BLU T172T Jenny Unlocked Quad-Band Dual SIM Phone with Camera, BLUetooth, Analog TV, microSD Card S

Good audio quality for phone calls. Texting is just like any other feature phone. I used 3 different SIMs (ekit.com from EF Tours, Tescomobile.ie, and Postfone.ie) and had no issues. The Quad band is great since you get coverage from either T-Mobile or AT&T in the US. You need the microSD card since the onboard RAM is so small and only good for your contacts. The media player does good with MP3s. The antenna is quirky since much of Europe has converted to digital TV so it doesn't do any good. The radio works fine. The camera is basic first generation, I ended up using my Droid for taking pictures instead of this phone. For the price, it was a good purchase and would recommend for anyone who needs basic features.

I actually bought this phone for my father. Nothing elaborate. Just for simple use. My father was just looking for a basic phone. He liked the style and stated that it operated but the phone was not programmed for voicemail. Really frustrating since I am in a different state and tried to advise him of how to get it. Well he had to go to our retail provider in order for them to activate it on his phone. So now he has to press 123 to gain access. Other than that I take it from him that it is an ok phone otherwise.

Buy BLU T172T Jenny Unlocked Quad-Band Dual SIM Phone with Camera, BLUetooth, Analog TV, microSD Card S Now

Pros

-Product was as described.

I like the dual sim, micro SD slot, video recording, TV reception. etc

Good loking.

Cons

It has a antenna for the FM and TV. Good for those. However my mother felt it old style. (I do not feel so)

Body is plastic but seems to long last.

Overall I like the product and will recommend to others. It is worth more than what I paid for this ($35)

Read Best Reviews of BLU T172T Jenny Unlocked Quad-Band Dual SIM Phone with Camera, BLUetooth, Analog TV, microSD Card S Here

Panasonic DMP-BDT500 Integrated Wi-Fi 3D Blu-ray DVD Player

• New Slim and Compact Design Twin HDMI Output for Video and Audio
• Premium Sound Capable 3D Blu-ray Disc Player
• 2D to 3D Conversion for VIERA Connect3 Premium Audio Player Design
• Region: Blu-ray: A,DVD: 1

The dmp-bdt500 is Panasonic's answer to the audiophile's desire to have a machine that offers superb video AND audio playback--they have succeeded. The highlights of this machine are the four Burr-Brown 192kHz/32-bit DAC's, 7.1 channel analog output, higher end capacitors and a more robust construction. I will express my opinion(s) about the design, engineering and performance. This machine is a Blu-ray player (and dvds of course), a cd player and is has built-in Wi-Fi for streaming movies, music and such. Therefore, it has the potential of being a 'one stop' solution for all of our home media needs and desires. And hopefully, it will have the ability to satiate the needs of the audiophile without sacrificing performance for the sake of convenience.

DESIGN

This machine is handsome, if not understated. It is sleek without being tiny. It is elegant--not ostentatious. It 'hits the mark' without trying too hard. Panasonic, though a quality brand, has not always had the prettiest components. For many years (of late) I found myself scratching my head at the eccentricities of some of Panasonic's designs. There were weird, translucent stripes buried within the skin(s) of their televisions and disc players. Panny's had conservative looking shapes in a market rife with "pretty" electronic sculptures, and digital displays that featured antiquated sticks rather than the more aesthetically pleasing dot matrix variety. For these reasons, I am very impressed with the design of the dmp-bdt500. The deck is a well built machine with a mirrored facade; the bottom third of the front facade fades from a mirror to a nice brushed silver finish. The "Panasonic" logo is centered onto the mirrored section of the faceplate. The top of the machine is sort of blackish, with four touch-sensitive buttons and a brushed appearance. The brushed look gives the machine a feeling of cohesion (with the faceplate) and will serve to obscure any future scratches. Another welcome design feature is the bright metal feet--they look elegant, but also serve to stabilize the deck. These circular feet are the best I've ever seen on a Panasonic disc player.

My critique of the design has to do with the look of the player once the faceplate drops down to reveal the disc tray. The look of the front panel is dull in comparison to the mirrored faceplate. It is a sort of washed out black color which does not seem to gel appropriately with the aesthetic of such a high-end machine. Keep in mind--this is Panasonic's highest end offering--her flagship deck. It is not terrible though...just nearly so. But, once the disc tray closes and the faceplate swings back into place, it is like a so-so looking wife who transforms into gorgeousity (ok...so it is not a word) once her face is painted. The player is pretty though, but not perfect because of the previously mentioned reasons. But, it will not look out of place in the company of higher end components--it's a classy deck.

Score: 9/10

ENGINEERING

I am not an engineer--or a scientist (this is why I am so charming). However, spec-wise this player is a tremendous value. In order to get Burr-Brown 192kHz/32-bit DAC's into a disc player, the consumer usually has to spend about a thousand bucks or more (do the research if you are inclined to disagree). The dmp-bdt500 also has 7.1 channel analog output, high end capacitors, gold plated terminals (a gimmick as far as I am concerned), and nice, stabilizing feet. The construction of the deck is hefty and substantial. The touch sensitive buttons are also a nice addition to this player (although many BD players have this these days). Just by looking at the spec sheet, it should be evident that this is Panasonic's best offering yet. On paper, it is the best deck Panasonic has ever built...and it is only $350 (or less). Value-wise, this player is simply untouchable, one would have to spend three times the amount to get the same "stuff".

Score: 10/10

PERFORMANCE

But how does she play? I am here to tell you...she plays like buttuh.....this deck is n-i-i-i-i-c-e. Although music is most important to me, I popped in a Blu-ray. Since I really dig classic movies on Blu-ray, I played Hitchcock's "To Catch a Thief". This disc is already great looking, but I have never seen it look like this. Wow...it is evident that, although most BD players look excellent, it IS possible to bring it up a notch. This is just an arbitrary rating with no basis in objective metrics, but I have a really good eye, and I will say with confidence that this player will make your Blu-rays look about 20% better; remember, all Blu-ray players look "good", so this is really sayin' something. I then popped in "North By Northwest"----stunning. "The Ten Commandments" looks so good, it got me reading my Bible again. So, I will say that videophiles will love this machine.

I l-o-o-o-v-e music. The cd playback is the most important aspect to my satisfaction with this deck. My taste is eclectic. I love reggae/ska, classical (Bach fanatic), punk rock and have a lot of new wave cds (hey...I'm in my thirties man). This player plays everything good. With reggae the sound is tight with fast base (not too fast though); there is nice punch to the base. The sound is smooth, but dynamic. Dynamic range is very important to the audiophile...this aint no 'run of the mill' dvd player here, this deck is good...really good. All of Bach's cello suites sound fantastic--good enough for any audio snob. This player has very good punch and attack (the leading edges of notes). I have B &W speakers and a good, clean HK amp, so I am able to extract the goodness from this player. I tested the dynamic range (which rates at a respectable 105db) of this deck by playing "Seed" by Sublime, "Beverly Hills" by Weezer and "Darkness" by Black Uhuru. She is dynamic. As you may know, the biggest appeal of SACD's is the dynamic range. Although this deck does not play SACD's, she is good and dynamic. Highs are top notch, mids are tight and composed and the base is deep and punchy. The sound is neat and dynamic...not sloppy at all. Classical will sound classy, punk will sound, uh, punk-y, reggae will sound exceptionally IRIE and and you will certainly be able to 'rock out' with any hard rock stuff you choose to play--as long as you have good speakers and a good, clean amp or receiver. For a $350 (or less) deck, you will not be able to do better with movies and music--period. You will find yourself breaking out all of your favorite cds. If you are reading this, you probably know that you should use analog cables to listen to cds...just checkin'...all the kids now are listening to compressed music--I only do that on the go.

How does she stream...is the wi-fi any good? I recently upgraded from the Panasonic dmp-bdt320. This player (the 500) is better with movies and MUCH better with cds. But, she broke my heart a bit with the wi-fi. I really like to listen to Pandora. This player sounds great with Pandora, especially when you activate "high clarity sound" and have it in "digital tube" mode (number 5...you'll see). Pandora (or other digital files) will sound like nectar if you use the previously mentioned enhancements. Just make sure you use no sound enhancements when you are listening to cds via analog inputs. I always make sure sound enhancements are turned off when I listen to cds--it makes a huge difference...just let the sweet Burr-Brown DAC's do their thing.

The wi-fi on the 320 is better than the wi-fi on the 500. This player is more inconsistent with wi-fi, especially Pandora. After a few songs, I keep getting an Error message "-6". It just bugs me. I do not have the patience to dance around with some Panasonic customer service rep on the phone! The 320 streamed Pandora for hours without issues. Perhaps it has to do with the placement of the wi-fi unit inside of the component itself--I don't know. But, the fidelity of the Blu-ray and CD playback is good enough to temper my aggravation with the quirky wi-fi in the 500. I guess you cannot have it all for $350.

Video Score: 10/10

CD Playback Score: 10/10

Wi-Fi Score: 5/10

CONCLUSION

If CD playback is very important to you, this player will please you. If a top-notch Blu-ray image is what you are after, buy this deck. If you want a fantastic wi-fi streamer, and do not care about CD playback as much (some do not) then the dmp-bdt320 is all you will need. It has a fantastic Blu-ray image and is a very good wi-fi player..cd playback is just adequate--not audiophile caliber, because the dynamic range is not as good as the 500. But, if you want an audiophile caliber CD player, a videophile caliber Blu-ray player and do not care about wi-fi as much, the dmp-bdt500 will 'blow your hair back". You can always get a separate unit for wi-fi and many people have it built into their tvs. For the low price, the audiophile on a budget could do no better, especially if s/he does not have a SACD collection and does not want to start one.

Buy Panasonic DMP-BDT500 Integrated Wi-Fi 3D Blu-ray DVD Player Now

One simple comment: A couple of months ago I ordered the Oppo 93 & 95 and I returned them to the seller. These players got great picture but the sound quality, contrary to many hyped reviews, is not worth the money. They just sound cold to me (I already use tube amplifications). But with the Panasonic I found the picture is just as great. More importantly, it sounds better than the two Oppo. Inner details, micro-dynamics, musicality, all are there for you. I am writing as a 20 years audiophile. I use Audio Note Amp., Conrad Johnson preamp., and JBL speakers. The Panasonic is a great product for the audiophile. Buy it. It's actually cheap by comparison. The Panasonic team deserves congratulations!

Read Best Reviews of Panasonic DMP-BDT500 Integrated Wi-Fi 3D Blu-ray DVD Player Here

I received this from Amazon on Friday, and set it up on Friday evening. This was ordered to replaced a unit that was a couple of years old and cost $150 less. The old player was working OK but I was intrigued by the specs and hype for this player. I have a decent surround sound system (Polk top-of-the-line speakers) and a plasma TV (Samsung). The video: I have my TV set to Movie mode and with this player the video really does look like movie mode (at least more than the old player), I turned off the Chroma Process on the BDT500 because of way too much color saturation, and still had to re-adjust the plasma TV just a little lower (not much) for both color and contrast, and now the picture is great, better color than the old player and darker blacks, and great detail. The audio: I'm using the HDMI Sub feed to my receiver, and the sound took some tinkering too, I tried the sound effects but didn't really like the "tube amp" sounds, so they're turned off, I also turned off the analog sound circuit. I turned on High Clarity Sound which seemed to reduce the strength of the center channel a little, so I turned on the Dialog Enhancer, which increased the center channel a little bit too much (but more is better than not enough if you want to hear the voices). My speakers were balanced by the Audyssey feature of the reciever, and I didn't want to mess with it, but I decided to increase all the speakers by 1 db (except the center). It worked OK because this is the best sound I've gotten from my system so far. The only thing I'm having trouble with is the touch screen on the remote makes me crazy sometimes (frustration), maybe time will help. This player allows so many adjustments to the video and sound that most people should find something preferable. I'm glad I ordered it and I think it's worth the cost. My home theater is improved.

Want Panasonic DMP-BDT500 Integrated Wi-Fi 3D Blu-ray DVD Player Discount?

I have this player since June 2012, updated the firmware the first time it was hooked-up, and replaced my old Sony blu-ray which is a good player. Quite happy with everything, pictures clarity, sound, playing blu-ray movies, etc. except the WIRELESS STREAMING. It will just disconnect while watching either Netflix or Amazon movies and won't reconnect again until you reboot the player. Sometimes this will happen twice before finishing one movie. I know it's not my router because I have a decent new router Linksys EA4500 with updated firmware, it is not far enough to disconnect because if it is connected it is showing 5 bars. Also my other wirelss stuff (iPhone, Ipad, laptop) are always connected without any problems on the same spot, and my old Sony Blu-ray BDP S570 did not have this kind of problem. I have read different reviews with this same problem as mine. PANASONIC SHOULD DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. I never write a review until now, since this is quite annoying for a defective product coming from a reputable company and nothing is being done about it inspite of so many complaints.

This review is to clarify why you would want this unit over other models. It is not entirely clear from Panasonic or some tech reviews. It is not a player for universal downloaded formats, it is a near audiofool unit at a consumer friendly electronics price.

I was shopping for 3D BD player with dual HDMI output for future use and analog surround out for immediate use. Few models caught my attention, as few are available. This model is 2-5X cheaper (based on Amzon July '12 promotions) than other well reviewed options. This unit is considered reference on BD and excellent on DVD playback by industry review, and on new VT50 TV I would agree. However this is not an accomplishment any more as models less expensive have the same rating. Infact, that is the purpose of digital media. What does spending 4-20X more money get you? Maybe less with more gimmick features.

But the real reason to get this model is this unit is equipped with four independent 192kHz/32-bit Burr-Brown DACs for 7.1 channel sound on analog outs. While inexpensive parts they are only seen on high end avrs. It also has separate sound and video HDMI options for legacy AVR without HDMI 1.4 pass through. It can easily down mix to 5.1 for older AVRs. I have legacy Marantz SR6200 (6.1). While you lose 'mostly useless' functionality of on board decoders going with analog outs on avr's, most of those features are not present on legacy systems anyway.

There is a TREMENDOUS difference between online streaming over optical out and HD playback such as VuDu HDX with 7.1 dolby digital decoded to analog ports. I got several unpromted responses. (I was not fishing for compliments.) There could be many technical reasons aside from signal source, but I am please with result. Sadly I feel like I never got much out of Marantz SR6200 until I just now bypassed preprocessor. Yes it is that good!!

A few other notes about WiFi reported drop out. Used with an amp it is VERY important to keep this player cool. Amps have much higher tolerances for heat than this or similar units. It will last much longer away from amps. I am sure this is the case with a portion on the returns, but not all.

I would not consider this if you are looking for a true universal streaming media player. WD Live might be one option. That feature does not interest me much though. Smart TV is limited and likely to stay that way. I am a fan of the new TuneIn app here though. Try it and you might be too.

PC Wireless 4 Camera DVR Security Surveillance System

The title of this is pc wireless camera system Kinda hard to be wireless when you have to hook up each camera to the receiver that makes it wired Get it right and change the name tired of looking for wireless cameras and these show up

when properly installed work exceptionally good

have a little flicker sometime

great color and able to select from 1-4 cameras with the base control

see very well with little or no light, easily hidden and most of all

you dont have to open the door to see who is there but they dont know they are on camera

no mistaken who is at your door you see them about 50 feet away,

best thing i bought for security for my home and garage

the only thing i dont like about them is the hard wiring of them

i recommend them for anyone that is looking to keep an eye on things and door

its amazing how good they work at your doors, some one knocking at the door late at night, all you have to do is look at the screen and see exactly who it is then decide if you want to open it

Buy PC Wireless 4 Camera DVR Security Surveillance System Now

This item has many issues, but i"ll start with the connection. the receiver & cameras dont seem to want to link with one another, out of the 4 camers that come with this item i've only have 2 cameras that have linked with the receiver, and the other 2 have so much static in the video, its impossible to see anything, also, the 2 that are linked in are no better, What a waste, cameras are not far from the receiver and it doesnt work as describted... Saqve your money???

Read Best Reviews of PC Wireless 4 Camera DVR Security Surveillance System Here

The title includes the term "DVR", but this product does NOT include a DVR!

It is just 4 cameras and a receiver.

I tried to give it zero stars, but Amazon replies "please rate this item".

I'll give it one star to shut Amazon up.

Want PC Wireless 4 Camera DVR Security Surveillance System Discount?

This camera system is more for a hobbyist or child, than it is for providing actual security. Not at all what i'd been hoping for when i bought it.

JVC HRS5902U 4-Head Hi-Fi VCR, Black

• S-VHS and VHS recording and playback; Super VHS ET Recording gives you S-VHS quality with standard VHS tapes
• Gold-plated front AV inputs accommodate a camcorder or gaming console
• 1-year, 8-event express programming; VCR Plus+ with cable-box control
• Includes full-function multibrand TV/cable/DBS-compatible remote control with glowing keys
• Active Video Calibration automatically judges head condition and tape quality to maximize recording potential

Okay! I admit I was a bit condescending on my previous comment, but it's only because the review I was critiquing was illogical and the rating unfair. I'll be good this time and try to be less of a smart aleck.

The original review to which I posted a rebuttal was flawed. He bought an excellent, high-end VCR for the wrong reasons. Then he complained when it did not perform better than technologically-possible in his system and gave it a one-star rating. He has now compounded the error in his logic by trying to throw PRICE into the equation. Did I realize that this machine costs 3 times as much as the cost of a standard VCR? Yep, I just purchased an el-cheapo machine for about fifty bucks two weeks ago. But I didn't need the capabilities of this sweet device.

First, a quick technology overview: There are a number of factors that make up how clear and detailed a video image is going to look, but resolution appears to have the most effect so I'll concentrate on that.

The US television standard is called NTSC. NTSC stands for National Television System Committee, or as those of us in the industry call it: Never Twice the Same Color. (NTSC stinks, but this is not the place for that discussion.) Of the 525 NTSC scan lines, only 485 lines are used in the image.

Standard VHS VCRs can record and display only about 220 lines of resolution less than half what your TV is capable of displaying. Your standard TV broadcast (either off the air or cable) will get up to 330 lines on a good day. A DVD player can output 540 lines.

The S-VHS VCRs can record and playback about 400 lines of resolution, or nearly twice what a standard VHS machine can display. But there is problem: it can only display as much data as was originally recorded. If you're playing back an old VHS recording with 220 lines of resolution, that's all you're going to see. If one records programs off the air ON THIS MACHINE, they will look a bit better when played back on this machine -as good as your TV broadcast signal happens to be that day (up to 330 lines) -but still not as good as a DVD.

So why would someone pay the big bucks and buy an S-VHS VCR? Because if you have an S-VHS camcorder, this puppy is going to SHINE. You can record and playback the full 400 lines of resolution even on a standard NTSC TV set. Also, the S-VHS technology allows for much better tape dubbing. Ever try to copy a standard VHS tape? The result appears to have about 100 lines of resolution and the colors bloom so badly it is unbearable to watch. S-VHS machines do not have this problem. Plus, this particular machine has a flying-erase head, which allows you to make beautiful edits. You can take the six hours of video recorded at your family reunion and produce a one-hour tape of the highlights with seamless edits, then add your own narration with the audio over-dubbing capability of the JVC. After that, you can make near-perfect copies to give to all your family members. You CANNOT do that with a standard el-cheapo VHS VCR. No way! No how!

So... If I owned an S-VHS camcorder, would I be willing to pay 3-times as much for this lovely VCR? You betcha!!!

To give my own analogy, the previous writer said that there is no reason to buy a Porsche Carrera because it rides just as poorly as his Chevy pickup truck down the rut-filled dirt road he lives on yet costs three times as much as the Chevy and isn't as fast as a Lear Jet. Substitute the JVC S-VHS VCR for the Porsche Carrera, a standard VCR for the Chevy pickup truck, an old VHS tape recorded off the air for the rut-filled dirt road, and a DVD player for the Lear Jet and you'll see my point. He's comparing apples-to-oranges-to-pears.

And why, you ask, would I waste my time responding to this these ill-conceived reviews? (It's quite obvious from the feedback so far that most people found my critiques much more "helpful" than his criticisms.) It's because I use the reviews and ratings here quite often to determine which item I am going to purchase. If I can help him (or others who read this) to THINK about what they write (state how well the item really operates, etc.) and then give fair reviews, we all profit and this customer review system becomes more valuable.

Thanks for reading this far.

Buy JVC HRS5902U 4-Head Hi-Fi VCR, Black Now

Ever since I bought my Samsung 50" DLP HDTV a few months ago I've been on a quest to upgrade my DVD player and now my VCR player as well. To be brief, if you have an HDTV, and you intend to still keep using VHS cassettes, then you must have this VCR.

Only recently I learned that an S-VHS (Super VHS) VCR gives you a resolution of 400 lines, as opposed to your standard VCR which gives you 230 lines of resolution. Obviously, for a standard TV you might not notice much difference. But for an HDTV, the difference is amazing! Here's a summary of my experience with this VCR:

Pros:

1) Super Video Quality. I tried recording a TV program on a standard VHS cassette (in fact the cassette is very old, recorded over many, many times). Remember, this VCR allows you to get the S-VHS quality even when recording on a standard VHS cassette you don't have to buy an expensive S-VHS cassette (although it should give a little better quality). When I played back the recorded program, it was unbelievable! The picture was clearer than what was broadcast on TV now that's impressive!

2) I mentioned it above, but it really is an additional bonus the fact that you can record S-VHS quality on a standard VHS cassette. You do have to change the default setup to enable this 'ET' mode (that's what JVC calls it).

3) The '24Hr Jog Dial' I really like this feature. With this you can setup to record a TV program within the next 24 hours. You don't have to turn on your TV. All you do is set the start time, the end time, and the channel using the jog dial on the VCR. Very neat feature.

Cons:

1) When playing a tape, the display on the VCR will NOT show the counter. In fact, the display NEVER shows a tape counter at all! If you want to see the tape counter, you have use the OSD (On Screen Display) and then you can see the counter on the TV that's annoying!

2) Auto clock doesn't work with cable They actually warn you about this when you try to set the Auto clock. When I first got the VCR, I left it in for a few hours before finally giving up. I had to set the time manually. By contrast, my Sony VCR can set the time in less than 5 minutes using its auto clock.

3) No memory backup if you have any programs scheduled to be recorded, even a 1 second power glitch will make you lose everything! For a VCR this expensive, they could have added a simple battery backup!

On a side note, I thought it important to mention that when playing tapes that are NOT recorded with S-VHS (like my older Disney movies), the output is not at 400 line resolution, it's at 230 lines. But the picture quality is as good as you'd get with any other high quality VCR. In other words, to avail of the S-VHS quality, you must have a tape (movie, etc.) already recorded in S-VHS to get the full benefit.

Side note no. 2 Also remember that when you record in S-VHS mode on a cassette with this VCR, you may not be able to display it on another VCR that does not support S-VHS. I have that problem with my other Sony VCR it cannot display S-VHS recordings (looks very fuzzy). But that's a fault of the Sony VCR of course, not this JVC one.

So, in summarizing, there definitely are some annoying facts about this VCR. But you may forgive and forget when you see the picture quality it's capable of producing near DVD quality! I would recommend buying this VCR but only if picture quality is absolutely essential.

Read Best Reviews of JVC HRS5902U 4-Head Hi-Fi VCR, Black Here

Many TV newsrooms use super VHS, in their cameras, or for editing & dubbing in the studio... quickly, on the fly.

Flaw, bug, & software free, fool-proof analog video almost as good as DVD, with S-video & multiple inputs & outputs that would make any videophile drool. The more sophisticated a machine becomes, the more sophisticated a user will have to be happy with it. Great pic, great sound, & fantastic for quick editing on the fly... maybe to later be burned on a DVD.

The tuner gets a better pic, than my sony wega's tuner. If you get a bad channel 9, one of you're RF cords may be broken inside, at the end, or it not connected properly. Don't blame JVC. I own this & 3 other JVC s-vhs machines. The tuner is better than any equipment I'm seen... even on channel 9. But really, if you don't have a cable box or satellite, don't buy this machine, it's capable of much more than your system is capable of. If you don't know what a s-video connector is for & why you need it, these machines are too good for what you're capable of. AMF if you don't notice a startling difference in the picture quality compared to ordinary VHS, you're TV or how you got it hooked up isn't good enough.

But these machines also play back ordinary VHS tapes with better quality than ANY other machine. There are pic/filter settings to clean up extra crummy tapes too.

This particular machine I purchased as a back-up & extra. I was expecting it to be the quality of some of their cheapest s-vhs machines. To my surprise the machine works very well & the pic is excellent for s-vhs at this price range.

One minor problem noted. The oscillator that generates the voltage for the fluorecent display generates interference to my Akai DVD burner it's setting on, & my other JCV s-vhs machine I have stacked ontop of it (on top of that I have my Directv TVO box). So with 4 units stacked together some interference came from this machine's fluorecent circuits. I found if I slid it 1" back from the burner, & the other machine ontop of it 1" back, all the interference disappeared. But now they aren't flush with each other. Someday I'll try stacking them differently. Beside them I have a JVC DVD player, Terapin VCD/CD burner, & another JVC s-vhs deck stacked together. Between the 2 stacks is 2 5" LCD monitors (for dubbing/cueing).

Anywho, it's not unusual to have stacked machines interfere with each other. But it's the first time it ever happened with a JVC unit. Some TVs will even interfere with some machines set on top of them. It's not a defect but rather an occasional coincedence that one machine is emitting a certain frequency close to a frequency that another machine is particularly sensitive to. Moving the units a little or the wires behind them usually will clear it up.

Update: I've read S-VHS tapes are harder to come by in another review. These machines use ordinary VHS tapes, you don't need super-vhs tapes for them, but they should be good tapes. My best pix on the come from ordinary t-120 & t-160 memorex tapes I buy in 10-packs real cheap. DVD burners & blank DVDs are getting cheap but the lasers & drives wear out after your 100th to 500th disk. 10 years after your fifth DVD burner has bit the dust your super-vhs machine will still be going strong. I know from experience, I'm a tech, I work on stuff like this all the time. My first 10 year old super-vhs machine is still running like new after extremely heavy use & conditions. It's been banged around overstacked, & used in hot environments that would kill most electronic equipment. It's never been opened or repaired. The newer cheaper s-vhs models only had minor negligible problems, & are still many times better than any ordinary vhs machine.

BTW, I don't work for JVC.

Want JVC HRS5902U 4-Head Hi-Fi VCR, Black Discount?

I've learned a few more things since I wrote my last review. The following are corrections to my previous review:

1) Memory backup Apparently there is some sort of memory backup, even though the manual clearly states there isn't. Quite by accident I unplugged the VCR and then plugged it back in. I was sure I'd have to re-program the timer to record my favorite programs, but I was pleasantly surprised the VCR remembered all my previous programs! In experimenting further, I disconnected power for almost 5 minutes and the programs still remained in memory afterwards! I didn't test further than that.

2) Auto clock I figured out why the auto clock won't work for cable. When the unit is without power for a while (I think the manual says 10 minutes), it defaults all the settings. The default settings for the tuner preset is 'air' not 'cable'. That's why they advise cable users to set the clock manually. However, the first thing you should do after a long power failure is to set the tuner to 'cable' and have it scan all channels. You should now be able to power off the VCR and auto clock should work (for me it took about 30 mins though, but it got it eventually!).

So this is good news. If there's a power failure for a short time (say 5 mins), the auto clock should eventually set the clock and your programs set for timer recordings should still be there!

I think the JVC now deserves a 4.5 star rating and so I'm giving this review a 5 (my other was a 4).

This high-end VCR has many advanced features,such as jog and shuttle on the remote, flying erase heads, S-VHS, etc. It produces a fine picture, and has very good tracking with old tapes.

The annoyances, particularly for editing:

(1) Unlike even simple VCR's that I have had in the past, this machine has no tape counter on the VCR's display. The counter is available only on screen, in "Play" mode only at regular speed, and in "Fast Forward" without picture.

(2) The speed controls are different from any other VCR's:

(i) Pushing the Pause button a second time does not put it back into Play, but into Frame Advance.

(ii) The shuttle feature is also nonstandard: it goes from Slow Forward directly to Slow Reverse, rather than through Pause.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX9K 6MP Digital Camera with 3x Image Stabilized Optical Zoom (Black)

First, I should qualify this by saying I've been a huge fan of Panasonic digital cameras since I bought the DMC-LC20. I later upgraded to a DMC-LC33, and now, I've taken the plunge and bought the FX9.

The camera I compared this with the most, and nearly bought was the Canon SD400. And I actually was really close to buying the SD400 over the FX7, but luckily I waited long enough to hear about the FX8 and FX9 being launched in the US. I could not have made a better choice.

Panasonic's carried over some of the best features of some of its previous lines:

Size: This camera is tiny. It fits nicely in your pocket. The black version of this camera also looks really sleek. Very nice brushed finish to it that doesn't get fingerprints on it too easily.

An absolutely beautiful 2.5" LCD screen. Seriously, this screen alone is reason enough to get the FX9 (207k pixels) over the FX8 (114k pixels). It is simply amazing. You can tell right on the screen whether the picture you took is in focus, and the colors are just more vibrant.

The Optical Image Stabilizer (OIS) is works wonders for this ultra-compact camera. Some would argue that well, if you had an optical viewfinder, you wouldn't need the OIS because you could stabilize the camera against your face. But seriously, who uses a viewfinder with an ultra-compact digital now? Digital SLR, sure, but an ultra-compact? Granted, if a viewfinder is important to you, this camera may not be right for you. But really, with the 2.5" LCD, you won't miss the viewfinder. I actually compared shots between the SD400 and FX9, and at full zoom, you can really see that the OIS helps with the image's focus.

Leica lens: Gives amazingly sharp, vibrant pictures.

Burst mode: Allows you to take literally an infinite number of pictures in rapid succession in well-lit (no flash) conditions. This is an amazing feature for taking action and sports shots. I loved this feature on my old Panny cameras and I still really enjoy it on this one.

Picture Review: The picture review on this camera is amazing. First, you can zoom up to 16x to check the clarity of the picture. Second, you can zoom out and review 25 thumbnails at once. 25! That's what a 2.5" LCD can do for you.

Movie mode: Although a HUGE memory hog, the movie mode is vastly improved from the FX7. In fact, one reason why I almost opted for the SD400 was because the movie mode on the FX7 was pretty much useless. The FX9 takes great video, and the image stabilizer (detailed below) works to help stabilize the video image.

Powerup lag and time between pictures has been excellent.

Some of the cons of this camera:

The on-off switch of this camera could be designed better. I've accidentally turned the camera on several times while reaching into my pocket and have resorted to turning the mode dial to Review mode whenever I pocket the camera to prevent any damage to the lens motor.

Unfortunately, they've done away with AA batteries, but in a camera of this size, AAs wouldn't even fit. So I can understand the transition to proprietary batteries. At $69 a pop for a spare OEM battery though, that sorta hurts.

Once again, Panasonic has seen fit to package the camera with pretty useless software and a practically unusable 16MB SD card. Come on... 16MB? That's good for no more than 8 pictures in full-resolution.

I hear the FX9 isn't great in low-light condition and has a weak flash, but I haven't had too many problems with it.

Of course, which digital camera you buy depends on what features are most important to you. I bought this as a camera to bring anywhere I wanted to go. I realized that the bulk of my old camera was preventing me from bringing it out everywhere, so I decided early on to get an ultra-compact. So far, I've been exceptionally happy with my purchase.

I exercise with my dog every morning early am. Ok you want to know about the FX9 not my dog. My point is I live near a pretty park, and very beautiful woods. I always wanted to take some shots of the early morning beauty but I didn't want to carry my huge Canon G4 around. Long story short, I started hunting for one of these pocket sized cameras. I read TONS of reviews and looked at sample pictures. Finally I got taken in by the cuteness of the Casio s500 camera. I had it about 1 week and after the cuteness wore off I had to return it as the pictures OVERALL were pretty bad..and lacking detail etc. Next I had a gift cert to "another web site" I decided I'd try the Canon sd450. Well that camera actually is quite good. But I still wasn't THRILLED. So I used 1 more gift cert..to another site..and just had to try this Panasonic FX9 camera. Like a crazy person I kept A-B-eeeing The SD 450 with this FX9. In the end I ended up loving the FX 9 while just liking the Canon. I must say for indoor flesh tones I must give the edge to the SD450. However after much reading I found if you set the white balance manually on the FX9..it looks pretty awesome on people..on everything. Outdoors I just use auto white balance. One major reason I'm SO impressed with this little guy is about the 2nd day I had the FX9 i accidentally dropped in on a VERY hard floor from 5 feet above the floor. It slammed to the ground right on the lcd and slid about 3 feet. I felt sick. But it only had a TINY dust like scratch. Everything still worked...this thing can take abuse ..though that's the last thing I wanted to do to this FX9.

In the end..I found that overall this camera is just awesome. The user inteface will just MAKE you like it. It's SUPER easy to use..and feels solid as a rock. In the end...it's about picture quality.I'd say the pic quality is about as good as it gets in this class..and I ought to know having owned 3 cameras in this category and the FX9 to me is the CLEAR winner!

Buy Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX9K 6MP Digital Camera with 3x Image Stabilized Optical Zoom (Black) Now

I was originally planning to buy Dimage X1. However, after some researches, I decided to go to Panasonic. This camera is just what I wanted, compact-sized(size of cigarette pack) and image stabilized.

For outside shooting(under daylight), it is not really necessary to change many settings, but automatic shooting is good enough like most cameras. However, this camera shines for indoor shooting with the image stablization.

For those who are new to camera, let me say that image stabilizer is not a miracle-maker letting you to get clean and sharp picture in the middle of earthquake. However, it is capable of compensating shake of hand holding camera good enough if used with some physical stabilization, or if there were nowhere to put your arms, with timed shutter. This camera has 2-sec and 10-sec timer, and I mostly use 2-sec without using flash indoors. (Force of pressing shutter may give camera shake that image stabilizer cannot compensate, so timed shutter is very handy.)

Result? Good enough, although I could see some noise indoors with automatic ISO setting(it usually sets ISO to 200 for some reason).

One thing: most of my indoor shootings are still-life(many times in macro mode). I haven't tested it for portrait yet, but I guess that shooting portrait in some distance may require less concern for hand-shake, unless under low-light condition.

Battery duration seems very good, too. However, extra battery will be nice.

Complaint: (maybe or maybe not)

1. Single file of 6 megapixel picture usually costs between 2 and 2.5 megabytes, but Panasonic only included 16MB memory. Is it a joke?

2. It's not really a complaint, but big LCD screen means more chances of getting scratches. I use the protective film (designed for PDA, so I have to cut it to right size) for all of my digital cameras.

Read Best Reviews of Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX9K 6MP Digital Camera with 3x Image Stabilized Optical Zoom (Black) Here

Ok, I haven't had this camera for a long time yet (a week perhaps), so this review is just what i had gathered from it so far. I might update it some time later.

I must say that this was an excellent buy for me. When i first took it out of the box, i was stunned by the beauty and small size of it (the black finish looks awesome). It's very small and lightweight, even with the battery and sd card in. So, for looks, this camera definetely scores very high.

Some reviews i found when i was deciding whether or not to buy this camera said that the controls were kind of confusing. On the contrary, i found that the controls were relatively easy and only took me about 2 mintues to comprehend. Although i agree that the buttons might be too small for some people with large fingers, I think that it would do for most people (It's great for me).

Two of the major selling points for me when shopping for this camera were the Mega OIS and the large 2.5" LCD. I must say that the OIS works like a charm in low light conditions. It even works in the movie mode. =), i love the movie mode from just a few samples i have taken, they seem to be great. The 2.5" LCD also gives me a great view of the pictures i had just taken. I can tell that the power lcd mode does work, although i cannot say how well yet b/c it has been cloudy everyday since i've gotten the camera.

I also found some reviews saying how flimsy the cover for the battery and sd card compartment was. I, again, find this not the case for me. the cover has a lock/open switch. when its locked, it seems to stay closed; when it's open, it swings open lightly by a spring in the hinge. I honestly cannot say how long the battery life is, but from numerous other reviews, i think it ranks above average.

The performance of the camera is good enough for me. It starts up pretty fast (maybe about 2 seconds?) and has very little shutter lag. The zoom works pretty fast and you can use the extended zoom feature that allows you to extend the optical zoom to 4.1x (compared to the regular 3.0x), but it reduces the number of megapixels as well. The burst shot mode on this camera works fine as far as i can tell. all in all, i think the performance of this p/s ultra-compact is more than adequate.

Now, I didn't give this camera a 5/5 b/c it does have its imperfections (minor ones, but imperfections nonetheless). I cannot say that I'm an expert in image quality (this only being my 2nd digicam, the first a canon powershot s45), but i have noticed more purple fringing than my old camera. The images at the higher isos can sometimes be a bit too noisy for my tastes, but i rarely have to use high iso b/c of the OIS. I've also noticed that in low light, sometimes objects (especially skin) may have a yellowish tint to them. I haven't tested out the flash thoroughly yet, but i've heard that it isn't the best (nor the worst) indoors. Again, these imperfections do not bother me so much, as i rarely print very big sizes, but it might be a major issue for some other people.

I also have some minor gripes about the bundle the camera comes with. The 16 mb sd card that it comes with can store about 5 pictures at max resolution, I mean come on... The wrist strap that the camera comes with looks and feels as if it would fall off your wrist at any second. I had to use the wrist strap that my old camera came with as it had a little thing that allowed you to tighten it around your wrist. I haven't tested the software out yet, so i can't say anything about that. One of the things i like about the bundle is that the battery charger has a built-in plug, so you can just put the battery inside the charger and plug it into an outlet. However, some people may find this a bad thing as you have to take the battery out of the camera in order to charge it. I personally like this better for travel b/c i dun have to carry around a big bulky dock for my camera.

Another thing, when you buy this camera i suggest you also buy some accesories for it, some of which can be:

an extra battery i dun have 1 (and i don't plan on getting one), but i dunno, maybe you don't like charging?

a case it might be hard to find one that fits your needs, but i recently ordered a Lowepro Slider 20 from best buy. It says online that the camera should fit, but i'll have to see for myself in about a week.

LCD screen protector i dunno if it really needs one, but ever since reading those reviews of the fragile Canon SDxxx lcd's i've been a lot more paranoid about them. Plus, it can't hurt to put one on. I mean, hey, a larger lcd does mean a bigger chance that it's gonna get scratched. I'm getting a Brando Workshop Ultra Clear screen protector might be a tad bit too expensive, but i hear it's pretty good.

And last but certainly not least, a SD memory card a MUST have accesory. the 16mb card supplied is a joke! I got a 1GB SanDisk Ultra II and i'm loving it. A good SD card completes this whole package!

I recommend this camera for a person who wants a small, beautifully designed, p/s digital camera, but doesn't need DSLR image quality or to print pictures that big. For any reason whatsoever, whether you want to impress you friends with its good looks, or if you simply want an ultra-compact rather than carry around that bulky SLR, this camera is a good choice. While not without it's imperfections, I think that this camera, bundled with its amazing Mega OIS system, is an excellent buy, but I'll leave the deciding to you.

Happy camera hunting!

btw, since it's almost Christmas, I'd like to say Happy Holidays to all and Happy New Years!

Want Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX9K 6MP Digital Camera with 3x Image Stabilized Optical Zoom (Black) Discount?

In my opionion, the Panasonic DMC-FX8 and FX9 are the best choices in the ultra compact camera category. I have owned a couple of the Canon SD cameras (SD200 and SD300) and the pictures produced by the FX7/8/9 are vastly superior, esp. with Indoor Shots. The Image Stabilization really helps in Indoor, Low-Light Settings which if you are like me, is where you take the majority of your snapshots. The Canon SD500/550 are arguably better cameras due to their bigger sensor, 7 MPs, and stronger flash BUT they are not small enough to toss into my front pocket (a pre-requisite). As for the cracked LCD screens, google "Canon and Cracked LCD Screen". It is not an isolated problem! The best precaution you can take is two-fold. Buy a LCD screen protector as well as a hard camera case (I review one of each btw).

Finally, the FX8/FX9 have corrected the two major complaints people had with the very popular and well-regarded DMC-FX7. They now boast a faster AF, a longer-lasting battery and 640x480 Movie Mode. If they had manual controls, they would have created the elusive "perfect ultra compact" camera!

Transcend Information 8 GB Micro SDHC4 (TS8GUSDC4)

I like it and the price was fantastic. it is working as it should. told some friend about this item and they thought the price was awesome.

What can you say, it's a card at the right price. Works great in my phone and it was inexpensive.

Buy Transcend Information 8 GB Micro SDHC4 (TS8GUSDC4) Now

I have been using this for a long time and have no complaints. It works great fast speed great price and its very strong ive droped it a few times on concrete and its not even scratced so this is a Great Buy!

Read Best Reviews of Transcend Information 8 GB Micro SDHC4 (TS8GUSDC4) Here

Bought this SDHC for my galaxy tab and so far no complains the price is right the product work as expected and like always amazon shipping is the best.

Want Transcend Information 8 GB Micro SDHC4 (TS8GUSDC4) Discount?

Received the SD card, along with several other items I ordered, in good shape.

Yup, its got a Life Time Warranty. Registration was easy but you will need a magnifying glass to see the S/N numbers.

I inserted the SD card in my HTC EVO 4G LTE and it works great. I loaded up several hundred pictures and songs which used up about 2GB. The pictures display fast and the music sounds great. I would recommend this SD Card.

Like the other review title says..., "Cant argue with under a buck a gig"

Livescribe Smartpen Portfolio

Check description carefully, it only takes the starter book size, so your letter or A4 don't fit. There should be 2 sizes!

I had been looking for a way to protect my pen when I take it out and about, since I used to take it out in a little pouch I have which did not offer a lot of protection. I was returning a pen case, which did not fit my pen since it was an Echo and the case was for the Pulse, to Best Buy when I saw this case. Since I prefer the small A5 notebook to the regular sized single or three subject notebooks, this case is perfect for me. A word of warning, this portfolio only fits the smaller notebook and journals, since Livescribe has not made one for the bigger notebooks. Then again, there are already portfolios for regular sized notebooks, so if you truly need one, you can find one.

Material: I give this a 5/5. The outside is a sort of faux leather material that has a nice feel to it, it is mostly smooth with a slight texture, and it looks nice. The inside is a sort of smooth, but slightly rough fabric. This fabric gives enough cushion and smoothness for the pen to go in, stay in and get out of the holder without the back of the pen being scratched or damaged in anyway. The portfolio looks and feels nice.

Notebook Slot: This gets a 5/5. It is strong enough to hold the notebook in place as you write, but it is easy to slide the cover into and out of the slot. Also, the notebook will not jerk up and down in the slot to any kind of movement, it is stuck in place which is nice because you do not have to worry about it working itself out of the slot.

Side Slots: I give this a 2/5. The slots in the front cover of the portfolio are too small to really hold anything that I need. It would have been nice if they were at least big enough to hold one of the flip notepads or if they were big enough to hold pages from the A5 notebooks. You could put the ink refills there but it was so tight I was afraid they might break. So, for me, these slots are useless because they are too small to hold anything I would like it too.

Bookmark String: This gets a 5/5. This is a nice feature that I have never seen in a portfolio before. The ability to mark where you are in your notebook without having to flip through a bunch of pages is a good feature. I like it and use it a lot.

Elastic Band for the Pen: I give this a 4/5. This does the job of keeping the pen secure to the portfolio. I have not dropped the portfolio yet, but I have walked with it in my hands and the motion of my hand did not cause the pen to move out of the slot. However, the roughness of the band gave me concern when I first saw it and my concern was right on. On the rubber grip, I can see tiny scratches from the band. I would have liked for there to be a smooth cushion to protect the pen from getting scratched. As long as you do not let the band anywhere else but the rubber grip, the rest of the pen will be fine.

Elastic Band for the Covers: I give this a 4½/5. The band keeps the portfolio closed just fine. There is enough elastic in the band for it to hold the portfolio closed if there was nothing in it or if there was more than just a notebook in it. The only thing I would have liked was either a slightly raised area or a small strip to the side that would give you a better grip to remove the band from around the cover. I have really short finger nails so it is sometimes hard to get a grip on the band, it just more annoying than a defect to me.

Cost: This is a 4/5. It could have been cheaper, but the convenience in carrying a notebook around with a safe place to put the pen made it worth the price. It is a nice looking, feeling and well put together portfolio that is worth the price.

Protection: I give this a 5/5. The notebook has held up for the last four months I've had it. I've carried it around in my hands and in my backpack, and the portfolio protects the notebook and pen just fine. I have yet to drop it with the pen inside, so I cannot speak to that. If I ever do, I will edit my review to include my opinion of that. But, I think that the pen will be well protected form a fall.

Overall, the portfolio is a nice accessory for the pen that will allow you to use one item to transport both the pen and the notebook at the same time. It is a good buy at a slightly expensive price that that reason alone.

Buy Livescribe Smartpen Portfolio Now

After reading other reviews here, I said "No way!" Then, while at the LiveScribe store, saw this and went "Yeah. A portfolio AND a pen holder. That's what I need!" Somehow the similarity of the two never connected and so I paid the higher price and the shipping charges there. What others have written is instructive: the SMELL is the first thing that hits you. It is strong so if you've got any type of sensitivity to scent, this is NOT the thing to get. After several days, it's much less but it's still there. Don't marginalize this: I did, to my regret. The size is the other factor. For years, I've taken an 8.5x11 pad portfolio to meetings: this is MUCH smaller you will be buying the 'single subject ring notebooks to fit (the same size as your starter book) but it does hold the pen at least. (LiveScribe owners know there's no pocket clip on the pen so carrying it around with the possibility of it getting lost is a large concern.)

Overall, I could have found other things to spend nearly $30 on frankly but this does fill a niche for a meeting-saturated exec who will have colleagues without a keen sense of smell. Be careful and play with other LiveScribe toys first.

Read Best Reviews of Livescribe Smartpen Portfolio Here

This portfolio makes it simple to carry your LiveScribe pen and your notebooks all in one. I also keep a little packet of refill ink cartridges in one of the business card pockets so I'm never caught without ink. :)

I don't think this is "real" leather, but it looks like leather and so far it's held up very nicely. The LiveScribe journals and spiral notebooks both fit in here perfectly snug, fits like a glove. There is a nice elastic band that holds it shut. Overall, I'm very happy with this!

Want Livescribe Smartpen Portfolio Discount?

Very small, normal paper wont fit such as printer paper for contracts or school work. Has pockets for business cards which is a plus. Material seems to be somewhat durable, shows scuff marks on the outside leather and the felt inside gets dirty quickly.

looks very professional but keep in good condition to maintain the right "look" Needs specific sized journals and holds pen snugly. Would definitely recommend it for people who need to keep a professional appearance or don't want to carry a bunch of notebooks or loose leaf papers.

Save 27% Off