Belkin PureAV HDMI-to-DVI Video Cable (16 Feet)

Before getting this product, I requested Belkin more information if this product works fine with PC output thru HDMI. However I got no respond, so I went with the risk of not getting a perfect picture.

After connecting my PC-DVI (Graphics Card GForce8800 GTX) to my Samsung HDMI, the quality is superb. Pictures, games, High Definition playback were all great on my HDTV LCD 52' screen. Even the DVD playback is better than my DVD player.

Cable arrived in a timely manner as described. While not a vendor or product defect problem, you should know DVI cables only transmit video hence the name DV(video)I, so don't expect them to transmit audio; you'll need rca, optical cable, or some other type of cabling solution for your audio. I learned this after the cable arrived, and I thought the cable might be defective, but it wasn't. The cable is nice and it has one of those ferrous oxide things on it.

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video quality is superb,left out one star because it said it delivers audio and video...........only got the video..........using on a msi 890gx with a msi 5000 graphics card and a32''tv........watched avatar on bluray

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I was concerned about signal degradation due to the length of the cord. I have it connected to a PS3 and LCD HDTV. The cable works absolutely great, there is no signal degradation. Much more inexpensive than other brands, it comes highly recommended by me.

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Shipping was very fast! Great quality cable and the connectors are very well made. The cable housing is like a wire mesh and looks great. Got it hooked up from my Mac mini to a 70" tv and it looks great

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T-9 Vietnamese English Electronic Translator.

translating English into Vietnamese and vice versa,is too difficult for this (and probably all other) machine

I tried it out during several weeks and the outcome is often ridiculous.

This one is better than those I used to have (Kim Tu Dien dictionary). It translates more accurately and into both English and Vietnamese. It's just little bit slower than others, and has no calendar. If you expect to translate the whole sentence, this one is not the right one.

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VuPoint Solutions Digital Video Converter (Black)

I bought this today while I was browsing Bed, Bath and Beyond. I'd been talking about something like this with a colleague a few days ago videos on SD cards instead of huge DVDs. Plus my laptop is a tablet no optical drive except on the dock. Movies on the plane would be nice.

So I put in a 4GB SDHC card and put in Star Trek it recorded as advertised! The audio is excellent, and the video is quite good not as good as a DVD, of course, but more than just watchable. Just plug the card into my laptop and presto all the movies I want!

I wanted to trim it, so I tried my Pinnacle Studio 12, but it didn't load the ASF format. I also own the complete AVS Media toolset and that works fine for editing the format, compressing to fit on my Palm Treo cell phone, and anything else I need.

Now I have to get some big SDHC cards and put, maybe 3 or 4 movies each on them. Super cool! Excellent for a netbook!

The set up and the recording is a snap. But beware the box tells you it records in mpeg 4 format, but it does not. Although you get ARC Soft software with it, there are absolutely no instructions to tell you what you need to know to record a TV program and put it on your iPod. I tried converting their .asf file format to MPEG using ARC Soft, but I still then have to use iTunes to cnvert the converted file to an iPod compatible format. Once I convert the file using ARC Soft (and select the mpeg format) the converted file coes out as a windows media/audio file. Between ARC Soft and the iTunes conversion, it takes over 2 hours to convert a one hour TV show for my iPod. Too much work.

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I had a bunch of old VHS Home Movies of my kids growing up, wanted to convert to digital so that the movies would not be lost & could still be veiwed on a DVD player or computer. The movies were easy to copy over, had to play them to do so, on an old VHS player. Then the files had to be saved on a computer and convert the files to be made into a dvd, then burn the DVD. Took some time only because of having to record while playing the movies, converting was not hard. Was very pleased over all with the product.

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The device got to me very quick, and worked just as I hoped it would. I converted all my old 88 mm camcorder videos to AVI files and can now enjoy them on my computer and home entertainment system. Thanks

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I was excited to see this item and grabbed one to try out. Hoping it would record video files that would play on an iphone/ipod or at least on my Mac laptop. It advertises that it creates Mp4 files but NOPE. Instead it records and create some strange ".asf" file that apparently MUST be converted back on your computer (PEE CEE ONLY) with the included software (PEE CEE ONLY). The .asf files are not recognized by quicktime or itunes even on a Mac with TONS of extra quicktime codecs installed behind the scenes. NOT FOR ANY FORM OF MAC USERS. Will be returning the item.

Nokia C3 Prepaid GoPhone (AT&T) with $30 Airtime Credit

The Nokia C3 is a solid, well performing mobile device. I needed a phone that could make texting easy, and the combination of the firm QWERTY keyboard and large space-bar makes it ideal. Call quality is good. This phone is a great value if you're looking to get rid of a $50-$70 monthly plan. AT&T offers the best prepaid plan rates of all the major networks, and the $30 airtime card included with this phone gives you 300 minutes from the start.

I love this phone, it's easy to use and has all the features i need. The service was fast. I ordered this phone on March 30th and got on April 3rd. It takes nice pictures and has video. The keys are a nice size. so you fellows will find this easy to use. This is a great deal

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This was everything I expected it to be. Service was great and phone has been perfect for what I was needing.

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I recently went through quite the ordeal of upgrading my flip phone to one more text friendly. The thing was, I couldn't hear or be heard when I was using the device as a phone. So back to square one, I found this phone on-line and after reading the reviews that talked about the clear calls it made, decided to buy it. I have not been disappointed. Great reception, seamless airtime credit added to my existing account, easy to understand features, etc. only reason I didn't give it five stars is the keyboard is a bit clunky feeling and the pads are easy to "double click", so lots of mis-sppellings!

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Hauppauge 1445 HD-PVR Gaming Edition High Definition Personal Video Recorder for Use with PC, PS3,

My apologies for this long review. Hopefully, though, it will be useful to someone.

I'm writing this review from the standpoint of someone looking for a video transfer product to convert camcorder and VHS tapes into digital files for preservation and editing. If you going to use this product to record a gaming session, or to convert high-def video, please see the many other reviews here.

I've spent some time the past 2 weeks comparing competing products for transferring home videos into digital format on my Windows 7 PC for long-term preservation and so that I can edit the videos on my PC. I tried or considered three different products including this Hauppauge HD PVR, and one high-end video transfer company, all on the same Hi8 analog video cassette with a family video that is 15 years old. Along the way, I have gotten some familiarity with the various technologies available today for transferring magnetic tapes into digital form. I found out some interesting things, and thought I would share them, in the hope that it might help others.

First, and you probably already know this, if you have any video memories on magnetic video tape, you want to get them transferred into digital form onto your PC or DVD or Blu-ray as soon as possible, before the video badly deteriorates. This especially includes regular VHS tapes, Video8 tapes, and normal Hi8 tapes, all of which are analog formats and are particularly susceptible to deterioration starting after about 10 years. Somewhat less susceptible to deterioration are Digital8 (which is also recorded on Hi8 tapes) and MiniDV tapes, because those are digital formats. But even for digital tapes, it is still magnetic tape which deteriorates over time, and you need to get those videos off of there. Seriously, at the risk of sounding like a doomsayer, if you have precious memories on magnetic video tape, you need to transfer that video off of those tapes and into digital form as soon as possible, or risk losing them forever. It's not hard to do, and you'll sleep better at night when you get it done!

In my case, I have a bunch of precious Hi8 family video tapes recorded on a high-end Sony consumer camcorder between 10 and 19 years ago, and I am rescuing these Hi8 videos a little on the late side. I wish I had started this project 5 years ago instead. These tapes are still watchable, but they have developed some lines and drop-outs and "hiccups" and digital artifacts. With multiple playback retries, I can fortunately still coax out fairly high quality from these tapes.

A quick note: Digital8 and MiniDV video tape camcorders have USB ports on them for digitally transferring your videos to your PC or Mac. If this is your situation, there is NO need to purchase one of these video transfer products (like Hauppauge HD PVR). You will get the best quality, by far, by using a USB cable to connect your camcorder to your PC or Mac, playing back your video in the camcorder, and using any of a whole bunch of different inexpensive software products on the market that will allow you to capture video from the USB port on your computer. This way, you are getting the digital video in its original form, which is great. You will get worse quality if you use a video transfer product that captures the video off of the video ports on the camcorder, because the camcorder is converting the digital video into analog, then the video transfer product converts the analog back to digital (not ideal, for sure).

So, for the rest of this review, I will assume you have analog magnetic video tape (like VHS, Video8, or normal Hi8), in which case you need a video transfer product like this Elgato Video Capture or something similar.

A note about video resolution: The analog video tape formats (VHS, Video8, and normal Hi8) all have native video resolutions less than 640x480. All of the video transfer products on the market record the video from these formats at either 640x480 or 720x480. It doesn't really matter which of these two resolutions the product records at. The point is, all of the video transfer products record at higher resolution than the original video, so you are capturing all of the resolution of the original video when you do the video transfer, which is good.

A note about overscan lines at the bottom of captured video: As documented all over the Internet, when capturing digital video from an analog video source like an analog magnetic video tape, you will end up with some additional fuzzy lines at the bottom of the captured video. This is totally normal. When played back on a regular TV, these overscan lines are usually chopped off because they appear "below the bottom of the screen," but the digital capture grabs them (including with the Hauppauge HD PVR). To get rid of those lines, you can crop or zoom in slightly when you do your video editing. Interestingly, the Elgato Video Capture device (see below) automatically does a minor zoom on all captured video to remove those fuzzy lines.

A remark about video editing: Two of the products below (Elgato and Hauppauge) produce video files that use H.264 compression. This is an excellent video compression standard for viewing, and is supported by just about all video editing software. However, if you are going to do significant video editing, you may want to use some video conversion software to convert these video files to uncompressed or MJPEG-compressed AVI or MOV files for editing. (There are many inexpensive or perhaps even free software packages that will do this conversion.) The problem with editing H.264 compressed video files directly is that the extreme compression, which crosses video frame boundaries, can cause problems for video editing software, resulting sometimes in digital artifacts or out-of-sync audio in the final edited video output. An uncompressed or MJPEG-compressed AVI or MOV video source file avoids these problems.

A word about using an outside company to make a high-quality transfer of your analog video tape: A search of the Internet reveals many companies that will transfer your video tape into digital form, and send the digital files back to you on a fairly inexpensive USB hard drive that you can supply yourself or that they will sell you. Some of these companies are better than others. A few of these companies are very high-end, using expensive video transfer equipment. I used one of these very high-end video transfer companies, using their most expensive Premium service, to transfer the very same 15-year-old Hi8 tape that I also tried at home with the video transfer products below. I discovered that the transfer done by the outside company was significantly WORSE (lots of lines through the video and tracking problems) than what I was able to do at home with the products below. I don't necessarily think this is the fault of the video transfer company. At home, I was able to use the very same Sony Hi8 camcorder to do the transfer that I originally used to shoot the original video tape. My suspicion is that, especially for older analog video tapes, it helps to use the same camcorder for transfer as you used to shoot the video originally, so that any idiosyncracies in tracking or video head alignment won't be as much of an issue. Just food for thought.

Anyway, as noted above, I have done an experiment over the past 2 weeks, transferring the exact same 15-year-old Hi8 tape to my PC using the high-end video transfer company (above), plus two different video transfer products at home (Elgato and Hauppauge, below), and I also considered a third video transfer product (Blackmagic, below), to compare the pros and cons of each of each approach. Here's what I found out:

Elgato Video Capture: Gets the best reviews on Amazon for a relatively inexpensive product for video transfer on both Windows and Mac. It captures video at 640x480 resolution, which means it grabs the full resolution and more of VHS, Video8, and normal Hi8 tapes. This worked great on my 64-bit Windows 7 computer. I just downloaded the latest driver and software from the Elgato web site, installed them both, and I was ready to go. It's incredibly easy to use. It connects to any USB 2.0 port on your computer. There are really no settings; the software guides you through the very simple process, and it transfers your video to your computer as an MP4 file. In case you are curious, the MP4 file it writes uses H.264 compression at 640x480 resolution and (basically) 29.97 frames/sec (standard NTSC) and a video data rate of between about 1100 kbps and 1500 kbps, depending on the complexity of the particular video you transferred. The audio in the MP4 file is AAC format at 48 kHz 16-bit stereo with an audio data rate of 128 kbps. When capturing a 2-hour video, I ended up with an MP4 file that was 1.5 GB in size. This Elgato product scores big points for ease-of-use. However, the video quality, while quite good, is not as high as the Hauppauge HD PVR (see below), because of the heavy video compression the Elgato uses to make a relatively small MP4 file with fairly low data rates. If you look closely at the captured video from the Elgato product, you will notice some minor squares of slightly distorted color at times, where the video has been over-compressed. Also, as noted above, the Elgato Video Capture automatically does a minor zoom on all captured video to avoid the fuzzy lines at the bottom of the captured video. On the plus side, this saves you the step of doing that zoom yourself in video editing. On the minus side, it is cropping all 4 sides of the video slightly, which might not be what you want.

Hauppauge HD PVR (this product): The Hauppauge HD PVR exists in two very similar versions, the Model 1212 and the Model 1445 Gaming Edition, but the functionality of the two models is identical when capturing video from analog video magnetic tape. (I used the Gaming Edition.) Although designed for high-def video capture, it's by far the best product I tried for standard-def video capture as well. This product gets excellent reviews on Amazon, and rightfully so. It works out of the box on Windows (including 64-bit Windows 7, which I use), and also supports the Mac with separately downloadable software. When transferring standard definition video, the Hauppauge product captures video at 720x480 resolution, which means it grabs the full resolution and more of VHS, Video8, and normal Hi8 tapes. Like the Elgato product, the Hauppague is very easy to use, though the software give you a few recording options, unlike the Elgato. The Hauppauge connects to any USB 2.0 port on your computer. It gives you a choice of recording video in three different formats: .TS, .M2TS, or .MP4. It doesn't matter much, choose whatever format is most convenient for you; most digital video editing applications can handle any of these formats with no problem. In all three cases, the output file uses H.264 compression, is 720x480 resolution, 29.97 frames/sec (standard NTSC) and a user-selectable video rate between 1 Mbit/sec and 13.5 Mbit/sec. I chose 5 Mbit/sec, and ended up with a crystal-clear video capture with a variable video data rate of 20 kbps (MUCH higher data rate and much lower compression than the Elgato, which means a clearer picture). The audio is AC-3 format at 48 kHz and a data rate of 384 kbps (again, much less compression than the Elgato, which means the Hauppauge perhaps yields slightly higher audio quality). If these technical details sound confusing, it's not important. The point is, the video capture from the Hauppauge product is significantly higher quality than from the Elgato, at the expense of significantly larger output files, and like the Elgato, can be edited with most video editing software. (A 2-hour video capture on the Hauppauge gave me a 5 GB file, as opposed to the 1.5 GB file from the Elgato for the same video tape.) Note that, like most video capture devices, the Hauppauge gives you the full captured video frame, which means you end up with some fuzzy lines at the bottom, as explained above. You can eliminate those fuzzy lines during editing with a crop or minor zoom.

Blackmagic Design Intensity Shuttle: This is the cream-of-the-crop for video capture. It comes in either a USB 3.0 model for Windows or a Thunderbolt model for the Mac. It captures both high-def and standard-def video in full, uncompressed format, so there is no loss of video quality for compression. For true archival quality of your video memories, this is the Rolls Royce option. However, there are two trade-offs to obtain this quality. The first is that your uncompressed video takes a LOT of disk space. The second, and more important, consideration is that you need a computer that can handle the extremely high data rate coming from the Blackmagic device (since the video is uncompressed). If you run Windows, you need a high-speed computer using an Intel x58 based motherboard, a true USB 3.0 port, and the latest USB 3.0 drivers. Most computers don't meet this requirement, even when they have a USB 3.0 port. There is a list of officially tested motherboards on the Blackmagic web site. My 1st-generation Dell XPS 17 laptop (which has two USB 3.0 ports) does not meet this requirement, so I can't use the Intensity Shuttle, and thus I haven't tried it. Though not officially listed as a supported system, there is a YouTube video called "Intensity Shuttle and Dell XPS Laptop From Scratch Tutorial" that explains how use a SECOND-generation Dell XPS 17 laptop with the Intensity Shuttle if you re-install Windows 7 and strip down the software running in the background to the bare minimum. Many people who want to use the Intensity Shuttle will buy or build a computer specifically for this purpose. If you don't already have a computer that is compatible with the Blackmagic Intensity Shuttle, and you aren't willing to invest to purchase or build one, or you don't need the full uncompressed archival quality video that is captured by the Intensity Shuttle, go with the Hauppauge or Elgato products, above.

I hope this comparative review is helpful to someone. Good luck, and good for you for transferring your precious older analog video tapes!

hello I hope this review finds you doing awesome please remember to liken favorite this review (YouTube game community joke there)!

This review will focus on the difference between the 2 HD PVR's available on Amazon but as an HD PVR that I constantly use for gameplay captures both of these will work aces if you're looking to capture 720p gameplay or video. And I exclusively use mine for console gameplay captures and have no experience using it to capture TV programs. I gave it 4 stars in this regard because I would like to recapture at 1080p but at the moment these devices only allowed 1080i as an option and the signal looks kind of week at 1080i but the 720p capture from these devices looks tiptop!

I wanted to quickly bump out this review to help you compare the 2 Hauppauge (what a horrible company name) HD PVR's that you see here on Amazon. One of them is " the gaming edition" while the other it would seem from their button above " is not compatible with console game systems". And this is simply untrue, now I'm not sure if it's an error on Amazon's part but it should be set straight. (and please note if the 1445 price falls below $200

and or has free shipping I might just be the better deal)

The Hauppauge 1445 & 1212 Are the exact same device hardware wise it seems from my initial look if this is untrue after further research I will let you know. Basically all the 1445 comes with that is different from the 1212 is a component cable that you run from your console/ game system to the HD PVR. Now this table can be bought on Amazon for less than $10 which makes the 1212 seem like a better purchase if you already have video editing software. When we explain that a little further.

The reason I want to put this review up was to explain that both are compatible with game systems many of the commentators on YouTube who do gameplay use the 1212 at the moment as the 1445 seems to be a relatively new device. But the Way, Amazon has a categorized you would think that the 1212 is not compatible with gaming systems which is untrue. The 1445 simply comes with the cable and some better editing software than the 1212. I have not done a lot of research on the arc soft editing software that comes with it though I do believe it retails for around $80 but I use premiere Pro from Adobe and many commentators use Sony Vegas which I believe are way more powerful than the arc soft editing program. But all in all if you don't have any editing software and one of simple one-stop shop package then the 1445 is an all-around good deal for a little bit more money.

But if you're wondering if the 1212 is compatible with gaming systems it certainly is and if you buy the triple head component cable available on Amazon for $10-$15 you will be able to record gameplay from your system of choice.

If later on I find out there is a hardware difference or something has changed (besides the color of the LED which is blue on the 1212 and seems to be green on the 1445) I will update this review if you know something I've missed feel free to leave it in the comments below. Thanks or taken the time to read this I hope that it is helped you understand the differences between these 2 very similar HD PVR's.

FOR MAC USERS:If you're a Mac user and want to get into gameplay commentary or recording go with the 1212 as you will need to buy Elgato's Eye-TV software which retails for about $80 to get your Hauppauge to run on the Mac. But one thing I'd like to say about Eye-TV as a software package said it is way more powerful than the standard software that comes with the 1212 for Windows. So many more export features and the ability to edit your video recordings and export them before ever touching video editing software. It is a great software package if you're on a Mac and want to get into recording gameplay.

Game on gamers!

Buy Hauppauge 1445 HD-PVR Gaming Edition High Definition Personal Video Recorder for Use with PC, PS3, Now

I will not be going into a lot of technical detail, because there are a many great reviews on here that have already accomplished that, but there are a few complaints that just seemed to have gone ignored.

The biggest one I have is that this system cannot record SNES or NES video. After trying unsuccessfully on many different systems, I thought that my system may have been broken so I got a replacement. The exact same problems occurred and I realized it was a design flaw. Here is the email that I got back from tech support:

___

It looks as though these devices are sending out a video signal that the HD

PVR doesn't understand. For analog video the HD PVR is expecting 30 frames

per sec consisting of 30 odd fields per second and 30 even fields per

second. One odd and one even field make up a frame. Your older gaming

systems are using only odd or only even fields. The advantage to this is

that the video displayed is a bit clearer with no interleaving (or

interlacing) effect but the HD PVR's video digitizer doesn't understand and

cannot display this type of video information.

___

Since this was the main reason why I wanted the system, it was hearbreaking for me. The other major flaw is the high requirements for 720p-1080i output. I have a dual core laptop that was not powerful enough to output the display to the TV, so while the system was able to record properly, I would not be able to play a game at the same time.

After I was able to get by these rather dramatic disappointments, I am still fairly happy with the system itself, and I will be keeping it to record PS3 gameplay in the future. The cables that came with this version are pretty amazing. I highly recommend this system if you have a powerful computer and you only plan on recording video footage from dreamcast to newer systems.

Here's a quick run-down of what I was talking about:

Does not work with an SNES or NES (I've tried 3 types of each)

Requires a pretty powerful computer to output at 720p-1080i

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This says "gaming compatibility" for marketing reasons only, the only thing different between this model and the cheaper 1212 model are the cables provided, how it looks, and the software that's included. With this model, Hauppauge includes a 3-way component cable which can be used for xbox 360, ps3, and wii. The same cable cost me $10 at gamestop.

The software is a bit trickier, I use 3rd party software so I don't know how Acersoft (or whatever it's called) works, but this model gives you software that's supposed to work with gaming consoles. The thing is that you can download the new software off the Hauppauge Support page, so it really doesn't matter which model you get, they both will work for recording gameplay.

I use the 1212 model for recording ps3 and xbox 360 gameplay, it's easy to use and easy to set up but I won't go into detail as this section is for the 1445 model. Just remember that the only difference between this and the 1212 is that the 1445 model has a green light, includes a cable that you can get for $10 somewhere else, different software, and cost $40 more than the 1212 model. Gotta love marketing.

Want Hauppauge 1445 HD-PVR Gaming Edition High Definition Personal Video Recorder for Use with PC, PS3, Discount?

I bought the Hauppauge 1445 HD-PVR Gaming Edition to record video from my XBox 360. It works great, but after a day of struggling with the device and being ready to rip my hair out, hopefully I can give you some details and save you from similar frustration.

The box comes with everything you need to get started: the Hauppauge itself, an AC adapter, a component cable capable of connecting any of the current-generation gaming systems (PS3/360/Wii), a male-to-male component cable for passthrough to your TV, a USB cable for connecting to your computer, and a software disc. Keep in mind that you'll be doing all the capture on a computer; this device does not have an integrated hard drive, or the ability to add one.

I specifically bought the gaming edition so I could get the included multi-device component cable, because aside from my Wii, I hook everything up via HDMI. If you're buying the gaming edition for the green light on the device... go ahead. If the color of the light doesn't matter to you, DON'T buy the gaming edition. I made the mistake of believing that for five extra dollars, I was going to get a high-quality cable, despite being an analog signal split between three possible input connections. After plugging the cables, I realized my mistake. There was ghosting, what some might call the "halo effect", around everything. It was most pronounced around text. This effect appeared at 720p and 1080i resolutions, and also appeared in recordings, proving that the problem was with the cable itself and not with my setup. 480i and 480p had no ghosting issue, so if you're planning on recording Wii only, you can make do with the included cable. I had to go out and buy a dedicated cable for my XBox 360. I'd recommend you do the same, and stick with the cheaper "blue" model.

After that frustration, the biggest problem was getting the damn thing to actually work. I connected all the cables and the USB cable as instructed, popped in the disc, and installed the device drivers and the ArcSoft ShowBiz software. I launched the ShowBiz capture module, and ... no video! I had all the correct inputs selected (Hauppauge device, component input, rear stereo audio), and the preview window showed nothing. Trying to capture video despite that yielded an error when stopping the capture. I must have changed literally every device and format setting, trying to find whatever quirk in my settings was causing the issue. I even installed the drivers and software on another computer to see if it was my laptop's fault. As a last resort, I visited the Hauppauge website and downloaded the drivers from the Support page. After updating my drivers... lo and behold, the preview video was there! Why the included drivers didn't work from the get-go, I have no idea. What's even more confusing is that it wasn't included as a suggestion in any of the troubleshooting documentation I could find, nor did the driver changelog suggest that it was solving any problem in my setup. So, I spent the better half of my day just getting the capture set up and getting quality video going.

I'm happy to say that following those issues, the device works flawlessly. Once you start capture up, the device lights up bright to let you know that it's busy at work, encoding the video and transferring it to your computer according to whatever settings you have set. There's no lag on the TV itself, despite the Hauppauge being in-between. The video as well as the audio will be played back on the computer with a bit of a delay though, but you can feel free to mute your system while recording happens to avoid the distracting audio. You don't really need a powerful system to capture video, because all the encoding is done on the Hauppauge itself (editing is a different story). You have a large range of mbps/sec qualities to choose from, whether you want to bitrate to be constant or variable, and whether you want stereo sound to be encoded as AAC or AC3. In addition, you have a range of output formats to choose from, including .TS, .M2TS, and .MP4. These are organized according to whichever device you plan to use to play the media back (AVCHD, PS3, and XBox 360, respectively). I recommend recording in .TS format, regardless of what device you'll use. .MP4 has audio sync issues, so avoid using that format.

I cranked mine up to the highest variable bitrate and AC3-encoded audio at 720p in .TS format, and it cost me about 1.6GB for a 20 minute video. Not too shabby! I haven't compared various bitrates and their effect on file size, but you can probably make your space go a lot farther with a bit of experimentation. The quality was great; what I saw on my TV was what recorded, with no audio hiccups or stuttering of any kind.

If you're planning on doing some trimming of your videos, and maybe adding some transitions, basic effects, or text, then ArcSoft ShowBiz will do the trick for you, complete with the ability to upload directly to YouTube. For me, I needed something with some more options (no fade through black, ArcSoft? Really?). I used AVS Video Editor, which has a much more robust set of options, and best of all, takes your .TS format video without a fuss. Be warned that it will include a watermark upon publishing if you don't buy the full version. Unfortunately, you likely won't be able to "cut out the middleman", so to speak, when capturing video. AVS couldn't capture video from the Hauppauge, so I'm stuck with capturing the video with ArcSoft ShowBiz and opening up the video in AVS. I can't say for sure if any other Windows-based video capture software will work, but I had no such luck. Those of you using a Mac or Linux, there are third-party solutions out there to get you rolling. I haven't tested them yet, so I can't tell you what type of experience you'll have.

Overall, the Hauppauge HD-PVR does a great job of what it's supposed to do: Capture high quality video from your game console or other component video device and provide an acceptable set of editing and uploading options. I took off one star for the initial frustration and the poor-quality gaming cable. Once it's working, it does a great job of what it promises to do.

Happy recording! If you have questions, feel free to leave a comment on the review.

Sanyo Icr-xps01m Icr-xps01m Xacti Sound Recorder

I've had the Xacti ICR-XPS01M for a week and have used it to record (3) live classical music events. Too bad that Amazon's reviews only allow (5) stars. The Xacti deserves at least (10)!

The tiny mics in the Sanyo have surprisingly low noise considering their small diaphragm size. They're also pretty clean with no obvious distortion and/or frequency anomalies. So far, all of my Xacti recordings have been at the PCM (WAV) setting (44.1kHz/16 bit). With a 8GB Kingston Grade-4 micro SD card, the unit will record for 12.5 hours (WAV)or 136 hours (MP-3). Files are limited to 2GB each (about 3 hours) which is a limitation of the card file format used. The supplied 2GB memory card will store 3 hours of high quality WAV audio or 36 hours of MP-3 (128 kbps) audio.

Sound via the (2) built-in omni mics is clear with little harmonic distortion. The internal mics' frequency response rolls off below 60 Hz and, although Sanyo specs. the device at 20kHz, the sound seems to be slightly "dull" indicating no excess high-frequency response. I expect to make some actual response measurements using the external input and output jacks to evaluate the recorder independently of its microphones. Sanyo rates the frequency response using the external input as 40 to 21kHz for WAV recordng and 40 to 15kHz for MP-3 (128kbps).

The back lit (red) LCD screen is easy to read as long as you're not "farsighted", and the level meters (-45 dB to "0" db) are fast responding and have a peak indicator and a bright overload LED so it's easy to set levels. There are two mic coarse-gain ranges ("high" and "low" with a 30 dB gain increase using "high". Within each range there are 30 gain steps available. The "high" range is very sensitive and can easily pick up a normal conversation several feet away. I recorded a small classical chamber ensemble at a distance of 10 feet and used the "low" mic gain range and a gain setting of 26 for a recording that peaked at approximately -6dB. In addition, there are (3) gain ranges available for the external (3.5 mm stereo) line input.

I had absolutely no problems reading the recorder's memory and transferring files to either a Windows XP machine or several Macintoshs running OS-X 10.4.11 through 10.6.2. Sanyo does include a special 12 inch long micro USB cable for computer interfacing. The recorder is recharged via the USB port. No external power supply is provided, and the unit will fully recharge in about 3 hours, providing enough energy for at least 14 hours of WAV recording (23 hours if you turn the display off). The battery is removable and is easily replaced so anyone needing more than 12 hours of recording can always carry a spare.

No audio editing software is supplied with the Xacti, but I had no problem at all importing the WAV files into "Logic Studio", "Pro Tools", "Garage Band" and/or "Audacity" for editing and normalization before burning them to CD.

At its 44.1kHz/16 bit setting using the built-in mics, the Xacti is capable of making recordings that are comparable to a Tascam DR-100, which is a lot larger and costs three times as much. The DR-100, will, of course, record at 96K/24 bits, but that high resolution is really only needed when using an external input source, not the Tascam's built-in mics.

Other thoughts: The Xacti is far more than "just" a great digital audio recorder. It includes a FM receiver (you can easily record FM broadcasts) and is also a basic MP-3 player. The FM receiver is strictly "analog" (It does not receive HD FM) and has only moderate sensitivity but sounds quite good given a strong station. The earphone cable doubles as the FM antenna so cable placement is critical to receiving a clean signal.

The unit is supplied with a set of earbud phones. They sound OK but are relatively large and have a rough textured outer edge, so are, by far, the most uncomfortable of the dozens of earbuds I've tried over the years. Plug in a good set of real headphones (Sony 7509's work well) to really hear what this device is capable of. There is also a tiny speaker mounted to the back surface of the Sanyo. It's really only usable to determine if you've actually recorded something, or to play back voice recordings. As noted in another review, Sanyo does make a docking & charging station that contains (4) small speakers. As of this date, the docking station does not seem to be available for sale in the US.

The Xacti is a well-finished, precision device and looks very elegant. Its elegant design includes a polished metal edge, which looks great, but can make the device seem slippery and easy to drop. The back of the recorder does have a slot and pin arrangement clearly designed to attach a wrist strap like those supplied with just about every small digital camera, but Sanyo does not supply a strap or offer one as an option. I found a small camera strap the fits and works perfectly at Amazon.com for a few dollars and installed it right away.

Also, so far, Sanyo does not supply a case for the recorder. I found the ESME recorder case sold on Amazon by Senyx to be a perfect fit for the Xacti recorder. The ESME case is made from heavy "Cordura nylon" fabric and will hold the Sanyo plus a set of earbuds and a few extra micro SD cards. Its soft lining protects the recorder from scratches and minor shocks. This is the case that Sanyo should have supplied with the recorder.

Anyway, for now I'm VERY impressed with this device. Where else can one find a good quality stereo digital audio recorder with a built-in, 5-band graphic equalizer, (2) quite decent microphones, a FM radio receiver and a tiny MP-3 player for just over a hundred bucks and sized so two of them can easily fit in a shirt pocket?

The recorder is supplied with a clearly written, detailed manual (180 pages) which I'd strongly advise reading before trying to use the recorder. There are so many user set functions that it takes (6) pages just to graphically show the user menu structure. Sanyo wisely supplied the manual in a paper, hard-copy form as well as a PDF on the supplied 2GB micro SD card. Since the paper manual does not open to a "flat" configuration (It's like a paperback book), it's MUCH easier to use the on-screen PDF manual when learning how to perform some operation. The first thing one should do is to copy the PDF manual to your computer because it will be lost if you perform a "format" operation on the memory card.

IMHO, Sanyo has hit a "bases-loaded homerun" with this one. It's a real gem!

********** (10-stars)

This is one sweet unit. Slicker than all get out. I decided to trade in my Boss Micro BR for this unit because I found myself wanting to do simple stereo microphone recordings and with the Micro BR that meant attaching an outboard microphone (the internal one is mono) and then choosing several items from the menu system to make a simple recording. Don't get me wrong, the Boss is a great unit, but just not a great fit for my applications. So, leaving the Micro BR behind I decided to pick up the Sanyo Xacti ICR-XPS01M.

First could they make the name LESS memorable? Nothing wrong with Xacti except that Sanyo has many, many products in the Xacti line most of them video camcorders. It needs a name that doesn't sound like a license plate number.

Aside from the name, this unit is really fantastic. I, like most people, pondered the merrits of this as compared to a few competitors, namely the Zoom H2, H1, an Alesis unit, a Yamaha, an Olympus, Tascam and a few others. My brother just got a Zoom H2 and was bragging to me about all the great recordings he was making. I almost went the Zoom H2 route until I came across the Xacti. After reading several reviews I decided to go with the Sanyo. I'm so glad I did.

For my first project I recorded a Steinway M grand piano for a client. Recording a grand piano is one of the most difficult types of recordings you can ever make. This unit did a wonderful job without even breaking a sweat. Now, I have a full digital recording studio with a Hard Disk DAW and thousands of dollars worth of expensive studio microphones. I have a pair of high end condensers that I use for piano all the time. They cost $600 each. I'm not saying that this Sanyo compares to that set up, but for the difference in portablility and cost I was absolutely blown away. The sound was totally natural, not hyped, not artificial in any way. The piano sounded simply stunning. Beautiful stereo image, all in all a wonderful and super easy recording session. Just a tip I went to the music store and bought a spring clip type microphone holder, the kind that sort of looks like a chip clip, but is made to hold a handheld type microphone. It cost me $5. With the jaws of the clip spread wide it makes a perfect holder for the Xacti and the unit will then fit on any mic stand.

Next project, I wanted to record my daughters conversation with me while we were riding in the front seat of my car. I put the Xacti on a laniard, hung it around my neck, used the "scene" settings and set it to "Lecture". It captured every word of the conversation flawlessly, in spite of car noise, etc. When I listend back over the car stereo I found myself checking my signal light to make sure it wasn't on, because the recording of our conversation picked up when I used the turn signal so realistically.

The Sanyo Xacti ICR-XPS01M is a fantastic unit. Professional quality recordings for sure. My wish list would only be to add some type of stand mount, but my $5 solution works great and allows me to position it anywhere.

I will be doing a side by side comparison with my brothers Zoom H2 soon to see how they compare, my feelings are that the Zoom will be a little different sounding, but not better or worse, just different. We'll see. If the Sanyo comes out way better my brother's going to be mad!!!!

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First of all, the Sanyo Exacti is mislabeled above. It's far more than a "voice recorder." I was sent this latest piece of consumer technology, perhaps the smallest and lightest high-end personal digital recorder ever, to review, but found myself too short on time to give it the thorough and comprehensive analysis it deserves. I sent it back regretfully and only because I sensed it offers a slight learning curve to those of us who are older, in a hurry, not especially at home with all the digital gear coming at us from all directions (I don't even own a smart phone).

Suffice it to say that you can't possibly appreciate how tiny this thing is, how ingenious and intricate the design and construction are, until you have the product in hand. Just as the Canon Elf SD-780 broke all records for incorporating a 13 megapixel camera and HD camcorder in a container the size of a pill-box, Sangean has pulled off a comparable, record-breaking feat with this particular stereo recorder-player-FM receiver. Moreover, it's inarguably attention-getting in its form factor, flexibility, and functionality. Originally pegged to go on the market at a significantly higher price, the release of the Zoom H-1 no doubt forced Sangean to release it at a more competitive price. It definitely is a "contender" in the personal digital audio recorder market, and should be considered seriously--especially by younger audio fans who are quick learners and intuitive about small and intricate technology and by PC users (the company lists it as a PC compatible machine, though in my brief time with the machine, I was able to get a file onto my Mac with little problem).

Comparing it with the Zoom H-1 may not be entirely fair. The Sanyo comes with more attention to style and micro-technology along with the capability of integrating it with an accompanying, form-fitting stereo speaker system. And with its FM receiver, it can be used much like an Apple Nano 5 except as part of a complete system. Store the recorder in its appointed place between the custom-made speakers on your nightstand, and take only the recorder with you for listening to or recording high-quality stereo recordings--compressed MP3s or full-fidelity wave format.

I didn't judge the fidelity of field recordings to be quite as close to CD quality as the Zoom, with its XY adjustable mic pattern. It struck me as closer to a comparably priced Tascam or Edirol--but noticeably smaller. It also has features lacking on many machines. For example, you can speed up playback without altering pitch. Also, it has onboard memory--plenty of it for recording compressed files. And once you've mastered the miniature controls, Sangean has made operation a no-brainer. No need to learn specialized jargon. Simply set it for "voice" to exclude unwanted low and high frequencies, or "music" for full-frequencied sound. And there are similar descriptive categories to choose among for playback equalization. The auto gain control operated flawlessly for me. To listen to the music coming from this weightless micro-device is a stunning experience--whether it's music recorded from a line-in source, the onboard mics, or the FM receiver.

The system is suggestive of a fine piece of jewelry, not something for rough and ready use, though it may be more rugged and durable than it would appear to be. The owner who treats it with respect is likely to be rewarded for years to come.

To see this little gem up close and in action, take a look at the Sanyo site: usdotsanyodotocom. Under Consumer Items, click on "digital recorders," then on Xacti ICR-XPSO1M. Be sure to see it nestled in the complementary speaker system specially made for it.

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I've used this for about 6 months, I'm happy with its features. Good battery life, mp3 recordings sound very good. Added a 8GB MicroSD card and there is a lot of room left still.

Lots of features built-in, mic sensitivity is good, auto and manual level adjust, headphone jack is good for monitoring, 5 band EQ.

Touch controls are good, I guess they're there so that you don't add extra noise to your recording.

The red backlit LCD is cool looking and easy to read at all times, even outside.

I'd recommend this to anyone who wants an ultra slim recorder, its almost too small! I'm glad I haven't lost it yet...

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I got the Xacti ICR-XPS01 at a brick and mortar store for more than selling at Amazon now. Even at that price it was a great little recorder. I use it for DSLR audio rather than the built in audio of the camera.

Pro

-Good battery life

-Record as well as play EQ

-Clear sound recording with good channel separation

-UI with light up buttons works great in the dark

-Monitoring via headphones while recording

-Charges via USB while you copy files to Mac

-Cheap

Con

-No XLR jacks

-No tripod mount built in

-A bit cheap and fragile feeling (not sure it would survive a drop)

I put velcro on the back and mount it to my DSLR video rig that way.

Sony DVP-NC675P/B DVD Player

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

2.0 inch LTPS 720P HD Car DVR Black Box with Separate Rearview Camera/Sticker Mount/Night Vision/SO

• HD 720p high-definition video.
• Dual separate camera.
• SOS urgent file protection.
• Motion detection. Built-in G-Sensor (car accident case of emergency save, will not be deleted).
• Recorder will automatically start video when connect the power.

Dash DVR working good at day light,not so good at low-night-light,even when watch on pc,but have had use proved 2th when car accident happen in front of me witness,& when i*d been light hit in back!!!!!!rear camera!!!!

G13 Black GSM Quad-band Watch Phone ~ UNLOCKED ~

This product is amazing. My contract with verizon is ending next month, and I will be switching to prepaid for good. It is an unlocked phone (which means it can work without a contract.) All you need is a sim card (tmobile, at&t, etc.) Get prepaid minutes. For 30 bucks a month, I get 1500 minutes. Thats 25 hours worth of talk time. More than enough for me or anyone else. You cant beat the price.

PROS:

The SVP G13 GSM Quad-band Watch Phone can be worn like a regular watch. It has a touchscreen dialpad and menu, a pin sized camera for taking still pictures and video capture (You would need an optional Micro SD card for storage) It has a wall charger which is USB and you can also charge with your computer as well. When it comes to talking and hearing, there are two ways: One, you can talk directly into the watch phone with the speakerphone turned on, or you can used the included or any bluetooth headset. If using the bluetooth, you dont need to talk into the microphone which is cool. The G13 also comes with a stylus pen which can help with navigating through the easy to use menu. Also, when typing in a contact, you can use the stylus' scribble feature to easily type in. The call quality is excellent based on your phone service, tmobile's coverage doesnt work well in the basement.It could work globally.

CONS:

Not recommended for texting, people with fat fingers, or 3-way calling. It is NOT waterproof either.

I don't have a SIM card yet, so I don't know the quality of the phone function of this watch. About the other things though:

Design: The watch looks cool, and I've received a lot of compliments from people. They suspect that it's not "just a watch" and occasionally ask about it. Sometimes if I feel like it, I like to show the person some of its other functions and watch their jaw drop. Other times, I can just pass it off as a watch and feel like a spy. So, fun stuff aside...the screen is a bit big, so it's probably better suited for men. It looks a little less natural on women, but I'm ok with it. Overall, good design.

Difficulty: The instruction manual that came with it wasn't too helpful when it came to details, but it covered the basics. I had to experiment for a while to find out exactly what this watch could do. Even now, I don't think I've figured out the whole thing. For example: Originally, every time I pressed a button, turned it on/off, etc, it would make really loud, annoying sounds. After exploring a bit, I finally found a mute setting, but it wasn't so obvious to find. Now, I think the online description of this watch says it includes a calculator, but I still haven't been able to find it. Overall, it takes some experimenting and time, but eventually it's pretty simple to use. I wish there was some more in-depth manual out there though.

Functions: All the watch's extra capabilities make it a must for gadget lovers. Its multimedia functions include audio player/recorder, video player/recorder, camera, and a handy file manager to keep track of all those things.

~The camera takes pretty small but decent pictures, 128x128. I would prefer a slightly better quality/bigger photo, but that's just me. The camera also isn't very noticeable, so if you turn off the shutter sound, it's pretty good for taking secret pictures. Um. Yeah. You should probably ask permission from people first though. Should, anyways.

~The audio recorder isn't too great. I can barely distinguish voices, so it's not too good for recording lectures. There might be a way to improve the mic reception, but I haven't found it yet.

~The video recorder uses up a lot of space. I haven't bought a mini SD card yet, so I haven't been able to try the video recorder. There's half a MB or so of built-in space in the watch, but that's not enough for a second of video recording.

~There are also a bunch of other misc. functions, kind of like on a normal phone. Stuff like and organizer, a calendar, a stop watch, etc. Things like the planner are impractical because of how small the keyboard is, but it's still a cool thing to have.

Battery: I like how they included two. If you charge both, you can easily switch them for twice the battery life. Most of the time, my watch is on standby anyways. I only occasionally check the time and sometimes use the other functions, mostly multimedia. One battery lasts me about 3 days, but if I guess if I were to use it more, then the two batteries would get me through the day.

Conclusion: I think I've covered the main stuff about this phone watch. Sorry about not being able to comment on the important thing-the phone part. Judging by the poor audio recorder, I don't think talking through the watch would be a good idea, but the included earphone and Bluetooth set should make up for it. The earphone has a built in mic too. Without a SIM card, there are still so many functions I can't use (SMS messaging, speed dial, even this one button that I think means INTERNET) So overall, I really like my watch, though I definitely would change certain things. (audio recorder, better manual, etc) It's great for gadget lovers and really can impress people.

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As I am sure others have pointed out, this gadget has a few flaws that keep it from receiving a perfect rating.

1. The display is not very crisp. The digits for the time (especially #1) appear very low res and are not in keeping with the rest of the device's features and technology.

2. The screen sensitivity is not great. You really do need a stylus to manipulate the watch with any accuracy. Combining this less than stellar attribute with the poor screen res can make for some frustrating moments interacting with it.

3. The menu system can be a little bizarre. For example the process of adding new contacts into the address book takes you through a strange sequence of steps that seems needlessly complicated. It's very easy to make a change to data, but then it's equally easy to not save those changes resulting in No change at all.

4. The battery compartment is on the underside of the watch and provides direct access to the watches internals. The SIM card and MicroSD card slots are under the battery, but the seal around the battery does not appear to offer any measure of moisture/water resistance. I would recommend removing this watch during vigorously hand washing as you might end up getting water inside this thing.

Forget about keeping it on while doing anything that might wet your wrists in any way.

Having said that. The call quality is quite good according to the few people I have called using this gadget. It's Bluetooth radio paired effortlessly with my headset, and the call quality in both directions was usable and satisfactory.

Once you have some numbers in your address book, speed dialing is quick and easy and calls seem to initiate very quickly, actually faster than most smart phones I've used.

The built in speaker is very loud for ring tones and alerts, but oddly call volume is fairly low and requires that you literally put the thing to you ear to hear the other party, if you are not using a BT headset. Strange.

However strange it looks, you can actually carry on a conversation with the watch speaker at your ear, as the mic seems to have the sensitivity to capture your voice well enough for the party on the other end to hear you. I personally don't care for walking around with those dorky BT headsets stuck in my ear, so I would just as soon use this with it to my ear, or preferably in speaker phone mode, if it had one.

I'm a middle aged gadget freak, so I couldn't resist this item when I saw it, but the novelty wore off in about a day and I don't really have a need for it, so I gave it to my teenage son. He'll make better use of it and I like the fact that it is unlocked and will therefore work with just about any SIM from a contract free service provider. We are not believers in giving children expensive electronics like iPhones etc, so this will allow us to keep in touch with him after school without giving him something that will distract him from school and studies.

Lastly, text messaging on this device works surprisingly well, and will allow us to send him messages during the day, and as long as the phone is in vibrate mode, will not be a disturbance during school hours.

**** UPDATE ****

Well, after just a little over 2 months, this thing is basically dead. Shortly after writing my initial assessment above, the poor materials and construction of this device became evident. It will no longer charge the battery as I suspect there is a fault in the charging port, or the charging cable. It requires a proprietary charging cable, so it is not a simple matter of replacing it with another. I have no idea if that is even possible or worth pursuing. Unfortunately, I suspect that this device is headed to the trash can less than 90 days after purchase and with only normal wear and tear being the cause.

Great idea, poor execution, and I would not come close to considering a replacement (unless free) as I suspect the issues we encountered are not at all unique.

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yes it does work, but a little hard to use. needs a lot of time to figure out all features, and manual doesn't really help that much.

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Bluetooth headset that came with it is total crap. Better off getting a better brand. Motorola ect. Other than that, innovative step in the right direction :) prepaid option totally easy. If your ready for the future. It's a must try. ;-)

Samson Technologies Q2HDAP Zoom Accessory Pack for Q2HD - Soft Shell Case, Windscreen, AD-14 AC Ada

• Windscreen
• AC adapter
• HDMI cable, USB cable
• Adjustable tripod stand
• Padded-shell case

I purchased the accessory kit from the local music store. It completes the Q2HD, and I recommend that you purchase it. The little tripod is quite convenient and the power adapter and usb cable are a must have. It is nice that they include an HDMI cable for easy viewing on a widescreen, and the foam windscreen is nice as well. The Hard case included is definitively another must have. I am very impressed with the Zoom Q2HD and the accessory kit, might have been nice to include the accessory kit with the camera rather than making it sold separately.

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I highly reccommend to buy with this company, the products are really good in quality and they were in my mail box on time.

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Regardless of being a little expensive, this package brings to you every item that you could imagine necessary for the camera. I had a bad time learnig how to put the strap, and I still don't know how I have done that, but I have and I am glad I purchased the package.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Mutant MIG-MT201 LP Capturer USB Turntable with Direct Record to USB Flash Drive/SD Card

• Direct record to U-Drive or Flash MP3 or MMC/SD card
• 33-1/3, 45, 78rpm 3speeds turntable
• Auto tone arm reset
• RCA line out for amplifier or analog recorders
• Built-in MP3 Encoder to Record the Contents from vinyl records onto UFD/Flash MP3 or MMC/SD card

I purchased this unit in February and used it a couple of times. It works well when recording to a s/d card. I have to listen carefully to the songs I am recording for start and stoping the songs. Maybe I need to get more familiar with the unit to find a way to connect speakers, other than that what I record comes out perfect. It is easy to use.

Thanks

J.Cadeau

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I was hesitant to buy this record player because of the lack of reviews. But I wanted a 3-speed player and didn't want to pay over $100. And I'm happy to report it's a solid machine. I've had it for about 3 months now and have played hundreds of records and it works great so far. Has a nice, elegant look to it and is super easy to use. Being able to record to an SD card is a cool feature, so you don't have to bring over your laptop to hook it up.

The only negatives I have are I wish it had a tone control. The sound is a little flat. If you hook it to an amp you can adjust this, but there are no sound adjustments built into the unit. It also doesn't come with software for editing your mp3's. Again, if you have Garage Band or whatever, not a big deal, but if you don't have sound editing software, you'll need to get it if you want to edit the recordings. But those are tiny complaints, especially for the price.

Definitely a good all-around record player. Would recommend.

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I got the Mutant MIG-MT210 to transcribe to digital 78 and 33-1/3 RPM records left by my father when he recently passed away. Some time before he died, his record player broke (he was always tinkering with it unnecessarily). I have a Realistic (yep, Radio Shack) LAB-310, not a great turntable, but adequate. But it doesn't play 78's, which is why I ordered the Mutant.

My copy of the Mutant has a very, very noisy motor. Even after I made adjustments, according to the manual, the noise was not only directly audible, but showed up on the MP3's produced. Filtering with Audacity, which should have been an unnecessary step, was not sufficient. I can't stand the noise.

The Mutant operated as described in the manual, no problems there. However, the noise is unacceptable.

K-Tek Topper Fuzzy Windscreen for Tascam iM2

• Saves your audio!
• Protects your sensitive microphone
• Gives you clear sound with less editing to do in post production

I ordered this item for my tascam recorder and it seems to do the job very well. Very pleased with this wind screen.

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I've used this and compared it to other manufacturers. No question this one is the best furry windscreen for my iM2 out there.

BlackOpsTM SD Digital Phone Recorder w/ Phone Call Data Software: Digital desktop recorder records

Wanted to get a handle on my sales staffs' telephone etiquette so I purchased the Call Assistant because it offered the Caller ID feature and a easy to use software that helped me store the call records. Product work better than I could have hoped and offered more features than most digital recorders. I'd recommend this product to anyone with a small business who looking for a little quality control...

Hello; I like the unit in general but there are a few shortcomings such as (1) the info on the website and booklet / instructions Do Not tell you if the device is plugged into the USB cable; phone calls can Not be recorded ! (2) No specifics on the type of microphone you need to be compatible for using the record function DB gain, tpe like dynamic, etc. (3) to shut off the damn beeping if the batteries in the device are weak / must be replaced (4) the steps to program the unit vs. which buttons do not always work right ??

In general the unit does well with recordings and the telco connections are straightforward and its size is easy to hide. The Call Assistant software is plain jane & simple but you get a lot of file errors and so far I have found no way to recover calls that have a file error. I have caller ID w/ name & most of the numbers that show up on caller ID Do Not show up with the phone number, so knowing which call you are listening to or want to find it is very difficult.

Your software needs a column that always lists the phone number and in the next column; you can make a note to ID what call is it for easier listening, etc.

I like the device otherwise and the software, so I am not downing it but changes need to be made considering less expensive recorders/software and PC based systems have a better call ID & documentation. At $ 300.00 plus the software, this is expecting too much; its all about reasonable easy of use / functionality. Thank you.

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Want to make this review on two aspects. Delivery and Functionality

The delivery process was good, it took the time that was informed during the buying process.

On the Funcitonality side, it is great, it is the most simple device I have ever used, the instructions are not the best, never the less it is so simple to operate that it only took 5 minutes to have the first recording going on. The operation of the device after the recording it as simple as it gets, on the touch of one button and you are hearing the conversations, one additional button and you can delet it.

It is great device overall,

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Seagate FreeAgent Theater HD Media Player and FreeAgent Go 250 GB USB 2.0 Portable External Hard Dr

I don't want to repeat too much what others have already listed. The unit works great for playing your home videos you converted to DVDs just like you're using a DVD player and you don't need to convert any files(provided they are in the standard DVD format ifo, VOB etc) them just copy them off your DVD and you can have access to all your memories. I click on the VIDEO_TS.IFO file and it plays just like I had the DVD in menus and all.

Now for the problem. The unit does not recognize the FreeAgent Go drives. Dock the drive to it and it does not know a drive is there. I purchased both the unit and a FreeAgent Go drive in the last 2 months. The drive arrived yesterday. I had been using a flashdrive up until now using the USB port. Now I wish I did not buy this unit. Unfortunately, the only place people were talking about this issue was on Seagate's website in the forum section. If you can't dock your external hard drive to it, it's not of much use. Perhaps earlier models worked but in this economy many firms went cheap and perhaps Seagate has done this too. It was just too good to be true and I have relied on Seagate for storage for years, and now they have let me down.

***Update, Seagate initiated contact with me and appears may be taking care of the issue. I will update. So far their customer service has been very proactive and they initiated contact with me based on my discussion about it and how many firms do that!**** Seagate did replace the drive based on comments I wrote in a forum. I also purchased another unit for $29 (no drive included) on sale Jan 2010. Both units working well but you may need to use a USB cable to use a larger Go Drive.

Over all this player is a good unit for play back of basic media files. I purchased this unit primarily to play my extensive MP3 collection through my sound system. As other users have mentioned an HDMI output with support for 1080p is notably absent. The player is limited in what file types it supports although it plays my mp3's quite well. The digital audio output is nice and it allows you to choose between LPCM or raw format for external decoding. It would have been nice to have an optical output since some brands of receivers are limited in the number of coax connections available. One huge limitation of this player that perhaps a future firmware update will correct is that it will not use the track number contained in the ID3 data to play the tracks in album order. The unit simply uses alphabetic order so to properly order the tracks for playback every track must be renamed with the track number in front of it. I've also loaded a couple of my favorite standard definition DVD's onto the unit. The display quality was as good as could be expected considering the source material. Audio playback using the raw format to a receiver was good. One irritant though is that it sometimes pauses while switching between video files throughout the film. I was able to overcome this by using my PC to combine the video files into one large file. The downside to this method is that you lose chapter selection and since it doesn't resume playback to where it was stopped this can be a big headache to fast forward all the way to the point you want to resume from. The remote is basic and as most credit card types do it lacks power and must be carefully aimed at the unit. I plan to use a Logitech Harmony One to over come this.One surprise encountered when opening this unit is that it requires two simultaneous USB conections. Not a huge issue but it prevented me from using the single port I have wired on my desk top forcing me to climb behind the PC tower to connect it. Over all I'm pleased with the unit but it definitely has room for some improvement which is why only four stars.

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This product works best as an easy-to-use way to access your photos, music, and videos from your living room. You won't need a wireless internet connection. Just a USB port on your PC, an unused A/V jacks on your TV, and a free power outlet. There are limitations, as I explain below.

COMPATIBLE FILES

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

According to the info sheet, the following file types are compatible. I didn't come across any problems, but other reviews on Amazon have.

MPEG-1

MPEG-2 (AVI/ VOB / ISO) up to 1920x1080i @30fps

MPEG-4 (AVI / DivX / Xvid) up to 1280x720 @60fps

Video Resolutions: NTSC 480i/480p; PAL 576i/576p. Supports video (HD and upscaling) up to 720p/1080i.

Audio (MP3, ACS, WMA, WAV, OGG)

Photo (JPEG's up to 20 megapixels per photo).

BENEFITS

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Easy to use software (but not Mac compatible)

Easy to use TV interface

Great Seagate external drive (This is the same type sold separately as the Seagate FreeAgent Go 250 GB USB which has good reviews).

Automatically transfer designated folders on your PC to the external drive for viewing on your TV.

LIMITATIONS

-----------

Component cables not included. Only RCA cables are included, so you won't experience the higher resolutions without them.

Not Mac compatible

The design of the remote looks a bit dated. The dock that connects to your TV looks like an old answering machine.

ALSO NOTE

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If you already have a PS3 connected to your TV, you won't really need this. The PS3 already can copy photos, videos, and music from a memory card or a DVD-rom (that you burn) and store them on its harddrive. You would also save an extra set of A/V jacks on your TV and not need to use another power adapter. There are also shareware programs that can update a memory card with your latest media files.

RECOMMENDED USE

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

The people that may benefit most from this product are parents who want to show visitors their latest kids photos on the TV.

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This media player is extremely easy to set up. I practically got it to work in 5 minutes just hooked everything up right out of the box and played.

The kit came with 2 docks: a PC dock and a TV dock, or the media player. However, it only came with regular video cable. No component or SVGA cable. Also, there is no HDMI port this is part of the reason I want to give it four stars. You just got to have HDMI connection now aday! But it does everything it said, so it deserves 5 stars.

Setup is straight forward. I used the supplied remote control to navigate the set up system. The credit card size remote control has to be pointed directly to the media player, I thought it didn't work a couple of times.

There is also a very hight quality 250GB Seagate external drive. It is the same pocket hardrive sold everywhere.

The PC docking station uses 2 USB ports, but I suspect that I can connect the harddrive to my laptop via another cable that uses only one. I copied a HD movie and a few Jpegs to the supplied external hard drive, plugged it in the TV docks and played. It is that simple.

Video and audio quality are excellence, just like you play a good dvd with high-end upconversion dvd player. I set the output to 1080i, same as my HD sattelire receiver. You can also set it to 720p.

I have not tried the software that came with it. I think the software provides some advanced capabilities that allows syncing your multi media libraries to the harddrive. I will install the software when I have time and update this review.

I wish this player supports HDMI and higher HD resolution, but 1080i or 720p is most people will ever need. HDMI cable is cheaper and easy to hook up. I now have a bunch of wire hanging off my TV!

It's awesome playing HD movies that came off my HD video camera. I highly recommend this player if you have a lot of those. Not that I recommend it, but if your buddy also has this player, you can swap drives with him and watch his movies!

6/20/09 Update:

I love this so much I bought one for my brother as a gift. I also tried the WD media player and thought that this Seagate is far better. When you have to drag a USB drive with power cord around, you'll appreciate the clean design of this player. It also has none of the jerkiness found in other player. It can only play up to 1080i, but most of us wont see the differences. But you have to option to plug in a USB drive with this player if you want to.

Still love and highly recommend it.

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I had high expectations for this media player. It is good looking and easy to use...UNFORNATELY... it DOES NOT PLAY your home movies unless they are converted to a particular format.

MOVIES:

We own Canon digital cameras and a Flip Video Camera... Both are very popular, yet movies taken with these cameara DO NOT WORK on this player. You get pictures... no sound....

Tech support informed me that we would have to change the CODECS for these videos... This is very time consuming and not for the novice. It takes longer to change codecs than it took to make the video. With over 200 hours of digital movies... this player IS NOT the answer.

We are returning it to buy a Western Digital which has LOTS of CODECS built in to the system, so we can just play our movies.

The movies play on our computer with a 2002 copy of windows media player... Apparently the new Seagate Theater Player is not as sophisticated as the old technology.

Pictures:

It makes a great slide show of all your pictures.

If all you want to display on your TV is Pictures, buy this unit.

If your movie codecs match seagates player, buy this unit.

If your movie codecs DO NOT match the players...do not waste your time....

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TASCAM DP-006 Digital Portastudio 6-Track Portable Multi-Track Recorder

• 6-track Portable Multi-track Recorder
• CD-Quality Recording (44.1kHz/16-bit)
• Built-in High-quality Stereo Condenser Microphone
• Two Mic/Line inputs
• 2G SD Card and AA Batteries Included

I don't consider Zoom's recorders particularly user friendly, but you can figure them out easily and the manual explains anything that isn't obvious. TASCAM takes user unfriendliness to a whole new level with the DP-006. Nothing is particularly intuitive, unless you're used to the way you recorded audio in the 80s, and the manual doesn't make it much easier to figure out. There are just so many steps to actually getting your audio files onto your computer that I don't even know why you'd bother. There are many, many other better devices out there that require a far smaller learning curve. This thing would be really great if it just recorded to a file and that was that. Instead, it tries to pack the features of an entire studio into this tiny little box, all the while not offering phantom power or XLR inputs (you need the DP-008EX for that). Even if you learn how to use this thing and don't mind the way it works, you'll still likely find the export times frustrating. Exporting to WAV, so you can actually access your audio on a computer, takes about the same time it took to record the audio in the first place (e.g. a 25 second file takes about 25 seconds to export). That, alone, makes me not want to bother with this thing. Other recorders and portable workstations don't require conversion and export at all.

All of that said, the hardware is very nice. It feels sturdy, the knobs, dials, and buttons are all easy to operate. The screen provides plenty of information and doesn't feel cramped (despite being small). If you want an annoyingly featured-packed device that's difficult to learn and use but has great hardware, get the DP-008EX instead of this. But with either unit, there are several other better options available at similar price points.

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This is a wonderful unit and is the heir to Tascam's budget multi-track cassette recorders that revolutionized basement recording decades ago. This is for musicians who want a single unit recording solution or a simple piece of recording equipment for the road. I love the unit for its size and simplicity. I did need the manual briefly to work through a few of the menus, but you can start recording and mixing tracks very quickly. I have no qualms about the sound quality given the price. Track manipulation is, for the most part, very fast. It is slow, however, when creating a master (so much so that I thought the unit was caught in a loop, but it just takes time). It is also slow communicating with a computer. The LCD is small and not back-lit. Masters output as wav files.

Unless your needs are extremely minimal and you want something super small, my recommendation is to get the DP-008EX which has (among other things) 8 tracks, reverb control for each channel, and 2 XLR inputs. As I write this review, the DP-008EX is only $20 more. The DP-008EX is still quite compact and it does not add much complexity. Indeed, those extra tracks give you a little more room to experiment before you need to overwrite, backup, or mix-down. The DP-008EX will, of course, draw more power (it is rated at 5.5 hours on alkaline batteries vs. 8 for the DP-006). I think both units should have included a DC wall wart.

I had no trouble connecting the unit to a Mac, though all this allows is the transfer of files to/from the SD card. I don't recommend this unit for people who mix and/or compose on a computer; really, it is best for performers who wish to avoid assembling their own digital audio workstation. I found the unit to be solidly built and well-documented. Tascam has a page on their website that shows the trial-and-error effort of recording and mixing-down the included demo song.

Cheers

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Assembling a multi-track recording at one time required expensive studio time and very expensive equipment. Just as computing, which was once only possible on massive machines that filled entire rooms that only universities or corporations could afford has now been shrunk in terms of size and affordability until most people now have powerful personal systems the size of a tablet, recording equipment has experienced a similar radical change in size and affordability. Tascam's recording device is one example,of that. The DP-006 can record and mix up to 6 tracks in CD quality. Two microphones are built right into the unit to avoid the need to carry separate microphones, to maximize portability. The unit is plastic but feels solid and durable. There are 11 button knobs to adjust a variety of input levels. Set in 3 rows, the knobs are color coded to lessen confusion. There is a Jog wheel to move among data windows and several smaller buttons that serves as controls. The unit is small, easily carried in a person's palm. Fidelity of the built in microphones is quite good and results achieved are similarly impressive. The big disappointment, as other reviewers have mentioned is that the interface is very unintuitive and even confusing so there is a steeper than necessary learning curve. It does seem more like something out of the 1980's than the 21st century. That could be forgiven if the documentation was more clear. It isn't. Once mastered, the unit is very capable considering it's extreme portability. But factoring in the difficulty of initial use diminishes the unit somewhat, though, depending on your personal needs and patience quotient, for the price it might suite your needs as a musician or enthusiast.

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I worked for a radio station 10 years ago and would have loved this. I carried an MD recorder for interviews and I had a massive set up for band recordings just to get two tracks. This is amazing. If you work for a radio station, you must have this!

For amateur musicians or others who need to record multi-track audio, there is nothing like this anywhere near the size and price.

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This little unit is a blast. When I say little, I mean it literally -it's only about 4 by 6 inches, and a little over an inch tall.

It's a terrific musical sketchpad, great for practicing or quick recordings of your latest song idea. Thanks to the quick start section in the included instruction manual, I recorded a song within ten minutes of unboxing it.

It has six tracks, but just four channels -two of the channels are stereo, two are monaural. Theoretically, since it has bounce-to-track capability, you can record unlimited tracks.

What I like most is that it isn't technically overwhelming like some standalone recorders. It has a good balance of capability and simplicity. You can do some on-board editing, and you can even "master" by mixing down your tracks. But it doesn't have audio processing or effects like reverb -which, in such a small unit, probably wouldn't be satisfactory anyway. If you want to do that kind of thing, it's best to load your tracks into a digital audio workstation on your computer and take it from there.

It does not have XLR inputs. It has two 1/4-inch jack inputs, and they are versatile. One can be switched from mic/line to guitar. The impedance of both inputs can be set to low, medium, or high. You can plug a guitar directly in, or use a powered or unpowered mic of high or low impedance.

However, it comes with built-in mics, and they do a very nice job. That makes this an extremely portable unit -practically self-contained.

It comes with batteries, a USB cord (for connecting to your computer and transferring tracks), and an SD card already installed.

If I had one small suggestion for improvement, it would be that TASCAM would include a set of ear buds. A set of ear buds would make it a totally complete and ready-to-use system right out of the box.