LG 440G Prepaid Phone With Double Minutes (Tracfone)

I like the flip phone format, it is very convenient and the 3G Internet and email speeds are great.

Sound quality is about average. The speaker phone is distorted at top volume of 7, so just lower it to 5 or 6. This isn't a phone you are going to speak on the speaker phone a lot, just to monitor when someone puts you on hold for a couple of minutes. It has a good camera and video capability. It is easy to upload small MP3 files to use as free ringtones for people on your contact list. There is also a handy button for composing text messages. You can download Google Maps for use if you are driving and need directions.

This phone isn't for heavy web use but can come in very handy in an emergency because you can easily check your email. It does not have an add-on slot for SD memory. You cannot transfer photos from your phone unless you have another bluetooth device.

I always wanted a simple flip phone that would notify me of my coming email. I must say, this phone is pretty amazing on 3G and Email feature. I love carrying this flip phone knowing I am able to receive emails in time.

The reception is not horrible as the other reviewers stated. However, compare to LG 500 (which I hate the small query keys), LG 500 does have better reception.

I found out that you can send simple email using message icon/ sent box on this phone, which is pretty cool.

It truly depends on what you need. This phone has more features than a simple flip phone; I was under the impression that one can transfer mp3 / photos using USB cable; I was wrong about this feature. The phone has 90000kb memory; more that LG 500 and LG 900.

In my opinion, this is a good buy.

Buy LG 440G Prepaid Phone With Double Minutes (Tracfone) Now

So we have an extra line on AT&T that I'm looking to cancel, but keep the number.

I knew that prepaid would be the way to do that, just didn't see any phones with plans I really liked.

Fast forward to one Sunday in November, after lunch we stop in at Best Buy and I walk past the prepaid phone section like I always do, only to glance and see the LG440G on the shelf, seeing that it's a new phone on Tracfone (who was my prepaid carrier of preference to make this switch) I instantly grabbed it and saw that it was a 3G phone, and works on AT&T! (something important to have just to get tolerable service from them...)

So needless to say I purchased it, porting the number from AT&T to Tracfone took just a few minutes and was very painless. So the phone at this point is activated, I made a test call and this is where the headaches start... So every word that you hear starts out very quiet then gets very loud, and on top of that if you turn the volume up to something barely usable the speaker starts distorting like the speaker in a fisher price toy. It sounded so horrible, it was very distracting.

Thinking that maybe the phone was defective I then went back to Best Buy and exchanged it for another, called Tracfone to transfer phones (for some reason this took much much longer then porting the number in, in the first place!) and low and behold this thing was doing the EXACT SAME thing.

On top of it all I started to realize that my signal sucked, even right next to AT&T towers (I confirmed this thing worked on AT&T by checking the SIM card, ending in C4 means AT&T). It was dropping 3G alot, and even had rather dramatic deathgrip issues.

So I got fed up, found the Samsung S390G on Amazon for 34 dollars at the time and ordered it. Returned the LG440G back to Best Buy (which they will have trouble returning it because the system tells them if it's been opened, but they in the end CAN take it back as long as it's within 30 days of purchase). As for the Samsung S390G I'm very happy with it, get good cellular signal performance with it and great sound quality compared to the LG440G, can crank it up with NO distortion AT ALL.

I don't know if there is a bad batch of LG440G's out there or what, but this was by far the second worst phone I've ever tried to use (only surpassed by a Nokia 1616). I can't recommend this to anyone, and I'm not about to try another one down the road either and then likely have to deal with the hassle of returning it.

Read Best Reviews of LG 440G Prepaid Phone With Double Minutes (Tracfone) Here

I recently upgraded my Tracfone service from a four year old Motorola v170 (2G) to this LG 440G (3G). I still like the flip phone format, even if it's out of date.

Pro: A 3G phone has access to a lot more cell tower hardware than a 2G phone. Connectivity is tremendously improved over my old Motorola v170. I find that I get good voice service in all of the dead zones that I had with the v170. The Motorola couldn't connect from the inside of my home (stucco over heavy sheet metal wrap, circa 1915), or inside my local Costco, or from the basement of my office building, or while walking with the dog at the Mount Tom reservation in Holyoke, Mass. The LG 440G works OK in all of these locations, AND everywhere else I've used it. No more having to go out to the front porch to make a call!

The construction is solid. Voice quality is significantly improved, although not dramatically. I haven't experienced the problems with voice quality noted in GusHerb's one star review. However, I do agree that the speaker phone feature is better for camping out on hold than it is for actual conversation. The camera is functional should you need it, but don't buy this phone if a great camera is important to you.

Con: Some of Tracfone's online advertising states that this phone has WiFi features in addition to 3G connectivity. Somebody please correct me if I'm wrong, but the WiFi part appears to be a mistake. WiFi isn't mentioned on the box the LG 440G ships in, or in the owner's manual. There aren't any menu options that I can find to set a WiFi SSID or password.

Please keep in mind that this is a disposable phone selling for $10 outright. Obviously, it's going to be found wanting if you compare it to a subsidized phone on a Verizon or ATT two year contract.

Three month update: This phone for $10 plus a $100 one-year airtime card is the best value on Planet Earth.

Want LG 440G Prepaid Phone With Double Minutes (Tracfone) Discount?

I've had three tracfones in the last year and a half, always wanting to try something a little newer and nicer. The first, a Samsung 245g flip phone has a screen just too small to use for anything beyond short and simple texts. Next up was the LG840g. Nice touchscreen operation, but I found the onscreen keyboard a bit awkward, and felt like I needed to carry it a holster rather than my front pocket. The new LG440G is a good compromise. It is a bit larger, when closed, than the Samsung, but with a considerably larger and sharper screen, making texts and emails much easier to read. The 3g connection downloads emails fairly quickly so you don't burn a lot of minutes checking messages. Call quality is fine, and the signal strength is about average, meaning spotty in my home; just something I have to live with, I guess! All in all, I am very happy with my twenty dollar investment. The phone and the Tracfone prepaid costs fit my needs very well. I cannot see myself ever returning to a traditional carrier.

Save 35% Off

KJB Security Products DVR90 Prograde Minicam Camcorder

Our department now has 6 of these and we love them. Great video and Audio. Only problem we have is the date constantly changes on it and the lip sync is off with the video. Those are minor issues for us though.

To be fair, only used camera a little, but found some flaws.

Liked:

-Small size

-Micro SD slot upgradeable

-Voice feature option (bud did not use it)

Disliked:

-Poor sound quality

-Camera too heavy to hang on breast pocket; clipped here in pocket with the weight makes it point to your feet.

Buy KJB Security Products DVR90 Prograde Minicam Camcorder Now

I just received my replacment MD90 DVR mini camera. The original unit could not be read by my computer, so I had to return it. Nonetheless, the vendor was great in following up with me to have the issue resolved, as well as send a new replacement camera. I charged the new camera and did a couple of short recordings (aprrox. 30 seconds). The camera worked great and the images were great as well! Would recommend for anyone that is interested in a mini camera. Great customer service and quick resolution!!

Read Best Reviews of KJB Security Products DVR90 Prograde Minicam Camcorder Here

Philips DVDQ35AT Progressive-Scan DVD Player

• Plays DVD Video, video CD, and audio CD
• Compatible with CD-Rs and CD-RWs loaded with MP3 and AAC files
• Includes progressive-scan compatibility with 3:2 pulldown for distortion-free viewing of 24 fps movies
• Optical and coaxial digital-audio outputs pass Dolby Digital and DTS surround signals
• 5-disc resume remembers your jumping-off point on the last 5 DVDs played

I bought this to replace a Sony DVD player that died after 2 years. I haven't used the progressive scan features, but I'm using it with s-video and the optical sound out, and am very happy with the sound an picture. It also seems to handle dirty or scratched disks much better than the Sony, which used to just backwards or forwards some huge amount when it ran into trouble. The Philips seems to handle it pretty gracefully. One thing I really like about the Philips is that for the time display, it shows the total time you are through the movie (is the correct DVD term "title"?). My Sony would just show me how far I was into a chapter. I like that it can display CDs of photos and play MP3 CDs. The front panel is pretty bare bones, but has the basics you need. My nits with it are pretty minor: If you turn it off with the remote, you can't just wake it up by pressing open on the front panel -you have to turn it off and one. There's no eject button on the remote (although you can debate if that's actually useful). And, it freezes up on a CD of pictures I burned from my Mac. I'm not sure how general that problem is. But, overall, I'm very happy with it.

Buy Philips DVDQ35AT Progressive-Scan DVD Player Now

This DVD looks nice, plays well, and sells for an unbeatable price. The thing that I like most about it is that it can play more DVDs (e.g. other region codes) than my Sony. My sony is very unforgiving in that respect. The only negative is that it takes the machine a bit long to load the DVD. But all in all, it's a great product.

Read Best Reviews of Philips DVDQ35AT Progressive-Scan DVD Player Here

Its worth paying. Its nice, plays MP3s, JPEG and all DVDs that I have tried. I have tried PAL VCDs as well.

The negative side MP3 menu is too thin.

It does not play or hangs with some DVDs, the other player I have also does the same. Whereas my laptop DVD player plays that.

Want Philips DVDQ35AT Progressive-Scan DVD Player Discount?

I purchased the Philips DVDQ35 from Amazon about a 2 months ago. It played photo CDs and regular CDs fine. The problems came when playing DVDs. On EVERY DVD I play, it starts skipping and freezing after about 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours into the movie. This even includes brand new DVDs fresh from the box. I called Philips and the said it sounded like a hardware problem to them. They shipped me a brand new unit new serial and manufacture date. Guess what ... the new unit does the same thing exactly. I searched the internet for "Philips DVD player skipping" and have since found out that there are a lot of people that have been junking their Philips DVD players for exactly the same reason skipping and freezing during DVD playback. It seems Philips will gladly keep sending you new units with the same problem (YOU have to pay for the shipping back to them), but won't refund money or give you a comparable model that works. I guess instead of repeatedly sending back the players, I'll have to eat the loss and junk this one. No more Philips for me.

For the price, this dvd, video, and audio player is great.

The DVD player looks better than it does on this site.

Playing audio cd's works fine.

I am not dissappointed with this DVD player at all!

Sony Ericsson P1i Unlocked Cell Phone with 3.2 MP Camera, 3G, Wi-Fi, MP3/Video Player, Memory Stick

I've had this phone for over a month, and I LOVE IT!!

I don't talk much on the phone, but I listen to music, watch video, take pictures, and send text msg with it a lot. I charge my phone maybe every three days. I think the battery last a very reasonable amount of time for the way I use it.

The keypad might take awhile to get used to, but I am a keyboard person and I really love the QWERTY keypad. I can type pretty fast with this keypad (I used to think sending text msg was a pain because of the ABC keypad).

The video taken with this phone is in .3GP format. You can just google search K-lite mega codec and download the codec pack. Then you can play the video you take on PC. And the codec pack is free! Or if you think installing codec is too much, you can just download Quicktime. It's also free.

When you buy the phone, there is everything you need inside the box, including menu and CD software.

On the home screen, there are 15 shortcut spaces for you to put some "hard to locate" applications. For internet browser, I recommend Opera. It's way better than the one came with the phone. When I use internet, I always go to the connection (top left corner) to make sure I am connected to a wifi connection. So I never have a problem with it.

Some people mentioned that their phone froze a lot. I think they just got a bad phone. My phone has only frozen once for this one and a half month. Compare to M600i, P1i is really tons faster and responsive. Everything is just so smooth.

I love this phone because it's basically a small PDA with phone function. I can make to-do list. I can read pdf, doc, ppt, etc files. I can watch movies and videos on it. I can listen to music on it. I can use Skype. I can use messengers. For the music player, you can minimize it. So you can actually do something else on the phone while listening to music. There are pretty useful symbian and uiq softwares you can install onto the phone. The most I use is AED (advanced english dictionary). You can also download/buy game console emulator and play old games on the phone! Like GBA, NES, etc.

I also bought a bluetooth receiver for my computer. So that I can connect the phone with the computer through BT, and it is VERY convenient. I can transfer all my files and photos within seconds. I do use card reader to transfer big files like videos since BT is not a fast way to do it.

Now Sandisk makes 8gb M2 card and this phone supports it!

There is only one thing to complain: I still can't get the PC Suite to work... But I can live without it.

In a nutshell, P1i is a great phone. I don't think I will need to buy a new phone within the next three years :D

Over a decade ago I started using a Palm Pilot. In the beginning of 2007 the University I work for decided to no longer provide cell phones. I ended up signing up with T-Mobile and got their Dash hoping that I would pick up typing with little keys quick enough. After a few months trying to deal with the little keyboard and having the volume strip on the side of the Dash never actually work well; I ended up still carrying around my Sony Clie, a decent digital camera, and the Dash. I really didn't like the look of the "bat-belt" hung with devices. When I dropped my clie for the last time (screen fractured), I had the excuse to look around a second time. I really liked the P1i because it actually has a decent camera, has a touch screen that I can use for putting in letters instead of typing, really great resolution on the screen (something Sony really does well), and the reviews I read said it worked well with the T-Mobile system.

It does more than I expected (FM Radio for instance), the dual letter keyboard works pretty well, and the handwriting recognition saves my poor thumbs! There are some less than intuitive quirks about it, for instance the notes are listed in order of creation instead of alphabetically, the handwriting recognition is a little different (periods and the letter "A" are not the same), and I wish I could define a few more shortcuts, but overall I am extremely pleased. I have had to switch from the Plam Desktop to Outlook, but I can survive that.

I think I made the right decision, and recommend it to others.

Buy Sony Ericsson P1i Unlocked Cell Phone with 3.2 MP Camera, 3G, Wi-Fi, MP3/Video Player, Memory Stick Now

The Sony Ericsson P1i uses the Symbian UIQ 3 operating system, which is the next best thing to Palm OS in terms of intuitive capabilities. Its user interface is the best I've seen among smartphones.

Combine that with an excellent TFT touchscreen, a jog dial, an amazing rocker-style QWERTY keyboard, a 3.2MP camera, an MP3 player, wi-fi, Blackberry capability, excellent desktop synchronization software and you've got perhaps the best "all in one" device.

The beauty of it is that this phone is small enough fit in your shirt pocket without showing a bulge, while retaining a relatively large 240x320 pixel screen that rivals larger, clunkier smartphones. It simply blows away the Nokia E61 that I was using previously.

Former Sony Clie users will appreciate the jog dial which allows you to quickly scroll through or select entries and the return button that lets you exit or move back a level.

My reservations about the rocker-style keyboard vanished after a couple of days of use. I am actually able to type faster than I ever could with the clunky Nokia E61. I can do most of the operations with one hand, like make calls, send emails, SMS text-message or edit calendar or contact entries, without ever having to use the stylus.

The Sony Ericsson Desktop synchronization software works seemlessly with Microsoft Outlook. The synchronization process and logic is very similar to the "Hot Sync" application used in Palm OS or Clie devices.

On the technical side, this is a GSM/GPRS tri-band world phone. It also has built in wi-fi, infrared and bluetooth. It comes with the UMTS 2100 version of 3G which is commonly used in Europe and Asia, but not here in North America where we use the HSDPA 3G standard. It also lacks EDGE capability. Thankfully, the speed of GPRS is good enough for basic browsing and sending emails. In my view, 3G would be most useful when using this phone as a modem for your laptop.

The P1i's signal reception is excellent, and I've had very few dropped calls. Its voice quality is slightly shy of the Nokia E61 I had previosuly, but not enough to cause concern.

I have not tried many of the multi-media features of this phone. However, the picture quality of the built-in camera is quite good, although I'd say its sharpness is not good enough to justify its 3.1MP capability. The built-in flash provides just enough light at very close range.

Sony Ericsson was nice enough to provide a couple of extras with this phone, a 1GB mini-SD card and a pair of good quality stereo earphones.

Depending on which version of firmware you have on the phone, the P1i comes with one of two "push" email software installed: Blackberry or Exchange Activesync. The Sony Ericsson support website allows you to download either application for free if you need to.

You can also use third-party applications. Both GMail mobile (free from Gmail website) and ProfiMail (from Handango) work well with the P1i. ProfiMail allows you to receive email in a "quasi-push" way by allowing you to set intervals to download email headers. Personally, I prefer ProfiMail for its excellent user interface and flexibility.

In conclusion, I highly recommend the P1i for both casual and business users.

FIRMWARE:

A lot of the unlocked P1i phones being sold in USA and Canada come with either a Singapore or Hong Kong version of the firmware. (Mine came with the Singapore version). This typically restricts language selection to UK English or Chinese.

I changed the firmware on my P1i to the "Generic World 1" (GW1), which is not as restrictive as the Singapore version of the firmware.

(Please click on the "Comments" associated with this review to see my instructions on how to upgrade the firmware).

Read Best Reviews of Sony Ericsson P1i Unlocked Cell Phone with 3.2 MP Camera, 3G, Wi-Fi, MP3/Video Player, Memory Stick Here

This phone is top notch and I would recommend buying it with out a doubt! BUT only if you live in a Tri band environment. This means that the phone only supports 900/1800/2100mhz and will struggle anywhere where there is a network of strong 850mhz signal. so.... I will paste my comment from another website.

WARNING!!! To anyone thinking of buying this phone in the USA, I would strongly recommend doing your research first!! this is a tri band phone which in my opinion should NOT be available to the USA as we operate 85% on 850mhz which this phone does not support. Unless you live (and intend not to travel to the country where you are likely to get zero bars) in any of the Major city's across the country that also use 1900mhz its not worth the money! save it for a stylish quad band phone at least then you will be almost guaranteed it will work everywhere.

Hope this helps anyone with this phone who is having trouble and for those who are thinking of buying this phone.

Want Sony Ericsson P1i Unlocked Cell Phone with 3.2 MP Camera, 3G, Wi-Fi, MP3/Video Player, Memory Stick Discount?

This cell phone was a gift from a friend in Costa Rica, and he says works perfect; any problem with all the features, and he hasn`t any problem with the activation.

LG RC897T Multi-Format DVD Recorder and VCR Combo with Digital Tuner

• Super multi DVD recorder/VCR with digital tuner
• 1080p up-conversion via HDMI output
• Digital cable/satellite box controller
• Digital Camcorder input for convenient recording and editing with DV 1394
• LG Simplink connectivity of other LG products using HDMI connection

As a satisfied owner of an LG HDTV, I bought this DVD/VCR combo recorder fully expecting to be likewise happy with the quality of the images produced by another LG product. Unfortunately, I had to box it up for return the same day I got it. The problem with the product is one that I hadn't anticipated, but which further very specifically-targeted reading online revealed as a known problem with LG's DVD recorders. That problem is what various message-boarders and bloggers call "image over-processing". Translate that as "too much anti-aliasing" (image-smoothing) or "too much blur". And it was not just on the recorded images. For the minute you switch from the LG TV's internal tuner to the LG recorder's internal tuner, there's an instant layer of "smoothing" that is pronounced enough to be distracting. ...I am talking, depending on your threshold of sensitivity to such things, a potential headache-inducing level of fuzziness.

If you purchase this product hoping to use it to archive your family videos, no way it can do them justice. If you plan to use it as a down and dirty digital era VCR, grabbing episodes of shows you intend to record over once you watch them a single time, it is really not quite servicable for that. All this keeps pulling me back to one head-shaker of a question: What were the people at LG thinking? At nearly three hundred bucks, the quality of the LG RC897T is a major disappointment.

Buy LG RC897T Multi-Format DVD Recorder and VCR Combo with Digital Tuner Now

Not long after purchase, I had to return the unit because the DVD drawer kept popping open on its own. Once I received it back, I kept noticing major problems attempting to record on the DVD side -the unit would either record for two minutes and turn itself off, or record for over an hour (on a 2 hour show) and then turn itself off. When I phoned LG, I was near the end of the warranty period. They claimed that there was nothing wrong with the recorder. The issue was caused by the fact that the tv stations were now transmitting "copy protection signals" that prevented you from recording. This did not explain why the recording time varied, but if they were correct, this was being done by ALL networks -from HBO to channel 5 and channel 7. It did not explain the fact that my Panasonic DVD recorder never turned off in the middle of a show. LG's tech sent me on a two-week wild goose chase for DVD-RW's with special markings (CPRM). She claimed that if I ever found these, I would have no further problems. I never found these DVD's and my warranty ran out in the meantime. In addition to all the above, the upscaling takes forever when you insert a VHS tape and you are constantly adjusting the tracking to get a clear picture-especially after fast forwarding. This is an unqualified piece of garbage. Don't waste your money. It's a shame because it is very user friendly and Go-Video (the original manufacturer of this product) used to make excellent products. This $280 product is now being used solely as a VCR.

Read Best Reviews of LG RC897T Multi-Format DVD Recorder and VCR Combo with Digital Tuner Here

LG RC897T Multi-Format DVD Recorder and VCR Combo with Digital Tuner

I bought Re-Furbished,The recorder funnctions well with modest to good results, depending on what you choose for length. I usualy use 4hrs LP mode on the DVD, and VCR slp. This is reasonably OK and quite watchable.

The machine does what I need,and discs are playable in my other machines and my computer.Digital tuner, is what I bought this for and works great.

CONS: Small unfriendly remote, but you get used to it. Timer recording not user friendly,so I dont use it.If you have to pay the full retail price,not good value.

Want LG RC897T Multi-Format DVD Recorder and VCR Combo with Digital Tuner Discount?

This is a review of the LG RC897T, it was mistakenly first posted as a review of the LG RC797T in error, I actually like that model]

Do Not buy this product till they release a fix for it's problem with "CPRM protection". Many on air broadcasts are sending out a "copy once" protection signal that the unit honors. In order to be able to record these programs you need to get special "CPRM DVD-RW" disks and format them in "VR" mode.

The biggest problem with this is that the disks are Very Hard to find and Very Expensive. In addition to this the "copy once" protection signal is being sent out randomly by various stations Without Warning!. You have no idea what programs will contain it or not. I was told they might even have it during commercials! When the signal is encountered the recording just STOPS !

I have just got off the phone with LG. The support person, who was very up to date and nice, knew just what I was talking about! There have been many complaints about this. He said that there was basically nothing that could be done. I suggested that at the very least LG should buy a bunch of these special "CPRM DVD-RW" DISKS and make them available at cost. He said he would pass that on, and I really believe he will, but I am not holding my breath that they will do it.

Just so you know, the earlier model, the LG RC797T does not have this "feature" and is a better machine because of it. I would have brought it but it is no longer available.

This is my first review, but I was so pissed I had to say something, this product should not be sold if it can not be trusted to record a simple off air TV program, Period.

Respectfully submitted

My RC 897 T just died after only 8 months. The tuners LG use are shoddy and last just enough to make the warranty mostly useless.

They use Korean labor to exploit the extreme poverty and it shows.

As for Customer Service. Despite having a warranty and determining that my DVD recorder was a lemon (poorly made swindle) she told me to call a local repair shop whose phone number she supplied. Of course I'd have to pay for the repair.

When I called the repair shop it turns out they only repair TVs.

Google "LG sucks" and browse through the over 1 1/2 million hits you'll get.

Avoid LG like the plague.

Rosewill RSCM-12001 640 x 480 MAX Resolution RJ45 Wireless N Internet IP Camera

I had a little trouble getting the Wi-Fi set up, but Rosewill provided good support to get it figured out. I am pleased with the camera and it works as expected. The included software enables recording onto your PC to serve as a security camera if desired. One thing to note is that it is set for indoor lighting levels. I intended to use it to view outdoors through a window, but sunlight is too bright and it washes out the picture. Changing the brightness settings did not help, but putting a tinted lense in front did. Good camera for the money.

They work fine and the price is right. I have two of these and they work with an Android app remotely setup is a little tricky if you don't read instructions but if you do read the instructions carefully it's easy.

Buy Rosewill RSCM-12001 640 x 480 MAX Resolution RJ45 Wireless N Internet IP Camera Now

Toshiba Camileo S20 Full-HD Camcorder Bundle - Silver/Black

The whole premise behind pocket video recorders is small size and portability assures accessibility and more spontaneous use when compared to a full size video camera. For the size and ease of use, however, you make some sacrifices. I did a fair amount of research into this product class to find a pocket video camera that was loaded with features and had the fewest trade offs when stacked up against a full size video recorder. I pulled the trigger on this product and absolutely love it. Here's the highlights:

1) Size. This thing is small. It's only a few millimeters bigger than the Flip and Kodak offerings. It's sized just right to hand hold comfortably, but not too big that it takes up too much valuable purse or bag real estate. It also comes with a very nice cordura carrying case! It's only about 4 oz. and some reviews have criticized the Camileo for a "plasticy" feel. Not so, this unit feels solid yet light. True the body is made of plastic, but the weight trade off is worth it, and who cares as long as it's solid. Plus a lighter plastic unit is much more likely to survive the inevitable drop than a heavier metal one (lighter and more pliable).

2) Video Quality. I don't own another pocket video camera so I can't intelligently comment on the video quality compared to other units. That being said, the video looks fantastic on the big flat screen. I actually use the 720p mode mostly to have the option to zoom and image stabilize (both not available at 1020p), and I cannot tell a difference between the two modes when displayed on 52" flat screen. The video is honestly as good as my three year old full size HD video camera in normal light. In dim light there is a little graininess to the video, but there's an integrated light to help with this and I really don't take many recordings in dark conditions anyway.

3) Ergonomics (including the screen). The fold out screen is awesome and I have no trouble viewing it in direct sunlight. It's great to preview videos and twists around for the ubiquitous self portraits too. The Flip and Kodak models are just little boxes that you hold up facing "out" to record. The Toshiba Camileo S20 feels like a real video camera (albeit a really small one) in your hand. It just feels natural to me to record video in this manner.

4) Features The built in LED light is a nice touch but it's really only useful in very dark conditions for close up subjects. I think it's main utility is to augment the light in low-light situations like around dusk or in a dim room. Useful under some situations and a good feature to have when you need it. The time lapse and slow motion are really fun. You won't find yourself using them very frequently but capturing a great sunset or cloud movement is pretty cool. Why not have the option? The YouTube upload button is a big "who cares?" for me, but users that are interested in this sort of thing may like it. The digital zoom is smooth and doesn't pixelate stuff too much. I'm also surprised at how much I DON'T use the zoom on this camera. The default capture angle is pretty good. Kid's sporting events are the only time I've found that I've used it a lot, and for this application the digital zoom works fine. If I know I'll need the intensive use of optical zoom ahead of time, I bring my regular HD camcorder anyway. The built in 5MP camera isn't great. That being said, I've yet to see a camcorder with a decent still camera integrated into it. It will do for snapshots, but you won't be using the pics for your holiday cards. I'm not sure why this is, probably something to do with the image processing and metering on still cameras. Anyway, I didn't expect too much here as my regular size HD camcorder takes stills that are pretty bad too. Bottom line with still pics is that we always have a small point and shoot camera with us in our bag or purse anyway, so this isn't an issue for us. Other features are great, like custom white balance (think skiing or other situations with unique light) and ISO settings. Also the battery is removable and one could conceivably get extra batteries to use when chargers aren't available.

5) Price at $150 this is a steal, especially when compared to the Flip SlideHD Camcorder which is presently $280! The Sony MHS-CM5 bloggie HD Video Camera has optical zoom but is much larger and more expensive. (It also does not image stabilize in HD mode). The Sanyo VPC-CS1 High Definition Camcorder, which also has optical zoom, is big enough at over an inch thick, that I don't really qualify it as a true pocket video camera model. It's also over one hundred dollars more expensive.

6) Extras. Wall charger included, mini-HDMI cord included, mini tripod included, RCA AV cord included, ArcSoft software included (it's actually pretty decent too), nice case included. What's not to like here!

7) Recording Media and Format. One great feature is the SD card format which means that on vacation you can take multiple cards with you rather that a laptop for archiving. The Flip doesn't have removable/changeable media, which for me was an absolute deal breaker. The recorded file format is AVI which I like for video editing applications. Oh also, the lack of an integrated USB connector is actually a big plus for me. I'd rather use a cord to connect to the computer, and the USB mini port doubles as a charger. Our cell phones use this format, so I already have car chargers for this camera! Who want's to struggle with plugging the recorder body directly into the computer my computer is on the floor in a cabinet. The Arcsoft software is pretty darn intuitive for burning DVDs and uploading to the web. Any minimally computer literate individual will not have an issue and the user manual for the camera and software is really quite good it was obviously written by a fluent English speaker and not software translated from Japaneses.

Criticisms:

A lot has been written in on-line reviews about the confusing menu system. The menu system structure is fairly intuitive and resembles that of most full sized video cameras, but the navigation buttons within the menu tree are not. OK, so I had to remember that when in the menu mode one of the buttons advances, a different one goes up one level, and the record button selects choices. It's really not that hard or big a deal. As much as we find ourselves using this video recorder, we have no issues with remembering navigation buttons and navigation.

I wish . . .

1. there were optical zoom (but I'm willing to live with digital zoom and a much smaller unit a trade off that's worth it in my opinion. I've found that I don't use zoom all that much anyway.)

2. there were zoom and image stabilization available in 1080p mode. (Most pocket video cameras don't have this either. . . no big deal to me really as I've found 780p mode looks great and saves on recording space on the SD card. The recorders that have the features at 1080p are much larger units and really not honestly classifiable as "pocket" video recorders)

3. this took better still shots, but as I mentioned, no video recorder does this well. If you want to take still photos, use a camera that's made for the job.

In all, I'm very satisfied with this purchase. This unit is small and light and packed with features, some you'll use and others that you may experiment with once in a while, but are nice to have when and if the need arises. Compared to other models referenced and linked in this review, this model has almost every feature but optical zoom, and the ones having this are much larger and not really "pocket" models (and they are a lot more expensive). I expect to get about 2 years out of this product and by then the next generation of pocket video cameras will integrate even more features (wireless transfer, optical zoom, smart phone integration etc. . ). Until then this product is perfect for my needs.

I was looking for a mini cam that was priced well and a good value. When I took a look at this Toshiba, it only had one review of 5 stars, so after doing a little research on the FlipHD, which is what I was ready to buy, I decided to take a chance on the little-known Toshiba. I'm definitley glad I did. If you're looking for the same high quality from this as you would a mid-full size video camera, you will not find it in any mini cam. Again, they are just too small. If you are looking for something that is well made with a large screen that rotates, good picture quality (especially outdoors!!), reasonable 5x zoom, and a decent price, this is the one for you. The fact that this comes with a case, stand, hdmi cable (some things that you have to buy separately for other minis), etc., is just icing on the cake. I couldn't give it a full 5 stars because in a perfect world, the interior video quality would be sharper. Overall it's a keeper.

Buy Toshiba Camileo S20 Full-HD Camcorder Bundle - Silver/Black Now

Have friends that have the new Kodak model Z8 and I have had the Flip ultra. My neighbor has the new Sony model PM5. Here's the thing on pockets. You are never going to get great pictures with the 1080 in that small of a package. The Kodak does not hold up for the long haul as friend had two that broke with in three months and my Flip gave up the ghost in about eight months and battery charging was a joke! It may charge and it may not....it was a crap shoot. Neighbor has sent his Sony back three times in five months with problems.Sony takes pictures in low light are just terrible. My little Toshiba just plugs right along. Picture quality at 720 is just fine and low light is certainly acceptable. This little unit is tough and a work horse. If your looking for a pocket camcorder that takes a good picture loads right up with no prblem, another issue I had with the Flip and simply does a good job for a reasonable price.......well the Toshiba is the way to go. It is well made and tough, which seems to be the big issue with pocket models. Sadly, not many reviews on this model but believe me I did my home work and I will admit I did purchase this camcorder simply from my experience with Toshiba. Man, I am so glad I did becuase this little work horse is really the way to go. You want something small that takes good decent movies and is very simple to use and most importantly hold up to much use..........this little guy is perfect. I hope more folks pull the trigger on this little camera and give their remarks as well. If you want high picture quality then don't waste your time with any pocket camcorder regardless of what the company or others tell you. If you want something that is light, small, well made and takes good picutres but nothing on a grand scale.......well this little camcorder is it! Bar none!!!! Oh.......and got it in three days from Amazon with their usually dependable delivery.

Read Best Reviews of Toshiba Camileo S20 Full-HD Camcorder Bundle - Silver/Black Here

I was considering purchasing either this Camileo S20 or the Flip 2nd Gen Brushed Metal model. Obviously I ended up choosing the Camileo S20, and here is why:

**I looked at the many reviews of the Flip model, and didn't like what people had to say. Many reviews complained about the bulit-in USB connector not fitting any of their USB ports for uploading or charging to the PC. Eventually Flip finally responded to this major concern, after denying the issue for a long time, leaving their early customers out to dry according to the reviews. Not great customer service in my opinion, and others that had their FLip break down had much trouble with customer service in getting it fixed. Read the reviews for yourself. There are many complaints BEYOND the supposedly resolved USB issue. The Camileo doesn't have many reviews, but the ones it has are good.

**Even if the Flip's USB arm is truly fixed, I prefer connecting my camcorder with a USB WIRE. It sounds much better than expecting your Flip to float in the air while connected to your PC. Using a wired connection you can set the Camileo camera in the floor, on top of your PC tower, on your desk, ect.

**The Camileo can shoot in 1080p (without zoom or stabilization) or 720p with these features enabled. The Flip max resolution is 720p only. (And now that I have the Camileo for myself, both of the higher resolutions look absolutely brillant in bright outdoor environments. As others have stated, the low-light indoor video looks OK at best. This is how all pocket cams are apparently though, and reviews of the Flip's low light video doesn't sound any better.)

**Camileo has a 3-inch LCD screen, the Flip is only 2-inches.

**Camileo has a much greater value. As of this review, the Camileo is $50 dollars cheaper than the Flip. The Camileo does not have the built-in 8GB storage like the Flip. Once could buy a 8GB HDCP card for $15 dollars here on Amazon, equaling this Flips spec. Even better, you could expand the storage all the way to 32 GB if you want, while the Flip is locked-in at only 8GB forever. Let's say you buy the 8GB card for the Camileo. You are still saving $35 dollars in comparison, and we haven't even got to the other great things packed in the Camileo box....

**Superior Accessories. The Camileo comes packed with an AC adapter, perfect for when you don't want to lug around your computer to charge up the power. The Flip not only does not come with an AC adapter, the official model costs $13 dollars, and multiple reviews of it say it is faulty, and causes the Flip to shut down because of overheating, defeating the point of this accessory altogether. The Camileo also comes with a free tripod. Flip owners have to pony up an extra $9 dollars for one. HDMI cables for direct HDTV viewing? Free with the Camileo, $14 dollars for the Flip. USB cables are also free with the Camileo, and $14 dollars for the Flip if you are like me and don't like the idea of the built-in arm attatchment on the Flip. I am not sure if the Flip comes with a standard AV cord for older TVs, as it isn't a listed accessory, but the Camileo DOES come with one free as well. You also get a free travel case with the Camileo, the FLip cases start at $7 dollars and up. Doing the math, the Flip costs $86 dollars more, and you are still stuck with a faulty AC adapter and may not even have standard AV cables.

**I cannot speak to the video files on the Flip, but the Camileo videos save to the PC in AVI files, which can be edited either with the included software, or better yet, Windows Movie Maker easily and immediately after upload with no conversion needed. Maybe the Flip does too, I don't know. Both have instant Youtube uploads, so that one is a wash.

**CONCLUSION: The Camileo has better specs with the larger LCD screen, and higher 1080P video resolution.The Camileo is $86 dollars cheaper after considering the need to purchase an 8GB card for Camileo and purchasing a boatload of accessories for Flip.Camileo can be expanded to 32GB, the Flip is locked in at 8GB. The Camileo USB connection is superior and more accessible than the FLip IMO. Flip has a spotty customer service department, Toshiba has always been good to me in the past, and I haven't even needed them with the Camileo. This Camileo model does not have the massive advertising campaign that the Flip does, so Toshiba is able to pass the saving on to consumers. Flip might have the "coolness" factor due to being all over television, but I would rather have a superior camera at a cheaper cost, so I went with the Camileo.

Want Toshiba Camileo S20 Full-HD Camcorder Bundle - Silver/Black Discount?

This camera just isn't very good, period. The price is cheap, the size is small, but if you are planning to shoot with this thing after 4pm, forget about it... The led light on the camera is practically pointless... If you are looking at this as a somewhat combo-camera thinking you can shoot stills, have fun with that...blurred images are essentially all you will capture... However, all is not bad on this camera. If you are filming with daylight this thing is actually quite impressive...But as an all around pocket camera you're better off searching elsewhere... I know it looks cool but resist unless you're only planning on filming in daylight.

Sony Xplod Powerful All-In-One Mega Bass Reflex Stereo Sound System with a Digital Tuner AM/FM Radi

• This All-In-One Sony Sound System Combines Old & New Technology. Play all CD or MP3 CD discs, listen to programming from your USB device, enjoy your favorite radio stations on the digital AM/FM stereo tuner, revisit sweet memories while listening to your tape cassettes, record music from a CD, radio or cassette to your USB memory flash drive or cassette, enjoy music from your iPod, MP3 or PC by connecting to the built-in Aux cable. Also conveniently works on batteries to take it along anywhere.
• Powerful Rich Stereo Sound, with two 4" stereo speakers & 2 tweeters you can fill any room with the most beautiful music. Plus the powerful 12 watt 5.15" woofer delivers rich deep bass and can be adjusted to 2 different levels. The sound power gauge and Light Sync flashes along with your music to liven up any party. Subwoofer & Light Sync can even be turned off for a nice romantic setting.
• Sleep Timer puts you to sleep peacefully while playing your favorite tunes. Options are 90, 60, 30, 20 or 10 minutes of listening pleasure to relax you asleep. The light sync will not flash when sleep mode is on, to give you a peaceful dozing off.
• Built-In Auxiliary Cable & Audio in Jack lets you connect any iPod or MP3 Digital Music Player to hear through this amazing sound system - Headphone Jack allowes you to listen to your sound system without disturbing anyone around you. Play Any Music that you have stored on your Sony MP3 Player or USB Digital Device with Various Modes of Playback.
• Portable - Just the right size for dual use, as a shelf system and a portable, weighs 18.75lbs and measures 21.7" Long x 10.3" High x 15" Deep. With the fold-down handle and Battery power option you get the freedom to use this anywhere, at home or on the go. Take it to the park, on a trip or use it at home and easily carry from room to room (Batteries not included).

Model number CFD-RG880CP. As far as I can tell, this is basically the CFDG700CP, but with USB. The manual is copyright dated 2008.

I got the box so I could play from USB and use audio input from laptop. After a short learning curve, I find this box sounds very nice at lower and mid volume levels and the remote controls most everything, except some setup options. My best trance mp3 at 320vbr cannot be turned above about 82 of 100 on volume because there the bass just doesn't sound right.

Once I rewire the battery input, I can directly connect to a 12-Volt marine battery and play on the beach all day and night ;-)

I did get the demo mode turned off by following the directions and it stays off.

I would like for the bass to bump without the LED lights on, but cannot figure out how to turn them off without turning off the bass.

I had previously tried the BOSE Soundlink and this box reproduces better sound at Soundlink's volume levels for half the price and is much more versatile although kinda large.

Buy Sony Xplod Powerful All-In-One Mega Bass Reflex Stereo Sound System with a Digital Tuner AM/FM Radi Now

I gave it a five star because it has everything you need from cassette tapes to USB and Ipod connections. I like playing Mp3s CDs so this boom box has that feature. The sound is great very loud.

Read Best Reviews of Sony Xplod Powerful All-In-One Mega Bass Reflex Stereo Sound System with a Digital Tuner AM/FM Radi Here

I was looking for a stereo unit that would give me all the functions in one small unit. I expected that I would have to accept a number of short cuts which is usually the case when buying an "all-in-one" unit. However, I have been pleasantly surprised by this product. It performs extremely well in all it's functions. Sometimes one enjoys the bass sound when listening to music, but not when listening to speech. This unit allows you to turn off the "mega-base" if you don't want it. Great feature. The sound is very good and I find that I am more than satisfied with the unit. In the event that you would want to take it along and use it where plugging it in is not possible, it is battery driven. It takes 8 "D" cells so if you used it a lot on battery power, the batteries could cost a bit. Great radio and I would recommend it to anyone looking for this type of stereo.

Want Sony Xplod Powerful All-In-One Mega Bass Reflex Stereo Sound System with a Digital Tuner AM/FM Radi Discount?

Ok first, the price is frakin' outrageous! Now, if you can get past that part, you'll love this thing. I wanted to put speakers outside for my backyard pool but thinking about running more wiring through my attic just didn't get me motivated. So, came to Amazon and looked for the alternative, a "boom box." After reading a few reviews and noticing that this system came with what I wanted (USB flash drive support) I bought it and hoped for the best. Let me tell you something, I LOVE THIS THING! Radio, meh, tape deck, meh, CD player, meh, but USB support for mp3's?! Yes!!! My own uninterrupted music with on a box that can push the sound out Fan-freakin-tastic! The Sony Xplod isn't perfect by no means, but for what i go it for, it simply shines!

Fantastic. Rich deep bass and good stereo sound. I have had other similar systems but none were anywhere near as good as this.

Audiovox D7000XP 7-Inch Portable DVD Player with Swivel Screen and Digital Picture Frame Software

• 7" Swivel Screen Portable DVD Player with 16:9 aspect ratio.
• Comes with digital "media scheduling" software and has a 3-way card reader and USB port.
• Can play DVD's, CD's, MP3's CDR's, CDRW's and Picture CD's.
• Comes with wireless remote contol and built in stereo speakers
• Includes Car Headrest Mounting Bag and carrying case

First, the product description is incorrect. The product does not come with a "Car Headrest Mounting Bag and carrying case." There is a headrest mounting *strap* (not bag) and a separate carrying case. On the bright side, the lack of bag makes it easier to change DVDs while mounted. I'm also unsure what "complete car cabling with car adapter" means. The unit comes with a cigarette lighter plug-in (car adapter) for auto use. Any other "car cabling" that would make it "complete" is a mystery to me.

The Good:

The price. This is the least expensive DVD with swivel screen and included battery that I've been able to find. The product does play DVDs, music, and photos as advertised. The carrying bag is cheap, but appreciated. Why don't more manufacturers include at least this simple accessory? I haven't tested the battery life yet but if it truly lasts 4 hours that will be an excellent feature.

The Bad:

The battery is external. I know that most are external, but the product description should be upfront about this. When playing DVD's at low volume you can hear the DVD spinning noise. Resolution for viewing pictures is poor, and loading time is poor (with a card right out of a 6 MP camera). If you like to wait and hear a buzz while your photo loads, this is your photo viewer. I assume if I resized the photos they would load more quickly. Why would I want to do that? The remote is a nice feature for auto use, but it would be nice if a "power standby" (off) feature could be activated from the remote (other players do this). While you can navigate a DVD using the remote you need to reach over to turn the power off when you are done. You cannot turn it off using the remote. This is a pain for a parent controlling the DVD player from the front seat. The manual is poorly written, but what one isn't these days?

Overview:

You may wonder why I'm giving it 3 stars even with so many complaints. I was looking for an inexpensive DVD player that had a swivel screen, an included battery, and that could be mounted on a headrest in a car. This was one of the few options available that had all of these features--although via a headrest strap rather than a bag. I have only owned the product two days and cannot comment on its durability.

Buy Audiovox D7000XP 7-Inch Portable DVD Player with Swivel Screen and Digital Picture Frame Software Now

I just received this unit after waiting 8 weeks on back order. So far it does everything I had hoped for. It doesnt say it in the spec's but I just put in a dvd-r data disk that I made to back up my photos and it started playing a slide show of them. Looks like a great way to show photos to friends. It does the same thing when I connected a 4 gig thumb drive to it with photos on it.

Read Best Reviews of Audiovox D7000XP 7-Inch Portable DVD Player with Swivel Screen and Digital Picture Frame Software Here

This DVD player did not live up to expectations. I would not play video Cd's but most other portable DVD units will. The picture is really poor. Its has some cool features but not enough to offset the negative issues. I am going to give it away at a fundraiser because I do not want it.

Want Audiovox D7000XP 7-Inch Portable DVD Player with Swivel Screen and Digital Picture Frame Software Discount?

if it wasnt for the sound it would be perfect

its just not loud enough for out door use

I bought this item primarily so my son could watch DVD's in the car on vacation. The picture is very good, the sound could be louder, but not bad, for the car, the battery life is excellent and i was very happy with the product until it died after approx 26 months. It appears that the little motor that spins the disk burned out, from reading on the web it's a common problem with these cheap players. Not worth fixing, i just wish they would build these thing a little more robust because it was a great little player. So figure on every two years or so spending about $100 on a new player.

Sylvania SDVD9805 9-Inch Twin, Dual Screen DVD Player, play the same or different movies, plus Buil

• 2 x 9-Inch Twin Dual Screen Portable DVD Player - Play the same or separate movies on each individual screen; 16:09 Aspect Ratio
• USB and SD Card reader allows you to play all of our downloaded media on the 2 screens
• Includes Car Bag and Mounting Kit making it easy to mount the screens on car seatbacks
• Compatible with almost all movie, music and photo formats
• Accessories Included in the Box; Remote Control, Carrying Bag, Mounting Kit, 2 x Earbuds, Car Cord, Car Adapter, Home Adapter

3 stars because it's a great player but not what the product description leads you to believe it is.

I've looked forever for a dual screen portable dvd player with sd/usb slots. I finally found two. This one, and this one: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008JH0DWQ/ref=ox_ya_os_product

I went with this item because of the two separate players where the other one is just one player and a dummy screen.

I was so excited to finally find this.

Product arrived and looks to be well built where previous sylvania players haven't been. The screens are very nice and clear, good quality image.

problem. Not sure how this got through product development but this is such a dumb and easily remedied problem.

there is an A screen and a B screen.

A has an out only AV port

B has an in/out port SO, if you're going to run both screens off one movie, it has to be in A.

the issue is that the sd/usb ports are on B. So while this unit will play avi/mp4, etc off an sd card it can only be done on one of the screens. DVD's play fine on both and look and sound great.

This would have been so easy to fix simply by putting an in/out on the A screen.

SO, for people looking for a dual screen player this works great, if you want to play off the sd card on both screens go with the other model.

Buy Sylvania SDVD9805 9-Inch Twin, Dual Screen DVD Player, play the same or different movies, plus Buil Now

Bought this product for my 2 and 5 year old sons on our trip to Myrtle Beach. Our previous player only had one screen and started from the beginning of the DVD every time we turned the car off. Happy to see that the stopping and restarting problem has been fixed. A little difficult to change DVD's while driving, and the cords can be a little annoying for a 2 year old, but it worked great for our trip...the next enhancement I recommend is wireless connection between the two screens. It was very helpful that you could play the same video on both screens when it was just me in the car with my two boys, but great that we could play different movies when my husband was with me. Hopeflly this last awhile so as my kids get into playing games that can be an option as well.

Read Best Reviews of Sylvania SDVD9805 9-Inch Twin, Dual Screen DVD Player, play the same or different movies, plus Buil Here

I just received these a few days ago and after reading the instructions very thoroughly and carefully I am happy to report that it was very easy to operate and put together. I think the key is to read read read the instructions, as to other problems people have reported, only time will tell if that happens to me and I will update my review. For now I have 2 very happy kids who each watch what they want or both watch the same thing and I have a very happy commute home. One suggestion is to get the Kidz Gear Wired Headphones for kids, I use it on my 4 year old so that the 1 year old can hear just his dvd player since he is too small for headphones. That way you are also just hearing one thing going at the same time...

Want Sylvania SDVD9805 9-Inch Twin, Dual Screen DVD Player, play the same or different movies, plus Buil Discount?

It came with everything it said but the carring bag. I was a little disapointed not getting that, but I guess I will just use one of mine. They look nice and seem to work great. However, I will say for changing out DVDs you will have to take it out of the car mount kit to put a new one in. But it is pretty easy on and off just a few velcro straps. Picture quality is great! Honestly for the price its a really good deal and wel worth it, Just wish it didnt advertise it with a carring bag and then not have one.

It is nice portable DVD, i'm using in office, kept on my desk and watch moives and play songs.

One best thing is Amazon has great customer care. First order was misplaced and they send me 2nd brand new piece.

Sony MZ-N510CK NetMD Walkman/Recorder with Car Kit

• Stores more than five hours of music on an 80-minute minidisc; speedy USB connection minimizes recording time
• Compatible with MP3, WMA, and WAV music files as well as with the pressplay.com online music subscription service
• Bundled software helps you organize your music by artist, song, style, or tempo
• Bookmark function lets you "mark" or program your favorite songs on the disc in real time during playback
• Includes a remote control, AC adapter, and car-kit accessories; offers up to 56 hours of playback from a single AA battery

Great product. I wish I had discovered minidisc technology years ago. I purchase this for one reason (descrete, portable recording), but ended up using it mostly for another reason (music playback)

It's not perfect. I wish it had the AM/FM turer, but I was not willing to pay the $70 extra for the model with the tuner. I would also have been nice to record off a mike, but it has a line input and you can run your mike(s) thru a mixer if you really need to record "live".

Recordings made thru the line-input cannot be uploaded to your computer either.

But what it does it does very, very well. A single 80 min disc can hold (at maximum compression) well over 5 hours of music! It only needs a single AA cell, and that lasts for over 50 hours on playback. Well worth the money.

Buy Sony MZ-N510CK NetMD Walkman/Recorder with Car Kit Now

TWO YEAR UPDATE:

After two years of use, I love it more and hate it less.

It is worked WIHOUT FAIL on daily use. I can't say this about most of my electronic gear. I use it mostly for "time shifting" of my favorite radio programs. I also use it to listen to books on tape (which I've dubbed over)... again it is a great product for this. The bookmarking feature is wonderful for keeping track where you're at in the book.

I now have the SonicStage version 2 and it is much better. Still not great... but much more useable.

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

I use my MD player every day so, obviously, something is right about it. I actually own two!

But I also want to write a cranky email to this engineer at Sony signed off on the software! It is AMAZINGLY bad! SonicStage (1.5 is my version) is SO counter-intuitive that I just can't use it... and I'm pretty savvy with computer stuff. LITERALLY -I can't use it.

I can't figure out any way to just drag-and-drop songs to the player in the SonicStage software. Why in the world not? It's baffling.

Instead Sony makes you go through this ridiculous "check in check out" process. (or is it "check out check in"?) It makes no sense to me. Maybe if you grew up on right-brained computer games like Mario Brothers, you could just let go of the need for logic.

FORTUNATELY, you can get a plug-in for RealAudio which is better but still not that great. The SimpleBurner isn't too bad either -it's just limited to copying your CDs.

The Sony MD player is terrific at recording stuff off the radio for time-shifting. However, Sony won't let you transfer it back on to your computer for safe-keeping. The only way to do this is real time dubbing through your sound card. How FRUSTRATING! The MD could be one terrific tool for ripping your old LPs, or whatever, but Sony has made this impractical. This crippling of functions by Sony makes it useless for lots of people, I'm sure.

The compression and audio quality are terrific and it sounds great to my ears, even at the highest compression rates.

One terrific thing you can do with the MD is record off you favorite radio stations and then edit out the commercials and even move the songs around. This is so easy to do, that I do this while on my evening walks! You end up with a custom "best of" tape. But, then it's a pain-in-the-neck if you want to get that back on your computer.

The price is a deal for such a great piece of hardware and the MD disks are cheap, sturdy and hold a lot. I take mine on trips all over the world and even 5 MDs is plenty. I take my MD places that I would be nervous to take an IPod or some other higher-priced MP3 player. Also, battery life is great and it uses just normal AA's which you can buy anywhere -a big advantage for travel.

Even though it is marketed as "speedy" it doesn't seem that fast to me. I haven't' actually timed it, but I think you could burn an MP3 CD quite a bit faster.

So, if you want to time-shift NPR or Rush, it's a great little machine. I havne't seen anything around that can beat it. But I wouldn't recommend it for listening to MP3s.

If Sony had just written better software and hadn't crippled it, the MD player would be killer. But, it's good for some functions like time shifting.

Read Best Reviews of Sony MZ-N510CK NetMD Walkman/Recorder with Car Kit Here

This is a great MiniDisc Recorder/Player, but I highly discourage people from running with it. It's quite big, and a little bulky, even though it does fit in a palm of somebody older than 13. It's pros definetly outweigh the cons. So heres my list of pros and cons.

Pros

Great SoftwareI dont see what the complaining is about. If you follow the directions you'll be done in less than 2 minutes!

Recording SpeedsReally nice if your in a hurry. You can burn approximately 20 songs a minute and 100 songs in 6 minutes.

Memory/Data in a MiniDiscAlthough the minidisc claims to be 74 minutes, you can alter the quality of the song (Lp4, Lp2) modes and gets incredible amounts of songs. In LP4 mode (66k) you can get nearly 5 hours of music (4 hours 59 minutes to be precise) and in Lp2 (132k) you can get approx. half of that. Although I said "Alter the quality) there is really no way you can tell the difference between standard and LP4. The only difference I have picked up is that you have to raise the volume a little bit.

Battery Life1AA battery can run for 56 hours continually (but its more if you turn it on and off) I've had my MiniDisc Player for 2 weeks now and I listen to it atleast 3/4 hours a day and still is at FULL battery.

Cons

Searching for songsSearching for songs often can be a pain, especially if you don't figure it out (READ THE MANUAL! IT REALLY WORKS)

There aren't many cons to this player.

Overall I would give this player a high rating of 4.5/5 stars. It's really good and I don't see what the complaining is about.

Want Sony MZ-N510CK NetMD Walkman/Recorder with Car Kit Discount?

Software will NOT allow you to write CD to MD more than three times.

Software will NOT allow you to write from MD to PC if the MD recording did not originate from that same PC.

Software will NOT allow you to write from MD to PC if the MD recording was made with a microphone, optical or analog line (from a hi-fi).

Software is horrible to use.

This software could have been great if it ALLOWED me to transfer microphone recordings from my MD to the PC. The three time transfer rule (you can only record a CD to MD three times) should also have been advertised.

Copyright restrictions do not apply to me as I own it my own music.

I am a songwriter & used the old MZR700PC to record rehearsals and interviews. I purchased the MZ N710 to help me manage these recordings I have collected over the past four years.

I have brought my old MD (MZR700PC) around the world with me a few times and it still works fine; I have no doubt that Sony make a quality product.

So: Hold onto your old MD, Net MD is only as good as the terrible software that controls it.

Dear Sony,

I have always considered your products to be at the front of technology and innovative design.

Having "upgraded" my minidisc recorder from the MZR700PC to the MZ N710 I am not so certain.

Does your company really feel that it will be able to compete with the iPOD?

I am certain that you can do better than this muck (SonicStage software) if you take a few days to read your criticism at:

(...)

Regards,

A concerned costumer.

This is truly a beautiful machine. On "normal" mode, you can fit 80 minutes on an 80 min minidisc. On LP2 it doubles (2 hr 40 minutes) and on LP4 it quadruples (5 hours). The quality is the same on all 3, so I don't know why anyone would even use normal or LP2, since LP4 holds so much. The recording features are VERY nice if you have a CD you want to copy (or off the radio, PC, or anything that has sound output) but aren't near your computer. The SonicStage software works well, but there are 2 problems. The first is that you can only copy your musc 3 times (but why do you need more than one song a minidisc???) You can still put the music back on the computer("check in") ONLY if you got the music from that computer ("check out"). It also comes with more software for quick burning that is unlimited. The other problem is that music that you copy from elsewhere can't go on your computer. However, it would be illegal to do that anyways. Also, Minidiscs are better than CDs because they have Groups. You can put as much or as little in groups (albums, artists, style, tempo, whatever you want) which make navigating easier. The battery life is also VERY nice. I listened to it the whole flight to Japan and back on one AA battery. My CD player would've taken 8 AA batteries. Also, when I was in Japan (Minidisc players are very popular) nobody had the recording option (they must get a seperate machine to make Minidiscs), which means ours are even better. However, this remote control is very basic. It's play/pause, stop, next, previous, and next and previous group, so if you're using it to navigate through your Minidiscs you get lost. The only bad thing about the player itself is that the battery compartment sticks out quite far. It isn't far enough to cause a probelm; it still fits in your pocket or palm or anywhere. Another bad thing is that it's quite pricey. You can get a decent CD player for $30-40, but this is over $100 more than that, it's worth it though.

DISH Network HOPPER Whole Home DVR System with Built-in Sling Box

This is a very good sat. DVR box. It is quick, displays a good picture, and has nice features. I will not go into to much detail about these topics as many online reviews are already available via google search. I will say that the DVR recordings are displayed in a thumbnail type way, kind of like looking at a folder of pictures on the computer...I love the thumbnails, I have a 3 year old toddler and he looks at the pictures and it helps him to pick out a show to watch, very helpful.........dish seems to have good customer service...only thing, I wish dish had Disney jr. And PBS sprout...I may eventually switch to directv to get these channels in the future, only reason I haven't yet is because I like dish's hopper box better, of course I have never used directv's equipment at all, but looking it up online, it does not appear as good to me.....and of special note: the seller, reiderelectronics, was very helpful and highly recommended!

Already had Dish TV so was merely doing and upgrade.

Had studied the setup procedures and sequences in which to do the setup. Saved a bundle on the DIY and I own it.

Absolutely best DIY every attempted. Even my local electronic store says there Dish installer took more than 5 hour in their first attempt to go through setup.

CON is no instruction for setup come with unit but info is available online. Used online videos is highly suggested for a smooth upgrade and first attempt success like myself. Dual NODE is required for more than one Joey connection. Even the activation process with dish was easy too. Highly recommend this seller!!!!!

Buy DISH Network HOPPER Whole Home DVR System with Built-in Sling Box Now

2 Pack Foscam FI8918W Wireless / Wired IP Camera - White

The picture quality with this camera is very good and the remote controls work reliably well. The sound quality is poor but OK if you were just going to use this as a baby monitor rather than to hear a conversation. Connects well in an internal home network or wireless network.

The problem with this product is that it will not connect as an internet camera. Unlike other products that provide connections through an external website maintained by the manufacturer this camera has no such support. You cannot connect to the camera from outside your own home network. The instructions provided do not resolve this unless you can subscribe to a service assigning you a static IP address. The instructions are helpful they simply do not work if you wish to connect to this camer over the internet. Lots of other IP cameras will do so, so you should shop for those if this is important to you.

I could not get the software to install properly. The seller was a great in trying to help me, but it is hard passing emails back and forth. I did get the camera to work, had great picture. But could not utilize other features because of the installation.

Buy 2 Pack Foscam FI8918W Wireless / Wired IP Camera - White Now

Wide Angle Lens 230 Degree 2.7" LCD Full Hd 1080p CAR DVR Camera Vehicle Hdmi F9

• 100% brand new and high quality .
• Wide Angel Lens 230°
• G-Sensor Function
• Display:2.7" LTPS TFT LCD
• Port: USB 2.0/HDMI/TV OUT

Description was correct: it has 230 degree observation. When play back on PC it looks like a wide screen movie. Night time record is pretty good too. The only function should be added is ON/OFF for the microphone... it's ON at all time-that's why only 4 stars.

Panasonic DVD-RP62S Progressive-Scan DVD Player

• Progressive-scan video output for seamless, flicker-free picture on high-definition and HD-ready televisions
• Optical digital-audio output carries Dolby Digital and DTS 5.1-channel sound
• Variable zoom converts widescreen images to full-screen on 4:3 TVs
• Quick Replay jumps 10 seconds for easy recaps
• Onscreen navigation for MP3, WMA file searching

Since the DVD-RP82s is not featured for write up, I will use it's cousin, which coincidently does have the exact same problem.

The unit itself is slim and sharp looking. The picture and sound quality are exceptional, certainly better than anything I have ever seen from many other units.

Panasonic seems to have one very serious flaw. It's complete inability to function when confronted by interactivity laced DVD movies. I can provide two solid examples of where this can be seen. On any InfiniFilm film, such as Austin Powers Goldmember or Rush Hour 2. Also, the Ken Burns Baseball series. The common denominator of these offerings are their on-screen interactivity. In the case of InfiniFilm, you are given two options. To watch the film alone, or to watch the film with Infinifilm interactivity. Regardless of whatever you select, the Panasonic units cripple themselves whenever a section of the movie, which is Infinifilm coded, appears. Sure, you are watching just the film, but Infinifilm is overlayed on top. The Panasonic units cannot pause, forward, reverse, just about anything except STOP does not function. You are greeted with a wonderful rejection signal on the top right corner of your screen.

In the Ken Burns Baseball series, the appearance of the PBS logo at the bottom left corner, which indicates interactivity to a players baseball card profile. Once again, the Panasonic unit crippled itself and simply could not get over the hurdle of interactivity laced in the feature itself.

Sure, there are ways around this...Stop or quick replay will usually eliminate the interactive internal signal that the unit seemingly cannot remove or get around. But why should you have to?

I have tried these very films/features on other comparable units and have not experienced this problem. I tried many other identical Panasonic units at the Best Buy, which endeared me to them, I'm certain. All 6 units failed in this most basic premise of DVD's...Interactivity.

I have contacted Panasonic and they deny all such claims and state that their units do function as others do. When I explained to them that I tried 6 different units and my own, all with the identical flaw...They denied it to even be a flaw and that it was a problem with the media. When I explained that I tried over a dozen other units with said media and all experienced no such problems, I was told that it was still a media problem.

I am writing this review to warn you all about a flaw and problem with the Panasonic units. It may not seem like an awful lot, but trust me, when you have to take a bio-break in the middle of one of these movies/features and you cannot pause your unit...You will understand that this is not a normal function.

The picture and sound are exceptional, but the flaw is a show-stopper. The future indicates more interactivity in DVD's. If Panasonic cannot handle the most basic, you can only imagine how frustrated you will be in future when all DVD's are programmed this way.

Buy Panasonic DVD-RP62S Progressive-Scan DVD Player Now

You've probably already read the other review of the RP62 and been impressed by its technical guts and its impressive list of features. I'm going to run down the more experiential features of this DVD player.

First things First

At the time of this writing, you aren't going to get this player for less than... I even tried price-matching at Sears, but couldn't find a cheaper price (by the way, if Sears carries it, they will price-match Internet prices!!!). The cons I've listed really aren't that big of a deal -all DVD players take a few seconds to load the DVDs, the display isn't really that hard to read and the clock thing just doesn't matter. All in all the unit rocks.

First Impressions and Installation

I have an HDTV-ready widescreen TV (Panasonic PT-47WX49 which I highly recommend, got it at Sears for....), so I wanted a progressive scan player. When I took the RP62 out of the box, it felt really light, and the case isn't 16 gauge steel -it's plastic, thus the light weight. I figured after spending close to... the thing would feel substantive, but Panasonic obviously put the money to better use on the performance.

After taking it out, I realized that there was two cables -power and a combo 3 RCA (video, 2 audio) cable. I kept looking for a decent cable to use for my progressive scan output, but to no avail. Luckily I had a cable that would suffice.

My biggest problem to begin with was that the RP62 out of the box only operates in analog (S-VIDEO or RCA), so you have to hook it up to your non-component input on your TV first. I didn't know this, so it took me about 45 minutes to finally get the unit pumping out a progressive signal. Once that was fixed, it was time to play.

Calibration

I never had a widescreen TV before, so I got the Avia Home Theater Guide to set up my TV. Complex menus, lots of levels. The player was able to do everything on the disc flawlessly. I didn't really change anything on the DVD player beyond the progressive out setting.

First Movies

Wow! The Matrix is one of my favorite movies, and the reproduction was amazing! I got the Matrix on DVD back in late 1999 or early 2000, so it is one of the first prints. Later I watched Jimmy Neutron. Everyone says how amazing the picture will be if you are watching it on a wide-screen progressive scan TV. Well, they weren't lying. The color reproduction was amazing. Movement was crisp and fluid, blacks were black and whites were white, as they should be.

I also burned a CD full of MP3s (156 of them, all at varying and variable bit rates) and played it at a party. The player nicely randomized all of the tracks, and displayed the ID3 Artist and Title tracks on the video out. It didn't have any problems playing VBR or high bit-rate MP3s. Pretty darn cool.

In the first fast forward level, it plays the video at 2x speeds but also plays the audio. It's not a perfect reproduction, but a nice feature for those who don't have a lot of time to watch a whole movie!

When you turn the unit off, the video out fades out, which is a cool little effect. Not a feature I'd buy on, but cool nonetheless.

Small Annoying Things

Every good thing has its bad sides. Granted, this player doesn't have many, but there are a few.

First, every time you use a DVD for non-16:9 content, a message pops up on the screen telling you that the content is 4:3. Ok, I don't care. Maybe I can turn those messages off, but I haven't found a way yet, and maybe you can't. But they can be just a tiny bit annoying.

Next, on MP3 playback, the display only shows the time, whereas the MP3 info is displayed on the video out. This is OK if you have a direct-view TV, but for rear-projection TVs, that kind of constant, non-moving video can cause burn-in. I'd like to see the MP3 info displayed on the LCD on the front, the big DVD logo gone after 1 minute of MP3 play, and the info window to move around on the screen. Heck, build in a nice WinAmp like screensaver! :-)

Last, the documentation that comes with this amazing little device is lacking. I'd like to see a whole book on all the cool features of my DVD player, but Panasonic seems to have spent the money more on the features in the player than explaining them in a manual, which is OK with me.

A Ton Of Positive Energy

Panasonic has a great, responsive tech support. I called about my installation issue and, though I got it fixed before they got on the phone, no more than 5-10 minutes was spent on hold or getting routed to the right place. For a company as big as Panasonic, I was impressed. The people also know enough about their products to help the simple to semi-difficult issues.

For the money, the quality of this and a lot of other Panasonic electronics is really amazing. I've had a Panasonic shelf stereo since 1992, and it still works great 10 years later after lots of college abuse and 7 moves!

So who is this really for?

This is one of the better, low-end progressive-scan DVD players on the market right now. Audio/Videophiles will find the quality, video and audio reproduction more than acceptable at this price level. Casual electronic enthusiasts with a nice progressive-scan-capable TV will really enjoy both the video and audio output of this device. People considering getting a nicer TV in the future will find this device a solid investment, and a great player until then.

Not ever going to get a progressive-scan-capable TV? Not going to use the MP3/WMA/VCD/SVCD capabilities? Have a 13-inch TV? This is probably more than you need to be spending on a DVD player! There are decent, sub....DVD players on the market that will suit you just fine. But for those of you that want progressive scan, amazing image reproduction with very few (unnoticeable to the untrained eye) flaws, the ability to play practically any CD or DVD, and the features (Zoom, enhanced Bass, virtual surround sound, quick replay, audio fast forward), you can't get a better DVD player. Buy this one!

Read Best Reviews of Panasonic DVD-RP62S Progressive-Scan DVD Player Here

I bought this on Fri and love it. It is one of the first players that plays mp3s randomly. (Push random button 1st, then play button next.) You can also search through the mp3 song, which alot of other mp3 players cannot.

The menu for the mp3 is excellent. You can take your favorite group, create folders for each album, and then burn them all onto one CD...and the Panasonic DVD player will group the files as folders. Its obvious there was alot of thought that was put into the MP3 process. Something that has been lacking with other companies.

The dvd has been good. The usual good picture and sound. Remote is no big deal. Its useful.

Drawbacks-

You cannot change to random mode mid playing. You must stop cd first

Macrovision and cannot change regions

No DVD-audio or SACD

When mp3 or cds are playing, it would be nice if it had a screensaver type mode with different images.

All in all, great stuff

Hope this helps

Want Panasonic DVD-RP62S Progressive-Scan DVD Player Discount?

After much research, I bought this DVD Player (DVD-RP62S), and I haven't regretted it. It is an excellent DVD player for the money. Plus, it plays all the format's including those beat up DVD disks from the rental store. Some other brands won't play disks with even minor damage. The picture quality is outstanding, and the player is easy to set up. I highly recommend it.

I was pleased with a friend of mine that got a Panasonic DVD player. I bought this player brand new. The manufacture is Sept. of 2002. I think I got it between Thanksgiving and Christmas that year. I liked it to some degree. However agreed with others that the buttons are small and hard to find. It was about 6 months ago that I started noticing the picture was not as sharp as it was. The moving pictures would get "lines" in them like it was interference or something. This was very noticeable when I would pause, FF, RW, or stop the movie. It was like it was having trouble "tracking" the object(s) on the screen. I have a brand new digital big screen TV so I know that was not the problem. Then just tonight I was watching a movie and it just stopped. I hit the eject button and nothing would happen. I then had to turn the unit off and then back on. It was not overheating or hot to the touch. It kept seeing error H07. I followed the instructions to how to clear the issue up and that did not help. Now I am in the market, even more so, for another DVD player. After reading all the other reviews on the H07 error that others are getting, I am to know I am not the only one with that issue. It might be just a matter of time before the other DVD players would come up with the same problem. Maybe they would not do that at all. I know that I am not the only one that got a defective DVD player after three years it died. I will have my funeral for it and go replace it ASAP. I do not think that I would get another of this brand however.