Oppo DV-981HD Universal DVD Player with HDMI, 1080p Up-Converting, DivX & SACD

• Offers HDMI interface, with Faroudja HD upconversion output up to full 1080p
• Multiple playback formats, including DVD-Audio, Super Audio CS, Audio CDs, HDCD, WMA, and more
• Outputs in stereo, or in 5.1 surround sound
• S-Video out, digital coaxial, and optical audio outs--no component out
• Built-in equalizer, channel trim, and channel delay functions

Unbelievalbe picture quality like all other reviewers are saying. Changing the player to Region 0 (all region) is easy: 1. Press Setup on remote control to access the setup page, 2.Enter 9210 on the remote 3.A service menu will pop up, 4. Select a region: 06 in region code. 0 is all-region. Press Setup on remote again to exit. It should play all region and PAL discs. Hope that helps.

(added 12/18/07)

I've been using this player for a year now and I still LOVE it. My friend gave me a DVD with several movies in AVI and an XVid formats. Typically, I would have to watch these movies on my PC. I was pretty psyched to find that Oppo will play the files. When I popped in the disc, I see a blue menu with all the files. The player decodes each selected file and it had no problem playing 3 out of the 4 AVI files. For some reason, one of the AVI files won't play. The XVid file played fine. The quality of these compressed AVI files, as you can imagine, isn't great. But depending on the source of the AVI file, the output quality to a 46" HDTV is almost as good as a DVD and much better than VCD or VCR quality.

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We do movie reviews very frequently, so having a high quality DVD player is very important to us. As you probably know if you're into DVDs, the resolution on a DVD is higher than regular TV can show, but less sharp as a high definition TV. That's why Blu-Ray and HD-DVDs are coming on the market, to provide true high definition quality.

However, many of us with high definition TVs have a substantial library of regular DVDs that we still wish to watch and enjoy on our higher quality systems. In many cases these are DVDs that may never be released in a high def format, or personal videos that are simply not in high def format. That's where upconverting DVD players come into play. They help to convert the lower quality signal on a DVD into a high def level of quality, as best they can, by interpolating the existing signal and filling in the details.

We've tested several upconverting units as they get released, and to be honest in most cases the TV did a better job of this task working with a regular DVD player, vs having a DVD player that tried to do that task for the TV. So we approached the test of the Oppo DV-981HD with some trepidation. Would it really work well?

First off, the packaging. We were VERY impressed with how this came shipped! I've got to say it's one of the best packed electronic items we've ever seen, and being game reviewers and electronic gadget fans, we get quite a lot. Kudos to the shipping team for this. "Brilliant", says my boyfriend.

The unit itself is extremely nicely designed. We have several other slim items in our shelves and this really takes the cake. The lights and displays are still easy to read, but the height is extremely short. Perfect for people short on space. It stays nice and cool, too.

The remote has great, glowing buttons that make it very easy to use in the dark. The fast forward / reverse buttons have a great range of speeds. We've got probably 8 remotes on our table and this really stands out as being one of the easiest to use.

All of this wouldn't matter if the picture was awful. But we were really impressed with how *lovely* this made regular DVDs look on our high def TV. Blacks were lush and deep. Colors were vibrant. On a title screen with metallic letters, the regular DVD player had them looking lifeless and flat but with the Oppo they really did look three dimensional and metallic. Facial textures in particular were extremely nice. Yes, it's still not *true* HD but that's not the point here. You get a HD player to play HD discs. This is for handling the library you already have of DVDs.

You really do get spoiled if you're going to watch your existing DVDs, why not watch them with the highest quality image that you can? This will make it harder to test out other upconverters in the future.

Now, this unit isn't 100% perfect in every day. Case in point the menus. These have got to be some of the worst looking menus I've ever seen on a unit. The letters are kludgy and fuzzy looking. Some menus have options off the bottom of the screen but there's no scroll bar or other indication that there are more items down there. You just have to page down and see if anything happens.

Also, while I'm reviewing DVDs I often want to get a screenshot of an image to use. When you hit "pause" on this unit, the pause icon stays on the screen. With pretty much every other DVD player I've seen, the pause icon vanishes after a few moments. Not here! I'm also not overly fond of the logo floating around on the screen but heck, you just turn that off. The tray itself is super thin and fragile, to go with the thin design. However, our PS3 and Wii all have a simple insert slot which works perfectly. Why didn't they use that here?

Really, I can airbrush out the pause lines from my screenshots, so really the only thing I'd want them to switch for a new version is to make it trayless. For an enhancement, we really would love to see a unit with a hard drive recorder as well, so that we can both play DVDs as well as record shows. This combo would make this our primary entertainment unit. Still, until then, this is a fantastic buy for anyone who has DVDs they'd like to watch. Highly recommended.

Read Best Reviews of Oppo DV-981HD Universal DVD Player with HDMI, 1080p Up-Converting, DivX & SACD Here

If you have a rear projection TV, you may want to consider the DV-980H instead. I have a Sony KDS-60A3000 rear-projection TV. In the forum on avsforum in the Sony KDS-XXA3000 thread, a user posted this message from Oppo customer support:

"LCoS in the SXRD systems is still prone to macroblock enhancement errors. It is not as pronounced as DLP, but it still exists. For this reason, we never recommend the use of the DV-981HD for RPTV, as there will likely be blocking errors.

Secondly, the previous generation SXRD displays did not respond well to the output of the DV-981HD due to bad handshaking errors with your display and proper colorspace. This causes some users to see "green push".

For your display we would recommend the use of the DV-980H. This player will produce the cleanest, sharpest picture on your RPTV display.

Best Regards,

Customer Service

OPPO Digital, Inc.

453 Ravendale Dr, Suite D

Mountain View, CA 94043

Service@oppodigital.com

Tel: 650-961-1118

Fax: 650-961-1119"

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There are lots of excellent reviews of this player here already. I'll try not to repeat the many comments indicating this is an excellent DVD player. In general I agree.

I recently bought a Panasonic 50-inch plasma (720p resolution) from Amazon and I bought this player to go with it after reading excellent reviews here and on Cnet.com as well. I wanted an upconverting player and I also wanted a region-free/PAL DVD player so I could play DVDs from Asia and Europe without problems.

My older DVD player is a 5-year-old Sony progressive scan unit which only outputs 480p resolution. The first thing I did when I got the Oppo was pop in my Criterion Collection DVD of Kurosawa's "Ran". I borrowed the same DVD from a friend so I could compare the Sony directly to the Oppo. (It wasn't a perfect comparison because the Sony only has component output, while the Oppo is using HDMI output).

I was somewhat surprised to find that the differences between the two players were noticeable, but small. The Oppo -upconverting to the higher 720p resolution over HDMI -delivered slightly better detail than the Sony, which of course was putting out 480p resolution through the component connection. I doubt whether someone who wasn't looking specifically for the differences would have noticed.

Still, I give good marks to the Oppo for a slightly better picture.

Overall though, my advice is that if you don't care much about region-free/PAL playback, and you aren't a big stickler for the absolute best picture, and you want to save some money, you will probably be completely satisfied with the current upconverting DVD players from the big brands such as Sony, Panasonic, etc. which cost about 1/3rd of what this player costs.

As well, note that this player isn't the most user-friendly in some ways. What you have here is a good example of how Chinese product design has not caught up with the rest of the world in terms of refinement and ease of use. The remote is poorly designed with tons of small buttons and tiny print. I have a programmable Sony remote (model RM-VL600, very inexpensive, here's the Amazon link: 8-DEVICE Universal Learning Remote) and I "taught" the Oppo commands over to the Sony remote so I don't have to use the Oppo and I can use just one remote to control the DVD player, TV, and sound system.

Probably the most bizarre omission in the software of the player is that if you stop a DVD from playing and then turn the player off, when you turn the player on again it does not remember where you stopped the DVD. I rarely have time to watch a DVD all the way through in one sitting, so this is very annoying to me. Most strange is that if you EJECT the DVD, and THEN turn the player off, it DOES remember where the DVD was when you ejected it. So there's no question the player has the capability I'm talking about. Problem is, this adds to the wear and tear on the tray opening mechanism.

I emailed Oppo and they responded to me within a day and on a Sunday no less telling me the workaround for this omission: hit the Eject button and then immediately hit Power to turn the unit off. If you do it quickly enough that the tray does not open before you turn the unit off, then you've dodged the problem of the wear and tear. When you turn the 981 back on, it will load the DVD and show onscreen "Resume from saved position". Hit Play to continue where you left off.

Once again, a programmable remote is a big help here; I programmed my Sony remote to send the Eject command and also turn the unit off with one button. That workaround works just fine.

All in all though, who wants to go through all this trouble just to make a simple DVD player work the way it should? That's Chinese software for you. A good example of the fact that they do little actual, daily-use product testing in China. It's not a customer-friendly society.

On the plus side, here's a little noticed advantage of this player: on many DVDs, it will skip past the FBI warning and such and leap directly to the main menu, or to playing the movie itself (it depends on the DVD). Here's how you do that: put the DVD in the player and press play. As soon as the player recognizes it as a DVD and says "DVD-Video", hit the Stop button, then the Menu button. You may have to hit the sequence twice for it to work. On some DVDs this does not work, but it's a nice feature.

I would give the player 5 stars if the software were more user-friendly. As it is, it's a good player for those who want the best-quality picture for much less than the cost of a super-top-quality player from a major brand. Kudos to their American distributor, however, for excellent customer service. I hope they work with the Chinese manufacturer to make this DVD player all that it could be.

Just for reference, I'm including the information about how to make the player region-free as well:

1) Press "Setup" (on the lower left of the arrow buttons on the remote). 2) Enter the numbers 9210 on the keypad above the arrows. 3) A new menu comes up. 4) Press the number 0 to make it region-free. 5) Press "Setup" again. 6) You're done!

Are you gun shy from having lost platform wars of the past?

Perhaps you bought into Betamax, MiniDisc, or maybe even a Rio right before the iPod launched? I'm certainly ready to let BluRay and HD-DVD battle it out until one's left standing! But this could take awhile... In the meantime, get yourself an Oppo Digital upconverting DVD player ASAP! These are The Best Value on the market today. But you already know that which is why you are reading this, isn't it? And you know there are other upconverting players out there...

But Oppo is the clear victor in today's marketplace. I recently acquired a Sony 46" XBR2 LCD and love the image I get with HD broadcast across my Verizon FiOS service. Just stunning. I sought similar results with DVDs and after much research I had about settled on the Oppo OPDV971H, which is their highly rated upconverting player (up to 1080i) be sure to check with Audioholics and HomeTheaterHiFi sites for reviews and ratings buzz. Fortunately I was smart enough to visit the Oppo Digital site to find this newly released player that stretches the previous technology all the way up to 1080p!

We've had ours a couple weeks at this writing, and is it ever worth it! First of all, unboxing this feels high-end as it is both wrapped and protected quite well in the shipping box. Set up was a breeze, as this comes with HDMI connectivity, including a gold-plated cable. Even switching over to 1080p upconversion was simple. The remote is nice, much nicer than the older versions that have been panned so badly. Build quality, while not Fort Knox, is still decent for the price point, and the black finish is a nice change over past players. I like the blue lights, but for those that don't, they can be dimmed or turned off.

On to the important stuff. The image is quite simply stunning. Oppo has made great use of the available DCDi technology from Faroudja. As my wife and I tested various DVDs from our collection, we got so caught up in the viewing experience that we found ourselves watching whole movies when we intended to just view snippets. From our latest DVD additions, to Pixar animation, to the Three Stooges B/W, to collections of old B/W silents of Buster Keaton, the output is very impressive.

Other nice features include all of the various disc formats that are handled. Specifically, it will convert between NTSC/PAL, and also play most audio, video, and picture formats.

Finally, Oppo has a reputation for being a customer responsive company, and has made their players software upgradeable, and with this, have addressed previous concerns raised with their past players. Another example with this unit, is the new remote which is a direct response to customer feedback.

The Good/Great:

1. Image Output Quality is stunning

2. 480p/720p/1080i/1080p upconversion

3. HDMI cable is included

4. Price

5. Customer Service

6. Upgradeable

7. Excellent Audio capability (added 2/1/2007)

The "Okay":

1. Oppo logo sceensaver (it can be turned off)

2. No component video output (but it truly was not intended for this purpose. Oppo intends it for use with HDMI or DVI interface)

The "Bad"

1. None at this time

Stop searching and buy now, you've found the Holy Grail of today's DVD players!

***Updated 2/1/2007***

For starters, with another months' experience with this player, I want to emphasize that we are VERY, VERY pleased with this unit. The video continues to impress -I don't want to mislead, it won't make a miracle of a rough transfer, but for sound standard def DVDs the upconversion is INCREDIBLE. What we've had further experience with that has been equally stunning is the audio performance. This unit handles it all (CD, SACD, DVD Audio, etc) very impressively, and as a result I must re-emphasize the value quotient. Short of Bluray and HD-DVD, this unit will handle virtually any disc in your collection. Thanks Oppo!

(Also available direct from Oppo)

Sony DVP-SR320 All Multi Region Zone Code Free DVD Player Plays DVD's with USB Input 110/240 Volt (

I bought this to replace a Philips DVP5990 player which had quit working. This model plays USB drives, a feature I wanted.

I like this player a lot. It is smaller than the Philips, seems more solid, and accepts and releases disks more quickly. My wife thinks the picture is better. I think the sound is better. The remote is sturdier, and operates more easily and from a greater distance than the Philips without requiring that you point directly at the unit. The remote operated our Sony TV set without requiring any adjustments from me. I find this convenient sometimes for turning on the TV or changing the TV input to be our receiver. The remote will operate TVs from other manufacturers also.

The player is very small. You will probably not be putting another piece of equipment on top of it. There are controls and display lights on the top surface of the player, at the front right. I like this placement.

There are two negatives in comparison to the Philips: 1) there is no display, so you must bring up the control menu on the TV screen to know what track you are on and how much time is left; and 2) when you are playing from the USB drive, the unit shows only a single-level display of folders, regardless of what kind of hierarchy you've created on the USB drive. This second item is a significant issue for me. However I can't see deducting a star for this, in view of the major virtues of the drive and the very low price.

The package included two power adapters that work in U.S. sockets. Apparently one of the other reviewers did not receive these. It's too bad he rated the player so low because of this, when the problem was not with the player itself.

Since this is a Sony I'm expecting it to have a nice long life.

I picked this up from Worldwide Distributors, so I can't vouch for other Marketplace sellers.

In saying that, this DVD player is brilliant. The size and weight are smaller than I'd expect from Sony, but the quality is all there.

A snap-on North American power adapter was included in the box, so getting this set up was pretty simple. As someone else pointed out, the default menu language appeared to be Spanish (maybe Portuguese?) but switching it in to English only took a minute. From there, I was able to easily change the default 4:3 configuration to 16:9 and make a couple of other tweaks.

Since this is just composite-out, you can't really expect upscaling or a near-HD experience. However, I found that the picture quality was excellent on domestic discs, and absolutely trounced the older Philips region-free player I've been using. In fact, this is the first region-free DVD player I've had that displays R2 discs from the UK in what appears to be a "normal" framerate and without jagged edges or other quality problems.

I seriously would have been happy if I had paid twice the price for this. If you're in the US and need to play imported DVD's, this is a no-brainer.

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i had been looking for an all region player, without breaking the bank.

this seller shipped fast and i got this for around $40.00, this player is simple, its small but, plays all regions, definitely worth the money

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Great little Multi Region DVD player. Simple to set up and comes with American adapter. Instructions and display is in Spanish but it doesn't matter because it is so simple to hook up and use. So far I have been able to play DVD-R's and Pal format DVD's with no problems at all. Highly recommended.

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The only thing I have to add is that a downloadable English language manual is available from Sony's Asian support site (but not the U.S. website):

Enjoy...

;-)

PJ

Motorola SLVR L7 Unlocked Phone with Camera, MP3/Video Player, and MicroSD Slot--International Vers

We quickly received our SLVR L7 today from Amazon. The seal on the plastic phone package was already broken. The user manual looked like it had already been used, having bent corners and the binding already broken in. The Quick Notes pages, a feature on the phone available through its menu system, looked like there was already content perhaps in the Russian language. The battery looked like it was already fully charged but we plugged it in to charge anyway. It has a European to US adaptor. When my wife tried to take out the adaptor from the wall outlet the guts of the US adaptor part were left sticking in the socket and the metal clips inside the adaptor shorted out the electrical line and the lights went off in that side of our house. It turns out that the adaptor was missing a screw which connects the US style prongs to the plastic adaptor housing.

I'm not sure if this product came from a standard Amazon facility. We've been ordering items from Amazon for about 10 years and this truly is our first bad experience with a product.

I love this phone! It's easy to use & very durable. I'm usually very careful with my cell phones, but dropped this one a few times already, by accident, and NO harm was done!

I recommend this cell phone to anyone :)

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Sony Portable Stereo Sound System with Digital AM/FM Tuner, Mega Bass, CD Player, Synchronized Dubb

• Combining old & new technology, this is the perfect portable sound system. Whether you're playing CD CD-R CD-RW discs, listening to cassettes, enjoying your favorite stations on the digital AM/FM stereo tuner, dubbing music on blank cassettes, this compact sound system does it all. Plus it features large, easy-to-use buttons, large easy to read LCD display and a Mega Bass sound enhancer.
• Just The Right Size = Compact design fits in to any room. The correct output power and the unique wide convex speakers design allows the sound to be dispersed over a wider area for a fuller sound stage, therefore filling any room with a perfect sound level combined with the Mega Bass enhancer which produces full rich, deep, bass tones, this sound system will satisfy any music lover. Portability = Lightweight & Battery power option with a large carry handle lets you take this system anywhere.
• Sleep Timer puts you to sleep peacefully while playing your favorite tunes from the radio, CD player or tape cassette. 6 different lengths of play time are 120, 90, 60, 30, 20 or 10 minutes of listening pleasure to relax you to sleep. Sleep Timer is an excellent feature for children to listen to a bedtime story or for babies listening to lullabies. Sleep like never before when you fall asleep to the sounds you love.
• Remote Control lets you control the programming and music from the Radio, CD Player or Tape Cassette; all from the comfort of your couch, bed, dinner table, your favorite chair or anywhere in the room that is convenient for you. Recommended for elderly or handicapped (Great for lazy people).
• Features: Digital AM/FM Stereo Tuner / Mega Bass sound enhancer / CD-R/RW Playback Compatibility / Stereo Record/Playback Cassette Deck / Synchronized CD/Cassette Dubbing / Large Control Buttons and LCD Digital Display / 30 Programmable Preset Stations / Sleep Timer / CD Play Modes: Program, Shuffle, Repeat, 20 Track RMS Programming / Battery power option for portability / 4" wide dispersion angled speakers / Higher watts output than most portable units / Remote control / Headphone jack

I have had this little boom box for about 5 years. I don't remember if the audio was always terrible or if it became that way over time. I'm looking for a replacement now because playing it any louder than a whisper causes it to crackle and distort.

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This stereo has all the features I was looking for. Small easy to use remote and no bright lights to disturb sleep. Sounds great and didn't cost that much.

Defender SN301-8CH-002 8 Channel H.264 Smart DVR Security System with Coaching iMenu and 4 Hi-Res C

I take my security pretty seriously. Be it cyber security, home security, identity theft security, etc, etc...I've taken proactive steps harden myself and my family as a target. For that reason, I've always wanted to have a robust home video surveillance system. Having bought my first house (been a lifelong renter until then) a few months back, I figured now was the time. So, my research began.

Home surveillance seems to break down between two camps: IP cameras that operate over your home network...or CCTV (Closed curcuit TV) surveillance. Defender builds CCTV systems.

I have had 3 different models of the very popular Panasonic IP cameras in the past. They were ok, but did not have night-vision IR capabilities, their video storage capability was very limited, and they were rather complex...especially when it came to managing multiple cameras. I would classify them more as nanny-cam in terms of their capabilities, rather than true security systems.

I had looked at some of the other more advanced IP cameras, particularly the Sharx Security cameras. The Sharx cameras seem to be extremely capable, get great reviews, and their customer service is reputable. They appear to be the best IP Cameras out there, and I strongly considered them...but I ultimately decided to get a CCTV system for several reasons. Primarily of which was cost. I wanted 5 cameras, and with the Sharx running ~$400 each...it was prohibitive for me. But, if you have only 1 or 2 spots you want monitored, definately give the Sharx cameras a look.

I eventually decided to go with this Defender DVR system for my particular situation. They routinely get pretty solid reviews and their systems seemed very well integrated. I bought the one with the four cameras included because I wanted to use a different camera than the one that is included (more on that later).

While it is fairly time consuming to setup all the cameras and string the wires, the setup of the DVR system itself is pretty straight-forward. The DVR and its corresponding user interface is VERY good. It's quite intuitive and simple. Searching for events during playback is easy and quick, and there are multiple options for live viewing. I would give the DVR itself 5 stars for recording, playback, and searching. It really is that good.

The cameras included with the Defender system are simply ok. Not great. Not bad. Just ok. The clarity is pretty decent, the IR illumination at night is acceptable, but the color accuracy is lacking. Brown looks blue, gray looks green, etc. They'll do a good job of detecting movement and recording the event...but getting an accurate description of people and/or vehicles could be challenging. I'd give the cameras 3 stars.

I've actually purchased several of these cameras to use with this defender system.VideoSecu 600TVL Outdoor Day Night Vision Home Security Surveillance Camera Vandal Proof 1/3" SONY CCD with Power Supply B6Q. While these are more expensive than the cameras included with the defender system, they are more clear, have better IR, and the color accuracy is much better. Not to mention that they are more stylish when mounting outdoors...which greatly enhances the WAF (Wife Acceptability Factor) of having a bunch of cameras mounted outside.

While I like this system, and have no buyers remorse...by far the greatest WEAKNESS of this system is the mobile integration and the security of remote viewing. Enabling remote viewing requires you to open a port on your router and enable Active X...but it only supports short, weak passwords. Furthermore it does not support HTTPS, so there is no encryption. I can only imagine that hacking the password on this DVR would be pretty simple...and sniffing the IP traffic would be pretty easy, as well. Granted, the odds of your home security DVR being targeted is probably pretty slim. But...if you believe yourself to be a likely target, or are borderline paranoid like myself...it should make you nervous, especially if you plan to access the DVR from public wifi. To get around these weaknesses, I use a PPTP VPN server (A spare DD-WRT router I had lying around). That way my DVR is behind a much stronger password, and the traffic is encrypted.

Overall, it's a good system, especially if you want to use it as a stand alone system in your house that you will check in the event that something happens. For a few more dollars, you can get better performance by getting better cameras. I'd recommend buying the DVR by itself and getting the cameras separate. I would also caution against using the remote viewing capability outside of your own network...the security (cyber-wise) is questionable at best.

This did the trick for covering all the ingress/egress points of my home. The video display is ok during the day and night vision depends on if you are getting glare from the night vision lights. I have one camera that was perfect at night, but a small adjustment caused glare from an overhead beam that dramatically shortened the distance I could see and caused major wash out of the image. Unfortunately, I couldn't get that sweet spot back, but was able to correct the issue for the most part.

I did purchase an extension cable for one camera out in front of the house. Keep in mind that if you are using the cameras that come with this kit you have to use the Defender extension cables, not a standard BNC CCTV cable. Defender DF10W 60ft Camera Extension Wire

The biggest frustration with this product is lack of support on iPhone. The app they recommend is absolutely terrible and doesn't work. I really wanted this to work on my phone, but I didn't test it out before spending the hours setting up the system in my home. I wish I would have and I would have returned the product.

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The only thing i can say bad about this product is the flimsy camera mounting brackets. after using some of the foam shipped with the product, the camera's actually stay in set place, instead of finding their balanced weight when top mounted or shooting skyward when bottom mounted. Oh, yea don't pull too much on the 60ft camera cord, they will break internally. out of 1200ft only 1, 60ft section didn't work. Other than that, i think its worth every penny, compared to namebrand systems, such as honeywell or sony.

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I specifically purchased this unit because of the e-mail alert feature, and was very disappointed to find out it wasn't true. The product is advertised to generate e-mail alerts to up to 7 e-mail addresses. I have yet to get it to work with one address, and more than one is impossible. This is a quote from the Defender support center; "Unfortunately there is no resolution to the issue, it appears there was a typo in the manual and on the website. We are looking into resolving this discrepancy right now but unfortunately, I cannot see a resolution to this issue in the near future, if at all, so if this will not meet your needs you may want to look into returning for a refund."

If you don't require this feature the unit appears to operate normally. It could not have been a "typo", it was obviously false advertising.

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I used to own 4 Logitech WiLife wireless cameras. They don't work anymore since I replaced my ATT 2Wire moden/router, which went out a few month ago. I replaced it with the Linksys EA6500 now but this new router won't recognize the WiLife cameras. After calling to the Logitech and the Linksys tech support services, they won't be able to help me. Thus, I decided to find a new camera system.

Based on cheap price and some reviews, I decided with this product. The pictures are bad. During the day, my green trees and lawn will be seen as purple. A person with a black shirt seen as purple. Green car will be seen as green. At night, the night vision is fine. The pictures are just distorted for further distance. You won't be able to see whom or what kind of car is parked in front of your house. However, you know someone is in front of your house that for sure.

Unless, like me, you want a cheap product then this is for you. If you want a better picture quality, this is not for you. Find a better products out there.

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GoPro Head Strap Mount for HERO Cameras

I purchased this mount with the intention of using it this coming winter while skiing. However I had the chance to use it during a recent river rafting trip. Over the course of the 4 hours I had it on my head, not once did it bother me. By the end of the trip I forgot I was wearing it (maybe that's partially due to having had a few beers that day too). The strap is comfortable and the fact that its so wide prevents that feeling that plastic grocery bags give to your fingers when you are carrying something heavy.

One tip: Practice with the strap on your head before using it the first time. The camera needs to be pointed down at a greater angle than you would initially suspect. Its not a flaw of the product, just my perception. After one adjustment I was able to easily simulate a first-person view instead of having 80% sky in every picture. Total adjustment and testing time was less than 5 minutes but required a computer or TV to verify recordings so do this at home before starting your activity.

Review updated 2011 Aug 10:

Vs. Helmet mount for mtn biking:

Pros:

Better PoV perspective which captures more movement of your arms and your gear in action

Better ground detail

Better clearance from branches

Cons:

Can't easily aim it behind you while on the bike and looking back at friends riding a section you just rode

More wind noise, due to it capturing the sound of wind deflecting off your chest

Footage from my GoPro on my helmet mount wasn't very spectacular. It seemed a bit slower than in real life and made everything look flat, from making obstacles look insignificant to making pitches look level. Moving the camera to the chest mount gave my footage better ground detail to help with depth perception and since it captured my position, arm movement, and gear's movement, it gave a sense of the technique I was using to handle the steep pitches. The ground and foliage seemed to zoom by faster too, which seemed to give a better sense of speed. It made my PoV footage seem a lot more interesting to watch. I still have a helmet mount for certain situations, but this is now my preferred location/way to mount/wear a camera on my body.

Both are kind of finicky to aim. I find the best way is to not use leg attachments if at all possible. The chest mount requires the camera to be tilted up, since your chest will be at an angle to the ground, else you will be filming your bikes top tube and your knees. I found that mounting the camera upside down with it tilting upwards just enough that it allows the camera to be coerced out if you open the rear hatch is just about perfect and is how I realign it each time if I happen to move the camera from mount to mount. I then use the UPd mode (available after a firmware upgrade for the regular HeroHD 1080) or just rotate it 180 in editing software (don't flip, as that reverses the left and right orientation). Using leg attachments will make it prone to shaky video and risk being jarred loose out of position (kills the flow looking down and seeing you need to fix the aim).

The GoPro tends to have rattling/clacking sounds which can be minimized by padding the clip interface with some tape to tighten it up and maybe padding the case with tape to dull the sound of dirt bouncing off the case.

If I were to ride solo (time trial style) or behind a better rider on a generally non-stop fast and flowy ride, I'd definitely opt for the chest mount. If I were to ride with buddies who were slower, I'd opt for a helmet mount, just so I could just pullover my bike, put a foot down, and turn my head and film them attempting a section I just rode. If the view was great and I'd want to get some riding by footage of scenery off to the side, I'd use a helmet mount too. If I wanted to ride stylish, I'd just opt for a non PoV view or give the camera to someone else who would act as a chaser.

IMO, this is one of the big reasons to get the GoPro over other PoV cams. Get it, use it, and learn to love it.

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I love this head strap and the videos you get to record with it. I'm a student pilot and I use it for recording my flights. It's very comfortable and I get to use it without any problem along with my headsets and sunglasses. The first times you feel your head a little bit heavy (because of the camera weight) but then you get used.

Read Best Reviews of GoPro Head Strap Mount for HERO Cameras Here

I recently purchased an GoPro HD helmet-cam and this mount has made my skiing video's look stable as compared to using the helmet or head band mount that's included in the package. I guess its skiing style but I tend to move my head around more often then my chest. My chest is typically looking downhill in the direction of the fall line making for a stable platform keeping my viewers from getting sick. This is an accessory item that you should consider purchasing if you like making skiing or biking video's. I'm a big guy (6ft 225lbs)so I was concerned about this thing fitting me but to my pleasure I found that the straps are adjustable, stretch & a buckle next to the camera mount makes for quick removal. Also, it's easy to turn the camera on and start a video shoot with the camera being so close to your chest. I highly recommend using one of these if you want stable looking video's. I give it a thumbs up!

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The GoPro HD Hero I have is a lot of fun to use and record my activities from cross-country skiing to riding ATVs and boating. The head strap mount for the camera is a necessity for mounting the camera on your head when you won't be wearing a helmet of any kind that you can stick other styles of mounts to. If you have very short hair this head band will hold fairly well unless you are doing a lot of bouncing around and shaking. If you have longer hair as I do its almost impossible to get this band to grip well. The loose hair makes the band slip. I've solved this problem by attaching a light cord from each side and tie them together in a bow knot under my chin. This chin strap prevents the head band from wanting to slide up on your hair. It also adds 100% safety insurance that it won't come off and smack the ground by accident if you are moving your head around quite a bit or very quickly.

I did see a different brand POV camera unit actually mounted on the top of the bill of a baseball cap. I think the GoPro camera might be adaptable to mounting on the hat brim using one of the sticky plate mounts and perhaps two tiny screws and nuts through the brim to keep it there. Worth a try especially if you wear baseball caps.

Eznsmart 16-channel H.264 DVR Network DVR CCTV Surveillance Iphone Android Blackberry Remote View

I have one at home for 2 years and have no problems with it . Would recommend same to anyone. P> J> M

This company will not resolve this issue. The dvr's are not working with custom and none custom cables. I have tried all three DVR's on a couple other systems that are working and still nothing. I WANT MY MONEY BACK. I will send them back if they send shipping.

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Motorola RIZR Z3 Unlocked Cell Phone with 2 MP Camera, MP3/Video Player, MicroSD Slot--Internationa

Could have given five stars, but the product came in with the back not being able to close properly. don't like thte metal back for the phone

very satisified with this phone, i have always owned a motorola, they are excellent phones

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Everything works great in this phone except for the minor inconvenience with where the SIM card and memory card is located on the phone. It's hard to switch SIM cards because once you put one in there, it will be very difficult to remove it. On the other hand, the memory card does not look very secure at its place.

The manual that had been sent to me with this phone was also in Turkish and not in English. I had to download the manual from the Motorola website.

Read Best Reviews of Motorola RIZR Z3 Unlocked Cell Phone with 2 MP Camera, MP3/Video Player, MicroSD Slot--Internationa Here

PHONE GETS GREAT RECEPTION AND VERY CLEAR. HAVE HAD NO PROBLEMS. MY SON IS VERY HAPPY WITH THIS PHONE. I WOULD BUY ANOTHER ONE.

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Rode NT4 Stereo Condenser Microphone

• Stereo X/Y condenser microphone
• Dual externally biased 1/2 inch capsules with gold sputtered diaphragm
• Capsules closely matched with full frequency response
• Dual power operation
• Custom stereo cables included - dual XLR and mini stereo jack

This is a great mic. The design makes it really easy to set up for recording, and its quality gives fantastic sound. I have primarily used it for recording acoustic instruments (grand piano, 12 string guitar etc) and because I am not a sound engineer with years of experience, I find that I get great sound just by having the parameters of distance and angle to fool with. Frankly the extra parameter of distance between two mono-mics is just annoying for me. I want to play music and record it, not fool with mics all day. I can't wait to try it on live recordings of choirs etc.

Drop by the Røde website and have a listen to what engineers say about this mic.

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I started recording my sons playing music a number of years ago. Always searching for a better way to get the best sound. I went from the mic in the camera, to a separate mic, to getting the sound from the sound board. I was never happy with what I got. When you get it from the sound board you are at the mercy of the equipment they use, and their adjustments to eliminate feedback, etc. I finally decided to take a chance and get a top quality premium microphone. I also wanted some stereo separation as everyone that plays this back is playing it on a stereo system. The video you see here is our first try at using it. We fed the bass and the two mic outputs into a Zoom r16. So be advised that the bass you hear is not from the Rode. It was a separate feed into the R16. The Rode actually did not pick up the bass very well, and we had not planned on that, either. All three tracks were taken from the Zoom and then mixed with a slight amount of tweaking. All in all I was very pleased. This is the best sound I have ever gotten since I started recording. Now I will say this, as I write this review the file is uploading, so I have not heard it after Amazon does what ever they do to it. It sounded great when I uploaded it. If it sounds bad just go to you tube they are probably higher quality. My two sons are Matthew (fiddle) and Christopher Arndt (banjo), they are playing here with The Early Edition. There are a few more of the videos up on You tube. We started using this mic in March of 2012. We also will experiment with placement. If you can see it here, it is behind the condenser mic used by the sound crew. I wanted it higher but was over ruled for aesthetic reasons.

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I bought this microphone about 6 months ago. I've been recording mainly acoustic pianos and orchestras with it. It's not a Schoeps microphone, but it's far from being a cheap microphone. Great dynamic range, very good frequency response (although sometimes I feel like it's lacking a little bit of bass response, but maybe it's just me, or the placement), and most of all: incredible place-and-record ability. Highly recommended for engineers or musicians who don't have much time to play around with two microphones. As I wrote before, it's not a Schoeps, but to be honest, if somebody asked me for a very good stereo mic under $500 for live-sound or for a quick recording, this would definitely be my choice.

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I'm from Brazil and o bought this mic for ambiences,foley and rehearsal recordings with my theater group.

I did some recording of the cheering for the first Brazilian match in the world cup with North Korea in São Paulo,

with the NT4 and the internal mics of my marantz PMD661. The difference is huge.

The Nt4 gives us a very nice sound stage. Since i was in a neighbourhood with lots of residential buildings we can here a lot of sounds coming from everywhere and NT4 delivers it. We listen not just sounds coming from left and right but also the depth. Realy amazing.

In the theater we get also great sounds. I left it perpendicular to the stage and we hear very good relation with instruments, singing and acting. Very nice.

Love it! It's my first choice now, very versatile

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I am using the Rode NT4 to shoot videos with a Canon 5D Mark 3 DSLR camera. Combined with the Beachtek DXA-SLR PRO Preamp and running that into the Mark 3's inputs set low creates awesome & accurate sounds far better than any other XY's can provide. Very little video audio editing on Pro Tools is needed. Awesome microphone.

Canon Elura 40MC MiniDV Digital Camcorder w/ 2"LCD, MMC Card and Digital Still Mode

Armed with lots of research and my wife's two criteria for selecting a camcorder (it had to be small and easy to use) we bought the Elura MC 40 for its list of features in a very small and very cool package -plus the canon quality. This one has all the features of a full-sized DV cam, but fits into a small, padded waist pack with a couple of tapes, batteries, and the charger without a problem. This was key as we are expecting our first child and didn't want to add too much to the extra baggage we'll be carrying.

This one doesn't have megapixel stills at 1020x960, but it's still tons better than 640x480 on most compact cams, and we have a 35mm for the serious photography anyway. Lots of great on-camera editing and shooting features, and some basic photo and movie editing software included. If you're going to do some serious movie editing, I'd recommend purchasing a better software package or taking advantage of one of Canon's mail-in rebate deals.

Mac users, you'll love this one. We had a pre-USB Powerbook running OS 8.6 and bought USB and Firewire PCMCIA cards for it. It runs just great without spending the extra cash upgrading the OS like the card manufacturers say to. Also, I wouldn't spend the extra cash on the expensive firewire cards that a Mac specific. I picked up an inexpensive IBM card [$$] at the local computer store, plugged it in, downloaded the supporting drivers from Apple, and it fired right up.

You will have a lot of fun with this cam. We took it out for the first time on July 4th, and everyone was amazed by it. Plugged it into the S-video on the nearest TV, and we had a great time watching the day's events!

I bought this camcorder for a trip to Europe and I love it. I could store it in my jacket pocket when not using it and didn't have to drag around a huge bag with a bunch of useless equipment. This is my first camcorder (and first camera since an old Olympus 35mm), so I'm clearly an amateur. It's got more features than I'll use in 2 lifetimes, so there should be enough to satisfy almost everyone.

Video--is excellent, especially outdoors. Weather doesn't matter, as long as it's outside. It was cloudy all but one day and the video is awesome. Indoor is grainy if the light is too low, but reading reviews of other camcorders, I couldn't find one which said "great video quality indoors." All are grainy indoors. Live with it. You buy this for the size.

Still Pix--are not great. But are you buying a camcorder or camera? If all you care about are still pix, save yourself a few hundred bucks and buy a still-camera. No small camcorder offers a 4 or 5 megapixel resolution with stills. Even the Sony MicroDV only offers 2MP still resolution. With the exposure set to "super fine" I was pleased with the resolution, but I've seen pictures from a 4 MP still camera, and the images don't compare. The pix are not bad, but not excellent. But then, I care about video...not pictures--it's a camcorder afterall.

Sound--I think is great. Yea, there is the motor whine when it's quiet. But guess what, after a few seconds, you tune it out and forget about it. It is not very annoying at all. It does tend to amplify the voice of whomever is doing the recording. But what microphone doesn't amplify the sound closest to it?

SD/MMC card--is only tested by Canon to 64MB (per customer service) which is bad. They recommend not using anything higher than 64.

Battery--doesn't last too long, especially the smaller one. I forked over the money to buy the larger battery and it is well worth it. This way, when it runs down, you pop in the small one and you have another 30-50min of filming.

Ease of Use--I had filmed some items and was watching it on TV within 20 minutes of taking it out of the box. I had the still camera and fader/digital effects figured out within another 20 minutes or so. You must read the manual. It's real easy.

Buttons--are not small considering the size of the camcorder. If you need bigger buttons, buy a bigger camcorder. Remember, you buy this for the size.

Overall--it is great. Fantastic outdoor video and sound pickup with unbelievable portability and ease of use. This is not a "professional" camcorder. It should be used for "hobby" filming and as a great travel-size camcorder. If you need more bells and whistles (external mic mount, attached light) you need a bigger camera. As far as the "save yourself the trouble and buy a Sony" crowd, I've owned many Sony products and find they don't perform any better than anything else. But Sony always seems to want a few hundred more of your hard earned dollars to make you think their product is better. Ask someone about software compatability with their MicroDV camcorder...then watch 'em squirm.

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Okay, I did a little bit of research before I bought. And I do mean little. I did read reviews here and other places. Most of the thumbs down reviews are correct about their statements. Here is what I dislike:

1. There will be a some what higher pitched noise when veiwing the recorded data on Mdv tapes. However, if there is a decent amount of background noise or the object you are focused on is making noise/speaking, it is not that noticeable.

2. Low light complaints are somewhat valid. It does become a little grainy and it records at a slower frame rate, so no fast movements by camera! The focusing during low-light mode is pretty bad if you are are @; which I would estimate, more than a 5x zoom. However, lowlight feature does "enhance" the availiable light quite a bit.

And as long as you do not need a perfect 520 line resoultion (which I don't), it is fine.

3. Included battery will barely get you by, so plan on buying an additional one.

4. The users hand will often get in the way of the optic finder or whatever helps do the focusing, if you are not mindful.

What I do like:

1. Size.

2. Once you become a little familiar with it, it is pretty easy to use.

3. Price, see below.

4. The camera does have a lot of (special) features...but I will probably never use half of them. They are mostly a novelty thing.

5. The still photo quality are not that bad at all.

I haven't used the included software, but one doesn't buy a camera for the software anyhow. Plus if you buy soon it comes with, what I have heard, is pretty decent software as a rebate.

...

... ... Or better yet, go somewhere to test it, record on an MDV tape and play it back on a good TV w/ a S Video input and listen for the hum and check the low light feature. YOu will know right away whether this is acceptable or not. For me it turned it is, especially for recording my 1.5 y/o.

Generic conclusion, if you are going to use it mostly outside and for live action, go for it.

Read Best Reviews of Canon Elura 40MC MiniDV Digital Camcorder w/ 2"LCD, MMC Card and Digital Still Mode Here

Just picked up this camcorder the other day. I had been debating between getting one of Canon's ZR cameras or an Elura for a while. Finally settled on the Elura, mostly due to it's tiny size. Haven't had too much time to play around with it yet, but so far I just love this camera. Fits right in the palm of my hand to carry around and shoot video wherever I go. Works great with iMovie using a firewire cable (not included, grrrr.)

So far, my only gripes are 1) the included battery gives you less than an hour of recording time, making spare batteries ... a must; and 2) the LCD screen and viewfinder is a bit TOO small... way smaller than on the ZR series. Definitely try before you buy. But those are small complaints given the overall coolness of this camcorder.

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I got mine a month ago for a trip to Europe and love it. I could fit it in my jacket pocket so the size is perfect. This is my first camcorder (or first camera other than an old Olympus 35mm), so I'm clearly an amateur with this stuff. But, the video looks fantastic, especially outside. Weather doesn't matter since it was cloudy everyday but one. Video still looked as good as any TV image. It has more features than I know how to use, or even care to use.

Yes, the still pix are lower quality, but what MiniDV camcorder has a 4 or 5 megapixel resolution?? Sony only offers a 2 MP resolution on its MicroDV. But who's kidding who? If you're buying this camera for it's still picture ability, save yourself a few hundred bucks and buy a still-mode camera, not a camcorder. If you want a very small and highly portable camcorder which takes great outdoor video, then this should be on your list. Yes, the indoor video is not as great as the outdoor video, but realize this--you buy this for the size--it can't possibly be everything to everyone. If you need a camcorder for exclusively indoor action, buy one designed for that with all the low light/night modes/infrared/light attachment gizmos.

As far as the "motor whine" picked up from the mic, I don't find it all that annoying. You do hear it, but after a few seconds you forget about it and tune it out. However, I believe the audio is great. I have no issue with the sound. It picks up distant voices and sounds just fine. Yes, if you hold the camera too close to your head as you narrate, then your voice does seem amplified compared to others. But then, what camcorder doesn't amplify the voice closest to the microphone?

I have big hands but I don't have any problem with the buttons. Realize, this is a small camera so if you need big buttons, get a bigger camera.

Canon customer service told me they have not tested any SD/MMC card over 64MB, so they recommended I not use anything larger. I do admit, this is a big drawback, as one 128 or 256 card is much cheaper than 2 or 3, 64MB cards. Plus you'd have fewer cards to keep track of.

I don't believe this camcorder was designed for strictly professional use. If it was, it would be 5x the size and 10x the weight. You buy this camera for its size/portability. This should be used for "hobby" filming and as an excellent travel camcorder.

As far as the "save yourself the trouble and buy a Sony" crowd goes, I've bought numerous Sony components over the years, from TV's to cordless phones. For the $$, Sony doesn't work any better than anything else out there. They just want a few more hundred dollars of you hard-earned coin to make you think you got a better item. Ask the Sony-lovers about software compatability for the MicroDV...and then watch 'em squirm. Read the Amazon.com reviews of the DCRIP7BT. That's what kept me away from Sony.

Toshiba DKVR60 DVD/VCR Player Combo

Got this at COSTCO for $150 and it works well. (The DKVR60KU model does NOT have a digital tuner in case you want to do more than just copy old tapes.) I copied VHS tapes, a VHS-C cassette adapter, and used the DV front panel connector for my old digital video camera to copy home movies onto DVD-Rs. A few words of advice: some old, dusty tapes are very dirty so have a head cleaning cassette ready (moisten the pads with rubbing alcohol if you don't have any more of the liquid). A noisy audio track or a snowy video is a sign that the head may need to be cleaned. Don't forget to finalize the DVD-R and don't forget to create titles for each segment before finalizing. A new segment is created every time the DVD record function is stopped, either at the end of the tape or whenever you push STOP on the remote. I don't recommend activating the auto finalize feature because if you didn't create the titles yet it will be too late. The only negative about this product (and similar products) is that entering title information via the remote is clunky and error prone, and if you accidentally push some other button on the remote it may discard all of your hard work and so you have to start over. Read pps. 76 and 77 carefully. In particular note that when selecting character sets (caps, lower case, numbers, special chars), if you push ENTER but the selection highlighted already has the checkmark next to it then it will exit the title entry process and go to step 6, "Select Yes or No". If you do this select Yes and then re-enter the Edit Title Name process to pick up where you left off. If you select No then all of your work will be lost. Good luck.

This is a very nice DVD Recorder/VCR Combo with Built-In Digital Tuner. Our only complaints so far are minor: the front display is small (only legible if close to it) and using subtitles requires a few steps more than usual. It produces nice finalized DVD results but it has some cumbersome controls and requires many steps to accomplish some tasks.

We also have a Panasonic DMR-EZ485V DVR DVD/VHS recorder that works well with nice results but it has even more cumbersome controls and requires many steps to accomplish most tasks.

The Toshiba DKVR60 takes longer to load blank or prerecorded discs and finalize but otherwise has many simplified controls compared to the Panasonic DMR-EZ485V.

We use both to record favorite TV series for watching until the series are available in DVD sets from Amazon or elsewhere.

Both DVRs could use simpler instruction manuals with the most common things up front after the basic setup instructions.

The Toshiba DKVR60 works with two different Comcast digital set top boxes so far. The Panasonic DMR-EZ485V does not work with the newest Comcast digital set top box.

The VHS to DVD dubbing has proved handy for our own old VHS tapes (non-copy protected) and some tapes from friends.

We would recommend the The Toshiba DKVR60 over the Panasonic DMR-EZ485V.

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We purchased one of these units recently. After just a few months and only a dozen or so uses, it began randomly shutting off in the middle of dubbing or playing a video, and then refused to start again. When I described the problems to the Toshiba tech in India, he knew right away what was wrong a defective power control board on the unit indicating that they have had this problem frequently. However, he also informed me that Toshiba did not warranty the unit and would not repair or replace it. Fortunately, I had not had it very long and could return it to the retail store, but I am very disappointed with Toshiba for not standing behind their products, especially when they have so many defective units.

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It works great! Easy to use. Good for converting old tapes and home videos. HDMI is a nice feature. Plenty of inputs.

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I know that VCR's are disappearing, so I must be the next to last guy to still want one. I have thousands of VHS recordings that I now must cherry pick for conversion to DVD. This is the fourth machine I got from our friends at Amazon recently (and the first decent one) and I hope they have a few left. This Toshiba deck acts like VCR's did when they were the only game in town. The RF in and out are gone but the record and playback quality are easily as good as some other machines I once owned. Can't complain about the slower rewind and fast forward as compared to the earlier generations of VHS decks because we're at the stage where quality playback of any recordings is the most important issue. Toshiba seems to remember that people want to be able to USE their products--not just BUY them.

So far, I have only used the Toshiba DKVR60 to record to VHS, to record directly from my cable box to DVD, but not yet for any dubbing. But I am thrilled to have a machine that's not as finicky and downright dangerous as the two Magnavox decks I got first, which would chew tapes or stop completely during playback or recording on VHS, or the Sylvania deck that only records and plays VHS mono audio. DVD functions, to be fair, were OK on all machines--except no recording on the Sylvania

Back to the Toshiba-It sends VHS through its HDMI outs and plays back HiFi audio, basic at this point, but essential, and with good picture quality. I hope it lasts awhile and I hope I can get another one before YOU buy the last one!

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Magnavox ZV450MW8 DVD Recorder and VCR Combo with Digital Tuner

I wanted to update my Emerson(Funai) EWR20V4 VCR/DVD Recorder because that is 4+ years old and VHS units will disappear in a couple of years, just as LP's, 8 Track and Sony Beta vcr's have gone. I had no problems with the Emerson and the Magnavox is the SAME maker, I figured it is a safe bet. Now that I have used the Magnavox for two months without a problem I can say that it is a good unit to buy. Wal-Mart had it for $179-how could you go wrong?(barring a lemon) I have an old TV and since this has a digital tuner I did not have to buy a converter to receive the new TV signal. I use this to watch the over the air channels using a rabbit ear antenna. Since I accidentally let time pass and could not use the Gov't coupon card, I would have spent $50+ for the converter box anyway. The picture quality is fair/good. Now, the important stuffUse the Recommended Disc's only! It is Very picky on the disc recording manufacturer. Also,once a Movie, TV Show or personal Cam-Cord recording is copied-this unit will Force you to name the Next recording number/segment. It always assumes that there is space for another recording. Before and once Finalized,the menu will display an -unused/non-titledsegment. As odd as that sounds, I called their customer service people and they told me the same. That is the only real pain in the butt problem I found with this product. If not for that and based on the cost I would have assigned a 5 star rating.

purchased at local retailer(wm). continually ate vcr tapes; then vcr door fell off while trying to save another eaten tape. boy, this thing was hungry. dvd worked okay; but never got chance to try all features. replaced with cheaper model that only plays tapes and dvd`s. that one seems okay. losing confidence in magnavox name.

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this dvd recorder when i put my vhs on to dvds and it burns it only plays on it. the dvds do not play on other dvd players it is very upsetting they wont even play on my laptop it recognize the disc is being blank when it is really not.

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We (my wife and I) first purchased this equipment at Walmart in March 2008, and connected it to our LCD flat screen in the living-room. With more than 2 years of very satisfactory and reliable performance from this equiment, we decided to purchase another one, to accommodate a recently-purchased LCD, installed in our bed-room. We wanted, of course, this specific brand and model, but Walmart no longer had it in stock, and we could not find any store in our area, at the time, that had it. However, a friend recommended Amazon.com. In fact, we had never ordered from Amazon.com let alone heard about Amazon.com. We placed the order at OUTLET through Amazon.com and the equipment arrived within 6 days. We installed it, and, to our utmost satisfaction, it has been performing excellently. The 90-day warranty, provided by the seller, is evidence of their commitment to excellence, quality and professionalism. FIVE STARS (*****) for this equipment.

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I bought one of these new through a local retailer, specifically for the timer-recording feature. After just 6 months of use the internal clock forgot what year/month/day it was, and resetting it would not hold. Their customer service/repair firm ...Funai Corp. had UPS pick it up and take it in for a "Rapid Exchange". That was to mean in a few weeks I would get someone else's repaired unit under warranty. It took 101 days of my phone calls and e mails to get an exchange unit becsuse customer service goofed and did not put in an order for the repair facility to send mine.

Now I have had the exchange unit two weeks, and IT is doing the same thing...the internal clock is messed up and I cannot do timer recording.

I have asked Funai for my money back....they will not do that. I am not about to ask for another Rapid Exhange (ha!) and wait three months for another repaired unit that will probably have the same timer problem.

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I prefer to buy dvd cases in person because it is nearly impossible to evaluate the hub design from most website information. Yadobashi Camera in Tokyo is the best because they put out a sample for every case that they have for sale. However, my experience with buying and assessing many dvd cases is that the case material can be a rough guide to how good the hub is. I am not a plastics expert so I will describe these in layman's terms. Crystal clear jewel cases have brittle hubs with the thin cases barely holding on to the disc. I avoid these. Black cases, the most common material used, have a wide range of hub designs. Most of these hubs are badly designed. The hub holds the disc in tightly, but the disc is hard to remove.I have had to throw some black cases away for fear of damaging the disc during removal. Maxell brand cases have poor hub designs. When the item says "frosted clear" the plastic case is always supple and generally the hub design is good; both holding the disc and allowing easy removal.

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Coby CAM4000BLK 2.4-Inch TFT LCD SNAPP Swivel Camcorder/Camera (Black)

For $29 you can't go wrong with this camera. I was expecting some flimsy junk that took mediocre videos, but this little camera does a pretty good job.

Extremely easy to use , easy software to setup and use and the camera is sturdy as the ones I've seen selling for over $100. The picture quality is very good and will be more then adequate for day to day use. The only negative is the zoom. Only 4 x zoom so no far off shots. But its good for shots up to maybe 100 feet or so and thats fine with me.

What I love about this camera is it uses 3 AAA batteries. They're suppose to last for 2 hours of video ( might be wrong, check ) . I don't know how many times I was taking video with my old 8MM Sony and the lithium battery went dead and couldn't take any more video. Now I'll take along 3 AAA batteries and not worry about the camera battery . Some people don't like that it uses 3 AAA batteries, don't see why ???

Another great feature that'll save you time if you need to take a video quickly, the camera turns on automatically when you open the view finder. And the view finder rotates.

And this camera uses SD cards for memory and thats great. No more 8 MM film for me anymore. Camera comes with a built in 32MB memory, A/V cables, USB cable, installation CD, 3 AAA batteries , hand strap and a carry case. Its a 3 MP camera. Don't be fooled into thinking that higher MP cameras take better shots. 3MP pictures are just as good as 10 MP pictures when you want small pictures up to 8 x 12. anything larger then a higher MP camera is better.

Coby has a winner here.

After searching and reviewing many different cameras, we liked this one best, but were concerned about the low price. After using it for a month, we are very satisfied, and would recommend to anyone just getting started.

Buy Coby CAM4000BLK 2.4-Inch TFT LCD SNAPP Swivel Camcorder/Camera (Black) Now

We bought this for our 11 year old son. He likes the ease of uploading videos onto YouTube, but complained that there isn't a built in light. However, for his purposes, we think the camera is good enough. Remember to purchase a memory card!

Read Best Reviews of Coby CAM4000BLK 2.4-Inch TFT LCD SNAPP Swivel Camcorder/Camera (Black) Here

I have a video review posted on youtube. The hyperlink is listed at the bottom.

I will try to post more videos with this cam in different conditions to show it's performance.

Why only 3 stars?

1) The arcsoft media impression 2 software included is totally worthless not to mention I emailed them 2 days ago via their tech support avenues and have yet to hear back from them. The software locks up and crashes every time you try to use it. I tried uninstalling and re-installing but that only led to the same results. It says it is compatible with windows 7 though I have doubts about this. Besides after viewing what I could of the software it doesn't have much to offer that Windows MovieMaker can't top.

2) There is no mount for a tripod

3) The sound quality after about 4 feet away at normal vocal level isn't very good

4) Once the batteries get down to 1 bar the flash is dissabled in photograph mode

5) For the most part zoom is useless as it degrades the picture quite a bit

6) No input for an external microphone

Overall though I would recommend this cam for an inexpensive alternative for risky outings and youtube postings. If it gets damaged or lost at least you aren't out a lot of money. Good starter cam or gift for the kids maybe.

You can see videos made with this cam at my youtube in the link below.

Want Coby CAM4000BLK 2.4-Inch TFT LCD SNAPP Swivel Camcorder/Camera (Black) Discount?

OK. This is not a high end camera. It will never be used by CNN! That is OK. This is a good camera for the average home user. It at a bargain price, and it has some great features for the price. If you need a good hand-held video camera and you do not have money to burn, this does the trick. As married seniors on a fixed income budget, this camera fits my own and our needs at a price we can afford!

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OPPO BDP-93 Universal Network 3D Blu-ray Disc Player

• Universal Blu-ray disc player providing playback for a myriad of video formats on disc or eSATA/USB drives
• Dual HDMI 1.4 outputs for multiple displays or separate, dedicated video/audio connections
• Supports Blu-ray 3D specifications (3D television and glasses required)
• Decoding and individual 7.1-channel output for Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio
• Stream content from Netflix and update firmware via your wireless or wired network; Voltage: 100V - 240V, 50/60Hz AC

Oppo has created quite a name for itself with their Blu-ray players for home theater devotees. Priced between extraordinarily high end equipment and players that you can buy at warehouse clubs, the Oppo units have wowed users by truly being worth the extra dollars while providing a high-end experience. So here we have Oppo's brand new BDP-93. There were some minor glitches that were solved with the first firmware upgrade, already included on the release units. Firmware upgrades take place wirelessly using the included wifi dongle, assuming, of course, that you have a wifi network at home. You can alternatively plug into your network using an ethernet cable.

First thoughts: This is a well packaged machine with subdued highlights on the front panel, clearly labeled inputs and outputs on the back panel, and an informative and useful display. Drop in a DVD-A disc, for instance, such as the one within the Lord Of The Rings complete soundtrack sets, and the front panel informs you that you're listening to a DVD-A. There's no confusion, as there can be with other components, as to whether you might be mistakenly listening to the standard stereo track and creating surround from that. The intuitive setup panels, accessed via the well designed and internally lit remote, quickly allow you to adjust your playback desires you can listen to the multi-speaker output from the DVD-A or the mixed-down stereo version at the touch of a button.

And I've started out with audio discussion for a reason. Many of us with high end CD players still have an extra box in our audio stack; finding a DVD player, Bluray or otherwise, that can play back a standard CD with sufficient quality to allow removal of the CD player has been a difficult task. Most reviewers of DVD players seem to ignore the stereo audio component entirely. Here, you not only have the ability to listen to DVD-A versions of audio sources when available, but you have a real reason to disconnect your CD player for good. I have one of Sony's wonderful ES models from years ago which until now has been unparalleled by any reasonably priced component. The staging of the audio, though, is really improved on the Oppo over other DVD players and is at least on a par with the Sony ES CD player, if not somewhat better. Taking, for example, "Blackbirds" from the new remastered Beatles White Album, Paul is clearly staged just to the left of my right speaker. His vocals are pure and clear to an exquisite extent (sometimes to a fault as you can now clearly hear a sibilant s in the lyric a fault of the microphones of the era that is somewhat muffled on other equipment). Orchestral and pop music alike are impressive and clear. Of course, now you can listen not only to standard commercial CD's, but also to CD's containing .mp3 or .flac libraries (among other alternatives). In those latter situations, your TV will function as a display, showing the titles of the entire disc's content and allowing you to easily pick your desired track.

The Oppo's front drawer operates smoothly, quickly, and quietly, and the entire unit itself is inaudible in operation unless you're hovering a few inches above the component. Playback of DVD-A's and CD's are quick and straightforward. No delays in loading were apparent. Unlike many alternative models, the Oppo responds quickly. Turn it on by pushing the eject button and the unit will immediately come alive and open the drawer. There's been no time when I found myself standing next to the component and waiting for a response as I have with many earlier Bluray players.

After testing audio, I moved to streaming. Getting my Netflix account set up to stream to my BDP-93 took all of one minute. Seriously, this was far faster than I thought possible. Click the Home key on the remote, then move the cursor to select Netflix, click Select, and you're given a code. Type the code in at the Netflix website and in a few seconds you'll see your Netflix Instant Viewing menu loading. I quickly and easily watched the first few minutes of a movie and a TV series, both in HD. Mind you, Netflix doesn't stream 5.1 or 7.1 audio nor is their HD of the same quality that you're used to from Bluray. Streaming is NOT a replacement for Bluray discs (and isn't really a replacement for DVD's if it's quality that you're after), BUT it's a great way to quickly watch a movie with the family that you don't have available in your home library.

I didn't test Blockbuster on Demand, but that's available as well.

As we move to video, I should point out that I utilized a direct HDMI 1.4 connection between my Oppo and a 53" Sony XBR6 (last year's model, not 3D). 1080p Video was selected for my first test disc the JJ Abrams Bluray of Star Trek. This disc was one of the tougher discs for my previous player (a Sony BDPS550) to handle, and I would wait and watch the Enterprise spin for quite some time while the player loaded the disc. No more. By the time I walked back to the couch to get comfortable, the first preview was starting. I quickly skipped to the main attraction no delays in doing so, by the way and was floored by the audio difference between the Oppo and my earlier Sony player. Now I should point out that I haven't tested the 7.1 capabilities, as my system is set up as a 5.1; I took the time to set up the 5.1 downmix in the setup menu (again, an intuitive and straightforward few steps). I felt enveloped in the soundstage and drawn in to the picture, which looked remarkably film-like and free of artifact. Just before the movie presents the "Star Trek" title, there's a fadeout which glowed as it would on a movie screen. The title card is presented in black, gray, and silver, a tricky combination of "color" that is difficult to see on many systems without at least some banding. None here that I saw, however. And any problems with bright red that you've seen on older DVD players are entirely absent as well.

The Oppo has a secondary HDMI output that can be routed to your processor. For those with, say, the newest Anthem processor, that's a reasonable way to go. I have an older Sunfire TGP-V, however, so ran the 6 analog cables into my direct inputs and utilized the Oppo's internal decoding. This is perhaps the greatest advance over my older Sony which has the same decoding capabilities but with far less resulting quality. With the Oppo, dialog remains pure and pristine, easily understood over the sound effects bouncing from speaker to speaker, with the low bass routed appropriately to the Sub. The two HDMI outputs allow you to utilize a direct connection to a new 3D TV while using the other connection to go to an HDMI 1.1-1.3 processor without losing the 1.4 capabilities in the interconnect over to the TV. What does that mean? It means you don't have to upgrade your processor! You get everything you could possibly want with a 3D-capable TV and your old processor. Let the Oppo handle the sound decoding and the TV handle the video with a direct HDMI feed. (And those with a non-3D TV shouldn't feel badly at all. The picture quality is so perfect, you won't notice 3D's absence).

I have lots left to try: the Oppo has two USB ports and an eSATA drive port. Bring on your FLAC files, your AVCHD files, your Kodak Picture CDs, your SACD's, and multiple other formats. Connect to your network and access your music files from your networked computers. The Oppo will handle it all. And yes, I ran a few non-Blu DVD's just to see how those work. There's up-conversion, of course, and you'll find the quality to be far better than you've seen before. I'd still get the Blu-ray when available, but it's nice to know that my DVD library won't go unused.

One tiny nit has been raised by folks on the web: the eject button on the face of the unit is difficult to find in a darkened home theater. True. However, there is an open/close button on the remote, which has an internal light, so I'm not going to nit-pick there. I'll raise one of my own: push a button on the remote and the internal light comes on. It stays on for a couple of seconds, then turns off. That's annoying in a dark room and I'd rather see the light stay off unless I ask for it by pushing the button for the light. I'd also like to be able to turn the light off as well as on but the remote light button works only to turn the light on; you then have to wait a few seconds for the light to automatically extinguish. That's about the toughest criticism I can offer on a splendid follow-up to the BDP-83.

As I mentioned earlier, Oppo distributes firmware updates online directly to the BDP-93, so that, plus the very sound pre-release firmware leads to my strong recommendation for this Bluray player as a worthy addition to your home theater now, as opposed to waiting several months (my usual recommendation for a new product like this). Finally, the manual. Clearly written by those familiar with the language, the manual is both entertaining and informative. There are numerous technical points made with the reader clearly informed as to which choice and which selection is likely to be the most useful. We're at an incredibly complicated stage of home theater development. There are numerous potential sound outputs, video outputs, and connector possibilities, and everything has to talk together just right...the TV, the remotes, the processor, the player...Oppo makes this very easy, even to the point of having a "wizard" guide you through the basics on initial start-up. I was up and running in a few minutes, and it was a while before I returned to the Setup menu for a full and final set of adjustments. No gripes at all and kudos to those at Oppo for a well designed and implemented component.

Those like me who are using the BDP-93's internal digital to analog converter may wish to consider the more expensive BDP-95, due out in another few months. The -95 will have an improved analog section which will likely produce improved sound. I suspect that you'd need to have a substantial audio system and truly impressive speakers to detect the differences between the -93 and -95, but then I haven't heard the -95 yet. If, on the other hand, you plan to use the HDMI cable for audio, letting your processor do all the decoding, then you'll have no audio difference between the -93 and -95 and may as well save your cash.

Addendum 9/20/12: Note that the BDP-93 will be replaced next month with the BDP-103. Similarly, the BDP-95 will be replaced toward the end of the year with the BDP-105.

Buy OPPO BDP-93 Universal Network 3D Blu-ray Disc Player Now

I was one of the early owners of the BDP-83. My only major disappointment in it was its lack of Netflix streaming. At one point, there were rumors that BluTV (included in a firmware upgrade) would add this feature, but after waiting for over a year I gave up on that.

Is it worth it to upgrade this player just to get the BDP-93's streaming capabilities (which are limited to Netflix and Blockbuster now, but will be expanded shortly)? My answer is an unqualified yes. Why? Because you not only get streaming, but much more. The BDP-93's video processing, including its upconversion of standard DVDs, is even better than that of the BDP-83. The BDP-93 also has built-in wireless, although I opted to connect through an Ethernet cable for better speed and stability. The BDP-93's disc transport is more solid and stable than that of its older brother (although, to be honest, I never had problems with the 83's transport). Support for SACD and DVD-Audio remain, to say nothing of numerous other formats like HDCD. Finally, there is its 3D capability -not something I'm interested in right now, but should I decide later to go this route, my Blu-Ray player is ready.

You can get a Blu-Ray player with network streaming for a lot less than the cost of the BDP-93. But this player delivers all the goods -it's a high-end component at a price that won't break the bank. It will play, with optimal results, almost anything you put into it. And it is ruggedly constructed, built to last. In the end, I bought it for both these reasons: flexibility and high quality. One last thing: Oppo is a company that really listens to its customers. It responds promptly and competently to feedback and questions.

I highly recommend this player. Like other reviewers, I strongly suggest buying it directly from Oppo or from Amazon, so you won't get fleeced on the price.

Read Best Reviews of OPPO BDP-93 Universal Network 3D Blu-ray Disc Player Here

I really enjoy Oppo players. They are built well, play movies well and the company seems very good at providing customer service and support. I currently own the OPPO DV-980H, the BDP-83 and now, this BDP-93 model.

I'll be honest, I was one of (probably) many who thought their BDP-83 could have 3D capability with a firmware update (Just like the the PS3). Sadly, this was not the case. What we did get was a new player capable of playing 3D at the same price as the previous model. While I was not anxious to spend another $500, at least the price was reasonable (OPPO could have really taken advantage here) and I really wanted to have 3D capability so I was one of the first to order as soon as it was available just before Christmas. This new 3D player however, while having made some improvements, still has some flaws compared to the previous player. Here are some of the things I like about this new player:

Call me superficial, but I love the look of this new player. The faceplate looks like brushed steel or aluminum painted black with buttons that are flush. Very sexy. It seems like it is the same dimensions as the previous model although there is no fan in the back.

The 3D capability is fantastic! The same picture quality that we have come to expect from Oppo but with 3D!

One thing I did not like about the older BDP-83 model was the fast-forwarding and rewinding during DVD playback. No matter how fast you forward or rewind during DVD playback, it is choppy and slow. I'm happy to say that this is greatly improved on this player. It is much smoother and more accurate. Navigating through DVD playback is much easier.

I also love the second HDMI output. It's a very helpful feature to have under certain circumstances.

And finally, OPPO has finally gone wireless! No more having to drag Ethernet wires through the house to somehow connect your OPPO and get those valuable firmware updates!

Here is what I don't like:

The loading time seems longer than the previous model. Maybe it's my imagination, but I find the loading time especially longer when I insert a DVD. Not so much with most Blu-Ray discs.

Which brings me to my next point: I have noticed that some Blu-Ray discs take a very long time to load and I have already encountered one movie (Monsters on blu-ray) that not only took very long to load, but also froze my player just as the movie was about to play. I contacted Oppo about this and the person I spoke to told me that they've had issues with discs from certain companies like Anchor Bay. They were not, though, aware of the problems with the Monsters blu-ray. OPPO suggested I send the Monsters Blu-Ray in the mail so that they could test it, but I decided against it because I was afraid of losing my disc. (By the way, the movie played flawlessly and loaded quickly on my older BDP-83 player.)

When I eject a disc from the player, I have to wait about 10 seconds before I can close the tray again. This is an annoyance I can do without. I never had this issue with the BDP-83 player. I was able to eject the disc, switch another disc and close it without any trouble. In fact, I've never had this issue with ANY player. Hopefully, a firmware update will change this.

Although I like the new faceplate for this player, the display is significantly smaller this time so it is harder to see the information when you're sitting on the couch away from the player. The BDP-83 player had a larger display that was easier to see from a distance.

And lastly, although I love having wireless on this OPPO, it is not built-in. You have to plug-in a fairly fat wireless USB adapter that looks like the D-Link WUA-1340 model. It's ugly to look at so I have it plugged it in the back of the player. This wireless adapter adds another four inches or so to the length of the player. Fortunately, I had just enough room to fit it in my TV stand.

In conclusion, the most important feature on any Blu-Ray player is picture quality and the OPPO BDP-93 certainly delivers. I had, for a short time, a Sony BDP-S350 and as nice as that player was, it still couldn't compare to the picture quality of my two OPPO Blu-Ray players. Still, the BDP-93 is not perfect by far and hopefully the problems I've experienced will be remedied with upcoming firmware updates. As it is now, with the exception of 3D capability, I think I still prefer my older BDP-83 player. Perhaps this player was rushed so OPPO could have this available in time for Christmas. I can't say for certain. What I can say is this player has a lot of potential if these flaws are fixed. For the time being, however, I would rate this player as is with 3 1/2 stars.

**Update May 1st, 2011**

Just to let everyone here know, I've encountered the exact same problem again with another blu-ray disc as I did with the Monsters blu-ray disc. I recently purchased the "Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy" blu-ray. I inserted the brand new disc in the Oppo and waited...and waited ...and waited. Finally, after about five minutes, I tried to eject the disc so I could try having the Oppo read it again, but no luck! The Oppo had froze and I had to hold the power button for 10 seconds to completely power down the player. I tried powering up again, hoping to have a different result this time and finally watch the movie, but unfortunately, the exact same thing happened. For the sake of curiosity, I played the blu-ray disc in my older BDP-83 player that I keep downstairs in the basement. Sure enough, I had the exact same result as with the Monsters blu-ray... It loaded quickly and played flawlessly! At this point, I am becoming too frustrated with this player to enjoy it anymore. The negatives are outweighing the positives so I've decided to replace the Oppo BDP-93 with my older BDP-83. The BDP-93 will go downstairs and I will switch them back for those few times I need a 3D player (assuming that I don't replace it for a different 3D player altogether!). Otherwise, the older BDP-83 will be my main blu-ray player. Because of this, sadly, I am now changing my personal rating from 3 1/2 stars to 2 1/2 stars.

***Update June 25th, 2011***

I just encountered the same problem AGAIN with another disc I purchased. This time it's "The Italian Job" Blu-Ray. That's right. You read correctly..."The Italian Job" on Blu-Ray. I inserted the disc, got as far as the main menu and once I selected to play the main feature...I got, what seemed to me, the OPPO equivalent of the BSOD (blue screen of death). That is to say, nothing seemed to work on the BDP-93 and all I could see on the television was a blank screen with the OPPO logo. The only way I could get out of it was to completely power down the BDP-93. I tried playing the disc over and over again, but unfortunately with the same result. Needless to say (but I will say again for the record), it "loaded quickly and played flawlessly" on my older, discontinued OPPO BDP-83. This is becoming ridiculous! These are just the discs that I'm aware of! Sadly, I am very close to giving up on the BDP-93. I will wait to see what the next firmware update will bring to the table, but in the meantime, I think it's time to accept this loss and begin my search for another 3D Blu-Ray player.

Even though it's discontinued, if you're looking for a solid, no frills, quality Blu-Ray player, you won't do better than the OPPO BDP-83. Grab one, if you ever have the opportunity. As for a 3D Blu-Ray player? If anyone has any recommendations, I would be very happy to hear from you.

****Update October 12th, 2011****

At the request of some of the people who have shown interest in my review of the OPPO BDP-93, today I have tested those three discs (Monsters, Anchorman & The Italian Job) that the BDP-93 could not play many months ago. Although it was not relevant to me at this point since so much time has passed, I am happy to say these discs are no longer unplayable. After a fair amount of time and a few firmware updates, the BDP-93 was able to play those blu-rays with no trouble at all. This is good to see, but what has really made me happy is that since my last post in June, I have not had any trouble playing ANY of my purchased blu-rays with the BDP-93. I have a fairly extensive collection of older and newer blu-rays (from The Natural to Thor 3D) and all have played flawlessly so far. I still find the small time delay when opening and closing the loading tray incredibly annoying, but the continuous firmware updates are helping and I am finding myself feeling optimistic with the BDP-93.

*****Update December 16, 2011*****

Yesterday, I accidentally found a workaround for the annoying delay problem when opening and closing the loading tray. I mentioned earlier that there is an approximate 10 second delay when opening the loading tray, placing a disc inside and closing it again using the open and close button on the player itself. However, I discovered this annoyance does not occur when using the same button on the remote. I have tried this a few times last night and as bizarre as that might seem, using the remote to open and close the loading tray causes no delay whatsoever. It works as seamlessly as it was meant to be. I'm still hoping for firmware update that will address the problem for the player itself, but at least this is something. The only alternative to this would be to actually physically push the loading tray closed, but this is something I am loathe to do. In my mind, I worry about breaking the tray somehow as I cannot imagine it was designed to be closed that way (I could be wrong...).

Anyways, I mention this in case someone else might find this helpful. Otherwise, all is still going well and I am continuing to enjoy the BDP-93. I have had no need to fall back on the Sony PS3 yet for movie playback (although it is a great video game console!).

Want OPPO BDP-93 Universal Network 3D Blu-ray Disc Player Discount?

This is my first BD player and I have to say it is fantastic. I own an OPPO DVD player and know about their great build quality and performance. At a relatively bargain price of $499, you'd have to spend at least double/triple that amount to get a comparable BD player from Denon/Marantz/Onkyo/Yamaha/etc. Picture and audio quality are excellent, load times are well above average, and setup was very straight forward. It's nice to have 3D capability, which will help keep this player from becoming obsolete in the near future. I use the 7.1 analog outs with my older Yamaha (RX-V3200) and the sound is amazing. Clear dialog, amazing bass management, transparent audio image, usually only obtained through a much more expensive AVR and/or BD player.

I would definitely recommend this player to anyone interested in a top notch BD player, but not at a top notch price.

I have been reading about Oppo for 1-1/2 Years on various blogs and internet sites. I have been wanting to get a Blu-Ray Player that had the best DVD Upscaler to enjoy my movie collection that have not yet been replaced with Blu Rays.

I finally got my new BDP93 yesterday and set it up in a matter of a few minutes. The OSD (On-Screen Display)was so user friendly and the Easy Set up took me through the most basic set up steps. Oppo really pays attention to the fine details from the way they package the player to the beatiful UI on the set up screens and Home Page. Most Blu-Ray Players have a UI that is not presented in Hi-Def clarity. Yes, a small detail but shows the companies obsession and passion to being the best.

I don't have a 3D TV set yet so I cannot cooment on 3D quality, but I am impressed that Oppo included 2 HDMI Outputs for those that dont have a 1.4v HDMI Recievier so that sound can be directed to the reciever and a 3D Video signal can be sent to the 3D TV Display. You will always want your Video Signal coming from the HDMI 1 port as that one takes advantage of the advanced QDEO Video Processor.

Setting up the Wireless Connection to my Dual Band N Router was a breeze, no problems encountered here.

The Video on Blu Rays was OMG! and the DVD Upscale using the DNR and Sharpness Settings was also OMG!Hands down the best video ouput I have seen for upscaled DVD's. Star Wars IV was beautiful, I think as good as many streaming supposed HD sites with the exception of VUDU which is 1080P streaming. My Samsung 63" Plasma has never looked better!

I am awaiting a few SACD's to see how good the audio processor is for Multi-Channel Sound. Movie Audio on Dolby True HD and DTS Master Audio was spot on excellent. Finally a component that is worthy of my Yamaha RX-V1900 and Klipsch Speakers.

The build of the BDP93 is solid, it just says High End Component. The Disk Tray is Smooth and quiet as well as the playback. The player doesnt even get warm. It also has a RS232 Port for Home Installers setting up High End Systems.

Oppo is still in the process of developing some features that were not quite ready for market such as the Network functions for home media and NAS Servers to share files; but has plenty of media options from USB Drives and port for a SATA Drive.

My only minor gripe that Oppo wil fix in the future is more streaming options other than Netflix and Blockbuster OnDemand whom neither stream in Full HD or 5.1 Surround Sound. Netflix is stil 720P. I am hoping they add VUDU On Demand as that is full 1080P HD and 5.1 Surround Sound.

Overall, I just love this player. It was well worth the research and wait. My weekend will be filled with watching movies; and nice that a few could actually be on DVD vs. Blu Ray. *;o)