Zmodo 8 Channel CCTV Surveillance H.264 Real time DVR Outdoor 8 Security Camera System - 3G Mobile

Eveythink was OK, I buy this pruduc before, ZMODO have very good product. The only probleme I see with the product is the camera,the angle of vision its limited. I like to have dome camera but I can't not change the model of camera.

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SODIAL(TM) 2.5-inch HD Car LED IR Vehicle DVR Road Dash Video Camera Recorder Traffic Dashboard Cam

This unit goes under several names/models and is sold by several different vendors. The unit was not reliable. It would not keep it's date/time configuration. Video quality was so so, but served it's purpose. I had it setup for automatic mode where it would turn on automatically when the car was started and turn off when I parked the car (using the ignition switched assessory outlet). It would randomly not turn on or would not turn off. After having it for about 4 months, it stopped working all together. I would not buy it again.

It makes me cry... Product like this should be prohibited for sale. It fails every aspect of it's purpose:quality, settings... Someone can say: 20 bucks. Well, If I knew what it does I wouldn't spent even 5 on it.

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This product mostly does what it promised, the only thing that could be disappointing is the night vision that is pretty useless. It can see a meter in front of you in the dark and that's it, not much use when you're driving in the night and trying to record, like, 50 meters in front of you, or even 10...

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Swann Alpha D02C5 SWA43-D2C5 4 Channel H.264 DVR and 4 CCD Weather Resistant Cameras

My husband and I got this security system to protect our home, workshop and barn. Packaging was good, instruction manual and quick start guide were easy to use. Everything we needed to install was in the box including mounting brackets, screws, mouse, remote control, etc.which I appreciate. We had no problem getting the cameras up and running and viewing them on my computer. Picture is really clear-color by day and black and white on the night vision mode. It works by motion detection so hard drive space lasts a long time and it automatically records over when full-30 days and counting of space so far. I had some questions about viewing it on my iPhone so I called Swann Customer service (1-800-627-2799) and I gave her permission to use logmein and take over my desktop and she set up the whole thing remotely while I sat back and watched-cool! Really nice people at Swann California office. I called once after hours to ask about viewing my security system with a Blackberry (yes you can)-and I got to speak with someone at their home office in Australia-they were very cool. Overall very good product and great customer service. I'm ordering another one to put up at my mother's house to help her feel more secure in her home. We saved more than enough installing our own system myself to pay for hers.

These have given us new piece of mind with our security at our business. It was easy to set these units up, and they were operational right out of the box. Quality construction and visibility even at night is very good. We are able to easily view over the internet, and keep recordings on the DVR.

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RESEARCHED MANY SYSTEMS BEFORE BUYING. THIS UNIT OFFERS FULL FLEXIBILITY. AND I WOULD BUY IT AGAIN, SET IT AND FORGET IT. EXTREMELY EASY TO SET UP AND USE. VERY GOOD DEAL. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

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before purchasing this product, I did a LOT of research. the resolution on these cameras is not as good as I was expecting, but then again, it was $500 (or thereabouts) and you get 4 cameras, the DVR and the cables, so it's a pretty good deal. this system is pretty easy to hook up and get running. getting the system hooked up to my home network and available to watch cameras over the network was a little more of a task. I probably couldve called tech support and got it really quick, but I like to figure it out myself, and I did.

the app. in the itunes store that they recommend did not work however, but not a big deal, I eventually found an app from another company that works great with the system. I can't watch the cameras from my phone unless i'm connected to my home network, but I think I just need to spend some more time figuring it out.

also, it's a nice feature to be able to set the motion detection so that a moving tree branch won't set off the record feature, but it's really touchy, even on the lowest setting, and the system ends up recording even the most minor of movements, but again, probably some tweaking needed on my part.

overall, pretty good system.

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The purpose to having one of these is having the ability to play a recording back. Good luck with that. If that's not enough, maby all the freezups will change your mind. What a piece of crap.

DIGI TECH Replacement Wall + Car Battery Charger for Vivitar DVR-840XHD Camcorder

the product was just like the picture small multi functioning did the job well and the light on it turns green to let you know it is charged

My sister couldn't find her battery charger for her

camera, so could not use the camera at all. She

was so happy that she could use her camera again.

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Lost my old charger(threw it away by accident) and this works great on my camcorder. Now I can go on vacation

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Micro Eyes DVR BallCam

But that was then, this is now. The first CamBall I purchased would not start at all. I was able to contact the retailer who sold it to me and he gave great service replacing the bad unit immediately.

The second cam I received worked well, recorded well, had great resolution, but after a few months the on/off button stopped working correctly; the spring under the soft button just broke. Even so, I was able to continue using the camera for a year or so after getting it into on mode.

After only a few months of use, the recorder would not stay on unless it was plugged into a 12V source. Another disappointment, but it was still recording when plugged into the car.

I was not happy with the limited recording of the 2GB memory card so I purchased a 16GB memory card to extend recording time, but the Camball would not recognize the 16 GB card and continued to record only on the first 2GB. After a bit of reading I learned that the firmware would have to be upgraded to work with 16 gigs. However, no matter what site or software I tried to use, I could not get the camera to download or install any firmware upgrades.

Cut to today when I plugged the recorder into my home computer to look at the latest video. Nothing has been recorded and as far as I can tell, nothing had been recording on the Camball for an unknown amount of time.

If this was just a $50 unit, I would have been happy to just chalk this on up as a "failed effort" but this was not an inexpensive camera. At $200 I expected more and believe I should have had a better experience than this. Another poor quality Chinese product sold to a gullible American.

I would give the BallCam 5 stars if the microphone picked up sound better. Otherwise it's excellent quality video camera that's not hard to configure and get to use as soon as it's charged.

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As much as I wanted this camera to work, it gave me 2 days of frustration. Too many dysfunctional items, and complicated steps & buttons. It would be nice to simplify this toy and actually make it work.

The disc does not update the new version for the camera. Then I tried to follow the poor instructions ( perhaps just bad translation) and set up the camera on stand by mode for the night after charging it 2.5 h. In the morning there was no recording. The only thing that this camera did: took nice manual picture shots and based on the clarity of the pictures I had high hopes. Then I tried to recharge it to see if I did something wrong for the night setup, but every time I tried to insert the USB cable it froze the computer. On another computer there was a message that said that the USB exceds the power, so back it goes. I am so disappointed! It looks like a nice toy with multiple acessories problems.

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The product is very innovative. Small and relatively easy to use. Has a large memory, and the funtcion of the move detector can save a lot of battery.

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I've seen this item price go up and down. Why is that?

I actually bought it for 95.00 and now that i come back to get another is 194.00

WTF?

720P HD MOTION DETECT CAR VIDEO CAMERA RECORDER DVR 2.5" TFT LCD Screen 1/4 color CMOS HD Sensor

• 720P HD MOTION DETECT CAR VIDEO CAMERA RECORDER DVR 2.5" TFT LCD Screen 1/4 color CMOS HD Sensor
• Color Video
• Color display
• Time and Date
• Format: AVI

I had purchased an almost identical model dash camera from the same supplier almost eight months earlier. Which really did exceed my expectations, just as this model it contained no IR led's which can cause window glare from within. This model doesn't have the low light level of sensitivity as the earlier model, also the fisheye lens and smaller magnification takes some getting used to. The camera though it doesn't have the same IR sensitivity which actually gives a much better color picture, I kind of liked the purple hue to the trees in the previous model. You cannot really get any idea of the true picture quality through the small screen provided and that's not really its intended purpose. When reviewing the video on a computer, this model had much better pixilation definition; you could actually read a license plate of a car into front of you, unlike the previous model. But once again the magnification is somewhat less, though the fisheye lens does provides a great view of the area in front of the vehicle. Overall, I like it; it does exactly what I need it to do with acceptable quality. If I was to say one more thing, this past summer here in California, we had some exceptionally hot days during the summer. The model I purchase previous was subjected to some very sever heat in the car, and hence the plastic case deformed quite a bit. Surprisingly the device still works perfectly, though I made my own sun visor mount to keep the camera out of the window and away from direct sunlight. Making your own will greatly increase the life of your dash cam.

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This unit does work and records video. I have it set to the highest quality video setting and set to record 15 minute intervals with the audio turned off. Each 15 minute file is about 1GB in size.

Pros:

1) Does come on and record when power is applied via 12V adapter.

2) Fairly wide field of view (via a fish eye lens). I haven't measured it but the advertised 120 degrees may be a stretch.

Cons:

1) very poor video quality. The camera is by no stretch of the definition "720P" as advertised. I couldn't make out the license plate number of the vehicle that I parked behind on a sunny day. When driving down the road, the camera sees a large portion of the sky causing it to darken the rest of the picture making the road and surrounding area very dim. When stopped at a traffic signal, you might be able to tell if the signal was red or green. To get an idea of night recording quality you could put on your darkest pair of sunglasses. On the plus side, it picks up the traffic lights a little better at night.

2) fish eye lens captures a large portion of sky and dash. I have it mounted on the windshield so the camera is at about the mid point and adjusted so that the passenger pillar is just barely visible. About 25% of the video is of the dash and about 25% is sky. That leaves about half of the video recording actual useful information. The only time it's an advantage is when going through traffic lights the signal is on video as you pass almost underneath. The main reason that it's an advantage is, that's the only time that you're close enough to the signal that the recording actually shows what color the light was.

3) "reset" button puts language into Russian. Fortunately, I had been through the menu once and I remembered where the language sub-menu was.

4) audio is just about useless. I just turned it off.

5) view screen has very narrow view angle. This isn't a major drawback since you only use it to point the unit initially and then fold the screen up.

Summary:

You might be able to use the video from this unit to prove that you didn't run a red light or that you stopped at a stop sign or that the other guy pulled out in front of you. If you need any level of detail, then this camera is not for you. I give it one star (okay 2 stars but let's be honest, the first star doesn't count because amazon won't let you give it zero stars) just because it does the basic functions. I'll be looking for a better unit and I might put this in the back window.

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Power connection was flaky and internal battery would not charge causing all settings such as date & time to be lost when powered off.

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Well I just got the unit. I'm almost surprised that it works at all for such a low price for what it is advertised to do. My first big hurdle will be to decipher the menus as they are all in Chinese. No manual was included so this will be a big guessing game. Hmmm, do I press button one while holding button two, or just push button one for 3.35 seconds. LOL :)

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Because I use ratings to make my purchase decisions I am paying forward on the idea with a review myself.

took a while to get used to the screens/menus/controls as the instructions were no help. resolution is fine, you must let it format your card to get the various record times. I bought this cheap one for proof of concept but have not felt the reason yo upgrade.

Dual Front & Rear Camera DVR Car Vehicle Dash Dashboard GPS Data Recorder 1.3M

• Dual cameras, one front view and one back-view, and the back one can rotate up to 20 degrees.
• 140 degree front and 120 degrees rear facing wide angle lenses.
• Split screen modes to view both cameras simultaneously.
• G-Sensor functions. Support above 4GB TF card
• Integrated real-time GPS records location, support GPS Map.

While the functioning of the video and gps seem to work fine, this unit has 2 fatal flaws. The camera itself is about a 2 inch x 6 inch diameter tube which is really kind of big to be mounted on your windshield. When you add the monstrosity of a window mount on it, it takes up half your windshield. REALLY DUMB design.

The other MAJOR fatal flaw is that the GPS module drains the battery and when fully drained, it resets the clock/date. On a full charge it took about 12-16 hours to drain the battery and it is much too inconvenient to disconnect the gps module every time you stop.

Another aspect that I do not like is the gps module is separate from the camera so you would have to have 2 cables running up the the unit. I did not really give it a good test because I sent it right back.

Sure seems like someone could make a really small, inexpensive car dvr...

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This camera does not come with a micro SD card. You have to buy a micro SD card and reader, but it's simple to find at Best Buy, Walmart, etc. I purchased a 32 Gig Micro SD, plugged it into the reader and my PC automatically formatted the disc. Once you insert the card, the camera auto starts. If you see russian or other language, simply click MENU and select the chat box icon, then select language. Once you install in your vehicle, place the 12 volt power adapter into an AUX power slot that powers on when the vehicle is strated...this will cause your camera to auto-activate each time you start your vehicle. This model doesn't have Infra-Red nighttime capability, but does take good images of night-time driving. The images are stable and GPS locator also records location and spped which you can view during playback. Relatively cheap camera with good operation and clarity for the money.

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this item is same as X3000. this is not designed to use in USA due to time zone is different which you can not adjust local time.

I tried call many times but once sold no Tech assist. After I used about 6months it does not record at all. this item is shipping from Asis. Do not waste your money !!!!!

Sakar 32070 Crayola Digital Camcorder Green

This was probably the best present my son got. He has carried it around for days. The video quality is suprisingly good for the price of this camcorder. I have yet to check out the software, but the videos have no problems uploading to my computer. We have posted all videos to www.youtube.com. Search for jpragusa, and those are all videos taken on this camera. I would reccomend getting an sd card with this as well. we got a 4gb and have not run into any storage problems.

I had my reservations about this product since it got mixed reviews, but since I have had good luck with Crayola standing behind their products, I decided to purchase it through Amazon. I bought this for my son's birthday in January, and when he opened it, we found that the sound did not work. Called the 800# service, which is not Crayola and they said they would send another camera out within 6 weeks! It finally came after about that long, and that one did not have sound either!! I was furious to wait so long, and still get another lemon. I called again and given the same story. We are still waiting for the 3rd camera. Meanwhile, they told us to keep the other 2 defective ones. The video portion works, and the sound does play back when you download to a computer, but not when you playback on the camera which is what a kid loves to do play it back after they've made a video. If this one doesn't work, I am done,and will demand my $ back. Now 2 months after his birthday, my son still does not have a working camera. Very Disappointing. Next time I would spend more for a better product.

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purchased this product for grandson this christmas. ONE WEEK is all it lasted... I must add he is not rough on anything and was initially overjoyed and now disappointed that it no longer works. I intially was impressed with the camera for the price it was great and all that a 7 year old needs. The camera view screen just went white.. still made little noises when you pushed the buttons but thats all it does.

I also must add tech support was great, I am sending it back to company with reciept and they promised to send a new one out as soon as they recieved this one. SOOO, I cannot complain about their warranty or tech support at all. Will update on longevity of second one.

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My original review: My 7-yr old daughter got this for Christmas. I was leary at what the quality would be, as I couldn't find any reviews before Christmas. I have to say that I'm very impressed with this item! My daughter loves it! It's easy for her to use. The software was very simple to load & learn on the computer. She's had a blast uploading her movies & photos & editing them with the program. I was also worried that the batteries wouldn't last long, but they've been fine. The sound isn't fantastic (picks up her voice when she's filming, but hard to hear anyone else), but she doesn't mind! So, overall I'm very happy with this product. I sure would've loved to have something like this when I was a kid! Who would've ever thought...?

My updated review (11/18/09): This didn't last long at all. It stopped working pretty quickly (screen wouldn't work). I have just contacted the company to see about getting it replaced within the warranty. So, the price was great when it worked, but now, if it's not replaced, it was a lot of money for nothing!

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This seemed like a great idea. The screen started going gray on day 2, but would come on again when shut off and restarted. By day 5 the LCD didn't work at all. Customer service at the manufacturer (which is not crayola) was slow to deliver the address to send it back since the plastic packaging didn't survive opening.

Emerson PD6548BL Portable CD Player with AM/FM Stereo Radio and Cassette Recorder

• Portable CD player with AM/FM stereo radio and cassette player; CD-R/RW playback compatible
• 20-Track programmable memory; Records directly from radio or CD player
• Wide range twin three-inch stereo speakers
• Stereo headphone jack
• AC/DC operation (detachable AC cord included)

My parents bought this CD player for my sister over 6 years ago. About 3 years ago, she gave it to me. I used to use it every day until I got my MP3 player. I pulled it out of my closet this morning and it still plays CDs and tapes, and the radio works great even with the antenna broken off. Most of my stuff doesn't last more than a year, and this thing has survived 3 years of my abuse and still works like the day I got it. If you want a durable, fairly cheap CD player boombox, this is your best bet. It outlasted 2 high-end Sony Boomboxes and numerous portable CD players over the years. I highly recommend this boombox not only for durability, but also great sound quality and style.

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I bought this little item primarily to play CD's since all my higher priced CD players had croaked. For the price, it plays and sounds just fine, though no adjustments can be made to the sound quality. If you are one who needs bigger bass or wants to fiddle with sound controls, this is not the unit for you. My only real gripe is the lid for the CD player doesn't open quite wide enough which makes it more difficult for me to insert and remove the CD. It's doable just a little inconvenient. Overall, I'm satisfied with the product and would recommend it if all you need is something with fairly decent sound at a very reasonable price.

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I received this cd and tape player as a gift about a year and a half ago. I use it to listen to radio, cds, or tapes at work while I work. The tape player doesn't automatically stop at the end of a tape. You have to push the stop button to get the play button to pop up. That is the reason I think that my tape player wore out. The knobs inside to turn the tape will no longer turn but the play will still push the film through and thus it chews and ruins every tape I now put in it. So it worked for a year and a half and I really liked it but now I think when I buy a replacement I will find a better quality one.

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It holds up well to the kids' abuse. They use it all of the time. For the price it is difficult to beat.

This radio CD player is adequate, there is a big however....If you have cassette tapes you wish to use that are Chrome (CrO2) or Metal or 90 or 120 minute tapes; the instructions warn you not to use them. Use only regular 60 minute tapes.

The metal and chrome do work , I just do not know for how long, or what it is doing to the player; but since that is my cassette collection it's what's going in this machine. I just wish there would have been some warning and I would not have purchased this particular model.

The sound is not the best, however so far it has allowed me to record some books on CD to cassette tape.

There is a repeat playback for the CD as well as the ability to program up to 20 tracks to any order

The tuning for the radio is not the best, it takes me back to the days of the first portable radios I had where it was a challenge to get the station into the best reception sound. For the price it is okay, but really would have appreciated a bit more warning on the tape situation.

Sony DCR-HC90 MiniDV Handycam Camcorder w/10x Optical Zoom

I did quite a bit of homework before purchasing the HC-90. I wanted High quality DV in a 16:9 format. I own a 42" Sony LCD HDTV and I wanted sharp, high quality performance.

Other factors for me: Solid build (exterior), and good quality parts (interior). Firewire, size, ease of use, MiniDv, and price.

Things that I got but didn't expect:

sizeWhen the package arrived, I was surprised at the size of the box it came in. It is small. When I opened the box, I was even more surprised at the size of the camera. I was expecting something compact but this little camera is small. I own a JVC MiniDV camera and it is about twice the size and 4 times as heavy. I wanted a small camera but thought that I would have to sacrifice some functionality for size. Well, I didn't. I don't think that I would want a smaller camera or it would start becoming difficult to push the correct buttons without looking around the camera first.

Still shotsI have read some comments that this camera doesn't take quality still pictures. I didn't buy it for that but this camera takes really nice photographs and in 16:9 format so it is just like having a wide angle lens. If you email your images or make DVD slide shows, this camera can take some quality shots. I have email some of the pictures to family and I had to resize them all to make them a lot smaller in dimension and subsequently, the images became sharper and details stood out. The flash works just as well as any other still digital camera I have owned. More than adequate for emailing or sharing on the web. I will be leaving my Olympus still camera behind on family outings because the HC-90 can take its place.

Motor functionI was simply amazed at the motor and function of the motorized parts in this camera. This thing is fast. Really fast. My JVC is a 3 year old piece of clunky crap compared to the HC-90. When you are playing back a movie and want to scan forward quickly, there is no waiting around for it to change gears, it does it instantly. The push button LCD is very responsive and the camera will take commands without clunking and whining. It rewinds very quickly. It sounds solid and it performs. I am most pleased with this surprise.

Things I expected (the good)

The video qualitySo far it has been awesome. As I said earlier, I own a 42" Sony Widescreen and to see the entire screen filled with video is a delight for me. The colors are rich and the details are fine enough to satisfy me. The camera seems to handle 16:9 perfectly. My wife was astonished at the quality when she first saw it. I used the camera in low light mainly. Dimly lit rooms with lamps. The steady shot works great, giving a flowing look to video when you are walking around. The colors remained bright in low lit areas and in the sun, colors are rich. I messed around with some of the features and they all look good. My wife is a point and shoot person and I taught her to push the easy mode button and she was off. No teaching her how to use it. Common sense is all you need.

Dumping DV to my MAC G4 PowerBookI plugged it in via firewire, IMovie picked up the camera instantly and I began dumping DV as well as editing. That was all there was to it. I haven't even looked at the software that Sony sent. IMovie also recognized the 16:9 ratio and set up my project accordingly. Quick Time and the Sorenson 3 codec had to be fed the aspect ratio manually. I have to figure out pixel sizes with a calculator. I plugged in the USB cable to the camera and my MAC and the MAC mounted the volume and imported my images flawlessly. I also did the same with my WINXP PC. Just plugged in the USB cable and Voila. It showed up as a new drive in My Computer.

I also used the HC90 for ICHAT on my MAC laptop. The guy on the other end said he got great video from me. The chat session was between Hawaii and Ireland.

Build Quality Awesome. There is NO creaking (like my JVC). The camera is ergonomically great for my hands and my wife also agrees. All of the buttons are in the right place. The touch panel LCD is wonderful for me. It is solid and I don't worry about it ripping off when opening it and when you close it, it makes a satisfying thud like it was meant to be slammed shut in a hurry. The top loading of the tapes is great. No need to lay the camera on its side or anything like that. I can change the tape while the camera is plugged in to fire wire and the power simultaneously. The camera is very light but built very, very well. I am totally pleased with the build quality. It feels like a Sony. The zoom button is light or easy to manipulate but it can either zoom slowly or very quickly. It is quite sensitive and took a little getting used to. My old JVC felt like it was going to crumble in my hand and the mechanisms seemed so fragile but this camera feels like it can be handled with less apprehension.

Things that could be an issue but not as of yet.

The pry open plastic doors for cable plug in access To charge the battery, you have to pry open one of the plastic covers to access the inputs. I can understand that these covers protect the jacks from dirt, etc. Some have said that they may easily become detached in the future. I beg to differ. My JVC has the same type of protective covers and I have not broken them off in 3 years. I was always prying on them because I am always plugging firewire, etc in to the ports. They never broke and most likely never will. I think the hinge is that annoying plasic that never breaks no matter how much you flex it. The more you use the covers, the more plyable they becaome and easier to access. The sony covers are good quality and I doubt these will ever be an issue. It is somewhat inconvienient to charge the camera because you have to open the cover first. The stand alone chargers are not that expensive and I purchased a spare battery so it might be worth getting the charger.

Memory Stick Pro I spent a bunch of money for a Memory stick original for my Sony Still camera and it will not work in this DV Camcorder. The little one that they sent in not adequate. Looks like I will have to buy another one soon. I wish I did not.

Lens cover This camera has a shutter that opens when you turn the power on so that you don't have to fiddle with lens covers. I absolutely love this feature but, dirt, sand, crap can collect in that area even though the lens will be protected. There are threads there for lenses and filters. There should have been a plain glass lens there to occupy and protect that area from the elements. I will most likely get a cheap filter to screw in there and protect the fine threads.

All in all, I love this little camera and I am sure that my family will enjoy it for years to come. Between this, my 12" MAC PowerBook, my 42" Sony HDTV, and living in Hawaii, I think I have what I need for ample amounts of fun.

I picked this little gem up at the Sony store less than a month ago. They had all their camcorder models lined up on the shelf and the HC90 stood out like a Beauty Queen on a Catwalk. The overall design is an aesthetic masterpiece and fits ever-so perfectly in the palm of one's hand. It is super light weight and you can carry it around effortlessly for hours (it is compact enough to fit in your trouser pocket). All the basic controls are easily accessible to thumb and fingers, and it couldn't be easier to operate.

This is my first camcorder so I was under the impression that I would have some intensive study of the included manual ahead of me. I was mistaken. All I had to do was skim the first few pages and I was off and running (albeit in Easy Mode).

I have read some critical reviews of Sony camcorders bemoaning their compatibility with third party components, such as PC's. Nothing further could be from the truth! I own a Mac Powerbook. I took a few snaps in Picture Mode and the USB cable loaded them seamlessly into iPhoto. I picked up a cheap 4 to 6 pin Firewire cable at RadioShack, connected the device to my Powerbook and iMovie instantly downloaded the widescreen video footage without any prompting. And it was the same ease of operation in connecting it to my TV, my VCR and my DVD player. I can honestly say that I have never encountered a piece of high technology that operated with such ease and joyful simplicity. I have already shot hours of video without further consulting of the manual and the included software disc remains in its sealed envelope. This little gem seems almost organic in its construction and operation.

At 3.3 MP, the still photos are quite excellent and the panoramic option is a real cool feature. The video is superb. I live out in the forest and I can only describe the image quality as true to life. The built in microphone is excellent. When I reviewed some footage shot out in the swamp it was as though the bull frogs were singing right in my living room! The only drawback is that it amplifies anything stronger than a light breeze, but I found that this can be minimized by closing the LCD display and taking advantage of the camcorders sleek exterior design.

The battery life can also prove irksome if you like extended shootings.But for a modest investment you can purchase a battery with twice the life.

Do I like my new DCR-HC90 Camcorder? No! I absolutely LOVE it!!! It is so portable and easy to use that you can just take it everywhere without even thinking about it, and it attracts looks of admiration and envy wherever it goes.

The one I bought was the last one in stock. The salesman whom attended to me said the model was selling like hot cakes, and even though it was the priciest item on display, they were literaly flying off the shelves into the eager hands of happy customers. It is easy to see why.I have a Canon G6, a fine device in its own right. Since I acquired my HC90, it is more or less collecting cobwebs in a forgotten corner of my cabin.

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This is one of the best camcorders in the market today and I would definitely recommend it to anyone planning to buy a Mini-DV camcorder

Positive factors:

Very small and easy to hold with one hand. Can be easily attached even to a mini-tripod with ease.

Excellent widescreen video and hi-fi audio. Your videos finally get that "Hollywood" feel when you shoot movies in 16:9 ratio (widescreen format). Even if you don't have a widescreen TV currently, you will very soon have one as more and more people are buying them. So its better to buy this camcorder and shoot in 16:9 format to enjoy your movies later in widescreen format.

Includes widescreen rotatable LCD so what you see is what you get when you shoot in 16:9 ratio (widescreen format)

Good battery life. One extra battery is enough. You can easily manage a day's worth of shooting with two batteries before recharging them again

Includes docking station making it easier to connect to computer or TV. If you have a good computer with a firewire port, please buy a firewire cable to connect the camcorder to your computer. You can download your movie in excellent clarity in .avi format and edit it as required

Make sure to change the audio setting to 16 bit (instead of the default 12 bit) for very good hi-fi audio

Touchscreen menu system is great. You don't have to search for any buttons as they are all available in the touchscreen menu itself.

10X optical zoom is more than sufficient for ordinary home videos. Anything more produces more "shaking" and would necessiate the use of a tripod. When you shoot without a tripod, 10X is the best zoom you can achieve without worrying about shaky videos

Widescreen still photo. The photo clarity is OK not too good. So please don't expect great shots. Since the photo is in 16:9 format, you can take panoramic photos and cover more people in group shots

Nightshot: Cool feature that records using infrared light. Useful for shooting at night as you can record a video even in 100% darkness

Color widescreen viewfinder Very useful when you are running down on batteries and need to use the viewfinder. The color widescreen viewfinder gives an excellent picture and is as good as the LCD in clarity

Negative factors:

Outdoor videos especially in bright sunlight are overexposed. So please adjust the white balance when shooting outdoors. Add the white-balance menu to your shortcuts so that you can easily access it and return to default once you start shooting indoors

Sensitive microphone may pick up button clicks (best to turn off the button click "beep" sound).

Notes:

Use a fresh cassette after recording 2 or 3 times on the same cassette. The head tends to get dirty if you re-record on the same cassette more than 3 times

You can edit movies in Windowx XP using Windows Movie Maker, but beware it does not support 16:9 ratio video. Hence your videos look ugly as you shot them in 16:9 but Movie Maker converted it to 4:3. Invest in Pinnacle Software version 9 or 10 for better movie editing capabilities. Pinnacle is the only software, I am aware of, that preserves teh 16:9 ratio. Even Roxio could not allow 16:9 format.

You can also invest in wide-angle lens as it gives excellent coverage

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This is the fourth camcorder I've owned, and it's definitely the best. I couldn't believe how small and light it was when I first took it out of the box. Other features I like:

> Wide screen recording looks great on wide screen and regular size TVs

>Touch-screen controls are much easier to use than buttons while recording

>Long battery life

>Great still pictures -I don't need to carry a separate digital camera

>Video is sharp, bright, and the colors are vivid

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I shopped around for a while before I bought this camera. I checked out many reviews and I have to say, I'm VERY happy with this camera. I wanted something that worked in low light. This was the most important feature I was looking for. I had a Canon video camera, and I now have very few videos of my daughter growing up because if there wasn't enough light it would make interference on the tape. This camera works very well with normal indoor lighting. You don't have to turn on extra lights. (It also has nightvision which works in very low light)

The only complaints I have are 1) the battery doesn't last more than an hour but I don't video that long anyway 2) the memory stick doesn't hold many pictures but I'm spoiled with my digital camera holding lots.

In general, I would highly recommend this camera. You can download the video to you PC really easily and burn it to DVD.

Oh, and in some reviews it mentions that the zoom is hard to use. I don't find that to be true at all. It is sensitive, but not hard to use.

Vivitar DVR508 High Definition Digital Video Camcorder with 1.8" LCD Screen with 4x Digital Zoom (R

Here is what you need to know before buying this item (sorry about the length of this review, but some things listed here may help you with ANY camera purchase). Before purchasing this camera I read all the reviews. As you can see they range from awful to excellent. Most of the poor ratings have to do with expectations. Points to consider with this camera: 1. THIS IS NOT MEANT TO BE A HIGH-QUALITY CAMERA! The camera has a fixed-focus (that means not auto). Think disposable photo camera. 2. ALL HANDHELD VIDEO CAMERAS ARE VERY EASY TO BREAK. The screens, in particular, are very easy to snap off and this camera is no exception. In fact, this camera is even easier to break than most, because its sole purpose for construction was cost-reduction to make a cheap camcorder available no matter what the quality. 3. THE TERM "HD" DOESN'T MEAN HIGH-QUALITY PICTURE!!! This is something most people don't seem to know. The resolution of a camera is not the sole factor that determines the quality of a picture. The lens construction (plastic vs. glass, precision-made vs. poorly made, etc.) and the chip size (no matter (the bigger the chip, the more picture data it is picking up for each frame) are two other HUGE factors determining picture quality. Think of your cameras when the lens is dirty, they don't take the best pictures. Well, if the lens is not the best, the picture will not be the best. FINAL REVIEW: I bought this camera for my daughter, who is 5. I didn't want her using my cameras worth thousands of dollars, and they are all too large for her to use anyways. For $50 this was an excellent purchase. She is very gentle on equipment (I don't know if I would have bought it if she was a highly energetic boy), so I don't have to worry about it being broken. It yields fairly decent video quality for the price. Quite a few people mentioned it did not work well in low-light, but that goes for most cameras. Cameras that people think work well in low-light are typically boosting the video signal artificially to get that picture, but you can do that in post-production after you have shot the video. I found that at night with our house's normal lighting, the picture was still fairly decent. I would NEVER use this as my main camera to document family gatherings and such, but for my daughter to get experience shooting and editing video without me having to worry about her breaking something that was really expensive, this is great!!!

I bought this as an early Christmas present for my brother who is not in the technology ages. He loves it and is able to use it with ease. It is small enough to take everywhere but not too small that it is hard for him to use. He really likes how easy it is to use the video and camera, download on the computer and share with everyone. The price was an excellent deal for the perks it has. It came with everything needed to record and use on the computer. The screen is big enough to see what you are recording and again, with the screen open it is not too big that it is uncomfortable to use.

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Got this as a gift and did not expect much from it. However, I have been surprised that is does a good job and doesn't run the batteries dead in no time, as I had expected it to. It is not much use inside, in a dark area or at night... and the so-called 'light' that is included is a poor joke (it does work if you are using it for something up close, like when I filmed my pet in the middle of a dream, apparently dreaming it was in a fight to the death with 12 Grizzly bears, and did not want to flick on the overhead light and wake it up).

The HD quality is pretty good but seems to lag just a little (when filming up close or LARGE items should be ok for sports where players are farther off, altho I have not personally tested this) so I prefer to keep it on a little lower setting, which really does not seem to affect the quality at all.

Due to the conflicting specifications as to it taking either a 4GB or 16GB SD card max (online says 4 and the manual says 16) I finally called the Vivitar service center and they confirmed the 16GB size is the correct maximum size.

Since a 4GB card shows it will hold 25 minutes and 28 seconds of HD video, a 16GB card should get me well past 2 hours of recording time in a lower quality mode.

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This is my 1st time buying camcorder, this one is easy to use and very light weight. You just need very bright lighting while recording.

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The Vivitar HD Camcorder is awesome! I had bought 1 for my brother for Christmas and he loves it! So I had to get 1 for my fiance for his birthday and DITTO loves it! It was supposed to be black, but I received a red 1 which was even better!

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Magnavox H2080MW8 HDD & DVD Recorder - REFURBISHED

I should probably start by mentioning that my first HDD DVR (which I still own and use regularly) is a Pioneer DVR-533H-S (http://www.amazon.com/Pioneer-DVR-533H-S-Design-Recorder-Drive/dp/B000AHSTMY). That being the case, my expectations may have been a little too high, comparing a lofty Pioneer to a lowly Magnavox. Please bear that in mind as you read this review. I'm also a software developer and a gadget geek, so I'm comfortable around electronics.

When our local TV stations began broadcasting digital channels, my trusty analog Pioneer DVR began to lose it's usefulness; I could still record digital channels when filtered through a converter box, but I could no longer "set and forget" my recordings, since the channel had to be changed at the converter box. So began my search for a new DVR with a digital tuner.

I found this product (the Magnavox H2080MW8) on clearance at Walmart for around $80 in May 2008; they had two left, so my dad and I each grabbed one. Since that day, I have yet to see another HDD DVR at Walmart.

Anyway, I got the DVR home and immediately began noticing how minimalist this DVR is compared to my Pioneer. The on-screen interface is more reminiscent of a VCR than a DVR, and navigation is extremely non-intuitive. Almost every button on the remote is identical, a series of TINY squares specifically designed to make use in the dark impossible.

Learning to burn discs on this machine should be worth some college credits. Whereas the Pioneer offered a simple (yet extremely customizable) wizard for burning DVDs, this DVR requires the user to know enough on his/her own to make certain settings to the machine in one menu, navigate to another menu to burn, close out of all menus, then navigate to another menu to finalize! Otherwise, you've wasted a disc and a load of time, and you have to do it all over again. Extremely user-hostile, if you ask me.

All of the aforementioned flaws (and more, believe me) were annoyances to me, but I figured that I could live with them so long as the trade-off included me getting to watch, edit, and burn my digital programming. Recently, however, the hard disk in my DVR has been acting up. Days-old recordings become garbled, minutes at a time are corrupted beyond playability, and I've even had portions of one recording show up in another during playback. To me, these are all symptoms of a sick hard disk, one in need of optimization and defragmentation. My Pioneer has a function that allows me to optimize and deframent the disk, as should ANY device that utilizes a hard disk drive; no disk drive can survive a long period of time without being maintained. Alas, Magnavox scrimped on this functionality, which basically makes their hard disks ticking time bombs.

I've owned this DVR for 9 months, and the HDD recording is already becoming useless; without HDD recording, this is just a crappy DVD player. I'm currently in contact with the manufacturer with "high hopes" of getting an exchange unit, but I don't expect the new one to live longer than a year; after that, I suppose I'll try to remove the hard disk and defragment it myself.

A word to the wise: if you have the opportunity to buy a Magnavox H2080MW8, run like hell in the opposite direction.

----------------UPDATE 4/6/2009----------------

I received an exchange unit from the manufacturer (Funai, by the way; NOT Magnavox, as the label states), and I had to get that one replaced, as well; it arrived with a completely non-functioning tuner (neither analog nor digital). The third unit arrived with a DVD tray that refused to open; looks like it will be going back as well.

As it turns out, all of Funai's exchange units are refurbished, which apparently means that they just re-shelve faulty units until someone demands a replacement, then they mail them out to the new owners; it's kind of a fun "grab bag" deal where you get to play detective and figure out what specific problem YOUR unit was suffering from before they sent it to you. As long as they want to continue paying to ship DVRs back and forth to me, I'll keep swapping out my DVR until I finally get one that works.

Why buy this for $400 plus with only a HDD drive? When you can buy the 160GB HDD model for HALF the price. I just picked one up at the local WalMart (maybe Amazon has it too it is the H2160MW9).

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Loved this unit until the tuner went out, and then the HDD went out. Now all I have is a dvd player, and it is a little iffy as well. Owned it for 3 years.

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I have recorded,erased,transfered over & over to DVD's much from dvr. and vice versa. Many hundreds of hours since purchased.

I also from time to time use to record from wireless camera when away. Ive recorded over a week and after knowing all ok I then erased. Just a great piece of equipement. I plan on buy one for my other TV. I'm sure the 1TB will even be better with more storage capability.

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I bought this for $80 at Walmart in 2008 when I moved and decided not to take cable with me. This worked great for about 7 months until I did get cable and then it sat for a few years. I got it back out when I started traveling for work and took it with me. It was stored properly when not in use and I have transported it from city to city in its original packaging. I made sure it was protected from any damage. When I plugged it back in last year I noticed the DVD player wouldn't work. And now, a small power outage has fried it and it has ALWAYS been on a really nice surge protector. This computer I'm typing on, my apple tv, my modem and my tv are all on this surge protector and fine after this power outage, but the darn DVR will not turn on. Spend your money on something that will last. If that's even possible anymore.

Update: after asking a tech savvy friend where to go to get a new one, he insisted on looking at it. He took the top off and inside there is a reset button. It says reset button on the board. He pressed it and the power came back. Why do you have to take it apart to reset it?! I almost wasted a machine and more money. Lesson: don't be afraid to take things apart.

Olympus Digital Voice Recorder - ED-OLY-WS100

I was a little hesitant to buy a refurbished item but it came in like new. I had lost my first recorder of the same model and this one as a replacement works just as good. (It actually came with more stuff than with my previous purchase!) The recorder itself is great, voice quality on the recording is superb and you can record from far away and still hear it as if you were right next to the speaker. A must have and a great deal for college students!

I read reviews about this product before buying it. This unit records in WMA format and I have a Mac but it's not an issue because of freeware called SWITCH www.nch.com.au/switch which easily converts those sound files. It sometimes has a few quirks like the unit is hard to pull apart to expose the USB connector, and occasionally the battery compartment opens, and sometimes I have to reformat to reset the brains. but those things aside the recordings are great. The automatic level control works so well it records speech for my purposes, as well as my imac with an external mic. Its very small and portable. For the price (under $40 with shipping) the problems are relatively insignificant. I like it so such, I bought another one for a friend.

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This is a great little machine for portable usage.

I do wish there were more formats to choose from.

I do wish there wasn't a delay in immediate record time.

I love the USB port so much.

I take this with me everywhere I go around my neck.

All in all, for the price, this is a nice little toy to capture life with when you don't want to lug around anything bigger or more expensive.

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GSI Super-Quality Multi-Function Mini DV High-Definition 3MP Camera/Camcorder/Webcam/Voice-Recorder

I was excited when i bought this product, my son and I wanted to have something with the functionality described for our travel blog project. However the minute i got it out of the box, my 9 years old son, preseed the play button. We never saw the play button again, it was there inside of the camera.

The manual is worse than the camera, very bad, i was expecting something different for a price like this.

Please stay away from this camera.

I mounted this to a motorcycle handlebar on a trip across africa. The video quality is nothing incredible, but if you are looking for something usable that you are not afraid of breaking/losing, then this is a pretty impressive product for the price. Battery life was good. Its hard to see the on/off leds in bright light, but its pretty easy to run. Other guys had 300 helmet cameras that did HD and they couldnt ever figure out if they were on or off, but the video quality of theirs was noticeably better since it was HD. This thing is sealed pretty tight, the back cap screws on and its very weatherproof, but you cannot turn it totally off with the back cap on, though you can turn on/off recording... comes with a variety of mounts, but i ended up duct taping it. Though the african roads are a rather punishing environment to expect anything to stay on...

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This product is complete junk. It is crap. You get what you pay for, only in this case that's not true. For $60 I expect a camera that at least works sufficiently to produce some sort of image. This product fails that standard. The manual is barely intelligible, as it's written in "English as a Fourth Language." I'm running Windows XP (under VMWare Fusion on a MacBook Pro running Snow Leopard). Nothing I do gets Windows to recognize the camera. Forget any Macintosh support. Forget too any sort of customer support; there's no return address, no phone number, no URL, no nothing (and, judging from the manual, what good would those do? No one at this company seems to have mastered, or even much studied, English). What a ripoff!! Who knows what sort of video quality it's capable of; the darned thing simply does not work. All the appropriate lights light up, but there's no way that I've found to get it to work with a computer. I gave it one star only because negative ratings aren't an option. Junk. Rip off.

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I've never tried this camera mounted on bicycle/motorcycle handlebars or on a helmet, but it works great for shooting videos from a moving car. It just requires a few cheap modifications.

This is the same camera as the Swann model MDV-450. However, this version comes in a tin box which is kind of cool. However, it does NOT come with any MicroSD card, so you'll need to purchase one before it's useable. Note that the card MUST be a class 10. A Class 4 or Class 6 will not work. Swann claims that you can use up to an 8GB card, but I've been using a WINTEC Filemate 16GB card without any problems.

The cool feature with this camera is that you can mount it to vehicles windshield. That creates the smoothest possible videos while driving -far less vibration than a dashboard mount. Unfortunately, the only way to mount any camera to a windshield is with a suction cup, and these will eventually fail. However, a cheap fix that works very well is to use Velcro strips with adhesive on the other side and stick a couple of them up on the windshield and then do the same with the suction cup.

There's also a threaded plastic rod leading from the suction cup that has a pivotable plastic clamp on the other end that snaps around the camera. The clamp has 3 curved plastic teeth on each side to grip the camera and they break off. You can superglue them back on, but there needs to be a more permanent solution because this is the only way to hold the camera in place. I'm still checking around for a solution to this.

The videos are not clear enough to read license plates, but very good for basic recording. I've recorded all kinds of bad driving occurring in front of me, as well as mattresses and other items sitting in the middle of the freeway. At this price, don't expect good night video unless there is a lot of light around. And forget about audio. The camera has a microphone, but you need something much higher end than this if you want to hear anything.

I've bought two of these over the last year and use them daily. With the above modifications they've been very dependable.

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i received this product and it doesnt work.. how fun is that...???

the cam does not work unplugged from any power point.

does not turn on unless plugged in..

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Sony 50CRM80RS 50 CR-R Music Recordable Discs Spindle

This is my first ever review of a product that is not a recorded cd. But these BLANK music cd's from Sony so impressed me that I had to give them due credit.

I've burned hundreds (and I mean well over a thousand!) cd's over the past five years on my Philips CDR-775. I always felt a little ripped off when the first few cd's from any one package could not be read by my burner, and I always suspected that part of the problem was the way the cashier would run the cd's over their magnetic deactivator (whatever the technical term is!) to disable the anti-shoplifting EAS tag typically attached to the top cover of the blank cd container. I thought that maybe that process was also rendering the top few cd's incapable of being read or initialized. I've been told that that theory is invalid...but I'm not convinced.

In the past, I've had pretty good luck with Sony and Maxell brand music cd's, and lesser luck with Memorex and generic store brands. I recently had a couple packages of Memorex music cd's that I bought at different local music stores, and at least half of the cd's were useless in both packages. (My son is able to use them for burning music on our computer, so not a total loss.) I actually started to wonder if it was my aging Philips burner that was the problem; I mean, I have given it quite a workout the past few years! So to try something different, I've recently begun ordering these Sony music cd's online from Amazon; the brand served me well in the past, and I figured that I wouldn't have to deal with the possibility of a cashier de-magnetizing the first few cd's of a new package since it was coming from an online store no store security device to deactivate...

EUREKA! The Sony cd's always arrive within a couple of days, and I have had the pleasure of NEVER finding a blank cd that my burner rejects. This is the only way that I will ever buy blank music cd's in the future, and Sony will have to screw up awfully big for me to change brands now. Even considering the additional shipping cost that you would save at a typical "brick and mortar" store, this product is an excellent value for your dollar, and highly recommended. (If 14 of the blank cd's from your local store are no good anyway, then this option makes more sense.)

Hint: Buy the 50-pack and save yourself about 24 cents per cd over the usual 30-pack price. Worthy.

I just got my CDs in the mail today; they were manufactured in Taiwan [50CRM80RS], not in Japan [50CRM80LS2]. I plan to use these discs, but they will be the last not-made-in-Japan blank CDs that I will ever buy. Sony has clearly discontinued the Japanese-made CDs with the red packaging (as a lack of price on their website for it will indicate), as all I see in the stores now are the purple packaging that I got in the mail. I was expecting the red set with this order, and did not get it.

The facts are simple; compact discs made in China, Taiwan, Malaysia or any Asian country besides Japan are inferior to the Japanese made discs, which, without exception, are manufactured by Taiyo Yuden, the company responsible for inventing the CD-R. Granted, I've written in Sharpie on all of my discs, so they're probably all doomed anyway, but still.

I suspect that the RIAA is behind this decision, forcing those who manufacture CDs for America to only use non-Japanese manufacturers who make inferior product, but that's my own paranoia speaking.

BUY TAIYO YUDEN! These CDs made in other countries by other manufacturers will work, and they'll do what you need them to do, but I do not believe they're guaranteed the lifespan that Taiyo Yudens have.

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These are the original "digital" CDA type disks that's required for home CD recorders (due to digital rights management stuff from the recording industry).

Most CD-R will not record/burn in your home stereo system CD recorder if it does not have the "DIGITAL AUDIO" as part of the CD-R logo. These will work in your home recorder units & your PC. Most people burn CDs now with their computer so they do not need to buy digital audio CDs. BUT for those of you who bought CD recorders (Teac, Pioneer, Panasonic etc.) a few years ago, you must use this format. No other format will work that I know about. So far I've had no problem recording with these.

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As the author of the Jefferson Airplane book "Take Me To A Circus Tent" and a former radio disc-jockey, I am often asked to write and or discuss various recordings from the 60's and 70's. Sometimes as a person that has worked in electronic stores my thoughts are requested on recording equipment and electronics.

Sony CDR 80-Minute Music Spindle 50-pk.

Sony has been ultra reliable for me as a recording medium for blank CDR's. I have used a substantial amount over the years for both data and pictures.

The CD's have held up well and there have been very little that were defective right out of the package. While the quality control is a shade below the Fuji from Japan, in no way should Sony be considered a poor second choice.

For maximum shelf life the recorded CD's should be in jewel cases and not in paper sleeves. If you are into making your own labels make sure to use the better quality paper. The inferior thin labels not only will curl up before they are placed on the CD but the glue will actually get into the CD itself. Many defective CD's are not the fault of the manufacturer but the consumer not using best judgment.

Enjoy the music and be well,

Craig Fenton

Author of the Jefferson Airplane book "Take Me To A Circus Tent"

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I've bought this blank audio cds from Costco. Try to burn them from my Itune music library, I've burnt 12 cds, only 2 of them works, the rest 10 went bad, and no longer usuable.

I've burnt 1000 cds in the past before with several brands, few went bad, but not this ratio of failure like this Sony cds.

One star is too much actually.

Save your money, and buy other brands.

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VideoSecu Day Night Vision Outdoor 28 Infrared LEDs Weatherproof Security Camera Built-in 1/3" Sony

All I got to say, Ordered Two More, day vision great and night vision was just as great. Hope next two are as good

Product works as a deterrent for any prowlers lurking around my house. One look and they go elsewhere knowing they may be caught on film.

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I just sent this camera back!

When I opened the crisp box, I was expecting a crisp new camera like I had ordered. Instead, I received what looked like a refurbished unit. There is a scrape on the side of the camera and wear on one of the wire leads, which looks like it had been mounted and used before.

Never again with this company.

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Easy and quick to install. Currently being used in a medical facility and works just fine for our use. The images were fine too.

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Since this records infrared to blue, black shirts look extremely faded (because they don't absorb infrared.) Fantastically clear picture at night with minimal light. Fairly easy to install. (Recommend wrapping cord around lower piece when mounting to keep it from dropping. Did handle a drop to the ground, but not recommended. The only thing I wish this could do is pan and tilt. Price is fantastic. (sells for double on store shelves.)

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Wilson Digital Voice Recorder

I bought this for a blind friend of mine who likes to record things like grocery lists, phone numbers or even a phone call with important information (like customer service). He loves it and says it is extremely easy to use with very few buttons.

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Sport Polaroid Lens Sunglasses with Digital Photo Video Camera Mini DVR (Availalbe in 4GB, 8GB, 16G

The voice is good, but the video recording is not real time. I can't even wear it because the lens are not clear. If I want to capture something I just have to hold it. If I wear it, i might bump somebody, trip, or fall. On the box there's a picture of a woman driving and wearing the polaroid lens. Definitely not safe. I wish I could send it back.

DG 737 HD Home Theater Video Projector LCD !! 640x480 Pixels Wii, Ps2, Xbox, TV, PC

Blown away by the Picture and Sound! Especially for the cost. I would highly recommend!

I bought this item for a shop I worked for. It was difficult to work with and ultimately quit after a few days. Customer service was willing to fix it though but we would have to ship it directly to China... I honestly have no feed back from that point on since I no longer work with that company.

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Versatile product with a lot of features but very hard to use and understand, this is from China (no brand at all)image quality is terrible

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TASCAM DR-100mkII 2-Channel Portable Digital Recorder

• Locking XLR inputs accept balanced mic or line inputs
• Two sets of microphones for cardioid or omnidirectional pickup
• Dual battery systems for hours of recording
• Stereo S/PDIF digital input
• Rugged aluminum construction

I've used the DR-100 on several shoots so when it came time to purchase another audio recorder the mkII was an obvious choice. First off, I primarily use the XLR connections but in regards to the onboard mics, both cardioid and omni, I can tell you the noise floor is definitely improved. As far as XLR, the inputs have been upgraded to add a locking mechanism. Not that the cables slipping out was ever a problem but it's a welcome addition.

As with the previous model I use this for DSLR shoots. It has a rugged body, records in 96/24 WAV and has both a headphone out and a line out. Another huge bonus for me is the ability to run off a charged battery and still use AA's as a backup. I've only had a Sound Mixer tell me once that they forgot to charge the batteries but having the ability to toss in normal, everyday AA's was a lifesaver.

Extra background: I typically use a variety of shotgun mics (NTG-2) or lavs (Sennheiser G3) and then sync up audio with PluralEyes in post. Obviously the sound difference between this and the onboard mic in a DLSR are worlds apart. I've tested the Zoom H4n and my only cons would be lack of dual power sources and it looks a bit like a toy. I know there are loyalist on both sides and I'm not particularly die-hard in either direction but this is hands-down my go-to audio recorder.

Buy TASCAM DR-100mkII 2-Channel Portable Digital Recorder Now

starting to do video interviews, looking for good sound (as opposed to superb) and simple to use. i want to see how far i can get without having to spend $100's more. i am working solo, so i need a compact, portable solution that i can implement on the field without holding up the works too much.

compared this against the h4n which also gets great reviews.

overview:

in my inexpert opinion, the dr100mk2 is a simpler device concentrating exclusively on the basics (and some not so basics) of sound recording. the h4n tries to as much as is electronically possible in a single device.

the dr100-2 is a much easier device to use (imho). i'm kinda old fashioned, and i like the fact that most of the controls are mechanical switches. even to the tune of the input levels being a dial.

the h4n has mostly electronic switches and are a touch more fiddly to operate. they work just fine, but are not as nice, again imho.

sound:

i'm not looking for magic and i don't expect pro sound from a