VideoSecu 4 Channel MPEG4 USB DVR System Internet Remote Control, including 4 Color Audio Infrared

I recently bought this system . I am quite happy with it! Here are my thoughts: Everything that came in the box was as expected.

con : each camera require running cable until a local power source shared (4 cam)

I was looking for was ensuring that each camera didn't require a local power source, as I didn't relish the idea of running receptacles to each camera location.

I will like single cable with an video connector that runs to each camera and carries both power AND video signal .

Plus : very cheap, nice picture.

I was impressed with the picture I got from the night vision from the cameras.

Easy install software and run.

recommended this system

Some of the features I like about this unit is of course the night vision cameras, the ability to view the cameras over the internet, the ability to record continuously or as motion sensors.

I bought this item in March 19, it's already May 11th and I haven't been able to properly connect this security camera. After connecting all necessary wires properly, my screen still says..."video loss", I tried to get help from the number provided but to no avail. Customer service and tech support for this company sucks, no help at all. I will try to return it, but not sure how yet, although I still have the box, but all 4 cameras are installed already along with the cables...grrr!

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Amazing hard to install the software. The manual is written in oriental English and very hard to comprehend. The display is terrible and in less than 2 months the capture card went out. I contacted the company when originally installing the system. They were very very nice however, their English was very very bad . The server part actually did get installed but the client software would never install on any of the computers. The software is difficult to work with, with not enough clear choices and poorly organized. If you are good with security systems you will probably have better luck than I did.

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Charter Ocap-4 (C4000 & S4000) 4-device Remote Control for HDTV DVR Cable BOX

Recently went back to cable TV and of course they only gave us 1 remote. so I bought this one for my girlfriend to use ( hands off of mine LOL ) . Anyways , was a breeze to program to the cable box and tv too ... Works exactly like the one the cable company left with us for the DVR box ...

reccomend everyone replace their remote control with the new updated one. easy 10 minute installation, all buttons do work. Glad I got rid of the old worn out remote control.

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I was very happy at first until I found out that some buttons don't seem to work. I have tried everything I can to reprogram it but no luck.

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Memorex Digital HD Camcorder 7 in 1 Video Camcorder [Camera

I received this camera in early 2009 as a gift. At first I didn't like it: the build quality seemed a little flimsy in places (most notably near the lens and the rear controls) and the user interface is often not intuitive. After having used it for months on end (often with a Joby Gorillapod) I can say that it has held up to quite a bit of abuse and hasn't broken or malfunctioned. The battery remains strong as well. If I were buying one used I wouldn't have a problem doing so but if I were in the market for something new I'd go with a Flip UltraHD.

1)the video quality is NOT HD(high definition).

It doesn't have true 720p mode because what it does is it takes 480p and stretches from all sides so the video will look bigger but it significantly drops the quality.FAIL.

2)CAMERA WORKED 4 MONTHS ONLY ! I used it maybe 4 times a month so total number of taken videos are like 16 plus 20-25 pictures....no kidding.THE WORST QUALITY HARDWARE I'VE EVER HAD.Now it doesn't turn on,the screen flashes and boom.Screen disappears.BIG FAIL!

3)Very hard to operate this camera,even tho it has only 5 buttons,they made it difficult to find what you need,especially viewing pictures.For example,in normal cameras all you have to do is to press "play" button and it'll show you your database of videos and pictures right? But not in this case....here you have to go through entire menu,find the right option,then find the OK button which is the shoot button not the play button (if you press the wrong one you've to start all over again) then you have to know how to GET OUT from there,otherwise you have to RESTART your camera.HUGE FAIL !! Not consumer-friendly.

4)ahhhh that noise in audio....tshhhhh kshhhhhh kshhhhh...tik tik tik(when you zoom)

5)Why $130 for this low end camera? Add $10-$15 and buy something better,like Canon Powershot .

6)I'm keep trying to find a good thing about this camera but it's hard....maybe impossible.

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I have been happy with this camera for the past two months I've owned it. It is an inexpensive HD (720) camcorder. This field is getting crowded and I haven't tested the other offerings, but this has been a very handy video camera that complements the stills I take with a digital SLR. It is mainly for making home movies of the kids. There are omissions in this product that are similar to all small camcorders in this price range: 1) good outdoors, not so good indoors unless indoor lighting is very bright, 2) anti-shake isn't the best, 3) microphones aren't very good, and 4) small, fixed lens means you don't get optical zoom. If these problems annoy you then spend more money on a better camera, but I have been happy with this memorex, it fits in a pocket, takes a couple seconds to turn on, and the battery lasts a very, very long time.

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I carry this camera on me in my to go bag or in my car usually. Just something to have for instances that may call for video evidence.

Pros:

Light Weight

Decent battery life

Pretty good microphone.

Speedy turn on time (6 seconds for me)

Cons:

Can get warm when charging.

Slow focus when moving.

Price Not worth the amazon price, you can get a better one.

Terrible menu's. Occasional freezing.

I bought this off of woot.com, a one day deal site for half the price.

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To tell the truth, this little contraption doesn't do all what it was made to do. One of the 7 things was the webcam, and the webcam didn't even work. I would prefer this if you have a small budget because this camera stayed with me for about a year, but then i accidentally stepped on it and then it all showed on the LCD screen was black, and it was on. so if looking for portability check this is it, look for crisp looking pics, i would say no unless you have a fancy editing software to make it look better. and lastly for HD, thats a check right there.

D-Link DAP-1522 Extreme 4-Port Gigabit Dual-Band Wireless-N Bridge/Access Point

I've configured the DAP-1522 as a wireless bridge to a DIR-655 (2.5Ghz). I've got a PS3 and a Satellite DVR connected to two of the four ethernet ports on the DAP-1522. I have configured the 1522 to use WPA2 security as well.

Setup was a little tricky, but it was my fault not the fault of the 1522. If you choose to manually configure the 1522 be sure you follow the directions and connect the 1522 to your computer and with your computer configured to use a static IP address in the 192.168.0/24 subnet. I mistakenly had my computer still trying to use DHCP when connecting to the bridge and it took me a little while to figure out what was wrong. My computer couldn't get an IP address and so Windows kept assigning an address from a different subnet, so I was not able to establish a connection to the DAP-1522's default 192.168.0.50 IP address.

The 1522 works as expected. Performance is very good with a max of 162Mbps through 3 drywall walls (approx 40 ft) to my entertainment center as displayed on the DIR-655 console. I haven't run any local network bandwidth tests to verify the throughput yet, but I can easily stream HD content without blocking between a PS3 and a wired media server. Previously I was using the PS3's internal 802.11g network interface, and HD media was not viewable as it overwhelmed the 11g link.

I did notice that the orientation of the DIR-655 and the DAP-1522 did make a difference in the reported signal strength and data rate as seen from the DIR-655 console. So after you've gotten things to work, don't forget to run some experiments to determine the best position for the devices to get the best performance possible.

It might bear noting that I'm technically proficient, and I've used several access points and switches over the years. This was my first D-Link purchase in years only because Linksys's reputation has become pretty terrible. Overall, this piece of equipment is GREAT, with a HUGE caveat that the range SUCKS.

I used this router for about 3 weeks before I replaced it with the D-Link DIR-825 because of the range problem. The 1522's user interface isn't bad. I had no problem configuring this switch to do everything I wanted. I did not experience any dropped connections or dropped packets. Granted 3 weeks isn't a terribly long time but I never had to power cycle the Access Point. It just worked and did a great job.

I should have known that since the DAP1522 uses an internal antennae the range would not be comparable to my old Linksys WRT54G. I am intentionally trying to share my wireless with my neighbors, and the DAP1522 is unusable, and I'm not exaggerating, 30 feet away. To be fair, there are 3 (non-thick, normal wood) walls between the DAP1522 and the laptop but still 30 feet? On the other hand, this could be a major selling point. Scared that your neighbors might be stealing your wireless signal? Just buy a DAP1522!

If you have a large house or coverage area, this isn't going to cut it. But if you live in a small apartment, this thing is perfect. For anyone who needs better range, I'd recommend the slightly more expensive DIR-825.

PS For anybody who's confused this bridge/AP is essentially a switch plus an access point. It lacks the "router" capability and WAN port that similar pieces of equipment have which make them routers. For the typical person, you only need a bridge/AP if you already have a router and want to add a wireless access point to your network.

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I purchased to pair with the DIR-655 router and a DSM-750 media extender, both from Dlink. Depending on how you feel, this product could be anywhere from a 1 5 star item. The thing works great, which is the most important aspect to me. However, I would say that the range is less than excellent, thus a half star off for that. Another half star off because the reset button is pretty much useless. I'm taking the other star off for it being a massive pain in the butt to get it working in bridge mode.

AP mode is easy to set up. All you have to do is set the switch to AP on the back and connect it to your router with an Ethernet cable. You should then be able to access the configuration page by typing in 192.168.0.50 in your web browser. You can then set up the wireless broadcast as you see fit (enter in an SSID in the box (different from your router for a separate broadcast) use a static IP address, set up the IP address of your router as the gateway address, etc). You can also update the firmware.

Bridge mode is a completely different matter. Theoretically, you should be able to press the WPS button on your router and then press the button on your bridge and it will connect automatically (probably still helps to connect via Ethernet cable first so you can access the config page). Maybe that worked for some people, but it did not work for me. I tried push button connect, tried connecting using pin numbers, tried manually setting everything up, but nothing worked. I was tempted to think I had a defective unit, but it worked fine in AP mode, so I was sure the thing was functioning properly.

Here is how I configured it to make it finally work in bridge mode. First, I reset this and my router to factory defaults. I set the switch on the back to bridge mode. I connected the bridge to the router via Ethernet cable. I turned on the router and then the bridge. I set up the router as before broadcast in 802.11n only mode, 40MHZ and WPA2 (AES encryption), which enabled me to achieve 300 mbps network speed. I then went to the config page for the bridge. On the wireless set-up, I manually set it up to match the router. I selected the static IP. I left the SSID box blank and used the site survey to select the wireless connection from my router. I then de-selected the clone MAC box. As if by magic, the stupid thing finally connected wirelessly, and i have been pleased with its performance since. I was even able to unplug it and set it up in another location, and it was still able to connect.

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Certainly wish I'd had the kind of wonderful experiences with this unit that others have enjoyed. Unfortunately, both of the units I've received have been DOA: Neither would boot up in Bridge mode. In both cases, putting the mode selector into Bridge position results in both the Bridge and AP lights coming on (not blinking) and staying on.

To make matters worse, I've spent over 6 hours with D-Link's grossly incompetent product support (generally overseas folks hard to understand, in addition to being nearly completely ignorant of both the products and the general technologies). On the third call for the first unit the tech decided that the problem was with my D-Link DIR-825 router (nevermind that the DAP-1522 wouldn't even boot in Bridge mode) and ended up totally trashing the configuration of the wireless router! (Thankfully, I had taken the initiative to back up the DIR-825 configuration before following the tech's misguided instructions.)

Finally adding insult to injury after spending 5 hours with the tech support at the ("D-Link is here to help") support number included with the unit, I was informed I was calling the wrong number for this particular product. Unfortunately, the tech at the "correct number" for the DAP-1522 was every bit as ignorant as the tech at the original support number (seemed to think the problem was with my cable modem!). Tier 2 support didn't even seem to know there was a difference between bridge and AP modes or that there was a switch on the DAP-1522 to select the mode (I had to have her pull up the Quick Installation Guide on the screen and show her the switch).

I truly wish this thing worked, but after having received two defunct units in a row and spending the better part of a full day on the phone with incompetent (and nearly unintelligible) support staff, I've pretty much given up.

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I already have a wired router (D-Link DGL-4100 Broadband Gaming Router, 4-Port Gigabit Switch), so I bought the DAP-1522 to add Draft-N wireless connectivity to my existing wired network, through its ability to act as an access point. It is small, light, and has no projecting antennas, so you can put it just about anywhere. The built-in browser-based wizards made setting up the network easy I chose to go with the 5 GHz band to avoid interference from our cordless phone and microwave oven, and to limit the network to draft-N devices only and the results are really impressive. We carried a laptop all over the house, including upstairs in a two-story house, and it got the maximum signal strength everywhere. Internet access seems to be every bit as fast as over a wired connection, as I would have expected since draft-N connections are supposed to be quite a bit faster than the internet connection itself (via cable modem). Highly recommended!

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Panasonic DMP-BD35K 1080p Blu-ray Player

• Blu-ray Player; BD Live
• Home Theater audio system and a VIERA HDTV converts the home entertainment experience into a true-to-life cinematic experience
• VIERA Link: Operate with your VIERA Remote Control
• SD Card Slot
• 7.1-channel surround sound.

I take my home theater hobby pretty seriously, that's why when it came time to invest in a Blu-Ray player (finally the wait is over!!!), I did a ridiculously great amount of research. I was willing to spend much more money on a blu-ray player, but the prices have come down so much, you don't have to! I narrowed down my extensive search for the right player to the Panasonic DMP-BD35K and the Sony BDP-S350. **I BOUGHT THEM BOTH AND DID A "SIDE-BY-SIDE" TEST!**

I have some nice equipment, so I feel that the test was an excellent representation of the capabilities of these two players. My equipment includes a 100-inch Stewart screen with a 1080p Sony Pearl front projector, an Integra 9.8 DTC processor (with all the latest surround sound goodies), a 7-channel NAD amp, 7 Paradigm Signature speakers, and a dual M&K subwoofer (for full 7.1 surround sound).

I do understand electronics, but the Sony manual was really hard to follow. After only one call to Sony, I eventually got the player set up properly. After I set up the Panasonic, everything became much clearer. The Panasonic manual is so much better. But, who really cares about manuals? How do these two players perform side by side?

Audio for BOTH Blu-ray discs and standard DVDs: The Panasonic unquestionably has better audio. Compared to the Sony, the highs were much clearer. The 7.1 surround sound put me right in the middle of the "explosion" (my first test blu-ray disc was National Treasure I) when the Charlotte blew up. The biggest Audio difference was the bass. The bass in the Panasonic was so much better than the Sony. In fact, my old Sony standard-DVD player had better audio than the Sony BDP-S350. I'd give the Sony 3 stars with the audio. The Panasonic had outstanding treble, bass, and surround: 5-star audio!

Video for BOTH Blu-ray discs and standard DVDs: The Sony's video was good, but the Panasonic's video was fantastic! The skin tones were more realistic and the colors were more vibrant with the Panasonic. The Sony seemed to have a thin gray film over everything -like looking through a filmy-dirty window. The Sony had 4-star video (it looked good, but not nearly as good when directly compared to the Panasonic). The Panasonic and its upscaling gets an easy 5 stars!

Both my wife and I did the "side-by-side" test by going back and forth between Blu-Ray discs and standard DVDs. We didn't discuss any of our thoughts until we each independently formed our own conclusions. After seeing and hearing both players, we were both in complete agreement that in every way the Panasonic DMP-BD35K was superior to the Sony BDP-S350.

By the way, the card slot on the Sony for BD-Live is very hard to get to. I do like Sony as a brand for some things, but not Blu-Ray players.

For those of you who are doing your research, hopefully I can save you some time to answer if you should buy the Panasonic DMP-BD35K or DMP-BD55K. I called Panasonic and asked the differences; besides the price, there are only two differences. The 55K plays DivX's. If you don't have any DivX's like me and most of the people on planet Earth, this doesn't make any difference to you. The only other difference is that the 35K can only output Dolby True HD and DTS HD Master Audio to a receiver/processor that has an HDMI input. If your receiver doesn't have an HDMI input, you won't be able to get them out of the 35K. If your receiver does have an HDMI input and you'll be using an HDMI cable, then you have absolutely no need to buy the 55K. With the 55K, if you have an older receiver that does not have an HDMI input, you can use the 55K's analog audio outputs so that you can have Dolby True HD and DTS HD Master Audio. That's a nice feature of the 55K if you have an older receiver but want the latest surround sound formats.

Also, to save you some research time, I've already checked out all of the professional reviews including the ones on CNet.com: The Sony is considered ok, and CNet liked the Panasonic so much that it is the first Blu-Ray player EVER to receive CNet's "Editor's Choice Award."

I have to go to the store now and return the Sony player that I bought. I'm keeping the Panasonic!! :-)

Hopefully you found this review helpful!

Buy Panasonic DMP-BD35K 1080p Blu-ray Player Now

I was very interested to see this unit perform as I had previously owned the BD30 for about a week and it was a piece of junk and I returned it. I bought this unit a week and a half ago and so far no problems at all.

Setup was a breeze as I just connected it to my Onkyo receiver via HDMI. The bootup time seems a little faster than the previous model, and the video performance with Blu-ray discs seems cleaner too. One thing I like is the fact that it will resume playback on SD-DVD and Blu-ray discs (without BD-Live). The sound quality is fantastic and it seems they fixed the issue with an attunated LFE output on the previous model. Upconversion of standard DVD seems very good. I also own a Toshiba HD-A35 and love its upconversion quality and the BD35 is every bit as good if not better. I also like the zoom feature that allows me to see DVDs that are not anamorphic being scaled and still fill the screen. With this zoom feature applied, my Star Wars original version DVD still looks very good. The ethernet port on the back will allow me to do future firmware updates without having to burn a CD. The owner's manual says if I have an internet connection connected all the time, the player will alert me when updates become available cool!

The manual that comes with it covers the BD35 and BD55 and it looks like the only difference is the availability of analog 7.1 outputs and DviX playback on the BD55. One thing I will say is that these players do not play DVD-Audio or SACD discs. It will play DVD-Audio discs with Dolby Digital and DTS, but not the Advanced Resolution audio stream.

I haven't used the BD-live function yet, but there is a slot on the front of the player for a SD card which make using the BD-live feature possible.

So it looks like Panasonic finally got it right!

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I had been looking for a blu ray player for some time, however the prices were just too high. Then I saw the Panasonic BD35K in one of my audio/video magazines. They gave it a great review and the price was $299. I went to Amazon and they had it for less than $250 so I ordered it on a Monday morning and received it on Thursday with no shipping charges. My receiver does not have an HDMI input or output so I connected the player directly to my 55 inch 1080P SONY SXRD TV using the HDMI port and I connected the digital optical audio out on the player to my receiver. The on screen setup menus were very easy to follow and the user manual explained everything. I thought I would try an action movie as the first one to see how the picture looked. I went to Blockbuster and got "The Incredible Hulk" and boy was I pleasantly surprised. The movie loaded in about 30 seconds the picture was just gorgeous and the sound coming from every speaker in my 5.1 surround sound set up was fantastic. My subwoofer definitely was given a good work out. The explosions just completely enveloped me. So far I am extremely pleased with this player and I would recommend this to anyone looking for a reasonably priced Blu Ray player.

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I bought this product due to the reviews I read on Amazon. What I looked most forward to was the fact that it "upscales" my old DVD's to look "almost HD." Almost?? This player upscales my old DVD's so well that I have found myself wondering if I need to buy the more expensive blu-ray movies at all. Even my old black and white movies on dvd look unbelievable. I was very relieved as I have an extensive collection of DVD's and was upset at the idea of having to replace them all with the new blu-ray format.

Just to be sure I immediately went out and bought several blu-ray movies to play on it. Unfortunately, I experienced what I soon learned was called "audio drop-out." During a few of the movies I purchased, and many of my old DVD's, the sound would cut out many times during playback. If I paused the movie and then continued, it would work until the next drop-out; at which point I had to go through the "pause-play" routine until I was sick of it.

I went to the Panasonic site and tried to get an firmware update as I did not have it connected to my router. No such luck. It was not yet uploaded to their site so no way to download it to a disk and then upgrade from there. I called tech-support and they told me there was indeed an upgrade that would fix the problem, but it had to be connected to the internet.

As my HD-TV is another room than my router, I purchased a 100 ft. ethernet cable and ran the firmware upgrade. It worked better than I could have possibly imagined. Not only is the audio drop-out gone (on all DVD's), the picture is even better, which is hard to believe as it was already magnificent.

I cannot possibly recommend this product any higher. It has saved me thousands of dollars that I feared I would have to spend on replacing my old DVD's. As a matter of point, the only blu-ray movies I will spend the extra money on is perhaps ones made with super special effects. There is no need to buy the blu-ray DVD's with this player for regular movies. Neither my husband, my techie son, or anyone else can tell they are not watching a HD movie with this player.

Thank you Panasonic, and Thank you Amazon reviewers who talked me into this particular player.

Update;

Time has now passed and I must say that the only problem I have had was that when we lost power in the house due to road work in our area, I had to re-download the firmware upgrade. Back to perfect.

I have found no problems with handshake issues. No problems with slow starts. I noticed the price is going up, as I got mine much cheaper here on Amazon. What's up with the price increase?

First let me talk about the BD35 itself. This is a great Blu-ray player. Good price point, awesome picture and audio quality, reasonably fast load times, very good upconversion of standard DVDs (about comparable to my Toshiba A3 HD-DVD player, which the BD35 is replacing). If you are in the market for a Blu-ray player, this is a great choice (it didn't get a CNET Best Of award for nothing).

For those of you who own non-anamorphic standard DVDs (for example, Tombstone or Backdraft), you will be happy to know that unlike my A3, the BD35 automatically detects the non-anamorphic nature of the DVD and zooms it to fill the screen (no black bars on the sides). Sure the picture quality is less than an anamorphic standard DVD, and much less than a Blu-ray but at least it fills the screen properly and is better than a sharp stick in the eye.

That being said, I'd like to play the part of educator, so please treat the rest of this review as a Public Service Announcement.

EDITED 12/8/08 TO ADD: avsforum members have figured out that my connectivity issue was not a HDMI Handshake issue. However, I am leaving the Handshake comments in the review as in general they are still applicable.

People getting into the world of HD need to be aware of HDMI Handshake issues. What is HDMI Handshake you ask? Well, you can use Google for a more detailed explanation, but basically HDMI incorporates a Digital Copy Protection called HDCP. Let's say you have a Blu-ray player connected to a AV receiver connected to your HDTV. Well, the Copy Protection basically requires each connection to exchange an authentication key (i.e. the Handshake). Only if all handshakes along the path are successful will video be successfully sent to the HDTV. Unfortunately, it's a complicated subject, and video failure due Handshake issues can be a matter of cable type, older components, firmware not up to date, powering up components in the wrong order, or a whole host of other items. It currently seems to be the Bane of the Home Theater World.

NOTE THAT ANY HANDSHAKE ISSUES, GENRALLY, ARE NOT THE SOLE FAULT OF THE BD35 (which is why I did not deduct any stars).

People with older HDTVs (especially with DVI inputs) seem to be more susceptible to Handshake issues. www.avsforum.com is a great resource if you want to learn more about this.

As an aside, I would like to say that the Powers That Be (whoever is in charge of HDMI) are really doing a horrible job. I personally know what 720p, DVI, HDCP, and HDMI 1.3 means. I also know that the solution to any given problem can be a matter of cabling, or firmware, or settings, or powering on components in the right order. But I can guarantee you that my Mom, or my mother-in-law, or my father-in-law, knows none of these things. I don't possibly see how the HDMI people expect people to buy a Blu-ray player when so many issues abound! It's just too complicated. There is going to be a large subset of the population who don't know about these issues, don't care about these issues, and aren't going to be willing to buy a Blu-ray player when it can be so complicated to get their Home Theater system to work properly.

I went through many headaches trying to solve this problem and learning about this I hope this is of some use to readers and sheds some light. Best wishes to all, and enjoy the dazzling picture and audio quality on your BD35!

Rock Camera/DVR-PIR Motion Activated, True Night-vision with Invisible IR Illumination and Ultra Li

Not only does it work, it works well! you have to wave your hand at it once placed, but after that, it records very well. Easy to use and review I highly recomend this, not only because it works so well, but the seller is very responsive and helps as much as they possibly can!

Canon USA BP-512 Directional Stereo Mic DM 50 for Camcorders with Advanced Access Shoe

The build quality is better than expected. It feels solid in your hand and well put together. The DM-50 fits well onto the camera and is nicely balanced. It runs a little less than the length of the camera, so it does not overwhelm the camera's profile. This is not a big issue, but it does mean the microphone should not get in your way under normal shooting conditions.

The microphone itself has some play, presumably to cushion it from camera noise. If so, it does not do a perfect job more on this below.

To discuss the audio quality, I have to discuss the three modes, "Shotgun", "Stereo 1" and "Stereo 2".

"Shotgun" mode captures audio primarily from directly in front of the camera. While I have done no scientific tests I would guess it's main balance is at about 35 or so degrees. This mode captures sound in mono from a single element at the front of the unit. In this mode the audio quality is not great. There is little low-end response and the quality and the sound has, for lack of a better term, a slightly plastic quality to it. It is surprising when compared to the sound recorded from the side elements, which seem warmer and more dynamic.

"Stereo 1" mode seems to capture sound at about 90 degrees, combining both the front element and two separate elements along the side. The overall perceived quality of the sound is much better than using the shotgun alone. There is more warmth and richness in this mode, and it provides a nice balance of front centered sound, with some ambience from the sides.

"Stereo 2" mode captures sound at more than 180 degrees. The rear facing element seems to be designed to capture nearby sounds, but not more distant sounds. This could only be my perception, but if not, it seems like a nice way to allow commentary from the camera operator. However, the "Stereo 2" seems to be a little too weighted towards capturing sound from the sides at some expense to the front element. As a result, the sound quality itself is a little better, but the mix appears slightly off.

In all three modes, the isolation of sound it not perfect. Because the provided documentation says almost nothing about how the DM50 is designed, it is difficult to know how many elements are present and in what combination they are recording sound in each mode. It seems that even in "Shotgun Mode" the left and right front elements are still slightly present, but mixed in mono with the front facing mic.

In terms of eliminating motor noise, the DM50 does a better job than the on-board microphone, but the sounds of the motor and any manipulation of the controls are still present. In "Stereo 2" mode, the motor noise is cut in half from what you hear from the on-board microphones. In "Stereo 1" mode the noise is down to about a quarter and in "Shotgun" I would estimate it is about an eighth.

With the Canon HV20, the most common sound issue I find is with clicking the function button while shooting to gain control over exposure (usually a three click process). The DM50 does not eliminate this sound. In "Shotgun" mode the DM50 does the best job of reducing the problem, but even with the rubber rings in which the microphone rests, some of that sound it transfered up the camera.

The DM-50 promises "near professional" quality sound and that is what it provides. For professional sound you will need to find a more dedicated microphone, such as the VideoMic or Stereo VideoMic, or perhaps both if you wish to have coverage for the same theoretical range as the DM-50. However, the DM-50 provides excellent flexibility that it's competitors do not, so you should consider what your shooting needs are. The DM-50 also does not use batteries, but draws power from the Camera's battery. This can be either an advantage or a disadvantage depending your preference, but it is something to keep in mind when purchasing.

The DM-50 is best suited to users who want a single, trouble free microphone that can carry them through a variety of situations. In "Stereo 1" mode, the microphone is at it's best, providing a good balanced sound, though I wish sound from all around the microphone were captured in even quality. This disparity is perhaps the biggest problem with the microphone.

I recently bought a Canon HV30, and after reading the reviews, I determined that I would need some sort of external mike. It's too easy to pick up the sound of jiggling controls with the lightweight plastic housing on Canon camcorders. I had trouble picking a mike from the various candidates at first, but after doing a little research, I realized that the Canon DM-50 is the best choice. Here's why...

First and foremost, this mike doesn't add much size to the camcorder itself. The other mikes I looked at were as big or bigger than the camera. With a camera like the HV30, size is important. If you put a giant furry mike on top of it, you'll never get away with casual shooting in a public place. Everyone will see your camera from a mile away and either hide or mug for the camera. I like to keep my camera tucked in a big pocket in my jacket, so I can pull it out to shoot inconspicuously. This is the only mike that comes close to allowing me to do that.

Secondly, one type of mike doesn't cut it for all purposes. For dialogue, you need a mono shotgun. For ambient sound, you need a stereo wide dispersion mike. It makes no sense at all to get a mike that only serves one purpose. You just need to carry two mikes around with you and switch all the time. The Canon DM50 does either or both with a simple flick of a switch.

Thirdly, this mike is self powered. No need for an additional battery. This mike puts very minimal drain on the camera's battery. That is much better than carrying around the added weight of a bunch of AAs or a 9 volt.

When I got this mike, I did some tests, shooting in difficult situations... I shot music at a loud piano bar, ambient sounds at a quiet coffee house, and dialogue above the clatter of dishes at a busy restaurant. The Canon DM50 performed well under all of these conditions. There isn't a terrific amount of bass in this mike, but that is to be expected for a microphone of this type. It's enough, however, to put across music well without sounding too tinny. I experienced no camera noise in any of my tests. This mike does the job.

If I was a pro shooting movies for theaters, I'd want a really good mike on a boom. But I'm not a pro, and the Canon HV30, good as it is, isn't a pro camera. I'm shooting off the cuff vacation movies and documenting panel discussions for my work. This mike is perfect for that. No need to hesitate to get this mike if you can afford it. It's all you need.

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I've been using this directional mic for almost three years and have never noticed camera noise. It's compact and provides a good reach for most ambient sound situations.

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Nothing worse then dropping a chunk of coin for a high dollar 1080i camera and the sound is crap... (see Canon HG10). The DM-50 in the hot shoe cured that woe and nicely I might add. I use the #2 setting (Stereo forward).. #1 is Mono forward and #3 is stereo wide 180 degrees.

The sound quality of my live music recordings is important to me and the camera mic alone left me with tinny sounding flat audio. This mic adds clarity and bottom end. Warning this sucker is driven off the camera's battery.... BUY a bigger battery, but 2 just in case.

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DM50 works as advertised. Voice clarity is very clear and the windscreen makes a dramatic improvement over the internal microphone on the Canon HV20. This unit does add some weight to the camera but the improved sound quality justifies the additional arm load.

Some other microphones may work better and less expensive. Operating off the accessory shoe with no extra cables makes this unit worth the price.

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Blackmagic Design UltraStudio Mini Recorder

This product can be used to capture unencrypted HDMI signals (without HDCP) or SDI video. So a PS3 for instance will not work with it. But otherwise it is very flexible and captures with very high-quality. The software control panel allows you to select many capture resolutions and frame rates. It allowed me to capture to a Mac from a 1080i camcorder to BM Media Express (the included software), FCP X, and Wirecast. It did not show up as a video source in Quicktime Player. For Thunderbolt-enabled computers without USB 3.0, this is probably the cheapest, simplest, and most effective device.

I purchased this in the hope that I could connect my Canon VIXIA HF M500 Full HD 10x Image Stabilized Camcorder with One SDXC Card Slot and 3.0 Touch LCD to my computer and be able to live stream and use it as my webcam for Skype and Google+ Hangouts. I had originally looked at the Blackmagic Design Intensity Shuttle Thunderbolt. But all I really needed was a box to convert my HDMI signal to Thunderbolt. I didn't need the pass thru ports, nor all the other inputs on the Shuttle. Once I saw the Mini Recorder I was convinced I found what I needed.

If you expect it to work straight out of the box, then you'll be disappointed. There is software to download to get you to the latest version. I tested it with Skype, Quicktime Broadcast, Adobe FMLE, justin.tv (using QT and FMLE), CamTwist, and Google+ Hangout. They all worked. I do have to say that using QT Broadcaster wasn't ideal. The frame rate was very slow. All the software except Skype worked on first try. OK, not exactly first try, which I'll get to later. Skype, as of this writing, only works with version 6.0.0.2946. It won't work with the 6.3 version of Skype, so be careful about upgrading.

The key to all of this is to make sure you have the latest and greatest computer software from the website. Next, make sure you set the frame rate coming in to match the camera's native rate. Google the video about this to see. Use the search phrase BlackMagic Ultra studio Mini Recorder to see how someone got it to work. It WILL work if you follow his instructions.

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No video capture in different settings either on HDMI or SDI. Body of the recorder gets very hot, I measured temperature 62°C.

And to make sure that everyone not making assumption that this is H264 compression device, no it is not. Only uncompressed video, so you need to have a huge hard drive.

From all of the standpoints even if the blackmagic fixes the drivers to make it work properly, disregarding the low price, this product is only for professional users.

Even if the thunderbolt option look tempting, look elsewhere.

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Does not work for me properly on a brand new macbook pro, using either HDMI or SDI. No signal with HDMI, flickering signal with SDI.

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Zenith XBR413 DVD Player/Recorder and VCR Combo

• DVD-R/-RW and DVD+R/+RW recorder with digital-video input and built-in VHS VCR
• Front-panel audio/video inputs accommodate camcorders, gaming consoles, and other devices
• Plays DVD-Video, CD, CD-R/CD-RW, MP3 CD, and VHS cassettes
• Progressive-scan video output renders seamless, flicker-free images on high-definition and HD-ready TVs
• Coaxial and optical digital audio outputs route Dolby Digital and DTS 5.1-channel surround sound to a compatible A/V receiver

We had tons of old home videos which were deteriorating rapidly. After doing a lot of research, we bought the Zenith XBR413. It is fairly easy to use and the end product is great. The DVD's we have produced play beautifully on our other DVD players AND the computer. Just make sure you use the right DVD media as stated in the product specs. It also works in reverse, copying your homemade DVD's to videotape for those family members that do not have access to a DVD player. My only complaint is that the process of adding a title to the DVD takes a little time as it is done with the assistance of your remote by selecting the letters for your title from the onscreen alphabet.

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I bought this and had trouble at first making the dvd's play on my other dvd players and computer. I then realized( thru 24 hour tech support) that I didnt finalize it correctly and now they work on all my dvd players and comp[uters . My complaint was they didnt all finalize easily. Some did, others had trouble so I returned it, as tech support said my player was defective. But I think if you got one that worked well and finalized correctly, it is a fabulous and reasonably priced item to have for burning old home videos and kids video.

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I bought this item with the Best Buy Performance Service Plan (PSP). I was told that if I had problems with the unit, I could bring it back to be repaired or replaced FOR FREE as part of the PSP! Well, you guessed it... I had problems. I brought it in because it would not play VCR tapes. My main reason for purchasing this item was to convert VCR tapes to DVD. I reluctantly let BEST BUY ship my item to their service Center. They called within one month to say my XBR413 was repaired and ready for me to pick up. Against my better judgement, I simply picked it up at the BEST BUY store WITHOUT asking the "Geek Oncall" to verify that it played tapes properly. When I got home... YOU GUESSED IT... It would not play tapes SURPRIZE!! I then drove BACK TO BEST BUY, and spent MORE time AGAIN waiting for the Manager to tell me that he wanted to send it out again. I let 'em do it again (against my better judgement). That was today (2/19/05). I'm hoping at this point that they just can't fix it, and I hope they will refund my money! I'll demand it next time. This product is a dud, and should be smashed on the floor of the store in front of everyone! Stay tuned for the next update.

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This dvd burner has not worked sense the day i bought it.

When i contacted support, i was told that they knew there was a problem and they sent me a disc to install that they said would fix it. It did not fix it. I have not been able to get any help sense then... and now they tell me that my warranty is up.

I will never buy another zenith product again.

I wish i had taken the burner back to best buy instead of trusting zenith support.

I bought this machine and thrilled with it but you MUST have the remote to be able to use the SETUP menu in order to finalize the DVDs. I sent off for one that went with this but it is not the one shown in the manual that I downloaded. I can get into the SETUP MENU but can not > over into the sub-menu. but it does record both media fine

Cobra MR HH475 FLT VHF Waterproof Two-Way Marine Radio with Bluetooth

• Floating Waterproof Design and Orange Core Makes Retrieving Radio Easy if Dropped Overboard
• Bluetooth Wireless Technology & Rewind Say- Again Feature
• All NOAA Weather Channels & Emergency Weather Alert
• Tri-Watch Allows Monitoring of Three Channels at Once (2 user selected & channel 16)
• Unlimited memory channels allows programming for easy retrieval or scanning

After some research I found this radio very intriguing and purchased it. It had a high rating and a must buy through a sailing web site. Being into sea kayaking it is very important that the radios we use are water proof. Having the floating feature along with the burp feature is a plus then along comes the blue tooth capability, I was sold. I couldn't wait to get my radio. First day out on the water I want to see how well it floated and check out the burp feature. Well it floated great to bad it quite working with in a minute of being dunked. I emailed and called cobra and no response I called cobra again and talked to a live person who transferred me to factory service where I left a massage. No response. I called again and found out the return procedures and sent the radio back at my expense. Now I am willing to say that not everything comes out the way it should and that I was unlucky and got a defective radio. Well two weeks later I get a new radio. What do you do when you have a problem with a product? You go test it and see if it will fail in those conditions again. Well radio number two failed at being water proof to the JIS7 rating. This radio lasted a few seconds longer then the first one. Played the phone tag game again with Cobra. This time I made them pay for shipping so I had to wait another week for the label to make it to me. Sent radio number two in and three weeks later I received radio number three. So far this radio has lived up to the JIS7 water proof rating. I like the features it has. But I am just wondering if and when it will quit on me, if it does I am requesting my money back from Cobra, three times and you are out! Cobra could have done a better job communicating and calling me back. I never got a letter of apology about two radios being bad and I had to do all the work on trying to get the radios returned only once did they call back and that was after I left a message saying that I was not impressed with their product or customer service.

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I purchased this radio for using on my Security job, and it is fantastic. It offers the most features for a great price, amazing range, crystal clear voice communications, and since it's lightweight and waterproof, it's not a burden to carry around. Since I'm on search and rescues periodically on a lake, the bluetooth feature is nice, as I can leave my phone securely in its pelican case and not have to worry about the radio getting wet.

All in all, this is hands down the BEST marine radio I've owned.

(I've used 4 or 5 other kinds at work, and eventually got this one for myself to make my life easier, and it was well worth every penny. I'd do it again in a heartbeat)

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I have been using this radio for just under a year now. About 4 months ago I noticed that I was not able to transmit like I should, but I figured the range was just being interfered with by something. I use this in a kayak so I'm always sitting really low to the water. Today I went to my buddy's dive shop and tested this radio next to his. I could not hear anything coming through on his radio from mine. After doing everything I could think of to get it to work, with no success, I decided to open it up. Now, you aren't supposed to do this, but I did anyway. Upon opening it up I discovered that the entire circut board was covered in corosion. Waterproof? Hardly. Submersible? I wouldn't. You would be just as well off spending less money on a radio that doesn't advertise itself as waterproof, and keeping it in a dry bag or something. $100 dollars down the drain! Also, the bluetooth function never really worked like it should. I got it to pair with my phone ONCE. It never paired again after that. WASTE OF MONEY!!!!!!!

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Good price/performance/functionality for a hand held to be used on a kayak or a small craft where occasional splashing is unavoidable. Blue tooth functionality lets you store your cell phone in a zip lock case for water protection while still be able to talk through the handheld for incoming calls. Blue tooth pairing with a Motorola Droid was straight forward. Weather and other channel scans help you aware of traffic in the area. Bright orange visibility, flotation with the rechargeable pack, and burp functions are very nice to have. Included is AA battery back pack that can provide additional talk time in case of emergency. Comes both with 110V and 12 V chargers and one charging crate. Could have used a second charging crate to secure on my 18 ft outboard. Include belt clip attaches to my kayak PFD and reduces clutter on a confined space sit on kayak while paddling and fishing. Easy to maintain, just rinse off the salt after using and use the burp function to self dry in a remote location.

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Ill be short and sweet. Both radio's that I received had a malfunctioning mic. standing 20 feet away from harbor patrol, yelling into the mic, and they heard nothing. Take care and find another radio,

Sony DVP-NC675P/B DVD Player

• 5-disc DVD/CD Changer
• 480P Output
• Precision Drive 3 System with Dynamic Tilt Compensation
• DVD-RW/-R (VR and Video Mode) DVD+RW/+R Playback
• Dolby Digital and dts Decoding Compatible

This unit has all the features you'd wantfully compatible for Dolby Digital, DTS, etc., an optical digital output, progressive scanning. I actually don't have a TV that accepts progressive scan output but there's a switch on the back to stay in normal playback until I upgrade my TV. Video can be output in component form.

The slow forward and reverse playback is much smoother than my old unit. There are separate Menu and Top Menu buttons so you can go back just to the Special Features (or other sub-menu) or all the way back to the initial menu. It also remembers where you were watching on the disc even if you've watched a different one sincereally nice. The set-up is reasonably easy with the on screen menuit only took me a couple of tries to get the right digital output, etc. About 15 minutes overall.

It really does play damaged discsI had an ancient CD that hadn't been in its case and was smudged and scratched. It played perfectly without even cleaning it.

For a 5 disc changer I don't see how you'd find a better value.

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I bought this product couple of weeks back, and it's beautiful. Plays MP3, SVCD, DVD +/R/RW without a hitch. I love it. It's excellent value for money. It also has Digital Optical out, so it's cool if you have a HTR which accepts it!

I love it and for the price and value would highly recommend it!

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I've had players in the past that have balked at the cheaper Dvd media I've stuffed into it. Not this one. I'd buy another one just like it in a second.

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This is a large changer, but for the money it can't be beat!

Why would Sony make a 5-disk CD/DVD changer that can't even shuffle tracks on all 5 CDs?

I bought this model because I wanted something that was as good as my old 5-CD changer but could also play DVDs. Little did I know that Sony had put a 5-disk tray into a DVD player with the reading ability of a single disk player, and then jacked up the price.

In addition, I have to unplug the model to reset it once a week or so. If I don't, it starts chirping like a cricket during playback.

If you're looking for a good 5-disk changer, DON'T go with this model!

CIB R401H60W500G8752 4CH Security Surveillance DVR Four CCD Bullet Cameras KIT. Eagleeyes Software

This system is a nice starter system HOWEVER, the cameras are not that great. The DVR is nice, it can be viewed from a Mac via Safari or Firefox. I had the system up and running in about 10 minutes. I was able to connect it to my network, and setup port forwarding on my Apple Airport in about 10 more minutes. Before I knew it I had the apple iPad app and iPhone app up and running on viewing a camera looking at my back yard. Obviously the real work will require running cable, drilling holes and mounting cameras I was in a hurry to try out the system to decided if I wanted to keep it before doing all that work. During my testing I noticed the following:

1) Mac support was good. I will post some photo's. It has a nice interface, and works well.

2) Video quality of the system was poor. I assume this is from the cameras as I hooked them directly to a TV and wasn't very impressed.

3) Blackberry app is just "OK" it works, but not the greatest and required some configuration my employer does not allow on my blackberry

4) The native mac application "Video Viewer" saves video files in a format that only it understands I cannot seem to open these files with quicktime or another media player.

5) The documentation isn't bad, but not great no idea where I would go for help.

6) I realized when I sat down to plan my camera locations, I need more than 4. The software allows me to have multiple DVRs, which is nice but I think I will need more than 4 channels. I would recommend planning your system before buying a 4 channel DVR. I realized I needed 4 cameras to cover the front and back of my house, not to mention the 2 interior cameras I wanted to install. 8 Channels is probably what I need.

7) Camera cables we good there are cables on Amazon that are very thin which cause noise and bad pictures the bundled cables were decent.

System works OK,, set up was a little challenging, menus are clunky and not really user friendly. Still haven't figured out the remote viewing... DVR is noisy, annoyingly so... now the hard drive has started whining too when the unit first starts up. Picture quality is adequate for security, but it is relatively low resolution. 500 GB hard drive saves months of data depending on your settings. I like the system, it suits my needs for basic home security monitoring.

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I bought this system and while it was easy to install, unfortunately the DVR broke in less than a year.

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Sony ECM-719 Walkman

• High-quality electret condenser microphone with oxygen-free copper cord
• Music/meeting mode switch enables suitable recordings for each situation
• Designed for table-top or clip-on use
• Frequency response: 100Hz-15kHz
• Dual power options: plug-in or LR44 battery
• Gold-plated L-shaped stereo miniplug

The wire at the point where it connects with the mike is too fragile. After 3 months it has lost contact and is useless to me now. Fixing it is a hassle and the minimum bench charge at the Sony store is prohibative.

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This is typical Sony. I have heard that it works great with a Sony Mini-Disc recorder... if you have one, maybe it's not so bad. For any other application, avoid this thing like the plague!

The microphone is designed to clip to a lapel or stand on a table. It's fine for the lapel: the mic will capture the speaker's voice and not much else. For standing on a table, it is absolutely useless. The speaker's voice must be within 6 inches to pick up anything. It's also very poor for a uni-directional microphone, it's more omni-directional in practice. Not what I expected from what Sony brands a "uni-directional" microphone.

This is the last time Sony robs me. I will never again buy another Sony-branded proprietary piece of junk. Never again!

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I've used this mic pretty strenuously for just over five years now, and it's still going strong. I've used it with a Sony MZ-R700 recording minidisc Walkman and a Sony Hi-MD MZ-RH1 recording minidisc Walkman. It records the voice beautifully in every environment I've used it including tours of industrial areas, dedications in the windy outdoors, presentations in bustling meeting rooms, and quiet interviews in closed offices. If you use it with these recorders, the compact size of the mic and the resulting quality of the recordings simply can't be beat.

Vivitar HD Digital Camcorder DVR548HD (Black)

It 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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Sony SLV-N81 4-Head Hi-Fi VCR

• 4-head hi-fi VCR with plug-and-play setup
• Connects with cable box/DIRECTV through cable mouse for simplified timer programming
• Commercial skip, digital autotracking adjustment, and parental lock
• Front and rear composite inputs, 1 set of composite outputs, and coaxial and S-link connectors
• Hi-fi stereo recording and MTS stereo broadcast reception

I chose this VCR based on a review in "Consumer Reports" (December 2001 issue) and the fact that it had a cable/satellite control mouse. All cable channels are scrambled in NY City so if one wants to tape different channels consecutively when not at home, a control device is required. Unfortunately the mouse had to be ordered separately. BUT it works!

Likes:

-Easy set-up.

-Picks up the time from broadcast signal.

-The commercial pass is a nice feature.

-And, of course, the cable/satellite control mouse

Dislikes:

-No mute button on the remote.

-I don't like the fact that you have to press the TV/Video button before Menu.

-It has Index search, but with my old VCR one could search for 2+ programs back or forward. This only allows one at a time.

-I also don't like the "counter/remain". Remain is fine, but I don't understand the counter. My old VCR showed hours taped and hours remaining on the tape.

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I've only had Panasonic VCRs in the past, but had to take back two bogus (poorly designed and produced) models in the past year, so I did the research and tried this unit. It's awesome, with easy, logical programming and the finest picture available from material it records itself. The EP picture is surprisingly clear and noise free, and there's no comparison between the quality video of this unit compared with the dull, lifeless and grainy recordings and playbacks of Panasonic units.

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Prior to purchasing this particular VCR a couple years ago I'd only ever purchased JVC VCR's. As a matter of fact, at that time I'd been pretty heavily into JVC products but through word of mouth and some exploration at the stores, that was about to quickly change; this was but the first of several Sony electronics purchases that have all proven to be quite well made through years of enjoyable usage.

One of the most important features in a VCR is the quality of the image and sound in playback mode and I've found the playback quality on this Sony VCR to be outstanding with "near" DVD quality in image and the Hi-Fi sound is as good as can be expected from a VCR. Another extremely important aspect in a VCR is the quality of its recordings and this particular VCR records nearly flawless images, making the viewing experience of recordings that much better!

One feature that is highly important to most people is ease in programmability and it really couldn't be any easier with this VCR especially given for the automatic presetting on the clock and TV channels that is fed from your cable company. In just a few short steps, you can program this VCR to tape all your favorite shows, hit the power button and it's ready to do its job when the time comes. Also, for recording your favorite shows, this Sony VCR comes with the VCR Gold Plus+® System; making recording that much easier, providing you have your local cable listing. Should you desire to run this VCR through your cable box, it easily sets up in that manner and works perfectly as well.

Overall, I highly recommend this or any other of the line of outstanding Sony VCR's as this was my first of two Sony VCR's and in the future, should I need another; I won't even look at another brand! {ssintrepid}

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I liked this VCR until I had to get it fixed. It was a minor thing, though, so I wasn't worried. I was, though, ticked off when I was told (essentially) "Buy a new VCR!! We don't want to fix it!! It's too much of a hassle, and it just costs too much!!!" I found this odd. Especially since the VCR was (at that point) barely a couple of months old, and was under a warranty. I almost had to drag them kicking & screaming into their repair shop just to get them to do what they were supposed to. In the end, it didn't even cost me anything ... except my loyalty to their company. This sort of thing occurred anytime I went to down to Sony's repair shop. In short, it was all part of a strategy to "convince" people to ditch VCR's and go for their new (and more expensive) DVD recorders. I guess they figured that'd happen if they made it a pain in the butt for people like me just to get a simple adjustment made on a brand new VCR ... which I find totally disgusting.

This VCR was the most expensive that Sony had for sale at the time (I paid around $). Unfortunately, all the high tech stuff that I was used to seeing in their VCR's was nowhere to be found. There were two features, though, that made it stand out from the rest:

1) A wheel/knob thingy on the front that allows you to set the time & set programmed recording events without having to turn the TV on.

2) Adaptive Picture Control (APC): It allows the VCR to customize recordings to each video tape, allowing great quality.

Unfortunately, though, the 2nd feature has been taken out of Sony VCR's since then, so the picture quality isn't that great anymore. Of course, they could've come up with something else. But if they have, I haven't heard about it. And even if they did, big deal. If they're going to do everything they can not to fix your VCR, and force you to buy a new one the minute something goes wrong, what's the point in buying a Sony VCR? The next time you're in the market for a VCR, I'd go for a TiVo. Or a DVD recorder. Or both. And if you really have to get a VCR, don't get a Sony. You don't need the hassle.

I HAVE THIS VCR AT HOME AND I LIKE IT . OF COURSE MULTISYSYTEM VCR's IS BETTER

Sony MZ-N510CK NetMD Walkman/Recorder with Car Kit

• Stores more than five hours of music on an 80-minute minidisc; speedy USB connection minimizes recording time
• Compatible with MP3, WMA, and WAV music files as well as with the pressplay.com online music subscription service
• Bundled software helps you organize your music by artist, song, style, or tempo
• Bookmark function lets you "mark" or program your favorite songs on the disc in real time during playback
• Includes a remote control, AC adapter, and car-kit accessories; offers up to 56 hours of playback from a single AA battery

Great product. I wish I had discovered minidisc technology years ago. I purchase this for one reason (descrete, portable recording), but ended up using it mostly for another reason (music playback)

It's not perfect. I wish it had the AM/FM turer, but I was not willing to pay the $70 extra for the model with the tuner. I would also have been nice to record off a mike, but it has a line input and you can run your mike(s) thru a mixer if you really need to record "live".

Recordings made thru the line-input cannot be uploaded to your computer either.

But what it does it does very, very well. A single 80 min disc can hold (at maximum compression) well over 5 hours of music! It only needs a single AA cell, and that lasts for over 50 hours on playback. Well worth the money.

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TWO YEAR UPDATE:

After two years of use, I love it more and hate it less.

It is worked WIHOUT FAIL on daily use. I can't say this about most of my electronic gear. I use it mostly for "time shifting" of my favorite radio programs. I also use it to listen to books on tape (which I've dubbed over)... again it is a great product for this. The bookmarking feature is wonderful for keeping track where you're at in the book.

I now have the SonicStage version 2 and it is much better. Still not great... but much more useable.

--------------

I use my MD player every day so, obviously, something is right about it. I actually own two!

But I also want to write a cranky email to this engineer at Sony signed off on the software! It is AMAZINGLY bad! SonicStage (1.5 is my version) is SO counter-intuitive that I just can't use it... and I'm pretty savvy with computer stuff. LITERALLY -I can't use it.

I can't figure out any way to just drag-and-drop songs to the player in the SonicStage software. Why in the world not? It's baffling.

Instead Sony makes you go through this ridiculous "check in check out" process. (or is it "check out check in"?) It makes no sense to me. Maybe if you grew up on right-brained computer games like Mario Brothers, you could just let go of the need for logic.

FORTUNATELY, you can get a plug-in for RealAudio which is better but still not that great. The SimpleBurner isn't too bad either -it's just limited to copying your CDs.

The Sony MD player is terrific at recording stuff off the radio for time-shifting. However, Sony won't let you transfer it back on to your computer for safe-keeping. The only way to do this is real time dubbing through your sound card. How FRUSTRATING! The MD could be one terrific tool for ripping your old LPs, or whatever, but Sony has made this impractical. This crippling of functions by Sony makes it useless for lots of people, I'm sure.

The compression and audio quality are terrific and it sounds great to my ears, even at the highest compression rates.

One terrific thing you can do with the MD is record off you favorite radio stations and then edit out the commercials and even move the songs around. This is so easy to do, that I do this while on my evening walks! You end up with a custom "best of" tape. But, then it's a pain-in-the-neck if you want to get that back on your computer.

The price is a deal for such a great piece of hardware and the MD disks are cheap, sturdy and hold a lot. I take mine on trips all over the world and even 5 MDs is plenty. I take my MD places that I would be nervous to take an IPod or some other higher-priced MP3 player. Also, battery life is great and it uses just normal AA's which you can buy anywhere -a big advantage for travel.

Even though it is marketed as "speedy" it doesn't seem that fast to me. I haven't' actually timed it, but I think you could burn an MP3 CD quite a bit faster.

So, if you want to time-shift NPR or Rush, it's a great little machine. I havne't seen anything around that can beat it. But I wouldn't recommend it for listening to MP3s.

If Sony had just written better software and hadn't crippled it, the MD player would be killer. But, it's good for some functions like time shifting.

Read Best Reviews of Sony MZ-N510CK NetMD Walkman/Recorder with Car Kit Here

This is a great MiniDisc Recorder/Player, but I highly discourage people from running with it. It's quite big, and a little bulky, even though it does fit in a palm of somebody older than 13. It's pros definetly outweigh the cons. So heres my list of pros and cons.

Pros

Great SoftwareI dont see what the complaining is about. If you follow the directions you'll be done in less than 2 minutes!

Recording SpeedsReally nice if your in a hurry. You can burn approximately 20 songs a minute and 100 songs in 6 minutes.

Memory/Data in a MiniDiscAlthough the minidisc claims to be 74 minutes, you can alter the quality of the song (Lp4, Lp2) modes and gets incredible amounts of songs. In LP4 mode (66k) you can get nearly 5 hours of music (4 hours 59 minutes to be precise) and in Lp2 (132k) you can get approx. half of that. Although I said "Alter the quality) there is really no way you can tell the difference between standard and LP4. The only difference I have picked up is that you have to raise the volume a little bit.

Battery Life1AA battery can run for 56 hours continually (but its more if you turn it on and off) I've had my MiniDisc Player for 2 weeks now and I listen to it atleast 3/4 hours a day and still is at FULL battery.

Cons

Searching for songsSearching for songs often can be a pain, especially if you don't figure it out (READ THE MANUAL! IT REALLY WORKS)

There aren't many cons to this player.

Overall I would give this player a high rating of 4.5/5 stars. It's really good and I don't see what the complaining is about.

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Software will NOT allow you to write CD to MD more than three times.

Software will NOT allow you to write from MD to PC if the MD recording did not originate from that same PC.

Software will NOT allow you to write from MD to PC if the MD recording was made with a microphone, optical or analog line (from a hi-fi).

Software is horrible to use.

This software could have been great if it ALLOWED me to transfer microphone recordings from my MD to the PC. The three time transfer rule (you can only record a CD to MD three times) should also have been advertised.

Copyright restrictions do not apply to me as I own it my own music.

I am a songwriter & used the old MZR700PC to record rehearsals and interviews. I purchased the MZ N710 to help me manage these recordings I have collected over the past four years.

I have brought my old MD (MZR700PC) around the world with me a few times and it still works fine; I have no doubt that Sony make a quality product.

So: Hold onto your old MD, Net MD is only as good as the terrible software that controls it.

Dear Sony,

I have always considered your products to be at the front of technology and innovative design.

Having "upgraded" my minidisc recorder from the MZR700PC to the MZ N710 I am not so certain.

Does your company really feel that it will be able to compete with the iPOD?

I am certain that you can do better than this muck (SonicStage software) if you take a few days to read your criticism at:

(...)

Regards,

A concerned costumer.

This is truly a beautiful machine. On "normal" mode, you can fit 80 minutes on an 80 min minidisc. On LP2 it doubles (2 hr 40 minutes) and on LP4 it quadruples (5 hours). The quality is the same on all 3, so I don't know why anyone would even use normal or LP2, since LP4 holds so much. The recording features are VERY nice if you have a CD you want to copy (or off the radio, PC, or anything that has sound output) but aren't near your computer. The SonicStage software works well, but there are 2 problems. The first is that you can only copy your musc 3 times (but why do you need more than one song a minidisc???) You can still put the music back on the computer("check in") ONLY if you got the music from that computer ("check out"). It also comes with more software for quick burning that is unlimited. The other problem is that music that you copy from elsewhere can't go on your computer. However, it would be illegal to do that anyways. Also, Minidiscs are better than CDs because they have Groups. You can put as much or as little in groups (albums, artists, style, tempo, whatever you want) which make navigating easier. The battery life is also VERY nice. I listened to it the whole flight to Japan and back on one AA battery. My CD player would've taken 8 AA batteries. Also, when I was in Japan (Minidisc players are very popular) nobody had the recording option (they must get a seperate machine to make Minidiscs), which means ours are even better. However, this remote control is very basic. It's play/pause, stop, next, previous, and next and previous group, so if you're using it to navigate through your Minidiscs you get lost. The only bad thing about the player itself is that the battery compartment sticks out quite far. It isn't far enough to cause a probelm; it still fits in your pocket or palm or anywhere. Another bad thing is that it's quite pricey. You can get a decent CD player for $30-40, but this is over $100 more than that, it's worth it though.

NAXA Electronics NSM-437 Digital MP3/CD Micro System with PLL Digital AM/FM Stereo Radio

• Vertical Loading MP3/CD Player
• PLL Digital Tuning AM/FM Radio
• Preset Radio Stations
• Dual High Powered Speakers
• LCD Display with Illumination

The product met my expectations with respect to delivery and capabilities for your dollar. The only negative item I would have is the limited instructions on the use of the system. I brought it as a gift for my 84 year old mother and since she lives in another state, I would not be there to provide her the hands-on training needed for her to use the system right out of the box. The instructions that came with it are sketchy and difficult to follow. Other then that, I was happy with the purchase.

Buy NAXA Electronics NSM-437 Digital MP3/CD Micro System with PLL Digital AM/FM Stereo Radio Now

Do not buy this Naxa bookshelf player! It is pure junk and didn't work right out of the box. Not even on the first try of playing a CD, it would spin for awhile and then say there was no CD in player. After unwrapping all the foam and plastic bags just to get to the player and speakers, I finally figured out the very poor instructions to mount the table top bracket. What a waste of time and money on a brand new player. Absolutely Worthless.

I'm going to Walmart or somewhere where I can return without all the package mailing hassle!

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I ordered this product and it was all plastic and one of the speakers did not work. Luckily I was able to connect my old speakers to this device. I was looking for a bargin and forgot the old saying-too good to be true. It will do for now but I should have kept my money and invested in a more sturdier and well known brand!

Canon VIXIA HF R100 Flash Memory Camcorder

Since purchasing and using the Canon Vixia HF R100 (search c925-1520) for a month since 4/8/2010, my opinion has moved from doubtful skeptic to delighted enthusiast.

I am a non-professional user who has occasionally used several video machines(beta, vhs, 8mm, mini-DV, Hard Disk, DVD, and now HD to SD chip) to capture life events (gatherings, celebrations, outings, sports events, documentary of people, animals, plants, stage plays, and travel). Except for cell snapshots, The HFR100 is now my ONE camera for both video & stills.

Initially, the factory setting for video disappointed. Once the Camera was configured to HD CINE 24 frame mode, the results became much more clear, vivid, detailed & acceptable. While slow panning The DIGIC DV III processor and 2.39 megapixel HD CMOS process images fast enough to create clear individual frames without the choppiness that earlier, slower HD cams had (shots from a moving car with the Vixia actually produced some usable frames and clips).

The 20x(40-800 mm 35mm eq.), glass, canon-quality lens is not threaded to accept threaded filters or wide/tele extensions, but is recessed about 1 cm behind the camera face so it is both protected and somewhat hooded from surrounding light sources. An automatic, drop-down into the cam, lens protector operates when the cam is switched on/off. This is a great feature for protecting the lens while being quick ready. The dynamic image stabilization worked well out to 20X and was amazingly steady for videoing while walking at wide angle settings. The digital zoom (oversampling feature beyond 20X) may be set to 80X or 400X and in this camera may be good enough to produce some useful images in these ranges.

The Instant autofocus was superb. Focus was always very close to being on or slightly deep into the field. There was no "dancing-focus" or movements toward the wrong end of the focusing scale whatsoever. The manual focus automatically magnified in the LCD panel, aiding focus. The high quality LCD panel was very sharp. Its readability in direct sunlight was enhanced with the backlight turned on.

The automatic face detection autofocus did a fantastic job of keeping the focal plane on faces even in a sports action environment. This also worked somewhat to keep wildflower blossoms in focus. Menus and controls are fairly intuitive, but the disk based (also available for download feom the canon web site) .pdf instruction manual should be read to access all of the feature-rich options this unit offers.

I normally carry the camera out and off. This camera starts, focuses, rapid zooms and readies itself very quickly (about 3 sec) so it is hard to miss a shot. Additionally the new, pre-record feature carries 3 sec of video to add in front of your clips to make it difficult to miss shots as long as the camera is on and pointed in the right direction.

The Smart AUTO setting works very well for point-and-shoot capture in most any condition. For difficult environments there are 10 manual modes that can produce great results in extreme conditions. I was disappointed with the low-light results in auto mode, but in the low light mode I was astounded to see what crisp COLOR images could be made in with such little light. An on-camera light is not present nor needed with this camera unless substantial low-light action shots are desired. Campfire light, flashlight, or moonlight are plenty adequate light sources. Starlight is usable with a bipod and no panning.

The stereo sound is bright, adjustable and very accurate. The wind dampening filter was minimal not adequate. I have been experimenting with sponge materials to attach over the mics. The camera records a low decibel irregular low sound (something like a 16mm film sprocket). It is noticeable when played back at high volumes, and might be objectionable if listening closely for something near the same bandwidth in a low noise recording. I found it tolerable, but I'm hoping this will be corrected in later production.

The battery lasted about two hours. By keeping the camera off, I was able to get through a full day of taking portraits and snapshots on one battery. The day I accidentally left the camera on, I had a failure, but was able to charge it quickly and adequately with a car inverter. A back-up battery would be a wise precaution. On about 38 hrs of experimentation, camera set at highest resolutions, and including several hrs. of picking "snapshots" off of 220 video clips. I have 690 HD stills and have used 6.16G of a Patriot class6 16.1G SD chip. There are plenty of connectors (mini USB (use the included cable with this camera), mini HDMI (no cable included), component out (cable included), power in (115V adapter included)(battery is small(15x32x45mm) and recharged in the camera, a switchable 1/8"(3.5mm) pin headphone/ a/v out jack ((1/8 to (3) RCA) cable is included), and an external mic port. There is no hotshoe.

Advanceson an Alaskan Cruise a few years ago I quit using a still camera, because the high zoom of the Video Cam got us close to the action. The snapshots we could pull were tolerable for computer viewing, but inadequate for blow-ups. While watching glaciers "calve", after the "crack", the challenge was to get the vid cam on and focused in the exact right direction before the ice sloughed into the sea. The canon Vixia HF R100 would have been up to the task. It's fast to start and the resulting images are HD quality.

USAGEI set the camera for highest resolution, power saver, and keep it off until shooting. This camera will easily fit in a pocket or purse. I normally keep attached a 1 5/8 lb. 10"54" collapsible tripod. This added weight stabilizes the light (12 oz. with battery & chip) cam and improves results. The collapsible nature of the tripod with one, two, or three legs variously extended, greatly enhanced results.

At full zoom I found it difficult, even with the tripod, to take a still directly without shaking the camera. I find it much more effective to pull an image during playback while hooked to a monitor, using the snapshot feature. Playback speeds are 1/8 or 1/4 (a remote control is not available with this canon series), so it takes a little effort to find the best frame, but I find the result far more satisfying than trying to catch the perfect still.

Not everyone has the "photographer's eye" or the ability to catch the perfect frame of an event with a still, but most can select the best frame out of a video clip. Pixels are: 1,040,000 optical zoom dynamic image stabilization, 1,560,000 image stabilization off, 1,560,000 16:9 still, 1,730,000 4:3 still. While not exactly professionally acceptable, the 1 meg images will be acceptable for most casual user uses. Few video cams, costing much more, can offer better resolution off of a video clip than the HFR100.

What I like most about this camera is that it is smallvery easy to carry every day. It is fast to prepare itself to shoot very good video. The third and most important thing is that the resulting video/still is very good. This camera does basic videography very well, and has a host of features to handle difficult light, movement or color situations even better. This camera has come a long way toward being my perfect camera, and is state of the industry in several critical areas. I kept it, use it, and recommend it. It has quality features and no weaknesses. I notice the Canon HFR 10 (the middle camera in this series) with 8G memory built in, is now selling for only $20 more. It may be a better price point. -Happy Hunting 5/5/2010

I give a 2-star because of the excessive noise in quiet scenes and less than expected image quality (daylight or lowlight).

The noise came from inside the camcorder body. There must be a motor inside it. I don't understand why a flash card based camcorder has to run a motor all the time. I compared the recorded noise to my old Sony tape camcorder. I also asked my friend recorded a testing video in quiet room (He has a Vixia HF 100#. Unlike this HF R100, those two don't have any audible noises.

When I recorded the first video, I didn't notice this problem. But then the battery quickly ran out of its initial charge, so I had to charge it for a few hours. When the battery was ready, it was already near midnight. Duh! The noise is the only sound in the video!! The uploaded video shows how the noise sounds.

The noise problem might be an accidental defect. However, the image quality is not as good as expected either. I believe the quality under daylight is less than or around DVD at most #480p#. The image looks a little blurred under low light.

When I called Canon customer service for the noise problem, I was told I was the first one to complain about this. I decided to return the product. I purchased from Expo Electronics on Amzon. I want to thank them that I didn't have to pay shipping both ways.

Pros:

1. Nice menu, very easy to use.

2. Very small and light.

Cons:

1. Excessive noise in quiet scenes #as you can hear in the uploaded video#

2. Image quality less than expected at 17Mbps on HDTV

Other notes:

1. There's no separate battery charger. However, if you have a Canon SLR, depending on the model, you *might* be able to use that to recharge the HF R100 battery.

2. I forgot to check LCD screen under sunlight. I only used it in the morning. It's quite clear.

3. At 20x zoom, the image is not so stable as I expected. My hands are relatively stable compared to many others. But I guess I have to use a tripod at this zoom level.

Buy Canon VIXIA HF R100 Flash Memory Camcorder Now

I was looking for a camcorder that had some very specific criteria:

An external microphone jack

Good low-light capabilities

HD quality

Good optical zoom range

Affordable price

This camera is one of about 3 or 4 in the $300 range that meets/exceeds these criteria. First of all, there are almost no other cameras in this price range that offer an external microphone jack. Although the HD quality comes up just a tad short on this camera, the 20x zoom, external mic, excellent low light and affordable price all make it well worth that small sacrifice. I didn't figure I could have EVERYTHING I wanted, but I sure came darn close with this unit.

First, the mic jack. Yes, it's 1/8" and is stereo. But there are a myriad of ways to plug in a high quality mic if necessary small mixers, mono-to-stereo 3.5mm adapters, etc. I plugged in an Audio Technica ATM29HE hypercardiod dynamic mic that I have, and the sound is AMAZING. I'm getting a camcorder "L" bracket on which I can place a shock mount, and "Bingo!" I'll have sweet sound and video in a pretty darn tiny package.

Next, the mic. I recorded my daughter's Christmas concert a few days ago using only the internal mic. I was 40 feet from the stage, with people all around me. The sound was not what I'd call "great," but was quite good, and surprisingly enough, even blocked out some of the coughing and foot shuffling that was occurring around me (that I thought would ruin the video). And I put it in "Spotlight" mode, which made the contrast between performers and surrounding darker areas very pleasing to see, instead of washed out looking kids. Overall, I'm impressed so far.

And on that subject, video quality is excellent. Not quite top-notch, but we're not talking prosumer or professional grade equipment here either. For an "almost" HD quality $300 camcorder, it's MORE than satisfactory. And I don't know what some other reviewers mean by not being able to see in "low light" conditions. If you put the camcorder in the "low light" mode, you will be able to see better with the camera than you can with your own eyes. No, it won't work in the dark it's not infra red capable. But I shot video of our stairs going up to our second floor with only the ambient (and indirect) light from our hallway. I could BARELY see the stars with my own eyes, but the camera viewfinder and video picked up the stairs with more light and detail than I could see. Basically, if you have candlelight, you'll be able to get video. Yes, it has noise in it. No, it won't look HD in those situations but sheesh people, it's a $300 camera and if you use the right setting, it's great. What do you expect, miracles?

The optical zoom is very nice. Some reviewers said the wide-angle wasn't very good, but I didn't find this to be a problem. I was around 40 feet back from the high school stage at that concert, and I was able to zoom out to more than the width of the proscenium (although I was off to one side), which I have measured myself at 48 feet. So the wide angle is more than sufficient for me, and the zoom is quite good.

Image stabilizer is nice there's two options, both of which work well. I can manually adjust focus if needed. I can manually adjust microphone and headphone settings. Oh yes, did I mention that? It has mic AND headphone inputs, so you can basically work like a professional videographer with this little $300 camcorder. It's got some really nice features other camcorders in this price range lack.

Okay, the bad:

The clicking through the mic in quiet situations. Yes, it happens, but it's not too loud, but it is noticeable if there's no other sound happening around you. I think it's the autofocus. I thought it would be the image stabilization, but I turned that off, and it still made it no matter what when I was walking around. But when the scene is static and no refocusing is necessary, I didn't find it to be as present (though when that was occurring, there could have been more ambient noise blocking it). In any case, if you plan to shoot a lot of really quiet stuff without an external mic, this may not the camcorder for you.

Another thing is the software to upload videos. Perhaps it's because I'm used to uploading MOV files from my consumer grade digital camera, but the way to get videos from this camera to a computer is a bit clunky. You HAVE to use their software, which I suppose is not that big a deal. But then you have to convert it if you want to use it in other editing software besides theirs. Again, not a big deal for me since I was converting MOV's to AVI's anyway. But what's really odd is that you MUST have the camera plugged into the AC adapter in order to upload anything. It won't upload from battery power, even on a fully charged one. So that's a bit odd, but not a deal breaker by any means. Just a minor annoyance.

Overall, this is a great camera. It's not prosumer or professional. But it will do A LOT in many varied situations, and if you can live with the internal mic's oddities or just plan on largely using an external mic (like I do), it's a GREAT option, and deserves more than the 3-star average it currently has on Amazon. Definitely recommended, I just can't give it my highest recommendation due to the mic and the uploading issues. But everything else is easy to use and works very, very well.

Read Best Reviews of Canon VIXIA HF R100 Flash Memory Camcorder Here

I gave 4 stars because of poor indoor videos. Need to have VERY BRIGHT LIGHT to get clear videos. Low light videos have BLACK SPOTS which i didn't expect in a HD video camera for this price. I tried all the video modes in this camcorder and noticed poor video quality in medium light.

If you are planing to take videos during the day with bright light, you can go ahead with this camcorder. I won't recommend this camcorder if you are planing to take video in medium or low light. I don't see any other major issues with this camera.

It is light weight, compact and handy

Plan to buy large capacity SD card (min. 8GB, class 4 or more) if you plan to take more than 2 hours video

Good video quality in day light even in 42" HDTV

Face detection feature is great in this camcorder

The menu controls are not user friendly and you need try couple of times to get used to the menu options

While moving from low light to bright light, i noticed there is a delay in adjusting to the new location (around 2 sec)

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THIS CAMERA TAKES GREAT HD VIDEO.

It is simple to use and connects by hdmi directly to your TV. The video is stunning. Please , I don't want to hear that the cable did not come with the camera. When you buy the camera order the cable. I purchased three on Amazon for $.59 each and the shipping still cost more than the cables and they work great. Buy an extra battery they also can be found inexpensively along with an external battery charger.

My only complaints about the camera are the wide angle at zero zoom is pretty tight ( I should have checked the specs more carefully ) and since the camera only has the lcd screen pointing it in bright sunlight and getting what you want in the picture can be a challenge. Practice shooting without using the screen until you know where to point it without looking at the screen.( its digital and does not cost anything to practice ) By the way the camera stays in the zoom position it is in when you turn it off and when you turn it back on it is still in the same position. The size and weight make the camera pocketable if you are wearing a mans shirt with pockets just put a neck strap through the hand grip to prevent accidents

That being said, understand unless you have made or are going to make the investment in a HD dvd player and HD dvd burner , software that can edit and burn HD video disks you will only see DVD quality video on the disks that you burn. The software that comes with the camera did not need to be in the box. Go buy hd editing software.

Final verdict. Good camera, light weight, small but not to small, great quality video, still pic quality good for what it is ( steal frames from video just as good ) just understand the HD camera is just the beginning if you want HD on your tv screen ,unless your tv has a card reader then you store your HD video on HDMC cards and eat the cost of cards.