Sony DCR-HC32 MiniDV Handycam Camcorder w/20x Optical Zoom

I almost purchased the 42 instead of the 32, but after checking them out at the store I decided on the 32. The Samsung 353 was also in the running but one look in the store and I knew Sony was the way to go. I am glad I decided on the 32 because the only real difference was the CCD, which is 340k instead of 680k effective. It turns out the 32 does such a good job with the 340k I can't tell the difference, and for $150 less. The other only real difference is the color viewfinder on the 42, but who uses a viewfinder anymore. It doesn't come with a firewire (iLink) cable so be prepared to purchase one, especially if you have a mac. I am happy with our choice and look forward to many edited videos to share with the family.

I wanted a miniDV camcorder that had a Analog to Digital passthrough capability so that I could convert all my old Hi8 tapes to DVD's. I wanted one that was small and light, had a large zoom range, and was good on batteries. After agonizing over choices between Canon ZR, Elura models or the Sony HC32 I finally settled on the Sony. So far, no regrets.

The video looks great. Colors appear very accurate and bright. I just turn on the camera and it does all the work. I don't mess with manual features much. If you do, this is probably not the best choice of cameras.

The management of the battery is uniquely good with Sony camcorders. You get a constant rundown of how many minutes of battery life you have left that is pretty accurate. The optional extended batteries are expensive, but provide amazing battery life. Even the small battery that ships with the camcorder gives me over an hour of use.

The camcorder is very small yet is still comfortable to hold.

The LCD screen is top notch.

The Analog to Digital Passthrough works great. I converted a 2 hour tape to my Mac with no problems. The audio and video remained in sync for all two hours.

I cannot hear any camera noises on the tape. Some people complain about the built in microphones picking up camcorder noises on these little camcorders. I looked for it and did not hear any, even after transferring video to my computer.

Some other thoughts on the camcorder.

The touch menu system is not so bad, easier than most other camera menu systems. The only problem is that certain options go away when you are not in the correct mode.

The camera does fine with low light until it is dark enough to want lights on in the room. The night shot really goofs up the colors (like a poorly colorized movie). My old Hi8 camcorder actually does better when it gets dark out (I guess this is not surprising since the CCD is bigger yet it has less pixels).

The docking station is fine if you only connect the camera to one TV or device. If you need to move it around, then I would perfer not to deal with it but this is a pretty minor detail.

The camera is a bit expensive and accessories are even more expensive. The Canon ZR-200 is very similar in capabilities (not sure if the video quality is as good) and a good bit less expensive. I borrowed a friends ZR-85 and thought the video qualitiy was not as good especially in less than ideal lighting. I think Canon improved the low light video for the ZR-200's however.

Buy Sony DCR-HC32 MiniDV Handycam Camcorder w/20x Optical Zoom Now

Just an FYI for some of the previous reviewers: the problem of CCD failure that affected earlier versions of this Sony camcorder line is not an issue in the 2005 models. For complete information on the Sony CCD problem, see;

http://www.imaging-resource.com/badccds.html

Functionally, this is a great camcorder for the price. The ergonomics are particularly nice very comfortable and easy to use. Good low light performance. Just wish it had a colour viewfinder and that Sony had included a small Memory Stick.

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This is a very good camera for the price range. I have always had good luck with Sony products, unlike some of the reviewers here. The resolution of the viewer window and the image quality itself is more than what I would expect from a camera in this price range.... it's pretty decent. For what most people use DV cams for, this is camera doesn't suck at all.

I like how tiny it is. It doesn't go much past the palm of my hand when I'm holding it. Also it was very easy to figure out just by exploring the menu on the touch pad. Color graphics & icons on the menus add a nice touch. A beginner could start filming very soon after opening the box, I think. The camera feels sturdy in my hand, I mean I don't feel like the viewer window is going to break off when it's open or that I could easily break the buttons with normal use.

As others have mentioned, you have to buy a 4 to 6 firewire if you have a mac because the iLink cable that comes with it is a S-video input for TVs. Also the battery that comes with it is the 30 minute battery but I would have bought an extra one anyway because you never want to wait around while your only battery is charging. The software CD is a do-it-yourself install, at least for Mac. It might not be for PC. I'm used to being guided through the installation process... (since at least the early 90's!) but I had to drag the folder to my hard drive my darn self. A minor thing but I would have expected more from a major company like Sony.

But the reason I give it a 4 star rating instead of 5 is because the firewire goes into the base, not the camera so you cannot have the camera on a tripod while it's connected to your machine. I realize this will not be a big problem for very many people but since I do stop-motion animation and use frame grabbing software, I need to have it connected to firewire and on a tripod in while I'm working. I almost returned the camera when I discovered this but instead I hot glued velcro to the bottom of the base and to my tripod adaptor so I could have the firewire plugged in and attached to the tripod....kinda ghetto. I figure it was worth it though since I got such a good camera for the price (I paid $299 on sale for it.)

If you're looking for a decent but cheap camera I would recommend either this one or the hc42 if you want to shoot in widescreen.

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I love this camcorder it has a great resolution video and easy to use,

the only thing is that mac users have to buy the iLink cable 4pin to 6pin.

Smart Black Box Drive Recorder

Edit: I've now had this recorder over two years and it's still going like a champ. They now have an improved BX1500 model out. Twice a year the thing beeps because it does not initialize the SD card upon start up but turning the key on and off has cleared it each time.

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Edit: I've now had this recorder over one year and it's going like a champ. Excellent!

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If you don't know, this device is used to record video while you drive your vehicle for accident evidence purposes. One lie and you could be paying thousands of dollars when somebody else is at fault or worse yet be seriously hurt and having an insurance company not living up to its promises.

This review is based on my first impressions after installing, recording, and using the the software to configure and review videos, but not extended use. I will add pertinent information if I feel differently or if the device fails.

I have purchased two of these type of devices in the past. The first one cost 400 dollars and clamped on the rearview mirror. The second was similar to this unit in that it was small and simple with no viewing screen and cost 100 dollars. Buying one of these devices can be quite a pain and disappointment. The first rearview mirror type was good enough, but it weighed so much it ruined my mirror ball and socket mount and essentially would not stay in the up position after about six months. In addition the screen would turn on EVERYTIME I started my car so I was forced to manually turn it off. This became a big pain up until the point that my mirror ball and socket would not hold it up any longer. In addition to these problems the unit's buttons started to stick and basically I blew 400 dollars on a clunky embarrassingly large piece-o-junk. The second 100 dollar unit was made in china and upon taking it apart two weeks after purchase I completely understood why it would not function when the car was hot (90deg day). The inside looked like a mess with low quality workmanship. So at this point I've dropped half a kilobuck and don't have a decent recorder.

At this point I started thinking very deeply about what I wanted in a dash DVR/accident recorder. At first I insisted that it have a screen so I could show the cop at the accident scene, but have since back pedaled on this requirement based on the tradeoffs. I have looked at many of these units and ultimately they either record video files a computer can play (avi's, mp4), record files that software has to be used to review (the smarty black box is like this), and or it has an on-board screen for review. Most of them use removable flash memory. I'll add that the smarty's software allows you to create avi's that both my mac and pc play.

Here is my list of attributes:

1. It must be very small and unobtrusive so it does not block driver visibility and is not obvious from the exterior of the vehicle. Who wants to be the dork with the big bunch of electronics on their dash? Plus many of them will prevent you from using a sun shade. Higher visability = more theft.

2. It must automatically start recording when power is applied (power port or hardwire into fuse box) and not require me to touch it to turn off a screen or start a process.

3. It must overwrite the flash media automatically when it runs out of storage

4. It must warn me if it is malfunctioning (buzzer)

5. It must have a very wide angle lens to maximize field of view (angle you can see)

6. It must be reliable

7. must be able to review files at accident scene

8. Basically I should be able to completely forget that I have this device in my vehicle and only worry about it when its memory card needs replacing and it warns me or I want to look at video.

9. It must be very easy to install and have a reliable mount that does not fall off every other day.

I finally found the smarty black box and it's almost perfect. based on my initial assessment, I would say its size is very manageable with frankly a brilliant mechanical design and mount. It uses what appears to be high performance 3M adhesive tape for mounting and it appears to be VERY sturdy once installed. I'm guessing it's going to stay put, but I'll come back and add edits to the end of the review if it turns out to work poorly. The threaded ring (what you see in the picture is three parts assembled) that holds the body to the mount loosens and allows you to rotate the body (and lens) at very fine increments (small mating teeth in body mate with teeth in mounting ring). The software allows you to configure it to record constantly when powered on or record only an event as indicated by the g-sensor shock or user button push. I want to record constantly. Another reviewer complained that when used on constant record mode (when powered) that it will only do 15 frames per second. I think the reviewer is mistaken to think he/she needs more than 15 frames per second. First of all this is merely an evidence recorder, not a movie recorder to watch on your TV with smooth playback. Since the flash media will eventually need to be replaced due to being overwritten thousands of times, recording at slower frame rate makes the flash memory last longer and reduces costs and hassle. I set mine to 10 frames per second because I think it will provide me with enough video to make my case while not "wearing out" the recorder. It starts recording automatically, it automatically overwrites files if configured with the software to do so, it has a buzzer that indicates an "event" or g-shock (sensitivity is adjustable with software) as well as flash memory failure buzzer, the lens is extreme wide angle....... basically the smarty black box is everything I wanted except I can't review the files on scene.

Considering all the options I think the smarty black box is a poor man's excellent recorder. I recommend this recorder and if you must have the ability to playback video on scene buy a cheap netbook (software only works with windows). All of the other cheaper recorders I have seen fail miserably in multiple areas.

I do agree with another reviewer that the video quality is marginal, but that could be in part due to the fact that the lens is super wide angle which introduces distortion. I would rather have wide angle over less distortion purely for the fact I want to record evidence of what happened, not necessarily confirm a license plate number (it's a trade off). You can not make out a license plate because the video quality resolution/lens is not optimized for detail, rather wide viewing area. The other review's comment on sensor quality has merit, but I think the price and features are optimized. It certainly could use a better lens and sensor, but I'm not sure I want to pay 50% more for that. This is basically a 200-300 dollar recorder that will allow me to say "no I didn't run that light" or "that person swerved out of their lane not me" or "I was not speeding". The nighttime video is below average, but I still defend the configuration as well designed cost/video quality. More frames per second and more resolution means more data and shorter flash memory life.

Keep in mind what you want this device to do and how much you want to pay for it. Sure it would be nice to make out fine details, but for the most part I want a basic evidence recorder that shows my lane position, speed, stop light signal status, the other drivers behavior. If you want a full blow evidence collection system you need a remote mount DVR, several cameras, and lots of installation grief. This device on the other hand is a breeze to install and use, does not tear up your vehicle to install, and stays out of your way while you are driving..... that pretty sweet.

I'm expecting it to be reliable based on external construction/design and software quality, but that's admittedly a guess. If it gives me any problems I'll edit my review.

Also the software is very nice.

It's a good item to have in any car I've read and heard many stories about other people trying to get $$$ from your car insurance by simply backing up into the front of your car (for example, while you're standing behind them at traffic light) and then trying to claim that it was you who actually rear-ended them. You'll need a lot of luck trying to prove to your insurance company that it was not your fault, unless you have witnesses... or a video camera such as this.

About the camera itself: pretty solidly built (even though it's plastic) and very compact, the software which is used to play back the files and modify camera's settings is very easy to use and has many useful features which are explained well in the properly translated user's manual (overall much better than the software which comes with other similar cameras made by different companies). The video quality is pretty similar to other cameras of this type good during daylight, bad during dark time of the day. Resolution is pretty average acceptable for this type of camera, though I'd really prefer (and would gladly pay more for it) a higher resolution, at the very least 720p. The current model seems to record at maximum of 15 fps (frames per second) in a continuous record mode at a 640x480 resolution, which is somewhat strange considering the camera can actually record at 30 fps at same resolution but only in an event record mode (which is not that useful to me since I prefer the camera to record continuously). It cannot record audio, but that's a good thing, at least for me, since I tend to say many bad words when I'm driving alone and someone in front of me is driving very poorly. Overall I'd say I'm satisfied with my purchase, though as I said before, I really wish the manufacturer would improve it by using a better image sensor, with higher resolution and better light sensitivity.

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The review from M. Smith is pretty complete and accurate but I'll just add a few of my own observations about the SBX-1100 recorder. The device appears well-built and functions as described. I give it 4 stars rather than 5 because the resolution, at least using the 170-degree lens, is not quite good enough to read the license plate of the vehicle just in front of you at a stoplight. In my opinion, a data recorder of this type should be able to resolve a license plate as a basic point of data. (A sample youtube video with the 90-degree lens does show resolved license plates when near.) My only complaint with the SBX-1100 firmware is this... Events flagged by G-Sensor or the Record button should cause that video to be stored in a protected folder so that the events are not overwritten when the memory card becomes full. You can configure the device to stop recording when the memory card is full but it makes more sense to me that the Events should be protected while unflagged video is overwritten.

The SBX-1100 by KCI Communications appears to be the same device sold elsewhere as the Smarty BX1000 Plus by D-TEG. It's apparently manufactured in Korea. I've been disappointed that KCI Communications has not responded to email inquiries asking a few questions, such as Is the 90-degree lens available as a user-installable option? Another email about the availability of the spare parts kit has also gone unanswered. A phone call might quickly get the answers for me but if KCI offers email support on their website they should respond to email.

The PCViewer software appears to be made by the Yupiteru Co. of Japan. I have two complaints about the software: The Search For Events function searches only the currently selected file not all Loaded files. It seems it would be rather trivial to search all the loaded files so you don't have to search each one separately when looking for Events flagged in Normal mode. Also, the PCViewer main window cannot be re-sized. Using my netbook I had to use the ALT-M (Move) function just to get access to the progam menu. Both complaints are trivial and otherwise the software works very well and the integration with Google Maps and Google Earth is well-done.

On a 1,000 mile, 4-day trip the SBX-1100 seemed to work fine in Normal mode. I used a 16GB SD card and backed the data up every evening on a netbook computer. A cursory review of the video indicates pretty much every bit of driving was captured by the camera, and speed and location data were very accurate. On average, about 8GB of video and data was captured each day. Typically it wouldn't be necessary to backup all the data, especially the video, everyday just any particular stuff you want to keep or review. I did it just to see if I could do it practically.

Overall I'm satisfied with the SBX-1100 as a data recording device for the car. The competing Itronics ITB-70G Car Black Box Dash Camera Video and Audio Recorder with GPS Record device appears to be very similar in features with the addition of audio but I don't particularly like the looks of it.

When mounting the SBX-1100, make sure it is level to minimize the fish-eye distortion caused by such a wide-angle view. If the camera lens is aimed too low the horizon will curve up at the ends. If aimed to high, the horizon will curve down on the ends.

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I purchased one of these units about a year ago. I'd review the log files and video every once in a while to make sure it was working. Then a few months ago I noticed that the date/time tag on the files was not showing the date correctly. Most files showed a date in 2008, and a time of 7:00 pm, while only a few showed a correct date/time.

I tried contacting the support people at KSI.com. No response. I tried calling. Always went to voicemail. If I ever have to use these files as supporting evidence, it won't do me much good if it doesn't have a good date/time tag.

So I've had it with this unit, and the company that sells them. I'll look for something from a company that doesn't forget about you as soon as they have your money.

Update on 9 Feb 2012

I kept calling their "Help" line. Even stepped through their electronic phone book, and left voicemail with every number that had a person associated with the number. Still no response.

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I've left it running by accident, multiple times, for hours on end in direct sunlight with blistering heat & high humidity. It records with no errors. It acts like a "security blanket" on long trips to Chicago and Dallas, because I know I've got a discreet eyewitness.

My ONLY minor complaint is that the 12v plug doesn't include an on/off switch. Wish list: a dark translucent sticker to cut down the intensity of the lights on the back because they can distract my passengers at night. The lack of audio doesn't bother me as I've used a cockpit voice recorder for years.

Onkyo TX-SR508 7.1-Channel Home Theater Receiver (Black)

• 80 Watts per Channel at 8 Ohms, 20 Hz–20 kHz, 0.08%, 2 Channels Driven, FTC
• Audio and 1080p Video Processing via HDMI (4 Inputs and 1 Output)
• 4 DSP Modes for Gaming: Rock, Sports, Action, and RPG (Role Playing Game)
• Powered Zone 2 and Zone 2 Line-Out for Playback of Separate Source in Another Room
• Overlaid On-Screen Display (OSD) via HDMI

The sound from my ten year old Onkyo TX-DS474 was now inferior and I had read very good reviews of the Onkyo SR 507, so decided to pre order the brand new SR 508. It arrived from Amazon on April 29th. I used the built in equalizer to set up the speakers, connected the receiver with brand new HDMI v1.4 cables and connected it to my Dish satellite receiver, my Panasonic BluRay DVD player and my Panasonic HDTV. The sound was excellent. Whereas before we had to turn up the volume too loud to follow dialog on some shows, or else it was not clear, with the SR 508 the sound was so much clearer that we could keep the volume much lower.

After about three days I noticed that although I would assign the input as cab/sat, the receiver indicated ipod (now no ipod dock was connected to the receiver) but the sound still came through from the satellite box. Strange but no problem. Then exactly one week after receiving the receiver, in the middle of watching a show, the picture and sound went blank. No pushing of different buttons on the remote would make it work. My first reaction was a bad HDMI cable, so I changed it. Nothing. I switched to the DVD player, but again blank. So then I hooked up the satellite box and the DVD player directly to the TV by separate HDMI cables, turned on the TV speakers, and the TV works again. Obviously the SR 508 suddenly failed and would not even work as a pass through. I am returning the set to Amazon for a replacement. If the replacement works fine for a reasonable amount of time, I will update this review.

I chose Onkyo partially because of its RIHD feature in conjunction with Panasonic. In my experience that only works so-so. Turning on the BluRay DVD player did switch the receiver directly to DVD. But turning it off does not switch back automatically to cab/sat. Turning off the TV also turns off the Onkyo, but not vice versa. You still have to turn on the Onkyo receiver separately.

One unexpected problem with the receiver is that the zone 2 input works only with an analog signal. On my DS-474, I have set up output B to speakers in my screened in porch to be able to listen to CDs or TV there. The B speakers work with digital. Now all my signal inputs for zone 2 are digital, so it appears that the zone 2 feature is useless. Bummer!

I should specify that I am not at all techie, so there may be work arounds that I don't know!

Update#1: The unit failed Thursday evening, I requested a replacement online from Amazon on Friday noon, it arrived at my house on Saturday at about 2pm. I'm sure everyone would agree that that is outstanding customer service from Amazon. I have now (Sunday) installed the replacement unit and again it appears to be working great. Provided it continues to do so, I will add a second update and change my rating to four stars. I remain disappointed that the zone 2 is not digital, hence not 5 stars.

Update #2: Four days after installing the second receiver, it also failed in the same way. However, at the bottom of the "Troubleshooting" page in the user manual, I found the following comment: "The AV receiver contains a microcomputer for signal processing and control functions. In very rare situations, severe interference, noise from an external source, or static electricity may cause it to lock up. In the unlikely event this happens, unplug the power cord from the wall outlet, wait at least five seconds and then plug it in again."

That worked and it has not locked up again in the last ten days. However, I certainly take issue with the "rare circumstances" and "unlikely event" and I can't imagine any special event that may have caused it. My receiver is in a cabinet with the plug behind it, so unplugging is quite inconvenient. This said, the sound from the receiver is really clear so, if this problem does not recur frequently, I will be happy with the purchase. I'm changing my rating from one star to three stars.

Buy Onkyo TX-SR508 7.1-Channel Home Theater Receiver (Black) Now

I bought this to replace my Sony receiver I purchased from Amazon 3 years ago (almost to the day). While there was nothing "wrong" with my Sony receiver, I quickly realized once I plugged the Onkyo in, that my surround speakers were not being utilized as they should be.

While I am not an audiophile, I do have some quality speakers, and I do like having a quaility sound while watching movies (and playing Xbox). The sound is so clear and crisp with this receiver. Further, the set up with the 4 HDMI inputs made my stereo cabinet so much cleaner, and I got rid of all of my YRW and RBG wires. I am sure I could have invested another $300 and really got some really high end equipment, but honestly, the Onkyo is worth it. The funny thing is, I spent the same amount on the new Onkyo as I did on the old Sony, and the difference is just amazing.

The on-screen set up is great. It makes customizing the inputs and the equilizer so easy. And the speaker test really lets you know what where you need to place you speakers. What else can I say about this product? Honestly, this is the best purchase I have made in a long time. I think the 4 HDMI inputs alone make this a must-have over any other receiver similarly priced. I almost bought another Sony instead of the Onkyo (mostly because I have never purchased anything other than Sony receivers), but I am glad I made the switch. Now that I have experienced Onkyo, I think I have made a life long switch.

If you have any hesitations about buying this product, please feel free to send me a message, and I will try to answer your question before you buy. And if you have never bought an Onkyo before, try it first, and I am pretty sure you will like it (I would almost guarantee it). If not, return it to Amazon. They are really good with returns. But I doubt you will even want to return it once you get it set up.

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My wife purchased this for me for my B'Day. Her review is on here as well. The receiver stopped working about 1 month and 1 week in to use. Being past 30 days I could not count on Amazons return. Onkyo USA tech support was contacted. Very rude to say the least. The phone is answered as if its someones home and they just rolled over in the bed to take the call. I had to ask if it was the right number. After clarifying that it was just a matter of putting up with the guys condescending tone until a repair request was issued. No information on the return for repair was given other than where to send it. Even though the item is under warranty, the $30 shipping charge comes out of my pocket. The unit arrives at the repair center on June 24. About 2 weeks later we call to check on the repair as we never received any notification it had been received or the status. We are told the part needed is on back order until the end of August!! So apparently the repair center was just going to let us sit in limbo for 2 months and not even notify us of the delay.

Onkyo Customer Relations is contacted. They must look for people what do not like to talk on the phone as this person also sounded bothered that he had to talk. I advised him of the situation and he said he would check on it and if the repair could not be completed in a timely manner they would issue a replacement. 2 weeks later I call the repair center and they still DO NOT have the part. I do not call that a timely manner. Onkyo was contacted again and I requested a replacement since the unit is not in repair for over a month and the part is STILL NOT THERE. Onkyo refused so I gave the guy a descriptive explanation of what I thought of him and Onkyo.

I have contacted Amazon hoping for some type of support since they are an authorized dealer. I would think they would want some say in how this has been handled. I have also filed a claim with the BBB in NJ, which is where Onkyo USA is located.

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I hooked up the new Onkyo in about an hour and it sounded great! The next day it wouldn't work for anything hooked up through the HDMI input/output. I called Onkyo service and was greeted by an unhappy tecnician (well it was a Sunday)who told me to reset the Receiver. I asked how and he told me it's in the manual on page "x". I asked that he tell me to expedite the process and he reluctantly did and it worked. During the next 24 hours it needed resetting 4 times. I then read another review that had a similar problem and in it, it said, to pull the plug out of the wall and re-plug. I did, and it worked for another day and then needed reseting every few hours. Rather than deal with Onkyo service again, I just wrapped it up, back in the box, and returned it to Amazon. With Amazon reliability I can overcome an unrealiable product. btw, I saw the other bad reviews and said to myself "well thats only 4 or 5 out of dozens sold" my bad!

2-MONTH UPDATE: I'm downgrading this from 5 stars to 2 because it's already starting to choke on us. Namely, the sound sometimes cuts out entirely, forcing us to cycle through the inputs (i.e. from DVD to VCR back to DVD) to get it working again. Usually it happens when navigating between a DVD's main menu and playback mode, though sometimes it's random. In any event, this P.O.S. is going back; thank you Amazon for being lenient with your "30-day" return policy!

Original review:

Onkyo receivers kick ass for a few fundamental reasons: their sound quality is at the top of the game (beating boring-sounding Sonys and Yamahas, and only equaled by Pioneer), their specs and features are competitive at every price point, they look good, and they have the best ergonomics. That last point is pretty key to me, especially since receivers can seem like pretty homogeneous and impenetrably complicated products to electronics rookies (there's at least one in most households). Case in point: I like the button layout, menu logic, and intuitive remote. I like how there are direct buttons for every input source on both the front panel AND the remote (meaning you can just press a button marked "DVD" or "Tuner" instead of cycling through them with a little knob). I like how the volume control was apparently designed by humans (crank it up and it reads 10, 11, 12 instead of cryptically counting -35 dB, -34.5 dB, -34 dB). I even like Onkyo's green font, and anyone can appreciate a user's manual that's easy to understand, as well as nice and skinny thanks to Onkyo's decision to put the Spanish/French versions in a separate booklet.

None of this is news to me, having already owned the three-years-ago version of this model, the 2007 TX-SR505. But I had to upgrade because it wasn't until last year's model (TX-SR507) that Onkyo threw in two crucial updates: the ability to decode the new Blu-ray sound standards, Dolby TrueHD and DTS Master Audio (which are superior to Dolby Digital 5.1 and DTS 5.1, the Laserdisc/DVD standards that have been universal since the 90s) and ***REAL*** HDMI ports, instead of that "HDMI Pass-Through" crap that Onkyo had been scamming us with for years (in case you missed it, HDMI Pass-Through required a supplemental coaxial/optical audio connection, which was not only annoying but limiting, since those audio cables lack the bandwidth to handle the aforementioned new sound formats). Anyway, now that these features have trickled down to this "$400" model (heh, subtract about 160 by Amazon standards), the true Blu-ray experience can at last be enjoyed by the masses. Thanks to this new toy, I just experienced high-definition sound for the first time, and let me tell you, it sounds GRATE: clearer dialogue, punchier bass, and just more all-around aural substance. There ain't nothin like uncompressed, lossless, 5.1-channel sound -it's at least as obvious as the difference between CDs and MP3s (same principle at work, too).

As far as comparing the TX-SR508 to the other receivers within Onkyo's overcrowded 8-man lineup, I think this second-from-the-bottom model hits the price/features sweet spot for most non-hardcore-geek folk. It only costs about $40 (in Amazon dollars) above the bottom-end TX-SR308 yet adds all this good stuff:

-80 watts per channel vs. 65

-4 HDMI inputs vs. 3

-2 coaxial audio inputs vs. 1

-front panel composite inputs (the old school kind)

-higher-quality speaker connections (screw-down binding posts vs. cheap wire clips)

-7.1 channels vs. 5.1

-bi-amp capability for front speakers

-Dolby Pro Logic IIz (if you want to add 2 extra ceiling-mounted speakers)

-Audyssey Dynamic EQ & Audyssey Dynamic Volume (levels out the volume extremes)

-WRAT Wide Range Amplifier Technology (whatever that means)

-"All-Discrete Circuitry" (say what?)

-192 KHz/24-Bit Video Digital Audio Converters

-Zone 2 (for powering speakers in another room)

-SIRIUS radio ready

-an auto setup microphone

On the other hand, the next-up model, the TX-SR608, costs a whopping 140 Amazon dollars more to add:

-PC input

-6 HDMI inputs vs. 4

-second subwoofer input

-100 watts vs. 80

-THX certification (I think that just means it's "powerful enough" to drive THX-certified speakers -sounds like a THX branding circle-jerk)

-Faroudja DCDi video upconversion

-analog-to-HDMI conversion (magazines say this doesn't work well)

-3-Stage Inverted Darlington Circuitry (???)

Nice, but not necessary. Likewise, going even farther up the price scale seems to buy superfluous amenities like excess wattage, hookups for 10 speakers (whatever marketers tell you, 5.1 has been the only standard since the 90s and most movies today are still encoded that way), and a few other pieces of non-essential technology.

So basically, in the wide world of audio-video receivers, Onkyo's the best brand and this is the best Onkyo. What more do you need to know?

USB Cassette Deck Converter

• Convert your old mix tapes and cassette to MP3 to Playback on iPod/MP3 player or burn to CD. 3.5mm earphone jack. Plug and play USB device, no drivers required.
• Audio output enables you to listen on your stereo, headphones, or other speaker system. Audio editing software included. Rediscover your old cassette tapes on the go.
• Portable design fits in virtually any bag and enables you to play and transfer anywhere. Flexible battery or USB-powered operation. Comes with tape converter software to guide you through transfer.
• System Requirements: Pentium 4 1.7 GHz CPU or above, 512MB RAM or above, 1GB free HDD space, VGA card with 32MB memory, One available USB 2.0 port, CD-ROM for installation, Microsoft Windows 2000/ XP/ Vista/ Win 7. (Not compatible Mac 10.5 or higher)
• Package Included: 1 x USB Cassette Capture, 1 x User Guide, 1 x USB Cable, 1 x Headphones, 1 x Software CD (Includes capture and edit software and user guide)

First off, if you have Vista or Win 7, DO NOT follow the instructions that are provided!! I did and it was a huge freakin nightmare. Pretty much just plug and play, after you install the software it comes with. Which, that would be another part of it that discourages me. Amazon's product review as well as the quick guide and the online manual for this thing says NO need to install software. Well, thats a bunch of malarky!! You CAN NOT download your old cassettes unless you first install the software. Minor set back. Other than that, it is pretty freakin awesome to hear my old tapes on my new MP3 player. If you purchase this and feel like you are getting the run around, don't return it... I can help!! Contact me at bossman.cod@gmail.com!! Happy data transferring!! Another friendly reminder, you CAN NOT go down to Radio Shack and just pick up a cord to attach your old cassette player to your computer. You need a model like this because it has a USB output!!!

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Received product all excited to convert old recordings I had. First product played all tapes way too slow, returned for replacement, second one ate the tape I was using and then would not work at all after the first three minutes of playing the tape. This company is located off shore and drop ships through a Californian address. The product was not as described in the photos. Very unsatisfied with product and seller.

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A version of the USB cassette deck was mailed that didn't match the image and the return was honored. Good value however.

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Bought this and thought it would work for transferring my old

cassette tapes to my computer.

But this unit is complete junk and does not work and I returned

it as quick as I could.

Then I just used my old boombox with cassette to transfer my

old tapes by just using a audio cable from the headphone jack

to my mic jack on my computer and using my record program which

is called SoundRecorder.

wanted to convert cassettes into C D's, was to complicated never really got it to work , don't waste your money. Even with a friend that is really knowledgable with computers could not get it to work.

Magnavox MDR533H/F7 HDD/DVD Recorder

• Records up to 604 hours of content onto 500GB HDD
• 4-Way Dubbing (HDD->DVD, DVD->HDD, DV->HDD, DV->DVD)
• Watch, Forward, Rewind or Freeze Live TV while recording
• 1080p Up-Conversion
• Maximum 36 programs per month

I've been accused of being an "old fart" with a lack of tolerance for technology. It isn't true: I own a cell phone and the kids gave me a Kindle thingie over on the table somewhere. So, you might sense my apprehension about getting another box on the TV, another remote, and a headache setting the darn thing up. (I'm old school where buying a hard drive for your computer was an expensive option, and it took you a week to get it configured to your 8088 desktop.)

I was pleasantly surprised that the MAGNAVOX MDR533H/F7 320GB HDD and DVD Recorder with Digital Tuner was so easy to set up. I went on night shift and couldn't stand the thought of missing Big Bang Theory, Person of Interest, and NCIS so I had to record them. My VCR is packed away in the closet, but I don't have any tapes. Within a few minutes, I set up the recorder to save to hard disk drive (HDD) and scheduled a show. Today we watched my shows just fine. Perfect for what I wanted. It looks like you can also save to DVD, and/or playback DVD's. I played a DVD movie, and see I can eliminate my old DVD player using this box. (I think the kids are getting me a Blue Ray player for Christmas, whatever the hell that is.) Probably another box for the TV & another remote! Do they make remotes to manage all the other remotes? I have a drawer full, most of which I don't know what they go to anymore.

The recorder has RCA, S-Video & HDMI outputs to the TV. It passes the antenna/cable signal IN and OUT to the TV as well. You can "dub" your DVD's using the remote, whatever dubbing is. I think it's adding titles to the recording; I haven't tried that yet. This machine has a lot of options and features going for it. It is perfect, and easy, for my purpose, so I think you would be pleased with it. Especially if you are an old fart like me.

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If this was 10 years ago, it would be Ok, but it isn't

SDTV (standard definition) is long gone (for the most part). Sure, this receives and can record HD stations, but only at DVD quality which is SD (as in NTSC). The editing ability is good without the hassle of a PC, but come on Funai, lets get with the program.

As important, the HDD has been downsized to a 2 1/2" Laptop drive (see below). This is a HUGE disappointment as they went backwards, since the mount for a full size drive is still there. It was adapted to a smaller drive with the associated smaller SATA & power interface that won't allow a full size drive to be used. The power supply was modified to reduce power consumption, which is good, BUT, it was discovered this caused issues with the full size 3 1/2" drive so they did this fast fix.

Pros;

1. Self contained ATSC/QAM/NTSC tuner (see below),

2. HDD & DVR recorder,

3. Able to record from composite, S-Video & DV inputs,

4. You can swap drives between units (yours or anyones) and use as large as a 1TB replacement,

5. Edit out commercials (or any other material),

6. Edit recording titles,

7. Transfer recordings from the HDD to a DVD and vice versa (as long as the DVD isn't copy protected),

8. Low power consumption (21 watts). less than older versions, (but see below).

Cons;

1. This does not record HD, nor does it even show HD when using it as a tuner,

2. HDD has been changed to a smaller 2 1/2" Laptop drive format. This is due to cutting corners in the PS (power supply). This in turn caused issues with the larger 3 1/2" drive, forcing this modification,

3. The tuner is called a 'hybrid' that forces the user to switch between analog & digital channels when operated on a CATV feed,

4. Two ugly oversized and unnecessary buttons on the front panel that should be replaced with full menu & navigation functions. After all, this can be used as an editing deck that can be used at a desk. You don't need a remote to use this,

5. No front panel pause button,

6. No component record ability (no issue with DRM, it isn't digital),

7. No Guide of any kind for recording off air. Recordings have to be labeled to program names,

8. High power consumption when in standby by todays standards (4-5 watts),

9. Can not combine titles,

10. Some operational procedures are confusing causing one to jump back and forth though the menu.

I dropped the rating to two stars due to the downsizing of the PS & HDD.

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I have been using VCR to record TV programs until my digital to analog tuner died. Instead of buying another one, I thought I would look into a hard drive recorder. Price is important to me as I don't want to spend too much money. I found this unit. I have to admit that this is the first time I ended up with buying electronic product somewhere else because the price at Amazon is quite high, around 20% more. It took me no time to set it up. If you need something simple to operate and not having a lot of fancy functions, this is the unit I would buy. In SP mode, it could record up to 124 hours. I do not have any paid channel, I use attennae since I live in an area that has good reception. The digit tuner built into the unit scanned and found all the channels I needed. The timer programming is very simple, it's almost like my VCR. The playback is so much better than my tape. I can even play my DVD on it. I haven't tried the DVD recording feature since I don't have any DVR at hand. It may be too late to buy it as a Christmas present but if your parents are still using VCR for recording, buy them this unit this year. They would love it.

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Only had it for a few days but so far loving it. I used to have a recordable DVD player to save all the tv I missed when out of the house. But when the remote broke and I needed to replace it I found out that just a recordable DVD player was no longer easily available anywhere. This unit has the DVD player/recorder but I'll probably be only recording with the digital part of the player.

I have cable tv, but the setup was easy. Just undid the cables on the old broken DVD recorder, and reattached this new unit. Set up was very simple, I did it without even using the instruction book that came in the box. Set up the recording and it's working fine.

Wish it wasn't so expensive :( but it is what it is, and this was less than other units on amazon.

So easy setup, works great, and is easy to use.

This DVR is great! If you are used to programming a VCR back in the day, then using this DVR is a breeze. The extra functions are just icing on the cake.

Drift Innovation HD170 Stealth Action Camera with HD Recording, 4x Digital Zoom and 1.5-Inch LCD Sc

I've had a chance to play around with the new Drift HD170 Stealth camera for a few weeks now and made a quick video just to show a few things I've tried with it. What makes it "stealth," I guess, is the new sleek black design (the casing of the unit is made from a durable black rubberized plastic). The bright orange face of the older model did likely call some attention to itself, and for some uses (i.e. stealth uses) that's a drawback. While the older model's bright colored face made it look fun, I think I do prefer the solid black and can see why they opted for it. The feature that makes this camera really stand out from other similar POV or "extreme sports" cameras, though, is the onboard LCD screen, that allows you to see what you are going to be capturing on the spot, so you can arrange the camera just as you like; it also allows you to go through the menu on the spot and adjust options depending on your needs at the moment. (You can set things up in the menu so that the LCD turns off after a minute of being unused so as to prolong the life of the battery).

What's struck me is that the real value of this camcorder is its combination of a rugged and durable design with its versatility. It's emphasized for use with extreme sports but it's useful pretty much anywhere you wouldn't risk another more fragile camera. It's water and weather resistant not water proof so you could use it in light rain, maybe even during a hurricane if it was securely mounted, but certainly in extreme conditions where you'd be worried about a standard camcorder. (I've heard that Drift Innovation the company that makes these will be coming out with a fully waterproof case for the Stealth some time soon so that you can add cliff diving and snorkeling to the list of extreme sports you can capture subjectively with the Stealth) The camera comes with three different mounts one that you can secure to any kind of narrow belt (and it comes with an elastic belt), one that you can put on a handlebar, and one that you can secure to a helmet with the included velcro adhesives. It's easy to orient the camera, even if you've got it mounted in an odd spot the shooting orientation can be changed simply by rotating the lens manually, and the quick release mount can also be rotated so that the unit can be oriented however you like with respect to the mount.

I'm not much of an extreme sports guy but I can see where this would come in handy for various types of video projects other than extreme sports, and I tried to illustrate a few possible uses in the video. You can mount it on a bike, a motorcycle, a skateboard, or on a 12-foot-long paint pole elevated over a car (as I did in the attached video, using the handlebar mount attached to the end of the pole). Obviously, I wouldn't want to put my Canon VIXIA HFS10 on top of a long pole like that because if it dropped or bumped into something it would almost certainly be damaged. While the Stealth is not damage proof it's a lot more rugged than a standard camera, and so it works great in lots of precarious situations. I used to think that when I needed an extreme shot the best option would be a relatively inexpensive camera like my Flip, that I could more afford to have damaged than my nicer camera but with this one the risk of serious damage is significantly diminished.

You can shoot decent photos (5 megapixels and they look fine, but as you'd expect on a device that's tailored for video capture they don't really compare to the images you'd capture on a compact camera in this price range expect a few notches up from the quality you'd capture on a phone and you won't be disappointed), and very cool time lapse sequences (with shooting intervals from 3 to 30 seconds apart), plus it takes surprisingly good HD video for such a small camera. It's not as nice or as versatile as my Canon, but the video is at least as good or better than what I can capture on my Flip Mino HD plus it's got a much wider lens, which is ideal for "point of view" shooting. At 720p it captures a 170 degree view, and it's got a bit of a fisheye effect which is kind of nice, it looks very cool with POV sports footage but could be effective in other applications as well. At 1080p it captures a slightly narrower range of 120 degrees, and there's less distortion, but not as many options for frame rates. At 720p you can shoot at frame rates from 25fps to 60, and shooting at 60fps allows you to slow the footage down in an editing program without things looking jerky as they would if you'd shot at a standard 30fps and then played back at an effective 15 frames per second. At 1080p you can shoot either 25 or 30fps. (You can also shoot standard definition video if you like). The video is encoded with H.264 in a Quicktime (.mov) wrapper so it's easy to import and play or edit in a variety of applications.

One other nice feature is that the set comes with a remote control "watch" you can wear it on your wrist (it's got a velcro band) and it has two buttons: for record and stop. There's a bit of a time lag on the stop function it takes a couple seconds and sometimes I've found I've had to press the button twice to get it to respond, but otherwise it works quite well. The weak element on the camera is the onboard mike it doesn't capture clear sound at all. It's noisy and would really only work as reference and not playback. In other words if you spoke into the mike or near the mike you would be able to hear what you'd said assuming you weren't on a motorcycle, or free falling from high altitudes and it might help you to remember something but you wouldn't want to even consider including the audio in a completed video. The main reason for the weakness of the mike seems to be that its input is protected by a rubber seal in order to ensure the water resistance of the unit. The real value of this camera is in capturing video you wouldn't be able (or willing) to capture in other ways. There is another option with this camera that not all cameras of this type allow, which is to plug in an external microphone but I'm pretty sure the input is proprietary, which means you either have to buy the mike from Drift or you have to buy one of the input cables for your mike from them. When you do use an external mike you have to keep the rear hatch of the camera open and Drift sells a kind of silicon boot to help keep things sealed and protected when the mike is connected and the door is open.

The Stealth is not a one-size-fits-all camcorder that will meet every need and wouldn't by any stretch replace a standard camcorder for ordinary shooting, especially given its fixed, extremely wide lens and its substandard onboard mike but it can capture images you'd never dream of trying to capture with your standard camcorder. If all you want to do is capture extreme sports from the point of view of the athlete, or other extreme images that would put an ordinary camera at risk, this would be a very good option. For someone like me, who only rarely has a need for "extreme sports footage," I know I won't use this all the time, but I'm very happy to have it in my "bag of tricks" because, as I think my little video shows, it's a very versatile camera that can capture some very cool and fairly good quality images and video that could fit nicely into a wide range of different kinds of video projects.

I've owned just about every helmet cam on the market and I even sell the GoPro HD Hero on my site and this is by far the best camera I've owned to date.

The thing I like about it most is the ease of use. The menu is like any other PAS camera instead of hieroglyphics like the GoPro and yes I have the LCD on my GoPro and it's still a pain to use. It does take great video but no better than the drift.

I love that I can adjust the mic on the drift and pretty much turn it off if I want to and I can add a remote mic. I have one but have yet to use it. No more clanking from the mount like the GoPro either.

The battery outlast the GoPro and it seems to have great video compression. Long videos have pretty small file size. I took a 48:00 video and it was just under 3 gig.

About the only thing I don't care for is the helmet mount. I haven't used it yet but it's not that clean of a mount, I do like the GoPro better for that. I wound up putting a RAM ball on mine and that's pretty much all I use. All and all I love this thing.

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Camera arrived and straight out of the box had a faulty microphone. Had a play with it for a few days waiting to hear back from Drift Support and found the picture quality to be excellent. Really liked the good clear images and colour was spot on. Although, I soon found that a fully charged battery would drain overnight if left in the camera (even though the camera was switched off).

Thinking I just had a dud unit, and given the quality of picture, I decided to go through the Amazon returns process and had a replacement shipped out.

Amazon were excellent in how they dealt with the return and replacement. No complaints on that front (Drift on the other hand, took more than a week for their Support people to reply to my emails to tell me that it was faulty and then they passed the buck back to Amazon).

Replacement unit arrived today and upon switching it on I notice the picture is absolutely stuffed, making everything look like a psychedelic music video from the 70's. Back to emailing Drift Support. This time I won't wait for a week for their response. If I haven't heard back by tomorrow it's on it's way back for a refund this time.

You really have to ask yourself where is the quality control? Does Drift not test each unit before it's packaged?

Two cameras and two different problems straight out of the box.

It's disappointing because the Drift is the only one of the top 3 (GoPro/Contour/Drift) that offers external mic and reviewing screen facility.

I won't risk another replacement.

Looks like I'll be switching my allegiance to one of the other two brands.

UPDATE: Received a GoPro HD this week and most impressed with the quality of build and the video taken to date. The mounting system is a little fiddly but not entirely unusable. Changing camera settings was awkward at first but after clipping on the LCD BacPac it was much more simple.

I've just bought a Contour HD as well ($138) and will test that out when it arrives.

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I did my research on Go-Pro, Contour and Drift Hd170. What sold me to get the Drift HD170 was a couple of things.

1-PRICE

2-LCD Display

3-Remote Control

4-Water Resistant

5-The use of a standard size SDHC flash memory card

6-FULL HD 1080P option

7-Has a universal screw mount on the bottom for tripods.

8-All the necessary attachments I needed to PLAY is included on the package! With the exception of the waterproof casing. OVERALL I AM PRETTY STOKED!!

So as I compared each product, this was the winner. I can rig it when I climb. Once I have the funds, I am going to purchase a waterproof case so that I can use it for surfing.

The setup menu options are pretty easy. Very user friendly, well at least to me :)

I just wished that the zoom capability worked for the HD 1080p settings.

Here's a link to my videos that I did using the Drift HD170 strapped on my climbing helmet. So far I am super stoked on it!!

UPDATE:

Well for some odd reason Amazon is not letting me post a link on my vimeo videos for you to view.

You can check it out by typing on the address line vimeo then typing the (.) then the com w/ the backslash (/) then luvlifeclimbsurf. vimeo(dot)com(/)luvlifesurfclimb

Thanks

ROCKY :)

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My husband and I live at the Oregon coast and we love to ride our quads in the sand! I wanted to try this camera for following my hubby around on trails, going up and down hills, wheelie-en, jumpin' at the tops of dunes, brodies, etc. The hero camera looked a little bulky, because it sticks out so much when its mounted, and this little guy looked like it might be a little more streamlined for going through hairy stuff. Its FANTASTIC!!! It works awesome, the sound is good, the picture is clear, and I can't even tell I have it on my helmet. This camera is totally worth it if you want something that isn't going to draw a lot of attention, and you can mount it almost anywhere. Get out and do something, whoo hoo!!

Four Port HDMI 4-Port (4x1) HDMI Powered Switch Switcher w/ IR remote and AC Adapter- Supports Blu-

I just hung my LED to a slim, picture style mount, and wanted just one connection after it was all said and done. Honestly, I only have 2 devices connected to it, my PS3 and a DVD/VCR combo with an HDMI output. I rarely use the combo, but when I do, it automatically switches. Have not used the remote. It's serving its purpose. Thanks!

I've only had this unit for 2 weeks. The unit does not seem to sense the HDMI signal unless it is disconnected and reconnected again, and senses the signal intermittently for all of my sources. I could live with it if it found the signal by manually cycling through the inputs, but every morning I have to disconnect and reconnect my hdmi cable from the Dish Network box for it to pick up the signal. What a pain in the ASS! Frankly, it is useless.

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08Feb10

Hi! Everyone,

This is the first time I've written a review for any item purchased on Amazon. This particular

product is everything you'll need to switch the input feeds from 4 different components.

I anxiously awaited for the item to arrive as our LCD TV has only one HDMI connection.

The external power adapter has not been used as the switch works well with the HDMI feed while the remote

gives you complete control from where you sit.

The 4 port switcher was working immediately after the 5 minute set up. Great! The best value listed for the dollars spent. Delivery was within the time promised and the email prompts were very helpful as well.

Thanks! Enjoy!

Hugs2

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Works very well. Does improve long cable run to projector. Won't switch automatically from cable box unless you switch the cable box to not pass the signal through while off. Otherwise works great for this price, much cheaper than a new receiver if you like your current sound.

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I tried to give it some time work with trying different configurations. The unit does not seem to sense the HDMI signal unless it is disconnected and reconnected again, and senses the signal intermittently for all of my sources. I could live with it if it found the signal by manually cycling through the inputs, but it seems it is not better than connecting and reconnecting plain cables anyway. Frankly, it is useless.

Swann DVR4-2550 4 Channel Digital Video Recorder with Smartphone Viewing (SWDVR-42550H)

. . . from a thousand miles away!

The system works nicely and exactly as promised. The (free) SwannView app runs on iPhone with very little fuss, and provides good (though admittedly not perfect) views on a 3G network. On an iPad the image leaves a lot to be desired Swann should really do an iPad version but it most definitely gets the job done. If it were a lot more expensive I might not be as complimentary, but for the price it's a marvel.

The really great thing is the ability to aim your pan/tilt/zoom cameras over the internet! Seamlessly compatible with the SWANN SW331-PR6 PTZ Outdoor Dome Camera, and no harder to set up than . . . well, it wasn't that easy to set up, but if you know anything about port forwarding and DHCP I guess it's a breeze. Tech support, on the other hand, is very helpful.

Great product for the price. They are a bit misleading about how easy it is to establish an internet connection for your smartphone. Many factors with your ISP may make it difficult or even expensive to set up the static IP needed for smartphone viewing.

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I would buy something else if I had to do it over.

If the DVR had power for each camera that would help reduce all of the cables and power supplies.

This DVR does not have that.

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Panasonic DVD-LX9 9-Inch Portable DVD Player

• Portable widescreen DVD-Video and DVD-Audio player with 9-inch LCD screen and docking station with portable powered speakers
• Progressive-scan video outputs for seamless, flicker-free images on high-definition and HD-ready TVs
• Plays DVD-R, DVD-RAM, CD, and recordable MP3/WMA CDs
• Multichannel analog and optical digital-audio outputs, built-in DVD-Audio, DTS, and Dolby Digital surround decoding, VSS virtual surround
• Dialogue Enhancer, 2.5 hours battery life from included rechargeable battery; slim remote control supplied

I just got this item and it works great. Sharp picture, good quality sound, and ultra slim design. Here's some additional info that may not be readily apparent from the item's description:

The remote has a volume control, which I understand was not available on the previous 9" model.

The unit DOES have built-in stereo speakers, but the sound is noticeably weaker compared with the included mini-tower speakers.

The mini-tower speakers will only operate with the docking cradle and they are not magnetically shielded. Built-in speakers go null when unit is docked.

Both the built-in speakers and the mini-tower speakers can distort when the volume is cranked (~85% of maximum), or if the scene has a lot of bass, but otherwise the sound is fairly good.

The docking cradle has discreet RCA-type outs for left, right, center, left surround, right surround, and subwoofer. So it can do its own 5.1 and DTS decoding, or you can go digital optical out from the unit itself into a receiver with a decoder (optical cable not included). You can also go stereo analog out from the unit (cable for this is included).

Video outs from the cradle include component video, S-video, and composite video. Video outs from the unit are composite video only and a special cable for this is included (mini-jack plug on one end and RCA plug on the other).

This unit works great as a monitor for other equipment like camcorders. In fact, you can use the specialized cables as mentioned above and the unit's outputs instantly become the inputs when you hit the AUX button. Pretty cool!

There is a spring loaded jog dial on the unit for fast-forward and rewind.

The unit's main "joystick" pulses and glows neon blue making you feel like the proud owner of something super-tech and expensive. It is the only button on the unit that lights up. The buttons on the remote do not light up either.

The screen tends to clop shut when closing it, so be careful with that. It does have some glued on rubber bumpers to soften the blow though.

No case is included, but I understand Panasonic sells one for 9" portables. A sturdy custom piece of bubble-wrap is included that can act as a temporary case so you can take the unit on the go until you find a real one.

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I owned a Panasonic DVD-LA95 Portable DVD Player and was very happy with it, with the exception of the screen resolution (432x234 DPI). I've passed it along to a family member. There were times when it was like watching a movie through a wire mesh screen. Needless to say, I monitored the internet for the next update. The Panasonic DVD-LX9 Portable DVD Player has a screen resolution of 800x480. The display on this model is EXCELLENT... after minor adjustments of the default settings. DVD movies displayed on this model are comparable to the progressive scan picture on a HDTV. Movies are now a joy to watch. The built-in progressive scan feature of this model is only available at the component video output terminal on the multi cradle/docking station. The optional battery pack (CGP-H501) used with the DVD-LA95 also works with the DVD-LX9. The DVD-LX9 remote control includes the ability to adjust the player's built-in speaker volume. A definite plus. The multi cradle/docking station makes it more practical to use the DVD-LX9 with a television at home while also ensuring that it is quickly available for unexpected road trips and/or travel... no wires to disconnect and wrap-up to take along. The DVD-LX9 has numerious features and capabilities that I will not address. The main purpose of the DVD-LX9 is to watch movies on the go, utilizing the built-in display... and it does a very good job at that and has an excellant display. I highly recommend this unit for home and mobile use.

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Awesome unit! I just purchased the Panasonic DVD-LX9 for myself for use while traveling (if you purchase one before March 26 of 2005, Panasonic has a rebate form at their website for a free carrying case and car/airplane adapter)....It is a great unit! I work in the television industry, and I like to have video that looks gooood! This unit does not disappoint!! The picture is incredible, and the colors are brilliant. With 3 weeks of ownership under my belt, the only complaint I have is that the battery supplied with the unit only holds a 2 2.5 hour charge. A bit frustrating when using it this past weekend to help keep our 16 month old occupied (with Baby Einstein DVDs) during a 9 hour car ride. A quick stop to my favorite chain electronics store, and $13 later I had a cigarette lighter power adapter, and we were good to go! The docking station that comes with the unit is nice but not really a necessitity...I have no complaints with that either, I didn't really even need it, but I was able to get the model with the docking station for less than the DVD-LX8. I'd give the unit 4.5 stars, but that isn't an otion.

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Had this unit for two weeks and it is great. It plays all types of media list in description on panasonic.com PLUS DVD-RW. I have a sony recorder RDR-GX7 (great recorder), and it records dvd-rw. The LX9 Plays it without problems even though the manuel says it does not it does.

picture quality is great and many menu features which help tweek picture. I have not used it on battery long enough to determine how long it last but it comes with a cord so use it instead.

music cd's work great, cdr and cdrw with mp3s only. It does not take long to load up as some reviews added.

overall another qualitly product from panasonic. I highly recommond.

I used the external speakers and must admit they are pretty good. a little flimsly but sound wise pretty good.

the internal speakers are loud enough however.

if you want a unit that plays mostly any disk out there, you cant go wrong with the panasonic LX-9

This will not be a techinical review, instead, I want to say that compared to the other two (yes two!) portable dvd players that I've purchased in the last two years for my son, this Panasonic is heads above the rest in quality!

So my review is about the longevity of this product, compared to the junk out there now that you buy and a month later, it will no longer work. My player is now over 3yrs old, and running like the first day I bought it.

The one thing I wish that companies would work on, is making the "eye" that reads disks be retractable somehow so little fingers do not touch it as the disks are being changed.

Secuvox Motion Detection HD Covert Camera with Talking Alarm Clock and Six Natural Sound Soothing M

I was really excited to get this little recorder. Straight foreward operation but it always records. It makes three minute clips until the card is full. even in motion detect mode.

If thats all you need it works great and the picture quality is good as well as the wide ange view.

The sound is pretty good as well.

Not at all what I expected and they video is terrible and the AC wall plug was not even for a standard wall outlet. It had the 2 prong plug that it don't even tell you about and the cords are very short. I am sending mine back for a full refund. Very disappointed!!

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I'm, setup the time correct in the clock , but when Show information the Video Show order time , Incorrect time.

The instuction say , i cant put the cd for setup the device clock but, this Cd no run becouse no compatibility with my hardware Dvd.

but , I need this drivers for setup information again the this device clock.

Please showme the link for donwload this driver to my computer

thank

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WMA + MP3 Player Sunglasses 2GB - Stereo Sound Effect

• Flip up glasses
• Stereo Sound Effect
• Case, Usb & Rechargable battery
• Playing time: Standard 4-5 hours
• Earphone moves forward/ backward/ swivel 270 deg for comfortable fit

I received my sunglasses mp3 player today. Downloading music was easy enough but now it won't play. So far I have gotten it to play one song but if I touch any of the buttons-it stops and won't start back. The instructions are horrible! All they explain is how to pair it to your phone but no explanation whatsoever on how to use the mp3 functions which is the main reason I bought it. Very disappointed so far. I hope I can change this review later but the instructions or lack there of along with it not working warrants no stars but I had to give it one because the glasses look nice I guess.

Ok! Updated to 3 stars. Finally got them to work. I finally had to delete all the music I had downloaded on them and reload by dragging from itunes to the F: drive. A little inconvenient to do it this way but the other way (using windows media player) apparently overloaded it. They sound great now that they are working but I can only give 3 stars right now due to the poor, poor instructions or lack thereof.

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these will be my second pair-my first being stolen. I found them excellent both as shades and as an mp3 player. While running they stay put in your ears; the pounding of your feet on the ground do not affect the quality of the music playing; and, to beat all, they look great and last as stated, about 4-5 hours of continuous play. I miss mine and can't wait to get my new ones.

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MP3 audio quality = 5

Ease of loading music = 5

Comfort and overall look = 4

Bluetooth = 3 (it works)

Set up instructions = 2 at best.

Overall this unit out performs the price you pay.

I'll but 10 of these before I but one pair of Oakley for some $200 bucks!!

Want WMA + MP3 Player Sunglasses 2GB - Stereo Sound Effect Discount?

Received my glasses on time,but that's where the good thing ended. For no apparent reason after spending HOURS loading up songs to hear, I unplug a DEAD pair of sunglasses. No music, no red light and when plugged in, not accessible by computer for anything at all. Useless, DO NOT BUY!! You have been warned.

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I have two pair of these sunglasses. I have never had any trouble with them. I download mp3 and wma music on one pair and audio books on the other pair. I love listening to the thousands of free classic novels that are available on the net. These are books I've always wanted to read but never had they time.

CyberHome CH-DVD 300S Progressive-Scan DVD Player , Silver

• Progressive-scan video (480p) with 3:2 pulldown support renders flicker-free images on high-definition and HD-ready TVs
• Plays DVD-Video, DVD-R, DVD-RW, DVD+R, DVD+RW, CD, CD-R, CD-RW, SVCD, VCD, MP3, and JPEG picture CD
• Picture zoom, last-disc resume
• Dolby Digital an DTS 5.1-channel surround sound passthrough (coaxial digital-audio output)
• Plays PAL and NTSC discs

Don't be frightened by the small-name brand and tiny size. This player works just fine. Good picture and good performance. I bought mine primarily because it can be programmed to play discs from other regions than Region 1 (North America's DVD region, for those who do not pay attention to such things.) It does this to perfection! I have had no problem with color shifts or distortion with PAL discs on my NTSC television, but be sure that you use the manual when you go through the "Setup" menu you will need to make sure your player is set to NTSC, not PAL, if you live in North America and want PAL discs to play properly on your NTSC set.

Not familiar with the PAL/NTSC thing? It's like this if an American buys a DVD from England, for example, he or she will find that it will not play in the average North American Region 1, NTSC DVD player because in England, DVDs and players are Region 2 and PAL TV format (North America has NTSC format TV broadcasts). They are incompatible and will not play. This player will play both PAL and NTSC DVDs, and will play them from any region!

There is one minor caveat there are no instructions as to how to change regions included with the player (but can be found with an internet search).

Not to worry, though this is how you do it:

1. With no disc in the tray, push "Menu" "1" "9" (ignoring the "No" symbol that appears on the upper left-hand corner of the screen).

2. A menu will appear that shows in highlight the region it is set to (almost certainly Region 1). Push the "Enter" button and the region number will change. You can set it to any region (1 through 6) or to Region 0, which means it will play PAL or NTSC DVDs from all 6 DVD regions!

3. Push the "Open/Close" button to close the menu, and you're done!

Enjoy!

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When it comes to the price/value ratio, it doesn't get much better than this item. For a little more than 30 bucks you get a region free DVD player ! (Yes, you can play any DVD from any country on this machine.... however, it is not mentioned in the user manual. All you need to do is press 'menu' '1' '9' and select region code 0).

The picture quality is really good. I have a 500 dollar Philips DVD player but the difference to this 30 dollar machine is almost non existent. The size of the player is a big plus as well. It's nice and small and can easily be moved from one location to another. It is great in combination with a DVD recorder especially, since it has an S-Video output. Also, it plays all DVD formats (including DVD+RW or DVD-R etc.). The voltage is variable from 110 V to 220 V which is great, if you want to use it in Europe as well. You can chose NTSC or PAL as output again, this makes this player truly international.

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A great little machine. Quite incredible value for less than $40US. I bought it for its PAL/NTSC conversion ability and it surpassed all my expectations. The converted images are superb. When you first buy it, the out-of-the-box settings are configured so that the machine can only handle Region 1 discs (if you bought it in North America). It only requires a simple re-setting of the Region code, which can be done using the remote.

1. Switch player on, making sure that there's no disc in the tray.

2. Close tray.

3. Using the remote control, key in the following: MENU, 1, 9 (Note: just type in these three all in a row. Don't wait for anything to come up after just entering MENU because nothing will happen until you type in the 1 then the 9)

4. A menu will appear that shows the region option near the bottom of the screen. Arrow up or down to highlight the REGION title.

5. Press ENTER. The Region number setting will change to a blank entry "-"

6. Using the numbers keypad, type in the number 0 (this is the code for region free and will let you play discs from anywhere in the world without having to change the setting for each disc from a different region)

7. Press ENTER again to save the setting.

8. Press OPEN/CLOSE to switch off the menu. The door will open for you to put a disc in the tray.

Want CyberHome CH-DVD 300S Progressive-Scan DVD Player , Silver Discount?

OK, here's the sneak peak on the Target CH-DVD 320S, which I assume is the same as the CH-DVD 300S that everybody else is selling, but with a different model number to protect those "low price guarantees". As you will see, the firmware for this unit clearly identifies itself as "300".

I hooked up the player with the S-video output (it also has component), and the coaxial digital audio (it does not have opticial).

First, "close tray", "menu", "1", "9", does lead you to the screen where you can set region coding. I don't know if it works or not, since I only have region 1 disks. Also on that screen is a complete run-down of the HW and FW. I would be interested in what a CH-DVD 300S reports here. The CH-DVD 320S reports this:

MPEG FW 300.B.20.A

MPEG HW DB-B2-V01

SERVO FW CB36260

SERVO HW D07V1.1_

VEND HYOP300U

VENDVER 208.F

I put Terminator II in, my standard dual layer test disk. Video quality seemed a tad poorer than I was used to, but not objectionable to this mere mortal. I saw very very occasional minor tearing of the video, and the audio seemed just slightly (but no objectionally) out of sync. It reminded me a lot of what I've seen from PC DVD players. Its going to be fine for the wife's bedroom TV.

Then I stuck a DVD-R that had been "backed up" using DVD XCopy. As Arnold says "No Problemo". I don't have any DVD+R blanks, so I was unable to try a DVD+R.

Then I grabbed a CD-R that I had made that contained an MPEG-1 video stream. Mind you, this CD-R is *not* in VCD format. Its just a ISO-9660 data disk with a file on it "dsdsads.mpg". The player gave me a file browser menu, and when I selected that file it played the video. AFAIK, this is great because its a lot harder to master a proper VCD than it is to just dump an MPG file onto a CD-R.

Then I grabbed a CD-R with some .mp3's on it that I got from a person on this list. Again, I got the file browser menu. But when I hit play, the audio played at 2X speed. The MP3's on this

disk were mastered at 64kbit/sec. So don't do that.

Then I grabbed a commercial MP3 CD that I bought from BooksOnTape where the MP3's were mastered at 128kbit/sec. No problemo.

Then I grabbed a homemade MP3 CD-R (Pink Floyd, the greatest band ever) where the MP3's were mastered at 128kbit/sec. No problemo. I didn't have a VBR MP3 disk handy, so I did not test that.

Then I grabbed a CD-R full of .JPG's. It gives you the file browser window and when you hit play it does a slideshow with those. Nice.

The manual does not mention DiVX/MPEG-4 support, and I didn't have a DiVX disk handy to see if its there as a secret feature.

I ran out of time, and had to wrap this thing back up since its an XMAS present.

The only real question on these is "how long before they go belly up"? I've had a high end Sony and a mid-range Philips DVD player die on me already (I was an early DVD adopter). I came to the conclusion that its stupid to pay big bucks for a player that won't last anyhow. If this one lasts 1 year, I will be happy.

Despite all the great features -multi-region capability, plays almost any disc, etc. -this unit has one fatal flaw. That is, when it's turned off, it continues to draw enough current that it stays warm to the touch. Initially, although I can't imagine why it should need to do so, I didn't think it was a big deal.

Then a few months later, the unit conked out. It powers up, but it no longer puts out a usable signal. Lots of snow, no color, rolling picture, etc.

I can only guess it's because something in the electronics overheated and failed.

So, if this unit appeals to you, I highly suggest plugging it into something that will cut power to it when you're not using it. Something such as a power strip or a switched outlet on your home theater receiver or cable box.

If you plug it into the wall or another always-on outlet, don't be surprised if a few months later you find it has baked itself into becoming a high-tech doorstop (like mine).

Sony BDP-S770 Blu-ray Disc Player - Black

• Features -
• Built-In Wi-Fi - Connect to your home's wireless broadband network
• 3D Blu-ray Disc Full HD 1080p playback - Enjoy 3D Blu-ray Disc movies in Full HD 1080p; also supports standard Blu-ray Disc movies in high definition and upscales DVDs to near HD quality
• USB Input - Simply connect your digital camera, USB-enabled MP3 player, or USB storage device
• 1GB built-in memory

I've only had this player for about a week or so, but it has exceeded my expectations. I was a little skeptical to buy it from the SonyStyle website before I could read any user reviews or see the rating on Cnet, let alone find it anywhere else for sale. However, it was worth the risk. Here are a few things that stand out:

1) blu-ray content looks amazing

2) looks good, is easy to use (remote and exterior controls)

3) amazing built-in capabilities: built in Wifi is smooth, Netflix, Pandora, and the amazing Berlin Phil Digital Music Hall

4) Set-up of wifi is very easy...you are guided right through

After one week, I have zero complaints and give it the highest recommendation.

ps--I don't even use the 3D capability and don't care, so I can't comment on that

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I have been nothing but impressed with the quality of the BDP-S770. It is a fantastic Blu-ray, Netflix, Amazon, and Qriocity media playing device. It has just about every feature that you could possibly want, with one exception. One of the main reasons I bought this particular player was for its DLNA capabilities. I have a DLNA media server that has around 400 h.264 movies and thousands of AAC songs and I was hoping that the BDP-S770 would be able to play them through DLNA streaming. This is not the case. At first I was just confused, the device showed all my pictures from the media server, but would not show or play any music or movies. After digging though the manual for a little bit I found a few very curious footnotes. The device only supports AAC and H.264 video through a direct connection! It cannot stream these formats from my media server, which is very disappointing.

If you want a top of the line Netflix, Amazon, Hulu, Blu-ray player .... then this is the device for you. Just dont expect it to live up to the hype when it comes to your DLNA media servers. Hopefully they will address this via a firmware update, which if they do, this would turn into a 5 star review.

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Just got the newest Sony 3D BluRay player, BDP-S770. Really bought it so I could stream internet content to my HDTV. This new player has very quick startup and video quality of my Bluray disks when played on the S770 are much better than my S350. Internet hookup went well, but have one issue. I can not get Dolby 5.1 sound to stream when streaming HD movies that have Dolby 5.1. The test HD movie clip from Amazon video on demand has great video but the sound is PCM.

I assumed that the player would stream Dolby 5.1 but it does not according to Sony. I get great Dolby 5.1 when playing disks but not when streaming via internet (ony get PCM sound), and I have a very fast Verizon FIOS 35 Mbps connection and I used Ethernet cable from my router to the Blu Ray S770. My S770 is connected to my surround sound amp via a digital cable (I also tried an optic cable with no luck).

I called Sony and they said the S770 was not designed to stream Dolby 5.1 when streaming HD movies. Seems like a dumb design. I am considering returning the player since I bought it to replace my present practise of renting disks at Blockbuster. Without Dolby 5.1 sound, I am missing the surround sound experience unless I use disks.

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I just got and set up my new Sony BDP-S770 and it delivers on all levels. The best feature for me (to my surprise) is that it can output a 1080i picture using component video cables. I have a home theater with a Sharp Z10000u projector (that cost me as much as a small car (No HDMI) which I am not ready to replace. I was only able to get 480p output with my previous Sony dvd/bluray players. The load time is so fast I couldn't believe it. Those of you who had or have an original bluray player know about load time, It loaded Star Trek in 10 sec. The internet setup was so fast and easy and there was an update for the player when I hooked it up. The remote is east to use and the buttons are back lit which is great when watching movies in the dark. Another bonus was that Monster House 3D came free in the box, another surprise because it's not mentioned in the player's description. If your looking for a new bluray player that also does 3d with a great price THIS IS IT!!

This player will handle almost all video file types. Go to Sony and check out the owner's guide for the full list. I tried using Amazon's catalog suggestion feature, but Amazon thought it was too much information. Apparently, they feel that simple minds can only handle simple descriptions.

It's a great player. I get 5-bar signal strength on the wireless connection while my laptop only manages 2-3 bars. Internet setup was very easy. I would have liked to be able to select a config file with the SSID and WEP code from a USB stick, but it wasn't an onerous task to type it in using the onscreen telephone-style keypad.

I'm really happy with the unit. I've watched a couple Blu-Rays and a number of things from NetFlix.