Showing posts with label voice recorder pen. Show all posts
Showing posts with label voice recorder pen. Show all posts

Saturday, November 8, 2014

Sony EV-C200 Hi-8 VCR

Sony EV-C200 Hi-8 VCR
  • 8mm recording/playback deck
  • Still/slow motion/frame by frame playback
  • Synchro edit function for easy synchronized editing between Handycam camcorder and VCR
  • Edit switch minimizes picture degradation during multigeneration editing
  • Skip scan viewing (high speed fast forward/rewind)

If you can find one of these units I recommend that you do so. SONY makes the definite 8mm VCR hands down. This is one of the best units I have ever seen. The picture is incredible and has to be seen. It has a much greater picture than S-VHS recorders. Only DVD pictures look better. It has a very precise flying erase head that allows excellent editing for clear transitional cuts. If you prefer 8mm recording I recommend you get one of these units before they are all gone.

Buy Sony EV-C200 Hi-8 VCR Now

This 8mm Video Recorder has one of the best pictures I have ever seen. It's better than my Beta unit and my S-VHS VCR. The sound is excellent too. This unit is also great for editing. I used to shoot all my training videos for work on 8mm and edit them at home on this machine with very little loss in picture resolution. It's just a very good machine and format.

Tuesday, November 4, 2014

Aiptek A-HD+ 1080p HD High Definition Camcorder - 5MP Still Camera - Media Recorder / Player - Black

Aiptek A-HD+ 1080p HD High Definition Camcorder - 5MP Still Camera - Media Recorder / Player - BlackThis is my second camera. I had the first one for years when it finally gave out. I went looking for the same model and found it. I love this little piece of work.

This camcorder makes some pretty good video (up to full HD 1080p) if you tweak the settings on it like white balance and lighting exposure. The weak point this camcorder has is the microphone that is built in to it. It sounds distorted even with quiet sounds. Unfortunately you can't plug a external mic into it.

But, it works fine for what I bought it for and is a good camcorder on a budget price.

Buy Aiptek A-HD+ 1080p HD High Definition Camcorder - 5MP Still Camera - Media Recorder / Player - Black Now

I bought this with the sole intention of using it to rip videos and other media off various forms of entertainment into MOVs for future editing. It works GREAT at this. As far as a camera and its functions, for the price a really well rounded option. The sound and picture are sub-par without a modest lighting accompaniment. Still great option for the price and worth the investment for any At-Home recording lovers.

Read Best Reviews of Aiptek A-HD+ 1080p HD High Definition Camcorder - 5MP Still Camera - Media Recorder / Player - Black Here

I WOULD HAVE MADE A VIDEO REVIEW BUT MY TOOTHE TRYNA BE A BITT OF A BOTHER TO ME, BUT YES, THIS VIDEO CAMERA IS AN ALL NEW FEATURE BRAND EVERYONE/BODY DOES NEED! IF I WAS/WERE YOU ID BUY IT! WHICH I DID LOL.

Want Aiptek A-HD+ 1080p HD High Definition Camcorder - 5MP Still Camera - Media Recorder / Player - Black Discount?

Thursday, October 30, 2014

SwissGear LEGACY E-Reader Case - 6" x 1" x 8.5" - Polyester - Black

SwissGear LEGACY E-Reader Case - 6' x 1' x 8.5' - Polyester - BlackMy girlfriend and I both purchased these for our iPad2's at the same time and they both have held up through our daily use and fit perfectly in our backpacks. Even though this product doesn't say it's meant for iPad or iPad2 they still fit them perfectly and with the front zipper on the outside you can put your USB dock/charger cable along with the wall outlet charge adapter, a stylus, and even the HDMI output convert cable for iPad2's all inside of this little pouch without even filling it still. The inside of both the front pocket and the inside pocket have a very soft lining that protects it's contents and with the outside also a soft padding it will not scratch anything it's laying up again (for instance inside of a backpack). There isn't anything bad to say about this case! We both love it and we probably will not be buying a new case for the life of our iPad2's and beyond because there is no need for another external case.

Wednesday, October 29, 2014

Pioneer BDP-120 1080p Blu-ray Disc Player

Pioneer BDP-120 1080p Blu-ray Disc Player
  • Virtually Eliminates Power-On Time,
  • Giving You Much Quicker Access To All Of Your Spectacular
  • Impressive Sound Transmitted Through Built-In High-Definition
  • Offer The Full Benefits Of Downloading Additional Content Off The Internet
  • Decide To Fully Interact With Your Entertainment

I purchased this player some days ago, while I was upgrading my TV to HD. I chose the BDP-120 for a specific reason: region codes. The consumer-hostile atrocity that some studios force on their customers hits people outside of the US (US = region 1) especially hard. My DVD collectio (almost exclusively region 1) is large, and I live in Switzerland (= region 2). The BDP-120 comes with a code-free DVD player, but *does* enforce regions on the BD. That way, I am able to retain my investment in DVD. NOTE: Make sure your version of the player has the same code-free capability, as I hear that in some countries they do not!

[Amendment, April 2012 after only 30 months (2.5 years) of normal use, the player died on me. This is well below my expected 4 years for such a device. Disappointing.]]

Unpacking

I received my player inside a box that also contained a hefty manual, a remote, 2 AA batteries for the remote, a 1GB USB stick (for firmware updates), an audio-, power-, and video cable. Neither Network (ethernet) not HDMI cable were included in the box (the omission of an HDMI cable is disappointing).

Exterior & Design

The player's outside is made from black plastic which does have a rather cheap feel to it. Unfortunately (it took me two minutes to find out), the shiny plastic parts scratche easily, so handle it with extra care when you slot the player into it's place. Buttons (power, play, etc.) are realized as small horizontal slats inside a horizontal recess, and feel flimsy (for comparison, my Yamaha amp that is roughly in the same price category has all buttons made from metal). The DVD tray is not dampened and gives off a rather cheap grinding sound when extending or retracting. When spinning, the disc is nearly inaudible, which is a great accomplishment, somewhat marred by the sound of what appears to be a fan that starts running inside the player when it gets warm.

Slightly annoying is the fact that the player's width is 42 cm (16.53 inch) instead of the standard 43.5 cm (17 inch). If all your components are from Pioneer that may not be an issue. Since mine are not, the mis-fit is slightly noticeable on top of the Yamaha amp. The silliest, most painfully obvious and plain stupid design flaw, however, is the USB port. Instead of providing an easy access for USB on the front (perhaps behind a panel), the designers chose to put the connector on the back. Yes, on the back, where you'll have next to no access. Well, perhaps an extension cord could help? Maybe -but the manual states clearly: "WARNING: DO NOT USE AN USB EXTENSION CORD". Now this is really, really bad design. Especially in light of the fact that any firmware update is facilitated by USB only (even if you have the player connected to the net). This design misstep is somewhat lessened by another seriously wrong design decision: even though the player provides a USB connector, you cannot play content from that port. Stone-age consumer appliance design. This forces you to burn any image (only JPEG supported) or video to disc, and then put the disc in the player (if you think network streaming via network port: well, not with this player).

The player is adorned with a tiny alphanumeric status LCD and a multitude of colorful LEDs. The LCD is backlit by a garish white light that is plain ugly. Pioneer could have done much better, as I have seen better-looking LCDs on *Thermometers*. Also, while some LED do carry a label (e.g. 'Power', others light up sometimes, even flash, and then, after a short while, turn off mysteriously. What exactly they are for will forever remain a mystery (although not one I'd be inclined to spend time on resolving). All in all I feel that very little thought has gone into this player's exterior design. In a nutshell, it's a black box with a number of randomly placed flashing LEDs. Not impressive at all.

The remote is rather large, deep black, and rests comfortable in the palm of even the largest of hands. The buttons feel a bit rubbery, and there is no audible or tactile feedback one a button engages. However, I would not have expected this from a remote for a device in this price range, and anyway, I'm using a universal remote (the Logitech Harmony 1000). Button labels are clear, but could have used a bit more contrast (on my remote they are colored in a yellowish off-white). Button lay-out is OK, centered around a mock-wheel (four directions and a central enter button). The remote also sports some buttons for controlling a TV, which I find somewhat silly, as they won't help you unless you have a pioneer TV, and if you do, that one comes with buttons for controlling your pioneer BD player). It uses standard AA batteries.

Handling

Not having used a BlueRay player before I was shocked by how long it takes a player to load a single BD. At first I though that the device was defective, but when I looked at other players I saw first hand that the BDP-120 is one of the quicker devices. Still, from turning on the unit over loading a BD and then gaining access to a menu this device averages at about 1.5 minutes (for comparison: my DVD player, a $19 no-label but admirably performing device takes all of 20 seconds from power-up to menu selection -and that includes loading a disc). I'm not sure what the 'Quickstart' feature means in this regard I'd hate to have a player that takes even longer to start up. Also somewhat disconcerting is the fact that the unit takes about 30 seconds to one minute to power down (and beware -simply pulling the plug will encur an additional startup minute the next time you switch it on).

The buttons on the player itself border on being unusable (they are too flimsy, and provide only the basic pause/play/skip/open functionality). With the remote the player, once started up, responds nicely, but still a far cry from instantaneously (as you are used from a DVD). The on-screen displays and messages from the player are rough, ugly, and look like something straight from the debugger the engineeres used, interspersed with some artwork that appears to be lifted from Apple and WinAmp. Still, they work, and that's what they are there for. Switching from and to different modes is easy enough, and the organization of most menus is logical and intuitive.

Although the player supports code free DVD (even though the (german) manual clearly states otherwise, which is disconcerting at best), it crashes regularly when you try to switch from a region 1 (US) DVD to a region 2 (Europe) BD, requiring me to pull the plug, and then wait through a prolonged power-up cycle. This adds insult to the injury of region codes. But at least the player supports my region 1 DVDs (but not region 1 BD).

Features / Image Quality

To me, this is the most important aspect, and the one that saves this player. For the price, the player provides excellent image quality from both BR and DVD over the HDMI port to your HD TV. It will up-scale DVD content, which was to me an unexpected boon. Upscaling a DVD produces great results on my TV (1028p). Up-scaled content is only delivered via the HDMI connector, not via the additional composite video and video sources available at the back of the player. The provided composite video signal is OK, perhaps slightly on the weak side. As mentioned before, the analog connectors (composite video) do not provide upscaled content, but do allow the BR to be played to non-HD devices. However, BR's are nearly indistinguishable from their lesser DVD brethren on analog source (I have the BD and DVD versions of 'Planet Earth), while on HD the difference is plain to see (even though the DVD version gets significantly boosted by the up-scaling).

The player also sports a network port (Ethernet, 100 Base-T). Unfortunately, this network port cannot be used to remote-control the player (as I had hoped). It is primarily there to stream content to the player from the internet (but not your PC). 100 MBit is somewhat on the weak side for this purpose, and accordingly, streaming a HD source to the player can cause stutters (not to mention that you better had invested in a switch or smart hub, or the whole subnet will drop from Gigabit to 100 MBit). Also (at least at my player's firmware level) the network port cannot be used to automatically download firmware updates. For this you use the (included, nice touch!) USB memory stick, onto which you must download the firmware from your PC. Furthermore, many obvious advantages that a network-enabled player could have are not implemented. As I mentioned above, you can't control the player via network, nor can you stream content from your PC to it. You can't query it's status (disk/track playing or status), nor does it automatically load a CD's album and track names from CDDB. Pioneer has a lot to learn in this regard. I currently regard the network feature as severely lacking.

BD-Live... well, I guess it's just me, but for some reason this feature holds little interest for me. It just feels wrong -like a "bolted-on afterthought". Perhaps I just havn't yet found the BD with real good BD-Live links. For now, all I found was wafer-thin content and a ton of advertising. Oh and you must have the memory stick inserted when you use that feature. Nope, there simply is no real added value for me in this.

The player does support the most common disk formats (CD, CDRW, Photo-CD, etc.) but supports a surprisingly limited amount of file formats: Images are limited to JPEG (with a stupid naming scheme to boot), and video files limited to the standard BD set (i.e. no Ogg, QuickTime etc). It does support AVCH, though (but that is no surprise as it is part of the newer BD standard).

If you have a KURO (a Pioneer brand) TV, the player offers a 'KURO-Link'. Supposedly, this feature will allow the player and TV to talk to each other and allow both to select the best (or preferred) setting for each source. I do have a KURO TV (a plasma), but so far have not found any significant advantages. This may be related to the fact that my Plasma has a myriad of different settings, which the BD player knows nothing about. I therefore find myself often re-configuring the TV manually for a specific source (in other words: this feature is badly executed in the player).

Summary

Although I am satisfied with the player's most important feature (image quality), there are many details that unnecessarily diminish this product: cheap exterior finish (Pioneer should have gone the extra mile and add more polish) with a front design bordering on ugly. It is slightly noisy when it gets warm. The omission of an HDMI and ethernet cable in the package is downright cheap. The non-standard width is annoying. Network integration is terrible, and too slow. Position of USB connector is downright stupid. No support for USB-provided media (Memory sticks or hard drives)

On the upside: Good image quality and up-scaling of DVD does add a terrific advantage if you have a HDTV. Performance is good compared to other, even more sluggish players. Supports all popular disk formats. Integration with other Pioneer devices (KURO line).

If you are looking for solid BD/DVD performance and do not care for most of the other niceties (USB playback, solid network integration), you should definitely look at this player.

Buy Pioneer BDP-120 1080p Blu-ray Disc Player Now

Just got this from gold box for $169.

Therefore it's cheap compare to other unit of same level

I have the ps3 and this pioneer is not much slower on start up.

As for menu..just press menu and easily set to 720p or 1080p

and auto and HDMI or other output.

Almost all setup are yes/no question type. how hard can it be?

Picture and sound quality is on par with the ps3.

The unit is thin compare to first gen blue ray machine and remote looks clear.

The Disc tray is definately not loose.

It's normal like PC DVD-roms from samsungs or LG or sony etc..

you can't compare this to slot load ps3 stle when you have a tray.

you put a disc in and press a button to get it in...what do you do to

"manipulated" the tray? The default setup was to 480i because for those people that don't have a HDTV..

however, I hook it up to my sony receiver and sony HDTV and it comes right up through HDMI.

A menu is a menu... already has 4 languange and explain to you how to setup all kind of different audio , video setup plus menu settings.

what else do you want?

This is a budget model. it's low price.

if you want more function, pay extra 160 to get the one up model!

Read Best Reviews of Pioneer BDP-120 1080p Blu-ray Disc Player Here

My initial thoughts are this is a Sharp re-badge. Although it is an attractive player, build quality appears poor. The tray rattles when opened and the front panel buttons feel thin and plasticy and like they might break if used frequently. The tray is loose and can be manipulated. The front facade on the tray is very loose and actually feels like it might fall off. Once again, it is an attractive player, but the led chapter readout is pure sharp. it is a dark purple with white lettering. It says BYE when you turn off the player.

The Kuro Link does not work when activated it was outputting 480i to my 5010. It took me three times of playing with the settings to finally get it to output 1080p despite it was set to auto out of the box. You cannot switch output resolution on the fly. The video output resolution button on the remote does not work best I can tell. The remote is slightly different than the 51/320:

DSCN0897.jpg

The menu is set up with four basic selections. The GUI looks very budget and is not the refined GUI i love on the 51/320, though it is probably more straightforward. There are no tweaking menus for nr, brightness, etc. There is not deep color setting, but BD playback did appear as 36 bit on my kuro.

There is no setting to adjust output resolution to 24fps. The display during playback is even worse (no mb/s read-out, no resolution).

Performance:

The cons: BD playback is a bit dull. I prefer the image on the panasonic 55, 320, 51 and oppo. SD DVD upscaling is standard, probably a hair worse than my panasonic 55. Jaggies appear in any closely spaced line and are visible in credits even when stationary. Responsiveness is sluggish and the player sounds like a blender lots of grinding and gearing noises.

The pros: Quickstart works the disc tray opens immediately when you press eject. It has to be right at a second or two. It loads relatively quickly QOS loaded in a respectable 42 seconds. It struggled with POCI taking about 1 min 27 secs to get to the disney splash screen.

Want Pioneer BDP-120 1080p Blu-ray Disc Player Discount?

I agree with Andrew. I purchased it on GoldBox at a great price and with my gift certificates, it was very cheap indeed. I am one of those who are too busy to read every single word in the manual so I went directly to the instructions on installing it. It was simple to read and easy to install. Took me longer to move my TV stand than hooking it up to the TV. The only drawback, it came with RCA cable but not the HDMI. When the HDMI cables are selling at $.37 cents at Amazon, why can't Pioneer put one of the cheap HDMI cables in the box. The remote was not complicated that installation process was fast and easy. If you want cheap, easy to install and have the average expectations on picture clarity and sound, this is the unit for you.

I have a pioneer Blu Ray player. It is now 1year 2 moths old and out of warranty. I updated the firmware to watch Avatar and now the machine will not work. I am told by Pioneer support that this is a common problem and can only be fixed by sending the machine back to have the firmware reinstalled by Pioneer. The cost is a minimum of $70 evaluation plus shipping. I cannot recommend this product that is at risk of being broken each time firm ware is updated.

Thursday, October 9, 2014

ZMODO DVR-DK61103-1TB 16 CH Security Surveillance DVR Outdoor Security Camera System 1TB

ZMODO DVR-DK61103-1TB 16 CH Security Surveillance DVR Outdoor Security Camera System 1TBWorks good for the money surprised by the quality of the picture! Easy to hook up directions suck have a hard time understanding the broken english!! Overall I would and have told my friends and family about the unit would buy again.

Everything worked straight out of the box. The video images are not great but are more than good enough for my application.

Buy ZMODO DVR-DK61103-1TB 16 CH Security Surveillance DVR Outdoor Security Camera System 1TB Now

Sunday, September 14, 2014

JVC HD61FN97 61-Inch 1080p HDILA Rear Projection TV

JVC HD61FN97 61-Inch 1080p HDILA Rear Projection TVWe reviewed the other (nearly identical) model on our show in March and I liked it so much I decided to buy one. I love Amazon.com, that's why the review is also posted here. When I got mine, I was overjoyed. You can check out the full review of the FN model at htguys.com, but here's the conclusion:

What we liked

* Awesome HD picture

* Amazing black levels

* Great, real color

* Excellent detail

* Two HDMI inputs

* Price

What we disliked

* Remote control

* Menu system

* Input switching with the factory remote

Conclusion

The JVC HD-61FN97 is an excellent value. It looks great, does a wonderful job with HD content, a great job with DVDs and a pretty good job with standard definition TV. Blacks are good, contrast is solid, colors are excellent and detail is vivid. We try to look for great values to help you (and us for that matter) get a little more out of each hard earned dollar. You'd be hard pressed to find a better looking 61" TV at its price. It really helps bring the big screen home.

I've owned this display now for about 3 months. Simply put; I could not be happier. The picture is absolutely stunning and flawless. When watching Discovery HD on my DirecTV HD receiver; you are there! At the time of this writing Discovery HD is about 3 weeks into their "Planet Earth" series and to see the beauty of this incredible program on this display is quite frankly mind-boggling. Even the sound on the internal speakers which I only use occasionaly is great for internal TV speakers. The blue light on the front that some seem to be a little disturbed about that it could distract them is not distracting to me at all, but if it distracts you, it can be dimmed or turned off completely; so that is not an issue. The fan is as quiet as you're going to get and can only barely be heard with the volume completely down, and the wife and I sit only about 7 1/2 feet away.

I was offered a choice at the store where I buy of getting the 60" Sony, the 61" Samsung or the 61" JVC all 1080p displays and all at the exact same price...The JVC was in my opinion the hands down winner in picture quality. That said, I'm sure either of the other 2 displays would also make pretty much anyone happy.

In any case, trust me...with this display, and my Parasound pre/pro and amps, Aerial (FL, FR, and center) and Energy (4 rear channels) speakers, 2 15" DefTech subs all set up in a 7.2 configuration...As my wife now says: The theatres are so inferior. Ya gotta love it!

I HIGHLY recommend this display to even the most discerning videophile.

Buy JVC HD61FN97 61-Inch 1080p HDILA Rear Projection TV Now

I finally made a decision on which HDTV to purchase after a lengthy study. Although I am not taking delivery for a few days, I feel I know this tv very well. Also I hope this review can help others who are considering this unit. I was torn between the Sony XBR2, the Samsung 61" and the JVC. All are 1080p but the Samsung is said to have "wobulation" which is not TRUE 1080p so... I finally decided to purchase the Sony, ($3000) based on all the great reviews this tv had. I also am a believer in the LCOS technology over DLP. Anyway, I couldn't get the JVC out of my mind. Everytime I went to Best Buy to research tv's I kept seeing the unbelievable picture on the JVC. The Sony, no matter what store, never had a great "out of the box" picture, like the JVC. And no, the JVC hadn't been tweaked. When I saw the price included a $300 stand, it was just to financially a plus not to get the JVC. Technically a $1300 differance. I know many will say that the Sony is better but I couldn't deny the fantastic picture I saw at the store. I just can't justify spending $1300 more for the Sony. I'd rather have the extra money for maybe an HD-DVD player. After I take delivery, I will comment on the tv after about a month.

Read Best Reviews of JVC HD61FN97 61-Inch 1080p HDILA Rear Projection TV Here

It took me months before I made up my mind about a TV, it was a hard decision to go with LCD, Plasma or Rear Projection. They all looked great but everyone has their own opinion it seemed, but since I wasn't going to hang the TV, I saw no reason to spend the extra, plus the reflection off the other screens would have been too much I thought, and I was 100% right about the choice. Unfortunately I only had this TV For two months before it was stolen while I was on vacation! But it sure was a pleasure to have and I watched many movies on it and they were all great and looked better than movie theater screens....except some with a lot of motion, at times the TV did not process as quick and delay was there but that's with almost all the Rear Projections (even some Plasma) TVs I have seen so far too.

It's a True 1080P and it will be even better once that is implemented but for the price and the look you get, there is no better TV in the market at this time. I am just sorry it was stolen, but I am buying the SAME TV, which should tell you how good it is when you have an option to change your mind after two months. The Stand that I got was also great look with the TV so I am looking at the stand and keep hoping it will be here soon again so I can start ordering my DVDs!

Want JVC HD61FN97 61-Inch 1080p HDILA Rear Projection TV Discount?

When new the image is great on these. The bulbs last 2-3 years if you get a quality phillips bulb, off brands are junk. But after a few years all these LCD projection type TV's, including Sony SXRD, JVC HDILA etc. have optical block issues which starts as yellow or greenish tint spots and slowly spreads to the entire image. The only fix is to replace the optical block unit which is more expensive than a new 60" TV.

Tuesday, August 12, 2014

SONY DVP-NC615/B 5-Disc DVD Changer

SONY DVP-NC615/B 5-Disc DVD Changer
  • Supports the playback of DVD-R / DVD-RW / DVD+RW / CD-R / CD-RW / MP3 media
  • Dynamic Tilt Compensation
  • Block Noise Reduction
  • SmoothScan Mode
  • SmoothSlow Mode

I got the NC615 (not from Amazon) in July 2002 primarily to check for DVD-R playability and quality control (I'm a video producer and burn DVDs for clients). I had a total of about 3 hours use on the player in the first 8 months I owned it. Then I bought Sopranos DVD sets and started using it more regularly.

It was then I noticed it would stall, freeze, and then cut off periodically. At first it was so infrequent that I tried to attribute it to disc abnormalities and let it go.

Dealing with defective products is such an incredible hassle . . . expensive shipping, multiple calls and many, MANY minutes on tech support hold lines, pulling out entertainment centers and dealing with a mass of wires and dust in a small spaces, etc. Also, since the measly 90 day labor warranty (by far much more important than parts) had long passed, I knew I'd likely be footing 90% of any repair bill at that point anyway, so I succumbed to the denial that the player was at fault.

I could only delude myself a few months longer as the problem got worse and worse, the player eventually freezing and shutting off 5-10 times during any viewing session longer than 20 minutes. Of course by this time, the parts warranty had also conveniently expired.

But since I've dropped over $20,000 on professional Sony video equipment in recent years, I thought Sony customer service just MIGHT want to keep me happy, so I phoned them. I was wrong. I was met with absolute indifference, abruptness, and a refusal to consider the individual circumstances which made it a travesty of fairness for me to have to pay for the repair of this product, which cost well over $200 at the time I purchased it.

To make matters even comically worse, my sister was given the same player for Christmas of 2002, and hers started to exhibit similar problems late in 2003, also conveniently well after the labor warranty had expired and just as the parts warranty was expiring.

Two out of two identical products with the same defects in one family is hard to attribute to sheer bad luck. This was very likely a lemon product, an inherently defective player with an abnormally short useful life that Sony is refusing to stand behind, even for a loyal customer that's given them many thousands of dollars in business. Because of this unforgivable customer service breach, I will never buy another Sony consumer electronics product and will certainly try to avoid purchase of as many of their pro products as possible.

I advise others to STEAR CLEAR of this player and all those in direct succession to it, which is likely to be anything with a model number like NC6##.

Buy SONY DVP-NC615/B 5-Disc DVD Changer Now

I'll admit, I'm demanding of my MP3 devices. I purchased this product with the desire to get a good DVD that would allow me to play my MP3 CD's and remove my 5 disc CD player from my entertainment center. The DVD is great. It plays nasty DVD's from the library and doesn't skip. Very nice.

The down side is the audio features. I have a Sony portable MP3 player and it has all the features I need and use. Unfortunately that spoiled me. I expected similar features and friendly interface from this player. If you're into MP3 CD's here are some warnings.

when it says it will randomize your MP3/CD/DVD discs, it won't go into the actual tunes on the CD. An MP3 CD or a DVD is considered one track and will want to play start to finish.

The on screen MP3 selection is a neat start but do you really want to go to the TV to select an individual song? Selecting a folder is logical but more often I would like to pick a bunch and set it running. Most importantly, you can't really get around without the TV on.

The interface is ugly and far from intuitive. There is no randomize button on the face so if you'd like to put 5 audio Cd's in and randomize you have to turn on the TV and navigate through several steps. And that setting is not persistant so plan on going there often if your a randomize fan like me.

With the lousy Audio features, I still use my portable hooked up to the stereo. And with the ugly Audio CD features, I still need my 5-disc CD. And I really see no reason for 5 slots of DVD so I pretty much wasted $80 by not going with the one disc model. If you're an MP3 fan, go run it at a store before you commit. You might find you're as irritated with the features as I was.

Read Best Reviews of SONY DVP-NC615/B 5-Disc DVD Changer Here

The one good thing about this product is this. When the motor that spins the discs burned out, I was able to buy the identical product with a different problem off of ebay for $20 and replace the motor. So many people have a problem with this product that you can easily pick up an extra one for spare parts.....sad.

I tried to just buy the motor, but Sony has some deal with the manufacturer so they won't sell this $2 motor to anyone but them.

Want SONY DVP-NC615/B 5-Disc DVD Changer Discount?

I've always recommended and purchased Sony brand. I didn't buy mine at Amazon.com, but I'm here 10 months later to buy a replacement. It stopped reading DVDs yesterday. I removed the cover expecting to find the sensor needed cleaning. What I found was that the disc motor isn't spinning it up to speed any more. Reading the other reviews, it's clear this isn't an isolated incident.

Perhaps I was just lucky, but I have had absolutely zero issues with this DVD player. The only complaint I have is that the disc numbers on the tray are black just like the tray, so it is hard to read. One of these days, I will highlight the numbers with a white paint pen...

Thursday, July 31, 2014

Toshiba SD2700 DVD Player

Toshiba SD2700 DVD Player
  • DVD-video player offers playback of DVDs, standard CDs, and CD-R-formatted discs
  • Picture Preference mode offers 2 black-level settings and 3 preset picture modes
  • Coaxial digital output for external decoding of Dolby Digital and DTS soundtracks
  • HDCD precision filtering and decoding provide 20-bit audio resolution
  • Enhanced sound from conventional audio CDs

This is the first DVD player I have owned. I wanted to buy a DVD player with the features I felt were important at a good price. So here is my review:

First, I was interested in the features it had. This DVD player can play DVD's(duh), CD, CD-R, CD-RW, HDCD, and DVD-R. I don't know about the last one, but it says so on the Toshiba website. Those are the main features that are important TO ME. However, it also has a zoom feature with three different levels of magnification which is really nice, although on the third zoom, the detail becomes a LITTLE fuzzy, but you can still see the picture clear. It has a multiple angle camera function, which works on certain scenes in some DVD's. I have yet to use this function, but I find it kinda neat.

Second, the setup is so easy. I was watching a DVD within 5 minutes of opening the box. Of course, I am not connecting it to a receiver, just directly to the TV. But it would be simple to incorporate a HT system with this DVD player.

Third, the quality. The picture is great. Also, this player can play scratched disks VERY well, as most rental disks are a little worn. Also, the playback is extremely silent. I could hear a VERY faint whirring of the disk, and I was sitting about 6 feet away! I believe if I had a TV cabinet of some sort to put it in, I wouldn't hear a thing.

Fourth: I have read numerous reviews on various websites on some of the drawbacks of this player, most of them complaining about the remote being too small or the buttons on the remote being too close together. In my opinion, the remote is just fine. Maybe these people had stumpy fingers or something, but I don't see how they can say the remote is a problem.

Finally, I would like to say that for an entry-level DVD player, for the features you get, and for the price you pay, this is a GREAT purchase.

Buy Toshiba SD2700 DVD Player Now

PROS: Great price.

Excellent, features, performance & image quality.

Supports multiple digital sound technologies

(Dolby Digital, DTS, HDCD etc. )

Plays CDR's Cd's.

CONS: Doesn't play MP3's. on CD's.

WIDER than a vcr or cable box so it doesnt fit in cabinet that use standardized sizes for such things.

Instructions arent really that good...I connected it by trial & error.

OVERALL....Great Im very happy it. If yo are on a budget and still want features and performance...get this one!

Read Best Reviews of Toshiba SD2700 DVD Player Here

As a happy owner of the SD1600 I was looking forward to using the SD2700 and I was not let down in the least. The player has the same great build quality that I love about the entry-level SD1600. The picture quality was beautiful and smooth when paired with my 32" WEGA. However, the image quality seemed no better than that of the SD1600.

This is a key point because it reflects a larger issue: there really aren't many features to lead one to recommend the 2700 over the 1600. For me, it was the ability to play my old collection of VCDs (which is the only reason my old Samsung player is still around the house). The other advantage for some might be the ability to play CD-Rs -having none, I can't confirm whether or not the 1600 can. The HDCD and DVD-recordable functionality are of dubious value to the average consumer. In the end, there isn't much to distinguish the 2700 from the 1600 except for a couple of bucks. That being said, the 2700 is a great DVD player.

One last issue of note is a general gripe about Toshiba remotes. They aren't very ergonomic or simple to use. Toshiba should take a clue from the people at Samsung, whose remotes with joysticks are just great.

For the sub-optimal remote and the minimal advantage over the 1600, the 2700 loses a star and gets **** in my book!

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I wrote an earlier review praising this DVD player. But, the more movies we played, the more it would freeze up during play. The last 3 movies we watched (The Matrix, U-751, Eraser), it would freeze 10-15 times a movie. So, I called a few toshiba service centres in town and I got very inconsistent feedback on what the problem could be. Some would say..."Oh you need a firmware upgrade". But some would tell me that there are no upgrades available for the SD2700. With that information, I said to hell with this...it's going back to the store for a full refund.

Knowing that the sound and picture I was getting from Toshiba was awesome, I told myself that I would try Toshiba again, given that I probably had bought the SD2700 in a broken state. So, last week I went to the store and asked questions for almost 2 hours, of which DVD would meet my needs. It was a toss-up between Panasonic and Toshiba. I settled once again on the Toshiba, but an upgraded model from the SD2700...I bought the SD2710, which plays MP3's. So far it plays all the movies that the SD2700 didn't. I know that the SD2700 I bought was definitely broken, so don't let this review scare you.

I'm very happy with the SD2710.

EXCELLENT!!

Playes CDR and RW. Perfect DD and DTS sound. Both digital connections is a nice touch. Who cares about MP3 if you got CDRW??? Besides, this is a DVD player, not a CD player. IF you want to waste the $$ on MP3, get the SD2710.

I don't know about dude and his 3 month problem. I've had mine 5, and it plays as if it just came out of the box. HDCD is nice, too bad all that is encoded in HDCD is country, and you have to use analog cables for the HDCD to work properly. With digital cables you get no HDCD.

Overall: VERY GOOD entry level DVD player.

Thursday, July 24, 2014

Wireless Infrared Motion Night Vision Network Color Camera Pan & Tilt, 2-way audio

Wireless Infrared Motion Night Vision Network Color Camera Pan & Tilt, 2-way audioSoftware to set them up is pretty cruddy. If you do anything beyond the standard configuration, you're in for some frustration. You need a college degree in computer science to get these cameras to work through a home router's firewall so you can access the camera via the internet from anywhere. (I gave up trying.) You can't use it outside as any bush that moves in the wind seems to trigger the motion detection. Although I don't understand the motion detection as it will trigger video capture 25 times in a day, but it won't capture me walking directly in front of the camera and waving at it?! When I was setting it up, it seemed to work much better inside the house with the wireless camera unit much closer to my wireless router. So it you have simple requirements (watching a dog play during the day?) it would work for that.

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Tuesday, July 15, 2014

LG BX580 Network 3D Blu-ray Disc Player, Black

LG BX580 Network 3D Blu-ray Disc Player, Black
  • 3D Blu-ray Disc Playback
  • Integrated Wi-Fi Connectivity
  • NetCast Entertainment Access
  • DLNA Certified (Home Link)
  • Full HD 1080p

Had very high expectations for this player. The setup was very easy and the bluray playback was excellent. However, I did not purchase this JUST to play my blurays, my PS3 already does that just fine. I bought it for its streaming and Netcast features, which unfortunately work either satisfactory at best, or, in my case (specifically CinemaNow), not at all. CinemaNow just failed to connect, everything else did. CinemaNow support passed the blame to LG, and LG advised me to send the unit for servicing. I told LG that sending a product for servicing one day after receiving it is not an option. So, am returning it back to Amazon and will hunt for a different network streaming bluray player. LG customer support did try to help, but ultimately were unable to and like I said, having to have a brand new product serviced out of the box is simply not acceptable.

UPDATE 10/20/2010

LG customer support CAME THROUGH! Decided to give them one last chance and this time someone answered who actually knew what to do (I know, shocker!). Anyway, "Oscar" was very helpful and told me to reset the LG's IP address from AUTO to Manual and supplied a new IP address and CinemaNow works beautifully. All the other Netcast sites continued to work as well. I will be keeping this unit!!!

UPDATE 9/17/2012

I have just thrown this player in the trash. It stopped playing virtually all media, satisfactorily. Everything I put in it would stutter, digitize, or just plain not play at all. What a horrible piece of garbage. LG should be ashamed of itself (yeah, right). Updated to Panasonic DMP-BDT500 -so far am very happy with it. It is a superior machine, both feature-wise and more importantly, construction-wise. So, in short, less than two years worth of playing, and LG craps out. No more LG for me.

Buy LG BX580 Network 3D Blu-ray Disc Player, Black Now

I am mostly pleased with this Blu-ray player's features and performance. I have it connected via HDMI to a 3D-capable AV receiver and as expected it does a great job playing Blu-ray DVD's as well as upconverting standard DVD's. I haven't been able to test the 3D capability because I'm still undecided on a 3D TV. The networking capability works very well; I had no trouble connecting to my secure wireless-N network, but the wireless connection speed seems much lower than I'm getting on my notebook, probably due to the LG player being buried in a cabinet with other electronics. This means that streaming from the internet or a PC via DLNA is somewhat slow, and wired Ethernet would be advisable if you do heavy media streaming. Standard YouTube video streaming, however, worked pretty well due to the lower bandwidth requirement.

The only thing keeping me from giving this unit 5 stars is that the photo display capability has a serious limitation that is not documented and has not been remedied by LG tech support. In spite of the advice to keep JPEG's below 3000 by 3000 pixels (24 bits/pixels), I found that the image will not display properly if the file size exceeds 3.0 MB, regardless of pixel dimension. This problem was duplicated by LG tech support on images that I supplied them, but although they stated their engineers were working on the problem, it has not been fixed in over two months. This is probably not something that most people will care about, but if you want to stream photos from your PC for slide shows on your hi-def TV, the BX580 would be a good way to do it if it worked properly with normal JPEG files.

All in all, a very nice unit, especially considering the substantial discount price that is available on Amazon!

Read Best Reviews of LG BX580 Network 3D Blu-ray Disc Player, Black Here

I got this as part of a deal when purchased with a 3D tv. This player has a feature called Homelink which allows you to play media off a network drive. I have a NAS that's on the network and this player plays everything I've thrown at it flawlessly. Its allowing me to move the mac mini I have to the bedroom since I no longer need a media pc. I can't attest to the 3d blu ray playback since there seems to be a lack of 3D blu ray discs but I'm impressed so far with what I've seen.

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I got the BX580 is in a bundle from Amazon with the LG 55LX6500 LED 3D Internet 1080 HDTV, and 4 pairs of LG 3D glasses. This player has way more option than I need, and all the connections and capabilities are duplicated on the LG 55LX6500 HDTV. But for someone with an HDTV without those features, the player fills in the gaps.

When all the pieces were delivered and hooked up together, I played a new 3D Blu-Ray disk (Monster House 3D), as well as a new full 1080 HD DVD (Avatar). I also played a lot of older DVDs in the old standard 3:4:5 (1.33) analog TV format, some of which are only 720 resolution. They all play well, but only full 1080 HD sources have the razor sharp definition that is now the expectation. From now on, all I will buy are Blu-Ray. No more DVDs, though I'm glad I can still play my old inferior DVDs.

I don't have any negative issues with the BX580 player. It was a fantastic experience. The only negative I experienced was that 3D gives me a headache after awhile, but that is an issue with the active shutter technology, and not the player equipment.

Neither the LG player nor LG HDTV comes with HDMI cables, which are required for the best results. I originally had the player hooked to the TV with composite video cables and the analog sound (red-white audio cables) -because I only ordered HDMI cables from Amazon after the player and TV were delivered and I found out HDMI cables were NOT included. If you want the full digital capability of this player, including 5.1 or 7.1 sound, then you must hook up with an HDMI cable. Those red-white-yellow RCA analog cables are for legacy (non-HDMI) analog peripherals you have.

You can hook up your digital 5.1 or 7.1 sound equipment directly to the BX580 player by digital coax or digital optical. I just hook my digital sound system (a Logitech Z-5500 5.1 digital sound system) directly to the HDTV. The HDMI cable linking the player to the TV will carry all the digital sound signal to speaker system through the HDTV. You can also hook up an analog sound system with the red-white RCA jacks, but all you can get is stereo from them. Unlike your computer, which might have 3 or 4 separate analog audio jacks for a 5.1 system, the BX580 player only supports a digital 5.1/7.1 audio connection, and a stereo (red-white RCA jacks) analog audio.

I was pleasantly surprised that the BX580 had built in WiFi, which I didn't even realize until somebody commented on it in an online review (so much for not reading the manual.) I already had the LG HDTV hooked to an Ethernet cable to my home LAN, so I didn't really need the internet capability of the BX580 player, which also has an Ethernet jack. So I connected the player by WiFi, since I also already have WiFi in the house. Sometimes WiFi connections have issues but I had no trouble connecting the player to my home LAN. The only hiccup was I put the gateway password in as the password the BX580 player asked for, when what it really wanted was the gateway key. I only tested out the Utube internet app because it was free. The other video content apps, like Netflix, requires an account be established first.

Now I have three remotes to manipulate -the HDTV remote, the BX580 player remote, and the Sound system remote. I'm OK with his, because once set, I manipulate very little from my standard set up. Long ago I gave up on universal remotes, because, despite all their claim, they are not. The LG remotes have a simplex feature which allows both the TV and the player to be operated by one remote but you can't use simplex when you have a 3D program on.

I don't have any issues with the remotes. I can't read them without glasses any way, and I just keep one of those free mini LED flashlights from Harbor Freight close by if I need to see the remote buttons.

All in all, this is an excellent player with more options than you may be able to take advantage of. I got it at a great price, and I am more than satisfied with it. I would not hesitate to recommended it to a friend.

I was looking for a feature packed 3D blu-ray player that offerd wireless connectivity to my home network. The BX580 fit the bill to a "T". It has lots of features and for the money I don't think that it can be beat. I liked the product so much that I bought another one for a second entertainment system. Previous review critized usb port on face of unit. I have not found that to be a problem. Easy to access and usually this connection is for a short period and not permanent anyway. 3D works great too.

Tuesday, July 8, 2014

Lexar Media 128MB SMARTMEDIA DIGITAL FILM ( SM128-231 )

Lexar Media 128MB SMARTMEDIA DIGITAL FILMHow many pictures will it store? It is the most commonly asked question from digital camera enthusiast but usually the question that is the most difficult to get a straight answer about. Well, considering I worked in the memory industry for over 7 years I can help clarify this perplexing question and do so unbiased as I have since changed industries.

The Lexar Media 128MB SMARTMEDIA DIGITAL FILM, like most 128MB cards, will store on average 142 pictures when used with a 2 megapixel camera, 106 images when used with a 3 megapixel camera, 64 pictures when used with a 4 megapixel camera, 51 images when used with a 5 megapixel camera, and 40 pictures when used with a 6 megapixel camera. These numbers are based off the assumption that you are going to shoot your images at the highest quality JPEG setting available for the camera and understand that they are estimates and may be off by as much as 10 percent due to numerous factors including the complexity of the scene being shot and the compression algorithm used by your specific camera.

I truly hope this review was helpful to you in determining whether this card is the right capacity for your specific needs.

This media card was just the thing I was looking for. I have a Rio One mp3 player with only 32 megs onboard and with this media card I expanded it to 160 megs, that's about 160 minutes of near cd quality music. So, I'm very satisfied with it.

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Thursday, July 3, 2014

Olympus Refurbished WS311M Digital Voice Recorder and WMA Music Player

Olympus Refurbished WS311M Digital Voice Recorder and WMA Music PlayerAfter borrowing a friends recorder, I was so impressed with the recording quality, I decided to purchase one. The price for my refurbished recorder was so much less expensive than a new one, I bought it. I've used it twice and have been very pleased.

I am using this product for college lectures and is useful, practical and most of it works! I would recommend buying this product.

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Wednesday, July 2, 2014

8' Pureav HDmi To Dvi Cable

8' Pureav HDmi To Dvi CableWhat a quality cable! Even my IT guy was impressed with this cable. If you want the absolute best quality picture from your display device, I HIGHLY recommend Pureav. I'm quite happy with it!

First I'd like to say this I'm a person who uses Monster's upper mid grade cables on my stereo equipment, so I can appreciate a good quality cable.

Now,

I recently purchased a HP w2207h 22" widescreen LCD monitor and wanted to replace the thin cheap HDMI cable supplied with the monitor. I wanted one cable instead of having to use an HDMI cable with a HDMI to DVI adapter to connect to my computer's video card.

Researching HDMI to DVI cables lead me to Belkin's PURE AV offering. Wow is all I can say. This is a beautifully made quality cable. It's relatively light for its size even though it's about twice as thick as a standard computer power cord, is housed in a flexible light grayish PVC mesh looking jacket, and has gold plated connectors with metal screw-ins at the DVI end. You can definitely tell this is a quality cable. Plus...It has a lifetime warranty! Plus $38 dollars for an 8' quality made cable ain't bad either.

So how does it perform? Well...compared to the cheap HDMI cable supplied by HP...night and day. The monitor's colors are much more vivid and vibrant. DVDS look brighter and livelier, text in documents is sharp. The cable simply outperforms the generic one supplied by HP, and I would venture to say, most other cheaper made cables as well.

Bottom line If you're in the market for a good quality made HDMI to DVI cable you can't go wrong with Belkin's PURE AV offering. It will definitely bring your monitor/HDTV to life. Highly recommended!

P.S be aware that the cable comes in a clear plastic bag. Its Belkin's packaging as it has PURE |AV on it as well as other Belkin markings/info, but it's a plastic bag nonetheless. I was kind of surprised at first till I read somewhere that that's how it's packaged and shipped.

So would I buy other Belkin Pure AV products...yes!!!

Buy 8' Pureav HDmi To Dvi Cable Now

No problems, works great, good quality and materials, cable is tuff and durable, the end pieces are strong and well made. Would purchase again.

Read Best Reviews of 8' Pureav HDmi To Dvi Cable Here

The quality is stunning. Works great with Mac PowerBook G4. I hook it up to my Samsung LCD screen.

I believe its the best quality you can ever get. The colors are so vivid. I recommend it for everyone

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Thursday, June 5, 2014

TosLink 1 x 2 Optical Audio Splitter Adapter

TosLink 1 x 2 Optical Audio Splitter AdapterI was very skeptical when buying this spliiter/switch after seeing so many bad reviews. It worked for me after little trial and error and here is what I found. For all those who complained that these splitters/switches do not work, this is what you need to do to get it right. I bought this splitter from eforcity, so I cannot say about those shipped by other sellers.... It works both ways i.e. as a splitter and as a switch.

1. For it to act as a switch, the critical thing is that only one source needs to be ON. Some sources send signal even when on stand by mode. To check whether it sends out signal, just plug one end of the toslink cable into port of the source(cable box, ps3, etc) and check the other end for red light. when on stand by, the light should not be lit.

2. The second most important thing for this splitter/switch to work is the length of the cables used. I used all 1.5 ft cables and they work perfectly. Earlier I had 3 ft cables coming out of the cable box and ps3 to the splitter and then 1.5 ft cable to the home theater. The ps3 did not work but cable box worked (not consistently though) as the signal attenuated too much by the time it reached the home theater receiver. I am not sure if there is a shorter cable than 1.5 ft and it would be great if you do have them. 1.5 ft cables work fine. I got the 1.5 ft cables from RiteAV.

Finally, the basic test to see if it works is to check for the red light after the connections. Connect in the way shown below and check for the light near the * before connecting to the receiver. Make sure only one source is ON at a time. If you see light and it still does not work after plugging into the receiver then it means that the signal attenuated too much and your receiver cannot pick it.

source 1 -->

...................splitter -->* receiver

source 2 -->

--> = 1.5 ft toslink cable

ignore the dots...

Good luck!.

I read all the responses posted in the comments (turn off one device to use the other) and it works perfect!

Buy TosLink 1 x 2 Optical Audio Splitter Adapter Now

In looking around, it seemed that some of these splitters had issues when used to connect 2 devices to 1 input. As long as the "other" device is powered off when you're using the shared input, it totally works.

When our blu-ray is used, the Xbox360 is off and vice-versa.

Can't beat the price!

Read Best Reviews of TosLink 1 x 2 Optical Audio Splitter Adapter Here

If you are using this to connect 2 devices to one receiver then you need to make sure one device is off while you are using the other device. I use this splitter to connect my Xbox 360 and my PC to my PX5's. I also have to turn off the receiver and turn it back on when switching devices or it will not pick up the signal from the other device. Works great if you follow those simple rules. If both of your devices stay on this will not work for you. If you can't turn off one device then this will not work for you.

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I'm pretty happy with this product. It's an inexpensive solution to my problem of having only one optical input on my AV Receiver and needing to connect both my PS3 and Apple TV to it. Both AppleTV and PS3 are connected the end of the splitter with two inputs, and then the other end of the splitter with only one output is connected to the AV Receiver. It only works when only one of the devices is off and not transmitting signal at the same time as the other one, but luckily both these devices don't transmit signal when they're in sleep mode.

Tuesday, May 27, 2014

VEC TRX-20 3.5MM Direct Connect Telephone Record Device (ADAPTER ONLY)

VEC TRX-20 3.5MM Direct Connect Telephone Record DeviceThis interface plugs into the same jack as the headset and not the main line. At first this was confusing. However, once I figured that out all went well. The sound quality was as good as the phone receiver and it was easy to use with my laptop computer. For the cost, this was an unbeatable solution to the problem of recording meetings in an efficent and easy way.

I had a need to record interviews taking place via phone for some academic research that I'm conducting. This is an excellent solution, and very easy to use. I work at a university, on the university's digital phone system. Because this plugs in at the handset, it can be used, I would presume, on any network, digital or analog. It can't be used with a cell phone that I can see, but for traditional phones, you could not beat this item.

I am currently recording conversations on an Olympus DS-30 Digital Voice Recorder Olympus DS-30 Digital Voice Recorder. Of course, consult local and state laws regarding required disclosure the legality of recording phone conversations.

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Did the job it's suppose to while other cheaper ones from ebay failed.

Was worth the extra I think mostly because if fit the rj11 jacks better.

Read Best Reviews of VEC TRX-20 3.5MM Direct Connect Telephone Record Device (ADAPTER ONLY) Here

I received this an hour back and tested by recording 3 calls (2 with a Sony Digital Voice Recorder, and 1 on my laptop through windows sound recorder). The recording is absolutely clear and crisp and it does the job well. The device is very small (smaller than it looks in the picture shown).

The reason I gave 4 stars instead of 5 is while recording playback, when Speaker pause I hear a background hissing sound. This hissing becomes very dim when someone is talking but it becomes louder during pauses. If you play in low volume its not that audible. Overall a good product.

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We liked our first coupler so much we ordered two more! Again, it took less than a week to receive the products. We're using them to record audio in Microsoft Office Live Meeting from Phillips phones and via Plantronics wireless headsets into Dell computers. We're also using them to record into Camtasia Studio 2.0 (the free version). They work fine out of the box. The person with the coupler on their phone is louder than others, but all quality is very acceptable (just like via the telephone only). We are working on the settings within the computer to lower the "coupler person's" voice highs and lows. The device also works fine when recording into Audacity freeware. I like them, too, because they are easy to hook-up. Easy for even a "non-techie" person like me to use.

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Friday, May 23, 2014

Samsung DVD-V3650 Progressive Scan DVD/VCR Combo

Samsung DVD-V3650 Progressive Scan DVD/VCR Combo
  • Space-saving full-featured DVD player with built-in hi-fi VCR
  • Component-video output terminals with progressive-scan output offers flicker-free images on HD or HD-ready TVs
  • Plays DVD-Video, CD-R/CD-RW, MP3 CD, Kodak Picture CD, and JPEG image CDs
  • Front-panel audio/video inputs accommodate a camcorder, digital camera, or gaming console
  • EZ View letterbox eliminator lets you enjoy full-screen pictures on 4:3 aspect-ratio TVs

I just bought this DVD/VCR player since it was onsale. I actually paid about the same price at Bestbuy. The first unit I bought I returned because the VCR made a little buzzing noise when playing a video. Then, I realized that my second unit made the same amount of noise. So, I had to put the DVD/VCR unit in my stand rather than on top of my tv. This reduced the amount of noise I hear from the VCR. Anyways, the DVD player is excellent and shows great pictures. If you use this product for recording at night in your bedroom, don't buy it. But if you use it to watch mostly DVDs and the occasional video, then it's not a bad deal for a decent product.

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I'm glad I didn't listen to most of the reviews here. If you are just a normal person who isn't expecting to get a $600 Combo Unit for this price, you'll love it.

I purchased a Panasonic Home Theatre system 3 years ago and have had nothing but problems with it. It got so bad, in fact, that we needed to buy a new DVD player because the Panasonic would only recognize ANY DVD about 25% of the time.

Enter the Samsung DVD-V3650. We had an old Phillips/Mag VCR which had its nasty quirks, too. It made sense to get one unit.

I don't care much for the Samsung DVD-V3650's color. But that's not the important thing. I digress. We thought our TV was giving us "Wavy refresh rate things" going up and down our screen, but found with the new Samsung DVD-V3650 we no longer had them.

I like the fact that it has digital audio out jacks (optical and component). When I record a show, I like that I have a 30 second FFW button. I like that I can record and watch a DVD at the same time. Easy set up, yet pretty thorough.

We are very happy with this Samsung. My first with this company.

Read Best Reviews of Samsung DVD-V3650 Progressive Scan DVD/VCR Combo Here

It took me a while to make up my mind about this unit. In general, I've had good luck with Samsung products (printer, cell phone) so I thought I'd give the DVD-3650 a try. I wanted to add DVD capability to my family room system, but didn't want to add another box. So this unit went in, and the VCR I was using went to the bedroom.

At first, I liked the unit overall; I'm fine with the remote; the buttons aren't too small for me, and I have big hands. The picture on the DVD is as good as necessary for a 30" TV. The VCR picture with pre-recorded tapes is OK. I like the access to manual tracking adjustment on the remote. And I haven't had any functional problems with it (over 3 months).

But little things bug me. I use VHS index search a lot, since I make compilations of several kids films on one tape to reduce bulk on trips. On the Samsung, you have to go deep into the menus to get to index search, instead of it being directly on the remote. When you finally do get to it via the menu, it is only available as introscan fwd or rev; you can't set it to search, for example, two indexes forward and start playing. Plus, it only searches at about 8x playback speed, so it's not much faster than just using scan during playback and searching manually. Its a totally lame implementation of what should be a standard feature.

Other minor quibbles; two vertical ribs on the VCR tape door that are apparently for aesthetics make it HARDER to insert a tape correctly. Not a big deal for an adult, perhaps, but a major frustration for a 4 year old, and there is NO good reason for them to be there. When the remote is in the VCR mode, the mute button becomes the VCR audio input select button. Since I use the VCR tuner for watching TV on a regular basis, this is a pain; I have to switch the remote back to TV function, press mute; press it again when the commercial is over, then press VCR again if I want to channel surf. And how often does the average person want to switch the audio input on a VCR anyway? Ever? THAT is something that should be in a menu.

Also, not a problem for me, but could be for many purchasers are the very limited number of TV brands controllable via the remote, far fewer than most other multibrand remotes I've seen. It would be a good idea to download the manual from the Samsung site to make sure your TV is listed before purchasing if you want to use this feature.

More significantly, I've recently discovered the VCR seems to be abnormally sensitive to anti-copy schemes; tapes I made from a DVD on another VCR using a Sima video stabilizer that play perfectly on that and every other VCR I own, have horizontal purple stripes on the Samsung.

All in all, if it played copied tapes properly, I'd be willing to put up with its other weaknesses. But as it is, even though I'm now stuck with it (didn't discover that problem until after Amazon's return time limit expired), I regret this purchase.

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It didn't work. The remote did not respond, despite my changing the battery twice, and the controls on the front of the unit were not responsive. I did everything I was supposed to do, read the manual, hooked it up properly, etc., but it just didn't work! So, I returned it and bought a Sony. The Sony works fine.

Unfortunately, someone very nice gave me this for Xmas. After an hour the picture started randomly stopping and starting herky-jerky on the DVD. Read the other reviews here as well. If you bought one, get rid of it before it wastes your time. I guess the moral of the story is; no matter where it's manufactured, buy Japanese, they have the quality management system for these products. I never have failures on Japanese brands; your time is too valuable to waste on junk like this.

Apex AD2600 Progressive-Scan DVD Player

Apex AD2600 Progressive-Scan DVD Player
  • Slim, single-disc progressive-scan DVD player renders seamless images on HD and HD-ready TVs
  • Plays MP3 and WMA CDs, JPEG and Kodak picture CDs
  • Component-, composite-, and S-video accommodate a wide range of TVs
  • Dolby Digital and DTS 5.1-channel digital output (for immersive surround sound when used with a compatible AV receiver)
  • Includes Apex Full-screen Function for viewing widescreen movies in full-screen on 4:3 TVs

After reading the positive comments here and elsewhere, I ordered the Apex 2600 around noon on Nov 24th. I chose the Free Shipping option and was given an estimated delivery date of Dec 3-4. Well, here it is Nov 26th and the player has already arrived. 5 *'s to Amazon and UPS for that!

Had the player hooked up and working fine in a couple minutes. Instructions? We don't need no stinking instructions to figure out how to use all the features of this bad boy. Remote and menus are clear enough to find anything.

Definitely does everything mentioned in previous reviews. Reads CD and DVD data disks. Shows JPG photos and MPEG movies. Full screen images and MPEG movies are sharp and not distorted (that I've noticed so far). Can't comment on progressive scan as I do not have a HDTV.

Can't help but feel that for $39 after rebate, this is the best value I've gotten for an electronics item in a long time, if not ever.

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I own an APEX AD-2500 and recently purchased the AD-2600. The 2600 is a nice upgrade with the new slim-line appearance. Both units work very well and will play every format that I have tried on it. I took two CD's containing two of my basic requirements, JPG picture files and VCD videos to five electronic stores with the intent of verifying a DVD Player's ability to play back in an acceptable manner. I was shocked that at any price, I could not find a unit that even compared with the APEX units for compatibility. These APEX units play back easily created video files on plain CD's without going through the hassel of creating a DVD. The file and sub-file displays for JPG slide shows are very friendly and the speed of loading each picture is excellent. I am about ready to buy another one of the AD-2600 Units as It can't be beat.

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This is a great dvd player for anything, from the perfect piece to complete your home theater system or just a dvd player to have in a side room. It has many of the features of a expensive dvd player ... Progressive scan looks incredible on my new HDTV, and it plays nearly every format i could throw at it. VCD SVCD XVCD all play great. I recommend this dvd player without hesitation.

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This is a very nice looking dvd. It plays almost all of the formats that are out there (excluding XVID and DIVX) including SVCD, VCD, MP3, WMA and so on... The picture quality is great. Trust me, Apex is going to become a leading producer of DVD players very soon. The price for their products is low and quality is actually better than SONY or Pioneer...

This is my fifth post on this machine since 2003 and the first to post a troubleshoot. People need to look at what other people have written, like my post! Many of the people who are unhappy with this machine have problems with the picture. Learn to read the manual people!!! If you are currently having problems with the picture on your machine, I'll save you the trouble of hunting down the manual... please skip to Troubleshooting Tips.

Review:

This is in fact the best machine for the price. I am amazed that it plays pretty much every format it says on the box and all disk media CDR/CDRW/DVDR/DVDRW. Today I have two Apex DVD players and they all work perfectly since 2003, except for the occasional motor hum from spinning. Despite the hum, I am very very happy with this Apex machine. In fact I recommended this Apex DVD player to a coworker of mine and he also bought two of these fantastic machines. He has not had any problems either. I highly recommend this machine because of performance versus price. My machine still works perfect! If you should have a problem with picture in the future, please remember to look at Troubleshooting in this post.

Troubleshooting Tips:

Does your Apex DVD player only play audio and no video? Or does it play audio but the video is scrolling in black and white? Before you try to return the player or waste hours calling Apex tech support, or run the player over with your car, try these simple troubleshooting ideas first.

No picture: Hopefully you still have the remote control. If you tossed it out the window, you need to fetch it. But first check to see if your video is hooked up correctly and your TV is switched to the correct video input. If everything is correct, using the DVD's remote control, press the I/P button located on the bottom right corner of the remote. The I/P button switches the TV display between interlace and progressive. If this doesnt bring back the picture, try pressing this button without playing a DVD. If you dont get video back, now you can run the player over with your car!

Picture scrolling in B/W: You need the remote control for this so you better get it from your dog before he burries it in the backyard. Press the P/N button located on the bottom right corner of the remote. The P/N button switches your DVD players video output signal between PAL and NTSC. By pressing P/N, you should be able to get a good picture on the screen.

For other problems go to http://www.apexdigitalinc.com/support.asp

I hope I have helped you continue to enjoy the Apex DVD player with these troubleshooting tips. I have done some research and experimenting with the remote when my Apex AD-2500 seemed to have lost its video signal. Im a more happier person after discovering the I/P button! The button was probably accidentally pushed to cause the black screen in the first place.

ZMODO 8 CH CCTV H.264 Security DVR System + 8 Outdoor IR Waterproof Camera With 1TB Hard Drive Pre-

ZMODO 8 CH CCTV H.264 Security DVR System + 8 Outdoor IR Waterproof Camera With 1TB Hard Drive Pre-installedThe ZMODO 8 ch CCTV H.264 camera system was as advertised. The IR does work just fine in the dark. The system is very easy to set up. Plug and play so it takes very little effort to figure out the set up. I had the system up and working in mere minutes. As with all cameras the picture is much, much clearer with light. The daytime picture is very clear and you get a much better night pic with an IR light. I use them for ghost hunting and for a lower cost type system it performs very well. You sure can't beat the return on the investment. For home security purposes it works great too. Nice system for the price.

I am a certified Electronic Engineer, have been working with CCTV systems for over 15 years, i have used products from a vast number of manufacturers and suppliers, but it the first time we purchase ZMODO.

Purchased this item for a customer of mine, for the price i was expecting a cheap product, however the quality is below of what i was expecting.

The item is way small and so are the cameras, the images portray a larger and more robust unit.

The quality of the materials are not very good, i have purchased other Chinese manufactured DVR systems in the past, and have never seen one like ZMODO, honestly if you need security, please spend some more and get a unit that you will be able to depend on.

Mine arrived dead, does not work, and , 4 channels don't work, video playback is choppy, and the quality of the image is very low.

ZMODO customer support, thats another thing i have been trying for 3 days now, they seem to have just one person or many customers with problems, because it is almost impossible to get support.

Bottom line... please consider other brands, not recomended.

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Sunday, May 18, 2014

HD 720P Spy Video Camera eyewear sunglasses DVR Video recorder sunglasses

HD 720P Spy Video Camera eyewear sunglasses DVR Video recorder sunglassesThis is not my first pair of DVR sunglasses.

Its by far an improvement from others I have owned.

Pros:

Single Control button rocks!

Its single control is tastefully molded into the frame of the sunglasses rendering it virtually unnoticeable unlike others that have overly thick handles with geek like plastic buttons protruding from them.

True view horizontal capture pitch is great

Its a clear improvement over other pairs that I previously bought in that its view pitch is actually true to the horizon and not 30 degrees as if its only use was for bicycle riding. Often you buy one of these things and end up recording the ceiling of your car or tree tops or the chins of really tall people because they are angled upward.

I can actually wear these like a normal pair of sunglasses and record without any problems.

Battery life is great!

Fully charged battery actually lasts long enough to fully use the entire storage when recording video.

Sturdy Construction.

Its not particularly flimsy and delicate.

I can use it on the handgun range without having to treat it with kid gloves. They actually survived falling into the pool.

Interchangeable lens

Its easy to change the lens. Many different ones seem to fit into the frame. Other pairs required me to have to shave the lenses to make them fit into the device. These just slide right in without a fuss.

Video Quality!

It delivers even in low-light situations. I use them for shooting sports, at the beach, and kayaking.

There is one drawback though.

Cons:

Storage Not upgradable. :(

Unlike other pairs, this one has no option to swap the native 4GB MicroSD car with a higher capacity one like a class 10 32GB or something like that.

The case looks like a lady's pocketbook

Its not the most manly of looks in that its kinda sparkly and looks like a clutch bag. I threw it away immediately.

Overall I'd recommend this model over others in its class.

Video and sound quality excellant. Field of view is true to your actual vision. Hooks to computer and easily recognised as a flash drive and could view movies instantly.

Only drawback is the button to engage the recording does not always work but other than a few presses to start it is fine

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These video glasses are really good, and record just like your eyes see. One reviewer mentions opening up the case and replacing the 4GB memory with something bigger. This is not possible with the product I bought. The right side opens with 2 tiny screws to reveal a 280 mah battery. The left side opens to reveal a circuit board fastened down with even smaller screws. I did not remove the circuit board because the screws are impossibly small, but I examined with an eyepiece, and did not see any socketed components, and doubt there was room to hide it where I could not see.

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The picture and sound was good, the charging the battery is bad. Trying to get help with the product is also bad. I wouldn't recommend the product.

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Nice product but they don't work for a long period of time. Video turns upside down and displays a monochrome color.

Saturday, April 12, 2014

Sylvania DV5000C-RD Digital Video Camcorder with HD Recording, 8x Optical Zoom, and 2-Inch LCD Scre

Sylvania DV5000C-RD Digital Video Camcorder with HD Recording, 8x Optical Zoom, and 2-Inch LCD Screen, RedI bought this from another website but it is exactly the same item for sale here. There is one thing that is drastically out of place however. The DV-5000C-RD has NO optical zoom, not 8X.

The Good:

I only paid $25.00 shipped for mine.

The screen has good color and it is incredibly simple to use.

Charges via USB.

Low Light video is decent.

Its red.

The Bad:

The quality of the item itself seems low. The plastic seems really cheap, very lightweight.

The quality of the video is lower than I was expecting. There are a lot of digital artifacts and the digital zoom is a joke.

The software tries to reset all your file preferences when you install. Make sure to deselect any formats you don't want directed to this software.

There should be a bag with it for the price I paid.

I plan to use this with my students. For that purpose I think it will be a decent deal at $25.00. If I had paid more than that I would feel ripped off.

This little camera is of a Very poor quality overall. Plastic cover is very cheap. When I received it thought was an amazing product, but after opening the package with my cousin, since this was a birthday present, and saw that wasn't working at all, just confirmed that you can't receive or expect more for this price. Pls be aware of this details before buying one of this video cameras. Not recommend this product.

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The pics that this takes are good. It is only a 5MP shot at best so remember, it's not the highest quality camera. The mic on mine doesn't work great so any movies I take don't come with much in the way of sound. All in all, I'd say it was worth the money I spent.

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GREAT LITTLE MOVIE CAMERA, MY WIFE LOVES IT, EASY TO USE, GOOD PICTURES, MAKES A GOOD GIFT, I WOULD BUY IT AGAIN, THANKS =)

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