a little bit better. so if you are in a rush and you dont want to miss anything becuase u can't affort it well this is a suggestion i am giving you. but ya true HD does cost a fortune but eventually i am thinking of getting 3D HD. why get HD when u can't get the newest technology 'till then i am very happy w/ this gadget.Read Best Reviews of DXG 581V High-Def Camcorder (Silver) Here
I have been using this camcorder for a while and seems to be doing what it is supposed to. I keep capturing precious moments with this handy camcorder which is a good value for the money spent. I will recommend this to all my friends.This is a good product for the money. It could use a better zoom for scenery films, but I like it.Wednesday, January 29, 2014
Panasonic SDR-S26 SD Camcorder (Black)
I have read all the reviews I could find here and elsewhere about this camcorder, and I came away with the impression that the more critical opinions stemmed from unrealistic expectations or poor reading comprehension from the reviewers themselves.As it turns out, I was right.
This is an inexpensive and very compact and lightweight standard definition camcorder designed for the casual user who does not want to sink a whole month's pay into just to record some personal events.
First, the good and bad:
Pros:
1) Unusually small and lightweight, this is easily carried in a jacket pocket.
2) The startup time, even when not set in Quickstart mode, is five seconds. Nice way to capture surprises on the go.
3) The iA mode, which automatically sets the iris, shutter, white balance, and other major aspects of recording, works pretty well, even though resorting to the manual settings is still required for some unusual applications.
4) The incredible 70x optical zoom is unparalleled in a camera at this price point.
5) The Optical Image Stabilization is considerably more effective than the more common digital stabilization found in all other cameras in this price range. Just don't expect to get away with using the full 70x zoom while hand holding it, though!
6) The MPEG2 format used for recording is easily handled under my admittedly eccentric choice of operating system, Linux.
7) The SDHC storage medium allows random access to recordings, easy deletion, no moving parts, and a storage medium that is handled under even Linux with a cardreader. Also, the camcorder itself is recognized under Linux, so the files can be manipulated through the integral USB port if desired.
8) The manual settings allow the user to adjust for unusual conditions, such as low light, just as long as you READ THE MANUAL FIRST, then experiment a bit on your own.
9) The camcorder is almost noiseless in operation, so there is no clicking from a DVD, whirring of a hard drive, humming of a DVC drive motor, or motor from the lens being zoomed in and out.
10) The integral lens cover, which is built into the front of the camera surrounding the lens, cannot be lost.
11) The barrel surrounding the lens area is threaded, allowing accessories, such as wide angle and zoom lenses and filters, to be screwed in for special applications. Those accessories are easily found right here on Amazon.
12) Hey! It even comes with a proper printed manual, a rarity in this day of PDF manuals available only on CD-ROM or via websites.
Cons:
1) It would have been nice if Panasonic had added a microphone jack to allow a separate microphone to be used. However, the integral microphone works rather well on its own.
2) In certain applications, especially indoors, the image can take on a reddish cast when using the default iA setting. This is easily overcome by adjusting the white balance for incandescent lighting, though, so no real problem.
3) The battery life of ~1 hour is rather short, and requires opening a cover on the bottom to replace when discharged. I already ordered two spares and a standalone charger.
4) This may be looked at as good or bad, depending on your opinion, but the battery does not charge with the cable plugged in while the camera is in use. I actually look at this as a good thing, since it does not wear out the battery by discharging it while it is charging, which can cause premature failure of lithium-ion batteries. It simply runs directly from the power cord when plugged in, which is no real problem, as far as I am concerned.
5) Even at the MagicPix setting, designed for extreme low light, this camcorder will not work in a completely dark room. I don't really even worry about that. If I really wanted to record in such extreme conditions, I would spring for a considerably more expensive night shot camcorder. It still does pretty well, in low light, as long as there is at least 2 lumens of light present.
My opinions on this are that this is unusually good for a camcorder in its price range, especially for its two main selling points of its fantastic 70x optical zoom and optical image stabilization.
It is so simple to operate that even a young child could understand it, using the nicely automated settings.
Yes, there are some circumstances that call for manual intervention, but the people griping about this, especially those attempting (apparently) to take footage inside a cave, would be well advised to READ THE MANUAL and not expect the impossible from such an inexpensive camcorder.
I was able to take some nighttime footage with this, with only sodium and mercury vapor light illumination, and it did pretty well.
And while it is true that my naked eyes are good in light far lower than this can handle, I have a more realistic expectation of it than some of the more critical people out there.
I intend to have a family member use this next year for my wedding, and I am confident that it will work just fine for that, too.
Nice work, Panasonic!This Panasonic SDR-S26 camcorder is by far the best you can buy for the price, and is rated best camcorder of 2009 CES!
I have owned a few others and none of them had true O.I.S. (Optical Image Stabilization) and I assure you that this one does. My others had E.I.S. (Electronic Image Stabilization) and believe me there is a big difference. I have noticed a few other reviews on this camcorder, and some say the image stabilization works great out to 20x and good to 40x 70x is still tripod territory. That's good advise as a tripod will assist in producing great videos with virtually no camcorder movement. Please don't be confused between the O.I.S and plain old camcorder movement, with camcorder movement at 70x optical zoom the object that you are looking at may move somewhat due to arm and body movement, BUT notice with O.I.S. the image remains clear and crisp, with great detail, even with some hand shakiness. With E.I.S camcorders, which usually have less zoom capabilities, approx. 40x optical zoom, you'd notice while zoomed out, not only is there camcorder movement BUT the image is also a bit blurry and has limited detail, due in part to hand shakiness. So don't be confused or fooled by plain camcorder movement or the difference between O.I.S vs. E.I.S, as Panasonic's SDR-S26 with O.I.S and 70x optical zoom will absolutely exceed your expectations, as did mine, and amaze you with a spectacular camcorder experience. I am an extremely satisfied owner of the Panasonic SDR-S26 Camcorder, and I know you will be also.
You can also search the WEB for the Panasonic sdr-s26 and view some of the you-tube video zoom tests that were performed by camcorder owners and see the quality of the O.I.S. and the 70x optical zoom for yourself.
P.S. Don't forget to pick up a SD/SDHC flash memory card (preferably a 16GB, priced around $40.00)and possibly an extra battery (part # B-9681, priced around $14.00) both at AMAZON.COM.
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factory sealed box flawless condition worked perfectly . My new Panasonic SDR-S26 SD Camcorder is fantastic. over 3.5 hours record at highest resolution with 16GB chip on amazon battery life was hard to find info on but is about one hour of record time. so I would get a spare battery. I got mine @ duracelldirect.com for $15.38 (#B-9681) Says its a 3.7v on web site is listed for SDR-S25 but it is the right battery and works fantastic.LOW LIGHT
I think you should learn to use manual focusIris and shutter for low light conditions but most cameras I,ve borrowed from friends wont even film in the same low light. Zoom is so good even the Stills of birds in the backyard are clearer than the lowly 3x optical of my 4 mega pixel. Stability is great out to 20x and good to 40x 70x is still tripod territory. For every day I can't find a better value Love this camera and Sellers excellent service highly recomend to friends relatives heck everyone!
Read Best Reviews of Panasonic SDR-S26 SD Camcorder (Black) Here
The Panasonic SDR-S26 SD Camcorder is a gem. I bought the thing for many reasons, but one draw for me was the effective anti-shake feature it has. That element smoothes out the video considerably. The camcorder also has an optical zoom that is rated at 70x. I find that to be a bit of overkill, but what the heck, it is about the most `zoomy' of any camcorder on the market today and it gives me bragging rights. The SDR-S26 has a host of manual settings for various light, subject and composition conditions, but the intelligent auto mode feature does a great job at figuring out how to set things no-hands needed.The camcorder is all digital (no tape) and is capable of storing over 25 hours of video with a 32 GB SD memory card installed. I have been using an 8 GB card and that has provided enough capacity for me so far.
Although there is editing software (VideoCam Suite 2.0) included on a disk provided in the box, I have been transferring my pictures to my computer via an SD card reader in order to utilize my Adobe Premier Elements editing program.
There is no hurky and heavy battery hanging on the back of the Panasonic SDR-S26. The battery is small (like a cell phone battery) and located in an internal compartment. The battery life is purported to provide over an hour of continuous recording time. I doubt that is possible in ordinary and real situations, but the battery life is pretty good none-the-less. I would suggest carrying a spare battery when using the camcorder for documenting a major and lengthy event or when traveling away from an electrical outlet.
The unit has both video and still photo capacity. That is standard on most camcorders. However, the still pictures that it produces are not very good. The default picture size provides only 640x360 pixels and that resolution is wimpy. I didn't buy the camcorder to shoot still pictures, but it is nice to have that option occasionally.
I must admit that I am not a big fan of home video. I have had a couple of camcorders over the years and now have stacks of family oriented and travel video tape that I can't get anyone to watch even if a VCR is still around in working condition.
Be that as it may, I originally decided to buy one of those little `Flip' type video cameras just in case I found myself in a situation where recording the action was called for. After extensive research I discovered those popular miniature camcorders have some serious limitations that the Panasonic SDR-S26 did not have and it really wasn't that much larger in size. I wanted a small camera that I could easily carry around just in case I found an appropriate action scene that should be recorded. I found that both were small enough to fit in a pocket--shirt for one, pants or jacket for the other.
The SDR-S26 cost nearly twice as much as one of those pocket sized units, but I thought it was worth the extra money even if I probably won't use it every day.
When all was said and done, I decided to buy the Panasonic SDR-S26 instead of a Flip or the new Kodak ZX-1 because it did more than either, had that anti-shake feature, an extraordinary zoom and it was not all that much larger. It was a choice between buying a trendy toy or buying a `full function' camcorder. I went with the grownup version by Panasonic and do not regret it.I love the camcorder. Slight disappointment that it did not come with a 'starter' SD card but otherwise it runs well, great light adjustment, thoughtful design, EASY to use. Image stabilization works good but don't expect stable images at 70x zoom unless you have a very steady hand. I recommend it to others and already have friends who purchased their own after seeing mine. Just pick up a 16gig card from Amazon and you'll be set.
Wednesday, January 8, 2014
Uhost 2 Dual Core Android TV Box Mini PC RK3066 Cortex-A9 1.6GHZ 1GB RAM 4G ROM with WIFI/Skype/XBMC

- Android 4.0.4 Dual core Mini PC
- Built-in 3D Accelerator. Support 3D gaming; Support Android Market Google Play
- Support Adobe Flash 11; Gmail, POP3/SMTP/IMAP4
- Bluetooth Built in, WiFi 802.11b/g/n 10/100Mbps With internal Antenna
- Support/Mobile phones, computer and mini PC connection, pictures, video, music sharing
Otherwise, it's an Android stick that works for anything not web enabled...
Thursday, December 26, 2013
Defender Security Mini 2-Channel DVR DIY Installation OSD Menuosd Menu 12VDC 500ma
Saturday, November 16, 2013
Vivitar DVR 840XHD 8.1 Megapixels High Definition Digital Video Camcorder with 5x Optical, 4x Digit
This little red video camera makes sharp colorful videos with excellent audio. I've been using mine frequently for about a year now, and have only minor complaints. One of them is that the video quality seems to be better in the regular mode. As one of the other comments states, it's a little "grainy" in HD. Don't know why, and don't care. It is a relatively inexpensive camera, and shoots excellent quality movies in regular mode. For more examples of the video quality, visit my site on YouTube. Just look up grizzlyhughes. Every one of my videos is shot with this little gem.Do not buy this camera!! Images are grainy, especially in low light. My Canon Point and Shoot takes much better video than this supposed HD camera. Not a good deal at any price given the size.The camera doesn't support SDHC memory cards like it says on the box and website, which means you can't put more than 8 GB of memory onto it; so you'd have to buy the regular and more expensive SD cards with faster data transfer rates. SUCKS! Also, this camera records great quality, but once there's the slightest movement on the camera's point of perspective (aka a shaky hand), then the quality of the video drops, even with Stabilization turned on. ALSO, the stabilization option isn't available for the WVGA 60 fps or the 1080p 30 fps resolution settings, what!? I'm going to return this thing right away, I hate it. i'm going with a Sony probablyThis camera is a great camera, but probably not worth more than $150. The video quality is good, could be better, but definitely better than some cameras I've used. The still pictures, however, are horrible, dont plan on taking stills with this thing. this is great for home videos, but see if you can find it on sale, or a better camera.do not buy this piece of trash mine worked less than a year. and I was taking excellent care of it. I am a professional cameramen who has been working for more than 20 years in the big networks. I bought it just to carry something light with family vacations. I called several times to customer service that is on Thailand and they are just a bunch of liars. Vivitar customer service is the worst thing that you can see.
Thursday, November 7, 2013
Spectrum AIL M101B iRock Portable Mini Amp with iPod/mp3/Aux Input

- Mini Electric Guitar Amplifier; Plugs Directly into your Guitar - No Need for an Amp Cable
- Features Volume Control, Overdrive/Distortion Control, Output Jack for Headphones and Aux Input Jack for Microphone or Digital Audio Device.
- Runs on 19 Volt Battery (Included)
Buy Spectrum AIL M101B iRock Portable Mini Amp with iPod/mp3/Aux Input Now
I liked the mini amp the first time i used it. The second time i plugged it into my guitar the connector broke.Read Best Reviews of Spectrum AIL M101B iRock Portable Mini Amp with iPod/mp3/Aux Input Here
This product might be okay for kids to fool around with. It is definitely not something you could use to enhance your sound on the guitar,Want Spectrum AIL M101B iRock Portable Mini Amp with iPod/mp3/Aux Input Discount?
thats almost all there is to say i plugged it in and it cuts in and out you cant even hear what notes you're playing DON'T BUY THISThe sound quality was bad. I would prefer to just hear my electric plugged into nothing. Got a HoneyTone mini amp from Danelectro and love that one.Tuesday, September 17, 2013
Audiovox Refill For Vinyl Record Care System RD1046
I have a large vinyl collection and needed something to clean my LP's. This is the same product that was in my original disc washer kit when I bought it 20 years ago. It works great.I recently returned to vinyl. I had my cleaner but needed some liquid. I had used D4 in the past and it worked great then and it works great now. I don't know what else is out there but I'm sticking with what I know is quality.Buy Audiovox Refill For Vinyl Record Care System RD1046 Now
I read in a previous review that the new RCA D4 was nothing more than alchohol, but decided to buy it anyway. Well after receiving it, I have to agree. It seems to be nothing like what I had before, you know as soon as you open the cap and the strong smell of alchohol. I figure it is better than embedding the dust into the record so I am using it. The alternatives are much more expensive and time consuming.As for buying it through Amazon and their vendor, Square Deal Recordings, the experience was excellent. Great price and fast shipping. While I had to pay a shipping charge that was about the same as the cost of the product, it was still reasonable overall and probably cheaper than driving to the store.
Read Best Reviews of Audiovox Refill For Vinyl Record Care System RD1046 Here
This is only record cleaner I've ever needed. Gets the job done and stores away nicely in a discwasher brush.Want Audiovox Refill For Vinyl Record Care System RD1046 Discount?
Discwasher has been known for quality products for the cleaning of vinyl albums for decades. It does what it is meant to do and always has.Friday, September 13, 2013
Philips DVP3345VB DVD/VCR Combo Player Progressive Scan - Black
Dvd player won't even open let alone play. I have been trying to get a replacement for over a month now and would really like my money back or the replacement they promised us! I have sent the two emails proving the purchase as they requested and have not received the return slips. I haven't heard a peep from Philips. I would say this is my final Philips purchase. There are too many other good companies out there that actually care about their customers, unlike Philips.A challenge to the people at Philips: Prove me wrong.I bought this Philips DVD VHS Combo thinking that I can have a piece of equipment that I can have for years to come. That was wishful thinking. The DVD component played for an one hour after I took it out of the box then the DVD drawer jammed and my DVD disc was stuck in the player. The VHS part scratches all my cassettes. I am not a happy camper with this dawn deal! So my advice to all consumers who view this item. I would shop elsewhere for a different brand and model. Phillips was a HUGE disappointment.
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After researching several different brands I realized that most companies were no longer making VCR's or DVD/VCR combos to last longer than six months. I decided to go with this model from Phillip's since I have had good luck with this brand in the past (a TV and a VCR). A leap of faith that I would regret.Now here comes the surprise...it only worked as a DVD/VCR for less than three months! It was lightly used twice a week for less than an hour per usage and then the DVD player would jam up on anything and everything regardless of the type of disc. So I gave it a chance and tried a disc cleaner and it sputter through a few more one hour sessions and then........jam city. It locks up and freezes or just refuses to load the disc. I took a look at the warranty and it states that Phillip's will only stand behind their marvelous DVD product for six months and then they want you to pay for shipping.
Bottm line:
Phillip's doesn't even believe their jalopy of technology will last a year.
I called Phillip's and talked to a representative and the only suggestion was to "..try a disc cleaner." How can a disc cleaner help when the machine doesn't even load the disc? I'm wondering when the whole thing will just die. I'm not looking for a hand out I just want the product that I bought to perform as described but I ended up with a DVD/VCR combo that only works as a VCR.
Stay away from this company and this product if you value you hard earned cash and time. An expensive VCR with a digital clock.
Awful. Rip off!
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Does what its says I've only had for about 5 months,but works fine still and works great with old movies to copied new ones,hope still to have it in 5 yearsPhilips DVP3345VB/F7B DVD and VHS ComboWant Philips DVP3345VB DVD/VCR Combo Player Progressive Scan - Black Discount?
I bought two of these units. When I plugged in one unit, I knew I was in trouble because the front panel did not light up and the DVD made weird noises and said it couldn't load a disc even though there was no disc in it! The VHS worked OK. The batteries in the remote were dead.Now here's where it gets interesting, the other unit actually works like a peach. Fresh batteries for the remote, front panel display works, VHS works, and the DVD works very well loads discs quickly and transitions from chapter to chapter very efficiently.
Go figure.


