Olympus DP-10 Digital Voice Recorder 142640 (Silver)

Being in law enforcment (retired) I have owned a lot of voice recorders going back to the days of tape. Most of the ones I have bought in the past were in the Hundred dollar range. This time I was broke but still needed a voice recorder. At $35.00 bucks I wasn't expecting much. Here is the pros and cons:

1. Easy to use big buttons mean you know when you hit record and stop.

2. The on/off switch is a switch not a button. so it doesn't turn on in your pocket and run the battery down when you are not using it.

3. The built-in microphone works not good but great. While in my shirt pocket with a notebook in front of it I walked around the room while my wife talked on the phone. I even went into the next room. and when I played it back it sounded like I was siting in front of her the whole time.

4. big speaker means not only you can hear the playback but the people around you can hear without straining.

Cons: no way to connect to a PC to down load the files.but it is simple enough to hold up to a microphone and record that way.

Buy this by all means!!!

Pros:

great quality recording

large speaker

easy to navigate

large display

Cons:

no USB !! if you are buying this to record hours of lectures and then you want to transfer it to your PC, then do not buy this recorder because the only way to transfer the audio is to use a line in cable and rerecord-and trust me you do not want to do this because it is time consuming and annoying. I ended up purchasing a Olympus VN-8100 PC which had all the great features of this recorder but most importantly it had USB connectivity.

Overall: great recorder if you do not need USB connectivity!!

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It's hard to find a human-friendly product in this technological age, but this is one. Broad face gives you plenty of space for a big screen, big buttons, and a big speaker (it is as wide and as deep as an Olympus Pearlcorder tape recorder), although I wish it could have been thinner.

Design is really nice-looking, a rarity nowadays; the shape and the rounded corners are comfortable to hold, the width makes it stable in your hand. Button layout is wonderfully intuitive. Sound quality is very good for this kind of thing.

Every time you record something it gets saved as a "file", labelled by date then number. It works nicely, but I recommend you flush it out regularly because erasing recordings is a real project. They want to make sure that nothing gets erased accidentally and who can complain about that?

Some people want a computer port but that would ruin this device -it excellent being what it is and if you want something else, you want something else. The headphone jack is a standard size (thank you) so if you need to record into your computer you can do it with an audio cable.

Mine survived its first drop test just fine.

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First off, since there were only two reviews when I first ordered this from Amazon, I read all of the comments on the only negative review. Thanks to the comments from Fazal Majid on the need for simplicity, I chose to replace my 10-year-old RCA voice recorder that finally died with this Olympus model. Who needs a USB port and all of those extra buttons? Not me for sure! I have absolutely no need to upload my voice notes up to my computer, and this is one of the few models without that feature.

I will be using this mostly while driving at interstate speeds to jot down ideas. The one weak link with this model is that the designers wanted to make sure that no one accidentally deleted a file, so it takes five buttons pressed in quick succession just to delete one file: Erase, Rewind, Play, Rewind, Play. Well, it looks like I won't be deleting any of the bad ideas while driving. My old RCA was about half this size and even simpler to use. I do like the volume control and larger screen, as well as the larger Play, Stop, and Record buttons. I can't wait to test the microphone settings while driving with the windows down. And yes, I actually had to read the "book" to find out how to operate it. Don't even think of skipping the part to set the time and date, which the instructions are not that clear on how to do this later.

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Back in the 1990s, the simple 90 second, 2 and 3 minute VoiceIt recorders were a hit for quick note-taking or reminders. I evaluated today's selection of voice recorders. Most Olympus, Panasonic and Sony seem too small and complex for us older folks.

The DP-10 appears simple enough its large, high-contrast screen and big Record, Play, Stop, FW, REV buttons invite use. However there is an underlying complexity and clunkiness common to today's over-engineered products that drives me nuts!

In a recorder billed as simple, there are too many buttons inconveniently placed. The Volume thumbwheel should be moved from the top to the left side of the case. The left side "Mic Sens" and "Noise Cancel" sliders should be eliminated or these less-used functions folded into Menu options. On the right side, there is no need for a rocker switch displaying 4 playback speeds. In a simple machine, this function should be eliminated.

The operating system takes time to get used to. The worst software drawback is the clunky way of deleting files. Olympus won't let you easily delete files. You use up to 5 buttons Menu, Erase, Forward Arrow, Backward Arrow and Play. You have to delete by date or file. If you want to delete multiple files, you have to pick the date to delete first in the side button "Menu." Then you hit the side orange small "Erase" button, delete that date, then confirm delete. What happens if you have files in 50 dates? You have to delete one date at a time. That's time consuming. To delete a file, hold the orange "Delete" button, select a file, delete and confirm delete.

There are some real pluses though, chief of which is great sound. I love the confirmation tones for most actions. There is a friendly welcoming tone when powering up to a waiting screen followed by a cartoonish initial welcome screen. If you forget to shut off the DP-10, the screen goes blank to a power-saving state to preserve the life of the 2 x AAA batteries. The topside mic is handy if holding the unit but is non-directional if recording on a desktop. Olympus placed the earphone jack on top which is also best when holding the device. Many of the switches can be ignored once set. The DP-10 is small enough for a pants pocket or purse. The manual is a small-print flyer that's difficult to read, but a handy pdf is available from the Olympus website.

Though the Olympus DP-10 is bulkier than smaller voice recorders on the market, I recommend this for its large-print, high-contrast display, and large controls.

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Zoom H4n Portable Digital Recorder Bundle with PAVA Stereo Carrying Case with Speakers, DSLR Camera

Like you, I've been shopping for the best package for the H4N and I finally pulled the trigger on this deal. For $30 more than the loan recorder I received some really nice add-ons. First the bag. I saw the thumbnail for this bag but didn't realize it had a built in stereo speaker hidden in the front pocket. I tossed in the free batteries and plugged in my iphone for some pandora, and guess what, this little bag can rock. It's actually not bad at all for being powered by two AA batteries. Next, the mounts. The camera mount and the stand mount are built very well, and alone are worth half the upgrade. Then there is the memory card and the Don King wind filter, not a bad bonus. The stand... Well I had one of these with my camera kit and they are fun to play with but not something you would use for anything worth over $100. The H4N it self is very nice, but it is bulky and not great for quick recording changes. For instance there are no external buttons or switches to change low cut on or off nor mic sense settings. If you wan this and a more compact recorder try the Olympus LS-10

5 stars only because this is the Zoom H4N. The accessories are useful (3 stars only) but their quality is kind of "toys"

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This recorder has more options than most I have seen in the market. This one also had more attachments. Good

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Fantastic product. Great recording quality. The accessories are very helpful and I haven't found the need to purchase anything else. This package is certainly all inclusive.

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It's amazing what this small mic can do, and this nice package is complete the jop.

For interviews, short movies, reports and more.

U really should try it.

Sony HDR-SR5 AVCHD 4MP 40GB High Definition Hard Disk Drive Camcorder with 10x Optical Zoom

I've been using this camera for almost 3 months now. I really like the quality for the most part and having the video go directly to a digitized format is awesome. However, I do have some serious problems with a few things.

1. No USB connection on the camera body.

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Now, I really don't understand why they didn't add a port as important as the one for the USB connection directly on the camera body. That is basically the only way for you to transfer the video files directly to your computer. It seems like either of the ports for the A/V Out or the Component connection (which I hardly use) could have been left to the base if it was a space issue, or perhaps even the mini-HDMI port (which I think they should have included an adapter to standard HDMI for).

If they HAD included the USB port on the camera body, there wouldn't be a need for the base at all. The more I think about it, the more nonsensical it seems. Of course, perhaps there was some engineering issue that made it more feasible....but for $700 bucks, I don't want to have to make excuses for them or figure out why they made something more complicated when it could have been so simple.

Also, although the newer versions USB seem to be overtaking firewire, they could have put that type of connection on the base rather than additional component and A/V ports which are already on the camera body.

2. Shooting in low light has lots of noise.

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I thought the CMOS sensor on this camera was supposed to eliminate noise in low light situations, but from what I can tell, shooting outside at night or even in dark rooms, there's plenty of noticeable noise in the dark regions of the video image, even when shooting at the highest quality level, HD XP. I don't know if it's something I can have checked out, perhaps my sensor just isn't working properly, but in any case, that's been somewhat of a disappointment for me.

What I expected was video quality like that in the movie Collateral, which had lots of great night shots using HD cameras. Maybe that is a bit too much for a consumer camera, but still, I expected more.

Also, another problem that I've found with night shots, is that the auto-focus has a really hard time getting zeroed in on the right area. I usually have to end up focusing it manually if I want a consistently clear shot at night.

3. The bundled software doesn't convert to an uncompressed format.

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Since AVCHD is a relatively new format, I was certain that they would have a feature in the software to convert clips to some more universal uncompressed format. But the software that comes with the camera only has the option to export the video to MPEG2, which creates a clear loss in quality. So, I don't understand why they wouldn't make it easier for us to convert the video into some more widely used format with that losing that HD clarity. I know there are third party applications that do this, but Sony should have provided this feature with the camera.

Additionally, working with the AVCHD format is a pain in general. In order to view the video on your computer as a video file, you have to import it using the Sony Picture Utility software that comes on a CD-ROM with the camera. When it imports the files to a selected destination folder, you actually get 3 files for every video clip you've shot. The extensions are 'm2tsm', 'modd', and 'moff'. The 'm2tsm' file is the one that actually contains the video data (I had to assume since it's always the largest). I'm not sure what the others are for.

Even after you've installed all the provided software, you can't just double click a video file to open it. You have to "Register" the folder the video files are in in the Picture Motion Browser. Only then can you view your video. They have a program called 'Player for AVCHD', beut it stupidly only plays the video on your camera harddrive, and doesn't even have an option to directly open the files on your computer. Personally, I've found the software to be more cumbersome than useful. The program doesn't have an option to move folders, so if you do move the files, you have to re-register them and delete the old folders from the Picture Motion Browser yourself. While it's nice in someways to keep things organized, it's not really that helpful. And the editing features made available are almost completely worthless, unless all you want to do is split a clip in two.

Despite it's shortcomings, I still think it's a decent camera, although I really wish they had better software with more editing features. Still, I think it's worth $700 or so for the clear image (in daylight) and the convienice of having the video go directly to a harddrive. Despite it's shortcomings, this might actually be the best HD harddrive camcorders on the market, but having not had the opportunity to try any others, I can't say that for sure. What I can say is that it's good, even if it's not perfect.

*I had to edit this because I kept thinking of other things I had problems with. And the more I thought about the file format situation, the more annoyed I became. So I think I would have to modify my recommendation and say that you should just wait until future versions to buy this camera when they improve the software or just try out another camera altogether. Considering these other difficulties, I think I would have to drop my rating to a 2 out of 5 stars.

I moved from Hi8 directly to this so have not seen the difference in quality between Hi8 and MiniDV but if compared to this one, I was totally blown away with the clarity and colors. This is an awesome camera for anyone looking for budget HD camera in market for average user. Though kit battery life is not that great so probably I will buy another one soon but otherwise I have no issue till date. Go for it guys!!

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The picture quality and features on the camera are great, BUT...

Sony shot itself in the foot when it decided to push the AVCHD video format. You are forced to use Sony's substandard software tools; there is no good conversion story if you want your video in MP4. WMV, or any other format. So, Adobe Premiere (which I use for all my home editing) is useless, as is Edius, Ulead VideoStudio, or anything else.

After reading about the quality, I bought this camera to take video of my son's wedding. Now, about all I can do is make a raw video onto DVD of the footage and give away copies, as opposed to putting together something nice for them.

If all you're going to do is shoot video, and play video from the camera to a TV, then go ahead and buy it; if you have any intention of bring the footage into a computer, then avoid this camera like the plague.

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I bought the Sony camcorder last month to take on a tour to Japan. The shipping was fast and free. Fortunately I tested it before going on tour. I tried to follow the instructions for loading the software on to my HP computer I bought about 18 months ago. I could not get my computer to burn a DVD of my test recording. I tried 5 times using different methods and gave up. I was able to view my test video on my computer but the video and sound were not in sink. I paid for a new camcorder but the box I received had been opened. That would have been OK if I could have gotten everything to work right. The tech guy at HP said he could get my PC to burn the CD if I paid $100. Since I was not sure I could get eveything to work right I sent the camcorder back to Amazon. They promptly refunded my money. I will continue to buy from them.

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I've had this camera for over a year now, and have been very happy with it overall. Great picture, very easy to use, can take decent stills while also shooting video. I play the videos back on a 52" 1080p LCD tv and they look great.

The only drawback is the includedd software, Picture Motion Browser. It completely crashed my Vista Ultimate 64-bit computer and was totally unusable. While they claim to have corrected it, I can't seem to find a fix I can install fresh on the website. I think newer camera models have the newer software, but even the little bit I was able to use it (after install but before I rebooted the first time and it crashed), I wasn't impressed with usability anyways.

But, I went and bought a copy of Sony Vegas Studio Platinum for about a hundred bucks, and it is a great AVCHD video editor. If you simply assume when you buy this camera, you'll need to pay that as well, the pair make a great setup for editing and buring the videos to disks or saving them as video files of almost any format imaginable. And Vegas will interface with the camera to grab the files.

While having Vegas solves the software problem for editing and burning, it's a bit cumbersome for just viewing. I downloaded a free codec package (K-Lite Code Pack) which enabled window's media player to play the AVHCD .m2ts files, which took care of that.

One thing to note, the video on this is 1440 x 1080/ 60i, and some newer models are 1920 x 1080/ 60i. Overall, I'm pretty happy with this camera now that I've gotten the software side figured out, and I think the newer HDR-SR? ones are probably even better.

Another side note. AVCHD support may seem a little spotty now, but with a little research you can get things done well enough, and Windows 7 will support it natively (saw this on a MS website). So, the world will catch up.

LG BP620 3D Blu-Ray Player with Built-In Wi-Fi - Black

At the time of this review I have the latest firmware (version BD7.341.00).

The BP620 is LG's 2012 blu-ray player model that replaces the LG BD670 from the 2011 lineup. The new 2012 BP620 model comes in at the same physical size as last years. I personally like the build quality of the player compared to the 2012 Sony BDP-S390 model, which while smaller feels very cheap.

The user interface is virtually identical to last year's model. At times last year's BD670 model suffered from delay reaction to the remote control. This is not the case with this year's model. The exception to this is during the first 20 seconds of the player booting up (turning on).

In terms of blu-ray playback quality, it is up to par compared to all sub-$180 players on the market today. The disc load times have improved on the model compared to last year's LG BD670. DVD up-scaling to 1080p is well done on the BP620 too. One feature missing across all video playback formats is the zoom feature. While I never really took advantage of zooming in on my video, I know of some people who will miss it.

The included remote control is almost exactly the same as the model included with last year's BD670. The big difference is the lack of the "marker," "search" and "zoom" buttons neat the bottom. These three buttons have been replaced with a "music id" button to have the player access GraceNote for disc info and a dedicated "Audio" button to switch audio tracks. This was a button last year's model did not have. Before you had to hit the "Info" button and scroll down to audio and then toggle to the desired track. A dedicated "subtitle" button has also been added to the remote.

Compared to the 2012 Sony blu-ray players, this LG streams a lot of video file formats from my local network: AVI, DIVX, XVID, MKV, MP4, MPEG-1, MPEG-2 & more. The Sony BDP-390 would not see or play any of my video files. This LG sees and plays them all. The one thing I miss is the "search" function that the LG LD670 had. It made fast forwarding though a long video much quicker to skip ahead. The BP620 would not see my home Seagate NAS as the BD670 did unless I turned on the DLNA Media Server function of my NAS. Not really an issue. Just worth mentioning. When fast forwarding or rewinding video was much smoother than when doing so on the BD670. Also, if you stop playing a video file then go back to playing the same file again it starts all over instead of picking up where it left off like on the BD670.

The BP620 features only a 2.4Ghz wireless radio card. This year's model lacks the 5Ghz wireless radio which I liked on the BD670.

In terms of steaming services, at this time there are a few less available than the 2011 BD670 model. Some people have written in reviews of Netflix issues. I have not experienced any to date. As of 3/14/12, the BP620 has: Netflix, vudu, hulu PLUS, Pandora, CinemaNow, AccuWeather, AP, vTuner, YouTube, Picasa Web Albums & viewstar.

Lastly I will say that the unit runs fairly warm. There is no fan in the rear or ventilation in the rear. I opened the unit up to find a very low end heat sink on the main board.

** UPDATE **

Sony has released firmware version M11.R.0211 for the BDP-S390 and while it is not listed in the updated items in the release notes from Sony, this firmware seems to have corrected the issue mentioned eariler in my review about the Sony 2012 units not seeing video files (MKV, AVI, XVID, etc) from my DLNA Certified NAS.

Disclaimer: I'm writing a review on an identical model sold by Costco (LG BP620C).

In the past 4-5 months I've tried several Blue Ray DVD players; several models by Samsung, a Sony and as of late, this LG. I've had different issues with each of the previous units which is why I kept trying other ones. My Conclusion is that the LG is the best (from my stand point). It is the only one that played anything and everything I throw at it. It played all MKV files (even the one that a Sony unit complained was corrupted), it was able to recognize and display both subtitles embedded in the MKV as well as added subtitle files within the folder. It did so both from a disk and from a connected USB device. It even played DVDs that were encoded in PAL (!!!), something none of the others could.

So, I'm sticking with the LG BP620C.

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Hard to believe, but it was just a few years2006, actuallyago that Blu-Ray players cost $500 or more for even the most basic units. Now you can get a fully-functioned unit with WiFi, Internet connectivity, and players for Netflix and other services that didn't even exist in 2006 for a fraction of the cost. So how good a player do you get for under $150?

Pretty good, actually. I've never used a really high end player (you can spend well over a thousand dollars for a high end unit) but I can't image the images they produce are significantly better than those I get from this box. I started my evaluation by putting the manual aside and plugging the player into the wall and my LG TV. I turned it on with the remote, and the on-screen instructions led me painlessly through the setup procedure and software update. I tried a few discs, which played with no problem, and then turned my attention to configuring Netflix. This went even more smoothly than the Netflix setup on my LG TV, although there was one odd glitch. When I entered my Netflix id and password, I got an "ID or password not recognized" message, and then the player connected to Netflix without further problems. Curiously, I had exactly the same error message with my LG TV. Other than that I had no problems with that function. The user interface once you launch Netflix is very goodbetter than that in my LG TV, I think. It scrolls more smoothly and more quickly than the TV set based player.

The up-scaling feature that reprocesses ordinary DVDs to full 1080p doesn't appear to deliver significantly more resolution with the ordinary DVDs I've tried, compared to my old Philips player. I tried both older movies originally shot on film as well as brand-new videos of current TV series, but neither showed that much improvement on my 1080p set. The various Internet streaming functions, like YouTube and Hulu worked without a glitch. One curious omission from both this unit and my TV is a player for Amazon Prime videos. Amazon has a full writeup on their site on how to input code numbers from LG equipment to enable Amazon Prime video playing, but it doesn't appear to be supported on those units I've looked at. Some reviews say that previous models of this player did have Prime support. I checked an FAQ at LG's web site and read that Prime support "may possibly be made available on a future update" but there is no timetable to do so. Pity.

Other than those few quirks, I didn't have any problems with this player. The BP620 may not have all the functions I'd like, but it's still a very good deal in a basic Blu-Ray player, and includes a lot more functionality than even top line DVD players of just a few years ago. I'd say it's a good choice for anyone looking for a not-too-expensive entry into Blu-Ray technology, or a good all-around DVD player with Netflix streaming.

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Let me start off by saying that many of these reviewers are correct in their assumptions about this blu-ray player, even the negative reviewers. I did not care much for this blu-ray player from the start but with my experience with electronics I decided to be patient and wait for all the proper updates. After about two weeks of the blu-ray player locking up and having to unplug it I gave LG a call and they told me they were aware of it and they were working on fixing it. Now, I'm no nuby to electronics and I try to stay realistic and patient. In this instance it paid off. I also have a LG 7600 tv that had some issues, but like with blu-ray player, the updates fixed everything.

A lot of times these companies get a wee-antsy when trying to push their yearly products out, and this blu-ray player was no exception. On the other hand, now that it's fixed it's the best blu-ray player I've ever owned (and I've owned a few). Not only does it play blu-rays and DVDs great, but it also streams at extremely great levels. I can't tell the difference between the streaming quality and blu-ray quality sometimes. It's crystal clear and runs 1080p very smoothly.

The Blu-ray player itself is very quiet in comparison to earlier blu-ray players. Some of you are familiar with loud blu-ray players and it can be very annoying. This blu-ray is as quiet as a church mouse.

One negative mark that is pretty minimal is that the blu-ray player is a bit slow. It is slow in loading and it is slow with the remote when you are trying to type out a title for a show you might be looking for on Vudu or Netflix. It's nothing major, but it is evident.

Overall this blu-ray player has been very good to me (minus the first couple weeks). I got this back in April, so I have had it for a little over 9 months. It's running great and I am 100% satisfied. Hope this helps. Take care

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I gought this as a companion to my LG55LM7600 3d tv. It's my second 3d blu-ray player, and it compares well to my first, a Samsung product. I hooked it up to my newly-mounted tv just 12 days ago. Haven't used the wi-fi yet...need to get a router. I've watched a 3d movie, several 2d blu-ray movies and some dvds. The 3d is fine, no ghosting, no trails, smooth motion. 2d movies are extremely sharp, but I don't know whether to credit the player or the tv for that. One thing that startled me was the picture I got when playing non-blu-ray dvds. Almost indistinguishable from blu-ray.

The player hooked up easily they all do and looks great, all slim and shiny black. One other thing: it operates much faster much than either of my two SONY blu-ray players. I'd recommend this unit.

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Degen DE1127 AM/FM/SW Pocket Radio with 4GB MP3 Player, Voice Recorder & E-book Reader

• 4 GB flash memory MP3 player for music, radio program, e-book (TXT file only) & voice recording for up to 215 hours (40 kbps)
• 248 preset memories + built-in charger + LED back-lit display
• Digital clock + Sleep timer + Key lock + Numeric volume indicator
• Pocket-size world-band radio with built-in speaker & earphone jack for private listening
• 30-day money back guarantee & 1-year Manufacturer's warranty

The DE1127 is much smaller than I expected. The performance of both AM and FM is better than I expected. Changing batteries is a challenge as has been documented by others. Often, the radio will come back to life with menus set to Chinese only. In order to set the unit back to English, or your preferred language, if different than Chinese, you must carefully count the menu steps through two levels of menus to arrive back at your preferred language setting. Not difficult, but genuinely a pain to do, until after you've done it a few times.

The sensitivity of the voice recorder is poor, so I would not judge this unit suitable for recording classes or meetings, but it's fine for verbal personal note taking. When recording from the radio, it sets the volume of the radio to a rather loud fixed level, which cannot be altered while recording. Also, while recording radio programs, additional digital hash/noise is occasionally introduced into the recording that is not present while listening to the radio alone.

Don't buy this unit for the recorder, buy it for the radio. (It's nice and small, and sounds good and performs well for its diminutive size.) Just remember this radio is as delicate as it is small. It will not survive rough treatment, but should be fine if you treat it with care.

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I have only had this a few weeks but it seems to do everything I wanted it to do. It arrived safe and sound.

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I think a younger child would like this... the AM/FM and MP3 give good sound and reception. The SW/MW, as to be expected, don't pickup much without a long-wire antenna.

I'd say great gift and learning tool for a younger child.

TCL® SVC-200 SVC200 Mini Sport Waterproof DV Digital Camera Camcorder Car DVR for Outdoor Action S

I am amazed at how good the resolution is and how easy it is to use. I am planning a vacation where I will be doing some sightseeing, driving through the mountains. I plan to use the mini camcorder to record some of the roadtrip. I recently tested it and found the picture is outstanding, and the mic allows me to whisper in my helmet, and you can still hear me. I'm going to get another one for my husband. Great for hiking trips, diving, helmet cams, perfect for just keeping in you pocket to whip out if you see something you want to capture. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS!!! Much better than using your cell phone to film anything!! If you not sure, just get it anyway. You will find a way to use this! I'M SO HAPPY THAT I DID!!

one of my friend send me this TCL sport DV as a gift when i travel in China, it is very good! drive and bike, video is clear. beautiful mini DV. Very cheap! Nice as Gopro hero 3. Recommend!

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ALZO Shock Multi-Mount for Shotgun Microphones & Audio Recorders - includes Zoom H4n, TASCAM for DS

I purchased this after buying another product to suspend my Zoom H4N. The first product was cheap, but too small, so I bit the bullet and bought this one. I am pleasantly surprised by the build quality of the item. The problem people are talking about is there the parts you mount on the main bracket do not tighten properly, so there is "play" in the fit, they wobble a bit. I remedied this by simply wrapping black electrical tape ONE time around, poking a hole thru the tape, and attaching and tightening, and it is a nice snug fit, no extra cost. You could also use two very thin rubber or plastic washers, but either way, it is a minor issue. The thing is solid, has great options for attaching accessories, and holds my Zoom H4N suspended just like I needed. It's a little heavy to lug around attached to your DSLR, but otherwise this is a good product.

Great concept, poor execution. The inability to fully tighten one of the mounting brackets should really be addressed by the manufacturer. Also it is a bit pricey for what it is especially given its flaw. Contemplating returning mine.

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I just received this mount. First, in terms of isolating a recorder, it does that very nicely...and there are not many other options out there. The problem is with the screws that hold it together. They cannot be torqued down enough to keep the unit tightly together. I ended up stripping two out. So, if you attach just a light recorder, it's not the end of the world. But, if you attach anything else, like a light or monitor, it's wobbly. Maybe yours will tighten. Mine simply would not. I ended up using a metal adhesive to hold everything together...and I'll see how that goes. I don't plan to reconfigure it...so I don't mind making the current configuration permanent. I give it three stars because I like the concept...but that's being a little generous. Good concept...poor manufacturing/components.

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I purchased this item to hold my Tascam DR-40 recorder on my DSLR rig to avoid the handling noise that was being transferred through the Tascam's 1/4-20 screw mount. It does a decent job of holding the recorder, and is pretty adjustable to accomidate future recorders or shotgun microphones. It eliminated all normal handling noise I was having, and still allowed me to view the Tascam's lcd screen.

My only gripe with this mount would be the shoe mount. It is difficult to tighten enough to really keep it in place. I think I will need to find a different knob that can give me more torque for tightening. In hindsight, I think it should be priced closer to the $30 area, but considering there are few good vibration dampening solutions out there for these field recorders, they can charge whatever they want.

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This is a great mount for microphones and other accessories for video. I wish some of the screws connected tighter. I really had to put a lot of force to tighten it. Other then that its a great product.

Coby TF-DVD8503 8.5-Inch Widescreen TFT Portable DVD/CD/MP3 Player with Swivel Screen, Black

• 8.5" widescreen TFT portable DVD/CD/MP3 player with swivel screen 180-degree rotation,TFT color display
• DVD,DVD+R/RW, CD,CD-R/RW, JPEG and MP3 compatible
• anti-skip circuitry, Dolby digital decoder
• digital and analog AV outputs allow for use with home theater system, audio/video input jack for video games, VCR's
• Multiple languages, parental lock control

When the dvd player arrived I was really impressed with all of its features: 1. car mount for the headrest, 2. remote control, 3. swivel and 4. car charger.

Major Advantages: 1. extremely functional; 2. battery last for over 2 hours and if the battery runs low, you can always plug it into the the car charger; 3. the screen is large enough to view across the room; 4. you can use the remote from nearly 8 feet away and 5. most of all it works!! :>

Disadvantages: 1. you can not control the volume with the remote and 2. for the price, the material of the dvd player does not appear to be of quality (it feels like plastic).

All in all it is a great product and so far so good. My 2 year old received it for Christmas and he never leaves home without it!

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I bought this DVD Player for my 4-year old to watch in the car. When we got it, I was impressed by all it had to offer. However, when it started playing, the slightest jolt would cause it to say that the cover was open or cause the movie to re-load. Needless to say this didn't go over well with my daughter. I ended up sending it back because of the poor quality.

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I've tried several portable DVD players and this was the best. It ran smoothly right out of the box, playing older DVD's , newer DVD's, CD-RW disks of music and video files, everything I played in it worked perfectly. The built in screen is clear enough and big enough to display all aspect ratios crisply, the built in stereo speakers are more than adequate to produce the full range of audio, and the unit comes with all the cables you will need for hookup to a stereo receiver and/or to a TV or monitor if you want. I used this unit both ways, as a portable player using its built-in screen and features, and also hooked it up to my 20 inch television and technics stereo. The image was excellent on the television and the sound was very deep and full through the stereo receiver. The remote is very slender and feels a little too light, but it worked as it should as long as I aimed it directly at the front of the unit. I was about eleven feet away and it worked fine. Still, I would treat the remote carefully, don't accidentally sit on it or leave it to get stuck between the sofa cushions. I say this because the buttons on the DVD player itself are a little awkward to use. The are under the built in screen and not positioned very well. The buttons on the unit do work, I've tested them all, and they function as they are supposed to, but it's much easier to control it with the remote, so you want to make sure you don't damage the remote. The built in 360 degree swivel screen is great. It functions well no matter how far you have it turned. Though the screen is large enough to watch comfortably from about ten feet away, you will do better sitting about eight feet or less from it. All in all, I have not been able to find anything negative about this unit, except as I mentioned with regard to the buttons on the unit itself. I highly recommend this portable DVD player.

Mike S.

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This DVD player is very nice. It has so many options and you can even put a rating limit. I didn't know that a few days ago. lol. Its just cool 'cause I'm still learning stuff about it. The swivle screen and two headphone inputs are good for watching movies with friends. I'd recommend this type of DVD player to anyone looking to buy one. :)

Not only a great price, but it made a six hour flight go by quickly.I love that it has close caption. It is very easy to use and has a nice picture. I did read other reviews before purchasing, but ( knock wood ) I have had no problems and feel it was a positive purchase.

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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

Iomega 35045 ScreenPlay TV Link DX HD Media Player

First this is awesome player with huge I TB capacity.

You can dump all your personal photos, videos, movies, songs and watch/listen at a click of button. Included remote (mini keyboard) is good but it will take some time before to get used.

I tried with MKV, JPG, AVI, BMP, MP3 formats and it works well.

Sometimes it is struck but that is fine we can't expect powerful processor for less than $200. Not yet tried with Netflix.

But for web browser it is like basic only you can't read text as letters are very small.

PROS:

1. 1 TB hard disk

2. Runs almost all formats with Ease

3. Bearable starting and running speed

4. Can run Music and photos simultaneously

5. Include WIFI USB which is good if you are setting home network.

6. Included HDMI cable

7. Joystick (Player Control Pad) is awesome when you are watching YouTube or searching.

8. Can run for older TV's with composite AV cables

9. Pretty fast when copying files to hard disk. Copied 60 GB in 1 hour.

10. Good YouTube app but some times alignment goes crazy may be video issue.

CONS:

1. Provides beta web browser i.e., you can't play anything out of website which ruined my happiness. If it supports Flash it would have been instant hit.

E.g. can't play any video from CNN, CNBC!!!!

This reduces 1 point in rating.

2. Struck when it can't run file types. But "Eject" button is helping to move back to home screen.

3. Very very small letters when you are typing. Literally invisible. Just assume you are typing correctly! Could have been better if input window enlarges when typing.

4. No Zoom functionality except for photos.

Nice-to-have

Could have provided home screen back ground music.

Printed Manual atleast for some items like key board, navigation, home network setup.

Lengthy cables like power cord, HDMI, composite cables.

[Update: December 2011 IOmega pushed out a software update that returned Netflix to useable and added VUDU support. I should also apologize; I had stated the previous update broke my HDMI connection, turns out it was just a loose connector. So I am now returning this to 3 stars.]

I was happy to take delivery of this product. I have my old HDTV relegated to basement duty and this media player promised, and delivered on the amount of content I could deliver to it. Specifically, I needed a Netflix player, and a player capable of handling the high definition over the air recordings hosted on my Linux MythTV server (and delivered via the UPnP AV protocol). And, ideally do so without too much wasted standby power.

So, yes, the hardware has shown itself quite capable of playing 1080i and 720p MPEG2 video streams, and put out Dolby Digital over its TOSLink optical port. And it has a Netflix player. In addition, the recent software update brought support for VUDU with its high bitrate HDX format. This is a superior format that lower powered devices like Roku or Apple TV are apparently unable to handle for pure performance reasons. And it logged into my Pandora music account, and has player apps for several other online services. Setup was plug and play easy. Energy usage was pretty good. And yet I'm not satisfied.

The software is not competitive with other devices. I have a Roku and an Apple TV in the house and both of those platforms are beautiful, consistent and easy to navigate. This ScreenPlay is just a mess. Navigation varies between apps, such that the way you get out of the UPnP app is different from the way to quit the Netflix app, which is different from how you get around in the VUDU app. Transitions are slow, User interface elements are primitively drawn. While you can store photos on the device, and it has a slideshow feature, it is embarrassingly simple and ugly compared to the gentle or eye catching transitions on other devices or PCs.

The strongest bit of software is strangely, the newest. I like the VUDU app quite a bit. It's well organized, feature filled and delivers what is reputably some of the highest quality streaming content available. As an added bonus, I got a free HDX movie rental when I activated this device.

This unit comes with a Terabyte hard drive, which can be used as a NAS and to store content for internal playback. Unfortunately, I'm at a loss to setup a secure username/password of my own choosing. Apparently, there is a standard username/password pair, but that seems intolerably insecure. Similarly, I have media files on a password protected network share and the ScreenPlay can't see them because I'm never asked for my credentials. Luckily, my mythtv server can see them and provides them via UPnP although that seems a bit roundabout.

Energy efficiency is pretty good. Not 2nd generation Apple TV good (the Apple TV gets along on a single Watt playing NetFlix), but pretty good. Playback tends to use about 11 Watts, while instant on sleep drains 8 Watts. Alternatively, you can setup the machine to basically turn itself off when you hit the remote's power button and that is immeasurably low power (as measured by a Kill-A-Watt). You lose instant on, non-instant on takes 40 seconds, but it's a nice option to have for an infrequently used device. I'm particularly impressed because my other 1080i MPEG2 capable HTPCs are Intel Atom based machines that soak up 30+ Watts on idle, a sickening waste of power.

Related to energy efficiency is fan noise. The fan is noticeable if not oppressive. One more reason to turn off the unit when not in use. It's unfortunate they could not get the power usage low enough to passively cool.

The remote is sort of cute, but infrared remotes are notoriously unreliable for typing, and this is no exception. Be prepared for any given keystroke to be lost during text entry. I'm also taking some time to getting used to using the right circle of navigation arrows, when my hands seem to always want to use the left media playback control circle. Also, for having so many buttons, where is the dedicated Netflix button?

The device comes with a browser. Don't bother. Browsers on the wall are a bad idea, and the implementation doesn't convince me otherwise.

So to summarize, a nice piece of hardware driven by substandard and uncompetitive software. Its only competitive advantage for me comes from its ability to play high bitrate video formats like VUDU HDX, and over the air MPEG2, something neither Ruku nor Apple TV are likely to gain on their current generation hardware. Also, it has an optical audio output, which my Roku XS does not have.

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This seemed like more than the WD Live as it has a Browser, that was the reason for my ordering it, along with a cool, full keyboard remote.

Sadly the Browser is useless, slow and quirky and really serves little purpose. I was also hoping that one could assign a VPN to the box allowing access to streaming media from the UK. Which it doesn't.

It did pick up my network, but does not recognize a USB hub, so you are limited to what you can connect to the 3 USB ports.

My reasons for giving it 2 stars, rather than 1, are it actually comes with a wireless dongle along with an HDMI cable. Many other manufacturers do not include this.

It will not playback BluRay files, again a drawback. But others seemed to stream over my network without any hiccups.

There is so little information about this product, even on iomega's website, which is why I ordered it in the hope it would work with my set-up.

So in conclusion, it's basically the same as a WD Live, it has Netlfix, Pandora, Mediafly etc. So if that's what you want and it fit's your needs, then choose whichever is the cheapest !! But if you are buying it for the browser, better you opt for GoogleTV.

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Setup was easy. Updated firmware and connected via ethernet. Netflix worked fine, but what I bought it for was streaming video from my PC. Some files worked...but froze more than I found acceptable...others were not compatible even though they were formats listed on the box (and Iomega's site) as playable formats.

The remote was horrible. Sometimes you hit the center button of the directional pad to select something, sometimes you don't and it's MUCH smaller than pictures make it appear. I'm no technophobe at all and was really hoping this would work as advertised...sadly it doesn't. I sold it and await something better...though I'm close to going with the Boxee Box. I had thought about considering the Iomega TV with Boxee (settop box not yet available), but with the way this Iomega product disappointed me, I doubt I'll go that route.

If all you want to do is watch Netflix or load Divx files to the hard drive and watch them, this unit might satisfy you. Anything more than that most likely will disappoint...

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In the last 6 months I have had nothing but problems with this product. The wireless adapter went out about 2 months ago and then the remote went out so now its a big brick sitting on the shelf that cant be used... Thanks Iomega I will never purchase product from them ever again... DO NOT BUY!!!

Foscam FI8918W Wireless IP Camera with Pan & Tilt, Night Vision, 2 Way Audio, Apple Mac and Windows

This little camera is everything I read about it. I had it running in no time at all out of the box. It is Chinese made (Shenzhen), but it has all the software on board. The instructions even tell you how to set up a free DNS so, if you have service through Cox/SBCGlobal/Verizon and your IP address changs, you can maintain your web presence to use the camera over the internet.

I set passwords on mine, because I have no desire to share it with the world, but I also have a great little iPhone app that lets me connect whenever I want to it and see what is going on. Slightly dissatisfied with the timing, as I expected a day earlier, but I won't hold that against them.

I bought this to install as a baby monitor. Installation was to be expected with any IP device and its hurdles. I plugged the camera into my network via cat5 and the camera was found quickly. I made some configuration changes to the camera and placed it where I wanted it. The wireless works great!

I currently am having problems with the audio and video running at the same time as well as a clicking sound when audio is initiated. Picture quality is ok for 320*240. Night-vision is very nice in low/no light.

I am currently rating this 2 stars because of the bad sound quality. I have sent a message to Foscam support for assistance but their site clearly states "Foscam.us does not provide support or warranties on behalf of any Foscam cameras purchased directly from China and sold on Amazon, Ebay, or other through other resellers."

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This remote camera works great. I use it to watch what is happening with my dog when I am gone. The night vision is excellent with such a low light source at night. The one drawback is that if you are technologically challenged (me) you need to purchase the tech support with the camera which would make the install easier. I happened to have a friend who helped otherwise I would have nice paperweight.

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ZMODO 8 CH CCTV Security DVR With 4 Outdoor IR Camera System 500GB Hard Drive

For something this low priced I would always expect to upgrade the HDD right away. The unit is pretty easy to setup and get ddns to work for remote viewing through cell apps.

Such an awesome piece of equipment. Love the fact that I can connect my tablet and/or phone to check on things.

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After repeated vandalism of my property, I purchased this device to provide some additional surveillance. Set up was quick and fairly simple.

I am pleased with the recorder. It seems to perform as advertised.

The only complaint I have is that the cameras supplied as part of this package, are just OK. I was a little disappointed with their low-light performance.

In order to improve the low light performance, I opted to purchase additional cameras with a higher resolution.

At this point, I am not disappointed with my purchase and consider my need satisfied.

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Q1C1 12V DC CCTV Security Camera Power Supply Adapter 2A 110V~240 AC Input, UL listed

Power supply arrived as ordered but beware, looks like this seller has a tendency to switch out product frequently without warning. You might not get what you ordered, pictured, or, if you're lucky like me, you will be very satisfied and get just what you wanted.

+ 2.1mm plug interfaced exactly with my arduino-compatible power supply.

+ rated at 2amp, have tested up to 1.2 amp with no problems

+ power looks smooth and clean (my leds don't appear flickery)

+ black, modern ps, hangs out to the side to not cover the second wall outlet

Warning: the item currently pictured (3/2013) is does NOT look like what I ordered (in 1/2013), which is what my original review applied to.

The AC adapter I received is not 12V 2Amp, it's only 1 Amp. Also it looks nothing like the one pictured.

On the label affixed to the adapter plug:

CullPower Power Supply

Model: SAW-1201000

Input: 100-240V 50-60Hz 0.5A

Output: 12V 1000mA

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Ceton InfiniTV 6 ETH - 6-channel Cable TV Ethernet Tuner for CableCARD

I purchased this to replace my original Ceton I4 tuner. I pulled my old Ceton tuner out of my Windows 8 HTPC today and then re-paired my Time Warner cablecard to the new InfiniTV 6 ETH. The call took about 10 minutes. I also updated the Ceton software to the latest version. Make sure you uninstall the Ceton software before you install the new version. I didn't uninstall the old version before installing the new version. This caused a few issues for me when I tried to update the firmware on the I6. After uninstalling the ceton software, rebooting and reinstalling it, I had no further issues. I'm now watching live TV on my Xbox 360. This product paired with Windows Mediacenter is amazing.

This tuner is simple to setup and for people new to MCE should be a breeze to setup as the PC doesn't need to be opened. The packaging is perfect with a very comprehensive quick start guide follow this and you will have it working in no time. Just be clear to use the phrasing on the quick start when you ring your cable provider to activate the device.

Only downsides were it didn't come with the latest firmware updating could be confusing for anyone new to firmwares.

Bottom line, I have 3 PCs on my network all able to show live HD TV and record in HD just what I wanted.

Alex (Scyto)

Don't forget if you need help to use the forums http://www.thegreenbutton.tv/forums/viewforum.php?f=68

Buy Ceton InfiniTV 6 ETH - 6-channel Cable TV Ethernet Tuner for CableCARD Now

This is the CableCard tuner the Windows Media Center enthusiast like myself have been waiting for. Especially those of us whose cable companies went to switched Digital that require the bulky tuning adaptors. Finally it's possible to ditch the cable companies crappy DVRs (and the monthly fees that come with it).

The beauty of the InfityTV6 is that this device is entirely self-contained and gigabit Ethernet based and supports dynamic tuner pooling. This eliminated the requirement to have a host PC which the tuner and Coax would be tethered to. Now households that only have Windows laptops or tablets like the Surface Pro can use those devices to watch and or record their digital cable channels and roam freely without being tethered to the Coax. You could also use virtualization and consolidate hardware by installing Windows 7 or 8 Media Center in a VM and run it on the same box as you Windows Home server, or Windows 2008R2/2012 using HyperV, or of course Virtual Box or VMware.

The previous Ceton USB and PCIe tuners, did support network sharing of the tuners... But it required an always on Windows 7, Windows 2008 R2, or Home Server 2011 server and the tuners would have to be permanently assigned to any portable device wanting access to the tuners. This static tuner assignment is no longer required with this model.

My prior setup consisted of dual quad InfinitiTV tuners that required a cable splitter, 2 cable cards, and 2 tuning adaptors all tethered off the main recording PC. With the InfinitiTV6 I was able to return one cable card and tuning adaptor back to the cable company and hide the new device (and the remaining tuning adapter) behind my living room couch where I have an unused coax outlet and access to our lan removing the clutter from around our computer desk. Since I no longer have to statically assign tuners dropping from 8 to 6 tuners was not a problem as we never really required more than 6 simultaneous tuners anyways.

There is one major con that I encountered. Ceton's drivers do not support Windows 8 32 bit... So a Windows 7 32 bit computer that is upgraded to Windows 8 (or does a clean 32 bit install) will lose the ability to use their Ceton tuners on that machine unless it's rebuilt as a 64 bit machine.

Other Pros:

The Ceton drivers increase the 4 Tuner limit for both Windows 7 and Windows 8 so you can fully use all 6 tuners (or up to 12 if you have multiple InfinitiTVs).

The InfinitiTV6 comes with a mini USB port for use with a tuning adaptor where required... Ceton includes the special cable for this purpose in the box.

Note for best results... You should make sure you have a gigabit wired networking in your home in order to support the bandwidth required for 6 simultaneous HD streams. This means having good gigabit switches and CAT 5e/6 cables on the lan segments between the InfinitiTV6 and any media center PC acting as a DVR. For wireless devices it is strongly recommended they utilize Wireless A, or at a minimum be in the 5GHz band for Wireless N.

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Great Product 5 star I first want to say that I did purchase the infitnity ceton 4 and was nothing more than trouble never found the tuners but this item ceton 6 is amazing my xbox HTPC works flowless all my recordings on point.

Cons: Price customer service is poor but with this item you don't need customer service just obtain your cable card update the drivers and done.

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I preface this review by saying that I have owned multiple Ceton products and will continue to purchase Ceton products off the strength of their customer service offerings. That said there are some flaws that one should be aware when purchasing this item.

1. I have owned several pci-e versions of the InfiniTV4 since they first came out and outside of a few flaky drivers early in it's product life the tuner was rock solid (once I learned and troubleshooted all the various wiring issues, splitters, and amplifier needs within my house). the 6ETH is no different in this aspect, if your wiring in your house runs through too many splitters or poor quality splitters or an inline amplifier provides too much signal you could easily get poor reception from this tuner. So first step is to make sure that the feed has as few splitters as necessary and that the signal strength is higher than a standard cable box but not too high.

2. Since this is a network connected piece of hardware I ran into problems that I did not have with a previously stable system that had the pci-e InfiniTV installed. I had to purchase a new gigabit switch and replace all the wires with cat6 which resulted in for a brief time period anyways, all 6 tuners working flawlessly and with no pixelation.

3. Unfortunately after several days with help of Ceton customer support helping to trouble shoot we all came to the agreement that there was some issue within my wired home network that was causing pixelation and no tv signal errors to regularly pop up once more than 4 tuners were in use. I would have continued working with Ceton to find the issue but the wife and family would have frowned upon extended downtime of their main TV source.

In short, if your network and cabling do not cause ill effects then this is an amazing piece of hardware. But I for some unknown reason was unable to fix whatever my network issues are enough to have a rock solid stable setup.

So be aware that issues in getting this item to work might be in the network itself. I ended up going back to pci-e tuner instead (InfiniTV4)

Canon XL1S MiniDV Digital Camcorder

Just short of a top-of-the-line broadcast DV camera, the XL1S is an extremely high quality DV camcorder. It's affordable and relatively easy to operate. Granted, my parents wouldn't have the slightest clue on where to start, and for most people this is WAY too much camera for general applications. But for semi-pros and amateurs alike you cannot go wrong with this piece of equipment. All the features you could want or expect are included, and transferrance to analog or to a DV editor isn't more than a button push away. I'm a freelance videographer, and I'm starting a production house and this is the base piece of equipment I use. Too much camera for weddings and picnics, but for any type of video project this is all you need.

i am currently in high school, in the media tech department. we do the school news, and produce some films. we currently have 3 kinds of camcorders, the sony dsr200, sony dsr300, and the canon xl1. most of the class perfers the xl1 for many reasons.

it is definately the easiest to use, it is very light weight, and has many options that other cameras just dont have. it has a firewire port directly on it to help get onto computers, though there are other ways.

i have personally used this camcorder, and i must agree, it is a wonderful piece of technology. a few months ago i had bought one of the new Sony handycams that burns to miniDVD, and i had nothing but disappointment, now i am looking into an XL1 of my own, because i know how to use it, it is easy to learn how to use, and there is so much more that you can do with it then most camcorders. if you are looking for something professional, and yet decent in price, you might want to consider the canon xl1

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As of now, the XL1S is a little outdated by some other cameras that are on the market, but the end product has very desirable results. I have used cameras like the Panasonic DVX-100, and the XL1 will suit your needs at least 90% of the time that the DVX will. There is no LCD screen, but the viewfinder does sort of double as one and the overall shape of the XL1 makes it unwieldy at times, and more convenient at other times.

Overall, if you have the chance to get this camera, then go for it if something like the DVX is out of reach. The XL2 is coming out soon apparently, which will probably drop the price of this camera and it would be a great opportunity for people on a smaller budget to pick up a camera that is capable of cinema quality pictures.

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Unfortunatly when shopping for a prosumer camera in this price range weighing the pros and cons is definitatly tough. The canon XL1s is and Excellent camera that captures the ENG style most pro cameras at this range misses. However before getting all hot and bothered over that the camera has trouble focusing in low light and a very pixilated picture when it does. The Mic on some of the the XL1s's pick up body noise which is extremely distracting since zooming is a loud function. They sell an adaptor for about $$$ but I have no idea how good it is. To boot there are no XLR plugs on the camera. So guess what. You got it another adaptor.

Ok its not all bad In fact there is some good. The 16:9 crop bars are excellent for professional shooting. The ENG camera build is of the professional style so you look like the real deal. For the Director in us all the focus ring allows for a makeshift short depth of field... excellent for a film look. At this price you have to bite the bullet and weigh the pros and cons and hope when your return peroid ends you made the right decision.

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This is the most popular DV camcorder with indie filmmakers and aspiring film school students from rich families. Excellent, broadcast-quality image captured by the 3-CCD system. I don't use zoom or pan or special effects much, so I wish I didn't have to pay for these features, but this is still a GREAT price for such a high-quality video camera. This is absolutely the one to get for professional-level videos. Of course, if you want more resolution for sharper images, try the new affordable JVC HDTV camcorder for about the same price, I think.

Sony CCDTRV328 Hi8 Analog Handycam Camcorder w/20x Optical Zoom

I owned this camera for a long time and I absolutely loved it. I Don't know what that other guy with the bad review is talking about, saying this camera has grainy pictures. It is analog so the video is not as clear as digital, but for an analog camera the video is great. I would recommend this camera to any one who wants a nice analog camera with great features and who is not ready to delve into the digital world.

I am happy with this camcorder. Why have they done away with the Hi8 camcorder I don't know. My old one died on me, however, there is not a better camcorder then the Sony Hi8.

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helped me to transfer my 8mm tapes to dvd. am very pleased with this purchase,and lucky to have found it after a whole year of searching for one,and the price was great...thanks so much.i will most definitely go back to amazon.com for future purchases

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This camcorder is great. It is both easy to use, and records beautifully. A great camcorder in this price range. I bought mine used, and love it.

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Bought this tested for a day, the picture quality is awful. Recorded video had lots of grains in medium lights (even in a small room with 100 watts bulb), more yellowish even in bright (sun) light. Hoped the one I got might be bad, and exchanged for a new one. That was also the same quality. Had for a good deal (abt $200), and it is not worth for that money. Returned within hours.

Already own few Sony products (including 4 yrs old camcorder Hi8 TRV68), which are good in quality, made me think all the Sony products are awesome.

Video quality is the main thing needed in a camcorder, so rated 1.

DC1130 Purple digital clip camera with built in LED flash light

My daughter loves to take pictures so got for her to take pictures of her summer with me.in order to download pic.package tells you to install the disc.IT DIDNT COME WITH ONE!!! tryed to find on internet cant find!!?? I have a new compt.but package says you will loose pic.if battery goes dead so still have it pluged in!!!!

Pissed!!! Realy nice to do to a seven year old.

This was a gift for my young adult girls. They loved it. I feel a peace of mind because they have a flashlight and camera always at hand. Thanks!

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CIB R401W500G8401 4CH Network Security Surveillance DVR w/ Four CCD Indoor Do...

This product is absolutely AWESOME!

I purchased one of these systems for my home, about 4 weeks ago. The installation took a little bit of time, but was well worth it. After I install this system, my house keeper was cleaning my house, while I was at work. I logged-in to my house to see what the house keeper was doing. To my surprise the housekeeper was stealing my money from by bedroom. Of course they don't work for me any more. Plus I was able to save the video and forward it to all there customers, to warn them too. Trust me, the investment was worth it. This product really is great, I fully recommend buying this. Here's why:

1) You get 4 Color camera's that auto adjust to the light, also provide night vision (It really works)

2) The cameras provide motion detection. The wired setup provides both video and power to the each camera.

3) The DVR stores more than 1 week of stored video on a 500 gig hard drive. It can store more if you setup the DVR to motion detection only.

4) The DVR has TONS of settings and features to adjust the camera's recording, network and much more for your custom needs.

5) It will notify you if there is activity.

6) You can login with the special secure software that is provided.

7) You can remotely control the DVR from your computer ANYWHERE.

8) You can login to see all 4 zones from your Android and IPHONE.

9) You also can record audio from all 4 zones.

10) You get everything you need to setup this product. There is no gotchas or extra things to buy, everything is included.

This is a high quality professional setup for home and business. Plus it's affordable. These folks put together truly awesome!

Ryan C. Knaggs

I picked up this system after doing some research on what was out there. The features all lined up with what I was looking for.

The only thing I had to buy additional was extended cables as 2 of my cam ocations were far away.

The power is routed back to the DVR wihich simplifies the camera instal. If the cams were wireless each cam would need a power source or batteries. Much easier to route all the wires back to the DVR.

The camera quality was great. Very crips. The user interface and set-up was surprisingly easy. I did not expect that refined of software in a product at this pricepoint.

The only thing I wasnt real happy with was the lack of audio. They ad never said directly that the camers had audio, although it noted the audio inputs on the back of the DVR. I would hav e upgraded to one with sound. Now I am struggling with a way to addd audio.

All in all a good product.

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I purchased this 4 camera system for my new retail business, as I live 50 miles away and needed a way to monitor remotely. My contractor installed the cameras (all of them upside down :-) and ran the wires to my office, where the DVR is located (note: you will need to buy your own monitor). The first unit I received was defective, but Peter at USA Security exchanged the unit immediately and the second one worked like a charm. The in store set-up could not have been easier plug it all together and turn the unit on. The system includes a remote control, but between the front panel & mouse, it's rather redundant. The remote set-up is a bit trickier (for both my home PC & iPhone), but with some guidance from an IT friend of mine, we got it up and running in less than an hour. The images are crystal-clear and it gives me an immense sense of secuirty to be able to monitor from anywhere I may be. This is a very good system, and I would highly recommend purchasing from USA Security.

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I have installed this product. Everything is good untill I want to set up network installation. Uptill now, I have not figured out how to set up the network.The manual is not great and I was not able to obtain customer service phone number yet.

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Had a problem when two cameras stopped working after less than a year but am happy to report that CIB Security/ USA contacted me promptly after I posted a review and sent two replacement cameras. Great Service.

Sony Cybershot DSCW150/R 8.1MP Digital Camera with 5x Optical Zoom with Super Steady Shot (Red)

Let me start with stating that most point and shoot cameras are compromise on various basic performance parameters. I bought this camera for my wife for whom any feature beyond the basic auto mode is unnecessary. For a point and shoot it has lots of very advanced features typically available in dslr or prosumer cameras. I am talking about things like bracketing( takes pictures at different exposure level), dynamic range optimizer and my favorite live histogram. Let me summarize its positives and negatives:

Wide angle lens 30mm to 150mm (5x zoom)

Image stabilizer is very good, I have taken very good pictures at 1/4sec & iso 100. Basically it will let you take good pictures at low iso(to avoid noise), where you can not use flash.

-DRO (dynamic range optimizer): Autmatically adjusts for a balance between highlight & shadows, two different levels of DRO available

Live histogram: I have this feature in my nikon 8400 (prosumer camera)and is very useful for adjusting exposure in extreme lighting conditions e.g. daylight scenery in Yosemite, Bryce. Metering systems of most cameras can not keep up with such extreme lighting conditions.

Three levels for flash. Soft flash for closeups, standard, flash+ for far away objects.

Colors: It has very bright and saturated colors even in basic color mode. If you are mainly going to use it take pictures of kids, you may like prints from it. I am used to subdued colors of Nikon.

Now the negatives, some of which could be a problem for someone.

In auto mode, it pushes up the iso to 400 therefore producing grainy pictures.

Flash is underpowered, stated range is 4.3m. I would stick to half that distance for decent pictures.

You can restrict the iso to below 200 to keep noise low. I have found that even at iso of 100 the detail in pictures is not that good. My theory is that it has a very strong noise reduction algorithm at all iso's. If you are mainly going to take 4x6 pictures this might not be an issue for you.

I hope this review is useful in your decision making.

I purchased this camera as soon as it was made available April 28, 2008.

I think this camera is perfect. It takes great pictures all on its own. There is no need for you to know about the aperture, focal length, lighting, ISO settings, etc. Simply put the camera in easy or auto mode and shoot to your heart's content. The picture colors are amazingly accurate and vibrant.

The smile shutter feature is pretty cool also. Simply put the camera in smile mode push down the shutter once and wait for your subject to smile. You'll be able to take six smile shots without having to press the shutter button.

Another cool feature is the in camera editing. Say a subject did not smile as big as you had hoped, you are able to go into the editing feature in the camera and make the smile more evident. To me, that's cool! You are also able to remove redeye, sharpen the picture and crop the picture all by using the camera. You no longer have to upload them to the computer to do these fixes.

The battery life is very good and you don't even need a memory stick to shoot up to 10 pictures because of the installed 15 MB of memory. It's not a whole lot, but it helps if you are in a pinch for a shot and a memory card is not handy.

The screen is very clear and very large. The colors are accurate and very bright. The camera is lightweight yet not flimsy. It feels like a solidly built camera.

I really haven't seen anything to complain about. I think everything this camera offers for the price is well worth it. I am very happy with the black color as well. I think Black goes with everything and that's why I didn't choose a different color.

If you are on the fence about this camera, I can just say that my experience has been very positive and I think yours will be as well.

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This camera is great compared to many many many similarly priced cameras I tried out. It takes pictures really fast and is ready for the next one very quickly too. These were big considerations when I was shopping around and this one is the fastest. The camera takes great pictures with the automatic settings compared to others that didn't seem to know when flash or other adjustments should have been necessary/unnecessary. The smile shutter is cool but I don't think I'll use it often. The 5x zoom is great. The in camera image alteration is neat too, especially the feature to make people appear smiling. Good for a lot of laughs. The rechargeable battery seems to be holding up well. I love the deep red but the sheen makes it appear pink in some lights. It looks bigger than other cameras but really is at most only 2-3 mm wider than the canon elph sd1100/750.

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Before I decided to buy the Sony Cybershot DSC W150, I really looked into many cameras and models. The big factors I was looking for: compact in size, optical or electronic viewfinder, 5x or more optical zoom, adjustable LCD display (LCD screen that folds out and can be adjusted to be viewed from different angles or closed towards the camera to protect it).

This camera is comparable in size to the Canon elph series, which is great for factor 1.

A basic optical viewfinder is present on the camera which although doesn't have any special features (it's not an EVF and is on the small side) is great to have for shooting in bright sunlight and saving battery power. I can't stand cameras that don't have a viewfinder and absolutely refuse to buy a camera without one, which unfortunately ruled out many compacts currently on the market. Factor 2 good enough to me.

Camera has a 5x Optical zoom which as of this review is starting to get more popular with the compacts for many companies. There is a 2x Digital zoom also, which I felt would have been better as a 4x or higher Digital zoom but not too big of a deal since the Optical zoom is what really matters. Factor 3, check for the Cybershot.

Unfortunately I wasn't able to find a compact that had an adjustable LCD display, which is disappointing because I've gotten so used to having one on my Canon Powershot A95. The only thing that might be sacrificed with an adjustable LCD display is the screen size, which unfortunately so many camera makers seem to be focusing on having huge energy draining screens. So I compromised on this factor and went with the Cybershot DSC W150 with it's non adjustable 2.7" screen.

As for shooting modes, they're not too different (if at all) than other typical point and shoot cameras on the market, and more or less function the same. The in-camera editing features are pretty cool and can add some style and effects to your pics.

As usual, there are many accessories that don't come included such as a telephoto lens (VCL-D2046), a wide angle lens (VCL-D0746), the adaptor ring for these lenses (VAD-WE), a silicon camera jacket (LCJ-WA) and even more such as a better not included battery and battery charger, adapter and camera protective cases. I think they really should have included the silicon camera jacket with the camera instead of selling it for around $25-30 each, it is just a protective case of silicon, after all...

Overall, I'm satisfied with this camera and enjoy using it, but I still think there is a lot of room for improvement within the compact point and shoot camera line for all companies, and hope that not all companies will continue to go the path of bigger LCD screens and getting rid of traditional camera features such as a viewfinder.

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We own two-a silver and a red cybershot, so that my wife and I will be able to take the photos we want particularly on an upcoming Galapagos cruise. The large LCD screen is bright in near-direct to direct sunlight, something that is completely lacking in my 2-year old Pentax Optio 6mp and one reason for buying this camera. Continuous shutter speed is fast for moving objects-again something totally lacking in the Pentax which has very slow shutter speed and produces nothing but blurs for moving objects. The large optical zoom is another plus. So far, nice pictures are produced in low light with and without flash and the Smile feature is interesting and works. It has 2 menus. The "Home Menu", which is not the easiest to navigate, provides options like varying iso, smile, continuous shutter, etc. The hard copy operating manual that comes with the camera provides the basics; the software CD manual provides sufficient detail tho it would have been nice to have that in its 130-page hard copy version. Battery takes about 4-5 hours to recharge which is about the same as my for my Pentax but the charger is more compact and plugs in the wall rather than requiring a bulkier cord attachment. Cost downsides are the proprietary memory stick-duo--a 2gb which my camera onscreen indicates will be good for 800+ pics at the third or mid-range pixel setting good for 4X6 and larger, typically runs $20-25 and proprietary battery which in its o.e.m. version can be bought for about $15--about the same cost as aftermarket lithium batteries for my Pentax and more costly than the AA batteries used in a 1-year old Casio ExLim7mp that stopped working for no discernible reason and was not worth repairing. A U.K. camera review for the Sony says that this sony will take more than 2x the pics of an equivalent Canon elph before the battery has too be recharged-we'll see. I went with an extra proprietary battery becuase an aftermarket battery,costing a few dollars less, produced a "no signal" message" on both cameras despite its being advertised as compatible with this model.