Elgato Eyetv 200 Digital Video Recorder (10020221)

Wow. Let me just say that this product exceeded my expectations. Right out of the box, it took me about 3 minutes to get everything plugged in and the software installed. I was watching TV on my Mac literally 5 minutes after it arrived at my door. The unit comes with a free subscription to the online TitanTV program guide. The TitanTV is half the reason I'm so excited about this product. It is freakishly easy to use and you can literally set it to record a program with one click. -ONE CLICK!!! The TitanTV service somehow syncs itself up with the EyeTV program and everything is very seamless, elegant, and EXTREMELY easy to use. I was completely blown away by how easy everything is. I was ready to sit down and take a while to read manuals, etc. and try to figure this sucker out, but there's really nothing to it!

The picture quality also surprised me. I am running it on a new iMac G5 (17", 1.8ghz, 1GB RAM, 64MB Graphics), and everything LOOKS GREAT! (even at full screen) I haven't recorded anything yet, but it does record at a lower resolution, so recorded shows will probably look slightly less stunning at full screen, but I have high hopes.

Overall, I am extremely pleased. And would recommend it to anyone who is already interested enough to read this review. BUY IT! You WILL NOT be disappointed! Do keep in mind, however, that results will vary depending on the machine you are running it on. My iMac does the job fine, but a G4 Mac might struggle a bit...

[EDIT] I now use it on my PowerBook G4, no difference in picture still GREAT!

[EDIT] Recording looks great!

I've had my EyeTv 200 for a couple of weeks now, and I've found that the clarity of the on-screen image is dependant upon your signal. I only have the regular TV stations that come in through an amplified TV antenna. The stations with a good signal are clear on the computer screen while those with weak signals are not so clear. Also, if you have problems with the TV signal for your regular TV then that problem may be amplified and look even worse with the EyeTv. Cable and satellite customers shouldn't have any problems with image quality or set up.

Set up is straight forward no problems there, or with the software to make it work when you want. I had no problems getting it to work the first time through.

The EyeTv box itself does seem to get a little warm when left on, which is easy to do because the Fire-wire cable provides power to it. So, I don't set anything on top of it and give it a little extra space under my desk on a small shelf. Overall, a little better then I expected.

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Well, now I can tell you something about computer TV recorders for the Mac, from actual experience. I have more experience, in fact, than I would like to have had.

First I got the myTV.PVR by Hauppauge, cheap (roughly $120). It ran, showing TV on my screen, and allowing channel selection for all our cable channels. It had a timer to catch programs, and I recorded a number of movies and a couple of Monk episodes. The movies had to be converted using a free online program in order to be recordable by Toast, and the synchronization between audio and video was imperfect. Then the unit began acting up: refusing to work, and seemingly messing up the hard drives. I talked to the company, and they admitted that they had received reports of a problem with overheating. Thereupon I ran the device with its case removed and a fan blowing on it, and it worked. I then replaced the case and attached an old computer fan for cooling, and it continued to work. Then, about a week ago, it died: it would not even turn on, and its indicator light would not glow. Kaput, dead, deceased.

So I ordered an EyeTV 200 (by Elgato) through Amazon.com for more than twice the cost of the first device, but still cheaper than at the Apple store, which did not have any available, anyway. It came today. It showed a much better picture, and could pick up TV schedules from the Internet. It uses FireWire to connect to the computer, which is a good idea. It also is designed to record according to a schedule you program; it also is said to convert VHS to digital. It appeared to be a much better device than the myTV.PVR.

I was about to recommend the EyeTV 200 with enthusiam, but then. ... it abruptly stopped receiving any channels. It would not even play VHS fed to it through the composite video port. It would play back video clips from the computer, though; so apparently its tuner and analog input system are dead.

I had the unit all packaged to return, when finally an email from the Elgato support arrived just in time, with a list of suggested cures for the problem. The one that worked was the old "trash the preferences" therapy. Now the EyeTV is working well, with a few minor software quirks which only add to its interest.

It is probably the only viable recording device of its kind for the Mac. The Canopus digitizers may be technically slightly better, but lack the TV tuning capability, and the ability to schedule recordings. So the EyeTV is the one.

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As a recent convert from PC's I had used another brand tuner in Windows. The Tyetv 200 is a much better product and I was up and running a few minutes after opening the box. Te biggest selling point was the firewire connection as I use a laptop and have limited USB ports.

Good picture and sound quality. I would recommend this to an yone that wants a good tuner for their MAC.

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After a year of use on my G-5 Dual 2Ghtz Mac the unit just up and quit. (Just after warrenty expired) Major among the continuing problems was the inabliity to record any file greater than 4 gigs. which of course excluded most longer TV shows etc. (Toast does not compress and Popcorn does not use the MPeg format) Another annoying problem was the frequent need to restart the unit by removing the firewire plug and replacing (as recommendated by the manual) Picture quality seemed to be above average but not spectacular. Not being able to put into a firewire chain is another negative (manual recommends isolated firewire connection). Lastly the unit is overpriced for the limited use and features and poor tech support. The tragedy is that there are relatively few such units available for Mac.

GPX D200B Progressive Scan 2-Channel DVD Player with Remote Control

• Drawer-load DVD player
• Plays CD/CD-R/RW, DVD-R/RW, DVD+R/RW & JPEG discs
• Multiple languages & language subtitles
• NTSC/PAL system converter
• Programmable CD tracks
• 2-channel audio
• Built-in AC power cable
• Includes remote control (batteries sold separately)
• Progressive scan
• Slim DVD player plays DVDs and CDs

I have had many cheap or inexpensive players and several have broken. I have 3 kids 2 of which are in the disney movie age range. Those of you with kids knows this means one movie can be watched 10 times in a single week. It plays well and has nice features, even a volume feature on the remote so you dont have to hold both tv and dvd remote at the same time.

The Pros:

Plays all region dvd's. You may have to tweek the progressive options but this unit will play anything in a true dvr format ( not divx or AVi etc). This is a nice feayure if you order special versons of say english tv shows you enjoy not available here in the states and theyare in PAL format. The cost can't be beat and it is lightweight and very easy to hook up.

The Cons:

I love this unit except for one thing, the darn remote. You have to be lined up with the machine for it to recognize it, normally a remote will pick up anyplace in a room. Not this one, I guess they made the lil response window too small or something. I just remember to aim the lil unit towards me before the movie starts and problem solved. For the price I wont complain about that, otherwise it is perfect!

It is a great lil unit, don't hesitate about buying one. GPX in my opinion works as well as some of these other classic brands. Stay away from Coby products, had 2 die 100% within 6 months...save your money. Hope this is helpful.

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I actually purchased this DVD player from a Kmart rather than here on Amazon, but have had such a horrendous experience with it that I had to write a review to steer people away from this garbage.

For starters, it is a battle simply getting this device to actually play a DVD. Brand new DVDs straight out of the shrink wrap and plastic case will give this DVD player fits, and you're lucky if they load. If they do actually load, several other problems present themselves.

First, the playback will occasionally stutter, causing the disc to skip for a little while until it finally settles down and you can resume watching your movie.

Next, the remote is possessed. Want to skip to the next chapter? Go ahead and press that button, but probably only a quarter of the time will it skip to the next chapter. It might, instead, pause the disc. Or change the subtitle. Or return to the menu. This trick works with any button.

Finally, a new feature presented itself after several months of use. Now, when you insert a disc, no matter what you do, it will eventually just decide to start at the beginning of the movie (or first episode on a TV disc). This means if you pop in a disc and let it sit, it will start to play on its own. This also means that if you start the movie or show yourself, a minute or two in, it will start over for you. How thoughtful.

All in all, this is probably the worst consumer electronics device I have ever purchased, and I have a first gen Xbox 360, so that's not just hyperbole. My wife and I purchased this as a cheap replacement for a failing DVD player. We got what we paid for. See that you don't do the same.

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Pros: Small, light, has composite and Y, Pb, Pr outputs.

Cons: Couldn't read 2 out of the first 3 Region 1 DVD's I tried with it, disks that another reader liked just fine. No excuse for that with current-generation technology. I packed it back up for return within an hour of receiving it.

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this doesnt work properly, I dont have time for send this back, dont buy this product. this is the first time this happen with amazon

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I haven't had a chance to use it much but when I have, it works fine. I had a Cyber home DVD player before and that was awful, nothing but trouble, never knew if it was going to work. With this GPX, I don't have to worry, it always works.

ADATA Turbo 533X 32 GB CompactFlash Memory Card ACF32G533XR

I bought this memory card instead of the SanDisk Extreme III 32GB CF card, so I could also buy a secondary Canon LP-E6 battery for my new camera for about the same money. Trust me, the battery will run out before this memory was filled with pictures (in the high-quality JPEG format only, not in RAW).

This CF card seems to be fast enough for my 21.1MP camera. Shooting in RAW format in the burst mode can last for 12 shots before it gets slowed down. I also shoot 1080p video with this card and I had no issue. The video look smooth during playback. In compared to my old 2GB SanDisk Extreme II CF card, the video was "bumpy". I copied the MOV files to my computer in both video playback cases, so I believe the issue was caused by the slower rerecording speed of the 2GB card.

I also bought an inexpensive memory card reader that supports UDMA, "Kingston 19-in-1 USB 2.0 Flash Memory Card Reader FCR-HS219/1" to speed up the files transfer time. They worked well together, and you may see my other review at Amazon.com for this memory reader for details.

I'm a pro shooter that works on film production sets as a stills photographer where I do a lot of rapid fire burst shooting with my Nikon D3s.

I've got 1 of these 32GB A-Data cards in both slots of the D3s with Slot 1 storing RAW files (for delivery to producer) and slot 2 storing Fine JPGs (for quick review on set computer)

LCD Exposures Readout (Nikon D3s):

RAW: 1.2K

TIFF: 837

RAW + JPG Basic: 1.0K

RAW + JPG Norm: 1.0K

RAW + JPG Fine: 856

JPG Basic: 11.3K

JPG Norm: 5.8K

JPG Fine: 2.9K

These cards aren't choking AT ALL.

I shot for years with a fist full of Dane-Elec 4GB cards and those never failed or choked either in my D2X shooting era (in which I was also shooting on set and covering events like NY Fashion week, etc).

I don't buy into the hype of needing to buy Lexar or San disk for pro quality...if the cards don't choke and they hold up against frequent usage, I'm happy.

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Fast but unreliable.

In one incident, it declared full less than half its capacity, all files are un-readable.

The 2nd incident without warning, it cannot read from the reader and all data lost.

Highly recommend NOT to buy. Sandisk extreme III does not have this issue.

Follow up (11/27/2010):

A-DATA's customer services is very helpful and responsive. Corrupted photo files were recovered and the Compactflash was replaced under warranty. The replaced card is working up to the present day.

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This great little CF Card performs just as advertised. I can shoot full quality shots on my Canon 30D and this card writes like a champ with nearly no perceivable delay, allowing me to snap pictures without stopping for the information to be written to the card. My last card had a delay of nearly ten seconds between shots. This one is blazing fast, has a huge capacity, and the price is right. Highly recommended!

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This A-DATA 32GB CF memory card is excellent. Write/read times are substantially faster than on my Sandisk Extreme CF memory card. I use these cards in digital cameras. The only odd thing I observe about this card is that when I first power-on the camera, there is about a 5 second delay before anything happens. With other cards there is no obvious delay. I am not sure what causes this behavior, but it's not a deal-breaker for me. Considering the storage capacity and speed (533X), this CF memory card is a great value.

Sony Hi8 Camcorder 8mm Cassettes 120 Minute (4-Pack)

I have used other Hi8 tapes but from my expreience nothing beats the quality of a Sony. I am an active member of a muscial band and we perform about every week. I set my camera (Sony TRV340) on a tripod and let it record on all our venues. As a result I consume quite a number of tapes per month. Because of this I need a reliable, high-quality brand that I can trust; the Sony Hi8. Video quality is superior, even after several re-recordings (taping over footage). The same goes for the sound; crisp and clear (especially when you have an auxilary mic). I found the outer tape housing surprisingly strong. At one time I dropped a box of these tapes from a high shelf and on to a hard-tile floor but they remained intact and safe. These tapes are pretty much versitle in any kind of filming situation, and for that I give Sony praise.

Highlights:

Sharp, High quality video

Crisp and clear sound reproduction

Strong plastic tape housing

Unbeatable value

I highly recommend this product for all your recording needs! Now if you excuse me, I think I have another gig to film.

I've been using the Sony Hi8 tapes since my daughter was born in 2003. I've never had a problem. Amazon has th ebest price consistently and they are getting hard to find at offline stores now.

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I have tried other brand names and this is the only one that keeps the quality over decades. I strongly recommend it.

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I've used Sony Hi-8 tapes for years and although tape is now considered somewhat archaic, if you have a camcorder that uses Hi-8 or Digital, you can't go wrong with these. I've never had a problem with them when shooting in some rather extreme situations. The camera hasn't always performed like I want, but the tape itself has never been the source of a problem. Shop around for the best price.

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arrived in excellant shape have not taken any new video yet but will in the near future I will share these tapes with other family members who have Sony 360 video camcorders since everything has now gone digital and it is hard to find 8mm tapes

Compaq iPAQ 3650 Color Pocket PC

I've had my IPAQ for several months now and am extremely satisfied with it. Over that time I've learned a few things that might be helpful to to other users, so rather than write another general review, I thought I would post a few suggestions on this, especially for those that may be making the transition from the Palm platform to the iPAQ, (as I did).

The iPAQ saves individual Notes that you make in the sub-directory where you create them in the Notes app area. This results in them initially having a name such as "Work1, Work2, etc. (i.e., if you have a Note directory called Work). This is not very helpful so you have to rename them by doing a "tap and hold" on the file name, and giving it the new name. Otherwise you end of with lots of Notes with non-descript names with numbers at the end. Not too helpful.

For better power management, watch the screen brightness setting which you set from the Settings menu. You can also hit the "Q" button and pop up the Q menu and get to it from there. A lot of times you can reduce the backlight setting and save power and extend battery life. Otherwise running it at the highest intensity you'll only have about 3 hours. Also, in direct sunlight, where the iPAQ works great but the Palm and Casio units wash out totally, you can set it on "power save" mode

If you use the digital recorder function, be careful what you have the settings here. The iPAQ will record anywhere from 8,000 Hz, Mono, 2KB/sec, to 44,100 Hz, 16-bit, stereo, 172 KB/sec. You'll find that even the 22,050 Hz, stereo settings will cause even short notes to take up 300K of space. After a few of these you're out of memory and you'll wonder why. The default setting of 8-bit mono is okay so I just leave it there.

This setting is also hard to find and can be found under Settings\Personal\Input\Options.

I've found my iPAQ to be the best of the Pocket PCs out there. Hope these suggestions help.

You have heard by now that a new class of handhelds the PocketPCs have hit the market and selling like hotcakes. You have probably even decided that you would rather go with a PocketPC than a Palm because you use Windows at work and home and feel happy with MSWord, Excel, Powerpoint, Outlook and the whole kit-n-kaboodle. What you cannot decide is which one of these to buy they all rate so high! Well, for good reason. Faster processors and simpler WindowsCE system are making these eminently powerful and useful.

Price: Cassiopeia E-115 and Jornada 548 are both ~ $600 (if you go for the 16 M RAM, the price drops, but I don't recommend it). iPAQs are cheaper at ~ $500.

Processors: Cassiopeia (MIPS) and Jornada (SH3) processors are about the same speed (131 MHz) but Cassiopeia is a 64 bit processor. iPAQ has a StrongArm processor running at 206 MHz and noticeably faster.

Expandability: Cassiopeia comes with a Type II Compact Flash slot. This means you can put any compact flash cards out there, including the snazzy 1 inch IBM-microdrives that store upto 340 MB of data. Jornada comes with a Type I slot which means it cannot accomodate type II cards or the IBM-drive. iPAQ needs to add an expansion "jacket" to allow any cards. It is an innovative design that allows the main unit to be smaller but you have to carry more components if you want to lug around more data or music.

Display: Only Cassiopeia has a true 16 bit display (65000 colors). iPAQ and Jornada are both 12 bit (1000 colors). Can you make out the difference mostly not, unless you are looking at photographs.

Size: Cassiopeia is bulky and comes in at 9 oz. It does not have a hard top so it needs to be carried in a soft case that comes along. Jornada unit is about as bulky as Cassiopeia, but it comes with a hard top so the total package (unit and case) is definitely less bulky. iPAQ wins hands down with a Palm like form factor.

Bottom Line: If you need dislay, multimedia capabilities and expandability buy a Cassiopeia. Looking for a sleeker option with decent built-in expansion options buy a Jornada. You need speed and sleek look not farther than an iPAQ (remeber you need a separate jacket at times).

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For those of you are trying to find this very hard to get PDA, Keep in mind that the H3650 and H3630 are the same device. The H3630 model is sent to direct re-salers (i.e. Best Buy, Circuit City, Comp USA, etc), and the H3650 is sent to the online retailers. However, I've noticed on-line that you will see both. I've called compaq to confirm this. Good luck, and good shopping! I've been sold!

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NOTICE: The IPAQ does not support "Open Host Control" USB.

To check this out right click mycomputer->properties->Device Manager, then look under the USB icon.

If you have that kind of USB you will not be able to sync with the IPAQ through usb. I have been syncing with a serial since and it is terrible. It takes approximately 30 min. to sync an mp3, and at least 20 min. to sync avantgo. If you have an open host controller USB I would not advise getting the IPAQ.

Overall, I have to say that I am very happy with my IPAQ since I can sync at work with a USB.

I have owned the palm IIIc and the Handspring Prism. First the Prism, simply, not worth the money. The only advantage of the prism over the IIIc is the expansion port but the components are so expensive that it isn't worth it. So given the choice I would choose the IIIc over the prism. The screens for all intents and purposes are equal and you will not be able to tell the difference most of the time. My primary reason for getting the IPAQ over any palm type device would be the unit's speaker. I purchased all of my pda's to make sure that I am on schedule but the palm type devices don't have a loud enough speaker to warn me of a meeting. The IPAQ is loud, extremely loud. I also found the palm type devices to be somewhat limiting. In approximately one day you will know the entire machine and you will also know that, that is about all you can do with it. However, on the other had the IPAQ is way more complicated to use and to set up but I feel that if there is something unique that I need to do it will be able to do it.

Before buying the IPAQ I read many reviews and many of them said that Compaq's service was terrible. I must say that I do not agree. As a matter of fact I found there service to be A++ and the operators to be extremely polite and patient.

Also DO NOT buy this unit to play mp3's. It will be maxed out in about 4 standard mp3's because the IPAQ allocates part of it's memory for running programs so in reality you only have about 14 mgs of space to work with for your files. Also don't plan on upgrading the memory for the ipaq since the 64 meg cards cost $310 + $50 (prices from Compaq) for the expansion jacket.

One more note about the available software. There is not as much available software for the IPAQ (or any other PocketPc) as for the Palm devices. So if you want to do something highly specialized plan on spending more money after you get your pocketpc.

I know that I gave alot of cons and little if any pros, eventhough I said I was happy with my unit. I did this primarly because when you are spending [this much] on anything, the cons are way more important.

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I've had the Palm V for about a year before I was able to buy this Ipaq 3650. The Ipaq is really awesome! Compared to the Palm V, here are some of the positive and negative sides:

Positive:

-This beats the Palm in almost every way possible. Clear and bright screen that is perfectly viewable in sunlight. Not to mention that it's also crisp color as well. The brightness is totally adjustable and there's even a sensor that you can set so it will automatically adjust the brightness accordingly. Very cool.

-The hotsync speed blows away the Palm. What's also very nice is that it can dynamically sync with your Outlook mail, contacts, calendar, notes, etc. If you have the Ipaq already connected in the cradle and you're sorting and deleting your email on your desktop, the Ipaq will instaneously synchronize every delete/add that you make on your desktop. With the Palm, you have to press the hotsync button everytime or schedule a hotsync. With the Ipaq, you just plug it in and forget about it.

-The integrated Windows Media Player is awesome. It's basically an integrated Mp3 player that can play any mp3. You now have music on the go and plus you can plug in headphones to your Ipaq, and listen to your music at work.

-You can also record with the built-in microphone your voice or voice reminders

-Everything with Outlook Contacts, Emails, Calendar appears the exact same way as it does on your Ipaq.

-Very accurate Handwriting recognition. One of the best selling points for the Apple PDA is now available for the Ipaq. Same technology and accuracy that the Newtons run on.

-With the Palm V, you're limited to the amount of memory you can store of only 2MB or 8MB if you have the Vx. With the Compact Flash Card, you can store up to whatever your compact flash can hold. Currently, it's at 1GB. That's a lot of mp3s.

-Overall, it looks very cool (Matrix silver) and it's the fastest and most top of the line PocketPC you can buy out there on the market. And because it's so hard to get, it just raises the cool factor even higher. =)



Some of the negative sides

-Doesn't come with a serial cable. So people running NT have to purchase this cable separately.

-Size. It is a little bulkier than the sleek Palm V, but it still fits in my pocket and I can carry it in my bag.

-Accessories are hard to find and anything related to this item (including the Ipaq itself) is hard to find. Too bad a hard cover case isn't available yet for this. I'm still looking btw.

-Software. There's much more third party software out there available for Palm than there is for PocketPC. Go figure...Palm owns 70% marketshare for PDAs. This will slowly change.



Overall...the Ipaq is very nice. If you can afford one and find one available, I really suggest this as a very good strong buy.

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4GB 4G UR-08 USB Pen Drive digital Audio Voice Recorder 70 Hours Blue

I've only used this a few times and its worked fine for me. Sometimes the back and the front pieces disconnect and you have to place them back together but that isn't that hard to do (as long as you don't lose any of the pieces). Also, the switch that turns on the recorder likes to turn off and on with the slightest touch so you have to keep it in an area that this won't happen (i keep it in my backpack in the clear part where your ID is suppose to go and haven't experienced any problems since i started storing it there). The voice recordings themselves are what i expected, a tad muffled. However, i sit in the back of the class generally and can still hear what the professor is saying on the recording. An unexpected feature that i enjoy is that the red light that turns on when you flip the recorder on, turns blue when it starts actually recording. I like this because it tells me when it starts and i know that its not dead (if the blue light goes out, i know it died). When you plug the stick into the computer, the red light also comes on. The memory part works great for me, just like any other USB memory stick. Overall, the product was a great price and works perfectly for me, just have to be careful on where you store it and that the 2 pieces don't come apart.

Used this to replace a prior instrument that did not work. This works very well. Easy to use. Appreciate the recharging light for the battery.

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I've been waiting to have one of this and..finally it's very useful..it's like multi-tasking..

You never knew that you are being recorded with this thing..

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Yamaha POCKETRAK W24 Pocket Recorder

• Quick startup - 4.5 seconds
• Long battery life - 38 hour of PCM and 56 hours of MP3 recording
• Two great practice aids: Tuner and Metronome
• Extremely sesitive top quality X-Y stereo microphones
• Wireless remote control included

The most important point is that the musical quality of the recordings from this tiny device is awesome. Full frequency range, very clean, and you can set the EQ for both input and output. It's got lots of options, but is still pretty user-friendly. The small screen is very readable, but is not a touch-screen--all controls are by buttons and switches, for positive action. One reason I chose this one is that it comes with a remote control. You can set it up out front when you're playing, and remotely start and stop it, and adjust the volume level, if you see the peak light flashing too much. At outdoor music festivals, I mount it on top of my straw hat, with a short bolt coming up into the 1/4-20 thread on the bottom. Yes, I am a geek, but it works great!

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It is easy to use and adjust depending on your personal needs. Clear sound. It does not make any difference if you are seated far or near (a professor) in an auditorium or laboratory. You can hear your recordings directly from the pocket or download them into your personal device at your convenience. I definitely recommend it!

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I was thinking to purchase the Sony one, but that is more expensive($500) and doesn't support SD card. The Yamaha is more cost effective. Before received this, I was wondering what I could get for 2xx dollars.

The appearance of the device is pure plastic, looks cheap. However when I turned on have few try to record my Guitar play, I was shocked about the sound quality. Excellent!

The problem is from the plastic feel device appearance, I don't know how long it will last. Anyway, half of the SONY price, I could buy another one if it's broken.

I reviewed the feedbacks on the web before purchased this one. I didn't find any negative feedback, that's why I bought this.

For more device information, there are few advertisements on you tube.

Sony DCR-DVD650 DVD Camcorder

Purchased this camera for my wife last month, and have since taken a vacation, and recorded several family gatherings. The video quality this camera gives is wonderful, and creates a steady image, even with my shaky hands. The zoom range is impressive as well. Still images were great during the day, and the camera is FAST. It captures the image almost immediately, better than our stand alone digital camera. The focus isn't always dead on when you move the camera around quickly, but it recovers well enough. The reason for the 4-star rating is that this camera didn't offer a lot in the area of night time picture taking and video capture. The video leaves less to be desired, as the lenses capture enough light to make sense of what is going on, but the camera is not usable at night. Now that may have more to do with the fact that I haven't figured out better settings, or am just completely missing a flash feature I haven't seen, but in either case, I still need to carry around my digital camera for night shots. As a video camera, this product blows everything out of the water that I have ever used in the video quality department. All in all, I am happy with my purchase, and will maybe find that the one shortfall with the product is in fact a problem with the user (me) and not the product.

I've had this item for approximately 6 months and am just now getting into doing reviews. Below are my thoughts on the Sony DCR-DVD650 Handycam Camcorder:

Pros:

Nice design

easy to use

great viewfinder

able to take still pictures in addition to the video

option to use DVD or Memory Stick for recording/photos

Cons:

DVD's on standard quality will only record for 30 minutes-this is not ideal for those wanting to record their childs play, or a graduation or anything that may last longer than 30 minutes. For this you would need a large memory stick to accomodate then you can use your home PC to put the recording from the memory stick to a standard sized DVD.

As expected the digital zoom gets "grainy" in appearance when you zoom in close to the maximum allowed. This is tolerable, but just realize you aren't going to get as good a picture of something you are zooming in on as you would get if the image was actually closer.

All-in-all I am extremely happy with the purchase and think that it is possibly the best buy in its price range. I would purchase it again in a heartbeat. With that said, the day I win the lottery or have a lot of money to spend I'm sure I'd purchase a more expensive model with slightly better zoom and built in memory in addition to the DVD recording capabilities.

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I just bought this camera to replace my old Hitachi camcorder and this camera is awesome. The video quality is great the sound is excellent and it is Mac compatible for those who may be wondering it will work on imovie. But this camera is lightweight and the discs do not need to be finalized before you put them in a dvd player or import them to a computer, you just hook up the usb cord and import the video quick and easy. It does come with it's own software that is only compatible with windows which I dont have so I dont know if its any good.

But so far I am very pleased with this camera perfect for anyone who loves to film themselves and edit the footage. Really good buy for a great price.

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If you have been confused by conflicting claims about whether or not Sony camcorders are compatible with the Mac OS, this is what our experience shows. We are MAC users and bought this, in part, based on reviews that while the included software by SONY does not support the MAC OS (nor does SONY claim that it does), that I-movie would recognize the camcorder and file format used by this recording device. Alas, when we first connected the camcorder to our MAC, it did recognize the camcorder but did not recognize the file format (MPG) as a movie format, hence we could not open our recordings and edit them. After some further research, we discovered that Leopard software works with this format while Tiger cannot. Moreover, freeware video conversion programs like Handbrake, are no longer being supported for Tiger OS.

I did not try, but suspect, that upgrading to Quicktime Pro or its MPEG add on may resolve the issue.

As for the camera, it is compact, the touchscreen is convenient and relatively user friendly but the menus are not completely intuitive. As I received the camera shortly before having to use it, I ran it on the easy mode automatic settings. Standard Play (SP) seemed to produce better quality than High Quality (HQ) settings, oddly enough, but that may have had to do with ambient lighting. The battery lasted a good two hours with the LCD screen active. A 4 GB memory stick holds a little over an hour of recording, as advertised. The quality of the image and sound seems very good for this price point.

Our first camcorder, also a Sony, did very well for us and still works, but it is over ten years old and we wanted something that would allow easy conversion to digital format for sharing on line or on DVD. I look forward to learning more about this camcorder.

That said, I now find myself being forced to upgrade to Leopard OS if I want to use this camcorder as I intended. This essentially adds . to the cost.

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This camcorder was a present for my husband. It was a second try--I had ordered another make camcorder for him previously. He is not the most technologically-savvy guy--and it was not the product for him. The Sony Handycam was a lifesaver! It's easy to understand and easy to use. He loves it and that's the most important thing to me.

Audiovox DC400 Digital Media Recorder & Player with MP3 and MPEG4

I purchased the Dc400 for $140 on JandR.com. I've had the camera for about 2 weeks and I must admit for the low price it offers much. The buttons and menu controls are extremely user friendly, I barely glanced at the manual. Digital stills are fine, decent quality what you would expect from any 2.0 digital camera. The videos are perfect for web quality especially in a small view, full screen was a little choppy. The 4x digital zoom(not opticle)is as good as any other camera I've seen,the zoom button is on a nifty spot right at the tip of your index finger. The rechargable battery seems to work for over an hour and charges pretty quickly too. It fits easily in jeans pocket. Now the bad news. It only comes with a 32mb SD card, you can purchase a Sandisk 512MB SD on clearance now for around $50. The video editing software it comes with crashes, it was completely useless to me. Stick with Microsoft Movie Maker 2 for this one or another video editor of your choice. The photo programs are cool including a 360 degree and ultra zoom functions. Remember as soon as you plug the DC400 into USB port you can easily download all pics and videos from unit it acts like a mass storage drive in explorer. The microphone is placed in a bad spot must be careful not to cover with finger. The LCD screen does not swivel up or down. This unit is good for movies on the go but if you need to record video from VHS or DVD take a look at the Panasonic D-snap series. The Dc400 has a night view function but you will need good light to get a shot, outside is perfect in daytime, a well lit room, a well lit street at night with lots of stores and lamppost, remember all SD video camera's have poor to moderate night filming. Another function I found very cool is that you can film video or stills in black and white. I have not used it as a MP3 Player yet but the head phones it came with are mono so I'm not expecting it to be loud or great.

This is the funkiest little gadget I've ever had the pleasure of owning. For what you're paying, you couldn't ask for anything more. Of course, there are some cons to the numerous pros.

I use it mostly for the MP3 player, which I listen to for about an hour a day on my way to and from work. You may have heard complaints that the screen seems to overheat, and this is true if you leave it on, but just by pressing the display button you can power it off, which keeps it cool and saves big time on the battery.

You won't win any prizes for photography with this, as the pictures leave a lot to be desired. I rarely use it for this purpose. The quality is about the same as a picture taken from a cell phone, with the colors coming out funny and bright lights showing as black dots.

The video camera function is surprisingly good however, especially when you use the tripod provided. Moving it around freehand can cause some distortion on playback. If you get a decent size card for it though (512mb or so) you can record for a couple of hours providing the battery holds up.

All in all, a great little gadget. If I could import these to Ireland for resale, I'd be a very rich man.

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Here are the pros and cons of this digital camera:

Pros:

*Low price

*Multifunctional (MP3, video, pictures, sound recorder)

*Works good with sunlight on outdoor enviroments

*Videos are also really good if taken on outdoor enviroments

*Has an MP3 player so you can play your favorite music

*Can connect to your TV to play the videos or pictures

*Somewhat easy to use

Cons:

*NO FLASH!

*Completely useless indoors if room is not well lit or during the night

*Only comes with a 32Mb memory... enough for 54 pictures at max resolution or about 6 min of video

*If using as an MP3 player or if you plan on taking a lot of videos you should consider getting a larger memory (at least 256Mb)

*Picture quality is not bad... but worse than most high quality digital cameras

I would give it 4 stars if it had a flash... but since it doesn't I give it 3 stars! My conclusion... If you are not an MP3 fan or if you plan on taking lots of pics by night, consider spending a bit more and get another cam that has a flash and offers a higher resolution. If you are short on cash and don't plan on taking a lot of pictures by night then consider getting this cam.

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I purchased this camera about two weeks ago and for the price, it's perfect. The pictures come out great with outdoor pictures, but indoor photos can be a little pixilated. The list of features on it is quite impessive for the size and price. With MPEG4 encoding and mp3 player built in, and four picture modes in an easy to use menu. Excellent camera overall for the price.

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The digital camcorder that I recieved is a nice camcorder but overall, it doesn't give the results that I would like, especially for the price I paid I could have actually got a larger camcorder for if not the same or lesser price. The camcorder pics online makes it seems as big as your hand but it's actually smaller than a digital camera. I was disappointed with what I recieved but, I like the pictures that it takes...,another disappointing factor is the amount of recording memory it holds, horrible. I will have to upgrade camcorders within a few months.

Asoka PlugLink 9650 85Mbps HomePlug Powerline Ethernet Adapter

Wireless is great, of course, but since the quality and speed degrades with distance, and your device may not have a wireless card, it's not always the catch-all solution. The Pluglink provides a clever answer to the problem of providing Internet access in a part of your house that would be too onerous to use wiring for.

All you do is plug one adapter into the router side, and then plug another into the room where you want Internet access. The two outlets use your power lines to move traffic from the router to the furthest point. The remarkable part is that the connection is really fast I didn't experience any reduction in bandwidth (18 Mbs on my U-verse connection) or any additional latency.

It's also very easy to set up beyond connecting the ethernet cables, there's zero configuration, and I've never seen any problems if the router is restarted. It's basically the easy way of moving a wired ethernet port from one place to another but without the difficulty of wiring it in place.

I have (4) of the Asoka PlugLink 9650 Ethernet adapters installed. They are an excellent method to obtain an in-house lan without having to rewire your house or office. The low level ethernet communication carrier is superimposed on the AC wiring system of your house or business giving you access from wherever there is an AC outlet. The speed of the link is as advertised about 85Mbps which is more than adequate for most computing needs where a 10/100-MBps network would normally be utilized over cat5 cabling. The software that comes with the unit could be a little more user friendly, but once you determine how it all works, it becomes very easy to use. For people who have difficulty with communications, more often than not is is because they try to install the pluglink into a surge suppressor or some other device ahead of the outlet. Also if your wiring system has a faulty grounding system it will not work properly either. I have reliable connects at over 150ft from my master unit across the internal AC wiring system so the normall distances encountered in a home or office should be no problem.

I highly recommend this device for ease of intallation and utility for creating a home or business ethernet LAN.

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This was my first time using powerline networking and I'm pretty impressed so far. I'm using this to connect my Xbox 360 to my network and the speeds appear to be close to what's advertised (appx. 70Mbps on average). Setting them up was a little confusing because there are no instructions included, but a quick Google of the manufacturer turned up the quick start guide and software application necessary. ***If you're using Windows 7 you'll need to run the Admin Utility as an administrator***

I have noticed that I occasionally need to power cycle the adapter that connects to the Xbox. Overall, I'm satisfied with this product especially considering the price.

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I used this ethernet adapter to connect my XBOX 360 to my modem. It gives me a faster connection than the XBOX antenna. It was simple to hook up too. You just plug in the boxes to the wall, and then hook up the proived ethernet cables. Then you have an instant connection. Well worth the $50

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I purchased these HomePlug adapters off e-bay for a fraction of the cost. AsokaUSA has the necessary software to setup these adapters if required. Personally, I downloaded the software because I wanted to reconfigure the devices to my standards, but the software isn't absolutely necessary to operate these devices. Simply plug them into a wall outlet. For $75, I bought 4 of them for less than one set of HomePlug AV adapters. True, the speed is greater on HomePlug AV equipment, but I'm looking forward to HomePlug AV2 products which will be available in the fall of 2011. At this point, Asoka's PlugLink 9650s will run nearly anything well except HD video across the power lines. Eventually, I want to use HomePlug AV2 adapters with PC stereo baluns to transmit data via the power lines to my rear speakers *, IP cameras to monitor the place, and access to the internet from other rooms.

Note: Overall, my average speed runs ~ 40+ MBPS IF one of the adapters is placed in a closet. Naturally, these speeds vary under various electrical conditions, e.g. motor operation in refrigerators, etc. Except for one room (closet), speeds average ~ 50 MBPS. In the one room (closet), speed runs ~ 20 MBPS which lowers the overall average speed among all 4 adapters. Normally, I don't use the closet so my average speed runs ~ 50 MBPS among these 4 adapters which is quite good and a vastly superior deal than purchasing more expensive HomePlug AV equipment which will be obsolete by the fall of 2011. If you're just now considering HomePlug equipment, wait for HomePlug AV2. You won't be disappointed...

When networking over power lines, I'd highly recommend users purchase ferrite core noise suppressors as a general rule. These noise suppressors simply clamp over power lines of AC equipment and can be purchased on Amazon. Experiment and try to locate noisy AC equipment, e.g. refrigerators, etc. by placing ferrite core noise suppressors on various AC equipment in the house. Once the AC lines are as clean as possible, networking over power lines is a joy of convenience and VERY high speeds.

* At least, that's the goal with HomePlug AV2. Hopefully, the AV2 standard will include a mechanism for transmitting analog audio via ethernet. The Ethernet AVB standard is addressing the need of transmitting both analog and digital signals over ethernet. We'll see...

Samsung SC-DX205 Hybrid DVD & Flash Memory Camcorder w/34x Optical Zoom

I bought this since it was a *reasonably priced*, *sleek looking* Hybrid camcorder, where I can record my movies on a SD card or a DVD.

So far, I tried a couple test video clips using my SD card and they turned out pretty good, no complains on sound/video quality. Haven't tried yet burning on the mini-DVD.

A **big disappointment** for me was the battery pack loosing power in a completely power off state. I charged it completely (till it showed green light), then disconnected the charger, the light remains green, switches to orange in some time and I left it overnight and in the morning-the battery is completely drained :(, no power to even open the dvd tray :(

So, i read up the manual thinking I did something wrong. And this is what they have in the manual (p.21) " Remove the battery from the camcorder when it is not in use. Even when the power is switched off, the battery pack will still discharge if it is left attached to the camcorder "

Which electronic device looses complete power overnight, when in Off state? I mean even if I take the camcorder out for a day's shooting, at every interval i am expected to remove the battery, else it will die ? how am i suppose to use this as a portable camcorder ? come on Samsung, this is ridiculous

** UPDATE 12/14/09 **

Looks like the product I received is Defective. It was an interesting issue with this device. The Camcorder always *thinks* it is connected to the A/C power supply. The way I arrived at this conclusion was that even when the device was running just on battery, it didnt have the battery indicator showing on the screen (which should be showing as per the manual). Secondly, there is a setting "Auto Power Off" which is grayed out if the device is running on A/C power, which was disabled when i was running it only on battery. So, when i would switch off the device, the ACCESSS/CHG light would glow, as if its connected to external A/C power and charging the battery, but it was not connected, so it was using the battery instead and draining it.

I asked for a replacement, will update the review once I get the replacement

*** UPDATE 1/27/10 ***

I did receive the replacement unit and it worked great, no more issues with battery or the ACCESS/CHG light being ON. The camcorder voice and video quality are good for a entry level camera. I also tried burning directly to a DVD and it works great, no motor sound recorded on the DVD like make other camcorders. So, if you notice battery draining in your unit, make sure you immediately get a replacement. I am updating to a 4 star from a 3 star !

My review will be short. Basically the camera has good ease of use and has an OK picture on the CDs. The downer is that the CD length is only around a half hour. For the cards, the digital quality appears much better and not grainy except for low lit times. Overall it was a good buy at the price.

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This is the best the shipment was suberb everything was just perfect and it was the best thing i had gotten my dad in a long while....he absolutely loves it and it works so well. even after only a yr it is a permanent fixture in my house.

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Disc Error on two thirds or more of our discs. I am fed up and will have to get something new. $269 + all the money trying different brands of discs to see if they would work better.

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Every time I load a new disc, after a few minutes, the "write error" comes up. I've tried to clean the camcorder using Dust Off and the same thing happens. I've no idea what to do, I thought of smashing it on a rock and forget about it. Samsung SC-DX205 Hybrid DVD & Flash Memory Camcorder w/34x Optical Zoom.

SVAT PI300-SD Covert Fully Functional Alarm Clock Security DVR with Built-in Color Pinhole Surveill

This is a total piece of junk. The field of view is very tiny and it requires bright daylight to record anything. During the evening with normal household lighting it records nothing but shadows. No audio, just video.

It looks and behaves like a normal clock. Programming only offers a 24 hour clock, not a daily setting. For example, I wanted to video M-T from 6am-6pm and shorter times on W-F so it would have to be reprogrammed or you risk running out of memory faster. I tried a larger memory chip, but the card gets extremely hot. You can't designate certain times for each day. This combined with the small memory forces me to empty the card each evening I found this to be inconvenient. It does work, but the image quality isn't great. Had to keep it on the lowest grade so it wouldn't consume the memory. Overall it performs good for the price.

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Bought it from Amazon. Item came earlier than expected super prompt delivery. This item was easy to set up for use as per instructions provided. Used a 16gb SD card instead of the 2gb provided and it work just fine. One comment though, picture quality under dim lights can be improved.

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The directions are not written well so I needed some questions answered. I emailed, no response. I called, they didn't call back. I plan on sending the unit back.

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Nice product didnt realize I had to take the back off to remove the sd card. Slight inconvenience for the situation I am using the product.

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Sandisk Sansa® ExpressTM MP3 Player 2GB

• It provides you with everything you need to play your favorite music, enjoy your best photos, and listen to your preferred FM radio stations
• Able to play MP3, WMA, WAV, and protected WMA DRM music files, and supports JPEG, TIFF, PNG, BMP, and GIF as import media types
• Screen can exhibit up to 64,000 colors, lets you choose to display album cover art for the current song via ID3 tag support or photo thumbnails
• 2 gigabytes of built-in flash memory allows you to store up to 1,000 songs, MicroSD cards effectively expands your memory capacity infinitely
• Comes in a stylish black, with earphones, a USB cable, and a rechargeable and removable lithium-ion battery

I did quite a bit of research to get this one. and here are the reasons, I arrived at this decision:

Pro:

Size: It is pretty small yet not hard to use the controls

FM Radio: That's pretty nice in such a small MP3 player. Top that iPod

Expansion slot: The micro SD card makes this player future proof. Have more music to upload? get a card and you are done. iPod doesn't have it.

Voice recorder: was not on my wish list, but nice to have.

changable battery: battery goes bad, you can change it. iPod can't do this.

If you hit a button by accident while listening to the music, the button just wakes up the device then you can tell it what to do. Small feature but saves a LOT of annoying moments.

Sound is pretty good, unlike some reviews I have read. It is pretty much in par with other MP3 players especially iPod which is the benchmark these days.

Price: half of iPod Nano.

Con:

The package only comes with a USB charger. I have seen some plugs that have a USB output, or you can get their optional AC adapter.

Memory slot although nice, but there is no dummy card in it to avoid things getting stuck in it, so I just put a cheapy micro SD to fill the hole.

The screen could use some more contrast or better color scheme to display the menu better. You get used to it right away, but I am being super crtitcal here.

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My 3 year old 512k Sandisk developed a lose earplug mount so it was to upgrade. The store I went to was offering the C250 model for the same price as the C240 model so I bought it.

The new unit is nice. The sound is better than my older model and the 64k color display is decent. You can view photos on it if you wish. It has a rechargeable lithium polymer battery which is a minus as they wear out over time, Sandisk makes up for this a bit by making the battery replaceable (although the kid at the Be-st buy store was wrong when he said it wasn't--maybe he was just trying to sell an extended warranty plan--bah). Still, I miss the flexibility my older player had with its AAA battery and the older one had a very similar battery life as my new one.

It has a passable FM tuner with decent reception. It won't work as well as a home receiver but it works okay. Sadly, Sandisk still does not sell a player with AM capability, another minus.

The unit has shuffle play but not random play. (By definition, shuffle play will potentially repeat a song already played, while random play will not). This is an OS weakness that would be easy to implement in the OS code, but most manufacturers don't bother.

Sandisk no longer uses a true FAT32 file system so their newer players have lost an enormous amount of flexibility compared to the older units. Now, I can only play music by "Artist", "Genre", "Song", and "Album". You no longer can pick a folder of music to play so you are limited by the predefined categories.

My old unit allowed the ability to play dance with pop by putting them in the same folder and simply playing from it. With the new unit that would be impossible without messing with the ID tags because now I can only select dance or pop but not both at the same time. It is "all" music or "one" genre, but not "some" genres. Clearly a big weakness.

From what I can tell, the unit uses the contents of the ID1 tags, so you need to have them properly populated. It does use playlists but I tend to not use them. I read that this unit only supports 1 playlist but I have yet to confirm that. If it allows multiple playlists then I could mix dance and pop but it would be pain to create a playlist for that.

In addition, the OS has been greatly dumbed down. You no longer can select the playback, display, or search speeds. You can no longer change the display orientation from right-handed to left-handed. You can no longer set left or right balance. You can no longer delete files from the device unless you are connected to a PC. The display no longer shows how much time is left on a song as it now only displays elapsed time, and you can no longer display what file name.

It is unfortunate that the newer units have been dumbed down as they have lost a number of very useful capabilities. Still, I like the new unit overall and I will adjust to the differences. It's a good unit for the money and the Sandisk quality is still there--my last one lasted 3 years under heavy use (3-6 hours a day) so I can't complain. If this will be your first MP3 player you probably won't be disappointed.

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The contrast level on the display is so low no matter how one adjusts the brightness and backlight that you will have a hard time seeing what feature/song you are selecting. Its genuinely bizarre that they used a very light-blue field against a white backround. Text is black so at least you can see that clearly. Other than that, the sound is good for such a cheap player and it has a built-in equalizer to adjust the sound to your own liking. It will operate in MSC mode, which simply means that you can load music files into the player directly from the My Computer icon. No software of any sort needed at all to load songs into the player. You lose the ability to make playlists in MSC mode but personally I prefer the speed and simplicity of MSC mode. You cannot use MSC mode to play digitally-protected music. Again not an issue for me. If you are looking for a cheap mp3 player, this is worth considering.

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OK. I've seen some of the other reviews for this product, and a few people have mentioned problems with the backlighting and contrast, but I don't have that problem. I have now owned my player three weeks, and I LOVE IT!

This player has incredibly simple menus to follow, the display is adequate for most people who will only use this to listen to music. I've had no problems with the display which does a fairly good job with the photos I've loaded onto it. The song text is in black against a light blue field which makes it easy to see at all times.

Straight out of the box, my Windows XP systems instantly recognized the device and installed the appropriate drivers. I did have a problem (at first) with getting my laptop (running Vista Home Basic) to recognize the device, but I realized that this was due to the fact that I had the player set in the wrong USB mode (it needs to be in MSC mode for Vista to recognize the device) Once I changed the mode to MSC (through the player's settings menu), all of my systems recognize it every time without a single problem.

I like the fact that you can change the battery in the player quickly and easily, unlike an Ipod, and that it has an expandable Micro SD slot, which the manufacturer says you can only upgrade by 1 GB. If you buy this, go ahead and spring for the Micro SD card so that you prevent dust and dirt from getting into the slot; you'll also expand the room you have available on the player. I just received my $20.00, 2GB (that's right 2 GB) expansion card from NewEgg.com today, and again, I popped it into my player, which connects to desktop/laptops through a provided USB cable, and it was instantly recognized by my work system as a separate drive.

Other reasons to like this player is the fact that it features a voice recorder, an FM tuner, an adjustable equalizer with presets (I set mine with a custom setting which sounds better than the presets)and it lets you record FM radio. Try THAT with an Ipod... Did I mention that it will let you plays songs downloaded from the most popular services (another thing Ipod can't do), in addition to .wmv and mp3 files?

A couple of people in other reviews have mentioned investing in a new pair of earbuds, which I would agree with if you're a serious audiophile, but again, for most people, the earbuds it ships with should more than fit the bill.

The only thing this player really lacks is the storage capacity that some other players on the market have. That's ok though, because at bit rate of 128 kbps per song, you can fit up to 1,000 songs. I doubled my 2 GB capacity with the Micro SD card, giving the player a total capacity of 4 GB. Since I use only high bit rate (160 kbps and better) audio, and I have about 450 songs with plenty of room left over for my work files and photos.

If you're looking for an economical, sturdy mp3 player this is the one. The price makes this a great gift for any occasion year-round, and for the money, you're not going to find a better value anywhere else on the market.

I was hesitant about buying an MP3 player because I am relatively inept when it comes to electronic devices. After researching different MP3 players I decided to take a chance on the SanDisk because of its reasonable price plus I had read that it was compatible with Windows Media Player (WMP). I had downloaded dozens of CDs onto the WMP and now needed something small and pocket sized that was inconspicuous to use at work. My profession affords me with occasional down time so I wanted a small MP3 player with ear plugs that would help me pass the time by dusting off a few musical neural networks encoded in the 60's. First of all I was surprised at how simple transferring songs was using the WMP and the Sandisk. You first open up the WMP and once the computer recognizes the "device" you click on the icon, which allows the WMP to connect with the SanDisk. Then you can either right click on selected songs and select "add to synch" or you can right click on the CD title and add the entire contents of the CD to the sync list. The WMP shows you how much room you have left on the Sandisk after each input. Pretty simple. The real surprise occurred when I placed the ear plugs in and listened to my old archaic music. I'm not crazy about ear plugs (can't use headphones at work), but the ones that come with the player are not uncomfortable. The sound quality of the SanDisk is extremely impressive for such a small device. Although the player comes with an equalizer I did not even find it necessary to adjust the sounds. I give this product 5 stars for the musical portion of the SanDisk. I cannot comment on the other options that this product has, but I am obviously impressed enough to leave a review on this item. I should mention that the device comes with a CD that I downloaded and it appears to assist in using the other features of the SanDisk MP3 player, but as mentioned I bought the player solely for listening to music and am simply commenting on the musical portion of the SanDisk Sansa c250 MP3 player. I hope that this helps you in deciding which player to buy. I am very satisfied with this product.

TsirTech Audio USB Portable Cassette Tape-to-MP3 Player Adapter with USB Cable and Software Cd Also

• USB tape player turns music on cassette tapes into MP3s on Your PC
• Portable design fits in virtually any bag and enables you to play and transfer anywhere
• Comes with Tape Converter software to guide you through transfer
• Plays Chrome or Normal cassette tapes and Features Auto Reverse
• MAC users: Please Note that you are buying this product at your own risk we cannot guaranty that it will work for MAC

This very poorly made product does a very poor job of digitizing audio tapes. The WOW, flutter, and distortion is the result, apparently, of an inadequate drive system. The first two tapes I digitized were actually not too bad, but it has become worse with each additional tape I record. Also, the background noise is increasing with each new tape. I have replaced the batteries, I have obtained and plugged in an external power supply, but it seems to be rapidly deteriorating. It's very disappointing.

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This unit's "wow" (distortion because of unsteady, varying playback speed) is extreme. The frequency of the music being played back warbles all over the place. Completely unusable item, especially for audio archiving purposes, which is exactly what this unit is sold and advertised for.

This one's very cheaply made (plastic's very low quality "fit and finish" are toy-like). This unit's defective out of the box and I don't trust a replacement to be any good. I'll use my tape deck and an RCA-to-USB converter, which I should have done in the first place. I thought this unit would save me setup time but it's useless.

Don't waste your good time and money on one of these pieces of junk. Completely unusable!

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The recorder is compact and records MP3s well. Pretty much does what it is intended to do. I am happy with the product.

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I just have a few tapes to convert to MP3 files so I didn't want to spend a lot of money. I am somewhat computer savy; I'm not sure a novice could manage the rather complicated Audacity software. The unit itself is lightweight and plastic. You definitely don't want to drop it on a hard surface. Having said all that, I think it is a good buy.

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This is the exact thing you need to transfer your cassette music to the computer. It is a little fragile but works.

1080P 4GB HD IR Camera Night Vision Waterproof Watch DVR Spy Camera

WELL, if nothing else the time-keeping mechanism works

As other reviewers mentioned, the manual is hard to follow

It's in Chinglish (Chinese English) and even though I come across a lot of it, was hard to follow

The problem is because there is no screen, you're not sure if it works until you connect to laptop

The toggle between video and still is irritating assuming it works

The 2-mics (for different sources of sound) is a nice idea, maybe

But as complicated as the video/stills set up

Always amazes me why companies spend so much developing a product then provide crap manuals

Zoom H4N Bundle

• Specially Priced Package includes Zoom H4n as packaged by Zoom, PLUS:
• (1) Zoom RC-4 Remote Control
• (1) Samson HP-10 Closed Back Stereo Headphones
• Sonic Sense One-Year Extended Warranty Adds One Year to Manufacturer's Warranty.

I had wanted a Zoom digi-rec since I read a review on another model 4-5 years ago. My recent purchase has blown my mind. I am relatively new to music production (Logic Pro Studio), but have played an electric bass for about 4 years, my experience is limited to say the least. The Zoom H4n is something I carry with me every chance I get to record everything and anything. Recording vocals in a parked car or closet is excellent. Wind adversley effects recording as with all mics and recorders.

I recently recorded some cows (about 20-30) do'in their moo thing and I stopped to record them (no wind). I set the H4n on a fence post and recorded for a bout 5 minutes. After getting home I listened to the recording and was amazed. The stereo recording was just like I was still next to the pasture on the side of the road. The particular spacial nuances were present and and distinctive to their locations, even my footsteps and some birds chirping in a nearby tree could be heard.

I have not used all the features of the recorder yet and still learning as I go. I have not yet come across a feature that I do not like, but as time moves on I may outgrow it (I'll probably by the next generation of the H4n).

The device is solid and well built. Impressive in all of it's attributes both aesthetically and physically. I cannot find fault with its features (32 gig SD capacity) and the recording ability of the device is more than adequate for my use. 4.5 stars and more than worth the price paid.

Samson headphones are okay (I think they are made by Zoom). I have a pair of Sennheiser and the Sampson doesn't even come close, but they are adequate for an addon accessory. They sound like a $20 pair of headphones, good clarity but lacking on the low end, all plastic lightweight construction. The remote is necessary because you can't handle the H4n while recording because it picks up everything.

The overall purchase was excellent. I am so impressed with Zoom that I even started looking into other items in their product line. I recommend the H4n to anyone that needs a high quality digital recorder for a great price with great performance. That's enough for now...

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I find this product awesome, internal mics have great sound. I have 2 outer mics, and the H4n makes them a little "hissy" (nothing that can't be fixed though, and it records external mics in separate tracks so it doesn't lower the quality of the inner mics' track). I'm just being critical though, In overall I'm happy with this recorder.

Remote Control, tripod and headphones highly recommended -

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If you are interested in getting a great and dependable handy recorder. Look no further, this recorder is fantastic, a bit expensive but well worth it.

Panasonic 330 Watts 5.1 Channel DVD Home Theater Surround Sound Entertainment System with 5 Satelli

Required two cables for start up ..........One cable digital, audio out did not activate the system as per instruction . Other wise working good. Sound much better than TV speakers.

I bought this assuming this system would be ok for the money. WRONG. I didn't even get a chance to listen to it because the tabs that hold the speaker wire broke. I can't believe Panasonic would sell such a cheap item.

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This surround sound system first of all is not satellite. The speakers are really weak and the sound quality is horrible. Unfortunately when i bought it i trusted the brand and threw the box away before i installed them, or else i would have returned this immediately.

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Bell+Howell Take 1 T100-BK Camcorder with 1x Optical Zoom and 1.5-Inch LCD Screen (Black)

Purchased this video camera for an 8-year old who is quite sharp. I would not present it to her, as the camera took poor videos and pictures and I would not want to insult her. The included batteries did not work -had to find others just to see if the camera really worked. The housing is made of a cheap plastic. Sorry, you don't even get what you paid for. Hopefully I can get a full refund, as I am new at this Amazon shopping business.

Good starter camera for a 9-11 year old. Allows them to learn about a digital camera without investing the costs.

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small screen, dark picture, have to be close distance to get what you are filming.... bought it for my daughter but even for a child, it was uninteresting because she could not see what she was filming.

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This is a great camera if you aren't looking for quality, but you are looking for a super cute and easy to use camcorder. I love how the USB comes out and it makes it so easy to plug into the computer and edit and save your videos. Just make sure you have a lot of light when you are taking a video.

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Good starter camera for a 9-11 year old. Allows them to learn about a digital camera without investing the costs.

JVC HD56FN97 56-Inch 1080p HDILA Rear Projection TV

• Provides more accurate gradation of shades in shadow areas/dark scenes
• Makes it possible to optimize the HD-ILA for best picture under a wider range of room lighting conditions

Since this is my FIRST HDTV purchase and my user experiences with HD Televisions in the past have been limited, I can't say that I'm an expert on the subject of HDTVs. The following is MY experience with this purchase and ultimately my opinion...

After purchasing this HDTV from Amazon, I waited in anticipation for EAGLE to deliver it as soon as possible. It was scheduled to come during the week of Jan 4-10 and surprisingly came almost a week earlier. I was delighted. After asking the Delivery person to help me move the HDTV to my living room, against EAGLE's policy, he agreed to help. The box was definitely large and cumbersome, though it didn't weigh nearly as much as stated, probably closer to 60lbs. Muscling it up some stairs and depositing it into my living room. I thanked him and proceeded to unpack the HDTV.

It came packed in a very large box with a break-away base, this allowed me to lift the box off without actually removing the HDTV from it secure Styrofoam base. All four corners were also secured with large blocks of Styrofoam packaging.

Against the stated warning, I -alonelifted the TV onto a 60" credenza in my living room. Since all the major parts are housed in the base of the HDTV, it was counter-balanced well, unlike standard TVs which are primarily top/front heavy.

The base is roughly a 4" high, 18" deep, and 30" wide pedestal, and the TV measures about 55" wide, and about 45" high. All the inputs are on the RIGHT (Rear and Side). The Power cord is in the middle of the rear.

I have a Stereo Receiver, Comcast Digital Box, DVD Player and Xbox360 that I hooked up to this television. Both the DVD player and Xbox360 occupy the two component inputs and two RCA inputs. The Digital Box is through the Digital coaxial and standard coaxial inputs achieved with a supplied coaxial splitter. Unoccupied at this time are the two HDMI inputs -the only inputs that support 1080p-, the VGA input, the other two RCA inputs and a Cable Card input.

I have had exceptional reactions to the quality and performance of the JVC HD-56FN97. Out of the box, it's not perfect. The first run though was to set up the Digital Cable. It performed a standard channel scan, going through all the standard channel signals and then any Digital channel signals. After this set up, I flipped through a few of the channels. I wasn't overly impressed with the color or picture, but after fiddling with the color setting in the HDTV's menu -which is a complete messI was able to get satisfactory coloring. There is a noticeable green cast on some channels. Since I don't have an HD channel package through my cable provider, the standard cable did not take full advantage of my HDTV's capabilities. The picture looked rather flat, grainy and did not support the wide screen format. There's an Aspect menu feature that lets you change this format from Panorama (simulated 16:9), Cinema (zoomed and cropped 4:3), Full (stretched 4:3) and Standard (4:3). Most of the time while watching Cable, it was set for Standard (4:3).

Next, I set up the Xbox360. One of the most frustrating problems I had with the JVC HD-56FN97 was the Input selection menu. It wasn't intuitive nor was it easy to maneuver through. Using the remote -which was less than aesthetically pleasingI had to scroll through a list of inputs, wait till the TV received the signal, and then scroll to the next, till I reached the desired input. This was done using the remote's directional pad or the CH+ CHbuttons and then selecting the OK button. I would have preferred a direct button to go to the desired input. This was Not expected for a Next-Gen television. The settings menu was set up the exact same way, being even more involved and less intuitive. You'll probably use the manual often till you get comfortable with all the less than descriptive names JVC used.

The picture quality of the Xbox360 was probably the BEST. Though I had to set it to 1080i, the highest HD signal the component inputs would allow. The colors were vibrant, the picture was crisp, and during game play there was very little blur noticeable. I played both Gears of War and Call of Duty 2, and was very impressed with the overall picture quality and performance. This TV was made for GAMING.

DVD's on the other hand did not seem as crisp. More noticeable while watching full screen DVDs, and less so with Wide screen DVDs. The coloring and picture was still better than Standard TV. The Wide screen DVDs used the auto-detected wide screen (16:9) format also. I have yet to experience HD-DVD or Blu-ray DVDs, but would imagine that the output would be even better. This is an impressive television for MOVIES.

My only true complaint is the remote and menu system. A work around I've found was with the purchase of the Logitech Harmony universal remote for Xbox. After setting all my components up, using it's computer based programming feature, I was able to set specific buttons for all my inputs finally. Of course, this remote offers more useful features (such as Activies), but that's for a different review.

In conclusion, the JVC HD-56FN97 HDTV is a great home theater / gaming television with ample features and inputs and exceptional quality and performance. At the price it's also great buy considering all the inputs and features. I failed to mention earlier; the LCoS projector technology that JVC uses -under the HD-ILA nameis also exceptional. I have yet to see any rainbow effects or any "pixelation". I imagine my impressions will only grow when I take full advantage of the two HDMI inputs. JVC makes an affordable, quality HDTV.

I hope this review is helpful towards making your informative HDTV purchase.

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Cablevision Hd Channels look great on this set. Cooling fan a little noisy but not a deal breaker. Tv will need setup for best picture

A lot cheaper then the equivalent Sony and didnt see any difference

between the two sets in the store. SD Channels look good on this set even when expanded to fill the screen. Paid around 1500 for this TV and I am

very happy with it.

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Just bought the TV from the Craigslist 2 days ago. Perfect condition, 2 mo old lamp. For $90. That's right.

Would I buy this TV for more than that? Probably not more than $150.

The best picture on this TV comes from Blu-ray, X-Box, pretty much any source with true 1080p output. Next in line is Netflix streaming via my laptop through HDMI port. With upscaling DVD player via HDMI, the picture becomes slightly more coarse, and colors get more washed out, but still OK to watch.

Anything else outside the HDMI looks bad, even component video from my Pioneer Elite DV-45A (not upscaling). Maybe using the receiver that could upgrade component to HDMI help, I don't know.

The fan is noisy, but tolerable. Audio is acceptable, and covers the fan noise even at lowest volumes. The TV can work as a center channel, too. Despite the size, it's quite light (~80#), and easily transportable by 2 people.

Overall, I'm REALLY happy with paying $90 for 56" rear-projection 1080p in perfect shape, as I am planning to get PS3 anyway.

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I purchased a floor model JVC HD-56FN97 from a different store for Christmas because I was floored at the price of $899 that I got and I succumbed to temptation to by my first HDTV.

I love this set! The picture at full 1080p resolution, which is not so hard to find anymore, is just breathtaking, and the 56" size is enough to make it feel like being at the movies. It's amazing! There is no lag effect with this set (maybe because it's a projection TV), frankly I think it's way better than most LCD's that I've seen. The only drawback is you can't hang it on your wall since it's about as deep as an old fashioned TV, but I wasn't hanging mine anyway.

The only downside so far are two things, for which I'm subtracting 1 star from my review:

1. At factory settings the color green/yellow does tend to explode on the screen with neon life! I have made some adjustments to tone things down that have fixed most of this, but there is still a slight tendency to be a little overdone on the green/yellows. I have read elsewhere that you can completely correct this by accessing the Service Menu, but then again that's not something you should have to do! Anyway just by adjusting picture settings and using HDMI input it is no longer a big deal. Frankly the picture is just amazing, especially at this price.

2. The menus are not super easy to use in particular changing between input sources is a pain, and I find I have to do it frequently. The main problem is there is about a 3 second delay with each input as you scroll through them. It should let you scroll through the input choices and only do the picture adjustment delay when you actually switch inputs!

Overall I've got to say I'm super happy with this set. Those are really the only drawbacks for me. Having a 56" 1080p set that looks awesome in this price range (even the $1550 shown here) seems like a great deal to me.

I bought this TV almost a year ago. The only problem I had with delivery was it came much sooner then expected. I ordered it Dec 19 and Amazon estimated a January delivery date, which was fine because I going to be out of town Christmas week. Eagled called Dec 23 to arrange delivery! Eagle held it for a week until we got back into town.

This is my first HD TV, so I don't have anything to compare it against. I don't see the green hue noted by other reviews. The first thing I noticed was the cooling fan was really loud. A co-worker bought the same model and said his was quiet, so I called the TV repairman and they replaced one of fans because it was very loud. The TV has 3 fans.

After using the TV for 6-7 months, the bulb blew up, which is very pre-mature at 600 hours. Fortunately, the bulb was under warranty, which normally costs $200 to replace. I didn't want to wait 2-3 weeks for the TV repairman to come out and replace the bulb, so I drove across town to picked it up myself. The bulb is easy to replace.

I have basic analog cable, which carries the HD broadcast channels un-encrypted (clear QAM), so I just plug the cable into the digital coax input to get digital HD channels. The analog SD channels don't look very good, but I suspect this is common for most HD TV's.

I use my 5.1 sound system, which sounds much better than the TV speakers, which is probably common with most TV's.

I recently purchased an HD-DVD player (Toshiba hd-d3/a3) and it works fine with the HDMI input. I have The Bourne Identity on DVD and HD-DVD and noticed more detail in some of the scenes, but the improvement of the HD-DVD over the up-converted DVD wasn't huge.

Pros

o Great picture for the money.

o Good connectivity options

Cons

o Poor user software interface (setup menu's)

o Slow switching between channels

o Long term longevity doesn't look promising after replacing the fan and bulb the first year.

o PC input only supports 1024x768 and I cannot get the HDMI input to work with the DVI-D output of my computer (the manual says this isn't supported)

Overall, I'm happy with the TV and hope it lasts a long time.