a great article, me to run very well, it is a product that meets the needs for which it was acquired, and does not disappoint me, complying with each and every one of my needs.Unpacking is nightmare! Buy a cord that is wound up in a circle. Instant tangle right out of the package
Sunday, November 16, 2014
VideoSecu 4 Pack 100ft Feet Video Audio Power Cables Security Camera DVR Wire BNC RCA Cord with Bon
a great article, me to run very well, it is a product that meets the needs for which it was acquired, and does not disappoint me, complying with each and every one of my needs.Unpacking is nightmare! Buy a cord that is wound up in a circle. Instant tangle right out of the package
Wednesday, November 5, 2014
T-Mobile Prism Prepaid Android Phone (T-Mobile)
I'm an experienced Android user, and so far the phone is working pretty well. We'll see how long it lasts after the first full month of use. The features on this phone are nice, the screen is simple and the phone is thin and light. Plenty of space for music, photos, and videos. Added with an SD card, it holds a lot. I don't normally care for touch screen keyboards but I'll make an exception for this one. Tipping the phone sideways lengthens the keyboard and makes texting easier. The web browsing is excellent, very clear and allows full page exploration. Comes with the Android Gingerbread system, which is nice. Its fast and has a lot of nifty features. Overall, excellent phone.Let's get something out of the way first, this is not a power device for the experienced smart phone users. Android devices spread all spectrum of user base and the PRISM is squarely aim at the first time demographics. Powered by a 600 MHz single core processor, this phone is only about 60% speed of my Spring XPRT which is more than a year old at this point. With this said, the menu transitions are snappy and most applications hums along in a self assure pace without missing a beat. The 3.5 inch 320x480 resolution screen isn't going to win any awards, but it is colorful, clear, sensitive and pretty useable. Unlike the SPRINT devices, TMOBILE only loaded minimal amount of crapware onto this.If you are already a Google family like mine, the suite of software works right outside the box. Gmail, Drive, Music, Talk are integrated and functions transparently. I miss the ability to integrate with Google voice like I can with a Sprint device but this is not a fatal flaw. As an added bonus, WIFI calling (basically voice over IP via WIFI) works right out of the box and can be used to make free phone calls when you are at home. PRISM comes with a GPS, Bluetooth, WIFI(b/g/N), 2G/3G mobile data speed, accelerometer, proximity sensor and a digital compass. The operating system is v2.3.5 (Gingerbread)which is more speed optimized than many of the 2.2 devices still out there. The on board camera clocks in at 3.15 MP, 2048x1536 pixels but I would only use it in cases of emergencies or for people simply don't know any better (which is more or less the same assessment of most of the mobile cameras). 2GB SD card comes standard with the phone but you can expand to 32GB if you want (but... why?). If you do any traveling, this device operates with both GSM 850/900/1800/1900 and HSDPA 850/1700/1900/2100 networks. This means this phone will function in most of countries with a GSM network infrastructure.
This is one smartphone that doesn't break the bank! $20 on contract or $150 off contract, this device is comparably superior than similar offerings from Samsung such as the DART. I bought this device for my 11 year old son on a PAY as you GO plan and he had no problem leaving the dumb phone world behind after a few minutes of fiddling. This is a great device for first time SMARTPHONE users. Although racing Ashalt 6 probably isn't appropriate, give PRISM a shot if you simply need a reliable device to make/receive phone calls while learning what all the BUZZ with the SMARTPHONE world is all about.
Pro:
* A very cheap device ($20 on contract, $150 off)
* WIFI calling works and doesn't use plan minutes.
* Integrated phone books with Google contacts.
* Ability to switch to pay by day plan right on the phone.
* Minimal bloatwares installed
* Although a very slow device, there were very few crashes or lockups. Resource management seem to work pretty well out of the box.
* Can utilize over 40,000 programs for the Android ecosystem.
Con:
* Very limited internal storage (< 200MB). Programs have to be installed on internally memory while data (i.e. music, books, movies) can be loaded on the SD.
* Fairly slow by the modern standards. Some programs won't run well because of the low processor speed(i.e. games, Netflix, etc).
* Virtual keyboard a pain to use (Hint: learn to use swype).
* Included Camera is next to useless.
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I have a number of different Android phones in my household, ranging from this one to much higher end ones. Each has its advantages and disadvantages. Which one is best for you depends on your needs.The biggest advantage of this one is price. I got it as a lightning deal. If it hadn't been for that, I might have gotten a Samsung Exhibit II 4G Prepaid Android Phone (T-Mobile) which is a MUCH better phone. I have experience with that one, and its predecessor, and they are pretty good low end Android phones.
The biggest disadvantages of this phone are features, amount of ROM and processor speed. They curtail what you can do with it, but meet my needs anyway. If you have a phone at home, in your office, and have hands free calling in your car, you might need a lot less in a phone than others do. I have fairly constant access to a computer, except when I'm driving, in which case I won't typically use a phone for more than making phone calls.
This phone has a 3.2 MB camera. That's good compared to even good phones from five years ago, but bad compared to even cheap point and shoot cameras. Likewise the video camera capability is fairly basic and won't look very good on a big screen TV. Still photos will be adequate as long as you don't plan to zoom or crop. For me that's not a big issue because even the best Android phones have cheap lenses, digital zoom, and no viewfinder. So a better phone would not help me and I'll stick with a camera when I need one.
This has a rear facing camera. Without a front facing camera, applications such as Skype are limited to voice, at least in one direction. There's no light on the phone, so everything from the simplest flashlight app to taking pictures in relatively dark areas won't work.
The processor is too slow to watch something like Netflix without it being jerky. It's not impossible to use for that purpose, but it won't be very good. Then again, even the best processors won't do me much good if I have to use a display that's this small. I'm not likely to want to watch a movie on a moderately bigger screen such as with a Samsung Galaxy S II anyway, so I'll have to live with Netflix or Amazon at home. But that would be the case with the best Android phone for me so it's not a loss.
This phone has 3G, not 4G. That can be much slower. If you live in an area without good 4G coverage, it won't make a difference. And with WiFi, you can get by without either of them. Given my situation, I won't have a problem at home, at the office, or while driving, and even places like Starbucks or my doctor or dentist have WiFi these days. So do some entire cities in Silicon Valley. So do some airports, but the lack of it can make things tougher. In my case it's so rarely needed that I don't have a data plan. So 4G would not help me at all. When pressed, I ask whoever I'm traveling with to look things up.
Although it's easy to get a much larger microSD card for very little money, there are many things that can't be installed on it, and it's easy to use up the phone's ROM fairly quickly. If you are planning to use mostly built-in apps, it's not a problem. I've downloaded under a dozen of my 100 Amazon apps, since I limited it to the ones I actually use. And I added a small handful from the Play store. That alone used up almost all of the ROM. Then again, I have what I anticipate on the phone. So if you plan to add every interesting app that comes along, let's hope they can go on your SD card.
I do use things like Google+, calendar and on-line directory and it's nice having things synced automatically. But for me it works when I'm near WiFi. That's fine because I won't need to use those things away from my phone except when I'm near a computer as mentioned. Syncing my contacts and calendar automatically once a day should be fine, and realistically it will happen much more than that. Plus, with Google+ I won't have to worry about storing my photos and videos locally, and won't have to worry about transferring them since it's automatic. The resolution is good enough given the screen size that when looking at photos on G+ not taken with the phone, it won't make a difference.
Some things such as syncing your phone directory to T-Mobile's MobileLife will NOT work over WiFi. But even without a data plan, they will work over 2G if you turn it on. If you plan to use the navigator, set it up to plan the trip before you leave, while you still have WiFi, unless you will have reliable 3G. In my case I have navigators in all my cars, so it's not a big loss for me.
For somebody with needs like mine, who wants calendar, contacts, and photos synced, wants to be able to make calls or send messages from anywhere there's reception, this phone might work fine. It has the look and feel of other Android phones, but not the capabilities. But it might not meet those needs either. After a few days, mine started rebooting randomly throughout the day. That can be annoying during a phone call, more than annoying when you are using the navigator while driving, and an even bigger problem if the navigator can't resume after a reboot. After an extensive web search I found that random rebooting is a common problem for this phone. I found no clear solutions. A possible cause, according to some posts I read, was clearing out cache and user data for apps I never used. I may have done that because there's simply no other way to have enough room for adding a handful of apps. So if you can accept the apps it comes with and very little more, and the phone goes more than 30 days without rebooting for no reason, then this might be a good choice for you.
Read Best Reviews of T-Mobile Prism Prepaid Android Phone (T-Mobile) Here
This phone looks good for how much it costs, and it works well. It lacks the features of some other phones that aren't much more expensive, but that's as one might expect anyway. I got it for $129 on Amazon with Prime shipping. For a moderate increase in price, the Samsung Exhibit II 4G is much faster, has a little more screen size, and front/rear cams with led flash on the back. The Prism is better in terms of price, but many user might be disappointed with the feature set. On the plus side, Huawei's speakers sound pretty good and the battery life seems to be decent. This is my second Huawei-manufactured handset and I'm impressed with how much they give you for the price charged. This phone is a great value, but it is definitely not a high-performance rig.Want T-Mobile Prism Prepaid Android Phone (T-Mobile) Discount?
I am a 20 year old guy, who was looking for a simple phone, so I figured I would go with the prism. after reading a few reviews and watching some videos, i figured it looked pretty good. Here are a few things about the phone that I don't like. Right away, I found out that the phone does not have call waiting (even though it states it does), and I hung up on my boss. Also I'm not a big texter but after 2 weeks i have to manually erase all my messages, or else all incoming texts are blocked, so i have no clue who sent it just a notification that someone tried texting me. another thing, the phone comes with 2gb of memory, which is absolutely useless because after the phones internal memory is full, it notifies me that i have low memory and to transfer all apps to sd card. apps that are preloaded with the phone cannot be transferred, and this blocks you from being able to download apps. Now onto the actual apps, the apps will not open 2 out of 3 times. When I am driving, I am often tempted to throw the phone out the window because I am so frustrated by how it closes my apps on its own. the internet connection is terrible as well, and the phone is extremely slow all together. This phone is terrible, I wish i had saved my money and bought a better one. My advice, save your money and invest in a better phone/plan.Saturday, November 1, 2014
Canon FS400 Flash Memory Camcorder with 41x Advanced Zoom and SDXC Card Slot (Silver)
I received this yesterday (22 Apr 2011).INITIAL THOUGHTS
I wanted a basic camcorder to capture the typical kids events, vacation stuff, etc. I'm not trying to make pro quality videos, so the Standard Definition is fine...the widescreen format is a plus. Prior to purchasing this, my main concerns were what file type it would record as and how smoothly the transfer to my computer would go. Videos on the SD card are recorded as a .mod file which are converted to a .mpg during transfer (if you use the Pixela software that comes with the camcorder). Transferring to the computer was pretty straight forward and fairly intuitive...my old Vista machine with a 1.8Ghz processor easily handled the transfer and conversion. The size of the device is great; it truly fits in the palm of my hand. The ergonomics are laid out well. On screen menus are not overly cumbersome or confusing. The LCD panel is very bright and readable outdoors. Video quality is what I expected from a camcorder at this price not eye popping good, but not grainy and jerky either. Videos are clear and smooth. I haven't taken enough videos to judge the battery life or video quality in different settings. Overall, I feel like I got what I paid for. At this time, I'll say, "So Far, So Good".This has been a nightmare! I called Apple, researched for hours, and still couldn't find how to make this camera compatible with iMacs and iMovie.
Well, it took a call to Canon where I spoke with a very pleasant representative after zero wait! Here's how you do it:
1) Open up iMovie
2) Turn on your camera
3) Display your recorded clip on the camera screen (don't play it just display it)
4) Plug the USB into the computer USB port (no firewire necessary)
Voila!! There it is. Just import it from the camera and you're on you way to editing fun. I had all this done and my video uploaded on YouTube within 10 minutes.
Have a good time with this wonderful little camera. It may not be HD but the pictures are sharp, the color is brilliant and I can't tell the difference. It's not hard to use and its not hard to carry. I highly recommend this little super priced camera.
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This is my first camcorder i found easy to use the instruction were excellent. Battery life was good, although I bought a battery charger, as charging with out one took a long time. Transferring onto computer was good, and the vision was good.Seemed to fit the bill for a small road-trip video camera. It zooms in pretty well and seems to stay focused ok for a camera in this price range. The software it comems with seems a bit goofy and it did not recognize the camera when it was plugged in to the USB port. I had to pop out the mem card and plug that in instead.Overrall ... not bad for the money.
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I bought this camcorder because I didn't want to spend a whole lot of money.Pros:
Inexpensive, great for first time camera owners, video quality looks pretty decent, handle of it feels good.Pretty sturdy as well, dropped it twice and held its own.
Cons:
The zoom is good however when you get to the further-est zoom it starts to look fuzzy and hazy..The focus up close does the same when you come from far then have to come back . I don't like where the button to record is, it should be off to the left not on the back. When you want to watch a video on your device its either to loud or to low.. nothing in between.
I guess I can't complain, it was like 60 bucks.
Safe to say though IT DOES THE JOB!
Thursday, October 9, 2014
Zmodo 16CH H.264 Video DVR Security Surveillance CCTV Camera System With 8 Night Vision Outdoor Sec
I love the system and it's capability of handling up to 16 cameras! It comes with 8 color cameras and 60 ft BNC cables for each camera. 60 ft is an adequate length for most homes, but if you have a two-story, you may need to purchase additional wires or extensions. I have a two-story home and 60ft will not be enough for a couple of runs. Before attempting to install outside, I connected all cameras and powered up the DVR. A monitor is not included in this price, so you must have your own computer monitor. I am using on a 19" LCD monitor. I connected all cameras and they worked well. Motion-sensor capabilities worked flawlessly. Any activity/motion triggered immediate recording. I have climbed into attic and other crawl spaces to determine how I will run wire to a central location in my home. I would love to connect to my new TV because then I can monitor all cameras by turning on my TV. (TV must have PC interface). so the process of installing externally is still underway, but at least I know everything works out of the box. I only have one complaint about this internal/external system. The video and power supply to each camera is exposed. None of the wires from the camera install are housed within the camera assembly or mounting hardware. The wires are fully exposed and can be disconnected or cut. Especially if installed at street-level, someone can easily climb up or get on top of something if you install at the roof line or gutter area. On my first level, the roof line is at 9-10 feet height. Someone can easily cut those wires and defeat the system. Hopefully you are able to record who walks up and tries to cut. Night view is pretty good out to 30-feet or so. For this price and the quality of the equipment, you cannot beat the price! I would recommend this system to all friends and family! The only disclaimer would be to consider the exposed wire and see if there is an option to conceal or protect them from tampering.This is a top-notch security system that does everything as advertised. They say the night vision cameras work to 30 feet and they do at least that. The hard drive is huge. It will hold about 45 days of data for eight cameras on 24/7. The 60 foot wires came in handy. Software programs are great and set up nicely. Anyone who has used computers can figure out how to use and set the programs. Customer support was very helpful. My system was missing two small parts and customer support got them to me in less than a week. I priced other systems and this one is, by far, the best deal. Most systems were about half the capacity of this one and cost about twice as much. It took me about eight hours to put the cameras up and run the wires in the house. I hid the wires by placing them in tubes from a hardware store. These tubes are used to hide electrical cords inside the house, but they work outside as well. You can put four wires into one tube, they have a slit in them so you can snap the wires in, and attach them to the house using attachments like the cable companies use. The rest of it is about like setting up a new computer. Once everything was connected, I turned it on and it all worked, no problem.I put all eight cameras outside because we have thieves coming around at night. This system has the capability to download pictures and video to give to the police and/or use in court. I put the monitor in the bedroom so that I can turn it on and see everything around the outside of the house, even in the dark. You can view and record independently. I put one camera aimed at the front door so that I know who is there before I open it. It does not come with a monitor, but any computer monitor will do. Be careful on some cheaper systems. Some do not have a hard drive and it is not very obvious than they don't. Model number might just have a "NHD" for "no hard drive" and that's it. This is fine if you do not want to record, but if you do want to record, obviously, this will not do. If I had it to do over again, I would buy this system without hesitation.System works as advertised, and it is decent system for the price.
Pros
1) Price good price for an 8 camera 16 channel setup.
2) easy to set up
3) good online and phone support
4) works well with my android phone
Cons
1) connecting remotely requires IE and can be a problem on some IE9 machines cannot connect at all on one of my computers using IE9
2) cameras are fairly low resolution it is easy to identify those items where you already know what they are, but don't expect high-def facial clarity.
3) camera color is off except at night cameras work best at night, but during day colors are bleached out
4) cameras may interfere with infra-red motion detectors if not aimed appropriately kept triggering my alarm after setting up a camera that faced toward a motion detector
Other
Be careful when setting up email alerts if not configured right you will get bombarded with jpg attached emails from the systemthis security system is very nice however the instruction book doesnt seem to match the system. some of the pictures that are supposed to help walk you through some of the setup arent the same as the ones you see on your video screen. the system works great and after three trips to my attic it is now up and running. be sure to run the wires from camera to dvr in the right direction. i ran one the wrong way and when i tried to pull the eve staples out to rerun the wire the right way, i broke the wire causing me to order a replacement wire. the wires that come with the system are extremely thin and break very easily. the replacements are way thicker. for the price, you cant go wrongEasy to install and deploy...1TB HDD is a must for anyone wanting to keep at least 20 Days of constant recording.
Sony RDR-VX530 DVD Recorder & VHS Combo Player

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The only thing to watch out for is buying from Amazon's vendors. The one I bought was supplied by, and shipped by, J&R Electronics. The Sony box was packaged only in a plastic bag and was received in damaged condition. Since factory boxes are usually designed for sitting on store shelves and moderate protection, and not shipping cross country, sure enough the unit was also damaged.
Maybe I had a bad day, but I found J&R Electronics not the easiest people to try to return something to. Anyway, since I was under somewhat of a time constraint, I bought one from Best Buy (and got a better price as well... on sale). The new one, of course, works fine and I'm really happy with the VX530.
Bottom line... Great machine, but be a little careful who you buy from.
Since this is a review of the VX530 and not J&R, five stars for the machine... one star for poor packaging.
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For years I have been meaning to transfer old VHS tapes to DVD in order to preserve family memories. I tried various tools to transfer video via a PC but was disappointed by audio sync issues or the time it took to edit/burn DVDs.I decided to purchase a Sony RDR-VX530 unit on a whim last month. After checking the reviews on Amazon I almost didn't purchase this unit. I researched other DVD/VHS units but our family has always had good luck with Sony products in the past.
The directions for dubbing a VHS tap to DVD couldn't have been easier: insert a blank DVD, insert VHS tape and press the video dub button. The first tape conversion went so smoothly I couldn't believe it! I didn't add any special chapters or titles but the DVD automatically inserted jump points every five minutes.
Our home videos were taken over the past eight years using two different camcorders. The first set of videos are on VHS-C (compact) format tapes. VHS-C tapes require a special holder/adapter to allow them to play on a standard VHS unit. One of the main reasons for purchasing a VHS/DVD burner was to convert these old tapes without having to use the camcorder output cables. The quality of the audio over those cables was never very good. The playback of the VHS-C videos looked fantastic on the new player.
Most of the video "scenes" were only a few minutes long with gaps between them. If the straight dubbing method was used there would be lots of snow and/or unnecessary gaps between scenes. The RDR-VX530 has a cool feature that makes it easy to dub scenes from VHS to DVD. Get the video to the starting point of the scene and press pause. Select the dubbing option on the system menu. The tape will rewind a few seconds, start to play and then start recording when it gets to the spot you selected. Just make sure you are ready to hit the stop button when the scene ends! This creates separate chapters/scenes on the DVD.
We have been using DVD+R discs for simple VHS conversions. The only "editing" you can do on a DVD+R disc is delete the last scene. If you use DVD-RW or DVD-R discs you can do more advanced editing. Scenes can be moved to different sections of the playlist and you can manually insert chapter marks.
The only cumbersome task (IMO) is adding titles to each chapter using the TV interface. You need to navigate the alphabetical list using the remote to select letters. After a while it seems to get easier but this is the one element of the process that would be easier on a PC.
Bottom line: Old home videos that hadn't been watched in years are now converted to DVD! Now we can make copies of the home movie DVDs on a PC to share with family members or keep off-site for backup.
Read Best Reviews of Sony RDR-VX530 DVD Recorder & VHS Combo Player Here
It seemed pretty simple: Drop in your VHS tape, put in a DVD and press the button that said VHS->DVD. 30 minutes later, the tape is done and I go to the menu to finalize the disc. After a few minutes, I get an error saying that the media is unreadable and the disc cannot be finalized. Three DVD-R/16X discs later, I gave up and searched the net. Other people had problems with it recording to DVD-R. Even though the manual says it can handle 16X, I've got new coffee table coasters that shows it doesn't. Plus the menu interface is confusing and the not intuitive.Want Sony RDR-VX530 DVD Recorder & VHS Combo Player Discount?
I ordered this particular unit SPECIFICALLY because it advertised the ability to read DVD+/-DL discs. Well guess what? It can't read ANYTHING. Factory DVDs don't load. Custom burned discs don't load. Factory CD audio discs don't load. NOTHING loads. I have a $200+ piece of junk that will cost me another $10-$30 to ship back to RMA to SONY. Ordered from Etronics. Verdict is still out on them (their policy is not to take opened-item returns of SONY products). Shipping was in the regular retail box, but I thought it was suspended/packaged respectably from the factory. Bottom line: major headache. Don't take a chance ordering this online. It's not worth the hassle (especially if the damn vendor doesn't take SONY a/v returns!).I purchased this unit on 3/7/2007 and returned it the same day. The picture quality is beautiful and it's a Sony, right? Precisely why I returned it. Multiple reviewers complained that the unit will not record from premium cable channels. But I took a chance anyway. I have Cablevision of Long Island, NY and this recorder will not allow a recording to be made from channels such as Starz, Encore, TCM and AMC...it will display a message about copyrighted material. I have a Panasonic and a Samsung dvd recorder....they do just fine on these channels. Sony is notorious for their so called piracy protection designs and if you want to record movies from cable movie channels........absolutely do not buy this recorder!!!Monday, October 6, 2014
Philips Blu-ray Disc Player, BDP7200/37

- Blu-ray Disc 1080p DVD Player
- 1080p at 24FPS for cinema -like images.
- DVD Upconversion to 1080P via HDMi.
- Play CD, S(VCD), DVD, DVD=R/RW, DVD-R/RW,DivX, MP3, WMA and JPEG digital camera photos.
- HDMI for simple AV connection
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Have owned/installed dozens of DVD players.Comparing this one with Sony 301, BX1, Toshiba A2, E500, Philips 5992 and Oppo 970HD.
Blu-Ray ok. If you must have a BD player, this may be a nice choice. Especially if you need Divx compatiblity. No Ethernet tho.
SD DVD Upconversion is typically poor, as is most BD players. Not as good as HD DVD, E500, or Oppo. Even $39 5992 is superior.
Divx poor resolution, compared to 5992. Subtitles are not well formatted, compared to LG/Zenith Divx compatible players.
Pros:
Cheaper than sony BD players up til now.
Cons:
No ethernet, poor divx quality/compatibility. typical BD sluggish remote command response. Remote is long, heavy, button layout is horrible.
5992 has much better remote.
Summary:
I returned this unit. Too many drawbacks. Especially at this price. Will wait for a player that make me happy in all respects. If I had to buy something now for a HDTV HDMI setup, it would probably be the $39 Philips 5992. Great value and performance.
Reviewed using a 50" PDP 1080i using HDMI connection.
Read Best Reviews of Philips Blu-ray Disc Player, BDP7200/37 Here
This is my first Blu Ray player, and I second "Wewa's" comments. I've got a 50" 1080p tv and the picture is fine, when it works. The Philips BDP7200 takes around two minutes to load the movie, and often will stop playing in the middle of the movie.There is nothing worse than settling in for a great movie, and then having the scene freeze 20 30 minutes in. Eventually, you can get it going again by reloading (2 or 3 times) but it really throws you out of the movie.
Avoid it.
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I am like another reviewer who feels like I have to defend this product. Almost could not believe it when I saw the average review of only three stars as I write this. Did a lot of homework before buying this and when I saw it on sale for just under $200.00 at a competitor of Amazon.com, I had to pull the trigger. I am very glad I did, because the very minor flaws I have encountered thus far (after three weeks of ownership) seem insignificant to me.Don't compare a player in this price range to one that has double the retail price. To me that is unfair.
I am a guy who has a decent Dolby Digital 5.1 sound system. I don't care if this does not have the latest Dolby TruHD or DTS HD decoders built in, because I am not going to take the plunge into a new AV Reciever thank you. The 5.1 sounds excellent via the optical input. I have a feeling that Philips knows who they are building these things for.
As for Picture quality, I could not be happier. I have it hooked up via HDMI (with the audio off so I can send that via Optical) to a Panasonic 42" Viera plasma (which accepts 1080P24 signal). Blurays look absolutely stunning if you have a TV that can accept 1080P24, and I have not had any of the freeze issues that some others talk about after viewing approximately a dozen bluray titles so far. DVD's look excellent as well (maybe not as good as Oppo), but MUCH better than my previous Samsung DVD player ever produced. Another selling point to me is the fact that it plays all DVD formats. Not just the minus only, some others in this price range. If you have any family stuff, home movies, etc recorded on Plus format dvds, watch out. You might end up not being able to watch them on your new player.
Lastly, If you look at some "big time" reviewers like CNET for example, you may be wrongly swayed against buying something that is not at the absolute top of their list. That would be a shame. I think they got it wrong when they gave this one an average rating.
I really like mine a lot, and I can't imagine that most people would not feel the same way if they picked one up.Bedtime Stories (Plus Standard DVD + Digital Copy + BD Live) [Blu-ray]I've owned this unit for a few months now and it works like it should however I contacted Philips to make aware that the newer release from Disney "Bedtime Stories" will not play the main feature. It gets though the previews but when it starts to load the main feature it sets back to the white screen with PHILIPS in blue screen and repeats the previews. I have the latest firmware update so I'll just have to wait...
Other than that it plays the rest of my collection just fine. I'm very happy with this purchase and understand that their are mishaps like this and thankfully they make firmware updates to address issues like this and the changes to certain formats in blu ray discs. The player takes it loner to load the movies than I'd like but I'm totally aware that there is alot of info on these blur ray discs to process and the clarity is worth the wait. It seems to load longer when you have company over and your both staring at the screen waiting for the movie to begin but really not a big deal. All in all great player. It's quiet when it runs so no distractions or, "what's that loud humming noise" coming from it.
Sunday, October 5, 2014
Astar DVR-2100 Progressive Scan DVD Recorder w/ USB port

- Progressive scan DVD player/recorder with built-in TV tuner
- Records onto DVD+R/RW discs; plays DVD-R/RW, CD-R/RW, DVCD, SVCD, VCD, CD-DA, and MP3
- 20-event, 1-year timer, one-touch recording, editing capabilites
- NTSC/PAL system conversion output, 8-step fast or slow motion
- Inputs: 1 composite, 1 S-Video, 1 USB; Outputs: 1 composite, 1 S-Video, 1 component
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This is a nice recorder for + R format. It works in the US and overseas. It plays and records in PAL and NSTC. You can record 1,2,4 or 6 hours per standard DVD disk. Excellent for converting old family VHS,Beta, DV or Mini DV tapes to DVD. It will also record directly on dvd from your video camera. The only reason I did not give it a 5 rating is that it gets stuck sometimes in the menue and you have to unplug the unit and plug it back to go back to normal operation. Excellent buy for the money. I have three units and they all work fine.Read Best Reviews of Astar DVR-2100 Progressive Scan DVD Recorder w/ USB port Here
I used it to record about 5 dvds from my old VHS cassettes. The instruction manual is definitely not the most user-friendly. However, I was able to start using the unit without much delay. The problem started after day 3 when I tried to stop a disk that was being recorded upon. The display said something like "cannot stop recording". I finally unplugged the unit to make it stop. Then I realized that the unit had stopped recognizing any disk and kept saying that all disks (prerecorded ones or the ones thatI had recorded earlier) were blank. Spoke to customer service (you have to try a few times to get thru to someone) and they said the read/write haead was probably malfunctioning. They are going to email me a shipping label to send the unit back for replacement. Shall provide an update on the new unit, if and when I receive one.Want Astar DVR-2100 Progressive Scan DVD Recorder w/ USB port Discount?
Please do not order from this seller, There product suck big timeAstar DVR-2100 Progressive Scan DVD Recorder w/ USB portSaturday, September 20, 2014
Alesis VideoTrack Handheld Recorder

- Create web-ready video that's perfect for sharing
- Upload to social sites such as YouTube and Facebook
- High-quality stereo condenser microphone set
- Quality video lens and advanced DSP image processing and zoom
- Runs on internal, replaceable, rechargeable battery, or plugged in
Now... I bought my VideoTrack in Dec 2010 from another retailer, but what I have to say here is about Alesis, not the retailer.
Overall impressions, the video quality is pretty bad, but I was ok with that. The device design is ok, and the stereo audio is pretty decent. All those things were fine for the price point... and if the device worked, I probably would not be writing this.
I noticed immediately that the recorder would stop recording randomly. Could be 5 min, could be 30 min. I tried with the supplied 2GB card and also a high quality 16GB card for video that might go longer than 45 min (like a whole band set). There were problems on both memory cards.
I actually lost valuable gig recordings more than once because of this (I know, I know ... crazy that I actually used it as intended...).
I went to Alesis' website and located the firmware update. I am a computer support person, so I am capable... and despite my exact performance of their steps. The device told me "incorrect FW" every time and refused to update. I can only guess that I already have the latest firmware, but there is no (known) way of knowing
since they don't tell you how to find it on the device screens and I couldn't find it myself either.
I sent at least two detailed emails to Alesis support and never even got an acknowledgement. After several months, giving up and frustrated with the VideoTrack.. I decided to call Alesis directly. I spoke to a rep that acted like he never heard of this problem before (yet I see it all over the web on even in these Amazon reviews). After instructing me that they would RMA the device (RETURN SHIP AT MY EXPENSE!) I agreed. I spent over $10 to ship this piece of garbage back. I waited over a month... no communication. I emailed the tech support contact and he replied "shipping soon".
Well the device arrived about another week later. I immediately inspected the "new" device and was already disappointed to see that it had a serial number LOWER than the one I sent back (I kept a copy of my original serial number)... I know this was not proof of anything, but did not instill confidence. Seems like they must have a stockpile of old ones.. not surprising to me given my experience.
Anyway, to wrap this up... I unpacked, charged the unit overnight, setup and set on a tripod to record (pointed it at a movie playing on my computer screen for some non-still recording). Recorder stopped after 5 min. Test 2 seems like it made it until the battery ran out, but not sure because apparently if the battery runs out it does not save any file. Argh. Recharged. Test 3 stopped after abour 40min with battery bars clearly visible.
I tried the whole firmware update process AGAIN...same results as original recorder.. "incorrect FW". Same problems...I am done wasting my time!
I think Alesis has made a lemon and they are just hoping to sell these units to people who will eventually just give up trying to get them to work reliably. I am way past the point of getting a refund from the retailer, and RMA's just cost me MORE money in return shipping. I am done throwing good money after bad.
Thanks a lot Alesis... I will remember this next time I have to to between you and a competitor. I guess I can still use this for 5 minute movies of things that don't have to record reliably (????).
Don't get burned... I did twice on this thing... avoid the VideoTrack at all costs... there are others way more deserving of your money even if you have to spend a bit more it will be worth it.
UPDATE AUGUST 2012:
Well, my unreliable VideoTrack was in the box for months since I had given up on it. I happened across a post where some people had found a firmware update 1.46 that actually worked for them. I located it on one of the Alesis support boards, and was pleasantly surprised that it actually loaded (where previous firmware updates had all failed with "incorrect FW" messages). I verified the FW was indeed updated to 1.46 and also saw the new AUDIO ONLY mode. I then tested several hours of recording both with battery and while connected to USB power. The "intermittent recording stop" seems to be cured. I seem to be able to record about 4 hours on battery power before it shuts down, but I also successfully recorded over 6 hours on USB power without a glitch. I think the battery indicator may be a bit misleading because it seems after 3-4 hours of recording it still shows 2 bars right up until low power shutdown. I thought maybe the recording problem was back... because it still showed 2 battery bars at shutdown and when I powered it back up, But then I realized it quickly goes to "no bars" and shuts down. OK.. I can deal with a misleading battery indicator. Anyway, I thought I would share my experience to maybe get some usable life out of my VideoTrack and maybe you can too with firmware 1.46. I only upped my star rating to TWO stars however, because my overall experience was terrible and Alesis support remains inexcusable... More evidence? The official Alesis support webpage still has the old firmware (1.24?) posted and customers have to fend for themselves to find this fix. C'mon Alesis.. you actually have a fix and you can't even update your support page?
Buy Alesis VideoTrack Handheld Recorder Now
When the recorder stayed on it worked as expected. However, the first time I used it, it stopped recording a 45 minute performance after 2 minutes. (I had it on a mic stand up in the air). I thought maybe I should upgrade firmware. DON'T WASTE YOUR TIME! (They make a big deal about following the instructions exactly and when you do it doesn't work).Around 8 times over three weeks, I tried recording a one hour live performance and it stopped every time during the recording. I had to get someone to stand on a chair and start the recording every time it stopped, which varied from 2 minutes to 22 minutes, sometimes during a loud section with activity.
Don't waste your time!!!!! Way too frustrating!
Read Best Reviews of Alesis VideoTrack Handheld Recorder Here
The VT is a simple to operate camcorder with "above average" sound quality. I noticed that the VT gets many mixed reviews online and I honestly think that a lot of it is because the user guide is so minimal-not to mention how small it is to read. I have downloaded the user guide from the internet which came in PDF format, that allowed me to see it without going blind. Now for the details: You need to connect the headphones after you turn on the VT, and not after you record cause you will not hear the recorded audio in both sides. Many costumers thought that that is because one of the mics is a defect, so the VT records only in mono. I wish Alesis would also tell us that you have to transfer files to iMovie using only the original size, or the program will crash..even Apple could not figure this out, but that should be Alesis job to print on the VT user guide.I cannot complain on VT overall quality, keeping in mind that it is a very simple interface to manage. I also thought that the VT's construction is rather sturdy, but the ultralight weight of this camcorder could raises some questions regarding it's overall street price, which should be lower. All in all I got what I need: easy drag and drop so I can post my playing on Youtube with no rippers or converters, while the sound is better than my older camcorder. Alesis really sacrificed their name and reputation because of this product and that's a shame.Want Alesis VideoTrack Handheld Recorder Discount?
If you read the negative reviews, most are nearly a year old. New firmware fixes the random shut off problem and adds an audio only option. My videotrack came with firmware version 1.24. To find out your firmware version, hold plus and power when the unit is off. It will power up to a self test mode, and show the firmware version at the bottom of the screen. I didn't have any issues with the few recordings I made, but I went ahead and upgraded to firmware version 1.46 which adds an audio only mode. You'll need to search the alesis community forum for the latest firmware. You'll find a link to dropbox with the new firmware. The download includes the instructions on how to install it.I had a zoom Q3, and while the Alesis is much lighter weight and probably less well built, the results are very comparable. Video quality on both the videotrack and Q3 is substandard, which is why I sold my Q3. The audio on both is good, but not as great as a dedicated audio recorder. For the current price of the videotrack, I'm willing to accept the results. For the price of the Zoom Q3, the results just weren't worth it. The videotrack is OK, not great, but it's cheap enough for what it is.For the $40. 00 I paid it's worth it. My problem is there is no way to edit video. If I record say for an hour and I would like to use 2 minutes, no way to do it. Sound quality is terrible. I am a bass player and it just does not pick up the lower frequencies.
Sunday, September 7, 2014
GPX DH300B 1080p Upconversion DVD Player with HDMI

- HDMI upconverts to 1080p
- DVD/CD/JPEG
- Progressive scan
- Composite output
- S-video output & digital output
- Full-function remote included (requires 2 AAA batteries - not included)
- Has output for HDMI, S-video, composite video, coaxial digital audio and RCA stereo audio
- Plays DVD/CD/JPEG
- Supports: 720p, 1080i, 1080p
Buy GPX DH300B 1080p Upconversion DVD Player with HDMI Now
I replaced my old GPX (maybe 2 years old) with this model. The old one just died one day and I had to disassemble it to remove the DVD. These thihgs happen, no big deal. The new one plays the DVD fine except the sound is very choppy. It is/was very annoying to watch a movie and all of a sudden the sound goes up and down. I replaced this GPX with a Samsung DVD player and have no problems and the remote control on the Samaung is much nicer.I would not recommend the GPX.
Read Best Reviews of GPX DH300B 1080p Upconversion DVD Player with HDMI Here
would not work dvd played until I stop it and then it would restart and would not play properly that's all.Want GPX DH300B 1080p Upconversion DVD Player with HDMI Discount?
In the 'Product Features' and 'Product Description' for this item, it states that it has S-video output, which is why I ordered it. This would have given the player a much better, sharper and clearer picture over the old RCA output which it has. It does not have S-video output! Amazon courteously sent me a prepaid mailing label to return it and promptly gave me a full refund but I had to make other arrangements for a different player which added to my frustration and waiting time without a player, plus all the mechanics I had to go through to get it repackaged and returned.Wednesday, August 6, 2014
Philips PD700/37 7-Inch LCD Portable DVD Player, White

- Enjoy your movies anytime, anyplace! The portable PD700 DVD player featuring 7" TFT. Play your movies, music and photos on the go.
- The Philips Portable DVD player is compatible with most DVD and CD discs available in the market.
- Enrich your AV entertainment experience with 7" TFT color LCD display in 16:9 wide screen format
- The DVD-Video player remembers where you have finish viewing a DVD and continue playing from the exact scene where you stopped
- The color LCD display brings images to life, showing off your treasured photos, favorite movies and music with the same 'real life'
Pros
-Clear 7 inch screen even when viewed at an angle. I sat 2 seats over from my son and could still watch the movie just fine.
-Very clear and crisp audio at higher volumes and volume control is precise enough for equally good quality at lower levels. We were able to listen just fine on the plane without disturbing the people in fornt or behind us
-Ease of use. There aren't too many options to fiddle with. The movies load very quickly and can be from stop to DVD menu in a few seconds.
-Not too bulky. Closed, it's about the size of a moderately sized hard-cover novel.
-Price. Can't beat this for under a hundred bucks.(8 inch screens are more expensive. Not sure if the extra inch is worth the price difference
Cons
-Battery life. Lasted about 2 hours. This is fine for short trips, but when trying to keep a 2-year old occupied for long distances it might be an issue.
One thing I should add is the color might be an issue for some. The white is a cool offest to the black and gives it an apple-esque look. However, if kids are handling it you may want to think twice. I can picture the pretty white not being too pretty after a few run ins with a little one. Maybe stick to the black for kids and the white for adults....that is unless you dont really mind this thing being dirtied up.
Overall I would give this a 5 star rating but the battery life brings it down to a 4. If I can run my laptop for almost 4 hours on a battery, this thing should be able to do more that that.
Buy Philips PD700/37 7-Inch LCD Portable DVD Player, White Now
Bought this for my 5 yr. old daughter she loves it of course! the 7inch screen is quite small, but picture quality is good. It just seems a bit flimsy, I'm not optimistic that this is going to last any longer than a year. But, it's what I paid for because it's for a 5yr old! he battery life is very short maybe 1.5-2 hrs. It constantly needs to be recharged, and it DOES NOt recharge while it's plugged in and being watched simultaneously. Has to be powered off. It's alright.Read Best Reviews of Philips PD700/37 7-Inch LCD Portable DVD Player, White Here
We purchased this from a retail store this summer. Loved the picture and sound quality but, as another reviewer pointed out, the battery life is not optimal. We were also frustrated by lack of an "off" button. (When you turn the player to "off/recharge" the battery loses power.) The bad part? Less than 9 months after purchasing the player it has died. Now we don't have a DVD player and I have to find someone to take it off my hands.Want Philips PD700/37 7-Inch LCD Portable DVD Player, White Discount?
I have had this dvd player for 2 weeks now and the picture is sharp, the sound is great, especially while riding in the car.It is light and no fuss, you just turn it on for the first time and it plays, the directions are so easy you don't even need to read the instrustions, perfect for anyone who is electronially challenged. It lasts around 2 hours after charging, I wish it would last longer but you can recharge in your car with a car charger until you get home. I do recommend this product for the price, I am not sure the higer end priced dvd players do any better.We bought our Philips portable DVD player after our last flight with our 2 year-old son, Hank. Our previous flight was a nightmare and I'm sure we were hated by everyone six isles in each direction. This last trip we set him up with his fave movie and never heard a peep out of him, except laughing. I highly recommend this plan to anyone traveling with tots.Monday, August 4, 2014
Starlite 043769970382 7-Inch Dual Monitor PDVP

- Two 7-Inch TFT 16:9 LCD screens
- DVD video and CD audio compatible
- Supports CD, CD-R and CD-RW playback
- Dolby digital (AC3) digital audio output
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I purchased this at Target in July, 2007. Because we have had trouble with various electronic gadgets, we decided to buy the extended warranty (3 years for $19). Good thing we did. This unit was purchased for our longer road trips. It really didn't have that many hours on it. Unfortunately, it failed on our recent 800 mile road trip. This was only 5 months after purchase. The kids were upset, as that was their main form of entertainment for the long ride. Since they were unhappy, we were all miserable (you know how that goes!). I have contacted the Service Plan people and they will be sending me a credit for the amount paid once they receive the broken unit from me. It is unlikely I will purchase this Disney unit again. However, based on our track record, it seems like unless you're willing to pay good money for top brand electronics, none of them last very long.Read Best Reviews of Starlite 043769970382 7-Inch Dual Monitor PDVP Here
I just bought this DVD player at target like an hour ago. I came home and started reading the reviews and i'm going to return it! I bought this DVD player for my two year old boy/girl twins. I am taking them on a four hour airplane trip & thought it would be great for each of them to be able to hold their own screen so there would be no fighting, but....there is no battery pack so it has to be plugged in for it to work! I thought about just keeping it for the car but it sounds like a piece of junk :( I too was not offered the extended warranty.Want Starlite 043769970382 7-Inch Dual Monitor PDVP Discount?
We bought this product on a whim for our kids. It entertained them during our long trips anywhere, with an added bonus that they each had their own screen in front of them.The picture and sound (without the headphones) quality was great!!!
Would definately recommend this to anyone with kids!!!We purchased this unit at Target last month. Fortunately we tried it out at home before leaving on a long road trip. It worked great... for about 45 seconds! Then the main screen went to static and we smelled a strong electrical smell. We brought it back to Target and received a full refund. We expected that Disney would only put their name on a quality prodoct, but sadly we were wrong!
Friday, May 23, 2014
Peerless HDSWHDI100 Wireless HD Multimedia System

- Stream Full HD 1080p and 3D content wirelessly up to 100ft (30m)
- Zero latency (<1ms) enables instant gaming response
- USB Gaming/PC Port wirelessly connects computer to gaming controller, keyboard or mouse
- Connects up to 2 HDMI devices such as Blu-ray player, set-top box, gaming console
- HDMI pass-through feature allows hard-wired connection to a second HDTV
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Update 11/26/12: I contacted Justin from Peerless support on the issues I was haivng this weekend watching a football game two rooms away. Because this partcular device is sending uncompressed high definition video the distance is limited. Justin said that while the maximum distance is 100 feet, the best performance is through a single wall. Even though I was able to get it to work through two walls including a kitchen, my expectations are a bit high for this particular device. Next year Peerless is releasing a device that supports composite and component video for those of us who have need the greater distance but not the higher definition. If you have the need to send high definition video with remote control to the next room or connect another display to your video game this device does work great. And they do have great support!
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Wireless Multimedia system
I have an older home that I have been remodeling which of course has included snaking cabling everywhere: network, TV, security cams and other devices. Although some of our networked devices work wirelessly it still isn't as efficient as wired. But I have dreamed of wireless media connections for some of my entertainment devices. The Peerless HDS-WHDI100 Wireless HD Multimedia System has started to fulfill that dream.
Multimedia System?
I was skeptical at first when I read this was a wireless multimedia system. The description also contained the word "gaming" which I haven't been into for years. So I really had no idea what I was getting myself into with this system. Multimedia to me has always meant the vast array of devices: cable TV, satellite TV, DVD, DVR, digital media, USB cards, old VCRs, etc, etc. My first hope was to use this with my security system but this is HDMI only and my security system video out is composite. So keep in mind this particular model is for high end media only (see support below).
Installation
Plugging everything together is easy, getting it all to work is another thing altogether. I tried this with my HD cable box, ROKU, and a digital media player. Everything is in our "entertainment room" so where to put the receiver? The stated 100 feet is line of sight only. I found I was limited to the living room about 40 feet through two walls. Our kitchen is between the entertainment room and living room. Our bedroom is about 60 feet away (direct line) and it did not work (although I will try experimenting with placement of the wireless devices never give up...).
Working the system
While a bit slow initially turning on, it did transmit the video and sound clearly. First problem was getting the correct format/aspect. With the combination of player, transmission and TV on the receiving end this can be a chore to get right. I also found standby time is short so if you happen to be in setup and not doing anything it will disappear and takes, to me, an unreasonably long time to come back.
The most difficult part was setting up the IR so that you can have the remote with you at the receiving end. First, you have to stick these adhesive backed little black half inch by quarter inch pieces on a wire over the IR on your device. Not only does that look tacky but you have to find exactly where the little IR receiver is on your device through those black windows isn't easy. And the wire connecting these to the transmitter is a bit short. Then you have to adjust the frequency on the receiving end. You have basically three settings. I ran through all of them on all three devices and couldn't get it to work frustrating because too many variables. Then when I was about to give up it magically started to work! Yes, we were watching and controlling the device located in our entertainment room in a completely different room of the house now that is awesome! Obviously there is no way to have two people controlling the device in two different rooms so if someone happens to be watching it in the other room they may think there's a ghost...
Other features
You can connect two devices to the transmitter also having to stick the IR receivers to. The Peerless Wireless Multimedia System comes with a simple remote control that allows you to switch between the two devices and also change the IR frequency. Switching devices has a slight lag but does work. One drawback is if you have to use the HDMI pass through your main display will be limited to what is being watched by the remote.
Connecting to a computer to me is old school for streaming media. But if you do, on the receiver you can connect a mouse or keyboard (or both if you have something like the Logitech connection) via USB so you can control it remotely. It was easy to connect to and control our Macbook Pro. That would allow you to add your computer to your multimedia system as another device. As Justin, my support contact stated, another useful feature would be in a presentation situation where you want to control the computer with the screen you are looking at. Another option of connecting to an Xbox or WII should give you the added benefit of two players having their own display.
Support
I called the 800 support number and spoke to Justin who was very helpful and willing to give me time to answer my questions. One thing he did mention was that it is uncompressed wireless signal giving it the capability of handling active 3D. Which is also why this is HDMI only, it is the advanced wireless version. There is expected to be a newer version of their older wireless system next year that allows you to connect all types of video including component and composite. But it is compressed wireless which shouldn't be a problem for those types of video signal.
Summary
My hopes and dreams of not having to crawl around in the attic and drill holes in the walls are becoming a reality. While the distance is limited and I had a little frustration setting it up, I rated it 5 stars because it does work within the advertised specifications. I love the system and it is awesome to be able to use a device in two different rooms and control it without wires!
Buy Peerless HDSWHDI100 Wireless HD Multimedia System Now
I needed this device to send the 1080p output of my now obsolete Toshiba HD-DVD player to my HDTV across the room. I wasn't prepared to test the cable length limits of HDMI so going wireless seemed the best choice in this case.Build quality is nice on this unit but physical/aesthetic design may or may not be to your liking. Personally I didn't care, I just wanted it to work! Had it out of the box and working in less than 20 minutes without consulting the instructions.
With a houseful of wireless devices running off a Fios network, plus cell phones, Kindles. iPads and what not going all at once I was a bit worried the signal might be disrupted and show a few video glitches now and then. Nope! Sends the 1080p perfectly although I do have a clear line of sight and my HDTV and HD-DVD player are only about 50 feet from each other.
The weakest link in this product will most likely prove to be the AC adapters so have a couple of spares on hand for that eventuality. (this unit uses two different varieties) I know it saves space and money to locate the power supply externally, but it also creates a frustrating situation when one or more of them burns out. (and as we all know THEY DO)
If you need to send one or two HDMI sources across a room without cabling, the Peerless HDS system works fine. If you used a video processor as a front end you could send everything that way and not be limited to just two HDMI inputs.
Bottom line: This thing works, sets up quickly and has so far given me no grief!
Read Best Reviews of Peerless HDSWHDI100 Wireless HD Multimedia System Here
Wow, we were really impressed with this device. We wanted to replicate our TV (media) signal in the kitchen on a 24" LCD monitor and this delivered with flying colors.What we like:
Extremely clear signal.
Easy Setup! (EASY, Under 10 mins for even non tech types)
Smallish/unobtrusive.
DOESN'T HOG OR IMPEDE WIFI SIGNAL (I can't stress this one enough)
Room for improvement:
Signal occasionally cuts out a bit, and that's only from one room away. Could be worse from farther apart.
Kind of cheesy looking, design features were meh.
Could use an IR repeater/blaster in the back since it can block signals from the DVR/Cable remote.
Short power cord.
4.5 Stars, rounding down since there's still room for a bit of improvement. Highly recommended.
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The picture quality that this little gadget gets on the TV is great. I don't, however, understand that why when I plug certain devices in, it tells me that it's using 480p instead of 720 or 1080. The picture quality still looks great but whatever they're using to display the quality doesn't seem to be working quite right.For the rest of the product: for the most part, it's great. The source input flipping takes a little longer than I expected, but the signals goes across my entire house. Setup is easy, and it comes with everything you need out of box. (Speaking of out of box: it comes with 2 power adapter that are identical EXCEPT for the connection. Since the same company created both boxes (receiver and transmitter), why is there a need for a mini-USB power connector and a little circle one?
Overall video quality is great (regardless that is says 480p): so if you find yourself in the need of some wireless HDMI, I wouldn't hesitate to buy this. In fact, my biggest hesitation would come from what problem this device is solving. For the price (you could guy 3 BluRay players for cheaper), the overall gain of having this device is diminished, at least for my purposes.
Would recommend, but depending on your needs, be sure to explore other options (buying another player!)When I initially ordered this thing, I was not sure what it was. What it is is a multimedia transmitter/receiver that transmits the audio/video of 2 devices to a receiver located (up to) 100 ft away. It is very easy to set up, just plug your 2 components into the transmitter, plug the transmitter into your primary TV, and then you plug the receiver into your secondary TV.
My goal was to get my DVR and my PS3 (located in my basement) to transmit upstairs to my family room. Right now, my family room TV is only hooked to a DVD player because I'm too cheap to get a 2nd DVR. This solution seemed perfect, as it would allow me to both watch all my stuff upstairs in HD with this device.
In the end, I can tell you that it works very well, but not as I had liked.
Below are some pros and cons.
Pros:
The audio/video quality is flawless. There is no latency despite the fact it is transmitting through walls. The transmitter are separated by about 2 walls and 1 floor (a linear distance of about 25 ft) and a walking distance of approximately 55 ft.
The setup is extremely easy. It took me no time at all I just had to put this box in between the media and the TV, that's it!
Cons:
My setup did not go as I had planned. The transmitter has 2 HDMI in ports, but only 1 HDMI out port. This means that it doubles as a SWITCHING ADAPTER. I didn't need this my devices are all plugged into an A/V receiver, I don't need another switching device.
You can only watch 1 device on both TVs at a time. You don't have the option to pass-through the DVR on TV1 and transmit the PS3 on TV2. This thing was designed to have the transmitter in the same room (or adjacent room) as the receiver if they are so close to each other, why would I want to watch the same source on both TVs?
This was designed to be used within line of sight between transmitter and receiver. As I have utilized it in a different way, I can't use my IR remote to change the DVR channel (in my basement) from my family room.
In the end, I did not get the setup I wanted. The complexity with connecting both the DVR and the PS3 into the transmitter, and then connecting the transmitter to my Home Theater receiver created the need for me to use another remote control for the Peerless Wireless HD switching device. Furthermore, it would mess up my audio setup. Like many more of you who know your audio, each device requires different settings. I have programmed my receiver to customize the audio settings for it's HDMI1 (DVR) and HDMI2 (PS3) ports. If both of these devices are plugged into this product, I would be forced to have only 1 audio setting for the two.
I have a universal remote, so I could have made it work by adding this product's IR codes into it. However I don't want to be forced to switch between one device or the other on BOTH of my TVs I want to be able to mix and match my devices with my TVs. The goal was to be able to still play my games upstairs while my family hijacked the home theater for a kids movie or show on the DVR. Or vice versa, if they want to hijack the PS3 to watch Tinkerbell on Blu-Ray, I could watch Burn Notice on the DVR. In the end, I decided use this product with only my PS3, and it works great I can use my PS3 both upstairs and downstairs. I can now get my Netflix, Amazon Video, and can play my games upstairs, which is a lot more than I could do before, and all without any extra work or setup. All I have to do differently is keep one of my PS3 controllers upstairs!
IMO, this product should include 2 transmitters, each with 1 HDMI-in and 1 HDMI-out port. This way they would simply be a simple in-line box between the multimedia device and the TV. Then the receiver can receive both transmissions, and then you could switch FROM THE RECEIVER BOX which transmitter you wanted to watch from.
If any of this doesn't make sense to you or if you have any questions, please feel free to post a comment. I had a lot of questions about this product when I first ordered it and I could not find much reading material on this from any online sources. I have since figured out a lot of them and can help you out if you are considering buying this.
Monday, May 12, 2014
PIONEER DVR-S606spk External DVD Writer - Silver
I have used this unit extensively for the past 10 months. It has performed flawlessly while burning somewhere in the vicinity of 1400 DVDs... That is not a misprint...fourteen hundred DVDs... Have used mostly 4x dvd-r with a burn time average of 14min.10sec... Performs equally well with my Toshiba laptop as it does with the Sony Vaio desktop... Easily outperforms the Sony 510 dvd+/-r internal in the desktop... The only disadvantage I have found is some of the 2x dvds only burn at 1x, but have have no problem with 4x discs in either plus or dash format... and yes, the DVD+r burn ed perfectly alsoI installed it on 4 different computers. The advertising material claims that it writes to both the DVD-RW and DVD+RW (as well as CD) formats, but Windows (as well as the sticker on the back of the unit) insists that it's compatible only with CD/DVD-.The incompatibility issue ultimately didn't matter to me, because it didn't write to or read from ANY format on ANY of the 4 computers. It also caused problems with pre-existing CD/CVD drives.
Garbage.
Saturday, April 12, 2014
CIB CUC8795 600TVL Outdoor CCD Bullet Infrared Day Night Security Camera w/ S...
The product description states that this camera has a 6 mm lens. In fact, it is 3.6 mm, i.e., a much wider angle. This is a problem in that you have to mount the camera much closer to the subject to see adequate detail, as for facial recognition, which may not always be possible. For longer range view, look for at least a 6 mm lens or get one with a zoom.very satisfied with the performance of this camera as I have searched many times to find out which one is good quality with good price , after I received this camera , I dont believe how they are clearer than my others camera that I bought double the price , day time object look excellence , night time real good enough to see object with in 20ft , I would recommend this item to anyone who is in search of quality with fair priceUSA Security Store -CCTV High Resolution CCD 600TVL High Resolution Indoor/Outdoor Vandal Bullet Color Security Camera Infrared Day Night Vision with Sony Super HAD CCD Image SensorBuy CIB CUC8795 600TVL Outdoor CCD Bullet Infrared Day Night Security Camera w/ S... Now
Easy to install, the view is very good. Wide angle viewing. My other cameras only show small areas low quality. This one shows a larger area and much clearer.this camera is a great camera it show a great picture from about a good 60 to 70 feet away it very easy to install .Want CIB CUC8795 600TVL Outdoor CCD Bullet Infrared Day Night Security Camera w/ S... Discount?
I don't like it because is not night vision capable. You can not see anything on the dark with this even with you back up lights on. Picture quality is terrible -very blurry/fuzzy. I won't buy USA Security Store products again.Friday, March 28, 2014
Arnova 10 501714 10.1-Inch Android Internet Tablet - Black
I have been messing with my Arnova for over a week now. I have talked to Amazon and Overdrive Media Console tech support to determine why it will not run the Amazon Appstore, Kindle or OMC app's. I bought this machine thinking I would have a reader that also acted as a tablet. Right now, I have a tablet that plays music and allows me to surf the net but it will not run any of the Amazon apps and I cannot get it to run OMC so you can download free books from the library. These are 2 of the most important reasons I bought the machine and they are not working.The enclosed documentation is minimal, little more than a diagram of the controls. I have contacted Arnova twice via their automated support line and received no response even though it says you will hear from them within 2 business days. The device seems to start lagging once it has been on for a while, a shutdown and reboot brings it back but it is a pain. Public wifi is a headache but that could be the wifi too. Documentation is so bad you have to guess what is going on, for example, I keep dragging icons from the app screen to the home screen and have not been able to remove them.
In short, this is a device with a lot of kinks. If you are willing to work through them on your own the bargain is worth it. If not, get something else.I recently purchased this item because it was on sale at an unbelievable price. I knew that I was not buying an iPad and that it would be somewhat limited by Android 2.1. However, I wanted something other than my iPod touch to travel with and felt like this would fit the bill. If I didn't like it I would give it to a family member. I just returned from my first trip with it. I purchased a case that included a tablet keyboard and stylus (the keyboard was smart move). First thing I must say is this: charge it up over night before attempting to use it. Once it gets the initial full charge you should be in business. Like a kid I plugged it in and started trying to use it...FRUSTRATING! Second, realize that this has a resistive screen meaning that you are going to have to press it harder than you would an iPod touch for instance. Get a stylus...it helps tremendously in this regard. For what I purchased it to do it works great. I use it to check email, surf the web for news sites, stocks, other sites of interest where I will not be using video. I am not a person who watches video much on web...I usually choose to read the news rather than watch it. Personal preference but I am writing about this as it fits my needs. It functions great. I was on a three day trip. Turned it on and off several times. Used it for 30-45 minutes at a time and it is still half charged (I forgot to take charger with me). The screen size and resolution is fine for me. I downloaded an app to write documents and it works great. I did purchase an SD card to use in it. I did attempt to watch a video just for the sake of trying it out and this was a little frustrating in the sense that I was not pleased with its performance. But again, not what I got it for so I am not upset. Just wanted to know what it would do. I have found a host of apps that fit what I want to use this thing to do. It functioned great other than the one time when it was updating the app library, I didn't notice that it was and attempted to do something that caused it to freeze. I just wait the 30 seconds for it to run thru its update when I turn it on and have had no problems.
IF...IF...you understand what this can do I think it can be very useful and inexpensive for a lot of people. If you think you are getting a cheaper iPad then save money for a real one. If you can live with what this machine was intended for then it can be a smart purchase.
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I bought this tablet from JR.com via Amazon. When I got it, I spent a few hours on: checking responsiveness of the touch screen, installing apps, and testing speed. I have a HTC Evo 4G with android 2.2. So I compare this tablet with the performance with my cell phone.Touch screen: the responsiveness is fairly under expectation. I kept getting missing letters when typing. Slow response when click a link in web browser. Comparing with my cell phone, this tablet is unacceptable.
Apps: I tried to install two apps which I installed on my cellphone. Those two apps worked perfectly on my HTC phone. However, both apps kept crashing on this tablet. No built in app store preinstalled on it. Not convenient.
Speed: I used three devices with the same WiFi hotspot to test web browsing speed. Laptop, cellphone, and tablet. This tablet is way too slow comparing with the other two devices when loading an average page, not image intensive. It is more like a 6+ year old laptop speed.
After looking at these three key aspects, I decided to spend some more dollars to get a solid tablet. Not this one.
Read Best Reviews of Arnova 10 501714 10.1-Inch Android Internet Tablet - Black Here
My Arnova 10 arrived yesterday. Upon turning it on, the 1st thing it did was start calibration for the touch sensitivity. This is important because if you have a heavy touch, the screen will scratch. I'm being very careful about that.This computer is solidly built. I had my mom up here helping me set up a hot spot for the wireless connection and she tripped over the charge cord dragging the tablet off of the table crashing to the floor. Considering I had JUST gotten it three hours before, I thought I was going to cry! But it was fine! I couldn't believe it!
One of the early things I did was uninstall some of the apps that I knew I had no interest in, like Eurosports. Nope. Don't need that. We went to start installing a couple apps like Angry Birds and the Kindle app for android. Angry Birds went on easy but didn't play well at 1st. It was REALLY laggy. But this morning I discovered how to turn off the background on the game and now it plays MUCH better.
I wish I could say the same for the kindle app. It was a bear to find a site that would actually download it. I kept going to the android marketplace to get it and everytime I would try to get it, the screen would just refresh and leave me sitting there staring at the same thing. No download. We finally managed to pull it down and install it off another site. So we went to Amazon and picked up a couple free kindle books there. Those two books are sitting on the archives on amazon right now. I try to bring them down to the device and it tells me something went wrong, to delete them and bring them back down from the archives. I don't know what's with that. So we went to project gutenberg and manually downloaded to the desktop a book. Hooked the tablet up to the desktop via USB and dragged the book to the tablet and into the kindle app. It runs like a dream that way.
If at 1st you don't succeed, try try again I suppose.
Yes, this is my 1st droid. I'm slowly getting the hang of using it. I don't believe this tablet would be for someone without at least some technical knowledge of computers. But for those people who know a lot of work-arounds, this tablet can be a lot of fun.
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My Archos Arnova 10 is a keeper! Performs better than I expected. All for less than $200 including the shipping. It worked right out of the box. This is my first Android device, so I am learning as I go. Primary use is for reading the news and general light Internet surfing at home, coffee shops, and the library (similar to how I use my ipod touch only Arnova has a 10 inch screen). Plays Internet radio audio and videos, but doesn't appear to have flash player installed (I'm looking into that). No plans to use it for video games. Tablet is running Android 2.1 OS.It has 4 GB internal storage vs only 2 GB for the generic tablets I compared it against. Plus the Arnova 10 accepts the micro sd cards for additional storage!
The screen is resistive (not a problem for me). The larger 10 inch screen makes it easier for me to use with no problems. If you really want the other type (capacitive screen) you could spend another $90 for the next model up.
Over all I'd say good job Archos with the Arnova 10! You have a great product I was looking for and purchased for under $200. Very pleased with the online merchant and shipper. I got my tablet in about 2 days!
Coby MP-C556 512MB Sports MP3 Player with FM Radio

- High contrast LCD display with backlight
- Integrated FM radio and recorder
- Integrated microphone for digital voice recording
- Plays MP3 and WMA digital music files/Plays digital music from most online stores and subscription services
- ID3 and LRC support for song and synchronized lyric information display
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It is as long as the width of your palm and at it's thickest part the width of your big toe. The MP3 player comes with headphones that do not deliver a constant signal if the plug-in to the mp3 player is moving due to working out/running. The FM Tuner is OK... only picks up the most powerful signals on autoscan. Takes 1 triple A battery that was dead with arrival; but for the price, it does the job.Read Best Reviews of Coby MP-C556 512MB Sports MP3 Player with FM Radio Here
I am new to the gym and got tired of reading the TV screens. I purchased two of these and even though they are bigger than I would have preferred, don't come with the chain pictured and you must use the ear buds provided they work just fine. Clear reception and decent battery usage.Want Coby MP-C556 512MB Sports MP3 Player with FM Radio Discount?
Just got this little player and find it's so easy to use. I got it, took it out of the wrapper and load on the music; I then put in a penlite battery and started using right away without reading the manual. I had no itch at all. It's as if I knew how to use it all along. The sound on the MP3 is very clear. Thanks very much as I find it very boring to read manuals these days.This is a great little player. Holds tons of songs. Easy enough for my 4 year old to use basic functions. I was able to sync with windows meadia player and load songs from CDs without even reading the manual. Very easy to use and my son loves it.
