Showing posts with label olympus dp201. Show all posts
Showing posts with label olympus dp201. Show all posts

Wednesday, October 29, 2014

Bundle Combo: Neoprene Dual Pocket Zipper Case (Black), Micro USB to USB Cable (3 Feet), Car Charge

Bundle Combo: Neoprene Dual Pocket Zipper Case, Micro USB to USB Cable, Car Charger, Wall Travel/Home Charger, and Carabiner Key Chain for the Kodak PlaySport HD Waterproof Pocket Video CameraEverything worked great. Very helpful to have the USB cable have a dual purpose (doubles as a computer to camera cable and wall charger to camera cable). Pouch keeps everything together in one place.

I would definetly recommend this bundle to anyone who's purchased a Kodak playsport. It's a handy-dandy little combo that will be pretty helpful in many different ways. First, I'm pretty sure the USB cable that comes in this pack is longer than the one that originally came with my camera, but even if it's not, it's nice to have a cable just incase something happens to your original one. The car charger is great and it really comes in handy since the camera's battery life isn't the best. I always take my camera outdoors with me for much of the day so the car charger was amazing! The wall plug is also just another spare "justincase" part since the camera already comes with one, but I still take my spare around with me so I can charge it if I find an outlet. My favorite part (and probably the main thing) about this bundle is the camera pouch. It's a very nice material that's super soft and smooth so it keeps the camera safe and scratch free! It also has an extra pocket on the outside that can hold any extra memory cards and batteries you may have. It's probably too small to fit the cable inside though. I still haven't used the keychain yet, but I suppose it's always nice to have one.

This is a great little kit to have, it's cheap yet functional, and it won't go to wasteyou'll use it all the time!

Buy Bundle Combo: Neoprene Dual Pocket Zipper Case (Black), Micro USB to USB Cable (3 Feet), Car Charge Now

I bought this to go with my Kodak PlaySport Pocket Camcorder. It works good for carrying the remote control and extra batteries. The AC/USB adapter works good to charge up my PlaySports batteries faster as well. The DC/USB Adapter charges up my PlaySport, GPS, or Cellphone while riding my motorcycle or driving my car. Overall a great kit for any small portable electronic device!

Read Best Reviews of Bundle Combo: Neoprene Dual Pocket Zipper Case (Black), Micro USB to USB Cable (3 Feet), Car Charge Here

i like the carring bag, and i needed the charger for my camera. That is why i rated it so well.

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Good selection of products. Love the flexibility of the charger. Nice case. Good value. Would purchase again. No problems with product

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Tuesday, October 28, 2014

2 Pack Foscam FI8918W Wi-Fi IP Camera Pan:300°& Tilt:120°+ Freely control IR-LED on/off and High

2 Pack Foscam FI8918W Wi-Fi IP Camera Pan:300°& Tilt:120°+ Freely control IR-LED on/off and High image & video quality,2-way audio,night version -WhiteOrdered these so we could have a baby monitor for our newborn and our 2-year-old in her "big girl room." Never used anything from "Foscam" before so had no expectations going in. Quality of materials was surprisingly good, these cameras are sturdy and feel like they will last (not like flimsy cheap junk.)

Setup was simple. I have been setup and maintained networks for quite some time, so I didn't bother with the user manual and can't comment on how well they walk you through the setup, but if you have setup your own wireless router before then you can figure out the setup on these pretty easily. The included disc will discover the IP addresses of the cameras automatically when you connect them which will let you log into their respective control panels and then you're either up and running with default settings, or have it customized in mere minutes. If you can setup port forwarding and DDNS you can access these from anywhere in the world via the internet (or smartphone) which is really nice.

I was surprised at the amount of features built into these. I don't use many of them, but am glad to know they exist. When these retire from being nanny cams they will make great security with motion detection and the ability to email out snapshots to alert you anytime/anywhere to let you know they see something, then you know to log in and watch your live feed.

Motor operation is smooth and silent, you cannot hear these cameras move. (the iPad app I use to monitor/control mine is loud when they move, the mic picks up the motor noise, but someone in range of the camera will never hear them moving.)

Video quality is acceptable for monitoring anything you need, these aren't for shooting home movies. The infrared lights work amazingly well. I expected the light to be a spot light in the center of the camera view, but was impressed that they light up the entire room (in our kids bedrooms not sure how large of a room will continue to get these results.) Audio quality is low, but was a bonus feature I was not expecting. It is nice to have 2-way communication built right in.

Others have complained that it didn't come with an extra antenna. I don't know what they're looking for in the package, the description on the item I bought says it has a 9dbi antenna. It doesn't say it comes with an EXTRA 9dbi antenna. You get two cameras, and there are two antenna in the package. You attach them and you're done. That is the 9dbi antenna that is advertised with the camera and I am getting excellent range and signal strength with them.

Overall I'm pleased with this product, and on my recommendation my father-in-law is installing them as security cameras for his lake cabin and using some of the other features that I don't need. If either of us have any major issues I will update this review.

Camera's work great but the software was some what difficult to get operational. Took a lot of web searchers togather all the imformation to work properly.

Buy 2 Pack Foscam FI8918W Wi-Fi IP Camera Pan:300°& Tilt:120°+ Freely control IR-LED on/off and High Now

I purchase the Foscam F18918W and was very please with vary features. The camera is easy to operate and picture are very clear. Foscam tech support was very helpful, especially tech by name Leo was friendly and new alot about helping setup my camera.

Read Best Reviews of 2 Pack Foscam FI8918W Wi-Fi IP Camera Pan:300°& Tilt:120°+ Freely control IR-LED on/off and High Here

Cameras were pretty easy to set up on the home wifi however once I tried to get remote access it started going way over my head. Now I have two cameras that work fine but are worthless to me because i can't figure out how to set them up remotely, which it the whole reason I got them in the first place.

Want 2 Pack Foscam FI8918W Wi-Fi IP Camera Pan:300°& Tilt:120°+ Freely control IR-LED on/off and High Discount?

After reading a previous review that recommended manually assigning a static IP address to the camera, I had it up in 5 minutes. Implmenting IP forwarding in my Belkin router was a breeze and a $20 year DynDNS subscription takes care of the cable dynamic IP address issue.

Using the Active X IE multidevice function, I monitor four cameras now: two outside and two inside. I turned the motion sensing function down to sensitiivity 2 and eliminated most false alarms. The function emails me snapshots of the motion alert as well as taking a 1 minute avi.

Outside IR night vision is very good for the price. The inside cameras pan and tilt functions are used to take candid snapshots of our lazy cats and turtles.

For 300 dollars or so I have 360 view of the outside of my house and am able to view the main living area from anywhere. Great product for the price. I cancelled my ADT contract which was 600 a year.

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Sunday, October 26, 2014

Toshiba SD-V280 DVD-VCR Combo, Silver

Toshiba SD-V280 DVD-VCR Combo, Silver
  • ColorStream component-video DVD outputs; 10-bit, 27 MHz video conversion
  • Quasi S-VHS compatible VCR with 19-micron heads (for stable still-frames) and hi-fi stereo sound
  • MP3-CD playback, DVD picture zoom, DVD bookmarking (skip instantly to your favorite scenes)
  • Optical and coaxial digital-audio outputs accommodate all digital surround receivers
  • Includes remote control

The unit looks fabulous, and I had no trouble with the remote control on my television. However, I only had it for 6 weeks when the power supply died. It can't be repaired, and Toshiba won't honor the 90-day warrantee.

So, while it looks like a great product, the power supply is fragile and the customer service is one of the worst I've seen.

My advice: Go with a similar product from a company with higher standards of quality and customer commitment.

Buy Toshiba SD-V280 DVD-VCR Combo, Silver Now

When I bought this combo system I assumed that in exchange for convenience and space saving there would be some compromises. Unfortunately there are a little too many. First, the unit cannot play back MP3 CDs as advertised. It lost about half of the songs from each CD I tried, it broke individual songs into multiple files, it messed up directory structure -in short, forget about using it to playback your MP3 collection. It is clear that the MP3 functionality was tacked on as an afterthought and not very well. Instructions regarding MP3 playback do not even appear in the (indecipherable) manual, but rather are found on an (equally indecipherable) piece of paper shipped with the unit. Since MP3 playback was a big selling point for me, I was rather disappointed.

A second annoyance is that the remote control does not work with my new Toshiba TV. Nor does the Toshiba TV remote work with the VCR/DVD. This is just ridiculous.

My main complaint however is that the unit simply stopped working 3 weeks after I bought it. The entire electrical system just shorted out I couldn't even eject the tape and DVD that were in it. Amazingly, there is a Toshiba certified repair center nearby. They promise to have it fixed about 3 weeks. Great.

Update Two weeks later, I received a call from the Toshiba Authorized Service Center saying that they don't know how to fix the unit. I was told to call Toshiba customer support. Toshiba says they will looking it, but are non-commital doing anything.

Read Best Reviews of Toshiba SD-V280 DVD-VCR Combo, Silver Here

The player is very nice to look at, with a nicely subdued blue glow to the digital display. It's surprisingly lightweight and easy to carry and position. The gold connectors are nice too. Quality is excellent with both the DVD and VHS. Recording looks good. Colors seem perfect. Audio is top notch. Dialogue, music, and the bass really kick in nicely. Monster cables or something equal increase the quality something fierce, so I recommend picking those up. The VHS is noticably less crisp than DVD, but that's pretty much a given with anything. I'm sure the remote and on-screen menus could be made more user-friendly, but I'm not complaining. Some form of audioscopes would be welcome to go along with the music. Overall, no real complaints. I like the multitude of features. It compliments my little home theater setup nicely.

Want Toshiba SD-V280 DVD-VCR Combo, Silver Discount?

Whole thing broke down no way to eject disks. Toshiba repair claiming "lightening or power surge" and refusing to back warrantee (there was no lightening, and if there was a power surge, it didn't affect our computers at all...)

This unit is very light weight considering the fact that it has additional hardware to accomodate the DVD electronics.

There's no vent/exhause holes for dust or insects to get in. This means that there's probably little to no electronic problems in the future.

The remote and on-screen feature takes a little time to get used to, as most new things do. I found them to be self-explanatory.

DVD play is comparable to most DVD players with all the extra DVD features accessible through this player.

VHS playback is also generic in quality. But VHS recording comes a little short. It only have SLP & SP recording which means that if you want to dub over a family video or a movie that's more than 2 hours long your going to have trouble. It does NOT have EP or even LP recording which is capable of recording 4+ hours. I found that a little surprising when I tried to record over a family home video ... good thing I have a Sony VHS as my back up.

In general, this VHS/DVD combo is a great addition if you a first time DVD-player owner. Otherwise if are into recording VHS over 4+ this is NOT the combo you need.

Friday, October 24, 2014

Honeywell 5808W3 Wireless Photoelectric Smoke/Heat Detector

Honeywell 5808W3 Wireless Photoelectric Smoke/Heat DetectorWhen finishing a remodel one of the most common inspection complaints is that the code for smoke alarms has changed (now requiring every bedroom and all large areas to have their own unit). That may mean a long wire run, or the 5803W3 unit which works well with the ademco 5800 wireless system. This unit combines both a smoke and thermal rate of rise (heat) trigger for the best home defense against fire.

We often use these where a remodel is held up for lack of a smoke alarm. They are quick to enroll in the panel and system, but you MUST mount them to the ceiling first. The reason is that ademco has a tamper switch which will NOT allow proper enrollment unless first mounted. Watch out for that one!

Otherwise this is a quick resolution to meeting all applicable NPFA codes and getting final signoff for the customer.

This smoke/heat detector was new, sealed in the manufacturer's box. It was sold by an amazon associate, so delivery was not quite so quick as amazon, but reasonable, and well packaged. I added this to an existing Ademco Vista-20p security panel. Configuring it is not for the faint of heart, but if you're comfortable with doing that, I recommend this source for the detector.

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Smoke detector is great i have already had the fire department to the house for a mistake while installing it , high marks from me i feesafe in my house now

Read Best Reviews of Honeywell 5808W3 Wireless Photoelectric Smoke/Heat Detector Here

This smoke detector is a nice option if you are looking to add fire alarm into your honeywell (Ademco) home security system. The wireless feature saves time and aggravation of trying to fish wires and cutting and patching drywall to get the wires where you need them. Programming is the most difficult part of this installation. If you are not familiar with this process you can find "how to" videos on You Tube but it is time consuming and can get frustrating.

Want Honeywell 5808W3 Wireless Photoelectric Smoke/Heat Detector Discount?

Arrived on schedule, good condition, good quality. Works perfectly! How do I know? I accidentally set it off the other day while cooking :)

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Monday, October 13, 2014

RCA 7" Portable TV, RTV86073

RCA 7
  • 7-inch LCD display
  • Built-in ATSC digital/NTSC analog tuner
  • Detachable antenna, flip-out stand, AC power adapter, rechargeable battery, and full-function remote control
  • Parental control, speakers ideal for public viewing, and standard headphone jack for viewing in privacy
  • Weight Without Stand: 0.88 lbs

This is my 4th attempt at buying a portable digital TV since the over the air broadcast standard changed from analog to digital 3 years ago in June 2009. I've already been through the 7 inch VIZIO and two 7 inch COBYs. I had to return them all what a waste of time and energy. None of them was satisfactory (see reviews) but this little RCA looks like a keeper.

In my metro area, I am able to pick up 12 channels with the included antenna.

The picture is bright, reasonably clear and the color very natural.

The screen has a dull, non-reflective surface so you're not looking at the reflection of your own face as is the case with the pricey VIZIO which has a very shiny screen. The RCA display is 234H x 480W PIXELS.

The clarity is quite acceptable noticeably better than the COBYs but not as sharp as the hi-resolution VIZIO which has inferior color and NO tint control.

The sound is clear but tinny and it's consistent in level from channel to channel. The audio is NOT as good as the COBYs but far superior to the very weak VIZIO. There is a headphone output allowing for use of a headset or powered external speakers.

The image scaling is excellent. If you set the aspect ratio to AUTO, the picture is properly proportioned from widescreen stations to those broadcasting in the old standard 4:3 format. Circles are always round and people are NOT stretched wide to look short and fat. VIZIO could not get that right.

Here's a plus unlike the VIZIO, when you power down, the RCA retains the channels you found as you would expect a TV to do.

The RCA has a full range of picture and audio controls as well as closed caption capability.

I have yet to connect it to cable or test battery play time.

I am just so happy to have a decent portable TV again. At this nice low price point, this TV is worth buying.

Though I wish it had a higher resolution screen, this will do nicely until something better comes along.

I've been researching these little beasts for 3 years now and in my opinion, this is the best portable TV on the market for now.

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

1 MONTH UPDATE:

We had a very bad storm come through on 6-29-2012 and were without electric power for almost 3 days. This little TV was a blessing. The battery only lasts about 90 minutes but I previously bought a 12 volt car adapter that allowed continued viewing. I also re-routed our cable signal to the 7 inch TV and scanned for cable channels. It found all 65 analog stations but none of the digital QAM signals. Most importantly, it found the cable radar station.

A day later, I rescanned for the unscrambled digital stations and it found all 16 of them.

Buy RCA 7" Portable TV, RTV86073 Now

The RCA 7 inch HDTV is a good portable HDTV, but it's not perfect. Surprisingly the TV does not have a built in telescoping whip antenna but a short 6 inch antenna which attaches to the TV by it's 30 inch cable. Although a whip antenna wouldn't be great it would be vastly superior to the included antenna. Curiously this set up exists in other portable TV's too. All these 6 inch vertical TV antennas are a joke unless you and the antenna can actually see the television station's transmitting tower, that's all you should expect from these antennas. Face it, would you connect a 6 inch antenna to your home TV and expect reception? This micro antenna also has a very thin coaxial cable. Without getting into the science of it, thin coax loses whatever signal it's carrying very, very quickly even over short lengths like 30 inches. Bottom line the supplied antenna and it's cable is junk. The tuner in this RCA TV is just as good as most home TV tuner's, it just needs an adequate antenna to work well.

The remote works fine but uses what I call bubble buttons. They all feel the same because they all have the same round bubble shape. This is different from most home TV remotes where one can feel the different round, square, or triangular shape of various buttons without needing to look and study which feature is which.

Finally the Li-ion battery is built into the TV. I see no means to replace it if/when it eventually fails.

Otherwise, the RCA works quite well and I like it. This RCA TV also has the standard coax connector antenna fitting that is used with real coax. Some portable TV's use a proprietary micro connector that is impossible to connect to real coax. This unit is nice to have on camping trips and the like but again be prepared to get a true functional small portable antenna preferably using real coax, for any of these portable TV's, these antennas do exist. Something like the Mohu Leaf or Terk antenna should work (I haven't tried them though). Don't buy the old school rabbit ears. They were designed for old analog TV's which operated mostly on VHF frequencies. Today's HDTV's mostly use UHF bands, the obsolete rabbit ears were never designed to work on the UHF band. I could explain the science but your eyes would glaze over after an hour.

Read Best Reviews of RCA 7" Portable TV, RTV86073 Here

I was replacing an Auvio 3.5" screen w/this unit because I didn't like having to replace batteries as often, and it didn't seem to have a car adapter available, and the home adapter was half the cost of the unit price.

The RCA unit has a rechargeable battery and comes w/both a car and home recharger and larger screen for about the same price I'd paid originally. A secondary benefit was the external coaxial(RF) connector for a better antenna connection, also.

The only drawbacks were the small antenna that doesn't really provide good reception and the really POOR remote control, which almost doesn't work, very difficult key responses, as well as no better reception than the Auvio unit has.

Overall, a better value, but nothing to brag about. It's worth the price, though.

Want RCA 7" Portable TV, RTV86073 Discount?

At some point almost every kid in America has had a desire for a small portable television set that could be sneaked into bed and used under the covers after one parent or the other has announced that it's "lights out" for the night. This RCA 7" Portable TV is just the type of device that so many of us fell asleep dreaming about, wishing that we had one.

On a more serious note, NPR ran a program a couple of years ago, 'Medical Detectives Focus On Myopia,' and in an interview Dr. Don Mutti (College of Optometry, Ohio State University) noted that "near-work" the things you do close up with your eyes, like reading or watching television or playing video games, had been a suspect as one of the causes of myopia for many years. German astronomer Johannes Kepler wrote about it about 400 years ago, and Dr. Mutti's advice was simple: "Don't watch too much TV, or don't read, you know, under the covers with a flashlight."

That being said, I found that this small 7-inch television didn't need to be viewed that closely, and that arm's length was an excellent viewing distance where the picture could be viewed clearly and easily once everything was set up as per the instructions. But let's get past the good and bad first...

Pros:

* Very light weight; about 1.1 pounds (0.50kg)

* Sharp and bright 7-inch diagonal LCD screen; 480 x 264 pixels

* Excellent controls, easy to master quickly

* Easy setup; good instruction manual, easy to follow

* Decent full-featured small remote control

* Built-in Li-ion rechargeable battery keeps it portable

* Convenient flip-out stand on back

Cons:

* The included external antenna is abominable and almost worthless

First Impressions Setup:

This television was well packaged, and was better in that respect than many on the market. It came with the TV itself, a remote control with CR2025 battery, a power adapter, a telescoping antenna with a magnetic base, a power adapter and a user guide. Following the directions, connected the antenna and plugged in the 12V power adapter, then turned the TV on. The manual said to perform an auto scan to search for the locally available channels. And that's where the first problem arose, as in the NYC area there are plenty channels, yet the reception ranged from just OK to very poor, which I found to be quite surprising from RCA.

Long story short, the supplied antenna is just about worthless. After charging the TV for a couple of hours, took it outside to a park area, did another auto scan, and found that reception was reasonably improved, but it didn't help indoor reception. Tried it briefly with my older Terk Technology HDTVi VHF/UHF HDTV Indoor Antenna and the reception improved greatly, but this antenna is somewhat directional and I didn't feel like having to readjust and auto scan for better reception every time the TV was moved. Came online here and read a number of reviews, then ordered the RCA ANT1450BM Refurbished Multi-Directional Digital Flat Amplified HDTV Antenna (reviewed here separately) which was on sale at the time. It arrived a few days later, and once it was hooked up, the reception was excellent. Note that this TV has an industry-standard coaxial antenna connector that enables it to be used with cable television if you like.

In Use:

Once the new antenna was installed and the auto scan was performed, found this television to be excellent in all respects. The size is small yet not too tiny, and the reception on all channels is first-rate. The available controls for setting such items as the picture, audio, V-chip and other controls are quite good, and if you (or someone else) screws them up, there's a reset option to restore things to the default settings.

Thought that the tiny remote control was nothing other than cute at first, but once one uses it for a while it has proven to be the preferred method of controlling this TV. The stereo sound wasn't so good until I plugged in a set of ear bud headphones, and the difference was remarkable.

Summary:

As with anything, how a product is rated has a lot to do with its performance vs. the price paid. In my case, I bought this here on a Lightning Deal when the price was below forty buck, which made it an exceptional value, even with the almost useless antenna. From past experience with televisions over the years, I expected that the antenna would have to be replaced, and was glad that RCA had chosen to not use a built-in telescoping antenna that would have to be adjusted every few minutes. All this being said, will have to say that at the regular price this would probably be a very solid +4-star product, but with an upgraded antenna, it's subjectively worthy of a 5-star recommendation... and don't let your kids use it under the covers late at night.

6/2/2012

I find that this TV is amazing considering the price.

Using the magnetic six inch antenna that was included with the unit, I was able to receive ninety-eight channels including twelve PBS channels.

This TV presents a nice picture with many picture and audio controls and also, it has built-in speakers (stereo) with the option of using headphones or ear buds.

The battery life is indicated to be limited to one hundred minutes but, that should suffice whenever there is a power outage and you would like to check periodic news updates.

I also found that 12 volt car adapter plugs into this TV and can also serve to recharge the TVs' built-in battery.

Friday, August 29, 2014

Android 2.2 8 inch Tablet Pc - A8

Android 2.2 8 inch Tablet Pc - A8UPDATE: This gadget was terrific--for the 3 days that it actually worked! I put it on to charge and the next morning it wouldn't come on at all--never to come back to life. It seems that several others have had the same problem. I emailed the seller, who responded immediately, who acknowledged the problem and has promised a full refund when he receives it. So disappointing, as it was great when it worked. Hopefully, the bug will be worked out of these and they will be available at this price point, as they are tons of fun.

I received my tablet yesterday, 11/17/11, well before the promised delivery date, so was really surprised at the speedy delivery. I was somewhat taken aback by the fact that there was no manual or instructions of any sort, and this was a bit intimidating since I have never had an Android device. It would have been nice to at least have a diagram to tell me what the basic function buttons were, but after a bit of playing around, I was able to figure out most of it and download a couple of apps that I really wanted (Kindle, Nook & Audible). I did download a Kindle publication that covers Android 2.2, but it is aimed at the Galaxy so is of only general use. I could't find any aftermarket resource that specifically discusses the operation of Android 2.2 in a tablet, but there may be one out there. There are boards and blogs that might be useful for dealing with specific issues, but so far I have been able to intuit the functions that I want with no previous experience with Android OS's.

I am disappointed that my device does NOT have a USB input jack on the unit as indicated in the described specs. The one I received has a black edge, not silver like the one in the picture, so I am not sure if it is the same brand/model (the unit itself has no brand on it, and the packaging has something in Chinese characters but no English label) or not. It has a separate doggle that plugs into the power port, so I am crossing my fingers that this will operate without any special tweaking on my part, since I am not a "techie". I don't really expect to have to use that all that often, so having to do one step more than just plugging into the port is not that big a deal.

This tablet is absolutely great as an e-reader that allows me to access a number of different sources. Being a senior citizen, I like the backlit screen for reading (I found the e-ink of the Kindle 2 difficult to read even with large type). Browsing the web is straightforward and the Market has more apps than I will ever use. I don't expect this to replace my iPhone (which I love and am lost without), but it is nice to have an app-based way to access the functions I use most often. The lack of documentation and USB jack caused me to deduct one star on the rating, but those would be easy to fix.

This little guy does not replace my laptop or my iPhone--too small for the first and too big for the second. But it fills a gap between the two, being the right size for book reading (especially with the ability to re-size the text), read email and do some basic surfing. The size of this unit is perfect (8"), being large enough to read easily and small enough to be easy to handle and hold for an extended period of time. I have yet to find out how long the battery will stay charged, but it is not anywhere near as long as the Kindle (but I need to tweak a couple of settings--turn off the GPS--for longer life, I just found out), but it will certainly get you through a day of reading. It can be recharged with a wall socket or USB connection. I think it will be ideal to take when traveling, since I usually am too busy to spend much time on the internet. Being able to carry books, read mail and check some news is well within the capabilities of this little unit. For 40% of the price of the basic iPad, only slightly more than a Kindle and less than the color Nook, it is a very handy crossover device and worth the cost if I don't ever use it for more than I have already gotten it to do.

What had drawn me to this device was that it had the latest Droid version. Although that might be the case, it is some sort of hybrid of a Droid. First of all during boot, a Linux logo appears in the left hand corner of the screen. I thought Droid was a stand-alone operating system. The device does not have a connection to the Droid Marketplace. It has a connection to some other app store that does not offer nearly what I have access to on my Droid phone. The device works okay. Wifi works fine and the battery life seems stable. But the bottom line is that it is just 1/2 of a Droid. I essentially bought a wireless web browser that will also play some games and will be good for eBooks. It runs Google Maps, and I found a few interesting apps on the third party app store. Overall, I would not recommend it unless you have disposable cash and need something a little larger than your phone to use when you are bored at the airport or coffee place. I intend to keep the device. Maybe over time things will improve and I enjoy the touch screen interface that Droid offers. Besides, I'd be out money if I were to return it, which makes no sense. The device was made in China. If you are really interested in owning a tablet device, focus on devices made elsewhere.

Buy Android 2.2 8 inch Tablet Pc - A8 Now

This Apad8 operating system and software works well. The actual physical tablet worked for about 12 days then died.

The little manual does not explain at all how the unit should be charged correctly, I left the device to charge the battery overnight and next day was dead.

Android Padlet gives only 7 days warranty on the unit. Android Padlet did not respond to my inquiry for more information for the unit.

I have tried to reset the unit, pushed all the buttons and the device is totally dead, I would assume that during charging it shorted.

For , the use of 12 days this actual tablet pc is not worth buying from any seller. I do not recommend buying it.

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

01/26/2011

Just want to mention: Amazon.com and the third party seller have no fault on this transaction that went wrong. Android Padlet did contact me trying to address my concerns. So I change my stance on the seller.

Amazon.com is a great place to shop with confidence. The only thing I wish, is that Amazon.com and the third party sellers stop allowing these companies, like the manufacturers from China to take advantage of the customers: No troubleshooting instructions, less than 30 days return policies, no technical support, no-name companies, no location address, no customer service toll-free phone.

Ofcourse lots of electronics are made in China but generally speaking, those sold in the US are backed by a Company Name, who offers warranty and returns / repairs / replacements unlike this Android PC tablet. Google does not manufacture the tablet PC, they only put the operating system on it, and offers software downloads.

These A-pads and Android phones evidently have major flaws and the customer is doomed to hang with a lemon. Everywhere on the internet are now a lot of people who feel they have been scammed, and to add insult to injury, are required to pay a hefty return transportation. That automatically rise the price at over $300.00 for this particular item, not to mention the frustration, aggravation, and time.

Google should take note if they want to save their face with these devices (too bad because android 2.2 is a great system) Give the job to other country, that keeps accountability and good reputation for their products.

Chinese manufacturers would better either honor their product or cease to sell through Amazon, Google and other reputable companies. Nobody wants a deal with dishonest companies. Their no-name now is in the mud. No PC or digital phone repair shop want to even touch these devices. There are no spare/replacements parts for them in the US.

Who sells this item? Amazon, Google, Alibalba, Aliexpress, Chinadigitalcomm, Dhgate, Umibuy, LightinTheBox, Android Padle, Merimobiles and many others.

Read Best Reviews of Android 2.2 8 inch Tablet Pc - A8 Here

My wife wanted a larger tablet than the Archos A32 that I use. She found this on Amazon's site and was interested so I bought it for her birthday. What a disappointment. The touchscreen doesn't read 90 percent of the time, the unit locked up twice in the first hour I tried to use it and the WiFi will NOT CONNECT to any network at all, including my secure network and my OPEN network.

I contacted the seller and they are very committed to making this right. Sports Entertainment immediately refunded my shipping charges to my account while I shipped it back to them. Once I shipped the unit they refunded my purchase price. I would not buy this product but I would definitely buy from Sports Entertainment again since they are very responsible in my opinion.

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I received this Android 2.2 OEM Tablet (No brand name) with the condition as expected. My experience of using Verizon wireless Android smart phone apply to using this tablet.

The difference:

1) 8" resistance touch pannel works well but requires harder push when operate.

2) Loaded with Quickoffice to open MSFT office documents. On my cell hone I have to pay for a copy to run on cell phone.

Pro:

Got to market to download and run APP.

A few APP failed to run, but most runs fine. Adobe reader also work as expected.

Good response and speed to operate

Con:

Not sure if GPS is not working or not included. This is not clear to me. Product only comes with a 4 page instruction.

System may sometimes lock up and requires a reset if try to use USB connection with a PC.

Adobe flash 10.1 download from market failed to install. Don't know if this is expected?

It's not the good quality of workmanship you would expect from a brand name high priced iteam. I got what I pay for.

In summary, worth the money and do what supposed to do.

Wednesday, August 20, 2014

Zoom H4n Handy Portable Digital Recorder 6-Piece Bundle

Zoom H4n Handy Portable Digital Recorder 6-Piece BundleIt takes a little getting use to. But it does everything the manufacturer says.

I superb multi-track recording device. It's a little bulky, but still portable.

I am glad it uses regular batteries and not some proprietary mess.

And there are a multitude of videos on YouTube show how to use it.

Communication was very good with the seller, who shipped the product promptly.

A lot of nice accessories bundled, just as described.

Very good recorder for the money, like especially the 4 channel recording feature and the phantom line-in feature.

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After a few years later I still amaze clients with the clarity of my audio. I boom it. I sit it on tables...it's been in pyramids, jungles, and beaches and I dropped it a few times....like new still works like a charm.

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I like this product, and I would recommend it to a friend although I had some issue with it which are:

1. the Remote is not really helping, it's not of a good quality I guess.

2. the buttons started to fade out although I am using this product for few times only. I can't think that I used it for more than 30-40 times with care, yet the buttons lables started to fade.

It's great for me as a portable recorder for my 7D, sound is very very clear from the bulit-in mics.

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I did not recieve the remote controller and only a 1GB SD card was included in the pack.

The recorder is a first class product, I recommend it to everyone who would ilke to buy a hand-recorder.

Monday, August 4, 2014

TRENDnet 300Mbps Wireless N Access Point TEW-638APB (Black)

TRENDnet 300Mbps Wireless N Access Point TEW-638APBHome networking can be a real pain especially for someone like me who knows enough to be dangerous but not enough to be a network installer. I have a wireless router burried in my basement that wasn't getting signal to my upstairs part of the house. I tried two other different products 1) two routers connected to each other and 2) a Hawking repeater. I ended up wasting a lot of time with them and they just didnt work or had compatibility issues. I took a plunge on the no brand trendnet based on this other positive review and he was 100% right. The price is 50% cheaper than the comparable Linksys N switch and does exactly as advertised. Setup took 5 minutes and I now have coverage all over my house. No issues so far.

UPDATE 07/02/10: Firmware fixes! v1.2.7 greatly improves the stability of this unit and now it performs flawlessly.

Original review:

I have had this AP for a few months now. It was not difficult to set up at all. When it works properly, I get decent speeds. However since this is a 2.4GHz access point don't expect channel bonding to work as well as in a 5GHz or dual band unit because the 2.4GHz band is basically overloaded. Also, this access point only comes with a 100BaseTX wired ethernet interface, so even if you got more than 100Mbps on the wireless side you're limited by the wired interface.

I also have it set up with WPA2, initially with WPA2-PSK and now with WPA2 enterprise using FreeRADIUS on pfsense for better security.

It does have multiple SSIDs but what is the point of that? It's not like you can segment it into VLANs or anything so this is a pointless feature. This would have been useful because I could keep one SSID open and put it on a DMZ on my firewall so I can give guests wifi access without opening up my whole network.

That said, my access point refuses to connect every ever so often. Completely random, but usually after I've completed some large file transfers over N wireless. It almost seems as though some buffers in the device are being saturated and the device just locks up. My laptop or iPod will attempt to associate then fail with no explanation, then magically come back after I power cycle the device.

I have not seen any firmware updates for it that would fix the issue so I think I'll just attempt to get warranty service for it or just get another access point like a Cisco.

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The documentation that comes with the product is poor. The web site is not very informative.

My access point had a non-standard default password when reset to factory defaults. I had to guess to figure it out.

I bought two to set up a network for a larger area. Figuring out how to do it was a process of trial and error. In the "Knowledge Base" on the TRENDnet web site, it's hard to tell which access point needs to be configured in what way in order to get it to work.

I could forgive these problems. However, when conducting large data transfers over a secure network (think backup) it would reboot itself. Often, when it did so, it would forget it's entire configuration. Fortunately, I backed up the configuration to a file. It's annoying to have to manually fix my access point every few weeks... more often when it's hot.

Eventually I bought a netbook cooler (with a fan) to put the thing on. That helped... now it does not reboot and loose its mind so often... but it still does occasionally.

Stay away from this junk. I used to love TRENDnet because they had good quality products for good prices. Now, I will stay away from TRENDnet products. An item this expensive should have better documentation and should be reliable.

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This works well as far as speed, but needs a daily reboot. Not sure what the issue is, as it just drops all connected devices.

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Sometimes you can use a wireless adapter to get your device on your network. Sometimes your TV or Blu-ray player leaves you with no option other than a wired connection. This device allows you to put a switch or hub anywhere in a typical home or plug any network cable directly into it for a network connection.

Alternatively, two of these can tie remote areas of a network together wirelessly without having this emulate a wireless adapter. You can also use this by plugging it into your network in locations where wireless devices, such as laptops get weak signals. You could even have an individual laptop use this instead of its built in adapter if it has trouble picking up on your network from remote areas of your home.

You start off by connecting this device to a single computer so you can configure it. You can bring it up with a web browser, and bypass the need to install the configuration software on your PC. However, if its default IP address is out of the range of your subnet mask, you would have to manually assign an IP address and subnet mask to your computer, and set them back after configuration.

That method is a common way to configure similar devices. It can make things easy, or it might seem confusing enough to drive you away. If so, you merely use the software on the CD, which finds the device and walks you through the configuration without the problems above.

The way the modes of operations work could be explained better in the manuals, and there is an assumption that you already understand the related network concepts and types of wireless security. The method of configuration is not what you might be typically used to. There is some ambiguity in certain areas where it is not clear whether a field applies to the device or to the router you are connecting to.

It's pretty clear that they were not willing to hire the native English speakings consultant to maintenance of wording the screens. If you understood that last sentence, you should understand their configuration screens too.

In order to work with my network, I needed to set up a profile for the wireless network name used by my router. Once I got the security information in there, things worked like a charm. It also did a good job of finding other networks within range.

One day I found that my connection speed was not only fast, but far exceeded what my Internet provider gives me. After a little investigation, I found that at some point, this device connected to the network with the strongest signal, which was an unsecured router belonging to a neighbor. That left my network vulnerable since it had a non encrypted connection, plus security and firewalls assumed I had a secure wired connection. Their support group told me there is no way around that.

Since your devices plug into this (or a hub or switch that's plugged into this) they act as if they were any other wired devices. You do not see a WiFi icon in your system tray nor do you see a signal strength indicator. So there's no way of seeing what network you get a wireless connection to unless you look at what network this independent device got connected to. This would not be an issue if you use two of these devices to bridge wirelessly, but that should not have been necessary.

At some later point, I found that it tried to give a warning message before attempting to connect to a non-secure network, which is something their tech support group told me would not happen. I wish there were an explanation for why it connected to one on its own before without such a warning. You would never see the aforementioned warning unless you went to the device to try to figure out why you had no network connection. It would have been nice if they had something similar to what you have with a bi-directional printer where a status icon in your PC tray shows the state of the remote device.

If you have things set up, your router stays on and connected, and the device stays powered on, you can get excellent performance. If you lose the connection while you are updating your router's firmware, or for any other reason, I can't tell you what this device will do on its own in the interim. It still works well enough that I use it and it's the best practical alternative for me.

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Wednesday, July 23, 2014

Motorola RIZR Z3 Unlocked Cell Phone with 2 MP Camera, MP3/Video Player, MicroSD Slot--Internationa

Motorola RIZR Z3 Unlocked Cell Phone with 2 MP Camera, MP3/Video Player, MicroSD Slot--International Version with WarrantyCould have given five stars, but the product came in with the back not being able to close properly. don't like thte metal back for the phone

very satisified with this phone, i have always owned a motorola, they are excellent phones

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Everything works great in this phone except for the minor inconvenience with where the SIM card and memory card is located on the phone. It's hard to switch SIM cards because once you put one in there, it will be very difficult to remove it. On the other hand, the memory card does not look very secure at its place.

The manual that had been sent to me with this phone was also in Turkish and not in English. I had to download the manual from the Motorola website.

Read Best Reviews of Motorola RIZR Z3 Unlocked Cell Phone with 2 MP Camera, MP3/Video Player, MicroSD Slot--Internationa Here

PHONE GETS GREAT RECEPTION AND VERY CLEAR. HAVE HAD NO PROBLEMS. MY SON IS VERY HAPPY WITH THIS PHONE. I WOULD BUY ANOTHER ONE.

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Saturday, June 28, 2014

Samsung T509s myFaves Plum Phone (T-Mobile)

Samsung T509s myFaves Plum Phonefollowing the line is my old review, which is mostly true, but, having used this phone for a while now, I must say that it is too quiet for lil old hard of hearing me (too many concerts without ear plugs?) and also I need to add that the battery needs to be charged every other day, unlike my old nokia, but this may be common for camera phones.

the photos are also very grainy by today's "megapixel" standards. and it is very very very very quiet for me.

I would drop my rating to 3.5 stars if amazon would let me.

_________________________________________________________________________

old review:

so I am not so super techie when it comes to cell phones. my last phone was an ancient free nokia that was only a phone. this time around, I wanted a phone, camera, video & voice recorder...that was it. I text only a bit and didn't need a radio/mp3 player or game thing or email thing.

I wanted a solid camera phone. wasn't drawn to flips or sliders. didn't care to spend too much.

I tried out (through t-mobile...they let you try out a phone for 14 days (30 here in cali) to see if you like it) a nokia 6133 and I hated it. way too quiet for me. not intuitive enough...felt like it could break at any moment.

switched to this and it's like night and day. simple. solid. slender. I am very much in love.

I do wish that the headphones and charger had separate ports. they share one and that is the only gripe I have with it. well, that and the snooze alarm is only 5 minutes but I should prob ween myself off of that little addicition anyhoo.

but I am very satisfied with how this functions as a phone and a camera and recommend it to anyone needing something simple. nice bright display. sweet jingly options for ringtones...Good Times!

This phone is nice and thin and very comfortable. The only problem that I have had with this phone is that the charger and the hands-free use the same slot on the phone. I have had problems with the contact and I have to sometimes put a rubber band around the charger to get it to charge. My sister has the same phone and has had to have hers replaced twice because hers won't charge at all.

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Great phone, i got it in plum but it still looks black and manly. It melts away in your pocket, i literally forget I have it and have to pat my pocket to make sure. The data download rate is excellent and unlocking the phone was a breeze. The camera was OK not a plus or a minus, but i did wish i could record longer video. BlueTooth is awesome, i love the object push which i use nearly everyday, and the BlueTooth won't slaughter you battery like some other samsung phones. And the battery will last a good 48 hours with moderate usage. 5/5

Read Best Reviews of Samsung T509s myFaves Plum Phone (T-Mobile) Here

I bought this phone a little over a year ago and the only problem that I ever had with it is it doesn't work in Jacksonville, AR for some silly reason. It will go off other servers towers but not there. And its really tiny too but I love it. My phone is still in great condition after a year and believe me, I've dropped it a few times. But you get get the t-mobile web and it takes pictures and videos. Overall it's a great phone.

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I bought this phone. Works great in the US, but does not work at all with service providers in India. It's a delicate phone and pretty long. I am unable to hold in my trouser pockets.

Monday, June 16, 2014

NEW X8000 Dual Wide Angel Camera Hd Car Camcorder GPS G-sensor Password Protection

NEW X8000 Dual Wide Angel Camera Hd Car Camcorder GPS G-sensor Password ProtectionWell, its pretty cheap and flimsy. I thought I would like it, but I don't. In fact I stuck it in the back of my truck because I had no other use for it. Its a neat I guess, but doesn't do anything for me. The resolution is lackluster, the images aren't the best and going with a single camera is better. I guess the dual camera is good if you want to get interior expressions of people or if you getting pulled over by the police and one is on each side of your car, you can video the police actions if your up to no good. It was cheap. I got what I paid for.

Sunday, June 15, 2014

Magnavox DVD Player (MDV45817) (MDV45817)

Magnavox DVD PlayerTried many budget brand DVD players (JVC,Samsung,Zenith,etc.)

This is the best VALUE for under $50. It is built solidly, has a quiet transport, and all of the necessary features-zoom, ff up 100x, audio and video fine tuning, coax optical out, progressive scan etc. Also plays anything thrown at it: Mp3's , VCD's, DVD+r and-r, photo jpegs, SVCD, SACD etc.

Buy it! Reason for only 4 out of 5 you might ask? No eject button on the remote.....

We've had this DVD player since 2004, and I only upgraded because I wanted an upconverting player with HDMI.

I used this with my 32" HDTV; the progressive scan and component video looked great. It is just a standard definition player though.

The only downside is that when you lose the remote, setting it up correctly with a Universal is a pain: six or seven codes work, but not all of the codes have all of the features!

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This DVD player played movies fine until it stopped recognizing any DVD after only 7 months. Magnavox said to buy a DVD lens cleaner ($15) which didn't work, then said that their warranty was only for 90 days so offered a 'discounted' replacement at the exact price I bought it for. For their defective product they wanted me to pay more in support than the original purchase after only 7 months. No thanks, I'll avoid Magnavox in the future.

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Tuesday, June 10, 2014

Showcenter 200 with Wireless G Play Digital Media From Pc On Tv

Showcenter 200 with Wireless G Play Digital Media From Pc On TvFirst I wanted to explain why I give it a 3, the idea is great in fact the concept deserves a 5 but the lack of detail in usability and design by Pinnacle, plus the technical difficulty in setup I must knock off two full stars.

I have to open this story and state that I've been in IT for about 12 years so I'm very comfortable with hardware and software setups. But this little product proved to be quite a challenge. Here is a play by play of last night's events.

Started off by trying to install MediaManager w/o having to upgrade to XP SP2, however I finally gave in, despite a year of SP2 resistance and upgraded. Note that the ShowCenter documentation clearly states that it will work with SP1. So I'm now about an hour into the process and I have a slightly slower PC due in part to SP2. Next, I reinstall the previous failed attempt of MediaManager and this time it works. Based on reading other people's comments here on the board I changed my Linky to channel 4 and disabled WPA then killed the PC firewall. Great at this point I have the software set now it's just a matter of setting up the hardware, should be simple...right???

Ok its hardware time, I plug in the audio and video cables and fire up the SC 200 first screen comes up and I realize that Pinnacle spent very little money on usability as a UX/BA I shake my head and proceed to change the wireless configuration settings. Then the system performs not one but two firmware updates. I can now see my Linky and I'm thinking I'm almost home but not so fast, after a few more configuration changes I finally see my PC. Next I select the PC and see the media menu, from here I'm thinking YES it's over so I pick a title from the Music menu and it starts to play but then hangs and nothing happens, no sound, no video, nothing. I reboot the SC and try it again, nada, zip, zilch, sorry try again. At this point I can only figure that it has something to do with the bandwidth since I can see the PC and the music/video/photos I just can't play any of them. At this point I have too much time invested to give in and go the cheap/easy wired way out so I create a homemade directional antenna booster and increase my gain by about 12dbs. I reboot the SC for the last time and eureka I'm streaming music, most importantly music from my Rhapsody playlist from my PC through my LifeStyle system. At this point I hit the sack since its 2:15 in the morning and save the rest for when I wake.

I wake up and reconfigure my firewall and WEP since it doesn't want to work with WPA, fortunately I don't have many script kiddies in the hood trying to sack my WAP, so downgrading to WEP isn't much of an issue. So after about 4 hours of hell I finally see the pearly gates and head off to work. I know this has been a longwinded review but I wanted to let you know that just like anything in life persistence wins over all odds and technological challenges. Below are cliff notes in the event you decide to travel this road yourself.

* Upgrade to XP SP2 before installing (backup important data prior, just in case)

* Set your router to channel 6 or below (mine worked well on 4)

* Disable your PC firewall (you can turn this on after you make your connection, it just helps to reduce the variables)

* Disable WPA or WEP (same note as above)

* Ensure that your wireless signal is pulling at least -45dbs or better

* Make sure the Windows Media Connect is running to handle DRM like Rhapsody

* Make sure that you are logged into Rhapsody

* Make sure that MediaManager is running

* Switch from Ad-Hoc to Infrastructure

The ShowCenter was a bit tricky to set-up at first -more an issue with my ReadyNas X6 in the end. The ShowCenter can comfortably stream 1.5Mbps XVid MP4's over a wireless G, and except for some very close inspection, it is very hard to discern the difference from the original.

The included software is fairly lame, my suggestion is if you plan on this investment, get a good media serving box. Like I mentioned earlier, it works very well with the ReadyNAS X6 for video. (Photos and music are another issue, but no fault of ShowCenter).

The only really wishes for a box like this are:

1. Support for H.264 MP4s

2. Direct connection for streaming of music right now it must go through your PC.

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After having read some customer reviews about this product, I figured I'd be in for a bit of a battle with the setup. And indeed, it was a bit painful. Entering a 128 bit WEP key on a phone keyboard is not fun at all, and I had to do it several times before the Showcenter would recognize it for some reason. And even worse, you have to PAY to call their support center $25/call (after the 1st call)! What?! That is wrong, wrong, wrong. In my opinion, if a product is defective, or if the instructions for setup are incomplete, the customer should not have to pay to get their questions answered.

Once it's set up, there are only a couple of minor gripes. One of them is that it takes a good 3-5 minutes for the machine to warm up and recognize the wireless connection each time you turn it on. So if you're looking to just turn it on and go, this will be a major disappointment. The other minor gripe is that it takes awhile to toggle through the menu.

Also, I'm not sure if this is a problem with my audio receiver or with the Showcenter , but my receiver will not recognize the Showcenter as a video source, so I had to plug the video directly into my tv, but the audio was able to go into my receiver just fine. It's a minor inconvenience though.

But all that said, hey, it's WAY cheaper than getting a Sonos, and the sound is great. You can put together playlists and group your files however you want for easier access. And it has access to internet radio stations, which are fabulous, and it's HD ready. You can also view photos and video files as well. All work great! I was also able to synchronize the Showcenter with my Logitech Harmony 890 remote, which I love. I can't recommend that thing enough.

I was torn between 3 stars and 4 because of the setup, but now that it's set up, I only have the gripe of it being a bit slow to get going. So, 4 stars it is.

Read Best Reviews of Showcenter 200 with Wireless G Play Digital Media From Pc On Tv Here

Wireless video streaming works nicely, with amazing performance. As a test, I played a 700MB AVI-format movie. The install took me 10-15 minutes. BTW, I have a 11g wireless network running in the house, and I use a Compaq NC6000 laptop to run the media center software. The laptop is about 3 years old and running XP/SP2.

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Thursday, May 8, 2014

Coby MP828-4G 2.8 Inch Touchscreen 4GB Video MP3 Player with Speaker and Camera - Black

Coby MP828-4G 2.8 Inch Touchscreen 4GB Video MP3 Player with Speaker and Camera - Black
  • 2.8-inch TFT LCD display
  • Integrated stereo speakers, miniSD card slot for easy memory capacity upgrades (miniSD card not included) Integrated 0.3MP camera and Integrated FM radio; screen with Integrated flash memory and Intuitive touchscreen controls
  • Multimedia powerhouse plays music, video (Videos may need to be converted with the included software for device playback), photos, and text
  • Plays digital music from most online stores and subscription services, ID3 and LRC support for song and lyric information display
  • Calendar mode, USB 2.0 Hi-speed for fast file transfers, Integrated rechargeable battery
  • 2.8 inch color TFT LCD screen and 4GB integrated flash memory
  • 2.8 inch color TFT LCD screen with Integrated flash memory and Intuitive touchscreen controls
  • Integrated stereo speakers, miniSD card slot for easy memory capacity upgrades (miniSD card not included) Integrated 0.3MP camera and Integrated FM radio
  • Multimedia powerhouse plays music, video (Videos may need to be converted with the included software for device playback), photos, and text
  • Plays digital music from most online stores and subscription services, ID3 and LRC support for song and lyric information display
  • Calendar mode, USB 2.0 Hi-speed for fast file transfers, Integrated rechargeable battery

I might as well have just bought a piece of plastic and pretended to listen to music rather than buy this. The touch screen was terrible it took me ten minutes to calibrate it the first time and it still had bad sensitivity. The charge lasted maybe half an hour of listnening to music (and thats being generous). The camera was worthless and it took me three days to figure out how to delete files on it. After FIVE days of use the flimsy plastic screen cracked but instead of still being able to see it, like an ipod touch, the screen became black and white. I now use it as a micro sd card reader for my blu ray player. I dont recommend any other coby mp3 touch product.

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Easy to set up and it works with PC and Mac--my son loves it. The reviews on another site were not good, but it does the job.

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This MP3 player was horrible. It froze a few times and now doesnt workat all. Maybe 10 hours of use.

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works well, Coby customer support is decent when i enquired about some functionality. Sound volume is not that great but when used with some other headphones sound quality increases, very good for the price and after 8 months of use it is stilll going good. gave to my 14 yr old brother is he is very happy with the product

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I don't like it very much...the device is pretty cool but sometimes it takes a few errors, and the entire screen goes white and I never dropped it.

Saturday, May 3, 2014

Zmodo 16CH Video DVR Security Surveillance Camera System With 1TB Hard Drive Pre-installed

Zmodo 16CH Video DVR Security Surveillance Camera System With 1TB Hard Drive Pre-installedI purchased this and had to return it. Could not get it to work to view on iphone, etc. I have another dvr hooked up to the same router and works perfectly fine. Customer service tried to troubleshoot it but was unsuccessful and told me that they would call me back to figure out the problem. Never heard from them again.

In terms of overall quality, very cheap. When viewing live footage on my mac, the resolution was terrible and there's no way to adjust it. I called customer service yet again and they could not help as there were no adjustments.

Even at 100.00, it's not worth it.

The DVR is very basic. The remote serves almost no function, you can't use the record buttons, software is very scetchy. But it is a 16 channel DVR for a very low cost.

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System works well so far, its the first 6 months. I read the last review and wondered what mobile app they were using. I was able to set up 3 mobile phones for viewing and one of them was an iPhone. My favorite free viewing app for this DVR is Asee.

Because of its basic setup I would normally give this DVR three stars but because of the great price I will give it a four.

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I would give 5 stars if: 1) there is better manual. Like other Chinese products the manual is lacking in detail, 2) the receptacles in the back of the box, for the 16 cables are placed so close by that it is difficult to get proper hold with my not so stubby fingers. I had to use pliers to turn the quick connects, 3) the on-screen menus could have been better designed and explained.

Having said that, I have used other brands more expensive ones and this one is far better, and offers a great value. I have not used all the features yet though.

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I can't get this machine to prerecord the three seconds that is should be doing. When motion is detected, a three second pre-record should occur. That way when you click on an alert you can actually see the event as it happens. However, this 16 channel machines software does not allow for that. What happens is when a motion is detected let say at 10:23:31 PM you click on the alert video and it starts viewing the occurrence three to four seconds after the motion occurred. Say at 10:23:34. This time delay allows someone to actually NOT be caught on camera if they were to move across viewing area of camera.

Tuesday, April 15, 2014

VideoSecu Composite Video to PC VGA Adapter BNC to VGA Converter 1L9

VideoSecu Composite Video to PC VGA Adapter BNC to VGA Converter 1L9My need was a monitor connected to my digital camera to assist

in setting up a copy stand to photo items for sale on Ebay etc.

I do not own a PC. None needed!! I picked up a free used vga monitor

at the recycling depot. I took a chance and ordered your video to vga

coverter. I hook it up and everything works. I can now observe composition

and FOCUS perfectly. Detail is not great but good enough.

thanks

Gil Clark

i was very happy with the results,,i hooked up a dvd and got a great picture on my monitor,,,equal in every way to my tv,,,also works well with our karaoke unit,we can use inexpensive monitors ,instead of tv,s for our kj, dj work , weve only had it for a month or so, it does get warm with use,but so far so good,,,,,update ,,i have been using this for over 2 yrs and it is still working fine,,it is a good item..

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Needed to transfer surveillance camera video to computer monitor via VGA plug.

Works as advertized. In serivce for 4 months now, 24 hours a day.

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Sunday, March 30, 2014

Rode Smartlav Lavalier Microphone for iPhone and Smartphones

Rode Smartlav Lavalier Microphone for iPhone and Smartphones
  • Frequency Range:20Hz - 20kHz
  • Acoustic Principle:Pressure Gradient
  • Polar Pattern:Moni

(Disclaimer: I've reviewed more than fifty audio adapters for the iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch and compiled all my discoveries in an article on my website, Life is a Prayer--if you want to read more, search for it on Google :).

For a long time, I've carried around an Audio-Technica ATR-3350 lavalier mic and a special adapter (TRS to TRRS) that allows the 3350 to be plugged into my iPhone, and this works pretty well, but doesn't give me the audio level I would like for a radio-quality audio recording, and it's slightly inconvenient, since I need to carry the 3350, the adapter, and some spare batteries.

The smartLav is pretty much exactly what I've been looking for since I first started recording videos and podcasts on the iPhone. It is well-built, matches the input impedance of the iPhone's headset jack (~600 ohms) well, and it fits in the pocket without requiring a little bag to hold any extra adapters/batteries.

** Sound Quality **

The sound is very good--as good as I get with any other mic through the headset jack. Listening to a recording with this mic and a Shure SM58 through a VeriCorder XLR adapter cable yields almost no discernible difference (from 6-8" from my mouth). It's much better than the built-in iPhone mic (which is only useful if you're within a couple inches of the iPhone... which is awkward if you're giving a speech and holding the iPhone right by your mouth!).

** Build Quality and Physical Characteristics **

The cable feels solid, as does the mic capsule and connector. The only downside to the cable is its length; it's only really long enough for recording with the iPhone in your pocket, or, for video, being pretty close to your iPhone. I like how other lavs have longer cables that let me mic talent on-camera 5-10' away, comfortably.

If you want to extend the length of this mic's cable, you can use the StarTech 2m TRRS Headset Extension Cable. (There are different lengths available on Amazon. I've used one, and it causes no degradation in the mic signal quality.

** Software **

I use FiRe 2 (Field Audio Recorder) for most of my audio recording, and either FilMic Pro or the built in Camera app for video recording. This mic works with all of these apps, as well as Rode's own recording app (which is just a derivative of the FiRe app), equally well (though some apps don't allow you to change the input level). Since it uses the headset jack, you should be able to use the mic with pretty much any audio/video recording app. You don't need any special kind of recording software or hardware to use it.

One note: If you don't want your recording interrupted by a phone call, make sure you switch your phone to airplane mode before you start recording!

** Price and Recommendation **

Finally, the price. It's a little high, I think, for a microphone that can only really be used with certain smartphones (especially since the headset jack's input has a reduced range, compared to what you can get through the dock/lightning connector). But it's not outlandish, and for the convenience, I'm fine paying $60. If the mic were closer to $40, this would be a no-brainer.

I'd definitely recommend this to anyone who's trying to mic someone with a smartphone for podcasting, interviews, at a wedding (have each of the main participants clip one on and record with the iPhone), etc.

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Best $60 I've spent lately! The Rode app that goes with it should be free, but there is a free lite version if you don't want all the bells and whistles the paid version has to offer.

Read Best Reviews of Rode Smartlav Lavalier Microphone for iPhone and Smartphones Here

I REALLY wanted to love this mic. I'm using it with an iPhone 4S and the Rode app (paid version). The mic is just so tiny and perfect and looks well-built... but I have to return it because the sound quality is not good at all. YES of course it's better than the phone's mic without a doubt but in a completely silent room recording dead air, the recording sounds like rain. I've tried the 'hiss reducer' option on the app as well as most of the other settings, but the hiss reducer makes me sound like I'm talking underwater. SO SAD this doesn't meet my needs... would have been a brilliant product if the sound quality was decent.

Sunday, March 16, 2014

Quantum FX J-90U AM/FM/SW-1/SW-2 Radio Cassette Recorder with USB/SD Card Slot

Quantum FX J-90U AM/FM/SW-1/SW-2 Radio Cassette Recorder with USB/SD Card Slot
  • Quantum FX J-90U AM/FM/SW-1/SW-2 Radio Cassette Recorder with USB/SD Card Slot

Update 12/6/2012: WTF? Amazon apparently changed the model number of the item being sold here. Originally when I bought it, it was the Quantum FX J-100U, now they've changed it to the Quantum FX J-90U. That would explain why they have a different photo than that of the 3 photos that I posted. Amazon should not do this as it creates confusion. They should have set up a separate page for the J-90U. But just to reiterate, the 3 photos that I posted are the correct photos of the Quantum FX J-100U that was being sold here originally and my review below applies to the J-100U. As you will note, I am an r.

Update 2/19/2012: The Amazon photo of this radio is not correct. I have posted 3 photos of the actual product.

Prior to purchasing this radio, I searched and searched for a detailed review of it, but found none. I basically bought the thing without an inkling of what to expect. But the mystery is over.

Now, on to the review...

The Quantum FX J-100U is one beastly looking blaster. It's huge...much bigger and heavier than I expected. It measures a whopping 17.5"W x 14"H x 6"D, easily dwarfing a GE Superadio III. It weighs slightly over 10 lbs without batteries. Much of its weight comes from its mostly wooden cabinet. There is a thick vinyl strap mounted on the top, which acts as the carry handle. The front of the radio is plastic as is the 6 "D" cell battery compartment mounted within the rear wooden panel. The radio also operates on AC, with a detachable AC cord, which plugs into the back of the radio to the right of the battery compartment. To the left of the battery compartment, there are two unused holes marked "PHONES" and "DC 9V IN". The actual headphone jack is mounted on the front of the radio. Inside the battery compartment appears to be a switch for 110/220v. It was set on 110v and I have not checked to see if the switch is functional.

Here's a rundown of the radio's features:

AM/FM/SW1/SW2

Cassette Player/Recorder

Built-in Microphone

USB/SD input

3 Band Equalizer 100Hz/1KHz/10KHz

Dual Rotating Telescoping Antennas

Here are a few other specs worth mentioning from the instruction sheet:

Max current consumption: 38mA

Max power consumption: 16W

Speaker: 30W 4 ohm 6.5 inch

Output power: 8W

But that's just about where it's impressiveness ends. Most noticeably, on the front of the radio there is what appears to be a huge 10" woofer thanks to the exaggerated speaker grille. In reality, the speaker is only 6.5". Printed around the perimeter of the speaker grille, in bold red lettering, are the words "THE ERUMPET OF THE BIG POWER/GOOD QUALITY SPEAKER/BASS REFLEX SYSTEM". I'm still puzzled as to what an "ERUMPET" is. And speaking of speakers, there are what appear to be 3 other smaller speakers, one on each top corner and one in the bottom left corner. Well, sorry to break the news, they are all fakes. The top two were easy to spot as fakes. But the lower one was less obvious due to the really nice metal speaker grille covering it. Simply by holding one's ear in front of it and not hearing any sound coming out of it was the giveaway. But also the specs in the instruction sheet only lists one speaker. By the way, the two metal looking guard bars running down each side of the front panel are plastic.

The radio has a 4-band tuner with the following frequency range for each band:

AM: 530 1600 KHz

FM: 88 108 MHz

SW1: 3.6 8.5 MHz

SW2: 8.5 22 MHz

The band is selected by a 4-position slide switch, which has a good feel to it, not too hard to slide and not too easy either. The tuner itself is another story. For one, it's almost impossible to see where dial pointer is, in part because it is recessed so far behind the tuner window, the pointer is not brightly colored, and while the tuner display itself is large, the area where the dial pointer is visible is very narrow. Secondly, the tuner tunes backwards. That is, normally when you have a slide scale tuner, the frequencies increase as you move from left to right. On this radio, the frequencies decrease moving from left to right. Though there's nothing functionally wrong with that, it is a bit disconcerting when you're used to tuning it one way all your life. Strangely, on the tuner display, they printed the words "NEW DESIGN" on it. I wonder if they're referring to the backwards tuning? Overall, AM/FM reception seems to be average, nothing exceptional. I do need to extend the dual telescoping antennas in order to get some FM stations without interference. I was able to pull in a few shortwave broadcasts, namely Radio Taiwan International and China Radio International, though the signals were prone to fading and there was a lot of hissing and whistling.

The cassette player/recorder pretty much does what its supposed to, no surprises. It has your standard functions: Record, Play, FF, REW, Stop/Eject, Pause. Does anyone still even use cassettes anymore? Anyhow, I would say it plays better than it records. It can record directly from the radio, USB/SD input, or through the built-in microphone. The built-in microphone is not very sensitive. Speaking in a normal voice, it worked best when I spoke directly in front of it. From about two feet away, it barely picked me up and from about three feet away it didn't pick up anything. And keep in mind, the player and recorder is mono only. Don't expect to be making high quality studio recordings with this.

While everything else about this radio is pretty much old school, it is updated with USB and SD card inputs mounted on the top of the radio. Through these inputs, you can playback music in digital formats. Though the box states MP3 player, the instruction sheet gives no details as to what formats are supported. The player is very basic, as it plays the files sequentially from the root directory of your USB drive or SD card. There are four function buttons that let you play/pause, repeat, go back to previous song, or skip to next song. There is no display to show artist, title, track, etc. There is only an LED indicator that lights up when you're in USB mode. While I first tried playing MP3 files just to make sure it worked, I then added some WMA files and was surprised that they also played. Pushing my luck, I then figured I'd try to see if it can play WAV files too. No dice. Oh well, two out of three ain't bad.

There are a few other things that need to be mentioned. It has a 3-band equalizer that allows you to adjust the bass, midrange, and treble. This is done through three rotary controls on the front panel. There are no position markers on the knobs so you have to guess what level you set them at unless you turn them all the way to the right or left. While you do hear changes in the sound by adjusting these knobs, there still seems to be something lacking in the sound. For example, even with the bass turned all the way up, it still sounds lacking in bass. Even with the treble turned all the way up, it still sounds lacking in treble. Maybe if they put in a real tweeter instead of that fake one it would sound better. It may make an interesting project for me someday to see if I can put one in myself.

The volume control is also very disappointing, as it goes from no volume to very loud in a very small increment. Maybe this radio was meant to be played loudly, but there should still be a better range of control. I have not tested to see exactly how loud it can go without distortion since I live in a condo and doing so would probably prompt the neighbors to call the police, but it does seem like this thing can go very loud.

Warranty? What warranty? There is no warranty mentioned whatsoever in the instruction sheet or on the box. Nor is there any manufacturer address or phone #. If you buy this thing, you're on your own.

Ending on a positive note, at least the headphone jack, while not being stereo, outputs to both the right and left sides when you plug in stereo headphones.

Bottom line, it looks impressive and has many features but doesn't do any of it exceptionally well. It puts out loud volume but the sound isn't as rich as you'd hope. The wooden cabinet is nice but the phony speakers are cheesy. I still like the way it looks though.

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There is one photo of a typical mid-'80s boombox(two speakers, cassette deck in middle, controls on top), and the other three are of some cyclops-looking mono box. Well what exactly does this portable look like?

Saturday, February 8, 2014

Sony M-475 Microcassette Voice Recorder

Sony M-475 Microcassette Voice RecorderI do not recommend the Sony M-475 Micro Cassette Recorder for anything but a child's toy. It is overpriced for the quality of sound produced.

The recorder's motor is noisy which manifests in the background as a disturbing buzzing sound when played back. It is distracting and takes away from detail and clarity in the voice it records. Cassette noise is minimal.

The controls are conveniently placed and easy to use Two previously owned Sony Micro Cassette recorders' sound,and volume qualities were far superior to the M-475.

I strongly do not recommend purchasing this unit except as a toy where sound and volume quality is not germane.

For the price I paid, I got a terrific product, of course we know Sony, so we trust the name. It is good for very simple things, runs out of tape too quickly, I am sure they have longer mini-cassettes,these came with the recorder, there are two speeds to record with also, may have a lot to do with it. Fits right in my pocket, I can use it in class lectures, and business meetings too. I had also wanted to record just the audio from a television program, I set it down near the TV to record, it sounded pretty good, for its speaker size. It did pick up some background noises, I don't know how to fix that yet, but it can be done. And also you can set it to start when it recognizes certain sounds. Haven't tried it yet, but I am sure it works, I feel it is a very HANDY tape recorder for the price and for the usage. I was in a hurry to find a decent recorder, both Amazon and the sellers didn't let me down!! Oh,and please don't forget the Recorder uses tape, it is not digital.

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This recorder was a great buy for the money. The mic sensitivity is great, allowing for very clear re-recording. It also records music very well.

Read Best Reviews of Sony M-475 Microcassette Voice Recorder Here

It is a very useful a handy product. I used it whole 6 months and replace batteries only one time. It is small, and usefull product. Try it and tell your friends about it too. It is a lot better then digital recorders and it is affoardable too.

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My daughter needed this for school. It is exactly what she wanted and was received in plenty of time for Christmas