Samsung DVD-HD860 Up-Converting DVD Player

• Upconverting, mult-format progressive scan DVD player; measures 16.9 x 1.77 x 9.8 inches (WxHxD)
• Transforms standard DVD to HD-quality video--720p, 1080i formats
• Compatible with DVD-R/RW, DVD+R/RW, CD-R/RW, VCD, SVCD, MP3, WMA, JPEG
• Outputs: 1 HDMI, 1 component, 1 S-Video, 1 composite, 1 coaxial audio, 1 optical audio
• Supports both Dolby Digital and DTS encoded DVDs

I picked up a refurbished job from Tiger (I like Amazon but the deal was just too good) Works great for the short time I've had it. Got a new big HDTV that does the 1080 thing so I'm impressed. You can set it up to just come on at that rate but it has a botton to "toggle" through the options. The only minor complaint is the on light the BRIGHT blue on light is a bit much. Put a little round sticky thing to tone it down. Should you care, I'm going to give you a little "hack" information should you play disc from other than Zone One (you know who you are) It worked like a charm first time for me so I pass it on. I have the Alley McBeal complete set from the UK (can't get it in the US) plus a few DVD I pick up on vaction.

This just sets you DVD to Region "Free"--Region code hack posted by

Silver Surfer, November 05 2006:

DEAR FRIENDS, IT TOOK ME A LOT OF TIME AND PATIENCE, BUT I DID IT

GOT A SAMSUNG HD860, JUST HACKED THE REGION WITH THE SAMSUNG

REMOTE 00054D, I BOUGHT DVD PLAYER ON USA, REGION 1, I DID THIS, NOW

I CAN SEE ANY REGION DISK ON MY DVD PLAYER. . . SO HERE IS HOW

FIRST SET HDMI SEL BUTTON TO 480P, THEN OPEN TRAY NO DISK ON IT,

PRESS INFO BUTTON, AND PRESS NINE, UNTIL NUMBER 9 APPEARS ON LEFT

CORNER OF TV DISPLAY, THEN, TURN OFF DVD, THEN ON AND. . . . ENJOY

FREE REGION LIFE. . . BYE BYE!

You have to hit the number 9 repeatedly to get it to show and it will appear on the upper left corner of your screen (be careful the #9 shows up "over" the other information on the screen) but the whole things pretty groovy. Tiger had them for about $40 but even at twice the price it's very cool. The HDMI works great I put that into my HDTV then run the Optical sound from the the TV (it has optical out) to the Receiver for my "Surround" sound. Actually due to that blue light its gets just 4.5 stars but I rounded it up to 5! It does require the HDMI hook up to benifit from the Up-Convert feature, works for me my Toshiba HDTV has 2 in HDMI and wth the "Optical" sound out from the TV makes for a very good set up for me.

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Okay so I just bought this item but I am feeling the need to write up a review so here it goes. I picked this player up from Best Buy after examining all the other players they had, the deciding factor for me to go with this Samsung DVD player is because my HDTV is also a Samsung. I wanted a good HD-upconverter and this was priced for $98 at Best Buy and was the only player I saw of this brand so I figured this is probably the best what Samsung had to offer so purchased it, but it was only until I got home and saw on BB's website that they sale a higher model HD-960, but the only difference I could tell is that the HD-96can do 1080p and play back DivX which this player (HD-860) is not advertised to do. Although if you look at the middle of the HD-860 manual you will see in the section it describes the formats it can play by logo it also has DivX logo there. I later discovered that this player actually DivX support its hidden and has to be accessed a certain way and it doesn't require a hack to do it. Just create a video CD containing DivX files on there, you have to create folders and place the Divx video files in those folders so don't put DivX files just on the top level of the disc. Burn and close the disc when you've finished and insert it into this player. It will show a menu displaying the content on the disc (the folders), just select a folder you put your videos under and then the menu will display the list of video files it contains. To watch the video move the selection back up to the top in the folder where it will show "..." and just click the PLAY button on the remote there and it will play back all the videos in that folder. Pretty cool isn't it. I figure Samsung must have disabled the function to auto-play or playback any video files on disc thats a DivX file when selected, but they forgot to disable the ability to hit PLAY on the "..." folder itself.

Now I would have gave this 5 stars but this player like a lot of new players that are starting to come out I notice wont allow you to do HD (720p/1080i) over Component connection. Usually this feature is there but not openly available in the menus and it has to be unlocked through a hack code with the remote. It seems that the previous Samsung DVD players could easily be hacked to do HD over component, even my last DVD player a CyberHome could do it, but this HD-860 does not, I searched the web but couldn't find any info on how to unluck it, and my guess is that Samsung just hasn't leaked how to do this to the public yet or was forced by the Movie industry to remove the feature.

I really dont see why the movie industry is being so tight on only allowing HD via HDMI. Most TVs only have one HDMI and if they have HD digital cable like I do, then that one HDMI is probably already occupied. Most HDTVs have 1 or more component connection. Component connections can do HD so I dont see why consumers have to go the hassle of this, I just wish somebody would really do something about this cause I see it as a really unnecessary copy protection trend.

Read Best Reviews of Samsung DVD-HD860 Up-Converting DVD Player Here

If you need a nicely priced up-converting DVD player, without all the bells and whistles, this is the player for you. You can definitely notice the picture quality increase (when using the up-convert setting) compared to the usual picture quality provided by standard def. progressive scan (480p) DVD players.

The higher the quality of the DVD transfer, the better it looks with this DVD player. With my old Sony standard-def player, it didn't make much of a difference whether the transfer was high quality or not. Now I can tell which DVDs received a good treatment or not.

I have this DVD player matched with a Samsung HL-S5086W 50" DLP HDTV and the picture quality is excellent. It pays to use an HDMI cable rather than the component video as the picture is sharper and seems to have deeper color saturation. I'm very pleased with the purchase.

In summary, this is a great low-priced player and does exactly what most people would need from it: up-converts your standard definition DVDs until you are ready to upgrade to Hi-Def DVDs and it doesn't bog you down with a lot of unnecessary options or complex menus.

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I purchased this player on a recommendation from a (non-commissioned) store salesman (who clearly had nothing to lose) at the same time that I bought my Sony KDL-46XBR2 HD LCD TV (which, by the way, is a STELLAR television). He could have easily talked me into the Sony DVP-NS75H, which was sitting on the shelf next to the Samsung (for about $15 more), but he spoke very highly of the customer satisfaction rating on the Samsung unit, while also indicating a fairly low satisfaction rating on the Sony (excepting that my TV remote would have also been able to control the DVD player, a nice bonus that I chose to forego on his recommendation).

When I got the unit home, I plugged in the HDMI cable to my TV and the digital coaxial cable to my Denon receiver and everything worked beautifully on the first try. I don't know exactly what problem an earlier reviewer was having, but I knew that I had to go in and program my receiver as to which input selections corresponded to the digital inputs: optical is assigned to the TV/DBS, coax 1 is DVD, etc.

The picture produced at 1080i was stunning. I don't know why people were having problems with the remote. Mine worked flawlessly out of the box, with only very minor delays between pressing a button and seeing the unit respond, most notably while movie playback was commencing.

All in all, I'm very pleased with this product and would recommend it to my friends.

We loved this DVD player for the first 6 months, then it the power started shutting off randomly. I did every troubleshooting thing I could think of, and came up with nothing. I also went to the Samsung website, and tried to find help there and came up with N-O-T-H-I-N-G! We bought the DVD player b/c we bought a Samsung HD flatscreen TV (love it-no problems). However, this is our second samsung dvd playerhated the first one too! I should have known! The first one was several years ago-thought it was a fluke. For as much $$ as this one was I can't believe how much this one SUCKS! I am going back to buying cheap DVD players. I am so mad! The power won't stay on for more than 1 or 2 minutes! NOT WORTH THE $$$$$$$

Evertech CCTV Security Camera - 700 TVL, 36 IR, 2,8~12mm Wide Angle ZOOM Vari-focal Lens Metal Dome

This camera works really well and the wide angle is great for covering the entrance area. The IR works better than the Swann and Zmodo cameras I have. I would buy another one and probably will to replace one of my others. The other review stated the Zoom didn't cover things well. I zoomed it in and out but decided to leave it zoomed out in order to get the full coverage of the wide angle view of the area in question. It has a clear picture and works really well for the security of my business.

This is fundamentally a good vandal-resistant NTSC dome camera, but with two important limitations. First, it is quite difficult to adjust the field of view and focus unless you temporarily run a cable from the back of the camera to the front of the camera, and have a wrist mounted video monitor to obtain real-time feedback. Second, the documentation is poor, and written in "Chinglish". The one sheet of paper which comes with each camera has no installation instructions, and is pretty much useless. The one sheet "installation instructions" PDF available on the Evertech USA website is both misleading and incorrect. I had to call Evertech (NJ) for assistance. The camera is easy to disassemble, install, and adjust once you have done it once. A good price for a good quality NTSC camera, but you may need installation help.

Buy Evertech CCTV Security Camera - 700 TVL, 36 IR, 2,8~12mm Wide Angle ZOOM Vari-focal Lens Metal Dome Now

[Evertech CCTV Security Camera 700 TVL, 36 IR, 2,8~12mm Wide Angle ZOOM Vari-focal Lens Metal Dome Camera for Indoor & Outdoor 36 Ir LED Color Home Security Surveillance Dome Camera]

I purchased this camera from Maxvision CCTV in Sept 2012. Right out of the box (the very day i received it) I noticed an interesting problem with the camera. With the lens set (via the zoom dial) at the widest view angle of 2.8mm focal, the camera image would simply NOT focus ! The image was **COMPLETELY** blurry at this wide angle setting and adjusting the focus over the entire range of the focus dial would not fix (focus) the image. The image could only be focused after I zoomed IN well past the camera's widest angle setting. This essentially means that to use the camera, one has to give up the widest view angles advertised for the product.

It may be that I simply received a defective unit. I can't say for sure at this time -Sept 10. I have contacted the Seller and will post an update after getting closure. If the issue is addressed and/or my experience with the camera is improved, i will re-rate this product accordingly.

9/15/2012 Update: Seller (MaxVision) offered apology and replacement but I opted for a refund since i was spooked. A camera with issues right out of the box might just be a simple stroke of bad luck or a sign of poor quality product. I wasnt interested in finding out so i returned the camera. My rating of the product stands at 1 star.

Read Best Reviews of Evertech CCTV Security Camera - 700 TVL, 36 IR, 2,8~12mm Wide Angle ZOOM Vari-focal Lens Metal Dome Here

HD 720P Dual Lens IR Night Vision Car DVR Camera Dash Cam Video Recorder Motion Detection

• Dual lens, double views
• 5.0 MP 1/4 CMOS sensor
• 1280x720 high resolution video recording
• 120 degrees wide view angle, 330 degrees rotating screen panel
• Motion detection & IR Night Vision & Loop Recording

After having (briefly) owned two failed units from different companies I'd gotten through eBay, I had my hopes on this one functioning as advertised reasonably low.

However, upon unpacking, it felt well-made, had a nice look, fit and finish to it. Already more impressive than the previous two. Installation was very easy, straight forward and there is plenty of cord to not only span but also tuck away within one of the longest production saloons ever built.

First use was done with an old 2GB card I had from a mobile phone, not the ideal size but it worked for the test run. The video is where I expected it to be after watching hours of Russian dashboard camera videos of all sorts of mischief with the bonus of covering front and rear of your vehicle.

The files are stored on the card as DCIMA and DCIMB for the front and rear respectively. I can't get the rear video to mirror on the camera itself (the image is vertically inverted) but having video editing software available, this isn't an issue for me.

Overall, I'm very pleased with the camera and the results it produces. Since my car appears to attract an unusually high number of moron motorists, it's nice to know that their incapabilities are recorded and can be used against them in the worst case, in the best case to make fun of them with my friends.

Quite likely that I'll order more for other vehicles too.

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I have this Car DVR and I love it. However, mine may be a newer model as it is MP4 format not AVI so it is compatible with any computer system (you never know what the cops [or Youtube] might need). The only problem I have had with it is the adhesive on the rear camera is not too good and it falls off. But that's a minor issue.

If you get this machine, DO NOT LOSE THE INSTRUCTIONS! You will use them over and over again as you may randomly decide to change features (it has a LOT).

The video quality out of both cameras is excellent from dawn to dusk. Night vision is mediocre but definitely usable. Its better than my iPhone video at night.

It comes with two mounts -an articulating mount and one that just sticks to the windshield. I'm using the one that is flat on the windshield. My windshield has a severe angle so I can't really see the screen very well. With the articulating arm you can see the screen well but the screen is so small I'm not sure its of any consequence -especially if you are using the PIP with the rear camera.

The DVR creates two folders on the SIM. One for the front camera and one for the rear. If there should be a "collision" it will add two more folders automatically that are not erased when the chip fills up. Video during the accident is put in those folders. It only plays for a few minutes on the built-in battery but if your car loses power from an accident it should be sufficient.

I would definitely recommend the MP4 version.

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Reviewed the product specs and it did not mention G-Sensor or microSD card. Emailed seller and they said no G-Sensor on product and no microSD support. However, picture on Amazon shows small memory slot which means microSD. Ordered/received product within 3 days.

Here is the rundown:

Unit powered up in Chinese. There was no upfront welcome screen to select the language.

Spent 20 min flipping thru Chinese menus looking for "language". With trial/error, finally set it to English

Dashcam has G-Sensor and only supports microSD card Amazon, please fix website and seller needs to know specs.

G-Sensor works OK. Test it by shaking the dashcam while recording. You'll see a lock symbol on screen, and the video file in the "LOCKED" directory on memory card

Saved video files are .MOV. Product description says .AVI.

Color was horrible on video playback/ Pink shows up as dark blue. Changed "Color" setting in menu to NULL. This fixed color issue. Also, traffic light color now shows correctly

VGA mode works very clear. 720 Mode appears to be OK, but I am happy with VGA.

Video file size is 15MB/min for VGA, and 53MB/min for 720 mode

Unit powers up automatically upon ignition start and stops on ignition off. Menu setting allows further recording after poweroff

Very compact unit that nicely sits behind the rear view mirror. Easy to slide on/off the suction cup mount.

Secondary camera kinda works. When enabled, it creates a PIP on the main LCD screen. If your PIP is upside down, just rotate the secondary camera 180 degrees. However, this causes a problem in that when you view playback, video is inverted. Left/right is flipped flopped. bad design.

Powerplug that inserts into the cigarette lighter socket does not fit well, causes random power loss to dashcam.

Looping works fine, I use 1 and 2 minutes, and it does what it is supposed to.

Night time driving with street lights/headlights is fine. You can see enough.

Audio picks up all noises

Overall, very happy with unit; accomplishes what I want it to do. Can't fully test 720P yet because I only have a older slow 1GB microSD card to test with. Will get 32GB this week. But don't 'really care too much since VGA is fine.

It is lightweight, compact, and very reliable. Not too bad for $70.00.

Will probably return it and reorder to address power plug issue. Will also get a 2nd unit for other car.

(had previously ordered the "$20 dashcam, and as you know, you get what you pay for got refund on that)

Update 5/25/13:

Power adapter no longer works. Will return set and order a new one. (yes, my car power outlet works. Other devices work fine)

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I ordered one of these from a vendor on Amazon, and the product came with scratches on the screen, which I could live with. What I could not live with, though, is that the video would tend to freeze when a file was playing back, after about 30 seconds or so into it. This was true whether I chose five-minute or two-minute recordings, and occurred on two different micro cards (16Gb and 32GB), thus the unit itself was clearly at fault. So, I sent that one back.

I ordered a second one from eBestrade, and it seems to work okay. This time the screen came with a protective cover that I peeled off, and the unit records and plays back without issue. The only negative, as a few other reviews have noted, is that the back camera recordings are inverted, meaning it's like you're viewing the video image from a mirror. Street signs read backwards, and it looks like you're driving in England...everything is reversed. Apparently they all have this defect.

Interestingly, you'll notice that this same design is sold by quite a few vendors at different prices, some shipped from the US, some shipped from the US with Amazon Prime as an option, and some shipped from China or Hong Kong. From what I can tell, though, they all have the same features. The first one I purchased was packaged in a completely different box than the second, but other than that they both had exactly the same functionality.

I chose this particular design because it is the only one I found with a detachable, wired rear camera. Many accidents are caused by being hit from behind, so I didn't want a dash cam that only recorded what was going on in the front of my vehicle.

The unit records into two files, one for the front camera and one for the rear. It will take up to a 32GB micro SD card. I have a 16GB in mine, which is easily sufficient because it loop records, meaning it will start to record over the older files once the card fills up. With my 40-mile round trip to work, I can record several days worth of driving before it starts to record over the older files.

I have found the picture quality from both cameras, front and rear, to be adequate. You will NOT be able to read license plates from either camera...definitely not from the back camera (it would be inverted anyway), and not from the front camera either, unless conditions are absolutely perfect (vehicle stopped, close, and very bright lighting). So, if someone side-swipes you and takes off, you'll get video of the car speeding away, but that will be about it.

On the other hand, though, if some idiot cuts you off, or plows into you from behind, and an accident does unfortunately occur, you'll have very good footage of what took place.

The unit is very small and very light. So small, I have to get a magnifying glass to read the menu choices on the screen. The settings for it are many...you can pretty much tweak it to do whatever you want it to do. You will, though, need to play around with the buttons to figure out how to find, select and save your choices. The written instructions are pretty bad (mine came in both English and Chinese), so learning through trial and error is really the best way.

It seems to work fine for what it is made for. Don't expect a solid, well-built, name-brand Sony or Samsung type product. This is a low-cost, Chinese manufactured device. Both of the units I bought came with English menus already activated. It mounts securely to the windshield, and is not at all noticeable when you're driving if you place it strategically. Also note that even though the wire connecting the rear camera is really long, to get the wire hidden away in my SUV (an Armada), I am going to need to get an extension cable. I don't think this will be necessary in most cars, though.

The unit will power on and off with the vehicle as long as you have it plugged into a 12-volt socket that also powers on and off with the vehicle. Some of the sockets in my SUV are constantly on, so I have purchased a splitter (this one: Multi-Use Vehicle Charger with Dual USB Ports and Dual 12 Volt Sockets Magnadyne) to accommodate it, since I also have an external GPS unit that also needs to power on and off with the vehicle. The dash cam stays on for about 15 seconds after the ignition is switched off.

Considering all of the above, for what you get for $70 (as of this writing), I consider this dash cam a four-star deal. I plan to buy a second one for my wife's car.

Another Chinese junk at the Amazon..

1This camera it get hot in a minute and i live in Vegas this it may explode here.

2Video is not HD but DV and it have to much sharp and blur in video, in two feet you can't read the other car plate number, G-sensor don't work, no motion detection in camera settings.

3Night time just black

4Manual suck

Returning...

Pioneer DVR-118LBK DVD/CD-Writer DVD Multi-Recorder, DVD+R DL, DVD+ReWritable, CD ReWritable, Label

I just built a new OEM PC that everything is SATA 2, and SATA 3 on, and I felt uncomfortable with everything in the machine being SATA so I opted for this PATA/IDE/ATA 100 Pioneer OEM optical drive and it's working just fine! I booted the PC from it initially, to install Windows 7, preceded by an install of OEM Windows XP Pro for qualification of the Win 7 build, so if there was anything going to go wrong with the drive it would have happened straight away, but it worked aok fine and I had no problems installing the OS, and all programs and software with this drive.

I am partial to Pioneer drives, and that's because I still have a Pioneer DVR-110 in one of my OEM PC's, and another PowerMac G5 Dual Core (PCI-Express M9591LL/A) 2.3 Ghz PowerMac has a DVR-110, and those are both Region Free firmware-equipped drives that still, to this day, burn and RIP DVD's without mercy! They both function 100%, and I expect that this Pioneer drive will also work great for many years without issues.

As for installing such a drive in an OEM PC build, PC motherboards still have an ATA bus, and that's all you have to connect up: that is an ATA/100 cable, and you are good to go with the standard Molex power connector in place--I mean this is plug and play, no driver necessary to make it work. With RIP-Lock in force you won't be RIPping any DVD's in record time like you can with a DVR-110 (Region Free firmware) using this optical drive, but you can count on Pioneer's standard-issue drive motor mechanism working fine up to let's say 25X speeds, not 40X like in the DVR-110's, but plenty adequate for most uses.

For a mere $25.99 or so you can count on this being a bargain you can afford, too...I mean how cheap does it have to be? Isn't $25 cheap enough? I highly recommend this Pioneer optical drive for any PC or Mac use that you can think of--if you want the good Pioneer quality and reliability that we all know is legendary in drives like this.

Wavey Davey August 23, 2010

I bought this as a secondary drive for my Mac Pro. All I had to do was change the connector in the back to select, remove the bezel, screw it in, and hook up the cables. My mac recognized it immediately and I was burning discs in under 15 minutes. I didn't have a bad packaging job like the other reviewer had. It was packed really well. Keep in mind when ordering this you are only getting the dvr drive and install instructions. No mounting screws or cables so have those handy if needed . It is a great deal for $25.99 and free shipping. I would definitely buy another one!

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Pioneer drives always seem to work flawlessly in Macs, so that's what I stick with. This particular one that I purchased most recently went into an Apple PowerMac G5 system. As is the norm for Macs, no software was needed and the operating system immediately accepted the drive without issue. Was burning a test disc in the Finder within 5 minutes. Unfortunately, I know this drive will not last more than 4 or 5 years, as that's the most any of them are lasting nowadays. Even Pioneer drives don't last anymore, because they had to cut corners to compete on cost. It's a shame. I would rather pay ~60 bucks for a drive that lasts then ~30 for something that will burn out before the computer does.

Read Best Reviews of Pioneer DVR-118LBK DVD/CD-Writer DVD Multi-Recorder, DVD+R DL, DVD+ReWritable, CD ReWritable, Label Here

No problem with installation in the iMac, works great. But, the packing from Amazon was very poor, they just threw it in the box with no packing. In fact the box was half opened when it arrived. I was crossing me fingers that it would still work, after seeing the condition of the box. Not a good job, Amazon!!!! I would of given it five stars if the packing was better.

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This drive has been a rock solid investment as I've had it for over a year with no problems. Of course it may die yet but I don't use it heavily so it meets my needs just fine. I have tried hp and Lite-on and will say they are terrible.

Sony HDR-TD30V Full HD 3D Handycam Camcorder with 3.5-Inch LCD (Black)

I bought this camera exclusively for the 3D function, as I'm sure you will. A couple things about the product advertising. They were not deal breakers, but I prefer honesty in advertising. You are not buying this for 2D, DLP LED projection, lens options, or anything other than just 3D so don't throw away that 2D camera if that's what you wanted.

1. 1080i is the only 3D format. 1080p is not available in 3D, no frame rates, no bitrates, no codecs, nothing.

2. You can not take a picture in 3D. This was unexpected as several Sony 2D cameras can do a 3D picture.

3. Low light performance, is not HD. Instead it is adaptive to the light in that part of the picture. Brighter objects get higher resolution and frame rate. On a big screen, it appears distracting like a cheap low bitrate webcam with low res and a slow frame rate on dark areas, high fps high res on bright objects. There is no way to disable this, so either record with the built in light, which is surprisingly bright enough or have some regular lights on indoors. Oh and prepare for friends and family to ask you "how much did you pay for this again?" As with any Sony camera I've owned, auto focus in lower lighting doesn't work, it keeps guessing every few seconds. Usually in the wrong direction, but you can go manual from the touchscreen.

4. Ps3, can only playback the 2D portion from the 3D recording. So use the hdmi cable instead.

5. No adapter ring to fit a UV/dust filter, neutralizer, polarizer or water housing.

6. The sony 2008 waterproof housing fits, and operates the camera functions fine, you'll have to use construction paper to block reflections, and software to adjust the waters pink color balance. If you don't own the water case, they only made it with cheap stereo mic's. but it is water tight, even in salt water.

7. No slow motion in 3D.

8. No golf shot in 3D

9. X.V. Color range must be reselected ever time the battery is removed. If you have a 3D tv, you have xv color range. Charge the battery in the camera, or when swapping batteries, make sure your settings are all there.

10. Steady shot is better than my 2008 model Sony. Actually better than most current movies and tv shows that think shaking makes drama more realistic. It's not perfect but for 3D, reduced shaking reduces eyestrain headaches.

11. Other things that do not work in 3D. White balance, spot meter, spot focus, iris, shutter speed, auto gain limit, low lux, scene selection, fader, self timer, telemacro, digital zoom, auto backlight, smile shutter and sensitivity, flash, red eye, recording mode, frame rate, HD/SD option, 4:3 option.

A note about 3D on such a small 20mm dual lens camera, the bigger the tv, or closer you sit, less 3D effect. Farther away, smaller tv, bigger effect. Probably why most stores use small 40" demo tv's and upsell, expecting customers just to assume bigger is better. They call this 3D roundness. If you are like me, after a short time, my brain tries to compensate and flatten the picture because it knows its really a flat tv that should not have any depth. Thats why the end of avatar doesn't look 3D anymore. An exaggerated roundness factor, helps. PS 3 games usually have a 3D effect option to turn a soccer ball into a football shape so your mind sees a round soccer ball. This is not the same as the 3D depth option on a camera or TV set. That depth option is a parallax screen alignment only. If the whole scene shifted in front or behind the tv, you can adjust that, not the actual depth perception or roundness. That would require a specialized computer program to calculate scene depth and then fractal multiply it, which isn't available to consumers yet.

I took 3D video at a colorful Indian wedding. Everybody, even the hired videographer, who saw the video in the 3.5-inch LCD would go WOW. I have to try the video on my 65" 3D TV.

The camcorder replaced an earlier excellent Sony camcorder HDR-CX500V, lost in Nepal. I am too new for this camcorder, but I am sure this will be a good or better replacement.

The 3D video is crisp and amazing and so much better than the 2D.

I recommend this camcorder to all.

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Another post mention that a big screern 3d tv shows lack of 3D effect...

Humm...

I also bought Vizio 3D 65" ($1600) from big brand store and the 3D effect are awesome from the camera. I watch at 8' from the TV which vizio recommends for 3D viewing.

The OEM battery (NP50) only has 71 minutes to start with, so I bought 2) NP-100v's & charger aftermarket kit for $40 online, far far cheaper than just 1 of Sony's batts. It now starts with 245 minutes (4hrs) remaining on the cheap np-100's. 2 np100's should last you all day, but the more you zoom in & out, it will use it a bit faster. Getting the 100's is almost a must.

One can get confused on after market battery ratings. Camera says 6.8v but you will see 7.2 or 8.4v battery advertised. 8.4v is the charge voltage, 7.2 is a full charged battery and 6.8 is the means voltage (in operation). So don't worry about how other manuf. rate the specs. Its the same correct battery.

Does NOT come with an SD card so you cannot record (no built-in memory). I had to wait. Be sure to look for seller in USA and not china less you want to wait for weeks.

I picked up 2)64g PNY Pro X SDXC cards fairly (very) cheap ($40 ea) as no one else was bidding on them.

Few days later, am playing with the camera and am very satified with it.

Read Best Reviews of Sony HDR-TD30V Full HD 3D Handycam Camcorder with 3.5-Inch LCD (Black) Here

Toshiba D-KR2 Progressive Scan DVD Recorder/Player

• Multi-drive Playback and Recording
• Compatibility: DVD-RAM/DVD-R/DVD-RW
• Digital Cinema Progressive Scan
• ColorStream Pro component video output
• 3-D Y/C Comb Filter/Video DNR for recording

The rave reviews posted here are a bit startling, when you consider that there are three major defects in this unit. First, the input noise reduction is so mild it's ineffective, and the output noise filters are simple blur effects that do more harm than good. Second, you can't get a true black or white level from this machine, so recordings look washed-out when played elsewhere (a professional proc amp doesn't help, either. This machine filters all input to 15 IRE and won't allow a true black from any source, including cable). There are settings for "Darker", "Enhanced", etc. they do nothing for black-white levels, they just dim or wash out the image. Third, DVD-RW is a fantasy with this machine, they just won't work. It's a shame, because even at long recording times there are very few artifacts. Too bad Toshiba designers prefer lackluster images. They seem OK when played on this machine, but look closer and you'll see they're just dark, not richly colored. Another glitch: Record a home-made (not retail) VHS tape into this machine, and when you try to copy it to another DVD recorder the Toshiba will not allow it until you use a pro-level TBC unit on the Toshiba's output. In fact, you can't even make copies of your own, home-made DVD's. Supposedly many of these problems were corrected on later units, but newer Toshibas for 2006 might improve to the point where they could replace your high-end VCR. But don't count on it. Home DVD machines have a long way to go before they can compete with the 30+ years of evolution behind a quality VHS machine. IF this will be your one and only DVD player/recorder, you could live with it. Just don't expect good performance from your recordings if you have to replace this unit or give your washed-out images to friends.

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It really is hard to beat the price of this product, and I have been using mine for over a year without too many problems, but there are some problems for which a good price cannot compensate. Reliability is very important to me in determining the value of any recording device, and this one is not very trustworthy. Recording stops if there is dust on the lens (you won't know until after recording starts, so if you're expecting to come home and watch the show you missed, guess what?), if it thinks the dvd-r is dirty, or if it's just not feeling up to snuff that day.

Picture quality is key. The D-KR2 is okay over a composite connection, but it is red and green and that's pretty much it over a component cable. At least that's how it looks on my lcd tv. Maybe it's okay on something else.

You can't just make extra copies of your home movies or edit them on your computer. This puppy copy-protects your memories. I'm not kidding. So don't toss those Hi-8's. You will need them again the next time you want to make a dvd from the content.

I've ordered another dvd-recorder with a hard disk drive. It may not be much better than this, but at least once I load my home movies, I can burn an extra copy for my Mom. It's her family, too, after all.

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I was looking for DVD recorder include IEEE port for Camcorder and DVD-RAM capacity.

Many brands offer, first one or second, but was so difficult to find latest format technology, IEEE input ports and good brand support in only one equipment, navigation menus are so easy to understand has many options to use as a common VCR, has a wide options for audio output. I'm happy with this selection and price was really good.

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I like this unit so much, I bought a refurb when my first one died.

The primary value of this unit is its ability to record RAM disk, which allows recording copy protected programming. It can only be played back on this unit, which has obvious drawbacks, but I love it.

The UI is clunky and I've never been able to master the editing features, but as I said I bought this for the RAM disk recording, not to create portable DVD's.

THE PICTURE IS EVEN BETTER THAN I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE. IT WAS A LITTLE HARD TO OPERATE AT FIRST. BUT, I AM HAPPY WITH IT..YOU CAN'T BEAT IT FOR THE PRICE.

Toshiba HD-A1 HD-DVD Player

• Plays high-def HD DVD discs for sharper, more detailed picture performance than standard DVD discs ; measures 17.7 x 4.3 x 13.4 inches (WxHxD)
• Backwards compatible with current DVD and CD formats; upconverts DVD movie discs to near high-definition
• Ethernet port for upgrades; USB port on front; compatible with MP3, WMA, and JPEG files
• Connections: composite (1 out), S-Video (1 out), component (1 out), HDMI (1 out), USB, Ethernet
• DVD offer Dolby True HD/Dolby Digital/DTS decoding; coaxial and optical digital audio outputs

Being the first to market in the High Definition DVD Player area, with Blu-ray right on its tail, id have to say its one amazing box. I started with last samurai regular dvd popped it in and wow was a standard DVD simply AMAZING, the upconvert in this box is the best ive seen. I then followed up by putting in the HDDVD version of Last Samurai and I was definately more pleased, stuff that was blotchy and pixelated no longer is so, most notable when standing or sitting close to an LCD TV the quality is noticably better. The price is a bit steep, but then again the first DVD Players were quite pricey as well. The prices for the HDDVDs are nice compared to costs for other new media standards such as the UMD Disc in fact about the same price as UMD Disc. The only cons I would have about this player is it takes REALLY LONG startup once turned on and HDDVD can take some time to get going and the thing is HUGE! It wont fit in most setups!

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AND.........i'M GLAD i DID! There has been a lot of reviews out there and all the negatives and positives hold true, BUT most of the reviews, now that I experienced the HD A1, were more like nitpicking. Here's my take:

Bulkiness: yeah this thing is bulky when compared to today's 30-100 dollar cheapo dvd players...but when compared to the more expensive upconverters this thing is not big at all (just look at the denons, pioneers, and other high brand models that can put out the performance that the toshiba does when upconverting) Anyone who is looking to spend this type of money on a this dvd player or any other dvd player in its price bracket will probably deal with this issue.

Remote: yeah its bad....hard to see what button does what and has a bad, uncomfortable feel to it. My harmony 880 had no problem assuming control of the toshiba. Just buy a universal remote. Look into logitech's harmony line, no biggie!

Slow: This is where I scratch my head. I turned it on, pressed the eject button, pop in a dvd, and by the time I go to sit down and get comfortable this thing will start like in 5-10 seconds....everyone needs to go thru this routine to watch their movies! No one pops in a movie and watches it from right there...this slowness issue is a non issue in my book.

Video: SD DVD never looked better to my eyes . I have gone out of my way to look at all the upconverters that I have give thought to(oppo 971, denon 1930 and 2930, and the samsung 860 and 960) with the exception of the 2930 the toshiba IMO was better than the rest. Keep in mind the denon lists for over 800 and only upconverts. When I did HD DVD nothing that I have witnessed Has come even close, not even Blue Ray....so this is where I giggle when I look back and question why the heck I was on the fence about this product to begin with? when you look at the price it is a no brainer, good bargain , and versatile.

Sound: This is where I went crazy! My SD DVD's never sounded better, but then again I wasn't crazy about my cheapo dvd player that I had attached to my Home Theater, but this was the right move. everything sounds louder, theres more bass, vocals are clearer and most importantly the video and audio are top notch and envelop you into whatever you watch thru the Toshiba.

Gen 1 player: yeah gen 1 players are always a risk....anything that's new is always a risk. You become a beta tester for these companies when they first dish out there machines. But that's technology folks and coming from someone who for a living deals with servers and the likes in the IT world.....I'll be the first to say that no technology is perfect. But the fact that Toshiba has made it very clear that they will not neglect the A1 once the A2 comes out is enough for me to pull the trigger on this player which leads me to my next point.

Compatibility: This is a word that in my profession is very important. You don't want to get the biggest and baddest thing just to say that you did and then find out your other stuff doesn't like it. The fact that this gen1 player has analog out and firmwares tells me that: a. this player will stay in tune with most of the technologies (true hd and DD+ in the 2.0 firmware for example) and b. the 5.1 analog will let you keep your current receiver that you probably dished out alot of money for!

I really think the toshiba HD A1 has its bugs and I'm sure future gens will be better, but this format war isn't really going to go anywhere right now so the prices will more or less stay the same for at least another year. So if you're on the fence and want to wait for this thing to be over with, you might wait a while. So why not enjoy this technology now and your current dvd collection as well. You will not be dissappointed.

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I bought this player about a week ago. The picture on standard DVD's is great. The picture on HD-DVD's is awesome! I bought 5 HD movies when I purchased this player. "Perfect Storm","Training Day","Apollo 13","Million Dollar Baby" and "Cinderella Man". The picture on all of these movies is incredible! The sound is also great. My player is hooked up to a 42 inch Panasonic plasma via an HDMI cable. My receiver is a Harman Kardon 240. If you hook up the sound using a fiber optic cable the sound is down converted to DTS. If you use the analog connections the sound comes across in Dolby Digital Plus. I'm using both connections. The sound of the DTS is louder because it's a digital signal, but the Dolby Digital Plus is clearer. It's sounds more like the sounds you'll hear at a real movie theater. Sometimes I watch movies using DTS, other times I'll use the Dolby Digital Plus. Both sound great. I was going to buy a Blu-Ray player but after reading lots of reviews and doing some research, I decided that the price tag on the Samsung Blu-Ray player was just too much. I haven't seen the picture on the Blu-Ray, but I bet that it's nothing like the Toshiba. The only concern I had when purchasing this player was the support of the movie studios. Blu-Ray has the support of most of the major studios. HD-DVD is basically only supported by Warner Brothers and Universal. Hopefully if HD-DVD continues to gain consumer support, more of the studios will switch sides. Nobody knows which format will win out, but even if HD-DVD loses out you'll have a high end DVD player that only cost 499.99 dollars. Buy this player. You won't regret it.

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I've only had this thing for a couple of days, and have been absolutely blown away by the video and audio quality of the two HD-DVD movies I've watched thus far: Sahara and Goodfellas. Both the picture and the sound (when the player is properly connected and properly set up) are far superior to that of DVD when viewed on a high-definition TV.

For video, I set the output to HDMI and the resolution to 1080i (even though my TV is an older 720p model). A supplemental sheet that comes with the manual recommends that, for HD-DVD discs, the resolution be set to the native format of the disc rather than that of the TV. Every HD-DVD I've read about thus far is encoded at 1080-line resolution, so I set the player at 1080i. I haven't yet noticed anything in the manual regarding what to do for regular DVDs, so I experimented a bit and concluded that 1080i is the best setting for DVDs as well. Thus, I set the thing at a resolution of 1080i and plan to leave it there.

I connected the player to my TV's DVI input using an HDMI-to-DVI adapter, then connected the six analog 5.1 audio outputs on the back of the player to the analog 5.1 inputs on my stereo receiver, then calibrated the audio for speaker size and distance using the "Setup" feature. Note: The owner's manual doesn't mention that the "Setup" button is hidden under a sliding panel on the lower end of the remote control.

My only complaint is that the remote control is an un-backlit version of the backlit remote that comes with the more expensive HD-XA1 player offered by Toshiba. The only way I can read it is with a flashlight. Fortunately, once I got things figured out, I found that I really only need to use a few key buttons, the positions of which are easily memorized. Also, there ought to be a label on the sliding panel that hides the setup button.

The menu of an HD-DVD disc can be accessed and operated while the movie is playing. This is much cooler than it sounds. The features that can be operated from the menu are much more sophisticated than those on a regular DVD.

Picture quality is phenomenal, even on my 42" 720p LCD rear-projection TV (a 3-year-old model that's already antiquated). It's obvious that HD-DVD is designed to be optimatlly viewed on a high-quality big-screen 1080-line TV (at least 60") in order to achieve a true home-cinema experience. I calculated that the ideal TV for my living room (viewing distance = 12 feet) would be a 65" screen with 1080-line resolution.

The picture quality is even better than what I get from HD satellite and broadcast channels. I could detect no video-compression artifacts in either of the HD-DVDs that I've watched thus far, even in scenes with lots of complex high-speed motion. In addition to extreme picture clarity, HD-DVD offers a very noticeable improvement in color gamut over DVD. Watch an HD movie, and you'll see real-world colors you've never seen on TV before. Once I switched back to watching a regular DVD, the color seemed a bit phony-looking.

What really caught me by surprise was the quality of the sound when using the Dolby Digital Plus soundtrack. Right now, the only way to listen to the DD+ soundtrack in its pure form is to connect to the analog 5.1 outputs on the back of the player, which involves a bit of extra cabling. It's well worth the trouble, however. DD+ apparently allows the use of a much lower compression ratio than ordinary DD or DTS. The surround effects are much more like those you'll hear in a good theater, and the realism and clarity of the sounds is absolutely electrifying. You can, alternatively, connect to your receiver via digital optical cable, in which case the DD+ track gets converted to ordinary DTS (possibly losing some of its quality in the process).

We're in the midst of the TV Revloution, with a combination of new display technologies, new audio/video formats, and new audio/video media. The biggest problem has been the scarcity of HD material to watch on your HD television, and the lack of pre-recorded HD media (the obscure D-VHS format having been the only option until now). It will probably be quite some time before a sizeable portion of the cable/satellite/broadcast universe converts to HD. Even the local ATSC digital terrestrial broadcasts in my area are still standard definition much of the time, and my HD satellite programming package only provides me with 3 full-time HD channels and 3 channels that are mixed HD/SD.

HD-DVD and BluRay discs could enable people to gain access to a lot of high-quality HD material while we wait for the cable/satellite/broadcast industry to catch up. After that, HD discs will be able to fulfill the same function that DVDs and VHS tapes currently provide, enabling you to own or rent a wide variety of programming for viewing at your convenience. Now that I've watched a couple of HD-DVDs on my HDTV, I may never want to buy or rent a regular DVD again (even though, admittedly, the HD-A1 does a very nice job of playing regular DVDs). Sales of HD players and discs could also drive sales of big-screen 1080-line TVs as well, as this is the only type of TV that would enable the home-theater enthusiast to really take full advantage of what HD-DVD and (theoretically) BluRay have to offer.

Gathering from all the positive reviews in Amazon, I decided to purchase the HD-A1 after mulling it over for the past few months. I originally planned to put off buying it till the holiday season but I couldn't wait much longer. I needed to see with my own eyes what it would do to my existing home theater setup. No longer a stranger to HD progamming as I'm an HD subscriber to Comcast, I eagerly hooked up the HD-A1 to my Panasonic HDTV using HDMI Monster cable; furthermore, I connected the audio via optical cable to my THX 5.1 surround EX sound system. Initially, I played "The Chronicles of Riddick"; I wasn't impressed-I was totally flabbergasted! The opening preview of the movie was pure eye candy-six-times sharper and with an exceedingly brilliant color saturation than a standard DVD. The special effects sequence, particularly in the planet Crematoria looked so real you wouldn't have realized it's computer-generated. Details I haven't noticed before came to life-like intricate patterns of the necromonger's armor and facial blemishes of Vin Diesel. The fight sequences are even further enhanced by the Dolby Digital Plus signal it feeds my THX receiver-my system decodes it as DTS-ES + THX. I was in rapt attention all throughout the movie; "Chronicles of Riddick" for me was one forgettable movie when I watched it in the theater two years ago-watching it now is a completely different experience. I was acutely aware of the nuances in picture and sound; it gave me a renewed appreciation of movies I have long forgotten; Sahara, The Bourne Supremacy, Van Helsing, Serenity-these were movies I just browsed through-not anymore. For the first time, I could see picture clarity and hear high-fidelity sound in a format that not only plays HD DVDs but regular DVDs and CDs as well-and all these for half the price of Bluray. On top of it all, HD DVD boasts more titles in its library than Bluray. Only time will tell when all the major backers of Bluray will jump ship to HD DVD.

Update: 9/11/2006

Two major issues found on the HD-A1 are the slow loading times (45 seconds on the average) and the unwieldy remote control. To cut the load time, I simply hit the "open tray" button right away and push the play button once the disc is in the tray (that way I bypass hitting the "power" button and the "close tray" button). I also have resolved the remote control issue by buying the Sony RM-VL600 universal remote control. I have watched over a dozen HD DVD movies and all of them were in pristine high-def glory. I'm just waiting for the firmware update disc coming from Toshiba (I declined to use the ethernet hookup coz I didn't wanna mess up my HD-A1 if I did things incorrectly). The new 2.0 update should add Dolby TrueHD functionality and resolve some HDMI interface issues. Anyone on the lookout for an upconverting DVD player-do yourself a favor and invest a few hundred dollars more and buy the HD-A1 since it outperforms all other upconverting DVD players in the market today; regular DVDs definitely looked twice as sharp as rendered by the HD-A1.

CIB K808AV500G8653 8CH Network Security Surveillance KIT w/ Eight CCD Cameras...

I bought the 8 camera system from USA Security listed here. I would have given five stars, but it's four for the product not the firm.

The company shipped out a package missing a power supply for the main DVR unit. However, when I wrote and called to complain, they immediately shipped out a replacement power supply without any trouble whatsoever. This firm seemed committed to resolving sales problems for its customers, and for that I'm grateful. I'd definitely buy from them again, and would recommend others purchase from the firm as well.

The device works as advertised. Images from the cameras are straight 480i, and what's recorded is really about 320i, but then again so what. I'm not making a movie, I'm recording video of the exterior of a property. I don't care about image quality, I care about having proof for insurance adjusters and law enforcement. I've installed about half the cameras and got the DVR working, so I can say for certain that it works as advertised.

However, and here's why the fifth star is missing, the DVR system is based on Linux. It's clearly imported hardware from China. Unfortunately, the manufacturer doesn't include source code for the Linux portion of the product. Yet, that's a requirement of the GPL license agreement for Linux. Frankly, I doubt USA Security has any control over their Chinese manufacturers they're likely just buying in bulk and selling an imported product. But they should know that if they could get their customers source code, folks like me just might improve it. I'll need the root password too.

For the vast majority of potential buyers, this is not an issue. If you want a cheap 8 cam security system, this device will do the trick. But it sure would be nice if these manufacturers actually read and followed the license agreements of the Free Software they base their products upon. Following that license would actually benefit them and their customers as well.

Very complete kit, including a nice power box, pigtail wires, cables, cameras and great DVR and software.

Cameras have nice resolution and good motion sensing.

Took me just a few hours to setup the first 5 cameras. Very easy setup, the software with the included mouse makes setup a snap, in no time I had it emailing me snapshots.

I really like the snapshot on motion, it emails me jpgs from 2-3 active cameras at once.

Overall great value with plug and play experience.

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I purchased this unit 7 months ago and I love it. I operate a home daycare and buying these cameras have been the best investment hands down. I consider myself mechanically inclined and all by myself, was able to hook up the cameras without much trouble. The hook up of the equipment is pretty simple and it took me 2 days to hook them up. The hardest part was running the wires through the attic but if you have help, I'm sure they can be set up in a day.

After a day, one of the cameras stopped working. I contacted the seller and he immediately sent me out a new camera with a prepaid box to ship the defective camera back. I also contacted the seller before I bought this system and spoke with a woman and she took the time to explain the system to me and answered any questions I had. That was the main selling point for me. Customer service now days is ridiculous and I appreciated the time she took explaining everything to me and the promptness of the return of the defective camera.

I did have problems hooking up the cameras to the internet. I am not very computer literate, so I had Geek Squad come out and try to hook it up but he had problems also. Apparently, the user login kept asking for a password that was never created and the only way to obtain that password was to contact the vendor or manufacturer. I checked YouTube and was able to figure out that the password was password.

I normally only buy products off of Amazon by ratings and this product did not have a rating at the time of my purchase but I am glad that I took a chance. Unfortunately, the other person who gave it a 1 star was commenting on a different item.

Read Best Reviews of CIB K808AV500G8653 8CH Network Security Surveillance KIT w/ Eight CCD Cameras... Here

Q-see is one of the worst company I've ever dealt with.

I purchased their product and couldn't get it to work.

I emailed the company many times before I received any

acknowledgement. When I finally was able to get replacement parts

for the unit, I only had one week left under the warranty.

Needless to say, the replacement parts didn't fix the problem.

I tried to recontact with the company via email...and they blew me

off until the warranty ran out.

After which, they told me they wouldn't even look at the unit..

a unit that never worked,

unless I paid them $90.00 in advance.

Do not give these thieves your hard earned dollar.

Stay far away from Q-see

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ARKON CMP220 8.5 Inches Flexible Windshield and Dash Mount for Cameras with 1/4 20 Screw Thread

After using four other mounts, this one has it all.

Pros: It attaches securely, the flexible arm is long enough, and it doesn't sag over time. The camera mounting head itself is also adjustable so that just the camera itself can be aimed precisely without moving the flexible arm. Even with sharply sloped windshields the flexible arm has enough reach to allow the camera to be positioned below the driver's line of sight.

Cons: This mount is very sturdy, so it is a bit heavier than some other mounts I've used. (That sturdiness is easily worth it; see below.)

Uses: Not just for windshields! I've used it at home on desks, mirrors, refrigerators and tables. It is used here on car dashboards, consoles, hoods, deck lids and even auto roof tops for videoing in and on cars. This mount is frequently attached to various places on the exterior of SUVs for videoing off-road travel, on sports cars while competing in races and on racetrack barricades for documenting each driver's technique.

Just like the pros, I always use a safety cord around the attachment base, but this is the first suction mount I've used that didn't droop with time and has never ever vibrated off. The secure attachment, sturdiness and pricing hits the sweet spot for camera mounts.

For the price this is a good mount. It holds my camera fine but I drive a lot of rough roads so with the flexible arm the camera bounces around. I found that I have to bend the arm so that the camera is touching the windshield to help keep it steady. I would purchase again if needed.

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I wish this was just a bit more sturdy. I got horrible camera shake when I used as a windshield mount for a small camera.

Read Best Reviews of ARKON CMP220 8.5 Inches Flexible Windshield and Dash Mount for Cameras with 1/4 20 Screw Thread Here

I originally bought the Flex Mount for the windshield to record my drives, but the result was very shaky & bouncy (probably due to length, not quality). So I got myself a bulkier/more rigid ball joint mount and it solved the problem, thus rendered the Flex Mount useless. But for my trip to Hong Kong this summer, I grabbed the Flex Mount just in case & I found it pretty handy for still shots & night scenes with my point&shoot. It's definitely not my first choice for a camera stand/tripod, but it was portable & didn't break when I bent it in all sorts of directions (unlike my 2 previously broken Spider Pods).

The Flex Mount provided a good range of motion; it transitioned easily (with practice) from horizontal frame to vertical frame for my photos. And there are some tight places where the suction worked great where you can't get a tripod or spiderpod to stay. Overall, It is a good quality build Flex Mount & suction worked great, but a Flex Mount is just not right for the Car Windshield, therefore I give it 3 stars.

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I use this with the Grifiti-Nootle for iPad mini to make a passable adapter to use ipad mini as GPS in the car. Works well, but the ipad mini is probably just a little too heavy. The mini pulls off the suction cup if everything is not balanced just so, or you take a corner at speed. Luckily, no damage to the mini yet, and with a bit of extra caution, the spills should become pretty rare. I'd recommend a slightly shorter neck design, and don't even try it with a full size ipad.

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Olympus VN-1800 Digital Voice Recorder

Review for Voice Recorder VN 1800 and VN 900.

Pretty good machine, does basically what I need it to do !

Overall good value and functionality for the price.

Although this is not the perfect device of my dreams with all the features I would like to see

it is a good replacement for my old voice recorder...

I bought the VN 900 with advertised 90 min of recording time.

The fact is on high quality you get 22.5 minutes and that is plenty enough.

Before I had 11 minutes which I never used.

Remember this is a voice recorder to take notes and reminders that you would

otherwise put on sticky notes, not a recorder for whole meetings. If you look

for a recorder for meetings you are in fact better off with a tape recorder.

For taking notes it is great because you can do it while riding a bike, a car, on a plane,

where ever you are and want to take a note, without taking out a note pad and end up

with messy pieces of paper.

Best ideas usually come, when you least expect them so be prepared to take a note.

Record with high quality, I agree.

The use of low sensitivity on the microphone is very useful.

If low sensitiviy is used, it significantly reduces background noise.

With my old recorder I had problems understanding what I said when recording

notes on airplanes or in noisy plant setting. Not so with this unit on low sensitivity.

On high sensitivity the background noise is very disturbing.

If you talk into the mic low is you setting of choice if you want to record a whole

room then high is.

I agree that automatic voice recording does not work and so far never has on

any device I have seen. Just don't use it. If you use the machine for notes,

you won't need it.

Stop button on top is in deed confusing, but the logic is that it is right below the

record button. This takes some getting used to.

I did not find a use for the clip either but it is not in the way so who cares.

I agree that the hold button is somewhat of a nuisance.

However, if the unit is left on long enough it goes into a sleep mode by itself.

Unit works well with rechargable NiMH batteries so that it does not add to

the toxic garbage pile created by used batteries.

One hand operation is not a problem, not a problem to handle while driving.

Possible Improvements:

1. A feature I would like to see is an integrated stop watch.

2. Erasing is a pain because when you push it after the message has played

it erases the next message not the one just played. One has to be careful.

3. I would prefer if the machine stayed on the message just played

instead of jumping to the next one.

4. I would prefer if the unit would always come up with folder A instead of the last

folder that was open.

5. I would prefer to have easier access to the folders instead of having to cycle

one way through them.

6. I would prefer to always see the recorded date and time when on a message

instead of the current time. This makes it easier to know what the message

is and makes it easier to classify them.

7. I would like to just have plain alarm function for a wake-up call but it is okay

as it is, when the alarm sounds I get a message when I silence it.

8. Setting the alarm is the same problem as erasing. If you set the alarm once

the message has played you set it for the next message not for the one

you just heard.

Eberhard.

The new VN1800 from olympus is a very good product! I see it as a next generation compared to my older VN90. The most impressive differences to me are the smaller size and the better sound. There is also a fourth directory and buttons are more intuitive with the jogdial. The size is now about 3 inches versus 4 inches, allowing the VN1800 to hold in a pocket without deforming it or hurting. The sound quality in HQ mode is very crisp allowing to better recognize all kinds of sounds, even mixes of noises, voices and music. It is no longer a struggle to understand voicenotes I took in my car with ambiant city noise.

The consomation is low: i measured about 0.1mA standby, 40mA play (low volume) 30mA rec mode. So batteries must last a while

I also did a test of replacing the batteries within reasonable time (10sec) and thank god the messages were not lost.

The VN1800 will always be with me, attached to my keys with an extendable cord.

Note: sometimes under harsch frictions and pressure the tiny 'hold' button accidentally shifts and the unit starts recording. For this I simply cut off the 3 grooves of the button

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I originally purchased this recorder to take minutes in meetings. In both HQ and SP modes, the quality of recording is very good for this purpose, assuming use of headphones when transcribing. In an outdoor setting, with people seated around a standard size folding table and holding the recorder so that it can be pointed toward the person speaking, the VCVA (voice activation) function was an excellent performer, even with a few people who mumble, and saved having to deal with blocks of silence. In LP mode, the quality of recordings is awful, but still salvageable (laborious task of playing file into computer as a wave file, then performing noise reduction on file) allows use of such files. If the time provided by SP is adequate for your purposes, this is an excellent and cost effective choice.

Read Best Reviews of Olympus VN-1800 Digital Voice Recorder Here

Although this digital voice recorder's (DVR) customerand editorial reviews are accurate, they fail to identify one important flaw!

With a DVR, (unlike audio microcassette recorders) you can NOT rewind over an erroneous word and rerecord it. If you are using the DVR to dictate, you will not be able to back up and restate anything said in error.

This is a major drawback.

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I selected the VN-1800 after looking at many dictating devices on the Internet. I use mine for recording my thoughts and diary entries on the go. It's small enough to fit nicely into my pocket, and the Hold switch never accidentally slides open. It's large enough to rest comfortably and securely on four fingers of one hand, leaving the thumb free to operate the buttons.

HQ mode along with low mic sensitivity catches my voice clearly and holds 45 minutes of dictation, which is plenty for my purposes. I love the S folder, which has a slot for each day of the year. Because it knows the date and time, the recorder automatically points to today's slot for recording. When playing messages, all the messages for a day are played, making it perfect for transferring to a computer via the headphone jack for making mp3 files.

It would seem that manufacturers now think everybody is just itching for voice recorders to play mp3 music files. In my case, though, I already have a 20GB mp3 player, so I couldn't care less about mp3 playback capability. Why pay extra for something you don't want?

The ability to link digitally with my PC is not valuable to me either, because I have to listen to my dictation anyway so that I can categorize it, so the task of making mp3 files on my computer is no burdon.

The player is clean, rugged, and has the features that I want, without extra gimmicks such as mp3 music playback. This brings the price down, which is another nice feature. Sometimes less is more.

Nokia 6300 Unlocked Triband Camera Business Phone (Black)

I had to wait for 1 month to get it! They never mentioned that it would be shipped from China, there were no 3 or 4 days delivery options. So I waited. I received it in 30 days. I used it for 3 days only. It kept on turning off by itself, specially in the middle of conversation. My friends complained that they couldn't reach me. I decided to send it back (note that time for returning the item without being charged is 30 days and I had been using it for 3 days after 30 days delivery). I wrote Amazon and they said it was too late. I contacted the seller, and the seller started to bargain with me saying that they would send me an extra battery and a charger. I refused because the problem was with a phone itself. They bargained again to send me a replacement phone. What??? To wait for replacement for another month??? Thank you!In the end I sent them the phone back and they supposed to refund my money. It has been 2 months now! I NEVER GOT MY MONEY BACK! INSTEAD I LOST MY TIME, MY NERVES AND MY MONEY AGAIN TO SEND THE ITEM BACK TO CHINA!!! FANTASTIC!

I've use this phone for 5 years. Now just changing battery. It's true that you can use it for 3-4 hours. But it's not a problem for me.

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Good phone and received on time. It is durable, looks prety, I recommend to any one who needs the basic phone.

Read Best Reviews of Nokia 6300 Unlocked Triband Camera Business Phone (Black) Here

Pros: nice style/shape, small & handy, easy use

Cons: metal casing got warm/hot after 5-10 min on the phone from the battery (original nokia battery)

short battery life (3-4 hours talk time)

After about 1.5 years the charger plug (hole) did not work properly and the program kept freezing. was not able to use anymore

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I`m very satisfied with the phone.

For a long time i`ve been wanted to buy it, and finnaly I did.

I recieved it in a box unpacked, all new...:)

Once again great phone.

TRIPP LITE AV10IRG Eco Green RJ11/RJ45 Coax 10 Outlet 8-Feet Cord A/V Surge Protector

Like one of the other reviewers, I think this product is based on a good concept but has serious drawbacks in every day use. If you buy this product, be very careful with firmware updates. Just about all entertainment devices now are built to connect to the Internet via your home network. Firmware updates fix bugs in the core software of the device and sometimes even enhance functionality. Manual firmware updates are best left to those of us with strong computer skills. But with most devices now connected to the Internet, firmware updates are usually just a matter of clicking "OK" when the device is ready to perform one. But even with automated firmware updates, you will see the warning, "DO NOT TURN OFF THE POWER DURING THE UPDATE". I had my Yamaha RX A820 AV Receiver plugged into one the "power saving" outlets. The firmware update info stated that the update could take up to 20 minutes. I have high speed FiOS Internet service and the connection to the receiver is wired. I walked away to get a cup of coffee. I figured no way it would take that long. It didn't. But the power strip didn't wait more than a few minutes before it shut down. When I came back the receiver appeared to be off. I figured the updated completed and the device powered off. When I pressed the power button, nothing. Dead. I pressed the button and held it down. An ominous message appeared on the LCD display: ROM ERROR! I knew what that meant. The firmware update was interrupted when the power was cut off. The memory that stores the firmware was now corrupted. In the I.T. biz, we call this the creation of a giant paper weight. Fortunately, Yamaha designed in a recovery procedure that lets you manually load a firmware update from a USB thumb drive. I was lucky I had the knowledge to find the procedure and perform it. Otherwise, the receiver would have gone to a repair shop where I would probably have been charged a pretty penny. The reciever is now plugged into one of the "always on" outlets. Tripp Lite would do well to give you the option of making any or all of the power saving outlets "always on".

The concept is good -let's kill the vampire devices -but this device is infuriating to actually use. I have my LG TV plugged into one of the "not always on" plugs... makes sense, right? The TV isn't doing any work when it's turned off, so it shouldn't get any current.

The problem is how the power strip tries to 'sense' load. If I pause my TV, guess what, the power strip shunts the outlet. My TV uses an ambient light level sensor to adjust its brightness -guess what happens if the TV decreases brightness? Yep, the outlet gets shunted.

So now I have an expense 4 plug powerstrip (since the 'not always on' plugs are useless -or worse, random). And now I will unplug it and throw it out.

Don't waste your money on this thing.

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I bought this to connect a Onkyo receiver, plasma tv, blue ray player, xbox, ipod player...

They all plug in but after just a few weekends of use this item does not work correctly. The "save energy" feature has gone haywire and it randomly shuts off all power while listening to music (right in the middle of songs). To get it back on, you hit any key on the remote and it fires back up. Not only is this behavior annoying, I worry it's doing more harm than good to my equipment. It shuts off at least 2-3 times per hour.

Read Best Reviews of TRIPP LITE AV10IRG Eco Green RJ11/RJ45 Coax 10 Outlet 8-Feet Cord A/V Surge Protector Here

Very convenient, it powers off the equipment connected to the switch-able outlets after 3 minutes, also displays the power being used.

Excellent design

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Flip UltraHD Video Camera - White, 8 GB, 2 Hours (2nd Generation)

If I'm going to spend more than a hundred bucks on an item or somewhere around there, I do extensive research first to know I got the best bang-for-the-buck and, consequently, dodge any potential future buyer's remorse.

I've realized that the time I spend doing my product comparisons is often time that others don't have so I may as well share what I can.

I'll start by saying that you'll see my "Verified Amazon Purchase" on the Flip HD Ultra Camcorder review because, obviously, that's the one I wound up buying and I'll share with you why. But what I like in a camcorder may not suit your own needs so I'll break it down and let you decide what's best for you via what I found out:

Here are the pocket camcorders I compared:

Flip UltraHD (will be referred to as "F")

Flip Mino HD 2nd generation (Will be referred to as "M")

Creative Labs Vado HD 8 GB 2nd generation (Will be referred to as "CL")

Kodak Zi6 Pocket HD (Will be referred to as "K")

Why HD cameras only? Brighter colors and better images, wider images

HD SHOOTING TIME:

F: 120 minutes.

M: 120 minutes

CL:120 minutes

K: 25 minutes with batteries they included, 120 minutes if you buy an SD card

MEMORY:

F: 8 GB

M:8 GB

CL: 8 GB

K: internally only 30 MB recording space but it has 32 GB expandable SD/SDHC card slot. Because it comes with such small recording space you really need to buy an SD or SDHC card to maximize its potential, but the potential is really good and this will increase your ability to shoot longer.

RESOLUTION:

All 720p which is excellent, just one step below the top 1080p format.

MICROPHONE:

F: Stereo

M: Mono **Update** They are now putting Stereo Mics in the Minos as of 2010.

CL: Mono

K: Mono

SOUND:

F:Premier AAC audio. Best stereo sound quality but still not great in winds

M:Good sound quality. Still not good in winds.

CL:Poor sound quality; had issues with sound and picture not being in sync.

K:Poor sound quality

ZOOM:

F: 2x

M:2x

CL:2x

K: poor quality zoom on the one I tried but I still think it's 2x. It has a great macro focus for very close-up objects if, for example, you see a bumble bee and want to shoot it on a leaf a few inches away! Kinda cool.

CAMERA SIZE AND WEIGHT:

F: 4.3x2.2x1.2 4 oz

M: 3.9x2x0.6 3. 3 oz

CL: 3.9x3x0.6 3.5 oz

K: 5.5x2.5.0.9 5.6 oz

SHIPPING SIZE AND WEIGHT:

F: 6.2 x 3.1 x 3.1 inches ; 11.2 ounces

M: 2 x 0.7 x 3.9 inches ; 1 pound

CL: 3.3 x 7.9 x 6.3 inches ; 11.2 ounces

K: 4x 5x 2.5" 2.4 lbs

TECHNICAL DETAILS:

F: USB cable pops out of the back so you don't need to keep up with a separate cable. Comes with Flip Video rechargeable AA battery pack (recharges when connected to USB); also supported by standard AA batteries. Note: Some sets come with the HDMi mini included and others come with the rechargeable battery pack on Amazon. Looks like one or the other but of course if you need both you can buy the other.

M: USB cable pops out of the back on this one as well. Has child safe button to prevent accidental deletion of videos. Internal lithium ion battery recharges through built-in USB arm

CL: USB in camcorder. Included in box are HDMI cable (nice), USB extension cable,(nice)silicon skin (cool) & rechargeable battery.

K: Included in box are HD and AV cables and wrist strap and rechargeable batteries and battery charger. Has built in USB arm.

SPEED:

F: 30 frames per second.

M: 30 frames per second

CL: 30 frames per second

K: choice of 30 frames per second or 60 frames per second.

VIEWING SCREEN: All 2" except the Kodak was the largest at 2.4"

IMPORTANT NOTES:

F: Best low-light performance for the mini cameras (though not perfect at all) and least amount of blurring and dropped frames in my opinion. Best color. Only one with stereo sound. You can get an underwater case for this one! Though that may sound crazy for a Texan, we use the camera non-stop on vacations and even when we aren't IN the water, we are around the water...on boats, in the sand with sea mist, etc. Then we can dive in and record the fish. Comes preloaded with flipshare software...just plug in to computer and it pops up. Only one with stereo sound.

M: Colors don't appear as good on the Mino as the other cameras. Thinnest camera. Make sure you get the one that only comes in the color aluminum or brushed metal. If it comes in any other colors it is the 1st generation MinoHD and they improved upon that one in the newer models. Great audio. Better shooting in low light than most mini cameras. Camera comes preloaded with FlipShare software. Can get still images through flipshare software.

CL: Decent filming in low light but not nearly as good as the Ultra or Mino; Software is preloaded in camcorder.

K: This is the only camera that I compared without the built in image stabilizatin which corrects for shaky images. What appears to be metal in picture is actually a chrome colored plastic. That said, this had the largest viewing screen of all of them. 2.4" Very poor in low light and seemed to have far more shaking and blurring. It also takes still pictures but they are really really poor quality...same as a lesser-quality cell phone pictures but good in a pinch if you want a still shot and have no cell or camera I s'pose. Heaviest for a pocket camera. Software is not preloaded in camcorder but a cd comes with it.

HOW CNET'S EDITORS RATED THE CAMERAS:

F Excellent

M Excellent

CL Very Good

K Very Good

And, finally, the reviews of the Flip from experts swayed me quite a bit:

Fast Company: "Flip Ultra HD is Pure Digital's "Best Pocket Camcorder Yet." 6-09

USA Today: "New Flip Ultra Video Cameras Might Flip Your Switch" 4-09

Business Week: How do you Invigorate a Recession? Look to i-phone, Flip, Kindle, and Zip Car For Answers

There were lootttts more I came across when researching the Flip Ultra HD but those are some of my favorites.

CONCLUSION: Clearest picture and sound was important to me, expert reviews that pointed to the Flip UltraHD as well and I liked the built in software and the case I can get to shoot underwater. It is the number one selling camcorder as well. So that was my personal decision-making process. However, keep in mind that if you need reading glasses none of that will matter if the 2" screen is too small for your viewing the shots easily for playback in which case you may wish to get the Kodak if that's important to you..

Also: No matter which one you get, you will probably want a mini tripod if you ever want to be in the shot yourself do don't forget those.

Also note: It's confusing because when these manufacturers make changes in the camcorders, they do not change the names on the new versions, nor do they change the names if it's an HD version or a non-HD version so be sure you look for the "HD" after the brand name and look for "2nd generation" or "newer version" on the Mino and Vado if you like one of those better so you don't get the older models.

Hope my obsessive comparing and contrasting for my own purchasing assistance helped you as well even if what you wanted in a camera was different from me. :-)

This video shows you what you get, and how it compares to the Flip MinoHD. Why should you buy one over the other, when they are similarly priced? Shows a side-by-side comparison of the video, and a feature comparison table.

Flip UltraHD Camcorder, 120 Minutes (Black)Flip UltraHD Camcorder, 120 Minutes (White)Flip Video Battery Pack for 2nd Generation Ultra & UltraHD

Buy Flip UltraHD Video Camera - White, 8 GB, 2 Hours (2nd Generation) Now

I previously owned the Flip MinoHD so this review is based on a comparison between the Flip MinoHD and the new Flip UltraHD.

After reading about the Flip UltraHD's addition of an HDMI output, larger screen, and longer battery life I decided to sell my 4 month old Flip MinoHD and purchase the Flip UltraHD. Since the MinoHD is very sleek and diminutive in size, my first reaction to the UltraHD was that it was quite a bit larger and bulkier to hold, and has taken some time to get used to. However, unless you've used a MinoHD the larger size of the UlraHD will probably be less noticeable. I found the camera controls on the UltraHD to be slightly easier to operate vs. the touch sensitive buttons on the MinoHD. As far as video quality between the two, I compared two different videos and both are about the same, however, the colors appear to be slightly more vibrant with the UltraHD.

If you are trying to decide which one to purchase, if maximum portability is important to you than the MinoHD is the better choice. Otherwise, if you're looking compact camcorder with more features (HDMI output, replaceable batteries, longer record time) then you can't go wrong with the UltraHD.

My ultimate wish is for Pure Digital/Cisco to introduce a MinoHD with all of same functionality as the UltraHD. Until then, the UltraHD is the all-around better choice.

Read Best Reviews of Flip UltraHD Video Camera - White, 8 GB, 2 Hours (2nd Generation) Here

So when I was 17 (and convinced that I would someday be famous) I really wanted a video camcorder to try my hand at making movies, or to film myself to see whether I had what it took to be a TV reporter, but never could justifying spending $500+ on one. Over the years I moved onto other tech cravings and ambitions. Then last year a friend showed me the Flip Mino and I had to have one. It was super easy to use and fun, and I started getting great videos of my own kids and captured moments that otherwise would have been fleeting, including my youngest child's first steps. I wish this had been around when I was a kid. Anyway, the Mino is great, but it's tiny tiny tiny. That's convenient when it comes to having a camcorder on you at all times, or when trying to get into events that prohibit cameras, and the screen is really small. So I just picked up this new Flip the Ultra HD. The screen is wonderfully large. It comes with a rechargeable AA battery back, which works through the USB, but it looks like you can throw in regular AA batteries in a pinch. Sound quality is great, video seems even better than the Mino. Only drawback with both the Mino and Ultra is you have to keep your hand steady when filming but I find that easier to do with the Ultra than the Mino. Also, it's not ideal for filming kids' concerts, because the zoom is only 2x. But for capturing otherwise fleeting moments in great quality, the Ultra HD is now my standby. The software that comes with it makes it easy to email videos to family and friends, or to upload a video to Flickr or wherever. Bottom line is I've been carrying this thing around nonstop since I got it. Hasn't made me famous yet, but I love my Ultra.

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Originally I went in to Best Buy to pick up a Mino HD so I could record studio and location "behind the scenes" photography shoots for my business. The employee I spoke to handed this to me saying "it doesn't come out for another week, but its cheaper than the Mino that is on sale". It was a no-brainer for me to pick up.

Its a nice little unit; compact, fits in my back pocket if needed, and the controls are very basic click da big red button to record. Click da big red button again to stop. Simplicity at its finest.

I love that the unit has a USB built right in, but I still use a USB extension because I'm using an iMac, and since it ends up hanging upside down, I don't want to add stress to the USB prong.

I haven't used the built-in editing software, as I'm importing my files into iMovie and editing from that.

Quality wise, I'd say is pretty darn good considering its about the size of a box of Necco valentine sweet-hearts candy. However, I must insist that it is to be used as a stationary "fixed" lens, and not to use the digital zoom. Once that digital zoom is used, the quality, like *any* digital zoom, suffers greatly. To circumvent this, I've super-glued a step-down ring to the front of my Ultra HD so I can screw on a wide angle and a telephoto lens. If you don't mind Frankenstein-ing your Ultra HD, then go for it.

I haven't done much low-light shooting with it, but I have a feeling that it could get somewhat noisy and grainy. I'll see more results soon when I start using this inside the studio.

I'll be mainly using my Ultra HD on a tripod to record behind-the-scenes footage of my photography sessions, so I'll have a way of keeping the camcorder static and not moving around a lot.

Overall, I feel this is greatly worth the $199 I paid. You have to remember that this is a dinky little device with a tiny sensor in it, so the quality won't be as good as a larger dedicated video camera, or one of the newer DSLR's with the built in high-def. Apples to Oranges.

With a little extra cash and some super-glue, you can get more reach and wide angle out of the unit.Great little unit. Don't come in to this expecting a goose that lays golden eggs. For what it is, it does well.

Recommended.

:: edit people have been asking about the wide-angle mod you can do. I picked up a Sunpak 37mm .5x video camera lens that comes with a set of step-up/step-down rings. I glued one of the rings around the lens on the Ultra, let it dry, and it allows me to screw the wide angle lens over the existing lens. I picked the wide angle lens up at Best Buy. Can't find a link here for the item.