Showing posts with label marantz digital recorder. Show all posts
Showing posts with label marantz digital recorder. Show all posts

Wednesday, October 15, 2014

8GB Spy hidden Watch HD 720P DVR Camera Video Mp3 from Flylink-sc338

8GB Spy hidden Watch HD 720P DVR Camera Video Mp3 from Flylink-sc338Doesn't connect to PC anymore. I get an error message that says the file system is corrupt. No customer support and I'm not sure how to fix it >:(

This watch is just great, it has good video quality, and the mp3 sound and microphone quality is very good. I would recommend this to everyone!

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it works as advertised, easy to set up. I would probably buy another one for my brother in law hehe.

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Tuesday, September 23, 2014

Honeywell Ademco 269R Holdup Switch w/ Armor Cover

Honeywell Ademco 269R Holdup Switch w/ Armor CoverWe have used the Ademco panic buttons in our facility for many years. We have neveer had one fail. They are very easy to use and easy to install. We have no intentions of changing to any other brand.

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Monday, September 15, 2014

1080P HD USB HDMI SD/MMC Multi TV Media Player RMVB MKV

1080P HD USB HDMI SD/MMC Multi TV Media Player RMVB MKV
  • With a high-speed USB 2.0 interface, supports connecting with USB mobile hard disk, USB pen drive & cameras.
  • Support video format: Real (RMVB, RM 1920 * 1080), H.264 (MKV, MOV, AVI 1280 * 768), MPEG1-2-4 (DAT, VOB, AVi, 1920 * 1080), WMV9/VC-1 1920 * 1080 , H.264 (AVI), DIVX 1920 * 1080).
  • Support audio formats: MP3, WMA, APE/FLAC (lossless audio format), OGG, AC3, DTS, and AAC, etc.
  • Support Reture, Track, Title select, Zoom, Play, Channel select, and Title colors functions.
  • With a SD/MMC interface, supports portable memory drives such as MMC & SD Cards.

i have a patriot media player. This one is 1/3 the cost and i thought that I would try it. The media player arrive 11 days from China to my house.

This thing plays everything a patriot media player plays and more. There was one file that I test that does not play on my patriot media player but it plays on this one. But, Unlike the patriot, this one is made out of very light plastic case and looks flimsy. But it's not a big deal as long as it works. The good thing is that this one has buttons on top of the media player. I tested it and I was able to browse and navigate thru the files without the remote YEAH!!!. The patriot and the asus media player basically becomes useless without the remote. This one still works without the remote. A big plus.

The remote has all the buttons that i needs like ff, rev, play, pause, stop, zoom, etc.... it is a full function remote.

The manual is practically useless. I cannot understand a darn thing out of that manual. It looks as if it was originally written in chinese and then ran thru a free on-line english translator. Bad grammar that one could not understand.

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I'm in the process of asking the seller what they can do about the annoying humming noise when I plug the RCA connectors. Defending on their customer support that I will change my review to 2 or 5 star or return the product. (SEE UPDATE)

My order came after two days because I ordered it through my sons prime account. Yes, It does not support 5.1 but the picture quality is amazing. It plays MKV and a lot of other formats. I like the adjustable SRT font size and color which is hidden in the OSD button of the remote. Warning, do not do a default reset! I tried it hoping it will fix the humming but big mistake because every thing became Chinese character. Just got lucky pressing the right button on the setup.

It has standard features like FF, RW, Play, but NO advance features like slow motion or FF 2x with sound as patriot.

UPDATE (10-1-12):

The seller at the time when I bought it doesn't have any stock and recommended for me to just return it, so I did. I found exactly the same product same supplier different seller here at Amazon but cheaper for $29.xx so I tried that one. It came in two days, nicely packaged and plastic wrapped. HDMI worked just fine no humming but the RCA didn't work. I was ready to return it when I tried just randomly the video and viola the RED plug is the Video and no HUM! If they will only do a quality check!!!

I would change my review and change it to at least 4 stars because for the price you cannot find any better 1080P player but when I clicked the SETUP it is filled with letter "A". I accidentally pressed the button twice and it became Chinese characters, pressed the down arrow 3 times and it worked "English". I guess I can live with it. PROBLEM is if I unplug it it will go back to those letter "A's" AGAIN. So I'll give this at least 3 stars and I will keep it since it will only be used for my Treadmill TV.

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Bought this player to replace my xbox 360 / laptop as my media player since I travel alot. It's lightweight and portable. It has played virtually everything I have thrown at it(most of my files conform to commonly used media formats). My only complain is that the composite cable it comes with seems to cause a buzzing sound. I attribute this to trying to pass the lowest cost possible to the consumer, quality had to be sacrificed, e.g. composite cable. I solved this problem by using my own composite cable. This shouldn't be an issue for though if you are using an hdmi cable with an hdmi ready device. The software interface is somewhat unappealing but pretty straight forward. You can navigate the interface without the use of the remote, i.e. play movies, music, pictures, explore usb/media cards,. but some advanced options require the use of the remote while playing a media file. The device is really quiet.

Main reasons to buy:

1.Supports a variety of media formats, including support for external subtitles.

2.Supports hdmi output.

3.Cost is great, similar products cost $50+ and do the same thing.

3.Lightweight and portable.

This product is not for those who are looking to stream media files as the device is not intended for that. Mainly for those who like to take their media files around in a storage device and survive the weekend at a friend's place who has no internet access. xD

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This product can read many formats which I like it. Insteast I play my media on my computer, now i just transfer my movies to USB and then plug into this media player and watch on my big screen TV.

I have 4 friends that purchased these after they seen mine. Out of the 5 we purchased 3 were set for PAL and had to have settings changed to NTSC. The problem being the horizontal roll was so fast you couldn't read the screen. Fortunately my set will work with either setting.

Monday, September 8, 2014

Ematic EMS004BU eSport Clip MP3 Video Player with Video Recorder

Ematic EMS004BU eSport Clip MP3 Video Player with Video Recorder
  • 4GB Flash Memory
  • 1.8 inches Color Display
  • 5MP Camera with LED flash and Video Recorder
  • Sports Clip
  • FM Radio

I bought this mp3 a few months ago and I must say I am impressed with all of the things I can do on it. It has many handy tools, such as voice recording, calculator, and stopwatch. (It also has a camera, video recorder, and eBook feature, but I doubt I'd ever use those). It also has a nice little internal speaker so you don't have to always wear earphones. However, it isn't the most user friendly. I find the "touchscreen" type buttons to be sluggish or downright unresponsive. My hands are always very dry, so I don't know if that has any effect on the touch-type buttons or not, but I do get frustrated trying to manipulate the thing. I am also disappointed that I haven't found a "random" or "shuffle" feature for my stored music.

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I spent 2 hours trying to navigate my new mp3 player and the only progress I made was getting a single avril lavigne album to play over and over. The controls are so frustrating and pretty much impossible to work. Every time I managed to do what I wanted it would end up over clicking and then I couldn't get back. I often pushed 10 or more times before the thing responded at all.

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We purchase a number of these models including this one because

a number of customers had ask for them. About half have been

returned mostly because of battery life issues and an Interface

from Hell. The touch is far too sensitive and it will scramble

your menu and setting unless you place it On LOCK.

The Ear buds were unacceptable. Battery life is, at best, fair.

The Camera is a non-factor: the quality leave much to be desired.

We are thinking of giving away the rest of our models to charity (we do

that every now and then). The screen is suspect to easily breaking.

This is an awful product. Where the good reviews are coming from

are probably from employees and friends of the manufacturer.

Brandon Eli Roman, Walters Judson group.

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I bought this for my 4 year old grandson. He loves it. His mom says, he never puts it down. Very satisfied for the price.

I purchased mine through the Warehouse Deals, and I must say this little guy is exceeding my expectations. If you are looking for a cheap Apple-type product, look elsewhere. But it works well for me; I wanted an MP3 player that I can take with me to college that if I was stolen I wouldn't have to worry too much about someone stealing it (or having to replace it if it would break), and this fits the bill. There is a bit of a learning curve to it, but over all a well designed, cheap player.

I feel I must add that the packaging looked a someone ran it over with a car, and then let a 3 year old tape it back up again nothing against the player, but a little disappointed in Amazon for that...

Sunday, August 31, 2014

Archos 15 GB Mini Jukebox Recorder

Archos 15 GB Mini Jukebox Recorder
  • Record directly from a stereo set, radio, or preamplified microphone via the stereo, line-in jack
  • Includes 4 AA nickel metal hydride rechargeable batteries
  • Compatible with MacOS 8.6 or later, MacOS 9.x; Microsoft Windows XP

I've had my Jukebox Recorder 15 for about six months now, been getting used to 'living with it', so to speak. In that time, I've gotten VERY accustomed with using it. Yes, like anything with a great deal of complexity in a simple package, there's a bit of a learning curve. But once you figure out how to 'handshake' with this box (and it doesn't take long), you find that it's quite intuitive, and navigating through its functions is a breeze.

Audio quality? Excellent, both on record and playback. The unit can RECORD (which is VERY nice) via a line-level analog or digital input, which makes this a great device for hooking to a line-level output from a stereo to transfer pesky non-digital sources such as vinyl or tape. It can handle qualities up to 320kbps in constant or variable bit rates. Playback audio is excellent and rather powerful for a portable device.

The internal battery is very convenient, IMHO...all it takes is a few hours of charging and you can get some 10 or so hours of playback time. No running out to drop some dough on more batteries needed, nope.

BUT...that's not all, folks. The nice thing here is that this also can function as a removeable drive, with USB transfer capabilities. So you can cram some MP3s in there, some large project, etc etc...and take more than just music with you. This'll be convenient for anyone who has to transport large files, such as multitrack session files for music types, or big graphics files for artists, or some specifically-needed piece of software that needs to move around, etc etc. Use your imagination, you'll find uses.

Plus, of course, this works with anything...sure, you can make an iPod work with a Windows box, but it's not quite so 'happy'. So with this being more 'generic', it seems to help with ease of use/connectability issues for different platforms. Just find a USB port and get busy.

The only flaws here lie in the headphones. They're pretty uncomfortable. But this is easy enough to remedy and, in fact, WORTH remediation by getting a much better set of 'cans' and using those with the Jukebox Recorder 15. You can appreciate the excellent quality of audio you'll get out of a well-encoded MP3 with this box that way.

I'm planning to take mine into some studio sessions I have coming up next month (June 2003) so that I can convert and 'dump' various mixes of tracks in MP3 format to the box so that they can be reviewed outside the studio, at leisure. It's good enough, IMHO, that even semi-pro-type usage of Archos's machine in this way is warranted. Very cool little machine, this.

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I am not sure what Gillian was talking about but it is rather easy to adjust the volume while it is playing. You simply press the up and down buttons. How hard is that? And the navigation is easy as long as you put them into the player in a reasonable manner. The back and forward buttons function the same way as windows explorer. The player is a bit heavy, but I knew it would be because it does have a 15 gb hard drive. The USB 2.0 interface is awesome, great transfer speed, and no errors. The software installation was a breeze and the batteries can be charged while it is on. I have never had it falter, or had a play error. This is a great player, but you have to have some sort of computer knowledge to use it. Don't be swayed by reviews done by people who are computer illiterate.

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This is one great piece of technology. I bought my Archos Jukebox Recorder 15 off of ...Amazon.com and it was the best choice I have ever made. The sound quality is Great. I have tons of my favorite songs on it and it barley took any memory. The controls are really easy to learn and i set it up in a half an hour that includes getting all my songs onto it. The only down side to the product it the manual doesnt give you much information to start off with. This is just my opinion though. I have had only one dificulty with the software but that was strictly user error. The battery charge seems to last forever and it is one loud ...(which is definetly needed for metal). I would definetly recommend this MP3 player.

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i got this player for Christmas. The setup was fairly easy. I like the fact that i can use it was a back-up hard drive too. The Archos frimware is very iffy so i reconmend getting the rockbox one. It is better and has different fonts and even includes games like tetris. THis made the player better. It helps to have USB2.0 to help with faster tranfers. Transfers are easy becuase it shows up as another hard drive so it is a drag and drop job. Good player

Pros

rechargable battery

upgradeable firmware

memory

capability

good looks

ok battery life

Cons

size (on the heavy size)

included headphones

It is a very good product, simple to use and efficient. I just spent two hours understanding its operation. I have loaded hundreds of songs and have a lot of space left. It is not a lot heavier than the 64Mb units and the space is huge. I recommend it to every one.

Wednesday, August 27, 2014

Sony TCM150 Cassette Voice Recorder - Portable

Sony TCM150 Cassette Voice Recorder - PortableI've been using this Sony for recording church services for a couple years now. Obviously, this is not a high-tech operation. I convert the tape into digital format for editing on my PC to create CD's. I've been able to make some great tapes so far and I'm recording in a huge "cathedral" type church. For the size and cost, I think it's great. I don't think I'd use it for listening to music as the microphone is rather "noisey". I recommend this for persons who aren't ready to make a major investment in high-tech recording equipment.

The Sony TCM-150 is about the cheapest cassette recorder on the market at this time. For five to ten bucks more you get voice activation, an external microphone jack, a tape counter, and extended play/record. The models with these features are the Sony TCM-200DV (without the tape counter) and the Panasonic RQ-L31. Of course, in all these cases, you're getting a cheaply made recorder intended for lectures, notes and inteviews. If you want something for music or that's built to take some punishment you'll have to pay more.

Last word on the 150: The odds are you're going to need at least one of those extra features especially voice activation. Pass on this one and pay just a tiny bit more for something better.

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This is a terrific tape recorder.

I've always found that bells and whistles like voice activation don't work. This one does. You want it on, you turn it on. You want it off, you turn it off. It's recording quality is very good for this medium. We're not talking digital sound, of course, but no magnetic tape machine will deliver that quality.

I've used probably a dozen recorders over many years, and this is one of the best values out there.

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My new car doesn't have a cassette player, not even an option, so I decided to try a portable cassette player and see how cumbersome it would be. It's great! This little Sony T150 stores in my center console, has loud volume if I need to hear it heavy traffic, and it's clear as a bell. Now I carry it back and forth to house and car just easier than my plug in boom box. the 2 batteries are supposed to last for 26 hours but actually lasted 34 hours in play mode. Am very happy with this Sony.

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I WANTED A NOT TO EXPENSIVE CASSETTE RECORDER. I WANTED A BRAND NAME. I SAW THE SONY RECORDER FOR A GOOD PRICE,AND I FOUND IT. RECEIVED PRODUCT VERY QUICKLY. RECORDS FULL LENGTH CASSETTES. EASY OPERATION. PLAY, RECORD, STOP, REWIND AND FAST FORWARD. LARGE SPEAKER, WHICH IS IN THE FRONT, WITH THE CASSETTE WINDOW DISPLAY. THIS HELPS ALOT. SOME CASSETTE RECORDERS HAVE WINDOW ON ONE SIDE, WITH THE SPEAKER ON THE OTHER. WITH THIS RECORDER, YOU CAN LISTEN AND RECORD WITH THE PLAYER ON IT'S BACK. YOU ONLY HAVE TO USE THEBACK SIDE TO CHANGE BATTERIES. RECORDS CLEAR VOICE. PLAYBACK FINE. THANK YOU

Monday, August 4, 2014

270 Rotation Dual Lens Dashboard Car vehicle Camera Video Recorder DVR CAM 2" Display HD 720P IR Ni

270 Rotation Dual Lens Dashboard Car vehicle Camera Video Recorder DVR CAM 2' Display HD 720P IR Night Vision
  • Dual lens,Dual Memory card hold,can work at the same time
  • support standard TF card up to 32G (not included)
  • Car Digital Video Recorder with 5.0 Mega Pixel Lens, Vehicle Mini DV
  • Built-in 5000,000 pixels high resolution camera
  • 270 degree rotate swivel lens,100 degrees wide-angle lens

Not what I was looking for. When there is enough sunlight, the picture is decent. At night, the picture is as good as your headlights. The microphone pickup is fair at best. Easy to transfer video from the unit to computer. The operation manual is a direct translation from another language. Directions are vague for some things due to translation. I would not recommend it. I wanted one that would record at night too. This won't do that without external lights (street lights, buildings etc).

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Saturday, July 26, 2014

Toshiba SD4100 Progressive Scan DVD Player

Toshiba SD4100 Progressive Scan DVD Playerthis is one fine dvd player i have 2 my self .man there great . i can play what i want in dvd,s from diffrent countrys and it is the best and the place i bought mine is where you want to buy yours to,amazon .can,t go wrong .from me wess.

Wednesday, July 2, 2014

ZMODO 4 Ch Security DVR Surveillance System With 4 Outdoor Weatherproof IR Night Vision Video 480TV

ZMODO 4 Ch Security DVR Surveillance System With 4 Outdoor Weatherproof IR Night Vision Video 480TVL Digital Camera 500GB HDNo hard drive-completely useless. It was advertised as coming with one. You get an empty DVR casing. This is stupid and inconvenient. Skip this cheap crap; I should have. Go ahead and pay the few extra hundred bucks for one that is ready to go out of the box. Added later--Zmodo's customer service is almost non-existent. The dvr takes an act of congress to format because the default admin codes on their website do not work. No one responds to live chat, and the 800 # for tech support keeps normal office hours which are useless if you are at work during that time like I am. The manual is buckshot with tech jargon no normal person can understand, nor are there any pics or diagrams to help. Once I finally got the system working, the user interface is simple enough, but the picture is dark and grainy at all times. Knowing what I know now, I would have gladly paid twice as much for a plug and play, simpler to use and set up system. Heck, I'd settle for better customer service. I'll keep this, but only because it's finally hooked up and running, and I don't want to go through the hassle of getting another system and figuring it out. PS, if you are ordering from EZoomTek, don't do it. They'll hassle you until you can't stand it in order to get you to remove the negative feedback you will surely leave them.

The unit itself works good but the cameras are not good quality. I bought a Sony camera and it is crystal clear when I added it to my system. Also the night vision is not good except on the Sony cam. If you turn up the brightness to see with the night vision on the cameras that came with it, then it is way too bright during the day.

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This surveillance system is ideal for my budget. Great clear view during the day of course but at night, not so much unless the camera is pointed directly at what you want to monitor and is no further than about 10 to 15 feet. Its very hard getting it to stream online when your internet company will not allow you to port forward the network. Im att and have a motorola modem/router. I spent at least 10 hours total trying to figure this out and plus trying to add an additional router that allows port forwarding. Useless product if stolen and no video record online to review who stole it.

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Easy to setup. If you don't mind crawling through your attic, easy setup. Quite device and low heat, which is important for my closet.

Cameras are nice, with night vision.

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it works great Easy to setup Love it.

Don't be afraid to buy it ,you will love this

love it

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Wednesday, June 25, 2014

Sony HDR-TD20V High Definition Handycam 20.4 MP 3D Camcorder with 10x Optical Zoom and 64 GB Embedd

Sony HDR-TD20V High Definition Handycam 20.4 MP 3D Camcorder with 10x Optical Zoom and 64 GB Embedded MemoryThe predecessor, the Sony TD10, had a stereo base of 30mm, which is already on the low end for producing a clear 3D effect.

Sony managed to reduce this down to 20mm in the TD20, which means you will have a 3D effect exclusively on close-ups. Not on material with normal to far distances to the camcorder.

If you do not mind the bigger exterior, the Sony TD10 is the BETTER buy for 3D filming.

(Pardon my English grammer, because I never studied English at school and my mother tongue is not English either but just love the language)

I studied about this camera for two months on the web and finally played with it at local Best Buy and bought it for 1169 dollars on a web price match and it worked. I have used it now for two weeks filming historic places, flowers, birds and my son playing soccer. I have also purchased the Best Buy 209 dollars ADW for 3 years for peace of mind because the LORD's rains fall on all humanity equally.

Also objects close to see its real 3D effects on the 160" of screen with Optoma 3D Projector (with 3D converter 3D-XL) and I have to tell you that what my family and I saw was amazing. Almost as equal with the quality of Hugo (the movie) clarity.

I used 3DXL connected with the provided mini hdmi and the camera communication set to SBS (not the 3DXL but on camera itself) and watch it diectly from the camera to the projector in amazing 3D.

I also took footage of turtle under the water from above the lake in the local park) and it was just amazing.

I know some says the 20mm (this one) with the 30mm the TD10, I have to say that actually even with the 20mm, this one beats the TD10 in many respects including the finish of the the HD quality both in 2D and 3D.

I am a professional and this camera is not a professional camera but it is still a professional in the price and quality that this product brings.

I have a bi-weekly TV show (live gospel and teaching) and the studio takes care of that part with BIG BOYS but for my pre-edited TV programs, I am impressed enough to switch from my faithful 8 years old Sony DCR-VX2100 to this new blessing.

I downloaded the Vegas Movie Studio HD Platinum 11 (Trial) from Sony's website and edited and recorded my first Blu-Ray with LG-BE12 and the results were wonderful. Now I am going to order the Vegas Movie Studio HD Platinum 11 Visual Effects Suite from Amazon for only 53.50 (compared with 194.95 from Sony's website) and praise the LORD for the provision!!!

With the price and quality that I have experienced, this is worth.

Thank you so much.

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I bought this purely as part of my hobby in 3d photography and filmmakers. I assume many people will be interested in it also as a general camcorder, for which it's pretty slick:

a nice zoom range

decent touch interface (if a little dated-feeling)

good stabilization

But as a 3d enthusiast, I have some serious gripes, even after just a few days.

The 3d is recorded in a format that I've had trouble finding support for.

The camera advertises that it can shoot stills, and it can shoot stereo video. But it CANNOT shoot stereo stills. HUH?? You'd think that all of the hardware and software is there to do this, and yet they quietly reveal (in the thick instruction manual only) that 3d stills are not possible.

The camera advertises that it can shoot 24p and 60p. Search the fine print and you'll see that it can't shoot progressively in stereo, only interlaced. This kindof destroys my purposes with the camera, unfortunately.

I'm still deciding if I want to return it. It's really fun to shoot, and I'm planning to get a 3d tv so I can review footage at home. But it's an expensive device if you're not 100% supported in your purposes... Wondering if a TD30V will come out, and if so, they will address these concerns? I hope so, because home 3d filmmaking offers huge opportunities.

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Overall, I think this is a very nice camera a little on the pricey side for your typical consumer, but if you need to have a lot of the whistles and bells of a video camera you may want to consider this one. I've waited a while to write this review, but now have used this for about a month and have tried out most of the features. As my basis / background / comparison in reviewing the camera, I also own the Sony HDR-CX160 camera.

The picture quality to me is crystal clear and transferred over to my computer for ripping to a DVD without any issues at all. Colors, shapes, everything is crisp and in nice detail.

Using the 3-D capabilities of the camera, it is fairly effective for up close and personal recording, but forget it at a distance. I hooked up a recorded 3D video I had made to my TV (also 3d capable) and, without glasses, you did get a minor 3D effect. Wearing a pair of 3D glasses it was a bit more pronounced. I don't watch much 3D, and for my purposes I'm not sure how much of that feature I will use in the future. The cool thing was hooking it up to my TV via an HDMI cable vs. alternate means and running the video directly from the camera. Kids really like that, also (3D or not), especially as they relive the birthday party that happened just a few hours previous on the same day.

The camera comes with 64 gig is more than sufficient for my purposes after filming two birthday parties, a piano recital, and two other events I wasn't anywhere near to filling it up before I was transferring video off of the unit.

I have not purchased an upgraded / higher capacity battery, as I haven't really pushed the battery that was standard. I went three hours of recording and did not get a low battery warning before I put it back on the charger before I went to bed. Three hours is more than enough for my purposes, and with the USB-compatible charger included with the unit, for this camera I will be able to plug it into my USB-compatible cigarette adapter or the 101 other USB charging bases I seem to have everywhere.

I like the tracking feature category as I was filming a person talking and another walking around, and it does keep that spot focused in if they maintain a "normal" speed; with running children it's not perfect but a lot better than not having it at all.

The unit's size is about 50% bigger than the HDR-CX160, primarily due to the second lens for the 3D option. I think that is great as I have larger hands, and I always thought the CX160 was too small.

The unit also comes with a built-in GPS receiver and the ability to tag your location of filming. Besides trying this feature out to see if it works, I don't know when I'll ever need this feature with my types of recordings. However, if you travel a lot, it may help jog your memory some years down the road of just where exactly a specific recording was made.

Overall, this is an outstanding camera but maybe a little bit of to many whistles and bells for the average person wanting a camera to record birthday parties. However, if you are looking for crisp shots and need that something extra, I'd highly recommend this one.

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Update tips:

When panning (especially if you are using any zoom) exaggerate the slow motion for the finest details to show without blurring. Even in interior rooms you will get distinct video without using the light. In low light or when using any zoom, pause for a few seconds to let the camera adjust its focus before you begin your real filming. Text is extremely clear even when situated within a display case.

I filmed from about 1' away through a glass panel at a miniature model (2' high x 12' long) of city buildings on a street about 15" beyond. The buildings were store fronts, apartment houses, and restaurants with windows that showed miniature furniture, dinnerware, and merchandise within the rooms. These items inside the rooms came out stunningly distinct. I used a slight amount of zoom and the camera picked up items my eyes did not see.

I was in the middle of a room with a picture window looking out toward the nearby tree packed slopes and there was no blurring because the camera focus was on the distance, not the window. In the past this has been a problem that other camcorders had.

I am so pleased with the still photos that I took under all conditions, that I have decided to retire my expensive Pentax camera.

Review:

This is not a professional grade camera but its at the top of the amateur level. Excellent features that auto-adjust or you can tweak manually for those out-of-the-ordinary situations. The built-in memory cameras haven't stored the amount of video I was doing in one day. This camera addresses everything I could want. I have used generations of Panasonic camcorders with great success. Kudos to Sony for getting this one right!!!

Storage: the 64 gig internal will hold about 5-8 hours of stop/start 2D video and I can use the 32 gig SanDisk memory for when I can't off-load the video to my computer. (Sony's recording time is unrealistic)

Low light: I tested in unlit areas and areas in deep shadows. The result was slightly colorized pixelation which showed at 1920x1080. Using the flash or spotlight produced very distinct images. And I really liked that you can vary the light brightness.

Zoom toggle: very touchy and fast but you can learn to have a light touch.

GPS and Date stamping in the background: great for those using Aperture, iPhoto, iMovie or some other archiving program for quick sorting. This is not shown on the screen or when playing the movie or photo.

Back Light: the auto feature will save editing time when panning suddenly reaches a overly bright background.

Anti-shake: worked great while walking and filming at the same time. This has always required extra equipment in the past. It splits the all-or-nothing choices.

Touch screen LCD and Menu: sharp, and surprisingly good 3D. The warnings about watching 3D are realistic. I was very pleased to see all user friendly icons, menus, and menu items that allow quick and easy adjustments. This was the best layout I have ever seen without too much clutter.

Direct to iPad: used the Apple Connection Kit and just waited for the photos/video to appear on the iPad.

Direct to Mac Pro: use Image Capture which automatically launches when USB is connected. It was an easy import to Final Cut Pro 7 and 10. It looked awesome at 1920x1080 and even better at 1600x900 on my monitor.

Direct to TV: you can use ANY TV with 3 jacks through the A/V cable. You do not have to use the AC Adapter for power if you are not transferring a large movie and have battery power.

Location of control buttons: excellent and intuitive

Use either hand: the traditional right hand through the strap with the record/stop on the camera back and the zoom and photo buttons on top OR use your left hand and select the same functions on the touch screen. Now you are assured of holding the camera more steady while enjoying easier access to controls.

Personal comment: 3D is an expensive domain that has more verbal WOW than practicality. Its use is in filming someone or something with a little additional closeup impression. For those who have to have the latest, this will be a "gotta-have". For the average person, this camera will record a good enough 2D that depth of field will make you see it as almost 3D. I was impressed.

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Tuesday, June 10, 2014

Vivitar HD Digital Camcorder DVR548HD (Black)

Vivitar HD Digital Camcorder DVR548HDIt was really disappointing. The video is not really 720p like as advertised; it does GOOD 480p. And the video is annoyingly choppy -not one of the smarter buying decisions I've made.

This is not an high tech Camcorder so you can start looking somewhere else for greatest. I got this because I'm low on cash, although it did do the job I wanted to get done but it wasn't in great standard... Like the saying goes, You Get What You Pay For!!!

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This was a Christmas gift for my daughter. Even though it was not here in time for Christmas (which was the only problem), She loves it..

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Monday, June 9, 2014

DISH Network HOPPER Whole Home DVR System

DISH Network HOPPER Whole Home DVR SystemI was quite reluctant to upgrade from a 2 DVR (VIP 722K)system to Dish Hopper after reading all the reviews. But finally I decided to take the risk because I wanted HD viewing in all TVs and also be able to watch any recorded show from anywhere in the house. I didn't have to pay any equipment fee with 2 year agreement. It has been a month since I switched to 1 hopper and 2 joey system and to my surprise I've no issues so far. Very happy with it. They keep on fixing the bugs as they find I guess. I also use sling adapter. And we also have external media with many recorded movies over last many years.

Only complaint so far is that we can't see shows on external media using sling anymore (that is why 4 out of 5 stars). This feature was available with VIP 722k. With hopper, you need to move your shows from external media to hopper in order to watch it via sling. Other than this, I love the new hopper !! Waiting for their wireless Joey to come in the market...

**UPDATE 12-12 I'm dropping this down to three stars from my original four stars because of some glitches that seem to be cropping up. There are issues with these units. The joeys do go black all of a sudden and have to be reset but that happens maybe once every one or two months. It is an electronic device and they are almost all prone to some glitches. While it is annoying at the time, it doesn't happen often enough for me to be really frustrated. However, Dish just did a recent software/interface update and added some nice visual benefits. I still really hate the DVR listing screen. Just tell me the name of the show and drop the show icon. I still have trouble seeing what I'm looking for. But the sort methods and color keys on the remote have become a little easier to use.

The biggest thing lately is that the DVR seems to drop recorded shows. It doesn't happen with any pattern but it will display that a show has recorded and when you to watch it, there is nothing there. Or it will show that it recorded and then it disappears from the listings the next day. Gone. And even though DISH added a 'deleted recordings' folder that holds them for a day, it is not in there. This seems to be picking up in frequency and has probably happened about 5 times in the past two weeks. Given that we recorded at least 100 things in that time period (including the prime time anytime recordings) it is a lower percentage. But if it is your show, it is frustrating. I'm not sure if this happens with other systems, perhaps it is just part of having a more complicated DVR. Overall, I'm still pleased with the system but it has a set of flaws.***

We had DirecTV for years and switched to Dish about four years ago. We just updated to the HOPPER and two Joeys. So far it's all going really well.

In the past, we had two receivers for three TVs. One was a dual DVR and the other a stand alone. So the stand alone didn't have access to anything recorded nor did it have the ability to pause live TV or record. The dual DVR had HD ability on one TV only since the other transmitted via UHF signal.

But we lived with it. But when it started to crap out, it was time to either replace it with the same unit type or change to the Hopper. It was a no brainer. With only 50 hours of high def recording available on the old receiver (350 hours standard def) it was silly not to change to the Hopper.

The Hopper has (from what I can calculate) 250 hours of high def recording it's a 2TB hard drive. The Joeys are small and allow you access to the main DVR at any time. Even though we have two Joeys, you can put up to three on the Hopper. For each Joey, you can record another program. So, we can record three programs at a time one for the DVR Hopper, and one at each Joey.

One of the things I really like is the availability of Prime Time Anytime. This acts similar to On Demand. If you chose to turn it on, it will automatically record all major networks (NBC, ABC, CBS, FOX) or whichever ones you choose, for all prime time hours (8:00 pm 11:00 pm) and store it for as long as you set. It defaults to 8 days but you can keep it for less if you want. You can also dictate which days of the week including weekends. This setting takes up one of your recording slots so now we can only record two other programs at any given time. Since I tend to record a lot of prime time network shows, this is a great feature for me. I don't have to set a timer for every one of them and because it is recording all networks, I'm not taking up two record slots if I want two shows in one night.

You have the option of selecting a program and permanently saving it as well, treating it like any other recording. If you don't want it, it will automatically disappear after 8 days.

I also like that you can create folders for recordings. I created a "kid's movies' folder, one for me, for each child and for my husband. You can set a timer to record directly to a folder so that you don't have to sort it later. You also have the option of viewing all recordings by genre, network, or by program title.

What I don't like is the lack of options. I am very used to looking through the DVR recordings as a list. On the Hopper, it shows icons. This makes it awkward to go through a list and find a show. If you're looking from across the room, the text can be small to read. The only way to get a listing is to look by show title and then open that folder. So if you record every episode of Pawn Stars and you open the Pawn Stars folder, then you can look at a listing instead of an icon. I really don't like the icons and I'd prefer to have the option to go back to all listings but there are very few ways to personalize the DVR interface.

I do like that it shows how much has been watched in a clear green bar. You can still personalize favorite channels and the interface for doing that is great since it is clear to see what the channel is that you are selecting. You have to set up favorite channels for each Joey though.

Transferring content from an external hard drive was easy and as before, you can add an external hard drive for additional recording storage. There are some apps available (which run through your internet). We connected to the internet via WiFi using the provided antenna. There are games, Pandora, Facebook, MLB Network, Photo Sharing, etc all via the internet. You can access regular On Demand via your internet as well.

If you have caller ID and hook up your phone line, you'll get a listing on the screen (if you set it on) that a call is coming in and who it is.

So overall, we definitely upgraded. I am really pleased with the quality of picture and flexibility of the Joeys not to mention the Prime Time Anytime.

We got all our equipment and installation for free since we renewed a two year agreement. And even though Dish dropped AMC (a bone of contention with my husband) overall, we are really pleased.

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I've had Dish for many years and was very satisfied with all aspects of their system. I foolishly signed up for Hopper about 3 months ago. I have four TVs (two Hoppers and two Joeys).

There are many things I like about Hopper such as;

1. Being able to record three programs at once.

2. The 2 terabyte DVR (I've been recording like crazy and haven't made a dent in it

3. The ability to attach my 2 terabyte hard drive giving me a total of 4 terabytes

4. Having HD on all my TVs

5. The many functions on the Main Menu

Things I don't like;

1. ICONs of programs I have recorded are difficult to read (do away with these or make them larger)

2. The text of all screens are too small for no reason

3. The gray text on a gray background sucks (all text should be black on white)

4. The old Dish allowed me to list 4 channels on Guide which made the text larger (restore this)

I believe the programmers were more concerned about creating a more modern format at the expense of functionality. The old Dish text was easy to read, so why fix something that wasn't broken.

I'm sorry I ever went to Hopper and am locked into a two year contract. Don't sign up until they fix the text problem (look at someone that has a TV the size of yours with Hopper installed and you will see what I mean). I guess I am fortunate, in that I have not had any of the problems others have mentioned such as black screens and lost recordings.

I would have rated Hopper five stars if it wasn't for the text problem. If you have difficulty reading what is on the screen, then what good is it?

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What a mistake. 5 seconds between each channel change. A menu system of icons and illegible titles. the same with dvr menu. On a 50" tv sitting 8 to 10 feet away impossible to read. Channel guide is even worse! Only one sickly, gray screen which is near impossible to read. When all TVs are off and I turn on one I have to read a warning that this will interupt viewing at another location and then selct from an offering of 2 choices. This thing is a piece of crap and I hate dish for beta testing me for $120 a month. I could gripe more but what's the use.

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I switched to Dish in December 2012. Direct TV wouldn't add the Pac 12 network so all of the football and basketball games were unavailable. No provider in my area other than Dish offers the Pac 12 Network. I was concerned over a number of the posts here and elsewhere regarding quality and issues with the Hopper Software and Joeys. So far, after more than 2 months, find the quality to be at least as good as DTV. The process for recording is different but equally as good. The wireless connection is a radical improvement over DTV and the menus(etc.) are different but much better and more intuitive than DTV. Also, I have the Sling Box option which is far superior to DTV's "anywhere" or whatever option they have. DTV only lets you use devices that are logged onto a network which is that same network as your TV. The remote itself is less intuitive than the DTV remote but manageable. If you are getting older like me and having issues with reading in low light or smaller print, the remote will be a little bit annoying. I know where all the buttons are now without looking so no problem.

Perhaps I am later coming to Dish than others but it is equal or better quality at a substantially better price. I also get way more content than DTV for a way lower price: as many or more HD channels than DTV for sure.

Good luck and I hope your experience is as good as mine. I recommend Dish and the Hopper wholeheartedly.

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Sunday, June 1, 2014

VistaQuest DV7B 7 Megapixel Digital Video Camera (Blue)

VistaQuest DV7B 7 Megapixel Digital Video CameraFor some reason the video won't download with the program that comes with the camera. From what I've read on the 'net, I'm not the only one with that problem. Can't figure out how to download music to it, but I didn't buy it for the mp3 player.

The camera part is awesome. It takes wonderful pix for it's pixel size. Very easy to use (aside from the video download and the mp3), and it IS an awesome price. All in all, I'm very pleased with it and I would recommend it as a digital camera.

If anyone out there knows how to get the video to download let me know.

I received this product on time and in

perfect condition....it works great and

my husband is enjoying taking his deer

pictures with it.

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Thursday, April 3, 2014

Sylvania SDVD7024, 7-Inch Portable DVD Player with Car Bag/Kit, Swivel Screen, AC/DC Adapter, Remot

Sylvania SDVD7024, 7-Inch Portable DVD Player with Car Bag/Kit, Swivel Screen, AC/DC Adapter, Remote Control
  • 7 Inch Widescreen color TFT display with 360 degree swivel screen
  • Plays these formats: DVD, DVD+/-RW, CD, CD-R/RW, MP3 music burned onto CD-R/RW, JPEG photos burned onto CD-R/RW;
  • Includes; Car Straps, AC power adapter, vehicle power adapter, A/V cable, carrying bag, remote control, stereo earphones
  • Rechargeable lithium battery, built in stereo speakers
  • AV Our Function

I really like this DVD player. I did a lot of research before I ever decided to buy this one. Everyone kept talking about how the different kinds of players would quit working quickly or the volume wasn't high enough. I finally decided on this one and am very glad I did. My son certainly doesn't have any problem hearing it and in fact, I don't have a problem hearing it when I'm driving.

My only gripe with this product is the car bag/kit. It is just fine as a bag to carry the dvd player and all the things that come along with it. However, it is the same material as the reusable grocery bags that the major grocery stores have started carrying. It is hard to keep the player in place and I have had a difficult time actually finding another mount for this player. They've got the kinds that mount it in the middle of the car but that doeesn't make much sense to me if the car seat backs are in different places. I really would just like to find some straps to hold it tight on the back of the seat. We've finally decided that if we don't find some soon, we'll just make some.

All in all, I would recommend this product to anyone wanting to purchase a dvd player for their car. When and if this one ever quits working, I will probably look at the tablet players but until then we will use this one and it works great!

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I have found this product to be a great DVD player it is compact and performs great. It looks good and performs well. The car bag kit is a bit flimsy but as for the performance of the player I have no complaints. The value and quality are spot on.

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Very satisfied with the product. Portable and light. Easy to operate. Remote control works very well. Would recommend to buy if need one

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I got this for my 20 month old son, we are taking two airplane rides this summer and want to be sure he is entertained on the plane. He started watching the DVD player at home and he loves it. We love it.

The DVD player worked great, no issues what so ever on our drives to Myrtle Beach from Chicago and back. The only issue was the holder! It is awful and would not stay on the back of the seat at all. I had to hold the DVD player the entire time we used it, which gets pretty tiring after a few hours! So, if you do buy this, buy another car bag, because the one it comes with is garbage!

Tuesday, March 18, 2014

Sony DVP CX875P DVD changer

Sony DVP CX875P DVD changer
  • Features include CD-R/CD-RW, DVD-R/DVD+RW, DVD-RW (Video Mode), and MP3 playback

I love the Sony 300 + 1 DVD player!! My original reason for wanting this DVD player was for space saving. While some may think that a 300 disc changer is extravagant, it really has lots of practical applications. Our home is very small and we had no place to store all of the VCR tapes that we had accumulated. They ended up in the coat closet in a box. So, everytime we wanted to watch a movie we had to drag the very heavy box out of the closet and dig through it to get the movie we wanted. Often, this resulted in deciding it wasn't worth the effort.

With the Sony 300+1 DVD player, all of the DVDs are inside of the player. I don't have to dig them out, find them, or set up. I just use the remote to turn on the DVD player, call up the menu, and select a movie. It is sooo easy! Did I mention that I don't have to waste space storing VCR tapes?

Some other neat features of this DVD player:

-recognizes the titles of some movies (depending on the DVD), so you don't have to program it

-for the ones that you do have to program, it is really easy, you can either use the remote control, or hook up a keyboard to the front of the DVD player

-four 'folders' are provided in the software so that you can organize your titles however you like, ex. by genre

-plus much, much more

This DVD player is very easy to use and program. Unlike the case in some homes, the wife (me) wanted this purchase. Though technically challenged, I have had no problem using this DVD player at all.

Another great feature of this DVD player is that because you don't ever handle your DVDs (unless you actually have more than 300, but not too many people do), they never get scratched! Or lost! It's great! If you are shopping for a DVD player, this is the one to get. Don't bother with anything else.

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The SONY 300 disc DVD jukebox has more features than most people will want to take the trouble to learn to use. It holds 300 discs plus one in an "EZ play" slot for easily inserting rented discs. The machine has a slow and complicated process for entering the information about the disc on the on-screen folder display. The contol buttons are unresponsive. Pressing any button on the remote or the front display is followed by an annoying pause during which you're uncertain if it will perform the function requested. It is possible to capture an on-screen image from the DVD to use as a label for the discs listing. Switching from play mode to displaying the folders showing all the discs contained in the player is very slow. The disc being played is ejected from the play postion and put back in the rack. There is a delay of ten seconds befoer the folder listings appear. I can seen no reason why this can't be done instantly. The player is able to flip a "flipper" disc, a feature I have never seen on any other DVD player before, it will do so automatincally if you put the disc in the wrong way. The player has an annoying on screen display the often says "Function prohibited by disc," for example when you want to see the main menu during the FBI warning. Other functions are adjusted through a confusing multi-level menu.

About one-third of my DVDs were able to fill out the folder listings automatically, all others needed a tedious several minutes long process to enter the disc's information. Despite these numerous complaints and shortcomings, it's still easier than having to get up and look at the spines of DVD jewel boxes on your shelf, pick one out and load it into your single-disc layer

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I purchased this DVD player with the same utopian dreams everyone else had; I can put all my DVDs in one convenient place, quickly scroll thorugh the menu and find the movie I want to play, and put all my DVD cases in a box in the garage.

I can put all my DVDs in one place, but there is nothing quick or convenient about it. First of all, the title line in the menu is ridiculously short. Only the short titles fit. For example, "Blow" is not a problem, but if you want to put in the title "Planes, Trains and Automobiles" you will have to enter it as "P/T and Autos"...that is all you have room for. What is even more aggravating is that some discs automatically load the title. Those discs not only get more room on the title line, but also get a second line below the tile. Heaven forbid the general public get the same number of characters to work with. In addition, the discs that do automatically load the titles load as for example "The Best of Friends" or "The Big Lebowski" so you do not find "The Big Lebowski" in the "Bs" you have to go to the "Ts" and scroll through the endless number of titles that start with "The". What makes it worse is that you can not go in and change the titles on the discs that automatically load. You are stuck with the title that is loaded. Some discs will even load as for example "Directors Cut Basic Instinct" so once again instead of going to the "Bs" I have to find "Basic Instinct" in the "Ds". Is it just me or should someone have thought of that before releasing this?

There is also a feature in the menu that lets you enter a frame from the movie. On the discs that automatically load, often times it will load the disc cover in the frame. Unfortunately, many of the movies just load scrambled nothing-ness. "Rocky IV" loaded as a green blob with a red frame. That might be cool in a modern art museum, but not in my menu screen.

Regarding the disc loading. It is as though an "evil spirit" possesses the machine periodically and decides to hide a DVD somewhere else. One disc will end up being put in an entirely different slot. I then have to manually find the disc and put it back and for some reason tiles just disappear. I can not tell you how many times I have lost information I have loaded. Mechanically speaking, the loader does not work either. I am to the point that if I want to watch disc #100 I have to manually remove disc #99 or it will not load.

Something else that bothers me is all the propaganda out there that this player plays both sides of the disc. Mine certainly does not. When I come to the end of side one, it loads the next disc...sometimes. Otherwise it locks up and I get an error code.

My machine also has a bad optical sensor. Need I say more. It is off to the repair man I go. I wonder if the electronics repair man can fix sledge-hammer damage?

I would like to know who at Sony decided to release this plague upon the world...I would also like the two Saturdays of my life back that I spent programming and loading all the titles...and my money back...but that will not happen because my 1 year warranty ran out. How convenient.

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Awesome storage capacity. Sony. Does it get any better? I don't think so! It is so nice just to be able to scroll through your movie list and not to have to mess with jacket covers and the like. Here is a little tip, I keep the covers in a plastic 8 1/2 X 11" sheet protector in a three ring binder for reference. Not that much difference in price. Definitely worth it!!

I have purchased the CX 860 and have purchased two of the CX875P and all of them continue to have the same problem with the opitcal sensor going bad (the sensor that reads the dvd). I have had two of the units already repaired and they are broke again and the last one I purchased 6 months ago just broke last week and now I am sending that one in to be repaired. I am tried of repairing these things. I was smart this time and bought the extended warranty on the dvd player, but the previous two I did not. I wonder why they want us to buy that extended warranty? because they know that these things are crap. I was told it was just bad luck (from a Sony Rep) that all three have had the same problem.....I don't think it is bad luck...I think there is something wrong with these dvd players

Friday, March 14, 2014

Lawmate PV900FHD 1080p HD Cell Phone Smart Phone Recorder DVR

Lawmate PV900FHD 1080p HD Cell Phone Smart Phone Recorder DVRAm an ex-cop and have been a PI for 15 years. This is the best camera I have ever used for "not so covert" recording. It takes a little practice to get familiar but once you do, you can stand 30 feet from your subject in a store and hold it as if you are texting but you are actually looking at the screen to assure your subject is centered. And as you know, no one is suspicious of someone just standing around texting in their own little world. The screen is directional so even if they walk by you, they can't see what you see unless they are looking straight down at it. My clients are amazed and have no clue how I get away with not being detected and get perfect footage. My only complaint if the only output is high def. I had to get an analog converter for the input of my DVD recorder.

Thursday, February 27, 2014

Polycom SoundStation2 Avaya 2490 Conference Phone Expandable

Polycom SoundStation2 Avaya 2490 Conference Phone ExpandableNo question about it, Polycom make the best speakerphones. This particular model is a compromise; its better than many phones but far from the best that Polycom can do. Here's the scoop.

This model uses three microphones (one in each corner of the triangle), all of which remain active the entire time. Depending on your room acoustics and where you sit/stand, you may sound like you are talking from inside of a deep well (kind of a hollow echo). Better Polycom models (like the Soundstation Premier) avoid this by only leaving one microphone active at a time, and with higher quality components and circuits. For example, noice canceling circuit to to remove background noise, a feature lacking in this model.

That said, you may still be happy with this model, as it costs a whole lot less than the Premier version and is way better than the built-in speakerphones included in many desktop handset units. To decide you need to consider how important the quality of your conference calls is, and what kinds of acoustics the room that you'll be using has. If you need the best, go with the Premier, otherwise this is a solid model.

After getting frustrated with typical multipurpose phones (handset, speakerphone, answering machine, caller ID, potato peeler, and inflatable raft all in one) I went looking for an excellent speakerphone. This gets my highest recommendation. The sound is clear, the ability to carry on a two-way conversation without noticable pausing or clipping is wonderful, and the system is compact and easy to use. One slight caveat: though the microphones are sensitive enough for everyday use and the speaker can be turned up loud enough to make the party at the other end of the line clearly audible, there is a certain threshold below which you cannot hear the individual at the other end of the line in this case, a handset can be superior. (I didn't downgrade this system from five stars for this, though all speakerphones seem to have this problem.)

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The product worked rather well for about 8 months with occasional use. Though it saw only light occasional use it failed (no power, no reason why). I called to have it returned via RMA and was promptly issued an RMA number on October 2nd (10/2).

Things became very busy for me and I expected to see the unit any day for the past 4 weeks. Nothing came in. Today (11/2) I called to find out why the replacement unit had not yet been returned. I was told that it had been received on (10/10) and was ready to ship. I was also told that for purposes of "stock control" RMAs were held for 30 days before shipping. I was told that the unit (even though it was ready to ship) would not be shipped until 11/10 but never fear! It would be shipped via 3-day Air. Whoopee! (sarcasm).

As I do the purchasing for my department and have done better than 10 RMAs this year I have NEVER had a product take so long to be replaced nor dealt with a company that seems to have a punitive "hold period" on RMA cases. We have been without this conference phone for more than 4 weeks and will be without it for another 2 weeks before receipt of the replacement unit. All the while, no conference phone.

To sum up. I'm not at all happy with this company's RMA policy. I don't expect next day service but for a $300 phone I expect much better service than I received.

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I purchased this unit plus the additional microphones and it is a great unit with a good price. We haven't even used it but are returning it! None of the literature on this site explains that it will work on a single phone line. We have analog lines so that was not an issue. However like any business, we have multiple lines. And, this unit cannot work on a multi-line system. It worked fine when I hooked to our fax line. But NO dial tone when hooked to any other phone jack in our building.

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I knew about Polycom from my days with a telecom company and thought it might help my 86 year old uncle with a bad shoulder which made it difficult for him to hold the phone and hearing issues carry on a phone conversation with his brother in a distant city. The attributes of the Polycom that I thought might make a big diffeence were it's full duplex operation, large speaker and good microphones. The price was a show stopper until I found a used one in the $100 price range. My sister and I gave it to my uncle for his birthday and it worked very, very well. Both uncles rave about the ability to finally have good chat. Thanks Polycom!

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Saturday, February 22, 2014

eForCity Digital Optical Audio TosLink to Mini TosLink Cable, 6 FT

eForCity Digital Optical Audio TosLink to Mini TosLink Cable, 6 FTI wouldnt use these to set up my home theater system again they do not provide the best quailty to your sound as people say they do. I have moved on to a different set up because of it.

Don't bother wasting your money on an expensive connector. The data is digital so it makes no difference as long as the signal can make it across. These cables worked fine connecting my MacBook to my audio receiver.

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Yes it's cheap, yes it works, yes it has covers, yes it fits in the holes fine.

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I use this cable to connect my Mac Mini (2009) to my AV receiver. It outputs digital sound and can handle surround sound as well. The mini-Toslink fits right into the headphone jack and the computer knows to output digital sound. The cable is on the flimsy side and you can tell it costs under a dollar, but the sound is digital so it still sounds pristine.

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This does exactly what it's intended to do and it does it well. The cable feels of good quality and the end caps are a nice addition. For the price paid for this cable, and the fact that it's a digital signal, there's no reason to buy anything that's more expensive. I use these with my Macs and Airport Express to create a lossless link for crisp, clear sound. Definitely recommended!

Tuesday, January 7, 2014

Digital Quran IQRA'A CQ5N

Digital Quran IQRA'A CQ5NI have owned the CQ4GA model of this device for about five years. It works wonderfully, is sturdy, has good sound and is reliable. It also has a memory card slot to add other media if desired. One of my favorite features is the ability to switch between Arabic and English text for the Quran. I have owned other brand name Quran players that were faulty at all levels. Mash Allah this is good quality and I recommend it. The only con that I have is the charger. One of my chargers has come apart and is not functioning. However, they are fairly standard I believe so could be replaced. Also it has a USB cord so maybe it can be charged that way.