Showing posts with label zoom h4n handy portable digital recorder. Show all posts
Showing posts with label zoom h4n handy portable digital recorder. Show all posts

Thursday, November 20, 2014

Ematic 4GB Color MP3 Video Player with 1.5-Inch Screen, FM Radio and Voice Recording (Piano Black)

Ematic 4GB Color MP3 Video Player with 1.5-Inch Screen, FM Radio and Voice RecordingFor the price, you just can't beat this device. I wanted something that would allow drag and drop of music files and would NOT require annoying bloatware on my PC like iTunes, (Someone gave my daughter an iPod, which was stolen a year later, and she subsequently realized that all the music on her PC had been converted to Apple's acc formatand there was no way to convert it back to wma with the included software!!!!)

There is a proprietary format for the video; however, the software included on the mini-cd does an excellent and quick job of rendering ordinary mpeg2 files. We tested it and were pleased. Follow the instructions.

In conclusion, this is not a device for audiophiles or yuppies seeking statusbut for $30, you can give one to all your kids and not have to beat them if they break it. (That was a joke.)

I bought this MP3 for my little brother and i wanted one at a good simple price. Rather than those ranging from 100$-200$ and have him lose it or break it. Although i thought this would be the same size as an average MP3 player. It's a little bit smaller but that doesn't matter. It's really easy and simple to use. We mainly wanted it to upload music onto it and it's as simple as that. The video display is good too, don't expect HD graphics or anything like that. The same goes for the pictures too. The headphones that come with it are ok, but if you want more in depth bump upgrading the headphones will do the trick. FM radio is also another great feature. It's a nice little gadget for the price of it. My only disappointment is, it doesn't come with a charger. But you can simply charge it from your PC or from your wall outlet.. USB of course.

Buy Ematic 4GB Color MP3 Video Player with 1.5-Inch Screen, FM Radio and Voice Recording (Piano Black) Now

I love this little player! The sound quality is great, it's easy to use, and it actually does everything the description says it does.

The one area that could use a little improvement is the earbuds the hard plastic hurt my ears, so I bought a different set (Skullcandy's blue ones go nicely with this color.) Even with the extra $10 or so, this player is a fraction of the cost of an iPod and I can spend all the money I saved on more downloads!

I have zero regrets about buying this. Highly recommended!

Read Best Reviews of Ematic 4GB Color MP3 Video Player with 1.5-Inch Screen, FM Radio and Voice Recording (Piano Black) Here

I bought this MP3 player for my 11 year old daughter and she really likes it. It is small, so it doesn't take up much room which is good. You can also transfer the music and pictures easily to the player. The few draw backs that I saw were 1) if you like to really listen to your player, the battery will need to be recharged daily; 2) if you are getting this player for the movie feature, I don't think that it would be worth it because it will only accept one special format and ;3) when you put your songs on the player, it stores the songs as one long list of songs. You have to scroll down the entire list in order to find a particular song. It would have been good if you could place groups of songs in a folder.

All that being said, I still think that is a good player for the price. It sounds really good if you have some good headphone. I do recommend this player if you are looking for a player for the music and not the other features.

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I bought the E-matic MP3 in Lime Green for myself because I didn't want an over priced, over-hyped MP3 player. I needed something small and lightweight, and this was the one.

It's not tough to navigate the menu after you get the swing of it, and it is easy to add music without having to delete the music that you have already programmed on it, like some other players. I am still trying to figure out how to load videos to it, as the instructions in the pamphlet that comes with it are vague, but over all, it meets my needs.

The E-matic has a separate jack for the earphones, and USB port, for charging and programming. However, the headset that comes with it is inexpensive, and I recommend purchasing a higher-end set for better sound and comfort. It also works well with my laptop speakers, as the jack is compatible, giving me convenient listening time so that I don't have to put up with commercial radio, or bogging down my laptop with music programs.

Over all, I found this to be a wonderful little device, and am quite happy with it, and the other one that I purchased at the same time. I love the color of the E-matic as the Lime Green stands out and gets noticed.

If you are looking for simple, easy to use, with a good amount of space, this may just be the product for you.

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Wednesday, November 12, 2014

1x RCA Composite Video Subwoofer Digital Coax S/PDIF Patch Cable 6 feet 6ft

1x RCA Composite Video Subwoofer Digital Coax S/PDIF Patch Cable 6 feet 6ftDon't buy. I purchased this to use as a subwoofer connection from my home theater system. After installing, I pushed the subwoofer back in place, maybe a few inches and very lightly and the prong on the inside of this cord broke off in my subwoofer. It looks like the prong was made of plastic with a layer of "gold" over top.

Works as needed. No issue. Had to replace the subwoofer cable ona radio I just bought. Fit perfectly and is currently playing. Still haven't turned the volume to max, don't want to disturb the downstairs neighbor.

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Wednesday, October 29, 2014

Panasonic DVD-LV75 Portable DVD Player

Panasonic DVD-LV75 Portable DVD Player
  • 7-inch-diagonal, 16:9 LCD screen plays widescreen and standard DVDs
  • Rechargeable lithium battery pack with built-in recharger and AC/DC adapter
  • Built-in Dolby Digital and DTS decoders with virtual surround sound mode
  • Miniature full-function remote control with lithium battery included
  • 2 built-in speakers and headphone jack with volume control

Took the kids on vacation. Great player to keep the kids occupied on a long flight. When I arrived I connected the DVD-LV75 to the TV where I was staying. With 25 movies in a CD case, it required practically no room at all. Great for the kids! (I only got one complaint on the plane from someone who didn't like the sound --with more than one viewer, we didn't use headphones) I waited for a 7" display DVD player and figured that while most other players were first generation, the Panasonic DVD-LV75 was the best bet as it is a second generation product and most of the bugs were worked out. I was right! I have had no problems. The battery lasts for at least two movies (4 hours).

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Wow is the key word here! The Panasonic DVD-LV75 is not only the smallest portable DVD player on the market but probably has the most feature offerings as well! I get 3-4 hours play back on a single battery charge, the screen is crystal sharp, sound is awesome, and plays musical CD's as well.

After looking at several other brands ie: Sharp, Aiwa, this unit beats them hands down. The one thing the Panasonic DVD-LV75 has over the others is size!

The only way to truly appreciate this player is to buy one!

Read Best Reviews of Panasonic DVD-LV75 Portable DVD Player Here

Overall, this is a great product. I won't list the reasons why this is a great product because I would be repeating what everyone else in here has done. However, I will list the two flaws of the LV75.

1) The picture quality. I have to admit I traded in the Panasonic L50 for the LV75 because of the larger screen, no doubt about that. While the LV75 has the bigger screen, it loses the sharpness of what the L50 had. There's a slight pixelation per frame when solid colors of objects are displayed (like a wall or the sky).

2) Dual sided DVDs cannont be played. When a DVD offer a widescreen version on one side and fullscreen version on the other, the LV75 will not recognize the format and will not play (movies like Dogma, Austin Powers, 8mm, etc.). This is my major gripe because I cannot play some movies on the LV75.

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This is a great product. The picture is great both on the unit as well as on the TV. Highlights:

1). Unlike some reviewers here, I have had NO PROBLEMS playing double sided DVDs. People should verify their claims before they whine generally about something that may be a specific problem with their unit. 2). The unit is very small and doesn't seem to get nearly as hot as the L-50. 3). My only concern is that the manual warns against using a car power source (cigarette lighter) for powering the unit. I don't know if Panasonic will come out with a car adaptor kit or not, but until then, I'll just have to use the battery.

The Panasonic DVD-LV75 offers great features in a small footprint. I searched the Internet, and the Panasonic came out ahead in most professional, and anecdotal, reviews of these types of products. I've used it in the mini-van for the kids, on planes, and on vacation. The screen delivers crisp, clear visuals, and the video and audio outputs allow you to hook it up to a TV for viewing at home (or in a vacation rental in Maine).

The only problems I have had are: 1. My 2-year old son was able to rip the cursor button off the unit and chew on it. Luckily, the button was not destroyed, and I could re-attach it. 2. I get interrupted on airline flights while viewing because people are VERY impressed and want to know all about it.

GREAT PRODUCT, and I have recommended it to a friend who purchased and is enjoying it as much as I have.

Sunday, October 19, 2014

iriver PMP-140 Portable Media Player (40 GB)

iriver PMP-140 Portable Media Player
  • Plays digital music and video files, including WMV, MP3, WMA, DivX (AVI), BMP, and JPEG
  • 40 GB storage total storage capacity--up to 160 hours of video, 1,200 hours of music
  • 3.5-inch color TFT LCD
  • USB 2.0 support, audio inputs and audio/video outputs, built-in FM tuner and voice recorder
  • Includes rechargeable lithium-ion battery; up to 16 hours (audio only) and up to 5 hours (audio/video)

I got this for xmas, and despite being 26, i play with it everyday like a child with their favorite toy.

I'll try to really cover the points that i was concerned about, as the general stuff such is pretty well explained in the description.

Size:

Yes it's a bit bigger then the ipod or the music only irivers, but it's still smaller then a cd player, and is about the same size as the new gameboy DS. So size isn't really an issue for me, and with having big hands (yes i like the original xbox controllers!!) it's a great fit.

Construction:

Feels very solid, I don't have any fear of breaking it if i drop it, unless i'm throwing it around. The usb port door is likely the only thing that could break on it easily, but i'm always gentle with things that cost a lot of money, so again not an issue with me.

Button layout and use: So this is the exact opposite of ipod. The controls are unique and this is one of the few times that i've had to read the manual to figure some things out, but even if you're confused, there's a help button that you can hit at anytime to give you the hints you need with the buttons. Took me about a full day of messing around with it before i became comfortable and could navigate with no problems.

Screen: the picture on this is absolutely amazing, really impressed with the colors and the contrast between darks on such a small screen. Bright colors are bright, dark are dark, and there is little bleeding that i've been able to notice so far with the videos that i've put on it. Very very happy with the screen. Viewing angle isn't too shabby either, so if you're sharing, you don't need to sit on each other's lap to both watch.

Software: Besides the internet connection that you have to have, didn't realize it at the time, and had to use dial up when i tried to install, zzzzzz) and make sure you have direct x installed, the software is great, and easy to use. I've put an entire season of one of my fav tv shows on it using the provided software, and it works like a charm. For all you replay tv owners, this is a dream, record to your pc, then put on your iriver, any show you missed you can now watch on your way to work, school, whatever.

Overall, i am thrilled with this gadget, i think they could use a solid firmware update to address the little things, like spelling tunner right) and better recognition with the .ogg files (had a little hitch with that earlier), but i can find issues with anything if i look long enough.

IRIVER if you're reading this... sell a remote for this, i'd be nice to be able to keep this in the case all the time that i'm just listening to music.

IF you have the cash, and want to buy something other then ipod (boo mac/apple) that gives you a huge amount of flexibility for music, photos, radio and movies, this is the toy for you.

Hope this helps!!

Buy iriver PMP-140 Portable Media Player (40 GB) Now

I was looking for a player that could play my huge library of .wmv format TV shows (I have 200GB of them) and according to the Amazon review here I would have been mislead into buying this product.

It's NOT a .wmv player.

If you want that, go for the iRiver PMC-120, which is a Portable Media Center device and natively supports .wmv files.

Unfortunately the PMC has much less useful functionality than the awesome PMP model.

Looks like iRiver don't make the perfect player for ME yet. I'd like a PMP-80 or PMP-120 that plays .wmv files without needing to convert them first.

Read Best Reviews of iriver PMP-140 Portable Media Player (40 GB) Here

I have had my PMP 140 for around 15 days. In this review I will briefly describe the pros and cons of this device

Pros: this device is all you need, with a 40 GB storage capacity, you can store 160 hours of full length movies, 1200 hours of songs, and thousands of pictures. It can record directly from any source with a headphone jack, it has an integrated voice recorder, it has a FM tuner, and it even has a stand. The screen is 3.5 inches, so it is pretty decent. But what if you want a big screen? No problem, you can easily connect it to a TV or monitor and it shows up there! This pack even comes with a case. All together, the sound is high quality and the graphics are also good.

Cons: This device does take a moment to turn on (around 15 seconds) but what do you expect when you have thousands of songs, pictures, and hours of movies! It takes a little while to get used to the navigation of this machine, but when you do learn it, it is very easy to navigate. It even has help button that tells specifically what each button does at that time. The actual speaker on the device is mediocre, but the earphones are very high quality. In order to put full length movies, you must get a ripper, which converts videos to different files compatible with the PMP 140. The rippers cost around $30.00-$40.00. Another con is it just barely fits in your pocket. I would not recommend you use this device while jogging, or running. No, this device would be best used on the road. The bad part about using this on the road is the battery life is not good. I would suggest, if using this device on the road, you get a car adapter. (the pack does not come with one.)

Overall, buy this device! It is very high quality. I would say that the cheapest place to get this would be on ebay.com. I got my PMP 140 for $320.00.

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This is a good product, it works well and has the advantage over the iPod of letting you dump the music files right into the device folder without using iTunes. It has a great screen that is larger than the Photo iPod and runs .avi videos well. I have over 200 music CDs, hundreds of photos and I'm backing up my laptop hard disk to it. However, it is clumsy with the user interface but I hope iRiver will have an operating system upgrade soon to fix the problem. Then I will rate it Very Good.

Wow I just love this new media player plays songs at Top Level quality sound, crystal clear picture too nice everything! It's got TONS of space 40GB of disk space which is enough to watch movies, thousands of songs, and is portable to take with you anywhere. Easy to connect to the computer as well, simple USB cord. Just plug it in and go.

I think what I like about this the most is just how simple it is to use, I thought it would be difficult, but it's very easy -you can take songs from your home computer and just transfer it to the media player with a touch of a button and you can listen to songs or watch videos or store pictures, etc.

This is an awesome buy and I'd recommend it to anyone -it looks very sharp and has excellent quality sound and picture.

A very satisfied customer

Monday, October 13, 2014

Three Port HDMI 3-Port (3x1) HDMI Powered Switch Switcher w/ IR remote and AC Adapter- Supports Blu

Three Port HDMI 3-Port HDMI Powered Switch Switcher w/ IR remote and AC Adapter- Supports Blu-Ray, PS3, Xbox, HD-DVD, HD-DVR, Digital Satellite & Cable boxes, 1080pIt works. However, the remote controller has a mind of it's own. It will work for a while then will quit until channels are switched manually.

Also, having only three inputs, it can't accommodate four devices, simultaneously, as advertised...

The model I received does not work. The indicator lights function, but there is no signal transmitted to the tv through the hdmi out. Guess I'm out the $30!

Buy Three Port HDMI 3-Port (3x1) HDMI Powered Switch Switcher w/ IR remote and AC Adapter- Supports Blu Now

Thursday, September 18, 2014

Coby TFDVD1029 10 Inch Portable DVD Player

Coby TFDVD1029 10 Inch Portable DVD Player
  • Compact portable design
  • Swivel screen with 180-degree rotation
  • 10 inch widescreen TFT LCD
  • 800 x 400 display resolution; NTSC/PAL
  • DVD, DVD±R/RW, CD, CD-R/RW, JPEG and MP3 compatible
  • 10-Inch widescreen TFT LCD Compact portable design
  • Audio/Video input jack for video games, VCRs, or other AV sources
  • Dolby digital decoder,Digital and analog AV outputs allow for use with home theater systems
  • Headphone jack for private listening, Multiple language, subtitle, and camera angle support. Parental lock control
  • Swivel screen with 180-degree rotation, DVD, DVD±R/RW, CD, CD-R/RW, JPEG and MP3 compatible and Anti-skip circuitry

No complaints about this product! I like it so much I'm going to purchase another one. It plays DVDs, CDs, & MP3 well! The 10-inch screen is great & it has a swivel mechanism which is perfect when viewing with the kids. No problem with the sound or viewing! Comes with all the accessories....

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Before I write my comments, please let me say each DVD I rent I clean before using it. Also I've been using a portable DVD player since 2004. So my purchase was well researched and I feel like a jerk. This product has a mind of its own. Here are some examples once the power is on, it starts and then for no reason, the screen turns yellow (that's OK if you would like to watch a movie through a yellow curtain). When running in a quite room, it moans and groans as it reads the disk (and the disk is not XXX rated). In the middle of a movie, I think I am watching TV because the screen stutters, just like on a satellite link. And the controls are awkwardly placed. Methinks I purchased a lemon does anyone know if there is a lemon law for DVD players? Let me know.

LeonB

Read Best Reviews of Coby TFDVD1029 10 Inch Portable DVD Player Here

Bought this as a replacement for my older model (also a Coby) As about 85% of my dvds are of older b/w films and vintage TV shows, i switched from the 16:5 format to the 4:3 format, and was surprised to see that the image was distorted. Everyone was kind of squished and elongated. I went to J&R to see if I could find another player, as I thought it was just that particular one, but I had the same problem with the display model in the store. If you like watching older films as I do, don't waste your time with this!

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This has to be one of the worst players for the price, It should be about a 60 dollar player, there is noise in the sound, the picture is fuzzy sometimes has lines constantly running thru it. Short battery life about 1 hr is all, just poor all around.

I wouldn't spend the money again on a cheapo like this.

I got so disappointed I tossed it after 3 days of use, took it on the shorts for this one!

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the one i bought broke in 1 week and i exchange another one, and it can't read DVD disc (only read cd) after few week.

DO NOT BUY any product made by COBYUSA. i contact CobyUSA, but they do not offer me warranty ???

by the way, Amazon gave me excelent service when exchange. Amazon is the best

Tuesday, September 9, 2014

Logitech Keyboard Controller for Logitech Revue and Google TV

Logitech Keyboard Controller for Logitech Revue and Google TV
  • Compatible with Google TV systems, including Logitech Revue
  • Comfortable, compact keyboard searches content from the Web, your TV programming, and more
  • Navigates the Web and moves easily through menus with touch pad and directional-pad
  • Entertainment-system controls like Play, Pause, Rewind, and Fast Forward
  • Connects to your TV with 2.4GHz wireless technology

I bought this to use with my Sony Google TV. The remote that came with the tv works pretty good but I wanted something with a larger keyboard and an easier to use mouse.

This Logitech keyboard works great although getting it to work with the Sony TV was a little tricky. The keyboard includes a small USB receiver. I first plugged the USB receiver into one of the USB slots on the Sony TV and tried to pair the keyboard to the tv. That did not work. Here's the solution I found that did work.

Before using the keyboard with the tv you need to plug the USB receiver into your computer, Mac or PC, and download the install software. The printed directions give you the website address. After you run the software and configure the keyboard to pair with the receiver you can then remove the receiver from the computer's USB input and put it into one of the Sony TVs USB inputs. Turn the keyboard power switch on and it should work.

The usability of the Logitech keyboard is similar to the smaller Sony remote with most of the same functions and buttons. The layout is just different. Takes a little getting used to. The biggest improvement is the larger easier to use keyboard and the mouse pad is a bit more responsive to touch.

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Works perfect out of the box. Ultra thin... ultra light... The perfect size for a coffe table and Logitech quality.

I was very hesitant to purchase it because it lacks F keys and some keys are not mapped (or show a different symbol) that a standard keyboard. I did a lot of comparison, provably over 20 ~ 30 models reviewed before purchase.

I just kept coming back to this one because of size and logitech quality.

(I have over 10 Logitech product thus far more if you count the ones at work).

There are some keys that you will not be able to use for an HTPC, like record, forward and specific keys for the Google Review.

But right out of the box 90% of all keys work as they should with no drivers under Windows 7.

Odd keys are:

* Search (Lupe) is the Windows Key.

* Home key launches Internet Explorer.

* Back key previous screen (either IE or Windows Explorer or within context of what you are doing)

* OK/Enter or OK (inside arrows) is Enter.

* FN + Left Mouse click is Right Mouse click... (Wish there was a button for it !)

I could get a key mapper free application available on the web at several locations to actually make use of the few keys that do not work, but I do not need it at this time.

If in doubt go to YouTube.com for some reviews (I did) or to the Logitech forums... there is a lot of infomation there like how to enable the finger tap in the mouse pad (like a laptop) by pressing:

CTRL + SHIFT + FN + Page UP to enable it or CTRL + SHIFT + FN + Page Down to disable it.

You can adjust the mouse speed with the Windows mouse setting and you do not need to load Setpoint Drivers (there are none... doubt they'll ever make some).

Once you get use to the odd keys, you'll just fly around with it.

(I configured all the HTPC shared drives (lots of windows and right clicks) in no time.

Works great for Gaming in most games.

Very happy with purchase.

Read Best Reviews of Logitech Keyboard Controller for Logitech Revue and Google TV Here

Update: Right Click works as long as you hold the FN button. Also Windows 7 interprets the search key as the Windows key. The Play/Stop/Pause key as far as I can tell does the same thing regardless of FN. None of the FN number keys at the top are recongnized either. The back button next to the arrow keys doesn't work. But again without setpoint options I didn't expect them to work. Here's to hopeing logitech will provide that functionality. It is still a great product for an htpc and would definitly recommend it. 5 stars as soon as setpoint works.

Works great with Windows 7 and XBMC. Not sure if the live version of XBMC has drivers for it though. Touchpad works as expected however I cant find the right click =/ As of yet the logitech software doesn't have options to customize the keys but i'm sure that will come. The guide button brings up the windows media center.

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I've just received this product today, so I can't tell about long term durability. I've purchased it for my sony google tv. Initially when I connected the unifying receiver to my google tv, there was no response. Then I called Logitech customer care, and after waiting for 15 minutes I got someone. He asked me a few questions, but failed to give any answer.He told me to contact with Sony customer care. Being disappointed I called sony. I reached them without much delay. The person in customer care told me it should be plug and play and there might be some problem with the keyboard. I was pretty much sure that I am going to return the keyboard.

Then just for checking the keyboard I connected it with my laptop, download the software and it was working fine. I really liked the smoothness of the keys. Then I detached the unifying receiver from my laptop and connect it in my google tv. Oh my god, it started working. I don't know the the technical details, so it seems totally weird to me.

If you are layman like me and want to connect the keyboard with Sony Google tv, I suggest following steps:

1. First connect the keyboard with your PC.

2. Download the software from [ ... ], based on your operating system

3. Install the software and make sure the keyboard working for your PC perfectly.

4. Then detach the small unifying receiver from your PC and attach it to the USB port of your Sony Google TV.

Hope it will work perfectly.

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Almost perfect for HTPC.

Pros:

on/off switch on the keyboard. battery saver.

uses 2 AA batteries. Do not have to worry about built-in rechargable battery fading over time.

small, elegant, sturdy built.

trackpad works very well.

keys have great feel for typing.

WIRELESS RANGE is excellent. I used the wired extension to place the wireless USB plug on top on my HTPC, facing forward. I sit 20 feet away, and absolutely no problems with the trackpad or any of the keys.

Cons:

keys are not backlit

not specifically made for HTPC. some media keys do not work as they are intended

no F-keys.

no dedicated RIGHT mouse button. The Function + left mouse click works fine enough, but still...

the price. $99 is a little high considering that my entire HTPC built is a shade under $800

** If Logitech ever gets around to making another version of this keyboard specifically for HTPC...with backlit keys, I would definitely buy(again).

Bottom Line: Best HTPC keyboard I've tried: taking into consideration portability, built-quality, functionality, and wireless range.

Saturday, September 6, 2014

Toshiba Excite AT305T64 10.1-Inch 64 GB Tablet Computer - Wi-Fi - NVIDIA Tegra 3 1.20 GHz

Toshiba Excite AT305T64 10.1-Inch 64 GB Tablet Computer - Wi-Fi - NVIDIA Tegra 3 1.20 GHzI've been wanting to get a tablet since last year and have been holding out since they announced ICS and Quad-Core processors. I was going to get the Prime for christmas, but it was unavailable, so I decided to wait and see what came out in the spring. I've stayed away from the Prime due to the higher price and GPS issues, so it came down to 3 tablets while making my decision (Transformer Pad, Acer Iconia a510 and the Toshiba Excite 10). All 3 tablets are very similar and met my criteria for a tablet (ICS, Tegra 3, 1280x800 display, HDMI-out, etc.). I had originally ordered the Iconia a510, but it was back-ordered. Then I saw the Excite was available and in stock early on Amazon last week, so I cancelled my order for the Acer and immediately orderd the Toshiba. What ultimately sold me on the Toshiba model was the Gorilla Glass, the Stock ICS experience and the Full SD card slot. My wife takes a lot of pictures and will love being able to just pop the SD card out of the camera and into the tablet.

I received the device yesterday and it is very fast and slim. I used it for a good 3 hours straight last night with music playing in the background and experienced no lag at all and still had 70% battery remaining after the 3 hours. The Excite 10 is very well built and feels sturdy in the hands. Not too heavy, but just enough that it doesn't feel like you are going to break it. The WiFi signal was very strong and didn't have any issues there. The speakers sound pretty good considering how small they are. The setup took no time at all and with the Google Restore function, I had all of my phone apps (about 100) on my tablet within 20 minutes.

So far I haven't come up with too many Cons for this device. If I had to list some they would be the following:

1. There is a good amount of pre-installed junk on the device. Not that big of a deal since apps can be disabled in ICS.

2. The Charger is proprietary. It would be nice to charge over microUSB, but with the size of tablet batteries, it would take forever to fully charge, so it is understandable why it doesn't.

Overall, I am very pleased with this product and would recommend it.

UPDATE 5/11/12:

1. I wanted to point out that I ran AnTuTu Benchmarking tool and it listed the Excite 10 as a 1.3 GHZ Tegra 3 processor and got a better average score than every other device listed.

2. Some of the pre-installed junk can be uninstalled, but some can only be disabled.

3. I was able to plug the charger into my Laptop and Car USB ports and it was able to charge. It was charging slower than the wall plug, but a nice feature if the battery is running low.

Let me start off by saying that I have tried many, many different tablets. So far, this one is definitely my favourite. Let me break it down here:

1. SPEED: 9/10

I've ran a few benchmarks on it and so far, only the acer a510 has got higher. Still slightly faster than the TF series from Asus (TF101, TF201, TF300) and definitely faster than the first generation tablets (Samsung Galaxy, Toshiba Thrive, Acer a series, BB Playbook). Haven't run into any problems with speed so far.

2. BATTERY LIFE: 9/10

Again, the Acer a510 tablet is the only one I have run into with a longer battery life. The Asus Prime comes close, but not quite there (I would recommend an app called JuiceDefender, which will greatly help your battery life).

3 SCREEN QUALITY: 10/10

One of the best. Most tablets that are android based and 10.1 inch screens have1280*800 resolutions, however the brightness and clarity is fantastic. A little warmer than the Prime or Galaxy tabs (works great for HD TV or movies)

4. COMFORTABLITY: 7/10

An often overlooked attribute is how comfortable the tablet is to hold. This tablet is one of the thinnest, lightest on the market right now, so it is understandably a little odd to hold in landscape, nut trust me, its not nearly as uncomfortable as the Prime or Iconia a200. Once again, the only other tablet that is more comfy to hold is the.

Acer a510.

5. BUILD QUALITY: 10/10

AMAZING! Honestly, the best all around built tablet I have ever experienced hands down. Gorilla Glass, aluminum build, solid.

6. OPERATING SYSTEM: 9/10

Stock ICS is nice to have, and Toshiba throws in some very cool features with its organization. The only reason it loses a point is for the stock programs that can't be taken off. However this will not slow down anything on the tablet.

7: WHY NOT THE ICONIA?

With all the comparisons to the Aer 510, why not it for the same price? Well, I've owned both, and this one is better in almost all regards. I have not run into a bug or hiccup yet. Quite a bit smoother experience of a tablet.

OVERALL SCORE: 54/60

Actually, this is the best score I have given a tablet. Nothing is perfect, but this is quite high up there. Thanks for the time,

Nate.

Buy Toshiba Excite AT305T64 10.1-Inch 64 GB Tablet Computer - Wi-Fi - NVIDIA Tegra 3 1.20 GHz Now

So far I've owned the ASUS Transformer Prime (TF201), Acer Iconia Tab A510, and now the Toshiba AT305. The TF201 had build quality and wireless/GPS issues and the A510 had a "grid effect" to the LCD and some bad heat issues (106+ degrees). And now the AT305, which has light bleed issues. The sad part is that despite this annoying "issue," it's still the best Tegra 3 tablet out there.

As with the Acer and Asus, I've already gone through two AT305's just to make sure these issues were consistent. But let's go into a bit more of a detailed review first on the AT305 that I've been using for a few days now.

DESIGN:

Out of the box, initial impressions are very good. The tablet has a great solid feel to it, it's comfortable to hold, thin, and yes, even light weight. The back has a hard, smooth, plastic feel to it although I hear its aluminum. If so, it probably has some type of coating on it. Basically, it's one nice looking tablet.

I won't go into details regarding where everything is or what feature it has, as you can easily see this from the pictures. Although the one item I must point out is the SD Card Slot, which is on the right side. There is a blank filler card that must be removed when you want to use your own SD card. While the addition of a full-size SD slot is very welcome, there is nothing to cover the slot once your card is in there.

So your hand will frequently rub against the sharp inside edges of the plastic casing. I'm normally not a big fan of plastic covers, but in this instance, it would have been very nice to have. If you're planning on getting a case, this won't likely be an issue.

WIRELESS:

I've tested both wireless and GPS extensively and found them to both perform very well. I'm able to maintain a solid WiFi connection even at the furthest reaches of my Access Point. And GPS can actually pick up a few satellite in-doors, which is always impressive. Outside I can get accuracy down to less than 18ft, within 1-2 minutes. This of course was verified with the GPS Test application.

PERFORMANCE:

Overall the device is very snappy and I haven't had any issues that I didn't run into with the other Tegra3 devices on Android 4.0.3. There are still a few occasional bugs or glitches with ICS, which I hope they'll resolve soon. Otherwise, nothing specific to the AT305.

Antutu scored a 10,313 and Quadrant is right at 4,000. I've seen slightly higher Antutu scores on the A510, which was closer to 11k. Although as I recall, this is the highest Quadrant score I've seen to date. Keeping in mind that both devices I had scored nearly identical. And in either case, the scores are subjective and personally don't put a whole lot of faith in them.

Until they have some new benchmarks that really take advange of the quad core CPU and Tegra3, they're just something to give you interesting numbers to look at. :) Real world tests are where it's at. Speaking of which, playing Tegra 3 games is smooth and they all run expectedly nice. Surfing the web, running apps, and other such tasks are all as expected. Quite good.

After watching movies and playing games, I got temps as high as 93 degrees on the back, right side. This was determined by my infrared thermometer. It's not as cool as the 85 degree TF201 but also nowhere near the 106+ degree A510. So I consider that to be on the warm side, but not uncomfortably so. I think the material on the back Toshiba uses helps to dissipate the heat so it doesn't "feel" hot or uncomfortable.

While surfing or running normal apps, the temps were staying in the 80's where it should be.

DISPLAY:

Starting positive here, the LCD does look very nice. In fact, of the TF201 and A510, it's the nicest I've seen. Even though it's not IPS (it's TFT as I recall), it looks great. The images are very crisp, colors are vibrant, and it has surprisingly good contrast ratio. The best part is that they've found a very nice color temperature balance.

While the A510 was very cool and the TF201 was on the warm side, I found the AT305 to quite neutral. This makes it very pleasing to use whether you are reading, surfing, playing games, or watching a movie.

But of course we can't ignore the negative part of this. There is light bleed, and it just makes me very sad. You won't notice this on any normal colorful image. But if you're watching a movie or looking at a picture that has a black background at the edges, you'll see a very uneven amount of light emitting from the sides. And the more you turn up the brightness, the worse it is.

In fact, just powering on the tablet, you'll see this on the Toshiba logo as it has a black background. It was exactly the same with both AT305's I got. And it's not something I ever experienced with any other tablet I've owned or used. Normally, this is considered a defect and swapping it out would resolve the issue. But based on my experience and countless other reviews/posts on-line, this is quite common with the AT305.

Whether you call it a defect, poor build quality, or a cheap display, it's not desirable.

BATTERY:

Just in general, when you make something smaller, you tend to make some sacrifices. In this case, it was the battery life. To test it out, I started with a fully charged battery. Then basically used it non-stop until I got down to 20% remaining, at which point we were right at 6 hours of usage. This isn't very good. Although keeping mind this is "heavy" usage. I was downloading a bunch of apps, playing games, watching movies, and even ran a benchmark or two during that time.

So I'd say heavy usage, you're looking at 7+ hours. Personally I don't like allowing the battery get much lower than 20%, so that's normally about the time I'm looking for a power cord. And yes, the power adapter is straight out of the 90's. There's no reason it needs to be that big; but it is, and I got over it.

For me, with "normal usage," I'm easily lasting the entire day on a single charge. This is mostly because I don't use it non-stop and spend most of the time checking e-mail or surfing the web. And overall, it's a fair compromise for its light weight and thinness.

SPEAKERS:

As with the A510, the AT305 has down-firing speakers at the bottom, and there are in fact two of them (unlike the TF201). They are backed by Toshiba and SRS enhancements, which are definitely needed. If these sound enhancements are turned off, the sound is horrible. But with them on, the speakers actually sound pretty descent.

I do suggest turning on the "boost" function if it's not loud enough. Surprisingly even with that turned on and volume maxed out, there is no distortion. The A510's speakers still sound noticeably better as there is most detail and they have a fuller sound. The TF305 has a tendency to sound a bit muffled at times, depending on how you're holding it.

I still wish they'd put them forward facing. Otherwise, I find them perfectly acceptable and wouldn't mind watching a few shows or demoing the device to friends.

So let's wrap this one up.

Pros:

+ Looks very nice

+ Light weight and thin

+ Tegra 3 Performance

+ Full-size SD Card Slot

+ USB functionality

+ Descent stereo speakers

+ Gorilla Glass

Cons:

LCD Light Bleed

Only "OK" battery life

No SD Card Slot Cover (when in use)

Considering specs (16GB model), could be a bit cheaper

CONCLUSION:

So how bad is the light bleed? It's annoying enough that this is getting returned. I've been in the IT field for nearly 2 decades and have repaired so many computers and electronics (including many LCD's), I wouldn't even want to guess as to how many. In other words, I know a defect when I see one. :) However, my lovely wife did play with this for a while and she did "volunteer" to take it off my hands even after showing her the light bleed. It didn't bother her one bit, which I'm sure will be the case for many other folks out there.

So my search for a solid Android tablet continues. On the plus side, I think we're getting closer! Just give me all of the good features from Asus, Acer, and Toshiba, and we'll have one killer tablet on our hands. Come on folks, it can't be that hard to spend $400-$500 on a tablet without making compromises.

Read Best Reviews of Toshiba Excite AT305T64 10.1-Inch 64 GB Tablet Computer - Wi-Fi - NVIDIA Tegra 3 1.20 GHz Here

I received this tablet (the 32GB version) on Tuesday and after a couple days to get used to it here's what I found;

Overall I really like the tablet. It's fast, very fast, very thin & light, runs most apps without any issues (some apps won't work with it but this is only because the developers haven't put it on the list of compatible devices. i.e. Lets Golf 3 won't run on it, I'm sure it will be updated to work though. This tablet definitely has enough power to run it). There's no way I've found to root it yet though. I'll keep it as I'm sure someone will come up with a way sooner than later.

Some other reviewers have said the sound is too low. This is fixable by going into the audio enhancement settings and click on SRS sound boost. With this on the volume is just fine. The stereo separation is very good too (two speakers located on the bottom side of the device)

This tablet has a pretty big proprietary connector on the supplied USB cable. It should last a while, it better be tough for the size of it. This brings up an interesting point. When you plug in the tablet with this cable to your computer, nothing happens other than it will charge the tablet. On all of our computers (5 of them) windows wouldn't recognize the tablet was attached. When you plug in the tablet with a micro USB cable the computer will recognize it. It's a bummer they use a huge connector on a cable that only charges the tablet and then only at 5v. Takes a long time to charge. On the upside you can use external battery pack chargers (you can get 10000+mAh batteries for around $60 on Amazon that will provide a lot of spare power.

Toshiba tech support from my limited experience with them is awful. I called about transferring files via the supplied cable and they were no help.

I also had an issue using the USB host functionality trying to use an external hard drive and found via their tech support it will only support drives formatted to exFAT, FAT or FAT32. DOES NOT support drives formatted to NTFS. This is very odd... I had to back up a 750GB Oyen Digital hard drive, reformat it and then transfer the files (mostly movies and TV shows) back to it. Took forever. Now that the drive is formatted to exFAT it works perfectly. Just plug it in using a micro USB host cable (purchased separately) and viola, it shows up on the file explorer (both the stock file explorer and ES file explorer).

PROS:

* It's very light and thin

* It's super-fast. I scored a little over 10300 on AnTuTu benchmark, and this is with the tablet loaded up with apps (my xoom would only do 6700 or so). Once I can root it and overclock it a bit I'm sure it'll be one of the fastest tablets around.

* Full sized SD card support. I'm using a 64GB card and it works great. I'm sure it'll handle a 128GB card. If I spring for one I'll update this review if it doesn't.

* Some of the bloatware is un-installable (the demo app, games etc.). You don't need to unable them, but that is an option if you want to keep them on the device.

* Screen image is sharp (although there is a fair amount of light bleed see the cons)

* Gorilla Glass

* Handles 1080p video well, although the native video players doesn't handle many video formats. Use "MX Player", free on the market and will play anything.

* Screen is very responsive. Almost too responsive, when you go to touch an icon if your finger is moving at all left or right it will start to scroll the page and you'll need to touch the icon again to open the app.

* Very good wifi and GPS reception.

* Stock browser works great. Haven't had a force close yet (this would happen all the time on my Xoom, even after I upgraded it to ICS).

* USB host functionality is great (many devices need to be rooted to get this to work).

* Charging off of a standard USB port is nice, but it takes a long time to fully charge.

* Battery life is pretty good. I've been getting around 8 hours of actual use (mix of streaming vids, checking email, etc).

* Boot time is fast. I clocked 55 seconds from off to the lock screen showing up and then another 10-15 seconds for widgets to load.

CONS:

* Lots of light bleed. Not very noticeable if you're watching something with a lot of light but during dark scenes it's a little annoying.

* Proprietary charging cable that only seems to charge the tablet.

* Charging takes a looong time

* No way to root yet. After some digging around it looks like it might be awhile before a rooting method is released... This is a real bummer.

* Can only handle FAT formats if you use an external hard drive.

* Some apps aren't compatible with it, yet.

* You have to click the notification area a few times sometimes to get it to open up.

That's about it. Overall I really like this tablet and can't wait for a rooting method to be released. If I notice anything else that needs to be addressed I'll update this review. Feel free to ask any questions and I'll help if I can!

Want Toshiba Excite AT305T64 10.1-Inch 64 GB Tablet Computer - Wi-Fi - NVIDIA Tegra 3 1.20 GHz Discount?

Update to this review 06/04/12:

I have had one of those 180 moments where I leaned to the A510, but now prefer the T305 (I have both at the moment):

1. The right side heat of the A510 is getting annoying. Even viewing PDF files results in very warm to hot on the right side. The Excite barely gets warm even when playing 3D games.

2. The USB location on the A510 makes having the nice feature not practical. Having it on the bottom is pure stupid and flipping the tablet upside down still makes using it awkward.

3. After having the 305 a few days I really ntocie the vertical lcd array lines on the A510. The Excite does not have these.

4. Touch response is better on the Excite

5. Having a 128GB sd card formatted to exFAT works well and better than expected.

I am returning the A510 and will keep the Excite. Very ironic.

End

I appreciate the Asus 300 and Prime are also good tablets, but the 300's build is flimsy and needs a special cable for data transfer. The Prime has weak wifi due to the panel design, so IMO it is a current match between the Excite 10 and the Acer A510 (I am putting the Excite first, since this IS the product page for it):

Build = Excite. I thought the A510 was built well, but the Excite is a work of art and design and has Gorilla glass.

Comfort to hold = Tie. The Acer feels better to hold and grip, but the Excite is lighter and does not get hot on the right like the A510 can.

Performance/Speed = Excite, but barely. Benchmarks are a tad higher and seems to have a little better response.

Display = A510 (but subjective). The contrast is better and no light bleed around the edges that the Excite has. Some may prefer the slightly warmer color though. Still, both are 1280X800 and neither in the same league the iPad 3, but no others are.

Sound = A510. Fuller sound and better stereo effect, plus output to TV sounds better for surround sound. Both tablets have sound features that need activation for better sound.

File system = A510. My 1TB NTSF drive works great and can play 1080p MKV movies from it. The catch is can not charge at same time, so good the battery is so huge. I also had a Toshiba Thrive before and like the Excite, third party apps did not work well with files. Comic apps would not delete files either, so had to use the stock file manager. A510 works with everything thrown at it, but constrained to the file manager on the Excite.

Ports = Tie. Excite has full SD slot (nice), but the special connector is needed for charging. No special connector needed for the A510, so easier to find other charging options IF you forget or lose the charger. You are SOL if you misplace the Excite charger connector.

Battery life = A510. No contest here. About three hours longer with similar medium and heavy use (Web browsing, stream Netflix, Amazon on demand, local video, gaming and comic reading).

Though both are nice tablets, I give the win to the A510 due to better battery life and file management. That said, the Excite is a nice tablet.

Added: I wish Toshiba (and other OEMs) used the file system same drivers as Acer. Mobiletech review mentions this too, so not just me going crazy.

Added 2: Both have real good wifi and another plus for the A510 is 16gb more internal storage for the same price as the Excite.

Sunday, August 31, 2014

JVC SR-V101US S-VHS Recorder and Player

JVC SR-V101US S-VHS Recorder and PlayerJVC has always manufactured the best S-VHS recorders. You get 400 lines of resolution when you record on S-VHS tape in the SP mode. This unit does have S-VHS ET capability but I still prefer to record on S-VHS tapes for best results. This is an exceptional unit. If you record off cable or Satellite TV the playback picture quality looks outstanding.

Excellent...more then satisfied with all it's pro features & above average quality. A welcome addition to my studio.

Buy JVC SR-V101US S-VHS Recorder and Player Now

We use the JVC SR Recorder and Player for professional Video Transfer service . This mashine work great and we are happy to purchasing the system.

We will recommend to anybody hu needs the Recorder.

Read Best Reviews of JVC SR-V101US S-VHS Recorder and Player Here

the product itself is fine but working with the company on returns or questions was awful. No response and if you have to return anything forget about it. It won't happen

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Haven't used it much yet but a professional grade VCR in a plastic box doesn't give me a lot of confidence.

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!

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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.

Friday, August 8, 2014

Impecca MP1827 2GB Digital Media Player with 1.8-Inch Color LCD Display (Pink)

Impecca MP1827 2GB Digital Media Player with 1.8-Inch Color LCD Display
  • Large 1.8-Inch 260k full-color display
  • 2GB Built-in memory
  • Plays video formats (AMV), includes video converter
  • Built-in FM Radio with 20 presets
  • Customized EQ with 7 presets

I purchased this mp3 player because it looks so adorable online and in writing it sounded just like what I needed. I wanted to use it with my FM transmitter as well as when I am working out. I also wanted to spend the least out of pocket and when I read about this product I thought I was getting a STEAL!! Boy was I ever wrong.

First of all, the product is pink, does come with the items described, and can be used with an FM transmitter. But what they don't tell you is that you need a Ph.d to be able to use the darn thing. You MUST use the larger booklet that comes with it to figure out how to operate this thing, because of course its not logical with what's on the buttons. I was very frustrated using it to begin with, and after a few weeks I am able to work it. Some of the menus though require you to turn the thing completely off just to be able to get out of that screen because warning messages flash and there is no way to get rid of them.

The battery life is a joke so prepare to recharge it after EVERY use. When you turn it on don't think that it will still be saved with the last sone you listened to, you have to start from the beginning of the list after each power on and there is no quick way to get through the list, you must read through every song. There is a shuffle feature though that can get you to different places within the list if you don't feel like hunting through 2GB worth of music.

There isn't a clip or anything that helps you keep it held around your neck, so if you're working out you'll have to hold it or since I'm a female I slip it inside my sports bra strap to keep it held in place.

The pros of this item is that the sound quality isn't bad at all. That's it!!

The feel of it is Extremely light and almost rubbery, it's definitely a peanut of an MP3 player.

All in all I say that if you can get yourself a Sansa for a good price by all means save yourself the headaches of this product because the only thing that makes it worth it to me is that my total ended up being $4.99 after gift certs. Oh and by the way, if you do get the product and don't like it, be prepared to pay a "Restocking Fee" if you decide to return it to the seller.

Buy Impecca MP1827 2GB Digital Media Player with 1.8-Inch Color LCD Display (Pink) Now

I bought this for my 7 yr old. It works fine and he likes it. No problems. We haven't been able to figure out the video playback, but the mp3s are simple to add and play and it's been sturdy enough for him.

Friday, June 20, 2014

Kguard Security 8-Channel PCI Digital Surveillance System

Kguard Security 8-Channel PCI Digital Surveillance Systemneither the card, the box it came in, nor anything on the driver install software gave any indication of which driver to choose. I chose the wrong one!. then, in spite of removing the incorrect driver, the software would not let me choose another one. the company website is in Romania! It offered absolutely NO SUPPORT! Useless!! I bundled the thing up and will send it back.

I'm sure it is a good item, my problem is that it is not user friendly and the setup it to much effort. I'm not lazy, i'm not using this system again, i'm selling this unit and hope someone will have great success with it

Buy Kguard Security 8-Channel PCI Digital Surveillance System Now

I installed the incorrect driver at first install, so I contacted the company and they responded with which one to use. They have an office in the U.S., and that is the one I contacted. They have both an e-mail and a phone number that you can use to contact them. I chose to e-mail, and received a response within 12 hours. YOU NEED TO INSTALL THE 901SP DRIVER. I uninstalled the old driver, ran the software again and chose the different driver. So far, so good!

Read Best Reviews of Kguard Security 8-Channel PCI Digital Surveillance System Here

Item incomplete, does not work, does not work, you need the USB KEY for it to work the DVR, I do not recommend the purchase, I had to return the product.

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Tuesday, June 17, 2014

HQRP Travel Car Cigarette Lighter 12V DC Charger for Motorola Talkabout MT352R / MT352TPR / MR356R

HQRP Travel Car Cigarette Lighter 12V DC Charger for Motorola Talkabout MT352R / MT352TPR / MR356R / MR350R VP / MR350R plus HQRP CoasterThis item arrived in about a week. I purchased several 35 mile (yeah right) motorola Talkabout radios for emergency use. It seems like every natural disaster or terrorist attack results in loss of communications. This charger will allow me to pull radio power off of any vehicle for far longer than the standard AA batteries.

Works as advertised..definitely comes in handy for road trips my wife and I often are forced to take in seperate vehicles

Buy HQRP Travel Car Cigarette Lighter 12V DC Charger for Motorola Talkabout MT352R / MT352TPR / MR356R Now

Tuesday, June 10, 2014

Lorex ECO 4 Channel Security DVR with 4 Indoor/Outdoor Security Cameras

Lorex ECO 4 Channel Security DVR with 4 Indoor/Outdoor Security CamerasWe tested this for about a week, in various situations. The fact that the system has hard-wired cameras meant our testing was limited to a reach within cable distance. For a permanent installation, you can stick these anywhere. They are both outdoor and indoor use.

If you think that you will be able to enjoy split screen use on your PC monitor, it won't happen. This system needs its own monitor. If you hook it up to your PC monitor, you'll have to unhook it to use your monitor for PC use. However you are able to view as many cameras as you have hooked up (comes with 4) at once, via a quad screen display.

You can access your camera images, live, online (instructions in manual). However in actuality this caused some difficulty. The images would freeze, lag, or otherwise not update, on a pretty regular basis. Hours spent trying to figure out why, left us frustrated. It was the same from our smartphone as it was on a remote computer.

PROS

The recording is crisp and clear, ID'ing someone on the recordings should be easy if necessary

It works just as well in low/no light as it does in regular lighting

Compared to other cameras we have tested in this price range, this is a great system at a great price, if you don't mind the cons.

This is comparable to a much pricier system we installed at our shop, and in my opinion the video quality and ease of playback on this Lorex system are actually superior.

CONS

Not wireless

It needs its own monitor

Online viewing can be spotty and tedious

I had to buy another cable to work with the system

Overall however we liked this system very much, the quality of the images on this system is better than many higher priced systems, and the ease of playback and finding events was impressive. We will eventually install this system throughout the house and enjoy using it full time.

I've been watching the price of security cameras drop for a while, but the price of this package really caught my attentionthe same package is being sold at Costco right now for $50 more! Just a few years ago, a good IR illuminated camera would cost well over $100, and a 4-channel DVR would cost $350 or moreand here we have four cameras and a DVR for less than the price of a DVR alone. So just how good is this package?

Pretty good, actually. I've only got one of the four cameras set up so far, but it works very well. Image quality is good, and the IR illumination provides coverage out to the boundaries of my small suburban lot. Setup is very easy. Plug a VGA video monitor (I happened to have a Hitachi LCD display left over from my last Windows system) into the DVR,, plug in the power and mouse, optionally run a cable to your Internet router, and you're ready to start adding cameras. Each of the four supplied comes with a wall wart power supply, a mount, and 60' of cable, which is probably enough to cover the typical small business or home with careful DVR placement. The cable carries both video AND power, so you can locate your power supplies on a strop alongside the DVR itselfmuch easier than running two cables, or trying to find power near the camera (although that's an option.) I'd like to mount one camera on the front of my detached garage, which means I'll have to make up a custom cable for that location. I've got a spool of surplus silicone-filled, buriable RG-6 that should work, and I can pick up power for the camera in the garage.

My single camera is temporarily mounted out a second-floor window in the back of the house, but I'll be adding the others once I decide where to drill, and where to run the cables. The easiest thing to do would be to put the DVR in the basement, along with all my networking equipment. You'd think having the DVR in the basement would be kind of pointless, but one of the really nice things about this system is that it's networked. You can view the DVR output from any computer on your home networkor if you've got a smartphone, from pretty much anywhere. There's a motion detector built into the DVR that allows you to program it to send you alerts via phone, another very useful feature that used to only be available on high-end systems.

Summary: For the money, there's a lot of hardware here. Time will tell how well it holds up under use, but so far it looks like a good value for the homeowner or small business owner looking for a good video security system that won't break the bank.

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I bought this to use before going on vacation and have been satisfied with the results for the most part. A couple hours for the install, a few minutes to setup the software. Produces a great picture for daytime and a fairly good picture for nighttime. I love being able to watch the video feed on my Android Phone from anywhere I am. After a month I did have one camera stop working. I called and faxed in the information to get it replaced. I am awaiting a new camera so I will follow-up on this review once I see how well their customer service is.

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I set this up over about a week and though it works well, the lack of quality is a cause for concern. I have my doubts that the cameras will hold up to exterior conditions and found some of the camera connections to be quite flimsy.

The thread that is inside the camera body is not really strong enough and strips out if over tightened even by hand!

The cables are long enough and the set up is fairly easy if you are enough of a handyman, a card comes in the package that appears to offer free installation but the wording is dodgy enough to give me doubts as to if it is really free or not.

I have three of the cameras up and working, the quality of the video is quite good , full color in daylight, monochrome at night, the fourth camera does not work properly, it seem to be an issue with the cable itself. The camera works when connected to one of the other cables.

I have not yet connected the system to the internet and not sure if I will but will add an update if I do. On your TV screen a window divided into for appears with live images form each camera, a C on each screen denotes that it is recording continuously and the 500 GB hard drive will hold plenty of video. It can be adjusted to record when motion is detected and individual cameras can be set to record or not.

It has a lot of features, a few "help" videos are available on the included CD which offers a player for the video playback on your PC if you plan tot use it that way.

For the price, it is an OK system but I am just concerned about the lack of quality built into this system.

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Purchased this item after several incidents of dumping in back alley.

Easy to set up and install.

Works ok both in the day and night. The cameras work but the resolution is not good enough to be able to read license plates.

The recorder works ok but is a little tricky to find the time you are looking for, it goes in 15 minute increments.

After purchasing found same system for as much as 100 dollars less elsewhere.

For a basic system guess it is ok.

Tuesday, May 27, 2014

Pyle Home PDH9 9-Inch Portable TFT/LCD Monitor with Built-In DVD Player MP3/MP4/USB SD Card Slot

Pyle Home PDH9 9-Inch Portable TFT/LCD Monitor with Built-In DVD Player MP3/MP4/USB SD Card Slot
  • 9'' TFT LCD Screen with adjustable viewing angles; screen rotation - Wireless Full Function remote Control
  • Resolution: 600 x 234 - ID3 Tag Compatible
  • Compatible with DVD/DVD-R/DVD-RW/VCD/MP3/MP4/CD-R/CD-RW/JPEG/DIVX/AVI/MPG/VOB Formats - Support USB Key/SD/MMC MS Card
  • RCA Audio/Video Line Inputs; Output - Supports Multi Regional PAL/NTSC
  • Built-In Rechargeable Battery Power Source for Portable on the Go Enjoyment of Music; Video Average Battery Life 2 hours - Dimensions: 9.45" x 6.9" x 1.57"

If your looking for a DVD player that can play AVI's this will work fine. I had no problems playing AVI's through a USB Drive but couldnt get anything to work with an SD Card. I also couldnt get MP4's to work. I didnt really try much else. I bought it for an upcoming roadtrip to Canada with my 4mo old and 2yr old so I really needed something to keep my 2yr olds attention. The strap for the back of the seat wouldve worked fine but was made of cheap material no big deal though. The kicker was if you barely touch the screen you could see distortion, and the whole thing felt like cheap plastic. Not something that could withstand a toddler. Also, the instructions were HORRIBLY translated and made it sound like a death machine which im sure it isnt. The picture looked great, the sound was great and there was no problem playing dvds (even ones i had burned) or AVI's though USB.

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This Pyle Portable DVD player, has good volume and will play both NTSC and PAL format DVDS from any numbered region. That is enough reason for me to enjoy it. However the picture, despite adjuments, is not as sharp as I would like. No I'm not saying it's bad. It would be great if it were a bit sharper. I bought this player mostly to watch music concerts from around the world. Because of the sound, I'm happy with it. Because of the picture I must give it four stars instead of five.

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USB and DVD works just fine, only the battery wont last longer. the body is made from cheap plastic material.

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I would give this item 5 stars if it weren't for the crappy battery life and the fact that I received it with a broken charger. If you are going for sound this is one is pretty good, but don't get it for battery life.

Tuesday, May 20, 2014

Line 6 MIDI Mobilizer

Line 6 MIDI Mobilizer
  • Capture MIDI data quickly any time, any place
  • Email music to collaborators
  • Open/edit emailed music within virtually all digital audio workstations
  • The easiest way to safeguard your tones
  • Compatible with Line 6 gear, and classic and modern MIDI equipment

I made a mistake buying the Line 6 MIDI Mobilizer, I should have bought the Line 6 MIDI Mobilizer2. The difference being, the Line 6 MIDI Mobilizer2 supports core midi on the IOS devices.

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Plugged-in it worked right out the package. Very cool to finally use a kybd with iphone app too.

I'd give it 5 stars.......but for one omission in the design a big one imo.;

as I worked on file I wondered how the iphone battery was doing. The app I use is rather hard on power. That's when it occurred to me that there's no way to run this device except on battery power. It uses the same port. Never thought of that before.

One may think that an hour or so is plenty, but that aspect still needs to be noted here I think.

Not sure why line6 didn't add a usb port for power at bottom of device. Or power jack. Maybe they were concerned about hanging too much weight off the bottom of iphone/pad/pod? Whatever the reason, charge-up good before starting a bigger project. Or wait for the snythstation25 product. I believe that one has power at the docking jack. Apps will start appearing for it in the next couple months I've read.

Other than that, again, very cool.

Cheers.

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Great idea, except for the glaring oversight-no way to keep it on the charger while you're using it. Consequently, it's not a serious tool yet-just an exploratory toy. I'm waiting for the next revision, it can't be all that hard or expensive to put a mini USB plug in the thing, just for the power hookup.

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Feels like a rushed to market product. Doesn't work with existing apps that support midi out. Has it's own proprietary api. If all you want to do is use the Line 6 Midi Memo app it works just fine. But try to use any of the existing apps on itunes that function as midi control surfaces i.e. Sound Prism it fails. The connector is also too long for the iPad and it'll leave you wondering if it's connected properly.

Save your money and buy the camera connection kit and a usb/midi cable.

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I was really looking forward to this when I ordered it, but it is not as impressive as I had hoped.

As has been pointed about by another reviewer, power is a problem.

It really needs a micro-usb jack to allow you to provide an external power source. Of course, if you have that connector on it, there are other interesting functionalities you could add.

The manufacturer needs to really work hard to encourage software developers to add support for this device. I think a program of developer support, including an SDK, and a free device, made available to anyone with a music related app on the app store would be a good start. Established developers with a music app in development should also be seeded.

Other than that, the SDK and support for using it ought to be offered to anyone who owns the device. If this device does not garner broad application support, it is going to wind up in my (too large) box of "that was an amusing waste of money" items.

Currently I would suggest this for early adopters, with hope that native iOS midi support comes to pass, and that Line 6 develops this product to its full potential.

Monday, May 5, 2014

Liquid Image 5.0MP Scuba Series Underwater HD Video Mask (Medium)

Liquid Image 5.0MP Scuba Series Underwater HD Video MaskI just used this for the first time in a Pennsylvania quarry. I turned it on before entering the water, and turned it off after I got out almost an hour later. The video quality is very good, and it picks up audio well. The images are clear, and should be since it's advertised as high definition.

Being this is a first edition, I hope a few changes are made in the next version. First, when seating the mask skirt under a hood, it is very easy to hit the button to change it from video to still image (or reverse), and it can be accidentally shut off. There is a blue or red light (depending whether you are shooting video or still images) that is difficult to see while wearing the mask. It is visible, just not clearly. It would be nice if there was a clear display a little lower. Also, each time I exhaled, the bubbles caused the mask and camera to shake, which is clearly visible in the video. As for the scope of view, the camera seems to be shooting higher than most divers are really looking. When checking my computer, all you see is the top of my console or computer. It would be nice if the camera was even a little adjustable, so it can be tilted up or down depending on what the user is doing.

Overall, I'd say this is a hit! Even if there are a few negatives, I was really happy with this mask. I took it to 75' (not deep) for 49 minutes in 45 degree water, and it recorded the entire dive. I can't wait to use it off the Jersey shore for some wreck diving. Now if you can make one to go a little deeper!

Good, sturdy camera. Was able to shoot decent video clips. I using it with attached light.

However, still images are very bad quality average exposure time is 1/2 1/4 secs, so images are blurry.

I wish manufacturer would set limit for still picture exposure time to 1/8 or 1/16 secs. As is, still mode almost useless and could be used only in very bright settings.

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Worked just as promised. Pretty easy to use, try it first on land so you get used to the buttons. The shutter button has a rubber plug to prevent it from being pressed you have to remove this plug in order to use.

It also has a microphone somewhere. I added an 8 gig memory card and it barely was filled after 2 hours of recording.

The only note is a comment someone else had left: It's recording in high def, so every head movement is incredible rapid. Makre sure you move your head VERY slowly when filming with video, or else you'll get a headache when watching the playback.

IT also records quite well above water it reminds me of a 16mm old time camera, they way it looks.

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This mask was easy to operate and performed perfectly. Not only were the pictures and video extremely sharp, but in the video mode it records audio as well. I did purchase an 8 gig memory card (it comes with a 2 gig card) to increase video time but found the purchase well worth the extra money.

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The camera leaked on my 10th dive. It was a shallow dive, and I don't understand what happened. I had bought the unit just a few months earlier, but the warranty is ONLY 90 days!

Before that dive, the camera worked fine. The pictures were often blurry and lacked in color. However, since it was a digital camera, you just keep taking pictures, and enough will be useful. I liked how the mask fit, and the camera "shoot' feature was well designed. Overall, I was pleased with the mask and camera prior to it leaking.

I called the manufacturer and they offered no support....no trade-in...no repair....no discount on replacement....Wow...Horrible Customer Service.

I will never buy another Liquid Image Product!

Thursday, April 10, 2014

Samsung BD-P1400 1080p Blu-Ray Disc Player

Samsung BD-P1400 1080p Blu-Ray Disc Player
  • # Blu-ray playback at content native HD resolution of 1080p/1080i/720p
  • # Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus, DTS®, MP3 audio decoding
  • # Includes remote

I have a BD-P1400, a PS3, and an Xbox 360 + HD-DVD drive. In the month that I've had the Samsung it's done a terrific job on video and audio quality. I'm playing it on a 46" Samsung LN-T4665F connected through HDMI. That's the good news, and it's certainly good. I've never had any of the stutters or other audio/video glitches that others have mentioned. On the other hand, here are the quirks that I've run into: (1) The Samsung takes by far the longest of my three players to load movies, and simply responding to an eject/open request takes 30 seconds for some reason (even when there's no disc inside). There's no feedback to tell you what's happening during eject, so you wonder if it's hung or actively thinking about it. (2) The Blu-ray movie producers in their infinite wisdom keep changing their DRM formats as their latest ones get hacked, which is an unbelievably customer unfriendly decision. The BR players are all updatable so it's conceptually possible to play the latest movies. Unfortunantely, the Samsung has a VERY unintuitive failure mode and upgrade procedure, which likely makes this required operation out of reach for most people on this device. Here's my (very long) step by step experience, which I hope will help give you a tangible understanding of what it's like, as well as potentially out anyone else similarly stuck. I ran into this with the new Live Free or Die Hard DVD, which after the usual 45 second or so load process simply hung the player. It wouldn't respond to any input (play, stop, menu, etc), the counter read "0000", and the screen remained black. I had heard about the DRM format issue, so suspected that this could be the potential problem unfortunately I had bought that DVD on its first day of release and tried to play it that night so no one else had posted about their problems with that config yet. Following the manual's instructions, I plugged in a enet cable and tried to pick up the latest update. For some reason it didn't successfully get a DHCP address on my network, so I manually entered the network info. It told me that there was a new update available, so I selected download. When the download process strated, again these was no way to tell whether it was hung or actively working, and no way to tell how much progress it had made and how much more it still needed. As a result, after about 30 or 45 minutes I cancelled and tried again. (BTW, I'm connected through a Verizon FiOS fiber-optic connection that's as fast as any consumer internet in the US). After 20 minutes I gave up and went to bed, leaving it to (maybe) download overnight. In the morning, the machine was off but it when I powered it up I learned that it had not completed the upgrade. In retrospect I believe this is what happened: the download eventually completed, it put up a "do you want to upgrade your firmware" dialog box, and after a couple minutes of inactivity it timed out and eventually turned off. Nice design, their engineers clearly did not try this in their homes. I gave it one more try in the morning, leaving it running while I ate breakfast and did email. After an hour or so the download completed, the "do you want to upgrade" dialog came up, and I said "yes" before it timed out. The upgrade completed successfully, but unfortunatley the Live Free or Die Hard movie still hung the player. At this point I suspected a faulty disc, so I got a replacement from the retailer. The new disc had the same problem, though, which told me that this was a player bug. Since the movie had been out for a day, I found a couple posts of other people having problems including one that got a confirmation from Samsung support. I called support, who eventually told me that the version 1.2 firmware on the website would fix the issue (hint, you need to know exactly what to ask and be persistent since this person would have sent me away with false information if I hadn't kept clarifying her responses). Going to the website, I found the alternate method of upgrading the firmware that the support person desribed, downloading a zip file to a PC, loading the .iso to a CD-R or CD-RW, and playing that on the player. I hadn't found this in the user's manual, but it certainly couldn't be any worse than the online method I had gone through in the previous 24 hours. Interestingly, there was no obvious way to relate the "version 1.2" available on the website with the version I had upgraded to online that morning (the online version uses a long date code instead of a version number). With nothing to lose, I went ahead and tried using a CD-RW using the instructions posted on the web. No luck, the player didn't recognize it as a firmware update. I tried again with a CD-R. Still no luck. Still clinging to a tiny shred of hope that (a) the "version 1.2" might actually fix the problem, and (b) the version 1.2 might have been posted to the web that day after I did my upgrade in the morning a day after a major blockbuster movie that required it was released nationwide, but who's counting I tried the painful online update process again. Lo and behold, a new update was available that might be version 1.2 (?) I went through the update, and the movie worked! Wow. This is a lot more detail than you likely need to make a buying decision, unless you read this and say "wow, reading those details tells me that this machine requires a lot more technical messing around than I'm comfortable with just to watch a movie". Potentially this might help someone else who has already bought the player figure out why a new movie hangs the box mysteriously I would have LOVED to find this two days ago. Maybe Samsung will even read it and start to understand how painful their current usability is, even for a moderately technical user.

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Unfortunately, since Bluray is still in its infancy (so-to-speak) there aren't many options for players. I bought the BD-P1400 and found that while the picture quality is great and the upconversion quality is superb, there are still some problems with this player. My first unit starting having hardware/software problems; namely, it would simply quit playing during the middle of the movie, at random times and multiple times throughout a movie. I returned the unit and exchanged for the same model and have not experienced the same problem with the new unit. Also, there are some basic functions missing on this player:

1) No Replay/Skip-back button which seems to be a pretty standard feature on DVD players nowadays. I miss this button a lot.

2) No memory feature. When you stop a movie you have to start over as if you just loaded it in the player.

3) (2) becomes a very annoying problem if you pause movies frequently for breaks or doing chores around the house, which I do a lot. When you pause a movie it will only pause for about 5 minutes, then it will go to screen saver. After a few minutes of screen saver it will STOP the movie and when you come back you have to start the movie over and try to find where you were. This is a MAJOR annoyance!

4) It is missing DVD playback features like viewing different angles, etc.

It is my opinion that this player was released prematurely based on its feature set. However, Samsung did a great job on the Bluray compatibility & picture quality and the DVD upconversion quality. If you want a player for quality HiDef video and don't care about features this is a great player. However, if you want more features out of your player, you may want to hold out for later generation models.

If there were a lot of other players on the market right now that didn't have these same flaws, I would have rated this player much lower just based on features. However, I understand that Bluray is still in its infant stages of development and manufacturers are rushing products to market to compete (and hopefully win) with HD-DVD. Thus, I am not too upset with my investment in this model. But I also know that I will want to purchase another Bluray player before this one reaches the end of its life.

p.s. I have purchased several Bluray discs and also rented quite a few from Netflix and so far have not encountered one disc that this player will not play.

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I've owned this BR player for 6 weeks. Its had problems loading some discs off and on, but with a firmware update most of them have eventually loaded and played. Yesterday it suddenly stopped loading Blu-Ray discs all togerther. DVD discs load and play.

I've searched the web, especially the excellent bluray.com website, and have noticed that most Blu-ray players have problems, but Samsung stands out for poor support. Before purchasing this player, or any other player, check out the manufacturer's support and factor that into your decision to purchase.

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Although Blu-Ray produces stunning 1080p video, it is definitely not a plug-n-play technology (at least not today). Since the technology is still emerging, a Blu-Ray player must be managed similarly to a computer and checked for firmware updates periodically.

I picked the Samsung BP-P1400 because of the extra connections including an Ethernet port and optical audio jack. I had multiple problems out of the box, but then finally loaded the firmware update. The update fixed some of the problems, but I still had problems with the movie stopping during playback for no reason (Polar Express and Planet Earth are two examples).

I finally decided to return the player even though the video & audio are superb. There is a chance that Samsung will eventually fix these bugs with future firmware versions, but I decided not to take the risk.

As someone who purchased the very first Blu-Ray player on the market, I can say, with hindsight, how far the technology has come.

This unit supports uncompressed TrueHD sound for a much more realistic soundtrack, HDMI 1.3 for the full color spectrum, and includes an Ethernet Port for firmware updates (which some new spec unit do not include).

This unit upscales standard def DVDs as well as any stand alone unit I used (incl my Oppo 981). While some DVD color banding is evident, keep in mind I'm watching it on a 72" TV.

Loading times vary seemingly with how Java-rich the BRD is that I'm watching.

While the remote is intuitive, the buttons are not backlighted and the size of the buttons for more minor functions do not lend themselves to people with large hands.

Out of the box, it's usable but you'll likely get more functionality setting it up with someone with a modicum HD experience.

The unit did freeze while watching Spiderman II. However, after loading in the latest firmware the unit has played without incident.

As improvements in the firmware are made, it's a worthwhile use of time to check every so often for the free upgrades.

I enjoy my unit for which I paid $370; I would purchase it again unhesitatingly .