This appears to be a quality cable, but it has a very stiff jacket. Due to this and its short length, if you put any twist on the cable, the connectors want to spring out of the device they're attached to. I suppose after some time the jacket would conform to the shape you force it to take, but I'm going to return this and try a longer cable.
Sunday, November 9, 2014
C2G / Cables to Go 40001 1.5ft Velocity SVideo Cable
This appears to be a quality cable, but it has a very stiff jacket. Due to this and its short length, if you put any twist on the cable, the connectors want to spring out of the device they're attached to. I suppose after some time the jacket would conform to the shape you force it to take, but I'm going to return this and try a longer cable.
Wednesday, October 15, 2014
Panasonic PVGS12 Digital Palmcorder MultiCam Camcorder w/20x Optical Zoom
I bought this camera after having numerous problems with my Sony. Although it is only 4 years old my Sony has been repaired 3 times and broke once again. I paid alot of money for my Sony and was very unhappy with it. So I decided against Sony for this purchase. I may have just had bad luck with them because I know they usually make good products... but to be on the safe side we decided to go with another brand. I did alot of research on the internet for different camcorders. I also went and did alot of store research. I felt all the store employees out for what they felt to be good and how many of the various brands get returned for different reasons. Although the Panasonic was not the most recommended camcorder, it did not get bad reviews either.After shopping around for sometime and playing with the different camcorders on the market, I went with my "gut feeling" and chose the Panasonic.
After using it a few times, I have to say I LOVE IT! I am so happy with my purchase and am so glad I chose Panasonic.
I have to say I am not real Technical when it comes to all the features it has and will probrably never use 1/2 the features it does have. But the recording quality so far has been excellant! I have no complaints with it being grainy or anything. It is simple to use and weighs less than 1lb. And when you have 2 kids who require a whole suitcase to go anywhere that is a major plus!
All kidding aside though, I give it a 10 on the scale of 1-10. Again it is very simple to use and the quality of the recording is great if not excellant.
This is a great camcorder for anyone who does not want something real technical. The 20X zoom lens it awsome!People have to remember that this is a very affordable ENTRY level cam. It does the job very well. Nice viewfinder, excellent zoom (one of the deepest at 800x) and simple features. This is a beautiful cam at a great price!!! I have not found any drawbacks on transferring or downloading either. Fun also to add zoom lenses and/or wide lenses affordably. Overall a great buy!!!!!! If you believe you are a director, you may need to look into advanced models at much higher prices. Enjoy!!!!!!!!
Buy Panasonic PVGS12 Digital Palmcorder MultiCam Camcorder w/20x Optical Zoom Now
I've been happy with every aspect of this camera except for one: The night shot mode isn't an infared type deal like some other cameras where the pictures gets that greenish tint but you dont loose frame rates. The night-shot on this camera (MagicPix) turns the shutter speed WAY down so the video becomes very choppy, even with a tripod. The build in LED light works in gain mode, but only for short distances.Otherwise this camera is great. It hooked right up to my firewire card and Adobe Premiere already had drivers built in for it. the Video and sound quality are excellent, the size of the camera is great, and the features are very straightforward. Plus, if tweaking settings to your liking is your thing, the instruction booklet is very easy to follow. So, if you are going to be doing a lot of VERY low light recording, like I figured that I would, you might want to look at how other brands' night modes perform. Otherwise, this is a great camera for you
Read Best Reviews of Panasonic PVGS12 Digital Palmcorder MultiCam Camcorder w/20x Optical Zoom Here
This camcorder is absolutely wonderful. Though I don't think I'd pay top dollar for it. While it works great recording and playing back, there is minimum software availible ( Id didnt recieve any) and figuring out how to download it to the computer to burn to a DVD took a while. Though I only paid $195 for this camera that also came with a brand new camcorder bag and additional battery. I kinda wish I would have spent the extra money to invest in a DVD camcorder. But, if you are willing to take the time to learn how to burn to DVD, then this is a great camera!Want Panasonic PVGS12 Digital Palmcorder MultiCam Camcorder w/20x Optical Zoom Discount?
I was impressed when I received the cam and I saw the size! Very little, compared to my old JVC from 10 years ago.The quick start works great! And it uses the cheaper cassets for videocams.
People shouls know that the USB connection is only for transfering the photos stored in the card (use the PC mode). Also USB is for webcam purposes (use the tape recording mode), or if you want to transfer the video only (not audio) to the computer (use the Tape playback mode).
For photos, with a 128MB card u r fine. The resolution is less than 1 MPix (600X800).
If you want to use the full video/audio transfer to ur computer, be sure u have a firmware connection (IEEE 1394 or I.Link) And about the software, u can use windows default or buy Pinacle or any other related, not necesary to wait a lot for the Panasonic one (if u request that appart).
This cam records great with good quality during the day, but needs a little light improvement for evenings and nights.
Panasonic should think better for next cams when placing the connection ports, those are kind of inacessible.
I like this one, I searched and compared a lot before purshasing this one, other ones have not the same conectivity or are expensive. This one works great (with good ilumination), fast and with good quality.
Friday, October 10, 2014
Qmate@ Spy Voice Activated Digital Audio Voice Recorder USB Flash Drive Long Battery Life 4GB HQ
Purchased this item to record potential buyers as they look at my house, which is for sale. I was surprised when I received the item, as it comes in a "USB Flash Drive!" package, with no mention of the recording capabilities. I thought maybe I accidently purchased the wrong thing, as I have occasionally made that mistake. Upon opening, I found the poorly written instructions regarding it's recording abilities, and was relieved. The device is pretty straight forward and easy to figure out, so the bad instructions aren't a show stopper. I was a little disappointed that the unit does not record while it's actually plugged into the computer, but again, not a deal breaker. The recording quality is pretty spectacular, and it does indeed record for quite a long time. This item IS NOT voice/sound activated as advertised, unless it requires absolute silence with absence of ambient sound (clocks ticking, fans blowing, etc.) I did have a situation where the unit did not correctly close the file, and led to a complete loss of recording, but after testing again, it seems to work. All in all, for the price, I would say this thing is definitely worth buying.The unit records O.K., but it was presented as a "voice activated" unit. The instructions say, "To turn on: Please push button to Right. Turn off: Please push button to Left." The unit records continuously with long (30 + minutes) periods of silence. To listen to a 1 hour recording with 10-15 minutes of recordable sound, you would have to listen to the whole hour to determine if anything usable was recorded. NOT VOICE ACTIVATED as indicated! Very disappointed.Works great and as advertised. Sound quality is good and it is simple to use. I expected less and was surprised that it works that good. Just charged it and it recorded fine and played back. Stopped recording when there was no sound.I am a researcher that conducts interviews. I have had my expensive audio recorder fail in the midst of a critical interview. Using two recorders might intimidate some of my research partners. Voila! Qmate to the rescue.I use it as a backup and its small size is less intimidating. It looks just like a flash drive on the interview table; except for the red light, no one would ever know that it was recording sound. It is easy to download the data immediately after the interview is completed. The sound quality is surprisingly good for such a small, inexpensive device. As a bonus, I can store the written transcripts on the same device because it is a flash drive, too.
The only downside has been the lack of being able to record in mp3 format. However, for the price and its role as a backup device, it has life saver.I purchased this device to help my wife, and figured it would be fun to have one too. I ordered this "cheap" one for myself and "Voice Activated Recorder Small Voice Recorder Flash Drive 4gb +" from GearPro 30hr Battery for my wife. Of course I figured that I would get what I payed for but that was an understatement, but it turned out this recorded no sound, was made out of cheap peal-able vinyl tape, the on/off button would get stuck somewhere in the middle with no clear endpoint. Audiofiles would record, but without any sound in them, just clicking noises like it attempted to record but just couldn't muster the energy. This product is clearly a cheap non-working knock-off of the offering mentioned above. Don't be fooled, you get what you pay for. Will attempt to return. If I cant I will have a 4Gb un-sexy flash drive of questionable reliability.
Saturday, September 27, 2014
Sharper Image 720P HD22 HD Camcorder with 5.0 MP CMOS, Image Stabilization, 3-Inch LCD, 8X Digital
I am so happy with my purchase!! This camcorder does everything I need it to do. And it's so cheap! I originally got it for my daughter, but I ended up getting another for myself. I fell in love with it. It holds so much memory, and can run off rechargaeable battery or alkaline, so it's great for all our camping trips and vacations.I would highly reccomend this to a friend!I like this camera a lot. Very reliable, holds lots of memory, which is important for me. Highly reccomended.I was really looking forward to getting this camera. The picture quality is pretty good, but honestly, I haven't been able to use it much. There are a few reasons for this:
When attaching a tripod (a MUST for me... can't stand shaky handheld video), the hole into which the screw goes snapped out of the camera, rendering it completely useless for tripod use. This should have been my first clue that this is a horrible device.
The rechargeable battery does not sit properly in the compartment, which means I can't use the rechargeable battery. It snaps into place and appears to contact the three leads, but the light is green when plugged in (meaning either that it's charged or just using the USB for power), though it occasionally will flicker over to red momentarily, implying that there is a some sort of problem with the battery or the connection to it. Unplugging the camera with the green light simply leaves it uncharged and it will not turn on. AAA batteries work fine, but it's a pain to have to replace and/or recharge them (if I decide to pick up some AAA rechargeable batteries), especially since this thing blows through batteries in no time.
A third "undocumented feature" that I encountered was the SD card slot door. It no longer closes completely.
Since I received this camera as a gift, it was beyond the 30 day return policy for Amazon, so I tried to go through Sharper Image, only to be informed that this product was from the "former" Sharper Image, and that the "new" Sharper Image would not do anything to fix the problem and simply suggested that I take the camera to a appliance repair shop. If it was as simple as that, I would, but these are defects in the manufacturing process that cannot be fixed by taking the camera to a appliance repair shop. Frankly, I won't be buying anything, ever again, that is labeled with the Sharper Image brand, regardless of whether it is "former" or "new" Sharper Image, because of this. I highly recommend that, if you want a quality product, you do the same. Assuming that this "former" and "new" business is real and not just a way to shirk warranting their poorly made products, it's simply someone trying to take advantage of a brand name that people know, and I would suggest that you avoid supporting this practice entirely.
For the record, below is a copy of the e-mail I received:
Dear Steven ,
Thank you for contacting The NEW Sharper Image, unfortunately we are not able to assist you with any of the following concerns:
· Gift Card, Gift Certificate, Reward Card or Merchandise Certificate
· Any order placed with the Former Sharper Image prior to 10-1-09
· Warranty or failure of an item purchased from the Former Sharper Image
· Ionic Breeze or other product purchased prior to 10-1-09
· Refill or replacement parts for any order prior to 10-1-09
We are the New Sharper Image Online and not part of the Former Sharper Image Company. The Former Sharper Image filed for bankruptcy, information about filing a claim and claim forms can be obtained on the following website: .
We are only able to service orders placed on our website after launch on October 1, 2009.
Sincerely,
Sharper Image OnlineThis camcorder does not work! I've had 3 of them now, they all turn off when you press the shutter button.
Tuesday, August 12, 2014
Sony DCRTRV510 Handycam Digital Camcorder
I'm very pleased with the 510. I bought the 12 hour mother-of-all-batteries and took the camera to Papua New Guinea where I took the equivalent of about 3000 still photographs on 3 digital hi-8 cassettes. I also took a lot of straight video footage from which I was able to extract static images of rather good quality, depending on the amount of motion artifact. My one complaint is that in low light the image tends to get a bit grainy...I haven't figured out how to solve this problem. Let me know if you do.I had wanted the latest in didgital camcorder technology but the high cost of the Mini DV tapes made me consider SONY's Digital 8 format. I got my DCR TRV 510 shortly after becoming a new dad, after much debate between the 510 and the lower 310 which will save you $$ but the 310 lacks the color viewfinder, slightly bigger LCD monitor, 2MB of internal memory for digital stills, Sony's photo managing software for your PC and the serial port PC hookup. The 510 is my 1st camcorder so I don't have any prior camcorder experience to do any relative comparisons. This camcorder does a very decent job of making home videos and photo stills. The best results are from outdoors in good daylight, otherwise in other conditions such as lowlight indoors the video and stillshots can be slightly grainy. For some reason, SONY didn't include any titling function which they do for their Reg. 8 and Hi 8 models. Also didn't notice the difference between the reg. video and S video hookup to my TV nor between the cheaper reg. 8 and Hi 8 tape. The included battery is not sufficient for heavy duty use, the 4 hour one should be adequate, anything longer will just add to the weight. Very satisfied with my decision to get the 510, overall a very impressive handycam which I anticipate to take home videos and to capture meorable moments in my son's growth.Buy Sony DCRTRV510 Handycam Digital Camcorder Now
Forget the other cameras. TRV-310 and the TRV-510 are the best ones for today... by far.Don't loose your time looking for other options because no other portable camcorder (in this category) can provide the features and the quality of these cameras. I've played with my TRV-310 for about 10 days and I am really impressive with this camera. This is my fifth camcorder (all 8MM and HI-8) that I have used and this the best camera that I have seen.
Some comments...
The LCD screen on the 310 is amazing. Certainly the best LCD that I have seen in my life. It is clear, bright, sharp and big... 3.5 inches. The color is truer. It is a real pleasure to play my videotapes in any place with no connection with TVs. This is one of the most important features of this camera and you have to consider that in your analysis. You will use it a lot.
The 20X optical zoom is enough and works fine (much better than my old hi-8 camera).
The PAUSEs are terrific. It is impossible to avoid the PAUSE key. Try to press the SLOW key and you will get a limpid and crystalline image.
I have lots of videos recorded on 8 and hi-8 format. The 310 is capable to play black perfectly any videotape on these formats. This camera is the right choice for everyone that have 8 and hi-8 tapes. Don't loose your time thinking to buy a mini-DV camcorder, you will have much more flexibility using the digital camera that supports your old tapes, with the same quality and flexibility. By the way, the hi-8 tapes are cheaper than the mini-DV tapes.
I didn't see notable difference between the regular video and S video hookups to my TV.
The included battery in not sufficient and an additional battery is very important.
The infrared nightshot works very fine (do you think that is it really important ? ).
The 16:9 aspect ratio feature is wonderful At the beginning you don't give so much attention on that, but when you start to use you will love this alternative. If you have a 16:9 aspect ratio television this feature will be fantastic for you. If you are considering to buy this kind of TV (to see your DVDs) this can be a considerable feature to consider.
One of the big things and rarely I see comments is the SOUND. The PCM System is fantastic. I connect the camcorder to my receiver system and I was surprised with the quality, clear and powerful sound. There is a huge difference between this PCM AUDIO SYSTEM and the audio system in my old hi-8 camera. Normally, when we study to buy a camcorder we don't invest so much time analyzing the audio, we keep focus on the video system and don't give importance to the audio. I am sure that the AUDIO SYSTEM of this digital camera will surprise you positively. You will feel the big difference if you connect the camera to a pro-logic Dolby surround sound receiver or a digital receiver. If you have a home theater system with Adobe Digital 5:1... THE BAD THING: The missing feature on the 310 is audio dubbing. For this kind of camera this feature will be important and convenient. I would like to record narration or add a sound track on the camera after I've recorded the video. Based on the manual I can do this editing the video on my PC, but until now I didn't try it. So, I really don't know if it will work well... GRAINY VIDEO: I read some comments about to make sure you have plenty of light to avoid a slightly grainy on the video. This is true but not at all. The illumination is not a bid deal... Don't make your decision using this comment as important ! In most of the 95% of the time you will be recording with enough light to make a brilliant and wonderful video.... So, the other 5% of the time you can face poor light and you will have a little bit grainy in your video... And so what ? The important here is that other cameras have the same problem, so it is not a decisive factor for buyers... Don't waste time with these comments...
Finally... I made a very deep analysis comparing the TRV-510 and TRV-310, the 310 is probably the good choice because it has the most advanced features with less cost. Repeating a comment that I saw below... The 310 is LIGHT YEARS beyond the other ones...
Read Best Reviews of Sony DCRTRV510 Handycam Digital Camcorder Here
I have had my TRV-510 now for about 2 1/2 months and have recorded mostly football and sports tapes. The ability to get stills with the camera either at once or while rewiewing the tape is a super benefit. I can't imaging enjoying a camera more and if I had bought a DVD format would have missed out on playing my old 8mm tapes. I use the serial port hook-up to my computer every week to get action stills from the games.I've had the Sony DCR-TRV-510 for about three months now. It's been a lot of fun to use and learn. Straight out of the box, charge up the battery, slip in a tape and you're ready to record. With a little practice and skimming of the manual, you can create some perfectly acceptable and fun still (digital) pictures. On the video front, the camera is exceptionally easy to learn and use. It takes standard 8mm video tapes cheaper and more readily available than mini-DV tapes. Zoom lens is excellent although once you pass the optical zoom range and go into the digital zoom, you will likely notice the "pixilation" (you can turn the digital zoom off.) Tapes can be viewed on the flip out screen excellent image. One feature I especially like is the one that lets you find the end of the last video recording -no matter where you stop on a tape, hit this button and it takes you to where you stopped recording. Low light capability is outstanding even without using the Night Light feature. Still pictures are fun. Easy to do once you've mastered the technique. The picture is only 640 x 480 so it is really only suitable for web stuff or 2 x 3 or 4 x 3 snap shots. Images may be downloaded to your computer using the enclosed serial link or a FireWire interface if you have one. Serial link may be slow but it works just fine for me. I took a couple hundred stills (and 2 hours of video) while on a 10 day cruise and they were fine. Camera can only hold about 20 still pixs internally (in the fine mode) so I would copy them from the internal memory to a separate video tape I decided to use for still pictures only. Once on your computer, you can play with them to your heart's content. Consider buying a second bigger battery. I bought the 8 hour battery a little extra weight but lots of extra time. I also bought the IR link for the TV. Saves having to hook up wires to the back of the TV/-510 every time you want to view a tape. It works flawlessly. And get a good camera bag.Thursday, August 7, 2014
VideoSecu Day Night Vision Outdoor Bullet Security Camera 1/3" Color CCD Weatherproof 28 Infrared L
The camera was straight forward to hookup even without the instructions and I was surprised how durable it is. It is an excellent camera in both day and night. The image is very nice. I would recommend this to anyone looking for a nice cheap backup camera.Camera quality it OK for the the price.I bought five of these less than a year ago and three of them already are failing. One of them has half the LED's burned out, the second one no longer gives a picture the leds work but thats it. The third one in night vision constantly thinks there is motion and records constantly.
Also found out they only have a 30 day warranty.
I will not be purchasing these again.I have been using this camera now for about 5 days.
Pros: It's wider screen than I expected, something along the line of 120 degree field of view. That's a big plus
for my requirements. It has a good quality for a lower priced camera. Easy to install, IR's seem to work out to about 20 ft.
Cons: It NEVER switches to black and white, even in a totally blacked out room. It does pick up some stars and flying aircraft
lights at night. It has a defective pixels so that at night it looks like stars.
The sun cover/shade works ok for shielding the lens from the sun but at night it is a total failure. The IR leds reflect back
from the sun shade and leaves you with a white/gray screen. You can only use the camera at night if you remove the sun shade
from the camera. I tried taping black mat paper and black felt onto the bottom of the sun shade but the camera still isn't useable.
The first problem appears to be a defect in switching to black and white at night. The second problem is a design flaw. That's why more
expensive camera use black non-reflective paint near the lens pickup area.
I will not be buying this brand again.
OK, rated this at 3 stars. Now I am rating it a 1. I would rate it a negative if I could.
Today about 2 weeks after I received the camera it quit. All I get out of the camera now is streaks and tearing white lines.
So It's junk, don't buy it.
Monday, June 16, 2014
NEW X8000 Dual Wide Angel Camera Hd Car Camcorder GPS G-sensor Password Protection
Well, its pretty cheap and flimsy. I thought I would like it, but I don't. In fact I stuck it in the back of my truck because I had no other use for it. Its a neat I guess, but doesn't do anything for me. The resolution is lackluster, the images aren't the best and going with a single camera is better. I guess the dual camera is good if you want to get interior expressions of people or if you getting pulled over by the police and one is on each side of your car, you can video the police actions if your up to no good. It was cheap. I got what I paid for.
Monday, May 26, 2014
Galaxy CM130 Sound Level Meter

- Frequency weighting: A,C
- Time weighting: Fast, Slow
- Dynamic Range: 30 dB
- Frequency Range: 125Hz to 8KHz
- Battery Life: 9V Battery 110 hours (included)
All of the fuctions will meet most requirements for basic sound mesurement.
Buy Galaxy CM130 Sound Level Meter Now
Helped me set up both my home theater and my car audio system.Pro'sDoes the job as promised
Easy to use
-Buttons layed out well
Cons -Could be a bit more soild(thicker plastic?)
-Charging me extra for a case?(kind stupid at least give me a vinyl case)
Read Best Reviews of Galaxy CM130 Sound Level Meter Here
Bought this because my son practices his bass in the house. Works well. Nice digital display with large numbers. Battery life is very good. Been very pleased with it. If you have need for a simple, easy-to-read sound level meter, this one would be an excellent choice.Want Galaxy CM130 Sound Level Meter Discount?
This works just fine for what I used it with, tuning home theater. It is a bit pricy buy shipped acceptably quick and works just fine.Do people tell you that you are speaking too loudly?Here is a moderately-priced device to help you monitor your outgoing volume.
I do not have a hearing loss but have been told by family members that I was
too loud. This device helps determine "the truth" and helps give you feedback
to bring your volume into mutually-acceptable levels.
You can also protect your hearing by determining if sounds are too high and
put in ear plugs to protect your hearing.
Protect your ears. Some hearing aids can cost $7,000. This device can help
prevent or forestall a hearing aid.
Thursday, May 8, 2014
Splitter IPTV RF Broadband 3-Way HomePNA Tested & Certified for applications on U-Verse Networks
Just got U-Verse and was lead to believe (by the installation guy) that I couldn't split a box to another TV. Well this worked great. I can now watch TV in my "dressing room" while not having to pay for another box.Changing out my splitter did not solve my problem but that is not the splitter's fault. So having narrowed the problem we move on.I thought I could use this for comcast cable but, I was wrong. I use windows media center with a ceton receiver, and it had too much signal loss. Whenever i watched video it had a pixalation every other minute and sometimes more. I had two dual spliters and it was fine. So I would not recomend this for Comcast if you have a WMC, DVR, and a modem hooked up to it.
Thursday, May 1, 2014
VIP Quad Band Stainless Steel FM Radio Watch Cell Phone Silver
i have very small hands so when i received the mobile watch it was too big & heavy for me. it looked odd on me. so i ended up selling it to a big guy who loved it and found it was suitable for him. i find the speaker is soft, i cant hear what its saying without putting the watch to my ear, so the blue tooth headset is necessary. otherwise very interesting cool device, beautiful watch in appearance, discreet. just not for a petite girl like me.I just recieved this item today. I am no stranger to watches as my fatherfixes them for a living. I cant even test it out as i can not get the back
to stay securely fit. Theres no magical combination or twist to this back as far
as I am concerned I have tried to twist that back on every which way and it will not stay tight just comes loose with the twist of one finger. I am extremely dissapointed.Why would you make a product that does not have a screw on back??? and put this chincy twist and lock mechanism that does not lock at all!!! Ill change my review when I can get help on this issue Otherwise Beware Buyers!
Buy VIP Quad Band Stainless Steel FM Radio Watch Cell Phone Silver Now
Can someone please tell me how to get the battery into the watch? Nothing seems to open on the back of the watch or unscrew on the front of it. Thanks for any feedback!Heather
Read Best Reviews of VIP Quad Band Stainless Steel FM Radio Watch Cell Phone Silver Here
Not sure because I bought it second hand or not but sometimes the screen be sometimes the screen be on sometimes the screen to be off even i sometimes the screen to be off even if its turned onWant VIP Quad Band Stainless Steel FM Radio Watch Cell Phone Silver Discount?
The VIP watch Phone is a nice one and i love it too much but i am having a problem now on the touch screen ,if i touch the screen now it does not open folders please what will i do as i do not want to give it to road side repairer please advise me.and without the folder open you can not dial any number or even send sms or even read or save contacts please help me.Awele.
Wednesday, April 30, 2014
Aqua 5500 ( Blue ) 18 MP Dual Screen Waterproof Digital Camera
Shipping was fast & secure within days of ordering camera. The camera is easy to use takes clear crisp pictures that have great detail even under low lighting. Have not used it underwater but have used it in the pouring rain(more like a deluge). The camera wiped clean and worked like a charm the next time I went to use it. The camera is durable can handle being dropped I would not recommend it. But it has happened to me to my surprise it worked like nothing happened.I would highly recommend this camera. I am a fan of SVP because my ir camera is that brand. So I knew the clarity of the pictures was a given. With what I do clarity definition matters. This is by far the best personal digital camera I have had to date. Its my first SVP camera that has not been tweaked.I bought this camera to give as Christmas presents, they love it! It's a nice portable and small camera with fine quality. Great price for gifts.
Buy Aqua 5500 ( Blue ) 18 MP Dual Screen Waterproof Digital Camera Now
Bought this camera for a small trip, I didn't want to spend too much on cameras. It turned out it's a pretty decent camera for the price I paid. The image quality isn't the best, but it's a cheap camera anyway.Read Best Reviews of Aqua 5500 ( Blue ) 18 MP Dual Screen Waterproof Digital Camera Here
I purchased this camera on cyber monday for a pretty reasonable price and we were blown away by the pictures it took considering it's a pretty inexpensive point and shoot camera. We were able to go snorkeling in Mexico and the clarity of some of the pictures were great but it did at times have troubles focusing and it couldn't take the best pictures in the distance but for taking pictures of the pretty fish underwater.. that's all I needed it for.Want Aqua 5500 ( Blue ) 18 MP Dual Screen Waterproof Digital Camera Discount?
I am a professional photographer so I never expected too much from these camera's but that being said They are really not worth the 55$ each I paid for them.The camera does as it says, it seems to be waterproof and does take pictures from both screens but there is a HORRIBLE DELAY from the time that you press the shutter button to when the picture is actually taken. There is almost 3 seconds in the delay. I purchased 3 of these cameras for Christmas Presents this year, 2 for the kids and 1 for my husband who is an avid hunter.
For the kids the camera would be ok. As long as their friends have a little paitents and hold the smile for 3-5 seconds after the shutter button is pressed.
My husband took it out hunting early in the morning when it was raining. The water didn't damage the camera at all, but the delay in the shutter was too much to catch wildlife in action.
PICTURE QUALITY is NOT AT ALL what other 18MP camera's generally produce. The shots are blury, grainy, too dark, or over exposed. No light meter I have in my collection seemed to help the problem. Used in my studio by the kids to "test the camera's out" we found it extremely hard to get even a few quality photos.
Friday, February 7, 2014
JVC XV-N680B DVD Player - DVD-RW, DVD+RW, CD-RW - DVD Video, SVCD, Video CD, WMA, MP3, JPEG, DivX 5
We're happy with the video quality, the Xvid support, and the 5.1 surround sound audio over the optical connection. The only problem we've encountered with this unit is that the sound over the HDMI cable occasionally stops working for hours. We've tried checking the connections, switching inputs on the TV, switching cables, unplugging the unit for a while, switching discs, and redoing the audio settings, but nothing seems to fix it except for just waiting until it suddenly starts working again on it's own, which usually takes a number of hours. This problem with the HDMI audio has only happened two or three times so far (over the course of 6 months), but I would expect that sort of thing to never happen with a quality product.This DVD player is awesome. I was surprised to see how much it looked like the Blu-ray player I purchased a few months ago. Also it performs just as amazingly. No complaints at this time.Great picture quality, and unlike my Blu ray Sony DVD, the JVC plays all DVDs and not just some of them. A top choice if you don't need Blu Ray format. I use MKV files with the JVC to get Blu Ray quality.Don't believe a word of the hype. This device will not play European dvd's, but only those of the region for which it is set on arrival. Don't get cheated the way I did.
Thursday, January 23, 2014
AT&T 1738 40-Minute Digital Answering System with Time/Day Stamp
After using a phone with a built in answer machine for several years, I recently purchased a separate phone and the 1738 answering system which digitally records up to 40 minutes of calls. I paid $18.00 for this unit; a great price.The human engineering on the 1738 is excellent. For example, to set the day of the week you repeatedly press a button until the correct day of the week is announced. Other set up steps are similar.
I like the remote access with toll saver to retrieve calls when traveling. You can select your own three digit remote access code.
They have a feature on this unit that is a first for me. That is the system can be set up to start the message with the phone number of the caller using Caller ID Announce.
The voice quality of a digital message is always an issue. I believe the voice quality of this machine is quite acceptable, admittedly it is not like Carnegie Hall. Manufacturers have to trade off voice quality against memory cost. In this case, I think AT&T did an excellent job. Messages recorded are clear and the outgoing message sounds like me.
It turns off and on and plays messages with a push of a button; the way I like machines to operate.
Other Features of Interest:
Like all digital memories, you can selectively delete calls.
A light blinks when you have messages and the number of messages is displayed.
If you elect to save messages, it tells you how many minutes of recording time are left.
The system has a half speed feature that allows you to press and hold a key to hear a message at half the normal speed. I think this will be nice when you want to write as you listen to the message. The down side is that when played at half speed, it sounds like a drunk is talking. Unfortunately, this feature cannot be used remotely.
Features I don't use but are available:
There is a feature that can be turned on to intercept calls where the phone number of the caller is purposely being blocked. This can intercept nuisance or threatening calls. With this feature on, it will play the message "We're sorry blocked calls to this number cannot be accepted"; then the system hangs up without recording a message. I tested this feature and blocked calls are stopped. It allows unidentified calls to go through (examples: calls from overseas and calls where people use calling cards).
It has a call screening feature.My old digital answering machine which was manufactured by PhoneMate recently started to act funny, which told me that it was taking a dive. No complaints though as my PhoneMate answering machine lasted almost a decade. The sound quality with my ancient PhoneMate digital answering machine was great and crystal clear just like a tape, but digital.
A couple days ago I went out to buy a new answering machine. I bought two, one made by AT&T and one made by GE. I just now hooked up the ATAT 1738 Digital Answering System. The setup was pretty straight forward. Did not have to refer to manual.
After setting it up, I was eager to test the Caller ID Announce Function as well as the sound quality. I called from my cell phone and this machine clearly announced the entire phone number of my cell. Was happy to hear that as sometimes you just don't want to be bothered and have to get up to check your caller ID to decide if you feel like talking to that person or not.
Anyway, after hearing the machine announce my cell phone number, it then told me from my cell phone to leave a message. I left about a 30 second test message. I then hung up on my cell.
I then went to listen to my test machine. I could not believe what I was hearing. I literally could not understand one word that I left as a test on this answering machine. Also, there is a LOT of background air noise.
Frustrated, I called from my cell phone again and left about a one minute message and made certain that I pronounced my words very clearly. Went to the machine to listen again and sure enough, I could not make out what I had just left on this horrible machine.
Bottom line is that the features this machine offers are great, BUT THE SOUND QUALITY MAKES THE MACHINE COMPLETELY USELESS AND THAT IS NO EXAGGERATION. AT&T USED TO MAKE EXCELLENT PRODUCTS. I ONCE HAD AN AT&T CORDLESS PHONE THAT MY MOTHER BOUGHT ME ABOUT 15 YEARS AGO AND IT LASTED FOR 13 YEARS, AND YES, THE PHOONE HAD BEEN THROWN A TIME OR TWO.
I DID SOME RESEARCH ON A WEBSITE ABOUT 30 MINUTES AGO AND FOUND OUT THAT VTECH I BELIEVE, OR SOME OTHER TELEPHONE MANUFACTURER BOUGHT OUT AT&T A FEW YEARS BACK. I AM PRETTY SURE THE SITE SAID VTECH. THAT WOULD EXPLAIN WHY THEIR PRODUCTS ARE NO LONGER GOOD.
DO NOT BUY THIS ANSWERING MACHINE. IF YOU DO DECIDE TO GET IT ANYWAY, TAKE MY ADVICE AND PURCHASE IT SOMEWHERE LOCALLY AND NOT OFF OF THE INTERNET, AS YOU WILL INCUR S&H CHARGES. I RARELY WRITE REVIEWS ON ANYTHING AS I DON'T HAVE THE TIME TO WASTE. I WROTE THIS REVIEW ONLY BECAUSE I WAS SHOCKED AT HOW BADLY AN AT&T PRODUCT WAS IN REGARDS TO SOUND QUALITY. TIME TO REPACK THE AT&T UNIT AND TEST OUT THE GE UNIT. I DISLIKE GE PRODUCTS FOR THE MOST PART, BUT HOPEFULLY IT WILL SOUND BETTER. HATE THE FACT THAT I PROBABLY WONT BE ABLE TO FIND AN ANSWERING MACHINE THAT HAS THE CALLER ID ANNOUNCE. IF ONLY THE SOUND QUALITY WAS EVEN SOMEWHAT OKAY ON THE AT&T MODEL. OH WELL!!!
Buy AT&T 1738 40-Minute Digital Answering System with Time/Day Stamp Now
I fully agree with Jack Berry's detailed review. Here's a quick supplement to what was not focused on.I choose the 1738 not because it was AT&T but because after so many years, nearly all AMs, regardless of brand, had the same features; they differ mostly in recording time and a need for battery backup. Sound quality has risen to be equal to low quality cassette tape no matter what AM I auditioned in people's homes. Should I need to archive a phone message, I could easily digitize it by recording playback on my iPod clone.
In 2006, the 1738 is one of the cheapest AMs for price with a 40 min recording time. RAM and flash memory prices are very cheap, so all digital machines reflect this low cost. However, I was skeptical by the mixed reviews posted by many readers given my experience with no-name brand AM. If AMs were all the same, how can AT&T be worse, and for $17, it was low risk test given it cost as much as a list-price music CD.
Maybe AT&T has improved this model to correct negative reviews or there is a large variation in production quality for this model. I was quite surprised; the 1738 is a superb AM. The recorded in and outgoing message was as good as a tape machine. There is a catch: the microphone of the unit is poor quality, and one can make high quality outgoing messages by calling your home, say from a cell phone, and recording your outgoing message using the remote feature; or use the `default' machine generated message. You can use the built in mic, say for the 1738's memo feature, but with far less quality. Despite no battery backup, messages are retained when the unit is unplugged.
What I love about digital machines is the capacity to delete messages mid-playback, delete the middle of queued messages while saving other messages, fast and slow play without the `chipmunk' effect, and voice-mail quick response to remote control features. The 1738 #5 button on the remote is a HELP, and will read out what all the control buttons do, so you needn't carry a reminder card to operate the remote. I only wish AT&T followed the voice-mail control keys of popular systems like Verizon or Meridian, rather than invent their own.
In my engineering experience there are 2 common pitfalls in digital AM that are easily fixed and maybe construed as a product defect: memory fragmentation causing poor recording and failure to use a DSL line filter. I had these minor problems when I used my PC as an answering machine for a brief period. When memory fragments due to a glitch, either power down the machine or erase all the messages to realign memory. Alas, if the memory is truly defective and no allowance was made in the design to bypass faulty memory [such as in most flash or SD memory cards] the problem could be permanent. The DSL carrier signal on a landline is near the supersonic, but it will give very bad results if recorded on phone lines, especially with digital methods. Nearly all DSL providers give line filters which work well, use them on all phone lines.
Read Best Reviews of AT&T 1738 40-Minute Digital Answering System with Time/Day Stamp Here
it got a lot of features with godd quality. very Clear Voice/ Great sound. I mean it is so darn easy to set up.even I could do it. when you press a botton it prompts and directs you on how to manipulate a feature.the instructional manual is a plus! Remote access & prompts date,time,yr ,phone number. this one is a keeper.Want AT&T 1738 40-Minute Digital Answering System with Time/Day Stamp Discount?
Overall the AT&T 1738 answering machine has good functional qualities. However, the prompt voice is a little insulting in that it talks to you like you have never touched a piece of electronics in your life and will never understand the technology.As for the voice quality, I was going to replace my 15+ year old Code-A-Phone tape-based machine with my new AT&T machine until I heard the announce voice quality from the new device. It sounded as if you were trying to talk through a pillow! Needless to say, my old Code-A-Phone machine will be seeing a lot more service until I can find a solid-state machine with voice quality worthy of my use.
For some reason, the transition from the earlier Lucent machines (I also have a Lucent A560 with excellent voice quality) to the more recent AT&T machines has caused a degadation in the voice quality. It probably has something to do with profits.
Wednesday, November 27, 2013
Seagate FreeAgent GoFlex TV STAJ100

- Box Contents - GoFlex TV HD Media Player, AV, Component and Ethernet cables, Power supply, Remote control, 1-Year Limited Warranty
- Plays your content on your TV directly from your GoFlex ultra-portable drive
- Hooks up to your TV in seconds via a digital HDMI cable
- Connects to your PC or Mac computer, home network and the Internet via Ethernet or wirelessly with the optional Wi-Fi Adapter
- Lets you watch streaming media directly from the Internet, your computer and your USB devices
- Watch streaming media directly from the Internet, your computer and your USB devices
So, that being said, I'm immediately happy with this device. For me everything else is just a 'nice to have' feature. Let's talk about those nice to haves...
The device is small. It has a door in the front that can open up to insert Seagate's FreeAgent's HDD's. Doing so isn't required to use the device at all. You can just as easily stream music/videos/pictures from a network device. However, on the main screen there are buttons associated with music/videos/pictures, that won't work unless you do have the drive installed and Seagates software sync'ed up with a PC (Win or Mac). At some point, I'll get around to installing that software on my Mac or my PC, but I haven't done so yet.
Plugging in and powering up was a snap. It took less than 30 seconds to power up and I was ready to go. There was no lengthy setup to perform. Literally plug and play. I was immediately able to click on some of the Internet features, such as Youtube and Flickr. Looking at pictures in HD is really amazing. Extremely clear and really a pleasure to look at.
The remote is small, but a bit cheap. This seems to be a common theme among these devices in that there's no real though put into the remote. It's not that complicated, so I feel it's very easy to use once you've learned the button layout. It has the common playback buttons, as well as arrow buttons and a home button. If you're ever lost, click on the home button to get back to the main menu. The one thing I hate is that the IR sensors aren't very forgiving. You have to firmly push on the remote buttons and make sure that you're pointing directly at the GoFlex. There's no feedback, so you essentially have to wait a few seconds to know whether or not it's going to work. I wish there was a LED on the device that blinked when it received a command.
The only other feature that I'm interested in is the NetFlix playback. It works very similar to others in that you can browse your saved queue and select the movie you want to watch. It's work very well. Video quality also is very good and is likely limited to what NetFlix is able to stream. There's seems to be zero strain on the device to playback movies.
The interface is very basic. I would place it significantly below the quality of the Roku box, but better than most other media players (aka PCH or NMT, if you know what I'm talking about) I've tested. There doesn't appear to be any way to modify or customize the interface. There's an options menu that lets you do very common stuff like check the network settings, change video resolution, etc...
Overall, I like the device and successfully met my requirements for ISO files. I hope that future updates improve on the interface as well as add other features. One feature in particular that I would like to see is Amazon OnDemand. I don't use that service that much, but it's nice to have when you want to watch some of the latest releases. That being said, I would have no problem in recommending this as a solid Media Player. It's probably one of the best values out there today.
Pros
====
Plays ISO files perfectly
Great up-conversion for movie files
Excellent video quality (for 42" plasma @1080p via HDMI)
NetFlix playback works very well
Interface is pretty quick, even when browsing network devices
Excellent value
Cons
====
The remote is a bit on the cheap, but decent button layout.
Not enough feedback when using the remote. It's hard to tell if the button you clicked is doing anything.
Requires firm button clicks and direct pointing at the device.
Wishlist
========
Add Amazon OnDemand
Improvements to interface, such as better feedback when clicking remote buttons
Improve the remote IR sensitivity
Recognize folder bitmap images. Would be very helpful when browsing video folders.
Buy Seagate FreeAgent GoFlex TV STAJ100 Now
I agree with the comments in the previous reviews. One quick heads-up for anyone looking to bundle this with the recommended items (hard drive and cable).... The 1TB "go flex" drive has a larger footprint and does not fit into the drive slot on the front of the box. It can be connected via the USB port on the back but if you were hoping for the ability to slide the drive into the front slot use must order a "go flex" drive sized lower than 1TB with the 14mm profile. Not a big deal just a heads up.Read Best Reviews of Seagate FreeAgent GoFlex TV STAJ100 Here
With the current firmware, the new Seagate FreeAgnet GoFlex TV performs identically to the older FreeAgent Theater+ it replaces. The menu looks EXACTLY the same, and the some of the problems that the FreeAgent Theater+ has is also present on the Goflex TV.GOOD
-Playback virtually everything I throw at it.
-Excellent picture quality
-Compact and light weight
-Behaves like a regular DVD player play back DVD ISO or VIDEO_TS folder with MENU support
-Built-in dock for FreeAgent Goflex via internal SATA connector actually you can hook up ANY 2.5" SATA hard drive directly but the front of the hard drive will protrude out from the Goflex TV by 0.5 inch so it looks awkward if you just use a bare drive.
-Netflix support
BAD
-Heats up a lot after prolonged playback (just like the FreeAgent Theater+), especially if you use the Goflex hard drive with the Goflex TV. When I use the FreeAgent GO with FreeAgent Theater+, the hard drive does not heat up as much.
-For some reason, when power down the Goflex TV via the remote control, the indicator light turn orange BUT the Goflex hard drive that's inserted does NOT power down and keeps spinning!! This ia a major design flaw in my opinion (when the FreeAgent Theater+ is turned off, Freeagnet GO powers down)
-No way to categorize files on the hard drive everything is displayed on a big long list
-Cost $20 more than the FreeAgent Theater+ yet no new features are added
BOTTOM LINE it's a better deal getting the FreeAgent Theater+ and FreeAgent GO portable hard drive
Want Seagate FreeAgent GoFlex TV STAJ100 Discount?
The Seagate Free Agent GoFlex TV STAJ100 is a small box, about the size of a videocassette, that serves as a router for audio and video sources, providing an output of multiple types of such information to your home theater. So you can plug the unit in to your LAN using an ethernet cable and then access shared media folders on computers in the household that are on the same network. This makes it easy to look, for instance, at the iPhoto libraries or at iTunes music libraries, so long as these are set up to be shared at their source. Another alternative is to simply take a flashdrive, load it with pictures or music, then plug it into the USB port on the GoFlex TV, and everything comes through on the TV. You select what you want to do through use of a provided remote control.Another approach is to use Seagate's FreeAgent GoFlex ultra-portable USB drives. I tested one of the new 500GB drives, hooking it up to my Mac with its USB cable, moving over some appropriate files, then plugging the drive directly into the GoFlex TV box. Again, accessing the various files was problem-free. This is a good approach if you don't have handy LAN access near your television or if you haven't purchased the additional WiFi adaptor available from Seagate. I tested various types of video sources as well as various audio and picture sources. Everything came through in 480i on the TV screen. A quick visit to the Settings menu and I realized that 480i is the default setting but that the unit can be set at any of the typical resolutions including 1080i and 1080p. Once I modified the settings to 1080p, all video sources came through at whatever their appropriate resolution was.
So far, this is similar to some capabilities that I have with my TiVo box, which also allows remote connectivity through your home network to the media files on your computers. There are a few advantages to the Seagate approach the biggest is that it can utilize multiple formats which the TiVo doesn't recognize. It is far less likely to fail when attempting to read some unusual file format, but you may wish to review the legible formats at the Seagate website. The second is the availability of a USB port and data hookup for Seagate hard drives. That's a nice addition.
But the biggest plus for me is the availability of streaming video from Netflix, something I can't get on my TiVo. Before now, I had to take my Mac, set it up for streaming from NetFlix, then hook up the HDMI converter and an audio cable (since Mac laptops haven't until recently had audio outputs incorporated into their video output), and finally figure out where I was going to sit the laptop so that cables would reach the TV, the electrical outlet, and so forth. I tried it once just to see if it all worked, but here it's much easier. There's a dedicated box. You turn it on, it almost immediately accesses your NetFlix streaming queue, and you pick what you want to watch. The quality and speed of the service was excellent, with video that comes close to Bluray disc quality. Your mileage may vary, depending upon the speed of your connection, but Netflix servers delivered HD quality for those movies where they've enabled HD streaming.
The Seagate FreeAgent GoFlex TV STAJ100 arrived with an AC Adaptor, remote control and batteries, composite cable, and component cable. Note that the GoFlex TV can also utilize an HDMI cable as well as an optical cable, so you're fully covered no matter what pre-processor or monitor your system has. I hooked mine up using the HDMI output directly to a 52" Sony XBR, but ultimately you'll want to run the HDMI through your other components so as to take advantage of the sound quality throughput.
My first unit was DOA but Seagate was responsive and I had a replacement unit almost immediately. The replacement unit had a serial number very close to the first unit so it doesn't appear that there was a string of faulty units; rather I just got one that had a glitch.
So in conclusion, this box is a fantastic way to stream NetFlix videos if you use it for nothing but that, it's worth the price of admission. The fact that it also works with YouTube, Flickr, and with almost any audio/video/photo that you throw its way that's just a bonus.
Downsides for Seagate to explore on the next iteration:
1) The name!! Should I call this a "FreeAgent" or a "GoFlex" or an "STAJ100?" The problem is that FreeAgent GoFlex also refers to a line of hard drives from Seagate, so the only distinguishing feature of the name is the part that says "TV." I can't call it a TV, however. Let's have a "Name this Device" contest.
2) The interface to look at photos and play music is straight-forward and intuitive but doesn't have the beauty of, say, a Macintosh or iPhone interface. I realize the price is the driving factor here and that we're weighing improved capabilities against more powerful and impressive firmware. I too would take the improved capabilities initially, but for the next version it would be nice to see something a little more like iTunes or iPhoto itself for accessing and sorting the available media. Right now, there's something of a DOS feel to the interface -we're a little better than a command-line interface, but there's room for improvement.Purchased the Seagate GoFlex TV and connected it to my HDTV via an HDMI cable. The product litature indicated the player supported playback of videos over a network connection from network attached storaged, but that did not work. I could not get the player to see my movies. It could see the folders the movies were in, but it could not find the DVD VOB or Blu Ray M2TS files. The player is supposed to support play back of MP3 files, but that is only partly true. It only plays some MP3 files depending on how it was encoded, but you can't tell by looking at the file properties which ones will play. The player is unable to index any movies from the network attached storage device, but can find the music files. All in all a very disappointing device, which I have returned.
Friday, November 22, 2013
Sony Bloggie Duo Camera (Violet)
The Sony Bloggie Duo is a compact camera which takes both still photos and video. It comes in several nice colors and has dual display screens.What's in the Box?
* The Bloggie with self-contained memory and battery, and a one year warranty.
* Wrist strap
* USB cable
* Typical consumer electronics paperwork (warranty info, Sony ad, etc.)
The box does not include a hardcopy user manual. When you plug in the Bloggi for the first time, you will be prompted to install the Bloggie software. You will see that the user manual (called the Handbook) is stored on the device. It can be accessed as needed, printed, downloaded, etc. It is about 40 double-sided printed pages.
If you are giving this as a gift, once you remove the outer box, you will find that the inner Sony box is handsome and will look nice to the recipient. It is a black cardboard type box with the Sony logo on top. It hinges open to reveal the Bloggie in a velveteen type compartment.
The Bloggie is very compact, yet carries a lot of features in its small footprint. At 4 ¼" long, a little over 2 ¼" wide and about ½" thick it is about as small as you can get for an HD camera/video recorder. It weighs about 4.9 ounces. The Bloggie is `smart' and knows its orientation, so the display and soft menus will switch between landscape and portrait on the fly as you change how you hold the device.
The menu and keys are intuitive. The main control is a `joystick' type which houses the main `Enter' button and up/down/ left/right controls for various options. Above this are three buttons. From top to bottom, if holding the Bloggie landscape (or right to left if holding the device "portrait"), these buttons are: The menu button, followed by the middle button, which toggles the front display on/off, and last is the button to switch between recording/playback modes.
The 2.7" screen on the rear is the main screen. You would use the front screen (2") primarily for self-portraits, etc.; when on, it will mirror the main display. This is also nice if you want to watch something and share it with someone standing opposite you. Yes, you can use dual screen mode both during recording and playback! Both screens have excellent color and contrast, even in bright sunlight. The Bloggie also has an LED flash/backlight. These function well, especially considering the device's small size. On the top is the On/Off button and shutter button, as well as the speaker and microphone; you need to avoid covering the latter when recording audio. On the bottom is the min-HDMI port and USB connector. I did not call it a USB port, because it actually unfolds from within the Duo's body to form a built-in USB connector! All ports are completely hidden when not in use.
This brings me to the product's one design flaw. This is NOT a serious defect, but worth mentioning. The built-in USB connector is meant to plug directly into the port on a PC, etc. In many cases, you should be able to plug in the built-in USB connector. However, if you can't because, for example, you have a desktop PC with a recessed USB layout or ports without easy access, then you need to use the provided cable. The USB cable included by Sony is just 6 7/8" long from end to end. If you use a laptop, you should be fine either way, as the camera can sit on the table next to your laptop, etc. But if you need to use the cable and aren't at a table or you use a desktop PC/tower and can't use the built-in connector, then the cable is a headache. You would have to let the camera dangle (not good!) or place it on something to raise it to keep it supported. Again, this is NOT a serious defect, but could impact someone if they have limited flexibility in accessing their USB ports or moving their PC. In those cases the cable is just way too short. Sony sells a longer one as an accessory. You can probably find a USB extender cheaper.
As for the Bloggie's performance, you can select several photo options depending on what you want. It offers 0.4MP, 3MP, and 5MP still photos. 0.4MB would be for something where you want to save space, load files very quickly, but where quality is not a huge concern. 3MB is good for use on a PC or the internet, and the 5MB for prints. 0.4MP and 3MP use a 16:9 screen ratio, while the 5MP setting uses 4:3.
Storage-wise the Bloggie has 4GB of resident storage, which is not upgradeable. If storage is a concern, Sony also sells an 8GB Bloggie, but that model is not dual screen at this time. For the 4GB model reviewed here, it will hold slightly over 1,300 photos at 5MP. Like most cameras, the display will indicate the number of photos left.
For video, the settings are: 270 at 30fps, HD 720 at 30 fps, HD 720 at 60 fps (more suitable for sports and other fast action), and full HD 1080 at 30 fps. Files are recorded in MP4 format. Storage space for video recording will vary. For 480x270 (listed as `270' on the Bloggie), you can store up to 8 hours of video. At 720/30 fps this drops to 2 hours, at 720/60 fps 1 hour, or 40 minutes for 1080 mode. What it amounts to is you can record in the lowest HD mode for up to 2 hours. Also, the Bloggie will allow a half hour of continuous recording for any one movie file.
The Zoom is 4x digital. In 35mm camera terms the lens would equate to a 47mm focal length. The sensor is a ¼" CMOS. The Duo has built in image stabalization. Battery life is decent and the typical considerations apply. If you use the backlight, the battery drains faster. It will typically hold out for a couple of hours.
Playback quality on the camera itself is what you might expect. Very good video, somewhat muffled audio. Playback on a PC has excellent video and audio. Through HDMI, the video and sound are both awesome. Like most electronics, the Bloggie does not come with an HDMI cable and you will need to buy an HDMI to HDMI-mini cable. At the time I got my Bloggie, Amazon was offering a cable free with a Bloggie purchase.
The software on the Bloggie is nice. You can certainly use software included with your Windows or Mac OS to manage the recordings on your Bloggie, but the software is worth a look. It gives you an interface to push your photos and video to Facebook, Youtube, etc. and also walks you through the registration for a free Sony Personal Space account which can help you easily share photos and video with family and friends through groups, notifications, etc. Obviously there are many ways to do this, but this one is included with the Bloggie if you want to give it a spin.
So, what's the bottom line? I would not replace my higher end video recorder or digital camera with the Bloggie. For higher end recording, I need the features, flexibility, and zoom capability that a full size device provides. However, for a camera on the run, with plenty of features, the Bloggie Duo is fantastic. It is very small so you can stick it in a pocket or purse and carry it around all the time. Then you will be ready to video the kids, family, friends etc. on all those occasions where you always said "We should have brought the camcorder!" It really fits the bill for a conveniently sized, easy to use, reasonably priced camera/video recorder. The Bloggie itself is a decent enough little camera for the price. Neither the video or picture quality is out-of-this-world good, but I really don't expect it to be at this price-point. Video is definitely the stronger-suit of the Bloggie. At 720p (1280x720; 30fps) the videos can look very good, though they can also be very dark in low-light conditions (and the built-in light doesn't help a whole lot, unless you like shadows). The Bloggie also has image stabilization, which is an almost necessary feature for this type of camera. Videos definitely look better when they're not shaking everywhere.
As a still photo camera, the Bloggie isn't quite as useful. Still photos have been dark and grainy most of the times that I've used it. Low-light makes it worse, I've never been able to get any particularly good photos out of it. It's decent enough to take some snapshots here and there, but this won't be replacing your dedicated still camera.
The hardware itself feels solid, although a textured surface might have been a better choice than the smooth, shiny finish. The only part I don't feel comfortable about is the pop-out USB connector. You'll probably want to use a USB extension cable with this (a very short one is included with the Bloggie, although if you're plugging it directly into a laptop sitting on a surface, it works, although it takes a good bit of pull to get it out of the USB port). It's convenient, but doesn't feel particularly durable.
As for the much touted software that makes using your Bloggie easier, I have to ask why it's even necessary. Was it really so hard to copy and paste your photos into folders or to upload them to whatever photo services you use? The Bloggie software is a bit bloated for what it is and doesn't perform particularly well (and needs to update itself as soon as you install it). I've never been a fan of Sony's software for its PC peripherals, and the Bloggie software doesn't change that. It does what it's supposed to do, but a lot of its touted functionality are in features I'll never use. I might be an old fogey that doesn't "get" the new "social media," but I still don't want to leave the management and uploading of my photos and videos up to an application, especially with Sony's penchant for changing and removing features in their software packages.
Overall, I like the camera. It feels solid and takes decent video. The software is a take-it-or-leave-it affair, and I guess I should be thankful that Sony at least left me the option to still be able to navigate to the photo and video folders and be able to copy, cut, paste and delete as I see fit.
Buy Sony Bloggie Duo Camera (Violet) Now
I love this camera! I just got it yesterday and it only took about an hour to master the set up and charging. I used the online product guide for more detailed instructions since what came in the box didn't really explain things all that well. Every thing about the camera is pretty idiot proof, meaning that I could use it straight out of the box with out too much online help. The online guide is easy to sort through as well and I know this can probably do a lot more than what I plan on using the camera for.The camera has a nice white finish and is easy to wipe off, it is pretty light and will easily slip into a pocket. I like the carrying strap provided although it doesn't make a big fashion statement in ugly industrial gray. The still pictures are amazingly clear and once I figured out the flash part for lighting, I was equally impressed. I didn't even need the instructions to figure that out. It connects directly to your computer through a dongle or direct USB connection and loads to your preset Windows' picture file. The USB port is really cool since it just pops out after pushing a button. There are setting to allow you to load directly to You Tube or a variety or other sites, but I haven't tried that yet but it looks easy.
Taking short movie clips is where this camera really shines and it does really well both in low light and bright sunshine. I wanted this to capture some dog film and some short interviews and the definition is really amazing. The sound is in mono but extremely clear and records at the perfect level. I ran the camera and hour and half before the battery died. I also didn't use the light function that much since I think that really drains the battery. Overall, if you are looking to take short videos and a few still pictures, this is a great camera to own.
Read Best Reviews of Sony Bloggie Duo Camera (Violet) Here
I've been using the Duo for a few months now and I've notice some faults with it and how to avoid them. I've notice when I first got the Duo that the 1080p recording setting seemed to have video skipping issues. When I switched to 720p @ 60 fps it didn't happen for a long time. But then there would be cases that I'd have the video skip/freeze and I finally figured out the problem. When the Duo gets warm from the light being turned on, held in hand for long period of time, or just in a hot climate (95-100 degrees), the recording function can't keep up with the intense recording process. So basically while in 1080p mode or in 720p @ 60 fps mode you'll have faulty recording if the Duo gets hot. Though I did find out that if I set it to 720p @ 30 fps mode I didn't have any video freezing/skipping issues. Though I think if you got the Duo hot enough it would even have problems with that, say in Iraq during the middle of the day during the Summer.So basically don't expect to shot 1080p unless your outside and it's like 40 degrees or less I suspect. Even at room temperature if you have the light on while holding the Duo the video will start to freeze/skip after 10 mins or so. And you can definitely feel when it gets to hot. It's amazing how much heat this little camera is capable of putting out which is the big problem. Any time you heat up an electronic device it will slow down it's processing speed and potentially cook it self dead.
Other than the skipping problem I think it's a great little pocket video camera to take youtube videos with while on the go or at home with a tripod. You get what you pay for and honestly is a great for amateur video recording. 720p @ 30 fps is actually a very nice setting and I don't notice the difference in the 60 fps setting if I'm just walking and talking. Though when in a car and shotting video outside while going fast does show a difference. But honestly not too many cases where you need 60 fps of video footage anyways.
As far as software goes I use Linux so I didn't use any of the software that came with it. I use OpenShot Video Editor and haven't had any issues with the Duo not working with Linux or the my video editor.
Overall I'd still recommend this camera, just know it does have some faults. Hopefully they'll fix the over heating problem in the next version. Then it would be perfect!
Want Sony Bloggie Duo Camera (Violet) Discount?
I REALLY like this camera. Its biggest selling point is its simplicity. If you want something fancy with long battery life, this is not the camera for you.I did a little self-test: I tried using the Duo without referring to the manual. Although I am not a "techie" type person, I was actually able to figure out quite a bit without it. This is how a point and shoot video/photo camera should be.
The second thing I absolutely love is that the software is contained within the camera. In lieu of full disclosure, I did have trouble accessing the user's manual (contained in the camera software). My computer was unable to "read" it. With a quick Google search I was able to easily access the manual from the Sony site. It doesn't get any better than this.
The third feature that impressed me is the fact that I don't have to pull out a memory card to transfer videos and photos to the computer. I just plugged it in with the built-in USB arm. This is awesome. No extra equipment needed.
The video and photo quality is comparable to that of the previous point and shoot type cameras I've owned and passed along. I don't see a huge difference in the "HD" quality as of yet. Maybe with more outdoor use I will see it.
All in all, this is a practical and versatile little camera, even for those who don't use Twitter, YouTube, or social networking site. But for those who do, the Bloggie Duo is a perfect fit.
Note: The Bloggie Duo does not come with a case. I think it would have been nice if Sony had included a simple case. Fortunately, I had a little Case Logic "UP-2 Universal Pockets Medium" case on hand. It works perfectly with the Duo. I found the case on Amazon for five dollars.
Friday, October 11, 2013
Eyetv 250 Plus
The EyeTV 250 Plus is a great little gizmo. It basically turns your Mac into a Tivo, with the ability to record as many TV shows as you can fit on your hard drive(s). The editing feature is easy to use -it takes only a couple of minutes to remove all the commercials from a one-hour TV show.Even though it comes with a remote control, I use the computer interface exclusively, as it is faster and provides access to every feature (also, I noticed that the IR input on the EyeTV box was picking up signals from other remotes, so I ended up covering it with a small piece of tape).
Recorded shows can be exported in a variety of formats, or can be left in their native MPEG-2 format for burning to DVD without any intermediate transcoding. The EyeTV comes with Toast Basic, which I have found to be good enough for my needs. With Toast, I can burn multiple recordings to a single DVD, with a main menu similar to what you get on a commercial DVD.I wanted something that would alow me to both watch basic cable television on my computer and archive old hi-8 tapes. Elgato makes this very easy to do with the eyetv 250. I was able to record the entire tape with the included software and then select clips of that recording to export into different formats. While I was recording a new tape onto the computer I was able to export a previous recording into different file formats. This allowed the entire process of archiving our hi-8 tapes go much quicker.
The program guide is also a huge improvement from what I was using with my PC. I had been using an Adaptec product for the PC that did the same thing but was not nearly as user friendly. The eyetv 250 is much easier to use and like everything I have added to my new iMac it just works.I bought this item for use on a Mac Mini with 1.83 C2D processor, 2GB RAM, 80GB HD and running Mac OSX Leopard. If you plan on using this product to archive movies and TV shows, make sure you have plenty of hard drive space. At DVD quality, a 30 minute TV show takes over 1GB of storage. This is not the highest quality recording method available to you in EyeTV, there is one level higher. You can lower the quality to create smaller files however.
The recording process has minimal impact on processor usage on my relatively slow Mini. If you plan on exporting the movies to MP4 format for AppleTV or an iPod it would be wise to also purchase Elgato's Turbo.264 to accelerate the processing and to relieve your computer CPU of the task. The Turbo.264 is basically a coprocessor that plugs into a USB port. As I mentioned above recording and storage to MPG2 really has no significant impact on the processor as the MPG encoding is done on the EyeTV hardware. The optional MP4 conversion for use with AppleTV and iPod video takes a great deal of processor time and resources. With the Turbo.264 installed I don't really notice that I am converting to MP4. The EyeTV software automatically sees and makes use of the Turbo.264 so it's transparent to the user.
At the time I ordered it there where still older versions of this product in the pipeline. The latest version of the hardware has an option to view broadcast HD TV, so if you are going to need that feature make sure the latest version ships from the supplier. I received last years version. Not a big deal to me as far as the hardware goes, but I did want the latest version of the EyeTV software, which is version 3. What I received is version 2. For recent purchasers of EyeTV you can download the update for free, but you have to send Elgato a scanned copy of your receipt (via their web site) to get access to it or possess a special upgrade coupon (supposed to be supplied with the hardware). Mine was old enough to not have the coupon, but the web site process was easy and quick. I had the latest version in less then 4 hours from the time I made the request on the ElGato website. I also discovered that the package I got did not include Toast Basic. I shot an email to Elgato and had Toast Basic installed a couple of hours later. Very good support as far as I can see so far.
The product works as advertised, is easy to install and use. Channel changing is fast, image quality very good,
The Eye TV software is very intuitive, easy to use and fast. On thing I have had happen on more then one occasion is a failure to record a scheduled show. Most of the time everything is fine, but once in a while I see an error message and a show that does not record. Could be because I am using an external Firewire drive to store the movies (MyBook 500GB). The drive goes to sleep after 10 minutes of idle time, so it could just be a timeout as the software waits for the drive to wake up. I should add that my Mac is on 24/7. I have gotten in the habit of shutting down the EyeTV software when I am not using it and noted that the problem goes away. EyeTV automatically starts launches when a recording is scheduled and when it does it accesses the drive where I am storing the movies, and wakes the drive before the recording starts.
Aside from that it works perfectly and I feel it was money well spent.
Read Best Reviews of Eyetv 250 Plus Here
I've been using a Dish PVR and a TiVo for SDTV, and I am transitioning to HDTV and wanted the ability to record HDTV off the air (and to watch SD signals from the other boxes while working on my new Mac Mini). I chose the EyeTV 250 Plus over the EyeTV Hybrid, because I wanted to offload as much work as possible from the Mac Mini (which has the wheaties to do it itself, but if for only $60 more I can offload...). I presume the user interface presented is the same (very easy to use and intuitive, as it is the same software). The TiVo is still the gold standard UI in my book, but the EyeTV ranks close to it and well over the Dish PVR (old admittedly, I still have a 508).The only complaint I've had is that some programs recorded from the local PBS affiliate have been glitchy, and I suspect it is a problem at their end as they compress their HD signal more, and have 2 SD side channels riding with the HD. Recordings from the ABC, CBS, and NBC affiliates have been flawless so far.
SD signals displayed on my HDTV at greater than original resolution will show artifacts (at least until I get some kind of upconverter) whether they come through my EyeTV 250 Plus into my Mac and in via HDMI or directly (via S-video).I was happy with all but the quality of the picture. But that turned out to be at my end. I added a good quality drop amp and the picture cleared up beautifully. BTW that was suggested n the documentation. I like the features very much. Good bang for the buck.
Wednesday, September 11, 2013
MINIX NEO X5 RK3066 Dual Core Cortex A9 TV Box 1GB RAM 16GB ROM with Wi-Fi SD MMC Slot XBMC 3G Dong

- Android 4.0.4 ICS(4.1.1 Jelly Bean upgradable); Rockchip Dual Core Cortex A9 CPU; a Quad Core Mali 400 GPU
- Support external 3G Dongle (not included), makes you have access to 3G networking
- Supportbluetooth function,makes you connect other bluetooth devices through this function.
- Support XBMC Video play, the latest HTML5, Flash11
- SupportRJ-45 Ethernet wired networking &WIFI 802.1b/g/n
Bought two of these on Newegg because its $99 there. I was confident that this box was going to trump the Midnight. I was wrong and highly disappointed. Sure, it's pretty fast in Android, but that's all you're going to get. There's not a single build of XBMC that works on this box (I've tried EVERY one) unless you like watching standard def content. 720 stutters just a little too much to watch and you can forget about 1080p. The wifi is good in this though, no streaming problems but who needs streaming when it doesnt have the balls to decode the video? And it's too expensive for the features. There's a ton of Rockchip boxes on the market much cheaper than this. Heck the MK808 runs better than this box and is half the price!
I really wanted to love it. I've bought a ton of Midnights and when I saw this and the positive reviews I was excited to get one. If anybody says this box runs XBMC then they obviously aren't using XBMC with HD content otherwise they would change their review to reflect the choppiness. It's unbearable.
If you're looking for a straight Android box to do Android stuff, this is not a bad box. Maybe too expensive, but not bad. If you're a power user looking for something to run XBMC and can handle custom ROMs there's still not a brand better than G-box. Even Pivos Xios is better than this thing and the xios is slower than molasses.. at least IT can play HD content though.
I'm not giving it one star, because it does run Android well and wifi is good. It's only rebooted on it's own a couple of times but I think it was because I was pushing it too hard.For it's meager price, this has taken the place of an HTPC that cost me over $1000, and I'm not missing it at all.
I'm using this Minix with a Seagate 4TB external hard drive, a Microsoft Arc Keyboard, and a Microsoft Bluetooth Mouse.
Android isn't exactly optimized for keyboard/mouse input, but it works great. All the things I was worried about not working well with a mouse are smooth as butter. It's a little bit weird getting used to the different functions of the mouse buttons (left click is normal, long press on left click for menu options, and right click is just like the back button on the menu bar), but after you get used to it, it works well.
At this point, I'm willing to say that Android is a better OS than Windows 8 for an HTPC, and possibly for desktops in general. Aside from needing certain applications that are available on Windows and not Android, I don't think you can go wrong. This system, for it's humble specs, is more responsive than my brand new Samsung Ultrabook (i5-3317u, Samsung 840 Pro SSD). Apps open quicker, and the interaction is generally more pleasing.
That's not to say it's without drawbacks. As is always the case with Android, not everything works right, and not all the time. The biggest drawback of this system, is that it acts like a tablet. Sometimes, the touchscreen keyboard pops up, and you have to hit back to get rid of it. But guess what? My ultrabook does that too (even though I've selected the option to get rid of it several times, it insists).
XBMC for Android is available, but is still in beta testing. To complain about it not working right now, is to complain about a product that has yet to hit the market. It will be added to the Google Play store when it's ready for mainstream use. That problem with it right now, on this device, is that it isn't utilizing hardware based video decoding, and without that... HD video is just too much for this little system to handle. This should be fixed before the app is put on the market.
The good part is that the built-in "Video" app handles full HD (1080p) videos just fine. I have an entire library of 1080p MP4 videos that me and my friends have been enjoying all night, with far less interruptions than I ever had on my Windows HTPCs.
This system may not be ready for mainstream use. In other words, it's not moron-proof. You may need to know your way around electronics in order to get this working the way you want it to. If you're scared of that, stick to something you can handle... like a DVD player.
But if you're tech savvy enough to know what this is... you should know enough to make it work. It's silent, small, super-efficient... and kinda fun, even if only to know that you're doing on a $100 PC what most can only get done on a $400+ PC.
I'm not saying this is the best Android based mini PC out there... this is the first one I've used, but it's more than worth the money. I think it's funny that this system has great reviews on NewEgg and poor reviews on Amazon (maybe that's enough to tell you that this product is for the techies out there).Came with Android 4.1.1 installed.
3 USB ports, can be used for Wireless keyboard/mouse/airmouse dongle, webcam, storage, etc..
10/100 Ethernet port important for streaming video reliably.
Installed latest Skype from Play Store, works perfectly with Logitech webcam (standard "UVC" class webcams only).
XBMC for Android 12.0 RC appears to work perfectly, plugins make it extra nice.
Great performance, connectivity doesn't seem to get hot either. Some niggling issues with Minix launcher.
I like using a microsoft Bluetrack mobile mouse, but will experiment with the iPazzport airmouse/keyboard combo.
The supplied remote is small and cheap but the buttons can be learned by another IR remote if necessary. It is
not a good replacement, however, for a good mouse.
Support and user forums are almost non-existent, but Android HTPC enthusiasts should be very happy with
the purchase of this device. An ideal price, bundled with a better air mouse remote, might be US$100-.
If the manufacturers managed to offer a similar model with a 3.5" SATA drive bay, for DVDR or large media
drive, this would be the "bees knees"!-
.....if you want to spend 5 times as much.
this thing does everything I want it to plays 1080p content on my TV, plays high bit rate mp3's on my multiroom receiver no complaints at all. I have a 320GB, 2.5" ext drive on one usb port, and the receiver for my candyboard on the other. some people have complained about poor wifi reception but I'm using the wired port so I can't comment. I wish I had a little more tech info, like the bit rate over the spdif cable but it sounds good to me.
it replaces an HTPC that literally did cost 5X as much plus I'm not using a microsoft product anymore so that's always a plus in my book...
I think this would be a steal at double the price!!Since I haven't been able to use the product since it's was DOA I can say I don't really see much QA going on. Device is already pretty scratched up in places for being brand new. Not really happy with the quality of the product not to mention it was dead when I got it...

