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

Wednesday, September 10, 2014

Focusrite ISA828 Eight Classic Microphone Pre-Amps and Class-Leading A-D Conversion

Focusrite ISA828 Eight Classic Microphone Pre-Amps and Class-Leading A-D Conversion
  • Eight original ISA series transformer-based pre amps in a single robust 2U chassis
  • Selectable impedence per channel; choose one of four carefully selected input impedances, including the original ISA 110 setting, to suit any microphone
  • Each instrument input features high and low impedance options to provide a comprehensive and accessible DI solution.
  • High pass filter, Phase reverse and Phantom power
  • Convenient 25 pin D-Type connectors for quick and seemless integration with Pro Tools
  • Selectable impedence per channel; choose one of four carefully selected input impedances, including the original ISA 110 setting

I bought my first Focusrite ISA828 preamp and A/D conversion card 3 years ago and they have been amazing. I now own 2 of these units for a total of 16 channels of supreme pre-amplification. The quality is on par with anything out there at an incredible price. Worth every penny and much more! People are blown away when they hear my drum recordings, as well as other instruments (bass, guitar, vocals, horns...). This is my studio's work horse.

The sound you can expect from these units is transparent, yet warm. To compare the difference between this unit and my previous PreSonus Firestudio: it is a difference between a movie shot on film and a cartoon. You can hear all the subtle nuances, so you better make sure your instruments is perfectly in tune and sounding great on its own as this preamp will capture that.

Buy Focusrite ISA828 Eight Classic Microphone Pre-Amps and Class-Leading A-D Conversion Now

Exceptional quality and flexibility from one of the benchmark suppliers of professional audio components. I cannot say enough about how pleased I am with this purchase.

Saturday, August 30, 2014

Samsung SmartMedia 128MB Smart Media Digital Flash Memory Storage Card

Samsung SmartMedia 128MB Smart Media Digital Flash Memory Storage CardWas new in the package, but does not work. Tried it in three cameras and all three cameras would not accept it as valid media

using in my MC 900 and it works flawlessly. If only I could find a tool to allow my EX5 to read/write smart cards!

Buy Samsung SmartMedia 128MB Smart Media Digital Flash Memory Storage Card Now

This was a dud. When installed in the camera it said no memory left. It came from China so I had no recourse to return it

Read Best Reviews of Samsung SmartMedia 128MB Smart Media Digital Flash Memory Storage Card Here

I have an older Olympus camera and was not able to find this card locally. I am now using my camera again and am completely satisfied with the product and shipment. Thank you!!

Want Samsung SmartMedia 128MB Smart Media Digital Flash Memory Storage Card Discount?

I had one of these before it just suddenly stopped working...However I hope to not have the same experience with this one...

Thursday, August 21, 2014

Panasonic Pro AG-DVC7 MiniDV Proline Camcorder w/15x Optical Zoom

Panasonic Pro AG-DVC7 MiniDV Proline Camcorder w/15x Optical ZoomI'll be diplomatic and say this isn't a bad camera. But I used to shoot a lot of live events and concerts, and with a DVX100 and a DVC80 to choose from, this camera would always get stuck on the lowest priority shot. It's big, but mostly hollow, so it's almost as light as a Canon ZR series. In sunlight or other bright light, you're fine, but in low light you really know it's a 1-CCD camera. The colors wash out and the picture gets noisy. For a third of the price you could get a consumer level camera (Canon ZR) that'll shoot nearly as well (if not looking as imposing) while you save your pennies for a 3-CCD model.

Like the other review said, this is a good starter camera. After being out of the video business for about 5 years I decided to by this camera for a wedding I was shooting. I got it at a great price. There are a few problems though. It's a little hard to deal with in low light. I have a mounted 150-watt light and it still hard to deal with. If you gain up one it's kind of grainy. But if you are not doing anything that is broadcast quality then this is a good camera. Since I'm doing low budget wedding this is perfect for me.

Buy Panasonic Pro AG-DVC7 MiniDV Proline Camcorder w/15x Optical Zoom Now

This is a great starter camera if you are thinking about getting into videograghy. This camera will give you the pro look, but it seems to be just a consumer level camera in a pro package. quality seems to be very good however, I have only shot a few hrs of tape so far. if you can come up with an extra $1000 seriously consider a different camera that really is on the pro level.

Read Best Reviews of Panasonic Pro AG-DVC7 MiniDV Proline Camcorder w/15x Optical Zoom Here

I purchased two AG-DVC7 Panasonic camcorder between 3 and 4 years ago, one used, one brand new. I very seldom use them to record direct to tape. We basically set them on a tripod and use S-video to feed in to a video mixer as we records live. The record feature on the camera has been barely used and yet one day last year both of them stopped recording to tape at about the same time. I was advised to press the rest button, this failed. The system stated needs servicing. When I bought these cameras, I paid around $1100.00 for each of these cameras from B&H New York. Just got my repair invoice and Pnansonic wants over 700.00 per unit to repair them!!! You can buy used for less than what it cost to repair one. Beware there is problem is with this product. There is a known issue with these cameras failing to record. You can find complaints online about this problem. The repair cost for this camera makes it by far the worst video product I have ever purchased! This camera is now only worth spare parts!

Want Panasonic Pro AG-DVC7 MiniDV Proline Camcorder w/15x Optical Zoom Discount?

Have used the camcorder for over 3 years, our retired community video club owns two of them. Has great picture quality in good lighting, rivals my 3CCD Cannon GL-2. The Panasonic does a decent job on lower lighting situations. I frequently use it to partner up with my Cannon GL-2 for the second camera shots. Only had one of the 2 Pansonics needed repairs to the tape motor mechanism, the other same model Panasonic in our inventory, has not needed repairs, in those same three years of very frequent club use. Our clients are impressed when we show up with the large Panasonic. It is easy to operate. I would buy another one. It seems to take small abuses well, it is used by serveral different club members, so you know that it has had bumps and small drops. The handle is very handy to carry the camcorder around and to take low shots as we walk around, you could not do that with non-handle type camcorders. On the bad side of this review, I noticed that in lower light situations with long shots, if the subject walked to the edge of your shooting view screen, the camcorder would go out of focus, then to compensate I would have to move the subject back into the center of the shot. So, in the low light situations, the camera is fooled and goes out of focus on the subject and focuses on the background.

Saturday, August 2, 2014

Azend Group Envizen Home Roam TV - Portable, Personal 7 Inch LCD Receiver for all Cable /TV Channel

Azend Group Envizen Home Roam TV - Portable, Personal 7 Inch LCD Receiver for all Cable /TV Channels HR701, BlackI couldn't be any more happier buying this product for me and my family. The best part about this is the "wireless transmitter box". I hooked up the transmitter box to my tv cable box with no sweat as it was instructed on the manual. From then on, I bring this little 7" tablet anywhere in my house (up to 100 feet!!!) and now follow whatever I am watching on my big screen stationary tv. I now can watch my ESPN when I do my regular outdoor chores and my mom will never miss her regular night tv shows while doing the dishes. The DVD/Bluray mode is sensational. I have my Bluray playing on my regular tv while the tv was "not on av mode" and then I press the av1 button on this tablet and magically I can see the bluray wirelessly!!!! Resolution on this machine is surprisingly nice. Even though I did not expect HD quality, it has a very fine crystal resolution for its size and price. You can hook your earphones up to this as well. Overall, it is a very smart, innovative, awesome product!! LOVE IT LOVE IT LOVE IT

my husband loves it watches tv in the kitchen when he is cooking, the only thing is you have to charge every day, he uses it for an hour or hour an half then he has to charge again and the receiver box needs to be turn off when chargeing

Buy Azend Group Envizen Home Roam TV - Portable, Personal 7 Inch LCD Receiver for all Cable /TV Channel Now

I bought this a couple weeks ago. Ohhhh my gosh!! This thing is awesome! It was so easy to hook up and worked right away. At the moment, the antenna is hooked into cable upstairs. I went downstairs and it worked fine. It plays in the basement, front porch and detached garage. It is not an HD type picture but sufficient.

I can hook it up to a bigger TV as long as it has the Yellow and White connections (does not have to have the red). Awesome! It can save a person from renting an extra cable box.

I was cleaning out my garage last weekend and had my Home Roam receiver connected to my 13 inch tv. I was watching my Sixers playing Knicks on NBA TV wirelessly! The other connection is hooked into my cable box in the upstairs bedroom. My garage is detatched so I would guess the two connections are at least 80 feet apart. I love it!

Last night, I watched the NCAA BB Tournament games on the front porch!

Read Best Reviews of Azend Group Envizen Home Roam TV - Portable, Personal 7 Inch LCD Receiver for all Cable /TV Channel Here

I love this but the instructions don't warn you that if you leave the receiver screen plugged in with the wall adapter when it's not being used, it will fry the battery, even if it's not on. I have to send it back for service after only a month. Envizen really needs to either make a big note of this in the manual (which I read very carefully) or change the battery so it can't overcharge. Otherwise it does what I wanted it to.

Want Azend Group Envizen Home Roam TV - Portable, Personal 7 Inch LCD Receiver for all Cable /TV Channel Discount?

I love this awesome little techno-gadget! It is exactly what I was looking for. I hooked it up to my Dish DVR System in 5 minutes. It is simple to use, and I don't need to turn on my large flat screen to watch programming on this little beauty. I can find my show, then go to the kitchen, outside, to the bathroom, to the garage etc. It works when plugged into an outlet & also has a rechargeable battery that lasts for about 3 hours. The picture is great, sound is good too. It can be hooked up to a larger screen in another room, and larger speakers too. Great product.

Save 19% Off

Sunday, July 27, 2014

Hitachi 2000 Sansi Lumens 3.9 Lb WXGA LCD Projector (CPX3)

Hitachi 2000 Sansi Lumens 3.9 Lb WXGA LCD ProjectorThis projector offers all the connectivity, including built-in speaker

for HDMI input and makes it an ideal projector to connect to portable video devices w/o speakers. It's light weight and small form factor and

including case is good as you don't have to shop for one more item!

Picture quality is good for the category this projector fits in (720p).

Main negative is NOISE, Fan is loud if you are in a quiet environment or

doing slide presentation. Even in economy mode, noise is too much. They

could have used less powerful lamp (2000 lumens is a lot) and run the fan

quieter.

Works very well and the picture quality is great. The wide screen format matches my laptop's native resolution. Automatic keystone adjustment is awesome and works so well (just aim the projector at screen at any vertical angle and the picture is always rectangular)

Buy Hitachi 2000 Sansi Lumens 3.9 Lb WXGA LCD Projector (CPX3) Now

Saturday, June 21, 2014

Olympus CS-131 Soft Carrying Case for VN8000PC and VN8100PC Digital Voice Recorders

Olympus CS-131 Soft Carrying Case for VN8000PC and VN8100PC Digital Voice RecordersGood item but this also comes with the purchase of the recorder. Its nice to have a second or backup case.

The case is a perfect fit for the Sony ICD-UX512 recorder. Just what I wanted. I would highly recommend the project for a protective sleeve for the recorder.

Buy Olympus CS-131 Soft Carrying Case for VN8000PC and VN8100PC Digital Voice Recorders Now

This case will fit most recorders. I have a Sony recorder and I needed a case for it because it was getting abused in my backpack. Great seller, fast shipping!

Read Best Reviews of Olympus CS-131 Soft Carrying Case for VN8000PC and VN8100PC Digital Voice Recorders Here

I love the case! It is soft and helps to protect the recorder that I bought. I just wish it was a little bigger so that I could keep the USB cord connector with it too!

Want Olympus CS-131 Soft Carrying Case for VN8000PC and VN8100PC Digital Voice Recorders Discount?

This case was perfect for my Sony ICD-UX200 recorder. The case is padded and well-made. It should protect the recorder from scratches very well.

Friday, June 13, 2014

Harman Kardon AVR 210 Dolby Digital Audio/Video Receiver

Harman Kardon AVR 210 Dolby Digital Audio/Video Receiver
  • Delivers 40 watts x 5 channels
  • MP3 decoding with coaxial or optical inputs
  • 30 station presets
  • Ultrawide-bandwidth amplifier
  • EzSet remote balances speaker levels

I have to give this a five star because I see absolutely nothing wrong about this receiver. Well, if you are a remote control freak, you might be disappointed with HK's non-learning, non-universal remote. This reciever has pretty much everything you need to set up a nice home theater. It has DTS and Dolby Digital, essential for making full use of your DVD player. One reason I got this Harman Kardon instead of another reciever that's cheaper and has as many features is because of its sound quality and durability. Note that this receiver only outputs 40 watts per channel. Obviously, this wouldn't be suited for college parties (although I think it's quite loud at high volumes). If you are thinking of building a home theater and if space is one of your concerns, this is an IDEAL receiver for smaller speakers systems with satellite speakers (like BOSE or Polk Audio). You will never have to worry about blowing out the speakers. It will complement and make use of every thing your smaller speakers can handle with beautiful sound output.

Buy Harman Kardon AVR 210 Dolby Digital Audio/Video Receiver Now

I just picked up one of these beasts. It is awesome. Don't let the power rating fool you. It says 40 watts, but that is over the full 20Hz to 20k Hz, and that isn't peak power, like cheaper recievers tell you. It can drive the speakers at high current without any detectible distortion.

This thing has more inputs and outputs then anything else I have seen, for example. Check out the detailed specs. It will convert s-video in to composite out, which is nice for me, since my tv does not have s-video in.

I love the auto level setup for the speakers, using a pressure sensor on the remote. Incredible.

The remote now controls my tv, dvd player, cablebox and reciever, plus you can set up macros on it, up to 17 steps, you can make it turn on your cable box, reciever, and television with one button, plus turn them off with another.

The On Screen display is nice. The best part for me is that I got it as an open box for $300 at circuit city.

Try it, you'll like it

Read Best Reviews of Harman Kardon AVR 210 Dolby Digital Audio/Video Receiver Here

When I received this unit on 10_11_12 had a slight hum eminatting from somewhere barely noticeable,seemed to go away after about 20_25 min.Almost a month later would turn off by itself.Ithought maybe it got too hot even tho the volume is set at_19 not loud ar all was just watching t.v. shuts off so turn back on w/remote and it is ftne for rest of the night.Even ran my palm over top of cabinet barely warm?Had an older AVR70years ago woked,sounded great that crazy thing all of a sudden would turn on by itself after Ishut her down for the night.Dont know what it is w/me and H/K recivers probably cause they were used units.Enough of these used units got my eye on a different H/Kmodel here at Amazon 2 new ones left still in supposedly the original box unopened.Just waiting for xmas bonus next few days then will order.Will post a review on it 1or 2 weeks after enjoying it.Iknow why in the world would you get another H/K simply b/c H/K ROCKS!!! I should have better luck w/a new unit even tho it was manufactured 7or 8 yrs. ago still in org.box no runtime࿿

Want Harman Kardon AVR 210 Dolby Digital Audio/Video Receiver Discount?

I've had this receiver for over 2 years now. It's a great name, with a clean, modern look. Here's what I have to say:

Buy this receiver. I cannot turn the volume up beyond half way without blowing my ears off. (I also have a JBL powered sub-woofer, which I recommend for anyone who is an audio/video enthusiast.)

I can find no flaw with this receiver. I should be able to keep it for 20 years. It has plenty of power, a slew of features a mile long (I still haven't figured out the entire remote control) with on screen programming (that blew me away, being able to adjust the stereo features through a TV menu).

Don't even hesitate to buy it. I bought it new ... and I think I only paid around [money] for it, brand new, including shipping.

The only reason I would not buy this receiver is if your budget allows, and you can buy one of HK's bigger brothers, the AVR-310 or higher. But if you are in the "I think I can justify [money] on a new stereo" this is THE one!!

I thought I had the ultimate home video setup, that is until I bought this receiver. I was blown away within seconds of getting it up and running. Try playing the opening scene of "Twister" on this machine. I wanted to run and hide in a closet! Or try the scene in "Jurassic Park" with the T-Rex's footsteps approaching the stalled jeeps. I kept looking for a T-Rex to come in my den. My mother thought someone was ramming the house. I have my system hooked up with Klipsch surrounds, it is devastating.

I only have one bad thing to say about this receiver and that is the remote. I can't get it to control the majority of my name brand components (but what universal remote does that).

I hope everyone gets a chance to at least hear a good Harmon Kardon system. You would be amazed!

Thursday, June 12, 2014

Sony digital recorder - SY-ICD-AX412

Sony digital recorder - SY-ICD-AX412I purchased this recorder for research purposes. I had to conduct many interviews and group discussions. This recorder worked great. It picked up voices of individuals sitting at the far end of the table (when the microphone was placed in the center of the table). And the one-on-one interviews were so crisp. I highly recommend this recorder for researchers, reporters and students. And it was dependable. I taped hours and hours of interviews. The storage capacity is amazing. My only criticism would be the buttons are very loud, so if you have to pause, or stop a recording, and restart, it's very noticeable during a recording. Perhaps there is a way to silence the button tones but I have looked and looked for that feature. No luck. The volume only controls the playback.

Saturday, May 31, 2014

Digital Sound Level Meter

Digital Sound Level MeterI bought this product for my father as an anniversary gift. He works with windows and for him is important to know how much noise is passing through them.

The only complain is the size, because he need to hang in a window and keep this huge toy in his pocket.

The precision is perfect compared with other brands that he used to work.

Tuesday, May 13, 2014

ViewSonic V35 Pocket PC Handheld

ViewSonic V35 Pocket PC HandheldI myself have the HP iPaq 1910, which I'm very happy with. I recently bought a V35 for my cousin's birthday, and also got a chance to play with it extensively. So my comments are more of a comparison with the 1910.

The V35 is about the same thickness as the 1910, but slight longer and wider. While specs say that it's also slightly heavier than the 1910, you can't really tell the difference, since both are very lightweight. Because the 1910 has more of a metallic feel while the V35 feels more plasticky (which is not to say the latter feels cheap!), there's an illusion that the V35 is actually lighter than the 1910. The bottomline is, the V35 feels very good in the hand, and its non-shiny, non-slippery surface makes it much easier to hold than the 1910.

Both the V35 and 1910 have 3.5" diagonal transflexive screens, and both are bright and beautiful. I think the 1910's screen sports richer colors, whereas the V35's is very slightly washed out, but still much better than the display on my old Audiovox Maestro (made by Toshiba). Like the 1910, the V35's touch screen is very responsive, and the backlighting is perfectly even.

While both models accommodate SD memory cards, the V35 has the added advantage of being SDIO compatible, although, admittedly, there aren't many (or any) SDIO devices here in the States right now. Part of V35's system memory is accessible as "flash storage," but the 1910 still has a bit more useable memory onboard.

My most positive impression of the V35 is it's well built and feels good in the hand, vs. 1910's slippery, easy-to-break feel. The battery life is also longer than the 1910; my estimate is 3.5 hours on average (playing MP3 files from a Lexar 256MB SD card with screen turned off) vs. 2-2.5 hours for the 1910. The V35 also comes with a docking cradle and a slip case, both of which are missing in the 1910 kit.

On the downside the V35's battery is not user-replaceable. (The 1910's is, and it has a back-up battery to conserve data in case of a completely dead main battery.) Given that the typical LiIon battery has a recycle life of about 500 times, if you charge the V35 once a day, the battery will die out in about 18 months. Of course, in reality the battery probably won't completely die by then, but its capacity/useable time will definitely be shortened considerably. (Just ask any Palm V user who bought the Palm more than 2 years ago.)

If I had to pick my Pocket PC again, I'd have a very hard time deciding between the iPaq 1910 and the V35. If you don't have to have the smallest and sleekist Pocket PC, I highly recommend the V35 for its longer battery life, included cradle and case, and SDIO-capable expansion.

In the end, though, you may just grab whatever is cheaper. :)

I could go on and on about what the Viewsonic V35 does, but I feel it is more important that I compare it to other pocket PC's in it's price range. I did a lot of research before I bought my Viewsonic V35, and I ended up basically up between the Dell Axim X5 300Mhz. The Dell turned out to be slightly cheaper, but it did not come with a cradle nor did it come with a leather case. You would eventually have to get at least the leather case, or your screen won't look too good after a while. After buying all the stuff for the Dell that would come with the Viewsonic, the Dell would be more expensive. Basically, I only considered models with a transflective screen since anything else looks foggy and milky. So that left me with the Dell Axim X5, the HP 1910, and one of those overpriced toshiba's. When I looked at the HP 1910, it had a slightly better looking screen than the viewsonic, but the viewsonic was a close second. I got to play with the Dell at one of their kiosks and their screen was okay, but not as good as the Viewsonic's. I read the reviews for the HP 1910 (really a compaq) and many customers complained about stability problems and the unit turning on by itself and draining it's own batteries. This unreliability is consistent with compaq products. So I immediately ruled out the 1910.

Since all of these pda's are running windows, there isn't too much difference except in stability and portabilty. The Dell Axim is by far the bulkiest pda I have ever seen which is another reason I ruled that out. Even with free shipping I received the V35 in only a mere 3 days. I was impressed with it's size and stability, as expected. I have not had problems with the V35 so far and I've had it for over a month. If I played MP3's continuously, it lasts just over 3 hours, which doesn't sound too good, but keep in mind this is better than most other PDA's. In all other activities, such as writing notes and scheduling things on my calendar, a whole day of this didn't come close to running low on battery, so I assume games and music eat up a lot of your battery, otherwise it is great. The directional pad is great for games (not so on the Dell), and there is a plethora of games available for free on the web. I use my pocket PC both at work and at school and the pocket pc always comes in handy. I have used Palm OS 5 for a few years and can tell you that it looks EXACTLY THE SAME as it always has. Palm hasn't bothered to be innovative at all and has rehashed the same nonfunctional operating system 6 times. To be honest, Palm OS hasn't changed much in the past 4 years and is not as flexible as a pocket PC. I couldn't find a reason to stick with Palm anymore. I had no problems synching the V35 to my PC, it was fast and took about a minute. Overall, the V35 is a reliable, cost effective, and has a beautiful screen. Viewsonic has had a good reputation for its other products, and so far lives up to it's name.

Buy ViewSonic V35 Pocket PC Handheld Now

I bought the iPaq H1910 before I had this unit. The 1910 had a great screen but I just didn't like the feel of it for daily use and the buttons weren't very easy to push for navigating or gaming. Finally I just felt it wasn't the right one for me so I returned it for the Viewsonic V35. Boy did I make the right move! This unit is so much nicer to hold and use and the screen holds it's own against any other Pocket PC. The applications work great, battery lasts a long time and this thing is quick. It has no problems playing movie trailers, mp3's or anything else I throw at it. Plus it comes with a cradle (something the iPac h1910 did not)! Overall it's definetly the best Pocket PC for the money. Thumbs up to Viewsonic for an excellent product.

Read Best Reviews of ViewSonic V35 Pocket PC Handheld Here

Summery If you are looking to enter the Pocket PC world, the ViewSonic V35 is the best low cost entry point.

It came down to the iPAQ 1910 and the ViewSonic V35 and I went with the ViewSonic. It had all the features I required and you can't bet the price. You will give up some RAM and a shorten battery life to the competition. But to me these where minor tradeoffs for great performance (larger processor), great screen, small size, light weight and it comes with a cradle (the iPAQ 1910 does not).

I had the device for over a week and my only complaint how the device fits into the cradle. It's a little shaky and not as good a fit as my old Palm VIIx. You just have to be extra carefully when docking.

There is not doubt in my mind that Pocket PC is the way to go. It is much more friendly than Palm and it has the interface and functionality that you are already familiar with your PC.

Want ViewSonic V35 Pocket PC Handheld Discount?

I switched from a Palm V. What a difference! No eyestrain anymore. The screen is bright, the colors help with reading calendars, contact information and e-mail. With an add-in 256 MB SD card there is plenty of storage for music and documents. It fits nicely into a shirt pocket, even with the semi-hard case, and is light enough not to notice. It has been running very stably and so far seems surprisingly sturdy. I suspect that the HP iPAQ Pocket PC h1910 is similar but the specs show a lot shorter battery life. The Toshiba e310/e335 is also similar but a bit larger and the screen did not look as bright. The Dell Axim X5 is heavier and larger but can accomodate a CF type II card in addition to an SD card. Regardless of your choice, I suggest getting one of several utilities that are available to keep track of memory and battery charge on the Today page.

Monday, April 21, 2014

Lasonic MP-04GS-B 4GB USB MP3 Digital Music FM Player & Voice Recorder w/1.15" Color Changing LCD (

Lasonic MP-04GS-B 4GB USB MP3 Digital Music FM Player & Voice Recorder w/1.15' Color Changing LCD
  • Lasonic MP-04GS-B 4 GB USB MP3 Player General Features: Compact size Color: Blue
  • 4 GB storage capacity USB interface 1.15-inch color changing LCD screen
  • Seven (7) different backlight colors: variations of blue, green, purple and red
  • Files supported: MP3, WMA, WMV, ASF, WAV Built-in FM radio tuner
  • Built-in microphone for voice recording

I got this as a gift for Christmas about 3 years ago. I use it all the time and it's a good, compact little unit. I love it!

No rechargeable batteries to have to fuss with, if it stops, you simply pop another AAA battery into it and go.

It remembers the song you were on, so if it shuts off you can turn it back on and resume from where you were.

It has a repeat option, and even a repeat folder option.

And equalizer so you can change the sound quality to best match the style of music you're listening to.

It organizes the music by folders; and if you have multiple things from the same artist it puts it all in one main folder with sub-folders.

I can add music using the Windows Media Player.

My only things I've found wrong with it, are minor, and some even fixable with a little hunting.

Here lately I've noticed that I had problems turning it off. It would just play, pause, play, pause, repeat, repeat, and repeat. And after doing this for about a minute or so I felt like throwing it against the wall.

But I just went in and manually changed it to turn off after a period of inactivity. So now I just pause it and set it down, I never have to actually hold the button to turn it off anymore. Easy Fix.

Also, I noticed that it sorts my music by latest added, and I can't get it sort files alphabetically. I've tried everything, but I think it's something you do as you add the music, not after the fact.

The scroll is a bit slow, so trying to figure out what song you're listening to is requires you to stare at the screen for a while.

Song change is bit slow as well, but I've found that if you pause it first it goes a little faster.

Buy Lasonic MP-04GS-B 4GB USB MP3 Digital Music FM Player & Voice Recorder w/1.15" Color Changing LCD ( Now

I must admit I liked tghis item when I first got it but of all it features (radio, file storage, music, etc) but then the headphones were really lousy and the radio signal wasn't that great you almost have to be in the right place at the right time. Its ok for a teenager or younger child but wouldnt recommend it for an adult and definetly not for working out with.

Read Best Reviews of Lasonic MP-04GS-B 4GB USB MP3 Digital Music FM Player & Voice Recorder w/1.15" Color Changing LCD ( Here

This is a cute small inexpensive player that I love. It holds more music than I have available. And I love the compact design. It works wonderful. You have to use to manual to figure it out. But it was well worth the price.

Thursday, April 17, 2014

Onkyo TX-SR606 7.1 Channel Home Theater Receiver (Silver)

Onkyo TX-SR606 7.1 Channel Home Theater Receiver
  • Affordable 7.1-channel home theater receiver with full HD integration and video upscaling
  • Power output: 90 watts x 7 channels (minimum)
  • HDMI v1.3a Repeater (4 inputs, 1 output, 1080P compatible)
  • 1080i Upscaling powered by Faroudja DCDi Edge
  • TrueHD, DTS-HD Decoding

I'll start by saying I'm not an Audiophile. I just wanted a decent mid-range receiver that does all the latest lossless audio formats and has 7.1 channels so it's ready to take advantage of BluRay as that format evolves. So my primary focus is on a system that plays audio for movies and video games as it's primary function. Currently I have this receiver setup in a 5.1 configuration since that's the type of receiver it replaced. I have more speakers on order to expand it out but to be honest, right now if you're building a home theater from scratch, you only need 5.1 . The 7.1 specs aren't really supported yet and DVDs and Playstation/Xbox are all 5.1, so if you're starting from scratch save some money and setup for 5.1 first and expand as support grows.

I used the automated speaker calibration feature to setup all the channels. This is where you place the provided mic at ear level at three different listener positions. The receiver then sends out tones which will drive you and your dog nuts for about 15 minutes while the entire process goes on. Once it was done however, I was/am very pleased with the results.

I've heard some people ask about humming, i can detect no humming. I have some WiFi equipment close by which is 2.5 ghz and so far have not heard any humming. Some other people have said the Receiver runs hot to which I would ask those people, is this your first receiver? They do run hot ! This one runs no hotter than the old one i replaced from a different manufacturer so as far as I'm concerned, the heat issue is normal. I have it in a small component rack that's enclosed on the sides and back with a door on the front, it's got maybe half an inch space around the sides and 2 inches of space on top and so far everything is good.

The back has tons of inputs, but the primary reason I waited for the 606 over the previous model is the number of HDMI ports, the next generation audio/video cable which is a requirement for full resolution BluRay playback. They're rev 1.3a to support all the latest audio formats as well (none of which are currently supported by the discs themselves yet though). The receiver will pass through a 1080p signal from a BluRay or other high def video source. If you feed it a standard def 480i video source, it will upscale it to 1080i or 720p. It does a decent job but i would say upscaling isn't the receivers strong point, it does an acceptable job though. But lets face it, Onkyo doesn't build TV's, their bread and butter isn't video, it's audio.

I'm pleased with the performance and the styling of the receiver, it's just very basic and sleek. No built in graphical user interface and all that other nonsense that receivers 3x this price but no more times the performance come equipped with. This receiver for a mid end system for movies and video games just really can't be matched in terms of performance per dollar spent.

I have matched this receiver with some Polk Audio speakers. Specifically i have a Polk CSi3 center channel and six Polk RTi4 bookshelf speakers (all of which you can find at great prices here on Amazon where I ordered them from) and I am very very happy with the results. The Polk speakers like the Onkyo 606 receiver are over achievers for their price point, so they match together extremely well.

The only thing I have left to say is buy it, I wouldn't hesitate recommending this receiver to anyone looking for a solid movie/video game home theater experience.

Buy Onkyo TX-SR606 7.1 Channel Home Theater Receiver (Silver) Now

Other reviews cover this receiver with excellent detail (setup, sound, etc.) and I agree with most comments. This is a great unit for the money. Many features, easy setup, poor upscaling, great HDMI support.

Unfortunately I have the HDMI buzz issue mentioned by several reviewers but fortunately I found the cause and one solution.

I had a XBOX 360 connected via HDMI and a Gamecube connected via component. Both output through HDMI to the tv. When I first powered up the SR606 and the XBOX I heard a continuous buzz or hum through the speakers which became louder when the volume increased. This made quiet movies nearly unwatchable as dramatic scenes were dominated by **BUZZZZZZZZZZZ** instead of cinematic tension.

I called Onkyo support in New Jersey and they quickly brushed me off with a flat recommendation of "return the unit to the retailer" with no diagnostic advice. I followed this direction and predictably, the new unit suffered the same ailment. The buzz continued.

All of my audio/video gear is connected to a single, ungrounded, electrical outlet (building was built in 1915). After a bit of Internet searching I found an article which discussed "common impedance coupling" whereby many high draw devices (such as a plasma TV, A/V receiver, and XBOX 360) which are connected to a common electrical run will produce a voltage drop and potentially introduce noise. I am not an expert in electricity but this lead me to investigate the way the components were connected to the SR606, rather than the SR606 itself.

I found that the XBOX 360 was responsible for the buzz. With the XBOX disconnected from the wall outlet, the buzz stopped even when all other components were connected and turned on. Thinking that the metal HDMI connection could be carrying the noise to the SR606 I connected the XBOX HDMI directly to the tv and connected the XBOX sound to the SR606 via a TOSLINK optical cable in order to remove any conductive connections between the SR606 and XBOX. This removed the buzz!

As a test I re-connected the XBOX HDMI to the SR606, kept the TOSLINK connection, and disabled the HDMI sound input for the XBOX on the SR606. This let the sound only come from the optical connection but retained the metal link between the SR606 and the XBOX. The buzz was much quieter but remained.

The last test was with the Gamecube which draws about 40 watts to the XBOX's 175. Although it connected via component, it output via the HDMI so I thought that if the buzz was related to the HDMI output on the SR606 I would hear it when using the Gamecube. I hear no buzz when using the Gamecube. Unfortunately do not have another device to test buzzing with HDMI input but it seems to me that the buzz was related to the following:

1) Using a single, ungrounded electrical circuit for all devices.

2) Connecting the XBOX 360 (which consumes a large amount of electricity) to the SR606 via a conductive connection.

I imagine that if I had independent outlets, homerun back to the breaker box I could separate the SR606 and the XBOX and correct the buzz. Unfortunately I spent all my cash on A/V gear so electrical work will have to wait. However, if you have better wiring in your house (or low draw A/V equipment) I imagine that your SR606 will be buzz free even when using HDMI connections.

Read Best Reviews of Onkyo TX-SR606 7.1 Channel Home Theater Receiver (Silver) Here

It wasn't until I purchased a Blu-ray player (Sony PS3) and Epson Cinelite 1080P projector when I realized I needed to purchase a new receiver. I was looking for something I could connect all my game consoles (PS3, XBox360, Wii), my Mac Pro, and my Karaoke system.

I first bought the lower-model Onkyo TX-SR506 (then later returned... keep reading to find out why), thinking it had all the inputs I needed and HDMI output for my requirements. Since this review is for the TX-SR606, I won't go into too much detail on the features of the TX-SR506. However, since I'm sure some of you will be comparing the SR506 to the SR606, I will quickly tell you what the TX-SR506 LACKS that may help you determine whether or not these missing features are necessary for your application. The SR506's HDMI ports are video pass-through only, meaning it does not carry Audio signals with it. Next, the SR506 will only output video to the same medium as the video signal it receives so if you have equipment using different types of connections, it has to use that same type of connection as an output from the receiver (e.g. component video input can only be displayed using the component video output, composite in to composite out, hdmi in to hdmi out, etc...). No coversion of video inputs to another type of output will be performed. So expect to have multiple cables output to your LCD/plasma/TV/projector's video inputs. Finally, only 4 total video devices can be plugged into the SR506 at any given time... yes, I know the photo of the SR506 shows an abundance of inputs but you can only program one input type (HDMI, component, S-Video, or composite) for each of the four video inputs (DVD, CBL/SAT, AUX, VCR/DVR).

Now enter the TX-SR606, full of the features that the TX-SR506 lacks! Both the SR506 and SR606 do an impressive job in ease of setup and sound output quality but that's pretty much where the similarities end. The FOUR HDMI inputs (yes, an impressive FOUR inputs over the SR506's TWO) of the TX-SR606 also carries digital audio signals. This keeps the optical/TOSLink/digital-coax digital audio inputs free for devices you may have that do not have HDMI audio -another major flaw I found with the TX-SR506 when I had it (since it didn't carry audio through HDMI, I had to resort to using up both optical audio inputs for my PS3 and XBox 360 and had none left for the optical audio output from my Mac Pro and my Karaoke system).

Next must have feature about the SR606 is that all non-HD video inputs (going into the component, s-video, or composite inputs) are automatically upconverted so you can view everything using the HDMI output. The upconversion of these non-HD devices is upconverted to 1080i. 1080P upconversion would have been nicer but look at the affordable price on this unit! If you really need the 1080P upconversion, consider the Onkyo TX-SR706 model -which will set you back another $200+ but is THX-Certified. And quite honestly, when you take a 480i/480p signal and upconvert it, you won't see too much of a difference between upconverting it to 1080i or 1080P (alright I know that statement is open for the screen size vs. viewing distance debate but remember your source signal is 480i/480p to begin with). Even if the upconversion feature isn't really a necessary feature for the size of your screen, the fact it processes and converts non-HDMI video inputs to be displayed with the HDMI output means you only need one cable going to your LCD/plasma/TV/projector and you can keep the TV on just one of its input modes (no more switching from Input1 to Input2 to Input3 when going from DVD to game console to Tivo/DVR).

With the SR606, you can customize all the video source inputs and audio source inputs to suit just about any setup needs you may have. For example, I have the video and audio for my PS3 and XBox 360 going into the HDMI input ports on this receiver (this unit has an impressive 4 HDMI 1.3a input ports) so I set up the receiver so that it knows to process video and audio signals for my first two devices through the HDMI port. My Mac Pro's secondary video (primary video is plugged into my 30" computer LCD screen) is plugged into the 3rd HDMI input on the SR606 receiver using a DVI-to-HDMI cable to provide full 1080P output and the audio is plugged into the SR606's optical/TOSLink digital audio input. I then have it programmed in the receiver so that it knows to process video from the HDMI3 input and audio from the optical1 input for the third device. Finally, the video for my Wii is plugged in to the component 1 input and my Karaoke machine is plugged in to the component 2 input while audio for the Wii is plugged into the standard 2-channel RCA-style input and optical 2 input for the Karaoke machine. Again, you can mix and match your audio and video any way you like and just tell the SR606 how you have it set up. It's very flexible. And the Wii and Karaoke gets upconverted to 1080i through the HDMI output while the PS3, XBox 360, and Mac Pro maintains its 1080P resolution via the HDMI inputs.

Since it's upconverting the video signal from your non-HDMI video devices (component, s-video, composite), you will see the volume level on your screen when adjusting volume for these devices. This leads me to the only gripe I really have about the SR606. If your device uses one of the HDMI video inputs, the receiver will not display the volume level on your tv/lcd/plasma/projector so you'll have to just look at the LCD display on the receiver itself for that information. This, however, does not warrant any deductions in my rating for this feature-filled receiver.

Another thing worth mentioning about this receiver (that you may have already gathered from reading the product's technical details section here on Amazon) is that it has a TrueHD and DTS-HD decoder for the ultimate in 7.1 HD surround sound quality offered in many of today's Blu-ray movies! Isn't Blu-ray one of the reasons you're looking at this receiver in the first place? :) Impressive feature to have in a receiver at this price point! Now is the price difference between the TX-SR506 and this TX-SR606 really starting to look more and more worth your while!? Go ahead and close that TX-SR506 product window/tab now and add this TX-SR606 to your shopping cart. You won't regret it.

Overall, at its attractive price point and the rich-list of features it offers, the Onkyo TX-SR606 easily deserves the full 5 stars! Check out my other reviews and you'll see that I don't just easily give out five stars to stuff I own!

Want Onkyo TX-SR606 7.1 Channel Home Theater Receiver (Silver) Discount?

The first thing that must be said is that for the money, this product is hard to beat. Excellent features, quality, plenty of power. 4 HDMI inputs and 4 digital audio (coax and optical). The Audyssey system automatically applies adjustments that most people would never apply otherwise.

The remote is competent but forget about its universal remote capability. They give you multiple codes for each device and you just have to try them all. And then, some never did work. Not a problem for me since I am using a Logitech Harmony (and so should everyone, IMO).

A bigger disappointment was that the audio-video inputs are more limited than I had expected. If you have several older devices, you should know that only the HDMI, digital audio, and component inputs can be connected to different inputs. And they can't be renamed. So anyone using my system has to know that TV/GAME button shows the old TiVo box and that the laptop is connected as CD. And if I had one more device, I'd have been out of luck.

But for around $400, what a terrific performer.

I purchased this from Amazon last week and finally set it up to my liking. I have the following components input into the receiver: Samsung BD-P1500 blu-ray, DirecTV TiVO (soon to be replaced with HD DVR), and Nintendo Wii. The blu-ray is connected with HDMI. The TiVO is connected with composite (red, white, yellow). The Nintendo Wii is connected by component (red, green, blue). I have an LG 42LB5DC TV (42" LG full HD 1080p) that is connected to the receiver with HDMI. All the components are connected to the receiver and I have 1 HDMI cable going to my TV.

Tip #1: I have 5.1 surround and was looking forward to the Audyssey Speaker Setup. I hooked up my speakers properly, however I connected my rear surrounds to the "Rear Surround Back" area. This receiver does 7.1. I don't have 7.1 so I thought that I would just skip the sides. Unfortunately the Audyssey setup kept giving me errors. I finally connected my REAR surrounds to the SIDE surrounds and the setup went through perfectly. Audyssey did a great job balancing my speakers.

Tip#2: I was looking forward to the 1080i upscaling for analog signals. Since I am upgrading to a DirecTV HD DVR, my only analog component is the Nintendo Wii. When I first connected the Wii and turned everything on the receiver was not detecting my 16:9 widescreen preference. I had to setup the receiver to make all HDMI signals go to "Auto" instead of "Through". "Through" is the default setting. This just means push through any signal without doing anything to it (pass through). Once I selected "Auto" the Wii scaled appropriately.

Upconversion is only OK. But, you're getting a good value. In the future are you really going to need 1080i or 1080p upconversion? Probably not. That being said, analog TV signals upconverted don't look as good as you'd expect them to. However, I am sure the receiver will do a fine job once I upgrade to HD TV programming. The Wii looks fine for now.

I am very happy with the price and the performance of this receiver. It is exactly what I was looking for. Does the job well. Also remember you're probably going to be using all HDMI in the future. This receiver has 4 HDMI inputs. So it is definitely future-proof.

Tuesday, April 1, 2014

Coby 2 GB Sports MP3 Player with FM Radio (Red/Black)

Coby 2 GB Sports MP3 Player with FM Radio
  • High contrast LCD display with backlight
  • Integrated FM radio and recorder
  • Integrated microphone for digital voice recording
  • Plays MP3 and WMA digital music files/Plays digital music from most online stores and subscription services
  • ID3 and LRC support for song and synchronized lyric information display

After two months it stop working, I will check if I can still use the warranty.

I cannot even turn it on to listen music. However, I can connect it to the computer and use it as a usb disk (a very expensive one).

Buy Coby 2 GB Sports MP3 Player with FM Radio (Red/Black) Now

I recently had the opportunity to get two of these through my Pepsi points. The entire checkout process was simple and the shipping was pretty darn quick...I received them in a matter of 2-3 days. The Coby's are packaged nicely, with everything sorted into little baggies that you can reuse if you so desire. Not a bad idea, I think. My MP3 players came with the power cord, headphones, armband and even a battery so you can use your player right out of the box. Now THAT was nice of them! Right away I got to using my players and the accessories. They rate as follows.

Pros: Great size. The Coby is small and light enough to use during physical activities, but not so small that it makes reading the screen difficult. The screen is a decent size and features a pretty good display system. There's a good set of options which even include changing the backlight color. That may not be important to some, but to others, the aesthetics are a plus. The player is pretty durable, my daughter having dropped hers many times over, and yet it still works like new. The 2GB storage is perfect for me and even my daughter, holding a great deal of music. Of course it may not hold your entire music library, but it will certainly hold enough for several hours of listening pleasure, depending on the file size of course. As for the MP3s themselves, you can load your music easily and even sort them into your own created folders if you like. It's really just drag and drop music files. Simple as that.

Cons: The headphones are a waste. Not only do they sound terrible, by the looks of the size of them, they're meant for a giant's ears. So, not only do they sound awful, they're also uncomfortable and they won't stay in your ears. The armband is kinda cheesy. It's a great idea in theory, but with how it's adjustable, there's so much extra "band" that it not only is uncomfortable, but it just looks plain stupid. I don't see many people getting much use out of it, to be honest. On the plus side, the Coby does have a spot to attach a lanyard to it, which would be better than the armband anyway.

All in all, I'd rate this a 4/5. It's definitely worth the price and isn't a bad little MP3 player.

Read Best Reviews of Coby 2 GB Sports MP3 Player with FM Radio (Red/Black) Here

Good Overall Player, Good Price, Very easy to use, Good FM Tuner and Recorder function that few players have. Only complaints are: 1the headphones are too big to fit my ears, the cable tends to get very tangled, there is no quick release of the headphone leash to the player

2-The armband came in a cream color that did not match in my opinion the player color, black would have been better.

Want Coby 2 GB Sports MP3 Player with FM Radio (Red/Black) Discount?

It is really good for the price.

The 2 GB size is great, especially with the FM radio built in.

Will someone please make one with AM as well.

I do wish that it had a clip on the back in addition to the eye on the top.

You really need a rechargable battery with it.

It goes through the single AAA battery fairly quickly.

Save 10% Off

After reluctantly steeping into the MP3 player world I looked around for a cheap intro player. After several useless ipod rip off models from eBay I went with this player. I like the fact that it can record ambiently (not great sound, but decent) and has an FM player. I thought it might last four-six months, but it's been more like a year and going strong with heavy usage. I'm still happy with it in general, and for what I spent on it, very happy.

Goods:

-Plenty of storage for me (I listen to about 8+ albums and thirty+ podcasts at any one time)

-Data storage capability is nice

-Small, super light

-Simple to navigate

Bads:

-The fact that it takes a AAA battery may be a pain for some, but I just got a 4-pack of rechargables, and I could care less. When it runs out I can put a new one in and keep listening while the other charges unlike a built in battery.

-Navigation knob is easily moved unintentionally

-I'm suprised the flimsy battery flap hasn't broken or been lost yet, it tends to fall off.

-Display light doesn't stay illuminated nearly long enough, easy to re-illuminate though.

Hope this helps.

-N9

Monday, March 31, 2014

TDK SA 90 minute Super High Resolution Type II Audio Cassette Tape

TDK SA 90 minute Super High Resolution Type II Audio Cassette Tape
  • Type II / High Position
  • Super Avilyn Cassette

TDK SA 90 competes with Maxell XLII 90. The recording quality of both is excellent. The mechanism in the TDK SA 90 is superior to the one in the Maxell. The Maxell mechanism has too much drag, which negatively affects the consistency of recordings made on Class A cassette decks. For years, l had routinely purchased a five-pack of SA 90 tapes at about the same price as a five-pack of the Maxell. The price of SA 90 has recently increased to an extraordinary high level. The Maxell XLII 90 five-pack is currently priced at $13.20 on Amazon, but the Amazon price for TDK SA 90 is $4.95 PER TAPE, which is $24.75 for five tapes. Amazon's vendor for TDK SA 90 is Burlington AV Recordings of Oceanside NY.

Buy TDK SA 90 minute Super High Resolution Type II Audio Cassette Tape Now

These type cassettes are hard to find, and that is what works with my 4 track recorder. It came fast and works great. Thanks

Read Best Reviews of TDK SA 90 minute Super High Resolution Type II Audio Cassette Tape Here

This audio tape is great for recording even the most intense and powerful cds from the 80s. Of course, if you are listeing for it, you can probably tell the difference between the cd and the audio tape. However, the VERY SLIGHT difference is easy to tolerate considering the fact that by using tapes when you travel, you are protecting your cds from cd rot. For those of you who don't know about cd rot, it is caused by heat and moisture. Basically what happens is that heat and moisture corrode the cd. It turns the cd purple and renders it unreadable. In extreme cases, tiny holes are also present. The best way to combat cd rot is to keep your cds in a cool dry place. (A drawer if possible.) Keep your cds safe, and use this great audio tape to make travel friendly copies.

Want TDK SA 90 minute Super High Resolution Type II Audio Cassette Tape Discount?

TDK Super High Resolution tape is just about the best. The price was very reasonable and it was delivered in a flash. I am just sorry that I did not respond with this review sooner! I look forward to my next transaction and will recommend this company to my friends.

Tuesday, March 25, 2014

Car DVR HT200A Full HD 1920*1080P 30FPS 4X digital zoom waterproof HDMI H.264 sport action camera

Car DVR HT200A Full HD 1920*1080P 30FPS 4X digital zoom waterproof HDMI H.264 sport action camera
  • 5.0Mega pixels COMS sensor
  • 120degree 5G All Glass Lens
  • 720p(1280*720)/30FPS.VGA(640*480)/60FPS
  • SD Card slot (Support Max.32GB SDHC)
  • Bulit-in microphone

The camera works well and takes great 1080P HD movies in the daytime but night performance is quite poor, not as good as some other less expensive cameras. The video is dark and everything looks brown and fuzzy at night so it's best to use this model just in the daytime. Also it's a sports cam not a car DVR. Although it can be used in a car it won't come on and start recording automatically. It also has a few other issues. Due to being waterproof there is a heavy rubber cover over the buttons that makes them hard to press. Also the mic, which is inside the case, doesn't pick up much sound unless the back cover is open but with it open you get a lot of rattling noise. The mounting hardware also has issues. The angle bracket and the suction cup mount connect with 4 small prongs but they have a bump on them that prevents sliding into the holes they are supposed to go into. I had to file them off a bit before they would go together. The suction cup is large and has a sticky surface that stays on when it's attached but the prong that the camera sits on is small and lets the camera vibrate and bounce around all the time. Also the knob that is turned to attach the suction cup has a big detent it drops into when it's turned all the way on but then it won't easily come undone to remove it. I purchased different mounting hardware on ebay to use instead of the supplied one, a different suction cup with a metal camera mount attached to it that doesn't vibrate. In addition the mounting plate on the bottom of the camera is attached with 8 small screws that go into little plastic pins and 3 of them are starting to break already so it will probably have to be glued on with epoxy eventually.

Sunday, March 9, 2014

Adorama RS-F18 Manual Flash Unit with PC Cord, GN 50 at ISO 100

Adorama RS-F18 Manual Flash Unit with PC Cord, GN 50 at ISO 100Plenty of power, It makes my Canon S5-IS able to shoot groups at 15 feet and greater. This is the reason I chose Canon over Fuji (my usual choice). Fuji does not see the need to offer a hot shoe on a point and shoot camera! If you dont have a lot of money to spend or you simply need an economical , easy to use flash unit; I recommend this one.

Saturday, March 1, 2014

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

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

Remote works great and speakers are great! nice for a small spot in your living area without spending a bunch of your life energy (MONEY!) We are glad we found it on amazon

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

Sony is a high end product that gives many years of quality listening, which is why I purchased this product. It has all the componets that I wanted in a player/radio. I have been able to record from my CD's to tape so that I can enjoy my music while walking. It's very convenient to have a remote so that I can manuever settings while it's out of arm distance. The sound quality is excellent with the built in speakers but yet it takes up very little space.

Read Best Reviews of Sony Portable Stereo Sound System with Digital AM/FM Tuner, Mega Bass, CD Player, Synchronized Dubb Here

This Sony "boombox" is quite nice for the price. It's hard to find any in stores these days, and what is available usually costs half as much and therefore has a terrible sound and poor radio reception.

This player has a good sound to it for its size, and where we live, at a high altitude and in an extremely hilly area, the radio reception is normally poor, but this Sony picks up all kinds of stations, AM and FM.

I really like the CD player positioned on the top of the unit; it makes it easy to get the CD in and out, along with the way the CD player holds the CD: no wrestling with the CD--you just set the CD in and lift it out--no plastic thingamajig in the center gripping onto the CD!--just a smooth type.

Additionally, the operation of the CD player and tape deck openings is smooth. They open slowly and without catching or jerking. And, all the buttons are on the top of the player, which makes operation easy as well.

The remote works great, too--one little tip that's in the instruction booklet: the remote will not turn the player on in battery mode, but it does turn it off.

So, for its price range, I think this Sony is a nice one and has a pretty good sound. I definitely recommend it.

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

Just what I wanted. Our old one (also a Sony), finally gave up after many years and very hard use. This is the updated similar product I had before, so I am looking for another long time friend to take to the beach and use by the pool. Great having the remote control too.

I think this is great for anything and the price was fair! Sound is good and the mega bass is nice to have!

Friday, February 28, 2014

EVERFOCUS ECOR264-16X1/1T 16 Ch, 1 TB, Built-in DVD Burner, 480 FP

EVERFOCUS ECOR264-16X1/1T 16 Ch, 1 TB, Built-in DVD Burner, 480 FPFirst let me say I trust everfocus cameras and their DVRs I have used them for years and they work well.

Some issues on this DVR from time to time it will freeze the controls and you will have to reboot to get the controls to work again.

The search features ie the user interface is antiquated.

They should be easier to find what your looking for without having to be that specific.

So for my home use its good but commercially not so good.

Wednesday, February 26, 2014

Sony ECM-MS957 Stereo Microphone with Rotating Mid Capsule

Sony ECM-MS957 Stereo Microphone with Rotating Mid Capsule
  • Quality microphone for digital media recording; ideal for DAT, NT and MD recorders
  • Rotating mid capsule to adjust the stereo pickup pattern
  • Canon XLR connector for low-noise connection
  • Mid/Side (MS) capsules with switchable pick-up angle
  • Best for instrumental recordings

I bought this mike for use with my minidisc recorders, mainly to record choral concerts at church and in other places. It has a nice stereo directionality and separation choices, but I advise you to watch your record levels or mike sensitivity setting because the sound levels tended to overload on loud passages or with percussive music like piano when used with my recorder's default (high) mike sensitivity setting.

It's very solid and well made. I'd rather have a boxed carrying case instead of the soft pouch provided, but that's a quibble.

Buy Sony ECM-MS957 Stereo Microphone with Rotating Mid Capsule Now

I do a lot of field recording and studio work both. I got this mic strictly for field recording. I typically record on a Marantz PMD661 (Oade Brothers with Super MOD). I wasn't sure I'd like a set stereo width pattern for field recording (I'm used to setting up whatever alignment I want for a given situation, either indoors or outdoors (ORTF, MS, XY (90-140 degree), etc.) Well, I tried this mic out, tested my recorded results, and I can now say I like it *very* much. I wasn't entirely sure of what type of stereo image it was giving me, though, so I did some analysis with different stereo imaging plugins (Ozone phase correction section) and software (wavelab, samplitude, speclab, etc.) and observed the following elements:

Setup:

Rotated the Sony ECM957 mic capsule forwards in order to get better bass pickup. I was recording at the edge of a stream over cobblestones (of sorts) on the day in particular. Aimed back of mic at water at about 45 degrees to the ground. This mic has descent stereo width coming off the top of the mic at 90 to 120 degree angles to the mic, but bass pickup seems rather thin at those points. However, bass pickup has fairly nice pickup a touch lower down the far side of the mic facing away from me (I had the switch facing me). I tried to angle the mic over the water and stones such that the bass, mids, and highs balanced smoothly in my headphones. Had width switch set to 120 degrees.

Marantz PMD661 recorder (from Oade Brothers with the Super MOD for field recording. Makes for much quieter preamps than the stock ones. Tested this with Rode NT1-A mics. Very quiet results indeed.)

Rode NT4-DXLR stereo XLR mic cable (separate left and right XLR 3-pin connectors to one 5-pin stereo XLR connector really hard to find this cable (cheap or otherwise) finally found at markertek for good price.)

Recording:

Flash card in the Marantz recorder using 24-bit/96KHz quality. Set record level knob at about 7.5 to 8.0 fairly high in other words for extra sensitivity manual level (turned off auto-leveling feature in recorder).

Results:

Transfered wav file to computer. Opened in wavelab and dropped in Ozone plugin. Studied stereo widths in these default bands: 0Hz to 120Hz, 120Hz to 2KHz, 2KHz to 10KHz, and 10KHz to 20KHz. I noticed that 0Hz to 120Hz had the widest stereo width, roughly 120 to 140 degrees of width, or a little more at times. 120 to 2KHz kept an average width around 120 degrees, but with lots of peak movement between 90 and 130 degrees. 2KHz to 10KHz seemed to become a bit narrower, hovering between 120 and 90 degrees only. 10KHz to 20KHz stayed pretty tight around 90 degrees, even though the mic's switch was on 120 degrees. Used Ozone to adjust all widths above 120Hz to hover around 120 degrees. I set 0 to 120 range to pure mono, since the ear doesn't perceive direction under about 110 or 120 Hz (bass frequencies, in other words).

Conclusion:

Looks like this mic, with minor adjustments to the one-off stereo recording, seems to narrow the stereo pattern as the frequencies get higher. I'm sure some of this has to do with how I angled my mic for a smoother pickup of the water sounds, rather than just aiming the stronger stereo region of the mic directly at the water. And, it may also have a little to do with angling the capsule forwards. I'll have to investigate all of this further with more tests and see if my conclusion needs adjusting as well. Either way, with just minor adjustments, I widened the stereo pattern just slightly with the plugin and ended up with a finished recording that contained a very nice width to the sound. I also tested the result in mono and nothing perceptively disappeared. After listening for a while, I viewed a spectrum analysis of the mono setting and didn't notice any comb filter bands occurring, so that was a relief.

Again, the mic did quite a nice job with just plain stereo imaging for my purposes and produced a very nice stereo nature recording, given the minor adjustments. It was also much quieter than I'd expected. I have to admit that I expected a much louder noise floor on this mic. It's certainly noisier than Rode NT1-A mics (billed as the quietest mic in the world by the way), but it did a *wayyy* better job than I was expecting, considering I'm more accustomed to much quieter studio mics. I'll certainly be using it as one of my two main field recording setups consistently.

-----------------------------------------------------

Recently did some calculations on the Sony ECM-MS957 mic to try and figure out what the actual noise floor of this mic is. I haven't found anywhere online that has this info posted, so I thought I'd add that here. (Still using this mic after about 3 years). Anyway, the mic has these specs:

MaxSPL: >115 dB (1kHz, 1% distortion (THD?))

Dynamic Range: >90dB

Frequency Response: 50-18,000 Hz

Signal-to-Noise (SNR) Ratio: >69dB

Operating Temps: 32°F to 104°F

My calculations are:

115dB MaxSPL 90dB DynRange = approx. 25dB noise floor

OR, another way:

94dB ref. signal 69dB SNR = 25dB noise floor

So, it roughly has a 25dB noise floor, more or less. Based on a comparison of recorded material to my KSM27 mics (14dB noise floor) and NT1A mics (5 dB noise floor), I could accept this. Not horrible, but not great, just depends on what you're using it for:

For live music (both acoustic or electric), I've found it more than works great. Some acoustic may reveal the noise floor if it's a single instrument being played softly, at least from my own personal experience.

For field/nature recording, it really depends on what you're recording, and the following references are things I've personally recorded with it on a Marantz PMD661 (modified by Doug Oade with Super MOD):

* Ocean waves: great

* Lake waves in a 5+ mph wind: almost always not noticeable

* Lake waves in a 1-3 mph wind: iffy noise floor starts showing up in-between faint wave crashes; can be fixed with tweaking and multi-band downward expander

* Lake waves in a 0-1 mph wind: almost impossible to get rid of noise floor, other than downward expanding, or eq'ing a few magic frequencies; it's not massively loud, but it *is* noticable

* Crickets: if they're not very loud, noise floor will show up a little bit; again, 'loud' here is subjective

* Frogs (spring peepers mainly): if no other sounds are present to mask the 6000-12000 Hz area, it'll show up

* Insects: will show up more when they're quiet, is generally masked when the insect songs are louder (like with cicadas, for example)

* Wind: if there's nothing to mask those higher mid-range or high frequencies (5000-15000 Hz), it'll show up (as was my experience). If you have additional sounds in there for masking, like leaves blowing on the ground, leaves in the trees, insects, rain, bird song, etc., it'll likely mask the noise floor.

-----------------------------------------------------

Other observations I've had about this mic regarding stereo quality:

First, 2 facts about how our ears detect stereo:

1. Our ears detect stereo below 700 Hz based on timing differences (usually in milliseconds), and that's accomplished by spacing mics apart some amount of distance.

2. Our ears detect stereo above anywhere from above 700 Hz to 2800 Hz based on intensity difference (dB) difference. The reason for this range is because our ears have a lesser ability to detect sound direction (stereo width) in this range than at lower or higher frequencies. Also, we have no directionality ability with our ears below approx. 237 Hz, but esp. under 100-120 Hz. This is why most bass, starting at around 100-120 Hz, is usually set to mono in many audio mixes, and also why you can position a subwoofer anywhere in a room and still hear the bass quite well adding to the fact that bass frequencies under 100-120 Hz tend to refract (bend) around objects quite easily.

Based on these 2 facts, this mic does quite well for stereo sound involving frequencies above 700-2800 Hz. For stereo sounds below 700 Hz, however, I usually have to do some post-processing with software to widen the 120-700 Hz range. This is just due to the physics of sound and the fact that with any stereo mic like this, where the capsules have practically no spacing between them, there will be an extremely limited timing difference introduced into the recorded signal under 700 Hz and thereby limited stereo width for how your ears hear sounds under 700 Hz. As I've noticed, though, it's not always quite that rigid in how the stereo portion of my recordings with this mic turn out. Most of the time, I tend to notice that the width is usually descent enough in the lower frequencies that it doesn't take much widening to get the right feel. I'm assuming there may be something in the M-S circuitry of this mic that helps make up for the close proximity of the capsules maybe. But, overall, I do have to widen the stereo image below 700 Hz to some degree most of the time with recordings I make with it. Even with this added post-processing necessity, I still find it to be a spectacular mic with most things I record. As I mentioned earlier, it's nowhere near as quiet an an NT1A, or even a KSM27, but it does extraordinarily well with many things, and post-processing in software with something like the free IQ4Gui plugin (using downward expansion) does incredibly well to overcome a large amount of the noise floor showing up in many circumstances in the 5000+ Hz range, particularly when the sound levels vary from quiet to loud as you would hear in a water recording.

Read Best Reviews of Sony ECM-MS957 Stereo Microphone with Rotating Mid Capsule Here

I have taken this mic from the tropics of Puerto Rico to the London Underground and it has worked superbly. Once I figured out the sensitivity adjustment, I got louder recording levels. Remember to set it to max if you are recording ambient sounds outdoors. Super sensitive mic. Remember to hold it still and don't let the cable rub against clothing. Also, watch your breathing. It all gets picked up! I was trying to record nature sounds and picked up the cars on the road and dogs barking 1/2 mile or more away. I like the capsule adjustment as I can record sounds above me without turning the mic. Doesn't need phantom power which is nice.

Want Sony ECM-MS957 Stereo Microphone with Rotating Mid Capsule Discount?

First of all, this is not just a vocal mic, granted it works excellent for vocals, but you can record anything with this. My new minidisc recorder (Sony MZ-RH10) works great with this mic, I also use the Bose Quiet Comfort 2 headphones that way outside interference doesn't affect recordings, plus, it's a great way to check how your recording sounds AS YOU RECORD.

I use the microphone to record vocal overdubs (rap artists) acoustic guitar, traffic, sirens, concerts, and nature sounds.

The included wind mic is great when you record a storm and it's windy because the wind goes away, or your hear just a low frequency rumble which is actually quite pleasing. Excellent at recording thunderstorms.

Always use the manual setting when using a microphone like this, people these days like using AUTOMATIC settings, but when you are in a room with 20 people drinking, and you only want to record the person with the guitar in front of you, this mic works great. If your maximum manual setting is 30, record with this on 12-16, that's it, trust me on this, it's that good.

Check out a picture I posted with my microphone and the Bose Quite Comfort 2 headphones. By the way, everyone tells me the same thing, "Where can I get a pair of those headphones?", trust me, they sell them online, just expect to pay $300. I have used them for a long time, and I can't go back to using regular headphones. Regardless of what reviews tell you, they are perfect headphones as long as you are not stupid and fall asleep with them on.

Get this mic now, and while you are waiting for it to come, get a AA Lithium battery, if a standard AA normally lasts 2000 hours, imagine what a Lithium will get.

Please use Ni-MH (Nickel Metal Hydride) Rechargables for all your portable recording equipment, and please make sure that it says MADE IN JAPAN on the back, this microphone is MADE IN JAPAN.

I seriously recommend this over the 907 model for many reasons, #1 being quality of recordings, #2 being the pop filter works on this one #3 is the battery life 2000 hours vs 200 hours on the 907.

That's about it, this is the only mic I will use until I can find a better one, right now, this beat out a $1000 Neumann microphone, how, I don't know, but this mic is perfect in every way.

This is the best mic i have used for my Podcatsing Needs. I ma very happy with it and use it in conjunction with the IRiver FP 899.

These 2 make a great combination for my PodCasts (...)

Tuesday, February 18, 2014

Olympus E-98 Mini Earphone, Earbud, for Microcassette & Digital Voice Recorders

Olympus E-98 Mini Earphone, Earbud, for Microcassette & Digital Voice Recorders
  • E-98 EARPHONEOLYMPUS E-98 EARPHONE

While I'm sure that this is a fine ear piece, I bought it to use with my I-pod. It did not fit. I was not able to determine this using the current product description.

Buy Olympus E-98 Mini Earphone, Earbud, for Microcassette & Digital Voice Recorders Now

This earphone is a piece of junk. Do not even consider it. It was clearly not as pictured when I ordered it. Then a day later, the picture changed on Amazon -AFTER I placed my order. Now there is not even a picture of the earpiece portion of the product.

The company is even worse. I called customer service to return the item and they told me that they were not able to refund my money because I opened the package. How was I to know if they were what I wanted if I did not open the package? What a joke. I can't even give them one star, Amazon should be ashamed to sell from this retailer.

Read Best Reviews of Olympus E-98 Mini Earphone, Earbud, for Microcassette & Digital Voice Recorders Here

These earphones are not as pictured, so they cannot be used by me. I would return them if there was a way to do it.