Samsung BD-D6500 3D Blu-ray Disc Player (Black)

• Samsung Smart TV with built-in Wifi
• Samsung BD-D6500 3D Blu-ray Disc Player
• It has enhanced picture qaulity
• It has slot-in loading mechanism
• Power:AC 120 V

I needed to replace an aging Panasonic DMP-BD35K, which had decided to become selective as to which BD's it would play( typically newer titles wouldn't load, I'm not sure if it's a question of a lack in newer firmware, of which Panasonic hasn't released an update in about two years, or if it just isn't working any longer.).

I had researched extensively on the purchase of the Panasonic reading many reviews from several websites, but on this purchase I just decided to take a chance with Samsung. I do own a Samsung television which I really like and the reviews of Samsung's 2010 Blu-ray player were also good. Nearly as good as the 'King of the hill' Oppo( according to cnet video test scores. ). I was also aware of the many negative reviews of the 2010 BD-C6500 and I also noticed that they were mostly in regards to the web enabled apps, and not in regards to video playback. I have an Apple TV which I use for Netflix streaming( it does an excellent job of that, 720p only, but no biggy for me ), and I don't really have any use for the other apps.

So in comes the BD-D6500, I unpack it and connect it in about five minute. The set up is basic with many of the menu selections being 'Auto'. I'm still playing with the set up to see if anything looks better/more accurate. I pop in a disc( Avatar ) and wow, it just looked better. I start going through several BD's and they all look great. The blacks are darker without an over zealous increase in contrast. I run it at 24Hz and it appears to do that better as well( it was always so-so on the Panasonic. ). The Imax shots in The Dark Knight look awesome. And all the while as I am going through several BD's I notice how fast this player loads the discs. Really fast compared to the much older Panasonic.

I'm really impressed by this player. I also played some old DVDs to see how well it upscaled and it did a great job. Again it clearly out performed the Panasonic.

Now as far as the Smart TV apps are concerned I did try to watch a movie on Vudu as it gave me a free rental, and after I selected a movie( Machete ), the player locked up. Maybe it didn't like the movie I picked, but it still shouldn't have done that. I did notice that after I registered the player, the Vudu, along with all the other apps that I went through seemed to work. Perhaps I needed to register the player before I was able to use the apps? And there isn't any built in memory for BD-Live which is kind of lame. You need to use an external USB drive.

In the end I am very happy with this purchase and to be completely honest, a part of me was hoping that this player would have sucked just so I could justify the $500 purchase price of the Oppo BD-93. But it doesn't. It's just a really good Blu-ray player and that's what I wanted. So if your not too concerned with Smart TV apps( which are now working for me ), or too worried about playing files off of your PC( which I think it does, but I haven't a use for. ) then buy with confidence, as I am sure that once the different review sites get their hands on the this new BD-D6500, the results will be stellar.

Buy Samsung BD-D6500 3D Blu-ray Disc Player (Black) Now

I been using the Samsung BD-D6500 unit for a month now and found the picture and color rendition to be great. 3D viewing through my Samsung 3D ready HDTV and optional 3D glasses works well. The wired and wireless connection work but I found myself resetting the unit's network interface on occasion in order to get the unit to function. I strongly recommend using the wired connection for speed and reliability. The standard remote control works fine but the "EXIT", "RETURN", "INFO i" and "TOOLS" buttons are crammed too tightly around the navigation buttons causing inadvertent button depressions. Also, I would have preferred if the "EXIT" and "RETURN" buttons where interchanged. The "Smart Hub" Internet applications are fine when they work. I have found that the "Netflix" application interface is limited compared to the "Netflix" PC interface. If you plan to use the "Smart Hub" applications extensively you may want to consider purchasing the optional "QWERTY" remote control. The BD-Live feature was a challenge to setup and I have yet to get it to work reliably without hanging up the unit. Instructions on how to get the BD-Live feature to work are spares and unclear. However, it is a feature I can live without and of questionable use and value. You will need a thumb drive or external hard drive to get the BD-Live feature to work. Also, you need to let the unit know that you are using the external drive for this purpose. Try the "Digital Data Management" function on the on-screen menu for this.

Overall, if you own a Samsung 3D ready HDTV and 3D viewing is important to you consider this unit. The picture and color quality is great. Otherwise, if 3D viewing is not important consider other Blu-ray (BD) units that may do a better job of network applications. Note, this unit does not provide for direct 5.1 speaker connections.

Now for the tips!

As soon as you connect your unit out of the box and configure your network performed a "network" firmware update! Look in the manual for instructions or under the "Settings" then Support menu on-screen.

If you find yourself resetting the unit's network or having network problems try manually assigning a static IP network address above your router's DHCP addresses or range. To do this first perform a "Network Status" on your unit and note the submask, gateway and DNS server addresses. Now "login" to your router and find the range of the dynamically assigned DHCP addresses. For example, on a Linksys router it is usually 50 addresses starting from 192.68.1.0 to 192.68.1.49.

Pick any address above this range, say 192.168.1.160 for example. However, any address above the DHCP IP address range will do for your specific router. Next, return to BD-D6500 and press the following sequence of remote control buttons for a wired connection: "Menu", select Settings on the screen and "Enter", select Network and "Enter", select "Network Setting" select Wired and "Enter", select IP Mode then select Manual and "Enter".

Finally, enter the IP 192.168.160 and then enter the noted submask, gateway and DNS server addresses your recorded previously. Finally, press "RETURN" your done. Wireless connection is similar to the above press "Wireless" for "Wired" above. You should perform a "Network Status" to make sure all is well.

If you unit is hung after using the BD-Live feature or a "Smart Hub" application try the following:

1. Power off the unit. 2. Disconnect the Ethernet wire from the unit if using a wired connection. 3. Unplug the power cord of the unit. 4. Press the "Power" touch button on the front of the unit and hold in for 20 seconds. 5. Release and reconnect the Ethernet cable and then re-plug the power cord.

If you were using the "Netflix" Smart Hub application you may need to re-activate it after resetting the network on the unit.

Hope this help! If not, contact Samsung and alert them of problem you are experiencing with the unit. I've been able to reach Samsung support in several occasions without much delay.

Read Best Reviews of Samsung BD-D6500 3D Blu-ray Disc Player (Black) Here

I bought this after returning a sony google tv blu ray player. After opening the box, I had the basic set up finished within about 5 minutes. The set-up of the blu ray player took a little bit longer because I had to create new accounts for samsung smart tv, not a big deal just takes some time to finish. Once set-up, I loved it!

PROS:

1. GREAT content offered: Hulu plus, netflix, blockbuster, vudu, MLB network, local event listings, tv listings, and much more!

2. Easy to navigate user interface. Lots of graphic content, large print, items are grouped in a logical order so you can find them easily.

3. Good basic search feature

4. Picture quality on netflix and hulu plus is excellent

5. Price...compared to the sony google-tv, which has less content and a higher price, I was VERY happy with this price tag.

6. Sleek design, front-loading dvd player without a tray. Also, it is lightweight and does not take up much space in my entertainment center.

CONS:

1. No QWERTY keyboard slows down your typing a little, not a big deal though

2. Response time in the user interface and for loading features like apps and netflix is a little slow, but again this is not a big deal.

3. The unit did freeze a couple of times on me, but a simple shutdown and reboot seems to solve this

4. The remote included can function as a basic universal remote, but the codes did not include my tv model so I had to go through all of them until one worked. Cumbersome to accomplish, but ultimately I found a working code...again, not a big deal.

5. Does not come with an HDMI cable. Depending on what you are connecting it to you will need at least one HDMI cable, or as many as three if you are like me: blu ray player, cable box (I am dropping cable service now that I have this), TV, and an AV receiver.

I know that is not the Porsche Boxter of internet blu ray players, but I feel VERY good about this purchase and the content offered.

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Samsung has consistently ignored broken software upgrades, abandoning its customers who have no option but to buy a new player, all the while touting their corporate "leadership" in Blu-ray technology.

I've been a loyal Samsung consumer for many years, buying three TV's and four video disk players. Two of those players are now all but unusable. One Blu-ray player stopped being able to read DVD disks, forcing me to connect two players to that set one for DVD's and one for Blu-ray disks. This latest Blu-ray player purchase, the BD-D6500, stopped being able to effectively stream Netflix after the last software upgrade. Since Netflix streaming is what I use the player for 95% of the time, this means I'll have to get yet another player. I guarantee you it will not be a Samsung product.

If you search on-line, you'll find others with the same problem. Samsung itself has no response to this issue, continuing to claim their leadership in the field, but saying and doing absolutely nothing about the problem. CNET even did an editorial highlighting the significant discrepancy in their own review ratings versus customer reviews of Samsung products. Obviously, Samsung only cares about pleasing reviewers and couldn't care less about the people actually buying their junk. As for me, I'm done. I'll never buy another Samsung product. It's too bad they used to be good.

Plays .avi .mp3 .mp4 files either on a cd,dvd or usb drive. Plays my old store bought cd's too.

Has a shuffle option for playing music files.

Q-See 8-channel Surveillence System 8 CCD Cameras w/ 40 Ft. Night Vision H.264 DVR w/ 500GB HDD Rem

I bought the QT4 from Costco to be used as home video surveillance. Depending on how many features you want to use, it will take you hours if not days to setup it up. The manual leaves some important information out regarding port forwarding. The dvr address (i.e. 192.168.0.100) does not always show up in your router listing so you must remember to enter it manually. The manual leaves that important step out. Also, port 80 is usually blocked by most ISPs such as Charter so I used 82.

Technical support is some of the worst I have ever experienced. They don't they even know how their product works. You will never be able to talk to them. Your only hope is to chat and even then, the technical support person will try to pawn you off on someone else when he or she does not know the answer.

If you want to access your dvr from your Blackberry, you can only do it if you leave the default passoword at 123456. It took three days before I finally got a tech guy to tell me that. The guy before him told me there must be something wrong with my Blackberry. Supposedly there is a fix due in 2011.

Now I am able to access dvr from anywhere on the Internet including my Blackberry plus it emails me pics when the motion is detected. The system is finally somewhat usable.

25 x Slim Clear Double DVD Empty Replacement Boxes with Wrap Around Sleeve #DVBR07DOCL (7mm) (2DVD)

Looking for replacement DVD cases for those that you opened in anticipation, only to find the disc frolicking in the case and the teeth from the hub rattling around inside? You know the hubs I am talking about--the five-pointed serpents-head design, where anywhere from one to all five teeth have broken off. The design of the hubs on these replacement cases--three semi-circular tongues--is one that I have never experienced a problem with. What a relief. Now if only the DVD manufacturers would quit sending us that defective crap!

By the way, the seller I used was Square Deal Recordings & Supplies. I cannot say, of course, that the replacement cases from this or any other seller will be what I have described. I spent considerable time on the Internet researching the problem of broken teeth on DVD hubs, looking specifically for a discussion of hub designs, but I found very little. Until sellers of replacement cases directly market them as being one of the better designs--I have seen three: two good, one bad, none ugly--we buyers cannot be sure of what we are getting. (Non-awareness of the problem may account for the mixed reviews of this product.)

To Sellers: Here is a marketing opportunity just waiting for you. Surely I cannot be the only one frustrated by this problem. Educate us on the various hub designs of these 7mm double-DVD slimline cases, and reassure us that we are not just throwing good money after bad on the same cases that have caused us so much grief.

I was undecided between three and four stars because I have yet to find on-line a clear slim double case that is better than these. Good features: Outer case is acceptable and closes tightly against dust. Clear artwork wrap arrived in good condition. I have had these thin plastic covers arrive scratched in some past deliveries due to packing material. Not so good feature: The hub on this slim double case is not as good as on the best slim single Dynex case. I have to press hard and slightly deform this case to remove a disc. The Dynex slim single has a center tab that holds a disc firmly but still allows removal with minimal pressure/effort.

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I needed room in my DVD cupboard and I found these clear slim replacement boxes. I have replaced all my DVD's with the slim cases and I have twice the room now. I have also bought the single cases. Great price and very durable.

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They're pretty decent, but not as good as they could be. Hard to find anything as good a quality as comes in some box sets I've seen. Solid locking mechanism, but plastic a little on the flimsy side.

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Great slim double disc case.

It has increased the amount of movies I can place on my media shelf. I just trim the original inserts down...

Sharx Security VIPcella-IR SCNC2700P Wired PoE IP network camera with MicroSD DVR and True Day/Nigh

I purchased two of these products because I needed to keep an eye on my home when I went on vacation last summer. The quality of the video is outstanding; better than any other video camera out there that I've seen. I liked the fact that I could actually see people's faces in high quality, rather than a blur. The night vision is superb and I was able to view my rooms as if there were lights on, when in fact, it was dark. Just a note, my rooms were no larger than 12' x 18'. There are demos of this camera on the manufacturer's website. I would recommend anyone who is interested in this product to check them out first.

A few items to note: if a room is very dark and has no white objects in it, the night vision will not work as well. What I did to resolve that was to place a piece of white cardboard (about 10" x 12") on my couch and then it adjusted the lens to brighten the room a bit. Another thing I noticed is if you mount this device on top of a wall unit, the night vision LEDs will actually reflect off the surface and mess with the quality of the night vision. What I did to resolve this issue was to place a black velvet cloth directly underneath the base of the camera, so the IR LEDs did not reflect off the surface and the night vision worked great.

The networking is very easy to setup. I was able to give it a static IP (you can also use DHCP) so I could view it from my smartphone. I was using a Palm Pre 2 at the time and I could not only see live pictures but also stream video to my phone and see it live. It does offer RTSP.

Probably one of the best features of this camera is the alerting. You can setup zones in specific areas of the camera's view, so that if motion is detected, it will trigger an email alert and start sending pictures. I set this up and also had my email account text me, when mail came from this device. It was great I didn't have to babysit the camera all the time and relied on alerts as they happened.

Support was responsive. They do not have a number to call, but they do have an email to contact for support. I always received a response within 24 hours of sending them a question and they were very knowledgeable.

Definitely a great quality product and I would highly recommend it to anyone.

Great product. I had one issue with setting up this camera and contacted tech support through email. I received a call very quickly and was offered a replacement camera if my problem could not be solved. We have other cameras from this company (model SCNC260) and have been very satisfied with the results. The setup is very quick.

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Samsung HMX-H300 Full HD Camcorder with 30x Zoom (Black)

I spent a long time researching camcorders, read a lot reviews and looked at a lot of test footage before ultimately buying this model.

Many of the better reviews I read compared this model to models several hundred dollars more expensive, which I took to mean that this model was a significant value at this price.

It was a gamble on my part that I think paid off as I am very happy overall with this unit.

There are thee consistent criticism I have seen for this camcorder. I took them very seriously when I was deciding what unit to buy. Now that I have hands on experience with the unit I wanted to share my experience regarding these criticisms:

The camera records its own zoom: This is true but I don't find it distracting. In fact I find it to be a cool effect. You should really only be zooming with the camera on if you are intentionally calling attention to the camera anyway. This is a consumer camera. It is not intended for professional use. The "zoom sound" is really only audible in a very quiet room. I recorded some footage outside on a non-windy day and the ambient noise outside covered up the sounds of the zoom. For reference, I watched some footage I took with my miniDV camera and noticed that on all of the footage you could hear the whir of the tape motor. Probably the zoom would be more noticeable if the tape motor wasn't constantly going. At any rate the noise doesn't bother me on either camera and the miniDV footage was far noisier. I don't see how this issue would be a deterrent. If you are shooting a movie or any professional product you need a professional camera anyway and you also would be using a separate sound recording system.

The camera isn't great in low light: This is also true. The camera produces a better picture with more light on the subject. This is true of all cameras. Cameras record light. This camera doesn't come with a light for dark settings. If you want a camera with a light on it don't buy this unit. This also didn't bother me. I just turned a lamp on and the video quality was fine. Again, this is a consumer camera. Professionals bring their own lights anyway. To be fair though the camera performs much better in daylight than it does indoors.

There is no viewfinder and there is a glare on the LCD screen in sunlight: These things are also true. There is no viewfinder. If you want a viewfinder, buy a different model. As for the glare, you may have to put your hand over the screen to reduce the glare. Easy enough to solve.

A final note. I ran some basic tests and found the 720p to be sharper than the 1080i footage. It's super easy to switch back and forth (even on the same memory card) so play around with it and judge for yourself. I'm sticking with the 720p to because it looks better to me and it takes up less storage space.

I have also been having a lot of fun with the time-lapse setting a function I wasn't even interested in when looking for camcorder.

Overall I found this to be a great little camera. It records quality HD video has a great optical zoom and can be bought for under $300. The camera is tiny. If a viewfinder were added and the microphone was snaked further from the zoom lens it would be a larger camera. I found the issues above to be legitimate but not large enough problems to be a deterrent.

Just got this little thing of beauty tonight and I'm very very pleased. It completely blows my old-school camcorders away and is effectively 1/4 the cost in today's terms. Easy to use and full 1080p HD. Picture and sound quality look great on playback on my 51" plasma. File format works perfectly for playback on my PS3.

What a great little device! Oh and you can't hear the zoom as claimed by another reviewer there must be something wrong with his unit.

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Arived on time and in good shape. 30X zoom is good. I like that you can select 1080i, 720p, or even 480p. 720p looks fine on our 37 inch Samsung 720p LCD HDTV and the files are a lot smaller. I also like that you can drag and drop files directly from the SD card to your PC no conversion required. Screen on camcorder is very difficult to see in bright sunlight.

Read Best Reviews of Samsung HMX-H300 Full HD Camcorder with 30x Zoom (Black) Here

This is a fine little camcorder for the money. It would be nice if there was a 'video in' jack, but then it would probably be two hundred dollars more...very easy to use with my Mac.

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30X zoom is nice, and video quality is quite acceptable, as long as there is enough light, and you are not zooming full range; not as good in low light. There are 2 things about this product, though, that made me return it, and give it 2 stars.

It records the sound of it's own zoom, and, to the lesser degree, the auto focus. If outside sounds are not laud, this sound is quite annoying, and spoils the video.

The image stabilization is not nearly sufficient when zooming beyond about 20X; it's clearly inferior in this respect to other camcorders with similar features, like my wife's Panasonic.

I wouldn't recommend this product. Samsung has to do a lot of work to refine it.

ZMODO 16CH H.264 Standalone DVR CCTV Surveillance System with 8 Bullet Sony CCD Outdoor Cameras & 8

Exactly what i was looking for...very good price durable easy to install outdoor camera sizes are perfect...better connections= better picture quality..recommened BNC compression coax connectors.. more work but its worth it

I had a great experience with this security set... actually I got a few more. The price is very convenient as well.

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I orderd the item, it arrived on time and I am loving it. Looks and feels great. although I am yet to install I would certainly recommend

Read Best Reviews of ZMODO 16CH H.264 Standalone DVR CCTV Surveillance System with 8 Bullet Sony CCD Outdoor Cameras & 8 Here

PHILIPS BDP2900 Compact All Region DVD Blu Ray Player - 100~240V 50/60Hz (6Feet HDMI Cable)

• UNLOCKED GUARANTEED TO PLAY ALL REGION DVD 012345678 PAL/NTSC & BLU-RAY ZONE ABC, DivX Xvid AVI DivX-HD and MKV all supported 100%
• Multi Zone Blu Ray & Code Free DVD that works on all USA/Canada/Japan (NTSC) TVs. REALTIME built-in video converter so that you can watch your PAL DVDs on NTSC TV or your NTSC DVDs on PAL TVs. Both settings are included and you can select the type of output PAL or NTSC....connect to any TV in the world, also it is dual voltage world-wide 100~240V 50/60Hz this means that you can use it in any country on the planet 100% Guaranteed.
• DIVX XVID AVI MKV DIVX-HD, Blu-ray Disc Java, AVCHD, JPEG Playback, MP3 Playback, Precision Cinema HD Upscale, 1080p HDMI Output with DVD Upscaling
• Blu-ray Discs have the capacity to carry high definition data, along with pictures in the 1920 x 1080 resolution that defines full high definition images. Scenes come to life as details leap at you, movements smoothen and images turn crystal clear. Blu-ray also delivers uncompressed surround sound - so your audio experience becomes unbelievably real. The high storage capacity of Blu-ray Discs also allow a host of interactive possibilities to be built in. Seamless navigation during playback and other exciting features like pop-up menus bring a whole new dimension to home entertainment.
• 100~240V 50/60Hz Auto Switching Blu-ray HDMI 1080p upscaling delivers images that are crystal clear. DVD movies in standard definition can now be enjoyed in high definition resolution - ensuring more details and more true-to-life pictures. Progressive Scan (represented by "p" in "1080p') eliminates the line structure prevalent on TV screens, again ensuring relentlessly sharp images. To top it off, HDMI makes a direct digital connection that can carry uncompressed digital HD video as well as digital multi-channel audio, without conversions to analog - delivering perfect picture and sound quality, completely free from noise.

Can't Get it to set up to my wireless Network.

it keeps asking for a dongle and a dongle did not come with it.

Never used...it just sits in the closet now collecting dust.

This is the first time I've rated a product poor.

I Had to buy a Sony DVD player and Am upset about losing money.

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I have multiple multi-region DVD's and so far everyone that I tried has worked. Also, my US Blue-rays worked perfectly. In addition, I was able to connect the player via wired connection to Netflix and it worked great. I was impressed with the support from the seller. I emailed the seller with questions around the connection to the internet and possible affects on the firmware, the seller replied within 2 hours providing clarification. Only downside is the remote is very small, with small buttons which causes issues with navigating menu's (especially in Netflix). I reccomend this player for multi-region DVDs and Blueray discs.

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Never thought I would be able to watch movies from different zones. I have so many movies from Europe and until a month ago they were just stored, nicely, in the cabinet. No longer.

The Philips is a perfect machine, easy to connect and operate. Great buy.

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Exactly what I ordered! Small, simple not a lot of buttons. I have dvd's from Region 1 and 4 so this is perfect for me!

SanDisk Sansa Fuze 8 GB Video MP3 Player (Black)

• Listen, watch, and play all day with 24 hours of battery life and room for up to 2,000 songs
• Watch your favorite video clips or share your photos on the 1.9-inch color screen
• Digital FM radio with 40 preset stations
• Voice recording with built-in microphone
• Expand your existing 8 GB memory with the microSD/microSDHC slot

I began the search for the most versatile MP3 video player I could find at a descent price. Yes, my search included the ipod as well. When all was said and done, I choose the Sansa Fuze due to the amount of features, and they happen to come at a better price than the Ipod.

I wanted the ability to expand, in the event I fill my fuze, I can use the micro sd slot. The micro sd cards are relatively cheap and seem to be expanding is size all the time. I bought the 8 GB fuze and can expand as needed.

FM radio is a great feature. You may have all the music you want, but sometimes it is nice to listen to the news or hear new music. And just in case you hear something you like, it can be recorded and played back on your fuze.

The navigation is straight forward and things load very fast. The battery life is great at about 24 hours when listening to music. I have not watched many movies at this point so I can't give an estimate for viewing time.

Sansa releases updates that are easy to obtain when they make improvements to the firmware. I suspect some of the reviews I read before I bought my fuze regarding slow load time were fixed with firmware updates.

If are looking for a feature packed MP3 player at a great price check out the fuze.

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I've tried a ton of MP3 players. A TON. And for the money, I will argue that you can't find a better MP3 player on the market.

I've owned and loved Sansa MP3 players for years. They have a great interface, are super easy to use, and have excellent sound quality. The Fuze, as opposed to the View, has the same sound processing as the amazing Clip. What does that mean? That means that this MP3 player arguably has the BEST sound quality of any MP3 player right now.

It's thin, light, and bright. It has a great screen (would be handy for movies, although I haven't tried watching any yet) and a very slick interface.

It has a rubberized back which makes me much less paranoid about babying this player. I can toss it around on the table or in my pocket and not have to worry about scratching it up. I use a protective clear skin on the front (from bestskinsever) and it keeps the screen pristine and scratch-free.

The absolute best part about the Fuze is the microSD slot. I have the 8 GB player, and an 8 GB micro SDHC card inserted which gives me a 16 GB mp3 player for 70 dollars!! You canNOT find another mp3 player with that kind of memory for that kind of money. Period.

I use this with my Rhapsody-to-go subscription. It works perfectly with Rhapsody, and even has an option to transfer Rhapsody channels on it (radio type stations with a ton of different music that Rhapsody thinks you would like based on your previous selections). Superb.

You don't need Rhapsody to enjoy this player though. I drag and drop mp3s just using Windows Explorer (you can also use Windows Media Player). It's got amazing compatibility and will play just about any kind of music file.

You won't find a better deal on the market today. Set any brand snobbery aside and just get an amazing mp3 player with amazing sound you won't regret it!

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This little player is a bargain. Your going to be hard pressed to find another 8gb player with these features at this price. Very nice build quality, above average user interface. Above all the sound quality is stellar judging by 320kbps tracks I used on it. Good soundstage, full & neutral.

That said the player does not come with software, which is fine as it will work with Windows Explorer or Windows Media Player as an MTP (media transfer protocol, for protected content such as Rhapsody) or MSC (mass storage compliant). Unfortunately it will not work with Winamp (my preferred media organizer) without rolling back Windows Media Player to version 10 (there is a conflict between Winamp and version 11).

My other gripe is that the expandable external memory (the MicroSD card) is seen as separate from the device's own internal memory. What does this mean? If you have 8gb of internal and 8gb of external for a 16gb combined and want to put 16gb of media on the player you have to do your own calculations or simply try dragging and dropping media on the player or card until it tells you no more will fit. It would have been much nicer to simply bundle the player with a small utility for managing storage space so both the internal and external are seen as a whole if you like.

Finally, while I'm impressed with the build quality, the jog wheel is a bit frustrating. It works fine but is overly sensitive and too easy to turn. A bit of friction would have been nice. If the player is going into a pocket the wheel is going to get turned, activate some other menu item or adjust the volume randomly.

Lastly, a small gripe; the headphone jack in on the bottom. I've owned at least 6-8 players in the last few years, none have had this feature. I realize this is becoming more prominent as several of the Apple players have this feature as does the 4/8gb Zune. Frankly I find it frustrating, the only good argument for a bottom placed jack is when you are holding the device in your hand and looking at the screen (hence the cord is more easily held out of the way). However, it puts the cord in an awkward position for any other use such as in the pocket or clipped to the waist or arm, necessitating the cord go from the bottom to the top of the player. It could be argued in fact that most people aren't buying these small screen flash players for video (the only realistic time you may want to hold the player for easy viewing) as the screen is too small to be very useful.

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When I got the Fuze it seemed pretty nice. It downloaded most of my music when I asked and the sound was good. Unfortunately the Fuze stopped being recognized by my computer. I was pretty surprised when I found I could call the SanDisk Help line and talk to a real person. After about 2 weeks of trying stuff out and discovering that my Fuze wasn't recognized by any computer, they gave me a return authorization and I sent it back. After sending it back it was as if I disappeared from the planet. SanDisk has failed to return any emails I've sent them asking for a rough time to expect a repair or replacement. I've had the thing for two months but I haven't been able to use it for 45 days.

I see the great reviews and they were why I bought the Fuze in the first place. I understand my experience is probably a rare one, but I really hate it when a company simply ignores a customer's problem. I also should mention that during the two weeks I worked with SanDisk to resolve the problem I lost the ability to return the Fuze to Amazon (30 day limit). If you have a problem with the Fuze my experience says to get it back to Amazon within the thiry days because I haven't had much success with SanDisk.

Seriously. I've had it for 15 months. A couple months ago I stepped on it drunk, somehow, and smashed the wheel into the device. I could still turn the wheel but not really, like barely. And then yesterday I left it in my pocket and sent it through the wash. I was like, Oh man, that s(cks. It didn't work, of course. I set it on a fan and came back a few hours later. Still doesn't work. I plug it into the computer; turns right back on (even with foggy windshield). It works perfectly now, the wheel works as good as new, inexplicably. Honestly I cannot remember the last time I was so impressed with the durability and staying-power of...really anything, since the 8-bit Nintendo game system (just blow, jiggle it in the Nintendo, and push "Power" and it works).

OK, I bought 3 iPods before this, they all crapped out within the 6-month to 1-year time-frame (conveniently when the warranty was not valid, except when I bought the 15-gig when they first came out, that apple discontinued, that went out, that I mailed back to them per the "terms" of the agreement (they paid the shipping), that they said there was no refund for (See: discontinued) and had the audicity to offer to "fix" my iPod for 20 less than the original list (5 months later)). No. Apple=terrible customer service. This was not the first nor last time.

Enter the fuze. I bought it on the cheap (it's since dropped 40, still far and away cheaper than iPod). The only bad part is it doesn't sync to iTunes, which I have an account with an indie-music website that syncs fine. I am forcefully avoiding iTunes, I don't like the seeming monopoly iPod has over the industry, in my personal experience they know they have a good thing and abuse the consumer. 3 iPods, ironically, I've had about the same amount of time as my 15-month fuze.

I'll admit, I'm rough around the edges. I get boozed and other forms of happy and drop/kick/fall asleep on/wash/etc. and this is still going. You have no idea how happy I was when I plugged it in and it worked. I was amazed. Maybe I just lucked out and finally got my karma but this was so good, I'll never, NEVER, buy another apple mp3, I'll forever buy fuze b/c literally I'm that impressed, I'm 27 and may buy another half-dozen before I kick, but forget apple, they're pretensiouns and vainglorious anyway. I assume microsoft operates this, I don't even know, I'm not tech-savvy, but I took the time to write this review, something I don't do much anymore, b/c I'm so pleased. It's rare nowadays; as for the player, I don't know, its an mp3 player, read the other reviews, but this is one of the best purchases I've ever made.

Its been so long people probably don't even buy this model anymore but this is recommended, read other reviews but I def recommend...

Zoom ZH4N Handy Portable Digital Recorder

• Built-in X/Y stereo mics record at either 90° or 120°
• Four channel simultaneous recording using built-in and external mics
• Digitally controlled, high-quality mic preamp for improved audio quality
• Large 1.9-Inch LCD screen and improved user interface for easy operation
• 24bit/96kHz Linear PCM recording for pristine recording

After having done a quick video test for the Kodak Zi8, I decided to do something which would focus more on its audio recording capabilities. I also wanted to test the Zoom H4n, a portable flash recorded I recently purchased... so, here I am, killing two birds with one stone.

I setup the Kodak Zi8 about 5 feet from the sound source, which is an upright piano... that's me noodling on it. The Zi8 is mounted on a tripod.

About 15 feet away from the piano, I've setup the Zoom H4n recorder. This unit has an XY stereo microphone built into it. It also has the ability to record two inputs, in the form of XLR or 1/4-inch. So, we'll be hearing the built in XY microphone on the unit as well as a pair of AKG 414s which I positioned above the piano, pointing into the open lid.

"Kodak Zi8 Internal Microphone"

Here we hear the internal microphone on the Zi8. Mono, a bit noisy and perhaps a little too close to the piano to capture a clean sound. In any case, this does the trick for capturing an idea, but definitely doesn't cut it if you're looking for high-quality audio.

"Zoom H4n XY Microphone"

Here the stereo image opens up suddenly. This XY microphone which is built into the unit is capturing a very natural, coincident stereo sound. It's a very reflective room, so you hear that, as the microphone is about 15 feet from the sound source.

"Zoom H4n Pair AKG 414s"

Here we're hearing the pair of AKG 414 microphones pointing into the piano. Because the microphones are very close to the sound source, there is significantly less "room" sound. This would be more suitable for a studio recording, while the XY sound would be more appropriate in perhaps a classical or field recording.

"Zoom H4n Mix of XY + 414s"

Here we have the best of both worlds. We have a blend of the direct signal from the 414s AND some of the room sound from the XY microphone. I believe this is the best overall option in most scenarios.

Finally we return to the Zi8 internal microphone to hear the major difference when using external audio equipment. At under $200, I believe the Zi8 does a great job capturing the visual and at under $300, the Zoom H4n does a remarkable job with the audio.

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In looking for a portable handheld recorder for scratch tracks and samples, I weighed the benefits of a few of the handhelds available today and settled on the H4n. The other recorders on my short list were the Edirol R-09 and Sony PCM-D50, and also the H4. So far the H4n hasn't disappointed.

I settled on the Zoom H4n for a couple of reasons:

1) 1/4" and XLR inputs with phantom power Very handy for throwing a mic on a kick and snare, and the H4n will record those plus the internal condensor simultaneously, which is perfect to get the rest of the drum kit for some quick loop scratch tracks.

2) More geeked out features than the others They are not needed but still fun to have. The H4n is like the Leatherman of handheld pocket recorders with plenty of built in effects (which sound really good btw), built in 4 track recorder mode, tuners and metronome, playback speed control, MP3 encoder, acts as USB audio interface (both input and output), built in monitor speaker, and more. I also like the little things I'm still discovering, like when I put Ni-MH batteries in and then plugin in the adapter it recharges the batteries.

3) Build I like the build quality compared to the H4 Not as nice as the Sony but the thing does feel solid and substantial in your hand. The built in mics are a little exposed without a wire cage on the top like others have, it would probably not be a good thing to drop this unit and have the mics hit first.

4) Cost This recorder was midrange even with it being brand new. It's less than the Sony and more than the H4 or R-09. I suspect the price will come down a bit when it's been out for a couple months down to where the R-09 is now. For what it has built in it's amazing to be it's as inexpensive as it is.

5) Sound quality The H4n sounds clean. I believe turning on the built in compressor, or boosting a really weak input signal with a lot of input gain could cause hiss, but for the most part I don't notice any. Usually the noise floor is so low on what I've recorded that it is not audible. Some different mics and setups might have different results, time will tell.

6) Menu and button layout I really like the way they set this unit up. Very easy to navigate and record with, and does what I want quickly with only a few caveats mentioned below.

7) SD card format SD cards are cheap and readily available. I don't care so much for the memory sticks the Sony uses.

Now the downsides, maybe all these handheld recorders suffer from similar issues but I'm going to give my first impressions never having used one before and the H4n is the best I have to compare with:

1) Menu system While easy to navigate, still feels like it could use refining through a firmware update. It feels like it wasn't finished when the product shipped. The fonts look a little like a 5 year old put them together, Zoom could have done better with the screen they put in the H4n. A lot of products like this are rushed to market to meet revenue goals, so hopefully they will get time to take another look at the firmware and make UI improvements. Also the firmware is trying to be a little too fancy with the menus. There is a little expanding box effect that happens when you open a menu, but it ends up just looking like screen artifacts when changing the menus. It would have been better to immediately jump to the menu, it would be faster and would look better.

2) File naming (another UI complaint) I really wish the firmware gave you the ability to delete a character in a file name. The filename can be edited, but characters can only be added or changed, not deleted. If you use divide alot, the name gets larger and larger but cannot be made smaller. This is a bit annoying when combined with the divide implementation....

3) No divide while recording there is no divide while recording that I could find. It seems like it would have been very easy to make one of the unused buttons act like a divide when recording. Instead you can set a "mark" (non editabled btw, after one is set it is permament in that wav file). The marks let you easily jump to that point and divide it later, but when it divides the file you end up with an 'A' or a 'B' tacked on to the filename. Now, imagine recording an entire gig or practice with only marks to use to delimit the songs, and then you have to divide them later with the naming scheme and lack of delete character function I mentioned above. What you end up getting is files named something like 'STE-001A.wav', STE-001B.wav', 'STE-001BBBBA.wav', and eventualy 'STE-001BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBA.wav' etc and there's not a lot you can do on the device to fix it since the best you can do is replace the extra characters with spaces so that you end up with a file named something like 'song blah .wav' (you can plug it in as a USB interface later and fix all the filenames in the folders, but not a lot you can do on site except stop and restart recordings versus using "marks").

4) Documentation I'm not sure what Zoom was thinking here. The documentation looks like it was passed through a translation program without any proof reading before shipping. It is filled with sentences such as "On stereo mode can be made 19 different setting using. WAV & MP3. If you want to change, operate before recording". I get the general intent most of the time but it hurts. Luckily the unit is easy enough to use that you don't have to rely on the documentation too much.

As I see it, the complaints I have are mainly around details of the UI implementation and documentation and relatively minor. All around the unit is great and a lot of fun to use. The sound quality is top notch, and the capabilities of the device are astounding. I would have given it 5 stars if the few UI details had been better thought out and someone had read the documenation. For a great all around handheld recorder with excellent sound quality, lots of features, and a reasonable price, the Zoom unit is going to be very hard to beat.

Read Best Reviews of Zoom ZH4N Handy Portable Digital Recorder Here

Just like the customer above me, I have a fairly early model (serial 2211). I don't imagine them having any revisions or anything, because this unit is really solid. Let me start by saying that this device should not be considered a Mic in its own right. Sure, it has two condenser microphones stuck on top to record in stereo, but I wouldn't use these mics in any studio unless I had nothing better. This unit is for those people who want to record in the field, and be able to capture 4 tracks of audio in a handheld device.

First, the build quality. Obviously Zoom took a lot of criticism to heart from their first H2 and H4 models. The H4n sports a "rubberized" hardshell design that's easy to grip, and seems to stand up well to surface scratches. (Mind you, the rubber texture can attract greasy fingerprints which can get annoying if you're a gadget freak like me). The top of the unit where the mics are is metal. There is some plastic on the unit, but definitely better designed than the previous two recorders from zoom. The buttons are easy to press, and the screen is large, allowing you to see everything you need to very easily.

The poster above me wondered why there was no metal cage protecting the microphones (like the previous H4 had). The answer to this is the switchable pattern on the microphones. Each mic can be twisted and swiveled to change the directionality that the mic pics up. In its native position the mics pic up at a 90 degree angle, giving a pretty good stereo image. But when you twist them, the mics are then a 120 degree angle. This is good for picking up sources that are farther away, or even ambient sounds for a wider stereo image. If there was a metal cage over the mics, you couldn't reach your fingers in to twist them. Overall, I would rather have a switchable pickup pattern, than a protective cage. Just don't drop a $350 recorder.

Second, the packaging. Inside the box, the unit came with a hardshell plastic carrying case, usb cable, foam windscreen, ac adapter, mic stand adapter, manuals and cubase le software, and a 1gb memory card. This is leaps and bounds above the competition. Most other recorders won't come with any of this. Other companies will even make you buy your own ac adapter and memory card. And Zoom went even further and added a plastic carrying case (for those of you worried about dropping it). They were definitely thinking about the customers on this one.

Third, and most importantly, the sound quality. This is why you buy the unit right? The sound quality has to be good or nothing else matters. Overall I was surprisingly impressed with the sound quality. I am an audio engineering student, going to school for sound reproduction, and sound reinforcement. Needless to say, I know my way around a microphone. I was expecting this unit to sound average, just like a pocket (or handheld) recorder usually sounds. But in fact, the H4n sounds pretty decent. The high end is nice and defined, the microphones built into the unit sound really clear. The one thing I can say about the sound is that it is accurate. I have recorded a few tests using my voice, a guitar, and some other misc. elements. I did notice that the microphones gave off a little bit of condenser hiss when the input gain was turned up. This could probably be solved or lessened if you were to get closer to the object and turn down the recording level. But still, it worries me to have a little bit of noise floor coming from the mics, especially if I were to use the recordings for post production video work.

The other thing I noticed was a lack of bass response. This could have been because I was a foot or two away from the microphones, but the bass on the microphones was a little lacking. My voice sounded a little thin. My guitar sounded fine, but guitars don't really have a lot of low end in the first place. Also watch out for handling noise. If you think that you're going to carry the unit around and do interviews while holding it, forget it. All handheld recorders suffer from this (I've read), but its true for this unit as well. Anytime you hold the H4n and move it around, you can hear low end rumbling and handling noise. Just use a tripod, or the included hand/mic clip adapter and you should be fine. (Also get a better windscreen if you're going to use it outside, the one included doesn't do anything outdoors for wind noise. You should buy a fuzzy or "hairy" windscreen if you want to use it outside)

Overall I think this recorder is the best on the market right now. Although there are a few units that have better sounding built in microphones (sony), it's only marginally better. Plus the H4 is cheaper (by about $150) and has more build in features/functionality. Like the fact that the H4n can record with two built in mics, and two XLR mics simultaneously (4 tracks at once). This means that you can record with the built in mics, but also use your own microphones if you want to add variety, redundancy, etc. You can also just use the unit for a preamp if you only want to use your own microphones to record in the field. I won't name off all of the features, but some included features weren't even necessary and Zoom was nice enough to add them in anyway (guitar tuner, audio interface, stamina mode, MTR mode, 96k recording, etc).

Needless to say, if you need a recorder for any reason, even if it's just for a school project, or for recreation, don't buy the cheapest recorder you can find. Spend a little extra money and get the H4n, it's seriously worth the extra cash for something that will last you much longer. It's simply the best value for a handheld recorder on the market right now.

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I purchased the H4n after being unhappy with the H2's performance most significant where I couldn't record a good sounding signal that wasn't distorted with the Line In jack. Only to find that the H4n has the same problem but not as bad. If I try to record a line level signal from a sound board or stereo receiver and connect to the H4n's 1/4 inch jacks, it is almost impossible to not to have a distorted signal. It appears that on both models the line in preamp is too sensitive and clips very easily and because it is clipping in the preamp, adjusting the gain doesn't correct it. I contacted Zoom's tech support about the H2 and was told that I likely had a defective unit. I returned the H2 and decided to give Zoom another chance and try the H4n after seeing many positive reviews.

I really like the H4n's design, the menus and controls are nicely organized. It feels more sturdy than the H2. The recording quality using the built in mics is excellent. Most other recorders in this price range don't have XLR inputs. Since I plan to use it mostly for recording concerts by connecting to a line out or tape out on a sound board, if the line in jacks don't work properly and can't accept a normal line level signal without clipping, I can't use this for what I bought it for. I have used my Sony minidisc recorder for the same type of application for the past 8 years and have never had any problems. I've worked with pro sound equipment for over 25 years and have used many types of recorders and so far the Zoom products are the only ones where I have encountered this problem. If you are using this to record with mics, it works great, but if you need to record from line level sources, the Zoom recorders may not be a good choice. I exchanged this for the Tascam DR-07 and while the Tascam doesn't have as many bells and whistles, It is a nice recorder and I'm very happy with it.

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Among the many other recorders on the market today, I looked seriously at the H2 and the original H4. I ended up not buying anything for awhile because every single one of these devices seemed to be missing something or have a negative aspect that I just wasn't enthusiastic about paying for. Then I heard some rumbling that Zoom was coming out with the H4n, which was supposed to be their response to all the feedback they'd gotten about the H2 & H4. So after all the good things I'd read about those two, the H4n had me at hello. I grabbed one as soon as it became available, which was about a month after they announced it. (Serial # 1438!)

I won't review every little detail of the H4n but I'll tell you the three major improvements that made me buy this:

The screen is now a healthy size and displays everything you need to know clearly.

The interface overall is a pleasure to use. You can operate it easily with one hand. It's very intuitive and all the controls feel solid. I usually go through the manual once anytime I get a new piece, but for basic recording you really wouldn't have to. Even the 4-track mode is a breeze.

Zoom has really stepped up the build quality on this piece. Unlike its all-plastic predecessors, the H4n's case is rubberized and the mics are solidly mounted on... what's this, metal? It has a nice solid weight and feels pro. One thing I didn't understand though: the original H4 had these protective pieces surrounding the mics and the H4n does not. But it's slightly top-heavy and if dropped I can easily imagine the mics hitting the floor first and I'm pretty sure they would be tweaked/broken. Or what if you had this in your back pocket and sat on the mics? It's like, for all the work they put into making this more durable, they left the most important part vulnerable. Which kind of makes me wonder whether the extra heft of this unit is just for feel, not for real. (Time will tell..)

I will primarily be using this to record DJ sets and sounds from the field. I did that this past weekend and the quality is just as good as the other reviews say it is. I'm looking forward to being able to record a stereo mix from the mixer, simultaneous with a room mix with crowd noise, in 4 channel mode. Also this is the first condenser I've owned and I look forward to using it in the studio. I leave some cables hanging off the back of the cable box so if I hear something on TV I can just plug in and hit record. I thought I wouldn't use the 4-track but already it has me exploring ideas in the car. The built-in speaker is really handy. The FX are very high quality and there are some interesting ones beyond the typical reverb and delay.

The H4n is like the Swiss Army Knife of field recorders. The big one, with all the weird blades and tools you'll probably never need. It's one of those rare moments of technical glory when a company collects a ton of great ideas from their customers, refuses to compromise, and you end up with a truly inspired product.

Galaxy CM130 Sound Level Meter

• Frequency weighting: A,C
• Time weighting: Fast, Slow
• Dynamic Range: 30 dB
• Frequency Range: 125Hz to 8KHz
• Battery Life: 9V Battery 110 hours (included)

This device performs very well for the price range that it is in.

All of the fuctions will meet most requirements for basic sound mesurement.

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Helped me set up both my home theater and my car audio system.

Pro'sDoes the job as promised

Easy to use

-Buttons layed out well

Cons -Could be a bit more soild(thicker plastic?)

-Charging me extra for a case?(kind stupid at least give me a vinyl case)

Read Best Reviews of Galaxy CM130 Sound Level Meter Here

Bought this because my son practices his bass in the house. Works well. Nice digital display with large numbers. Battery life is very good. Been very pleased with it. If you have need for a simple, easy-to-read sound level meter, this one would be an excellent choice.

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This works just fine for what I used it with, tuning home theater. It is a bit pricy buy shipped acceptably quick and works just fine.

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Do people tell you that you are speaking too loudly?

Here is a moderately-priced device to help you monitor your outgoing volume.

I do not have a hearing loss but have been told by family members that I was

too loud. This device helps determine "the truth" and helps give you feedback

to bring your volume into mutually-acceptable levels.

You can also protect your hearing by determining if sounds are too high and

put in ear plugs to protect your hearing.

Protect your ears. Some hearing aids can cost $7,000. This device can help

prevent or forestall a hearing aid.

Samsung SCL860 Hi8 Palmcorder Camcorder

This is a very good camcorder for the price, but the PAL60 output does not work.

This Samsung 860 Camcorder seemingly does everything that I expect it to do. Sure, I'd prefer a camera of this quality and ability without the tape....a completely digital camcorder. But I knew the Samsung was not that and thus, have not been disappointed. I like it a lot.

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I think this is a great camcorder for someone on a tight budget, but I don't like the fact that there is no cartridge to play the Hi-8 tape in the vcr there is a cord you hook your camcorder to the vcr with and use the camcorder almost as a vcr to play the tapes and you hae to record the Hi-8 on to a vhs from your vcr in order to not have to use your camcorder. The only good part about that is that you can use the Hi-8 tape as many times as you need to and then jsut record it on to a vhs and reuse the Hi-8 tape.

Read Best Reviews of Samsung SCL860 Hi8 Palmcorder Camcorder Here

The scl860 is good camcorder, but viewfinder has no color. There is a longer-life battery, so, why does it included the cheap one? It cost around $$$ for the longer-life battery. Other brand batteries cost less. Who's gonna record more than 60mins, right?

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Got a great 22x optical zoom.Its a good basic camcorder and easy to use. Tough I find using of digital special effect a bit difficult. It has a good battery life as long as you dont touch that zoom. Had good playback , comes with charger and AV cables.

Olympus DS-30 Digital Voice Recorder

I got my DS-30 last week and I love it! This is the first digital stereo voice recorder I have owned. I am very impressed with the quality of manufacturing and the quality of the recordings. I uploaded some photos above to show the size of the unit and the contents of the package.

The DS-30 can record with or without the attachable stereo microphone. This mic is so small though that even attached it still fits in my pocket.

The "Hold" feature is nice. Press the Hold button will lock the DS-30 buttons until taken off hold. This is handy if you are moving around a lot or want to save the current recording or playback settings without fear of accidentally touching any of the buttons.

It has a lot great features for recording both dictation (voice in quiet, close quarters) and conferences (voice in large, noisy rooms). These features include a Variable Control Voice Actuator which will automatically turn on/off the recorder based upon the volume level it senses, a microphone sensitivity setting and a Low Cut Filter. (Playback mode also has features like noise cancellation and voice filter.)

The DS-30 can playback AVI and MP3 files. It can also play Audible format files as well as Podcasts. The device has a full-featured menu including adjustments for backlight, contrast and LED, powersave, 3 alarms and a voice guide. The alarms are very kewl. You can set them to play various alarms sounds or even use one or your own recordings!

The D3-30 comes with ear buds and it can play MP3 and AVI files. I transferred some music to it and the quality of the MP3 player is really nice! I am not an audiophile but the DS-30 plays MP3s every bit as well as they sound on my laptop.

Transferring files from my D3-30 to my computer was plug-n-play easy. I just attached the USB cable to my PC. Windows XP immediately recognized my DS-30 as a new device and displayed it as a new drive letter in my Windows Explorer list of drives. I could drag-n-drop files to and from, including MP3s. It could not be any easier. I did not install the DS-30 software. At this point I won't even need it and I prefer not to install a bunch of unnecessary software on my computer.

The DS-30 package comes with:

DS-30 Digital Stereo recorder

User Manual (well written)

2 AAA batteries

Ear buds

USB cable

Olympus DSS software

* Optional accessories include a remote control, telephone pickup and AC adapter.

After doing quite a bit of research I purchased this to "podcast" some events (seminars). Our first event was today and this device allowed me to get the podcast up right after the event, though with some effort, which is why it gets 4 and not 5. See below.

The device is very small, very lightweight, well thought out ergonomically, has an excellent built in (and removable) stereo MIC, and connects via regular USB. The software interface on it is very good (for recording), the screen is easy to read. The batteries will last quite a while, or you can use AC (optional), or Lithium Ion batteries (optional).

You do not need any add on MICs to record most events the MIC can be set to pick up nearly everything; to cut low end noise, etc. In short, this is a very high quality, easy to use (but powerful if you need it) dedicated audio recorder.

The issues are that it only records in WMA format (Windows proprietary) and the software is not very good for editing. For example, if you record in stereo, it will not download the WAV file when you download the file, nor can you convert it to mono. To do the podcast, I had to import the WMA file into iTunes, then open the Mp3 iTunes created in Audacity (audacity.sourceforge.net). From there, I was able to edit the file, and compress the bit stream.

This device can also be used to listen to podcasts, and the software has some kind of organization for that; but for the life of me, I cannot imagine anyone doing this, if they had an ipod. It is just clumsy and not intuitive for podcast listening. If you want to listen to podcasts, do what the rest of the planet does get an ipod, use iTunes.

I would recommend this device as a high quality dedicated recorder, that is not too expensive, but not for mp3 or podcast listening.

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I'm am oral historian using the recorder to record oral histories from elderly interviewees. I actually bought this recorder to upgrade from my old "Sony ICDP320 64MB Digital Voice Recorder w/ PC connectivity" I purchased from AMAZON a few years ago for around $60.00. I needed to upgrade my sound quality, I figured at an original price of 200.00and all the great reviews, the Olympus was the way to go.

First of all, the sound quality is amazing. I use it with an external microphone, "Sony ECMMS907 Digital Recording Microphone" also purchased on AMAZON for around 75.00. It's great as it cuts down on the external noise that the recorder tends to produce. Less paper shuffling background noise, or when you have to pick up the recorder-it doesn't distort the sound. This recorder plus the sony microphone produce wonderful quality audio. I'm not a professional, but I am very happy with the results.

When I got home tonight to upload my audio on my computer and do a little editing, I was shocked to find the recorder WILL NOT CONVERT THE FILES FROM WMA. I did not realize I could not edit/move or generally touch the WMA files with any program. There is a button on the task bar that offers to convert the files to .WAV, but it never lights up. After much hair pulling I purchased the $ editing program upgrade offered. No luck and still no conversion. bucks wasted.

Interestingly, my old 70.00 recorder will download the audio into ANY format you want, MP3, Wav, WMAwhatever. I am shocked to learn this 200.00 recorder limits me to one format. Now I have to search the internet to find a free conversion program that will not sacrifice the quality I just paid so dearly to get. I certainly don't want to shell out another 50.00 for a conversion program just to be able to access MY files!

Also, the downloading program is not intuitive and it is difficult to use. Editing is a joke.

I don't understand why the software side of this recorder is SO horrible when the recorder is SO good! I don't know whether to keep it and deal with the frustration or return it and deal with bad quality.

Update November 23, 2008: I have been using this recorder for quite awhile now. Yes, I decided to keep it. I'm using it with Vista, which helps b/c I don't use the software that came with it to download it onto my machine. I connect it and just put it where I want on my computer. Also, Vista has no problem burning these WMA files onto a CD for me, also better.

I do now use a converting program and a separate editing program to play with my audio. I understand having to purchase a separate editing program, but am still disappointed I have to bloat my desktop with another program to convert the files.

Positively, the recorder has been very easy to use. It's very point-and-click. Although, it comes with a recorded advert for audible.com (I JUST found this, prompting my update) Make sure and delete it for more memory. If I had this to do over again, I would do more searching to find something that would convert my files more easily. While not as bad as it was w/o Vista, it continues to be an annoyance.

Read Best Reviews of Olympus DS-30 Digital Voice Recorder Here

FYI, I don't know why people are saying this recorder is not Mac compatible, I've had no problems. I'm not using it for podcasting or anything, but I can attach the cable to my machine, it pops up in finder, and I can copy the .wma files to wherever. Quicktime has no trouble playing them, but more than that, you can still install the DSS software that comes with the recorder. Yes, there is a DSS-Installer.app file in the ENGLISH subdirectory of the installation CD that will install the application to your Mac. Then you get all the editing and cue-ing etc. functionality that the windows users are enjoying. FYI, I'm using OS X (10.5.1) Leopard.

As a recorder, it's great so far. Haven't had any problems, could do with a longer battery life, but I'll live.

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This is by far the best voice recorder I have purchased and I have purchased many! The quality of recording is incredible. I used it recently at a conference and despite much background noise, the recording was very good. But don't touch the recorder while is taping otherwise you will record substantial amount of noise. To get the best use, you should also order the following:

1. A 3-6 foot audio extension cord for the stereo microphone (get a thin flexible version). This will eliminate the noise if you end up having to touch the unit while recording.

2. The protective case if you want to keep the unit free of scratches and protect it against accidental drops.

3. An ac adaptor if you spend long hours transcribing or listening.

I wished they had bundled them with the unit but that's only a minor inconvenience.

Dslr Rig System 15mm Rod Clamp

High Quality machined aluminum clamp. The knob is also high quality aluminum. The threads are clean cut and smooth. The 1/4" thread has an internal hex so you can remove it or move it if need be. I will be buying from this brand again.

it has a nice fit and finish for the price compared to the "name" brands this one works just the same.....

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HQRP AC Power Adapter for Samsung SC-DC173U / SCDC173U Camcorder - (incl. USA Plug & Euro Adapter)

HOLA PERSONAL o INTERESADO EN ESTA CARTA DE OPINION.

QUE BUENO FUE EL PRIMER LUGAR EN BUSCAR MI CARGADOR PARA MI CAMARA Y UDS LO TENIAN ALA MANO

UN POCO ALTO DE PRECIO PERO HAY ESTABA , LA ENTREGA FUE MUY BUENA EN LA CONPRA UTILIZAN UNA MUY BUENA SEGURIDAD

PARA EL ROBO DE NUMEROS DE TARJETAS DE CREDITO , POR LO TANTO SON LOS MEJORES GRACIAS ,AMAZON, SEGUIRE CONPRANDO CON UDS CUANDO LO NECESITE GRACIAS

This item was priced very low compared to local retailers. It shipped on time and works well. I would recommened it to others.

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Pioneer 20X DVR-116D DVD/CD Writer (Black)

This drive is an OEM version and does not come with cables or other parts. Not even a box as it comes wrapped in bubble wrap. Installing is very easy. One just needs to select Cable Select for the jumper on the back. To use with a Mac one also needs to take off the front bezel from the tray. Had it installed and working in my first generation Mac Pro in under 10 minutes. Works great!!

Works great. Burns CDs and DVDs very well. Easy to install. Make sure to take the front plate of the disc plater and put it on the new drive. It's just held on by double sided tape.

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Installed drive in powermac g4. Works well with no issues on a dual 1.25mhz g4 with 2gigs memory running os x leopard

Read Best Reviews of Pioneer 20X DVR-116D DVD/CD Writer (Black) Here

this is the people champ, the best burner so far, and one of the best dvd+r dl, just look for review on cdfreak forum.........buy this you wont regret.

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The Pioneer 20X DVR-116D DVD/CD Writer (Black) installed easily into my Mac G5 and worked right away. No complaints.

LTS LTD431LCDH6KIT 4-Camera H.264 Digital Video Recorder Security System with Built-In 7-Inch LCD

After 2nd day one camera went off th air,no information provided in the manual to contact customer service for troubleshooting,still unable to setup remote monitoring,the registry web site provided in the manual was flagged by norton antivirus to be unsafe.I called amazon and they provided me with company contact information,turns out the LTS that amazon provided is not the right company to contact.Going back in time I would buy a product with better costumer service.

Pioneer DVR-XD09 External Slim Portable USB 2.0 DVD/CD Writer

I bought this drive last week from Best Buy's for $70.

It's cheaper here, but the Best Buy one was made on Dec. 2009, not June 2009.

I only used it for 2 days, so here it is:

**Portability: 10/10

It's as light as a thin paperback book!

Go find one & hold it. Can you get any lighter than this with $60?

**Ease of Use: 9/10

You could use it with Windows XP, Vista, or 7.

If you have Windows 7 like me, you have to wait about 10 minutes while it installs drivers and such.

After that, it's "plug-n-play".

**Additional Software: 7/10

The Nero 8 Essentials seems fast and took 15 min to download while the "Nero securediskviewer" took about 12 min.

I'm sure you could do without the Nero, but I wanted to try it out. (I still haven't, but I'll update this in a few months.) I still thought that the Nero took a little longer than I would've liked to download.

A small warning: The Nero 8 does take more space than I would've liked. (I like to keep my D drive as empty as possible.)

**Sounds & Heat: 8/10

There is NO heat.

However, it makes this annoying humming and high "whoooo" sound when it's working hard.

**Design: 10/10

Unlike most usb external optical drives, this one opens up!

You get to see what you're working with and adjust the cd/dvd accordingly.

The "Open" button doesn't work when there's isn't any power, so turn it over and find the little button on the lower back of the drive, press it the opposite way, and and the drive cover should kinda click up.

I like it this way because it's safer when a cd/dvd jams up & freezes -you could just yank out the 2 usb cables from the computer/laptop, WAIT until you hear the disk stop spinning, and take it out (using the way I just described).

Plus, it is NOT a fingerprint magnet. You can see oily fingerprints if you tip it at a certain angle, but other than that, the somewhat metallic gray finish hides everything.

All in all, I give this drive a 9/10.

It's thin, well designed & built, portable, and is at a decent price.

(I highly recommend it for beginning to intermediate computer users.)

Buy it! You won't regret it!

(at least most of you won't)

Unfortunately, this unit just isn't reliable. The first one I had quit working after a week (it would spin and stop, spin and stop). Second unit (replacement) did exactly the same thing.

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This Pioneer DVD drive is the smallest/lightest/thinest of the ones i bought/tried. I have tried the HP which is good but a bit more pricier. I tried an old LaCie which works sometimes. I'm using it on my Apple MacBook Pro 15", 3,1 A1226 Mid/Late 2007. So far the drive is working perfectly. Since i have an Apple computer, i cant run the included software, but Nero is generally a good company and their software is top notch, if you pay for it, free ones will do the job but limited.

The bottom of the drive is metal and the lid is plastic. Bottom will attract some fingerprints but the top is matte so it looks and feels good.

The only problem i have and kind of hate with all these drive manufacturers is the USB cable that is bundled, doesnt work for me 95% of the time. My problem actually lies with Apples's design. Apple being Apple, put USB ports on either sides, having one of each side. Good if you have a huge thumb drive. Bad if you want to use DVD drive.

The LaCie had two separate cables a power and a usb which was good but it didnt work well with my Mac. The HP worked good but the USB cable is a Y-Cable with two USB ports on the end. The cable was just long enough for it to plug it if i ran it over the top keyboard, which made typing inconvenient and putting it on the bottom might cause problems because the aluminum bottom gets HOT. So for the Pioneer DVR-XD09 has a Y-Cable too. unfortunately, its even shorter with the total distance of 5". Yeah.. now I'm running it using an usb extension cord.

Its a good drive and since the built-in drive is broken on my laptop, i have no other choice and it is one of the better choices out there. Should try to find a shorter extension cord than my current 3' long one.

The drive pictured isnt the XD09, should be the older version.

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1. cord too short. (2 USB Connection cord)

2. have to manually eject by hand.

3. does not plug and play.

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I bought this primarily to replace the cable for the unit I already had. For the price I now have a back up (assuming I don't loose the cable again)

DXG DXG-505V 5.1 MegaPixel Camera with 2.4" Rotating LCD

The DXG-505V is an inexpensive, value-packed multi-function device that tries to do everything, but is spread a bit thin in terms of practicality. As a camera, its pictures are mega-sharp although it's surprising to experience internal mechanical focusing noise (and such short battery life) on a solid-state camcorder that has no moving parts. DXG should have really bundled in the optional NP-60 Li-Ion rechargeable battery (found online for under $11) and a 2GB SD card (about $25) and raised the price accordingly, because you WILL be buying these items.

As far as features go, let's run down the list:

1) Pictures. Quite good! Very basic lens, but sharp with decent color, 5.1MP resolution, auto-focus, & flickery electronic flash.

2) Camcorder. Grainy, even in HQ (640x480) mode, with rather low color resolution. Spend $25 and get yourself a 2GB SD card. Haven't tried the Direct Printing support, but it's in there.

3) FM radio & MP3. These work, barely. Clumsy and primitive.

4) Webcam. Yep, this works. You can capture pics or movies with it in Pinnacle Studio or Vegas. Bonus for also being able to record and playback via NTSC.

5) Flash drive. Works just like any other, very easy to get your files in and out of the camera.

6) Audio recorder. Primitive. Sound is fixed at 12KHz mono, and record levels are not adjustable.

So, you get the idea. The LCD rotatable LCD display is excellent, and the firmware is very well done for the most part so as long as you keep your expectations modest, it's a very fun device but strictly for kids and hobbyists.

What this is supposed to do best is probably the worst feature of this product, which is recording video. If you don't mind low res video, and just want something to mess around with, then it's fine. It does take good pictures, but if I wanted good pictures, I would've bought a digital camera. Same goes for the mp3 player, radio, and voice recorder. I wanted this for capturing decent video, and it does a really lousy job with what they should have made thier number one priority. I didn't expect too much from this camcorder for it's price, but it's pretty bad when my brothers digital camera, which was cheaper than this, takes much better quality video. So yea, your probably just better off buying a digital camera that records video, because it'll probably be better at pictures and video than this sub-standard camcorder.

Buy DXG DXG-505V 5.1 MegaPixel Camera with 2.4" Rotating LCD Now

Overall the camera is "okay." It does not come with a memory card so be sure to keep that in mind when purchasing because those alone can cost anywhere from 20 to 200 dollars! I have a 512MB one in it right now, and it's not enough. The camera takes pictures okay, but only in very good lighting. Don't try to use it inside...even the very cool lighting features can't save the poor quality pictures it produces in poor lighting situations. Also, unless you have a very steady hand, most of your pictures will come out blurry or with a glare created from the flash....not sure why that is though...The video it takes is very very very pixeled. You can see colorful dots all over the picture, even when you transfer it to either dvd or your computer. The MP3 features are neat, but it eats up too much space for what it's worth. The camera comes with headphones, usb ports and cords to hook into your tv. Pretty cool, I think. All in all, it's a good camera for what you are paying for...but I would reccommend saving for another month and buying a step up. It's good for a college student like myself, who will in the next few years be building a family and purchasing a better quality camera. :) Hope this helps...

Read Best Reviews of DXG DXG-505V 5.1 MegaPixel Camera with 2.4" Rotating LCD Here

I am pleased with the purchase I made and the price I paid.

I am still getting aquinted with it. I have one problem, I don't know how to erase the internal storage, which is very little. If there was some more internal storage, it would have beem great. Could do with some help there.

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That's the way, that's the way' uh hu' uh hu I like it uh hu uhTony Hawk

Seagate FreeAgent Theater HD Media Player STCEA101-RK

• Dual-docking system eliminates fumbling with cables and connections
• Automatically syncs with new content on your PC
• 1080i High-Definition playback
• Dolby Digital 5.1 audio surround sound support
• FreeAgent Theater media player- 1-year limited warranty

The Seagate FreeAgent Theater is now cheap because it is old technology and it shows. It is not a bad player for old-school video formats, but the picture is composite like an early years DVD Player, not HD. The firmware is slow, ugly, and buggy. The newer Theater+ model has HDMI, networking, and HD picture, but it is not worth the much higher $ investment (currently over $200 with hard drive and dock). The new firmware is still a D+ at best. I recommend using a netbook with an HDMI port as a media server instead. A netbook will work flawlessly as a media server and you will enjoy all the other PC fuctions it can do for you.

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PLEASE RATE THIS REVIEW, SO IT WILL BE SEEN.

I have tried to use it for videos from flv and wmv, it wont play youtube videos, or much of anything, (except for .AVI), its format list is obfuscated . I spent hours converting many videosto no avail. It plays photos and music, but whatever.

Second: the menu system, It acts randomly and buggy, it will scroll backwards, shift menu's when you press play, press anything, its RANDOM. I'm sending it back.

Read Best Reviews of Seagate FreeAgent Theater HD Media Player STCEA101-RK Here

I'm surprised it has not been reported here but this unit does not work with some Seagate Freeagent Go drives designed to fit neatly in the special compartment. The drive (as well as other USB drives) works fine as external but does not work as intended.

Seagate has known about the problem all along (their forum is full of complaints about this) but does not have a fix for it and not even trying to address the issue. What is dishonest is that none of the distributors who are selling this unit would tell that upfront.

Otherwise, aside from climsy remote and slow remote response, this is a great unit for the price.

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This product should never have been released. I have tried MPEG-4, AVI and several other file formats and it reports all of them as invalid files. At least one of them should have worked! Yet the files have no trouble in Windows XP with several players and no trouble playing on my Mac or iPod. The only thing that cannot play the files is this Seagate Theater.

The device is also very slow when moving through menus.

If Seagate has very limited file handling capabilities, they should have provide utilities to convert files to their accepted formats. No conversion software is provide AND they don't provide any recommendations either.

The documentation is extremely poor and the website support almost non-existent.

Seagate makes very good disk drives I love the FreeAgents but this product should never have made it to store shelves.

Player is nice if you already have a freeagent go drive and want to play media from the living room. The drives works fine with any USB storage (hard drives, usb sticks, etc)

I like the slideshow transitions for photos(nice for family gatherings), and it plays back my DVD content that I've put on my drive from DVDs which I own.

Like someone already mentioned it has no HDMI, but does support component/composite so it will work with any TV. They should do HDMI on the next version, but it does not limit anything with the current product.

Single most annoying feature for video is the 'preview' that slows you down from scrolling and finding the right file. Overall, solid product and looks nice in living room. The included remote is small and so hard to operate if you have big hands, but it's usable. Don't expect to play any ripped HD movies or anything, but if you are not into that you are fine.

Been using mine for 1+months with no issues and love the look of my red freeagent go drive when it's in the unit.