Samsung YH-925GS 20 GB Digital Audio Player

• Compact, lightweight 20 GB hard drive multimedia player
• Compatible with MP3 and WMA; also Secure WMA from online services
• View JPEG photos and album cover art via 1.8-inch LCD
• Line-in recording from voice or CD/cassette to MP3
• Internal rechargeable lithium-ion battery with up to 10 hours of battery life

Hardware look and feel is very polished, cooler than ipod, nice form factor and audio recording features not found on ipod. But software is quirky. Out of the box had to do a firmware upgrade over the net, and I mistakenly unplugged USB at the wrong time and hosed the drive and had to start over again, though had a similar experience with ipod too. One major annoyance is though it looks like a drive to Windows when you plug it in to the USB port, if you drag and drop MP3 folders over to it, they are stored but will not be recognized by the player, and wont play. Only files transferred with the sync from WMP or Napster will play. This is very annoying if you already have a large collection of MP3 folders and arent too interested in purchasing online right away. Another annoyance is it will only sync to one PC, if you sync it on a different PC, it may delete all the files!! This kind of fascist copy protection scheme is going too far, imho. Another major annoyance is the Napster signup, the default is to bill you 9.95 a month! It wasnt clear to me I had signed up for automatic billing till I got the bill. Sneaky! Napster has an 'all-you-can-eat' option for downloading given a fixed monthly subscription, but the fine print says if you ever stop subscribing then all the files you downloaded become unplayable!! What an amazing 'innovation' that is!! Is this progress? I think not. As far as the WMP interface, it works pretty good, though if I edit track genre info on WMP doesnt get updated to device, have to format hard drive and reload all songs apparently, to update new WMP genre changes. Overall the quirkiness is marginally acceptable, a little more than what I would expect for the third generation or so of this technology, e.g. it still reminds me of the early generation PDA quirks.

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Alright, it's the 21st century now. It's getting to the point where portable CD players are nice...but are so 20th century. I decided I needed a less-bulky and nicer portable audio device. Searching around Best Buy, I came across this. Let me tell you, the iPod is probably the most overrated portable electronics device ever.

Okay, first off by reading the 1-star or 2-star amazon.com reviews, many of them are either unfair or haven't given it a chance/didn't read directions.

Okay, I've heard A LOT about Napster software. For starters, which is a dissappointment, If you don't have Windows XP, go back to the search engine, because it's only compatable with XP. Macs don't count. Maybe, not guarrantee this, but maybe it will work on Windows ME. Not 100% sure, but all stores have a money-back guarantee...right? Also, it's not JUST compatable with Napster. Just because it says Napster on the box and player, does that mean ONLY Napster? No. It's also compatable with Windows Media Player 10, and I've also heard some people got it to work well with RealPlayer. Napster isn't the ONLY software compatable with this player.

For features, it has way more features than the standard, or even photo iPod. First off, yes, it has a built-in digital camera. The pictures aren't crystal clear, but I have a digital camera to do this for me. The pictures are fair to good, but don't get this just for the camera.

What you should get this for is for the wondeful MP3 player/organizer, radio, and MP3 recorder (both line-out and microphone). First off, the menus and organizing is unbelieveable. The menu has a few options, then those options have options, and so on. Example, if you click Music, you have artist, album, genre, song. Then, one you get into the organizer, if you click on a song, it will show up in "Now Playing". It would be better if it had a button to go back to the main menu, but it's only a minor problem. The FM tuner was better than expected and actually better than most portable radios out there. The microphone was also a great feature, and recorded voice very clearly. There is also a line-out to hook up the player to a set of speakers. If you need a car adapter, a lot of electronics stores sell cassette adapters for only about $10. The line-out also lets you record to another audio device. (Example: You can connect the TV to the MP3 player and the player will record the TV.)

The MP3 player holds around 5,000 songs on the MP3 format at around 192 kb/s. Personally, I use 128, so I have about a hundred extra. It depends on how much quality you want out of your tunes. If you want so-so sounding, you'll get more than 5,000, and if you want high quality, it will likely be less. And, it also supports WMA files, so then you'll have far more than 5,000 songs.

The sound quality is excellent. The player features presets for the equalizer, similar to the one in WMP, without the distortation. It also features a 3D equalizer, which many companys (Samsung, Panasonic, RCA) have been doing with their audio products as well. The MP3 player will power most, and about all headphones.

The LCD is in fact proven to be colored, and it is very sharp. It is 1.8 inches, which is equivalent or bigger to the size of an iPod screen. Some players like the Rio Karma have gigantic screens; though, the look is very unappealing. The player also allows you to view your own photos, or the album art. Or, you can look at the headphones, which to me gets hilarious after a few looks.

The biggest dissappointment is battery life. Ten ohurs may seem long, but in reality, not really. Most MP3 players have around 15-20 hours of battery. Though, this isn't much of a gripe for the non-travelers.

Also, the USB 2.0 was nice of Samsung; giving us the best cable link from the MP3 player to the computer.

Overall, unless you don't have Windows XP, and aren't a serious traveler, the YH925GS kicks the iPod in the trash. Well, you would throw away an iPod, right?

Read Best Reviews of Samsung YH-925GS 20 GB Digital Audio Player Here

I ended up with my Samsung as a replacement for my Rio Karma through a major retailer's service plan. It was either the YH-925 or the ipod, and even though the Samsung was brand new and basically unreviewed, I still preferred it to an ipod for a variety of reasons, which really don't matter for this review. What I can say, though, is that I liked my Rio a lot except for the fact that I had to occasionally beat it against a desk to "un-stick" its famously horrible hard drive; not something you want to do to a small, somewhat advanced piece of technology.

I was getting nervous about my new Samsung for two reasons. First, there are basically no professional reviews that I could find anywhere. And second, the few amateur reviews I did find (i.e., Amazon), basically blasted the YH-925 for its poor software. Let me say that the software isn't near as bad as the two reviews here make it out to be. The only thing I don't like about it, and the main reason why I docked a star from the rating, is the software tie-in with Napster. I don't need Napster, don't want to subscribe to Napster, and I really don't care to have such a far-reaching program just to transfer music to my player. That said, the ability to format ID3 tags and organize your music library is as good as any other software I've used. The other reason why I couldn't give it five stars is the long boot-up time and the lack of a "stop" button, which isn't a big deal, but not having a stop button definitely throws one for a loop at first.

I use my MP3 player for listening to music and not much else, so I haven't played around with the picture display or recording capability of the YH-925 yet, although I will soon. As far as sound quality goes, I'd have to say that this Samsung sounds quite a bit better than my Karma, and that had a 5-band customizable EQ (my earphones are Etymotic ER-6's). There are plenty of pre-set options in the Samsung, and each has a limited number of adjustments.

Overall, I'm pleased so far with the YH-925. It looks good, has a bunch of options and features, and most importantly sounds terrific. If you're looking for a 20gb player you can't go wrong here.

******Response to C. Waters*******

Now I'm no apologist for the YH-925, but I think in your frustration you overlooked something with the Napster software. After you create a username and password to sign-up, they give you the OPTION to enter credit card info and start paying, but you do not have to and can use Napster Lite. This still allows you to edit ID3 tags, import your library, and rip cd's to either WMA or MP3 (MP3 with a plug-in download). So true, you do have to sign-up, but all it consists of is creating a user/pass and opting out of all their promo email. Nothing more.

As far as the pix transfer, there is a list in the box of compatible cameras, so I don't think you can just plug in any old device and transfer data. I'll admit this limitation wasn't clear until you open the box and see the list.

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I've read all the reviews about how inconvenient it is to load music to this player using WMP and Napster. You don't have to go this route though.

This player will function as a drag and drop if you do two simple things.

1: Change the windows settings to show hidden files. Then click on the device and open the music folder in the device. You'll see all the songs you have loaded in there. From there just drag and drop all your new songs right in the folder.

2: After this is done use the utility suite that came with the player to 'rebuild your library'. In doing so, the software will have your device recognize all the music you just dragged and dropped into the player. It's a little easier than syncing.

As for the 4 stars rather than 5, well....as far as I can tell the napster program is the only way to create playlists for the player. This coupled with the lack of accessories and all the searchability issues when you begin to compile quite a bit of music on the player are far from ideal. However, I've owned one since about 3 weeks after it was released and I am very satisfied with it. Never had any problems at all.

Hopefully when they release a general firmware update to it they take some of these issues into consideration.

Also, apparently (though I've never checked it out myself) the Samsung Music Studio program works wonders with this player as well. If anyone has access to this software, I'd love to hear your take on it.

Bought the player about a month ago, and am satisfied so far.

Some of my main points are:

Works fine with WMP10. You DO NOT have to use Napster to use this player, although the documentation that comes with it makes it appear that you do. I have had no issues, other than playlists, using media player to manage my music.

Only music db issue are tags with my music. It will display track name, artist and album fine, but for some reason, genre is a mess. No matter what I try, I can't get a clean genre list.

Sounds is fantastic, buttons well laid out, and have a clean slick look to it.

Searching through your music is easy, and shuffle seems fine so far. My only complaint there is that is will not remember what has already been played if you shut the player off and come back later, but that is a fairly minor complaint.

It is sturdy. Have already dropped it six feet onto concrete, and other than a nasty ding on a corner, it functions perfectly.

Interfaces flawlessly with my Nikon D70, but you can only download one picture at a time which sucks if I need to empty my 1gig card, but nobody else does it better from what i have read.

Battery life is definitely not the advertised 10 hours. I would guess more like 6.

My bottom line: Needing Windows XP, the lack of drag and drop and the mess with id tags are the reasons I give it a 4 instead of 5. But, for $100 less than a comparable mp3 player, I can live with that.

DirecTV HR21-100 HD Satellite Receiver

Update 12/17/07 After using this DVR for about a month I am removing a star (*/*****). The machine has frozen several times (to the point I had to unplug it to reset it) while trying to fast forward or rewind, the unit also has very poor support for audio and picture streaming. It needs some serious stability updates!

D*TV customer for 5 years

Previously owned: 2 DSR704 Tivos & an HR10-250 Tivo

About the HR21

The Good: Decent interface design, seems to record what you tell it to, Has an icon in the program guide that shows you if you have marked a program for recording, networking port built in for streaming music and photos, lots of HD channels, good forward and backward "skip" buttons.

The Bad: inability to swap between tuners or quickly see what the other tuner is recording, if you have a DirecTivo you know what I am talking about. Overall the interface is not nearly as nice as a Tivo. The remote control is not really user friendly, I remedied this by using a logitech 880 universal which makes navigating this DVR much more tolerable. NO OFF AIR ANTENNA!!!!, This is almost a deal breaker for me. I was not the person at home when this was installed or else I might have refused this unit. As it is the installer told my wife that all the locals will be available in the next few weeks over the dish. If this is not the case D*TV and I will have a problem. On my HR10-250 I recieved locals from 2 major cities around where I live. Apparently this was done to make the unit cheaper.

Overall: The only thing that really irritates me is the lack of OA support and the inability to flip between tuners or easily see what is recording on the other tuner. The interface is not as slick as a Tivo but suffices once you get used to it. As to how well it records season passes, that remains to be seen. Basically, a fair effort by D*TV at a DVR, not as good as a Tivo, but not as bad as Dish Net. Note: If they fix the local stations issue I would give it 3 stars.

After trying at least 3 of these units, directv has admitted that they don't work over HDMI with about 1/2 of all TVs. They CLAIM this is the TV's fault, not the recievers!! Funny, everyone elses HD units work fine on these TV's, but DIRECTV still insists it's the TV's fault, not their non-functional reciever. Don't accept this junk for your money. Insist on TIVO returning. TIVO works. This unit can't display HD, freezes, drops audio, has lines in the picture, etc. Don't accept it, demand dual buffering. Call and write DIRECTV and insist on it, it's your money. Don't waste it on this non-functional unit. I only wish I could give 0 stars.

PS DIRECTV has also admitted they COULD have dual buffering, but they won't pay TIVO to lease the copyright unless enough customers complain about the loss of dual buffer. I've made it my mission. Call them, write them, stop trucks on the road and berate them. Insist on dual buffering and you may get it back. Remain silent and you'll get nothing. That's direct from directv's customer service.

chase.carey is the president of directv, if you can figure out his email (just think, where does he work?), email him.

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Freezes, then freezes, then voices are off ... I'm on my THIRD unit ... After a year I still have to keep the lights on in order to know what buttons I'm pressing on the remote, terrible design ... I had the TIVO remote memorized in a week ... If you cancel recording a show when both tuners are recording for some reason it stops recording but forgets to tell the brain it stopped so it still won't let you change channels ... RESET! ... Now my screen is stuck on step 1 of 2 and won't EVER change ... I hate you direct tv.

Read Best Reviews of DirecTV HR21-100 HD Satellite Receiver Here

First off, for those concerned about the lack of an OTA tuner, DTV is releasing an add-on device (model number AM-21) some time in February. This sits on top of the HR21, is about an inch tall, same width, and connects to the HR21 via USB to enable OTA capability on the HR21. This was undoubtedly done to keep HR21 costs down so people who had no use for the OTA tuner didn't have to pay for it. Initial rumors are it will go for about $59. And yes, the HR21 can record OTA programs even OTA HD programs via the AM-21

Second, DTV has recently updated the firmware for this unit to enable DirecTV On Demand. A service that allows you to download various programs at your leisure--most for free though they do offer PPV this way as well now. This function only works if you've got your HR21 connected to the internet via a broadband connection.

Aside from the new features, the HR21 menu can get sluggish at times, but the ability to record two HD shows simultaneously seems to work great and I've had no problems with playback, recording, or other issues like lockups.

For those wanting to use the HR21 for media sharing, it is NOT necessary to have a PC with VIIV hardware. All you need is Windows Media Player 11 or other compatible software as listed on their website. This again assumes your HR21 is networked to the PC running WMP11.

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Dir-Tv offered 2 of these installed as an upgrade from 2 HR10-250's and frankly they are not an upgrade.

You lose:

1Ability to flip back and forth between tuners.

2Doesn't buffer the two tuners. Have to be recording to go back and forth, but then you have to find your place in the recording each time

you flip.

3-No OTA connection. We live between two "markets" and I lose over 16 local OTA stations, most in in hi-def that the 10-250 would record. Worst is losing the ability to Tivo 6 different HD Public OTA stations. D***tv only has 4 of the locals, none in HD

4User interface is not anywhere near TIVO's.

5These are leased machines which they want you to pay for, and initially wanted to take my upgraded and owned HR10-250's as trade in....

You Gain

1Many more HD channels, which look good and are worth having. Many more HD movie choices, NGS, Discovery, etc. About time for what I've been spending for HD service for the past few years.

2Nice, attractive shiny black box.

I'm going to have them switched out for the HR-20, which I understand has OTA. Wish me luck!

Mini Car Key Camera Micro Spy Keychain DVR Video Reocorder Hidden Car Key Camcorder 8GB Mirco SD Ca

Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder. Lesson learned ~ not all cameras are created equal. Seems there are many versions of these cameras with varying degree of quality. The one I received seems to be version #3. The date stamp that comes with the camera is "01/01/2008". The most current version seems to be version #16. Knowing what I know today, I would never buy a 808 Car Key Camera without knowing and being able to verify the version #. Want to know more about the different camera types, visit Chuck Lohr or check youtube "808#16". Editing the TAG file in the root will update the date and time. Translation to English was fairly bad but after watching a youtube video, I figured it out. The quality on my camera is ok, as a toy.

this spy micro camera works so good!! i can recomment this product,the camera have a good resolution too, so many thank you!!!

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There are two function buttons. The one closest to the camera hole is designated REC. The other one is inboard of the REC button and designated ON/OF

1. The device has a built-in rechargeable battery that needs to be fully charger when the device is new.

2. Make sure to insert a MicroSD card before using the device.

3. Press and hold ON/OF to turn on the device. The yellow LED will turn on , which means the device is in STANDBY mode.

4. Press and hold REC to start recording video. The yellow LED will blink fast three times, then turn off. This means that during video recording, the LED is not lit, which makes it less likely to be spotted.

5. Press REC to pause video recording and save the recording to that point. The LED will turn on. The device is now is STANDBY mode. In STANDBY mode, press REC to take a still image. To continue recording press and hold REC.

6. To record a still image: Turn on the devise by pressing and holding ON/OF to enter STANDBY mode. The LED will turn on. Press REC to record a single still image. The LED will flash. Press REC for another image.

7. To set the data/time of the devise, which is used to timestamp media recordings, create a text file in the root of the MicroSD card with a file name of TAG. TXT. Open the file and add the following three lines: (date) 2009/10/22. 03:45:00 Replace the data and time above with the values you want. Save the file. Turn the devise off, then back on to reset the clock based on the text file.

8. To turn off the devise, press and hold ON/OF until the LED goes out.

9. The device powers off by itself after a period of inactivity.

10. It's not necessary to power on the device to access recorded media via the USB cable.

11. If the device stops functioning, use the reset button to reset the device. The reset button is recessed inside the small hole between the MicroSD card and the USB potr.

Read Best Reviews of Mini Car Key Camera Micro Spy Keychain DVR Video Reocorder Hidden Car Key Camcorder 8GB Mirco SD Ca Here

Naxa Portable MP3/CD Player with Text Display, AM/FM Stereo, USB/SD/MMC Inputs

• Top Loading MP3/CD Player
• Built in USB Input/Built-in SD/MMC Card Slot
• AM/FM Stereo Radio
• Text Display Function
• 2 Way Power: DC Battery Power & AC Adaptor UL/ETL Approved

Finding decent boomboxes is a challenge these days. There are still some out there but the features are few and sound quality is poor.

I was looking for a small to medium size boombox for my pre-teen daughter which can play MP3 CD's and included a digital radio receiver, tape player, and had a nice full sound.

After much searching area stores and online I came across the Naxa Portable MP3/CD player.

The Naxa is fairly small and the sound quality is decent but does not compare in volume or base to the large and ugly Sony Xplod boxes.

What the Naxa does well is to play MP3 files from its USB/SD port or CD player. The radio is manually tuned (you have to be kidding) but actually gets good reception of a somewhat week FM station my kids like to listen to. The USB/SD feature is especially useful and is now a requirement for me.

There is no cassette tape player which is understandable these days as finding some thing to play tapes on is becoming increasingly rare.

For the price the Naxa has been a good value and is being used by the kids to play their favorite radio station, CD's, and MP3's at low to moderate volumne levels. I'm glad I found it.

If deciding to pick up one of these watch the price, I was able to get this one for half of what some sellers were asking.

I would love to find a quality built and high quality sounding boombox with a digital radio, CD/MP3 player, USB/MP3, and cassette player/recorder (wishful thinking). This would likely cost more than the little Naxa but I'd be willing to pay for it.

I definately recommend the Naxa for its price/value.

It's a nice little portable player for the money.

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With the ability to play mp3-cd, usb flash drives, and SD cards, you can't expect to pay any less for this unit being at only about $40. Anything cheaper and your looking at tiny radios that can't put out any volume and have very limited features.

Pros:

-several inputs provide plenty of options

-radio reception is phenomenal, tons of stations and alot of them come in crystal clear

-button layout is simple and easy to use

-very portable, only about 14" long x 6" high x 8" deep and maybe 4-5 lbs without batteries

-lcd screen lights up with a nice blue display

-has an AUX-in for whatever that can be used for

Cons:

-battery compartment is a bit tight so its a bit of a pain in the butt getting batteries in and out if you do this frequently

-metal screen that covers speakers sticks out a bit to much and makes it too easy to dent the screen if the unit is hit

-the 2 slider buttons that switch the unit between cd/radio/usb etc and Am/FM/stereo are kinda cheap and its best to try and minimize the number of times you handle these buttons. The buttons work ok but they definately have a cheap feel to them.

-bass is a joke

-only moderately loud and only the "jazz" and maybe the "normal" presets provide decent sound and minimal distortion on maximum volume

-radio tuning is analog (which many people prefer digital)

-the +10

I wrote more more cons then pros but I think alot of the cons are just being picky and also alot of them are easy to live with. If less then maybe $60 and considering the features it has I would probably purchase this unit again.

Read Best Reviews of Naxa Portable MP3/CD Player with Text Display, AM/FM Stereo, USB/SD/MMC Inputs Here

First Impressions:

What I like:

* Solid Feel

* Lots of features Aux in, USB Memory Key/SD/MMC slots, CD MP3 player, Headphone out Jack, can use battery power.

What I wish it had, could have etc:

* More than a 90 day warranty

* A remote would be super (but, let's be reasonable, it's a low cost box)

* Better controls to allow a bit more bass, the EQ doesn't really allow much of a change in sound.

* A better Manual (With descriptions on how it sorts/prioritizes MP3 Playlist).

* More power (they seem to have trimmed the Volume a bit, probably a good idea in order to not blow out the speakers)

What I don't like:

* Not enough BASS

* The $15+ shipping charge

I originally bought a low end Sony (CFD-S01CD), while it did have the cassette player and had better sound, it didn't have near the capabilities of the NAXA NX-250. Of course, the NAXA is a new name and therefore its quality (to me) is unknown as I have no personal experience with the brand. If it lasts and can hold up under the rigors of camping and light use at home, I'll be satisfied.

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I bought this player for the USB and SD Card inputs. Fortunately, I bought it on sale for $30.00. I heard retail prices being above $100.00! I suppose that's why it went on sale, this unit is not nearly worth $100+. As I indicated, it is just OK for $30.00.

The unit plays MP3 files off of a USB thumb drive, but it is not possible to navigate through the MP3 folders. There is a "+10" button which skips over files 10 at a time. One reviewer mentioned that there is no fast forward or reverse. There is, just hold down the "Skip" or "Back" button. The text display is OK. The song title and artist/album name scrolls along the bottom of the display. When the unit is turned off and turned back on, it forgets what MP3 file was last being played, beginning back at the first MP3 file. All of the above comments for the USB thumb drive also applies to MP3 files on the SD card.

The CD player functions as expected, playing both CD and MP3 files. The AM/FM stereo tuning is analog. Tuning can be a bit touchy, but when tuned in, it seems fairly stable. Since the tuner is analog, there are no station numbers shown on the text display. In fact, nothing is shown on the display when AM/FM is selected.

There are sound equalizer presets, "Rock" and "Pop" for example. But, either the highs or lows get so muted, I just leave it at "Normal". Unfortunately, there is no custom preset.

The speakers are just your basic run-of-the-mill boombox speakers. Don't expect too much if you listen to jazz or pop rock. The body of the unit is all plastic. I can imagine the unit disintegrating into hundreds of pieces if it was knocked off a kitchen counter top. Lastly, the unit can be powered by AC or 8 C-size batteries.

I bought this unit to have while working in the garage or basement. So, for it's limited capabilities and since I bought it a reasonable price, it's OK for my use.

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I was looking for a radio/cd player with a USB port for use in an office setting. I originally purchased a COBY MP-CD471, but had to return the unit due to a loud humming noise the unit makes when earphones are used. The NAXA unit was my second choice, and I really wish I had purchased it before the COBY item. Thus far, it has met my expectations in every way. It has USB capabilities, the radio unit works even in an office building where reception is normally poor, and the CD unit is adequate. The speakers are average, but for my purposes, they are acceptable as I am typically using earphones. If there were one improvement I would make, it would be a digital tuner for the radio rather than the old-fashioned `wheel.' Other than that, I am generally happy with the NAXA unit (for my limited purposes).

Lexar Media 128 MB Memory Stick

Okay, here's the dish for one thing, yours truly here is a Sony Snob. Yes, and proud of it. When I buy, I usually buy Sony and stick with it. However, I am happy to report that this Lexar Media Stick is just as good as its Sony counterpart. I have had no problems or errors, and the price makes this a great opportunity purchase. In this case, there's no need to spend extra money on the Sony Brand Memory Stick This Lexar is great and does the trick. You won't notice a difference between its performance and that of its higher priced Sony brand issue. I recommend this item wholeheartedly and have purchased it myself (I use it with a Sony CyberShot P52).

Lexar has always been the Cadillac of 3rd party memory as far as I am concerned. Yes, not all manufacturers are created equal! (See how you feel when you discover the mfgr. "Compatibility List" for your application!!) I've used their CF, SM and now MS (Memory Stick) memory with nary a problem over the years. You might pay a premium for a high quality product, but in this case you get what you pay for.

What is especially interesting with MS, is they are competing with the "creator" of the format Sony. Lexar is cheaper than Sony. Most people reading this will be asking "Should I just play it safe and buy Sony for more $$$??" The only difference I've found is that Lexar doesn't support their new proprietary music format something that limits what you can do with your own music. Hardly an advance, if you ask me!

I am using Lexar MS 128k (2 sticks) on my Sony Clie T665C PDA and Viking IntelliFlash 6-in-1 Memory Reader.

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I own two memory sticks, one Sony, one Lexar. There is no discernable difference in speed or reliability. My suggestion is to purchase whichever one costs less and that typically is the Lexar.

Read Best Reviews of Lexar Media 128 MB Memory Stick Here

and found to have *exactly* the same write time as the Sony. My experience with these same write tests on CompacFlash & SmartMedia cards, which show rather marked differences from brand to brand but little variance among cards from the same manufacturer, indeed suggests that Lexar is the original manufacturer for Sony. Think of the Lexar then as an off-label or generic equivalent to the Sony, made on the same assembly line but offered at a lower price.

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I am very glad that I bought this memory stick because the 8mb memory stick that came with my camera was a big laugh. Fortunately I had a 32mb memory stick from the camera I was upgrading from...but still that could only hold 20 shots at maximum resolution. Now with the 128mb memory stick, I can get a bit over 80 shots at max resolution (3.3 megapixel).

HOWEVER; be advised that if you are upgrading from a 32 to 128 which is 4 times the storage amount, it will take longer to format, and you will notice more delay insofar as image writing and image previewing (ie. after taking a shot and going to the preview mode to see the last picture you took, it was almost instantaneous with the 32mb memory stick, but now with the 128mb stick, you click on the preview mode and nothing happens until after about 1-2 seconds, then you get the preview...). If you are upgrading from a 64mb stick, the delay probably won't be as noticeable. This is the only reason why I gave it 4 stars, I was hoping for the same quick performance as my 32mb stick...so it was a little bit of a let-down. Will I return it? No way, this is still the best buy for a memory stick!

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TiVo TCD649080 Series 2 80-Hour Dual Tuner Digital Video Recorder

• Record two basic cable channels, or one basic and one digital cable channel, at once.
• Up to 80 hours of digital audio/video recording capacity (NTSC); works with cable, digital cable, satellite.
• USB and Ethernet ports offer ability to stream digital music and photos from a computer to TiVo and transfer programming to PCs
• TiVo service includes Season Pass, WishList, program guide, digital music, digital photos, and online scheduling
• Everything required for installation is supplied; subscription to TiVo service is additional requirement. An appropriate set top box is needed for digital cable, or satellite.

After years of sticking to a single-tuner model (except for the DirecTv versions), Tivo has finally released a dual-tuner model. For the most part, the only difference between this model and previous Series 2 Tivos is the ability to record two channels at once.

The box keeps the look of the more recent series 2 Tivos, except for a black-accented faceplate. The connections in the rear are laid out largely the same as past versions, with the exception of an ethernet port that has been added for wired networking.

The software has minor changes, particularly slight modifications to the menu background images and the newer "tivo introduction skit" that appears when the tivo is powered on. The software and hardware work smoothly. There seems to be a faster processor included, as navigation through the menus is quick and smooth.

The dual-tuner functions work well. Having grown accustom to the single-tuner model, it took me some time to get used to the ability to change channels while recording (and that what is on screen is not necessarily what is being recorded). It was also pleasant to schedule 25 season passes without a single conflict-such is the benefit of being able to record two shows at once.

But the dual-tuner function needs some explanation. The people who benefit most from the DT function are those who have analog cable without a cable box (as I do). I simply plug in the coax cable into the tivo, and it is ready to go. (Note: there is only one coax input-the signal is split internally and sent to the dual tuners.) If you have a cable box or digital cable, things start to get a bit trickier. In fact, in order to use the dual-tuner feature, you MUST be able to receive at least some channels through an analog cable connection. This means that if you have purely digital cable that requires a digital cable box, you will NOT be able use the dual tuner functions, as there is only one connection allowed between the cable box and tivo. I suggest you go to tivo's website and download the product manual for the DT tivo and read the part about connecting tivo to your cable. If it seems like too big of a hassle, you might want to wait for the series 3 tivos that will include cable-card technology (which allows you to use digital cable without the cable box).

One additional note, tivo has stopped supporting over-the-air antenna tuning with this model. If you hook up an antenna to tivo, it will only receive channels 2-13. Any broadcast channels above 13 will not be received.

And for those who are thinking of "upgrading" this tivo to a larger hard drive-the DT tivo is upgradeable in the same ways that past series 2 models were. I used the standard methods (which are published all over the internet) and replaced the 80GB hard drive with a 250GB one. Upgrading, however, voids your warranty (which is only 3 months anyway).

Overall, I am happy with the DT tivo, but that is in large part due to fact that I receive analog cable without a cable box. Many of you who have been using antennas, cable boxes or digital cable will likely be somewhat less satisfied with this model.

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When I received my new TiVo I rushed right in to install and play with my new "toy". The instructions were clear and I followed them to the letter. Unfortunately, I was unable to get the second of the "dual-tuner" channels working. After many hours and much fiddling I gave up and called customer service. As it turned out my RF input was not working properly; however, I found out something extremely important. New laws require that all signals be digital beginning in 2009. Many providers are currently in the process of changing over now, and according to the customer service rep. the second channel of the "dual channel" system is analog only and therefore useless in the new digital environment. I was not made aware of this fact when I purchased the unit as it would have made a definite difference in my decision to purchase it.

Read Best Reviews of TiVo TCD649080 Series 2 80-Hour Dual Tuner Digital Video Recorder Here

I have listened to the hype about TIVO for a couple of years now. With the hundred dollar plus rebates on the hardware, as well as substantial discounts on the service, I thought I'd break down and give it a try. Here' my experience...

The Good...

1. Very intuitive user interface for the set-up screens and remote; it could be argued that Tivo is the gold standard for ease of use

2. Very secure packaging of unit

3. Included cabling is of unusally high quality (not Monster cable grade, but still very good for included cabling)

4. Installation directions are very easy to follow (though not as good as Dell's color coded design)

5. There is a 30 day money back guarantee

6. Customer reps are friendly and well trained (and they speak english too!)

The Bad...

1. The front of the box says all required cables are included; the directions state that a second A/V cable -required for the recommended installation method -is "user provided" (i.e., sold separately)

2. The service is not compatible with some VoIP services

3. Though set-up is easy, it is a one to two hour ordeal, requiring multiple visits to websites and countless button presses to ensure interoperablity with the cable box

4. The remote is pretty low tech looking; it also has a lower quality feel tha leads me to belive that I'll be shopping for a replacement in a year or less

The Ugly...

1. They try to get you to sign up for a three year, pre-paid service contract; if after 30 days you find that you don't like/need Tivo, you forteit all that money -ouch!

2. When I attempted to use the website to activate the service, the site was unstable and wouldn't allow me to complete the order. I then called the 800 number for service, where the hold time exceed 25 minutes. Hope I never have cause to call again as this is a totally unacceptable wait time

Net/net: this is a well thought out product that does just what it says it does -enables consumers to watch TV on their terms.

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WOW! My wife bought me this for Father's Day. I'm not a jewelry type of guy, but TiVo is drop-dead freakin' awesome, speechlessly amazing!

If you don't know TiVo: plug it in, let it set itself up, and every time you turn on your set, it quietly records as you watch, so if you get up to take a call or get a snack, no problem: TiVo's got you covered.

Watch "The Dead Zone?" Take a 20 minute break and let TiVo start taping for you: you'll zip through what you don't want and back up to what you want to see again. No tape, no picture loss.

TiVo starts with a 15 second or so guide over your picture of what's on that show, how long and whatever else you need to know; not even "Today Show" is immune from TiVo knowing what's coming up. If you think there's nothing good on, use TiVo to search it all out. Cut your cable back to basic, bud; you'll have more finds with a lot less, guaranteed.

Program what you want to copy via the net. Yahoo! support for photos and junk.

Fandango ticket purchases, movie previews, it will even learn, if you want it to, what you like to watch. Very, very easy to hook up although working it into my LCD TV has yet to figure out what hook up is best, although we rewired it and the picture dramatically improved, so thanks Tivo for showing me a few options that were better!

I do NOT use TiVo's alphabetical directory of shows: slow. I DO use Yahoo! TV guides to just click and pick: fast and easy as pie.

My eMac still can't use TiVo's desktop app, but one'a these days I'll get it working.

Slide shows: better than I thought I'd ever use. Love it!

Check out the newest features and tutorials; you'll just flip and keep flipping.

Recommended: Sign up for the 3-year plan and f'get about it. By the time it's paid up, the next generation of Tivo will be around. It is a safe bet.

Anybody who trash-talks TiVo doesn't know it, so tune out critics and tune in devotees and never, ever miss a good show again.

The dual tuner Tivo is great for standard cable customers. The Tivo can record 2 programs while we watch a pre-recorded program and it allows networking with wired or wireless computers via Tivo Desktop. You should expect to pay about $100/year for the channel guide service. Tivo currently has a 3 years for the price of 2 promotion. This means that 3 years of service cost about $300.

Tivo desktop allows us to transfer files from the Tivo to the larger hard drives in our computer thus extending the 80 hours on the Tivo to over 200 hours. In addition, Tivo desktop allows us to watch programs on our computers anytime we want.

Tivo to Go is a new feature of the Tivo desktop software. For $24.95, Tivo desktop will convert standard Tivo files for playback on PDAs, cell phones and other handheld devces.

The only down sides are the quality of the tuners and the remote control. We clearly see a difference in the picture quality between our TV's tuner and the tuners on the Tivo. The second issue is the remote will not control our Bose surround sound system.

The convenience of the DVR off-sets the quality of the tuners and a third party remote will fix the second problem.

I hope you enjoy your Tivo as much as we enjoy ours.

Flip MinoHD Video Camera - Black, 4 GB, 1 Hour (3rd Generation)

===============================================================================================================================================

===> Please read important updates at the end of this report (the main part is as I wrote it on October 28, 2010) and CONSIDER VERY CAREFULLY before paying more than $20.00 for this 'ORPHAN' (manufacturer no longer in business, product no longer made) camcorder Here is the latest press release from Cisco (Flip):

FLIP TRANSITION PLANS EMERGE

By Greg Tarr -TWICE [This Week in Consumer Electronics], 4/25/2011

San Francisco Cisco issued a statement Friday outlining its transition plans supporting its Flip camcorder business, which is being shut down.

A company spokesman told TWICE that "account teams are meeting with our channel partners to discuss the transition plan and selling inventory."

According to a statement posted on the company's website, "Cisco will continue its focus and commitment to deliver best in class solutions that extend the network as a platform, from businesses into the home through its Linksys products and consumer TelePresence solutions."

As for Flip, the company "will continue to provide technical support for Flip video cameras until Dec. 31, 2013 and Flip cameras will be available through our online and in-store retail partners as well as our Flip store while supplies last."

The company said it will continue to support consumers who purchased a Flip camera within the terms of its 1-year warranty. Issues not covered by the warranty or that are beyond the warranty period will continue to supported "for a nominal fee" until Dec 31, 2013.

E-support will also continue to be complimentary and available until that date.

Details and updates about support, service and the warranty policy are posted on the company web site.

The FlipShare software service will continue to be fully functional and will be supported until Dec. 31, 2013.

After that time Cisco will no longer support the application online though it may remain functional as software for offloading videos, editing, organizing and archiving.

Additionally, video sharing will no longer be supported past Dec. 31, 2013.

The company said it will continue selling Flip cameras through online and in-store retailers as well as through the Flip store, while supplies last.

Orders for customized Flip models will also remain available for a limited time on the Flip website.

===> Now isn't that 'nice' of them? December 31, 2013. They'll support a one hundred fifty plus dollar item for two and one-half years. After that, you're on your own.

Twenty dollars: that would be my firm target price for this camcorder. Twenty dollars and one cent? Nuts! Twenty dollars and not a cent more should be the firm close-out price. To me that would be all it would be worth. (I'm sorry for Amazon and other retail dealers who have paid full wholesale price for this unit. I should HOPE that Cisco will compensate them fully but I'll bet they won't!)

If you buy it at that close-out price and it breaks (after the warranty period), you could afford to just throw it away; I certainly would not pay Cisco's 'nominal fee' for any repairs.

You may feel differently about this model and this brand and it is your right to do so. But I suggest that ANYONE considering ANY Flip model camcorder think long and hard about buying an 'orphan.' If you can get it 'cheap,' well, if that's what you want, go ahead. But I recommend that NO ONE should pay 'serious' money for these products.

Other manufacturers make better (in my opinion) camcorders and, especially in the case of Creative and (hopefully) Kodak, they will be around for quite some time to support their products.

Thanks again for reading this and for considering my opinions.

===============================================================================================================================================

Update: March 2, 2013

If you buy one of these now, you are taking a big chance. This camcorder, indeed all Flip items, has not been manufactured for almost two years now. This means that if you buy one "new," the battery will have been sitting there uncharged for almost two years.

It's pot-luck as to whether or not the camcorder will even power on, much less function for any reasonable length of time.

CAVEAT EMPTOR!

Flip MinoHD Video Camera Black, 8 GB, 2 Hours (3rd Generation) NEWEST MODEL

The presentation after opening the outer box is really nice and certainly makes for a great gift!

We didn't even have to read the directions. My 13 year old just started using it right away. The set up (time and date, etc) was a breeze. I love the fact that it had a charge right out of the box and is immediately ready to use. No media card needed.

We played around with it for quite awhile and the video here shows the quality and zoom.

The size is so convenient and easy to hold, it fits in the palm of your hand. All you have to do is turn it on and click the red button to start recording. Even though the screen is small (approx less than 2 inches) it has a quality display to see what you are taping. The sound quality is excellent as well.

You can zoom with this but I don't know by how much. It didn't seem like a lot to me. I show that on the video attached here.

Also, every time that you plug in the camera it automatically turns itself on and charges.

As far as the software goes, it allows you to make a movie and edit it by adding a title, credits and music. You can add more effects with Windows Movie Maker. You also use the software to share videos by emailing them or putting them online.We emailed a 48 second video and it took 6 minutes to send using the Flip software. There is also an option for making greeting cards. You can select holidays, birthdays, new baby, love and friendship, travel, etc The video is placed in the greeting card and then you can share it. All this is done with a couple of clicks.

I absolutely love this flip video camera. It is simple to use and makes sharing videos super easy. I think the quality of the video is better than some regular cameras and definitely better than my cell phone.

If you go to their website you can purchase the Flip and customize your flip's look. I love the idea that you can customize it with your own picture. If you have any questions feel free to comment and I will answer them as best as I can.

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FLIP video has done a great deal to prove to me as a repeat customer that they heavily weigh simplicity and ease of use when designing their products. My family owns two FLIP camcorders and it is clear to me that the previous version:

-Flip MinoHD Video Camera Brushed Metal, 8 GB, 2 Hours (2nd Generation) OLD MODEL

is a much better value for the money as I do not believe the minor updates on this "new" model warrant a $70 plus price increase (a nearly 50% premium!!!!)

The new generation has maintained the small size and easy use of the second generation. They have added a new sensors and image stabilization to 720p video at 60fps. (Second gen-720p 30fps)

I bought the 2nd generation flip minoHD (ASIN: B002R5AM7C) as a present for myself and my family to use for many different applications. The kids have used it for making YouTube videos with their friends. We have used it to record Birthdays, Christmas and many other random filmable occasions all with great results. It has become a favorite of all of the members of my family and me.

My son recently moved away to college and I decided to give the second generation family minoHD to him for school. Conveniently for our Flip-Lacking family, the new 3rd generation minoHD just came out so I ordered it to replace the second generation.

I would be kidding myself if I did not acknowledge that the new features do add some recording benefits but the basis of this review is that my family and I have decided that these improvements just ARE NOT worth the extra $70.

The recording quality is still 720p; the fps increase is hardly noticed. I would feel much better about the price increase if 1080p recording had been incorporated but with the newest round of cell phones producing HD video now, FLIP needs to give us more upgrade for the money.

For now, IMO, the 2nd generation Flip minoHD is a much better value.

Read Best Reviews of Flip MinoHD Video Camera - Black, 4 GB, 1 Hour (3rd Generation) Here

I have several nice cameras and camcorders but anytime I ask my wife to take a picture, I have to go through a minor training program explaining what this is and what that is. By the time I get it all explained, the photo opportunity is usually lost. I have given up buying her cameras since even the simplest ones seem to baffle her.

I have a smart and very high tech friend, who has many excellent cameras, but often uses a Flip Ultra and loves it. When Amazon offered the Mino HD as the "Deal of the Day", I read a few reviews and went for it. I frankly find it to be an amazing and unique piece of equipment. In this day of cramming more and more features into smaller and smaller packages, Flip has taken the "Keep it Simple" route and I applaud them for that. There is no choice of several video formats, just the one that many of us consider the best. There is no separate still image feature but the software allows you to grab stills of pretty good quality quite easily. Essentially, there is one button to turn the unit on, one button to extend the USB connection, and a large red button to begin and end recording. There is no memory card and no battery, instead, an internal battery and built in memory that will give you two hours of HD recording. It has an image stabilization system, probably electronic that does fine. The LCD screen is beautiful and adequate in size.

In short, this is exactly what I wanted for my wife, something that turns on, takes videos, and turns off. The videos viewed full screen are very good. The sound is excellent. This camera is exactly what it was meant to be, fast into action and good HD quality with good sound. Videos are simple to get on the computer and play beautifully.

The Flip software loads right from the camera, no disc to keep track of. As soon as I loaded it, I was offered a chance to update the software and did. One of the new features allowed me to import my contact list for email. The email program, for the most part, is excellent, but more on that in a minute.

The software is excellent and very intuitive. You can shorten videos from either end and save the new video separately or replace the original one in your camera. You can take stills from the videos with the click of one button. A couple of times my videos were a little jerky, causing a dialogue box to appear that said something like,...."You seem to be having trouble playing your video from the camera. We suggest saving it to your computer and playing the saved copy" That was a one click operation and worked perfectly. I have tried stills, shortening, etc, everything except making a movie. I'm sure that will be easy.

emailing is a snap. All you do is click the email symbol. It lets you drag and drop any video or still and emails them easily. There is no sizing or changing of anything required. I love this feature! Although the emails do not appear in your sent mail file, the Flip software has it's own sent mail file. You can always find what you sent to someone.

So, why not give this Mino HD five stars? It is what it claims to be and it exceeds my expectations. I'd love to give it five stars but I find that the emailing feature, one of my favorites, is mishandled by Flip, at least in my opinion. The person receiving the email will feel that is has been sent by Flip,...and there are ads and invitations to click on this or that for more. It is very easy for the email recipient to find himself in the Flip store with many items offered for sale. Really now, Flip, should you attach your ads to what you call privately shared email? I don't think so. We all get enough spam without it being attached to our personal email.

Anyone wanting something small enough to have with them and simple to operate will love this Mino HD. I'll probably check back after my wife tries it Christmas day. I'm betting she'll love it.

Flip, if you see this, please consider changing your email presentation. You really don't need that with the excellent products you have. It wouldn't surprise me if people found your email ads more offensive than enlightening.

Jack

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I got one of these as a gift and wasn't sure I'd use it much since I have accumulated an assortment of digital cameras big and small. This little powerhouse of a camera has become the go-to for all my video. It's very small and light but comfortable in the hand and I've been able to use it with ease without ever opening the instruction book which was a big plus for me. I also love that there is no power or USB cord that I have to keep track of because I'm terrible about keeping those handy for my other cameras. The video plays back crisp and clear even on the full-screen. It rivals my much larger and more expensive Canon HD video camera, which takes amazing video but I rarely use because it's such a hassle. Overall I think this new Flip is an amazing piece of hardware -stylish, compact, powerful -that couldn't be easier to use.

Seagate Pipeline HD 1 TB 5900RPM SATA 3Gb/s NCQ 8MB Cache 3.5 Inch Internal Bare Drive ST31000322CS

Another reviewer gave this drive only 2 Stars and complained that it was too slow to install Windows 7 on. Well, DUH ! Read Seagate's description it's intended for use as video storage in a DVR-type situation. And it can stream several recorded programs at once! That's what you pay for, plus it's intended to run 24/7 unlike a regular PC hard drive, OK?

THE GOOD:

This drive runs very cool, is quiet, and is designed to run 24x7 under harsh conditions (Seagate says it is rated to operate for prolonged periods of time at up to 75 degrees C).

THE BAD

So slow that it's almost unusable as anything other than a secondary drive for storing content. You really don't want to put Windows 7 on this thing. Trust me.

I ended up buying an SSD drive for the operating system, and keeping this drive for storing recorded TV shows (Windows Media Center). Seems to be good for that.

Overall this is a good drive if you know what you're getting, and don't intend to use it as a fast desktop drive for your OS.

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I bought a "used, like new" from the warehouse and it had almost 2 years of 24-hours-a-day usage according to CrystalDisk. NOT like new; I returned it...it may be the used one for sale... Buyer beware.

Read Best Reviews of Seagate Pipeline HD 1 TB 5900RPM SATA 3Gb/s NCQ 8MB Cache 3.5 Inch Internal Bare Drive ST31000322CS Here

Wireless/Wired IP Pan/Tilt/Night Vision Internet Surveillance Camera Built-in Microphone,two-way au

I was apprehensive about this camera because it was so cheap, but I am fully satisfied by the current state of it.

I fully recommend this camera if you are confident enough to get through the setup. In fact, I just purchased a second one before starting this review.

First off, the manual is garbage. Ive built a few ikea furniture pieces before and those instructions are vastly superior.

General review: The daylit picture quality is fine for me. Color seems to be ok. Im not broadcasting a movie, just monitoring my yard. Night viewing seems fine also. Quick moving objects show blurred in infrared mode. LOL, I just got a motion alert and then got a picture of the guy mowing my lawn while writing this review. There is no daylight motion blur but in the mixed bright light/shadow area (trees and sunlight) I got an over exposed picture and could barely make out the face. Might need to knock the brightness settings down a hair. See the note in the outdoor mounting below... The infrared and glass do not play well together.

Some background: My home network is a mix of apples and linux pcs. No Windows. My wireless network is set up with MAC (address) filtering.

The camera defaults its IP address to 192.168.1.126, if you have a network on a different subnet (mine is 192.168.2.X) then you will need to either switch the network back to .1, do it on someone else's network, or use a crosscable. I hooked up to an old router I had and configured through the wired. I figured Id set everything up through the wired connection first. Hit up the address and logged in (admin, blank password). The Device ID is supposed to be the MAC address...and it is, but its not the wireless MAC address. I still dont know how to find it through their software btw. Anyways, I updated the admin password 30 second reboot occurs. Next I went through the Basic Network Settings and this is where it took a while. In fact, I still need to go back and modify this again now that its working. Since I do MAC filtering, I couldnt set it to "Obtain DHCP" yet which is what I need to go back and switch now. In order to find the MAC address, I had to set the static IP settings and then turned off MAC filtering on the router. **IMPORTANT** Reboot the camera and while it is doing its countdown, unplug the ethernet cable. It took me an hour and a half of cursing and trying different things to figure that out. At this point the camera connected to my router and I was able to check the 'status' section in the router settings to pull the MAC address. Turned filtering back on and it was good to go. I set up the "Mail Service Settings" to my gmail account. I like that you can specify multiple recievers, I send to myself and my wife but I think you can specify up to four addresses. GMAIL SMTP settings Server: , Port: 465, Protocol: TLS, Need auth: check, username: me, password: my password. You have to click set before you can test, dont forget. Moving onto the Alarm Service Settings... Im still tweaking these. Now that the camera was configured, I mounted it outside. The manual says not to, but Im not too concerned about it. Last night, the motion sensitivity was set to 8. I didnt start receiving motion alert emails until about 5am, maybe four of them. Since 8am, whoa boy. I got an email every two minutes. Its now 1:30pm and somewhere around 120 emails later. I just dropped the sensitivity down to 3. Emails are still coming at the same rate. Checking the live feed, I can see the wind is blowing tree branches and there is a lot of shadow movement in the monitored area. Also, the shadows have moved from the sun location. I think I will need to set up the scheduler in the alerts to only run motion sensing at specific times during the day. I figured email option (smartphone) was the quickest way to get alerts, but its proving to be a bit annoying with my setup. Oh well, performing as advertised.

I wanted this camera to be indetectable and that was not going to happen with the obnoxious green flashing light on the front. Two pieces of electrical tape blacked it out. When the light sensor 'activates', you can see the ring of 'infrared' LEDs around the lens but it is fairly dim and not attention grabbing.

The install CD that comes with the cam isnt necessary. The manual implies that software will be installed on your windows computer that will help you configure and view the camera. This is not the case. Looking for the wireless MAC address, I ended up (always the case with computers) going down a path seemingly unrelated to what I was doing. I ended up having to update my vmware software compiling modules etc, ugh and fired up a Windows XP VM. I ran the CD expecting to have some more intimate connection with the camera...but it was just an executable version with a modified interface than the web interface....waste of time.

If I remember, I will post an update on the outdoor durability... Its currently mounted on the underside of an overhanging roof section. Its October 2011, hopefully it lasts through winter (NJ) into 2012. If not, lesson learned I guess. ***NOTE*** I originally thought I was going to sit the camera in a window to monitor a section of my yard. It was fine for daylit viewing, but once the infrared came on, there was a nasty glare on the window that made the night viewing nearly useless. Once moved outside, the picture was fine.

Hopefully this will help anyone trying to set up the camera, I felt like a fool having spent so much time setting up such a simple device AND being computer literate. Knowing the steps above, I dont think setting up camera2 will take more than 10 minutes, and thats with the camera doing its 30 second reboot cycle after each step.

I like this camera. I bought it to monitor my dog in the basement and it does a great job. It doesn't need to have the greatest quality. It just needs to be reliable. I was able to set it up on the basement ceiling. The camera settings flip the image. When the camera is setup so the base is down, it can't point down to the floor, so the ceiling setup is the best.

The output can be viewed from any computer using a service from dyndns.com. I have two cell phones (personal and business). One is a DroidX and one is an iPhone 3G. Both phones can view the live feed from either a web browser or a free app. I use NetCamViewer on my iPhone and IPCamViewer on my Droid. The droid app has Pan and Tilt functions. The iPhone app does not, but the camera can still be controlled from the iPhone Safari browser.

There are a couple of downsides to this camera. The response to changing light is very slow and it can't handle a large gradient in the light level. This means you can essentially make the camera blind by pointing a flash light at it.

Another downside is that the audio is horrible. I haven't been able to get clear audio from the camera.

I have purchased other similar cameras that use the same shell and go for about the same price. The big difference between the cameras is the software and the input/output ports on the back. I prefer the software for this camera, but this camera puts out a low current voltage. This can be used to trigger other equipment. The output of my other camera is connected to a relay which is what I needed to get control my garage door. This was a big deal for me, but I suspect most users won't use the input/output ports on the back.

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Camera works well after a bit of a set up but with exceptions. Still cant get any remote view over the internet after numerous videos and emails. Even just local use the camera view goes out at least every half hour and has to be refreshed often. A shame because the picture is good and pan and tilt work great also the night vision is perfect. No zoom but not a big deal. If I could see this cam from work (LIKE I BOUGHT IT FOR) or didnt have to refresh so much this cam would get a five. But until then....Im being generous at a three. Only because it frustrated me. I could have bought a cheaper webcam for what Im getting now.

Read Best Reviews of Wireless/Wired IP Pan/Tilt/Night Vision Internet Surveillance Camera Built-in Microphone,two-way au Here

This product worked for a day. After that, video stopped. Everything else worked ... wireless networking, rotate the camera from via browser controls and so on. But no video. Black screen. Returned it. Great product when it works. Recommend you order twice as many as you need; then return the bad ones!

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Works well until it get hot then it tends to reset itself and hang. Then it needs power rest to recover.

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Defender SN301-8CH-015 8-Channel H.264 DVR with 8 Indoor/Outdoor Night Vision Cameras (Black)

I purchased two of these systems for a total of 16 cameras the rationale of two units being that there was a staggered element of redundancy should one 16-channel DVR fail.

First, the hardware is pretty good quality. The cameras offer a very narrow field of view (about 60 degrees) which can make it difficult to establish proper overlap if you are mounting the cameras at about 10 feet clearly this system was designed to be mounted on a second story roof. The funny thing is that I took one of the cameras apart, and they could easily manufacture a wide angle lens for it. As far as the DVR itself, it's a pretty impressive integration of components for an embedded solution.

Second, the software is absolutely terrible. It is quite clear their R&D budget was blown on the hardware, and the software was an afterthought. As a software developer, I don't understand how a company can sell a product with very apparent and frustrating discrepancies between the web interface and the console functionality there are several things you cannot do on the web interface that requires being on the console. This would normally not be an issue, but my DVR's are mounted in a secured location to prevent the theft of the DVR itself.

Third, the Active X control that runs in Internet Explorer only, doesn't properly capture keyboard events, like the tab key, to tab from the username to password field.

Fourth, the Q-see app for Android is actually pretty good, however you must reboot your phone after viewing the camera, otherwise the app will continue streaming in the background and kill your battery in short order.

Fifth, the email alerts simply do not work. I receive test emails, but motion detection and loss of video signal do not generate emails. This I find particularly irritating, and do not buy the answer they gave the other reviewer complaining of the same thing that "There is an error in the manual and website".

Sixth, and this is the part that irritates me the most they advertise 24/7 technical support. Except they are lying. You can submit your question 24/7, but you must wait 3-4 days for a response.

Overall, I'd have to advise against this system. If I hadn't spent 30+ hours meticulously installing this system and inhaling insulation dust, I would rip it out and return it.

The makers of this system, SVAT, Electronics, advertise it under the Defender brand name. On the Defender website, as well as Amazon, Sams Club, etc, this system is advertised as having a motion detection Email alert feature. I received this system last week and was able to easily setup every feature (web viewing, iPhone and Blackberry viewing, motion detection recording,) except for the Email alert feature. I called Defender support two times and sent an Email complaint, but each time the only response I got back was "We know about this issue and don't know when it will be fixed." If they know about this issue, why are they still advertising the feature??? If you don't need the EMail alerts then this is a pretty good system, but I really need the Email alerts to be aware when something is possibly happening at my home, so as far as I'm concerned this system is not worth it.

Buy Defender SN301-8CH-015 8-Channel H.264 DVR with 8 Indoor/Outdoor Night Vision Cameras (Black) Now

This Defender 8-camera system provides 8 all-weather vantage points for less than $600, but understand its shortfalls.

Though clear, the cameras' CCD arrays have some shortcuts for size/power/cost, and they simply don't register green. Scenes look okay, but bushes look purple.

The composite video-out (the simplest way to port the monitor information to secondary displays) only shows the static 9-grid display. Only the VGA feed shows the full-screen views and the rotating viewing scheme.

Minor note, the metallurgy of the camera mounts is sub-standard. I split one of them with only finger-strength tightening.

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Received it today and hooked it up, Worked ok when hooked up (and arrived with 8 camera) BUT 2 of the wires were damaged and only allowed for 6 of the cameras to work. I"m returning it for another version

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We had to return this camera system. The description listed the system to include 8 cameras. The system the shipped to me only includes 4 cameras. I would like to purchase the 8 camera system for the advertised price...

BestDealUSA 1280x960 Mini Key Camera HD DVR Cam Surveille Pinhole

This camera is good for the price, which is why I am giving three stars. However, it is NOT HD! The ad states that the Video Resolution is 1280x960. That is just not true. Its 720x480 at 30 frames per second. That is just 480P. Quite misleading / dis-honest of the seller.

Sorry, this product is not worth it, the directions are useless wrong language (no English).

It will not stay running either.

They did give me my money back which makes the seller tops!

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Still haven't been able to update the date and time signature. I followed the instructions but it would not display current date and time.

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bought two,,one for wife and one for myself for R/C aircraft for inflight video...wrks excellent..great audio and video...weights roughly one gram..micro aircraft can haul it aloft..takes a hdhc micro sd card and nodropped videoframes..

highly recoomend seller andthe camera

wife loves it as well

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Belkin Ultra High Speed 6ft HDMI To HDMI Cable 1080p 120hz+ Version 1.3 For DVD Players / Blu-Ray P

I have so many HDTV's and equipment I though I would try a moderate priced cable for the less used TV's, This works great, the picture and sound are very good.

Have this hooked up to my blu-ray player. Great picture and sound, will be buying more for my gaming systems.

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I bought this for my new flatscreen, HD, high refresh rate, Samsung LN40A650 TV to connect with my SONY BlueRay player. It works fantastically and allows me to enjoy my setup without interferences or any trouble at all! The price was at least half of the other brands! Can't touch that!!!

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Excelent cable for your DVD HDMI Player or Blu-Ray Player 1080p or Sony PS3, nice price, Hi Quality image, plug and play your favorite movie or game

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I tried another brand of HDMI cables for my TV/Receiver entertainment system and I experienced problems. I switched to the Belkin high speed cable and everything worked great.......

Olympus 145059 Olympus ME30W 2 Channel Microphone Kit

I bought these to record live pipe organ performances. The pipe organ has a gigantic frequency range, but these little microphones record the sound perfectly. When I listen to recordings made through these microphones and the Olympus LS-10 digital recorder, the pipe organ sounds exactly the same as hearing it live...and I should know, I've been playing that pipe organ every week for five years!

Expensive, but worth every penny.

I am a paranormal investigator and bought these mikes to use in my investigations to catch EVP's. These mikes go down to 20 hertz in sensitivity and also up to 20K hertz. Some EVPs have been recorded as low as 20 Hz, so I did not want to miss any of those. My voice recorder internal mikes only go down to 50 Hz, hence why I bought these. After using them on their first investigation, I was very impressed! The sound levels were so much clearer, louder, and the low frequency sound heard was amazing! I was listening through a pair of headphones real time while I was recording. I definitely recommend this set of microphones for any sound amplification use you might have.

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ID Mate Summit Bar Code Reader

Fantastic product. My wife who is visually impaired finds it VERY user friendly with excellent database of products. Prompts are easy to follow and portable. She can also label clothes or other items with included blank 100 bar codes provided. If a barcode is not recognized by database (only had two so far) you can voice record the product. It even (if you prompt it) will tell you the nutritional facts of product as well as directions for use. Battery life is very long been using 2 weeks without it needing a recharge yet. Product is expensive but well worth it for any blind or visually impaired customer who wants more independence around the house or in the food/clothes store.

I purchased the ID Mate Summit Bar Code Reader. Anyone that is blind or visually impaired would benefit from this bar code reader. I use it to find out what is in a can or package. You just turn on the reader and point it towards the item you want scanned and turn the product until it recognizes the bar code and it beeps and tells you what the product is. It also gives you manufacturer information, nutritional information, and most important user instructions. I can pick something out of my freezer, point the scanner towards the product and it scans it and tells me what it is and tells me how I need to cook it. I can pull a can or box of something out of my pantry and it tells me what it is, I.E., Delmonty green beans, Campbell's soup, Nabisco crackers etc. You can also make your own labels to put on items, like books and cd's. It has a built in recorder and they provide labels with bar codes on them and you just say what the item is and any other information you would like to know when you scan it later. It will also scan items other than food products. It also is smaller than its predecessors and fits comfortably in my hand. I do wish they would improve the speech instead of using the basic computerized voice; however this shouldn't stop you from purchasing it.

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This is a great device. It can scan a lot of stuff including CDS. The voice is very robotic. It is using the Doubletalk system with is preity old. It is very useful. it can do a lot of stuff. You should really by this device or wait for next model.

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Sony ICD-BX112 Digital Flash Voice Recorder

This is a nice recorder, everything works as designed...however, the product description is slightly misleading it says "Records in MP3 (320 kbps-8 kbps)" which implies that the audio files can be downloaded or transferred but this is NOT the case! If you want or need to download your recording, you will need to get a different model the ICD-PX312 model is the version of this recorder that allows download/transfer via USB.

This little recorder is an absolute gem. I have had two Dictaphones before and both did a reasonable job, but this one has very ergonomic buttons and controls that are so straight forward that I didn't really need to refer to the huge instruction manual. When you put the batteries in it asks you to input the date and time, like a mobile phone and then you can start using it.

It actually comes with two batteries so you can start using it straight away, and I did. It copes well with all noise even background sound and there is no hiss or rumbling that you often get with a single microphone unit. It also has a headphone socket (headphones not included) which means you can listen to it on the train etc, without arousing the wrath of other passengers.

The thing I really like is the weight, and size, it fits nicely into the `lighter' pocket of most jeans and is smaller than most mobiles whilst weighing a few grams. It has a massive memory but no USB connection to save files onto your computer. It does have a filing system in the machine, but a USB portal would have made this perfect, still it is not fatal. East to use, easy to carry and easy to understand as the screen is very user friendly. If like me your work means you need a Dictaphone, then I think you would be hard pressed to find one as compact , light weight and user friendly as this.

Edit: I have just had my batteries run out and did not replace for two days, and found that when I did all of my files were wiped, so a bit gutted. It did give warning bleep so i should have paid attention, but thought I ought to post an edit to let users know.

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I have no experience with digital recorders, but needed something to record meetings at which I am recording secretary. The sound quality was very good much to my surprise. My only complaint is the ease of directions for things like erasing after finished. Also since I was looking for a very simple recorder, this one is a little more complicated in that is has folders, etc. Overall, a very good product for the price.

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You don't need a USB to transfer your recordings, you just need a cord with mini-plugs on both ends. Plug one end into the headphone jack on the recorder and the other end into the microphone jack on your computer. You can also use the "line in" jack on the computer. Then use your own recording software or Windows Sound Recorder (Start, All Programs, Accessories, Sound Recorder) to record to your computer. I'm using Sound Recorder. Find the audio file you want to record, press "Play" on the recorder and press "Start Recording" (red button) on Sound Recorder. Press "stop recording" when you're done and the software asks for a file name. It's true that the Sony recorder files are MP3's but Sound Recorder saves the sound file as a windows media audio file. You can convert this to another type of audio file with any audio editing software--I use Nero Wave Editor. I bought this recorder instead of the more expensive model because I was positive I could transfer the files to my computer without a USB or additional software...as long as the recorder has a headphone jack, one simple cord makes it possible! I'm sure Amazon sells the mini-plug cable but I bought mine at the local Radio Shack.

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I personally was looking for something to assist me in rehearsing lines for Theatre..Not wishing to spend a small fortune out the onset, I tried this little Sony and was very surprised at the sound quality (very good for annuciation/vocalization which is very important to an actor) and simplicity of use. I really like the headphone and mike imputs......Of course, this is an entry level digital recorder--don't expect all kinds of "bells and whistles", usb ports or ability to connect to your computer. Just the basics....Wish I had one of these years ago. Would have made memorizing lines a lot easier!!!

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Mintek MDP-5861 5-Inch Portable DVD Player

• Portable DVD player with 5-inch widescreen LCD, stereo speakers, and anti-skip protection for active use
• Plays DVD-Video (PAL/MULTI/NTSC), MP3 CD, and Kodak Picture CDs
• Dolby Digital 5.1-channel surround output through optical digital-audio connection facilitates hookup with an audio/video surround receiver
• Includes rechargeable lithium battery, vehicle DC power adapter, AC power adapter, and audio/video interconnect for use with home theaters
• Measures 5.4 x 1.4 x 5.6 inches (W x H x D)

The product worked nicely easy to set up and use, nice picture and sound. But I purchased this portable DVD player in August. Within a month I had to send it back for repairs, as the power connection and headphone connection jacks were loose. I was lied to three times by the customer service department who said my unit shipped and then it turned out it didn't. By the time I receive the supposedly new unit, I will have been without it for nearly 2 months because of their poor customer service. Watch out!

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I got this unit as a Xmas gift and it already screws up. The unit constantly locks up. I will be returning it for a unit from a differnet manufacturer.

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I today had to send back my MDP-5860 model to the company. The DVD player screen stopped showing movies today. I called the company and apparently the 586x models are all having this problems and they are all being recalled back. Worst thing yet: I have to pay for shipping to send it back to them so that they can send me the EXACT same player back. Definitely NOT WORTH THE HASSLE. I'm going out today and buying myself a Toshiba or Sony; those brands, at least, you can trust.

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After two months of moderate, gentle use, the picture tube died. It went completely black. Sent it to Mintek. After six weeks, they sent me a new one.

Within three weeks, the picture started to freeze on the NEW one. Then, the picture tube ALSO went black. Mind you, neither unit had been dropped, left in the sun, and were fully charged or running on house current. Sent this one to Mintek, too. Haven't heard from them in two months.

I bought the Mintek through Amazon because I had planned a trip for the holidays and wanted to use it on the flight. The price seemed reasonable compared with other players. From the day I received the player it failed to work. Initially it loaded the DVD (the Godfather) but immediately began skipping. After about 15 minutes it froze and refused to play at all! When I turned it off and re-booted the disk it displayed "Loading" but froze and never loaded the disk. This occurred with every disk it put in. Mintek tech support was inept and useless and the user manual was no help. I returned the player for a refund. I recommend you stay away from Mintek products.