Aiptek DV3100 3.1MP AVI Digital Camcorder

I order this camera based on its features, some reviews and doing some research on the net. After a week of exploring its capabilities i found out that its 4 in 1 features are in med level in terms of quality and here it is:

1. as a Digital video(camcorder) support only up to 10fps as a result the video is not smooth and zoom features are not available.

2. as a Digital camera 2MP ok, the pictures are fine as long as you pay attention on the lens when taking pictures. no flash, no optical zoom only 2X digital zoom.

3. as a Voice recorder its a fix sampling rate i don't know what it is. the quality of sound recording is low but you can save more space.

4. as a Web camera capable only up 20 fps, just good enough for me.

Bonus features: as a removable drive, nice 1.5" LCD display, small in size, can be preview on TV, 2 AA batteries, plus its accesories and software package.

TAKE NOTE: use this camera only during the day or where there is sufficient light coz it has a very poor results in low light condition.

Anyway, who can expect professional results on a less than $150 camera? It's still recommended for enthusiast who's fun of capturing moments. Don't forget to include at least 256MB CF card.

I'm a sucker for cost-effective gadgets, and by those standards, this nifty little 4-in-1 camera is up there with the best of them. First and foremost, you get a 3.1 megapixel digital still camera for a third of the cost of most other products in that category. If it stopped right there, this would still be an amazing deal. However, you also get a palm-sized digital video camera, a digital voice recorder, a USB webcam, and a removable USB storage device. All for $$$ . Now that's a deal I just couldn't pass up.

However, approach this product with eyes wide open, and don't expect it to be the greatest performer in each of its distinct capabilities. For example, as a digital still camera it isn't very tolerant of low light situations. Adequately-lit photos come out fine, but indoor lighting or overcast outdoor shots tend to produce muddy, red-tinged tones. A built-in flash would have overcome this problem, but alas, there is none. So take your shots in well-lit areas and situations, and you'll be fine. Also, the fact that its native image format is lossy JPEG rather than a lossless format such as TIFF is of concern, but probably only to gearheads like me. Most casual digital auteurs won't really care. You can shoot and store roughly 60 digital photos at full quality (2048x1536, Fine Quality) on a 64Mb CompactFlash card (not included, purchased separately. On-board storage is 16Mb.)

Next, as a digital video camera: don't expect it to fulfill all of your home movie needs. At 10 frames-per-second and 320x240 video resolution, it's hardly broadcast quality. However, I find this limited quality just right for shooting, editing, and posting quickie, low-bandwidth web movies. The camera saves movies natively in .AVI format, so usually no conversion or extra steps are required to get your movies out of camera and on the web. As a Mac user, I prefer QuickTime to .AVI, but I found that conversion to .MOV format was quick and easy. You can shoot about 20 minutes of compressed video on a 64Mb CompactFlash card (not included, purchased separately -internal storage is 16Mb only). The length of your videos is limited only by your available storage space and supply of batteries.

As a digital voice recorder, it features no Cue or Review buttons, so going back and forth over the day's notes can be a pain. The workaround is to keep your notes short; the camera creates a new audio file for each new note you record.

As a webcam, it works quite as most low-end USB webcams do. No real complaints in that department.

The 1.5-inch LCD screen does its job well enough. The fact that it's present at all in a product this low-end is a pleasant surprise. However, it does drain the two AA batteries rather quickly. You can sidestep this issue by using rechargeables, as I do.

PROS: Small, light, handy, packs an amazing amount of features and value for an unbelievably low price.

CONS: Picture quality suffers in low-light situations, no flash, digital video is web-quality only, digital voice recorder has no Cue/Review buttons.

BOTTOM LINE: This nifty litttle gadget is a jack-of-all-digital trades, but master of none. However, the whole is greater than the sum of its parts -having one device that does all these things makes it a great little toy for the big boys in your family. It won't replace your main digital still camera or digital camcorder, but it makes a great backup unit to either, in situations that don't warrant lugging around the first team. Buy it -you know you want it.

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I am completely satisfied with the purchase of this camera. The videos may not be top notch, but I've had a great time capturing spontaneous moments with the camera handy in my purse. The quality of the stills really surprised me though, in natural light, the images came out crisp and clear. The only fault I would find with this camera is the lack of flash, which could have been very useful in the low light situations. Therefore, I advise to those that are interested in this camera to just wait another month or so for the pocket DV4, which is already out in Europe. It is Aiptek's new camera in the pocket DV line and IT HAS A FLASH! (they finally took their customer's advice, or complaints rather).... I hope this has been helpful!

P.S.: If you're interested in learning more about the new aiptek camera or seeing some sample pics and videos for this one go to fireboxdotcom, it's a really helpful site

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I got it as a gift about a year ago and have overall really enjoyed it. I would rate it 4.5 if I could.

Though a lot of people may say it doesn't take good still photos, I have gotten some exceptional near professional results.

The quality of the photo depends on the light. Low light and indoor settings can result in grainy or semi grainy photos, but that is mainly because it doesn't have a flash. It is best used outdoors in partially sunny to cloudy days or times that are not blindingly bright such as noon time with full sun. Taking photos in full sunny days in the sunlight can sometimes be overexposed, but that happens to any camera I think.

Macro shotsit doesn't zoom in very far, but if you are clever, you can compensate by using a magnifying lens. I have taken a number of excellent photos of flowers, butterflies, and other insects and plants that way.

Some drawbacks are with it having an auto white balence. Yellow and orange seems to get dulled a little and white can sometimes end up being 255 brightness. Sunsets tend to loose intensity because of this feature. Though I think these can happen with any camera with an auto white balence.

But then again for it being a cheap camera, am quite amazed with the quality.

I've found it to take better pictures than the newer PocketDV 5700. The shutter speed is ok. It is faster than the PocketDV 5700 which made me able to take better shots of moving objects such as my cat than the newer model.

The video and audio feature on this camera are not its main features. Battery life is varryable. Can be very short to fairly long. I've found it helpful to turn off the lcd switch and close the camera door between shots. Sometimes I can prolong the battery life over a week.

If you want something cheap that can take good photos along with some patience and a good editing program such as paintshop pro or photoshop, then this is a good deal.

Eventually though you may want to save up for a higher end camera. But this will do in the mean time.

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If you wish to introduce yourself to digital video (or, for that matter, digital still photography) and have budget considerations then this is the camera for you. Or, if you wish to have a small / light weight DV/still shot camera to use (sometimes) in place of your larger camera then this is an ideal choice.

The "native" still shot resolution is 2 mega-pixels (also with a 3.1 Mega pixel setting, interpolated) and produces quite pleasing and satisfactory images taken in natural (outdoor) light (no flash).

The video quality (10 frames per second) is good (all things considered), however, it is unfair to compare this camera's video quality with the excellent results produced by cameras priced hundreds of dollars higher. You can use this camera in places and situations where you would not dare to endanger your high-end camera.

The recorded sound (mono) is fine (satisfactory) when played through your computer's sound system (one microphone no input jacks for external mic).

The internal memory only allows for about 3 to 4 minutes of video so a 256 MB (or higher) compact flash card (slot on camera) is highly recommended.

The camera may feel flimsy but this is because of its small size and also because it records on ram instead of digital tape so the camera has no weighty mechanical devices inside of it.

The still shots are best taken at a distance of 5 to 7 feet away from your subject. Distances greater than 7 feet are not as crisp.

Rechargeable ("AA" type) batteries are recommended and armed with a 256 Meg Compact Flash you will be prepared to have a great deal of fun with this amazing device.

Downloading the images is easy using the included proprietary USB cable, or use a compact flash card reader if you have one and have an optional CF card.

This camera, just like every other camera, has its limitations. Nevertheless, it is a great value and is an inexpensive way to introduce yourself to digital video/photography. The included software package (check for software updates and patches on the internet) gives you everything you need to start, right out of the box. It is, in my opinion, the best in its class (under $250 ).

Panasonic DMR-ES20S DVD Recorder Silver

• Multi-format, progressive scan DVD recorder/player in silver; measures 16.9 x 2.5 x 13.3 inches (WxHxD)
• Records to DVD-R/RW, DVD+R, and DVD-RAM; plays back DVD+RW, CD-R/RW, MP3, and JPEG
• Built-in analog TV tuner with 7-day electronic programming guide; chasing playback record function
• Video connection options: composite (2 in, 1 out), S-Video (2 in, 1 out), component (1 out), RF (1 in)
• Digital optical audio ouput for Dolby Digital and DTS surround sound

I needed something to offload my Tivo recordings onto and searched the various reviews for a good quality unit that would record and play in multiple formats. Rather quickly I narrowed it down to Panasonic (Sony had some attractive offerings but I am concerned about their obsessive digital rights management and so they were taken off my list) focusing on their ES10S model but found that it had been replaced by the ES20S. Some Googling revealed that the most significant differences appeared to be in fewer outputs on the newer model plus the addition of a cooling fan. Since I was planning on rather limited applications this was not an issue so I popped for the ES20S. After having used it for 3 weeks I must say that I am impressed overall with recording of DVD-R and DVD-RW discs. I also found that I did need to read the instructions to obtain the results I desired most specifically finalizing the disc after recording so that you can play it in most any other player. I now prefer recording with the DVD-RW in the 4 hour format and can usually get 2 Tivo movies on one disc that play well on my laptop. The remote is very good and can be coded to operate with my Sony XBR WEGA TV. I would have given it five stars if the user interface had been a bit more intuitive but overall I am very pleased and would purchase the same recorder today if I had to do it all over again.

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I bought this unit to save programs from TIVO my Onkyo 6DVD Changer is about the most sensitive / intolerant units to burned CDs/DVDs there is so I was really concerned, if the burned DVDs would work. The answer is: THEY DO! Reading some of the other reviews, the feeling I get is "forgot to finalize". There is a "Finalize" menu function (I admit it's somewhat burried in the manual), which closes out the DVD and makes it ready to be played on other devices. Used Memorex DVD+R disk, saved two shows of "24" from TIVO to disk, finalized: works like a charm on the Onkyo, works great on my PC, great picture quality.... what else do you need?!!!

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This is my first DVD recorder. I have used VCR's for the past 20 years so that's what I am used to.

My current over worked 5 year old VCR started to act up, so I started looking for a replacement and decided to go with the Panasonic DMR-ES20. The price was right, $180 at Circuit City.

I needed 3 things; to replace my aging VCR, to dub old VCR tapes I made before they deteriorate (some 20 years old) and to archive video shot from my digital video camera on an almost daily basis.

I won't talk much about the quality of recordings because my source (Adelphia cable) is so bad. Thankfully Time-Warner is supposed to take over early in '06.

My equipment and hookup: Panasonic DMR-ES20 DVD Recorder, Panasonic 27" standard TV, Panasonic PV-V4540 VCR , Panasonic DVD-RV27 DVD Player, Adelphia basic cable (no box). The ES20 will replace the VCR and DVD Player. I split the cable, one directly to the TV, the other to the ES20. S-Video from the ES20 to the TV since that's the best hookup this TV has.

Tuner. Yes, it has one. I think it's a bit weaker than the TV's tuner which is weaker than the tuner in the VCR. Probably won't matter if you have a good signal.

I have read reviews that state you cannot change channels using the numbers on the remote. Yes you can but you have to hit the 'Enter' key if you only enter 2 digits and it's a long reach from the numbers for my thumb. Also, the TV and VCR change channels instantly when surfing using the up/down buttons. The ES20 has a delay. It's not as slow as satellite though.

Playing. I popped in Spider-Man 2. Looked great to me, black level really good. My current player, the Panasonic DVD-RV27, has some features this recorder does not, the most notable instant replay and position memory. The position memory allows me to hit a button, then the next time I play that DVD it starts at that spot. This recorder does have a nice 1.3x speed playback. The benefit is that the audio is still understandable. It also has a 1 minute skip feature, good for passing over commercials instantly.

Recording. Let the fun begin. You can use DVD-RAM or the other non-ram formats it supports. I will be using both depending on what I am doing.

I plan on using non-ram for archiving from my camcorder and for dubbing old vcr tapes. I will be using the -R format as I will not need to write over them. They are permanent and that's what I need. They should also be very compatible with most other players.

Recording starts within 1 second of hitting the record button. It will not record over anything currently on the disk, it automatically finds empty space, instantly. No need to worry about recording over something.

I bought some Philips DVD-R disks for about $1 a piece. I dubbed a couple of classics (Near Dark and The Hidden) I taped off of Cinemax 18 years ago onto 1 disk using LP mode. When you start to record a new title is created. You can change the title, change the thumbnail, and add a disk name. I saw no way to add chapters. However, when I finalized the disk (it took 4 minutes) chapters were created automatically at 5 minute intervals. CNET's claim in it's review that you cannot create chapters is a bit misleading. You cannot do it, but the recorder does it automatically when the disc is finalized. I then tried playing this disk in a memorex player and a symphonic player. Worked just fine.

Using DVD-RAM gives the most options. The disks are about $2 a piece, not bad considering the claim you can record over them thousands of times. You can add chapters after you record. While playing you can hit the 'create chapter' button on the remote and it instantly creates a chapter. While playing you can hit the 'erase' button on the remote and it instantly erases (it asks for confirmation) that title. You can combine adjacent chapters. You can delete chapters. So, you could make a commercial break a chapter, then delete it. No more commercial.

Coming from the world of VCR's, a DVD-RAM recorder definitely has some benefits. I no longer have to find a spot on the tape to record a tv show on, the DVD-RAM does it automatically and instantly. Just hit the record button, it does the rest. It tells you how much time if left based on your recording mode. LP mode gives you 4 hours and is fine for cable / sat recording.

I have always had vcr's that had indexing. The difference now is instead of waiting for the tape to move forward or backward, it's instant.

You can view 6 titles or 12 chapters of a title at a time using the Navigator. Which ever title or chapter you have selected in the Navigator plays while the others are static. You can also easily erase these using the erase button on the remote (it asks for confirmation) without diving into a sub menu.

The time slip and chasing playback are really interesting and easy to use. You can watch something you already recorded while you are currently recording something else. I know, sounds odd, but it's handy. I was recording an episode of Boston Legal at night and while that was happening I was able to watch the episodes of ER I had recorded earlier. If I choose to I could stop watching the ER episodes and start watching the Boston Legal episode while it was recording, from any spot in the episode. Very nice.

Now, for some things I don't like or am not used to.

It does not display record, play, pause, FF, etc.. on the TV screen like a vcr does. I hit record but have to look at the ES10 or hit the status button to see if it's actually recording.

Can't add chapters while recording, have to wait until it's done.

There is a 10 second delay adding chapters. It adds them instantly when while you are playing, but when you hit stop there is a 10 second delay. I only notice this after I have added a chapter so I assume that's what it is.

The remote is a bit cumbersome. To change channels using the numbers you have to hit the 'enter' button and it's not near the numbers. The erase and create chapter buttons are next to each other and feel the same. The record button feels the same as the buttons around it. I like to work the remote by feel without looking at it or having to turn on a light.

To flip between title and chapter views you have to go into a sub menu.

Summary. I really like it. Last year I paid $125 for my dvd player, now I paid just $55 more for a recorder. Unlike a unit with just a hard drive, I can pop these disks out and save them forever if I choose. Camcorder plugs in easily with the front DV input. It's easy to use just like a vcr but with many more benefits. It's fast and fun. Go get one.

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Cannot believe that no one else has reported a problem trying to record TV pgms.

Panasonic tells me this is a known bug: when I try to record a number of pgms on the same day/or not, many will not record. or it may record the 1st and 2nd,only to skip the 3rd (leaving it gray) and record the 4th.

if I am trying to record a 1 hr. show and have 3 or even 4 hrs free on a pana dvd-ram disc, it will not accept the pgm in the Schedule section. it places an exclm pt ! next to the item.

Many, many shows have been skipped or whatever with AMPLE space on the disc. last night, with 4:01 hrs of free space, as shown in Scheduling, at 7:57PM I manually set it to record a 1 hr show, which began at 8:00PM.

set channel, start time, end time, mode =EP with 4:01 hrs of ep tim left on disc.

8:00PM came and went nothing happened! when I flipped the disc and gave it 6 free hrs, then it did record!

that is NOT a Scheduling bug, to my mind.

the cpu just does not deal with avail space/time on disc at all properly.

After first call on 11/01/05, pana says a FIRMWARE UPGRADE disc si in the mail, but I have no real confidence that this will correct problems. And have still not rcv'd disc, even after second call, 2-3 weeks after my original call...

will update...

1/03/06 UPDATE #1 STILL NO FIRMWARE DISC! Maybe I Should Just Get A TIVO... would now give ZERO stars.

pana has record of my 1st call/complaint on 11/01/05. Called back 2-3 wk's later w/same problem & disc. not rcv'd. was told disc would be forthcoming. it's now 1/03/06 and STILL NO DISC!

Placed 3d call and spoke to supv. bad machine and bad service.

1/06/06 UPDATE #2 FINALLY!! After speaking to a supv. and getting a bit irate, the firmware disc arrives.

Disc is clearly labelled "dmr es40". Instructions state to only use a disc having the same id number as the unit it's to be used with. I use it anyway, since no damage can result, (according to instructs.) Comes with 2 pages of photos of the display as firmware loads. Words such as "load, firmwre, etc" appear. NOne of these words appear on my unit. Another 50-60 min wait on pana 800-question line. (at least they do provide one with a real person on the other end!). Rep goes to secondary group; tells me that the es40 frimware and es20 is the same, but has no idea why I see none of the msg's as provided with the disc.

Have finished a little bit of recording: am now (at last) able to completely fill up a 6 hour side of a disc with normal recording of TV. did a bit of a torture test by leaving 3 minutes blank on disc, then recording 3 separate 1-minute pgm's to complete the 6 hrs.

Everything appears fine so far... In other words, it is now recording in the way it should have, all along.

My only question: HOW COULD PANA HAVE ALLOWED A PRODUCT TO BE SOLD/SHIPPED IN SUCH A DEFECTIVE STATE FROM THE START?

Update #3 1/27/06 STILL BUGGY!

Firmware still leaves a bug. with a ram disc that has 6 free hrs., if one recrods tv pgm's using the record on "day of the week" setting, say Saturday... I record 3 pgm's on a Saturday, each of 1 hour length. these are set to record every sat., and I have now used 3 hrs on the disc BUT going to the SCHEDULE function, I see that the 3 pgm's do NOT go away. they are at the bottom of the Scheduling area, but the date, saturday's date, is till next to them even though they have already finished being recorded.

Now, NOTHING ELSE WILL RECORD ON THIS DISC ON THIS DAY, (SAT).

The machine sees that 3 hrs of the 6 hr disc have been used. then it sees/thinks that there is/are still another 3 hours to be recorded (these are the same 3 pgm's already recorded, but which continue to show up on today's schedule). This gives us 6 HOURS!

The disc is maxed-out, so nothing furhter will record. If I record pgm's as a on-time-only deal, not as a repeating day of the week item, then the pgm disappears and it does not create a doubling of time used/needed. but then, I have to re-program to record that show every week, rather than just once, and foget it.

Once Sat. turns into Sunday, those 3 pgm's (and the time the machine is mistakenly reserving for them) go away till next week and those 3 "lost hours" are once more avail. to be used for recording.

suppose I could go on the 50+ minute wait-que, but would the info ever really get to the appropriate Pana technical staff, and does anybody really care anyway? Not that I can tell, or how could they have let this thing go out the way it was and is?

Update #4 2/15/06 It's going to "repair" shop.

got hold of Pana again. took 15 min or less! product specialist had me do a "re-initialize/reset" of machine. says my unit's firmware is/was already at the newest level of issue. the reset did not help when recording tv pgm's using the repeating day-of-the-week scheduling, the pgm's already recorded on a given day stay on the schedule as active, until Midnight of that day. pana rep tells me it's time to dig up receipt and make a trip to the shop.

We'll see... (I really have my doubts)

I purchased the unit in December for the purpose of copying about 25 8mm tapes to DVD and using this unit to make DVD's from my new mini DV Camcorder.

Before I updated the firmware (a process that took only 20 minutes), I had the same problems others have indicated. The machine would freeze and would need to be unplugged. Even with this issue, all the DVD could be finalized and work in the 3 DVD players I have. The remaining comments assume the firmware has been updated.

I have have been very pleased with the quality of the recordings and I'm picky. Thus far, I recorded 7 or 8 2 hour 8mm tapes without too many issues. I do not find any difference in the quality of DVD when compared to the original 8mm tape when the DVD is played on a DVD player connected to a 36 inch TV using component video. Before I started making copies, I purchased a high quality camcorder cable and I believe this makes a difference in the overall quality. In fact, comparing video quality is very depandant on the TV, how the unit is connected to it and the quality of the cables.

I have recorded one TV show and the quality was acceptable but not as good as recording the 8mm move. I wouldn't purchase this unit for this purpose that probably goes for any DVD recorder.

I have also recorded from my mini DV camcorder using the DV input jack. The quality of this recording was fantastic. Digital input recording is awesome.

This unit, like all DVD recorders on the market, has is flaws. A couple of times, it stopped recording for unknown reasons. In those cases, I found where it stopped and restarted the recording process and in the end had a good DVD.

This unit does not make it simple to create chapters. The only way to stop stop recording and restart. It does create 5 minute invisible chapters enabling you to jump to the next section on playback. I find this acceptable.

I have read the reviews for all the major brands, Sony, Toshiba, Samsung, etc. and all seem to have some problems.

This unit is very acceptable for recording 8mm and DV tapes to DVD. Using a DVD Recorder is much more convienant than using the computer. I suspect the only reason to use the computer is if you plan on doing alot of editing.

I would recommend this unit only because I'm satisfied with the results and all the other brands seem to have their own problems. If a problem free unit can be found buy that one. Be sure to purchase a unit with the DV input jack for best results.

Probably the best feature is having the old 8mm tapes on DVD. I find it more fun to watch the old home movies on DVD.

Archos DVR Snap-on for Archos 5, Archos 7 and Archos Android Internet Tablet

At the present price, this Archos DVR Snap-on is a really poor value when compared to the Archos DVR Station. The DVR Snap-on allows you to record and playback video through low-resolution Composite Video (RCA jacks), nothing else. The DVR Station costs a bit more, but it provides you with additional features such as:

Record through S-Video or Component Video inputs (in addition to Composite video)

Playback through S-Video, Component Video or HDMI outputs

Connect to digital camera or portable hard drive through the USB port

Recharge battery through the included AC adapter

You even get a remote control with QWERTY keyboard, which is handy for surfing the web.

Last but not least, the 'HD Cinema' plug-in is included with the DVR Station but not with the DVR Snap-on. This plug-in enables you to watch MPEG-2 (DVD format) movies on the Archos 5/7. It is priced at $39.99 if you buy it separately from Archos web site. As of this writing, the price difference between DVR Station and DVR Snap-on is just $40 ($90 vs. $50). So essentially, you get all the additional features in the DVR Station for FREE!

It works alright but I think the tiny electronics involved should have been built-into the Archos 5. Maybe this will happen in future generations of the Archos.

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I have not used it much but it does perform as expected. This primarily being used for when I travel.

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I love you your snap on I use it with my Archos 5 everyday give me more power than I need I love it so much I bought a second and I would recommend it to anyone I need an extra battery pack:-)

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The DRV get the job done but I feel there should have been a base with this item to aid the Archos 5 in standing. Because with attach DVR the leg stand is of no use.

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Casio TRYX Digital Camera with Full 1080p HD Video Capture and 3-Inch Touch Screen LCD (Black)

The new Casio TRYX has so much potential with some really cool features but unfortunately falls short in some key areas.

PROS

This is a SUPER thin camera (.59 inches thick) that looks sleek and modern. And, because of the way the frame rotates, taking pictures from any angle is simple and easy. You can position the camera anywhere, whether it be hanging from a wall, on a table, or anywhere else you can think of. You can also use the body as a tripod and rotate it take perfect self portraits while actually seeing yourself in the LCD frame. It comes with a self-timer that can be activated with the touch screen LCD; one great feature of the self timer is that it can also be triggered with a built-in motion sensor. You can use your finger to designate an area in the frame of the LCD where it will monitor for motion. When motion is detected in that area the self timer is triggered, letting you take pictures of yourself or with a group of friends with ease.

This camera has 12.1 megapixels, and the images it captures are stunning! There are dual core processors built in, so processing speed is insanely fast. And there are a multitude of features which allow for almost unlimited creative endeavors. For example, Slide Panorama lets you take 360 degree pictures easily. And the HDR-ART technology allows you to transform any photo with the press of a button. This allows you to combine continuous shots with different exposures and lighting to change the contrast and color saturation. The result are some incredible images which really pop off the screen.

Another great feature is you can take full HD 1080 video at 30 frames per second. You can rotate the body to make it feel like a traditional camcorder and use either a left or right handed grip. Plus, you can record in slow motion, which is something I've really enjoyed doing.

The TRYX comes pre-loaded with software that makes uploading pictures and video to facebook, YouTube, and other internet sites easily. You can preselect which images you want to upload in advance, and it automatically sends the files to each location upon connection to a computer.

Figuring out how to operate gadgets like this is not an easy thing for me. I am what many consider to be technologically impaired. But the touch screens are so intuitive and simple to use that even I was able to easily figure it out and was up and running in no time.

CONS

There are a few major downfalls with the camera that are potential deal breakers. The lens is a fixed focal length, which means the zoom is digital only. As far as I can tell, it's a higher then average quality digital zoom that seems to maintain image quality up to 2x the original size. That being said, I really wish they would have included optical zoom as this allows you to get much closer to your subject with better quality pictures. Being able to zoom close into your subjects is something that I really miss.

Also, there is no flash! Taking pictures in dim lighting or at night is, quite simply, not an option.

Finally, the video camera only records in mono, so having stereo or surround sound is not an option.

Overall, the TRYX is a nice camera with some cool features, but lacks in some key areas which may make you want to consider another option.

I actually really like this camera...I am not by any means a professional photographer or serious hobbyist but I do like to carry a camera for general picture taking and for that it has exceeded my expectations. The touch screen has perfect sensitivity in my opinion; not to sensitive and not feeling like you have to pierce the screen. The camera is built very well...even with the screen capable of moving in 4 different directions the camera feels very solid, it doesn't slip out of place and there aren't preset positions that it has to click into to keep from moving when out of the normal position. I particularly like the screens moving capability. If you unfold it to a parallel or just less than parallel line you can have both hands spread about 10 inches or so apart giving you a feeling of more stability. The zoom isn't so great but lets be honest...for the people who are buying a camera like this the photos they are taking are going to be generally close range during social situations, if you are the kind of person who needs a telephoto lens for your pictures none of the cameras on the market like this are for you. I really like the HDR capability it has...again if you are a pro who needs 10-15 stops for their HDR images than go buy a 10 thousand dollar camera capable of that...I believe this camera is capable of 6 stops, so a lot better than most other cameras in this range. If you want to get the image quality of a Digital SLR camera then go buy a Digital SLR camera don't buy this one and expect the same images you can only get with a several thousand dollar camera. This camera is lightweight, well built, has cool features, has a lithium ion battery, very very skinny, sleek camera that is really great at doing what it was designed to do: allow the 99% of the people who use cameras and aren't professionals a highly portable really cool camera with some great features.

Buy Casio TRYX Digital Camera with Full 1080p HD Video Capture and 3-Inch Touch Screen LCD (Black) Now

I love this camera. It is very smallabout the size on an iPhone. It takes great pictures indoors and outdoors, day and night. It has an LED flash, but it doesn't need to a flash to take pictures, even at night outside if there is even a little light. I like this a lot because I really hate how weird and unnatrual a flash looks with some point and shoot cameras. The auto and premium auto modes are really good for easy, low-key photography. The touch screen is pretty easy to use. If there is any complaint, the battery life is not spectacular. It would probably need to be recharged every couple of days on a vacation. Take note, it also does not have an optical zoom digital only. That being said, I think the camera does a wonderful job performing the jobs it was designed for and the photos come out great.

Read Best Reviews of Casio TRYX Digital Camera with Full 1080p HD Video Capture and 3-Inch Touch Screen LCD (Black) Here

Pass on this camera. It originally caught my attention because of a promissed HDR feature. High dynamic resolution (HDR) allows a photographer to snap the same image several times at different exposures so in a high contrast situation, such as a darker room looking outside to a bright window, all of the photograph (once merged) will look much more as the human eye does.

The HDR in this situation appears to be done with a software adjustment. The results are terrible. I have seen better results from an iPhone. Furthermore, there is no tripod mount and its "touch screen" controls work about half the time and not even all that well at that. I can not even say that the camera is convenient. It is as if the manufacturer did not know that touch screen devices were already on the market.

Aside from the slick package, there are no redeeming qualities for this camera. I am not even impressed with its HD Video. I would suggest as an alternative, any Canon or Nikon cameras at or near the same price range. I am, personally, a Canon fan, but have seen some impressive results from the smaller Nikons as well.

Sorry to be so harsh, but IF you want to look at this camera, see one IN PERSON and play with it before you make up your mind. I am confident that you will find It a waste of money at any price.

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I've had Casio's Tryx for about a month now, and love it! Others have written about the absence of flash and optical zoom, but I don't need either of these items. They would also add to the size, and destroy the small, sleek design.

The wide angle lens and sharp 12 MGP stills, as well as the 1080p HD Video make it the perfect device to carry everywhere which I do.

The new octopus-style design is perfect for snapping images from every possible angle, and uploading to Flickr and YouTube is a snap. I also like the Monet-style Photo Art function.

I'm pleased to give this gem a five star rating, and would highly recommend it to others.

Sony HDR-TD30V Full HD 3D Handycam Camcorder with 3.5-Inch LCD (Black)

I bought this camera exclusively for the 3D function, as I'm sure you will. A couple things about the product advertising. They were not deal breakers, but I prefer honesty in advertising. You are not buying this for 2D, DLP LED projection, lens options, or anything other than just 3D so don't throw away that 2D camera if that's what you wanted.

1. 1080i is the only 3D format. 1080p is not available in 3D, no frame rates, no bitrates, no codecs, nothing.

2. You can not take a picture in 3D. This was unexpected as several Sony 2D cameras can do a 3D picture.

3. Low light performance, is not HD. Instead it is adaptive to the light in that part of the picture. Brighter objects get higher resolution and frame rate. On a big screen, it appears distracting like a cheap low bitrate webcam with low res and a slow frame rate on dark areas, high fps high res on bright objects. There is no way to disable this, so either record with the built in light, which is surprisingly bright enough or have some regular lights on indoors. Oh and prepare for friends and family to ask you "how much did you pay for this again?" As with any Sony camera I've owned, auto focus in lower lighting doesn't work, it keeps guessing every few seconds. Usually in the wrong direction, but you can go manual from the touchscreen.

4. Ps3, can only playback the 2D portion from the 3D recording. So use the hdmi cable instead.

5. No adapter ring to fit a UV/dust filter, neutralizer, polarizer or water housing.

6. The sony 2008 waterproof housing fits, and operates the camera functions fine, you'll have to use construction paper to block reflections, and software to adjust the waters pink color balance. If you don't own the water case, they only made it with cheap stereo mic's. but it is water tight, even in salt water.

7. No slow motion in 3D.

8. No golf shot in 3D

9. X.V. Color range must be reselected ever time the battery is removed. If you have a 3D tv, you have xv color range. Charge the battery in the camera, or when swapping batteries, make sure your settings are all there.

10. Steady shot is better than my 2008 model Sony. Actually better than most current movies and tv shows that think shaking makes drama more realistic. It's not perfect but for 3D, reduced shaking reduces eyestrain headaches.

11. Other things that do not work in 3D. White balance, spot meter, spot focus, iris, shutter speed, auto gain limit, low lux, scene selection, fader, self timer, telemacro, digital zoom, auto backlight, smile shutter and sensitivity, flash, red eye, recording mode, frame rate, HD/SD option, 4:3 option.

A note about 3D on such a small 20mm dual lens camera, the bigger the tv, or closer you sit, less 3D effect. Farther away, smaller tv, bigger effect. Probably why most stores use small 40" demo tv's and upsell, expecting customers just to assume bigger is better. They call this 3D roundness. If you are like me, after a short time, my brain tries to compensate and flatten the picture because it knows its really a flat tv that should not have any depth. Thats why the end of avatar doesn't look 3D anymore. An exaggerated roundness factor, helps. PS 3 games usually have a 3D effect option to turn a soccer ball into a football shape so your mind sees a round soccer ball. This is not the same as the 3D depth option on a camera or TV set. That depth option is a parallax screen alignment only. If the whole scene shifted in front or behind the tv, you can adjust that, not the actual depth perception or roundness. That would require a specialized computer program to calculate scene depth and then fractal multiply it, which isn't available to consumers yet.

I took 3D video at a colorful Indian wedding. Everybody, even the hired videographer, who saw the video in the 3.5-inch LCD would go WOW. I have to try the video on my 65" 3D TV.

The camcorder replaced an earlier excellent Sony camcorder HDR-CX500V, lost in Nepal. I am too new for this camcorder, but I am sure this will be a good or better replacement.

The 3D video is crisp and amazing and so much better than the 2D.

I recommend this camcorder to all.

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Another post mention that a big screern 3d tv shows lack of 3D effect...

Humm...

I also bought Vizio 3D 65" ($1600) from big brand store and the 3D effect are awesome from the camera. I watch at 8' from the TV which vizio recommends for 3D viewing.

The OEM battery (NP50) only has 71 minutes to start with, so I bought 2) NP-100v's & charger aftermarket kit for $40 online, far far cheaper than just 1 of Sony's batts. It now starts with 245 minutes (4hrs) remaining on the cheap np-100's. 2 np100's should last you all day, but the more you zoom in & out, it will use it a bit faster. Getting the 100's is almost a must.

One can get confused on after market battery ratings. Camera says 6.8v but you will see 7.2 or 8.4v battery advertised. 8.4v is the charge voltage, 7.2 is a full charged battery and 6.8 is the means voltage (in operation). So don't worry about how other manuf. rate the specs. Its the same correct battery.

Does NOT come with an SD card so you cannot record (no built-in memory). I had to wait. Be sure to look for seller in USA and not china less you want to wait for weeks.

I picked up 2)64g PNY Pro X SDXC cards fairly (very) cheap ($40 ea) as no one else was bidding on them.

Few days later, am playing with the camera and am very satified with it.

Read Best Reviews of Sony HDR-TD30V Full HD 3D Handycam Camcorder with 3.5-Inch LCD (Black) Here

C Crane CC WiFi Internet Radio CWF

I bought this radio despite reviews complaining of its reliability. It worked right out of the box and offers, for the price, far more presettable stations than its nearest competitor, a remote and an ethernet connection in addition to its wireless feature. It is also one of the smallest of the table top sets and will sit neatly in a little corner without drawing attention to itself an appealing feature to those listeners for whom appearance places a far second to content. I found its setup well thought out and mostly intuitive. The front panel offers only three pre-sets so do not lose the remote which replicates all radio controls and has a 100 pre-set capacity. The loudspeaker offers better than average fidelity of table top models.

This radio operates using the reciva internet radio website, which the Grace radio also uses. Registering the radio with that site allows the listener to select using reciva those stations of particular and recurrent interest and save their locations in the actual radio. These stations can then be accessed from a menu labelled MY STATIONS on the radio a very nice convenience. Of course wifi radio is only as good as your wireless connection and the streaming rate of the actual service providing the signal. In addition, if your wireless network is in use by several computers or other devices while you are using this radio you may experience bits of silence at times especially noted with broadcasts from foreign stations that are otherwise flawless. Most, but not all, American radio stations use servers providing reliable output to the internet, as do the government supported stations of Europe, Russia, China and Japan. However, if your cup of tea is Upper Volta or the Falkland Islands for example, well, the sometimes large gaps in the sound are not the fault of this radio. Having more than a casual interest in world news and having listened to shortwave broadcasts for many years, I have found that wifi radio offers far, far more foreign stations than shortwave these days without requiring a subscription fee (except, of course, the cost of your internet connection) and seems to be largely replacing shortwave broadcasts to the very well developed world. I found this radio an affordable and, so far, easy to use, trouble-free way of listening to what inhabitants of other parts of earth have to say about themselves and us, without a fade any time of day.

I had this up and running in about 5 minutes, very nice to set up, the sound quality through external speakers is very good, the built in speaker is just OK. Having access to all the stations is great and physically, it is very small which is good for a night stand.

However, it seems to have some firmware issues with staying connected. About every 2 days it looses all its connections and cannot reconnect without being unplugged and plugged back in. Apparently, it's not able to reset itself once the connection is lost. I'm not sure if it's the WiFi or Receiva site that's the issue, it always looses all the connections at once and new ones cannot be made. Power cycling always resets it immediately though.

The display is not very useful as a nighttime clock unfortunately. It always shows 2 lines, so the clock display is quite small, and once you set the backlight down to sleeping levels, it is very hard to read. They should have a single line all clock display with reversed lighted numbers on dark background, but don't.

The C Crane tech support is pretty much worthless as well.

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

Update a year later Only deserves 2 stars after firmware update:

The latest firmware update has made it a very unreliable alarm clock.

Same issues with connectivity dropping out, but now with the latest firmware update by going to the Network menu and telling it to rescan, it reconnects without power cycling. It still can't do this operation itself, you have to do it manually each time.

The real killer though is that whereas before, if it couldn't get a WiFi connection for the alarm function it would go to the beep alarm, now it just does nothing, so the alarm doesn't work. This is VERY BAD.

Bottom line is that it's not a bad WiFi radio, but because of the useless clock display and unreliable alarm functions it's not usable as an alarm clock.

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It looks like we are supposed to believe that C.Crane has designed this for the American Market.

On their website it states:

"Well, we couldn't let the Europeans and Brits have all the glory, so we've built a WiFi radio of our own."

The problem is, it doesn't look like they designed this radio or built it. It seems they are taking a radio they are buying from someone else and sticking their name (and a $100 premium) on it.

If you go to Amazon's German site and search for IPdio mini Internetradio, you will find the exact same radio for 85 euros (about $100).

So what are American's paying twice as much for, the brand name C.Crane stuck on the radio?

BTW, in Germany the same company sells the C.Crane radio and the Grace radio. They sell the Grace radio for more money and position the C.Crane one as their cheaper "Mini" radio.

Read Best Reviews of C Crane CC WiFi Internet Radio CWF Here

I have had a trio of wi-fi radios, and this is by far, the flimsiest device of the three. I don't mind plastic radios, but I never knew that plastic could be produced this thin. To say that the tuning knob has the feel of a Fisher-Price toy radio, is to besmirch a perfectly good toy maker. The sound from the speaker is equally thin, and the software doesn't allow for use with Pandora nor with MP3 tunes music locker. For the same price, the Grace wifi radio blows this away in both build quality and sound reproduction. On the plus side, I DO like the look of the radio, and set-up and implementation couldn't have been easier. I have used many a fine CCrane product over the years, really like the and support the company, and was hoping to be able to recommend this device, but unfortunately, cannot.

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I've had the CC Wifi Internet Radio for two weeks now. I had no problems setting it up with my Wireless network and it works quite well although it lacks an external Wifi antenna.

It uses the Reciva database of radio stations (over 14,000 radio stations claimed)(). Although using the single knob to scroll through lots of radio stations. They are organized by location or genre and its fun to search the world for interesting stations.

Using your reciva.com account you can set up your favorite stations which show up on your radio (after you have registered it) under "My Stations". You can also add other streams under "My Streams".

This radio is nice and compact and light (constructed of plastic). The display is only two lines which means you have to do a lot of scrolling through menus sometimes.

It comes with a remote which is handy if you want to access more than 3 stations (up to 99 with the remote) you can store on 3 buttons on the front. These stations are stored locally rather than under your reciva account under "My Stations".

It also will stream audio in various formats (MP3, Windows Media, Real, iTunes (non-protected), Ogg Vorbis and also with the new firmware FLAC files) from your PC or PnP device such as many Networked Attached Storage devices. In fact it works great with my Netgear ReadyNAS where I have all my music stored.

I looked at the number of Internet/Wifi Radios and chose this one over the others because of two things: its small size and fact that it also has a wired Ethernet port as well as Wifi connectivity.

Only issues are that it sometimes loses the Wifi connection (not an issue with a wired Ethernet connection) and some stations take more than a few seconds to buffer before you can listen to them.

UPDATE June 5, 2012

I had to have this radio repaired by CCrane last year because the network connection died. They replaced the networking board cost $59 + shipping. I was hesitant but decided to do it. It seemed pretty expensive given the original price. Fast forward to June 2012 and the radio dies again. Of course it is "out of warranty" and so it's either pay to have it repaired or they would be willing to give be $40 credit toward a replacement. I have to say that I am disappointed in the quality of this device. It should have lasted way longer. I have plenty of other electronics that are more reliable. So buyer beware! This is not a high quality piece of equipment. I'm going to replace with another brand.

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Panasonic PV-D4742 DVD-VCR Combo, Black

• DVD-Video, MP3-CD, CD-R/CD-RW playback
• Component-video, composite-video, and S-video outputs offer optimal connection with compatible DVD player
• Front AV input for easy camcorder or game console hook-up
• DVD High Speed, Smooth Motion Scan: 5 speeds up to x100
• Auto Clock Set with Backup; Multi-Brand Universal Tower Remote Control

I may just be unlucky, but my Panasonic PV-D4742 player was faulty. It would not accept my VHS videos; it consistently spit them back out. So I exchanged it for another PV-D4742, and it would only accept one out of three videos. Spit the others right out, no apparent pattern to the rejects. So despite the good quality of the picture and trouble-free DVD player, we returned our second Panasonic player and had to switch to another brand.

I hope these are the only two faulty players out there, since I have always had reliable Panasonics before.

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I had hoped to replace a Samsung V1000 with this and found that I can't hook up my externally amplified speakers to it without blowing out the house. In comparison, the Samsung has a volume control and output levels that are reasonable.

The remote was confusing, as was the options for using the different features. It would be easier to have two separate components. Although not perfect, the Samsung does a better job of integrating the DVD and VCR functions and includes a tv tuner.

Read Best Reviews of Panasonic PV-D4742 DVD-VCR Combo, Black Here

I just bought the Panasonic PV-D4742 DVD/VCR combo and it's great. Easy set-up and mint DVD viewing. Keep in mind that they all (this one plus others) only come with one (3') video cable.

Anyway set-up way very easy and it comes with universal remote

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I received my Panasonic and hooked it up. Easy as pie. I played a brand new DVD (Men in Black)....and nothing appears except a message telling me to check the disk for scratches. The disk is mint, I had just unwrapped it. But I think "Maybe it's bad, and I just can't see it."

So I pop in a second, freshly unwrapped DVD (Gladiator). Again, all the Panasonic does is display a message telling me to check for scratches.

Talk about a POS. Anyone looking for a DVD player should keep on looking. Yeah, it's [low priced], but you get what you pay for...

Just hooked up the unit yesterday. DVDs freeze and we get the "check for scratches" error message. We have tried 4 different brand new DVDs and have gotten the same result. The only reason that I bought this through [this site] is that there were so many good reviews, otherwise I would have bought it locally so I could return it easily...

Tascam DR-07mkII Portable Digital Recorder Bundle with Headphones and Polishing Cloth

• Handheld portable recorder
• Adjustable stereo condenser microphones (XY or AB)
• Up to 96kHz/24-bit WAV (BWF) linear PCM recording
• Stereo MP3 recording from 32-320 kbps bit rate
• Reverb effect

I bought this recorder to record live gigs for my band. I was pleasantly surprised, as it has exceeded my expectations. In a nutshell:

The built-in microphones are extremely sensitive (both a pro and a con). Do not expect to be able to record a live event when you are holding the unit; the noise your hand/grip conducts into the shell of the recorder will will drown out whatever you are trying to record. However, if you tripod mount the unit, you will get exceptional sound quality and clarity.

Additionally, the built-in mics are extremely susceptible to wind. The first gig I tried this at was an outdoor concert on a mildly windy day (maybe 10 mph with gusts to 25 mph) and the recordings were unusable because of the wind noise. I have since bought a "wig" type wind screen from a company in Hawaii called "red headed wind screens", which took care of the issue. Now outdoor recordings, even in heavy wind, are no problem.

Aiming the built-in mics is a bit of an art. They are *very* directional. The first two times we tried it out I placed the tripod-mounted unit about 10 feet in front of the band (4-piece rock setup, Guitar & Amp, Bass & Amp, Drums, Keys & Amp).

-With the microphones in the "inside/crossed" position, all I picked up was the two guitars (Barely any vocals, keys, vocals and only picked up the cymbals on the drum kit).

-For the second set, I tried them in the "outside/spread" position. Then all I got were the keys and the vocals (through the PA) and basically nothing else.

-I've since learned to aim the mics so that left mic is pointing midway between the bass rig/drums, and point the right mic midway between the keyboard & lead guitar (also vocalist). I also make sure that one of the stage monitors (vocals) is pointing roughly at the right mic.

The menus are a bit confusing and the manual is typical "written in Asia and poorly translated". I'm pretty good with electronics, so I eventually figured it all out.

I found that the best setting to use for recording live rock performances is to let the unit automatically adjust the gain on the recordings. It works pretty well, but the first second or two of some songs gets distorted; after that the recordings are consistent at about 0db (+/3 db). If you had an operator for the unit during the show (I am the operator but I'm on stage performing), manually setting gain would probably get you cleaner recordings, since you could continuously dial-in the gain.

As originally stated, the sound quality is pretty amazing once you get it dialed in.

Overall, this is a great quality unit and I am highly pleased with my purchase.

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Pentax Cordless IR Remote Control D for *iST and Optio

this is a nice little remote for the pentax, works well and does what it's supposed to do.

It works in front of and behind the camera. It will activate the autofocus function if it is turned on in the Custom Menu of the camera.

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This control works like they say it does. The range is a little short, but good. The only thing i don't really like it the IR. You have to make sure that the remote is pointed in the right direction to get the camera to respond. Not good for macro. I have gone back to the tried and true on a wire controller.

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The Remote is simple in construction, and works well with my Pentax Kx DSLR. Features one button to fire the shutter, settings for this action are set on the camera itself. Product Manual that is included states that the remote needs to be returned to Pentax to have the battery replaced -all you need to be do is remove the screws on the back side of the remote, and the watch-style battery is located under the cover!

Great remote for a good price!!

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IMO, this is an inexpensive, handy accessory that works as its supposed to. The range is a little shorter than I would have liked (about 13') but it still gets the job done.

Flashpoint 12' Straight Sync Cord, ¼ Mono Plug to PC.

The sync cord works. It came packaged in a plastic bag and the cord was packaged into a 6-inch bundle. Delivery was prompt. What more is there to say about a sync cord??

Sync Cord was delivered promptly and it works! I was really hesitant to buy with only two reviews, but everyone has to start somewhere right? It was good fast service.

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Was sort of hesitant to buy this generic cord. This is a really great cord for the price. Let's put it this way, I have owned thicker gauge wire cords in the past that have failed in days. This is sort of middle of the road in terms of cord diameter. So far I have used it on one shoot and it worked flawlessly. I picked up two because of the low cost. Enjoy!

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K6000 Vehicle DVR Car Recorder DVR Road Dash Video Camera Recorder Traffic Dashboard with 2.7 Inch

• High-definition, high -definition video
• HOLD function
• Supports high capacity TF card
• Motion Detection
• support auto ignition boot, turn off shutdown

[Edit: Warning. Other uses report getting either a perfect unit or a scratched, used one. You might need to roll the dice and do an Amazon exchange if you get a bad one. IMO it's worth it for the low price.]

Pros:

Very low price.

Has just the right set of features. Auto-power starts it recording, does automatic file rotation, visible timestamp, etc.

Reliably records without driver needing to worry about it. (Using it for a week now.)

Power cord is thin and long enough to make installation easy. The cord is 150 inches long. Thin is also important so it slides under car's interior trim. I installed without needing to remove any trim.

Fits *securely* behind mirror on my Mini Cooper using included suction cup. Driving a Mini in SF can be very jarring because of the roads and firm mini suspension; however, it hasn't fallen off.

"Low profile" device. Meaning it doesn't attract attention so your car gets broken into.

Customization is fairly easy and manual is close enough to native English to figure out. (First test is setting the day/time.)

Decent field-of-view without too much fisheye. See my posted video stills.

Can easily swap out microsd card without removing unit.

Timer to turn off LED screen so video doesn't show while driving.

No GPS nonsense. Why is this a feature? GPS isn't reliable without antenna AND consume more power.

Supports large, 32gb MicroSD card.

Cons:

Power plug only fits into cigarette lighter.

Power plug is very large. This is the biggest issue for me. (See product photos)

Product Improvement: I'd like it better if it was a standard USB plug and included a low profile cigarette lighter adaptor!

Slight buzz (bizt-bitz-bitz) in audio as it writes to internal memory. Not huge deal, might be related to MicroSD Card speed.

It doesn't perform great at night, but it isn't an IR camera. With HiDef video, you can still make out what's happening.

It has bright-white LED lighting option and I have no idea why. Seems useless. Just increases cost of unit.

It needs a plastic polarizing filter on the front of lens that can be rotated to remove window glare.

Recommendations:

Buy a fast 32gb micro usb drive with this unit. Files are 1.25GB per 10min of HD footage. I purchased this one and it works:

SanDisk Ultra 32 GB microSDHC Class 10

User should increase clip size in settings so it saves 14 minutes at a time.

Pictures showing "HD" quality:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/customer-media/product-gallery/B00ABW6L5K/ref=cm_ciu_pdp_images_dav

[See replies to this post for more questions answered.]

Buy K6000 Vehicle DVR Car Recorder DVR Road Dash Video Camera Recorder Traffic Dashboard with 2.7 Inch Now

Firstly; this is not an HD dashcam! It's native resolution is 640x480, and it's interpolated (up-scaled) to HD.

Which means, if you look at the resulting video in a 640x480 frame, it looks great! If you look at it in full-screen (1080p), it looks quite poor.

If you want a good, basic dashcam to record everyday driving, this is it. But if you want something that can read license plates and produce true HD, then the DOD LS400 at about $150 is what you want.

Read Best Reviews of K6000 Vehicle DVR Car Recorder DVR Road Dash Video Camera Recorder Traffic Dashboard with 2.7 Inch Here

I got this because there seems to be NO app for Android (even the one I paid for) that can give me good video, cycle over on top of the files and basically work right.

So I bought this, and it does seem to be good. Now it does not have GPS (which is good because it can stay on and not consume a lot of power when I have left it plugged in and parked and left my truck).

It does save in either 1 min, 2 min or 3 min or continuous video. They are all .AVI, so I have a mac and just select them all and open with VLC, which will keep playing them in the order of the file name. It does seem good.

There is only like .25 of a second when it goes to the next file name.

This is a lot for the little bit of money. Now don't EVER thing that a dash cam, with "infrared" LED lights could EVER show the outside in a good picture. It is impossible. You would need to have the IR LED's outside and way more than 2 or 4 or even 10 of them. Inside they would reflect of the windshield anyway.

This is a good deal for the money. Now at night, it will do so-so, not nearly as much resolution and very limited to what's in front of your vehicle by the head lights (say 20-30 feet), but on lighted streets the picture is ok. NOT crystal clear, as I could not make out my face when I got out of my truck and left it recording and it was night time. Think VGA 1M pixel resolution.

Daytime, as you can see, was ok. It is just as a 3rd party witness if anything (accident) was to happen.

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I'm not happy with this purchase, a first bad charger USB header communicates, the second does not work night mode. I don't know maybe I had gotten defective recorder or could all of this quality. I havent been able to send the product back.

The item sent to me was clearly used, even though I bought the product "new". Most importantly, it does not work. The camera keeps telling me memory error and would not record. I tried two different memory card, and both of the memory cards were functional ones I was using in other electronic devices. Had to return the camera the next day.

Opteka CXS-500 X-Cage Pro with Handgrip and Rail System with Opteka FF180 Reversible Follow Focus (

Got this for Christmas. So far I love it. Makes my rig look really nice and professional. The follow focus is awesome. Wasn't sure what to expect out of it, but it is really nice. Good solid construction. I do recommend this cage.

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JVC HR-XVC25U Progressive-Scan DVD/Hi-Fi VCR Combo

• Space-saving DVD/VCR combo player with MP3, WMA, and JPEG CD support and hi-fi VHS sound
• Quasi S-VHS playback allows viewing of S-VHS tapes (in standard VHS resolution)
• Dolby Digital and DTS 5.1-channel surround outputs for immersive surround sound (when used with compatible receiver and speakers)
• RF video output accommodates older TVs
• Multi-brand, full-function remote control operates the combo player and most televisions

I have it hooked up to my Cablevision digital box. Everything works fine for me for both the VHS and DVD. Recording is a snap. The only complaint I have is that they have the input RCA ports on the front for gamers. But if you use them for connecting your cable box then they get in the way of the VHS tapes going in and out. They should have put a set in the back also.

Alert Alert alas I spoke too soon. DVD has broke after a year and about 30 uses. Never again JVC. Amazon won't let me change the star rating here. SO I GIVE IT 0 STARS NOW.

Buy JVC HR-XVC25U Progressive-Scan DVD/Hi-Fi VCR Combo Now

I got this machine to replace my 20 year old VCR that was eating tapes. Since I don't use a VCR that much I figured how could I go wrong. Wrong

The one thing I have to have is my TIVO macine, which I bought at Amazon over 3 years ago and love. I have the TIVO machine hooked up with an A/B box along with the VCR/DVD. I got all the wires hooked up and everything kinda worked to I started playing with the setup menu. The setup menu is way to hard to figure out. I have to press the input button to get some things to register and nowhere in the instructions does it tell you that. I am an engineer and can usually figure these thing out. I spent 20 minutes to change from daylight savings time to standard time. The setup menu is not intuitive and way too complicated.

I can't play the VC-Rs and the DVD-Rs that I make on my computer on the machine so that is another minus.

Keep looking

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I bought this oversized paper weight in September thinking I got a great deal for a Christmas gift. The unit stayed in the box until December. We cracked it open just before Christmas. The hook up sucks and is pretty confusing for those not literate with electronics. The DVD player which is the main reason I bought this, only worked for 30 days. Here I joined a damn DVD club and ordered a truck load of kid videos for my daughter. The wonderful warranty only covers labor for 30 days. Well since I didn't take it out of the box until I past that date I was out of warranty. The repair center wanted $70.00 for labor, which is more than 1/2 the cost of the machine. Because it freezes all the time we only use the VCR, which I already had, now I have an extra VCR. Whoopie. I hate JVC and will never buy their stuff. My next machine is comming from ebay for under a $100.00. Or from Sears and I will get the extended labor warranty because it's obvious you need it these days. Quality is just not important to manufacturers anymore. What a shame.

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I received this player from Amazon.com one week ago. It will not play ANY Disney movies (apparently, they contain code that is not recognized by this JVC unit). The DVDs work fine on other players, and all other DVDs work fine on this playerincluding VCD burned on my computer. I have tried 6 different Disney movies with the same result the disc is not recognized and will not play. NO RESPONSE from JVC support!! The good news...returns at Amazon are simple mine's going back. If you have any intention of ever playing Disney movies, the player may not work...

I have owned the JVC HR-XVC25U Progressive-Scan DVD/Hi-Fi VCR Combo for 3 months now. In this time frame, I exchanged one unit within two weeks of purchase and am hoping I can do it again today. The reason, when I insert a DVD or CD, it tells me there's "NO DISK" in the drive.

When the unit works, I really enjoyed the picture quality and features of this product from JVC but I'm afraid after this experience, I'll be taking a pass on this brand from now on. There's just too many quality products out there competing for my $200.

Sony Walkman NWZS545BLK 16 GB Video MP3 Player (Black)

• 16 GB capacity for about 4,000 songs
• Up to 42 hours of audio or 6.5 hours of video on a single charge
• 2.4-inch, 262,144-color LCD with 240 x 320 QVGA pixel resolution
• Supports MP3, WMA (DRM), AAC, and Linear PCM audio formats; AVC, MPEG-4, and WMV (DRM) video formats; JPEG image files
• One-year limited warranty; 1 year parts, 90 days labor

When searching for a new mp3 player the trail always leads me back to Sony. Its more about overall quality then brand loyalty. Over the years Sony's Walkman line has gone the distance and more. The all new Sony S Series Walkman adds to the legacy.

The S-545 16gb Walkman brings it on with a crisp, color enhanced 2.4" LCD screen that is easy on the eyes. At 2" x 4" x .4", it comes in a bit larger then its older cousin. A larger body undoubtedly is required to provide support for the external speaker system. The speakers won't get confused with my home system anytime soon but they do provide an excellent source. With headphones on, this mp3 player delivers a cornucopia of sound. Missing but not that noticeable is the noise reduction feature. The on board equalizer can be tweaked to one's own preferences or users can choose one of the six presets.

The Navigation pad located directly under the screen is a breeze to operate. Three controls are located on the right side of the unit. One locks in the controls. The second one allows for easy switching from speaker to headset. Volume is the third control. The standard headphone jack and a USB port can be found on the bottom of the unit. The detachable flip out stand is an okay feature that allows for easy standing on my desk or shelf top. I would have preferred that it was permanently mounted.

The S-545 supports mp3, mp4, AAC, AVC, WMV, WMA, and PCM. PCM is Sony's version of WAV. It pairs well with Napster To Go. Its hit and miss with Rhapsody To Go. Sometimes its a smooth transfer, other times its not. Downloading my playlists from Windows Media Player was a breeze without the usual hiccups associated with older mp3 players.

Amazon video is a new option that is also supported. Video can be synced from my computer as well. I've never been big on downloading video to my player. I did download a couple of photographs on this model. The display was outstanding. Unlike my older Walkman, this model doesn't offer the wallpaper photo display option.

The built in FM tuner picked up all ten of my stations. With auto scanner functionality, thirty preset slots are available. The FM radio is crystal clear when using the headset as an antenna. The alarm and timer features are a nice add on. This model also has an impressive on board microphone located on the bottom of the unit. There are three voice settings. Voice playback quality was excellent. Battery life has always been biggie with Sony. On a full charge, I got almost a full thirty five hours of music.

The Sony Walkman S-545 16gb Mp3 player comes packed with a USB cable, flip stand, ear buds, installed operating manual and the standard one year warranty. Body finishes include; black and red in the 16GB model. Pink and violet are additional choices in the 8GB model.

Economically priced, this latest edition to the Walkman line is a durable and reliable product that delivers. Easy to use and loaded with features, the Sony S-545 is a prime time performer.

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Great sounding and easy to use MP3 I have owned. I have had a Philips GoGear (froze and had to format all the time) a creative Zen (stopped working after 6 months) and a Zune 120 GB (great storage but not the best sounding MP3, plus a little to bulky when jogging). This is the easiest MP3 to use and the sound is great. For people who exercise, especially joggers, this is the perfect size and at 16GB holds quite alot of music. The screen size is only 2.4 but is very clear and once you use the transfer feature that comes with the player is easy to transfer photos and videos.

The speakers won't blow you away, but I got it for when I work outside in the garden and didn't want to haul out my speakers to plug in. Plus, when I am at work I can use it at the lunch table and not be rude when people sit with me and cannot listen to music. They do sound pretty good for the size, just an extra bonus on the player.

Last, a great price for an 16GB

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I bought this to upgrade my current Sony MP3 Walkman which was the previous generation (NWZ-E436)and had probably one of the best sound quality of any mp3 player, much better than the ipod and this player continues that quality. I'd say it's slightly better than the previous generation due to the bass boost. The LED screen is about 0.5" bigger than the E series and also has built in speakers which are decent but fairly weak in volume. The S series is also bigger than the E series as well to accommodate the speakers and the larger LCD screen, but still remain about the same size as a credit card. The one caveat is that the resolution of the LCD display remains at 320x240 which is the same as the E series so visual quality is not improved upon. The menu system is very intuitive and easy to navigate through from watching videos, listening to the radio or mp3, and viewing pictures. Not sure why people would use a device this small to view pictures. Picture quality is good I suppose. Unfortunately, you can't zoom in on photos and the player has problems with large jpg files over 1MB so you'll need to resize photos in order to make it less than 1MB. The software included is the same as the previous generation which I didn't really bother with and most people won't either since it's much easier to use windows explorer and just use cut/copy & paste. In order to delete music you'll still need to hook up to a pc and delete it through windows explorer.

What separates this generation from the previous generation is the bass boost feature which does exactly what it says. Also, you now have the ability to record sound through the built in microphone which has adequate quality if you want to record a lecture. Another great feature added is the ability to record FM radio which only a few mp3 players allow due to copyright issues. The sound/music that you record can be deleted directly from the player without connecting to a computer which is convenient. Another thing I've noticed is that the sound level is a lot louder. On the NWZ-E436 I usually listened at level 21-24, but on this one I usually listen at level 14-19, where the maximum is 30.

Only certain types of videos are supported including mp4 and wmv with support for resolution up to 320x240. There's several free software available over the internet which can convert certain videos or dvd to mp4 or wmv. Not all of them will work. It's too bad Sony didn't include a video converter. Quality of video is adequate but nothing like the Zune HD which can play 1080p video and can connect to your tv. Video playback is smooth without stuttering and sound is excellent as well. When viewing videos in order to fast forward you'll need to press the right wheel or down wheel depending on how your video is oriented. For instance, if you view it vertically then you press the right wheel and conversely if you view it horizontally or panoramic then you'd press the down wheel. The included headphones is fair but I recommend buying a separate one. Make sure to buy an in-ear headphone to isolate sound. An affordable and high quality one is Creative EP-630 or EP-830 which also sounds better than the Klipsch S4 headphones that some review sites are touting over.

Other features include adjustable equalizers, clock, alarm, stand, and timer. The battery life is fairly long depending on how loud you listen and amount of video playback viewed. What's "missing" is wi-fi and internet connection, camera, touchscreen, games, and telephone that some people may be looking for in a one package device. If you want a complete package then get a blackberry, handheld pc, or next generation iphone. If you're looking for a great mp3 player with lots of features then this is probably the best mp3 player under $120. If you just want a great mp3 player for music, radio, and podcasts then get the E series which is cheaper with the same great sound quality.

Update: I've had this player for about a year now and it still works great considering the amount of abuse that it has received from being dropped onto concrete while jogging, placing them in my tight jeans with my keys and sitting on it, and placing them in the bathroom while taking a steamy shower. So far it has stalled only twice when the battery was running really low. I also decided to buy a Zune HD to consider replacing it but I surprisingly found that the sound quality on the Sony was much better even though the Zune costs upwards of $290. I'm thinking of returning the Zune HD but the video for that player is incomparable to any mobile device. I'm debating whether to try the Sony X series which also has the same video quality as the Zune and has even better sound quality but costs $400. Anyways, for anyone still debating whether to get this, if you only want a dedicated mp3 player for radio, music, and podcasts accept no substitute. This is the best period.

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I've stayed away from Sony products for a very long time. After hearing the reviews for this Walkman on the Cnet MP3 Insider podcast, I picked one up the same day. It's hard to beat the price for what you get. Large capacity and a small footprint. The sound quality is great, I love the preset and the custom EQ. If you like deep bass you can adjust it to your liking. One great feature is that you can sort the songs based on the ID3 tag information, but you can also search the file system in case your tags are not proper. I love how you can either use the included software to sync your songs or you can just drop your files onto the device. If you don't like the Sony software you can use MediaMonkey to manage your music. I'm glad they went with internal batteries because it made it possible to make the device much smaller. There are many features packed into this tiny DAP. The internal speakers are a nice touch. I think Sony did a fantastic job on this one.

I had an iPod for the last 5 years, and was fairly happy with it because I was stupid. The build quality of my iPod was good, and their scroll wheel is probably still the best. Every other category gets crushed by Sony's walkman. A major reason that I wanted to switch mp3 players was my hatred for iTunes. I wanted a player where I could just drag albums similar to a USB drive, and it would work. No 3rd party software required. The Sony does this. I can't tell you how nice it is to be able to just move over entire directories of music with one drag. Not only that, but I can copy the music off the player in the same way, unlike all Apple products.

The screen is nice and bright and crisp. No problems there. FM tuner works great. What's really remarkable about this player is 2 very very very key things about mp3 players: battery life and sound quality. Sony really crushes Apple here. My player really does get 42 hours of playback. This is really unbelievable. Sometimes it's just nice to know that you can leave for a weekend trip with your mp3 player charged, and not worry about running out of juice no matter how much you use it. Anyone who enjoys music enjoys hi fidelity in the sound quality. I use earbuds so that I can hear everything at low volume while also blocking out all of the outside world. With these types of headphones, you really hear how much better and fuller the music is on a Sony than an iPod.

So, on top of the fact that this player is about 30% cheaper as well, I will probably only buy Sony's from here on out. Really a great product. A couple of things I don't particularly like though: speakers suck and I'm not too sure why they are even on this unit. Very strange, but this doesn't detract at all from what the device is actually used for. The other downer is the scroll wheel/play button combo. Significantly too small and just not a totally smooth interface. I find it hard to believe that anyone would prefer this over Apple's interface--which is what all of their products are known for: nice interfaces, ok hardware, wrapped in 73 layers of proprietary crap.

Zmodo 8 Channel Security CCTV Surveillance DVR System With 1TB Hard Drive Pre-installed - Real Time

Granted, this DVR comes with a sizable learning curve attached. Since i'm heavy into computers and the like, this wasn't terribly hard to get the hang of, but I can imagine someone like my mom or dad who just wants a minor surveillance system installed in their homes. This DVR is great, but can baffle a novice. IF you still want to try it out, be ready to do a bit of trial and error. Even I had to deal with some trial and error. And for the money, it was worth it.

It is very easy to install and works good. It is not very user friendly when it comes to reviewing video or live feed on your smartphone.

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I READ ALL THE REVIEWS AND DECIDED ON THIS ONE. MY I.T. PERSON HAPPENED TO BE IN THE BUILDING WHEN IT CAME SO HE HAD IT UP AND RUNNING IN 10 MINUTES. HE WAS IMPRESSED FOR THE PRICE.

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We are very happy with value of this product. The recorder is as advertised in product description. Would purchase this product again.

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I bought two of these DVR, they work perfectly and the installation is very simple. I used to have my cameras working in my PC (with a hard disk dedicated) and this was very unstable, now with this DVR I solved the problem. If you do not need a professional and very expensive equipment, this is a very good option for home and small business.

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