Samsung YP-T7JX 512 MB Digital Audio Player with FM Tuner & Recorder

• Lightweight, multi-format digital audio player with 1.2-inch color LCD
• 512 MB flash memory holds 8 hours of MP3 and 16 hours of WMA audio
• Compatible with MP3, WMA, and PlaysForSure secure WMA
• Integrated voice recorder; FM tuner (with record function); 8 EQ presets; line-in recording
• Internal rechargeable battery with up to 10 hours of life

A good friend of mine who is quite intelligent and geeky but non the less a total luddite relented to the digital age a bit and picked up a laptop for school. He is a lover of music and has literally thousands of CDs scattered around his apartment, so for his birthday I went shopping for an .mp3 player simple enough for him to use. The Samsung YEPP YP-T7X fit the bill nicely.

DESIGN/FUNCTIONALITY

Every bit of the YP-T7X design is well thought out; the case alone, rectangle of matt silver and sky blue about a fourth larger then a Zippo lighter with an equal weight, is wonderfully crafted. The buttons are well laid out, though the play/pause needs to be larger.

A squat, 5-way joystick set below a gorgeous 1.2"x1.2" 65,000-color screen serves as a simple, effective and easily recognized interface, and performs well at the task with no lag and a comforting amount of resistance.

And the screen...what an excellent surprise in such a small device. The menu system takes full advantage of the available 65,000-colors with a series of moving, monotone images that clearly distinguish the various options, making navigation quick and simple. There is a photo viewing option at well, though with the small screen size this is a novelty at best. Disappointing is the fact that the device doesn't support ID3-tagged album art, which would have been an excellent and impressive use of the screen.

A small, retracting loop sits at the top of the case, and the kit comes with a plastic lanyard so that it may be worn around the neck (which I thought was silly, but might be fun for kids). The headphone jack is recessed along the top, left side and the line-in and USB ports are protected by an attached rubber flap that actually manages to stay firmly closed while also being quite easy to open. That alone is a small miracle.

SOUND QUALITY

There are two things you need to do before you listen to this .mp3 player. The first is to throw out the included earbuds. These horrid little pieces of flimsy plastic produce the kind of sound you would expect from earbuds sold behind the counter of a 7-11. They are simply that bad.

The next task is to make sure that the WOW effects are turned on; when off, the sound isn't quite as rich (though after testing, we suspect that you get about an hour less playback time with it on). With a decent of earbuds you will get a clean, rich sound that has only the tiniest amount of hiss at the highest end of the volume setting. And while the volume max is plenty for earbuds, standard headphones may fall a little short with only 10mW output per channel.

FM RADIO

Washington D.C. is notoriously bad for radio signals, but the YP-T7X preformed wonderfully. Stations came in clean and crisp, and procedure for finding and locking in up to 20 radio presets was easy. In fact, I was able to set up all aspects of the device without once cracking open the manual; all the options are presented well and in a simple, easy to navigate structure.

BATTERY LIFE

The posted 10 hour battery life is also disappointing, and my friend claims he gets anywhere from 8-10 hours of actual use with a full charge and the WOW effect turned on.

FEATURES

The YP-T7X comes with an excellent range of features and settings, ranging from the ability to play a wide array of files (MP3, WMA, protected WMA, Ogg Vorbis, and ASF) to the preset EQ settings (Normal, Classic, Jazz, and Rock, as well as the ability to create your own) to the ability to set timed FM recordings.

In addition, there is a list of sound enhancements you can activate to bolster the equalizer, including the afore mentioned WOW effect, TruBass (a bass "augmenter," which fully admit I don't understand, but it sounds good), SRS (surround-sound), and a bass-booster. All of these effects are unique and distinctive, which is surprising for such a small device and much more then some of the larger, hard-drive models have to offer.

You also have a line-in jack that allows direct recording of any device with a headphone jack at a bitrate of up to 192kbs, which is good enough for me but proved just a tad to imperfect for my friend's well-trained ears.

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I got this for christmas. The first time I listened to it I was blown away. It may not have all the high tech video like others ..If that is what you need or want then go spend 300.00 ++ dollars ..Buy this for mowing the lawn,walking or to just get away from the noises of life. You can't beat the price.

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Okay, so it's not an iPod, but I didn't want one anyway. I admit some of the attraction for me in this was the color (I'm a girl, after all) but the TFT screen rocks, the sound quality is terrific, and the size is perfect for sticking into the change pocket of your jeans.

Synching it through Windows Media Player is really easy, although I can't get the date to synchronize correctly. Some of the controls are less than intuitive and I did have to RTFM to figure out how to do some things like add songs to Favorites.

The Photo display is a nice little feature if you want to carry photos with you. You can also use it as a storage device, although since it's only 512Mb you might be better off just using a USB flash drive for portable storage.

Recharging and synching is done via USB/mini-USB, and since so many devices already use the cable, it's convenient to just swap it in and out with phone, headset, etc.

The included ear buds are great; they can't handle more than, say, 30 out of 40 volume, but neither can my ears, so we're all good there.

My one issue is that the jog button occasionally sticks, so we'll see how that pans out over time.

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If your looking for clear high resolution sound then this is it. This player has 3d sound options that make the music sound the way it should it comes alive. Scrap the ear plugs that come with it and get a pair of the shure brand plugs there expensive but really make this unit sound like your there. The color screan is great with great clairity and color quality. The unit is nice and small you can put it any were and not even know its on you. The only down side of it I dont like is the 10 hours of play back on a single charge. Over all I am very happy with it and was blown away with the sound Qualiy with the shure ear plugs. I would buy this unit again.

I like the small size and ease of use. A good value over other MP3 players. The color screen is amazing in its clarity. I like that it holds a good number of pictures plus plenty of songs.

TiVo TCD649080 Series 2 80-Hour Dual Tuner Digital Video Recorder

• Record two basic cable channels, or one basic and one digital cable channel, at once.
• Up to 80 hours of digital audio/video recording capacity (NTSC); works with cable, digital cable, satellite.
• USB and Ethernet ports offer ability to stream digital music and photos from a computer to TiVo and transfer programming to PCs
• TiVo service includes Season Pass, WishList, program guide, digital music, digital photos, and online scheduling
• Everything required for installation is supplied; subscription to TiVo service is additional requirement. An appropriate set top box is needed for digital cable, or satellite.

After years of sticking to a single-tuner model (except for the DirecTv versions), Tivo has finally released a dual-tuner model. For the most part, the only difference between this model and previous Series 2 Tivos is the ability to record two channels at once.

The box keeps the look of the more recent series 2 Tivos, except for a black-accented faceplate. The connections in the rear are laid out largely the same as past versions, with the exception of an ethernet port that has been added for wired networking.

The software has minor changes, particularly slight modifications to the menu background images and the newer "tivo introduction skit" that appears when the tivo is powered on. The software and hardware work smoothly. There seems to be a faster processor included, as navigation through the menus is quick and smooth.

The dual-tuner functions work well. Having grown accustom to the single-tuner model, it took me some time to get used to the ability to change channels while recording (and that what is on screen is not necessarily what is being recorded). It was also pleasant to schedule 25 season passes without a single conflict-such is the benefit of being able to record two shows at once.

But the dual-tuner function needs some explanation. The people who benefit most from the DT function are those who have analog cable without a cable box (as I do). I simply plug in the coax cable into the tivo, and it is ready to go. (Note: there is only one coax input-the signal is split internally and sent to the dual tuners.) If you have a cable box or digital cable, things start to get a bit trickier. In fact, in order to use the dual-tuner feature, you MUST be able to receive at least some channels through an analog cable connection. This means that if you have purely digital cable that requires a digital cable box, you will NOT be able use the dual tuner functions, as there is only one connection allowed between the cable box and tivo. I suggest you go to tivo's website and download the product manual for the DT tivo and read the part about connecting tivo to your cable. If it seems like too big of a hassle, you might want to wait for the series 3 tivos that will include cable-card technology (which allows you to use digital cable without the cable box).

One additional note, tivo has stopped supporting over-the-air antenna tuning with this model. If you hook up an antenna to tivo, it will only receive channels 2-13. Any broadcast channels above 13 will not be received.

And for those who are thinking of "upgrading" this tivo to a larger hard drive-the DT tivo is upgradeable in the same ways that past series 2 models were. I used the standard methods (which are published all over the internet) and replaced the 80GB hard drive with a 250GB one. Upgrading, however, voids your warranty (which is only 3 months anyway).

Overall, I am happy with the DT tivo, but that is in large part due to fact that I receive analog cable without a cable box. Many of you who have been using antennas, cable boxes or digital cable will likely be somewhat less satisfied with this model.

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When I received my new TiVo I rushed right in to install and play with my new "toy". The instructions were clear and I followed them to the letter. Unfortunately, I was unable to get the second of the "dual-tuner" channels working. After many hours and much fiddling I gave up and called customer service. As it turned out my RF input was not working properly; however, I found out something extremely important. New laws require that all signals be digital beginning in 2009. Many providers are currently in the process of changing over now, and according to the customer service rep. the second channel of the "dual channel" system is analog only and therefore useless in the new digital environment. I was not made aware of this fact when I purchased the unit as it would have made a definite difference in my decision to purchase it.

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I have listened to the hype about TIVO for a couple of years now. With the hundred dollar plus rebates on the hardware, as well as substantial discounts on the service, I thought I'd break down and give it a try. Here' my experience...

The Good...

1. Very intuitive user interface for the set-up screens and remote; it could be argued that Tivo is the gold standard for ease of use

2. Very secure packaging of unit

3. Included cabling is of unusally high quality (not Monster cable grade, but still very good for included cabling)

4. Installation directions are very easy to follow (though not as good as Dell's color coded design)

5. There is a 30 day money back guarantee

6. Customer reps are friendly and well trained (and they speak english too!)

The Bad...

1. The front of the box says all required cables are included; the directions state that a second A/V cable -required for the recommended installation method -is "user provided" (i.e., sold separately)

2. The service is not compatible with some VoIP services

3. Though set-up is easy, it is a one to two hour ordeal, requiring multiple visits to websites and countless button presses to ensure interoperablity with the cable box

4. The remote is pretty low tech looking; it also has a lower quality feel tha leads me to belive that I'll be shopping for a replacement in a year or less

The Ugly...

1. They try to get you to sign up for a three year, pre-paid service contract; if after 30 days you find that you don't like/need Tivo, you forteit all that money -ouch!

2. When I attempted to use the website to activate the service, the site was unstable and wouldn't allow me to complete the order. I then called the 800 number for service, where the hold time exceed 25 minutes. Hope I never have cause to call again as this is a totally unacceptable wait time

Net/net: this is a well thought out product that does just what it says it does -enables consumers to watch TV on their terms.

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WOW! My wife bought me this for Father's Day. I'm not a jewelry type of guy, but TiVo is drop-dead freakin' awesome, speechlessly amazing!

If you don't know TiVo: plug it in, let it set itself up, and every time you turn on your set, it quietly records as you watch, so if you get up to take a call or get a snack, no problem: TiVo's got you covered.

Watch "The Dead Zone?" Take a 20 minute break and let TiVo start taping for you: you'll zip through what you don't want and back up to what you want to see again. No tape, no picture loss.

TiVo starts with a 15 second or so guide over your picture of what's on that show, how long and whatever else you need to know; not even "Today Show" is immune from TiVo knowing what's coming up. If you think there's nothing good on, use TiVo to search it all out. Cut your cable back to basic, bud; you'll have more finds with a lot less, guaranteed.

Program what you want to copy via the net. Yahoo! support for photos and junk.

Fandango ticket purchases, movie previews, it will even learn, if you want it to, what you like to watch. Very, very easy to hook up although working it into my LCD TV has yet to figure out what hook up is best, although we rewired it and the picture dramatically improved, so thanks Tivo for showing me a few options that were better!

I do NOT use TiVo's alphabetical directory of shows: slow. I DO use Yahoo! TV guides to just click and pick: fast and easy as pie.

My eMac still can't use TiVo's desktop app, but one'a these days I'll get it working.

Slide shows: better than I thought I'd ever use. Love it!

Check out the newest features and tutorials; you'll just flip and keep flipping.

Recommended: Sign up for the 3-year plan and f'get about it. By the time it's paid up, the next generation of Tivo will be around. It is a safe bet.

Anybody who trash-talks TiVo doesn't know it, so tune out critics and tune in devotees and never, ever miss a good show again.

The dual tuner Tivo is great for standard cable customers. The Tivo can record 2 programs while we watch a pre-recorded program and it allows networking with wired or wireless computers via Tivo Desktop. You should expect to pay about $100/year for the channel guide service. Tivo currently has a 3 years for the price of 2 promotion. This means that 3 years of service cost about $300.

Tivo desktop allows us to transfer files from the Tivo to the larger hard drives in our computer thus extending the 80 hours on the Tivo to over 200 hours. In addition, Tivo desktop allows us to watch programs on our computers anytime we want.

Tivo to Go is a new feature of the Tivo desktop software. For $24.95, Tivo desktop will convert standard Tivo files for playback on PDAs, cell phones and other handheld devces.

The only down sides are the quality of the tuners and the remote control. We clearly see a difference in the picture quality between our TV's tuner and the tuners on the Tivo. The second issue is the remote will not control our Bose surround sound system.

The convenience of the DVR off-sets the quality of the tuners and a third party remote will fix the second problem.

I hope you enjoy your Tivo as much as we enjoy ours.

Livescribe A5 Single Subject Notebooks 4pk

When you receive the Livescribe pen, you get a starter notebook and this is the size of this A5 notebook, except there are thirty more pages than in the starter notebook. If you have yet to buy a smartpen or no longer have the starter notebook, go into a word document and do a page set up, there should be an option for an A5 page and that it the size of the notebook.

Size: I give this a 5/5 because when you are working on a desk with limited space, like a school desk or on with a computer, this size is perfect. Since it is smaller than the three-subject or single-subject notebook of regular sized paper, you can write easier without needing to maneuver the notebook around to write across the page or down at the bottom. Overall, the size is perfect for what I need.

Layout: I give this a 4/5 because the bottom buttons are laid out across two pages since the notebook is small. So, unless you do not fold the notebook in half and leave it opened, you will have to flip to get to the other buttons. There are no margins in the notebook which is a little weird. The last line does not reach all the way across the page; instead, it is indented some to leave room for the menu key. I think they could have taken that line out and put the other buttons onto the page using that space. Near the bottom by the perforated line is1Subject A5 Notebook #: Page #on every page in all four notebooks, which seems weird since there is already a page number at the bottom corner of the page. You can write over it and the writing still shows up, so that is fine, just annoying. But overall, the layout works just fine for a small notebook.

Front and Back Cover: On both covers are four bubbles. The top bubble is a calculator which works just fine if you need something like that. Underneath that is a status bubble (date, time, battery, storage, audio settings, software version) and a settings bubble (date and time, display (brightness, scroll control, left handed, right handed), volume). Below the status bubble is the menu button called the nav plus which looks like a plus sign with arrows on it. I give this a 5/5 because the controls are what you need to do various tasks with your pen.

Cost: I give this a 4½/5 because it is cheaper than the 1 subject notebooks 4 pack, but not by much. I think that this note book could be a little cheaper since it is smaller and has fewer pages than the single-subject. However, for portability, I think that the price is pretty fair for what it is.

Overall this notebook is a good buy. It is more portable than the 3 or 1 subject notebooks that are regular sized as it can easily be slipped into a purse or a cargo pocket, and it won't take up a lot of space in a briefcase or backpack. If you are looking for something smaller and lighter than an 8½" by 11" options, but big enough to write a lot, then this notebook is for you.

Bite the bullet and purchase these when you purchase the LiveScribe pen so you are ready to go. When I purchased my first pen, I did not realize the notebooks were needed.

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I'm glad to see Amazon has started carrying these books. Previously I had purchased them on the Livescribe site and had to pay postage.

Having used both the full sized notebook that came with my Pulse pen and the elegant smaller bound ones, I have to say the spiral bound A5 books are my all time favorite.

This size makes it nice to sit at a conference room table and take notes with my laptop next to me and not take up too much room. The spiral allows you to fold the book in half. Though I really liked the elegant smaller bound ones they took up twice the width in use and had to be held open (not hard to do, as they were nicely made).

Another thing I have noted is the price for these notebooks in general is comparable to high quality notebooks without the ability to use the Livescribe pen. I can't complain about that.

I've noted for my purposes these books would hold about 4 months of meeting notes, so a pack of 4 would be a years supply.

Note however, that I have 3 books going at all time. 1. for work. 2. for personal 3. for a journal. So if you combine all these you might go through one quicker. If I were a student all bets would be off as I was a prodigious note taker. For me writing stuff down was a way of remembering things. Just sharing this to set a reference for usage.

The only way I would improve upon these would be to have a built in folder, if I wanted to store other papers and a means of noting your progress in the book, so I could quickly turn to the last page I was on. I close the book when carrying, so as not to damage the pages.

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I bought the starter pac and it only comes with a couple of sheets of paper. Make sure to buy some paper. Order it all together and save the shipping. You will need it.

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Not only is this highly overpriced for some paper, but the spirals are not correctly made. They hook themselves together in my backpack, because the factory did not finish looping the last spiral into itself. Also, they put the back cover in front of the front cover, so I can't fold the notebook in half and use it on a small desk, because the spirals will "pop" and the paper will fall out.

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Zmodo DVR-H9008UL-1TB 19-Inch Monitor with Built-In 8-Channel Pentaplex Real Time Network DVR with

I purchased this unit on Amazon in the beginning of Oct 2010. I ordered it on a Monday and had it the next day (didn't even pay for 1 day shipping). We've been having a lot of problems with teenage punks in the neighborhood breaking into cars, kicking doors, stealing lawn ornaments and they destroyed some of my property. I liked that this was a security monitor with a built in 1 TB security system DVR. Set up was super easy. Just plug in the power and it starts right up. No programing or installation of programs required. I just had to set the date and time. I believe this is a Chinese built system with an office in the US. The manual is a lot better written than most of the Chinese made items I've purchased through the years. I have 4 different Q-See cameras hooked up, also a Zmodo camera and a Swann camera to this unit. All six work without problems on this machine. You can view one camera at a time or four or all eight, or set the system to rotate through the cameras. It comes with a mouse and it is easy to use it to point and click on the monitor. The included remote control also functions well, but it is much easier to use the mouse to navigate through the menus. You can easily adjust camera settings (brightness/contrast/Hue/Saturation) from the monitor. You can also program the cameras and system to only record when motion is detected. I don't have any audio on the cameras so I can't tell you about sound quality. The playback search of recorded video took a little getting used to, but it is very easy once you get the hang of it. It only fast forwards/reverses in 16x speed, so a one hour recorded block can take several minutes to get through so it would take you a while to go through several cameras worth of recordings. You can backup video you want to save on a USB thumb drive. The format is .264 so you have to convert it to .avi (or some other format) to view it on a regular computer or burn it to a CD/DVD. The system comes with a CD that has a converter program. It is easy and quick and does a good job converting the video to .avi format. I'm trying to find a program that I can edit (cut) .avi video, but for some reason they don't recognize the converted .avi video from the included program. If you are looking for an all-in-one security DVR system for a decent price ($505 in 10/10, which was the cheapest I could find it). I'd give this a shot. I have not played with the remote internet viewing or mobile phone viewing yet, but will at a later date. I probably should have gone for the system that included 8 cameras for an extra $225, but I wanted better 6mm cameras with more infrared LEDs than the ones (3.6mm) included in the complete package. Again overall a nice system that is very easy to set up and use.

Product arrived without a power adapter. Only option available was to return entire package and have them ship a new one. Ordered the adapter elsewhere to avoid the hassle. Not really much of a review, just a forum to vent.

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Sony RDR-HX900 DVD Recorder with 160 GB Hard Disk Recorder

• Universal DVD-R/DVD-RW, DVD+R/+RW recorder and player with built-in 160 GB hard-disk drive
• Record up to 5 hours of audio/video content per single-sided 4.7 GB DVD; record and store up to 204 hours/8.5 days of AV content on the HDD
• High-speed dubbing from HDD to DVD (up to 24x)
• Front-panel i.Link digital interface (DV/D8) provides simple, high-quality connection to camcorders
• Timer recording with advanced electronic program guide

About a year and a half ago, I purchased Sony's first DVD recorder, the GX7. I have been very satisfied with it and it has let me burn about 200+ discs with almost no problems (see my review of the GX7). However, the GX7 does not have a hard drive and when I wanted to eliminate commercials from programs for archival purposes, I had to actually watch the program and hit the pause button at the breaks. I was hoping Sony would come out with a recorder with a hard drive which would allow me to edit out commercials without having to watch the entire program (this primarily relates to old sporting events and shows I have on VHS tapes). With its new HX900 model, I have gotten my wish.

The HX900 has a massive 160GB hard drive which will allow me to record a lot of programs. It also has six recording qualities (1, 1.5, 2, 3, 4 and 6 hour). I usually use the 1, 1.5 and 2 hour modes depending on the program I want to record, but I have actually used and been satisfied with the 3 hour mode as well (but not with the 4 hour mode, picture quality degrades significantly and I assume is even worse in 6 hour mode). For my VHS to DVD conversion, I'll pop in a tape in my VCR and set the HX900 timer to record for however long the program is on the VHS tape (with usually a little extra time). Then I'll step away from the machine and let the show record to the hard drive. Later, I'll use the editing function (the "A B Erase" function) to eliminate unwanted elements of the programs (i.e. commercials, halftime shows for football games). I'd say it takes about 10 minutes of editing for every hour of programming, which I hope to reduce with experience. After I'm done editing, I'll dub to DVD+R discs (the unit accepts DVD+RW, DVD-R and DVD-RW, as well) at the same quality as I recorded the program to the hard drive. This allows for a "Fast" dubbing where a 2 hour program can be burned to disk in about 10 minutes. If you try to mix recording qualities, it takes much longer to dub. I've already converted about 15 of my 175 tape VHS collection to DVD since I got the unit at Christmas and hope to be done converting all of them by the end of the year, something I wouldn't have been able to do with the GX7 (I wouldn't have the patience). The time saved justifies the premium price of the unit in my book.

I do have some gripes. Unless you use the "VR" recording mode, all edits must be made on the original program on the hard drive (in other words, you can't record a program on the hard drive and then make edits without affecting that program). So if you've been editing a program and then you make a mistake and accidentally edit something out you didn't want to, you are out of luck. You'll either have to rerecord the program to the hard drive (assuming the source was a VHS program or a Tivo program you had saved). But if it is recorded directly from cable to the hard disk and you make an error, sorry, you'll have to hope for the program to come on again. I have decided that if I have a program that I know I want to archive, I'll record it to the hard drive, but I'll also record it to my Tivo unit, so I have a backup just in case I screw up in editing the hard drive copy (the quality is better with a direct record to the hard drive than recording from Tivo, but at least I'll have something). "VR" mode allows you to keep the original program on disk and to make the edits on DVD, but discs burned this way cannot be played on other DVD players whereas disks I create my way can be played on other players after they are finalized. I think this makes VR mode implausible for archiving purposes (what if your HX900 breaks, there is no guarantee that you'll be able to play your discs again).

I also don't care for the TV Guide programming guide that is built into the program because the DVD recorder has to be shut off in order to download the guide (I route all my electronics through it to get to the TV, so turning it off makes it impractical (I just use Tivo as my guide and manually record to the DVD recorder). If you do get the guide downloaded, it only shows two half-hour blocks on the screen, plus only about ¼ of my cable channels, so there is lots of scrolling. Not a big selling point for me.

All-in-all, I'm happy with the HX900. Yeah, it would be great if it were $200 to $300 cheaper, but that's still some time away. I think the time I'll save in converting stuff to DVD will be great.

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I've had my Sony RDR-HX900 for about two and a half months now.

This is the first DVR I've owned (previously only VCRs), and I was

primarily attracted to it for the ability to store a large number of

recordings. I'm the type of person who abhors "appointment TV" I

watch when I want to watch. I also like having the ability to pause

for any number of reasons, and come back later.

First, my overall opinion is that I definitely recommend this unit. It

is not, however, a perfect design. There are pros and cons that should

be weighed, and compared with whatever else competes on the market. Much

of the information below can be read in the manual, which you can

download in PDF format.

There are 7 quality settings available HQ+, HQ, HSP, SP, LP, EP,

and SLP. They are described in the manual by the approximate length of

video that one can store on a single DVD, and on the hard drive. Per

DVD, HQ allows 1 hour, HSP 1.5 hours, SP 2 hours, LP 3 hours, EP 4

hours, and SLP 6 hours. HQ+ is only available for hard drive

recording, and uses about 50% more space than HQ. It is a setup option

to use HQ+ instead of HQ, while other speeds are looped through in

succession with a button press.

The difference in quality between HQ and SLP is very obvious. The

difference between adjacent quality modes is difficult to detect. I

was able to see differences between HQ+, HQ, on down the line, but only

when trying to find them. I've come to settle into using whichever

recording mode will allow the program to fit on a DVD, in case I

decide to dub it later. For things which I've no intention of

dubbing (weekly recordings, for example), I use SP mode.

Dubbing allows copying between the hard drive and DVD. Normal DVD

Video titles cannot be dubbed onto the hard drive. As near as I can

tell, only titles created by this recorder (or perhaps other Sony DVD

recorders) can be dubbed from DVD to the hard drive.

There are two types of dubbing fast dubbing, and slow dubbing. Fast

dubbing is only available when copying the video data directly from

the hard drive to DVD, which means no quality conversions. That means

that only recordings which fit on a single DVD without being re-encoded

can be dubbed in fast mode (e.g. a 1-hour program recorded at HQ, a

2-hour program recorded at SP, etc.). When a conversion is required

(or chosen), the recorder re-encodes at real-time speed. For some unknown

reason, dubbing from DVD to the hard drive always takes place at real-time

speed. It would be simple to do a direct read at maximum speed from

the DVD, but this device insists on actually recording to the hard

drive instead of copying.

Because the encoder can only work at real-time speed, non-fast dubs are

pretty inconvenient, especially considering the fact that while

dubbing, you can do basically nothing with the recorder. You cannot

record to the hard drive or play existing recordings. Programmed

recordings will not start while dubbing. This is probably the most

irritating limitation of this unit.

Another dubbing-related limitation is that you can't split a single

hard drive title among several DVD's (in case you want to preserve a

quality level, say, or the recorded title is actually two programs that

you want on separate discs). I don't have a killer need for this

feature, but it's an obvious omission that may be important to someone.

In most other respects, however, it's an able multi-tasker. You can

watch titles previously recorded while recording on the hard drive, and

can even watch a title still being recorded (wait 15 minutes after that

network show starts, then begin watching and skip all commercials).

You can watch a DVD as well, of course, and supposedly can watch a

title on a DVD-RW while another title is being recorded (untested by

me). However, during a recording, the only editing function available

is changing a title name. You can't erase a title, so you had better

make sure there's enough space before the recording starts.

None of the recorder functions behave any differently when the unit is

turned off, except of course for playing.

Media support is another important feature in a DVD recorder. This

unit supports both the DVD Forum standard media (DVD-R/RW), and the

DVD+R/RW media from the DVD+RW Alliance (which was created because of

the exhorbitant licensing fees charged by the DVD Forum). I've

recorded on DVD-R, DVD+R, and DVD+RW media no DVD-RW media to test.

With -R/+R, the maximum write speed is 4x, and with +RW media, the

maximum write speed is 2.4x (which is 14 minutes and 24 minutes write

time for a full DVD, respectively). The maximum speed only applies when

fast dubbing.

One killer feature (for me) is the set top box controller, which is an

IR emitter that can change channels on a cable or satellite controller

box (but not turn the box on you must leave it on). For me, that

means I can program the recording of non-broadcast channels of my

digital cable service. However, it's an all-or-nothing thing. You

configure the unit to either use the box controller, or its internal

tuner. You cannot use both. It's a shame, too, because it'd be useful

to have the recorder use the built-in tuner whenever possible, so

casual TV watching isn't interrupted when doing a programmed recording.

The TV Guide system is supposed to download program listing information

while the recorder is turned off. There's no data in my area, and it

says in the manual that no digital system (satellite or digital cable)

supports TV Guide listing data. For those that have it, it looks to be

a fairly simple way to program recordings (select the show in the

listing grid).

I must (and prefer to use) manual timer recording, which is still done

through the TV Guide system screens. The timer entry screen is

functional enough, but not especially good compared to some of the VCR

timer screens I've used. The one good thing is that there's room for

30 timer recording entries more than other devices seem to have.

Beyond some playlist editing features that only work with DVD-RW media,

the three primary editing functions are changing the title name,

erasing the title completely, and erasing a section of the title (A-B

erase).

Title editing is done via a text-entry screen which is anything but

convenient to use, though it's not horrid once you get used to it. I

think making it look like a QWERTY keyboard would have been much more

efficient.

The A-B Erase function is very simple. All play controls are available

when selecting the start and end points. All erasing is confirmed, and

cannot be undone. I primarily get rid of junk at the beginning and end

of movies I record, which frees up some space until I watch them and

erase them completely. It can also be used to remove commercials from

a network program.

As a DVD player, this Sony is fairly modest in features. There are

three fast-forward/reverse speeds, FF1-FF3 (approximately 1.5x, 12x,

and 150x). There are two buttons called Instant Replay and Instant

Advance. The former skips back 10 seconds, with no display while it's

skipping. The latter fast-forwards at FF2 for 25 seconds. There's no

A-B repeat feature (if you want a scene to replay over and over), and

no zoom. You can toggle the angle and subtitles with a button press.

Despite its spartan playback options, it is very good at reading

damaged, defective, and marginal DVDs (something an old Sony DVD player

I have is horrible at). One defective DVD (since replaced) that

screeched to a halt on an old JVC player, and a newer Sony DVD/VCR

combo player, did nothing but imperceptibly skip with this unit (I only

know it skipped because the on screen play indicator flashed -

automatic status displays can be disabled, if such a thing would bother

you).

That concludes my review. It's a bit long, but I figure people might

appreciate some detailed information before plunking down $700 for a

piece of electronics.

Read Best Reviews of Sony RDR-HX900 DVD Recorder with 160 GB Hard Disk Recorder Here

I've been waiting for a standalone DVD-Recorder for a long while as I find converting my MiniDV Tapes to DVDs on PC is too tedious process.

I've tried some high-end Panasonic and Toshiba models which I think are very good too but lack style and video quality found in this Sony model. So, I wouldn't complain about the price of this model as if you shop around you can get it for less than $700.00.

Many might complain about lack of features like recording a long title into multiple DVDs. For me that was never a problem as I can have them as different titles so I can record each titles to seperate DVD. It basically has all the features we ever get to use.

It's still not the perfect DVD Recorder I dreamed to have as it's far from what we can do on a DVD Recorder using PC. But the bottomline is, the video and audio qaulity is the best I've seen from any high-end recorders from Panasonic or Toshiba and it has great style and finish. It might also easily end-up being your best DVD Player.

I've been using it almost on a regular basis now for over 2-months and I have to say, I kind of mastered enough not to find any issues. The user iterface is very sleek and simple to understand. Quality is almost as good as the source recorded.

Want Sony RDR-HX900 DVD Recorder with 160 GB Hard Disk Recorder Discount?

I bought my HX900 2 months ago and have about 25 fully edited 3hour(LP mode)DVDs of network TV under my belt so far. I've read all the reviews to date and would like to add some observations not yet mentioned. Even though I am generally very happy with the unit, I'm focusing on some of the subtler negatives that may influence some prospective buyers and avoid some gnashing-of-teeth after purchase.

Picture quality is excellent. Network TV recorded at LP quality is nearly indistinguishable from the broadcast (and I have a very good antenna). The unit seems to clean up snow and other glitches. Dubbing at the maximum 8x speed is to DVD-R's only and is quick (15 min for 3 hour DVD) and almost completely flawless. The only transfer error I've found occurs if you alter the title name or any menu information on the DVD-R before you finalize it; Then it won't run on a standard DVD player, and mine is a SONY DVD player, so I doubt it's a compatibility problem.

The editing is good, but not great. The concerns in other reviews are overblown about the permanence of the the A-B editing. The marking of points A and B are simple and intuitive and can be adjusted to a specific frame. I've done several hundred commercial deletions at this point and not a single unwanted deletion yet, and I am now hitting remote keys quite quickly. The A-B editing leaves a 'tail' starting about a quarter to a half second before the 'B' mark, making precise edits tricky. There is a processing time of 10-15 seconds for each A-B delete, so it still takes 8-12 minutes to edit a one-hour network program even when you get good at it. The next version of the firmware should include multiple edits. Also, you can't split a title into chapters. What I've done, is duplicate the whole title to a DVD+RW working disk, then copy back to the hard disk (which occurs at 1x speed only) then do A-B editing on the two copies separately to create chapters: quite time consuming.

Finally, managing all your titles on the hard disk is tedious. I have 120 titles at LP quality and still have 50 gigabytes of space left. There are no subdirectories for the titles so collecting all my "West Wing" titles for dubbing takes 2-3 minutes when in full-display mode. You can speed it up by displaying only the title names, but then it's hard to tell what show it is without the thumbnails. Then after dubbing, it doesn't remember which shows you dubbed, and you have to reselect through the exact same process to delete the titles. It should offer a "delete after dubbing" option or leave the shows selected. You can creatively use the title sorting by date or alphabetically to jump up or down the list more quickly.

The final archived DVD-Rs are wonderful, including a menu selection that works on any DVD player I've tried.

After weighing up the pro's and cons ...and PRICE!!,I am very tight fisted and very fussy!! I went for it. The guy at the Sony shop matched my best online price, so quite a saving from RRP.

The set up is a doddle,except if you live in the UK check that you have set country to ' I ' as this is correct for the UK.

Basic setting up is much like a VCR and playback and recording functions are very very straight forward. I was editing my Panasonic Digital Camcorder within 1/2 an hour of opening the box.

Recording onto hard disc from Video tape or even a recorded DVD ( from another system ) did not pose any problems at all and infact the end product from a Video tape was better than the original source.

Lableing the HDD ( hard drive ) again is a simple process, it walks you through it.

When using this item, you get the feeling that everything has been already thought of and you fell like a well cared for child!!

The picture quality through my SONY KV32FX68 is magnificent, I couldn't ask for more.

It gives you the facility to record something to the HDD, watch something else you have recorded to the HDD and then watch what you have already started recording from the beginning while it is still recording...Cool!!!!

The only drawback I have found so far ( and this is still early for me as I only got the unit yesterday )is connecting to an Amp/ Reciever. I have been using a SONY DVP725s connected through an STR DB930 amp/reciever. I got superb 5.1 digital and DTS ( where applicable ) On connecting the HX900, I used an optical cable into the back of the STR DB930. NO 5.1!!! and DTS on US dics ( coz I got it chipped )NO DTS on UK discs (again where aplicable ) I have emailed Sony Support and am waitig to hear, proberbly something I havent set yet.

Over all, all I can say is BUY ONE!!!! you wont regret it

Opteka Gold Plated high speed HDMI to mini-HDMI 6' Cable For Canon Vixia HF M30, M31, M32, M40, M41

not much to expand on, but i will say this cable has done exactly what it is supposed to do. if you're looking to transfer files from a camcorder or camera at high speeds....this is the cable for you

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Mede8er MED500X High Definition Multimedia Player 1080P DTS MKV

• Play just about everything ....on your TV
• Direct Transfer from your Camcorder to the Mede8er
• Real easy Home Photo slide show with music.
• Modern and simple HD User Interface.
• Listen to Live Internet Radio

This is an excellent media player with top notch support. It can support up to a 2TB SATA II hard drive. You can also stream right from your computer over your local area network. I would suggest if you are going to stream, find a free NFS server like Hanewin. You can stream over UPNP, but the NFS server sends the data faster so you will have very few glitches. The server is easy to setup and there is a lot of info over at the med8ator forums, the company that makes this device. The only files that ever glitch over my wired network are 1080p blu rays at a very high bitrate and true-hd audio or DTS-HD master audio. These are the lossless highest quality audio files just like what they play at the movie theater. This media play does support these files as well so if you have an amp that supports these latest formats it will play them in full quality and not downsample them like some of the other media players out there. Any that are too high of a bit rate to play through my network, I just copy onto my 2TB hard drive I installed in the unit. Takes about 5 mins to install. I have read that with the wireless n dongle that is an option for this unit it will stream just as well as a wired network, but I cannot verify this as I already wired my house with CAT6 cable to have the most stable connections possible to all of my various devices in the living room. You can also copy to a usb stick or external usb 2.0 hard drive as the unit has 2 usb 2.0 ports and they are plenty fast enough to play any video file perfectly.

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This is a wonderful media player and makes life much easier. You chose a hard drive of preferred capacity and enjoy the show! The hardware buttons and an optional keyboard is all a nice addition.

Read Best Reviews of Mede8er MED500X High Definition Multimedia Player 1080P DTS MKV Here

I bought this product expecting to have a excellent multi media player for a good price.When I received the product I plugged it in and guess whatnothing. There is no internal hardware installed.I went through the ad and nowhere does it state that the hard drive is not included.Which makes this product very expensive and not worth buying now.

Sony DVP-NS700P Progressive-Scan DVD Player

• Progressive-scan DVD player with 3:2 pulldown for faithful image reproduction
• Plays CD, DVD, CD-R/RW, and Video CD formats
• Digital video equalization and enhancement improves contrast and picture detail
• Component video, 2 S-video, and 2 composite video outputs, plus optical and coaxial digital outputs
• Dolby Digital and DTS outputs; virtual surround sound

The magazine reviews rightfully claim this to be the best progressive scan DVD player under $1,000. You can use it as a regular DVD player at 480i or click a setting and see a true progressive scan 480p. The difference is breathtaking. Then you can tailor other settings to extend the range digitally, to your own liking.

After seeing the competitors from JVC, Philips, and others near this price point, I felt bad for the rest. It's not just the picture. Many of the features that used to be buried in menus are now buttons on the remote such as Subtitle languages, Audio Options, camera angle, Noise Reduction, etc. The instant replay option is great fun. The Surround sound options are also an easy to find button and include all the current options (Dolby 5.1, PCM, DTS, etc.) The DTS sound was amazingly better than our previous DVD player.

As one reveiwer pointed out, don't buy this DVD unless you have or expect to have HiScan or HDTV which will have the composit video inputs that progressive scan DVD players need. You also get a variety of outputs for 5.1, RCA, SVideo, digital fiber optic, and digital coax so you should no trouble outputting the sound to your receiver. If you have a choice, use digital coax, if not digital optical to really hear the DTS come alive.

Buy Sony DVP-NS700P Progressive-Scan DVD Player Now

My first DVD player was a first generation Sony player which worked very well indeed. Time marches on. Now Sony (and others) are offering Progressive Scan players that (combined with an HDTV) provide twice the video resolution of non-progressive models. What's not to like? Soon most players will be progressive scan, but it seems to me that Sony stays at the leading edge of electronics development and executes their designs with more precision than other companies. Be sure you get a machine that performs 2:3 (sometimes called 3:2) pulldown as does this Sony. That provides a better picture for DVD's that were made from movies. If you are a movie buff you really want this type of DVD player. Just remember that you need an HDTV to take advantage of it's best features.

Read Best Reviews of Sony DVP-NS700P Progressive-Scan DVD Player Here

As has been previously mentioned, you really do need an HDTV to take full advantage of this product's capabilities.

On the other hand, it can be utilized with any top quality

monitor with outstanding results.

In either case the picture quality is most outstanding

crisp, clean, everything one could desire in such a player.

You could certainly pay more for a DVD Player but you would be hard pressed to find one of such quality at this price.

In fact there is very little difference in picture quality between this and units costing much more.

I consider it a real bargain. I have looked at nearly every

comparable unit and many costing substantially more.

In my opinion you can't go wrong with the Sony NS700P.

I have already done the research. Of course everyone has

a different perspective but you owe it to yourself to check this one out!

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I just replaced a 2+ year old Sony 550 DVD with the 700P. My DVD collection has never had it so good. My first spin was Pearl Harbor. WWOOOOOWWW If you've never seen 480P on a 61" Sony HDTV....well, trust me, the picture is fantastic. The enclosed remote runs the DVD, my Sony 940 Receiver, and my HDTV..at least enough features that I can make all the needed selections. I didn't notice any improvement in sound for PCM, DTS or DD5.1 but I've always been happy with the sound qualities of my receiver.

Downside?..I wish the face was black rather than silver as all of my components, except the DVD are black.

One of the leading audio magazines reportedly claimed that the 700P coupled the a Sony HDTV was a dream combination....I would concur.

This is my third DVD player. I wore out two Sony S360's and was reluctant to go with another Sony after the others were unreliable. But I've had this player for a few months now and it is worlds sturdier and higher quality than the previous generation Sony players.

I have a 36" Sony Wega without progressive scan capability, but I do have component video. The picture is amazing with the component video... I can't imagine how it could get better with progressive scan. I'm sure it would, but my point is that I am more than satisfied with this player in interlaced mode.

I like some of the new features like the instant replay (it goes back a few seconds automatically, which is good for when you are watching a movie and miss a line or can't understand what someone said) and the better sounding DTS. The DVD tray also has a nice sturdy feel to it, as opposed to the older model where I was worried it would snap off every time I hit eject.

The only thing I don't like is that they haven't really improved the remote. Aside from a couple of extra buttons (one for noise reduction, the instant replay key, etc) and the fact that a few of the buttons supposedly glow in the dark, they have actually detracted from it in a way. On the older Sony remote, there is one button for TV power and one button for DVD power. Now there is one button for both and a little switch you have to slide back and forth to determine whether you are controlling the DVD or TV. Fortunately, my old remote works with the new player so I sometimes find myself using that one.

All in all, I did a lot of research while looking for a new player and I am convinced that there is not a better buy out there at this price, whether you use the progressive scan or not.

Sony GV-D200 Digital 8mm Portable Video Recorder

• The Sony GV-D200 is an ultra portable VCR for recording and playing Digital-8 format videocassette tapes
• Also plays Hi-8 and regular 8mm videocassettes
• Integrated 20-segment assemble editing allows editing of up to 20 assembled scenes at a time
• Built-in IEEE1394 FireWire iLink interface port allows easy and direct connectivity
• Composite ports allow tapes to be viewed on any TV

If you are like me and have tons of old 8mm (or Hi8) tapes lying around, this 8mm Walkman is perfect. I upgraded to MiniDV but forgot to transfer my old 8mm tapes before giving my Canon 8mm camcorder away, so with this I'm not stuck with useless tapes. It plays back regular 8mm, Hi8, and also Sony's Digital8 formats. You can hook it up to a VCR or TV, and even to a DV-savvy PC. I capture my 8mm videos to my Fujitsu LifeBook C2210 laptop, using Windows Movie Maker 2 (download for free on Microsoft's website). I'm now about 40% done with transfering my old tapes, but I also enjoy hooking this up to my TV and playing back old tapes and re-living old memories. Ah, how time just flies...

Buy Sony GV-D200 Digital 8mm Portable Video Recorder Now

I am in the middle of a project to get all my many "old" Regular 8 and Hi-8 recordings onto hard drives and thence onto DVD's. In the midst of all this old my Sony CVD-1000 died on me, and I have, over the years, spent too much on repairs for it. This led me to the Digital 8mm Walkman. I have NOT used it, and will not use it, for RECORDING (I do not record in Digital 8 format). But for playback it is superb. I am very pleased with what it does. very. I suspect that some of my satisfaction comes from the Sony introduction of video-processing circuitry, which evidently cleans up the images remarkably. However, there is a price: some of my "pans" now involve a degree of blurring, which I do not think are present when played "unprocessed". But I have decided I am more than willing to accept this negative in face of the excellent video I am now capturing. So my five stars are based SOLELY on playback. One can cut out the video processing if one wishes; it is quite easy. Incidentally, the small size of this unit is a welcome plus; my workbench is already quite crowded with equipment, and I appreciate the Walkman's very small footprint greatly!

Read Best Reviews of Sony GV-D200 Digital 8mm Portable Video Recorder Here

This device has at least prosumer level recording and playback capabilities. I hooked it up to my 3CCD camera and the results were extremely satisfying when using the Digital 8 mode. It hooks right up to the computer with the 1394 connect and I can extract capture points, fast forward, rewind etc. by clicking the mouse. It supports 625 Horizontal lines of resolution which exceeds my hi-end camera and I can not express enough the clarity of the image. No specks of colored snow or artifacts dancing in the dark areas of the image as I previously had with my pro level SVHS recorder, only crisp, smooth, detailed image rendering. The sound quality is also excellent. For what I wanted it for,, it is better than perfect and for what I will also use it for it is a blessed device.. I highly recommend this recorder/player to anyone needing portability, quality, and professional results for mastering to video tape and of coarse for playback.. The only thing that scares me about this device is how light and small it is,, but at the same time, it's exactly what I need. Hope this info helps someone out there in deciding. Peace..

Want Sony GV-D200 Digital 8mm Portable Video Recorder Discount?

Of the many reasons one might purchase this item, I bought it for just one. To transfer my Hi8 & 8mm home video to a hard drive before my tapes deteriorated any more. With its built in Time Base Corrector ( TBC ) and Digital Noise Reduction ( DNR ) I was able to output a DV signal "FROM THE DECK" and get ( in my opinion ) the highest quality transfer available.

There are other options available to do these transfers. One is to buy a Digital 8 camcorder that will output your analog tapes to DV. However, I'm not aware of any of these cameras being built anymore so you would need to buy a used camera. Many people go this route with excellent results. It certainly is a cheaper option than buying the Sony deck but you are buying a used product and can't be sure of it's condition. I bought the more expensive NEW deck choosing to pay for peace of mind. Either way you go you can sell your transfer deck or camcorder once you've finished your project and recoup some of the original expense. Another route is a transfer service which has the potential to be very expensive. My research into this tells me most services would not be using equipment of any higher quality than the Sony or even the camcorder option. Those few that do use hi end transfer decks are using older machines since they haven't built new ones for some time now. Even if they are well maintained and up to spec they will be outputting an analog signal before going through an Analog to Digital converter. I'm not sure quality wise they could do any better than the Sony and again it could be quite expensive.

If there was a down side to the Sony it would be you can not view the menu from your computer. You must use an extra monitor for that. I did not find this a big deal. Also, it seems every time you put in a new tape you have to turn off the deck for about 5 seconds for the computer to recognize it. Again, once you figure it out it's not a big deal. Other than that it was real easy to use. I spent a lot of time researching this. I transferred almost 1 terabyte worth of video. I was very happy with the deck. Some of these tapes were 20 years old and although some gave me trouble I was able to transfer every bit of footage. I did purchase a Sony dry type head cleaner and used it. About $30.00. I hope my research and review helps someone out there. Thanks, Steve.

May be the last of its type to play both analog 8 and digital 8. Have been told Sony's newer digital8 camcorders are not backward compatible! Only drawback to this item (our business now has 4 of them) is that as they age, the circuit boards start to give the wrong instructions, i.e., our oldest model will often go into record mode when hitting "play." Suggest you always close record tab (why did Sony reverse the record tab procedure that other tape formats use????) before hitting play and the problem will not occur. This has been a vital item for our video transfer business, but not necessarily an item the average consumer needs.

D-Link MediaLounge High-Definition Media Player (DSM-510)

First off, I'd like to say that I firmly believe that digital media players similar to this one are the future of digital home entertainment. A simple and inexpensive device like that allows you to stream digital media to your home theater from your laptop, desktop or a dedicated media server located anywhere in your house. This is a great idea. This technology is here to stay. It's just a question of maturity. And, sorry to say, D-Link DSM-510 is not quite there yet.

I truly liked its design simplicity. There are no frills, but all essentials are there WiFi, Ethernet, HDMI, optical audio and USB port. Exactly what I needed, no more and no less, in a small and neatly done package with clean and straightforward user interface.

However, the device is palgued by fimware bugs that eventually made me take it back to the store where I bought it.

First, the most obvious and the most stupid one is the absence of the on/off indicator. The blue light on the front panel goes on once the power adapter is connected and remanis lit whether the device is turned on or off. So you have to turn your TV on to tell whether it's on or off.

Second, there's no on/off or reset button on the front panel. Well... there's no buttons whatsoever, period. And boy, will you miss that reset button now and then. The only way to turn it on or off is by using remote control.

The most annoying thing is, the device's video output goes completely dark for no apparent reason once in a while and won't come back even if you power cycle it using remote. The device appears to be alive (you can ping it), but video output remains black no matter what you do. The only way to remedy from this is to physically disconnect power supply (there's no reset or power button, remember?)

I upgraded to the latest firmware version (1.01), but to no avail. By the way, firmware upgrade is done via Internet and went very smoothly, although at some point you're left wondering if it's hung up or what? Just be patient and wait for a couple of minutes for it to finish.

I'm really surprised and disappointed that D-Link's QA have not caught this nasty "black screen" problem. Hopefully, it can be fixed with a firmware patch. But until then, the DSM-510 goes back to the store shelf.

And D-Link, take note. If you want to enter consumer market, you have to change your attitude. Consumers are less forgiving than computer geeks you sell your networking stuff to. They won't tolerate bugs that require reaching behind the box and pulling the power cord.

Like the previous review, I also think that Digital Media is the way of the future. I had high hopes for this device as it support DVR-MS format, except, it does not. Your home PC needs to transcode the DVR-ms files in order for the DSM to work. Said another way you better have one fast PC.

Now to the problems. It looses sound quite often easy to fix by just turning power off/on, but after the 10th time that gets old.

As reported before the screen goes blank every once in a while only way is to un-plug power.

The quality is bad. First unit I got was DOA. Second unit worked for 4 weeks then started to default to Analog output whenever you power it down. So then you have to plug the analog cable in, change the setting to digital and never turn it off.

Customer Support. It only took me 1 hour to go through the normal service desks to be forewarded to their expert level support. But there is nothing to do. His advice return it to the store as their service call take quite long.

This experience was bad enough that I'll most likley never buy D-link again or at least until there are enough review to warrant oterhwise.

Stay clear!

Buy D-Link MediaLounge High-Definition Media Player (DSM-510) Now

Finally, something I can recommend: the Dlink DSM-510. Here's my story.

My wife bought me DSM-510 around Thanksgiving for this Christmas. They had it on sale. I did lots of research before hand to ensure that I knew what I was doing. I was going to ensure that the firmware on the unit was upgraded to v1.07. Problem was this unit was fubarred. I turned on with the Dlink screen and then went black. No video no nothing. The only way to get the unit to work again was to unplug it and wait acouple of minutes before plugging it back in. Regardless of what I tried. The Dlink screen would come one and something I could get alittle further into the next screen and then the video would go out. Back for a full refund. I found out that this particular unit was purchased and returned twice. I told them not to try to resell this brick.

I purchased a new one it was a different story. I plugged it in to the TV. It came on and went searching for the wireless network. I put in the wpa passcode was immediately connected. I had previously download TVerisity on my pc. Started the server and shared my media drives. I even went into the Windows firewall and made an exception for Tversity. Everything seemed to work on the network PCs but the DSM still could not see the TVersity server. It turns out that the you also have to go into your router and open up the port 41952. After I did this the DSM-510 saw the server and all my share folders and files. I had set TVersity profile to DSM-510 and while i could see the share divx/avi files they were grayed out and inaccessible. After searching on the TVersity forums and here on avsforum, I got the answer from a thread by tonedeafdan. You have to change the profile.xml file in the TVersity software application.

Open profiles.xml with Notepad or Wordpad and search for DSM-510, and then find the line:



Now delete that line, down through the line:



And replace with the following lines (between the cut lines):

-------------cut line -----------------------------------------------































---------------cut line ---------------------------------------------

Then don't forget to save the file and restart sharing!

After I edited the profile.xml. All was good. All my divx/xvid/avi files came up in black on the DSM-510. Everyone of my movies plaved wirelessly without any problems, no glitches, no skipping, or locking up. I even took the DSM-510 to rooms on far end of the house and hooked it up to TVs in the other rooms with serveral walls in between on different floor and still was able to run The 510 and play a video file completely with no stuttering or locking. Likewise the I was able to play the photos, and music files without problems. Actually, I was so happy with the way this unit finally functions that we went back to Fry's tonight and purchased another DSM-510. Now I will have one in the theater room and another in any other room I choose.

Summary: This unit is great for the money. Athough it is not recommended for the uninitiated. It is by no means just plug and play. Dlink has done a horrible job with there supplied Nero server software and their firmware is never up to date. If you update the firmware to the latest v1.07 and use TVersity as the server with alittle modification then all will work well. Once you take the time to modify the setup for the way you want it will work flawlessly everytime. It does have an HDMI connection and you can also connect via RCA cables.

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I admit I was overwhelmed when I purchased this product as in the past I had Sony's version that I was unable to hook up, no matter how much I followed the directions, called tech support, finally got it working only for it to crash and never come up again.

For those without the ViiV computer that this is designed for, relax it's not a big deal. Though the directions out of the box aren't as helpful and I glanced at the manual on the disc, I pretty much went through the setup on my own. You will need to use the remote and the box to actually set up the product. Took me a few minutes to figure that out.

Next step is setting up your network. I went with wireless, set it up, had to look on my computer to figure out encription type but no problems there. It reboots. No big deal. Then I upgraded software and had to once again input the network info. A bit of a hassle, another 10 mins or so wasted but easy enough.

After you do this and manage to connect to your computer, I suggest using WMP11 (research online if you want to) to use your songs. I spent 10 hours doing the entire setup today and 8 or 9 was because the audio files weren't showing up. Then when they started to they weren't all there with only folder names. It's not difficult to use WMP11 and its much quicker!

Now I still had problems with audio/video stuttering, freezing. I was frustrated, researched the net to come to no real conclusions. I defragmented my computer. Slightly better but not enough to make any difference. I couldn't listen to a full song or watch an entire minute of video. It was upsetting, frustrating, and I dug through the trash for the receipt I thought had got thrown out.

Finally before going to bed I decided to hook up my external hard drive to the USB connection in the front. (My iRiver mp3 player doesn't seem to connect not sure about other mp3 players). Immediately it worked! The connection was SUPERIOR. The video was as it is on a computer without any interruptions (if not better!). The audio is synced up. If you are going to buy this product I recommend using your External Harddrive or picking one up (especially if you plan on using it with a wireless connection). I can't say how the wired connection would have been. I'm on the same floor, down the hall with one wall of interference. I believe the main problem was the computer interfering more than the actual internet. Some people may have better luck (especially if you have the viiv computer that this is made for).

If you decide to buy this product (I got mine at Frys on sale for $100) I recommend picking up an External Hard Drive if you don't have one. (They run about $100 for a 500 gig--usually on sale).

ETA: If you do use an external harddrive be sure to keep your folders to about 25 max. So if you have a music folder I recommend A-Z and a reorganization because I had trouble accessing my music folder with just artists listed. I called Tech support and they were AMAZING. They helped with that and transfered me to a higher level for the issues with my computer and video/audio stability. I admit I hung up not wanting to wait but I had emailed tech support a day before and this really nice guy was emailing me back and I mentioned I had called the other day and so he called me wanting to help fix the problem. How often do you have tech support calling you? I was in shock but the guy was Fantastic! He walked me through downloading D-Links Media Server software (you actually download the 520 version) and it works great! My laptop has no problems for listening to music. It doesn't seem to support AVI files however or WMV(unless its a specific version)--something my external drive will let me watch (at least AVI files). So if you have problems setting up, make sure you call tech support. They were great and at they weren't outsourced to another country---even better!

All in all this product has met my expectations and well worth the $100 spent. It was a pain in the butt initially but if you take my advice (use WMP11 and/or go to D-Links website, select products and download the DSM-520 software version 1.09--latest version) then you shouldn't have any problems!

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This little guy exceeds my expectations. I never take the time to write reviews, but after spending two days with my new little friend, the DSM-510, I feel he deserves some outward praise.

My setup:

I have a PC with Windows Vista MCE running in a closet. It has a tuner card on it, and I have webguide installed, so I can control my TV recording from a browser. I use a DVRMSToolbox utility to move new TV recordings to the NAS device (still working on stripping commercials out before the move)

Next to my PC, I have a D-Link DNS-323. It is outfitted with 2 500GB SATA Drives and connected to a Gigabit switch (also D-link). Using information I found in a WIKI, I used the "fun_plug" feature to access the linux Kernel of the DNS-323 and installed TwonkyVision v4.4. Twonky is a killer UPnP (Media) server software, and the DSM-510 is a supported client of Twonky. Twonky runs right there on the NAS device, where it catalogs my many gigs of MP3's, JPG photos, and now my recorded TV shows. The DNS-323 also acts as a file & print server, iTunes server, FTP, and a Lite Duty Web Server (more features added by the Wiki)

So I bought the DSM-510 to be able to access all of this good stuff on my NAS device. With Twonky support, it connected beautifully. After a few long hours of playing around with the Media tree features in Twonky I discovered how to make my media files very manageable.

I don't have cable or satellite, I'm just doing analog broadcast. That will be my next step. My tuner card supports it ( Vista View Saber DA-1N1-I Combo Analog/Digital), and the DSM-510 supports HD, so I'm really only a TV away from going HD. I've read that the 54mb wireless can be highly taxed by pushing HD through the air, so I may run a Ethernet cable at that point, but it works fine on wireless right now.

About the DSM-510:

I've gotta say something about the useability. First off, the DSM-510 came out of the box with older firmware and the GUI looked hokey. My first step was to update, but it was very easy once it connected to the network. Now the GUI is working great! I don't use the medai access features of the DSM-510, though because Twonky does alot better job of managing media. I access everything from by browsing the NAS under the "Server" menu. The interface is very nice, looks great on my old 27" Sony. The remote has some nice features, but I'd like a better commecial skip and you have to have it pointed directly at the DSM-510. If I could improve anything, it would be the remote, but I would call it "bad", either.

So using the DSM-510 with Twonky, I have access to Music, Pictures (very nice menu for pictures, and you can listen to music while you are browsing or viewing a slide show), Video, and Internet Radio. While I do think that alot of the functionality I love comes from Twonky on the NAS, this little guy is the perfect front-end for it all.

Next Steps? Definitely an HD TV and an HD Antennae.

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Sony DDU1615 16x DVD-ROM IDE Drive (Black)

Excellent ide 5" cd/dvd rom drive. Received it quicker than expected. Installed in my clients computer and xp picked it up right away. My only complain is that it was shipped in about 1 inch to 1 and 1/2 inch of bubble wrap and slid into a shipping envelope. It should have been shipped in a box instead of a paper envelope to avoid damage during shipping. Overall good.

Installed nicely works fine cheap enough not much can go wrong it is quiet for the RPM. I would recommend it.

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It stops working about 5 minutes into reading. THIS IS VERY LOUD. I might just have gotten a bad copy.

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Didn't come with any paperwork. It was a good price. I didn't realize that it was just a player and not a burner

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In need of a DVD/CD IDE Drive, which was hard to find and very costly (if I found one). After reviewing this item on Amazon, I decided to take a chance...glad I did! Installed it, no CD needed. This product hasn't failed me yet. I recommended to anyone in need of the almost hard to find item.

M-Audio Micro Track II

This is a great unit for what it is. The recording quality is amazing with the right microphone(s) and the true 48 volt phantom power makes every microphone a viable option. Even the included t-mic sounded fair to good when recording in high resoulution (WAV / 24 / 44.1 or higher).

What I like Ease of use. One touch recording is a snap and navigation the file is easy once you get used to it. It ain't no iPod. It's small, light, built well and has a low learning curve. Additionally, one of the BEST features that this unit has is the analog limiter. A loud peak in your audio source will cause distortion but the limiter corrects it before it even gets to the DAC. This is a huge plus for recording live music. The 1/4 inch input makes connecting to a mixer or a condenser mic a breeze. One warning though.. it should be a balanced 1/4 inch (TRS) connector. Don't use and unbalanced input for 2 main reasons. 1. it will not pass phantom power to the condenser mic, and 2. it will be a bit noisy for signals such as an instrument or other unbalanced inputs.

What I don't like It ships without memory so you'll have to buy your own. I bought mine at the big guitar store and a 512MB card cost me 40 bucks! I have since found it online for a MUCH better price so memory is not that big of a deal but would it hurt them to throw a small card in the box? There is no stand for the unit as well so you're gonna have to be careful where you place it for your recording. You also can't change the battery so when it dies, you have to send it in.

All in all, I compared it to the Edirol, the Zoom, and another smaller Yamaha unit and this is hands down the best of the lot. The Edirol was a close second because of the remote. The sound quality is about the same.

Good Luck!

I've recorded for years. Mostly live jazz or piano at home. As background I still have Revox open reels and larger digital recorders. I tested this mike in several settings using the included mike and a pair of Shure SM81s powered by the Microtrack IIs phantom power.

Recordings were made at 16 bit 44.1 and 24 bit 96K. Bottom line is the recorder has a very natural analog type sound. The mid range is full bodied and the recording is liquid sounding and rich in acoustic information regarding placement and room ambience. What I mean is the recorder has the resolving power and quality of electronics to capture suble detail.

Some other units I've tested are a bit drier in sound.

This unit is simply superb if your focus is sound instead of features. The phantom power drove the SM81s well and the noise floor was reasonable.

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This small "miracle" really does the job. I'm a singer for more than 50 years, and it's the first time that I have very clear digital recordings.

Very easy to handle. M-Audio MicroTrack 2 is really the solution for my recording problems.

The sound is studio quality.

GREAT! THANK YOU!

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This is one nifty little device. Sound quality is great.

HOWEVER, M-Audio may be misleading consumers. You cannot just connect the MicroTrack II to any audio equipment at home. Microphones are never a problem, but for other uses, it's best to connect the MicroTrack II to what is known as a *balanced* output. Normally, consumer equipment such as CD players have UNbalanced outputs, the usual RCA phono connectors that consist of only two conductors per channel (i.e. there is the left and right channel for stereo). There are technical problems connecting these to the MicroTrack II, and sound quality may be impaired or even worse: you may DAMAGE your equipment.

M-Audio is being irresponsible, and in their knowledge base recommends users to just connect unbalanced sources to the 1/8" input jack. There is a 5V microphone power on this jack, that CANNOT be turned off! I confirmed this by measuring the voltage, on a new MicroTrack II bought in March 2009. So beware that in the worst case you will damage your equipment's output stage.

For those who know what they're doing, the MicroTrack II is a greatly recommended digital recorder for its price.

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This unit is extremely unpredictable.

When it works, it works well and is a great portable recorder.

Most units lack a digital input which I think is a critical component for the application i use it for.

However I have had several instances where the unit stops recording for no reason when it should be recording.

I'll start a recording, put the hold button on, it will be recording fine then out of the blue it just stops the recording.

It does not happen all the time but it is a big problem when it does happen as i'm taping a live performance.

M-Audio technical support is clueless.

Creative Zen Micro Photo 8 GB MP3 Player Dark Blue

• 8 GB digital audio player/photo viewer in dark blue weighs under 4 ounces
• Compatible with MP3, WMA, Janus, WAV, IMA ADPCM, and PlaysForSure DRM WMA
• Vibrant, cutting 1.5-inch OLED screen provides sharp details and clear colors
• Built-in FM radio (32 presets) with record function, voice recorder, USB mass storage
• Removable, rechargeable Li-ion battery with up to 15 hours of continuous play

I chose the Creative Zen Micro Photo over the IPod Nano for several reasons:

1. Storage space Micro Photo has 8 GB, Nano has 4 (and costs more)

2. Rechargeable AND Replaceable battery Unit charges through the USB cord whenever connected to your computer (this is a PLUS, because you spend a lot of time connected to your computer managing your music library). Micro Photo holds the charge for at least 12 hours, maybe more. And unlike the Nano, the battery is replaceable, so you can purchase extra batteries if this one dies, or swap batteries to keep music playing on long trips.

3. Compatibility with online music stores This feature was #1 for me. I'm a big fan of Comcast Rhapsody, and this player (NOT any IPod) is compatible with their Rhapsody to Go service, which lets you have UNLIMITED downloads from their catalog of over 1 million songs for $14.99/month (as long as you have the subscription, your songs will play in your MicroPhoto). ITunes can't beat that. I no longer buy CDs. The day they come out, they are on my MicroPhoto.

4. Price do your research, for an 8 GB compact-size mp3 player with a color display, this price is a steal.

I haven't even used the Photo features, but I'll love having an album of pictures on my mp3 player to show my friends and family at anytime.

The unit is very small; about the size of my flip-style cell phone. That's bigger than a Nano, but very lightweight and a comfortable fit in the palm of my hand. I didn't necessarily need a credit-card size player. I wanted the storage space and the Rhapsody-to-go compatibility.

Negatives (and there are only two minor ones):

1. The world is made for IPods, so there are not as many accesories available for Creative players as there are for IPods. However, has a nice selection.

2. The touch controls are very sensitive and take some getting used to (I figured it out within 2 days).

My husband has an old Creative Zen Nomad (30 GB and the size of a small brick) and although it's no longer "in style" it works well. I know my Micro Photo will hold up well over time.

Friends, family, and coworkers were critical of my decision to purchase a Micro Photo instead of an IPod. Now, many of them want to trade their IPods for one. Do your research the Rhapsody-to-Go compatibility and 8 GB hard drive were enough to sell me on the Micro Photo.

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For anyone that has at least half a brain and realizes that, not only are they not all called iPods, there are other brands out there that produce incredible portable mp3 players, this unit is for you.

First, what most people disregard as minor, this is one of the only mp3 players that charges with the same cord it uses to transfer files. To top that off, it's a standard USB cord! That means Universal Serial Bus, silly... it's the cord that comes with every computer, digital camera, blackberry, etc. That means you probably already have several of them! So what, you ask? Now you can charge your player and transfer files from any computer! This is no minor feature!!!!

Besides this feature that I love (that is so hard to find in other players), the Creative Zen Micro Photo also features a replaceable battery. To all of you iPod owners that have to charge your iPod every 4 hours I don't need to emphasize this. Top it off with great battery life!

What else? The quality of the picture on the screen is tops; the sound quality is great (the earphones are good too); the size is perfect; and the backlight is too cool. It looks great and is the best mp3 player on the market, bar none.

Read Best Reviews of Creative Zen Micro Photo 8 GB MP3 Player Dark Blue Here

Disclaimer: I had an iPod before switching to the Zen Micro.

Features I love

===============

1. Looks.

There are those who buy things because others got it. But there're things in life cooler than military-issued white. In fact, I got my Sony MDR-EX71 ear-buds in black because white ear-buds are so passe now.

2. Uses standard USB cable.

This might seem like a small thing, but really appreciate the fact I just need one cable when travelling to sync and charge my MP3 player, cellphone, and digital camera. No more tangling mess of cables and charges, and I can always buy a USB line almost anywhere for less than $5 if I forgot to bring one.

3. No drivers required. Works like thumb drive.

The most significant consequence is that I can plug the Zen to the USB port of any PC, and be able to use the Zen like a USB thumb drive. My previous iPod needed to install drivers, which is a luxury I don't have with other people's PCs, or office PCs where they restrict your admin rights.

4. Music Subscription.

This is the best invention since iPod itself. I have been die-hard fans of only 2-3 artists, die-hard meaning I buy every single album and singles they produce. For everyone else, there are plenty of songs I 'kinda like' but I didn't feel they were worth the money to buy.

With this subscription thingy, I get to download entire albums simply to try out entirely new songs and artists to see if I like 'em. I doesn't bother me I lose them if I stop my subscription they are songs I probably won't pay in full in the first place. But sometimes, not buying a song doesn't mean not worthing listening to it once in a while.

5. Solid construction.

The Zen has a solid metal casing that not only feels sturdy and resistant to scratches, it can actually survive a four-feet drop without injury. (I've actually tried this, though not intentionally.) Couldn't say the same about my iPod. (My experience positively confirms that an iPod cannot survive a swinging knock against the subway door while inside a shoulder bag.)

6. Ease-of-use.

The menu system is customizable and intuitive just like in iPod. (In fact, I heard the patent for the iPod menus are held by Creative Labs.) Synching songs is also piece of cake. Just plug-in and either WMP or Napster can sync up my library. This is probably standard feature now after iTunes set the standard.

At the end of the day, I can always resort to drag-n-drop straight from my windows explorer, for not only my music files but also data files. (See point #2 above.)

8. Battery Life

I do 10-hour shuttles from the West Coast to the Other Side of the Pond at least once a month, and the iPod used to just flat out with less than 10 hours of playing. The Zen can not only sustain the entire trip, but also the train rides to/from the airports ony each side. And I bought an extra battery in case I miss a chance to charge up in between. The "stamina" of most batteries decreases with such consecutive high mileage use, and with the iPod I wasn't able to do anything about it other than to buy a new one or send it back to the factory. With the Zen I have an immediate solution for $30 in the local Circuit City.

Features I don't like

=====================

1. No dedicated volume button. Need to go back to "Now Playing" screen to adjust the volume. Can't do it while I'm tweaking other things in different menus.

2. No podcast aggregation in Windows Media Player. Ok. This is more a WMP shortcoming than the Zen's. iTunes has the best podcast browser (though not the largest selection), so I continue to use iTunes to subscribe to podcasts, and let WMP automatically detect the new files and add to my player. It can be done, but I wish it can be done in one-step, one software.

These two dislikes mean it's not perfect for me, so, four stars.

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I've had my Zen Micro for a little over a month with no catastrophic problems, which is a relief to me after reading some of the reviews concerning the unit itself being defective, not being compatible with PC software, etc.

Keeping in mind that my opinion could change at any time and that anything with technology is prone to dissapoint, here are my observations thus far concerning this Mp3 player...

*~THE PROS~*

* A whole rainbow of colors to choose from depending on your personality. (While I know that technically it's color does not determine whether or not it is a good product, I'm a girl and therefore love the choice of color!)

* Uses a standard USB cable to connect to you PC.

* It seems to have a solid construction. It's heavier than you would expect from the picture and the metal casing gives a sense of comfort for a clumsy person like me. I haven't dropped it yet but I've read other reviewers that have and it came out unscathed. Some people have said that you cannot workout with this player, but I take mine to the gym all the time. Just switch the power switch to the locked setting so you don't bump the touchpad.

* HUGE 8GB of storage space! I moved my whole music library (a measly 2GB), created several playlists, and stored lots of photos and I haven't even used half of the storage space yet.

* It plays all WAVE, Mp3, and WMA format files.

* Bass boost and smart volume especially are great features.

* It's smaller than it looks in the photo, about the size of a credit card but thicker.

* The battery is rechargeable and replaceable, which is great if you take long trips and don't want to worry about finding somewhere to recharge your player. Just pop in another battery and go!

* The menu screen is customizable. You can put your personal photos as wallpaper and choose from 8 different color schemes.

* I LOVE MAKING PLAYLISTS! That has to be one of the best features. If you have albums that you absolutely have to have at the push of a button make it into a playlist. I have all of Dave Matthews Band's albums arranged separately. Also if you workout a lot you can put songs that motivate you into a playlist, switch the power switch over to the locked setting so that you don't accidentally bump any buttons, and you're all set!

* FM Radio with programmable presets. I've read some reviews regarding the inconsistancy with the FM signal on their players and admit I've experienced it myself but there is a scan button that searches for the strongest signals. You can also save your favorites. I wish that there was an AM frequency too so I could listen to Coast to Coast at night but then maybe I am being picky.

*~THE CONS~*

* THE TOUCHPAD IS EXTREMELY TOUCHY! After quite a bit of practice, and also turning down the sensitivity, you can learn to master it but it is very frustrating, especially when you first get the device. It took me a half an hour just to get to the menu to turn down the sensitivity, hit the wrong button, and had to start all over. This is definately going to be a huge problem for people that are very push button, but you do get the hang of it after awhile.

* You cannot look at pictures while listening to music. This isn't a big deal for me since I hardly use the photo feature, but for some this could be dissapointing.

* If you take this player out in bright areas, especially outside in sunlight, the screen is very hard to see. I found that if I put a dark wallpaper on the screen it's easier to see, but not much.

* This player and it's software are Windows XP compatible only!

* While the length of the cord on the headphones is really nice for putting the player in your pocket, etc. the ear buds themselves are HUGE and hurt my ears after only having them in about 10 minutes. I threw them away and am back to my trusty Sony earphones...ahhhhh much better!

* The "protective pouch" is a JOKE! Seriously it's a drawstring bag that probably cost the company about a penny for 10 of them. Don't even waste your time trying to use it except maybe for long storage periods. I'm currently storing jewelery in mine!

* With as much as this player costs, Creative could have included a AC adapter. While being able to charge the player through the USB cable is nice when you're at home, if you travel it becomes a nuisance to find a computer to charge your player with.

* I've experienced the player trying to "idle shutdown" on me, usually when I'm listening to the FM Radio. This is mildly annoying and will stop if you just touch a button on the touchpad. I've read other reviewers having a similar problem so I think it's probably a bug in the product.

* Also sometimes when I've gone to connect my player to the USB to charge, it either doesn't recognize the player or something but it will not charge or let me organize files until I restart my computer. Again, mildly annoying and probably a bug in the product.

Overall I'm happy with my Zen Micro. The missing star is for the things that Creative overlooked or could have done better. Hope this review helped you.

This MP3 player puts all others to shame...especially Apple's line of iPod products. Why bow down to a company that gives their hapless customers zero flexibility when you can buy a wonderfully crafted, superior (in every way) product such as this? Just do the research. This little baby gets you everything you want for less money and more value.

The earphones are very nice. Don't use this machine's bass boost with them, though. They're fine without it, and suffer with it turned on.

Don't bother using the pouch that comes with it. The MicroPhoto will simply slide out of it; the pouch's strings to not stay tightened with travel.

The controls are a little difficult to manage at first, but within ten minutes of playing with it, I was able to use it like a pro. Between my husband's large hands and my own small hands, neither of us have any problems with our two MicroPhotos.

The display and the interface itself are both absolutely amazing. My one qualm with this little gadget is that its battery indicator will lead you to believe that one third of the juice has been sucked out of it within an hour or so of use. Apparently the indicator only goes by thirds, so even if you have 95% of the bugger still ready to go, it looks as if you should already begin to worry over the battery being drained. Hopefully this nuisance will be solved...other than that, I'm one satisfied customer!

Creative's products have always been dependable, of course.